Eyes Lips Eyes!

So some of my good buddies here in LA are the band Eyes Lips Eyes. They have been up to some great work and have been working hard on a "no album" concept where they release a new single and music video once a month!! It's very hard work and they rock at it! A bunch of friends have directed music videos for them and I have now been in 3 of the videos. I'm in talks to direct a video for them in the next couple months! 2 of them I'm dancing ridiculously in. So I thought I'd share the 3 I'm in with all of you on here, but feel free to watch all of their videos.

2010's

Top of 2010

Here are my favorite albums, and movies of the year. I decided that I'm just losing the top ten because who says you have to have a specific # of "the best". I'm just gonna list my favorites and then place others that were good but maybe don't deserve a "BEST" title, under honorable mentions.

ALBUMS:

Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs"

Gorillaz - "Plastic Beach"

LCD Soundsystem - "This Is Happening"

Beach House - "Teen Dream"

Chromeo - "Business Casual"

Vampire Weekend - "Contra"

Cee Lo Green - "The Lady Killer"

Bag Raiders - "Bag Raiders"

Honorable Mention:

Band of Horses - "Infinite Arms"

Brandon Flowers - Flamingo"

Broken Bells - "Broken Bells"

Fictionist - "Lasting Echo"

Janelle Monae - "The ArchAndroid"

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. - "Record Collection"

The Walkmen - "Lisbon"

Yeasayer - "Odd Blood"

Damien Jurado - "Saint Bartlett"

Soundtracks:

Inception - Hans Zimmer

Tron: Legacy - Daft Punk

The Social Network - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World - Various Artists

Films:

The Social Network

Inception

127 Hours

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World

The Fighter

Honorable Mention:

Never Let Me Go

The King's Speech

True Grit

Toy Story 3

Most Underrated:

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Tron: Legacy (visually speaking at least)

Feelings usually do change after a year or two though on what lasts, so we'll see. Oh by the way in a couple months I'll be getting rid of this blog, just thought you should know. I'm creating a website in a couple months and it will have a different blog connected that will be more professional, so to speak.

TOP 10

A couple of months ago, as part of a film program application process I was asked to write a list of the top 10 most influential pieces of media to me. Now let us dissect this word, influential.

- influence |ˈinfloŏəns|nounthe capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

They wanted to know what exactly what was most influential to who I am, but mostly what was most influential to my creative and filmmaking state of mind at this moment. This was a very hard list to create! If any of you remember I was actually trying to create this exact list of favorites/influences about a year ago and posted it. It was very difficult getting that list of 29 down to 10, and I still question some of my final choices. I just kept telling myself that even though there were other items on the list that I liked more than some of these 10 it wasn't about my enjoyment or how much I wanted to represent myself as a more cultured person, but it was simply the list of most INFLUENTIAL! With that said I actually do still think I needed to have a Tim Burton movie such as Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare before Xmas, or Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Those early films of his are still to this day such a large influence to my imaginative side. In no way are these in any order, and with that said, I give you:

Top 10 Media Influences

1. The Simpsons (T.V.) - Once a week my family was brought together to watch another family on television. Their sarcasm, parodies, and originality helped me build the foundation for my sense of humor. Although I have plenty of influences for my humor I can thank The Simpsons for being the legend to my map of funny.

2. Led Zeppelin - “Over the Hills and Far Away”(Music) - The first time I remember a song causing me to “remember”. A flood of great memories of Oregon summer days, road trips with my brothers and working on the tree house with family comes to my mind when this song is played. I knew with this song that music can be more than just the present sound on the speakers.

3. Treasure Island (Book) - Probably the first time I visualized a film adaptation of a book while reading. I created actors in my mind, how they would act, what the set would look like and a mental storyboard of the action scenes. Someday I still wish to make a great film adaptation of this classic.

4. Lord of the Rings Books/Films – Both the films and books are equally influential to me for almost all the same reasons but in their own respected media. I had no idea when I read the books how expansive someone could make a fantasy history, and with the films how amazing it was to see this amazing world come alive! I absolutely loved the details in the history and maps of the books. Inspiring to me was the DVD features of the films which demonstrated how the impossible was made possible with film-making. They fueled the fire within me to become a filmmaker!

5. Moulin Rouge (Film) – a film that drove me to confess my desire to always make a musical. The colors, the energy, the emotion, the music, the storytelling and the creativity made for a wonderful package of a film. How fun is it when almost an entire script of a film is derived from favorite songs of the Director’s? Even though Ewan McGregor’s “Christian” tells the audience at the beginning of the film exactly what happens in the end you still don’t believe it when it does happen. Also this film contains, in my opinion, one of the most emotionally shot crying scenes ever. I am still going to make a musical!

6. Peter Pan (Book) – This book definitely helped me to construct the framework of my imagination. Peter and Michael’s love for adventure and stories seem to vindicate my obsession of wanting to always escape to a “Never Never Land”. I related so much to the story of Peter Pan himself and still do. I always have felt like I am right on that thin line of wanting to grow up and wanting to stay a child forever. For me, it’s an exciting yet somewhat sad story of growing up.

7. Wallace & Gromit (Films) – At a very early age I came to understand the difficulty of stop motion animation from experiments with my brothers in that medium. I always continued to watch, obsess over, and love just about every claymation and stop motion production. The Wallace and Gromit shorts are so quirky and action packed but also were simply one of the first ones I really got to watch behind the scenes of and study. I watched them over and over and over again and still do to this day.

8. Star Wars Trilogy (Films) – From the earliest days I can remember, my brothers were always watching the original Star Wars trilogy and celebrating its stories in our house. So if we are talking influential then this probably takes the cake. We had Star Wars books, soundtracks, toys, movies, you name it. As I have said about other influences, they helped build my imagination, but Star Wars WAS my imagination. It was only until I started reading other books and watching other films that I could build onto that rock that was Star Wars.

9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Film) – With its non traditional and non-linear storytelling, it opened my eyes to all sorts of new tricks. Although there had been plenty of successful non-linear films before (Memento, Pulp Fiction, etc), this film also had a double whammy of bringing up a love story in an entirely different light. I know that with so many movies I will refer to this one as an inspiration. Whether it has an “Eternal Sunshine” style set design or an “Eternal Sunshine” love story or just an “Eternal Sunshine” feel, it sets a standard in my book for certain future films.

10. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Film) – I knew not action before I knew Terminator 2! My toy action figures were worn out by all of the reenactments of T2 in the proceeding years after I saw the movie. I remember clinging onto the seat in the theater and everything that happened within those 2 and a half hours so vividly back in 1991. I feel nothing has surpassed the standard that it set for how action scenes should be shot and directed.

The show still has moments.

ANDY: "Dwight are you coming to the play?"

DWIGHT: "uhh no thank you. Last time I went to the theatre a man dressed as a cat sat on my lap."

Cut Copy

The band "Cut Copy" is releasing a new album soon, I don't know exactly when but they say soon! 2 years ago they produced an album that has made it into my top 10 or 20 favorite albums of the 00's!! That album is "In Ghost Colours". Please check it out!! Anyway they recently sent me a free download of a track from their upcoming album and it's AWESOME!! I hope the whole album works this well because I'm excited!

I'm a Cartoon!

So two of my friends down in Southern California drew separate drawings of my character Andy for "Dead Grandma". The 1st one:

By Grik Hargrove

Grik is one hilarious and talented dude! He his currently composing and recording the music for the DG series right now. Just click his name to check his blog out.

The 2nd one:

By Parker Jacobs

Parker: another crazy talented guy. He is the lead designer at the children's show Yo Gabba Gabba and the lead designer at the Paul Frank store!!

We got both of these guys to come down to shoot the DG pool episode with us and let me tell you, you do not wanna miss their dancing!! I had a hard time keeping a straight face when they danced. I wish I was as talented as these two guys and I hope to work more and more with them in the future! Thanks dudes!

Mom's 60th

I made this video a few months ago for my Mom's 60th Birthday party, it's a little late but just in case you hadn't seen it, enjoy!

My Dad held a film fest for my Mom's 60th Birthday Party and asked all the kids in the family to make a video for my Mom. This is mine, and I shot it in an hour in between filming days of our webisode series "Dead Grandma"!

They've done it again!

The artists known as Ok Go have done it again. Another masterpiece of a music video, not as good of a song as some of their others, but what you gonna do?

CLICK HERE

[Creative post title for simply stating what's going on in my life.]

Couple things:

• I made a new fall playlist for all of you and you'd better listen to it because it's AWESOME!! Most of these bands are very folky music with a couple of random surprises. Nothing like awesome relaxing folk music that makes you want to get a good book with some warm apple cider or maybe some apple dumplings or you know what . . . . . . apple anything, and just enjoy the beautiful leaves and foggy/rainy weather. This music will definitely do that and more!! Also please, please if you don't listen to anything else (which would be stupid) just listen to the few tracks from the soundtrack of The Fountain!! It's my favorite soundtrack of all time, I'm serious. That's a big deal because I collect soundtracks in case you didn't know!! So again please listen to them, they're the tracks done by Clint Mansell. The soundtrack will make your life better!
• We're releasing Dead Grandma our web series in less than a month and were gonna have a premiere for it in about 3 weeks in LA!!!!!!
• I had a great/exhausting/hot/emotional/sleepless but wonderful family reunion up at Bear Lake in Idaho! I also got very frustrated again at Mariokart while I was there, big surprise! (PICTURES BELOW)
• I also just made another column on the right titled "Last 10 movies I've seen". Just thought it might be interesting for future discussions. I rate them *'s, 1 out of 5.
• I slept in a tent for 3 days because I was homeless! Don't worry I wasn't 100% homeless.
• I still hate texting, no change there!
• I started on the 4th Harry Potter book.
• I've been studying spanish on my own every morning for the last 2 weeks!
• I went to a Chromeo concert 3 weeks ago with my friend Lily and a couple other friends met us up there. We were the very first people there and had the best spots right up against the stage!! (VIDEO BELOW)
• In case you didn't know, my plan is to leave to Central America specifically Guatemala in 3 and a half weeks!! When I was back in Oregon for a couple weeks this summer I got to thinking about whether I was going to attend school or not this fall semester and it looked like I wouldn't so I decided that I wanted to travel. My mom encouraged me to find a place to go with volunteer opportunities and since I have always had the goal of learning a different language and Central America is very cheap, it was not too hard of a decision. These last 2 weeks of work haven't been too fruitful but hopefully I will still make enough to leave when originally planned. My plan right now is to fly straight to Guatemala City and then go the same day to Antigua to start one week of spanish classes. These spanish class programs put you up in a homestay for a week. I then plan to move to Quetzaltenango for probably 2 or 3 weeks for the same and then move around guatemala and maybe Nicaragua or maybe all of Central America, for the 2 months after, who knows. Honestly most everyone is freaking out about how my plans are pretty much no plans but . . . . . oh well. I handle myself quite well in situations and I'm pretty excited about just doing my own thing. I am still researching quite a bit about the countries and specifics and I still plan on talking to some volunteer foundations about accommodations and arrangements. Plans always change though so I'll keep you updated. Wish me luck!!

"Thou shalt not covet. . . "

Honestly all I wish is that I could have beat Chromeo to the punch!! They are too freaking sweet for words and this Thursday I get to see them for free in Salt Lake. They have a new album coming out in less than a month and I'm gonna poo my pants, sorry about the bathroom humor father. Enjoy their newest single from the album "Business Casual" releasing Sept. 14th!!!

10 years behind Hogwart's express!

• I want to slap Dobby upside the face hard!!
• I never knew Snape's life had been saved by James Potter.
• Owls rock the socks off of the US postal service!!
• If Wizards and witches can summon the most wonderful cooked dishes out of nowhere, shouldn't there be barely any poor families in the magic world.
• Crab and Goyle are tools! Honestly, get a life guys.
• Christmas at Hogwarts sounds freaking AMAZING!!!!!
• I would have no problem with homework if I was at Hogwarts!
• Out of all the characters I think I might be most like the Weasley twins.
• And why can't Hogwart's just be freaking REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are all questions, thoughts, comments that most people in the world had about 10 years ago! That's right, I have finally started reading the famous Harry Potter series. I am about half way through the third book and my goal is to complete them before the final film is released. Although I'm open to your opinions on whether I should save the last book and read it after for the surprise effect or just read it before. I started the first book about 2 times before but always did have a little bit of biased hold up. I never doubted that they would be entertaining I just always reserved my interest in fantasy for all things Lord of the Rings. I seem to have a little bit of that attitude of, "Oh all these new kids getting into Harry Potter don't know where the roots of fantasy lie and thats in Middle Earth!!" So I just always put it off but would still continue to see the films. Of course naturally the world that J.K. Rowling created still interested me in the films, I have always loved in depth fantasy worlds, but I had no idea!

I know now why everyone drools at this world she has created. I want to be a student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardy. It truly is such a tease. It compares to watching Superman fly for the first time and wanting to do the same. Also it's up there with reading about the amazing Hobbiton in Lord of the Rings and wanting to grow up there or even hearing about the elvish lands and wanting to stay for a month in one of their enchanted cities. It really is a big tease and it makes me wonder sometimes why God gave us an imagination. The point is I love em and I can't wait to read another chapter tonight.

So I saw this movie the other day and it was good not great. Overall I like Adam Mckay's and Will Ferrell's other two movies Anchorman and Step Brothers more but I probably like this equal with their other film Talladega Nights. It still had quite a bit of good laughs and this is a shortened cut of one of the funniest scenes. The movie version goes on really long with him rambling on and it's awesome! Enjoy!

Other than a beautiful girls' lips, this is probably the next best thing that could be pressed against my lips.

So I asked a close friend once whether she thought I was mean or not and when she hesitated to answer, I got pretty sad. After taking a second to figure out a nicer way of saying it, she says " Ummm, well, your just a little abrasive." These comments cut deep and have made me ponder my ways. I really want to be less opinionated. There are just sometimes that my "pointless" opinions or arguments don't freaking matter, and what matters is just to be "pointlessly" nice.

My friend Will says I'm honest and blunt and pointed out the good things about those qualities. While I still believe there are some good things about being harshly honest, overall I feel I need to change some of my ways. I guess it's the whole "it's nice to be important, but more important to be nice" thing. I just need to realize that being passive on some of my dumb arguments is the nicest way to go and people really will ultimately care about how nice you are. I guess it's also the whole " People don't care how much you know, they only know how much you care" thing. Actually it's more like that quote than the latter one, but I'll leave them both on there since they are both great quotes.

I'm making a change. Change comes slowly when were trying to enforce it upon ourselves so be patient, and I'll be patient with myself as well. This doesn't mean I'm getting rid of my opinions on the little things no way, that's impossible. It just means that you might have to dig a little deeper in my vault to get them out of me. Hey, the process has already begun, for the last 4 months I have eased up on immediately getting annoyed with people playing bad country pop music in the car or house where I'm at. Trust me, that takes a lot of self control!

The Uncut Gem

The Uncut Gem is the nickname of Opal Creek in Oregon. My friend Craig and I went there this last Saturday, and honestly, it is one of my favorite places ever!!! Beautiful, Gorgeous and breathtaking. In addition to the beauty there are rocks to jump off of and natural rock slides to slide down on. If you could just warm the water a bit, it would be perfection!