March 2011

This month, I had the great experience of getting out of the cold for 3 weeks while I bounced around between Florida and Texas.

First, I had a job with Committee Films, shooting Dairy Queen web content for Space 150. (http://www.dairyqueen.com/us-en/mini/videos/) We were a very small crew, with a big monster truck version of a mini cooper and lots of ice cream to give out. We also gave away 3 Mini Cooper Countryman's. The talent was really fun to work with and the crew did a great job of adapting to the often chaotic environments. 

Then I had a couple of days off in Tampa, so I got to see my friends Dave Cook and Brora MacFarland, as well as Cleave Frink. Dave was the gaffer on Souvenirs and Brora had done craft service, Cleave was the AD... It was nice to relax and catch up (and get a wicked sunburn).

Next I hopped a plane to Austin TX for SXSW where my good friend Todd Cobery had a short film premiering, "Good Morning Beautiful", which I had acted as cinematographer on. We were joined by Todd's wife Andrea, producer Brady Kiernan, actor David Tufford and Shannon Rusten, editor Joe Martin and his wife Nikki and my friend TJ Schwingle (who AC'd for me on the film and is also a cinematographer). http://www.goodmorningbeautifulmovie.com/

SXSW was a lot of fun. What I didn't expect was running into as many friends as I did... I got to catch up with Meghan Newell, a friend from High School I had not seen in over 10 years, who as luck would have it was rooming in the San Francisco Embassy with my old Chicago friend and former roommate Ryan Marshall. I also got to see my friend Jose Rios who I was in the trenches with in film school in Chicago, as well as my buddy from my days at Minnesota Public Radio, Michael Wells. The biggest surprise was catching up with Amy Ecklund, a friend from my University of Iowa days... which was amazing! It seemed that someone from almost every period of my life was there. I got to watch some very unique films, see old friends and whoop it up in one of my favorite towns. 

Then I took off, back to Florida. This time to Fort Myers to shoot a pair of spots for the Minnesota Twins. Quan Hoang directed while Julie Kaupa produced. Periscope was the agency and everyone from client, agency to the crew (part MN, part FL) was AMAZING. Dave Cook gaffed, Crist Ballas did some zany things with hair and paint, Greg Wolf was our Key Grip, TJ AC'd, Mikel Cook provided the camera and 2nd AC'd, Brora kept us fat. 

We had very little time to shoot, but we could set up for a few hours each day, so the crew learned the dance moves between setups and when it came time to utilize the short window we had with these world-class athletes, we moved quickly and efficiently. The creative was really hilarious.. I can't wait to see/post the spots! 

Now I'm back in the cold North, but it's getting warmer... where there was a 4 foot high snow bank that I had to clamber over to get to my car, there is now earth... progress... always progress. 

Click on the photo below for the full gallery of photos from these adventures (via Flickr). 

Cheers!