Hypnagogia

Swedish artist Knut Larsson is right now in the middle of creating a short film - written and directed by himself - that will be his debut in this genre. The title of the film is HYPNAGOGIA - Send me the pillow that you dream on, and it is about Isis - a woman suffering from narcolepsy. After getting sleep paralysis, she is taken to an institute for dream research, led by Dr Kubin, who becomes obsessed with her dreams...

I got the pleasure of being part of this film by playing a small part as one of the nurses at the institute.

We started the day by going through the scenes to be shot that day. Since Mr Larsson also happens to be a comic book artist, seeing the storyboard he had drawn up was really cool.

After makeup and hair, we got to put on these amazing vintage nurse uniforms, from the 50s or 60s. 

Then it was time to get on set and blow some balloons, while the grumpy head nurse (played by Annika Ryberg Whittembury) paced back and forth, annoyed over the fact that we hadn't finished the balloons for the party yet...

And here we have the moody Dr. Kubin (played by Magnus Roosman) himself. Except for being a crazy scientist, he also likes some of his nurses a little bit to much...

One of my fellow nurses was played by burlesque dancer Ivoncita. In the bottom picture she's getting ready to perform a bit of a striptease for the institute's janitor. 

While filming was really fun, it was in the dressing room things started to get really wild!

Nurse Meadows - at your service! My speciality is giving enemas...

From what I've seen HYPNAGOGIA is going to be a dark and artistic, but still comic, film - complete with striptease, dancing and a bit of Russian slapstick! Even though I was just there for one day, working with Knut Larsson was both interesting and fun, and I would happily sit on the floor and bark as a dog for him again any time! See the film when it's done, and you'll understand what I mean...