Baby it’s cold outside

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And I’m not kidding! For over a month now, we in the PNW are experiencing cold temperatures that have brought on more snow flurries and sometimes dumps (even at sea level) than I can remember in… well… ever.  Bring on the cozy sweaters and mugs of hot [insert name of your favorite hot beverage here].  For me it means endless mugs of tea.

Thanks to this constant cold we’ve had a huge dump of snow in the higher elevations (just ask Northern California and Colorado residents) and that means when you live near the mountains like I do, it’s time to ski!!  I haven’t made it up to the mountain yet but maybe in the next week or two.  I can’t wait to hear that shooshing!

Snow was kind of a rarity when I was little – unless we were up in the mountains it was practically non-exhistant.  I would always do my best to leave as much undisturbed snow as possible when my sister and I ran outside to play.  Is there anything as beautiful in winter as undisturbed snow after the year’s first (and sometimes only) dump?  Or those perfect corduroy lines making their way down the mountainside when you happen to get to the lift super early and you’re the first one to leave tracks on your favorite trail?

So while you’re thinking of all that perfect undisturbed snow, take a look at this little beauty:

Beauregard, Steamboat Aerials

Don’t you just love the camera motion?  It’s so graceful.  Kind of like how I like to imagine myself coming down the mountain but often create more of a zig-zag pattern.

Here’s hoping for more good ski weather but maybe a little warmer temperature for those of us living down at sea level…

So Long 2016

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holiday-2016

This year has been one of the most challenging I’ve had in a long time.  What is it about this year?  Almost everyone I talk to is happy to see the back of 2016 and are ready for a fresh start. I’m not sure about others but I know that for me it’s been an emotional rollercoaster and although it’s been a good ride I’m ready for things to calm down a bit.

Forget world events, natural disasters etc.  I’ve had one of those years where I’ve had work some months and then nothing, not at all unusual in the film business, but the intensity was what got me.  When I had work, I usually had several contracts all at once so I was working 20 hours a day for weeks on end and then nothing. Exhausting.  And then there were all the projects that we thought were going to happen and they fell through at the very last minute.

I make this year sounds like it was pure agony, but actually this year has been a really good one in many respects.

  1. I had more work than ever and several projects that I’ve been working on for three years or more now have finally made their way into the world. i.e. The Human Face of Big Data, CRAZYWISE and The Click Effect.  I even managed to fit in a few shorter films that I directed myself for PLU’s MediaLab and the PSESD.
  2. I’ve had more design projects than I’ve ever expected, especially considering I’m not a graphic designer.  Film proposals, websites (www.rockabillyrides.com), film promotional pieces (posters, invitations, infographics) and more in the works.
  3. I have a beautiful new niece that I can’t wait to see grow up – but not too quickly please!
  4. And the biggest drain on my emotions – I’ve decided to finally move to California (sometime in the Spring after several postponements) and fulfill my lifelong dream to become a surfer… well in actual fact it’s to find more consistent work and take on a new adventure.  The surfing will be a perk if I can ever stand up for more than 0.5 seconds.  Right now I’m really talented at sitting on my board.

And on that more upbeat note, I’m preparing to venture off to meet my family for the holidays.  It’s my favorite time of year because for a week or two, we are all together which is rare for us.  I guess we can’t expect much else when we all live in separate states and/or countries.

As I sign off for the rest of this year, I leave you with this wonderful little piece that makes me smile even if it does seem a little scary in places.  The world really is a big scary place but I can only hope that this next year brings more peace and joy than we’ve witnessed in the last 12 months.

Karni and Saul

Until next year…

Talking with Whales

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Have you seen “Finding Dori” yet?  If you haven’t, you’re missing out.  Yes, most of it is pretty fantastical and completely unrealistic but who said entertainment had to be resemble actuality?  After all, it’s a story about talking fish.

Even if you haven’t seen “Finding Dori” (or “Finding Nemo” *Gasp!*) you’ve probably heard someone try to speak whale just like Dori.  In Pixar’s world, speaking whale is something like “Weeeeeelllllcooooommmme tooooo theeee oooooccceeeaaaan!”  I’m sad to say that it’s not nearly as lyrical as we’d like to imagine but instead is more like a series of clicks.  You know, kind of like morse code.

No, I haven’t been taking whale lessons but in the last year I’ve learned a lot about whales (and virtual reality) for a relatively new project – “The Click Effect“.  I won’t try to explain the science or even how it whales communicate as I’m certainly not not a marine biologist but this little film explains it beautifully.

The Click Effect Poster

Here Be Dragons

Back in December, we embarked on the journey of creating a new virtual reality (VR) film about how marine researchers use freediving to research how whales communicate.  Besides the fact that I got to be a part of this project, the whole introduction to VR is quite amazing.

Unfortunately, VR is something that requires a separate headset (you can buy inexpensive versions from Google or you can go for the gusto and buy a high end headset from Samsung or Valve) but if you have the chance to experience it at the many new venues that this technology is popping up, I would highly recommend the experience.  It’s impossible to explain how cool it is without experiencing it first hand. To get some sort of an idea, check out this film that I shared a few months ago.

Of course, there are other ways to see “The Click Effect” if you’re interested.  Either visit Here Be Dragons or NYTVR and it will show you how to watch the film without a headset.

Now that this project is done and out in the world – it was at Sundance International Film Festival in January and released online in March, we’re on to other projects.  Many, are underwater and will premiere in a VR format but that’s all I can tell you for now.

Until next time, just keep swimming!

A Magical 3D World

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Somehow we’re already well into March and this is my first post for the year.  Yet again, I say oops!  and then follow it with “but I have a really good excuse!”  We’ll see what you think…

Since last November, I’ve been inundated with paperwork and graphic design projects getting The Human Face of Big Data ready for it’s debut into the TV world on PBS.  When I started this process I thought that it would going to take me a week or two to get everything together.  Oh how wrong I was!  I’ve been glued to my computer so much that I began thinking it was an appendage and not an external tool that I can leave for a little while and come back to.  It really wasn’t an option with so many deadlines, but now that the broadcast is over, I can finally start to feel like a real person again and enter into reality.

HFOBD Placard 16-9 General-01

I have to apologize that I never actually announced anything on here but that’s how busy I was.  For those of you with any interest in seeing the film, you can see it here:

CuriosityStream-Banner-v1

Anyway, to move away from Big Data for a little while, there are several other projects on the books that are ‘pending’ and of course I have no idea when they are going to start but I know that when they do, watch out!  So for now, I’m taking a chance to breath and trying to catch up on boring stuff like cleaning my home and catching up with friends that I have shamefully neglected since before Thanksgiving. Ok, so seeing friends is far from boring but I revel in the thought that I’m a real person again and not a working machine.  Did I mention that I’ve been working a lot?

I’m kind of glad that I haven’t had time to write here because I found this video ages ago but wasn’t quite sure it was the right time to share it. Now I feel like it’s time. In many ways, it has a lot to do with upcoming projects, I just can’t tell you which elements it has in common:

Future of storytelling

I found this particularly fascinating for many reasons:

  1. My grandparents used to save their favorite Family Circus comics for us to read when we came over and when we moved away, they would mail them to us in letters.
  2. I grew up watching all of these characters on the big screen – how cool would it have been to have experienced them in 3D?  Admittedly it would have been even more terrifying than I already found them – especially the wolves in Beauty and the Beast.
  3. How is this going to influence art in the future? Only time will tell…

If there is one thing that I can say about the last few months is that the blood, sweat and tears that go into projects are well worth the toil if you really love what you’re doing.  I got a lot out of the last few months and even though there are many things that I’ve loved about them, I’m ready to move on and get my creative juices moving in a different way.  Most of all, I’m looking forward to living in the real world again, and not the digital world of my computer screen or my cell phone.

Until next time – and let’s hope it doesn’t take me so long, right?

Snow Banks and Wet Noses

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I really have no excuse for my lack of posting since the beginning of October other than I’ve been busy and this blog took a back seat to everything else.  I’m relieved to see that several of my other favorite blogs have also been slowing down on their posting frequency and it makes me feel a little less guilty… well, sort of.

As per usual, I’m not ready to share what I’ve been working on but will (hopefully) in the near future.  It’s not entirely my fault that I’m not sharing my work at the moment – a lot of it has to do with timing with PR etc. and/or the projects aren’t ready to reveal so I’m afraid you’ll have to have a little more patience if you are dying to see what’s new.

As I’ve completely missed the holiday season, I’m going to jump ahead to one of my favorite things about winter.  Skiing.  If I were a dog, I would hope that I could have a job like this:

VITAL FILMS

If I’m ever in an avalanche or an incident that results in me buried in snow, I hope I’m rescued by one of these puppies.  Heaven forbid I’m ever in that kind of situation.  I’m just saying…

I love the use of slow motion in this little diddy.  What better way to glorify these little superheroes?  It works for humans so why not dogs, right?  Also, the camera motion with the action shots works really well here and for once I’m posting about professional skiers and their stunt reels.  I’m so glad someone has finally made a video about skiing other than a stunt reel!

I haven’t made it up to the mountains since the snow starting piling up but I’m excited to get a few trips up as long as the snow holds out this season.

I know I won’t be posting again in the next few days so I will say it now.  Happy New Year!  See you in 2016.

New York, NY

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One whirlwind trip from Seattle to New York and The Human Face of Big Data has made it’s official debut into the world.  Well, it’s been making it’s way into the world for a while, but we now consider it officially premiered.  Woohoo!

I got to go to New York for three days for the event (my first time ever into the city – I know, hard to believe) and actually, I ended up with about two days to try see something of the city.  Even with battling traffic into Manhattan and out again and everything that I need to get done for work, I got to squeeze in a few things.

  1. Spectacular views from where I was lucky enough to stay:

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2.  Wonder through a few neighborhoods:

IMG_0570

And sort of see the Empire State Building – it’s pretty spectacular at night.

3. Eat fabulous food

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Just one of the delicious menus I got to sample – mussels and frites at Un, Deux, Trois.

4. Attend my first New York Premier

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The official poster blown up to a 7-foot display.

5. Finally see members of the crew that I haven’t seen in a couple of years and meet a few others in person that I’ve talked to on the phone for hours but never actually seen.

And now I’m back home and researching for a new project.  We’ve got all sorts of things in the works but  I can’t share what they are yet.  Hopefully, in the near future I can make a few exciting announcements.  Until next time, back to work.

More screenings of the film coming to cities across the U.S. as well as broadcasts of the film in over 35 countries in the next year.  I will announce as we get schedules finalized.  A full list can always be found at www.humanfaceofbigdatafilm.com.

Rome by Drone

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I realize that I’ve been M.I.A. the last few weeks and I do have a good reason for that – have been insanely busy getting ready for the New York Premiere of The Human Face of Big Data!  I’m excited for several reasons, but mostly because this will be my first big film premiere – not to mention this is my first time visiting New York.  I probably won’t have much time to see much as my calendar is already filling up with meetings and appointments in my short visit but I’m happy with the idea of wondering through Manhattan for a few hours.

When I saw this short video, it made me happy for several reasons:

  1. It made me reminisce on my trip to Rome a few years ago.  I remember the city being a lot more crowded but then again, I was there over New Years and I’m pretty sure all of Italy decided to go to Rome.
  2. I love the camera movement and the editing – it’s mesmerizing.

OLIVER ASTROLOGO

It’s amazing how quickly drones have taken over ariel filming in the last year or so.  I’ve actually worked on a couple of projects that used a drone of sorts to get the higher elevation shots that a crane couldn’t reach.  They are so versatile and the camera movement is a dream.  I’m not crazy about the number of drones that I’ve seen cruising past my living room window in the last few months, but I can’t complain about not having to have a dolly and tracks to get the camera movement I’d like.

If you like this video, you should check out some of the others on Oliver’s vimeo page.  The video in Vietnam is equally beautiful.

Crafting at Sea

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What do you do with all the odd bits of plastic floating around the ocean?  Well, it seems that these sailors have found one use:

STUDIO SWINE

I’m in love with the editing of the this film – more the the point, the mesmerizing water shots.  It makes me miss the open water and living on a boat while reminding me of how little there is to do when you’re not actively  sailing, sleeping or doing chores.  There isn’t much to do during the few hours of down time.

What a fascinating history of sailor’s hobbies and how we can simulate it today without having to kill sperm whales for materials…

Korean Kimchi

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Kimchi (Hangul: 김치; Korean pronunciation: [kimtɕʰi]; English pronunciation: /ˈkɪmtʃi/), also spelled kimchee or gimchi, is a traditional fermentedKorean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is often described as spicy and sour. In traditional preparation, kimchi is often allowed to ferment underground in jars for months. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made from napa cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber as a main ingredient.

I had never had kimchi until I got to high school where a very large percentage of the student body was made up of Koreans.  To help make these international students feel more at home, every meal served up at school had the option of rice from the cafeteria line and kimchi from the salad bar.  This is where I first tried the delicious pickled “condiment”:

JONAH KESSEL

I’m a big fan of any kind of Asian food (although I tend to favor Japanese) and kimchi is somewhat of a staple in my kitchen.  Now after watching this film, I’m very curious to know if I have Chinese or Korean kimchi sitting in my fridge at home.  I’m pretty sure it’s Korean, but now I’m not sure…

I love the journalistic style of this film, it is after all, how I started out working in film.  All the various piles of ingredients add such a beautiful array of color and watching the women work just makes me want to run home and enjoy a bowl of rice and kimchi.  Perhaps that will be my dinner tonight…

Cloud Formations

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We’ve had a very odd summer here in the PNW.  For many parts of the world it’s not unusual to have high temperatures and no to little rain for months on end.  We however, are not used to it here.  Today, it’s finally raining and although it’s back to being grey (for one day only), it’s kind of a relief.

A normal summer would include frequent cloud cover, temperatures in the mid-70s and days of either brilliant sunshine or light drizzle.  So far 2015 has has blue skies and little wispy clouds that chase each other across the sky.  We don’t tend to get sightings like this:

MIKE OLBINSKI

I’ve only seen clouds like this in the Mid-West when I was in my late teens and while driving through the Southwest when I was 12.  It’s videos like this that prove just how powerful and beautiful nature an be.  It’s simply mesmerizing!

The patience that it takes to film scenes like this always astonish me.  This is why I didn’t go into nature documentaries – I’m not patient enough to wait for things to happen.  I sure am thankful to those who do have the stamina and patience to record things like this though.