Stories

It’s been a busy year so far for me with back to back projects and extended post-production journeys. It’s a good thing my run & gun experience is so extensive since I’m handling 2 camera setups, audio, and even the occasional makeup action on a regular basis. And I admit, I’d be lost without my rolling carts because there are no pack mules here.

My full time career continues. After a 7 month search, and two false starts that took me to Graham, North Carolina and Virginia Beach, I finally achieved employment nirvana in one of my preferred parts of the country – Southern Oregon.

Klamath Falls is a small city in a remote part of the state with no commercial airport, no Target, no malls, and probably the cleanest air I have ever breathed. The sun shines on average, 300 days a year, and it sometimes smells like Christmas trees here. Add to that, hills, lakes, rivers, winding country roads, bald eagles, really nice people, and I am a happy camper.

I recently had the opportunity to visit beautiful Klamath Falls, Oregon which has been on my radar for years. What makes it so special? It’s said that K Falls has 300 days of sunshine annually, mild winters, and more things to do outdoors than you can shake a stick at. On this visit, a favorite for me was giant TREES, and the largest vegetable omelette I ever had, thanks to The KIamath Grill. Would I go back?

We’ll see.

I got up to beautiful Park City, Utah last weekend to shoot some stills for Lima Marketing, a new venture founded by two of my former co-workers. Is it weird that I’ve only ever been to Park City for shoots in the summer time?

I recently completed a bit of work with Director Eric Frick for the Walker Center for Cancer Care in Watertown, New York, expertly crafting footage for two 30 second broadcast spots. We were running and gunning with his A-team and after 3 days of filming, came away with a terabyte of juicy footage made with my new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro.

I had both award winning rough edits completed a few days later and had some time to visit some friends in my old stomping grounds, Buffalo, NY where I had a real pizza for the first time since leaving three years ago.

Dave and I discuss the setups but Dave says I can do whatever I want, haha.

It’s time to get it on!

A little help from my friends, Key Grip Joe Bunce.

The Linear Accelerator.

Eric getting fresh while I ignore him and listen to Tchaikovsky.

Setting up a shot with some amazing natural light.

Jessica Ahrens, a crucial part of Eric’s A-team (obviously).

Droning indoors, ERMAGHERD!

Portrait of a man on the job, with a camera, and a beard.

Eric and I blow off some steam on a break making daredevil stunts for fun.

Photos: Jessica Ahrens, Joe Bunce, Christopher Kamec, and Kelsey Jean.

A few years back I was enlisted to fly a camera & operate a terrestrial camera in Buffalo, NY for excellent filmmaker Aaron Schillinger who was maybe half way into production of his documentary Boblo Boats A Detroit Ferry Tale. The film is finished and has been screening & winning awards at film festivals and in fact is screening in the IMAX theater today at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

I recently got word that a 30 second broadcast spot I post-produced for director Eric Frick received a merit award in the 40th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards television advertising single category. The little sneaker squeak under the final underline graphic was all me, hehe.

Got up to beautiful Watertown, NY in June with a contingent of the A team to craft some footage for Samaritan Medical Center’s new branding campaign. Director Eric Frick was on hand to guide the effort and we were met with great early June weather and very nice real people talent. I edited and graded four broadcast spots (12 actually) from the footage that should be hitting the airwaves right about now.

I got out to Centerton, Arkansas to tell a little story of Home Valet’s very cool smart box, which surely will revolutionize home delivery of goods for today’s busy multitaskers. I openly marveled at its design and COO, Jack Simms was on hand to field my engineering questions, haha.