Just a few notes about the site:

Due to the migration of several of my previous websites to this one, this morning I did a little organizational shake-up to ensure better browsing and ADDED a new page over to right called Hot Topics (go ahead, click it…) where you’ll find gem articles, work, and blogger musings which tend to get buried after frequent postings.

My favorite page of the Hot Topics? External Firewire Drives: Troubleshoot and Save Your Ass (with handy “how to” pictures). That Firewire Drive troubleshooting post is a good one, and one that didn’t see much traffic because it was the third post on the site. Now I’ve uncovered it, for you, to use. If you’ve lost an external firewire drive recently, or would like to prevent future firewire drive failure (it will happen, just wait), I urge you to check out my troubleshooting tips and let me know how they work for you.

Additionally, any of the videos that dropped off the site last week are now back up after a minor server migration. Please report any bugs to josh AT joshoakhurst.com

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Hopefully, JODOTCOM is now mo’ betta’. Sweeeet.

HVX article with clips coming…

Come on little brother, get tapeless already, will ya’?

Thanks to JODOTCOM reader Ryan Maes, this morning I had the chance to perform my best Mike Curtis impression by firing up a Panasonic HVX200 and personally test (on my system) it’s associated P2 HOLY-CRAP-I-CAN-SHOOT-MY-FEATURE-NOW workflow.

While I’ve long since jimmied-and-jangled a couple of these suckers on the showroom floor, this was my first opportunity to get intimate with Panny’s answer to all things spiritual.

Well…that is if you can call 1 hour intimate, I mean…depends on what we’re talking about….

Fun camera.

Details next week.

Here’s a new short film detailing MY FAVORITE PASTIME, featuring the riding talents of my sweet Kristine and Mr. Frankie Sinatra (aka the Oakhurst Express).

Click to view:
QuickTime Video
iPod Video (you MUST right click and choose SAVE AS)
YouTube Video (cross platform - good for you windows folks who are scared of QT)

A while back, I made the comment here that I believed purchasing the Panasonic DVX100b (24p standard def) camera was unwise (okay, I actually said STUPID) considering that you can pick up a Sony Z1U (60i high definition) for about $1000 more. My argument was, and still is, that an Indie interested in feature film production will ensure his/her movies to be more “future proof” and ultimately more marketable by choosing to shoot low-end HD(V) rather than using tricked out SD means.

When you’re talking about spending less than $5Gs on production equipment, I undoubtedly would advise people to shoot HD(V) even though they currently may not be able to shoot using the vaunted 24p look enabled by the DVX100b (and right, if we’re talking another $5G’s worth of money - everyone could just shoot on the HVX200 and get the best of HD and 24p and then puppy dogs and buttons would rain from the sky!)

But since, we’re talking about micro-budget Indie cinema, Jeff Klein of Neutral Collective makes a great argument for the DVX100b.

Jeff’s Words:
I don’t care what people say; a little one chip sony/jvc HD cam CANNOT make the same
quality image that a good SD cam can…It just won’t happen. The glass,
focal length, and design play such a big part, that when creating a
“feature,” you should really think about quality of the image getting to the
ccd/cmos rather than think of the codec/native chip res. A prime example is
28 Days, yeah they used XL’s, but with $10K 35mm film lenses on them. I
will always agree that the DV/HD(V) revolution is going to change the film
industry forever, but that is because it is a relative parallel between cost
and quality. And this argument about indie film making REALLY is more about
cost - the quality is already great across the board.

Furthermore, we haven’t even discussed the edit/computer issue and cost when
shooting HD….save that for another day….but I will say this…Needing
those sort of resources and money [the current costs of making and HD feature, which CAN be considerably more than shooting SD] doesnt seem very independent.

But then again they are calling Mel’s new $100 million movie independent…

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Jeff makes a really solid argument here: For the cheapest form of Indie Filmmaking, the IMMEDIATE cost/benefit of shooting high-end SD vs low end HD(V) seems to favor DVX100b production. However, I personally believe this argument to be extremely short sided, and therefore, bunk.

For real world considerations, what does this mean?

$4,500 equipment budget
High-end SD gets you a camera, filters, mics, carrying case, tripod, small crane, a bunch of blank media, and lunch. Assuming you have modest post infrastructure in place, you’re good to go.

Low-end HD(V) gets you…a camera. Plus, now you need to beef up your editing and storage systems. This will require you to find more outside resources, therefore making you “less” Indie.

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Okay, so shooting SD may be a solid “real world” argument where micro budgets are concerned, except for the fact that by definition, most Micro Indie Filmmakers are extremely resourceful AS IS. I believe that MOST Indies would welcome the task of having to “borrow” mics, tripods, and other miscellaneous equipment if their end product would HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF BEING SEEN BY A LARGER AUDIENCE (and come on; no one here is going to tell me that a 24p SD production is more marketable than a 60i HD(V) feature). In addition, post production on a HD(V) feature DOESN’T HAVE TO cost more than a SD production. Specifically for the Z1U; label all your tapes properly, be smart upon ingesting (break your clips up), and bring in all that footy at SD resolution.

If you consider yourself a crafty fimmaker and barterer, the end benefit of shooting a low-end HD(V) feature is that you’ll have your SD ready cut for the same price as shooting SD natively.

And to sweeten the deal, when those distributors come knocking again for the HD rights, you’re already in the game, whereas your DVX100b counterparts will be SOL. Sure, you may have to get a little more creative in getting shit done, but that never hurt anyone’s production.

If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and click the picture below to view the new Miami Vice trailer. HD geeks: download the HD version and watch it on your nearest CRT monitor - beautiful.

Michael Mann has once again chosen the Viper camera as primary weapon for this production, and as much as I’m not much of a summer blockbuster fan, I’ll watch anything MM puts on screen.

I’m already excited for the DVD features.

Wednesday, I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot some footy for Greg Greene’s followup to THE END OF SUBURBIA titled, ESCAPE FROM SUBURBIA.

ESCAPE FROM SUBURBIA picks up where END left off - this time chronicling the changes taking place and forecasting a mass de-migration of the suburbs

For those of you who don’t know, THE END OF SUBURBIA has been wildly successful - so much so that Greg has reportedly nabbed Al Gore for the sequel. ESCAPE FROM SUBURBIA is slated to be released during the fall of 2006.

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So where did I fit into all of this? Well, like many others, THE END OF SUBURBIA had a profound impact on me - caused me to draft an email - which thusly sent the filmmakers from END to THIS very website (pause for a moment to please “raise the roof” for the internet…). Several emails and phone calls later; I was on my way to document an actual ESCAPE in progress by an extremely interesting “techno-hippie” couple named Jan & Carol Steinman.

The short story is this: Call these two “bleeding edge” doomsday thinkers/ progressive horticulturers. Fed up with the ‘burbs, Jan and Carol are packing up their two cats, four biodiesel automobiles, entire life savings/ belongs, and a SEMI TRAILER full of start-an-eco-village equipment in order to move to a small ISLAND west of Vancouver.

In case you missed that, I’ll recap. The promise of a global oil collapse is causing this couple to flee the suburbs and start an eco-village on an island.

Armed with only my trusty Panny, I captured this couple’s last day as Americans. Much more details about their lives, passions, and stories will be told in ESCAPE FROM SUBURBIA, but I for one can say that I was truly impressed by Jan and Carol. My life is better after having spent a mere four hours with them.

Wether or not you agree with their views or politics, WHAT A STORY! I mean…they’re in their 50’s and freakn’ ALL OVER EACH OTHER (yes, meaning PDA)! How cool is that!

Well, I guess not as cool as becoming a self-sustaining - something we should all strive for.

No point in livin’ if you can’t amuse yourself, right?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Mel Gibson is a crazy bastard. Mel Gibson made a ton of money slapping “Jesus” around. Mel Gibson has reasons to smile. Thusly, check out this Hidden Frame from his newest work: Watch the Apocalypto trailer - ALL THE WAY THROUGH…

…then go to 1:46 and scrub….

Hilarity will ensue.

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Via Jeff Klein through Esquire.

Last night, I noticed Apple went live (online, anyway) with their new ad campaign - what I’m dubbing “Switch V2.0″. These ads are actually pretty entertaining, and designed to show you, the consumer, that Macs and PC’s do play well together. Ahhhhhhh!

At one point, the “Mac” on the right says about the “PC” on his left, “Hey, you should see what this guy can do with a spreadsheet. It’s insane.”

View all six new ads here.
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I wonder how long before the first spoof ads come out - hehe.