Chasing a Dream

Tha heights music video shoot

2009-05-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got called in to grip as a favor to my friend Borja Ramirez who was Director of Photography. I was a good shoot. Long day in the club but I think the colors really will come across well. I didn't get to peak in the camera much, which sucks but hey not my job this time around. Also they had a steady cam equipment they didn't used and just went hand held most of the time, again not my department. I saw a tattoo bigger than mine for the first time in NYC, I didn't think it would be on a video vixen. I live 15 min walk away from the location and I don't see girls that those walking these streets. We did spent a lot of time waiting for wardrobe and make-up so maybe they don't really exist. Day tomorrow involves more locations and less people I believe.

Song was called "selfish" by Tha Heights. if you look on youtube there are some funny bazooka bubblegum ads with Tha Heights

Someday I need to make up my mind if I'm a production guy or a post production guy. right now I'm just a film maker guy and I'm happy with that.

Shot a promo that airs tomorrow, I won't be there for the screening because of this music video shoot.

NBA finals

2009-05-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

I don't watch sports very often, just playoffs of what ever sport is in season. I used to follow almost all the sports and keep up on all the players so I always find myself saying, "he is playing for this team now? When did that happen?"
So watching the NBA Finals this week I recall how much fun it is shooting sports games. I haven't had the chance to do it very often but I always enjoyed it. When I worked on an ESPN production of a college football game (once in the truck keeping up the score ticker and once on the field holding cable) I noticed the camera operators basically live like rock stars. They have to travel the country shooting new sporting events every night. They always need to be on the top of their game, I imagine you get yelled at if you missed the angle on that fumble. They always get the newest cool toys to play with,( I think football is what really sold all those HDTVs not THE DARK KNIGHT movie they are always playing in circuit cityRIP).
I really don't know how you land that job but I would love to shoot professional sports. I'm sure it doesn't pay as well as playing professional sports, but it has be to just as stressful, live TV is no joke

Easy dolly

2009-05-19T22:41:00.001-07:00

http://www.eazydolly.com/
you can buy on or just watch the video on the home page.
I don't know if there is anything cooler than a nice dolly shot. I mean steadycam is nice too but a dolly shot stands the test of time.

Brothers Bloom with Rian Johnson

2009-05-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

I stalled on posting this one but oh well.
This Friday, I went to the Angelika Film Center for the first time because they had a few screenings with the director Q & A after with Rian Johnson. BROTHERS BLOOM is Rian Johnson's second feature film, the first was BRICK.

BROTHERS BLOOM is a con man movie which are always a good time for the audience trying to figure out the next trick. Rian(along with a great cast) did it a little different and had a much more character. The script is a lot of fun too. I would say it is the best con man movie since MATCHSTICK MEN, which is one of my favorite films. BROTHERS BLOOM might beat it out for that spot.

It has been a few years since BRICK(2005) until BROTHERS BLOOM. A great portion of that time was finding the cast, which Rian said took just over a year but it was worth the wait. everyone was really good, Rachel Weisz was fun to watch as a heir to a fortune that has nothing but hobbies. Also the film has been completed for a while and was originally slated for a release in fall 2008 but was afraid of getting buried by the Oscar season then move to January then moved again until May 15th. backed up against the wall of summer blockbuster season.

The question and answer period was fun, Rian was laid back. I was lucky enough to get the last question in at the 7:30pm showing(Rian was there for Q&A for three showings). I asked if what part of the process did he prefer screenwriting or the actual production of film making. He said, "I don't think any one likes writing, it is nice to have written but writing is hardly fun. Jumping in at the production is weird too and post production is a lot like finishing the written script. It is hard to separate any section of the process because it is all film making."

If you haven't see any of Rian Johnson's movies go buy/rent BRICK on your way back from seeing BROTHERS BLOOM. [show times]

follow Rian Johnson on twitter or tumblr here is his website www.rcjohnso.com

DroBo

2009-05-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

A friend from film school was bragging to me about this Drobo thingy that I hadn't heard of, turns out it is awesome. Basically, it is a easy to work RAID external hard drive. It connects by USB, easy there. Holds 4 drives and needs at least two. Auto-back up, NOT a one button back up software like some of those tricks out there. If a drive fails or is full, simply pop it out and insert and new/larger one, WHILE IT IS STILL ON and the back up drive will rebuild the lost info using the RAID configureation.

It is good for that guy that had all of this dvds in a digital format or tons of media crap or both, like me. Needless to say this is a great tool for video editors too. I know I have been working on a project that is 2+hours long and 4 cameras running at a time....storage becomes a burden. Drobo fixes that. If anyone has lost a hard disk then you know it is hell.

here is a CNET review
http://reviews.cnet.com/external-hard-drives/drobo/4505-3190_7-32470303.html

Hands on I can't say but my friend was bragging about it. and is bringing it across the country with him to that should speak of his trust in the product

Film maker resources

2009-05-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

I found this link via @filmmakerIQ on twitter. com
http://filmmakeriq.com/general/featured/505-behind-the-scenes-videos.html

It is a huge list of behind the scenes featured videos, so basically all the DVD extras type of stuff. More on this list than I could possibly watch before I share it but I figure share it the more people watching, the more people learning the better.

Long trailer for a debate movie by a music video director

2009-05-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

If topic doesn't interest you then maybe the style might. Yeah I said style and yes the movie is about two men arguing about religion, seems like no one ever wins but I still want to see it.

A long trailer for a film by DARREN DOANE who is mostly know for music videos from blink 182, buckcherry, jason mraz, afi, underoath among others.
follow him on twitter
http://twitter.com/TheDoane

COLLISION - 13 min VIMEO Exclusive Sneak Peak from Collision Movie on Vimeo.

2009 demo reel-A

2009-05-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

demo reel 2009 from nic justice on Vimeo.

already outdated I'm going to redo it with a new song and some more footage in the next week or so.

hello

2009-04-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

I created this account mostly to comment on other blogs on blogger....at the moment I blog here
nicjustice.vox.com