Tag: culture

Ohana :: “Goodbye”

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Another year over.  How did that happen?  I’m at a loss as to how it is possibly New Years Eve again.

Joel McCarthy

I admit that this film is not actually a documentary, although its filmed as if it is.  I love this film for many reasons, but most of all it reminds me that even with the loss of people that have a special place in our hearts, they wouldn’t want us to stop living our lives.  It also reminds me that even when I feel too busy to live life, there are more important things than the daily grind and to find those special moments that make life worth living.

Here’s to a new year with more moments that make life worth living and a little less nose to the grindstone.  See you all in 2014!

Ohana :: Growing Up

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Mark Nickelsburg

Once again, here is another film that is not quite a documentary… in fact it isn’t a documentary in any way.  BUT I think it has a very good message- maybe we should listen to toddlers more.  Plus, this makes me laugh.  Perhaps they know more about life than those of us who’ve been around the block a few times…

Ohana :: Inheritance

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Process Creative

What do we inherit from generation to generation?  Of course there are the material items that we pass on, but what values and lessons do we pass on?

I love this film because it’s not just about the items that we pass on to one another, but how we pass on morals and advice to one anther through many modes of communication.  I also love it because it is beautifully filmed and I think the music brings it to another level of nostalgia.

What are we passing on to the next generation?

Ohana :: Grandparents

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Andy Ellis

Spring time with Obaachan seems oddly familiar to me.  Probably because it reminds me of spending time with my grandparents in their final days.  Its been several years since most of them passed away and I miss them every day.

As a teenager it was hard to make the time to go and spend time with grandparents but I’m glad that I made the time to see them and still try to spend as much time as possible with my one surviving grandma, but its not easy.  Life takes over- work and other activities etc. and I have to make a conscious effort to at least call several times a months. Grandparents are those precious people that hold the key to the family past- they are the ones that remember some of those moments that make your family what it is today.

I love this film because of the memories that it evokes and for the cinematography.  It may be slow, but I think it helps capture Obaachan, as well as what her life has become.  A slower version of days of old and enjoyment of the little moments.  I love the cherry blossoms and it makes me look forward to spring even more than I already am.

Ohana :: Mothers

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Matt Bieler

I don’t think we ever realize how much a mother sacrifices for her children- time, a social life, sleep…. I’ve seen small glimpses of what its like while watching friends as they embark on the journey of motherhood.

Here is to all those women, working or not, who give everything they have to their offspring.

Making time for ohana

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It’s that time of year again when chaos descends on us all and life seems to get even more hectic than usual.  All this because its the holidays.  Even those that don’t celebrate Christmas feel the impending stress as the number of parties increase exponentially and budgets tighten.

For many, the cause of stress comes from the mandatory time spent with family.  However, Family is the reason that I love this time of year.

Family-Gathering

Since I moved out of my parents house, this is one, if not the only time of year that my family puts time aside to spend quality time together.  We are lucky that we actually enjoy spending time together- well, for the most part.  This year I am especially looking forward to it as I have seen very little of my parents in the last 12 months.

I’m not Hawaiian but I love the word Ohana.  I love that doesn’t only address those that are related to us by blood, but can mean any group of people that you feel close to.  So after spending Thanksgiving with the extended family and looking forward to the upcoming weeks I’m dedicating this month to those people that mean the world to me- even if they sometimes drive me a little nuts.

Classroom :: The Three P’s

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Leo Zuckerman

I had a hard time deciding what class I would have learned some of this information from while I was still in school and decided after much debate that it fit the three Ps perfectly: Phys Ed, Philosophy and Psychology.

Saying that one video includes Phys Ed, Philosophy and Psychology probably sounds like a bit much, but if you have ever dedicated yourself to a sport, you’ll know that being and athlete is about the mental power used just as much as the physical exertion.  This is the very reason that I like this video.  It encapsulates all of the different qualities that an athlete needs to have beyond a strong body.

From a technical point of view, I love the editing in this film.  I think that for something that could become a generic ski video, and you have to admit that there are a lot out there, this one is very well put together.  It goes deeper than a series of stunts caught on camera and delves into what it really takes to become a pro skier.

And last of all, and I am very excited about this, it is almost ski season…  I’m hoping for a great snowpack.

Classroom :: Ecology

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[vimeo https://vimeo.com/75226453 w=640&h=360]

mark wyatt

I’ve taken several ecology classes throughout my academic career.  It started out because I was avoiding math based science and as it turns out that I really enjoyed them.  I love that this film is close to home and incorporates so many things that I studied in the classroom.  I love being able to see what I’ve learned on paper happening in the real world. It also happens to coincide with The Breach, a film that I have been helping with for a few years and have mentioned in previous posts (side note, the film is practically done!).

Classroom :: English

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[vimeo https://vimeo.com/72216778 w=640&h=360]

gnarly Bay

For the most part I always enjoyed English class.  There’s always that one book that you can’t stand and then there are the books that stick with you for life.  For me it was One Hundred Years of Solitude, Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing and Havana, and The Great Gatsby that remain with me. I’ve read hundreds of books since finishing school but these are the ones that stand out to me since being made to read and discuss books in the classroom.

One of the many reasons I love these books, all books for that matter, is because they transport me to another place and time.  This video is that perfect blend of transporting the viewer to a new place and poetry.

Something by me…

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For the past 6 months I have been working for a film festival.  After months of planning and organizing, the festival is finally over and I’m feeling quite exhausted.

Now that its over, I finally have time to share some of the videos that I created for the festival’s ad reel:

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/75997460 width=640&height=360] [vimeo https://vimeo.com/75635494 width=640&height=360]

I’m not sure what is next for me, but I’m very excited to have time to work on something of my own again.  Stay tuned…