Inside and Out.

One of my buddies who works at Google was in charge of making a marketing video for a new service that Maps was rolling out. The video was set to feature a new tool that allowed users to have street view inside of a business. So if you wanted to scope out a store before actually going there, you know have the luxury of stepping inside and having a look around. Pretty neat if you ask me.

The coolest part of the video was that we had somewhat of a budget to play with. This meant we got to rent a steadicam with arm and vest mount. Not an easy tool to use, but a great way to get that organic handheld look (minus the rolling shutter issues DSLRs are notorious for).



After two days of shooting in SF and hours of editing and re-editing, we were done.

When the video was released on the Google Maps Blog, we really had no idea how people would respond to it. Within hours, we had made headlines on sites such as Techcrunch, DailyGeekShow, and even the Huffington Post. That was a pretty cool feeling.

Check out the video for yourself.

New Additions.

Lately, I've been reserved when it comes to acquiring new toys. My new rule states that if I want to purchase an art toy, I need to sell an existing one. Considering I have no shelf space left, I truly have nowhere to display any newly acquired figures.

KAWS, one of my all time favorite artists, announced a new toy this past month. It was one of those instant must haves. I've always been keeping my eye out for KAWS's companion figurines, but there's no way I could ever justify spending $1,000+ on one.



Word got out that the next release would be KAWS's classic companion figure in a sit down pose. News spread like wildfire, and all the collectors began foaming at the mouth. This was a big deal, especially considering the last few releases were a bit of a let down. I put my pre-order in early to guarantee a figure. I had to wait a bit, but it was well worth it.



The place I ordered it from actually hand delivered the item to my address. Talk about customer service! Big shout out to all the dudes over at Purist, one of the only official OrignalFake retailers in California.

As with all new toys, a photo shoot ensued...







While on the topic of toys, I also found a great deal on the sold out "Skullslinger" figure by artist Huck Gee. I was bummed that I wasn't able to order one online, but sure enough after the dust had settled, I was able to find it for below retail. Yet another great Huck piece to add to my collection.

Random Beat #3

Find beauty in the mundane.