I Rule

3.7
&
Dean's.

Plus i got both of those shoes.

There’s only so much more

I bought some shoes today...




I might get these tomorrow because my mom will feel it is necessary, and seeing i already do...



I didn't go to Mogwai tonight which pisses me off. But at the same time, I was glad to stay in and watch the Yankees game and eat all sorts of food that i'm trying to use up by tomorrow. Whatever. They play in New York like three times a year. Mono's better anyway, at least i was able to see them again, although they didn't play either of my two jams.

When I get home tomorrow, I'm going to listen to a lot of vinyl, find a part-time job, watch a lot of movies, watch a lot of will & grace with my mom, and get my iPod which.

Speaking of which.. why does that shit just break. I turned on my iPod, and for some reason skipping a track was too much for it to handle. The sad face came on, which pretty much means:
"fuck you and don't even think about using me anymore. go find the time to make way to an apple store if i'm less than a year old or else your fucked."

Luckily, it's been just under a year for myself. I may make a valid argument for an upgrade, since I have a friend who works at an apple store, and now know what to say.

A Silver Mt. Zion is playing in Middletown this summer, so that is sometime to look forward to. I may also go to see Mono in Brooklyn with Pames in June.

Fuck Starbucks for never calling me back. And I'm not working in the fucking mall. Unless it's behind the Clinique counter in Macy's. Working at a car wash could be fun. Or at a Chinese restaurant.

I'm not sure why everyone in this infomercial has big boobs, or why the men are so excited about whatever it's for, but it's interesting. Oh, they're making $12,000 in five hours somehow.

I'm excited to go home and not hear about Sonic Youth everyday.

My second song is complete. It's called "Yo, Fuck Barry Bonds" for no reason other than me hating Barry Bonds. It's somewhat ill, so you should ask me for it.

Oh yeah, Saturday I'm going to Bloomingdale's in New York to make good use of my sister's employee discount for the last time. I ruined my Sevens on my bike, so we'll see what happens. I feel like i need some sequins on my next pair of jeans.

So goodbye, Philadelphia. And good riddance, at least for like a week or so, until i miss riding my bike to society hill or falafel from mama's. But at least in the meantime, I get to drive my car. Wait, I'm coming back next week to pick up my bike and get a haircut, maybe.

I'm almost there

Today my documentary was due. We got it done. Kinda. Since I've turned it in, I've already had 2 more drafts of it, and need to make some more changes tomorrow for a final draft. If you're around this summer you can watch it. I'm pretty proud of it, considering i edited the whole half-hour piece in less than 4 days, coming from 6 hours of footage.

Anyway, I'm about done with everything. One of my lecture teacher's pulled me aside to say it was great to have me in his class, and that I did very well.

I have one class tomorrow where we're just listening to our finished songs. I just finished my song, which has gotten me frustrated over the past 5 weeks or so, just thinking about doing it, and getting anything somewhat close-sounding to what I want.

Mono is tomorrow night.
I've been looking forward to this show since I was 19 years old.

Mogwai is on Thursday.
It's been sold out for over a month.
I somehow managed to get a ticket just a few minutes ago.

Post-rock will close out Junior year of college. Sounds about right. I'm down. Mark me down.

Winter Now.

Classes are over, all that is left is work at the library, 3 papers, 2 finals, a new song to be written, and a 30-minute documentary to be put together which we just finished filming yesterday.

Today I was in the editing lab uploading about 4 hours of footage. I think i fell asleep. It felt like I was in there for like an hour, but i went in there right after lunch and it was dark outside when i left. Group editing is going to be no fun.

When trying to cover critical mass the other day, we kinda got there late, so i threw a $1500 camcorder into my bag and fucking floored it (on my bike) to catch up to them, pass them, and bust out the camera to get some footage. It was the funniest shoot ever for the sole reason that I was traveling about 40 miles an hour on my bike, passing about 200 other bikers, only to videotape them then passing me.

Yesterday i was writing one of my songs for about 3 hours and just got really frustrated & pissed off so I got a glass of juice and went to bed. It's a shitty process sometimes.

I also im'd Matt by accident, but as of about 6 weeks ago, after I got him a secure job throughout college, we're not friends anymore. I guess that's what happens sometimes when you do favors for people and they act like children.

I'm seeing Mono in a little over a week, and I am pumped. I bought Pontz a ticket as a coming-home present from Italy, even though he didn't really want to go.

Our documentary is going to be entered into some student film festivals next year, and it may be premiered at some stores/galleries in Philly. More info on that as it comes, in later weeks and/or months.

silent hill was the worst movie ever.

I took that job working for Vidicom, twice a week this summer for no pay. I'm getting credit and experience. !.

We saw Silent Hill last weekend. Biggest waste of time and/or money ever.

I'm in the middle of a +/-30-minute documentary about the bike scene of Philadelphia. It's a group project, and it has not been drama-free as of yet. But I'm confident we can get past the bullshit and it'll be good.

Less than two weeks of school left. Holy shit, i have no time for anything.

Andrew Carver is gonna be there!

This morning I had my final [internship] interview. I've been on three so far, they've all gone well, i have kone offer from Vidicom, and I'm waiting on the two others. Come Friday, I have to have make a decision. I even got back in time for class today, after a 3-hour train ride.

Now I need to find that part-time job. Maybe I'll work in a foodstore again...
or not.

I hope not. I should get back to Starbucks.

So tomorrow I'm starting production on a half-hour documentary about the Philadelphia bicycle scene, with two classmates. We have less than 3 weeks to get it done. So until May 9th, life may start to suck again. Then I head home to work in the Big Apple again!...

...

Excited for baseball this summer!

Amadeus.

So I've been pretty busy again. Those twenty-three jobs that I applied for, well some of them finally got back to me. I skipped work and school on Monday to go in for an interview at Vidicom, in midtown Manhattan, right by Columbus Circle. That was my first interview ever, and it went pretty good. I've been reading up on interviews, and I should be better the next time around. I have three more interviews coming next week, so I'll be back-and-forth to New York a lot. And believe it or not, I'm still applying for more internships.

I also applied to six Starbucks stores. Just to make some side money, part-time. Six fucking Starbucks'. I bet i won't get any of the jobs either.

Other than that, I almost died last Friday when somebody ran a red light pretty badly when I was on my bike crossing a busy street. It was no good.

On a good note: Summer has the potential to be awesome.
Hopefully I'll score one of these internships (making no money but getting school credit), and then get some bullshit part-time job in Jersey to make a little money. But I won't care about that job at all.

Last weekend I got tickets for my father and I to go to two baseball games, including the Mets vs. the Giants. I'm planning on throwing a sandwich and/or a jar of Nutella at Barry Bonds. I'm in the lower tier section facing left field, so I'll have a clear shot. I'm also attending my first evening game ever, Yanks vs. White Sox.

I couldn't get tickets to see Madonna at the Garden. That's annoying. I hate ticketmaster. Seriously. With a fiery passion. I'm trying hard to never use their services again.

So instead of seeing DMB or Madonna, my sister and I will hopefully go on a weekend-long feaux-vacation anyway. Possibly to Boston, or another Northern City a la Pittsburgh. Flying there would be fun.

I was going to buy this X-box game, but instead I didn't.

Hastings.

I finished that music video. I was happy with it. I want to know what my professor thinks of it. Unlike some of the kids in my class, I do not have my own $2000 camera to work with. Hence, it still looked pretty good.

Today in class, we were watching some video with the cheesiest Hallmark commercial, and a mother was reading "The Little Engine that Could" to her two sons. I mentioned to Jared that my mom told me that when I was little, and watched "Thomas the Tank Engine", whenever he started chugging away and moving, I would get really excited and sometimes start screaming or crying. He couldn't really contain himself. Then we went to discuss how we used to scream as loud as we could when we were younger, like girls, because we used to be able to.

I've also applied for 22 summer internships so far, and I've heard back from one.
Fucking Animal Fair Magazine (www.animalfair.com). They want me to help them produce a special that will be airing on Fox. But like right now. And I'm too busy to commute to New York right now. We'll see what happens.


Editing.

I amn't

So Nick and I rode throughout West Philly today, and then about 10 miles up the Schuylkill trail, up by the Mannayunk area. At this point, we were about to lock up our bikes and grab a drink when I realized that my keys were missing. I made some calls, and the owner of a bike shop I was at earlier kept them by accident when he showed me my new lock.

But the ride was nice. Good way to spend my day off from school and work.
Ruby Tuesday's ruled, but that on top of the long ride made us want to stay in tonight and watch Elf.

Tomorrow = riding + editing + some other shit i'm sure.

..wheels are in motion...

I wrote a song, which was apparently too dynamic. I've sent out 5 internship applications, and have many more going out by this weekend. My music video is almost done, and I am extremely proud of how it looks.

Things are going alright. The madness should secede for about a week.

job hunt pt. 2

"Successful, nationally syndicated television program, 'The Maury Show', is seeking Production Interns to assist in all aspects of our top-rated program."

All is full

The next two to three weeks are going to be hectic.

I've got 11 days until the deadline for my music video, which I have actually made significant progress on, although I am re-shooting several previous scenes and a few new ones this weekend. My teacher raved about my shot list, which can be seen below.

I've got a new MIDI composition due Wednesday which I haven't had a chance to start yet.

I need to superimpose Kirin beer bottles into the hands of TV actors from still images, a la CSI, The Apprentice, etc.

Analyzing and critiquing speeches by black leaders in the late 1800's and early 1900s.

And, most importantly, finding a summer internship, one of the most tedious processes of my entire life. Perfecting resumes and cover letters are no fun, but necessary. With hardly any time as it is, this shit sucks.

Haven't had too much sleep in a while. But I do what I must.

Pardon the quick update on my current life situation, but it is all I have had time to focus on.

Sigur Rós – Gong – Shot List

INTRO
0:00-0:10 Close-ups of various paintings and drawings inside of the artist’s studio, with flashes of artist
0:10-0:15 Wide angle of artist at work
0:15-0:20 Fade into close-ups of hand and other elements of workspace
0:20-0:22 Establishing shot of candle on desk
0:22-0:25 Shots of other works in studio
0:25-0:37 Shot from behind of artist ruining painting and leaving the studio

0:37-0:45 Wide angle of artist observing traffic
0:45-0:52 Close-up from a different angle with bridge and cityscape
0:52-0:56 ECU of artist down an alley

0:56-1:03 Establishing shot of artist in his apartment sitting at coffee table
1:03-1:06 Crossfade into artist sitting on bed
1:06-1:08 Crossfade into artist reading magazines and books
1:08-1:09 Flash of previous scene from observance of traffic
1:09-1:11 Wide angle of artist looking out window
1:11-1:12 Close-up of artists work
1:12-1:15 Wide angle of artist sleeping

1:15-1:23 Close-up of artist sketching in his pad, through the statue
1:23-1:30 Wide angle from behind of Statue and artist in view
1:30-1:36 Close-up of sketch from behind
1:36-1:46 ECU of hands
1:46-1:52 Wide angle from foot level of artist tearing up sketch

1:52-1:58 Wide shot of artist sitting on stairs at Penn’s Landing
1:58-2:05 Close-up on ledge over river
2:05-2:11 Wide shot of artist with bridge in the background
2:11-2:20 Wide angle of artist sleeping

2:20:-2:25 Wide angle of artist sitting on large domino
2:25-2:32 Close-up of artist standing on top of ledge over Arch street
2:32-2:39 Wide angle of artist running alongside Municipal Building

2:29-2:43 Close-up of pigeons in park
2:43-2:48 Close-up of artist sitting on bench
2:48-2:56 Wide angle of artist sketching on ledge
2:56-3:00 Close-up of hands sketching
3:00-3:08 Bird’s eye view of sketch
3:08-3:18 Multiple angles of artist throwing book onto ground

3:18-3:24 Wide angle from behind of artist on the Walnut Bridge, with his camera
3:24-3:26 Still image of his “photograph”

3:26-3:34 Close-up of artist walking down street looking around him
3:34-3:46 Wide angle of artist looking at church at 21^st and Walnut
3:46-3:54 Close-up of artist examining mural

3:54-3:57 Wide angle of artist’s feet kicking along wall at LOVE park
3:57-4:01 Close-up of artist with traffic in background
4:01-4:04 Wide angle of artist sitting in fountain
4:04-4:08 Close-up in fountain

4:08-4:10 Wide angle looking over statue
4:10-4:12 CU of feet on rock
4:12-4:15 Wide angle of artist sitting on wall
4:15-4:18 CU of artist looking over railing
4:18-4:22 CU of waterfall

4:22-4:40 Fade into artist grabbing bicycle and riding away
4:40-4:50 Riding from waterworks back to studio + recollection of artist’s thoughts

4:50-4:52 Artist “paints” over lens
4:52-5:00 Artist frantically at work in studio
4:50-5:00 Close-ups of completed works
5:00-5:07 Profile shot of artist working on paining
5:07-5:25 Various shots of water from throughout video
5:25-5:27 Close-up of artist holding completed work in the air
5:27-5:33 Music video fades out as we see artist’s feet walking past the finished painting and out of the studio

Note: Totally preliminary!

Whatevs

So spring break is over. It was productive, but I was fucking loaded with schoolwork and other bullshit the whole time.

I spent most of my break shooting my music video with Dan, since he is the subject of the video. I also watched an entire season of the Sopranos, which was a goal of mine.

Other than that, I did nothing, except get a lot of headaches, and start worrying furthermore aboutsecuring an internship for the summer, all while I still have to focus on all of the production classes that I'm currently in.

100 minutes of footage needs to be condensed into a five-and-a-half minute music video in less than two weeks. Jesus fucking christ.

Recap:

Title: Gong
Artist: Sigur Rós
Director: Daniel Rosenthal
TRT: 5:33

Logline: “We all know art is hard when we don’t know who we are.”

Synopsis: This music video shows a young, struggling artist who has lost his creative impulse. We follow him through his everyday life and his painstaking quest for artistic inspiration and motivation, with occasional run-ins of self-doubt and frustration.


Treatment: The song starts out with a stringed introduction, and the entire first scene of the video will go along with this section of the song. We will meet a young artist in his studio, painting on a small canvas. He’s completely unsatisfied with his work, and we can clearly notice his feelings of immense anger and frustration. Unable to take these feelings anymore, he kicks his easel, throws his painting on the floor. The painting will be hitting the floor at the precise moment that the first snare hit of the song is heard.

At this point, we’ll find the artist standing outside, in the middle of a bustling rush hour in Philadelphia. He’s observing everything going on around him, and we notice a look of satisfaction upon his face as he takes it all in.

We’ll see that the artist has then ventured over to a sculpture, and he is sitting on a bench while keenly observing the fine details. He then begins to draw in his sketchbook, as if he has come up with a new idead. In due time, he gets frustrated and rips up his sketch, then puts his hand onto his face and takes a deep breath.

Next, we’ll be looking at the pier along the Delaware River, behind the Hyatt Hotel on the waterfront. The artist will come into the frame, riding his bicycle, and park it along the small wall. He’ll sit up on the ledge, feet dangling over the water and all, when we again notice a look of serenity upon his face.

We’ll then venture to the artist’s apartment, and find him lying down on his bed. There will be a montage in which the camera will focus in on him picking up various existential books, putting on headphones, flipping through magazines and tearing out pages, looking out of his window, and then finally of him passed out with all of these items surrounding him.

It’s a new day, and we’re at the City Municipal Building, looking at the super-sized game pieces when the artist suddenly appears, and sits on top of one. We’ll get a quick glimpse of him.

Later, in Rittenhouse Square, the artist is sitting on a ledge, people watching. He focuses in on some of their faces, and looks deep in though. He again starts to draw in his sketchpad, but before long, smashes it on the ground in front of him, and leans backward in a nonchalant manner

On the Walnut Street Bridge, over the Schuykill River, the artist again looks at the water and all of the traffic on the surrounding highways. He takes out his camera, and snaps a picture of what he sees.

The following day, the artist wakes up and looks at the architectural details of a church and other buildings, then proceeds to go to LOVE Park and sits in various places inside of the area. He takes out his sketchbook for a third time, and again hates what he’s got going on.

Later on at the Schuykill Waterworks, behind the art museum, the artist parks his bike at the gazebo and paces around the area. He stops a few times to look at the rushing water underneath him. When the buildup of the song reaches its climax, the artist finally stops and has a look on his face like he’s struck gold. He then dashes over to his bike and speeds off.

As he’s speeding along the city streets back toward his studio, there will be a short montage of the artist in deep concentration and having a look of excitement upon his face.

The final scene of the video is that of the artist finally composing a work that he, himself, admires and adores. In his studio, he works on it, and we can finally tell that he found the source of inspiration and motivation that he’d been looking for, all along. He holds his completed work up in the air as the music fades out

so my mom was right

I got back today and noticed this huge structure over the intersection at my corner.
I was excited and thought that the city was building a rollercoaster right outside of my door.
But it was just a huge crane that is blocking all traffic for some reason. Yeah, like 300 feet.

WTF?+

From today's Philadelphia Metro, seen by pretty much everybody in the city.

Then you were a lime

Okay, i've been fucking busy.

Over the past two weeks or so, I've had at least five 12-hour-on-campus days, mainly working on my audio and video production assignments, and more recently, MIDI compositions.


Okay, exhibit A:

I've always had a planner, like any good student should. But I, for the most part, never used it, at all.



That's changed over these past few weeks, and frankly it's gotten a little ridiculous.

I made some DVDs, too. Of that commercial. It's a waste of an entire DVD, but it was a fun time.

I might put up my audio track I made at a later time. My teacher was pumped bc he figured out what sample I used.

I'm going home tomorrow night again, because Arthur is finally coming home.

iPods yo

Here it is. My first Tv production assignment of the year.
It's only my 2nd post-production work, so go easy on me.

Sigur.

Overall, today was pretty awesome.

The day started off shitty with me being sent to 5 different places to get a new student ID, but soon enough, five of us were in Jared's Highlander on the way to Atlantic City.

Going back there for the second time in 6 months, I remembered what a shithole that place really is, but how fun the Casinos seem to be for the first 20 minutes that you're inside. There's boobs everywhere. And old people with oxygen tanks, who can't even walk, playing the slot machines.

The concert was good. I don't think Nick liked them. Jared was trying to take pictures on his phone the whole time. Within the first 5 seconds of each song, even with slightly obscure intros, Chad and I would figure out which song it was, and then touch hands. I giggled a few times because of the fact.

i did my first pull-up of all time today, plsu i lost my student ID card!

I made my first MIDI composition yesterday, which consisted of a Dungen sample looped forwards and then in reverse, with delay and reverb, and neither I, nor the rest of the class, including my professor had any idea of what was going on.

Sigur Ros is tomorrow, and I'm filming an iPod commercial on Saturday.
Snow saturday = me killing everyplace for fucking up my shoot.