Party Down and other things from this week.

I have been CRAZY suck over the past few weeks. But with sickness comes the watching of new shows. I had only heard of "Party Down" from a few co-workers and that was it. I have always loved nearly everyone involved with this project but had never even heard of this show.

Now, I have watched both seasons in full and am SUPER bummed out that it's gone. I do love that I can see Adam Scott in "Parks and Recreation" every week but his relationship as Henry with Casey and Roman and Kyle and the rest of the Party Down catering crew was so real and tangeable... it's just a shame it didn't last longer.

I highly recommend you go and cop that -ish on Netflix this week. Both seasons are streaming in their entirety and are waiting to be enjoyed. I have started many-a-show before -- "Arrested Development," "Mad Men," "Weeds," "Dexter," etc. but none had captured me like this show. It will truly be missed!

On another note, the wedding planning is going well! We are about to send out our Save-the-dates, our minister has been ordained, our guest-list is finalized, and we just have a few things to take care of with the venue (fire permits, etc.) In fact, to tie these two thoughts together, if you watch the season finale of "Party Down's" first season, the location their wedding is at is also Suzi and my wedding location! Not the same location on the property but just walking distance. Maybe we will have a "Party Down" themed wedding and both get married in long-sleeved collared shirts with pink bow-ties. Hey, it could happen!

I am also working on a few projects that will be added to my web reel soon as well as some projects that will take you to an entirely different site! If you have actor or director friends or you are in need of a reel, hit me up! All the recent reels I have done are up at www.dparke.com. I am also writing a script with a good buddy for a short film that we hope to shoot more than likely this winter (after the wedding.)

MobileMe: Recently I took to the twitters and the facebooks to ask what people thought of MobileMe vs. Gmail. I got my responses and have made my decision. I am now switching over to MobileMe full-time. I will still get the emails sent to my Gmail address but will no longer be using that address. If you'd like my new email address, just hit me up and ask!

I think that covers a plethora of things going on in my life right now. Let me know if I should do more update-y type stuff here or not. Maybe this will be like my "Doogie Howser, M.D." journal.

Under Water

I made this little ditty over the weekend.  It was the first time in a long time I was home with the sun out and it was warm enough to get into the pool.  I'll tell ya, nothing gets you into the water faster than a rolling camera!

Some Camera Fun

I went out a played a little with my Nikon d90 and GoPro HD cameras tonight. Came back and the footage looked pretty good. I have a few things to learn but not a bad starting point.

I meant to time lapse the GoPro but i recorded 1080p video. I then sped it up in FCP. All footage was transcoded to ProRes Proxy in Compressor

Music: "Mocoface" - PeopleMover
Lens: 70-300mm and GoPro wide
Cameras: Nikon D90 and GoPro Hero HD

My Reel

I did some maintanance on my online editorial reel. Check it out here!

My Oscar® opinion and some other things

I am glad Avatar didn't fare well -- although should it have won best cinematography? Does it even count?! I think not. I agree with Hurt Locker winning everything it won although I wanted Inglorious Basterds to win best picture and original screenplay. I was kinda shocked to see The Hurt Locker take that one. Also learned that adapted screenplay also counts if the original work was a short film (District-9) which I thought was kinda interesting!

I'm glad Sanrda Bullock won because she was the best thing about that crappy movie but I was kinda routing for Gabourey Sidibe. That would have been pretty awesome for her as an unknown young lady.

So that wraps up my Oscar® things. I also started a twitter page on which I will write twitter thought that are only 140 characters long. It's been done before and will be done again but I couldn't find anyone who did it well or at all after setting up the page. (I'm looking at you @140characters and @only140...)

Anyway, that's what's up. I also went to Disneyland this weekend and it was pretty much the best visit I have had in years. We got our own Tower of Terror elevator, saw new stuff at the Blue Sky Cellar, saw Captain EO which was just about the coolest thing I have ever seen, ate a good meal at the Plaza Inn, got our own Pirates of the Caribbean boat, and had an AMAZING time on The Haunted Mansion. SO good!

You're jealous and this wasn't written well.

fin.

PS: I ordered business cards. This is what it looks like.

New Vids

I have added two new videos to my web-reel. I will put them here when i feel like doing the coding but for now, click the link. They are the middle two videos on the bottom row done for Betty Chu for Congress.

Word

Blink - Flattery or mad?

okay -- i am going to take this as flattery becuase estevan is a much better director than i will ever be but i approached blink in December with a couple buddies to shoot THIS EXACT VIDEO (below) and i sent them MY video i did with Dave Carlock as a reference for what i wanted it to look like... here's mine, then what was just put out today:




 
Dave Carlock Podcast





i couldnt be MORE stoked to have seen that video they put out but i wanted to be the one to shoot it. I am WAY flattered that the video turned out to look like what i had already shot but a little bummed i wasnt able to get involved. :(

My first film

Here is the first thing i ever cut on a non-linear system. I used Media 100 back at Hollywood high School in 2000 and I wouldn't change a single cut in here (except there is a rogue frame in the film i like to think i put there on purpose as as homage to "Fight Club".

anyway, i love this movie... it was written by my good friend Stephanie Carter and shot and cut by me. LOVE IT.

this post is ALSO my tests for incorporating shadowbox into this here blog so... RSS readers: bear (bare ?) with me... im working

New Video

New video on my reel. Check-ch-check ch-check it out (check it out).

my reel

i updated my reel AND i added this nifty signature that i can't figure out how to show you to the bottom of all of my emails! I am excited about that. word.