Peace by Piece.

One of my good friends and classmates Ben Zhang recently uploaded his senior thesis film. Not only is this a truly inspiring documentary that portrays the long-term effects of love and perseverance, but I helped DP a number of the shots within the film. I am extremely honored to have been a part of this project and to have met the couple portrayed within the narrative. Please check it out!

And Just Like That, I'm Done.

It's been a fast four years. I didn't think my years at college would fly by like they did. Since starting at UC Santa Cruz four years ago, I have met so many awesome people, many of whom I can see as being lifelong friends. I have learned so much, both inside and outside the classroom. And even though the film major proved to be a bit of a letdown, I hope I have made those important networking connections to carry me on to the next chapters of my life. So what's next? Grad school? Nine-to-five job? Well, for now it doesn't matter. All I'm concerned about at the moment is just taking a few weeks off to relax. I'm looking forward to a very restful next few weeks. Real life is knocking at my door, but I'm in no rush to answer.

Here are some photos of my graduation from Porter College.

"Parallels" is a Wrap!

My screening for my thesis film I made while attending UC Santa Cruz was this past Friday. As stressful as it was, I think it was received very well. I was lucky to have worked with a great group of passionate people. I was also fortunate enough to have the privilege of filming in Saturn Cafe, the awesome vegetarian all night diner located in Santa Cruz, CA.

For those that don't know, my film was an attempt at portraying two seemingly unrelated stories on screen simultaneously. Using a mix of graphic matches, similar visuals, and juxtaposing elements I wanted to connect the two stories beyond the confines of their isolated frames.

The saying goes, "We are our own worse critic." This holds extremely true for this piece. I was on the fence about so much stuff. Because of the level of attention that had to paid to timing actions and image composition, I became extremely burned out. I'd wake up sick, sore feet, and back, but in the end, it was all worth it.

If I were to go back and do it again, I probably wouldn't have made a film like this. With that being said, I've have learned so much from this experience. So, if hypothetically I was to make another split screen film again, I'd be much better prepared.

Please enjoy!



Here are a few of my favorite still from the film

The Life of a Carrot Ain't Easy.

As a last minute project for a film class, I decided it was time for another stop frame. One of the topics for the project was food, so I decided to make a short that focused on the fictional life of a carrot. I worked in collaboration with an awesome stop-frame animator (Kip Radt) who dealt with all the modeling and animation for the film. The final production is comprised of over 3,500 images and took about 20+ hours to complete.



So without further adieu, please enjoy this dark comedy showcasing the life (and death) of a carrot.

Vinyl Update.

2011 has not been kind on my wallet in terms of vinly toy releases.

First, my pre-order of "Inspector Cumulus" arrived in the post. What a great piece. Adorned with a bowler hat and a smoking pipe, Inspector Cumulus is on the job.



Next came Kidrobot's Mascot Number 19. This is the first KR mascot that's come out since I've been into vinyl toys. This toy was designed by none other than MAD and themed to have the appearance of a riot cop. Quality control on this figure is top notch and the accessories (helmet, shield, baton, and donut) are awesome additions.



Lasty, I picked myself up a set of Huck Gee Raku Dunnys. Had to wait over 2 hours to get these guys, but the wait was worth it. The Dunny came in both a "night" and "day" version and had very unique, real-looking accessories. The clothes are made out of real cloth and the ropes and ties are made out of real fibers. Huck Gee definitely outdid himself on these. It was also cool because after picking these up at the KR release party, I got them signed by the man himself, Huck Gee. It was funny because Huck recognized me from our last encounter when I talked to him briefly about owning an STI. He has since labeled me the "subaru guy." Can't complain with that.

Random Beat.

Don't Worry, Just Breathe.

Goldfish.

Here is a short film I helped a friend shoot for a film production class at UCSC. Although I was not the primary DP, I did help out on a lot of the shoots including the epic last shot. Please be aware that this film features mature content and themes. Definitely not for the faint of heart. As much as I'd like to say no goldfish were harmed in the making of this film, I can't because that would be a lie. Please enjoy for what it's worth.

Description:
Arthur wants to be a writer but is stuck working as a file clerk in a legal office.
He's not very good at his job. Arthur puts all his energy into his dream of
getting published instead. So he lets the files stack up at work, dishes and bills
pile up at home, and messages go unanswered on his answering machine.
When Arthur is abruptly fired from his job, and his goldfish dies, Arthur's loses
his will to live. He's never tasted the success of recognition. It just doesn't seem
worth trying anymore. Then again, for somebody in the habit of failing as much
as Arthur, even "ending it all" is a challenge.

Little Big Things.

Thought I'd try my luck with Gizmodo's photo challenge of the week, which conveniently happened to be macro themed. I busted out everything mini that I owned as a means to try taking an array of different images. I ended up taking five that I was pretty psyched on it. I was upset to see the photo I had chosen for submission did not make the cut on the Gizmodo photo list. Maybe my action figures weren't "mini" enough, despite everything being taken on a macro lens. Oh well, can't argue with an excuse to take photos.

"It's... A.... "



"Please Don't Show These to Darth..."



Eye of the Beholder



Chillin' With My Bear



Yaya