On the brink of friendship; "A man and a Cardinal".
Until he returned. This time he was sitting in one of the trees that are near my front porch. Further away, but still glaring at me intently. I looked his way, and again he fluttered away. I thought, "ok... this is kind of fun." Admittedly, I was super bored, and the thought of being attractive to a wild Cardinal was intriguing. But he left again, and that should have been the end of it. It wasn't.
I have been stuck at home (as most of us are) for over a month now. No in-person interaction, just the blank walls, and stillness of the nothingness that surrounds me. I think of stories to write and situations to talk about. I learn new facts that have no real-world application but are interesting nonetheless. I get excited about topics but have no one to share them with. The only respite I have is the occasional conversation with my spouse. Still, those are brief and generally about housekeeping and such. Since she is working twelve-hour shifts, six days a week, there is little time. So after my workday is over, I watch Netflix or Amazon Prime, Hulu, or our stash of films still regulated to Blu-Ray. It has become what I imagine a white-collar prison would be. But worse. At least in prison, there are guards to talk to and other inmates. Here, at home, there isn't even that luxury.
As I sat outside this week, something interesting happened. The sun was pretty warm, and the neighborhood birds began to make themselves heard. Not just like "hey, I am here," more like "HEY! YOU SITTING THERE! PAY ATTENTION!" It got loud. I suppose spring has finally riled them up, and for once, I am around to hear the community of feathered rabble-rousers.
While not strange, what was weird is that I noticed this little male Cardinal watching me. I said, hello. He stared at me. Then he really stared at me. I could tell he was concentrating hard. He didn't look at me like a dog, cat, or a human, he used just one eye as birds do. But for some reason, I knew he was studying me more than any other native Arkansas bird had ever before. I am sure that you have been stared at by the exotic birds. They lock on you and track your movements. That was this Cardinal, but for some reason, I could feel the intensity of his stare. I looked at him in return with what I felt was the same intensity, and he bounced off into the trees. While interesting, it seemed to be a "one-off," and I moved about my day.
The Flying Stalker
My iPhone at maximum zoom got me close, but I knew I had to get my real camera.
Until he returned. This time he was sitting in one of the trees that are near my front porch. Further away, but still glaring at me intently. I looked his way, and again he fluttered away. I thought, "ok... this is kind of fun." Admittedly, I was super bored, and the thought of being attractive to a wild Cardinal was intriguing. But he left again, and that should have been the end of it. It wasn't.
I went inside for a while. I did some research into cameras, gear, and filmmaking but became restless once again. So I returned to the sunlight. After just a few moments outside, I realized that my crimson friend had returned. Not just hanging around a few feet out of arm's length, but almost sitting on my foot! This courageous little bird and his exuberant curiosity have landed him at my feet. We stare at each other for a moment, his demeanor seems calm.
I speak to him and smile. "Hello, my little friend." His little head snaps up, then down, then back up again. There is a small moment where I think he is deciding if we are to be friends. Then he flies away, back into the trees and shrubs that he calls home.
I immediately called my wife. I had to tell someone about this little encounter. She is amused but not overly so. After all, her life has not gotten quieter; it is exponentially louder with the long days and tighter security where she works. To her, this thing that is happening is only mildly entertaining. To me, it's like the circus came to town and set up in my front yard. I guess it is all about perception, now isn't it.
I now have to document what's happening. I am a photographer, after all. I run into the house and get my camera and tripod. I get the longest lens I own, and I set up in the driveway, pointing my camera towards the front porch, and I wait. And wait. And wait. It seems that my friendly Crimson wrapped feathered friend has decided we aren't really made to be friends after all. It wasn't meant to be, I suppose, for the lives of humans and that of wild songbirds are much too distant to for a connection any deeper than observing one another.
Believing that I just wasted precious energy setting up my camera for breathtaking pictures of man and Cardinal forming a mind-blowing friendship perfect for Instagram or a Twitter firestorm, I do what I always do. I made the best of it. You see, I have this furry wanderer that lives in my yard. He didn't ask permission to live here, but here he lives, nonetheless. We call him Freddie, and he likes to do what cats are want to do.
So I turned my camera on him. Because I was bored, I made this little film that I call "The Cat." Please watch and enjoy.
Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker
From the beginning, I got the feeling that the film was trying to reclaim the feel of the first three (or middle three) films. The menacing death star, the overwhelming power and commanding presence of Darth Vader, the innocence of Luke, and the everyday life of living on what seems to be a wild frontier. It tried, but it failed. I mean it had glimpses of the right juice but just as it was about to find it's way the director threw in terrible dialogue, questionable characters with no direction and off the wall things like cute little beings or droids reacting to situations with innocent indignation.
It's Christmas eve, and all is calm... ok, no, not really everyone is out shopping and buying last-minute gifts and crap they don't need. I am ignoring the masses ignore the reason for the holiday and ignoring it myself, I would suppose. I am just a sinner, after all.
Catch the Christmas spirit already
I walk down the stairs in my garage and get in my badass ride. We have run out of allergy medication, and I need to get it. Half asleep and half in deep thought, I pull out into traffic and notice that my car is just as badass as I exclaimed it to be.
It is more than a car to me.
It wakes me up, makes me energized and happy to be driving. The power being sent to the ground lurches me into happiness, awareness, and just a little euphoria. I admit I am truly a car guy. Trucks are nice, SUV's are convenient and quite comfortable. But the raw horsepower and torque of my Mustang GT peels away the negative thoughts and makes everything ok again. That is until I get to Sam's Club, there I am confronted once again with the harsh reality that the world is still populated with people that have different interests than my own.
I make my rounds through the samples; you know the free discombobulated breakfast offered at these big box clubs that make you feel important, grab my allergy pills, and start towards the door. Then the inevitable, I meet one, two, and then three folks that want to talk to me. I don't mind; after all, I like to talk a little too much if compared to others in this world. But then I look at my watch. OH CRAP! It's almost One! I have to be at the theater for the Star Wars!
I didn't really want to see this movie. I really didn't want to see any of the other Star Wars movies. Well, except for the first three, or the middle three... whatever. I am more of a Star Trek kinda guy and not so much a Star Wars Nerd. Yeah, you read correctly, I didn't call myself a Star Trek Nerd. Trekkies and Trekkers are Star Trek nerds. I am neither. I just prefer Star Trek over Star Wars. Trust me, anything that was made before season six of The Next Generation could be erased from time, and I wouldn't be too upset. I could say the same for about fifty percent of the latest stuff in the Star Trek canon. Kind of like the prequels in the Star Wars Universe for a lot of the folks. If it isn't good, well, it just isn't good.
From the beginning, I got the feeling that the film was trying to reclaim the feel of the first three (or middle three) films. The menacing death star, the overwhelming power and commanding presence of Darth Vader, the innocence of Luke, and the everyday life of living on what seems to be a wild frontier. It tried, but it failed. I mean it had glimpses of the right juice but just as it was about to find it's way the director threw in terrible dialogue, questionable characters with no direction and off the wall things like cute little beings or droids reacting to situations with innocent indignation.
Think about the relationship between R2 and C-3PO. They were not cute, cuddly droids just innocently making their way through the universe. They were sarcastic on the verge of being rancid towards each other. C-3PO even slaps R2 multiple times, and R2 laughs at his companion's folly continuously. None of which happens in this movie. The reality has been stripped away and replaced with gooey friendliness and Disney-esque "Ohana." Even Stitch was onery and quite risque under all his family and love.
This is supposed to be a movie about grit and powering through the worst things possible. But this movie, and the other two, seem to be more interested in being cute and modern instead of being what they indeed should be, a Hero's Journey.
The Rise of Skywalker is not a must-see. It is a solid Must Rent if only to be able to keep up with the office conversations and small talk at group dinners.
The plot is shattered into parts that any sixth-grader could come up with, unintelligible plot twists and no unexpected ending. Throughout the film, characters restate objectives even though everyone on screen and in the audience knows exactly what needs to be done. Characters reappear in scenes only because they are cute regardless of actual reasons for their appearance.
The only thing this movie has that is interesting is the grand set pieces. The visuals are fantastic and overwhelming in the right way. Cinematically, it is quite good. Theatrically, it is kind of a turd. At one point, they land on the island of the Valkyrie. It was overwhelmingly underwhelming and quite cliche. In fact, that scene was probably the only scene where Abrams screwed up on the visuals. I am cool with our characters being saved by women, I am perfectly fine with women having the masculine lead. It was this particular shot. It is hideous and evident that it was shot to make a point about gender and had nothing to do with forwarding the story. Once that scene was over, and the next grand stage was rolled out, I was excellent. The actress did a great job with the role, and I enjoyed watching her. Just not that one camera shot.
Top it off with a villain that has no reason to exist other than to be defeated, and you have a movie that only exists to separate fanboys and girls from their money. At no time was I ever challenged in a meaningful way by the film. Everything was always the way it should be, and that's a bad thing. Network Television has better stories every night (unless you only get the new Magnum P.I.) that will entertain you more.
Making short films always seems to turn into something bigger.
I love making films. If you didn’t know that already, well, now you do. Sometimes we have a fleshed-out script, and sometimes we don’t. The real fun of making films sometimes comes from not knowing what I am going to film and figuring it out as we go. I know that sounds dumb, but it always seems to work out.
This last weekend, we did exactly that. We had outlined a few scenes and practiced some stunts with the actors. It worked out alright; it was one of those times when working on a wing and a prayer just felt right.
I love making films. If you didn’t know that already, well, now you do. Sometimes we have a fleshed-out script, and sometimes we don’t. The real fun of making films sometimes comes from not knowing what I am going to film and figuring it out as we go. I know that sounds dumb, but it always seems to work out.
This last weekend, we did exactly that. We had outlined a few scenes and practiced some stunts with the actors. It worked out alright; it was one of those times when working on a wing and a prayer just felt right.
What did she do?!
I made a few mistakes along the way, though. I accidentally recorded in SLog3 instead of 2 and damned near lost all of the takes. But I am a guru with Premier Pro and got most of it back. It took a little doing and a lot of noise reduction, but I think the footage is salvageable.
We did lose an actor along the way (a common occurrence), so I got to kill my screenwriter. Ok, no he’s not dead but its the only part that he can really nail. Yes, that’s a joke but not far from the truth. I am sure he will be complaining about me bashing him tomorrow. Screenwriters have thin skin sometimes.
Is he really Dead?
He’s just acting.
The short film I am working on is supposed to be a scary, art/horror piece that is meant to drive tension in the viewer. Through the use of heavy sound effects and long, arduous takes, the stillness of the film is intended to bring dread and dark suspense to the viewer. Maybe I am accomplishing that, and perhaps I am not. Only the final product will tell.
I’m trying to schedule a re-shoot for a couple of shots. All I can do is hope the weather holds out and they show back up. No one is getting paid for this and, if anything, it just costs me money. So I understand why people would not want to spend bucks to work for free. The thing is; to be a working actor, you must work for free and build that reel. Because, if you don’t have a reel, you aren’t getting any work.
And Honestly, that’s part of the reason I am shooting this on my own dime. That and I really love making films.
On the set; A film that took six years to make.
As you know, I love filmmaking. The one thing that always brings a smile to my face is when a project is finished, and the world gets to see.
On The Set of
The “Tech Files” by Joseph Hitchcock
As you know, I love filmmaking. The one thing that always brings a smile to my face is when a project is finished, and the world gets to see. Just the other day, I worked on a film set with one of the most exciting filmmakers in NWA Joseph Hitchcock on a project that has taken six years to finish principal photography.
Yes, you read that right, Six Years.
For me, that is an insanely long time. I tend to get my projects done in record time. It works for me, and I consistently win awards for my films. But not everyone who makes films does it this way. Sometimes, for an artist to really get what they want, it takes forever. It isn't a good thing or a bad thing, it is just how they operate.
No, he is not related to Alfred, but I do share the same birthday as the heralded filmmaker of classics such as "North by Northwest) .
Alfred Hitchcock and I have the same birthday!
Many years ago, Hitchcock asked me to film an action sequence for him. It was in a parking garage somewhere in Fayetteville, and I was more than excited to do it. Remember, I think this stuff is super fun and would do it all day for free if I didn't have bills to pay. He had some shots he wanted to get, and I talked him into getting some extra stuff that I thought would be super interesting. The shoot ended and I thought that was the end of it. I looked and stalked his online profiles for about a year, hoping to see the final product, It never appeared.
Oh well, I thought, such is filmmaking. Maybe it wasn't any good, or perhaps the other shots were so different from what I shot that it blew up the entire project. This is something that happens when you have several different shooters on a film. One may be conservative with their shots, and another is super aggressive, causing the film to look disjointed and hard to watch.
Turns out, that wasn't the case with this film (called The Tech Files), it was more of a matter of not having the time to do it, I would suppose. In fact, Hitchcock just got back from Eastern Europe where he has been living for the past year or more, and before that, he was living in L.A. while he was touring the country for his music career. He just did not have the time and opportunity to finish the dang thing.
Action sequence I shot from the film “The Tech Files”
Come on man, get off the phone Hitch!
As always, there were significant hiccups with the production. The warehouse that was scheduled for shooting canceled. I hate that. Hitchcock was scrambling hard to find a warehouse to shoot in with only hours to spare. We brainstormed for a while and came up with a couple of solutions. Finally settling on a place called "Free Geek." The lady who runs the place is pretty nice, she let us use the warehouse without any restrictions.
For those of you that don't know, Free Geek is a non-profit that recycles old electronics. If you have a bunch of hardware left over from dead or dying computers, printers or whatever, that's the place to take them rather than throwing them away. If they can refurbish them, they do. If they are just dead, they break them down into parts and send them to the appropriate places rather than just the landfill.
