Click here to skip ahead and vote.
This is now the final round of the Yobi Film semi-finals, the Top 16! Thanks to your votes my short, The Geology Student, has continued to advance in this international film competition. I couldn't be happier, and now I'm just one week away from potentially making the FINALS.
Please follow this link to watch my campy film school short and cast a vote. It's as easy as using your email address and only takes a minute! You only need to vote once for the entire weekly round.
It's starting to get a bit tense after making it this far. Even if I wasn't to win (a trip to the Toronto International Film Fest) just making the finals would be a great consolation prize. You can bet I'm going to be trying to pull out all the stops to search for the support. In a contest that's relatively small (with only 16 films remaining) the winner can essentially be decided by just a couple votes.
When I took part in season 1 of Yobi Film last year, this was the week that I was eliminated. I'd really like to try and one up myself by making the finals this time around. If you've got a moment, please click over and enter your email address to support my short.
Thank you all for your votes and support in helping me make it this far!
Mar 29, 2010
Mar 28, 2010
Leonard Knight: Indio Outio
Day Five (08.27.09) I never had any intention to interview Leonard Knight when I first thought about heading out to Salvation Mountain. The conversation we did end up having just struck up after we went to thank him for letting us tour his site.
Leonard lives in a little trailer right next to Salvation Mountain, and not surprisingly, the trailer is decked out in paint just like everything else in the vicinity. His lifestyle and focus have clearly defied convention.
You'll notice my low angles, and it's because I wasn't that concerned about my footage as much as I was about having a real conversation. Leonard is nearly 80 years old, and who knows how much longer he'll be around to talk about his mountain or give personal tours. More than just a subject for a video, I really do respect Leonard Knight for what he's accomplished in such a unique way.
This edit over all the others was interesting to construct because Dave was using my mini-cam to capture footage also. It made it a lot more interesting to cut between dialogue. All around, this experience proved to be a great cap to an already amazing road trip.
Leonard lives in a little trailer right next to Salvation Mountain, and not surprisingly, the trailer is decked out in paint just like everything else in the vicinity. His lifestyle and focus have clearly defied convention.
You'll notice my low angles, and it's because I wasn't that concerned about my footage as much as I was about having a real conversation. Leonard is nearly 80 years old, and who knows how much longer he'll be around to talk about his mountain or give personal tours. More than just a subject for a video, I really do respect Leonard Knight for what he's accomplished in such a unique way.
This edit over all the others was interesting to construct because Dave was using my mini-cam to capture footage also. It made it a lot more interesting to cut between dialogue. All around, this experience proved to be a great cap to an already amazing road trip.
Mar 26, 2010
Salvation Mountain: Indio Outio
Day Five (08.27.09) Of all the places we visited, Salvation Mountain was the one that made me realize I was never going to forget this road trip. Much like the Salton Sea in general, this man-made mountain of paint is so incredibly different and unique, it's almost dream-like when you find yourself practically alone in a setting like this.
Created by Leonard Knight, I first came to know of Salvation Mountain from the movie Into the Wild. There's a scene where Emile Hirsch's character is given a tour by Knight and I was captivated. I never really pictured myself getting there necessarily, but it's funny how those plans came together - how my interest in Indio lead to the Salton Sea which lead to Salvation Mountain.
Another interesting fact about this site is that it's built on government land and for years had been threatened with removal. Until 2002 when senator Barbara Boxer took interest and helped Salvation Mountain gain special designation as a national treasure - an honour held by only one other landmark, Mount Rushmore. The coincidence in this is that the last major road trip I went on before this one was to Mount Rushmore - you can see the edits here.
Dave and I took full advantage of the experience. When we arrived Leonard was giving a tour to a group of girls, and we all met up as he told us we could walk the yellow path up to the top of the mountain if we wanted to. Naturally we said yes, we had no idea he'd let us walk on his art, but when considering how hands-on the construction must've been there's really no better way to experience it.
We walked the winding path, marveling at the intricate details (like the litte coloured flowers) and were rewarded with a spectacular view at the top.
The setting sun gave the desert a rich golden hue, and the colours of Salvation Mountain only looked further saturated by the contrasting monochromatic landscape that surrounded it. There were miles of desert, hills, and small glimpses of civilization. None more present than Slab City - a community of nomads, off the grid. But ultimately, it was quiet and refreshingly secluded. A scene that almost forces you to be alone with your thoughts; comfortably at peace.
While the messaging (God is Love, etc.) is strong, and the display eccentric, there was nothing scary about Leonard himself. If there was one word I'd choose to describe him it's passionate. He really just wanted to make his mark, to express love, and devote his life to a higher purpose - whether religious or not you have to value his commitment and vision to make a positive impact. After we came down from the mountain and had our private look around, we approached Leonard to talk (see the next video).
I'm still pinching myself that several thousand kilometers from home we found ourselves talking casually, face to face, with the man who built this hidden treasure in the middle of nowhere.
Created by Leonard Knight, I first came to know of Salvation Mountain from the movie Into the Wild. There's a scene where Emile Hirsch's character is given a tour by Knight and I was captivated. I never really pictured myself getting there necessarily, but it's funny how those plans came together - how my interest in Indio lead to the Salton Sea which lead to Salvation Mountain.
Another interesting fact about this site is that it's built on government land and for years had been threatened with removal. Until 2002 when senator Barbara Boxer took interest and helped Salvation Mountain gain special designation as a national treasure - an honour held by only one other landmark, Mount Rushmore. The coincidence in this is that the last major road trip I went on before this one was to Mount Rushmore - you can see the edits here.
Dave and I took full advantage of the experience. When we arrived Leonard was giving a tour to a group of girls, and we all met up as he told us we could walk the yellow path up to the top of the mountain if we wanted to. Naturally we said yes, we had no idea he'd let us walk on his art, but when considering how hands-on the construction must've been there's really no better way to experience it.
We walked the winding path, marveling at the intricate details (like the litte coloured flowers) and were rewarded with a spectacular view at the top.
The setting sun gave the desert a rich golden hue, and the colours of Salvation Mountain only looked further saturated by the contrasting monochromatic landscape that surrounded it. There were miles of desert, hills, and small glimpses of civilization. None more present than Slab City - a community of nomads, off the grid. But ultimately, it was quiet and refreshingly secluded. A scene that almost forces you to be alone with your thoughts; comfortably at peace.
While the messaging (God is Love, etc.) is strong, and the display eccentric, there was nothing scary about Leonard himself. If there was one word I'd choose to describe him it's passionate. He really just wanted to make his mark, to express love, and devote his life to a higher purpose - whether religious or not you have to value his commitment and vision to make a positive impact. After we came down from the mountain and had our private look around, we approached Leonard to talk (see the next video).
I'm still pinching myself that several thousand kilometers from home we found ourselves talking casually, face to face, with the man who built this hidden treasure in the middle of nowhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
