I am a huge fan of Wild Nothing. I feel like videos like this have been popping up all over the internet since the accessibility to low-cost HD cameras and high bandwidth internet connections.
I saw Wild Nothing play at Vera Project last weekend. It was an amazing show! I wonder why Paris and Vienna must have all the fun, shooting indie bands on street sidewalks? Why can't Seattle share in the street performance indie documentary fun?
Maybe they're worried about swarms of hipsters? Or night life hating cops?
Showing posts with label seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seattle. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Streetwise (1984)
This is the out of print short feature documentary about homeless youth in Seattle, filmed in 1983 by Martin Bell and Mary Ellen Mark. The husband and wife team came to Seattle to expose rampant homelessness and desperation, thriving even in America's most livable city.
The pacing of this film is brilliant. It does not feel like a documentary. It feels more like a fictional piece, how we get such a moving and intimate look into the lives of these young people.
The film is book-ended by Tommy Dean's mentor and music local Seattle street performer Baby Gramps.
The pacing of this film is brilliant. It does not feel like a documentary. It feels more like a fictional piece, how we get such a moving and intimate look into the lives of these young people.
The film is book-ended by Tommy Dean's mentor and music local Seattle street performer Baby Gramps.
Monday, October 5, 2009
fashion week bellevue
a fashion designer friend of mine wanted to bring me to bellevue fashion week to film this event at the hyatt hotel but there was a conflict with the model contracts. of course, i was welcome to come shoot the video for my own personal use.
it is funny how journalism and pr and blogs all adhere to different rules. blogs are the anarchy of information!
i think it is useful to watch even bad footage. obviously, i will learn what not to do. but also sometimes the amateur eye is willing to see things from a new perspective. out of the mouths of babes, so to speak?
it is funny how journalism and pr and blogs all adhere to different rules. blogs are the anarchy of information!
i think it is useful to watch even bad footage. obviously, i will learn what not to do. but also sometimes the amateur eye is willing to see things from a new perspective. out of the mouths of babes, so to speak?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
parking in the neighborhood
sdot will be hosting a community open house september 17, at first baptist church. please come and voice your opinions.
parking on capitol hill is a longstanding issue. are there too many people and too many cars to all park happily in the area? do more people need to ride the bus? do we need to tear down some unwanted buildings and put up a parking lot?
frankly, nobody can answer these questions better than the people who live on the hill, the people who bring value to the area. what city organization knows better for capitol hill than the residents and small business owners who live and work there? if sdot does not get your input, how will they know what to do?
i will be there to ask for an expansion of the zone 21 permit. i think anybody who buys a parking permit should be able to park anywhere on the hill and not worry about 1hr restrictions or putting money in a meter! so i hope to see you there and maybe afterward we can all grab a drink at rosebud!
parking on capitol hill is a longstanding issue. are there too many people and too many cars to all park happily in the area? do more people need to ride the bus? do we need to tear down some unwanted buildings and put up a parking lot?
frankly, nobody can answer these questions better than the people who live on the hill, the people who bring value to the area. what city organization knows better for capitol hill than the residents and small business owners who live and work there? if sdot does not get your input, how will they know what to do?
i will be there to ask for an expansion of the zone 21 permit. i think anybody who buys a parking permit should be able to park anywhere on the hill and not worry about 1hr restrictions or putting money in a meter! so i hope to see you there and maybe afterward we can all grab a drink at rosebud!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
tommy dean movies
tommy dean is a singer songwriter who lives in the seattle and tacoma area. his life is a work of art full of adventure and mystery. he invites his audience to live vicariously through his music. some of his stories are true and some of his stories are outright lies.
if my movie seems overly romantic and idealized, it is because it was my first documentary film. like my subject, i am trying to find myself as an artist. it is a labour of manifesting my dreams.
this second film is an hour long. much of the innocent magic has dissapeared and the result is a much more gritty and real dipiction of my subject. as a film maker, i feel that i play the role of a selective mirror. i must find a balance between what the audience would like to see and what the subject himself wants to see.
further, it is a challenge to balance between scenes of idealizing my subject and showing off his grubby parts. too much of one thing will ruin the sauce.
if you would like a physical copy of these movies, please leave a comment below. you can see some outtakes on my youtube channel and send me a message there. if you would like to share this movie with a friend, i would be happy to send you a copy of the dvd in the mail.
i am an independent filmmaker living in seattle and i would love to do another project like this, to expand upon what i did right and practice some of the lessons i learned first time around.
if my movie seems overly romantic and idealized, it is because it was my first documentary film. like my subject, i am trying to find myself as an artist. it is a labour of manifesting my dreams.
tommy dean show (38:41) from Joshua Guerci on Vimeo.
this second film is an hour long. much of the innocent magic has dissapeared and the result is a much more gritty and real dipiction of my subject. as a film maker, i feel that i play the role of a selective mirror. i must find a balance between what the audience would like to see and what the subject himself wants to see.
further, it is a challenge to balance between scenes of idealizing my subject and showing off his grubby parts. too much of one thing will ruin the sauce.
tommy dean & friends (1:07:14) from Joshua Guerci on Vimeo.
if you would like a physical copy of these movies, please leave a comment below. you can see some outtakes on my youtube channel and send me a message there. if you would like to share this movie with a friend, i would be happy to send you a copy of the dvd in the mail.
i am an independent filmmaker living in seattle and i would love to do another project like this, to expand upon what i did right and practice some of the lessons i learned first time around.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
tommy at the tavern
tom brosseau will be promoting his new album, posthumous success, tonight at the tractor tavern. $10 at the door.
the new tom brosseau album is inconsistent. you would expect him to evolve after his brilliant 2007 efforts, grand forks and cavalier. and he does.
like tom waits, he crafts songs that tell stories about characters more complex and compelling than any singer songwriter could tell about themselves. that is, they are dishonest and kind of creepy. he consciously identifies himself with subjects that are larger than himself. much older.
it looks to me that tom has been looking to expand his sound with a band for a while. last year, he performed at the triple door with hauschka. it struck me funny that tom was looking much more comfortable when the avant garde pianist joined him on stage.
in performance, tom brosseau is one of the few musicians who can hold an audience on his own. while i am happy to see tom expand his sound i am nervous that in the transition, he will loose what makes him so special.
foolish and pretentious of me to see the dylan '67 story arch here. the artist who betrays his roots and reinvents himself as something, like his characters, so much larger than himself.
the new tom brosseau album is inconsistent. you would expect him to evolve after his brilliant 2007 efforts, grand forks and cavalier. and he does.
like tom waits, he crafts songs that tell stories about characters more complex and compelling than any singer songwriter could tell about themselves. that is, they are dishonest and kind of creepy. he consciously identifies himself with subjects that are larger than himself. much older.
it looks to me that tom has been looking to expand his sound with a band for a while. last year, he performed at the triple door with hauschka. it struck me funny that tom was looking much more comfortable when the avant garde pianist joined him on stage.
in performance, tom brosseau is one of the few musicians who can hold an audience on his own. while i am happy to see tom expand his sound i am nervous that in the transition, he will loose what makes him so special.
foolish and pretentious of me to see the dylan '67 story arch here. the artist who betrays his roots and reinvents himself as something, like his characters, so much larger than himself.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
westboro baptist church is coming to town
so the westboro baptist church is coming to seattle. you can see the details on their website here. the events begin friday evening and end monday morning. stops include spu graduation and garfield highschool.
here is a thoughtful meditation on the coming of the phelps family.
i am going to be covering the event for seattleiam, this up and coming video hosting site for video journalists. i hope to see plenty of people at the protest, ready to share their views and share their appreciation for our freedom of speech.
here is a thoughtful meditation on the coming of the phelps family.
i am going to be covering the event for seattleiam, this up and coming video hosting site for video journalists. i hope to see plenty of people at the protest, ready to share their views and share their appreciation for our freedom of speech.
no age performs at triple door
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
when you grow up
this film maker was quite the find. fleet foxes did the soundtrack for this short movie back in 2006. i would sure like to work on set with a project like this. i like the mixed media aesthetic.
When You Grow Up from Matt Daniels on Vimeo.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
a wink & a smile
i served the beer and wine for this event at nw film forum friday. the event goes for a week so check the calender and see if you can't catch a viewing. support local film makers.
the film exceeded my expectations. this last decade, burlesque has gone through some serious revival and with that fresh audience comes two things. first, innovation. second, new cliches.
if you are like me, you are fearful of the new cliches. if you've ever been to a dive bar or a bad party, you might have seen hipster girls stumble awkwardly around a stage and call it burlesque.
this is not that kind of show, folks. this is the real deal. these acts are truly unique and worth taking a look at.
the stories of the women are so personal, it is impossible to criticize anything. the interview sequences bring meaning to the half naked women on stage. so, this is certainly one of those female empowerment films about feeling comfortable with your body and your sexuality. the fault of this movie is that it never steps outside of that box. it would have been nice to see some interviews from friends or family. or club owners or bartenders. or barflies or anybody else on the fringe of the scene.
but certainly worth checking out.
i'll be looking for upcoming film pretty funny women.
the film exceeded my expectations. this last decade, burlesque has gone through some serious revival and with that fresh audience comes two things. first, innovation. second, new cliches.
if you are like me, you are fearful of the new cliches. if you've ever been to a dive bar or a bad party, you might have seen hipster girls stumble awkwardly around a stage and call it burlesque.
this is not that kind of show, folks. this is the real deal. these acts are truly unique and worth taking a look at.
the stories of the women are so personal, it is impossible to criticize anything. the interview sequences bring meaning to the half naked women on stage. so, this is certainly one of those female empowerment films about feeling comfortable with your body and your sexuality. the fault of this movie is that it never steps outside of that box. it would have been nice to see some interviews from friends or family. or club owners or bartenders. or barflies or anybody else on the fringe of the scene.
but certainly worth checking out.
i'll be looking for upcoming film pretty funny women.
Monday, May 11, 2009
help the fight for marriage equality
i want to put together a couple high quality power viral videos for equal rights washington's one minute for marriage program. if anybody out there knows of anybody that would be a compelling and willing subject, please forward me their information.
i have already made many videos but i want to step things up a notch and do something more appropriate for broadcast news quality personal profiles or human interest stories.
ideal subjects would be:
1) proud parent who must confront conservative values in accepting gay son/daughter and ready to illustrate the irony in the struggle between family values and keeping the family together.
2) same sex partnership who want to raise family together. maybe they have kids or simply want to adopt. directly challenge the white picket fence 2.5 children atomic family.
3) libertarian intellectual who believes in marriage equality because the government has no business legislating morality. ideally, this person is a conservative christian who draws a line between personal faith and public law. this person may even have personal issues against the lbgt community but cannot compromise values of personal liberty.
please don't be afraid to contact me with your opinions. i would love to hear your ideas about the cause or about my strategy. we should all be strong advocates for communication and openness.
i would like to do something a little more like this:
i have already made many videos but i want to step things up a notch and do something more appropriate for broadcast news quality personal profiles or human interest stories.
ideal subjects would be:
1) proud parent who must confront conservative values in accepting gay son/daughter and ready to illustrate the irony in the struggle between family values and keeping the family together.
2) same sex partnership who want to raise family together. maybe they have kids or simply want to adopt. directly challenge the white picket fence 2.5 children atomic family.
3) libertarian intellectual who believes in marriage equality because the government has no business legislating morality. ideally, this person is a conservative christian who draws a line between personal faith and public law. this person may even have personal issues against the lbgt community but cannot compromise values of personal liberty.
please don't be afraid to contact me with your opinions. i would love to hear your ideas about the cause or about my strategy. we should all be strong advocates for communication and openness.
i would like to do something a little more like this:
watching short films
vimeo is a great site. you can find film makers and students like jacob mendel. below is my favorite video of his because he sticks to his specialty, bringing life and movement to his stark images by adding sound.
i am thinking about the 8mm film that i want to make later this week and i wonder if maybe i should pick a route similar to this. maybe i want to film people doing things on capitol hill. protesting foie gras, standing in line at molly moon's, working construction... what other things do people do on the hill?
his other films seem to be missing something when he adds too much to the formula. the tom waits soundtrack is a bit much.
Rooms from Jacob Mendel on Vimeo.
i am thinking about the 8mm film that i want to make later this week and i wonder if maybe i should pick a route similar to this. maybe i want to film people doing things on capitol hill. protesting foie gras, standing in line at molly moon's, working construction... what other things do people do on the hill?
his other films seem to be missing something when he adds too much to the formula. the tom waits soundtrack is a bit much.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
no foie gras movie
i am not surprised that narn did not answer my request for a video interview. it is my fault, perhaps. my yelp page is covered in notes of foie gras appreciation such as "people who do not like foie gras, do not like kittens" and "my last meal before i die shall be foie gras" so they are in their right mind to group me together with the "get a life and go home" crowd that typically laughs at them as they protest outside lark and quin's.
quin's owner has the right idea here. 10% of all foie gras sales go narn.
i think he may have learned from the cigarette companies. not to say that foie gras is like nicotine addiction but the idea that sometimes the best way to fight your enemy is to support them.
but where the cigarette companies do it because they have to, Scott Staples does it because he is punk rock.
i am interested in making a movie about the foie gras protesters, not because i am interested in their politics. i don't want to share their views any more than i want to fight them. i am interested in this sort of epic battle that they have stirred, the clashing of titans.
foodies will never stop eating foie gras. it is not because they lack ethical discretion. we simply live by a different world view. one where putting a tube down a bird's throat is not cruel. it is no more cruel than keeping a goldfish in a bowl. but doesn't take my word for it.
anthony bourdain puts it better than any of us could.
the animal rights activists will be around to protest foie gras for as long as there are liberal arts institutions to create them. there will always be people to look at "the big picture" and see the grey areas in life and i appreciate them. i really do.
my point of view, as the film maker, will always be subject to scrutiny. and my job will be to make that point of view accessible. transform it into something to be consumed in mass.
edit: my photo is used on capitol hill blog. yay!
quin's owner has the right idea here. 10% of all foie gras sales go narn.i think he may have learned from the cigarette companies. not to say that foie gras is like nicotine addiction but the idea that sometimes the best way to fight your enemy is to support them.
but where the cigarette companies do it because they have to, Scott Staples does it because he is punk rock.
i am interested in making a movie about the foie gras protesters, not because i am interested in their politics. i don't want to share their views any more than i want to fight them. i am interested in this sort of epic battle that they have stirred, the clashing of titans.foodies will never stop eating foie gras. it is not because they lack ethical discretion. we simply live by a different world view. one where putting a tube down a bird's throat is not cruel. it is no more cruel than keeping a goldfish in a bowl. but doesn't take my word for it.
anthony bourdain puts it better than any of us could.
the animal rights activists will be around to protest foie gras for as long as there are liberal arts institutions to create them. there will always be people to look at "the big picture" and see the grey areas in life and i appreciate them. i really do.
my point of view, as the film maker, will always be subject to scrutiny. and my job will be to make that point of view accessible. transform it into something to be consumed in mass.
edit: my photo is used on capitol hill blog. yay!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
foie gras
if you are looking for something to do friday night, you might stop by lark. there will be a foie gras protest at 7pm. this could be a great opportunity for you to show the world how you feel. weather you choose to express yourself by picking up a picket sign or a fork, in just an hour you can earn yourself a whole weekends worth of satisfaction.
if you miss the event at lark, you have no reason to fret. the protest crawls over to quin's by 8pm.
my plan is to interview narn later this week and ask them three basic questions. first, how would they frame the foie gras situation in seattle? second, what are the counter arguments? third, are they prepared to answer those points? my main concern is not doing something cliche or obvious with this video. and of course, a fair and balance sane discussion would be quite refreshing.
i would not be surprised if narn declines the interview. i would say there is a 5% chance that i will get an interview because i have no built in audience with this blog. but we'll see.
if you miss the event at lark, you have no reason to fret. the protest crawls over to quin's by 8pm.
my plan is to interview narn later this week and ask them three basic questions. first, how would they frame the foie gras situation in seattle? second, what are the counter arguments? third, are they prepared to answer those points? my main concern is not doing something cliche or obvious with this video. and of course, a fair and balance sane discussion would be quite refreshing.
i would not be surprised if narn declines the interview. i would say there is a 5% chance that i will get an interview because i have no built in audience with this blog. but we'll see.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
do you need a drink?
licorice is right across the street from seattle university on 12th ave. it has a great happy hour. i'm talking about dollar menu food items and $4 cocktails. i am talking about miniature prosciutto sandwiches. and specialty cocktails with house infused vodka. seriously good stuff.
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