No-Budget Filmaking!

After spending a few months fooling around with my thrift store camcorders, I decided to upgrade to a better camera.  My only criteria was, a budget of $50, a flip out screen, and the camera needed to record to something other than video tape, i.e., a disc or a card.  I picked up this Hitachi dvd cam for $50 at a pawn shop.  I had to buy, and return two different cameras that didn't work prior to this one, such are the perils of pawn shop shopping, but I still think the money you save when you score something good is worth it.  I did some research on DIY steadicam rigs, and I put this together for about $10.  Its all pvc, and the base is a coffee can filled with cement, which works as a counter weight for a steady picture when filming.  The microphone shockmount was made with pvc and rubberbands.  The mic was purchased on ebay for about $30. You can buy one here:http://www.ebay.com/itm/mini-Professional-Shotgun-Interview-Uni-Directional-System-condenser-Microphone-/290719385890?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b039c922
These mics are WAY worth the price.  Yes there are better mics out there, but on a budget, I can't say enough about these guys.  I record the audio onto a Sharp minidisc recorder, which was given to me from a freind.  This entire setup came in under $100, and really works great.  Here's a video I shot the other day, this is only an example of the camera and stabilizer, as I just put some music over the finished video.  Check out this blog for tons of low-budge filming tips, as well as instructions for the stabilizer and mic shockmount:
http://filmflap.blogspot.com/

Style with Ease

Every few years someone comes along in the world of skateboarding and raises the bar on creativity, style and ability.  Here are three skaters that have, in my humble opinion, shifted the paradigm at certain points over the last 25 years. There are a LOT of people that could be listed here, but I wanted to  highlight three guys that I feel have outstanding original style and influence.

Bent Savants!

I spend an unhealthy amount of time searching the web for new ideas and inspiration regarding circuit bending and instrument/video modifications.  Over time, I've stumbled upon a handful of people that are doing insanely original, mind blowing things with a dremel and a soldering iron.  Here are five people that are pushing the boundaries of what can be done with bent electronics in a basement workshop.

Gils Geiskes

Tanner Galvin

Mike Walters

Peter Edwards

Drew Blanke

Feedback Looping!

This is a video I did awhile back on feedback looping.  Using this technique, you can make some really cool sounds using only a mixer, or you can play effects pedals, as if they were their own musical instruments.  Dig!

Get Bent!

Here are a few good documentaries on circuit bending.  Enjoy!

Folks Y'oughtta Know: Shane O'neill

The first time I saw Shane O'neill was about seven years ago.  Shane was fronting the local rock outfit "Screamin Cyn Cyn and the Pons".  I hugged him and thanked him for being awesome, and went on my way.  Three years later I started dating one of his best freinds, Grace, who eventually became my wife.  I moved in with Grace and Shane, and we lived together for a couple of years.  Sometimes you hear someone say how such-and-such's life would make for a good reality show.  This is true for Shane.  For real.  Every day, every moment of Shane's life is a story to behold.  He is genuinely one of the funniest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Sometimes he's funny on purpose.  Usually he just is, whether he's trying or not.  Shane moved to New York City awhile back.  Screamin Cyn Cyn and the Pons still get together for a show once in awhile, otherwise Shane performs on his own under the "Shane Shane" moniker.  He has opened for Del tha Funky Homosapien, and Lady Miss Kier, among many, many more.  Shane exudes creativity, originality, and do it yourself positive energy.  He is sweet, kind, and human.  Shane is a great American, he should be a household name.

Folks Y'oughtta Know: Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher

I met Joe Pickett when his family moved to Neillsville around 1990.  I can't imagine how dull and sad my middle/high school years would have been if Joe had never moved to town.  Joe would make me be part of his pranks, and real-life comedy improv, like dressing up like old men and going to the movies, or acting like I didn't speak english and he was my interpreter. Joe's interest in good underground hip hop in rural Wisconsin in the early 90's made him more punk rock than anyone I knew.  Joe would print up signs saying things like, "smoking encouraged in gymnasium" and hang them up before basketball games.  Joe and Nick Prueher had been close friends before Joe moved to Neillsville, and they got back together during their college years, and began making short films.  Soon they began work on "Dirty Country", a documentary on R-rated country musician Larry Pierce, but when their budget ran out, they put together a show featuring the best of the worst found VCR tape footage they had acquired in thrift stores and garage sales over the years, and called it the "Found Footage Festival", to fund their movie.  The FFF struck a chord with audiences all over the world, and they've been on tour with the show since 2004.  Joe and Nick are comedic geniuses  and great Americans, I think they should be household names.