#somesuch

buckets of raggedy or fuzzy clustering

Etty Hillesum lived a few blocks from Anne Frank. They both died in Nazi camps, Anne at Bergen-Belsen at 15, and Etty at Auschwitz, six weeks before her 30th birthday.

“I am accomplished in bed,” she writes. This is why, it’s been suggested, Etty Hillesum’s diaries aren’t, like those of her younger neighbor, part of the Holocaust canon. (Almost no one’s heard of Etty Hillesum, not Ariela, Sylvère, Margaret, or Alexa—specialists of this history; I asked.) Hillesum journaled for two years and three months. In her first entry, she boasts of being, “just about seasoned enough I should think to be counted among the better lovers.” She was then sleeping with the man she was living with, Han Wegerif, a widower of 62.

Soon, Etty would be sleeping with her therapist, Julius Spear, or “S,” as she calls him, too. Etty was, “of course,” she writes, “erotically receptive in all directions; to S’s demonic mouth, to Liesl’s trim little figure and waving blond hair, no less than to this girl, this boy, I don’t know what to call her, with her slim and lively boy’s face”—one of Etty’s students. Etty was a Russian tutor. And a mystic. Zen-ish, and ecstatic. And this is why, I suspect, her diaries aren’t more popular.

Essay on Etty Hillesum -- whose overlooked diaries inspired our Ready-to-read bookselling project: recommending zeitgeist reads -- now on Lit Hub (originally published in SomeSuch journal).

Sometime in December my sister sent me a pic of an advert. The film company Somesuch were looking for extras for a shoot in Framlingham, Suffolk. Honestly when i first saw it the word that stuck out the most on the ad was “paid”. By no means an actor I thought well why not give it a go and I sent the film company an email and some pictures of my face (they did ask!). A couple of days later the Somesuch crew get back to me with an enthusiastic “great! Can you be at this place at this time?”. 2 things; first thank you for confirming my face as adequate i feel great, and second at this stage I still have no idea what this shoot is for but I blindly agree to go along. The day before the producer phones me to double check everything is a-ok for me to get to Framlingham, going through all the logistical details that needed confirming, formalities. Near the end of the phone-call I’m asked how much I know about the shoot. The truth then unfolds. The shoot is for Ed Sheeran’s next music video ‘Castle on the Hill’. On the phone I’m like ok cool, inside I’m like WHUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!?!?!?!!!. I am asked not to say anything to anyone in case a flurry of fans come and destroy the small Suffolk town or Ed. Then a phone-call from wardrobe (I know right… legit) going through fashion related things which was essentially wear what you usually do.

Next day I get my ass out of bed to drive to Fram College where there are many many people loitering professionally outside a catering van. I ask someone where on earth I am meant to be and am taken to where all the wardrobe and make-up related things would then happen. Apparently I’m devilishly stylish and didn’t even need to get changed… who knew… I don’t even have a mirror in my room at home. Next, face and hair (gosh could take hours). The make-up artists asked if I already have anything on my face. I’m like “umm…. does moisturiser count?”. Stuff is then put on my face. The bags under my eyes were big enough to carry all my personal possessions so I am just glad that got sorted out. Mid make-up a popstar walks in. My glasses are on the table. I am blind without my glasses. I don’t even notice… Someone genuinely had to say to me “Oh Ben, Ed’s here”. I scramble for my sight aid and say hello. It’s pretty cool meeting a global megastar but a “hey man” was definitely suffice. We briefly spoke before he went off to have a cuppa and I finished being cosmetically enhanced. I then met all the others who would be in my scene, some members of the film crew and then we were off. It was a freezing cold morning in front of Framlingham Castle, and a hot water bottle was doing the rounds as myself and the others sat on logs getting to know each other. I was the anomaly (naturally says those who know me), being the only one not to go to Thomas Mills, or to live in Framlingham, but I was wearing a barber jacket so I fit right in. On the subject of that jacket I should probably tell the friend who gave it to me his clothing is now really famous and stuff…

The film crew were busying themselves around us, moving the logs, getting the composition perfect for when Ed arrived. There were so many people there it was like a group of people had been hired to watch us live every moment of our lives. Camera’s swooped in, directions and guidance given to us extras and all good to go. We’re told Ed’s about to arrive and when he does just to do what we’re doing and they will start filming. Brilliant! I can act goofy, laugh and look entertained all day mate. Ed arrives and we sit around chatting about Framlingham, Thomas Mills, Ipswich, being young, with all the usual serious bantz that entails and our scene is done. We hang around waiting for a second scene with the mini-me’s to begin, myself and the older extras trying to spot which one is meant to be our younger selves then head back to base. We’re told we are free to leave, thank yous and goodbyes are exchanged and that’s that. About halfway home I giggle nonsensically to myself about what’s just happened and at the fact that I still have make-up on my face.

You can spot me right at the end for about 9 secs haha! My face is in ultra soft focus aka blurry and then the camera pans away, my green jacketed back complimenting the wintry scene whilst chatting to Ed and the others, sitting on logs.

MORMOR - FAR APART

director camille summers-valli production company somesuch service production company shot in mars

director camille summers-valli production company somesuch service production company shot in mars

MorMor - Far Apart (Official Video)