Pumping up the jam.

Tomorrow is begins. The life will churn and burn and time will both slow down and speed up, I expect. A somewhat surreal, highly exciting opportunity it is, to shoot a feature-length film... regardless of its budget.

Rolling back the clock would be wise.

I think I have been letting my work grind on my sleeping schedule a bit much lately. I suppose a concerted effort to claim some of the earlier hours is in order. Sleep is more than just a friend... it is a foundation to quality living.

Working with kinks.

I finally got to sit down with some of the equipment we will be using on the upcoming shoot to start working out a workflow and see what kinds of issues we currently have. I would have preferred to start this process weeks(or, actually, months)ago but it is what it is and here we are. We definitely have some things to iron out still. I only hope we get it worked out quick enough!

I love tax season... strangely.

But probably mostly because I use my taxes as a form of savings. This year will likely be my last big savings payday for the next foreseeable year or more... but I'll enjoy it this year anyway.

That's a wrap.

Well, it basically is. I'm sure there will need to be a few small changes made but it is basically done otherwise. Lots of polish on this one. I think it turned out quite well and I look forward to a happy customer. I think it was worth the effort for sure.

Decorating madness.

It is quite the experience to build a "hoard" in what is basically an empty space from what is essentially a bunch of donated items. We used a little engineering skill to bolster the spacial dimensions a bit so that helped. All kinds of fun when arrangement and internal concept play a part as well. Good times!

Busy-time pressure cookin'.

Today was really the first day where the grandiosity of our work with the upcoming movie started to feel pretty big. The immensity of the task was never really in question. We simply haven't experienced anything like it before. So... we learn... and grow. It will be a grand experience.

Almost done with the edit.

Our first commercial is finally down to it's final editing phases. It is starting to become a reasonably polished stone. Maybe five or so hours and it will be complete. How nice it will be for so many reasons!

Slowly getting back on track.

As slow as the sap running down the side of a tree, it seems. No matter. I can learn to make better use of the time. And dreamland isn't the worst place in the world.

Rejoining the real world.

It was almost a normal thing, even. One step at a time, I suppose. Though, I don't know what I have in store for tomorrow. More rest, I expect. Much needed, still.

Weird evolution.

I don't think I've ever had illness that was so fickle before. My temperature has finally leveled off but it certainly fluctuated quite a bit for quite a while. I am still somewhat dizzy feeling. Lots of itchy coughing now, too. My body doesn't really ache anymore so that's nice. I wonder what tomorrow will feel like.

Hyperbolic-exclaimation Seahawks win!

And, even though my health has not yet returned... much, it made for a pretty spectacular day. It made for a somewhat surreal day, even. Almost dream-like in that I kind of had to question what really happened in my mind on a couple occasions. But, alas, things are moving on... we among the best of them. Boom!

Lingering illness.

Which made for a rough night last night but was a bit more manageable today. I had a bit more focus today so that allowed me to enjoy a movie or two. The 'Hawks play tomorrow so I guess I'll be in better shape for that.

Constantly dizzy.

Which I guess is a side effect of a high fever. I'm sure it could be worse, though, so I guess I'll just muse at the situation somewhat lethargically.

Thankfully rare illness.

Which probably sounds strange. Basically, I don't get sick that often and I am grateful. Now I might even be able to sleep. Maybe.

Where did all the sleep go?

Certainly not in my computer chair. I guess it's in my bed... I should probably go get some now.

So much footage.

Shooting b-roll can really suck up the space on a hard drive fast. The amount of time it takes to deal with that stuff, whether reviewing or backing up files, is quite a bear. Never enough hours in the day for sure!

Work forever.

I didn't really get a break during the weekend, as I left from my regular job straight to helping with the pre-production and staging for the movie, straight to my band's gig, straight to an early morning start with my 'production playday', straight to more edit session time with Marissa. Today could've been a breather but I worked nearly non-stop instead. Oh, well. Gettin' stuff done is good anyway.

Another successful start.

We had a pretty respectable turnout and a fun time doing it at our "production playday" today. The weather was delightfully flattering, the temperature was reasonable, and the hands were willing. I am excited to see how this event evolves and grows in the future!

Rockin' the house.

We are really charged with energy at our gigs lately. I guess it would be in large part because of the new drummer. In any case I think we are really slammin' the audience ear-holes pretty stiff. Face-melting and all that. Lots of fun!

Lots of stuff.

To do and to find. We really did a pretty good job of packing the first truck load. It was a fun process as it built some decent camaraderie and anticipation for the coming weeks. The work will be plentiful(and I am sure sometimes painful) so this sort of experience is highly appreciated.

Tightening up the night.

I know I need to wake up very early tomorrow morning... only about five hours from now. Yet, I tend to persist in my typical sleeping habits. Oh, well. I'll pay for it tomorrow. At least I am getting things done tonight. Ha.

The challenge of comedy.

It is such an ever-evolving thing... and so circumstantial at that. The way it can hit you can change by just about any degree, from any angle, to fall totally flat or even become confusing. And maybe that is just what makes it as good as it is. Perhaps that is it's greatest virtue, it's greatest asset, it's greatest imbuer of the potential comedy has. It is a fickle, un-knowable science, to say the least.

Exciting improvements.

Despite the excitement I already had for finishing up the final draft of the commercial I am working on, discovering distinct and awesome ways to improve it today, I am now even more stoked for the potential awesomeness it will become if I am diligent and hard working over these next couple or so weeks.

Round one success.

It is always a somewhat nerve-wracking thing when you present your creative work to a client for the first time. You just never know what sort of reaction you will receive, nor what elements of your work they will actually appreciate or understand. Today we were lucky to have excellent reception of our first rough cut. It is very encouraging and I look forward to polishing this work into quite the gem for this client.

The new week of the new year.

There is so much to be done. It is an ever continuous stream of unchecked tasks, replicated, concocted, materialized, and circumstantially created for the benefit of the energetic beings to expend themselves chasing. And, before, while, and after it all happens, I will write, contemplate, plan, execute, avoid, and occasionally forget the experiences I am obliged by my conscience to engage with... frequently. Such is life.

Almost done with the first draft.

Which is a pretty good place to be. I have a decent amount of work still left to do to polish it up nicely but the cut is coming along. It is a good feeling even though it has definitely taken longer than necessary. I hope the client is happy with it so far!

Ramping up to crazy time!

The film I am helping work on is really starting to pick up steam now. We still have much to do before cameras roll but I think we might actually be able to make a good run of it all. The team is solid... and the leaders believing... KEY ingredients to success, in my book.

2014 - A Year in Review - That Which Doesn't Kill Me

This was quite the eventful year. It began with a promotion at work. Was sprinkled throughout the year with things like my graduation from college, my summer road trip, and my new job at Screaming Flea Productions. The end of the year was consumed by helping the Flea move offices into an entirely new location in Tukwila.

I have to admit, and it may seem like the basic dose of 'more of the same', but this has definitely been the toughest year I can immediately recall. The promotion was very tough but worth the experience. Combining that with the challenges of my internship and school schedule made for a crazy last term at school. Mixing in my newly acquired 'three and a half-hours of average sleep a night' schedule was a potent dose of challenging chemistry.(I probably lost a year or two of my life, as well) And then, of course, the standard fare of financial, emotional, and social challenges ran the gamut that ultimately shaped me into the man that escaped the year in one basic piece.

I was saddened by Robin Williams' passing, he being one of my favorite all-time actors, and am certainly not alone in that regard. I am not entirely sure why I felt it was worth mentioning in the scope of my entire year's reflection but here it is.

So, the next year looks to be quite an interesting one. I have all kinds of exciting things on the horizon. It is a remarkable and interesting time in the world. I have a fantastically excellent family and numerous incredible friends. Bring on the new year thoroughly!

End of the year.

Which means my 'year in review' entry should be happening basically right now. I think I'll sleep in and do it tomorrow instead, though, since it's already pretty late. The super short preview: it's been a good year. Nothing new.