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.

Switching things up

What would my blog be without too-frequent design changes?

I was reading  through some posts last night and noticed that the yellow-white serif text on a black background was becoming a strain on the eyes.

So….fixed?

Blogging is for lists, Vol. II: Sufjan Stevens

(Photo: Joe Lencioni, Shifting Pixel)

Time for another (pretentious?) list.

Sufjan Stevens’ music isn’t for everyone.  If you mainly rock out to death metal, for example, you’re probably not going to go crazy for long banjo and orchestra-riddled compositions built upon obscure Midwest trivia.  Or you may, I don’t know.  I’m not sure what you kids are listening to these days.

There’s nothing ordinary about Sufjan’s rise to indie-fame (but isn’t that what being indie is all about?).  A quiet, oboe-playing kid decides to do an experimental instrumental electronic album based on the Chinese Zodiac (Enjoy Your Rabbit), takes a break from music, starts his own record label with his step-father, announces that he’s going to make a soundtrack for every state in the United States, and does so with an army of banjos, woodwinds, strings, synths, and bells (many of which he plays himself, then mixes together himself).  Oh, and those “God” and “faith” things pop up a lot along the way, too.  And as you see in the picture above, costumed concerts are the norm, too.  That’s an act destined to hang around in Top 40 radio for years, right?

Somehow, though, Stevens has become a household name, based on a little something called “quality” and the critical acclaim that comes with it.  Come On!  Feel the Illinoise!, his latest (non-Christmas-themed) effort, was the best-reviewed album of 2006, was Paste’s album of the year, and was featured on the soundtrack of just about every movie going for that Little Miss Sunshine vibe (including Little Miss Sunshine itself).

So I give you my favorite fifteen Sufjan Stevens songs…consider them to be fifteen suggestions, if you’re looking for some new music to get with those coming Christmas iTunes gift cards.

15. “Come On! Let’s Boogie to the Elf Dance!” (from Songs for Christmas): This selection is really just here to represent all of Songs for Christmas, since holiday-themed songs don’t normally make these lists.  ”Come On!…” is an addictive mishmash of Christmas themes and musical styles, and is a great example of Stevens’ use of musical form to convey a certain message.  Be sure to check out “Get Behind Me Santa!” as well as the rest of this gigantic collection of Christmas songs.

14. “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!, Pt. I: The World’s Columbian Exposition/Pt. II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me In a Dream (from Come On Feel the Illinoise): Did I mention that Stevens loves absurdly long titles?  This one isn’t at all the longest, either.  In this two-parter, Sufjan throws just about every instrument at you in a jolly orchestral exposition.  It’s hard to listen to this song and not feel good about life.

13. “Ring Them Bells” (from the I’m Not There soundtrack): This Bob Dylan cover, made for last year’s biopic, only vaguely sounds like a Bob Dylan song musically, but still carries the proper spirit.  Interestingly, Dylan’s approach to Christian themes in his writing closely mirrors Stevens; it would be easy to assume that this was a Sufjan original.

Golden Globe Rant

(Note: My rants are meaningless.  If you want real commentary on these matters, see Nathan Willis.)

I understand that the Golden Globes aren’t exactly the Gold Standard.  However, they aspire to exist as an Academy Awards preview show; if they want to keep that role, they need to act a little more responsibly.

Let’s start with the Best Picture Nominees.  In the Drama category, we have The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, and Slumdog Millionaire.  It’s a good list by all accounts, that is, until you notice one glaring omission.  Doubt received nods for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (twice), Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.  Doubt’s five nominations, in fact, is tied for the most of any movie, and didn’t have the benefit of including Best Picture among those five.  What’s the problem here?  Is it because it takes place in a church?  

The Best Picture Comedy/Musical category is a mess: Burn After Reading (an overwhelming critical disappointment), Happy-Go-Lucky (probably legitimate), In Bruges (moderately well-received), Mamma Mia! (*cringe*), and Vicky Christina Barcelona (was that even a comedy?).  I probably put a little too much stock in this, but the average Tomatometer score for these movies is an unimpressive 78%, which is skewed upward by the critically praised Happy-Go-Lucky, the only movie on the list I had any desire to see upon their releases (unfortunately, it was a limited release).

Some other oddities: Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor.  Supporting Actor?  Whose face was on all of those posters this summer?  If anything, Christian Bale was a pretty good supporting actor to Heath Ledger.  Also, Tom Cruise received a Supporting Actor nod for his cameo in Tropic Thunder.  I’ve got nothing to say to that.

On the television side of things, you’re hard-pressed to find any network TV love, as usual.  Granted, there’s not a lot of excitement to watch on network TV…I just wish the alternative wasn’t always trashy HBO/Showtime shows.  Major nods are for House (well-deserved), 30 Rock (sure, why not?), and The Office on the network side, and Dexter, Mad Men, and True Blood (which I’ve seen…wouldn’t recommend it for any reason at all) on the sketchy side.  (Edit: Wait, no Lost?  What is that?!)  

And finally–you knew it was coming– where’s the love for my little buddy WALL-E?  He’s had a really good week: named TIME Magazine’s film of the year, the Los Angeles Film Academy’s film of the year, and he made it on to Ebert’s List, too (Ebert smartly refuses to give in ranking within his list, however).  The campaign for a Best Picture nod for WALL-E has been very alive since its release.  However, disappointingly (and somewhat expectedly), WALL-E received only the obligatory Best Animated Feature nomination, along with Kung Fu Panda and Bolt.  And I have a feeling that they’ll give it to Kung Fu Panda.

Don’t worry WALL-E.  You still got the girl in the end.

Best of Failblog, Vol. I

Wow.  Thank you Tiffany.  I’ve been laughing my head off all morning.

Bike Hero

I’m not feeling so hot today, but this made me smile (and simultaneously blew my mind).  A) How do you come up with this, and B) Say to yourself, “yeah, we could pull that off”?

Blogging is For Lists, Vol. I: Pixar Movies

I threatened to make this list on the Amalgamblog, and now I will be true to my word.  After all, what reason is there to blog other than to make completely meaningless “Best-of” lists?

Today: the best, er, my favorite Pixar movies, in celebration of the DVD release of WALL-E, the new trailer for Up, and the theatrical release of Bolt (the first Disney-animated feature overseen by Pixar co-founder John Lasseter).  And let’s be honest, I have an obvious fascination with Pixar.  I truly think that they are one of the only sources of art that is simultaneously accessible, popular, and relevant.  To accompany each movie, I’ll give a legitimate Rotten Tomatoes review snippet that best expresses my feelings, along with the RT score.  

#9: Cars (2006, RT Score: 75%)

“While Cars may cross the finish line ahead of any of 2006’s other animated films, it’s several laps behind its Pixar siblings.” -James Berardinelli, ReelViews

#8: A Bug’s Life (1998, RT Score: 91%)

“The plot matures handsomely; the characters neatly converge and combust; the gags pay off with emotional resonance.” -Richard Corliss, TIME

#7: Toy Story (1995, RT Score: 100%)

“As Lion King did before it, Toy Story revived the art of American children’s animation, and ushered in a set of smart movies that entertained children and their parents. It’s a landmark movie, and doesn’t get old with frequent repetition.” -Michael Booth, Denver Post

#6: Monster’s, Inc. (2001, RT Score: 94%)

“Despite its relatively brief running time, Monsters lets us get to know each of its characters well enough to miss them when they’re gone.” -Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

#5: Toy Story 2 (1999, RT Score: 100%)

“Only after leaving the theater is there reason to realize just how much imagination has gone into making this film so enveloping.” -Janet Maslin, New York Times

#4: Ratatouille (2007, RT Score: 96%)

“Displaying the usual meticulousness associated with the Pixar brand, Ratatouille is a nearly flawless piece of popular art.” -A.O. Scott, New York Times

#3: The Incredibles (2004, RT Score: 97%)

“Even by Pixar standards, The Incredibles is unexpected, a mold-breaking computer-animated adventure that pleases the eye, bends the mind and, ultimately, lifts the spirit.” -Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

#2: Finding Nemo (2003, RT Score: 98%)

“You connect to these sea creatures as you rarely do with humans in big-screen adventures. The result: a true sunken treasure.” -Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune

#1: WALL-E  (2008, RT Score: 97%)

“No movie can be a downer that fills you with pure exhilaration. You leave WALL-E with a feeling of the rarest kind: that you’ve just enjoyed a close encounter with an enduring classic.” -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Some Thoughts, Vol. 1

This is the more awake edition of “Sleep-blogging.”  We’ll see if it’s any more coherent.

-It looks like next year’s Atlanta Braves will likely include Jake Peavy (awesome) and not include Yunel Escobar (what?).  Why can’t the Braves be made of money?  Either way, I’m already anxious for the 2009 season to start, even if we won’t yet be contenders.  But I’ll feel decent about our chances as long as no one predicts us to win the World Series.  

-Many people attribute the Republican’s discouraging defeat on Tuesday to their inability to win over moderates (or, in many cases, their ability to chase them away).  Tony Perkins, a leading conservative leader, however, has a different strategy: blame the whole mess on the moderates.  Perkins accused moderates in the ranks of leading the party astray, and feels it wrong to cater to their concerns.  Apparently, it’s never too early to start losing in 2012…

But seriously, I hope no one listens to this guy.  

-I really hope that the studios come to their senses and start slashing the prices of Blu-Ray movies.  The Blu-Ray player manufacturers are coming to their senses (good players can easily be found for south of $200 now), but I really don’t want to pay $30 for a WALL-E Blu-Ray disc this month.  I would, but I don’t want to.  Upscale DVD players do an admirable job, but there really is no comparison.  It’s a tough climate for visually-driven movie buffs. 

-Also, a word to Activision, or however makes Guitar Hero: sell drum kits separately.  There’s no reason I should have to pay $190 in order to get a $40 peripheral.  I want to live out my Drum Hero dreams.  

-The Furman Fighting Football Paladins are two wins away from a playoff berth, yet no one outside of Greenville seems to be aware of that; the media and messageboards have already given the spots away to App State, Elon, and Wofford.  It’s probably best that way.  And it’s definitely also best that we have an off-week this week.  I anticipate that both the Georgia Southern and Wofford contests will be barn-burners.  

-Still no Adobe CS4 Trial.  Adobe is giving me little reason to believe that the suite actually exists.  You know, other than floods of reviews and hands-on-impressions.  But those can be faked. 

-Apparently Pixar is working on two live-action films: John Carter of Mars and 1906.  That’s right, Pixar.  The films are being directed by Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird, respectively.  I give those guys (and all of Pixar) a mandate to try whatever they want, so more power to them.