Inspired by spaghetti westerns...two French girls decide to look for adventure in the Wild West. Traveling light, they pack just the essentials, lingerie, champagne, large caliber weapons, you know the story.

In the first video from Southern Backtones new "La Vie En Noir" CD. The Southern Backtones provide the score to a little film we like to call "Slumber Party."

A beautifully dark, indie rock adventure that we hope you enjoy.

myspace.com/southernbacktones
zenfilm.com
sugarhillstudios.com

Starring: The Southern Backtones
Introducing: Emilie Dejonckheere and Rebecca Bertot
Guest Appearances by: Johnny Falstaff, Skepticynic, Dan Workman, Nikola Augsberger and Steve Christensen.

Film Production: Zenfilm
Produced by: Merideth Melville
Unit Production Manager: Jarrod Gullett
Director: wrosswells.com
Director of Photography: wayneforster.net
First AD: Tracy Jemison
First AC: Justin DeGuire
Gaffer: Rolf Eberlein
Key: David Zenteno
Best: Mike Turrin
PA: Francisco "Cole" Calza V
Editorial: W. Ross Wells, Scott Marett, Hank Schyma
2nd Unit Director: Hank Schyma

Filmed in and around Langtry "Law West of the Pecos" Texas and at SugarHill Recording Studios in Houston.

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Jennifer Grassman is a force of nature. This talented singer-songwriter has a gift for fusing diverse elements of classical, Celtic, gothic and rock styles into a beautiful, moving genre all her own.

Pretty Girls, Jennifer Grassman's first music video, is a surreal, dark and beautiful homage to women through the centuries and the joys and dangers that their beauty has drawn into their lives. This music video (produced by TLM Productions and Zenfilm) explores the darkness and light in this hauntingly beautiful song.

Filmed in and around a 150 year old rural farmhouse outside of Richmond, Texas, Pretty Girls captures dramatic and dangerous moments in the lives of pretty girls past and present. The narrative is intercut with dynamic performance footage of Jennifer Grassman filmed in Studio A of 'The Abbey Road of the South', historic SugarHill Studios, in Houston.

The video takes the viewer on an interesting trip through time examining the way social morals affecting women have changed so drastically, yet in a way, haven't changed that much at all. The relationship between men and women of the Victorian age, the 1950's, and the present may all seem radically different, but people, at their very core haven't really changed that much.

Fashions change, technologies change, but emotions, desire, and the baser instincts have been the same for many years. All the Pretty Girls past and present are cautioned, and at the same time celebrated, in this video.

The award winning team of Executive Producer Merideth Melville and Director W. Ross Wells worked together with Dan Workman and Andrew Amelang of TLM Productions to bring this project to the screen. Pretty Girls was lensed at SugarHill by Cinematographer Wayne Forster and in Richmond by Cinematographer Raul Casares. The production was also made possible by the generous support of Panavision Houston, MC Lighting and Production Services, Gaffers Rolf Eberlein and Troy Webb, Key Grip David Zenteno, and Best Boy Michael Turrin. Still photography and art department services were provided by Everett Taasevigen. The entire show was under the command of Unit Production Manager Jarrod Gullett and First Assistant Director Tracy Jemison, both of Zenfilm.

There was a tremendous amount of work done by the artist herself and her talented family, evidence of which is apparent in every scene: art direction, costume design, and properties were all undertaken by the talented Grassman clan.

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The lead vocalist from Shrimp Scampi sits in with the Southern Backtones in this clip from the House of Rock in Corpus Christi, TX.

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Up close and personal with a huge Texas tornado. Storm chasers Hank and Jon-Wesley Schyma (with Sarah and Emily) intercept this monster about 15 miles South of Patricia TX on May 5th 2006. Golf ball sized hail put dents all over the van sheet metal while a second tornado roped out.

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This amazing EF2 tornado was the 3rd intercepted by Hank Schyma just east of Grand Island Nebraska (approaching Aurora) on June 17th 2009. At one point it was a 1/4 mile wide and destroyed a families home and barn. 6 people escaped into the basement seconds before their house was ripped apart. BTW, RFD= Rear Flank Downdraft... Big hail, Strong wrap-around wind, torrential rains, muddy roads, and flying monkeys! Often storm chasers on the back side of the tornado try to maintain possition between the tornado and the RFD... not too close to either, hence the "We gotta keep moving people" quote. The "Business" warehouse in the video was only grazed by the tornado. Still the outer most wind bands were able to do significant damage. Luckily, this tornado touched down between 2 towns keeping destruction to a relative minimal. It could have been much much worst. At the end of the video, telephone lines were draped all the way across the road preventing passage (for non 4-wheel drive vehicles). A spiralling Mesocyclone convecting clear to the tropopause presented the most spectacular storm structure. The supercell continued moving east down I80 for close to 2 hours after dark before dissapating.

The first half of this event tornadic event can be seen here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =9e2Ts0iLr-Q

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Please welcome The Southern Backtones to the Rat Pak Records family! The video is called "Forever" - Music was produced by Dan Workman (Beyonce/ZZ Top/Smashmouth)- the video was directed by W. Ross Wells of Zenfilm. Southern Backtones self-titled CD will be available later this month on Rat Pak Records / CM distro.


This movie is part of the collection: blip.tv



Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0

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Sugar Hill Studios is one of the oldest working recording studios in the world. Dan Workman is one of the owners of Sugar Hill and a record producer who has worked with ZZ Top, Lyle Lovett, Destiny's Child, Beyonce, The Southern Backtones and countless others. This spot features the recording session for the original song "Loose Like a Marionette" by Winter Wallace. This is One of 9 spots in the "My Houston" TV campaign that features some of the truly original people and places in America's 4th largest city. http://visitmyhouston.com

http://sugarhillstudios.com
http://www.myspace.com/winterw allace

Produced by the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Executive Producers: Holly Clapham Rosenow, Lindsey Brown, Laurette Canizares, Katy Huggins
Production Company: http://www.zenfilm.net
Producer: Merideth Melville
Director: W. Ross Wells
Cinematographers: Richard Lacy, W. Ross Wells
Unit Production Manager: Jarrod Gullett
Key Grip: David Zenteno
Best Boy: Michael Turrin
Make Up: Darcie Teasley
Production Design/Motion Graphics: Luis Clavell
HD Post Facility: Zenfilm
Editorial: W. Ross Wells
Audio Post Facility: Sugar Hill Studios
Sound Designer: James Garlington
Cameras and Lens Systems: Panavision Plus 8 Houston
Lighting and Grip: MC Lighting and Production Services Houston.

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Houston is a city of 4 million people, speaking over 100 different languages. In this short clip Houston's children and their families tell you a little more about our city in English, Farsi, Chinese, Russian...you get the point.
for more info visit http://www.visithoustontexas.c om

Produced by The Greater Houston Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
Production Company: Zenfilm
Executive Producers: Holly Clapham-Rosenow, Lindsey Brown, George DeMontrond III, Faisal Amin.
Producer: Merideth Melville
Director: W. Ross Wells

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Organic short documentary showing the cool, hidden life of Houston, America's 4th Largest city. Features interviews with George Foreman, Chloe Dao, Lauren Anderson and others. Musical performances by Beetle and Michael Ward. Great cinematography and editorial. Produced by Merideth Melville. Directed by W. Ross Wells.

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When TireMax comes to town, Elvin and Mordechai take desparate steps to fight back

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This couple really needs to get out more. Comedy spot from Director W. Ross Wells
Client: Delta Downs
Producer: Merideth Melvile
Director of Photography: Raul Caseres
Actors: David Maldonado, Rebekah Dahl
Editor: W. Ross Wells
Design: Luis Clavell
Art Director: Gen Quintanilla

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Organic short documentary showing the cool, hidden life of Houston, America's 4th Largest city. Features interviews with George Foreman, Chloe Dao, Lauren Anderson and others. Musical performances by Beetle and Michael Ward. Great cinematography and editorial. Produced by Merideth Melville. Directed by W. Ross Wells.

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