I hope ‘Crisis Materials’ ‘rocks the world like thunder’
Johnny Lee Chapman, III on the set of “Crisis Materials” at Dix Park in Raleigh, N.C. with a mylar flag and wreath created by Stacey L. Kirby. Photo by Julia Wall.
It's always an early morning when you're working with Mike Williams. I sometimes question if I should just pull the all-nighter so I can stay awake for call time; but there's always a hot pot of Starbucks on set, so drowsiness fades fast. And then dawn begins to break over the horizon as everybody prepares for a day of creation.
Johnny Lee Chapman, III with a mylar mask made by Allie Pfeffer. Photo by Julia Wall.
The prep work is one thing I love about working on projects with Mike — whether through Black on Black Project or in this case VITAL Health with artist Stacey L. Kirby and Mike. There is the meticulous assembly of elements, locations, artists and ideas yet a sense of intuition and freedom reserved for the performance. The emails that turn to group texts, the texts that become Zoom calls, calls lead to scheduled site visits, then site visits finalize with production, and production is always followed by more emails.
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I believe every artist/performer should have a ritual or routine prior to showtime and our team is no different. Production manager Myra Weise preserved and honored the space. My creative partner Anthony Otto Nelson, Jr. danced away the sleepiness from muscles. Videographer Julia Wall and the drone took flight before the birds. Mike did a lot of pointing and juggling between one of three phones, and Stacey tended to mylar wreaths like a caring gardener.
Then there's me, pacing around (usually barefoot, to my discomfort), listening to rock music and talking to myself as I try and memorize my poem. A poem that came in a flash of lightning (after two weeks of in-depth research). A poem that I hope rocks the world like thunder. A poem that can impact the lives of all who are listening. A poem titled "Crisis Materials."
[Get an early look at the trailer for the "Crisis Materials" short film by participating in our next set of flower-making workshops. Register here.]