I’m taking some time off and dropping down to “half days” at work so I can recharge my batteries for the new year. These last 2 months especially have been very busy, as I’ve finished projects up (2 big web projects and about 14 new interview videos for clients).

I plan on getting some writing done (for myself, at last) and working on preproduction for a short film I’m the director of photography on in January. But I’ll also be doing a lot of reading, and not just work stuff.

Mostly, I’m excited to finally get some time to visit family and friends. Plus, I’m spending New Years in Texas with my wonderful girlfriend. Yee-haw!

This is my edit of a short student interview @ Marymount College. Clients are starting to really get into the power of online video, which is cool.

[ hosted on Revver ]

[hosted on YouTube ]

I had a lot of fun shooting these short interviews, and even though these are not dramatic or comedic short films they do have a decent hip HGTV type feel to ‘em. The Revver version looks a bit better.

This is me, swinging from a tree at an undisclosed location in Laurel Canyon a few weeks ago. The swing takes you far out over the abyss, where if you fall it’s a good 30 or 40 foot drop into rocks and prickly bushes. Broken leg at least, you know?

I didn’t want to do it at first- it really didn’t look safe and the pivot point for the swing was way the heck out there. I honestly wasn’t sure my weight and momentum would bring me back to the safety of the ledge. But then a few guys showed up and two of them did it. It looked fun. So, I gave it a try. I took a running start (after all, one must COMMIT to one’s actions!) and flew out over the abyss. Woohoo! It was sooo cool! Then I did it again. Damn, it was fun!!!

I found out later that one of the two other guys was a real life stuntman for the movies. And the other guy told us he came really close to getting stuck out there and falling when he did it the last time. I think I’m glad I didn’t know that until after I trusted that I could do it. Oh, yeah- and those of you looking for an allegory here? Nice. And you’re right. I’ve swung over the abyss this year… and I didn’t fall. Screw any of you who placed bets against me, you should know better by now.

While working on some new story ideas (yeah, you didn’t think I’ve been sitting here doing nothing have you?), I’ve been playing with the Red Rock Micro M2 35mm camera lens adapter for my DVX100 24p camera.

It’s truly a pain in the ass to use. Once business gets to where it should be, I’m still looking at a RED camera instead.

However, it gives an amazing image (assuming you know how to light a scene and don’t want to shoot in very low light). It’s probably not very useful for most basic video clients, but for the ones who want a real “movie look” it certainly does the trick. More later, as I get ready to use the M2 to shoot a short film for a friend in January. After that, well, let’s just say I have some ideas I’m working on. Ideas that I could not have done before now.

But this one’s gonna need a LOT of testing.