This is a great example of what I call “The Curse of the Mini Packages.” I would have loved to spend all day with this couple, but it wasn’t in their budget!! Poop!
]]>This destination wedding in Glen Arbor, Michigan showcases one of the most gorgeous locations I’ve ever shot, and for a wonderful family that just keeps calling me back. I love them!
]]>This was, indeed, history in the making. Another terrific collaboration with Prestige Entertainment, and my first wedding shoot with the talented Brian “Solid” Schoof.
]]>Another phenomenal collaboration with Prestige Entertainment and Sarah Faith Merritt! The weather didn’t cooperate, but we weren’t about to let that stop us!
]]>The power of love is a curious thing. It’ll make one man weep, and make another man sing. This film soars.
]]>When one of your closest friends is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, you have a choice: You can choose to be sad, or to celebrate what has been wonderful about that friend’s life and make a hilarious music video for her.
]]>I remember the day my brother shipped off for the Navy. It was a sad day for me, but I’ve always been proud of him, and after 22 years, he’s finally hanging up his anchors.
]]>With a height difference like this, we really should’ve brought a foot stool with us everywhere. But then it might not have been as cute.
]]>This was a unique occasion: A fellow videographer who loved my work asked me to shoot his daughter’s wedding, and asked another editor to cut the footage. Frequent Lightcraft second shooter and collaborator Jamie Jantz shows us what she’s got!
]]>Things always get tense at any wedding where you’ve got Wolverines and Spartans, but at the end of the day, love won out.
]]>Chelsea and Steve made this an easy day. When a couple is this into each other, all I have to do is watch and record.
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Simply some of the best work to come out of the studio, this destination wedding in Saint Joseph, Michigan features the stunning Blue Dress Barn as well as a gorgeous first look on the pier.
]]>You may think Tinder is just a hook-up app, but for some people, it’s the start of destiny. Special thanks to Sydney at Master Mixin’ Entertainment for putting on a great show!
]]>My first ever booking from my short-lived (paid) spat on Wedding Wire, but this couple made the whole membership worthwhile. I hope I get to celebrate every wedding with their family and friends for years to come.
]]>What a wonderful day. This couple was an absolute pleasure to be around and it’s obvious to everyone they’re in it to win it!
]]>Alaina and Justin made the whole experience of shooting their wedding a pleasure.
Footnote: In terms of sheer Vimeo views, this is the most widely seen Lightcraft wedding film ever made!!
]]>This destination wedding in Crystal Lake, Illinois was the capstone on a three-wedding weekend in late July. How I survived it, I don’t know, but wow was it worth it!
]]>This destination wedding in Glen Arbor, Michigan showcases one of the most gorgeous locations I’ve ever shot, and for a wonderful family that just keeps calling me back. I love them!
]]>I couldn’t tell you the last time I hung out with so many teenagers, but it was a blast!!
]]>She knew she was going to marry him years before it happened. Watch his face as he reads a letter she saved for this perfect day.
]]>Seeing two people you’ve known for so long finally tie the knot is always an emotional experience. These two are remarkable.
]]>You know you’ve made an impression when a dude you used to work with years ago remembers your video work, and materializes from nothingness to ask you to shoot his wedding. When that happens, you say, “Yes!”
]]>Ordinarily I refuse to work on holidays, but for this couple, I made an exception. It was one hell of a party!
]]>Cold hands, warm hearts. A wonderful couple and another successful collaboration with the photographers at Studio 41.
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As part of Spoiler Free Movie Sleuth’s 31 Days of Hell, and just in time for the new Ash vs. Evil Dead to premiere tomorrow night, I decided to review the entire series that had such a big impact on me as a filmmaker.
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October 31st officially marks the beginning of the off-season here in Michigan. Many believe that wedding season dies down after the summer passes, but really it’s not until November that many professionals get to take a breath and begin to catch up on what is undoubtedly a massive backlog. For the last few years, I’ve been asked about giving off-season discounts. The truth is, I didn’t book enough weddings to even consider it, but given that the off-season is a time for bargain hunting, let the games begin!
If your wedding is between October 31 and March 29, you can save $200 off any Lightcraft Entertainment videography package! Ready, set, GO!
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I grew up watching the Back to the Future movies religiously. Anyone who is a fan of this trilogy of masterworks has been waiting anxiously for #BacktotheFutureDay. Well, here it is! And here is my review of the complete series!
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I took the wife this week to see Guillermo del Toro’s newest opus.
Read my review on SpoilerFreeMovieSleuth.com!
]]>Sometimes you gotta bully the groom to get what you want. Ashton wanted a first look with Curt before their ceremony to get those jitters out. So we all kept after him until he agreed to do it. It worked out beautifully, and he thanked us for insisting on it. The moment was perfect.
]]>There are very few times when I feel completely accomplished as a filmmaker. This is one of them. Jacquie and Kevin’s film remains one of the high water marks of my career.
]]>My first collaboration with Sarah Faith Merritt was a smashing success. This gigantic wedding for Stephanie and Michael was a wonderful occasion with several beautiful locales and terrific speeches.
]]>This group of friends is simply amazing. I hope they all keep the tradition of having a Lightcraft wedding film going for years to come!
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Wes Craven had a big influence on my life growing up. Having seen his films and read his novel Fountain Society, his never-ending supply of imagination filtered through the unique prism of his mind was truly inspiring. When asked to write a tribute for The Movie Sleuth, there was no way I could say no. Link is below.
This represents the first attempt at an experiment involving interviewing couples after their wedding in order to make them their own storytellers in new Lightcraft wedding films. If it continues to work this well, you will see this as an option for next year’s 2016 packages!
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It had been about four years since the last time I had shot a wedding aboard the Infinity Yacht. The four hour cruise takes off from the Jefferson Beach Marina, takes the reception down under the Ambassador Bridge, then turns around to head back. The timing of this is crucial because it places the Detroit skyline and many recognizable landmarks in the background during the special dances. This time I was much more prepared, and managed to nail a lot of amazing shots. One of which includes a slow motion shot of a bird taking a huge crap into the Detroit River, which won’t make it into the final video (needless to say), but provided me with a huge laugh while editing. Hit up our Instagram (widget on the right) to see some sample shots!
]]>That’s not to say I plan on growing into some corporate conglomerate with a dozen faceless employees that I’ll dispatch at random. Far from it. Lightcraft Entertainment will continue our mantra of personal attention. I simply believe it’s time to expand a little so that we can meet more of your needs, and incorporate a wider variety of style — therefore, expanding our appeal to a bigger audience. This also means more availability for you!
Stay tuned and be prepared to meet the new members of the family!
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Some of you may or may not know that I moonlight as a film critic for a local Michigan site called Spoiler Free Movie Sleuth. Just yesterday I was asked to lend my thoughts to a small short film from writer-director Dale Driver called Goldfish. Happy reading!
My first cinematic wedding edit. This was an experiment to push my boundaries as a wedding videographer. For years, I had been allowing the music to tell the story of each couple. It’s much better this way — the vows and speeches of the couple themselves, as well as the people they love, bringing us into their world.
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I know, right? I always swore we would never do one of these things just because they tend to be so oversaturated with vendors and discount-hungry patrons. Well, I finally found one that suits my fancy. It’s called Rock the Veil, and it will be Wednesday, September 16. Lightcraft Entertainment will be one of only three videography companies in attendance at the event. The setting is the Royal Oak Farmers Market; it’s small and intimate, so we will actually be able to spend quality time with curious couples. At Rock the Veil, we will un…veil (get it?) our new 2016 packages. So if the current prices make you happy, book them now while you still can!
For more details, visit http://www.rocktheveil.com!
Oh, and I hope you enjoy the new look of the website. Consider this a bandaid until the complete overhaul of Lightcraft Entertainment really hits home!
]]>When the couple is named “Wild,” what else would you expect?
]]>Lightcraft came out swinging this year with this phenomenal film introduction produced in affiliation with Prestige Entertainment. The new website is currently underway and will be entering the final phases later this month. Which means more content, Instagram, and a whole new outlook for 2016. We like to plan ahead around here. Look for Lightcraft Entertainment, Prestige Entertainment, and Photogeniuses at the big bridal shows around the Metro Detroit area starting in September!
]]>http://www.eventwire.com/review/LightcraftEntertainment
I was commissioned for these two ads by UnaSource Surgery Center in Troy, MI late last year. It was a really fun experience working with this great staff. They were on a tight budget, but I worked with them closely to create a premium quality pair of commercials, even writing a voiceover script from the testimonials of the doctors and administrative staff.
Special thanks to Neal Ruhl from Oakland University for providing the voiceover narration!
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To encourage booking in the off-season, I’ll be offering $100 off all video packages (and $200 off photo-video combos) through the holidays until February 1!! If you know anyone who gets engaged this holiday season and will want the best of the best, have them hit us up!
For photo prices and information: LightcraftPhotography.blogspot.com
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One of the best wedding films I’ve ever made. I’m still thinking there could be trims made to the style to make it even better. Thoughts?
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After three years, Lightcraft is changing up the package structure to allow more wiggle room for our wedding clients. The new packages include more diversity and more hours of coverage. As usual, all the edited packages include the uncut footage in addition to the cinematic wedding film. These prices apply to video only. A separate post will be put up later for photography combo packages!
If you have any questions or think anything needs fleshing out, please feel free to let us know!
Choose Your Format!
With the ever-evolving gambit of technology, it makes all the sense in the world to begin offering our finished product on whatever format works best for you!
Choose between DVD, Blu-ray, or digital video files on a flash drive for play on your Mac, PC, or Smart TV.
One format comes included. Add on additional formats for $50 each!
Basic Package – $1200
Includes: Ceremony and reception special events only
– 2 camera coverage
– Basic editing, documentary style
Description: Your shooter will arrive one hour before the ceremony to prepare for the event, mic the groom and the officiant, and shoot the ceremony. Coverage picks up afterwards at the reception with the grand introduction, toasts, cake cutting, special dances, bouquet and garter, etc. The two camera coverage will be edited together documentary style and presented on your chosen format.
Cinema Package – $1800
Includes: Bride getting ready coverage, ceremony, one picture location, reception coverage up to 4 hours
– 2 camera coverage for all special events
– Cinematic wedding film (up to 60 minutes long) set to music of your choice, with special montages for bride prep and a dance party music video
– Additional documentary edit for ceremony and reception special events, all uncut footage
Description: Your shooter will arrive at a specified time to shoot footage of bridal preparation (makeup, hair, dress, etc.), and leave to be at the ceremony one hour before start time. After the ceremony, shooter will accompany you to a single picture location to shoot footage of the wedding party and picture coverage. At the reception, all special events will be covered with two cameras, and extra party footage will be shot for a music video to be included in your wedding film. Reception coverage of 4 hours begins when you have scheduled for the shooter to arrive (i.e., 6pm – 10pm).
Cinema Plus Package – $2500
Includes: Bride and groom getting ready coverage, ceremony, one picture location, reception special events and party coverage until the end of the reception
– 2 videographers with up to 3 camera coverage for all special events
– Cinematic wedding film (up to 60 minutes long) set to music of your choice, with special montages for bride prep and a dance party music video, and video messages from your guests
– Cinematic wedding trailer to be released online prior to your receiving the final film, so you can get your friends and family excited to see the finished version.
– Additional documentary edit for ceremony and reception special events, all uncut footage
Description: Your shooters will arrive as a specified time at two locations for the bride and groom prep footage, with time allotted for them to leave and arrive at the ceremony location one hour before start time. After the ceremony, the second videographer will leave for the reception location to get establishing shots and cover cocktail hour while the primary videographer accompanies the wedding party to the picture location. At the reception, all special events will be covered with up to three cameras. The party and dancing will be covered until the end of the night. This package also includes video messages from your guests.
Extras
Add uncut bride prep footage to Basic Package – $100
Add picture location to Basic Package – $100
Add hours to party coverage (applies to Basic and Cinema) – $50 per hour
Add online Wedding Trailer to Cinema Package – $200
Travel – Negotiated on a mileage basis
Travel – Negotiated on a mileage basis
After the mad success of the Friday the 13th wedding trailer, I decided that the introduction portions of the wedding videos could be more cinematic, combined with portions of the video that would otherwise be left on the cutting room floor. Hope you like the new style!
]]>I’ve never posted a full wedding before, mostly because they were just too long. This year, Lightcraft began a complete overhaul in style that has proved not only popular, but to be a smash hit. The wedding films are becoming more intricate, more cinematic, and running less than an hour. This presents the very best elements of the wedding, cuts down on the stuff you’re likely to skip over upon repeat viewings, and makes for a much better film. Enjoy!!
]]>This is one thing I knew I wouldn’t be able to escape for very long. That water was freezing cold and was soon chased by a hot shower. Enjoy!
]]>This was the most emotional experience we’ve had filming an episode of Redonkulas.com. We usually laugh a lot and knock around ideas. This was a much more somber occasion, as we paid tribute to one of the great comic actors of all time.
]]>During this time of year, I don’t get to go out and have fun too often, mostly because my weekends are jam-packed with weddings to shoot, and if I don’t edit at least 4 days a week, I get severely behind. But this year, the wife insisted on a day at the water park, and who am I to refuse a pregnant woman?! The moral of the story here is that the Otter Box Armored Cases really are as waterproof as they claim, because the iPhone 5s in this one still works. Winning!!
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P.S. Not really sure what’s going on with my Java menu, but I’m working on it. All the links still work in the meantime!
For the second year in a row, Lightcraft has been picked as the Best Wedding Videographer on the Detroit A-List!! Thanks so much to everyone who showed their support, and here’s to another great year!!
]]>I’ve always had people ask me why I have never put a ceremony online. Well, it’s because of how they were cut. They are usually too long and not very interesting. It turns out that many of my clients felt the same way. Upon many conversations and my own observations, the decision was made to start experimenting with the style. This is the result, and it is glorious.
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This is some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a shoot. After years of knocking around the idea, finally a wedding presented the perfect opportunity: Tying the knot on Friday the 13th. I couldn’t let it pass, and presented Sarah and Chad with my thoughts for a special project. They thought I was kidding. You should know that a good filmmaker’s craziest ideas are the ones he holds dearest to his heart.
Wedding Film Trailers are now being offered for $400! Customizable, fun, and something wholly unique that you can spam out on your friends’ Facebook pages for months before your wedding!
]]>What else did you expect? It’s based on a racing game.
]]>So here is my review of 300: Rise of an Empire. Spoiler free!
Here is the newest Haywire Effect!
I’m hoping that 2014 is a better year for this show. It’s been so insanely busy that just the thought of making one of these is a luxury, no matter how much work is required to make them.
NSFW: Includes adult language and references.
]]>NSFW: Includes adult language and references.
Kanye West, despite his insistence that he is the new Jesus, is burning down all that is sacred about music with the fires of Hell. He’s the treble clef’s equivalent of an anti-Christ.
Let’s take an honest look at two of his biggest hit songs. First, “Stronger.” I know a lot of people who say they like this song. But really, they don’t. They like the song “Better, Faster, Harder, Stronger” by the vastly more talented group Daft Punk. The reason I know that is because they can’t quote any of Kanye’s lyrics in that song, but instead cling to the remix of the original song that was stolen.
Now his newest opus, which is getting all kinds of publicity, and is at the core of the reasoning behind this post: “Bound 2.” The title of which makes no sense, since there is no “Bound 1,” unless you count the masterful mob film by the Wachowski Brothers. I take that back. No matter how the life choices of Larry/Lana Wachowski may have destroyed the “Matrix” sequels, their first film is far too amazing to be lumped in with the likes of Kanye West.
But I digress.
“Bound 2” is about nothing. I’ve listened to it approximately 100 times (that’s not an exaggeration) over the course of shooting and editing this video I’m about to post. All I can possibly derive from it is that Kanye West is having sex with Kim Kardashian, that he wants us all to know about it and feel jealousy, and that their bad reputations are all our fault. All of this, he spews off in a series of vacuous, insipid, brainless “lyrics”; once again all spoken over a remix of a stolen song made by someone far more talented than he could ever be.
So to Kanye and Kim: Your bad reputations are your own fault. That’s what happens when you publicly bash people who have the nerve to call you out on your lack of talent. And that’s what happens when you achieve fame by being nothing more than an over-glamorized porn star. These “bad reputations” are the lives that you chose to lead, and I pity the poor child the two of you brought into this world.
With that, this music video is their fault, too… (definitely NSFW, and unfortunately not available on mobile devices due to YouTube’s copyright restrictions.)
]]>On another note, I did find this gem of a news piece on Vimeo, and wanted to share it with any potential clients who are thinking of investing in a Lightcraft Wedding Film as part of their special day. In a nutshell, I cannot stress the importance of this video enough: In your wedding invitations and programs, encourage an “unplugged wedding.” Meaning, ask your guests to keep their cameras and cell phones away from your special events. That’s what the professionals you hired are there for.
You might think, “hey, what’s the harm?” Just take a look and see for yourself.
Don’t be that guy from Love Genre Films on Vimeo.
Don’t be that guy is a weekly segment Sabrina Rodriguez produces at KTXL FOX40. It examines social pet peeves. I always thought cell phones and weddings would be a perfect idea for the segment. I pitched the idea to Sabrina, provided the footage and she worked her magic.
This is what happens when a videographer gets a new camera and brings it to a barbecue with a few friends, and a few beers. You get a video that pokes fun at double standards, and outtakes that are longer than the actual video.
The feedback on this trifle has actually been very good, so we’re considering making more. Let us know what you think! Comments are welcome below!
]]>Redonkulas.com is a web series I produce for my good buddy Terrence Popp, who you may remember was the man who started the organization Second Class Citizen. While that project is still very much a reality, in the meantime we’ve decided to make a bunch of silly videos built around Popp’s very skewed perspective on the world. It’s wrong, amusing, truthful, sometimes offensive, sometimes hilarious, and always redonkulas. Even if you may get offended by some of Popp’s views, there’s no denying the kernel of truth that lurks under every word.
So for your entertainment, I’m attaching my personal favorite of all the episodes so far: The Creepy Factor. In this lecture, Popp takes to the board to lay out all of the warning signs that you ladies might be dealing with a creeper, not a keeper. (Warning: Includes adult language and themes.)
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This was posted once before, but was removed for reasons I won’t go into. It’s been up for a while and I’m surprised I forgot to make sure it was posted on here. But here it is in all its glory! Just in time for my review of the 2012 Audience Choice Award Winners to be completed for its screening next month!
]]>It’s true that I’ve been shooting weddings like crazy, but this is the first one of the year that I’ve had the pleasure of editing. Beautiful location plus wonderful people equals a great video!
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Kim Varley is the mastermind behind Happy Universe Photography. I’ve worked with her on many events, and not only does she have a great eye, but she’s extremely pleasant to work with. Don’t take my word for it, though: Look her up for yourself and enjoy!
]]>Earlier this month, I was sent to New Orleans for Oakland University in order to cover our head women’s basketball coach, Beckie Francis, finally receiving the USBWA Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award. The writers association granted her this honor because of her tireless efforts to bring awareness to the subject of child sexual abuse. Neal Ruhl and myself took advantage of the opportunity to ask the opinions of some players and coaches on the subject, and it all culminated in this feature. I’m very proud of it. Please take some time to watch it and spread the word.
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Follow Coach Beckie Francis on Twitter @CoachBeckieOU.
This is one of my proudest moments in my career. Not only did this feature on Coach Beckie Francis’ personal crusade to bring Erin’s Law to Michigan turn out wonderful, but it will be shown publicly all over the country, and hopefully help Coach Francis and Erin Merryn continue to make a difference.
Please check out Erin’s Law on Facebook.
And be sure to look up the shelters CARE House and Haven here in Michigan to see how you can contribute to the betterment of our children, and help prevent child sexual abuse.
]]>Yeah, I know it’s a cheap viral ploy, but let’s face it: That’s exactly why we made it!
]]>As promised, here is the finished product that ESPN-U constructed from the footage I shot with Grace Waller at Oakland University!
]]>The good doctors at Performance Orthopedics were kind enough to give me a shot at creating a 30 second spot to air on Fox Sports Detroit during Oakland University’s game against Western Illinois this last Saturday. We wanted to avoid the normal cheesy nature of most local production houses for this ad, and I think we accomplished that quite well.
If you’d like a commercial or marketing video of any kind for your business, please email me at [email protected].
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Last year was by far the busiest in the short history of my little company, and I hope 2013 shapes up to be even better. So as a token of my good faith and a gift to all new clients, I’m extending my holiday coupon offer again for $100 any booked package from now through Valentine’s Day! If you know anyone who is looking for the best videography money can buy, send them our way before February 15!
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“Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Birthday Jesus, whatever. Happy Holidays. And if you have a problem with Happy Holidays, then Happy Shut the F**k Up.” – AVGN
Haha, just wanted to cover the gamut. Here is my newest (and hopefully not last) ad for Karagosian Jewelers in Sylvan Lake, MI. Be sure to check out their website at Karagosian.com for all your holiday jewelry shopping!
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News of the mousey kingdom buying up the Lucasfilm properties has set the internet ablaze this week, not just with the news of a new Star Wars film expected in 2015, but with endless speculation as to what this might mean for the other Lucasfilm properties created over the years. Indiana Jones 5, anyone?
Some of the buzz is good, some of it is bad. It really is a sterling definition of a double-edged sword situation. Disney is something of a corporate giant, and it was not that long ago that they also got their oversized white-gloved mitts on the Marvel properties. And a lot of casual moviegoers don’t even realize that they not only produce family-friendly fare, but are also the monetary engine driving such studios as Miramax and Dimension. So while Pixar was giving us Toy Story and A Bug’s Life, Miramax was giving us Pulp Fiction and Clerks, and Dimension gave us Scream.
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| “Jar Jars Binks is in ‘Return of the Jedi’? NOOOO!!” |
So what do I think? Honestly, I think it’s about time George Lucas take a step back. In the last fifteen years, he has systematically gone about pissing off virtually every fanboy who ever took a moment to pick up a Nintendo 64 controller as a kid, play Shadows of the Empire, and ask himself, “So this was based on a movie?”
He forgets what a lot of filmmakers, like his good buddy Steven Spielberg, seem to understand very well: Once you’ve made the film and put it out there, it isn’t entirely yours anymore. It belongs to the hearts and minds of the people it touches, and in the case of Star Wars, the very culture it leaves its immortal stamp on. Lucas has made it a mission to move against this grain by rearranging, digitizing, and sometimes downright murdering the original films that had such a profound effect on us growing up. His decisions not only were childish and self-indulgent, but in specific cases…
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| Correction: He’s the only one who shot. |
… downright stupid, and went against the whole idea behind his characters. If you watch the Sergio Leone westerns Lucas drew on so heavily to create characters like Han Solo, the good guy doesn’t just shoot first — he’s the only one to shoot. It’s not about being a cold-blooded killer; it’s about being smart, and living to fight another day. Lucas also drew from numerous other genres and cultures, such as the films of Akira Kurosawa, whose influence sparked the inspiration for C-3PO and R2D2. All of this went into a blender to create a loving cross-cultural homage that felt fresh and new.
Fresh and new are two things Lucasfilm has not been for a while now. The prequel trilogy of Star Wars films, brimming over with perfunctory dialogue and wooden acting, was like sitting through two overlong meal courses before we finally got to the dessert that made us wanna sit at the table in the first place. Revenge of the Sith was the home run after the previous two strikes were separated by three-year long rain-outs.
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| “I don’t always nuke the fridge. But when I do, I drink Dos Equis.” |
Then there was Indy 4. I will say it publicly: I don’t think this movie is half as bad as everyone else says. I’m not going to sit here and dissect all the reasons why I think the mythos of an alien species fits in perfectly with the previous trilogy’s plot hooks of using religious artifacts as MacGuffins to further the action, but well, there it is. People hate it. The rest of us (Roger Ebert included), just kind of stay quiet and maybe watch it in the dark alone. Mythbusters fans will know that if people wanna complain about surviving a nuclear holocaust in a fridge, there’s always the fact that he would’ve died trying to jump out of a plane with an inflatable raft, too. But part of the beauty of films is that they can spark so much debate.
The overall point I’m making here is this, and it is the cause to rejoice: George Lucas is officially done with these series. He won’t touch them anymore. He can’t teabag them with his turkey neck anymore than he already has. One thing I haven’t seen anyone touch upon is the fact that, with Disney now in charge, all they would have to do to make everyone instant fans is not to promise another Star Wars film… but to finally release the original, unaltered trilogy of Star Wars films on Blu-ray and DVD. It would be the pinnacle move that would galvanize generations of fans behind this acquisition, and get everyone geared up for a new trilogy. It would show us all that they’re in it for the fans, not just the money. Buying Star Wars is a guaranteed way to make money, but to release those films as they were originally shown to us as kids would guarantee them something they can’t buy: Our thanks.
]]>When I first began my coverage of Oakland University sports this last spring, radio analyst and Grizz Vision host Neal Ruhl would joke around with me, saying, “We’re gonna go to ESPN, Blake!” Well, it turns out he was right, although it happened a lot faster than either of us ever thought it would.
As part of their college sports feature series, “For Love of the Game,” Neal and I were asked to produce a small featurette on one of our swimmers, Grace Waller. She was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 16 but not only has beaten the cancer into remission, but is back to swimming on Oakland’s championship team.
This cut of the interview will be shown as part of a series called “Inside the Summit League.” The ESPN U version will be televised later. I’ll post a date when it’s made available to me.
Here’s a sample of my work there. It’s a highlights video made for the OU Volleyball team!
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If you book with me for a 2013 wedding before Thanksgiving, you get $100 any package! Spread the word!!
]]>1) The Work Load – Editing wedding videos is among the most arduous and time-consuming process you can imagine. For every hour of event coverage, you can safely multiply that number by four, and that’s about how long it takes to bring a product to fruition. So, if I cover your wedding for 8 hours, by the time I’m snapping the discs shut in their cases, I’ve spent an additional 32 hours making your video.
2) Comparison Shopping – Many companies in the area offer a high-end package that consists of the following: Two camera coverage, a highlights reel that recaps your day, and an edited version of your ceremony and reception footage that does little more than cut out the dead space. That’s it. And if you want your uncut footage, you have to pay extra… on top of the $2,500 you already shelled out. For the last few years, I have been offering wedding films containing anywhere from five to eight music montages, set to songs of your choice, plus all of the uncut footage for free. All for $1,300. Long story short: I’ve been doing triple the work for about half of the pay.
3) Upping the Ante – Every couple of years I take it upon myself to purchase new equipment in order to keep with the times, to make sure I’m offering the absolute best product possible. What was once a one-camera-one-man operation, has now grown significantly. I can offer two-camera coverage, and I’m going to do just that. But at a price that’s more than reasonable, and doesn’t charge more than is necessary. Once the party kicks off at a reception, having two fully-fledged camera people running around proves to be mostly pointless. You really only need two cameras for the special events. After the dancing starts, you’re paying someone to sit down for a half hour at a time as the camera people usually trade off. Not with us.
4) Helping Hands – Believe me when I say I’ve been doing this now for six years, and life is a lot easier when you have someone to help. Every single Lightcraft package now includes an assistant who will not only run a second camera for applicable packages, but will also be taking extra candid photos of your event. This is not a substitute for a professional photographer, but it is a nice bonus to have, especially considering most clients will receive their video and photos back from us before they receive their photography proofs!
So here we go! This is the new breakdown of prices for Lightcraft Entertainment Wedding Videography! And trust me, you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck!
All packages include 8 hours of coverage by the videographer, all shot in High Definition, usually amounting to about 3-4 hours of footage. All packages also include an extra disc of candid wedding photos taken by a Lightcraft assistant photographer.
Uncut Package – $1000
This is an uncut, single camera package. You receive all of your footage, separated by time of day, on DVD with custom menus. All DVDs will be packaged with custom artwork taken from the wedding footage.
Highlights Package – $1300
This is a documentary edit package. In addition to the Basic Package, you will receive an edited version of your ceremony and reception. Also, you will receive a highlights reel that recaps the whole day, set to two songs of your choice. Still images from the video can also be sent to you via email or posted on Facebook. You may also choose to have your Highlights posted to YouTube.
Cinema Package – $1600
This is the ultimate wedding package, previously called the “Total Package.” This includes 8 hours of coverage, including two cameras for your special events (the ceremony, toasts, and special dances). You receive all of your uncut footage as well as a fully edited (90+ minute) wedding film set to songs of your choice. You’re also able to select any of the montages in the video for uploading to YouTube so you can share them with friends and family around the world. All of the DVD menus and packaging are custom designed for you!
Blu-Ray Upgrades are available on all packages for only $50!!
There you have it! We’re keeping it simple and still offering the best in videography. Please feel free to email or call with any questions. Thank you for your continued support!
]]>Ordinarily I wouldn’t post someone else’s vlog thoughts on my page, but this was surprising on a few levels. First of all, it’s kind of mind-blowing to hear such a young girl speaking so candidly and with such intelligence on the topic of sex and its societal misperceptions. Secondly, it’s a positive message she’s spreading, and considering how much I was picked on for simply being a nerd in school, you could substitute some slang here and it could apply to a lot of people.
Check out Sarah’s YouTube channel, Astrorice, for more.
]]>Convenience is the name of the game! Here’s all of my 2011 wedding demos in one place. Feel free to place it on shuffle and enjoy! Don’t forget to check out the hilarious video messages from the peanut gallery (it’s a 2011 Top Wedding Moment!).
]]>I figured instead of making everyone search through the website to find all of these, I would put them neatly in one place. If you haven’t seen them yet, please enjoy and spread them around!
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| Photo by Kynna Scott |
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| Photo by Mayzie Photography |
Slowly but surely, I’m fulfilling my obligation to Karagosian Jewelers to produce a slew of web ads. Wedding season is in high gear, and I’ve never been busier. But this is as good a time as any to announce that there will be a new Haywire Effect next month, and more than likely the last viral ad for the Karagosians. Hope you enjoy the new commercial!!
]]>This is currently the front runner for the funniest wedding moment of 2012. It’ll take a lot to beat this. It’s like a perfect storm of hilarity.
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Considering all of the bath salts zombification going on, I figured this one was timely.
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Secondly, and most importantly: There will be a drastic shift in how wedding videography is promoted on this site over the coming months. A vlog will be coming soon, detailing how it’s all gonna go down, and when the changes will come into effect. Suffice it to say that after working in this field for so long, I finally started doing some homework on my competitors, and I’m only now realizing just how much I’ve been shortchanging myself. When I say that no other company out there does what I do for my clients, I can say with supreme confidence and conviction that it’s true. There is literally no other videography company putting in the kind of work that I do on these videos (especially being a one-man operation). And for the price I’ve been selling them, in conjunction with the obscene amounts of hours it takes to complete them, I have been shooting myself in the foot. Don’t worry! I’m not changing my style or anything, but there will be the addition of a third wedding package in this restructuring that will allow for more of a middle ground, and will result in a higher quality of production all around for my wedding videos, not to mention a full reinvestment of myself into their creation.
All good things, my friends. All good things. To be announced soon!
]]>I will never get away with something like this again. And maybe that’s a good thing.]]>
There are people in the world who seem like they can drink forever and never get sick or feel hungover. Thankfully, Igor isn’t one of them.
]]>I love weddings where I’m surrounded by fun crazy people. It makes my job the greatest. But not as great as Chuck Norris.
]]>Wedding days are always full of advice from all walks of life. Most of it is cliche. This is just funny.
]]>Little kids think farts are hysterically funny. And that’s because they are.
]]>Getting video messages is arguably the hardest part of my job. But every once in a while, it’s worth it.
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Three words: Joe Muthaf**king Tonio. That’s all you need to know.]]>
This is what happens when the wedding photographers go MIA. Blakey has fun.
]]>I always encourage people to stay away from websites offering suggestions for wedding toasts… but then there are times when a guideline is helpful.
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Mike and Janie’s music video wedding turned out to be one of the most arduous and rewarding experiences of my career. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out below.
]]>This one will always be remembered simply because of one lunatic’s arrogant obsession with thinking he is smarter than God.
]]>This officially kicks off my 12-video series on the Top 11 Lightcraft Entertainment Wedding Moments of 2011! Will yours be on the list? Stay tuned!
]]>It goes without saying that there are bad drivers in the world. The thought of a bad driver also texting while anywhere in my vicinity scares the piss outta me. Not too long ago up in Romeo, MI, a young 16 year-old girl was a passenger in a car that was T-boned by a distracted driver running a red light. This video, financed by the Transportation Improvement Authority, is not a reenactment of that tragedy, but references it greatly and does its best to accurately recreate the circumstances. It strikes a chord and makes you think twice about responding to another dumb text with an “lol”.
Big shout out to my cousin Cindy for playing the featured role of the injured backseat passenger.
And of course, my deepest sympathies and unbounded respect for the surviving friends and family of Ally Zimmerman.
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Every once in a while, I feel compelled to revisit the Friday the 13th series just because how well each one plays can depend on my mood. What I realize when watching Jason Lives is something of a miracle among this pile of likable trash: It works. This is not only a great Friday the 13th film, but just a flat-out good film. It’s probably the only film in the god-forsaken franchise that not only succeeds on the level of intended comedy (there’s a key word in there somewhere), but somehow functions as an entertaining thriller. This is owed to the talents of its writer-director, Tom McLoughlin, and an energetic cast. This installment in Jason’s never-ending bloodbath has more energy and fun than any other in the series.
The film begins with the same character that has carried us through the previous two films, Tommy Jarvis (played most notably by Corey Feldman in Part 4, and here by Thom Mathews). As a young boy he slaughtered Jason with his own machete in the fourth movie, grew up and went to a mental institution in the fifth one. Now that he’s out, looks to destroy Jason for good by burning his corpse. But in order to do that, he must dig him up. Gee, nothing could possibly go wrong! With a pretty neat special effects shot accompanied by some fun pyrotechnics, Jason lives, and he’s even more powerful.
The film rockets past its awesome opening that pays a very nice homage to the James Bond titles and never stops moving. McLoughlin moves his camera very well, assisted with nice gothic cinematography by Jon Kranhouse. He always is tipping his hat to the horror classics at one time or another, and he has a sure hand at comedy. The intentional laugh ratio is vastly in his favor. I’m not going to explain any of the “plot” because hey, ever since the first film slashed up screens in 1980, there is no need for explanation. Although how a hockey mask can endure the abuse it does in this series is something I’d still love an answer to.
Now exactly what makes this installment special compared to its counterparts? As I said, it works as a thriller. The opening scene in the cemetery has genuine anticipation. The close up on an eye socket crawling with maggots as it narrows in anger was a very nice touch, and it makes the scene pay off in the end. As the film goes along, it introduces the traditional characters, but it gives us a few that we really do learn to like and care about. The cookie-cutter mentality of the previous movies gives way here to some funny dialogue and cultural in-jokes (“Your mother own a sewing machine kid?”). Instead of the usual clueless authority figures Freddy vs. Jason had such a great time poking fun at, we are given a real three-dimensional character in the sheriff who honestly cares about keeping the peace and the well-being of his daughter, a rambunctious blonde with a knack for seeking out trouble. So when Tommy Jarvis hauls his ass straight to the sheriff’s office after resurrecting his lifelong nemesis, and the sheriff knows who he is, we understand why he would toss Tommy in the brig, even if we know he’s wrong.
There are other moments involving little kids reacting to the sight of Jason and some nice little bits of dialogue between the camp counselors, but most especially with the sheriff. All this works really well, and it’s all due to the filmmakers knowing what they were making and doing their best within the confines of the dependable formula. McLoughin really goes above and beyond the call of duty; he delivers a truly good film with some great visual gags and, gasp, drama. For example: There’s a terrific moment toward the end of the film when the sheriff comes face to face with Jason in the woods of Crystal Lake—or, I’m sorry, Forest Green. McLoughlin cuts to a wide shot with the sheriff, stunned by the sight of Jason. Jason stands perfectly still and they stare at each other for a moment. I watched this and thought, “Wow, a realistic character arc in a Friday the 13th movie.” Commence the snowball fight in Hell.
]]>Now for the wondrous praise part: I handed off my last wedding of 2011 just recently and received a glowing review I thought I would share with you. Can’t wait for 2012 to get under way!
There’s a funny thing about being me: When I get asked to screen the first film I ever made at the Mitten Movie Project on March 6, I’ll go back and make changes. Yeah… to a film that’s going to be celebrating its 7th birthday this November. I went back to the original uncut footage that I had been saving all this time, blew it up to HD, cleaned up the image and captions, and even shortened it by about 30 seconds. Enjoy this new (slightly better) version of Bananas!
]]>I am, however, pleased to report that the Lightcraft family has a new member who will no doubt be appearing in countless videos to come. My web content needs some cuteness, and I think she’ll fill that role perfectly.
In the meantime, don’t fret: The next Haywire Effect will get made, and there are even a couple of bonus videos on the horizon. Keep watching!
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In post-production now!
]]>PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.]]>
My good friend and colleague Kayla purchased this Panasonic HVX200 a couple years back and didn’t really get the use out of it. It was only used to shoot a couple weddings and a short film, so there’s little to no wear and tear on it. All the accessories, including two 32GB P2 cards are included. The camera shoots in full uncompressed HD on the cards and also has a tape slot for shooting on miniDV, making it one of the only cameras ever made to be compatible with both. She’s asking $4000 or best offer.
Contact Kayla at [email protected] with any questions or offers. She’s accepting PayPal, certified check, money order, or cash. Hope someone finds this useful!
]]>Basically what this blog is for is to let you know that there’s a lot going on and hopefully things will shape up in terms of turning out episodes as well as actual films this year. Making the last commercial for the jewelry store reminded me just how much I miss directing, and I plan on devoting a lot of energy toward making some movies this year. Wish me luck!
I suppose this has been a long time coming: I’m officially instituting a fee for the use of my studio lighting for the reception dance footage. Why? Well, for one basic reason. I’m tired of complaints from wedding guests and/or DJs who must be so embarrassed of their dance moves to the point where they won’t dance in anything except total cave darkness. This is an ongoing problem I’ve never understood and while it’s not a constant issue that occurs at every wedding, it happens often enough that I am forced to do something about it.
The first time anyone complained about my use of studio lighting on the dance floor, it was the single worst wedding DJ I’ve ever worked with. He insisted that people weren’t dancing because of the lights. The real problem was that he didn’t understand that the event was a wedding and not a techno club in South Beach, Florida where people were popping ecstasy and dry-humping each other (although I have been to weddings where that’s happened).
Bottom line: The quality of a wedding party and the amount of dancing that goes on has absolutely nothing to do with lights or even with the music being played — it has everything to do with the people who show up. People who come to have a good time are going to dance to anything they like dancing to. How bright or dim the dance floor is will have no effect on that. I know this to be true because I’ve shot over 200 weddings in five years. I’ve seen dance floors packed with people in the middle of the day with no booze being served; I’ve seen empty dance floors in alcohol-soaked banquet halls with nothing on but colored lights and Michael Jackson.
So if you want your video to look its absolute best, the Studio Lighting Package is $100, and it means the difference between a camera spotlight in your face and your wedding video looking like a movie. It also means the difference between me carting around 100 pounds of gear versus only 50.
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DJs don’t need darkness to play music. People don’t need darkness to dance. But good video does need light.
Turns out that some things are worth waiting for. Thanks to a helpful response to a Facebook post, I was re-introduced to a young bridesmaid I met at a wedding last year: Enter Erin Foley. A young actress with experience in theater and aspirations to transcend into the film world, she saw the opportunity as a welcome transition. We began a collaboration on the commercial from the ground up: Everything from the core idea to the shooting script was a combination of all our ideas.
Overall, this was a phenomenal experience. Not only is Erin a joy to work with, but the commercial turned out better than all my previous attempts. I hope you like it.
]]>Today, that grey area turned a shade darker. As a taste-tester for a video still in post-production, I sent out a dance montage I spent over six hours editing just a couple nights ago. I think it turned out amazingly well. The couple, however, didn’t like the song. So now I will have to recut this entire sequence. Six hours of work is down the toilet. But refer to the headline: There’s a reason I ask for ten songs from every couple and this is it. This is the kind of thing I want to avoid happening; the kind of situation that could have resulted in some unhappiness on both sides. If they had caught me after the video was finished, I would have refused to recut the sequence without extra pay because there is actually a clause in my contract which says I retain the right to final cut on every video — especially in the event a couple doesn’t pick enough music, which was the case here, leaving me to pick some songs to fill the gaps.
I’m not pointing any fingers or name-calling. Merely I’m putting this out there as a cautionary tale to any couples who, if their tastes in music are somewhat eclectic, may want to make sure that list of ten songs is a bit overstuffed. As it stands, this little bit of Lightcraft history will remain online, but will be excised from the final video, much to my own dismay.
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Thanksgiving is one of the most special times of year for me. Partly because of spending time with my family. Partly because it kicks off the holiday season and I love Christmas lights! And partly because, usually, it marks the official end of the wedding season haha! Don’t get me wrong: I love my job, and I love providing wedding films for people that they cherish and watch over and over again. But it gets tiring, constantly shooting and editing these things, so I look forward to a time of year when I can take a break from it, then approach it with fresh eyes in the spring.
Coming up soon will be the long-awaited Haywire Effect episode of Star Trek V, the Haywire Effect Christmas Special, and new videos for Second Class Citizen and its new comedic sideshow, Redonkulous.
Happy Turkey Day! To celebrate it officially, a clip from one of my favorite shows. Unfortunately, YouTube won’t allow me to embed the file, but here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7etGJjV77E
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Don’t get me wrong: This steak was delicious, but after cutting more toward the center, I literally stuck it with the fork and paraded it around my plate, mooing to the amusement of the intoxicated wedding patrons at the table.
]]>The director’s cut went online December 29, 2010 and underperformed to a less than impressive start. Considering the first cut of the film had over 10,000 views within about six months, I was certain this version – with a more provocative headline (“The Reason for Veteran Suicides”) – would blow up even more. As of two days ago, I was right. The film sat on YouTube with no more than 1,300 views. Now, logging into YouTube today to look at some comments, I have to ask… what the hell happened?
This is unprecedented (well, at least it’s unprecedented for a video without cute kittens or people face-planting in embarrassing ways). Over 7,000 views in just two days have come in. And apparently we have a new website in Germany to thank for it: http://www.20min.ch. I’ve never heard of this site before, and despite a rudimentary knowledge of the language to guide me, I’ve been unable to find the article that accompanies the film’s posting on the website. What I do know is that this is the single largest blast of a viewing audience I’ve ever experienced. Nothing like this has ever occurred with our work and I can only hope that the trend continues and the film gains the audience it deserves.
Second Class Citizen founder Terrence Popp will be speaking at the Michigan capitol building on December 3 on behalf of our cause. If you’re within earshot and you’d like to lend your support, contact him at [email protected] for details.
Thank you all for your continued support of Second Class Citizen and Lightcraft Entertainment.
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| I’d be holding a gun to my head if I were in this movie, too. |
A word for director Scooter (and I use the term “director” very loosely): Your movie and your self aggrandizing horse vomit both need to be locked into porta-potties outside Packer Stadium and set on fire. Suck it long and suck it hard, Trebek.
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| George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead |
For quality zombie films, here’s a list of my favorites:
George A. Romero’s Dead series (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead)
Three films by the great Italian director Lucio Fulci: Zombi 2, City of the Living Dead, The Beyond
Dan O’Bannon’s great 80’s zombie horror spoof Return of the Living Dead
Although it’s technically not a zombie film, I’d be remiss to not make a nod to 28 Days Later (I still haven’t seen the sequel)
Edgar Wright’s amazingly hilarious and brilliant Shaun of the Dead
Those are just to name a few. If you can make it to the Main Art Theater in Royal Oak for Zombie Night to see some homemade Michigan zombie action, admission is only $10 at the door, and the winner of the Audience Award for November will be featured on January episode of The Haywire Effect. Come one, come all!!
]]>Needless to say, trying to keep post-production going smoothly with all of this going on – not to mention a fast-incoming season of Oakland University athletics to design graphics for – has been next to impossible, but I plan on playing a fast and furious game of catch-up for the next couple of weeks. Not only do I have three videos left to cut, but the long-overdue Haywire Effect episode reviewing Star Trek V. Plus I will begin scripting the Haywire Effect Christmas Special shortly.
To all the couples out there, thank you for your patience and your willingness to work with me during this time. It’s been as emotional as it has been physically wracking, but I have faith that this will be a big step toward a better future for myself and Lightcraft Entertainment.
]]>That’s why it was high-pressure. The physically taxing part came on the day of shooting. Ten hours of shooting with multiple location changes, all culminating with a reception on Detroit’s famous Infinity Yacht.
Of course this prospect got me excited. I mean, why wouldn’t it? Four hours on the Detroit river with all that beautiful cityscape in the background? Holy crap, that would look amazing! What I never considered was the cramped space when attempting to shoot footage alongside not one but two photographers in addition to the myriad of guests in attendance. By the end of the night, I was completely exhausted and hobbled back to my car feeling like I wasn’t going to make it through the following day… when I had to drive to Rochester to shoot another wedding, of course.
I did make it through though. The editing of their music video, to The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling,” took over 20 hours. Utilizing four hours of uncut footage, I had to tell their story in a way that made sense and didn’t feel jostling in less than five minutes. And there also had to be an actual performance incorporated here, with Michael and Janie mouthing the lyrics (hopefully in time to the actual song). It was hell. But if their reaction to the video was any indication, it was all worth it.
“It was better than I ever thought it would be,” Janie said afterwards. That’s exactly what I was going for. So here is their video. If you’d like to give this a shot, the package price is $1000 and includes all the HD features.
]]>There were hellacious bouts of laughter that seemed to stretch on forever and certain parts of the episode played better than I had any reason to expect them to. One gag in particular had the entire audience going for about 45 seconds straight to the point where the sound of the episode was drowned out by laughter. It was a phenomenally satisfying experience, and a perfect jumping off point for diving headfirst back into production on the show.
Expect the new episode to be posted tonight. Also, be ready for my review of Star Trek V, which should be ready within a month.
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Look for the new recut version of my first episode on Wednesday!
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This, for me, marks the beginning of viral ads going mainstream if for no other reason than the fact that the Impact font used for “LOL Cats” is now being used to promote potato chips.
When stuff like this this is stuck to the back of each and every guest place card at the reception. Thank you Heather and Richard Grove!
]]>So when he says something I completely agree with, I like to spread the word. As much as I’m a fan of DVD and Blurays (ever seen my collection?), I have become as disgruntled with their packaging at James, and when I got my Back to the Future box set for Christmas last year, I pretty much opened it and stared at it wondering how the hell the thing worked.
Speaking of bull$#it, I have to issue a formal apology and a thank you to Jon Gann of DC Shorts, who not only was kind enough to address my issues with the festival presentation personally, but also clear up some key points that I was quick to jump the gun on. Apparently, he issued an order for a new projection bulb two days before the film festival, but it was never installed. So it wasn’t an oversight on his part that the showcases at the Artisphere failed. I have great respect for him in going out of his way to bring this up and because of that, I’m sorry I said the things I said out of anger. It doesn’t change how my film was showcased but apparently it received much more crowded and brighter lit screenings afterward. So thank you to Jon and again, my apologies. I hope to see him and his crowd again next year.
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| During the Q & A at DC Shorts |
Some local Michigan filmmakers know about Connie Mangilin and her Mitten Movie Project, which I am a champion of–not because I won it last year, but because I think what she’s doing is pretty amazing. I’ve heard some gossip around the campfire that the Mitten, while nice, shouldn’t be constituted as a “real film festival.” Well, I’ve got some news for the people who think that: It is. You’re wrong. End of story.
While the Mitten may not award the best of the bunch every month due to its audience award being decided by popular vote, which is as easily swayed in one direction as a drunk who accidentally collides with a coffee table, the turnout every month is staggering compared to what I have seen at other yearly film festivals. And this is a monthly endeavor. Yearly festivals, which have the backing of sponsorship and much more promotion, should always be packed, and yet certain blocks of films are screened that might as well receive the designation “Swept Under the Rug Showcase”–which starts on a late Thursday… or an early morning on Saturday.
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| Connie Mangilin |
The combined attendance for my film when I attended DIFF, DWIFF and DC Shorts did not amount to the first screening which was held at the Mitten. Sorry guys, I know you pride your festivals on being big and “real,” but so far at every turn you’ve been getting your ass kicked by a tiny chick from Detroit who is apparently very clumsy on a bicycle.
What I’ll remember from this last trip was the fact that the first three days felt like monsoon season, relaxing conversations over beer and cigars on the porch with my godparents and their family (who I consider to be my own family), seeing Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion (one of the best paranoid thrillers I can remember) with the pleasure of good company… and just how flipping dark the projector was at my screening. Balls.
]]>This is what a screen capture from my film is supposed to look like.
And this is how it looked in the theater. (This is not an exaggeration.)
Now… wouldn’t you think that, if the projector being used wasn’t meant for such a theater, they would have tested it out before screening their half of the 145 shorts in the festival? And that, if the projector proved itself to be so painfully inadequate for the job to the point where every film showcased was seen at less than half of their original picture contrast, they might have considered getting a different one?
Even better, why wasn’t the audience made aware? Why did this point have to be brought up by someone from the audience during the damn Q and A?! And then to have the answer to the question about the films’ darkness be: “Yeah, we noticed that, but we couldn’t do anything about it…” Uh… yes, you could. All you’d had to do was get on the horn to a local theater and request a new projector bulb sufficient for the task be donated to the festival. Pop, pop, unscrew, unscrew, twist, twist, clamp, clamp. Done.
This type of unprofessionalism from a film festival that prides itself on being one of the fastest growing and most popular film festivals in the nation is staggering to me. Not only did the piss-poor exhibition of these films deprive the audience of the full experience, but it provided a gigantic distraction and most of all, it’s a spit in the face of the filmmakers who traveled from around the world — literally; one director flew up here from Brazil — to see their work (possibly for the first time) on the big screen. I sat with my head in my hands, my eyes covered half the time, shaking my head in disbelief. I felt anger that my film was being showcased improperly for the second time; I also felt empathy for the other directors, especially the ones whose films were never shown before theatrically.
Bottom line: There was no reason for this. Unless laziness counts. I believe that film is the world’s greatest art form. I traveled here to celebrate that art form with people who are supposed to hold it in the same high regard I do. Although apparently that high regard stops at having to do a little extra leg work to get a brighter light bulb.
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I’ll be returning next week to an overload of work, including the redux of my first Haywire Effect episode, which will be shot, cut and exhibited within two weeks of my return. Four weddings are awaiting completion as well, so needless to say, I’ll be a hermit. Just don’t forget about me – I’ll need to come up for air and sunlight once in a while.
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The redux of my first episode on John Carpenter’s Halloween has been written and will be screened in the Mitten Movie Project as planned. Also written and just waiting to be shot is the review of Star Trek V. So just letting you know, it is on the way. With a little luck, the new format will turn out even better. More news as it comes in.
]]>Now, I know a lot of people are probably expecting me to rip on this trailer but in all honesty, I’m all for this movie. The first one, like so many comic movies, was a misfire and Nicolas Cage seemed to be in the prime kind of form most people hate him for. But Nic Cage has nothing to do with my desire to see this movie. It has everything to do with the two guys at the helm: Neveldine/Taylor. These two schizoids made the Crank series, two of the most hellacious, irreverent action films of the last decade, and I love them for it.
I’m not a Cage-hater: I think he’s an incredible actor of unyielding passion and fire… in the right role, that is. Adaptation, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Leaving Las Vegas and Face/Off are all good examples of the Nic Cage everyone loves. But all you have to do in order to understand the stigma that comes associated with the words “starring Nicolas Cage” is just watch this next video (NSFW language)…
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Blake O. Kleiner’s
INAUDIBLE
Living overtop his brother Conner’s nightclub, Milo Lloyd didn’t sleep. But he was already used to the insomnia from the drugs he was taking as a human guinea pig for a pharmaceutical company practicing experimental medicine on the edge of the law. They employed semi-suicidal people in their quest to bypass FDA regulations, and avoid pissing off the PETA people.
Already accustomed to the hallucinations and body sweats from his private pharmacopoeia, Milo had begun indulging in risky hobbies of self-amusement during the post-witching hours while the entire apartment pulsated with the bass from the monolithic stereo speakers below. Erroneous ads for imaginary businesses and not-quite-support groups like Tylenolics Anonymous all had Milo’s phone number inscribed at the bottom above invisible fine print. Clueless people called about their Tylenol addictions round the clock.
An incessant bell signified the first call of the night. Conner called out for his brother as he rifled through disorganized stacks of papers. The dining room table had pulled double-duty as a desk since he opened the nightclub on the first floor: The Jolly Angler. It was a septic tank for the bullshit of binge drinkers.
Responding to his brother’s shout, Milo meandered out of his bedroom, a sombrero encircling his head, one of Conner’s weatherworn Doc Martens shoes protruding from his teeth. He had been nibbling on it, tonguing its crevices, trying to place the familiar taste to a hazy memory. What was normal for Milo wouldn’t have been questioned by a dog. Conner, on the other hand, threw his arms up incredulously at the sight of his brother in a pair of boxer shorts with a gapped open crotch hole. “What the hell are you doing? Don’t eat the shoes!” A normal speaking voice was a luxury in this apartment.
Milo spat out the brown leather shoe onto the dining room table. It landed inaudibly on a stack of signed Sexual Harassment Consent forms Conner was rustling through to find a blank one for his newest hire. The forms scattered to the floor, beneath and around the table.
Milo put on a dubious smile.
“Just get the damn phone!” shouted Conner, unsuccessfully attempting to move the table. Everything in the apartment was glued, nailed, or taped down to avoid unauthorized movement during songs with a lot of bass. A cup of pens on the desk in the far corner danced to the beat of a Queen song.
Milo sashayed over to the phone and swooped the receiver up with his index finger. “Hello,” he said, stomping his shoed foot on the floor in time with We Will Rock You.
“Hi, I’d like to order a pizza by credit card,” a feminine voice said.
The line was scratchy with a suspicious clicking and garbled static, but it might as well have been Beethoven for the effect that it had on the pharmaceutically euphoric Milo. He picked up a pen, still pounding on the floor. He wrote down the woman’s credit card number on his hand and asked for her address.
That’s when the line went dead.
He shrugged and tossed the phone into the air. The receiver landed on its cradle with impossible efficiency.
Conner shook his head from underneath the dining room table, his butt poking out one side as he scrounged around on his hands and knees. He reassembled the mess of papers, and stood up, folding an unsigned form beneath his armpit before tucking in his shirt.
Milo was tap-dancing on the coffee table now, clapping his hands on his bare chest, jumping into the air, and kicking his feet out into the center splits. That’s when he crashed through the table and reduced it to kindling.
The room and music came to a dead halt.
Conner stood at the door, ready to leave the apartment for his managerial duties downstairs. He looked at his baby brother as he would a crinkled photograph of a dead relative, nibbling his cheek to hold back the tears.
“Where are you gonna end up, Milo?” Conner breathed, exacerbated. Milo could not hear him, so he inserted the words into Milo’s mouth for him: “Probably detox. If I’m lucky.”
Conner sighed with resignation and closed the door behind him as the volume of police sirens outside elevated above the ambiance. Milo laid in the rubble, watching the fun shadows cast on the ceiling by the red and blue light show in the street.
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Everyone who grew up with these guys knows that parents and conservative media whores were in an uproar over this show. The language barriers it helped break down in terms of what’s acceptable on cable programming, the satirical wit the show applied liberally (even at the joking expense of its own network), and just the sheer hilarity of it all makes them a memorable addition to our childhood pastime.
And now, in 2011, when the timing could not possibly be any better, Mike Judge and MTV are bringing back these two giggling chockleheads for more. I couldn’t be more excited. Considering the current state of what has become popular TV and the cultural cesspool we all dwell in on a daily basis, Beavis and Butt-head is primed to be just as prescient now as it was then, if not more so. I can’t wait. New episodes begin on October 27!
]]>That being said, more ridiculous concepts have made for entertaining movies. However, given the track record of director Shawn Levy, this is probably gonna suck. He does well with character-driven comedies like Date Night, but his special effects pictures tend to lose me. Besides, it doesn’t look like they missed a cliche with this one. Can you guess the ending?
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First of all, let me start out by saying that this trailer is nothing like what I expected, but then again… what the hell was I supposed to expect? How do you create a feature length film based on a board game that’s about nothing except blowing shit up? Michael Bay does it every year, I guess… but hasn’t the alien stuff been done to death? First of all, this trailer ruins what could’ve been a massive surprise: You go to see a movie based on Battleship and suddenly alien spaceships rise out of the water?! That’ll actually catch you off guard! Instead, this movie takes its ace from one hole and shoves it up another.
]]>The Paranormal Activity series is a polarizing one for a simple reason: If you don’t believe in the paranormal, it’s not going to scare you. Whether or not I believe in it is immaterial – I think that our understanding of our own reality is stunted enough for me to never discount the possibility of alternate realities crossing over into our own. Regardless, I think this is the best horror series to be introduced in well over a decade, and I believe it deserves a lot of credit for that simply because it’s the first in many years to actually be about suspense – not just a body count.
These movies are deceptively effective because we’re made to wait and watch for stuff to happen.
That being said, will the new one hold up the current streak of great writing and truly scary atmosphere? Who knows. If the “Bloody Mary” scene from this trailer is actually the jumping off point for this prequel, I may have to storm into the projection booth and defecate on the reels. If it’s just a scene of little girls being little girls, then fine.
Paranormal Activity pointed out a sad truth that putting a camera on a tripod in 2009 was innovative again. Paranormal Activity 2 upped the ante with multiple cameras and better effects. We’ll see what part three has in store on October 21.
You know you’re doing something right when you go to a wedding and see a lot of familiar faces. Faces that smile at you as they walk by, or better yet, come up with a special greeting and a big hug. This last week, at the wedding of Rhett and Paige Ashton, I had one of those days that tells me I’m doing something right. Not only were there familiar faces galore, but two former clients as well.
Emily and Brian Boos from June of last year. And Jenny and Joe Tonio from this past June. I took the time to catch up with them and heard some great stories. Emily apparently made Brian watch their wedding video every day for the first month after they got it. Jenny and Joe have been enjoying a similar viewing streak since their wedding. Both couples have been spreading the word far and wide about the wonders of a Lightcraft wedding because they all frigging rock!
Maybe yours could be next! Enjoy the photos of my brides and I being goofy together!
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This is one of the first photos I took with my new still camera.
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A beautiful sunset courtesy of my new phone. No color correction. Gorgeous.
Maybe. But probably not.
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Just on the heels of the announcement by DC Shorts, we’ve received word that Purple Heart’s Final Beat is one of the finalists in the running for the FlickFire Online Film Festival! The hits just keep on coming! If you have a moment, please click here to cast your vote!
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Now for some great news! Purple Heart’s Final Beat was accepted into its sixth film festival and will be playing the second week of September at DC Shorts, right in our nation’s capital. This is a huge coo for myself, as well as the organization Second Class Citizen. DC is one of the places we’ve longed for our film to be shown since its inception, and now it will finally be played there after nearly three years. For anyone interested in attending the screening, scheduling information will be posted soon on DCShorts.com.
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And while you’re voting, please lend a hand to my friends:
Thank you again!
]]>A compilation of all the best wedding demos online! Either watch here or go to YouTube and click “Shuffle” and enjoy!! (Watch in HD whenever possible for best quality!)
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Decided to go down by the water and take some shots of ducks and geese. Turns out they just hiss at you if you bring crackers for their babies. People who don’t get charged at!!
Still getting used to Photoshopping to accommodate for landscape saturation but these turned out pretty nice. Anyone with Photoshop tips to help images like these pop, let me know, thank you!
One of the first pictures taken on my new camera.
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The problem with the party bus: Well… the right rear wheel (thankfully the bus had seven) shredded like parmesan cheese through a grater. I felt like a daredevil taking his last breath, stepping on that thing, and then immediately was hit by a wave of broiling hot air because the AC wasn’t working either. So it’s safe to say: Worst. Party bus. Ever.
But the absolute best part was a little mix-up during the ceremony that I don’t think anyone but me noticed because there was absolutely no reaction from anyone in play. Not even a facial tick. If they did notice, they all deserve Oscars.
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| All photos by Sarah Reynolds |
A huge congratulations to Joe and Jenny Tonio!!!
“You are AMAZING! We LOVE our video
Thank you so much. It’s such a great capturing of the entire day. We were so excited with the bonus intro and all of the little movie inserts. It’s so perfect!”
Thank you so much. It’s such a great capturing of the entire day. We were so excited with the bonus intro and all of the little movie inserts. It’s so perfect!”I think they liked it!! They have also asked for an extra THIRTY COPIES for their friends and family, which easily makes this the largest order for copies I’ve ever had. And if you’re curious about the “bonus intro” Jessica refers to… well, I may just post it online soon.
Another one down!
]]>A big shout out of congratulations to Lindsay and Allen who are expecting their first born together any day now. Here’s a bit of fun from their wedding, which I had a blast filming.
]]>It was a huge night for networking and marketing at Club Eden, right on the edge of Detroit. Jay Rayford and the RepYourCity.com crew were there to spread the word about local businesses and artists.
]]>How do you start a social movement? I have no idea, so you’ll have to go to RepYourCity.com to find out. Jacob Rayford got together with me a couple years ago to begin ascending the stairs into the upper ionosphere of his dreams. In just the short amount of time since then, he’s accomplished quite a lot. I’m looking forward to our next collaboration.
]]>What do you get when you cross two of the best movies ever made (Army of Darkness and The Dark Knight)? Something kind of like this, I’m guessing.
]]>For those of you who have already had a Lightcraft wedding film made for you, you’ll know that I title each wedding video something unique for each couple. Well… it’s gonna take a lot to top the pinnacle of awesomeness that is Ukraine in the Membrane: The Wedding of Paul and Maria Tarnavsky. Seriously, isn’t that awesome?
The answer you’re looking for is, “Yes it is.” Oh, and the Ukraine is not weak.
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Go to TheCameraChick.com for information, rates and hundreds of photos! Be sure to tell them Blake from Lightcraft sent you!
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Go to Encore Event Group and Michigan Wedding DJs for details on wedding services, and for other party services please visit Michigan DJ.
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Visit Pam’s Facebook page for Color My Heart Photography for contact information and tell her Blake sent you!
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Visit MarciCurtis.com to see her rates and samples of her terrific work.
]]>It wasn’t even late into the night at this point and people were being wildly inappropriate. Why do you think I usually wait until after dancing starts to get these?
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I love a full dance floor and good lighting, don’t you? Congratulations again to Jessica and Jon!
]]>1) Super 8 – J.J. Abrams can do no wrong in my book. His first two directing efforts in mainstream movies brought credibility back to the Mission: Impossible franchise as well as creating the mind-blowingly successful reboot that Star Trek needed. So when you see a poster that says “from director J.J. Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg,” do you really need another reason to buy a ticket?
2) Cowboys and Aliens – Iron Man is part of the modern redefinition of the comic movie in a big way – not as much as The Dark Knight, but still pretty awesome – so Jon Favreau teaming up with Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof for a genre mashup to end them all sounds pretty sweet to me. Plus it never hurts to have that one dude who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones back in the saddle either.
3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – This one is a no-brainer. The first part of this dual ending to the epic series was the best entry in the series so far. It excelled beyond the preceding six films in terms of story, visual splendor, and especially in the emotional depth carried in the three lead performances by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. These three may be tired of playing these parts by now, but they’ve gone beyond acting and into the realm of embodying these iconic characters. If the finale is as balls-out as it looks from previews, we’re in for a hell of a conclusion.
4) Captain America: The First Avenger – This one makes the list out of sheer curiosity. Captain America is one of those comic heroes that filmmakers have been epic failing on since the 80s. I mean, Reb Brown played him twice for shit-sakes. If you haven’t heard of Reb Brown, run on over to SpoonyExperiment.com and prepare to laugh yourself sick. I mean, if there was ever a naysayer who was positive you can’t build an acting career out of running into a clearing from a bunch of bushes and screaming whilst firing a machine gun like rabid maniac… they’re still right, but dammit, Reb Brown gave it a shot.
5) Cars 2 – Again, another no-brainer. It’s Pixar. Do I need to elaborate? Didn’t think so.
6) 30 Minutes or Less – Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and the guy who still lives with his parents (and sleeps in a “fucking sweet” car bed) in Grandma’s Boy in a bank heist comedy from the director of Zombieland. If this isn’t awesome, I’m gonna be really pissed at all the squandered talent.
7) Rise of the Planet of the Apes – If I hadn’t seen the second trailer, I honestly wouldn’t give a shit. Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes was one of the most unintentionally campy remakes in recent memory, and most people I know are still washing the taste out of their mouth. Plus the original teaser for the film advertised it as being “from Weta Digital, the special effects company behind Avatar“. Seriously? Nonetheless, the idea of a prequel to Planet of the Apes is an idea that seems ripe for exploring, and from a director who won a major filmmaking competition in Britain when he was only 16.
8 & 9) Green Lantern and The Change-Up – These movies both get one slot for the same reason: Ryan Reynolds. He’s just awesome, and usually the best thing in every movie he’s in. I find myself laughing as I write this because of my initial impression of him back when Van Wilder was released. Despite his charisma, I said to myself, “This guy overacts so much in this part it’s redonkulous. I mean, yeah, he’s funny, but he must think subtlety is for the birds.” Then I saw the remake of The Amityville Horror and saw a transformation into madness that was genuinely unsettling in a way that James Brolin never even approached in the original. I admit it: I’m a fan.
10) Transformers: Dark of the Moon – This one comes as a surprise to me just because Revenge of the Fallen was such an incomprehensible mess. Seriously, who else out there thought Megatron died about 15 times?! So why am I looking forward to anything directed by Michael Bay? Well, because the first Transformers was a lot of fun, it centered on its human characters more than the special effects… and because Bay himself said that the $400 million-grossing sequel was pure crap, and this will be his apology. Okay, let’s see what you got.
And now, in the category I’m simply gonna call “Are You Kidding Me?” Basically, these are the movies you couldn’t pay me to go see:
The Smurfs – The show wasn’t even good. You expect me to pay to see this in the theater? I’d sooner pay Raja Gosnell to stop making movies.
Final Destination 5 – So we have Final Destination 5 after The Final Destination? When the hell is Hollywood gonna just start numbering sequels in a way we understand again? Did any less people go see Spiderman 2 just because it had a number in the title?
Conan the Barbarian – Yet another remake by Marcus Nispel, who directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th reboots. Do you have anything original to say, Mr. Nispel?
This is just too damn cute to not share. Don’t you love how silly dogs are?
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In some ways photography is easier and in others it is harder. Video work in a wedding setting is infinitely harder in the physical exertion required to do the job, yet easier in the fact that it’s the photographer’s job to essentially direct the wedding.
No pricing plan has been worked out yet for photo, but for now, the standard video rate of $50 an hour will apply to any portrait/studio sessions. So put the word out and shout it loud!
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| All photos by Blake O. Kleiner |
I love going to weddings where I recognize a dozen strangers who all look at me with that look that says, “I think that guy has stalked me before…” This tends to happen a lot with referral weddings, with everyone but the original couple who referred me, that is. Erika and Dean were at this wedding (and in three sheets to the wind-type spirits!), which was a charming and good time for all. And for the first time, I brought an assistant to use my new Canon Rebel t1i (yes I do have to write out the entire model name, because I’m a huge nerd) to document the occasion.
Once again, HD has proven its infinite superiority over tape shooting on this occasion. During my shoot, about halfway through the portrait session at the MSU campus, my camera blipped and showed me the two words I dread seeing the most: “Check card.” This means something in the data stream has been corrupted. Ordinarily I would be in a panic, but this isn’t the first time that this has happened to me. When a memory card goes wonky, you can recover it because it’s all digital; when a tape screws up, loosen the strings on your refund purse.
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| Photo by Colette Mason |
Thanks to the recovery program, Stellar Phoenix, and the good people at Divergence Media (namely Colin) for inventing Clipwrap, all the footage was recovered flawlessly. The edit is coming along beautiful and you can expect to see new demos soon.
Congratulations to Jessica and Jon!!
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| Photo by Colette Mason |
But with that said, I’m still not starving by any means, and I hope that my new partnership with DSP Fotographie (no I’m not spelling that wrong) yields a vast amount of rewards. I met with Meghan and her partner Dmitriy last week, and they’re charming as hell with a wealth of talent to match. I look forward to seeing how this collaboration works out.
Also, in the world of film, there’s cause for celebration! Purple Heart’s Final Beat has been accepted into its fifth film festival! This June, my short film about the reality facing returning American veterans will be screened as part of the Detroit Windsor International Film Festival, and it marks the first time that the film will be shown theatrically outside the US! I am so excited and I can’t wait for the day to come. But in the meantime I’m faced with the added pressure of either getting a passport or an extended license. It seems that my lax approach to the subject – okay, I’ll just call it what it is: apathy – has caught up with me and I’ll have to get cracking on getting my birth certificate. I’m still at a loss to explain how the hell I lost it. On my second – and last – trip to Canada as a booze-craving 19 year old, I put the certificate in a copy of Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut and figured it would stay there. Damn gremlins…
And our final bit of news for the week: In a surprise to end them all, The Haywire Effect will be screened theatrically this October as part of Connie Mangilin’s Mitten Movie Project. That night, a vote will be tallied to see if the crowd would be in favor of seeing the Best of the 2011 MMP shorts reviewed the following January. It’s going to be interesting to see how a webisode of a movie review plays to a packed house full of nerds.
In the effort to make sure that it plays as well as possible, I have begun revising the original episode with new jokes and all new narration. I was never truly satisfied with my original efforts and now that the episode will be screened, it’s given me the opportunity to complete it more to my liking. However, just because I’ve already started work on it doesn’t mean you’ll be seeing it any time soon. I have no intention of posting the “director’s cut” online until after the Mitten Movie Project screens it, so if you want to see it first, you’ll have to attend!!
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One of my main goals with The Haywire Effect was to hopefully secure a spot on the website ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com, which plays host to a rogue’s gallery of online reviewers who riff on everything from Z-rated martial arts flicks to video games and comic books. I’ve come to have a great deal of admiration for these guys, especially the site’s creator Doug Walker, known better as the Nostalgia Critic. What he’s managed to accomplish in only three years is pretty damn impressive, going from being just a lone reviewer to being featured in Entrepreneur Magazine for his work.
So, needless to say, when I received a rejection letter from Doug and his brother Rob, I was a little downtrodden about it. But that didn’t mean I was quitting. It just reminded me that you have to be original to stand out in a world that’s becoming more and more saturated with angry nerds staring into a camera from their couch, bitching about the latest bad movie they just discovered in the Wal-Mart bargain bin. What can I do to stand apart from those other guys?
Well, the first trick will be to remove myself from the whole “guy on his couch” equation. The Haywire Effect is going to be reformatted completely to include guest critics, skits, fake funny commercials, and numerous other gimmicks that I’m sure will be created along the way. It will be hosted like a variety show (i.e., Conan) with a similar layout, but the focus will be on lampooning movie news and crappy films.
The other trick will be to bring the length of the actual reviews down. Despite my best efforts to keep things under a certain running time, I have the tendency to cram a lot of information into my videos, and each review just got longer. Now, as I look back on them, I’ve come to realize just how much could have been lost with more concise editing and a few flicks of the red pen. I believe that a collaboration of efforts with a guest reviewer in a more conversationalist style is going to help that a lot.
So, when will it happen? If you thought you were gonna get a definitive date out of me, it’s not going to happen right now. There’s a lot of variables to consider, such as the busy pace of the wedding season, the necessity of bills, and whether or not the proposed “Best of the Mitten Movie Project 2010” review will happen. But am I scrapping the show? Absolutely not. The Haywire Effect may be a lot of work for not a lot of return at the moment, but it’s a passion that I harbor a lot of love for and in a way, it’s how I pay back all those awesome reviewers online who have made me laugh so hard on my down days.
To Doug, James, and Noah: Thanks guys.
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June 2009 rolled around before I knew it and I was off to the little known town of DeWitt, Michigan. The wedding, which I had been nervous as a cat to shoot, went off without a hitch… unless you count my second camera accidentally getting locked in the church balcony for a little while. Erika and Dean, an odd couple by most standards (there’s an 18 year age difference), actually meshed together so well it was kind of inspiring to watch. I ended up having the time of my life at this wedding, and the only bad part about it was that I had to drive over an hour back home, where I had to begin editing this thing and hopefully make good on my own challenge.
As it turns out, I not only turned Erika completely around on the importance of video, but she says that she treasures hers more than anything that came out of the day. Except for the marriage itself, of course. That tends to be pretty important. And since then, Erika and Dean have been sending me quite a few couples on the cusp of nuptials. I owe them a huge debt of thanks and I’ll have another chance to do it this weekend when I see them for the wedding of Jessica and Jonathan.
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| “I’ll get you next Halloween, He-Man!” |
There was already a lot of nostalgia going into my first Haywire Effect episodes knowing I was gonna tackle a series that has essentially come to define a lot of my childhood pastime. I was watching Halloween movies before most kids even knew of their existence, let alone asked their parents to rent them and gotten shot down, be it due to the violence or the T and A factor. By the time Halloween: 20 Years Later came into existence, I was so psyched it was out of control – I saw the movie three times in its first week of release. Yes, I was only 15… and yes, I did have to sneak in once… but it wasn’t my fault – I needed something to wash out the poopy taste that Snake Eyes left in my mouth (another movie that begs that age-old question, “What were they thinking?”).
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| What were YOU thinking, Nic Cage? |
So, as you can tell, if I was that psyched to see the newest Halloween at 15, I had been harboring a love for the series for a while. Remember the old axiom “love is blind”? It’s true for more than just relationships I’ve found out, and as you’ll see from this second Haywire Effect, it can try to graft rose-colored glasses over your eyes to make you look past some really atrocious writing and plot holes bigger than the combined ego of the cast of Jersey Shore.
]]>I had to blog about this one eventually. This is the best known of my films and it has the most interesting story involving its genesis, from inception to completion. It also has a title that I’ve always been unhappy with, but until recently didn’t come up with anything better – Purple Heart Attack. How awesome a title is that?! I would change it, but at the toll of over 26,000 YouTube views plus numerous others at film festivals, it seems a bit late in the game at this point.
Purple Heart’s Final Beat marks the first time I directed a film that wasn’t my original idea. After the fall of Starshowz in late 2008, I was scavenging through Craigslist, looking for any and all possible work that would help me make ends meet. For a little while, I was even writing papers for lazy college students – hey, I was desperate and more than $4,000 in the hole thanks to Starshowz, so keep your morality lessons in your back pocket. Nah-nah, nanny booboo. But I digest… Going through Craigslistings for video gigs, I found one looking for a director for a small film project. I answered it figuring, What do I have to lose?
That weekend I met Sergeant Terrence Popp, a war veteran in his early forties with two Purple Hearts to his credit, and an idea that immediately got me interested: He wanted to make a movie that exposed the reality soldiers face when they come home. A reality that pushed them to suicide; a fate that a close friend and mentor of his had succumbed to very recently. We spoke for a little over an hour, and I agreed to make the film for only $500 because of the special feeling I got listening to Popp talk so passionately about it. I knew that making this film would change my life.
I wrote the script in a blitzkrieg piece of screenwriting – it was done in under an hour. The finished script was sent off to Popp, who responded with genuine shock and awe. I don’t think he expected a young filmmaker with no military experience to actually get what he was going after and truly understand it. Compared to someone like Popp, a war veteran who is a victim of the divorce court industry and a non-custodial father of two kids, my life reads like Chicken Soup for the Soul.
The filming itself took four shooting days over the course of two months. Not because it was planned that way, but because a one man crew and a war horse with a head injury tend to forget things. In a nice bit of serendipity, the things we forgot about – usually props needed for a particular shot – ended up creating a better film because of what we were forced to work around. New ideas were constantly ricocheting between us, and as frustrating as it sometimes got, the energy in the air was electric. I remember the moment we both reviewed one of the pivotal shots in the film: The canted low-angle view of the plastic sheeting slowly and silently gliding to the floor. Both of us got chills and then laughed with utter triumph to each other.
Another two months of sound design followed the shooting… because I had no idea what I was doing. Even as I was editing the final cut together, I was making a list of sounds that were lacking. I would take hour breaks from the computer to set up my camera – lens cap on – with the microphone to capture sounds as I threw myself repeatedly to the floor, swished liquor bottles around, ripped pieces of paper, etc. Finally, on my birthday of 2009, the film was posted to YouTube, and the results were far from immediate. However, over time, the film found its audience, and helped Second Class Citizen to gather members and operators all over the country.
As of today, it has won the 2010 Mitten Movie Project Film Festival, been featured in two others (Blue Water Film Festival and Detroit Independent Film Festival), will be screened in the Central Florida Film Festival this September, and awaits confirmation from numerous others. I was right: Making this film changed my life and got my name out there in ways I used to daydream about in high school. I’m even on the Internet Movie Database. How awesome is that?!
Popp and I continue to knock ideas back and forth for more films. To date, we’ve made nine together, and have concrete stories for at least five more. Fairly soon, a video will be posted to Kickstarter.com requesting financial support for production. In our current economy, it’s become harder and harder to find the extra time to make these films, as much as we love to and need to. I hope we can gather the support we need and keep driving for the change the system so desperately needs.
Now, for those of you who haven’t seen it: Purple Heart’s Final Beat. Please spread the word.
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And apparently Dana and Mark and company agree with that sentiment because that video got me a gig shooting commercials for Dana’s family jewelry store, Karagosian Jewelers. I can’t thank them enough for setting me on this path that not only defines my style as a videographer but also allowed me to set off into the direction of marketing.
The most recent endeavor is promoting a pet adoption day that Karagosian Jewelers is sponsoring in cooperation with the Michigan Animal Rescue League. I took the opportunity to film some adorable footage of animals and score some starring roles for my friends. I can’t wait for the next commercial, and I hope it happens soon. Enjoy!
I received this lovely tidbit just a few minutes ago in my inbox.
“If it is true I hope you die in hell…” That’s just lovely. But also raises an intriguing philosophical question: I thought you had to die to go to Hell, but now this woman is telling me that I can die while I’m there… I’m so confused. Does she mean Hell, Michigan? Or is her life so vacant as she searches for pathetic ways to steal my passwords that she views her life as Hell? Thoughts?
Either way, can we all agree to put an hour or two aside in the near future, find these people and beat them mercilessly with wiffle-ball bats? That’d be an awesome genesis for a superhero. Imagine a night out of classic films noir and some mugger getting cornered by a nerd in a track suit and a bad ski mask.
“Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Wiffle Batman.”
Cue the merciless plastic beating.
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It was my first experience working with a professional actress, Karen Mester, whom I’d met in a TV production course and had taken a liking to. Not only was she beautiful and sweet, but grounded in a way that helped us identify with each other. So when I pitched her the idea for Blue, she jumped at the opportunity for us to work together, and I really hope that it isn’t the last time. Not just because I loved working with her, but because I believe in going out on a high note. This is more like a B-flat.
Once again putting on his villain face for a role, my good friend and fellow cinephile Andrew Kotwicki was on board to do some serious murdering. He must wonder what I really think of him after only casting him as bad guys in my movies. We dressed him up how I thought an inexperienced home invader would look and then recruited my friend Chris Daniels to play Karen’s husband. Chosen for his imposing physical stature, Chris definitely looked like a guy who could toss Andy like a salad, but his lack of experience turned a “quick shoot” into a fairly grueling time for me as a director.
Combine that element with a three-day shooting schedule, the fact that I was shooting two on-screen deaths and a fight sequence which had to be choreographed on site, and you have a recipe for disaster. And it sure felt like it. Cutting this movie was like meatball surgery. My inexperience suddenly seemed as tangible to me as the camera itself. The version of this movie that played at the OU film festival is not what I’m posting, but instead a truncated edit that showcases its potential. Eventually I’d like to get the funds to make it properly. Hope you all enjoy it!
Their wedding, in August of 2009, was one of the best and the smallest, resulting in one of the single most kick-ass dance videos to ever come out of the studio. Plus getting to ride in a Rolls Royce limo never hurts either.
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Did I pull it off? Yes I did, and without having the company who hired me needing to charge them any extra cash, which is always a nice touch. Then the editing began and this one will forever live in infamy for one specific reason: I had finished editing what I knew in my heart to be one of the finest wedding films I had ever done, and as I was preparing to finalize the transfers to DVD, I tripped over a cable that was attached to my external hard drive. The drive flipped off the table it was on and landed on the tile floor. To this day, the hard drive won’t spin and holds on it many locked away treasures, not the least of which is the original HD edit sequence for Amber Alert. Through some fancy footwork and a miracle of tape capture, I was able to restore the wedding with minimal work and deliver the product on time, but I almost cried when that hard drive hit the floor… As it stands today, the only ones crying were Mike and Julie when they saw this masterpiece. Here’s a snippet of their party.
We began shooting my rough draft in October 2006. There was no budget, very little time to plan, and I was working with untrained actors, some of whom I’d never met. But no one felt as untrained as me, with only five student films under my belt, none of which adhered to a narrative structure. Filming would go as late as 2 or 3 in the morning, the outdoor conditions we shot in were horrible, the film festival deadline dictated speed over precision so a tripod was hardly used, and one action scene required coordination of 11 people – how did I go from Bananas to this in only three moves?!
But alas, it all came together in the end. After placing third in Oakland University’s student film festival, more footage was shot and added in (everything that’s in color) to complete it as good as it was gonna get at the time. The end result is something I cherish… even if it does mean staring at my ex’s face and listening to her awful line readings haha. The counterpoints to that were Mike Dennie’s surprising performance giving a lot of emotional weight to the dialogue, and the revelation of Courtney Clogg as Allie, who walked into my home that second shooting day and improvised lines that had me jumping for joy behind the camera. She is a natural.
Over the years, as more people have seen it, it’s become one of my most beloved films among my friends and family – not as much as Purple Heart’s Final Beat, or in some circles, Bananas, but you get handed gifts of inspiration like those once in a lifetime. But lately there’s been surprisingly more and more people asking the question: “Have you thought about making this into a feature film?”
The answer is “yes.”
The story of the Youngs is ripe for expansion and fleshing out in a way that none of my other short films ever have been. Not to mention, Amber Alert concludes with what is hands-down the biggest bitch-slap I’ve ever delivered to an audience. It leaves virtually everyone emotionally shaken and unsettled, and if it came after a fully-realized feature-length vision of this story, I know in my gut it would bring the house down.
So maybe one day we’ll see a feature length Amber Alert. I’ve been developing how I would further the story in my head for a while now. I think it would be pretty kick ass. Enjoy the original and let me know your thoughts!
Amber Alert
Okay, just imagining it made me feel a little better. A Vicodin should help with the rest of my pain.
Anyway, even though I love the movie beyond compare, when I decided to become an online reviewer, I chose my first project to be John Carpenter’s Halloween. When you’re reviewing a movie and having to be funny about it, there’s nothing harder than choosing to lampoon a film you love, so when I said I’m “diving in with both feet,” I truly meant it.
Enjoy my first review for The Haywire Effect and stay tuned for more episodes, plus the director’s cut of this one, which will be shown theatrically one night only.
]]>“Okay, so this flaming gay guy drives over to this mobster’s house who dresses like a complete nerd. They banter for a bit, referencing gangster movies while some big-bootied chick cooks french toast in the kitchen. She slips something in the gay guy’s toast and next thing you know he’s shitting his brains out. The end.”
Yes, everything you see and hear in the movie is a six-minute buildup to a poop joke… and it’s friggin’ hilarious. Justin and I are actually in the process of re-dubbing every bit of audio so that a new cut can be made from the original HD footage. Which is either sad or awesome, depending on your sense of humor. Enjoy!!
P.S. Two things: Yes, that is me on the right and I’m about 40 pounds skinnier, so no unnecessary fat comments, roffles. Second, the reason we’re re-dubbing this one is because we used the on-board mic for all the audio… so it’s pretty atrocious at points. Be sure to turn up your speakers!
When Robyn transferred, it made us all wanna quit. Who the F would want to be stuck with just Arnold to deal with, after all? So I made a special goodbye video, with interviews from the entire crew, for Robyn as a going away present. The result was a special request to shoot her wedding video. I accepted, but since I had a crap camera, I knew I’d have to make a sizable investment in order to make it worth their while. So I did what any poor boy from the ‘burbs would do: I asked my grandparents for the money to buy a good camera.
The result of the wedding wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but for a first attempt, I could have done a heck of a lot worse.
First, we’ll take a look at my first ever wedding dance montage, and then take a look at another one, done three years later to the same song. Let me know if you think things have gotten better.
Robyn and Matt’s Dance Video (June 2006)
Gen and Chris’ Dance Video (August 2009)
In 2005, I enrolled in Video Art 1 class at Oakland University under the direction of Vagner Whitehead, a class I came to call Vagner’s Army. He armed us all with cameras and, with simple subject guidelines leaving much open to interpretation, turned us loose to channel our muse. These five projects would come to be the first five films I’d ever make. Here they are.
Project One: Dreamscape – Mobius
This one is a perfect example of what a filmmaker says when they assert that some films are written in the editing room. It’s a never-ending nightmare that cycles and repeats, exploring repressed memories of domineering parents, the repercussions of which can stretch far into adulthood, leaving some people wounded children the rest of their lives. At least that’s what it ended up being about. When I first made it, I basically just thought of the most screwed up images I could think of and shot them all. I’m amazed this makes any sort of sense in hindsight.
Project Two: Appropriation – Last Refuge
Actually the last film to be finished for the class, Last Refuge was a second-chance effort at this project due to the fact that I basically misunderstood the objective of the whole thing haha! This is essentially political and media satire on no budget, as you can clearly tell from how murky the camerawork is and whatnot. It gets the message across though, even if Justin and Kate really did have no clue how to correctly fold a flag.
Project Three: Surveillance – Bananas
This movie is a miracle. And I don’t say that as a stroke to my ego or anything of the sort. It’s a miracle for a few reasons: 1) This was not what I set out to do at all. 2) Because I originally had another project scripted and ready to go, we had to miserably fail at making that one over the course of many hours before agreeing we needed to go another route. 3) This idea came to fruition out of desperation and alcohol. 4) It was done in a single take and managed to win the Best Story award at OU’s first student film festival. All this being said, I still enjoy this little trifle of a short, and I hope you do too. It’s Justin Rowell physical comedy at its finest. (Contains profanity and suggestive imagery.)
Project Four: Juxtaposition – Fetishism
This is about as wrong as it gets. It’s a film about a cult of people who get off on faking murders while the watchers and killers are being recorded and broadcast on televisions in adjacent rooms. Don’t ask how I come up with this stuff. In all honesty, I really don’t understand where I came up with it myself. There’s little clues along the way as to the fakery of the event and that it’s all for show. It also features the infamous “popcorn money shot,” so on that note, I’m gonna put the disclaimer in here now that this is certainly NSFW and contains all manner of messed up imagery. Enjoy!
This is about as wrong as it gets. It’s a film about a cult of people who get off on faking murders while the watchers and killers are being recorded and broadcast on televisions in adjacent rooms. Don’t ask how I come up with this stuff. In all honesty, I really don’t understand where I came up with it myself. There’s little clues along the way as to the fakery of the event and that it’s all for show. It also features the infamous “popcorn money shot,” so on that note, I’m gonna put the disclaimer in here now that this is certainly NSFW and contains all manner of messed up imagery. Enjoy!
Project Five: Performance – I Am What You Make Me
The final project for Vagner’s Army is easily the weakest of the five, but is still fun to watch just because it shows five of my friends dressing me up like a complete jackass for the camera. The objective was to see how each person’s artistic nature, sense of humor, and comfort level with manipulating the human body would manifest itself in a sort of living sculpture. There’s some funny stuff in here.
So those are my first five films I ever made. I hope you enjoyed some of them and please feel free to comment to let me know what you think. At some point in the future, I’m hoping to repost these with retrospective commentaries from myself as well as my collaborators on each film. Considering how few of them I’m still in touch with, I’m guessing it’ll just be a whole lot of me and Justin Rowell. And if you don’t know Justin, he’s the guy in Bananas doing pelvic thrusts with a banana poking out his zipper… and if that didn’t make you wanna watch Bananas, then I’m guessing you have no sense of humor. Rofflewaffles.
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