There’s been much happening lately and instead of writing a few boring stories I figured I go ahead and do what I do best and just turn on the camera. I don’t really have any aspirations of blogging full-time (frankly because vlogging would be a full-time job), but this was a pretty fun experiment in the medium.

Below is the YouTube Video, but click here for the 23MB iPod Version (it looks and sounds much better than compression afforded via YouTube).

Shades of Vlog
JO vlogging experiment
Format: 24p MiniDV
TRT: 4:00

Extensive FCP editing here - lots of use of custom color filters.

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Should I do more of these? Let me know in the comments section.

No 4th of July celebration would be complete without exploding body parts, and thankfully for us, Kristine’s appendix decided to save us the trouble of buying fireworks this year. See, early on the 4th, Kristine’s appendix started the festivities early by simply setting itself to explode inside her abdomen - thus providing us with a trip to the emergency room and said prerequisite missing human pieces - all without lighting single wick.

Thank you, appendix.

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After an emergency surgery, four days in the hospital, a lie to get her the hell out of there (surgery = hospitals good / resting = hospitals bad), and some couch snuggling with the cats, Kristine is doing much better now. Though still in much pain, she’s quite the trooper and we hope to be getting her back on the horse(literally) as soon as possible.

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I type all this from the Phoenix airport as Kristine and I are on our way to Dallas for a shoot.

Shoot Details
What For(?): A bunch of stuff, corporate stuff, POP display integration, and a commercial
Crew: Me
Additional Crew: Kristine if she can walk
Camera: Ole’ Trusty (the Panny)
Delivery: Next 30 days (hopefully)
Distribution: DVD authored for touch-screen-kiosk, broadcast, and of course - web (here sometime - the commercial at least)

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Additionally, Kristine’s surgery happened at quite a strange time. I could easily say it’s an “ironic” situation, but for some reason, I’m feeling now that the process of pointing out irony and it’s deprecating humor has become a bit cliché…so…I’ll stay away from calling her need for medical attention ironic.

Instead - strange. Her appedix exploding was strange. Just a mere 3 hours before, we were on location at a local pharmacy shooting guerrilla style (outside) for a personal project I created out of distaste for the absurd. In this case, said absurdity revolves around the passage of new, unnecessary laws and political posturing which are directly resulting in more breached freedoms and medical red-tape (as if our country needs more of either of those).

Rarely do I care to venture into politics, and if fact, I’ve been moving in the exact opposite direction.

As a young lad coming about the world I naturaly felt a great interest in all things ongoing and lively. The Druge Report was my crack, cable news my study, and traditional reporting my back story (plus I had Jon Stewart and Bill Maher to guide me).

I read ‘em all: the best sellers, the dailies, the nationals, the press releases, the alternatives, the tabliods, ‘zines, and the blogs. I watched the news, critiqued the news, and fasioned my opinions not on what was happening, but on how it was being delivered.

In reallity, MASS MEDIA was my study. How is info being disseminated? Who’s disseminating (and why)? Who’s listening? And who’s not? Where do individuals, corporate interests, and politics intertwine, and who’s pulling the strings?

Thing is - NOT ANYMORE. Politics, the news, the delivery, the mechanisms, the “what’s happening, where, and why buzz” — G.O.N.E. My new study is a more personal one, yet still outwardly focused. The question I ask is “where has this cynisism and apathy come from?”

Obvious answers suggests my NOW disinterest in everything “news” worthy, “political” worthy, or “entertainment” worthy simply stems from overload. I personally don’t think the answer is that simple, and as I look around, I’m finding that (to my surprise), I’m not alone.

Where I once thought much of my exodous from systems was selfish, I’m now seeing patterns and similarities in others. Personal friends, traditional media, emerging voices - there’s a lot of people seemingly reacting with one clear message:

Stop feeding us the bullsh*t.

Are we constantly being talked down to by the systems we sustain? It sure feels like it. Do these same systems appear to opperate as if they are sustaining us? Absolutely - and what are the consequences?

For me personally - retraction. I don’t care about the news, the best sellers, or the critcal aclaim. I’ll sort through the crap and decide for myself - that is - until my ADD kicks in and shoves me away from, well…giving a damn.

For months I’ve operated this way - very confined, protective, and happy. No longer do I need to be the first on the block to see video of the huricane aftermath or be the first one to post what I’ve found.

But…then…fallacy happens. A meaningless law gets passed. It appears harmless - good natured even - pushed through by special interests - advanced by politicians only voting to keep their seat - skimmed over (or ignored) by the apathetic masses who feel helpless to take a stand. And this law, which seems so simple and “for good” is literally…causing Kristine a headache.

I mean that. In the state of Oregon, by law, you now need a perscription for Sudafed. My nose needs Sudafed - but I’m managing. Kristine however, can’t sleep. She’s in pain, and now because of the war on drugs, we have to drive 30 miles into Washington state, waste a ton of gas (and time)….just to buy Sudafed.

They’re messing with me and mine. My only weapon?

MOVEON.ORG: “Voting”
ME: “No. Creation of Moving Image with Sound.”

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Am I a bad person because I don’t care until it hits home? I don’t know - I feel my disenchantment is justified. Ajit Anthony once joked with me by saying “If I had another life I’d just make films about things that piss me off all day.”

Well, all this was a long way of saying I’m finally pissed off enough about something to turn my camera on the subject.

Who knows what will come of it.

Continuing work on my commercial reel - new SPEC ad posted, again featuring Eric Holwell and all his comedic genius.

New Era “Options” :30 spot. Click for:

Large QT Version
iPod Version

Eric gives his “sexy tractor” a spin in the mirror