mine

27 July

Denver bound.  Flight’s delayed, so I’m still in Kansas.  Get me out of here!

You don’t see this everyday in California.  I don’t think I want to see the tornado shelter!

We are all a little tired – some more than most.  Drool spot on the table?  Maybe, maybe.  (Thanks John!)

Dissolve to…

It’s wide open country.  It’s dry and hot.  We’re in Longmont – a 40 minutes drive north of Denver.  Looks like there’s been lots of community growth around here.  They’ve got construction going on everywhere.  Off to eat.  More later.

The sunset tonight is amazing.  It smells like dirt here.

July 28

A venue and a photo shoot for today.  Star Days is an annual event featuring Yamaha Star motorcycles (and some bikes that the only thing left after modification, is the Star engine).  It’s also a touring event among other things.

Some pix from the photo shoot for next year’s Star calendar.

John (Prod/Dir) and DK (sound mixer) – end of the first day.

10×20 Chimera – the featured bike is on a flatbed.  We’re in an rundown sugar making factory.  (A sad note about the location…  I was told that the owner bought the land at time when the sugar factory was up and running.  The seller failed to mention that the factory was giving up its lease.  It’s since been shut down and the owner can’t afford to sell it – there’s asbestos in the building – and he can’t afford to clean it up either.  Now that’s messed up!  Caveat emptor.)

So much for the welcome mat…

One of the featured motorcycles and the builder.  This photo isn’t bad but it pales in comparison to the photo they took.  The photos they took are exquisite.  They’re using the new Hasselbad H2D-39 – a 39 megapixel,  medium format camera with a sensor that’s twice the size of a 35mm sensor.

July 29

Old guys rule.  The truth is this guy’s son IS the VP of HD.  Life’s a hell of a thing.  As he tells it, “I’ll give him my shirts when he give me a harley.”  So far that hasn’t happen.

Some riding footage with one of the calendar winners.  We got some shots of him riding between Longmont & Niwot.  Ah, the knights of Niwot.  I believe they require a shrubbery.

Rocky Mountain High (high Colorado)…

30 July

Homeward bound.  It’ll be good to be home.  It’s a silly thing but a fly hopped a ride on the flight.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.  That little guy will either die on that plane or exit out in Phoenix, Ontario or Los Angeles – just over 1000 miles (1600 km).  Happy trails.

23 July – Overland Park, KS

Somewhere over America.  You can click on the image to see an enlarged version.  What’s up with the PacMan imagery?

We got in a couple of hours ago.  We’re in Overland Park just outside of Kansas City.

First stop, a place to eat.  When in Rome… We went to a KC Masterpiece restaurant.  Not bad, not bad.

Lots of eating options around here.  It’s been gentrified like most American cities that have reached a certain size.

24 July

John (segment producer/director) and DK (our sound mixer) admire and discuss the bike we’re featuring.

Some shots from the back and side of the chase van.  I love the fact that most vans now have sliding doors on both sides.

For this shot, I sat in the back of the van.  As a safety measure, I kludged a harness using some climbing “runners” and a few carabiners.

I have a long runner (approx. a five foot loop), that I twist into a figure eight and wear it like a vest with the twist on my back.  Along the line on my back I add a butterfly knot (a.k.a. lineman’s loop) and attach a carabiner.  That carabiner is clipped to a series of runners secured to one of the back seats.  Don’t try this at home kids unless you know what you’re doing and know what kind of equipment to use.

Another shot from the side of the van.

Well?!

I saw this at the place we ate dinner at.  This goes out to my good friend… you know who you are!

18, 19, 20, 21 July – Delhi, CA

On the road again…  This time it’s the central California valley.  Farms, fields, cows and cheese.  And hot, hot, hot.  They tell me “at least it’s a dry heat”.  Somehow that fails to disquiet me.

We’re at Backroad Chopper in Delhi, CA.  An agricultural community in the heart of the Golden State.  Backroad makes choppers but they also make bobbers and other bikes (look at me, I sound like a  “easy rider”).

Segment producer getting some shots while we wait for a train to race.  Only one thing, no train!

I made this insert slate from one of the backs of a DVD cover.  A quick and easy way of marking the head of the tape.

That’s it for now.  Next stop, Kansas City.

17 June – 3:15

Terminus Est!!!  IT IS FINISHED.

I just got back from the local 600 union office on Sunset Blvd.  I dropped off my paperwork, signed what I needed to sign and payed my due.  After more than a half a year, I’m finally a “union man”.  Shazaam!  What am I going to do now?  I’m gonna get me a taco.

9 June – 1 AM

Finally!!!

I was looking around to see what other folks were doing with their websites when I happened upon one cameraman’s site that claimed to be in Local 600.  Curious, I looked up his name.  While there, I decided to look up my name and see if I was finally on the roster.  Lo and behold, there I was!

So what’s next?  Well, I have an appointment on Monday to submit my final union application, accept admission into the union,  I pay my initiation fee, and that’s it.  After that, I’m a full fledged union man.  The only thing left is to wait the six to seven weeks for my card to arrive.  Hazah!

And how long did it take.  I think I started the process on 12 Sept of last year.  I then got actively involved in it again in February of this year.  And now, here we are.  Hazah, hazah!

30 June – 1 PM

I’ve been told that I’m still two weeks away, again.  I just finished filling out a small mound of paperwork from the local to finish up my application (and my hand now hurts).  I figure I’m on step 37 now.  It’s all happening, finally.  And none too soon with production coming up that’ll likely be union shows.  The next task after this hurdle is jumped is to get an agent.  Lunch anyone?!

16 June – 2 PM

At last I’m on the 36th of the 39 steps.  I called today to get an update on my enrollment status and the news is…  a letter was sent yesterday (Thursday) to Local 600 for approval of my days.  I asked if they ever disapprove and the answer was “no one has ever seen that happen.”  (I’m sure I’ll be the first.)  So now I wait a week to 20 days for the local to review my file and then I get a letter from them letting me know that I’m eligible.  After that, I’m not quite sure what happens.

I suppose the point is that as of now I’m almost, quite possibly, just about, nearly, more or less, practically, as good as, close to, virtually, not far from, for all intents and purposes, bordering on, actually being in the union.  Wish me luck!  Like a man driving home with a wicked case of diarrhea, the last mile is always the longest.

10 June – 9 AM

Another week and still no answer.  I got a letter today from the folk who handle enrollment saying, “we need stuff, lots of stuff” (my words, not theirs).  So I called and I was nice (sort of).  Originally, I gave them one set of documents which later proved to be difficult to get employment verification on.  Then, I gave them other set which should have been very cut and dry.  When I called, they started by saying that they needed additional information about letters I’ve asked be taken our of my file – meaning the original set of documents still haven’t been taken out.  Then, they tell me that I’m short 17 of my required 100 days.  (I’ve asked that they remove them some, o’ I don’t know, at least four times.  And as for days, I gave them 111 days.)  So, I got flustered and he got flustered and he told me someone would call me soon to get it all cleared up.

Dissolve to 3 PM (That’s six hours in case you’re wondering!)

Still no call back.  I called, with a smile in my voice, asking to speak to someone.  They ask if I can come in to talk and clear this up in person.  I say, “sure.”  Door shuts, car starts and off I go.  First stop, Kinkos to make copies of everything I have.  (Leave nothing to chance.)  Next, a leisurely drive amidst  frantic Friday traffic on the 101.  Exit freeway, pull-over, pay meter.  I go in and the person I need to speak to left home early – well, it is Friday, sill me!  They bring out my folder and we review what’s in it.  Finally, what shouldn’t be in there is taken out.  And surprise, surprise, my file is missing documents.  I give them copies of what’s missing.  We tallied it all up and they did take out three day which leaves me with 108 days.  But it finally looks done.  I’ll call on Tuesday.

12 July – Jonesville, NC

It’s back to North Carolina for another episode of V-Twin TV.  It’s HOT, it’s HUMID, it RAINED!!!  I took a walk to a corner mini mart that’s about a 200 meters away.  I came back soaked.  I know you’re thinking, “wow, you must be really out of shape!”  No (well, maybe a little) but it was because it’s oppressively humid.  You could see crepuscular rays streaking from every street light as the moisture hung in the air like a stinking, heavy, wet blanket.

13 July

So what’s it like here?  Everybody smokes at restaurants.  And the food is awful (or at least the places we’ve been to).  IT’S A DRY COUNTY!

Every small town we’ve gone to someone always asks, “why are you here!?”  Everyone seems to know the folks at the shops we’re featuring, they’re just surprised we’d be in their little town or perhaps not realize how recognized those shops are in the V-Twin community.  It’s a bit funny to say the least.

Here are some pix of the bike we’re featuring called “Bloodlust”.

17 July

Home for a day and then I’m off again to central California.  More from the road then…

Ah, a moment of Zen…

After, I don’t know how many years, I took a quick, restful and absolutely fabulous vacation in Baja California.  Real Mexican food, a nice hotel room with a great ocean view and three days of being completely off the grid.  Very nice.  So what does this have to do with production. 

I couldn’t leave without taking a look at Fox Studios Baja.  While on our way out of Mexico, we stopped to see if we can take a look around.  Located a few kilometers south of Rosarito Beach, it’s a well equipped studio lot with a theme park adjacent to the water tanks and stages.  We had planned on visiting the theme park, but it’s closed on Monday.  I managed to get my way in for a tour of the facility based on a inquiry for a film I’ll be shooting later this year.  Mexico has been considered as a possible location and the stages there might come in handy.

In no time at all, we were on the deck of the Titanic tank.  The stages are large and well designed and the production offices are clean and roomy.  They also have work space building for grip, electric, camera and art department including a painting & welding tunnel.  They have large, plein air water tanks and tanks inside of stages. 

Grip and lighting can be ordered from Hollywood Rentals in Los Angeles – power plants for lighting also needs to be rented. 

I don’t know if Mexico is the right place to shoot this film but it’s nice to know that the facilities are available if they decide to shoot there.  Definitely worth a visit. 

http://www.foxbaja.com