As the final addition to a photo book trilogy I've been creating, Los Angeles Snapshots highlights a series of photos that were shot in May 2004. With several samplings from the city itself, it should come as no surprise that on vacation there was a lot captured in Disneyland, Universal Studios, and other theme parks in the area. In the same style as my Vegas and Mt. Rushmore books were constructed, I continue the Polaroid framed layout here once again to create almost a parody of the traditional photo album - there are no personal or family shots included. The goal being to showcase, in a very casual way, the stereotypical depictions of these popular locales. While most will recognize the places, the point is to create a timeless sense or even imagined recollection of what these trips were really like. It's a personal experience, and at the same time there is a unique connection for anyone when you can look through these pictures and see that you've also stood in the exact same spot.
As I expected when I found myself making an elaborate photo book of my Indio, California road trip from August, the progress with the accompanying video slowed down. It didn't help the Indio project that my deadlines at work also became more demanding and that I was hired to make another independent promotional video this month. In any case, Indio Outio - the travelog/personal documentary/movie - is still being made and will just be completed at a later date (instead of September as the trailer said).
For those of you who forgot or didn't know this project was underway at all, check out the promo of original footage below. You can also see the posters for this project here. I'm not giving much away, but you can get a sense of how diverse the trip was. When all is said and done, I think the video will be worth the wait.
Rushmore Snapshots is a continuation of the photo books I've been creating lately to finally display some of the shots I've snapped on my travels. This book features the pictures I took in 2007 on a road trip to Mount Rushmore and the surrounding areas. Footage of that trip can be viewed here. You can also preview this entire book below.
Project:Silent Shoppers Shot: March 2005 Location: Golden Mile Mall - Regina, SK Revisited: March 2009
On a freezing day in March 2005, Silent Shoppers (or what was Yellow Tag Clearance at the time) was shot in this parking lot as part of a film school assignment. Upon revisiting the location in March 2009 not a whole lot had changed. While the mall (which is behind me in this picture) has seen some major stores come and go, this vantage point I used for my movie is pretty much identical. Although, this time the weather was far more bearable.
Story: Whether this series of shorts is complete or on the verge of a final conclusion is unclear. Chico Bandito, the marionette who hangs in the laundry room, is either doomed to remain hanging next to the washer or just a short step from breaking free. The series which began last summer represented both a shooting and editing exercise in which a large amount of staging went in to developing simple plot lines. Episode 4 is a great example of this. Another episode may emerge at some point, but my mind hasn't been made up - hence no official or complete project post yet. If anything, I think I'd like to see Chico make one last stand. He's a one of a kind marionette that my dad got in Mexico in the 1980's.
As part of just one of the creative ventures I've been pursuing at the moment, I just completed a brand new book that I thought I'd open up to the public. Using my Blurb account, where I previously published my Indio Road Trip Photo Book, I decided to go through all the photos I shot in 2008 while in Las Vegas. From those pictures, I compiled the best ones and created stylized Polaroid-framed pages to establish the layout for my original photo book. Titled, Vegas Snapshots, this stylish little photo book is printed and produced to a professional standard through Blurb.com. Should you have any interest in ordering a softcover copy for yourself, your order is individually produced and shipped to your doorstep through this popular online company.
While it's certainly no excuse to quit my day job, I do make a small profit on each copy sold which goes directly towards my future projects (both video and photography).This is just the beginning of what could potentially become a larger aspect of Editing Luke. I enjoy sharing my photos and writing, and thanks to my new online bookstore through Blurb, there's the potential for me to create more original releases.
To preview this brand new photo book, click the tag below. I'd be happy just to have any of you check it out. Thanks for your interest!
Right now is the perfect time to be a Beatles fan! Short of being around in the 1960s, the re-release and new focus on the Beatles music and history is a playground for someone like me, along with countless other fans. While a lot of effort was put into getting the Beatles albums years ago, it's not the re-releases I'm excited about. Truth be told, it's not all the magazines (despite buying them) that really swept me away either. No, the real treat and surprise in this whole reintroduction has been the limited edition release of Beatles Rockband that came out just a little over a week ago.
Yes, I bought it. I opted for the limited edition with the replica of Paul's Hofner bass, which is really cool. For those of you who don't know, the Rockband instruments (guitars and drums) are actually wireless controllers themselves and don't require you to stick your Wii remote into them to make them work (like in Guitar Hero for Wii). And, much better than some decal or sticker, the finish of the Beatles instruments is top notch.
There's never been a shortage of Beatles merchandise to acquire, but for any fan of the music, this is a great time to get a taste. The Beatles Rockband remains my favorite thing to come out of all of this, and I'm sure I'll be playing it for months to come. You can check out the amazingly beautiful intro cartoon to the Beatles Rockband below. I love how it seemlessly transitions through moments in Beatles history. Enjoy, and maybe get out there to experience some of this Beatles revival for yourself!
One of the greatest editing exercises I've ever done actually happened before I even knew I wanted to be an editor. In fact, it happened before I even had editing software on the computer. As you should have guessed by the title of this post, these edits were my Ontario Postcards that I shot in 2000.
It was the summer. I was 16 and had saved up just over $1200 to purchase my very first digital camcorder - I'd never wanted anything so bad. My friends were buying cars, but for me it was the camera. At the end of August I was leaving on a vacation with my family to Ontario. We were heading to Ottawa, Toronto, and Niagara Falls to be exact. This proved the perfect opportunity to shoot some fresh footage.
So what was the editing exercise? Well, I had made up my mind before hand that I wanted to shoot some polished looking videos of the locations we'd be traveling to. Without the software, and without the patience to try and edit on the VCR anymore, I decided that I'd create these videos in-camera. In-camera means exactly what it sounds like - shooting using only the camera effects, creating your edit as you go.
I picked out my music before hand, but I still can only imagine what I was like to travel with. Because I was shooting in-camera, I had my discman with me and I'd play the selected song while I shot to match up my cuts. This was the case for Ottawa, Toronto, and Niagara Falls. If you can imagine keeping a song on pause while touring, keeping in mind what you last shot and how it connects to the new location, all the while ensuring that you're still synced up to your video footage so that the rhythm is intact - that was the routine. The very idea of it seems ridiculous now with cheap and free software for video editing so easy to find and use. The digital revolution has changed everything, and it's crazy to think of what a different world it was 9 years ago.
*Me filming at the War Memorial in Ottawa. You can see my discman in hand as I set up my shot. Not surprisingly, almost all the photos from this trip with me in them look like this.
When I got back from vacation school started up right away. Having made myself familiar in the communication technology department, I was able to use their dubbing equipment and added my music to my in-camera videos. All these years later, the edits are still exactly the same. I didn't shoot any additional footage because of my chronological in-camera project for one thing, but I don't think I could bring myself to change them even if I could. The experience of shooting this way not only proved valuable as I developed my own video skills, but it was truly one of those early tests that really allowed me to prove to myself how much I wanted to do this. That history and energy still motivates me in the things I approach today.
I remember in early 2003 in my very first production class in film school one of the assignments was an in-camera edit. Upon this announcement I showed my friend Ward my Ontario videos, explaining how they were made, and sure enough the project felt like a breeze in comparison. Ward starred in my film school in-camera project, Mean Mr. Mustard is Homeless.
Today, the only real difference in my Ontario Postcards is the addition of the titles, postcard border, and a clip of a WWI soldier in my Ottawa video with the war memorial. The music and cuts are otherwise exactly the same.
In addition to these edits, I put together a short clip of the only home video footage I shot while in Ontario. After we left Ottawa, Toronto, and Niagara Falls we went to stay with some family and went sailing on their boat through the Trent-Severn Waterway. Traveling through the locks was certainly an experience for this prairie kid. Until right now - this footage has never been used or even watched since it was shot in 2000 (I'd forgetten that it even existed).
All this said, these edits remain my earliest work that I still screen as they were originally cut and presented. Most of my work has had a cosmetic update or been put into context for this blog - these edits were already YouTube ready before YouTube even existed. I remain extremely proud of what I accomplished from a technical point of view, and it's work like this that now makes it so clear why my focus became directed towards editing. See for yourself the result of my early filmmaking challenge.
Having never been much of a photo album kind of guy, when I got back from my Indio, California road trip with my friend Dave at the end of August, I looked at all the cool pictures that I had on my camera and knew I wanted to print them.
The issue I've always had with photo albums is that they're often generic looking. My approach to the stereotypical 'slide show' or home video has always been to cut an entertaining travelog together, so it should come as no surprise that I wanted to approach my photos with the same energy. What I opted for was creating an elaborate published photo book using Blurb.com. Combining the bulk of my candid shots, landscapes, and even stills from the video I shot, I created a 158 page, 13x11 inch, full color, hardcover, professional grade book. It just rolls off the tongue, haha.
This is the cover of the book, I'm sitting on the foot of the T-Rex in Cabazon, California.
While the quality and detail of the book should be top notch, it certainly wasn't the cheapest option. At nearly $130 spent on the project and hours spent designing the pages and layout it was fairly consuming. Still, I was happy to do it for the sake of creating a meaningful memento and making the photos even more enjoyable to see. I'm sure this kind of thing isn't for everyone, but with the user-friendly and customizable software that you can download from Blurb.com I'm already thinking up my next book idea. While photo book options are available through different photo stores, this is the only one I found that actually advertised professional grade options - hence the higher price tag. In any case, I just thought this was a great service worth sharing.
It's long been a personal goal of mine to find a way to include the views of other artists and filmmakers to make my blog more dynamic. Feedback has always been a part of this, but it's also always been limited. So, I'm happy to announce that a new series of blog posts titled, Cinematic Acrobatic Presents, will be debuting soon. These new posts will feature interviews from a variety of independent filmmakers, artists, students, and generally those with their own take and approach to media. Several interviews have already taken place, and I look forward to increasing and sharing the number of perspectives in this series. As a way to promote and introduce new talent at the beginning of their careers, this is also an opportunity to learn from those who have already established themselves in their respective fields. At the very least, I hope Cinematic Acrobatic Presents is a way to broaden the scope of Editing Luke and introduce my viewers to a wealth of other unique and talented creators.
I wanted to officially announce this series to let everyone know that if you would like to be a part of it you can be! It's a great way to promote yourself, share your work, and network. The only real catch is that your contribution still needs to be related to production, video, writing, editing, photography, movies, or things along those lines. Just contact me through this site or my email listed in the sidebar to tell me about yourself and I'll be in touch. I'm happy to include as many people as possible - it is the number of perspectives after all that will make this experiment both informative and entertaining.
Story: Just an average looking calculator, perhaps? No! Episode 1 of Buick to the Future wouldn't have been the same without the addition of this simple punchline. This calculator. as the keypad for setting the year. was the only prop that actually made the Buick into a time machine - or at least something that it wasn't already. You'll be happy to know that it's still the one and only calculator I use.
