Homemade Daylight Softbank

I made this 14-light softbank today.

It all cost under $180. It’s four battens of 23 watt daylight balanced fluorescents, separated on two legs so you can turn the bottom and top two rows off and on individually. I built it for use on sit-down interviews because I kept fighting natural daylight coming through the windows. Now I can use it!

Cheaper than an HMI, that’s for sure. I’ll post some footage when I use it.

“Insane” Music Video

I recently shot a music video for “Insane,” by recording artist Jill Criscuolo. In the video, she kidnaps musicians, puts them in little rooms and listens to their music. It was a challenge to make the white walled rooms look dirty and grimy, but the old warehouse we shot in provided some great depth and mystery. We couldn’t get the Lamborgini, so unfortunately we had to settle for a Bentley. How pedestrian. There’s even a surprise guest star at the end!

It was a great crew and I hope to work with them again soon. Keep your eyes out for Jill, she’s gonna be a big star.

Seeya Sands

I went down to Atlantic City with David Feinberg to shoot the implosion of the Sands Casino. David works for www.VBS.tv a division of Vice Magazine.

We had three awesome angles of the implosion and some great interviews. I’m probably not at liberty to say anymore, except that A) it was a blast, pun intended and B) Atlantic City has gone down the tubes.

Project Reach Youth

A promotional video I directed/shot/edited for Project Reach Youth recently had a rough cut screening at an event in New York.

PRY was honored for its commitment to helping low-income youth, adults and families learn and grow in a creative and supportive environment. The video will be up on their site very soon.

“Sense of Wonder” & Haskell Wexler, ASC.

I recently rented my camera to a production in Maine. “Sense of Wonder” was shot on the Panasonic HVX in Bath and Boothbay, Maine by Haskell Wexler, ASC.

I acted as a camera assistant and DIT on the shoot. It was an honor and a priveledge to work with Haskell, and although he claims the HVX is “for the birds,” he was able to produce some of the most amazing images I’ve ever seen.

The film is based on the one-woman play of the same name starring Kaiulani Lee as Rachel Carson, the acclaimed environmentalist. It is a very powerful performance by an incredible actress and I strongly recommend seeing her live on stage.

10-S?

Yes. Tennis. A men’s doubles tennis team to be exact.

That is the premise for the short series I shot in Philadelphia with Nathan Laver of Hooray For Funn.

Part-time aerobics coach Evan Monsky and “As The World Turns” star Chris Heuisler star in this zany comedy about a team that wants so bad to be good.

It was another two camera shoot for a few episodes. Then all hell broke loose on the tennis court and Evan probably still has scabs on his knees. The show should be up in a few weeks on www.HoorayForFunn.com

“Evidence”

I’ve been working for a couple months now on a feature length documentary on the subject of suicide. So far, we have shot in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. The film is about a young woman who took her own life and addresses society’s ignorance about the real issues. It also suggests that the clinical depression that leads to suicide is nearly always caused by mental illness.

Director Doug Faneuil has a non-profit: Living Proof Productions. You can go to the site to donate. It’s for a great cause.

“The Rise & Fall”

I arrived only about a week after Michael Bay had finished shooting “Transformers” in White Sands, New Mexico. Seriously.

We shot a feature in 5 weeks in Las Cruces, NM with a small light package and two Panasonic HVX’s. It was quite a ride, but after all is said and done, I learned a lot from my buddies James West (www.jawfilm.com) and Abe Dolinger (www.256hz.com)

James was fresh off his hit Doritos Super Bowl commercial, and Abe remains the best sound guy I’ve ever worked with.

We shot two cameras most of the time, which was challenging to light (and way more challenging to boom, sorry Abe). We mostly stuck to A and B getting wide and tight shots, respectively. But on the more action heavy scenes (and there were plenty of them) we covered different angles very easily. We lit interiors mostly with Kino Flos, and Joker Bugs. Night scenes in motels with neon lights looked great. Day exteriors were tricky with not much grip equipment and dusty desert winds. We had pretty bright sunlight and hard shadows, but we went with it and it works for the film.

“The Rise and Fall of Their American Dream,” directed by Nash Bhatt will be touring festivals shortly.

ToughCats in the Desert!

It was a breath of fresh air when the ToughCats rolled into town on their way from the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & Music Festival. We promptly hopped back in the truck and made a video in the middle of the desert.

This is merely one of many future videos I hope to make with the band. They are currently in the studio recording their 2nd smash hit album.

“Kill Me Now” on SuperDeluxe

I shot a short web series that appeared on SuperDeluxe.com

It was a comedy about a guy with suicidal tendencies. Abe rocked the sound. Thanks Abe.