Productive Day Ahead!

So today I have a business meeting in the morning to finalize the date for an upcoming music video for a local musician. This will be the first big paid video I have ever done and I as of right now things are moving together nicely with it. We have a location, people for crew, people for cast, and also a good mindset of which shots to use. But yeah it should be a short meeting, but to the point I am excited to have a firm date finally.

In addition to that I have a photoshoot today with Mary, the model from the Jill Valentine photoshoot. She has more costumes and locations to use so I am super excited. She is really cool and chill to work with, and we have a lot more shoots coming up in the future besides this one, which I can't wait for to be honest.

Random Movie Fact: In the 1994 movie, Chungking Express, since Chungking Express was filmed in sequence or "like a road movie" as Wong Kar-Wai has said, Wong wrote each scene either the night before or on the morning on the day of filming.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Ending...

So today was the end of my car photography stint that lasted about three days. The company I worked for was just simply asking too much out of me for not enough pay. While it would have been a nice way to earn extra cash, in the end it just really wasn't worth it. Not only considering that but also the drive to the place was quite the haul so all in all just not up to the level I needed it to be. In other news I am also stepping back from a local record label I have been working with for a few years now. I am not naming names or pointing fingers, I just think creatively we are seeking two separate things. It was fun, I learned a lot, I still love all the guys to death I just wanna go my own way for right now. Maybe sometime in the near future, some level of collabaration will be feasible but for now not really.

I think right now is just a time for me to carve my own path with To Tony Productions, I am getting into a little bit of everything just to try it and gain experience. As time goes on I know we will be able to gain a niche but for now it is a lot of experimentation with what works and what doesn't work. Well I will keep trucking forward and hopefully you guys will stay informed on what is soon to come.

Random Movie Fact: In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, at the end of the sequence in which Dorothy and the Scarecrow first meet the Tin Man, as the three march off singing "We're Off to See the Wizard", there is a disturbance in the trees off to the right. This was long rumored to be one of the crew (or, by some accounts, one of the dwarf actors) committing suicide by hanging himself, but it is in fact a large bird stretching its wings.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Day After B-Day

So yesterday was my birthday and it was a lot of fun! My girlfriend Ashley treated me to a day out at Ocean City and it was so cool. My friend Chris was visiting his sister down there and he hung with us for a good chunk of the day and it was a nice time. I got to go swimming in the ocean, riding all the awesome waves, I got pinched on my pinky toe by a crab, and I had a nice crabcake dinner. It was a good day and I can't thank Ashley enough for a wonderful and relaxing birthday. Oh and here is a pic of me chilling on the beach yesterday.

Random Movie Fact: In the 2008 film Iron Man, Ghostface Killah, a long-time fan of the Iron Man comics (he uses the aliases "Ironman" and "Tony Starks", titled his 1996 album "Ironman" and samples clips of Iron Man), got a cameo as a Dubai tycoon. However, his scene was cut from the final film. Jon Favreau apologized to Ghostface and used his "We Celebrate" video in the film.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Birthday!

Today is my birthday, going to Ocean City all day to relax and hang at the beach! Going to be a fun and relaxing day!

Random Movie Fact: In the 1981 film The Evil Dead, Bruce Campbell twisted his ankle on a root while running down a steep hill, and Sam Raimi and Robert G. Tapert decided to tease him by poking his injury with sticks, thus causing Campbell to have an obvious limp in some scenes.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Product Photography

Well this week, I worked a few days a local car dealership taking photos of new cars for the website. It was a good learning experience and got to meet some nice people. I have been offered a part time job at the place, but I don't think I will stick with it just because the pay is too low and the work is harder than you think (baking out in the hot sun and manuevering the cars a different way for each shot takes it out on you). And on top of that the pay is next to nothing, but anyway here are some of the best shots from the week...Enjoy!

Random Movie Fact: In the 1982 film Creepshow, at the beginning of the film when the boys father is scolding him for reading the comic, the boy comes back with saying it's no worse than what's in the porno magazines his father has. Stephen King got his start writing short horror stories for pornographic magazines.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Zero to Hero

So these past two days I started working for a car dealership as a photographer which has been pretty cool. I take photos of the cars for their website and then they upload them onto their website later. The pay is ok, nothing amazing to say the least but for now it is a means to an end for me and I have been pretty strapped for work. I hope that soon though business will pick up to a point where I can move on from it. We will see, I don't mind it and as long as I don't get too screwed over it is all good.

In other news I feel like for a while there I was on a bit of a streak where I was making more enemies than friends. Between not working a whole lot, a ton of free time, and also just too much thinking I was in a bad place. I hate where I was in life and anyone I offended at that time I extend deep apologies too, but now that I am back on track with life I think I can starting mending it all up. I am sure it will all work out in the end.

Random Movie Fact: In the 2004 film Ocean's Twelve, the Night Fox's mansion is on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The name of the city overlooking Lake Como is Bellagio. The city and the lake were the inspiration for the design of the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas, site of the heist in Ocean's Eleven.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Photo Portfolio

So I have been wanting to do this for a while now and would like to present my favorite/best photography I have done so far.

Random Movie Fact: In the 2002 film Irreversible, Director Gaspar Noé only had a three-page draft before the movie was shot, so all of the dialogue was improvised.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

How to Fight

Today is a good day for self reflection...as I look back at myself in the mirror I see a man who is on the verge of being broken but also one who will fight harder and harder. I struggle everyday in this world as an artistic minded person...I fear this is a huge burden. It is a burden not just for me but for all who think artistically because we must struggle with the small details of not only our work but with ourselves. If things are perfectly aligned and structured for us, then nothing will be right. The constant criticism and complaints can at times bombard us with no remorse, but we must fight back by creating works that are stronger. I fight every day, and all other artists do as well. Do not stop fighting, do not stop doing what is right to make yourselves better. Support one another and show love...this is the only way we will all succeed against the many obstacles we face.

Random Movie Fact: In the 2005 film Thank You for Smoking, no one is shown smoking a cigarette throughout the entire movie. In fact, except in the black and white film that Naylor watches, no-one is seen even holding a cigarette. Naylor holds an empty packet and Robert Duvall holds an (unlit) cigar.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Stress Coming

Well the music video is either totally off or just plain postponed for a while. Client was trying to get me to switch the whole direction of the video last second and also just plain trying to get me put in a risky situation. Without insurance and all that, I just didn't feel comfortable all around. I was talking to his upper management today so hopefully they can chat with him and straighten things all out but for right now things aren't looking too chipper. More work coming up soon though so there is plenty of time to make good content this month. Let us not make this a wasted day!

Random Movie Fact: In the 2006 film The Science of Sleep, Sam Mounier gave Michel Gondry the idea for the film when Gondry asked the then 10-year-old Mounier to come up with a bed time story. Literally the next day, Gondry began writing the script.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Music Video Shoot Tomorrow

So tomorrow is my first official shoot since the 48 hour film festival and it is a new rap music video for Kane Mayfield! I am excited to be working with him again and I am aiming to create something more cinematic than the last music video. So tomorrow starting around 1pm that is going to be the rest of my day!

Last night I went scouting on another upcoming music video with my DP Chris Hill, it was cool we got to check out a lot of the local bars around my way. After a couple of misses on bars we found the perfect one and we are in talks to lock it down for the video. I am excited for this one since it is a video for a genre I never thought I would get into, but it will be worth it for sure. So more to come on that, we are looking to actually film sometime between July 18th-20th.

Random Movie Fact: In the 1994 animated film The Lion King, one of the bugs that Timon pulls out of a knothole during Hakuna Matata is wearing Mickey Mouse ears.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Wild Morning

Whew...I gotta take a breath. This morning was one of the craziest things ever...like really I don't think I have ever talked with that many clients at once. I think at my peak I was emailing, texting, and trying to call about 7 or 8 different people. Each one with a whole other thing. These past two days have been absolutely insane and this month is on the verge of picking up in a big way. Like tomorrow runs the possibility of filming some stuff, this Sunday I am filming stuff. Monday-Friday next week looks filled up. The only pause I am going to have is my birthday which is July 14th and with the way things are looking I may have to put off relaxing Saturday and Sunday that weekend. I don't know but I can barely keep up. My mind is racing right now...

Random Movie Fact: In the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, Jules's character was originally written to have a gigantic afro, but a crewmember obtained a variety of afro wigs and one jheri curl wig. Quentin Tarantino had never thought about a jheri curl wig, but Samuel L. Jackson tried it on, Tarantino liked it, and it was kept.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July to everyone! I hope it is a good day for all of you and yours. May today bring fun filled joy, hot dog eating, and safe firework launching to all! Be careful and if you are somewhere hot like here in Maryland, make sure to stay hydrated. Our country is a great one and thanks to all those who have fought for freedom I can voice my opinions and thoughts on a blog such as this. I love this great country and hope our liberty can ring forever!

Random Movie Fact: In the 1972 film adaptation of the musical 1776, In the song Is Anybody There, sung by John Adams, the lyric "Yet, through all the gloom, I see the rays of ravishing light and glory" were from a letter by the real-life Adams to wife Abigail the day after the Declaration was adopted.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Walking Past This

So last week while I wasn't home my dog jumped the fence and ran up to a lady walking her dog. My dog is a 95 pound German Shepherd and when she "plays," with a little dog she does get a little aggressive, however she did not really hurt the dog or anything, the vet said minor bruising which tells me that my dog was in fact just playing rough with this little dog. However since then this house I call home has been turned upside down and my parents are fighting to get rid of the dog, even threatening to just get rid of her when I am not around. Once I brought up the fact that legally I own the dog and if they do anything I will call the cops, of course my father who refuses to lose anything turns the psycho meter up and says some sh*t I don't even want to repeat.

Anyway why am I bringing all this up? Well the fact is this leaves me with no choice but to move out from my current residence and start living on my own. Is this earlier than I wanted to leave? Yes, but with no other real options, I don't have much of a choice. My parents threaten it at every chance they get, if we even get in the slightest of arguments, my dad always says "You know what, if that is the case you can just pack your stuff and leave." I am tired of it, sick of it, so that is exactly what I am going to do.

All my life since I am the oldest child, I have always sort of had it rough. Not only that but being the only son makes it even harder. The relationship I have had with my parents has never been good. I seem to be the one working the hardest but yet get punished the most. My sister who is two years younger than me on the other hand has had everything handed to her, cars, money, college, all of it scott free. Me on the other hand, I have had to work so hard to get exactly what I wanted and I have always tried to show my parents but they just don't care. It sucks ya know, mix all of that with the fact that for a while I was like the youngest of my cousins and I got picked on a lot. I have always been the outsider of my family and I don't know why but I just have.

However for all that is going on right now, I am truly blessed to be alive and thankful that I have what I have. Sure it is going to be hard living on my own but I am going to make it work as best I can and while the past has sucked it doesn't mean for one second I am going to stop fighting.

Random Movie Fact: In the 1980 film Raging Bull, when the real Jake LaMotta saw the movie, he said it made him realize for the first time what a terrible person he had been. He asked the real Vicki LaMotta "Was I really like that?". Vicki replied "You were worse."

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Demo Reel!

Here is the official To Tony Productions demo reel for this year! It is all the best from TTP since starting back in 2009. Enjoy the reel and leave any feedback you can.



Demo Reel - To Tony Productions from Daniel Hess on Vimeo.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

June is Over

So every now and again I like to reflect back on a month and see what all I managed to accomplish over the course of it. This month was a time for moving forward with my life. June was when I finally officially graduated from Towson University and got my Bachelor's Degree from the Electronic Media and Film department. June I would say was also a rocky month, it was a time for a lot of talking and not a lot of results coming out of it. I mean I guess I could be that blunt about it but all this talking was necessary for building a foundation for professional relationships. June was when I made my second attempt at the 48 Hour Film Festival, to lackluster results. However for all the slow time that passed in this month it is vital to lead into July because now I am looking to the future and I see what is going to be the most busy month for video production I have ever had to deal with, and that is amazing! No matter what happens I know I will be learning and growing for the better.

Random Movie Fact: In the 1956 Science Fiction film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the film originally ended with Miles J. Binnell on the highway shouting to the people driving by, "You're next, you're next!" However, the studio wanted a happier ending that would assure the audience that the hero's efforts were not in vain, so scenes were added to the opening to show Miles in a hospital recounting his story to two other doctors and to the end when the other doctors find out about the pods and one of them contacts the FBI.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess