Prospector

2011-02-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

The Decemberists, warming my heart, as usual. Check them out on Yo Gabba Gabba:

2011-01-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

Great News!

OAKS won the Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Short Documentary.

2011-01-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

Park City, Utah 2011

We arrived at the airport barely on time. Waited with growing anxiety that we wouldn't make it as David took his time to meet us, under the false impression that our flight was late, and that in general, airplanes are unreliable. We made it in time, and as it turns out, all my anxiety was for nothing. We waited. Maybe David is onto something here.

We ran into a couple friends at the airport, made plans to hang out with them and see movies once we arrived. This of course never happened. We saw each other in passing, texted that we should meet up, but never did. I should have skied, gone sledding, and took more advantage of the films, less of the parties. Although I am generally the first person to jump into any party situation possible, I really wish I had seen more films. I saw about 2-3 a day, which is far better than last time I went a few years ago. If I recall correctly, I saw one film in 5 days. This time it was more like 10 over the 5 days. I will get better. I promise, myself that is.

There was a lot of hustling to get into films we didn't have tickets to, all the while there were empty seats waiting for us at Slamdance. In comparison to the desperate failure of Sundance, having access to any film we wanted at Slamdance was a delightful oasis. This realization only came to David and I after we had wasted our first full afternoon waiting in line, teased by the smell of buttered popcorn in the air and promise of sitting next to my new favorite director or someone at least noteworthy.

The disappointment of being turned away from films that I had gotten excited about seeing required immediate sedation, thus the party hustle began. Thankfully, there was someone in our group that was far more social than David and me, that would be Slater.

Slater proved a valuable asset on our trip, as he was constantly keeping in touch with people about what parties were happening, and where. The parties themselves were underwhelming. The real amusement was watching Slater charm his way into any venue he pleased. I've decided that in any future adventures requiring 'status' to move around freely, I will invite Slater along. It was truly amazing to listen to the lengths he would go to get us into any event. I was ashamed to call myself a Producer, cause Slater was outshining me re: producing in Park City.

More details and stories to come....

2010-12-28T17:17:00.001-08:00

At Manzanita, OR for the holidays. Testing out my new cookbooks, butter, butter, butter!

2010-06-29T01:43:00.001-07:00

The new age. Not just purple mumu's. New prospects, bigger ideas, more talent, and resources.

The Great WK Internal Production Company experiment has been a success thus far. It's official, and has been christened 'Don't Act Big'. Irony hasn't lost its charm in this case. One of the big timers at WK found this scribbled on a piece of paper randomly years ago. Timeless advice to live by.

Looks like I'm in it for a bit of a haul. Beyond excited, a bit flattered, and eyes wide, who knows what the future brings. I'm pretty sure it will be challenging and bountiful, whatever it might be. I'm just hoping I can keep my pants on.

2010-06-09T02:46:00.000-07:00

Last summer David and I had a drunken brainstorm, this is what came of it. I never tire of Ethan Rose.

Thank you everyone who helped out on this. I hope you enjoy the finished product.

Finally released in the world...

http://endhits.portlandmercury.com/endhits/archives/2010/06/08/watch-the-documentary-of-ethan-roses-oaks

2010-05-24T01:58:00.000-07:00

The Great Day Job Experiment.

Well it's been 10 years since I have stepped into an office everyday. The adjustment has been strang. At any moment I could be back in the free flowing chaos, juggling. For now, I will patiently ride this out and see where it takes me.

....TO BE CONTINUED...

2010-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Current pursuits:
This trailer is for a film that I am working with Ben Fee. We are planning to shoot in Iceland. I hear the people believe in elves, aren't offended by promiscuity, and everyone is lovely. I just need to find a pot of gold, and we are on our way.

Anyone holding a stash of gold they want to turn into a lovely movie? Just call me, I'll come over with a gaggle of elves to pleasure you.

Albert & Eliza — Official Trailer — synopsis below from Ben Fee on Vimeo.

Sin Fang Bous..

2010-01-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

Sin Fang Bous - Lies (live in Portland, OR) from Ben Fee on Vimeo.

2009-11-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

Winner of ROSEY AND DAVEY AWARDS...

If sharks were people.

2009-10-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

IF SHARKS WERE MEN

“If sharks were men,” Mr. K. was asked by his landlady’s little girl, “would they be nicer to the little fishes?”

“Certainly,” he said. “If sharks were men, they would build enormous boxes in the ocean for the little fish, with all kinds of food inside, both vegetable and animal. They would take care that the boxes always had fresh water, and in general they would make all kinds of sanitary arrangements. If, for example, a little fish were to injure a fin, it would immediately be bandaged, so that it would not die and be lost to the sharks before its time. So that the little fish would not become melancholy, there would be big water festivals from time to time; because cheerful fish taste better than melancholy ones.

“There would, of course, also be schools in the big boxes. In these schools the little fish would learn how to swim into the sharks’ jaws. They would need to know geography, for example, so that they could find the big sharks, who lie idly around somewhere. The principal subject would, of course, be the moral education of the little fish. They would be taught that it would be the best and most beautiful thing in the world if a little fish sacrificed itself cheerfully and that they all had to believe the sharks, especially when the latter said they were providing for a beautiful future. The little fish would be taught that this future is assured only if they learned obedience. The little fish had to beware of all base, materialist, egotistical and Marxist inclinations, and if one of their number betrayed such inclinations they had to report it to the sharks immediately.

“If sharks were men, they would, of course, also wage wars against one another, in order to conquer other fish boxes and other little fish. The wars would be waged by their own little fish. They would teach their little fish that there was an enormous difference between themselves and the little fish belonging to the other sharks. Little fish, they would announce, are well known to be mute, but they are silent in quite different languages and hence find it impossible to understand one another. Each little fish that, in a war, killed a couple of other little fish, enemy ones, silent in their own language, would have a little order made of seaweed pinned to it and be awarded the title of hero.

“If sharks were men, there would, of course, also be art. There would be beautiful pictures, in which the sharks’ teeth would be portrayed in magnificent colors and their jaws as pure pleasure gardens, in which one could romp about splendidly. The theaters at the bottom of the sea would show heroic little fish swimming enthusiastically into the jaws of sharks, and the music would be so beautiful that to the accompaniment of its sounds, the orchestra leading the way, the little fish would stream dreamily into the sharks’ jaws, lulled by the most agreeable thoughts.

“There would also be a religion, if sharks were men. It would preach that little fish only really begin to live properly in the sharks’ stomachs.

“Furthermore, if sharks were men there would be an end to all little fish being equal, as is the case now. Some would be given important offices and be placed above the others. Those who were a little bigger would even be allowed to eat up the smaller ones. That would be altogether agreeable for the sharks, since they themselves would more often get bigger bites to eat. And the bigger little fish, occupying their posts, would ensure order among the little fish, become teachers, officers, engineers in box construction, etc.

“In short, if sharks were men, they would for the first time bring culture to the ocean.”

If Sharks Were Men

Excerpts from Brecht’s Stories of Mr. Keuner, translated by Martin Chalmers (City Lights, 2001). Copyright 2001 by Stefan S. Brecht.

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), author of The Threepenny Opera, Mother Courage and many other provocative plays, poems and theoretical writings, composed his Mr. Keuner anecdotes at odd moments from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Viva Voce Video

2009-06-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

Music Video for Viva Voce:
Directed By Alicia Rose
Produced By Yours Truly

Viva Voce "Octavio" from Alicia J. Rose on Vimeo.

Red Fang Prehistoric Dog Video

2008-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:00