Summertime Nostalgia

I remember being young and, one summer, drinking SoCo with my buddy Howard in A2. I remember listening to this song:



He was into that symphonic stuff, like Arcturus and Dimmu Borgir long before the kids got their grubby hands on it and ran it into the ground. Man I'm old...

Anyways, those were good times. I don't know if I'll drink SoCo again. I'm not saying its bad. I dunno, it feels like Greasy Kid's Stuff, you know?

The Summer of George: Solstice edition

Well, we are halfway through the sunny season, and I have insomnia pretty bad. Go to sleep at 1 am on Friday night, wake up Saturday morning at 6 am. It happened last week and this. Luckily I have been able to nap, but you know that really takes a cramp out of my weekend plans. Why can't I sleep on Friday night? The good news is that I have an app that really helps me sleep. I know I know, that sounds like silly shit. It is the sound of crickets in the night. I used it last night and I was out like a light. All praise the godmachine.

Aside from insomnia, I had plans for this summer. I wanted it to have a theme, much like the Summer of George. However, I did learn my lesson from Costanza, which is don't try to plan too much. I know me. So what was the theme? Well, I decided to let that grow naturally. Maybe I'd have a Gran Torino summer, and I'd sit on the balcony drinking cheap bourbon and PBR. I'd wear old slacks and a belt, and tuck my shirt in. It would be a collar shirt. Probably lots of Sinatra or Glenn Miller. Or maybe I'd have a surreal summer, and I listen to a lot of weird Gregorian Chants and death metal and get sucked into the Dreamland. Maybe it would be a revival summer, where I indulge in nostalgia of the 90s and listen to KMFDM and Fear Factory. Or a pirate summer, and I will dress real casual and drink lots of rum. Or maybe...

Well, I don't know what sort of summer this is. I don't think I'm grampa, dressing like an old man and sitting on the porch drinking cold ones. Though I did just clean the balcony. I've been going to club technochocolate down the street, but my 90s nostalgia has waned. No chants, and nothing surreal. The only pirate thing I did was drink some nice Rhum and watch Master and Commander. I really don't know. How is summer going for you?

I am become death

Yes my friends, I have ascended to another plane of existence. I have become a god among men. The sum of all human knowledge is at my fingertips. And yet...

You know what? I still hate itunes.

The Prophecy

This summer Johnny Depp is set to release another period piece. This time, instead of reviving pirates, he will be bringing back the gangster. I predict that this year will see the return of gangster cool, including the gangster fedora. Can't you see it?



I can see it.

Two o'clock blues

A few weeks ago they showed the Family Guy where Peter has to use a wheel chair for a few weeks and they play a montage set to Elton John's The Blues. Since then I've had the song stuck in my head at precisely two o'clock every day at the office. Life is funny that way. I'd post the clip here but it isn't online. Come on internet! Did I mention that when I was a kid I thought the song was made for a Levi's commercial? 501 blues or something like that. Those were the days.



Since I can't give you Family Guy...Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton!

When these songs get stuck in your head this week...you're welcome! Hahahahah you suffer.

Okay, just to make it up to you I've also had this song stuck in my head, and it isn't even September when I usually break it out of cold storage:

Type O Negative - Love You to Death (PV)
Uploaded by FuneralCry.

Best cinematography in a music video ever?

The shot

One thing that really bothers me about the Star War prequils is the cinematography. They don't call it director of photography for nothing. Now, to be fair, there are many stunning images in the prequils. Here is one example:

For some reason flickr is being a bitch and won't upload this. WTF??? I am really pissed about this

Compare these two shots:

A New Hope:


Attack of the Clones


One thing I noticed is that in the prequils, I end up looking at the back of someone's head. A lot! Sometimes it works, but very often it doesn't.

All I need is money

All I need is around 3 grand, and I can start making films. Films of the sort of quality you'd see in a movie theater. I think it would be quite easy. Check it out below:

Sofia's People: Canon 5dmk2 24p from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Clicky through to embiggen

This video was made with a Canon 5d mk 2 and a Zeiss 50mm f1.4, and edited in Final Cut Studio 2. I have a similar - if inexpensive - lens. I just need the camera body and the software. About 3 grand. I looked into selling plasma, but it is apparently rather time consuming. If they were open on Saturdays, that's what I would do on Saturdays.

Of course, on the old blog I predicted the rise of the DSLR in filmmaking. If the 5d recorded in 24p without needing post production compression, I think we would see Hollywood studio productions using it. For reals. I've thought for a long time that this would come and then indie films would blow up because for about 5 or 6 thousand dollars you have all the studio equipment necessary to make a feature film.

...you know, the state of Michigan is trying to build out a film industry. Maybe they are giving out grants? If I could score 3 grand in grant money, I swear I'd stage my first film in Michigan. Promise.