13 Days, 5 Videos

It’s been an exhausting two weeks.  Chillipepper was this past weekend, so exhaustion was already in the cards, but this time around, we decided on doing a whopping FIVE major videos for the weekend, instead of the normal one or two.  To make things more peachy, this process started less than two weeks out, which is my normal minimum timespan for getting one significant video done.  Yippee!  

Thankfully, while this could have been an unmitigated disaster that sent me running from the world of motion design and video forever, it was actually pretty invigorating.  Though, I was working 12 hour days and some extra hours on the weekend, and was even editing in between shooting actual sessions of Chillipepper.  I would like to avoid doing that…well, ever again.  

I would like to thank the many, many of you who have shared kind words regarding these videos.  It’s been really encouraging.

Chillipepper Intro

This one was entirely overambitious.  It’s not that I didn’t think I could do it, or that I was short on ideas for it…I’m just not skilled enough yet to do this sort of video quickly.  Though, I don’t think that any sort of fully animated video is supposed to be done quickly.  All told, it took in between four and five very long days to get this one done, which was just way too long given the situation.  I don’t regret it, though, because it was fun, and I learned a lot, and more importantly, it gave me a better grasp on just how much I don’t know.  The inspiration came from this year’s Chillipepper T-Shirt, with its simplistic, geometric mountains.  

Seesalt 09: “Invasion”

The idea to do a movie trailer-style promo for this coming summer’s alien theme (the only way I know to describe it) was my Dad’s idea, though there was some seesawing back and forth regarding whether it should be an old 50’s B-movie style trailer or a contemporary dark and mysterious one.  The B-movie one couldn’t be done well quickly, so I ran with the contemporary idea, armed with some stock video footage and some sound effects.  I have to give major thanks to Video CoPilot/Andrew Kramer, whose Twitch plug-in made getting this look a lot easier.  Kramer’s tutorials are the reason I know anything at all about After Effects, so this one’s for you.  

SAM 09: “To the World”

This one was easy.  The look and vibe hit me the first time I heard this particular Garageband track, and it was in the can roughly five hours later.  Special thanks to the “Wiggle” expression in After Effects.  

Seesalt 09: “See”

“This is so cheesy.”  That’s all I could think about when making this, our primary Seesalt promo.  But I wanted something simple, something that communicated strongly, easily, and effectively.  I’m actually kind of surprised that we haven’t done more with the word “see” in the past.  This video also demonstrates my continued obsession with light as a primary effect.  It’s the new grungy.

Art to Heart

This one, admittedly, did not get the full treatment.  This video was made in between the Saturday morning sessions and Saturday evening sessions of Chillipepper.  It was definitely the shortest project from start to finish, and definitely the video for which I had the least ideas.  This video is almost sleepy in a way…a great mirror of my physical and mental state at the time.  This is actually the first promotional video I’ve ever made that used lived audio from the event itself.  That was the only way I could think of to convey the narrative of Art to Heart.  The audio is of terrible quality, coming straight from the rinky-dink built-in microphone on my camera, but it works.  I hope.  

So now, it is time for rest.  And when I say rest, I mean time for rebuilding the rest of the Concoxions website, preferably by Monday.  Yippee!

Daily_Blog: 1/14

I’ve gotten to a point where there is so much I want to write, so much I want to express, that somehow welding all of these thoughts into some cohesive yet barely meaningful blog post is virtually impossible.  

So I’m not really going to try.  My fingers are just going to move for a while.

I’m in the midst of a creative renaissance, yet my one legitimate shot at using whatever skill I have professionally (at least for now) is gone.  This was expected, but still a little bit of a downer.  I have a lot of projects on my plate right now, and I’m even doing some further exploration during my “down time” (I can’t get enough of the world 3-D modeling and its infinite possibilities, even at just the demo level…perhaps associated with my PIXAR addiction…).  I’m very nearly done with a unique Seesalt promotional video– definitely unlike any we’ve ever done– and I’ve spent an exhausting two days throwing it together, driven by the opportunity to actually create rather than just quilt together redundant highlight video shots.  I have roughly five more videos to get done before Chillipepper next Friday, I’m frankly worried that I won’t have the same excited drive to pull me through those.  But pull through I must.

I just typed a long paragraph on the the dichotomy between the creative work that drives me and the more-prevalent, busy work that is somewhat soul-crushing.  Then I deleted it.  Keep moving, fingers.

So, seminary.  Why?  Sometimes it feels like I’m going just because I don’t know where else to go.  Other times I feel that this is a confirmed calling and a real opportunity.  I’m hoping for a bit more revelation and guidance than that, and soon.  I don’t want to not go and realize I missed a great chance to dive deeper into something I already find very fulfilling.  However, I also don’t want to get there and realize that I wasn’t ready to dive that deep, or that often.  I know that I’m passionate about theological education.  Theological education, in this “Christian nation” is lousy.  No, make that Lousy.  That’s right: capital-L and italics.  If I have the opportunity to spend the rest of my life encouraging students/people to think very seriously about matters of faith, religion, and theology, I would be very grateful.  I just don’t know yet if graduate school and eventually the classroom is where I’m supposed to do that.  I probably will never know for sure.    But I do know that I want to do something.  

Jake Delhomme played lousily on Saturday.  I’m normally in your camp, Jake, but I have to call it like I see it.  

At the McAfee preview weekend, one of the topics that my peer/faculty panel discussed was the blurring of divisions and the elimination of labels.  ”Liberal Christian” and “Conservative Christian” (or just “Liberal” and “Conservative”) simply don’t work anymore, and they never should have.  A person cannot be defined by our perception of where they may fall on some theological or political spectrum.  It’s an excuse to not get to know someone for what they really think (about any matter; not just, say, homosexuality).  I could rant so much more about this, and I may one day, but for now I simply ask: do your best to never use these labels in your everyday conversation.  I still find myself doing it, just because it’s easy.  But it doesn’t help.  

The first one hundred pages or so of Rob Bell’s Jesus Wants to Save Christians are very interesting.  I don’t know about the other pages yet.  Some may call it revisionist history, but I at least applaud Bell for refusing to accept Sunday School interpretations of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, recognizing that Solomon was an utter failure as a King, for example (he then goes on to claim that Jesus fits the bill as the “true” son of David).  It’s definitely thought-provoking.  American Nationalists may want to steer clear, though.

Actually, go ahead and read it.

Also (completely unrelated), go to www.capacity.tv and check out the new branding job that Capacity did for Cartoon Network.  The Capacity folks are truly, truly, truly talented motion designers, and if you watch TV, you’ve undoubtedly seen a ton of their stuff (NBC, NFL Network, and about a dozen other stations).  I first found out about Capacity when they were profiled in an old issue of Relevant Magazine, and have kept an eye on them since.  On their website, be sure to check out “Planted,” an animated short based on the Parable of the Sower.  It’s neat stuff.

If you made it this far, you are a patient, patient person.

Daily_Blog: 12/23

You Gave a Good Fight, Panthers…

I would like to raise my glass (of Orange Juice?) to the Carolina Panthers and their effort against the New York Giants in Sunday night’s epic matchup.  With both teams coming in at 11-3, the winner of the game took home the #1 seed and homefield advantage in the playoffs.  Despite being the hottest team in the NFL, few gave Carolina a chance (the media tends to lean toward all things New York, after all).  On a windy, frozen night, both teams illustrated that they are far and away the best teams in the NFC.  However, when John Kasay’s 50 yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining went wide left by just inches, I had a feeling that the game was done.  When the team captains met at midfield for the overtime coin flip, you could see immense mutual respect among the players…kind of a “it stinks that someone has to lose this game” thing.  But the Panthers ultimately would, as their frigid defensive line just got completely worn down by the Giants’ beastly rushing attack.  Here’s to a great playoff run, Panthers.  And New York…I’m sure we’ll see you again in a few weeks.

Mannheim Stevens-Roller…

Sufjan Stevens makes a private Christmas EP every year for family and friends, and volumes 1-5 eventually were compiled into the very-popular Songs For Christmas.  Well, apparently he didn’t stop with those, as Volume 8 is now circulating on the internet, which raises a couple of questions: Where in the world are Volumes 6 and 7, and can we expect another compilation anytime soon?  Anyways, Volume 8 sees Sufjan mostly returning to the old days of his special brand of electronica.  I’m never big on electronica, and Sufjan’s electronic music is admittedly no exception.  However, there are a couple of songs of this fashion that actually work.  The standout, without a doubt, though, is “Christmas in the Room,” a simple, piano-driven song lyrically reminiscent of Jars of Clay’s “Hibernation Day.”  The EP is worth it just for that one track, but the collection as a whole isn’t in the same league as any of Volumes 1-5.  It also begs the question, with this mostly electronic fare, his recent jazzy covers of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs, and the grunge-rock slack-talking single “In the Words of the Governor”…what in the world is the next Stevens State-Album going to sound like?

CS4!…

Concoxions has taken the plunge into Adobe CS4, and I’m downright giddy about it.  We were mainly interested in InDesign CS4’s ability to make interactive Flash/PDF magazines, but the suite as a whole should really be of great benefit to our online presence.  Having enough time to make that happen, though, will be a challenge.

U2/3/3/09…

At long last, U2 is going to let us hear what they’ve been working on for the last few years, releasing No Line on the Horizon on March 3rd.  Bono claims that the oft-delayed album will be a step up creatively from their last two efforts, which he claims plateaued creatively.  That’s a pretty good plateau, if you ask me.

Foiled Again!…

I don’t want Frank Wren’s job.  I’ve said in the past that I would enjoy being a Major League General Manager, but forget it.  Wren, in his first year as senior GM for the Braves, has seen the worst-luck off-season ever.  First, we thought we had a deal to trade for Cy Young-winner Jake Peavy.  Nevermind, the Padres are non-commital.  Then, a long term deal for ace AJ Burnett.  Nevermind, the Yankees want him, so he’s gone.  Then, we had a verbal agreement to sign old Brave favorite SS Rafael Furcal.  Nevermind, his agent is a….bad word.  However, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am very happy that Wren has not sold the farm in order to get one of these desperation deals done.  He realizes that the Braves’ greatest strength is the minor league talent, and while it may not excite the impatient, letting these young guys develop into great ballplayers is the way to go, rather than overspending for players and agents who feel entitled to countless millions.  So, this season may not be a pretty one, but 2010 or 2011 could see the return of the Braves.  And I’ll stick with them until they get there.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, and a happy Christmas Eve.

Sleep-blogging

I should be in bed.  I have a killer migraine and took Tylenol PM over an hour ago.  Anyways, there’s been a lot going on lately.  

The new Concoxions website is finally up.  After weeks of being convinced that I was in no form or fashion suited to do web design, it just sort of materialized.  It was exhausting…after a few days of working with even the most primitive HTML and CSS coding, I’m beat.  I couldn’t really go all out here, and you can’t expect to dig up gold your first time out.  So I’m really thinking of this as a merely a 1.0, with 2.0 coming with a big update after Chillipepper.  Chillipepper is the only branch of the website that also got a facelift, and the others need to follow soon.  Joy?

I’m not convinced that I should be a designer.  At least, in my current life situation, I’m just not growing that much artistically, and I’m struggling mightily to be perfectly honest.  I enjoy the practice of design and am fascinated by the communication possibilities, and I really would miss it if I gave it up.  My attitude just isn’t following through right now.  

Segue: I’m applying to seminary for next school year.  That’s a part of my life that I have given up and do miss.  The art of theological conversation was planted deep within my soul over the last four years, and it hasn’t been fed.  My dissatisfaction with this has led me to consider over the past few weeks that some part of me is supposed to continue this conversation on a serious level.  Therefore, rapid-fire style, I’ve arranged to apply to McAfee School of Theology (a branch of Mercer University) for next school year.  Tiffany had already applied to McAfee, as seminary has been in her plans for close to two years now.  So we may be that married couple.  Like the Nelsons.  She’ll probably end up doing something pastoral and communally-edifying, and I’ll question for years whether or not I’m supposed to bite the bullet and try for a Ph.D. so I can be the sandal-wearing ministerial-yet-challenging professor/chaplain I’ve always dreamt of being.  That would be great.  Or God could end up leading me into something completely different.

Like design.

I’m ready for this election to be over.  I’ve gone from being annoyed to downright terrified at the state of public discourse in this nation.  As much as both candidates speak about reaching across aisles, I doubt there’s been a moment in my lifetime in which this country has been more polarized.  And I’ve been falling into that trap, too.  There’s been a lot of anger and hate thrown around, and you start taking it personally, even though there is absolutely no reason to.  I have a pretty firm grasp on who I’m voting for and have probably spent to much time researching the issues important to me (in order: tax structure, economy, infrastructure, health care…all of which are completely linked).  The candidate not receiving my vote is a man I used to have a lot of respect for, and I probably will learn to respect him again once this circus is over, whether he is president or not.  This election has turned both of these honorable men into something regrettable, and hopefully they and their respective parties will see that one day.  

I’m not holding my breath for the parties.

Adobe CS4 is shipping but Adobe REFUSES to put up the trials along with it.  I check their site probably 5 times a day hoping I can get my hands on some integrated design goodness.  If my artistic side is struggling, maybe my nerdy side can provide the proper motivation.

If anyone has read Rob Bell’s Jesus Wants to Save Christians, let me know what you think.  And then let me borrow it.  Please?

The new MacBooks look slick.  The Pro’s video card makes me a little envious, and the plain-old MacBook has vastly improved innards over the previous generation…but what’s with the shaft of Firewire?  That is borderline unforgivable right now; Firewire is still very much needed.  I think we need to wait a couple more years before we “move on.”  So my reliable year-old MB Pro suits me fine, terrible battery and all.

Tylenol PM kicking in.  Stream of consciousness fading.  Goodnight.

Video Double-Dip

A couple of videos that a few have requested.  Enjoy!

Whoa, I have a blog?

Hmmmm….so, yeah.  It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here.  It’s a pity, too, it was going so strongly through the summer.  Now that I’m starting to get settled in to “life” some more, I hope to continue the conversation some more.

So here’s a little bit of what has been going on and what I’ve been up to.

First…the thing I get asked about a lot…I’m being considered for a position with the North Point Community Church (Atlanta, well, Alpharetta actually) media team.  This is obviously a pretty big “life detail” that I would love to see figured out.  I have no real indication of my chances of getting the job, and I think they’re still interviewing people, so such information would probably be pretty inappropriate at this point anyways.  But it’s an exciting possibility.  I’ve met the team, and it has got to be one of the most insanely creative collection of people I’ve ever encountered.  You should see their stuff…which, if you’ve ever been to North Point, then you have.  The position I’m being considered for is a hybrid designer/motion designer/anything-else-that-could-conceivably-fall-into-the-category-of-”media” guy.  That was 10 hyphens, for those who were counting.  Anyways, this has been (and I anticipate it will continue to be) a long process.  The limbo of not knowing whether or not I’ll be shooting of to the ATL anytime soon has had me pretty stressed/unsettled.  But I thing I’m chilling a little bit more.  

In the meantime, it’s the busy season at Concoxions.  I’ve been squeezing every last ounce of creative juice in me to come up with some quickly, and there’s still a looooong way to go….web designs, some new ideas we have for promotional material, promo videos, the works.  So we’ll see how it goes.

First up, Chillipepper…

This is the foundational design for the final promotional theme (mainly the poster) for this coming winter.  The typeface has remained mainly the same, but the idea has continued to evolve ever since the Coldplay/iTunes commercial gave the promotional video a kick in the pants.  The resemblance is perhaps a bit stronger here…

Disappointed that I had to “fake” the volumetric lighting effect (light rays coming through the letters), curiosity got the best of me and I fired up my Cinema 4D demo just so I could see what this motif could look like with full 3D treatment…lovingly called the “erupting version” by Tiffany. (Click for full size version.)  

I really, really, really, really want to get into 3D modeling/animation.  There’s just so much you can do typographically (which is what I mainly do).  But it’s expensive, at least for someone in my position.

We’re wanting to get the Seesalt stuff at the same time as the Chillipepper stuff, so believe it or not, I’m already having to come up with some drafts, about half a year sooner than I’m used to.

There’s a lot that isn’t quite up to snuff with that particular design, but it’s something to run with.  And of course, I couldn’t resist…

I am apparently addicted to big, bright lights.

Finally, we needed a design for “Art to Heart,” a traveling special-effects chalk drawing production (which we’ve already thrown together once this season, in front of about 1,000 students at Gardner-Webb…that’s a fairly large test audience).  I’m actually pretty stoked about this design, and trust me, that is RARE.  This one may have some potential.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it’s college football season.  I am a strange wound-up ball of happiness, stress, excitement, and tension during this blessed/cursed time.  But I tell you, this Furman team has the earmarks of something special.  We’ll know for sure this Saturday (home against #6 Delaware…HUGE game).  Meanwhile, I’ve been acting as the weekly “College Football Pick’em” guy over at amalgamblog, and (not to toot my own horn) I’ve been doing pretty well.  I may miss some games here or there, but I seemingly have a knack for guessing margins of victory pretty accurately.  But, we’re only three weeks in.  College football can be screwy.

Okay, I think I’ve made up for the lack of posting.  That’s enough for now.

The clean mountain air…

We’ve left the saltiness of Coastal Carolina for the serene (atmospherically speaking) mountains of Lake Junaluska, NC. So far, the best Seesalt ever…mountain breezes, cooking out, and (thanks to the wonder of the iPhone) blogging in a rocking chair on the front porch. Of course, my attitude may change when they finally let us unload…at 10:00 PM. Oy. But I’m loving the positive of the now.

SAM Highlight Video Screen Grabs

Link

One Down…

Can I sleep now?

More thoughts when I come to…

It’s done. Can I go home now?