My roommate was about to leave the house, but they looked so good we had to take some Polaroids.
Photos by me, of Emily O’Dette, with creative direction from Nora Noone
Cats are Cool
I was never a cat person—until I was.
Now, I have a lint roller in my car, find cat hair in my food, and wake up in the middle of the night to two curious eyes.
Tsuki has completely changed my life.
I’ve heard people say that you’re not a cat person, until you really get to know one. I wish I had known one earlier.
As I write this, Tsuki is cuddled in my lap. She wasn’t there when I first started typing, but after the first paragraph, she noticed I wasn’t moving anytime soon. And now she’s made that official.
Tsuki is my roommate’s cat. It took a while for us to become inseparable, but now I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Tsuki is incredibly silly. She’s loud, often wobbly, and gets her nails caught on everything. She is an exceptional cuddler, a great listener, and has been a constant source of love in my life since I got to know her.
I know Tsuki can’t read this, but if she could, I’d like her to know that I tell people we’re sisters. I speak very highly of her. I plan to continue getting up in the middle of the night when she cries to check on her and make sure she’s okay. I love her and am very thankful she is in my life.
I think everyone should get to know a cat.
I’m really glad I did.
I Art Directed this Film!
Aporia is set to come out this August 11th, 2023 and will be premiering at Fantasia later this month.
Our Art team worked very hard on this one and I’m proud to see our collective efforts shine on screen. Shout out to Judy Greer for being such an incredible person to be around on set - she really put her all into this one.
Check out the trailer below:
ART Department:
Production Designers: Kati Simon, Ariel Vida
Art Director: Cassie Lavo
Set Decorator: Cortni Wimberley
Prop Master: Kristen Semedo
Set Dresser: Carter Evans
Graphic Designer: Kim Beren
Fabrication: Dan Fox
Aporia Links: IMDB / Official Trailer
going to skateparks alone
Although I never thought I’d see myself in this specific scenario at 31, it’s one I find myself in often. Whenever I travel within California by car, I try to hit a new skatepark along the way. Or a few - if it makes sense.
Going alone to a new skatepark is like walking into a middle school cafeteria after transferring to a new school at the start of the year. It’s a certain kind of nervous. Distinctly special. On some level I’m sure many of you can relate. Adjacently or actually.
It’s that feeling of being out of place, but wanting to belong. It’s knowing that at another cafeteria I have people, I have a crew. But in this context, I’m a fish out of water and a 31 year old trying to skateboard. In most settings I can fit in pretty well. Slide under the radar. But when it comes to skating it’s hard to camouflage that I’m a 31 year old who didn’t pick it up till later in life.
I wouldn’t call it confidence that gets me to go out there, but more or less the fear of missing out and regretting I didn’t at least try. But I am the opposite of confident.
I’m actually smirking as I write this, because I was at a new park this weekend and now reflecting on how I acted is quite hilarious.
If I was an outside party playing witness to me the other day, I would have been so confused. I know I walked out there so confident, almost like it wasn’t even my first time there.
I immediately sat on a bench and fixed my shoes, barely looking around. Ya know, mostly because I was nervous I’d catch eye contact with anyone and they’d know I wasn’t skilled. But it absolutely came across as confident since I’m comfortable wearing that mask for protection.
When I finally skated, I could barely break out my normal bag of tricks. And since my bag is so limited - I end up tripping over my own feet as I attempt to ollie around unable to maintain balance or any connection with my board. My legs don’t feel like my own and I can’t control a thing I do.
You wouldn’t even know I skated a day before in my life. Or at least that’s the thought running through my head. I’d like to think I practice positive self talk, but I’ve got bad habits like everyone.
A funny thing happens after a while though. I’m determined to land my best trick, a backside 180. It’s all I can think about. I mean I land it no problem all the time. It’s my best move. If I just focus I can do it. And I do. Plus I’m actually on a little bit of a decline, so I’m throwing it faster than usual and rolling away with some speed.
It’s was pretty cool. And for a second I felt cool. Truly, I love skating.
Dealing with Loss
Where though?
September 2020
Kingswell Skateshop
Kingswell is a local LA Skate Shop located in Los Feliz started in 2013 by skaters DJ Chavez and Patrick Melcher. Since living in California, I’ve had the chance to get to the know many of the employees and incredible staff at this extremely cool skate shop.
Kingswell’s store front is located in Los Feliz California at 4651 Kingswell Ave. Los Angeles, CA.
One of the many reasons this spot is so sick, is it located in Walt Disney’s first artist studio. Being the cool creative dudes DJ Chavez and Melch are they draw inspiration from this; letting it influence the experience of the store and integrating versions of skate Mick into their original merchandise.
I’ve been doing a lot of doodling and drew some things inspired by Kingswell.
Kingswell also sells all there original merch and products they carry in store online at Kingswell.tv.
This Bear Gets It
The Best Thing I’ve Seen Lately: Sex Education - Season 2
Sex Education is blunt, full of depth, and absolutely fantastic. I really enjoyed the first season, but after crushing season 2 I had to geek out about it. Sex Education - Season 2 released to Netflix January 2020 and if you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend you check it out.
The series creator, Laurie Nunn is doing an incredible job developing and creating this show. With every episode, Laurie demonstrates her ability to communicate moments that earnestly reflect human experience. It’s clear she is a true storyteller with a deep respect for character development.
Sex Education season 2 is intelligent, well directed and sincerely funny. I’ve already watched the season twice and I know I’ll watch it again.
So what is the series about?
On the surface this show is about a teenage boy Otis, whose mother is a sex therapist. At school, Otis and classmates Maeve and Eric start an underground service where Otis provides sex therapy advice to other students.
But I mean, that’s not really what the show is about. Sex Education is a show about acceptance, discovery, and growth. It's about life, decisions, and relationships. Without judgement it approaches sexual health in a way that is informative, actionable, and desperately needed for teens and young adults.
Sex Education is thoughtful on a staggering amount of levels. From the deliberate framing of shots - to the well rounded characters you meet throughout the series, it feels like care was given to each decision made when creating this show.
I was always excited to see how the title credits would be presented at the top of each episode.
You will develop strong relationships with every character in this show.
In season 2, one of the stand out stories was Aimee’s character arch about her journey with sexual assault. Without giving anything away, I just want to say it was emotional and demonstrated the effect trauma like this can put on all your relationships and the way you interact with the world around you.
If you aren’t worried about spoilers, this article in Buzzfeed covers Aimee’s journey in season 2.
Overall, this show is a much watch for young adults. You’ll watch this show and be reminded that everyone is just figuring it out. You might even develop a new respect for open communication or find yourself more comfortable asking questions regarding sexual health.
When you do watch it, let me know what you think! And check out more on the Sex Education cast below.
Sex Education - Season 2
Asa Butterfield / Otis Milburn
Emma Mackey / Maeve Wiley
Ncuti Gatwa / Eric Effiong
Aimee Lou Wood / Aimee Gibbs
Patricia Allison / Ola Nyman
Connor Swindells / Adam Groff
Kedar Williams-Stirling / Jackson Marchetti
Tanya Reynolds / Lily Iglehart
Gillian Anderson / Jean Milburn
other peeps talking about sex education s2:
Hollywood Reporter // 'Sex Education' Creator on Expanding Its Scope, Tackling Serious Subjects in Comedy
The Guardian // 'It answered my weird questions': what do teens really think of Netflix's Sex Education?
Buzzfeed // Everyone's Calling The Bus Scene In "Sex Education" The Best TV Moment, And Here's Why
Article by: Cassie Lavo
Credit - GIFS: Netflix
Damn I'm Going to Miss New York
I was born, raised, educated, and employed in New York State for my whole life. Before moving to New York City in 2013 I was in upstate NY - Endicott and Buffalo. I've always enjoyed having all four seasons. Fall is my favorite, but I learned to love winter. Snow days, snowboarding, and hot chocolate. Every Christmas peering out the window hoping it would snow.
This January I will be starting my next chapter in Los Angeles where I've been told I can expect warm weather, new experiences, and a three hour time difference. I'm nervous, excited, and ready to work hard. If New York City taught me anything it's that if you keep your eyes and heart open anything is possible.
I am deeply in love with New York City. I don't ignore the negativity, but I've never embraced it. What I do embrace is the culture, the diversity, the possibilities, the hustle, and all its never ending energy. It's truly the city that never sleeps and honestly I barely ever got enough. I like reflecting on experiences as they are ending, because there is no clearer moment than the moment right before everything changes. I came to New York without a full time job. I am leaving as a Producer with incredible experiences that will propel me forward on my next endeavors. Experiences I'm forever grateful for.
So thank you for all those who empowered, mentored, and provided me with opportunities. To my friends, you are everything. Without you I would have forgotten to have fun outside of work, but instead you kept me grounded and reminded me what my 20s were about. Living. Learning. And discovery. Thank you for being supportive, fun, and for never putting up with my bullshit. I'm so lucky to have you. To all the strangers I've people watched who have inspired my raps, sketches, and ideas. New York wouldn't be New York without you.
I wasn't ready to leave New York at first when presented with the opportunity to relocate. But as I continued to work with such creative driven people in my industry I learned that in order to continue to grow I need to keep putting myself out there. Taking chances, making bold choices, and never stop exposing myself to new influences. So here I go. Taking the leap - well…the flight to LA to see just what I can accomplish on a new coast.
New York I love you. Thank you for everything. The next time I see you I hope I have a tan. What an incredible 6 years.
Behind The Scenes - Dorkly
Here’s a few pictures from behind the scenes on our set. More to be added soon.
An Open Letter To 2019
Dear 2019,
Hey. What’s up? I’m writing you this letter, because well I guess it’s sort of my New Year's hopes. And if kids get to write to Santa I can write to a year. It’s currently 5PM on December 31st, so you are just about to get here.
I had high hopes for 2018. I expected a lot and maybe I was asking for too much. I had high hopes for myself and for the year. Some things were accomplished and of course many never came to life. If I were to get into every little detail this letter wouldn’t get written before the time I need to meet my friends, so I am going to keep it contained.
2019, here are my 3 hopes of you:
My first hope is that people start to listen more. Whether it’s politics, environmental issues, personal problems, or what’s going on in the rest of the world - my hope is that people listen more to each other. In 2018 there was too much talking. Everyone had a point of view and if you didn’t share that view then they didn’t want to hear from you. The only way to start moving in the right direction is if we can open the lines of communication and start understanding where people are coming from.
My second hope is that we continue to educate and better understand what is happening to our environment. I will be the first to say that I need to do this. I need to better understand the repercussions of my everyday lifestyle and how it is affecting the world around me. When someone has a heart attack - where do you go? To the doctors, because doctors have the training, understanding, and tools to help save someone. The Earth’s doctors are telling us that we are destroying the planet and if want to have any hopes of reviving it we need to take action now. I hope in 2019 we continue to educate the young, ourselves, and start taking more action to save this planet. Myself included.
My third hope is that people start to have more faith in themselves. Friends, family, and people of the world you are your own biggest fan. If you don’t start believing in yourself no one else is going to. 2018 was one my toughest years to date. I had a lot of unexpected personal and work battles, but I came out it stronger, more determined, and with a lot more faith in myself. In 2018, I heard too many people doubting themselves. Whether it be what they could accomplish or what type of person they are. There was too much doubt and not enough respect for themselves and what they are worthy of. In 2019, I hope that everyone understands their self worth more intimately and starts taking action in their lives to live a happier and healthier year.
2019, I appreciate you taking the time to read through my letter as I know you are about a very busy year. I am thankful to have made it another year and have so many incredible people in my corner. I look forward to what you will bring and truly believe this could be a great year. In addition I apologize that for about the first three months I will forget that we are in your year and keep writing 2018 as I date things.
Sincerely,
Cassie Lavo
P.S. Maybe in 2019 we can hold off on making any more post apocalyptic movies and tv shows. This shit is getting too real.
Instagram Comic #001
I am currently working on a Character Animator project with the illustration below. In the meantime I am also playing around with making some comics. #SundayScaries
Just Some Pics of Things
These are some things around my apartment. That’s all.
Why Lunchables Are Awesome
Please note that this post has nothing to do with health. In fact it is about the complete opposite. This post is about comics.
You might not know this about Lunchables but inside the packaging of their products they include comics.
There was three month stint in 2017 when I ate Lunchables all the time. To be quite honest it was probably too often, but it happened and I think a lot of it had to do with the comics.
I started to save the comics from inside. They follow these two characters Jackie and Platy who also star in this Youtube video.
These pictures are of some of the comics I saved.
I vote more brands put comics on their packaging.
Side Project Hustle // Project 1 - November 13th, 2018
I love being creative. In fact I am always thinking of new ideas and concepts I want to explore. I am constantly writing down script ideas in my notebook, sketching characters I want to animate, and trying out new programs to see what I can create. I am starting a new blog series called: Side Project Hustle where I talk about some of the cool personal projects I am working on and what they are all about.
Photo Credit: Chedda
Most recently I have been working on two specific things that I am really excited about. Today I am going to talk about one that is really just a learning project where I am experimenting with different cameras. I’ve spent the majority of my career using a Canon C300, but I have also worked with a variety of DSLR, Sony, and RED cameras.
This past week I played with an older Panasonic camcorder and I had a blast. This camcorder is incredible and while it’s time consuming I really enjoyed having to go through the process of capturing the footage in Premiere since the camera records onto Mini DV tapes.
As soon as I held the camera in my hand I felt like I was a part of a news crew. Like I should be in a van waiting to jump out at any sign of action on the streets. That news was happening somewhere and I needed to be the one to capture it. The only thing was I wasn’t in a van I was in my studio apartment, so instead of jumping out of a moving vehicle I just walked outside onto the street. It was less exciting, but also safer.
So what do I do when I am just playing with a camera outside? Lots of things. I shot b-roll of the streets, peoples feet walking by, the train, and I even turned the camera on myself. My arms weren’t really long enough to shoot myself, so I quickly abandoned that strategy. My main goal was to get comfortable with the settings and know what to update on the fly if I needed to make adjustments quickly. If there is one thing that I have learned from working in production is that if you have a camera in your hand, you better be able to use it. AND you better be able to use it quickly.
It couldn’t have been better timing that my friend reached out and wanted to shoot some videos behind the scenes of a project they were working on. So after getting better acquainted with the camera I got to put my skills in action for a BTS shoot at a recording studio.
My friends project isn’t live yet, so when it is I will update this post to reflect the final output.
What you should know is that we captured a ton of good content. A sufficient amount of b-roll, sound bites about the project, and tons of incredibly awesome organic moments behind the scenes.
I loved working with this camera and I plan to use it again in the future. One of my favorite things about this model was the manual zoom. It was incredibly smooth and easy to work with.
My experience using this Panasonic Camcorder was awesome and it provided me with the look and feel I wanted to accomplish for my friends BTS shoot.
Well, that’s it for now. If you read this far, thank you. More to come on my Side Project Hustle soon.
Current song obsession: Self Taught - Brother Ali
Currently reading: Ex Machina, Book 2 and How To Rap
Currently learning: Adobe Character Animator
A Subway Ride // the other photos
We did a blog series that highlighted our employees at Kworq. Each employee got to choose a place they want to get photographed.
I chose the subway.
all photographs by @breee_cheeese
The Best Thing I’ve Seen Lately: Skate Kitchen
After seeing Skate Kitchen, I am 100% certain buying a skateboard and learning to skate this summer. If you haven’t yet heard about the film, you will be hearing a lot about it soon - because after Skate Kitchen drops in theaters on August 10th there will be a movement.
Writer/Director Crystal Moselle who also Directed The Wolfpack, hit all the right marks for what a teen adolescent film should feel, look, and represent.
Skate Kitchen will be playing in more theaters starting August 10th, but has already been premiering at select locations. I caught the film at BAM on July 1st. Some of the Skate Kitchen crew was in attendance, which made watching it there that much more legit.
So what is the film about?
The film is centered around a teen Camille played by skateboarder Rachelle Vinberg, who finds herself a group of friends. A group of rad girl skateboarders who truly accept her. It’s a film that makes you feel what you are seeing. It reminds you how important friendship is and coasts you through skating subculture. It also shines a light on how cool girl skate crews really are.
My favorite part about the film is how authentic it felt. Nothing felt forced or out of place. Crystal Moselle has a unique way of working with her talent to blend fiction with reality to create moments that feel completely genuine.
Credit: Eric T. White / Ladygunn.com
This film does contain skateboarding.
Scattered throughout the film is the perfect amount of skate shots. These shots make seamless transitions and create moments for the film to breathe. For me - these we're the best moments and got me amped to go outside and feel the fresh air on my face.
I also found it refreshing how Crystal approached some of the topics and themes she has the girls discuss during their the more private moments together. These felt very true to experience and relatable.
Credit: Eric T. White / Ladygunn.com
Overall, it was a great film and my recommendation is that you check out it out come August 10th.
SHOUT OUT to Skate Kitchen for keeping it valid.
If my review wasn't enough to get you amped - below is more of the girls of skate kitchen:
Skate Kitchen
other peeps talking about skate kitchen:
Refinery29 // Skate Kitchen Is The Badass Movie About An All-Girls Skate Crew
NYTimes // At Sundance, Films With Fury, Propelled by Outsiders
Variety // Film Review: 'Skate Kitchen'
LADYGUNN // The Skate Kitchen
Article by: Cassie Lavo
Credit - GIFS: Skate Kitchen, Images: Eric T. White / Ladygunn.com