ARRAN SLY / Solutide , film by BELL SOTO

SOLITUDE is the story of a man on a deserted beach trying to connect with something or someone. 

I wanted to portray the feeling of Loneliness vs Solitude. Some people need to be around people to feel protected, feel part of a group, a tribe. Some others, find peace in Solitude, they are content to be alone. 

One feeling is the opposite to the other. To feel Complete or Incomplete.

These days most people are trying to connect through apps on their phones, which has become our instant connection to the world. In the film, that object is represented by the bottle with a message in it.

There is something very inspiring about the sea, the line of infinity created by the horizon. You can feel alone and part of nature at the same time. We shot in a deserted beach in Malibu.

This film project is part of a fashion editorial for Risbel magazine spring summer issue. British model Arran was our first choice for the shoot. 

However , I had not met him in person until the day of the shoot , which is very important, since the personality of the model has to match the story.  i was captivated by a 15 sec post  he had in his instagram.

His “message in an bottle” had reached me and we created a beautiful film together.



FILM BY BELL SOTO
model ARRAN SLY   /   Two Management / DNA models
edited  by BELL SOTO + GLENN JOHNSON
camera ERIC FALLECKER
music JULIA KENT
clothing  CALVIN KLEIN, NICOLE MILLER, THEORY, JOCKEY INTERNATIONAL, KENZO
special thanks BRITTANY THALER / TWO MANAGEMENT

TRAVIS SMITH & LOUIS SOLYWODA in Dsquared

Here is a story i shot with two amazing hawaiian models : Travis Smith  @ DNA models and Louis Solywoda @ SOUL artist management. for the new issue of RISBEL MAGAZINE wearing the SS2016 collection by  DSQUARED

Photography BELL SOTO
Styling TIMOTHY REUKAUF / Wilhelmina Artists
Grooming RIAD AZAR  / L'Atelier

 

MUSE / ALIJAH HARRISON

Here is a new film I shot with Art director Glenn Johnson and Model Alijah Harrison / Soul Model management.

I wanted to tell a universal story in a special way.  I was walking out of my studio with Art Director Glenn Johnson and we found the mannequin on the sidewalk. Someone had just left her there. She was too clean and perfect. We thought it was absurd and funny, we smiled at each other as if she was looking at us. She was not the typical mannequin, we were inspired by her androgynous beauty.

Then, we met Alijah and he was a perfect complement since they both look alike. In a world where everyone seems to be in love with themselves, to me, their similarity was a subtle element that added a layer to the concept of Love.

Muse is the story of creating something beautiful out of sadness, which is a romantic way of telling the story of how we found her”

 

Once upon a time there was a poet
but he had lost his words
his inspiration had abandoned him
Then she arrived…
The poet never saw such  beauty
He never felt this way
It was love at first sight
Pure
He thought it was forever
But something was wrong…
She could not love him back,
For she was heartless
He said
I love you
She said nothing
it broke his heart
She stayed silent
Back at this desk, he could not forget her
His broken heart made him write…and write, and write
And then, he realized he had created
“The Saddest Poem ever written”

Then she left—