Scotland's a nice wee spot

Look forward to 2014 sparking my visual imagination.

A review on my 2013

Well it's been one of them years.
My project a month has been a lot of fun, Edinburgh school of art exhibition, screenings in Austria, Belfast and London along with about 50 litres of beer.
I started these projects to keep me creatively focused and to have the deadlines I need to actually get stuff done rather than just talking about it.
I may not have always enjoyed the projects and a number even fell flat on their faces. I did however gain a lot from this year. Not only did I make a large number of contacts and got to exhibit my work I also feel I have developed as an artist.
As a self defined "stuff maker" I have definitely focused my work to film.
I am not saying I won't still be designing, photographing etc but my plan for next year is to focus on a few short films/docs over 2014.

So what has been my favourite project?

It has to be my February project. The month before my year went downhill (due to a flat fire).
This short one minute documentary filmed at Kelvingrove art museum has been viewed thousands of times and screened at a number of film festivals. Hopefully 2014 will have more of the same success. Already have a few ideas on the back burner just waiting to get a bit of attention.

Gig phone photography

This is one of my favourite photos of this year. In front of us at a frightened rabbit gig this fella got his phone out to take a few photos of the crew setting up, as you do. As he went to zoom it happened. He dropped his phone. Quickly retrieving it from the sticky O2 academy floor he gazed at the new screen design. A free new wallpaper called SMASHED!

He then proceeded to take 'photos' of whatever was on the other side of this screen, hilarious.

N.b big auld pile of irony for me but had to get a photo of this.

2013 project finale

A great way to say farwell to my 2013 project at the Incarnation celebration up in Dundee. A gorgeous cottage in the back end of nowhere filled with people, mulled wine and festive tunes. I screened my final project of the year, "Of the", at this wonderful evening.

If you wish to see the rest of my projects head over here.

Through the viewfinder

Been shooting a lot of TTv footage over the past few days for my December project. Just thought you should know.

December project: ongoing

For my December project I had been booked in well in advance by the always inspiring Cully of Morphe Arts. He has an annual party (Incarnation celebration) to celebrate Christmas and I was asked to supply a visual treat for the eyes. I am taking influence from T S Eliot's "Journey of the Magi".

I decided to do a bit of research into where T S Eliot was at the time of writing "Journey of the Magi" in 1927. He not only became a British citizen he also converted from Unitarianism to Anglicanism all in the same year as writing the poem. This got me thinking about the changes and journey that Eliot was embarking on.

Taking from this I decided to create a bit of a DIY experimental project. The concept is to use the mirrored viewfinder of a Kodak duaflex as a frame to film through. Then when editing to place two of these image beside each other using contrasting imagery to show the journey the Magi were on as well as the personal and theological "journey" that T S Eliot was on at the time of writing.

[caption id="attachment_3217" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A lovely nacho's box to assist with exposure for the image coming through the viewfinder of the duaflex inside. I used a piece of plywood for stability. I also put a hole in it at the camera end enabled me to put a screw from a tripod through to hold the camera in place.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3220" align="alignnone" width="525"] The upside down image that is seen through the kodak duaflex inside the box. Makes movement very confusing.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3219" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The V2.0 or Glasgow summer model[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3218" align="alignnone" width="1024"] What you can see in the viewfinder of my 550d. Lens being used is my staple 28mm Yashica.[/caption]

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="525"] Dan who is supplying the reading of "Journey of the Magi" and also a very willing model.[/caption]



Will post the finished video up when its done.

Mikhael Paskalev - I spy

http://youtu.be/nksTXmu1UAg/

Budget DSLR kit: Lenses

For the last few years I have been shooting films on both Nikon and Canon HDSLRS. Amazingly cheap bodies that are light and shooting full HD, it's pretty amazing what has been done with them. It has opened up a new world to the budget film maker.
Lenses are what I keep getting told to invest my money in. I had the chance to shoot with the wonderful canon L Series lens 24-70mm 2.8f (which comes with a tasty £2k price range) over the weekend.

Ya know what, really unimpressed. I usually shoot with prime lenses that were designed for use with film cameras during the 70's and 80's, yashica, Pentax and contax all in my kit. All, I personally think are far better than Canon's L series. Fair enough I am shooting on a crop sensor so the heavy monster perhaps just ain't being given a chance.
Personally though I would far rather buy a 50mm 1.9f for £20 on ebay with manual aperture and using an adaptor put it on my 550d than that L Series!

Turning press / La Cafetière by Josh Woolliscroft

The very talented Josh Woolliscroft has crafted this Turning press. A twist on the usual cafeterie where here you twist the handle at the top to press. I am pretty sure it makes the coffee taste better, totally sure.

It looks pretty spectacular. Check out the rest of his art works on his site, a particular favorite of mine is BIC WORLD (as seen below)



 

Miley Cyrus - Wrecking ball in G - Major.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=45lB-fyB87Y

Just you try and sleep tonight.

Light and camera, you are strange bedfellows

MMMV - Bombay Bicycle Club - Carry me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZCfqhRgJ0Q

Crackin wee tune with a pretty epic animated video. Enjoy.

glow

A mixed week of ups and downs can be sorted with a nice glow in the morning.

"CASTELLO CAVALCANTI" by Wes Anderson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWnKRJ4c8xY&noredirect=1

Not a clue what Prada and Wes are thinking putting this out with the sound so off. It seems all off to the left slightly. Perhaps some sort of Wes experiment? Not a clue what that would bring to the experience other than feeling like you are slightly deaf in your right ear.

At least it looks nice and great to see Jason Schwartzman after being rather disappointed by his seemingly held back performance in Saving Mr.Banks.

John Tavener

Came as a shock at the end of today when I saw the news of John Tavener passing. I only recently become a fan after being mesmerised by his work on Malick's epic Tree of life.


Currently now listening to his wonderful lp "The Whale". What a loss but it was great to see someone bring their faith thought their work. To take influence and passion from their faith and put it into their art form. Could only have dreamed of one day having him compose something for a film of mine. A sad day.



I do however feel so inspired by his life and this quote stood out to me "my way towards God has been to write music". As someone who has struggled to feel inspired or uplifted by singing worship but yet capturing nature through a lens gives me a connection. Strange but a small thought.

You say too soon, I say too late.

They say you can tell a lot about a person by what type of music they listen to. I suspect you can find out far too much about someone when you know when they listen to a certain polarising type of music.





Between Andy and Sufjan I could happily devour "festive" music all year round. I bring the shame.

When is your Christmas music start and cut off point? If you have one?

Schreiber dressing table

Just look at those drawers. The beautiful curve on the back, completely unseen by all but the curious few. Such great design should be on display but instead is sunk away inside this great dressing table.








Picked up by the wife from Govan this beauty has now been farrow and balleded. The bottom row of drawers now painted a variety of obnoxiously named colours from witches breath not black to east facing moorland misty mint. I think I shall go sit down.

Poor Hipster kitty caught blogging

In between doing articles for Vice poor hipster kitty has hardly anytime to update his 18th century Bulgarian jazz blog.

Glasgow colour line

Soundtrack to Halloween

One of the weirdest options in my vinyl collection. Them tricker treaters are going to love this.

A wide range of Skye.

A few photos from a series I did on Skye last year. Love the colour contrasts there, seems like another world. Would love to eventually use it as a location, so many beautiful secluded beaches and forests. See more from series here

 

August project teaser / Happy Halloween

Actor - twitter.com/philiplarkin
Filmed - twitter.com/guyphenix
Music - freemusicarchive.org/music/analoc/

After a few months of pondering I have finally put together something with the footage from my August project. Its a good bit experimental but I hope you enjoy.

Autumnal carpets

I may be walking home in the dark at this time of the year but at least it's on a nice soft leaf carpet. We'll I hope that's squishy leaves.

Infographic IPA: Bottled

This new flat is great for brewing. Temperature stayed up around 28 so a quick brew was possible. I did however forget how slow and tedious sterilising the bottles is. Always with the beer goggles on this process.





So eventually 50 bottles filled. There was no carbonated tablets so ended up using sugar, diluting it into water and adding it to the 23litres. Rather scary, could be 23 rank litres of flat brown water. Hmmm here's hoping. Need to start designing some labels. Only have 4 weeks.

Ed Norton in a Wes Anderson spoof: The Midnight coterie of sinister intruders

Only thing missing is a bit of Bill Murray and some more yellow and whimsy.

Favourite album of all time

So I have started blogging again and on a variety of subjects. One of them being music. I should then start at the top and work my way on down.



Graceland by Paul Simon is my greatest album of all time. There you go, I said it.

After recently seeing NME journalists vote "The Queen is Dead" by The Smiths the greatest album of all time in a bizarre we-are-sorry-Morrisey-here's-some-free-publicity twist I was surprised to say the least. I am not saying its not a great album, it may even sneak on up into my top 10 but it really doesn't do it for me like Graceland.

Perhaps its based upon a childhood of Carol King or Paul Simon being played in the car during trips around Ireland. I suspect as such, its that nostalgic fuzzy feeling I get when 'Boy in the bubble' comes on. I didn't start listening to The Smiths till the 00's where as Paul has had a solid decade of play ahead.

Also and proof is in the above record, you can go into pretty much any charity shop in the UK and get a copy of Graceland for under a £1. Show me another great album (excluding The Vengaboys) that you can pick up for that price?

So here is the question, what is your greatest album of all time?

 

Kodak and Instagram

"You push the button, we do the rest"

George Eastman

If George could see this I fear his head would melt.

Portrait Insta through the viewfinder. Oh how things have changed, this is the most use my wee Kodak duaflex gets. He pioneered the ease of photography to the masses, now phones have taken it to the next level of access. I reckon he would have loved it, maybe not the business model but certainly the photography access.

Film Festival requirement hullabaloo

"If you are aged between 8-25 years old, resident in the UK and you have made a short film in the last 18 months that is under 10 minutes long – including titles and end credits - that was inspired by east London"

 

Its weird coming across Film Festivals with such a specific niche of film and often film maker they are looking for. Since making an experimental war film I assumed I would nicely find a few niche festivals that would love my film. Alas that premiere is still eluding Dragoon.

Its been a weird month since finishing Dragoon. Lots of submissions and a large number of rejections. It wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't such an expensive and time consuming process. Thankfully I have been able to use this great source NoEntryFeeFestivals.com to save a lot of money.

It has been disappointing however to find so little waivers in place for local film makers in the UK. A number of major film festivals across the pond in the US of A offer waivers to local film makers. Often a simple case of any films coming from a specific University or College receive free submission. Other times it is anyone from the local city. I am yet to find such a waiver in place in any festival in the UK.

Come on big festivals in the UK, give us poor local film makers a break even just a slight discount from being from the local area. It would make such a difference.

Elliot Smith - Satellite

Great song from a lovely album. Died yesterday a decade ago.

Backwards sunset vine

Let's cook: IPA home brew

Finally got round to setting up my latest brew. Nice rotten day outside so disinfecting and the mix got going without distraction. Felt very Gail (breaking bad reference) as I drank some coffee while cooking brewing.







Check out that cinnamon yeast sprinkling.


Always place your brew in a handy not in the way place as shown above.