I will begin all new posts with the heading, to anyone still reading this, because I no longer maintain this blog on a regular basis. Aside from being "preoccupied" at Occupy Wall Street, I co-organized the march with Michael Glazer that left OWS on Nov 9 and reached Occupy DC Nov 22. There were 22 people that left Zuccotti and over fifty that arrived in DC. For two weeks we walked through cities, rural country, and visited other occupations by walking along highway and secondary roads. We held public general assemblies at colleges and in towns; hosted facilitation teach-ins, and slept in public and private spaces that were offered to us at no cost by people living in those communities. Overall, the march was successful and got the ball rolling for future marches. Actually, I just got word that half dozen people from this last march will be leaving Dec 1 to march from DC to Atlanta. There is also a Green (vegetable oil) Bus leaving from OWS in two weeks and will be heading down the east coast, stopping at occupations along the way. I, however, will not be on either of those ventures, instead I'll be spending the month of December in NYC editing the march footage.
Update: Tools of the Trade is currently suspended yet again! There seems to be much more to discuss than social media right now. I hope to finish this film eventually, but for now I will be using what I have done on TOTT as training to apply to the documentary I will be working on about the march. I will begin with discussing OWS in short using the footage I have gathered since Sept. 17 and then quickly moving onto the march itself. It will definitely be Gorilla Documentary, but I utilize concepts from cinema verte as well and will let the film tell itself. I will also be working photographer who marched with us and we will incorporate these stills as well. Editing is set to begin Dec 1.
Stay tuned. Although I will be putting updates on the wordpress site: http://nycmarch2dc.wordpress.com/
This site (and the the twitter with the same name) also have a lot of the info about the march, stories, and more so check it out if you're interested.
Thanks to anyone who genuinely has an interest in Tools of the Trade and my apologies for again putting it on the shelf. Hopefully I will finish that doc one of these days.
My name is Kelley Brannon. I will be leaving NYC in roughly four hours to continue production on my documentary feature "Tools of the Trade" which examines identity, consumerism, and culture in social media. I have been working on this project for the last six months or so and have been filming in NYC and Boston, but now I am taking the show on the road: I will be filming interviews and conversations across the US and Europe.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Occupy Wall Street: Day 21 of the Occupation and a quick update on Tools of the Trade
To anyone still reading this: I apologize for not posting any updates regarding my documentary in some time. I am have been preoccupied in my participation in the Occupy Wall Street movement. As a long time reader/activist of Ad Busters and anti-commercial culture I took the call to occupy Wall Street on September 17, 2011. I have been active in the movement since. My experiences have been both exhilarating and exhausting, though more the latter the last two weeks as our numbers continue to grow at an exponential rate. We are struggling to maintain the working space and structure of Liberty Square (formally Zuccotti Park) during this sudden swell.
Needless to say I've had my hands full. Since I first came into the movement as an activist and as a filmmaker second, I was busy with the Principles of Solidarity, Facilitation, and Outreach working groups rather than the media working group and my own project. I only began filming more than a minute here or there a week ago. Though, this week has been fruitful and I've gathered useful information and will continue work on Tools of the Trade once again. However, I will be broadening the scope of my film to include this unfolding revolution. Primarily, I am focused on Occupy Wall Street's relationship to the mass media. Mass media has defeated political movements in the past and I feel we are in jeopardy at OWS if we're not smart. I will continue this conversation in the morning when I've gotten some sleep.
Just wanted to send a quick update now while I was thinking about it. Thanks for reading.
Needless to say I've had my hands full. Since I first came into the movement as an activist and as a filmmaker second, I was busy with the Principles of Solidarity, Facilitation, and Outreach working groups rather than the media working group and my own project. I only began filming more than a minute here or there a week ago. Though, this week has been fruitful and I've gathered useful information and will continue work on Tools of the Trade once again. However, I will be broadening the scope of my film to include this unfolding revolution. Primarily, I am focused on Occupy Wall Street's relationship to the mass media. Mass media has defeated political movements in the past and I feel we are in jeopardy at OWS if we're not smart. I will continue this conversation in the morning when I've gotten some sleep.
Just wanted to send a quick update now while I was thinking about it. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Still in the works-aiming to submit to Tribeca Film Fest!
Wow. I just realized it has been ages since I posted anything here! I just finished my Assistant to the Director duties for The Break Up Notebook: The Lesbian Musical and now I have time again. For those of you may be interested in that project then check out Peter Schneider Productions. My daily blog and photos are listed under the Kelley's Korner tab on his website. It's a really funny show.
Meanwhile, Tools of the Trade has seen a few changes. I made a newer trailer and I'm actually working with the person who will be drawing the animations this week. I hope to have a new, newer trailer up by the end of next week. I am still anticipating Morgan Spurlock's email, and hoping he's interested in taking on my film, but I'm also in the process of applying for grants as well as looking into other production companies who may be interested.
I am continuously researching and thinking of new ways of presenting the film-though I finally think I have the plan for the entire film at this point and if you're particularly interested then please send me an email. I don't think posting the treatment here is the best bet since my film is still in production mode.
I am hoping to have all filming done by the end of next month and use November and December for post. I'm trying to make the Tribeca Film Festival January 2 late deadline. That's my major goal at this point, and, of course, getting Morgan Spurlock's attention...
Meanwhile, Tools of the Trade has seen a few changes. I made a newer trailer and I'm actually working with the person who will be drawing the animations this week. I hope to have a new, newer trailer up by the end of next week. I am still anticipating Morgan Spurlock's email, and hoping he's interested in taking on my film, but I'm also in the process of applying for grants as well as looking into other production companies who may be interested.
I am continuously researching and thinking of new ways of presenting the film-though I finally think I have the plan for the entire film at this point and if you're particularly interested then please send me an email. I don't think posting the treatment here is the best bet since my film is still in production mode.
I am hoping to have all filming done by the end of next month and use November and December for post. I'm trying to make the Tribeca Film Festival January 2 late deadline. That's my major goal at this point, and, of course, getting Morgan Spurlock's attention...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Full On Production Mode
It's been a very busy few weeks in the social media circuit; cell phone signals cut off by BART police in San Francisco and new developments involving Facebook spying and security breaches. I'm finding it harder and harder to stay on top of everything myself. I am in constant hope of having a real assistant who can help with the research. It would also be beneficial to have someone as part of the film crew (which right now consists only of me), as well as a very talented and dedicated video editor who will work with me on post. A good post editor is extremely important, but it's also a bridge that I haven't gotten to yet, making that task last on the pecking order, however, I need to be actively thinking about it now, especially if I want to make my December deadline. Meanwhile, and seemingly unrelated, I have been working on The Break Up Notebook: The Lesbian Musical, assisting director Peter Schneider. It's an amazing show with an extremely original and talented cast. BUN, as we like to call it, is making its east coast premier in Asbury Park, NJ on September 8, 2011.
Aside from that, I met with my friend Dane, who happens to work as cinematographer for Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) and after passing the Dane test with my new and improved trailer, Dane emailed Morgan and Jeremy Chilnick (producer over at Warrior Poet Productions) himself recommending they check out my project. Morgan responded to me personally letting me know that he will be out of the country until September 6, but asked me to send him a link so he could watch the trailer online. Wow! It took me over an hour to even find the words to respond to his email.
That was Thursday night, and today is Monday night and still my video is not yet online, although this time it looks promising with a mere 23 minutes to go on Vimeo. Last night, Vimeo gave me an estimated time of 15 hours, and I left my computer uploading for the day, but something must have happened because when I came home there was the dreaded 'error' label across where my video was supposed to be. I spent the rest of the night trying to compress it down to a reasonable size without losing the integrity of the HD quality and aspect ratio. Situations like these always remind me of the less than realistic expectations we have about technology-sure I'm only working from a Macbook Pro laptop and one firewire port, but still, between tweaking a project (less to do with technology, but it quickly becomes part of the painstaking rendering process), compressing, and uploading, the task of making a video watchable online is frustrating and time consuming.
Now that I've had my minute to rant, I'm really, REALLY excited for Morgan to see this new trailer. I'm assuming that if he and his crew like it and see the possibilities then maybe we'll meet up and have lunch and discuss it when he's back in the states, I'm hoping anyway, but I guess I'll find out when my trailer is actually uploaded and when Morgan has a time to watch it and get back to me. I just hope I haven't kept him waiting too long-since in this world of hyper speed a few days can easily translate into a few weeks (not to mention I live in NYC where they say the New York minute is 7 seconds), but I think I've been given a little good fortune here and I really think that "Tools of the Trade" has a fighting chance.
To see the trailer for yourself visit: http://vimeo.com/kelleybrannon/videos
Aside from that, I met with my friend Dane, who happens to work as cinematographer for Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) and after passing the Dane test with my new and improved trailer, Dane emailed Morgan and Jeremy Chilnick (producer over at Warrior Poet Productions) himself recommending they check out my project. Morgan responded to me personally letting me know that he will be out of the country until September 6, but asked me to send him a link so he could watch the trailer online. Wow! It took me over an hour to even find the words to respond to his email.
That was Thursday night, and today is Monday night and still my video is not yet online, although this time it looks promising with a mere 23 minutes to go on Vimeo. Last night, Vimeo gave me an estimated time of 15 hours, and I left my computer uploading for the day, but something must have happened because when I came home there was the dreaded 'error' label across where my video was supposed to be. I spent the rest of the night trying to compress it down to a reasonable size without losing the integrity of the HD quality and aspect ratio. Situations like these always remind me of the less than realistic expectations we have about technology-sure I'm only working from a Macbook Pro laptop and one firewire port, but still, between tweaking a project (less to do with technology, but it quickly becomes part of the painstaking rendering process), compressing, and uploading, the task of making a video watchable online is frustrating and time consuming.
Now that I've had my minute to rant, I'm really, REALLY excited for Morgan to see this new trailer. I'm assuming that if he and his crew like it and see the possibilities then maybe we'll meet up and have lunch and discuss it when he's back in the states, I'm hoping anyway, but I guess I'll find out when my trailer is actually uploaded and when Morgan has a time to watch it and get back to me. I just hope I haven't kept him waiting too long-since in this world of hyper speed a few days can easily translate into a few weeks (not to mention I live in NYC where they say the New York minute is 7 seconds), but I think I've been given a little good fortune here and I really think that "Tools of the Trade" has a fighting chance.
To see the trailer for yourself visit: http://vimeo.com/kelleybrannon/videos
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Preparing for Production Meetings and being an Assistant Director on "The Break Up Notebook"
I've been working out a new and enhanced trailer this week to prepare for a meeting/pitch with a production company which will hopefully occur by the end of next week. A production company is necessary at this point in my documentary as it will allow me access to additional funding, crew, and post production opportunities.
In the meantime I have gotten on board with The Break Up Notebook, commonly referred to as BUN. I will be assisting the director, Peter Schneider, for the three weeks of rehearsals before the performance premiers in Asbury Park, NJ. BUN will be performed September 8 through the 25 with a range of ticket prices. My first assignment with Peter is to maintain a daily blog called "Kelley's Korner" which is featured on the homepage of Peter's site. Visit: peterschneiderproductions.com for more information about BUN and to follow my daily (or near daily) blog of the production progress and my own experiences. I will also be taking photos and adding short video clips to the blog as well. BUN is a lesbian musical that first premiered at the Hudson Theatre in Santa Monica, CA in December 2005. It was winner of the Ovation Award and six Garland Awards and the L.A. Drama Critics Award fir best score. BUN is a smart, funny, honest, and forward thinking story that details the hardships and compromises needed to maintain any relationship and proves that regardless of each partner's sex troubles and delights are a given. I think this is something we can all relate to.
In other news, I recently uploaded a video to my vimeo account (vimeo.com/kelleybrannon) called Before the Funeral which pays a little homage to my grandmother, Elizabeth Temple. I shot most of the video while in NH where I also edited it. There is additional footage of the Utah desert/salt flats and scenes from a train window in the video as well.
I am still keeping the ball rolling with Tools of the Trade despite the plummeting Stock Market and what looks to be another economic collapse for the US. Maybe Tools will be able to encourage people to take more direct action in what they want to see happen in the future... I am also dedicated to my December 2011/January 2012 deadline for completion and release. You can view a crude trailer (which is more like a sample of the information I've gathered) on my vimeo as well.
vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
peterschneiderproductions.com for my blog about BUN
And if you happen to be sitting on a few grand then please donate to my Kickstarter fund (the blue link to the right on my blog homepage)-my project will be expired next week and, unfortunately, it looks like I'm not going to make to cut...oh well, I didn't do a very good job with promotion. Hopefully a production company will get on board instead!
In the meantime I have gotten on board with The Break Up Notebook, commonly referred to as BUN. I will be assisting the director, Peter Schneider, for the three weeks of rehearsals before the performance premiers in Asbury Park, NJ. BUN will be performed September 8 through the 25 with a range of ticket prices. My first assignment with Peter is to maintain a daily blog called "Kelley's Korner" which is featured on the homepage of Peter's site. Visit: peterschneiderproductions.com for more information about BUN and to follow my daily (or near daily) blog of the production progress and my own experiences. I will also be taking photos and adding short video clips to the blog as well. BUN is a lesbian musical that first premiered at the Hudson Theatre in Santa Monica, CA in December 2005. It was winner of the Ovation Award and six Garland Awards and the L.A. Drama Critics Award fir best score. BUN is a smart, funny, honest, and forward thinking story that details the hardships and compromises needed to maintain any relationship and proves that regardless of each partner's sex troubles and delights are a given. I think this is something we can all relate to.
In other news, I recently uploaded a video to my vimeo account (vimeo.com/kelleybrannon) called Before the Funeral which pays a little homage to my grandmother, Elizabeth Temple. I shot most of the video while in NH where I also edited it. There is additional footage of the Utah desert/salt flats and scenes from a train window in the video as well.
I am still keeping the ball rolling with Tools of the Trade despite the plummeting Stock Market and what looks to be another economic collapse for the US. Maybe Tools will be able to encourage people to take more direct action in what they want to see happen in the future... I am also dedicated to my December 2011/January 2012 deadline for completion and release. You can view a crude trailer (which is more like a sample of the information I've gathered) on my vimeo as well.
vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
peterschneiderproductions.com for my blog about BUN
And if you happen to be sitting on a few grand then please donate to my Kickstarter fund (the blue link to the right on my blog homepage)-my project will be expired next week and, unfortunately, it looks like I'm not going to make to cut...oh well, I didn't do a very good job with promotion. Hopefully a production company will get on board instead!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Time Lapse at a Slower Speed
My grandmother, Elizabeth L. Temple, passed away two nights ago at the Health and Rehab Center (terminal care) in Springfield, Vermont late Sunday night. Her funeral will be held next Wednesday in Rhode Island since that is where she lived for fifty-five years before moving in with my mother in Charlestown, New Hampshire ten years ago. My grandmother, whom my brother and I call Buffie (originating from her name Elizabeth), was born in 1920, the same year that women won the right to vote. She was an intricate part of my family's dynamic. She was the strength and backbone to many family turmoils. She was active in politics and forward thinking. The funeral will be held at The Church of Transfiguration in Edgewood, Rhode Island and the burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery in Pawtucket, RI. Among the scripture that will be read at the funeral I will be reading a passage from Bertrand Russell, one of my grandmother's favorite modern philosophers, to honor her intellect.
I will be returning to NYC later next week. I will be hosting the monthly storytelling series I curate called The Bodega Monthly at The Bodega Wine Bar in Brooklyn August 7. I will resume production on Tools of the Trade by mid/late August.
Rest in absolute peace and wisdom Buffie.
I will be returning to NYC later next week. I will be hosting the monthly storytelling series I curate called The Bodega Monthly at The Bodega Wine Bar in Brooklyn August 7. I will resume production on Tools of the Trade by mid/late August.
Rest in absolute peace and wisdom Buffie.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Back in NYC
I made it back from SF in four days. I decided to hitch in Ohio because my ride share driver was a little nutty and I needed my own space. It only took me two rides to get into NY. I rode with the second ride all the way to Ithaca, NY where I jumped on the last Greyhound bus heading into the city late last night. I arrived in Ridgewood very early this morning.
Today I have been in a bit of a daze. I guess it's a little like when someone comes back from a great vacation, but my "vacation" was dangerously close to a different lifestyle and one I have lived before. I have figured out one thing, however, that I need to travel. I received a great contact yesterday from Ron, my ride to Ithaca. He has a friend who has traveled around Europe and Asia and heads a media program in New Mexico. I'm going to send his friend an email and hopefully I will receive some advice and/or connections about traveling and filmmaking in Europe and Asia as I really want to film abroad. However, even though I am not there I have noticed a lot of people from Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, and Indonesia are reading my blog (from my stats breakdown-one of many blog features). I gave the blog address to a few friends of mine who are touring musicians in Europe (which they may have passed on to other people) and I also passed out cards on the plane headed for Amsterdam before the mechanical failures occurred. I would like to thank those abroad for taking the time and interest to read my narratives. It means a lot, especially since I am not there myself.
In other news (and news more breaking and important than mine):
Congrats to the people in the new country of South Sudan!
Today I have been in a bit of a daze. I guess it's a little like when someone comes back from a great vacation, but my "vacation" was dangerously close to a different lifestyle and one I have lived before. I have figured out one thing, however, that I need to travel. I received a great contact yesterday from Ron, my ride to Ithaca. He has a friend who has traveled around Europe and Asia and heads a media program in New Mexico. I'm going to send his friend an email and hopefully I will receive some advice and/or connections about traveling and filmmaking in Europe and Asia as I really want to film abroad. However, even though I am not there I have noticed a lot of people from Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, and Indonesia are reading my blog (from my stats breakdown-one of many blog features). I gave the blog address to a few friends of mine who are touring musicians in Europe (which they may have passed on to other people) and I also passed out cards on the plane headed for Amsterdam before the mechanical failures occurred. I would like to thank those abroad for taking the time and interest to read my narratives. It means a lot, especially since I am not there myself.
In other news (and news more breaking and important than mine):
Congrats to the people in the new country of South Sudan!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Tools of the Trade Production to Resume in Mid/Late August
I am in the little town of Dixon, about an hour east of San Francisco, California. Last night I caught the Green Tortoise bus to Eugene, OR for the Oregon Country Fair. Thirty minutes after boarding the bus I received confirmation on a ride to Chicago (courtesy of Ride share on Craigslist). The driver, Wade, may also be going all the way to Rhode Island. I only need to give him $100 for Chicago and maybe $150 for Rhode Island. This is a good catch, too good to pass up, so when the Green Tortoise made its first pit stop just an hour from the city in the small town of Dixon, I hoped off. The driver and the people on the bus were awesome. I interviewed the most non-technological 15 year old I have ever met during this one hour ride. Her name is Alma and she likes swords and wishes the world could be like it was in the Middle Ages. I guess the fair draws people from every walk of life. It was an interesting hour to say the least.
After leaving the bus (and the driver, clad in a straw hat, was nice enough to give me all of my money back, of course, I made him keep a few bucks for a coffee or something) I found a nice field (part field, part abandoned lot) in the town to camp in last night. I woke this morning to a million small white flowers covering the ground. The sun was bright, but not stifling. Wade will be picking me up here in Dixon, since it's on the route, later today. I should be in Chicago by Monday and NYC by the middle of next week.
I am planning on going to New Hampshire for four or five days after a few nights in NY to visit with my mother and grandmother. I will then return to NY more permanently and begin planning another film tour through the southern portion of the US and/or making another attempt at filming in Europe. Everything depends on how much money I can raise (and make) toward my documentary and how my family's situation looks. Hopefully Ben and Gina, owners of The Bodega Wine Bar, will let me fill in some shifts in the meantime (that is if Kevin and Marvin will give me a few of their shifts).
This month has definitely been an interesting experiment in hobo filmmaking. I feel good about the material, interviews and conversations, I have been able to gather thus far, and I will continue to load, transcribe, and make initial edits while in NY and NH. Thanks to everyone for reading this (I will continue to blog about Tools of the Trade production), everyone who let me interview them, everyone who gave me a ride during my California/Arizona hitchhiking ventures, and special thanks to Erica Russo for being my backer on Kickstarter. Hopefully a few more people will come around.
To everyone in NY (if you're reading this that is) I will see you soon.
p.s. I am currently uploading a video segment, one resembling a documentary film trailer, to my Kickstarter project. Check it out, it includes some of the material I've gathered while being on the road. Update: It might take all day to load on Kickstarter...
I always thought NASA was over funded, but it's crazy that today marked the last space shuttle trip ever...no more little boys and girls can grow up saying they want to be an astronaut...
After leaving the bus (and the driver, clad in a straw hat, was nice enough to give me all of my money back, of course, I made him keep a few bucks for a coffee or something) I found a nice field (part field, part abandoned lot) in the town to camp in last night. I woke this morning to a million small white flowers covering the ground. The sun was bright, but not stifling. Wade will be picking me up here in Dixon, since it's on the route, later today. I should be in Chicago by Monday and NYC by the middle of next week.
I am planning on going to New Hampshire for four or five days after a few nights in NY to visit with my mother and grandmother. I will then return to NY more permanently and begin planning another film tour through the southern portion of the US and/or making another attempt at filming in Europe. Everything depends on how much money I can raise (and make) toward my documentary and how my family's situation looks. Hopefully Ben and Gina, owners of The Bodega Wine Bar, will let me fill in some shifts in the meantime (that is if Kevin and Marvin will give me a few of their shifts).
This month has definitely been an interesting experiment in hobo filmmaking. I feel good about the material, interviews and conversations, I have been able to gather thus far, and I will continue to load, transcribe, and make initial edits while in NY and NH. Thanks to everyone for reading this (I will continue to blog about Tools of the Trade production), everyone who let me interview them, everyone who gave me a ride during my California/Arizona hitchhiking ventures, and special thanks to Erica Russo for being my backer on Kickstarter. Hopefully a few more people will come around.
To everyone in NY (if you're reading this that is) I will see you soon.
p.s. I am currently uploading a video segment, one resembling a documentary film trailer, to my Kickstarter project. Check it out, it includes some of the material I've gathered while being on the road. Update: It might take all day to load on Kickstarter...
I always thought NASA was over funded, but it's crazy that today marked the last space shuttle trip ever...no more little boys and girls can grow up saying they want to be an astronaut...
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Facebook Headquarters
I left Tucson yesterday morning (I could no longer withstand the heat) and flew (by flying I mean hitchhiking but getting rides really, really fast and for long distances) to California. I made it to Ventura (west of LA) last night and made it to the Facebook Headquarters today (which is actually just south of SF and not in LA like I originally thought-haha). Of course I couldn't talk to anyone on staff, that was to be expected (despite my many emails requesting an interview), but something else is going on there; the staff isn't even allowed to discuss Facebook without prior consent by PR and all of the security guards have ear phones and walkie talkies. It's really high tech security. Makes one wonder how involved in Facebook is the government? I mean, Obama has even visited the headquarters...
I will upload a clip of footage from there very soon as well as compare my experience there with my experience at Ad Busters Media Foundation. I will also be heading back east very soon as well.
Stay tuned.
I will upload a clip of footage from there very soon as well as compare my experience there with my experience at Ad Busters Media Foundation. I will also be heading back east very soon as well.
Stay tuned.
Monday, July 4, 2011
July 4, 2011 and Mass Mind Control
There are still fires on the Arizona/Mexican boarder, members of the Food Not Bombs organization were arrested during a community feeding in Orlando, Florida, and in Las Vegas 60% of homes have been foreclosed on. Today is a day where most Americans are either throwing a party or attending one. Many will spend time with friends and family and watch fireworks, either on TV or in person. As I sit in Revolutionary Grounds Coffeehouse and Bookstore in the hot, hot, hot city of Tuscan, Arizona (by the way, Tuscan, Bisbee, and Flagstaff are the little blue pockets in the great big red state of Arizona) I start to think about the reason for celebration.
Today marks the 235th anniversary of the constitution. What does that mean? Barbecues? Beer? Isn't this a day that could be better spent mobilizing? Of course not, on top of all the thousands of distractions and gimmicks of American consumer culture (not to mention the indoctrinated way of celebrating American independence) lays a major player: Facebook.
This is one theory I have yet to discuss in this blog or in the film: Facebook's equivalency to Hollywood and the rise of the platform in a time of crisis.
Hollywood reached its Golden Age in The Great Depression of the 1920s. Instead of mass rioting, unemployed and depressed persons saved their nickels and dimes for a picture show at a local cinema to help them forget about their problems for a few hours. This is understandable, sure, we all need entertainment and distraction. The danger comes when this distraction overpowers the problems that are creating the need for distraction in the first place. Today, Hollywood, despite the consumer's ability to download and/or pirate a movie rather easily, is still near the top of the America food chain, and will only be overshadowed by America's next top player: Facebook (enterprise).
Enter 2011: A time where unemployment is at 9.1% (roughly half of the unemployment in the Great Depression) and homes continue to be foreclosed on (last year 11% of home sales in Texas were from foreclosures) what is there to celebrate? Why aren't we rioting in the street? The answer may lay in that small device you keep on in your pocket.
Facebook is the new Hollywood. Just as distracting, addicting, and consuming, except that an iphone or Android is portable whereas a Hollywood movie (aside form watching it on said device) is not. I could have named this article "The Fourth of July: We're All Being Duped!" or "The Fourth of July Riots!" But the sad truth is a lot of people don't mind being duped and have no desire to riot. Generally, we're happy to accept our new toys with a privilege and arrogance common to Americans.
It is true, however, that Facebook has been a tool for mobilization, but more so in other countries than in the US where it was created. Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, is now richer than the founders of Google, and all that revenue is in the advertising. People, especially those who run businesses, like to tell me that they use it because it's free, monetarily free maybe, but the use and participation in Facebook comes at a personal price as seen in targeted advertising. Still, most people are under the assumption that Facebook is a free network of communication, aside from the dangers I've listed so far, online communication seems to be replacing offline communication. A friend of mine who I was conversing with the other day pulled out his phone while we were talking. I made a comment and he said, "But you're smoking a cigarette. You're doing something while we're talking. It's the same thing." This brought a lot of my research in the last few months home: people have gotten so accustomed to a portable internet device, and the constant "news feed" of Facebook that reading something online is now comparable with smoking a cigarette. True, both substances can kill you in different ways, and also true that both substances can create physical and mental barriers between people. The most interesting insight to be gained from this moment came when speaking with Joy, owner of Revolutionary Grounds, when it became obvious that I have been smoking so long that I am unaware of the effects, I guess the same goes for the miniature computer, especially to those growing up with it.
Lastly, Facebook maintains and perpetuates the myths of the American Dream by promoting the ability to descend into a narcissistic, self-involved, and apathetic world where concern is placed on oneself and ones "loved ones" (which, as computer technologist Jaron Lanier points out in his 'circle of empathy ' theory, may also include a computer). Naturally, this does not apply to everyone, but checking your Facebook every minute or so, even when in conversation with another person (a real person) is not only rude, but scary: why are Americans more eager to engage in an online world than an offline one? Why do we want constant communication anyway, especially when most of our discussions revolve around the mundane and only reach so far as our Facebook"friends?" Why aren't we rioting for our jobs back? Why are we still letting big cat, CEO's take our money? Why are we giving the top 1% of Americans the little we've got left? America, we've been doped and I will not celebrate this Fourth of July when there is still so much more work to be done.
Today marks the 235th anniversary of the constitution. What does that mean? Barbecues? Beer? Isn't this a day that could be better spent mobilizing? Of course not, on top of all the thousands of distractions and gimmicks of American consumer culture (not to mention the indoctrinated way of celebrating American independence) lays a major player: Facebook.
This is one theory I have yet to discuss in this blog or in the film: Facebook's equivalency to Hollywood and the rise of the platform in a time of crisis.
Hollywood reached its Golden Age in The Great Depression of the 1920s. Instead of mass rioting, unemployed and depressed persons saved their nickels and dimes for a picture show at a local cinema to help them forget about their problems for a few hours. This is understandable, sure, we all need entertainment and distraction. The danger comes when this distraction overpowers the problems that are creating the need for distraction in the first place. Today, Hollywood, despite the consumer's ability to download and/or pirate a movie rather easily, is still near the top of the America food chain, and will only be overshadowed by America's next top player: Facebook (enterprise).
Enter 2011: A time where unemployment is at 9.1% (roughly half of the unemployment in the Great Depression) and homes continue to be foreclosed on (last year 11% of home sales in Texas were from foreclosures) what is there to celebrate? Why aren't we rioting in the street? The answer may lay in that small device you keep on in your pocket.
Facebook is the new Hollywood. Just as distracting, addicting, and consuming, except that an iphone or Android is portable whereas a Hollywood movie (aside form watching it on said device) is not. I could have named this article "The Fourth of July: We're All Being Duped!" or "The Fourth of July Riots!" But the sad truth is a lot of people don't mind being duped and have no desire to riot. Generally, we're happy to accept our new toys with a privilege and arrogance common to Americans.
It is true, however, that Facebook has been a tool for mobilization, but more so in other countries than in the US where it was created. Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, is now richer than the founders of Google, and all that revenue is in the advertising. People, especially those who run businesses, like to tell me that they use it because it's free, monetarily free maybe, but the use and participation in Facebook comes at a personal price as seen in targeted advertising. Still, most people are under the assumption that Facebook is a free network of communication, aside from the dangers I've listed so far, online communication seems to be replacing offline communication. A friend of mine who I was conversing with the other day pulled out his phone while we were talking. I made a comment and he said, "But you're smoking a cigarette. You're doing something while we're talking. It's the same thing." This brought a lot of my research in the last few months home: people have gotten so accustomed to a portable internet device, and the constant "news feed" of Facebook that reading something online is now comparable with smoking a cigarette. True, both substances can kill you in different ways, and also true that both substances can create physical and mental barriers between people. The most interesting insight to be gained from this moment came when speaking with Joy, owner of Revolutionary Grounds, when it became obvious that I have been smoking so long that I am unaware of the effects, I guess the same goes for the miniature computer, especially to those growing up with it.
Lastly, Facebook maintains and perpetuates the myths of the American Dream by promoting the ability to descend into a narcissistic, self-involved, and apathetic world where concern is placed on oneself and ones "loved ones" (which, as computer technologist Jaron Lanier points out in his 'circle of empathy ' theory, may also include a computer). Naturally, this does not apply to everyone, but checking your Facebook every minute or so, even when in conversation with another person (a real person) is not only rude, but scary: why are Americans more eager to engage in an online world than an offline one? Why do we want constant communication anyway, especially when most of our discussions revolve around the mundane and only reach so far as our Facebook"friends?" Why aren't we rioting for our jobs back? Why are we still letting big cat, CEO's take our money? Why are we giving the top 1% of Americans the little we've got left? America, we've been doped and I will not celebrate this Fourth of July when there is still so much more work to be done.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Tucson, Arizona and Tools of the Trade filming
Tucson, Arizona has to be one of the worst places to arrive after a failed trip to Europe: between the 115 degree weather, the aridness of the desert, and the improbability of finding any gig makes this part of desert quite useless to me, except for the fact that my very good friend Dan (from my childhood and who is a Masters/PhD candidate at The University of Arizona ) lives here and has an apartment where I can regroup. I am planning on staying here until my skin is brown (I give it five days max in this volatile sun) and when my plane ticket refund comes in (with US Airways that could be weeks). When I've got my brown skin (I should say red peeling skin instead) and my money back I will buy another car and continue filming across the southern portion of the US. I am currently working on booking interviews with people in the South.
It took me two days to hitch here from Sacramento. For the most part, my rides were great and we shared engaging conversation. I even filmed a short segment with one of my rides. There are a few people in town here who I will be filming as well. I'm still a little sad regarding Europe, but I'm adamant about planning another trip for later this summer. I don't know when I will return to NY. The road life is dangerously addicting and I feel very far away from the city. I miss it more now, however, especially since I am in an area with so little moisture and such little green save for the cacti and short, wispy desert trees.
I would like to share one specific hitchhiking experience: I got a ride from Palm Springs into Blythe with a girl and a guy in their early 20's who organize raves out in the desert. They were only driving as far as Indio, the next town from Palm Springs in the Southern California desert. When I told them I was headed to Tuscan, a five hour drive, they offered to drive me if I payed for the gas. Apparently neither of them had to work that day and they didn't have too much going on. Gas would be around $100 because I would have to leave them with enough to get back. That was more than I wanted to spend so instead I asked if they would mind driving me to Blythe, a town on the California/Arizona boarder which is also the next real town after Indio (FYI: It is roughly a two hour drive from Indigo to Blythe). They said sure and this trip would only cost me one tank of gas. At an average of $3.35 a gallon, gas is really cheap in the desert (considering the national average). I filled their tank for $35 (they were on absolute empty) and we headed down the road. In Blythe, they dropped me at a gas station across from the I-10 east ramp. Literally, one minute after getting out of their car and crossing the highway to the ramp, I was face to face with ride share Dan; the Canadian guy I gave a ride to from Vancouver to Portland a week ago!
These are the best moments on the road: the perfect meeting of time and place (and in this case, even interstate exit). He pulled out his camera to take a photo. I hope I get to see these pictures one day because the first photo of us was in my old car as we were making our way towards Portland wearing sweaters and now there's this picture of us with both of our backpacks on in the 106 degree sun. He was headed west, on his way back to LA from a short trip to Phoenix and I, of course, was headed east to Tucson. We had about two hours max of daylight left and both of us wanted to get as far as we could before dark. Needless to say, our encounter, as amazing as it was, was short lived. He turned up the street to the I-10 west ramp and I crossed to the I-10 east ramp. I couldn't see him from where I was so I hope he got a ride pretty fast because the sun, even at 7pm, was murderous. It is also unfortunate that my ride took off before Dan and I spotted each other because they were headed back towards LA. Dan, if you're reading this that was incredible! Be safe and lots of love!
I am posting a clip of the wind and grass from South Dakota because I am in the desert and like to think about this...
...Although, it would probably be best for me to forget it and instead just slather on the sunscreen and wear a straw hat so I'm prepared to sit back and embrace the heat. I mean, it's like living in a sweat lodge, which is a place to sweat out the body's toxins. I might be healthier (except of course for the skin cancer I'll accrue in a few years) and I might start the agonizing process of quitting smoking when my pouch of tobacco is gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_CpPv-LooA
It took me two days to hitch here from Sacramento. For the most part, my rides were great and we shared engaging conversation. I even filmed a short segment with one of my rides. There are a few people in town here who I will be filming as well. I'm still a little sad regarding Europe, but I'm adamant about planning another trip for later this summer. I don't know when I will return to NY. The road life is dangerously addicting and I feel very far away from the city. I miss it more now, however, especially since I am in an area with so little moisture and such little green save for the cacti and short, wispy desert trees.
I would like to share one specific hitchhiking experience: I got a ride from Palm Springs into Blythe with a girl and a guy in their early 20's who organize raves out in the desert. They were only driving as far as Indio, the next town from Palm Springs in the Southern California desert. When I told them I was headed to Tuscan, a five hour drive, they offered to drive me if I payed for the gas. Apparently neither of them had to work that day and they didn't have too much going on. Gas would be around $100 because I would have to leave them with enough to get back. That was more than I wanted to spend so instead I asked if they would mind driving me to Blythe, a town on the California/Arizona boarder which is also the next real town after Indio (FYI: It is roughly a two hour drive from Indigo to Blythe). They said sure and this trip would only cost me one tank of gas. At an average of $3.35 a gallon, gas is really cheap in the desert (considering the national average). I filled their tank for $35 (they were on absolute empty) and we headed down the road. In Blythe, they dropped me at a gas station across from the I-10 east ramp. Literally, one minute after getting out of their car and crossing the highway to the ramp, I was face to face with ride share Dan; the Canadian guy I gave a ride to from Vancouver to Portland a week ago!
These are the best moments on the road: the perfect meeting of time and place (and in this case, even interstate exit). He pulled out his camera to take a photo. I hope I get to see these pictures one day because the first photo of us was in my old car as we were making our way towards Portland wearing sweaters and now there's this picture of us with both of our backpacks on in the 106 degree sun. He was headed west, on his way back to LA from a short trip to Phoenix and I, of course, was headed east to Tucson. We had about two hours max of daylight left and both of us wanted to get as far as we could before dark. Needless to say, our encounter, as amazing as it was, was short lived. He turned up the street to the I-10 west ramp and I crossed to the I-10 east ramp. I couldn't see him from where I was so I hope he got a ride pretty fast because the sun, even at 7pm, was murderous. It is also unfortunate that my ride took off before Dan and I spotted each other because they were headed back towards LA. Dan, if you're reading this that was incredible! Be safe and lots of love!
I am posting a clip of the wind and grass from South Dakota because I am in the desert and like to think about this...
...Although, it would probably be best for me to forget it and instead just slather on the sunscreen and wear a straw hat so I'm prepared to sit back and embrace the heat. I mean, it's like living in a sweat lodge, which is a place to sweat out the body's toxins. I might be healthier (except of course for the skin cancer I'll accrue in a few years) and I might start the agonizing process of quitting smoking when my pouch of tobacco is gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_CpPv-LooA
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Why I am not in Amsterdam: US Airways, Flight 798 from Philadelphia to Amsterdam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSZy9sbAXsk
It's been a long few days. The night before my flight from San Francisco was incredible: I met a few people and we shared a bottle of wine right in SFO airport. We stretched out in sleeping bags and were never disturbed. The next night, however, was a disaster.
My flight from San Francisco stopped in Philadelphia around 4:30pm for the connecting flight 798 to Amsterdam. The flight was scheduled to leave at 6:30pm. The plane was boarded, but we didn't leave the airport until after 7pm. Everyone in "economy class"(or as I like to say 3rd class) was packed in pretty tight. Roughly 20-40 minutes into the flight the air started to get really tight-to the point where you would expect the plane to level off or something, but instead of leveling off the oxygen masks came down.
It was surreal. People were quietly putting on their masks. Soon people started to put on their life vests. I was the only one talking. I was trying to get some answers (plus a life jacket is not going to save you in a crash landing). Instead of reaching for my oxygen I reached for my camera and recorded what was going on. The people sitting behind couldn't get their masks because the compartment above them didn't open. If you watch the video you'll hear a voice behind me ask someone for help, then for a credit card, and lastly a key as they were trying to jimmy the oxygen mask compartment door open.
I have always been scared of airplanes. I used to say that I would never get on a plane without a parachute. I am also a survivalist, but there is no way for me to survive a plane crash. I have no control. No last minute decision is going to make any difference when you're 40,000 feet up in the air, or at least not my decision making. People like to tell me planes are safer than cars, but the truth is I'd much prefer dying in a car crash than on a plane. Planes may be "safer" statistically, but the terrifying element is off the charts. People tend to die pretty quickly in car crashes while in an airplane I imagine you could be alive to hit the ground or be electrocuted, neither of which sound very appealing to me.
The oxygen masks and life vests weren't the worst part of it. After it was made clear that the cabin had lost air pressure (maybe from a value not completely secured, speculated one of the on board flight attendants) the aircraft was too heavy to land so while we were in Boston by the time all of this happened we returned to Philly and then spent two hours in the air ascending and descending. The sky went dark. People silent because the noise in the plane was stifiling. The plane's wheels were down and the wing 'stoppers' were up so as to burn the fuel as fast as possible (not to mention burning off a finite resource), and that my friend, was the worst. A woman sitting ahead of me knitted while the sky got darker and darker. I filmed her for a solid fifteen minutes. I will try to put this video up as well. I think, though, I would have gotten on another plane had we been able to land in Boston, but I couldn't take the thundering noise and the oxygen masks flapping in front of me. The whole scene reminded me of a hospital gone very, very wrong.
When we mercifully returned to the ground around 11pm US Airways was determined not to cancel the flight (or set up accommodations) and so they had another plane ready in 20 minutes. I was a little irate by this point. Anyone who knows me can testify to my lack of self control in stressful situations. The last thing I wanted to do at that moment was to be on another plane, plus I wasn't even aloud outside, and not only did I desperately want a cigarette, but I really wanted to plant my feet on the ground.
To conclude: I was very stressed, pissed, and anxious. The airline staff (other than the on board flight attendants who really kept their heads and tried to answer my questions) were not very helpful. I wanted to leave. I have a friend in Philly that I could stay with that night. I decided to take my money and run. I demanded a full refund and left the airport as the new flight boarded. That decision was rash. Maybe not the best because I am regretful of it now, but I figured seeing the oxygen masks come down may not be the best sign to get before going to another country (with not that much money and very few connections I may add). In addition, it's hard to think straight when you've seen first hand the images from your worst nightmares. It's also hard to think straight when you've planned a month long trip to Europe (something I have never done before) and it doesn't happen.
I went back to the Philadelphia airport the next morning (yesterday). I explained the situation to an airline staff member and apologized for being a little excessive the night before (which I definitely was). The woman that I spoke with was nice, but could not get me another flight to Amsterdam. The tickets were voided (which included my return flight from Dublin to NYC) and I would have to purchase new tickets to continue on to Europe. Obviously that couldn't happen; I had purchased these tickets months ago when they were actually affordable (for my 3rd class wage that is). I still have a ticket from a different airline leaving from Paris July 21 to Dublin. I am trying to get a voucher.
As some of you might know, my grandmother is really sick and it's not the best time to be leaving the country considering my family is very "old school," meaning they aren't online in any way (my phone does not work in Europe, and besides, my mother doesn't even have an answering machine). I'm also on limited funds so if anything happened and I did somehow hear then I would have to wait for my scheduled flight back and that would suck more than not going to Europe.
However, I still needed to compensate for my feelings of failure and sadness (this was my third attempt at leaving the continental US, and I've had my passport almost nine years and have yet to use it other than Canada) so I got a return flight to San Francisco free of charge since that's where I started from. I had the great idea of going back to where I started as if I could do it again. That's a little unrealistic, even for me. On the plus side, my friend Dan whom I've known since the age of twelve, has been living in Tucson, Arizona for the last two years and I've never been out to visit him so that's where I'm going. I considered going up to the Rainbow gathering briefly (especially since Otter is there and I really did like traveling with him), but I don't think getting lost in hippie land is what I need right now, although I am still considering it...
Some of you may be thinking why didn't I just go back to NY? Well, for one thing, I had sublet my room for all of July so I didn't technically have a place to stay and the idea of making sandwiches at the bar I work or worked at did not sound very appealing either, nor did I want to go to New Hampshire, at least not right now, not yet. Maybe I am avoiding it. Who knows, either way, It's sad as shit to fly into the same airport you left from a day ago heading to Europe and knowing that's not going to happen this time.
I'm getting a ride to Sacramento later today from Amanda, a girl who posted the ride on Craigslist Ride Share. I hope to meet with Deepak from the magazine (and talk to him more about my documentary), but I might just head down I-5 instead. I'll be hitchhiking down to Tuscan because everyone wants tons of cash for a ride to Arizona when I know I can get there in two days max and for free. It sucks though. I really didn't want to hitch again here in the US. I feel like I'll never be able to leave this country. Sometimes I wonder if land even exists on the other side of the ocean...
Alas, "A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving" -Lao Tzu
Guess I got ahead of myself on this one. I uploaded the video to Youtube because I want to increase the likeliness of the airline seeing it (I did email them the link), maybe now they'll take aircraft inspection as seriously as they do their security.
On the plus side, not going to Europe right now allows me to spend more time filming and editing my documentary here in the states. I will also have time to go to Facebook Headquarters this trip.
It's been a long few days. The night before my flight from San Francisco was incredible: I met a few people and we shared a bottle of wine right in SFO airport. We stretched out in sleeping bags and were never disturbed. The next night, however, was a disaster.
My flight from San Francisco stopped in Philadelphia around 4:30pm for the connecting flight 798 to Amsterdam. The flight was scheduled to leave at 6:30pm. The plane was boarded, but we didn't leave the airport until after 7pm. Everyone in "economy class"(or as I like to say 3rd class) was packed in pretty tight. Roughly 20-40 minutes into the flight the air started to get really tight-to the point where you would expect the plane to level off or something, but instead of leveling off the oxygen masks came down.
It was surreal. People were quietly putting on their masks. Soon people started to put on their life vests. I was the only one talking. I was trying to get some answers (plus a life jacket is not going to save you in a crash landing). Instead of reaching for my oxygen I reached for my camera and recorded what was going on. The people sitting behind couldn't get their masks because the compartment above them didn't open. If you watch the video you'll hear a voice behind me ask someone for help, then for a credit card, and lastly a key as they were trying to jimmy the oxygen mask compartment door open.
I have always been scared of airplanes. I used to say that I would never get on a plane without a parachute. I am also a survivalist, but there is no way for me to survive a plane crash. I have no control. No last minute decision is going to make any difference when you're 40,000 feet up in the air, or at least not my decision making. People like to tell me planes are safer than cars, but the truth is I'd much prefer dying in a car crash than on a plane. Planes may be "safer" statistically, but the terrifying element is off the charts. People tend to die pretty quickly in car crashes while in an airplane I imagine you could be alive to hit the ground or be electrocuted, neither of which sound very appealing to me.
The oxygen masks and life vests weren't the worst part of it. After it was made clear that the cabin had lost air pressure (maybe from a value not completely secured, speculated one of the on board flight attendants) the aircraft was too heavy to land so while we were in Boston by the time all of this happened we returned to Philly and then spent two hours in the air ascending and descending. The sky went dark. People silent because the noise in the plane was stifiling. The plane's wheels were down and the wing 'stoppers' were up so as to burn the fuel as fast as possible (not to mention burning off a finite resource), and that my friend, was the worst. A woman sitting ahead of me knitted while the sky got darker and darker. I filmed her for a solid fifteen minutes. I will try to put this video up as well. I think, though, I would have gotten on another plane had we been able to land in Boston, but I couldn't take the thundering noise and the oxygen masks flapping in front of me. The whole scene reminded me of a hospital gone very, very wrong.
When we mercifully returned to the ground around 11pm US Airways was determined not to cancel the flight (or set up accommodations) and so they had another plane ready in 20 minutes. I was a little irate by this point. Anyone who knows me can testify to my lack of self control in stressful situations. The last thing I wanted to do at that moment was to be on another plane, plus I wasn't even aloud outside, and not only did I desperately want a cigarette, but I really wanted to plant my feet on the ground.
To conclude: I was very stressed, pissed, and anxious. The airline staff (other than the on board flight attendants who really kept their heads and tried to answer my questions) were not very helpful. I wanted to leave. I have a friend in Philly that I could stay with that night. I decided to take my money and run. I demanded a full refund and left the airport as the new flight boarded. That decision was rash. Maybe not the best because I am regretful of it now, but I figured seeing the oxygen masks come down may not be the best sign to get before going to another country (with not that much money and very few connections I may add). In addition, it's hard to think straight when you've seen first hand the images from your worst nightmares. It's also hard to think straight when you've planned a month long trip to Europe (something I have never done before) and it doesn't happen.
I went back to the Philadelphia airport the next morning (yesterday). I explained the situation to an airline staff member and apologized for being a little excessive the night before (which I definitely was). The woman that I spoke with was nice, but could not get me another flight to Amsterdam. The tickets were voided (which included my return flight from Dublin to NYC) and I would have to purchase new tickets to continue on to Europe. Obviously that couldn't happen; I had purchased these tickets months ago when they were actually affordable (for my 3rd class wage that is). I still have a ticket from a different airline leaving from Paris July 21 to Dublin. I am trying to get a voucher.
As some of you might know, my grandmother is really sick and it's not the best time to be leaving the country considering my family is very "old school," meaning they aren't online in any way (my phone does not work in Europe, and besides, my mother doesn't even have an answering machine). I'm also on limited funds so if anything happened and I did somehow hear then I would have to wait for my scheduled flight back and that would suck more than not going to Europe.
However, I still needed to compensate for my feelings of failure and sadness (this was my third attempt at leaving the continental US, and I've had my passport almost nine years and have yet to use it other than Canada) so I got a return flight to San Francisco free of charge since that's where I started from. I had the great idea of going back to where I started as if I could do it again. That's a little unrealistic, even for me. On the plus side, my friend Dan whom I've known since the age of twelve, has been living in Tucson, Arizona for the last two years and I've never been out to visit him so that's where I'm going. I considered going up to the Rainbow gathering briefly (especially since Otter is there and I really did like traveling with him), but I don't think getting lost in hippie land is what I need right now, although I am still considering it...
Some of you may be thinking why didn't I just go back to NY? Well, for one thing, I had sublet my room for all of July so I didn't technically have a place to stay and the idea of making sandwiches at the bar I work or worked at did not sound very appealing either, nor did I want to go to New Hampshire, at least not right now, not yet. Maybe I am avoiding it. Who knows, either way, It's sad as shit to fly into the same airport you left from a day ago heading to Europe and knowing that's not going to happen this time.
I'm getting a ride to Sacramento later today from Amanda, a girl who posted the ride on Craigslist Ride Share. I hope to meet with Deepak from the magazine (and talk to him more about my documentary), but I might just head down I-5 instead. I'll be hitchhiking down to Tuscan because everyone wants tons of cash for a ride to Arizona when I know I can get there in two days max and for free. It sucks though. I really didn't want to hitch again here in the US. I feel like I'll never be able to leave this country. Sometimes I wonder if land even exists on the other side of the ocean...
Alas, "A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving" -Lao Tzu
Guess I got ahead of myself on this one. I uploaded the video to Youtube because I want to increase the likeliness of the airline seeing it (I did email them the link), maybe now they'll take aircraft inspection as seriously as they do their security.
On the plus side, not going to Europe right now allows me to spend more time filming and editing my documentary here in the states. I will also have time to go to Facebook Headquarters this trip.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tools of the Trade launched on Kickstarter
Please check out my project proposal on Kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584789400/tools-of-the-trade-the-business-of-social-media
Spread the word! I have until August 16, 2011 to raise $5,000! I will be uploading a real trailer very soon.
I will filming some interviews with people here in San Francisco about Craig's List (that site began here). Then onward to the post office to mail a few more things back to New York, and then I will be heading to the airport tonight since my flight to Amsterdam is very early. I will return to NYC on July 28.
Another post will be coming shortly.
Thanks everyone for your support!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1584789400/tools-of-the-trade-the-business-of-social-media
Spread the word! I have until August 16, 2011 to raise $5,000! I will be uploading a real trailer very soon.
I will filming some interviews with people here in San Francisco about Craig's List (that site began here). Then onward to the post office to mail a few more things back to New York, and then I will be heading to the airport tonight since my flight to Amsterdam is very early. I will return to NYC on July 28.
Another post will be coming shortly.
Thanks everyone for your support!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
San Francisco and Selling a Car: Europe Tuesday morning and My plan worked!
To recap as briefly as possible: I interviewed Lauren at Ad Busters Media Foundation before leaving Vancouver. It was a short, but precise interview. Kalle Lasn wasn't in the office, but Lauren proved to be a credible source. My three ride sharers were getting ready to take buses since I was an hour late picking them all up. Finally, at 12:30pm we were on the highway. Less than an hour later we were at the boarder. Lasse and his girlfriend, Josephine, are from Denmark and Dan is Canadian. Needless to say we were all detained at the boarder and my vehicle searched. I guess it's not surprising since all of us are in our mid-twenties and from different countries, but two hours went by before we were allowed to leave, mostly due to Lasse and Josephine who needed to update their visas. Dan was ready to kill me since I kept exasperating the situation, and was obviously impatient with the officers. In my defense, the USA takes pride in making civilians feel small and guilty even when no crime or wrong-doing has happened. This was intolerable for me and I persistently commented on the propaganda on the wall behind the officer's that outlined the rights of Americans and feeling personally denied of them in this situation.
At least none of us (well, the USA had to let me back in) were denied access. I dropped Lasse and Josephine in Seattle, and since it was much later in the day than expected, Dan decided to stay on until Portland, Oregon. Actually, I brought Dan right to Erica's show since we were running so late. We caught the last twenty minutes. After the show, I returned Dan to the right freeway to hitch (he is on his way to LA). I interviewed Erica the next day about her tour (and it being booked almost entirely by myspace and facebook). Since Erica and I go way back, she decided to travel down with me to San Francisco because she had a few days before jumping on another music tour.
I arrived in SF three days ago. It was amazing at first to cross over the Golden Gate bridge and visit all the places that I used to go when I lived here (I lived here seven years ago for almost a year), but then good 'ol SF caught up with me and I remembered why I never came back here for any length of time again; not only is it freezing, but the city itself can be very cold hearted despite the hippie vibes: the city makes you feel like a bum, and more and more of the businesses' on Haight Street are only in business for the money, which is to completely ignore the culture that once made this section of the city cool. It's still, however, good for me to be back and I was able to sell my car yesterday for $750, which is a lot considering my car has 191, 000 miles and does not have a catalytic converter which is needed to pass the California smog law. I told this information to all of the prospective buyers, and surprisingly a lot of people didn't care. The car ended up going to a girl in her early twenties. It will be her first vehicle. Her boyfriend came along to check it out too. It was a good experience and I think we all got what we wanted: she her first car and me enough money to put in my bank account for rent and to travel on in Europe.
Later today, Erica and I will be heading to the coast, now that the car business is done. I am planning on going to the airport tomorrow night so as to be prepared for my early flight Tuesday morning. For now, it's business: this blog, Kickstarter, and I have to email a few things to Deepak from Talent Magazine who will be featuring me and my film in an upcoming issue. I will also be working on preliminary applications for funding requests because I've decided to continue filming until October. I am putting together another trip for early September in which I will travel the Southern route of the US and end at the Facebook Headquarters in Palo Alto, LA. I could not make it there this time.
In other news: It is Pride week in SF, and I read a few days ago about New York legalizing gay marriage which is a great victory for people everywhere: on the road to equal rights. Yesterday, while walking around the Castro in SF during Pride (although today is the big parade) I saw some parents with their kids. I thought to myself that if I had kids I would take them to Pride and tell them that this is where we demand and celebrate equal rights for all people because that is really what it comes down to in the end, and isn't that the most important?
At least none of us (well, the USA had to let me back in) were denied access. I dropped Lasse and Josephine in Seattle, and since it was much later in the day than expected, Dan decided to stay on until Portland, Oregon. Actually, I brought Dan right to Erica's show since we were running so late. We caught the last twenty minutes. After the show, I returned Dan to the right freeway to hitch (he is on his way to LA). I interviewed Erica the next day about her tour (and it being booked almost entirely by myspace and facebook). Since Erica and I go way back, she decided to travel down with me to San Francisco because she had a few days before jumping on another music tour.
I arrived in SF three days ago. It was amazing at first to cross over the Golden Gate bridge and visit all the places that I used to go when I lived here (I lived here seven years ago for almost a year), but then good 'ol SF caught up with me and I remembered why I never came back here for any length of time again; not only is it freezing, but the city itself can be very cold hearted despite the hippie vibes: the city makes you feel like a bum, and more and more of the businesses' on Haight Street are only in business for the money, which is to completely ignore the culture that once made this section of the city cool. It's still, however, good for me to be back and I was able to sell my car yesterday for $750, which is a lot considering my car has 191, 000 miles and does not have a catalytic converter which is needed to pass the California smog law. I told this information to all of the prospective buyers, and surprisingly a lot of people didn't care. The car ended up going to a girl in her early twenties. It will be her first vehicle. Her boyfriend came along to check it out too. It was a good experience and I think we all got what we wanted: she her first car and me enough money to put in my bank account for rent and to travel on in Europe.
Later today, Erica and I will be heading to the coast, now that the car business is done. I am planning on going to the airport tomorrow night so as to be prepared for my early flight Tuesday morning. For now, it's business: this blog, Kickstarter, and I have to email a few things to Deepak from Talent Magazine who will be featuring me and my film in an upcoming issue. I will also be working on preliminary applications for funding requests because I've decided to continue filming until October. I am putting together another trip for early September in which I will travel the Southern route of the US and end at the Facebook Headquarters in Palo Alto, LA. I could not make it there this time.
In other news: It is Pride week in SF, and I read a few days ago about New York legalizing gay marriage which is a great victory for people everywhere: on the road to equal rights. Yesterday, while walking around the Castro in SF during Pride (although today is the big parade) I saw some parents with their kids. I thought to myself that if I had kids I would take them to Pride and tell them that this is where we demand and celebrate equal rights for all people because that is really what it comes down to in the end, and isn't that the most important?
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
And then there was jazz and everything was beautiful
Libra Room Cafe! Good tunes last night.
I'm having a cup of coffee right now and then I'll be heading over to Ad Busters, which is only a 5 minute drive from where I am. Since I haven't received confirmation from anyone there I'm just going to show up and hope someone is around that isn't too busy to talk for a minute. Then I'll be picking up my ride shares who also live within ten minutes of where I am (and where I'll be). I'm really thankful for the riders because my money is tied up. I made a poor judgement the other day by using my card at an outside pay pump at a Husky gas station at 1am in a small town in BC, Canada. When my card was declined when I tried to buy a coffee later that day I looked up my statement online: the gas station had charged me $127 and my account was on hold. I stopped at another Husky (by now I was hours from the one that overcharged me) and a woman working there told me that if you pay outside Husky charges a set "fill" price. $127? At most my car takes 30 bucks, but then I'm not driving an 8 cylinder SUV. Anyway, I called the bank and they removed the hold, but it's going to be a few days before I can get back the $127 (I actually only pumped gas to $1.41 since I realized right after I started to fill that the gas was ethanol and I didn't want it-my car being so old and all) so I'm left with $20 until the bank gives me my money back and I sell this car. I'm really hoping for a quick sale since my time margin is growing more and more narrow by the day.
Today, the Riders and I will be stopping in Seattle to drop off Ride Share Lasse and friend, then in Olympia to drop Ride Share Dan off. Then I will make my way to Portland where I will be meeting up with one Erica Russo and filming her show at The Hawthorne Theater and asking her more questions. I have grown to love asking people questions.
Is Ad busters ready? By the way, if you're not familiar with them then please look them up as they are an incredible organization of anti-media media pioneers. Kalle Lasn, founder of Ad Busters and author of the book, "Culture Jam" is at the top of my list of inspiring people. It would be really great if he was in the office today (just putting that out there)...
Despite the 'for nothing' riots that took place here a few days ago, I still think Vancouver is pretty cool.
I'm having a cup of coffee right now and then I'll be heading over to Ad Busters, which is only a 5 minute drive from where I am. Since I haven't received confirmation from anyone there I'm just going to show up and hope someone is around that isn't too busy to talk for a minute. Then I'll be picking up my ride shares who also live within ten minutes of where I am (and where I'll be). I'm really thankful for the riders because my money is tied up. I made a poor judgement the other day by using my card at an outside pay pump at a Husky gas station at 1am in a small town in BC, Canada. When my card was declined when I tried to buy a coffee later that day I looked up my statement online: the gas station had charged me $127 and my account was on hold. I stopped at another Husky (by now I was hours from the one that overcharged me) and a woman working there told me that if you pay outside Husky charges a set "fill" price. $127? At most my car takes 30 bucks, but then I'm not driving an 8 cylinder SUV. Anyway, I called the bank and they removed the hold, but it's going to be a few days before I can get back the $127 (I actually only pumped gas to $1.41 since I realized right after I started to fill that the gas was ethanol and I didn't want it-my car being so old and all) so I'm left with $20 until the bank gives me my money back and I sell this car. I'm really hoping for a quick sale since my time margin is growing more and more narrow by the day.
Today, the Riders and I will be stopping in Seattle to drop off Ride Share Lasse and friend, then in Olympia to drop Ride Share Dan off. Then I will make my way to Portland where I will be meeting up with one Erica Russo and filming her show at The Hawthorne Theater and asking her more questions. I have grown to love asking people questions.
Is Ad busters ready? By the way, if you're not familiar with them then please look them up as they are an incredible organization of anti-media media pioneers. Kalle Lasn, founder of Ad Busters and author of the book, "Culture Jam" is at the top of my list of inspiring people. It would be really great if he was in the office today (just putting that out there)...
Despite the 'for nothing' riots that took place here a few days ago, I still think Vancouver is pretty cool.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Missoula, Montana
I made it back into civilization after a long haul through both the Dakotas (North Dakota was one of two states I had yet to be in until yesterday-Hawaii is the other) and The Badlands. Otter, who I've been traveling with the past four days, has an annual National Park pass so we explored the valleys, buttes, and spires. We also crept up to the Crazy Horse monument (still in construction of course) and Mt. Rushmore. We saw both of these monuments without paying since they are easily visible from the narrow road that leads to them. I never thought dead presidents (and one time slave owners) could look so beautiful, but the sculptural detail and smoothness is inspiring. Only the roughest profile of Crazy Horse has been completed thus far.
The sun was going down as we traveled along Highway 12 heading west and many of the campgrounds (some that are BLM land and free to access) were flooded by the Yellowstone River which rose significantly due to all the rain this area has had in the last week. We saw a little camp sign off the highway in the small (small is an overstatement) town of Custer in the vast state of Montana. We pulled off and found the camping sign plastered to the side of a small cafe/bar in the middle of nowhere.
We went inside to discover an inviting place with a wrap around bar, a big pool table and smaller tables (outfitted with chairs on wheels, like the ones used in an office) were lining the wall. There was a group of four at one of the tables that turned when we walked in, but only in a "who are they?" kind of way. "Camping"i.e. parking behind the cafe and sleeping in the big grassy, un-mowed field was $10. We took it. It was a clear night and we really wanted to stretch out on the grass as opposed to sleeping in my car. A pitcher of Sam Adams was $8 so we split that and ended up hanging out there with the locals well into the night. I ended up playing pool with a guy named Dudley, who also told me all of his DUI stories and how he doesn't go into Billings anymore because of them, who, of course, beat me because he works in the kitchen at the bar and plays pool most nights. Otter, being clever enough to bring in his carved feathers (which he had made into necklaces and earrings), ended up selling all of them for $300 to one of the women sitting at the big table who owns a museum gift shop an hour away.
I also managed to get great content for my film by interviewing Gabe Scheiot, a rancher in his mid twenties who had moved back to Custer from the city. He had a lot of opinions, information, and interesting experiences dealing Facebook and social media. This was particularly interesting because there were a lot of people in the same bar who honestly didn't know what Facebook or Twitter was. Gabe also had a lot of thoughts about the city and is certain they will be the first places to perish which is why he's back in Custer and back to the land before it's too late.
It was a great night hanging out with some hicks and cowboys who were nonjudgmental and inviting. I also had a great night of sleep despite the chill in the air and woke up to the bright sun in my eyes, which, as everyone who has camped out knows, there is no other feeling like it. Otter and I spent all today driving sleepily through Montana, only stopping a few time to switch off the wheel, get gas and coffee, and to take a quick nap. We pulled into Missoula an hour or so ago and it being a hip college town we found a great cafe to hang out in. It's drizzly and gray outside and there's no better place for me to be right now then in a cozy coffee shop and sitting at a big wooden table loading tapes and catching up on this blog (which I am certain I am the only one reading:).
Being on the road creates a little bit of a challenge to keep up on the news, but I've managed to read a few papers here and there. I read about the slaughter of protestors in Syria earlier today. This situation is out of control and I, and I'm sure all of you, hope the revolutionaries of Syria keeping pushing forward despite the brutality of President Bashar Assad.
Back to traveling and film news: I am on route to Kelowna, BC where I will be interviewing Gord Hotchkiss. In the meantime, I have collected very interesting material in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Custer, Montana. I'm planning on talking to people here in Missoula in the morning if we spend the night. Then we'll be moving onward to the best part of the Rocky Mountains in Montana (which are still snow capped), Idaho, and then Washington State. I will drop Otter anywhere he wants to go in Spokane, Washington where he is planning to meet up with friends for the gathering which has moved to Southern Washington. I will then make my way north (only 5 or 6 hours) to Kelowna, British Columbia (yes, back to Canada) then right to Vancouver, BC and then right to Portland Oregon where I will be meeting up with my good friend Erica Russo from Brooklyn who has been on a West Coast music tour, and who is also featured in the film. I will be taping her show at The Hawthorne Theater in Portland on June 23.
Further destinations include: San Francisco, Sacramento, and Palo Alto. Hopefully I will be able to sell the car in one of these cities because I fly to Amsterdam from San Francisco on June 28!
Stay tuned...More (hit or mis) adventures promised.
The sun was going down as we traveled along Highway 12 heading west and many of the campgrounds (some that are BLM land and free to access) were flooded by the Yellowstone River which rose significantly due to all the rain this area has had in the last week. We saw a little camp sign off the highway in the small (small is an overstatement) town of Custer in the vast state of Montana. We pulled off and found the camping sign plastered to the side of a small cafe/bar in the middle of nowhere.
We went inside to discover an inviting place with a wrap around bar, a big pool table and smaller tables (outfitted with chairs on wheels, like the ones used in an office) were lining the wall. There was a group of four at one of the tables that turned when we walked in, but only in a "who are they?" kind of way. "Camping"i.e. parking behind the cafe and sleeping in the big grassy, un-mowed field was $10. We took it. It was a clear night and we really wanted to stretch out on the grass as opposed to sleeping in my car. A pitcher of Sam Adams was $8 so we split that and ended up hanging out there with the locals well into the night. I ended up playing pool with a guy named Dudley, who also told me all of his DUI stories and how he doesn't go into Billings anymore because of them, who, of course, beat me because he works in the kitchen at the bar and plays pool most nights. Otter, being clever enough to bring in his carved feathers (which he had made into necklaces and earrings), ended up selling all of them for $300 to one of the women sitting at the big table who owns a museum gift shop an hour away.
I also managed to get great content for my film by interviewing Gabe Scheiot, a rancher in his mid twenties who had moved back to Custer from the city. He had a lot of opinions, information, and interesting experiences dealing Facebook and social media. This was particularly interesting because there were a lot of people in the same bar who honestly didn't know what Facebook or Twitter was. Gabe also had a lot of thoughts about the city and is certain they will be the first places to perish which is why he's back in Custer and back to the land before it's too late.
It was a great night hanging out with some hicks and cowboys who were nonjudgmental and inviting. I also had a great night of sleep despite the chill in the air and woke up to the bright sun in my eyes, which, as everyone who has camped out knows, there is no other feeling like it. Otter and I spent all today driving sleepily through Montana, only stopping a few time to switch off the wheel, get gas and coffee, and to take a quick nap. We pulled into Missoula an hour or so ago and it being a hip college town we found a great cafe to hang out in. It's drizzly and gray outside and there's no better place for me to be right now then in a cozy coffee shop and sitting at a big wooden table loading tapes and catching up on this blog (which I am certain I am the only one reading:).
Being on the road creates a little bit of a challenge to keep up on the news, but I've managed to read a few papers here and there. I read about the slaughter of protestors in Syria earlier today. This situation is out of control and I, and I'm sure all of you, hope the revolutionaries of Syria keeping pushing forward despite the brutality of President Bashar Assad.
Back to traveling and film news: I am on route to Kelowna, BC where I will be interviewing Gord Hotchkiss. In the meantime, I have collected very interesting material in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Custer, Montana. I'm planning on talking to people here in Missoula in the morning if we spend the night. Then we'll be moving onward to the best part of the Rocky Mountains in Montana (which are still snow capped), Idaho, and then Washington State. I will drop Otter anywhere he wants to go in Spokane, Washington where he is planning to meet up with friends for the gathering which has moved to Southern Washington. I will then make my way north (only 5 or 6 hours) to Kelowna, British Columbia (yes, back to Canada) then right to Vancouver, BC and then right to Portland Oregon where I will be meeting up with my good friend Erica Russo from Brooklyn who has been on a West Coast music tour, and who is also featured in the film. I will be taping her show at The Hawthorne Theater in Portland on June 23.
Further destinations include: San Francisco, Sacramento, and Palo Alto. Hopefully I will be able to sell the car in one of these cities because I fly to Amsterdam from San Francisco on June 28!
Stay tuned...More (hit or mis) adventures promised.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Otter and I just rolled into Sioux Falls, one of the two "big cities" in South Dakota. Sioux Falls is really more like a big town than it is a city, though they do have an orpheum theater, specialty shops, galleries, and apparently an Andy Warhol exhibit is coming as I read off a billboard from the freeway. Obviously, there is also a cafe with wifi and electricity which is where I am posting up in for an hour or two.
Scattered along I-90 west (in Southern Minnesota) are small windmill farms. Each windmill is equipped with a red light that blinks on and off every five or so seconds. These lights only come on at night (I'm assuming for aviation purpose). We were driving passed them at 1am on the freeway last night and it was erie to watch all 100 red lights blink in unison as if they were their own entities.
After my equipment charges I will take to the streets and attempt to strike up conversations with some locals about how influential social media is in their lives and if they've seen their communities change because of it. Meanwhile, Otter is at the park carving more feathers, and I think he's planning on selling some of them to shops and people later today, though he has plenty of cash from previous sales as he's demonstrated by filling the gas tank twice.
In other news: I proposed my project to Kickstarter and they approved it so with any luck I will be launching it in a few days. Kickstarter, I believe, has its own server, thus I will be able to upload some HD video (though I think I only get to upload one). I was hesitant about Kickstarter at first, but I figured it would be good for the project to get a little publicity.
Yesterday, before we left Chicago, I received a call from a man named Deepak who writes for a talent magazine. I was a little confused, but apparently he read one of my Craigslist ads on ride share (where I describe myself as a filmmaker working on a documentary and heading west) and wants to feature my endeavors in both film and travel in his magazine. It still sounds a little dicy to me, but their office is in Sacramento, a mere hour east of San Francisco which is the city I'm flying to Europe from. We are planning a meeting for the day before I leave for Europe. I don't really want to be a source of revenue for another business. I mean, that idea is a central aspect of my documentary, but I figured I can meet with him anyway and see what its like.
TIME ZONES! I entered a new time zone in Chicago! One hour behind the East Coast! Yesterday, Otter and I crossed the Mississippi River which means, as everyone who has ever traveled from the East coast to the West knows, that we are officially in the West!
I have uploaded a few photos of Flickr. My USB cable has not been working with my video camera so these photos are ones that I took with my computer, i.e; not the best photography. Here's the link anyhow:
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/toolsofthetradefilm/
Scattered along I-90 west (in Southern Minnesota) are small windmill farms. Each windmill is equipped with a red light that blinks on and off every five or so seconds. These lights only come on at night (I'm assuming for aviation purpose). We were driving passed them at 1am on the freeway last night and it was erie to watch all 100 red lights blink in unison as if they were their own entities.
After my equipment charges I will take to the streets and attempt to strike up conversations with some locals about how influential social media is in their lives and if they've seen their communities change because of it. Meanwhile, Otter is at the park carving more feathers, and I think he's planning on selling some of them to shops and people later today, though he has plenty of cash from previous sales as he's demonstrated by filling the gas tank twice.
In other news: I proposed my project to Kickstarter and they approved it so with any luck I will be launching it in a few days. Kickstarter, I believe, has its own server, thus I will be able to upload some HD video (though I think I only get to upload one). I was hesitant about Kickstarter at first, but I figured it would be good for the project to get a little publicity.
Yesterday, before we left Chicago, I received a call from a man named Deepak who writes for a talent magazine. I was a little confused, but apparently he read one of my Craigslist ads on ride share (where I describe myself as a filmmaker working on a documentary and heading west) and wants to feature my endeavors in both film and travel in his magazine. It still sounds a little dicy to me, but their office is in Sacramento, a mere hour east of San Francisco which is the city I'm flying to Europe from. We are planning a meeting for the day before I leave for Europe. I don't really want to be a source of revenue for another business. I mean, that idea is a central aspect of my documentary, but I figured I can meet with him anyway and see what its like.
TIME ZONES! I entered a new time zone in Chicago! One hour behind the East Coast! Yesterday, Otter and I crossed the Mississippi River which means, as everyone who has ever traveled from the East coast to the West knows, that we are officially in the West!
I have uploaded a few photos of Flickr. My USB cable has not been working with my video camera so these photos are ones that I took with my computer, i.e; not the best photography. Here's the link anyhow:
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/toolsofthetradefilm/
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Still in Chicago - On Route to Minnesota and the Dakotas Tomorrow
I'm hanging out with some traveling kids here. I took a shower for the first time since leaving NY(maybe I shouldn't advertise that) and I feel refreshed for the road and documentary filming tomorrow. Otter, the hippie (who claims not be a hippie) who called me for a ride to Washington, is coming along.
The interview with Liz Cheever today was brief, but very interesting. She had a few friends over and their responses to my questions were thoughtful and insightful. I almost forgot what it was like to be 18...
Right now, I'm somewhere between the city world and the traveling world, and I feel a little like a freeway split between the two. Right now Otter is carving out feather shapes from Buffalo horns (real horns) and Bear is playing guitar and signing a song, and I off course, am on this computer, drinking my shitty beer from yesterday, and getting ready to digitize some footage and write some notes and things.
Even though I feel a million miles away from the traveling lifestyle it is more familiar to me than most things in New York, and these guys, even with the silly "road" names, feel like family. Sweet sentiment, guess I'll have to admit I've missed this in New York (not to mention in college); but I'll also admit I miss the motion and texture of the city. I'm moving a little slower now, even if I am flying across states.
No hipsters here, these guys are the real deal.
The interview with Liz Cheever today was brief, but very interesting. She had a few friends over and their responses to my questions were thoughtful and insightful. I almost forgot what it was like to be 18...
Right now, I'm somewhere between the city world and the traveling world, and I feel a little like a freeway split between the two. Right now Otter is carving out feather shapes from Buffalo horns (real horns) and Bear is playing guitar and signing a song, and I off course, am on this computer, drinking my shitty beer from yesterday, and getting ready to digitize some footage and write some notes and things.
Even though I feel a million miles away from the traveling lifestyle it is more familiar to me than most things in New York, and these guys, even with the silly "road" names, feel like family. Sweet sentiment, guess I'll have to admit I've missed this in New York (not to mention in college); but I'll also admit I miss the motion and texture of the city. I'm moving a little slower now, even if I am flying across states.
No hipsters here, these guys are the real deal.
Chicago! In Search of Liz Cheever
The great state of Illinois! While on my way here I passed through Indiana where I stopped at a bar; a low lit, empty space with a big pool table in the back. The place circled and lingered with smoke from the cigarettes hanging out from everyone's mouth (mine included). The bartender was a younger woman keeping the dudes in line. She was tough and guarded. No way to see any feeling behind her straight face. I sensed that she was tricking herself with some fantastic psychological spell in order to work there. I only wanted one beer (not to mention the draft options were a little limited: Miller Lite or Miller Highlife) but since I was carrying no cash I had to use my card ($10 minimum). So I asked if I could buy some singles (as equally limited as the draft options). She said a six pack was $7 and that would be good enough. So now I'm traveling around with a six pack of shitty beer in my trunk, but I imagine it will get less shitty as I move westward.
For now, I am charging my equipment. If I ever film on the road again I am investing in a generator because this process is very slow. It takes about 3-4 hours for my camera to charge up, then my computer, then my phone. Fortunately, I'm at a Starbuck's (first time I've said that) and they have multiple outlets. It's still a wait for the camera, however. I think this is the main reason for my daily blogs.
CAR NEWS: I went to a mechanic in the town of Chelsea, Michigan. The mechanic looked it over and drove it around the lot and told me the following: the knocking sound is probably the back break pads and rooters. He said he couldn't see them with the cover on, but they are probably eroding.
I asked him if my wheels would come off.
He said no.
I asked him if I could still drive without back breaks.
He said my car uses the front breaks, but when the back breaks get really bad the noise will be horrific (not to mention more damage) because then it will be metal rubbing against metal.
I asked him if he thought the car would make it to California.
He shrugged.
I'm assuming that's a yes.
My car also leaks power steering fluid in buckets and it looks like that might be the main cause of the steering problem. He offered to run a safety inspection later in the day for $65, but I declined, thinking as long as my wheels don't go flying off when I'm going 70mph down the freeway than everything else should be okay.
How did I get the ridiculous idea of my wheels coming off? Well, I've always been paranoid of things falling on me or falling off (the main reason I hate airplanes) and when I had the oil changed a few days ago the guy doing it said my steering was really back and I should take it into a shop because my wheels could fall off. He didn't look or sound like he was joking...
...I wonder if Otter is good a fixing cars?
For now, I am charging my equipment. If I ever film on the road again I am investing in a generator because this process is very slow. It takes about 3-4 hours for my camera to charge up, then my computer, then my phone. Fortunately, I'm at a Starbuck's (first time I've said that) and they have multiple outlets. It's still a wait for the camera, however. I think this is the main reason for my daily blogs.
CAR NEWS: I went to a mechanic in the town of Chelsea, Michigan. The mechanic looked it over and drove it around the lot and told me the following: the knocking sound is probably the back break pads and rooters. He said he couldn't see them with the cover on, but they are probably eroding.
I asked him if my wheels would come off.
He said no.
I asked him if I could still drive without back breaks.
He said my car uses the front breaks, but when the back breaks get really bad the noise will be horrific (not to mention more damage) because then it will be metal rubbing against metal.
I asked him if he thought the car would make it to California.
He shrugged.
I'm assuming that's a yes.
My car also leaks power steering fluid in buckets and it looks like that might be the main cause of the steering problem. He offered to run a safety inspection later in the day for $65, but I declined, thinking as long as my wheels don't go flying off when I'm going 70mph down the freeway than everything else should be okay.
How did I get the ridiculous idea of my wheels coming off? Well, I've always been paranoid of things falling on me or falling off (the main reason I hate airplanes) and when I had the oil changed a few days ago the guy doing it said my steering was really back and I should take it into a shop because my wheels could fall off. He didn't look or sound like he was joking...
...I wonder if Otter is good a fixing cars?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Getting Sucked Back into Hippie World
This always happens. So I posted a few cities that I'm going through on ride share earlier and I got a call from a dude who wants a ride to the Rainbow gathering in Spokane, Washington. I explained the situation, about me stopping in small and big towns and having conversations with people about social media, to which he replied, "That's great. While you're doing that I can sell my wood carvings and jewelry." Shit, I used to do that and I don't want to do that again, why? Because it's wares on you and it sucks.
BUT (and this is a big but) I started thinking that it might make an amazing component for the film: a juxtaposition between "Otter" (definitely a rainbow name) and the people I will be interviewing/talking to about social media. I mean, here's a guy who is living on the road, selling his crafts, and traveling more in real offline time than cyber world-mix that with the guy who doesn't know how to live without his internet phone.
I still don't know, but we're meeting up tomorrow night in Chicago after I'm done filming Liz, Mike's sister (Mike from the bodega wine bar) and her friends.
In other news: I am in the very small town of Lawrence, Michigan where I've found a great camping spot and took a nap in the sun for a few hours, but I'm still 120 something miles from Chicago, so I think I'll head back on the road and make more progress since I'll be meeting Liz at 12:30pm, even though this is the best sleeping spot I have found yet on this trip.
Thanks to The Waffle House of America for having wifi!
One more thing (and this was the reason why I drove over to the Waffle house from my camp spot) I can't get any of the video's loaded on vimeo because they are 2 or 3 gigs big. I want to upload clips from interviews, conversations, a crazy abstract film I made today in my sleepy field, and more. There is an option of Vimeo Plus which I might be able to afford if this hippie dude can come through with some cash, but right now my budget is tight! The membership is $60 and accepts 5 gigs a week. So, after that long pretense, if anyone is actually reading this and if those people would like to throw a few bucks in my corner that would be much appreciated. I can accept donations via paypal! I will send you a postcard from anywhere you like (though there are physical limitations) as well as listing you in the film's credits.
Think about it:)
BUT (and this is a big but) I started thinking that it might make an amazing component for the film: a juxtaposition between "Otter" (definitely a rainbow name) and the people I will be interviewing/talking to about social media. I mean, here's a guy who is living on the road, selling his crafts, and traveling more in real offline time than cyber world-mix that with the guy who doesn't know how to live without his internet phone.
I still don't know, but we're meeting up tomorrow night in Chicago after I'm done filming Liz, Mike's sister (Mike from the bodega wine bar) and her friends.
In other news: I am in the very small town of Lawrence, Michigan where I've found a great camping spot and took a nap in the sun for a few hours, but I'm still 120 something miles from Chicago, so I think I'll head back on the road and make more progress since I'll be meeting Liz at 12:30pm, even though this is the best sleeping spot I have found yet on this trip.
Thanks to The Waffle House of America for having wifi!
One more thing (and this was the reason why I drove over to the Waffle house from my camp spot) I can't get any of the video's loaded on vimeo because they are 2 or 3 gigs big. I want to upload clips from interviews, conversations, a crazy abstract film I made today in my sleepy field, and more. There is an option of Vimeo Plus which I might be able to afford if this hippie dude can come through with some cash, but right now my budget is tight! The membership is $60 and accepts 5 gigs a week. So, after that long pretense, if anyone is actually reading this and if those people would like to throw a few bucks in my corner that would be much appreciated. I can accept donations via paypal! I will send you a postcard from anywhere you like (though there are physical limitations) as well as listing you in the film's credits.
Think about it:)
Saudi Women Mobilizing to Lift Driving Ban
I'm listening to NPR in a cafe in Chelsea, Michigan and the story of Saudi Women using social media to mobilize a lift to the driving ban against women drivers is being discussed.
Yesterday I interviewed the incredible Natalie Zemon Davis (look her up) and we started talking about the different uses of social media, and it's challenging to place the mobilizations of protest and connecting societies in the same realm of entertainment and mundane social updates.
I guess it's similar to TV which always has more crap on it than anything of substance, but the difference here is in the fabric: TV is not a part of our lives the same way Facebook is. This boils down to one principle: location. In order to watch TV, and before the internet phone, most people had to be in a house, theater, or other location with electricity and cable. Facebook and other social medias are effortlessly portable. TV is also a static interaction whereas Facebook, and other social media, are dynamic and constant, obviously, it's called social media for its level of interactive capabilities.
Now, I am not about to preach censorship. I think it would be stupid for people to only be allowed to write, comment, etc., about certain things, but I am an advocate of personal responsibility and ownership, meaning that we should be held accountable to actions we take online. It's a federal offense for someone to open someone else's mail and it should be that same with email. As Sherry Turkle pointed out to me in an interview, "Democracy is based on privacy" (I'll leave the discussion on whether America is actually a democracy to a later date). This generation has different (if any) expectations of privacy than in generations past. It's common knowledge to know your emails are being looked at by third parties and that cookies may be placed in your browser. Businesses and advertisers should be banned from placing cookies in your web browser and sending ads based on key words in emails. This is an invasion of privacy, and also has another sociological effect: advertisers are only interested in key words, not the content of a whole, and not to say people are influenced by advertisers in ways of thinking (well, maybe), but I think generally people are becoming more like advertisers in the sense that a "tweet" or a "comment" is usually an immediate reaction to a stimulus. Reactions are usually triggered by key words that the person may or may not agree with, and not the content as a whole.
Of course this does not apply to every person, tweet, or comment, and this is a theory I have not tested or proven. Only my mere opinion and culmination of thought
Congrats to the women of Saudi Arabia! It's not easy to do what they're doing when men and women are against them (1,000 women signed a protest asking King Abdullah NOT to lift the ban), but they also have a lot of supporters and social media is an intricate part to the ban lift mobilization effort.
Personally, as an american, feminist, and traveler it's incredibly difficult for me to imagine not being able to drive. Not only the action of driving, but being denied personal responsibility, privilege, and choice; as well as the forced dependency on a man and the resulting inferiority of being a woman. Shit. Where would I be?
Ironically, I filmed a short segment of myself driving while I was thinking about what Natalie had to say in the interview. I will be uploading this later today on my vimeo: vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
Hopefully very soon a woman from Saudi Arabia can share a similar experience of the open road, clarity of thought, and freedom of self.
Yesterday I interviewed the incredible Natalie Zemon Davis (look her up) and we started talking about the different uses of social media, and it's challenging to place the mobilizations of protest and connecting societies in the same realm of entertainment and mundane social updates.
I guess it's similar to TV which always has more crap on it than anything of substance, but the difference here is in the fabric: TV is not a part of our lives the same way Facebook is. This boils down to one principle: location. In order to watch TV, and before the internet phone, most people had to be in a house, theater, or other location with electricity and cable. Facebook and other social medias are effortlessly portable. TV is also a static interaction whereas Facebook, and other social media, are dynamic and constant, obviously, it's called social media for its level of interactive capabilities.
Now, I am not about to preach censorship. I think it would be stupid for people to only be allowed to write, comment, etc., about certain things, but I am an advocate of personal responsibility and ownership, meaning that we should be held accountable to actions we take online. It's a federal offense for someone to open someone else's mail and it should be that same with email. As Sherry Turkle pointed out to me in an interview, "Democracy is based on privacy" (I'll leave the discussion on whether America is actually a democracy to a later date). This generation has different (if any) expectations of privacy than in generations past. It's common knowledge to know your emails are being looked at by third parties and that cookies may be placed in your browser. Businesses and advertisers should be banned from placing cookies in your web browser and sending ads based on key words in emails. This is an invasion of privacy, and also has another sociological effect: advertisers are only interested in key words, not the content of a whole, and not to say people are influenced by advertisers in ways of thinking (well, maybe), but I think generally people are becoming more like advertisers in the sense that a "tweet" or a "comment" is usually an immediate reaction to a stimulus. Reactions are usually triggered by key words that the person may or may not agree with, and not the content as a whole.
Of course this does not apply to every person, tweet, or comment, and this is a theory I have not tested or proven. Only my mere opinion and culmination of thought
Congrats to the women of Saudi Arabia! It's not easy to do what they're doing when men and women are against them (1,000 women signed a protest asking King Abdullah NOT to lift the ban), but they also have a lot of supporters and social media is an intricate part to the ban lift mobilization effort.
Personally, as an american, feminist, and traveler it's incredibly difficult for me to imagine not being able to drive. Not only the action of driving, but being denied personal responsibility, privilege, and choice; as well as the forced dependency on a man and the resulting inferiority of being a woman. Shit. Where would I be?
Ironically, I filmed a short segment of myself driving while I was thinking about what Natalie had to say in the interview. I will be uploading this later today on my vimeo: vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
Hopefully very soon a woman from Saudi Arabia can share a similar experience of the open road, clarity of thought, and freedom of self.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Early Mornings
I just rolled into the section of Toronto where Natalie lives. It's 7am on a Sunday and all the shops are closed except one bakery I found that does indeed have wifi. Sitting with a dollar coffee and watching the light overtake the night is a welcomed change for me since I usually sleep until noon most days in New York.
My car battery died last night (I'm an idiot and left my headlights on while I was getting some work done on my computer), but I found someone to jump it for me at a bar across the street. I bought him a beer for helping me out and had one myself. Since I was on the outskirts of Toronto there weren't too many camping options so I crashed in the dark section of an empty Baptist church parking lot. Not the best night of sleep, but definitely not the worst, and hey, it's easy to get up early when you're sleeping in a car and want to get out of there before church goers start showing up.
This film is definitely an experiment as I have never traveled before with this much technology. It's quite comical that I groomed earlier today in the bathroom of a Tim Hortons and now I'm about to shoot an interview in a few hours, this is what I call Hobo Filmmaking. Hee hee. :)
By the way, it's freezing here! I'm really glad I brought my trusty corduroy coat!
I have uploaded a short clip from Lake Ontario where I took a quick dip yesterday (very quick since it was freezing). Check it out at: vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
My car battery died last night (I'm an idiot and left my headlights on while I was getting some work done on my computer), but I found someone to jump it for me at a bar across the street. I bought him a beer for helping me out and had one myself. Since I was on the outskirts of Toronto there weren't too many camping options so I crashed in the dark section of an empty Baptist church parking lot. Not the best night of sleep, but definitely not the worst, and hey, it's easy to get up early when you're sleeping in a car and want to get out of there before church goers start showing up.
This film is definitely an experiment as I have never traveled before with this much technology. It's quite comical that I groomed earlier today in the bathroom of a Tim Hortons and now I'm about to shoot an interview in a few hours, this is what I call Hobo Filmmaking. Hee hee. :)
By the way, it's freezing here! I'm really glad I brought my trusty corduroy coat!
I have uploaded a short clip from Lake Ontario where I took a quick dip yesterday (very quick since it was freezing). Check it out at: vimeo.com/kelleybrannon
Saturday, June 11, 2011
I am driving a death machine
I'm pretty certain at this point my wheel bearings are about to fall off or something because my car's steering capabilities are awful to say the least. I just arrived in the outskirts of Toronto (over crazy narrow bridges and eight lane freeways) and will be interviewing Natalie tomorrow morning. On Monday I will take my car to a shop because it appears that no mechanic in Canada works on the weekends. If the situation looks bad (i.e., expensive) I will try to sell the car while it still (kind of) works and continue across the country by thumb, ride share, and/or bus.
I am hoping to make it to Chicago mid day on Monday. In reality, it will probably be more like Tuesday.
In other news, apparently it looks suspicious if you're sitting in your car typing on a computer because a cop just approached me and asked me what I was doing. I explained that I was lucky enough to be picking up a wifi signal (lucky because I didn't have Natalie's physical address yet-I do now). After he looked at my id's (passport and driver's license) looked at me, looked again at the id's and looked again at me, I told him about what I was writing: my car falling apart and its wheels coming off. He gave me back both my id's and said, "Okay, well have a good night," and left. Huh, problems make cops leave. True enough, I suppose, since most of my bad cop encounters came from moments when I was doing just fine.
I guess some Canadians have picked up the American government ideology: "If it ain't broke fix it 'til it is," and if it is broken then leave it before you have to fix it.
I am hoping to make it to Chicago mid day on Monday. In reality, it will probably be more like Tuesday.
In other news, apparently it looks suspicious if you're sitting in your car typing on a computer because a cop just approached me and asked me what I was doing. I explained that I was lucky enough to be picking up a wifi signal (lucky because I didn't have Natalie's physical address yet-I do now). After he looked at my id's (passport and driver's license) looked at me, looked again at the id's and looked again at me, I told him about what I was writing: my car falling apart and its wheels coming off. He gave me back both my id's and said, "Okay, well have a good night," and left. Huh, problems make cops leave. True enough, I suppose, since most of my bad cop encounters came from moments when I was doing just fine.
I guess some Canadians have picked up the American government ideology: "If it ain't broke fix it 'til it is," and if it is broken then leave it before you have to fix it.
Road Maps!
Man, I have been living in the city too long. I have gotten so used to quickly "googling" directions to places that I forgot to even bring my old road atlas! I think I left it in my box of paints in my apt. This will be my first purchase in the morning. For now, since I have access to the internet via a free wifi signal (I do not have an internet phone), I am getting my route via "googling," but then my plans will be made entirely offline.
Other things that I now realize I forgot in NYC:
My rechargeable batteries with battery charger which I left charging in an outlet. I use these for my mounted camera light
My extra tripod mount, I have great plans of rigging up a 'car cam' and this would have come in handy
A tapestry that I use when camping so I don't wake up in my sleeping bag soaked with dew
And I think I left $14 on the couch...
Other things that I now realize I forgot in NYC:
My rechargeable batteries with battery charger which I left charging in an outlet. I use these for my mounted camera light
My extra tripod mount, I have great plans of rigging up a 'car cam' and this would have come in handy
A tapestry that I use when camping so I don't wake up in my sleeping bag soaked with dew
And I think I left $14 on the couch...
On Route to Toronto in search of Natalie
Natalie Zemon Davis, who resides in Toronto, Ontario in Canada, is the first person I will be interviewing on this trip. I am leaving Boston now, after bringing a friend and a (different) friend's cat up here from NYC. Since it took us over two hours to get out of the city today (due to the fact that I made a point to avoid all of the toll roads) we didn't roll into town until 6pm. I took a nap for a few hours and feel refueled at this 1am hour. I plan on driving until the sun comes up and finding a nice sunny field to camp in before continuing on. Since it's only a ten hour drive I won't have too far to go in the morning.
Next Stop: Chicago, with many small towns to wander through. I will also be picking up travelers on Craigslist's Ride Share (as well as any random hitchhikers) to help with the cost of fuel. Lucky for me and the riders that my 1995 Honda Civic Ex gets 40 miles to the gallon! It's by far the greatest aspect of this hunk of metal (well, the sun roof is pretty cool too).
Friday, June 10, 2011
social media, identity, offline, online, filmmaking, tags, UPDATES for Tools of the Trade!
The act of disappearing is one of the many reasons why I've always loved traveling, thus a blog pretty much defeats that purpose. Well, times change. I'm no longer the 19 year old hitchhiking across the country without a cell phone or email address. I'm also a bit more directed in this venture because my travel is project centered, and since I need to think more about the project than myself I have decided to start a blog so others can travel along with me and witness firsthand the production of the most frugal film ever! So kick back, get a cup of coffee, use your indoor plumbing, and check back to this blog for all of my (mis) adventures making this film, exercising my good decision making skills, making real offline connections and networks, and using this blog which is my online contribution (I do not have a Facebook account). More information about the film, trailer, and it's resourceful director (that's me) will be coming soon. Bear with me and enjoy the ride.
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