R.I.P. Mr. Ryan

Matt Ryan, father of Rob died today. He was a fine example of American dad-hood. As people of my parent's generation leave the mortal realm and it becomes increasingly evident that we are the adults, I become ever more pessimistic about the future. Speaking for myself I can't fill the shoes.

That's Ted Williams. I don't have a picture of Matt Ryan but they were the same era and species.

My evolutionary waterloo and the Infomercial du jour.

I spent two days gripping on an infomercial in Kirkland. It was for a single cup coffee maker like they have in hotel rooms. Infomercials used to be half hour shows where the budget and crews were large. They made up a fair percentage of my income at one time. The times changed and now an infomercial is 60 seconds or two minutes max. It probably makes sense when the name of the game is media buying. We shot with a Canon D5- the zeitgeist camera flavor of the month- a still camera that can shoot 1080P and makes a very pretty picture but is a wild pain in the ass to use. It is an odd feeling watching really talented DPs try and use these things. The AC (really a kid with a lexicon of nerd knowledge about the camera) actually had to use a paper towel to make the follow focus ring work. I was not doing audio, but that is the single worst problem with this camera- no audio inputs save the mini plug. It requires a double system, pretty much like the old film days, there by requiring me to purchase more expensive audio recorders. I really don't want to join this revolution. I want to just live in the old planet where I plugged into the camera and napped. I feel like the neanderthal presented with fire: I want to go back to cave and hope it goes away. Just bizarre.

At lunch I got the call that Carl had been in his motorcycle wreck, a terrible cell connection where all I could hear was "accident- ER- Omak"
It was all good fun.

Old Biker Dude Hospitalized.

Carl Dennis Smith wrapped his bad ass Harley around a UPS truck in the middle of BFE near Omak yesterday. He is going to be okay but the crusty old bastard gave us a scare. He shattered his left ankle and had to be flown back to Seattle for surgery. What a crappy way to spend vacation. It should be noted that he is the one and only follower of this blog so he has little taste or judgment. Get well Ralliegh.

Another Shoot where the questions arise...

So this one was kind of strange. This came up late and wasn't on anybody's radar; an xBox ad for Sounders Games on the JumboTron at Qwest field. When I was booked, one of the better directors in the Seattle area was attached to it and that made me very confident that it was going to be, if not memorable art, the production would be smooth and understandable. I got there and somehow the excellent director was producing and running b camera. Huh? Why? That's sort like Ingmar Bergman doing craft service. The concept as expressed by the clients seemed to change by the minute and it became direction by commitee through the hapless editor assigned to it. The sounders players were cool, but like all pro players they were like teenagers with short attention spans and limited acting abilities. I was pretty much just a grip on this one though they asked (nicely ) bring my audio package to capture the awesome performances.

Cross Country Vacation in Honda CR-V. Family Unit Survives Intact!

It was fun. That's what I will remember anyway. My family is swell. I like them. We survived close quarter living and smallish vehicle road trips. Pasco, WA, Bird Track Springs, OR, Baker City, OR, Antlers Guard Station, OR, Goldendale, WA, Portland OR. Many fine moments. Many stressful parenting events. I wish it were better planned and we had more exciting tales to tell but it didn't happen that way, and that's okay. True to form I missed some of the busiest work weeks in years while I was unavaialble. That's the life I have chosen.

Mike McGavick for Senate 2006! Aw screw it all and move to Bermuda...

I did a talking head for a financial statement for a major insurance underwriter yesterday. The speaker was Mike McGavick who ran for senate as a Rethuglican in 2006 against the equally uninspiring Maria Cantwell. He lost. I found it interesting that while he was quite personable and pleasant, he had ditched the state and in fact the nation he longed to publicly serve and moved to Bermuda. Do any of these people give a shit or if you have enough cash, the world is your playground?

Failing Orbit

As my disintegration into dust continues, here is a photograph of me in the American desert doing my impression of a teamster looking for the boxed lunches. He who once held such promise now holds a boom mic indifferently.

What a shame.

Jumbo Bowling Should be an Olympic Sport!

The City Night Out 2010.

As the reluctant Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council Co-Chair and Anti Social Dork I was not prepared for the entertainment of "the children". So, in desperation, resident child Tom and I developed "Jumbo Bowling" for a kid's activity at the neighborhood picnic. Bowling wasn't so interesting but knocking down a ten foot tall column of large green barrels proved fascinating to the youth of America.

The Stage Where Words Lose Their Meaning

A white limbo stage for a major cell phone service provider to announce their new contest. At least 75 takes with the copy varied slightly to satisfy a shadowy "legal" team off site. The on-camera talent began to say what we all heard as "When" when he was supposed to say "Win". He was unaware that he was doing it and at first I don't think he believed that he really was. Once convinced, he became hyper vigilant but still did it, as if he were trying to correct himself in the wrong direction. Suddenly all words were reduced to the guttural grunts and arbitrary clicks of our cave dwelling anscestors as we all listened intently to the most slight variation in pronunciations. It was like a deeply philosophical conversation over bong hits by 17 year olds.

It was an early wrap and we left the set up standing because we do it all over again for another company on Wednesday.