Hello, my name is Michael Lavine. I am a rock photographer known for my iconic portraits of famous musicians. I am excited to present to you my film project “Pale Souls”.

            As a photographer, I have my own visual style that I use to intrepid the world.  Writing Pale Souls has allowed me to expand my photographic storytelling with emotionally driven narrative.  By creating unique voices for my characters and engaging them through conflict, my hope is to evoke an emotional authenticity that comes alive through their fears and desires. Drawing from my experience working as a rock photographer, my unique insight into the independent music scene is invaluable for the creation of the authentic story world of Pale Souls.  Accessing my own personal experiences and tapping into indie rock lore I have the opportunity to enhance my characters lives with real world references. The vibrant atmosphere of Pale Souls will be seen through the filter of my iconic visual style of bold and graphic composition, translating my dynamic look into a unique cinematic vision.

            The band manager is integral part of the Indie band experience. They are the confidant, the friend, the baby sitter, and the mother. But there is also an inherent outside-ness to being a manager, and Vanessa’s complexities are embedded with an unconscious resentment, sublimating her creative energy by touting the talent of others. Vanessa’s flaws and idiosyncrasies are revealed through her relationships with her lovers, her family and her friends. At what point does she fall in love? Is it love at first sight? Or is it a series of smaller sightings adding up to a culmination of love. The universal nature of Vanessa’s inner conflict is expressed by the collision of her will to succeed, and her desire to experience love. By helping Sterling face his demons she creates demons of her own, a subtle irony she is forced to confront.

            Pale Souls was born from an instagram project that I created a few years ago when my teenage daughter was having a difficult time and I was thrust into a very dark emotional space. I started writing a story using single line aphorisms in the 3rd person and attaching them to Iphone photographs of an obscure nature and posting on instagram every night. A narrative of what amounted to a miserable love story developed over time and I culminated the work into a book.  I fell in love my characters and I felt the urge to bring them to life. I spent several years learning the craft of screenwriting and story development and dove head first into bringing my story alive. Pale Souls is the direct result of my labor.