I MADE IT!

So I have to say I am more than a little proud of myself after yesterday...I don't think things could have gone much smoother honestly. So I woke up at 4am to get myself all ready and collected to leave by 7am (I know I take forever to get ready). So Druid Hill Park was easy to get to but was packed due to the big marathon race they had there. Then it didn't help that once we got there we walked to the opposite side of the park and almost didn't make it to the spot on time, it was intense but we got there. The engagement was awesome and was really cool to capture video and photos from. After that I got back home and prepped for my 2pm gig which was all the way up at the studio I rent out in Forest Hill. The client got there on time and did her video all in one take which we ran through a few times to get different angles. It was cool for a promotional video and has a nice quirky feel to it which is what the client was after. Once I got back from that I wasn't feeling too hot and had quite the stomach ache for some reason and that persisted up until I left for the last gig which was at Pier Five. I have to say it was my toughest gig just because of the fact that I had stomach issues and my lack of sleep was catching up to me. However I pulled through and before I knew midnight had come and I was all done. I took over 500 photos last night which is about an average of 100 per hour and after reviewing a lot of them this morning I have to say the vast majority I like, unlike that last event I did, but I have improved dramatically since then.

Random Movie Fact: In the 2002 film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, as the Orcs have black blood, it was only natural that the inside of their mouths should not be pink but black as well. To achieve this, the Orc actors had to swill a liquorice-based mouthwash prior to each of their scenes.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Nervous

Well today is the last full day before my triple booked Saturday. The hard part is not going to be the gigs themselves it is literally everything before the gigs that has been stressful. I almost lost one yesterday due to some issues with what the plan for filming was but after some back and forth things are back on. The first gig is proving to be my most stressful since the area which it takes place is the same spot they are doing a big once a year marathon at Druid Hill Park. I have only been to the park once before for a film I worked on and it is big so as long as I can find the spot to park I will be ok, just trying to avoid getting towed. So there is that and then my last gig is at Pier Five which I thought that was going to be easy but the spot at which it is taking place doesn't seem to be the same spot which I thought I was going to have to go to since it is located at the building next to it. I know super confusing but no matter I will get through it. In between I will be up at my buddy's studio so I will at least be in a familiar spot in between my first and last gigs. All I know is come tomorrow around 1am once I get back home I will be feeling a lot better that is for sure!

Random Movie Fact: In the 1978 film The Swarm, Michael Caine stated in an interview that during filming he thought the little yellow spots left by the bees on his clothing was honey so he began to eat it, unaware he was eating bee poop.

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

Summer Production

So today I woke up (late in the morning of course) and couldn't help but think back on the past productions I have tackled over the summer months...wonderful times. Way back when in 2010 I was working on my True Docs series of shot documentaries facing subjects from the importance of dog care to family to heroin addiction, it was an interesting time for sure and without knowing it I captured two of the most important documentaries of all. The first one being on the subject of Family, which my grandmother did for me, only a few months later she would pass away suddenly which was heartbreaking but the interview she gave became very important. The next one I did was on the subject of Heroin Addiction and my cousin gave the most honest interview I think I have ever seen and even to this day people are still watching that video and finding some hope/truth in it. It is up to over 15,000 views on youtube.

The other production I did was Gas Guzzlers in 2010 which was a huge project which took what seemed like forever to make. Facing days where it was almost 100 degrees out myself, Jordan, Joe, Ashley, and Chad all went out to either North Point State Park or Fort Howard to film. We would mainly film from 10 or 11am to 3 or 4pm since at the time everyone except Ash and Chad worked at the same place. It was a cool shoot and taught me even more about making a found footage style film, I even got to screen it at Towson University that same December.

In 2011 that was a much slower season but one which was filled with praise I guess is the word. I am cheating a bit and counting May in this season since that is when I participated in the 72 hour film festival and what we got out of that was Spiritus. This film was the first project that I was a part of that won best in show, it was amazing. Then later on in June was the 48 hour which we got Nina out of, it didn't win anything but was a finalist at the screening. It was promising season in 2011 but a series of fallouts with friends ruined that...however what was to follow helped to shape me into the semi professional that I consider myself now.

This summer is proving not to be a summer for my productions or making a new film, but a summer of building connections and relationships. I am excited to see where this season takes me and I am sure the place I will end up is going to be better than I could have ever imagined.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Random movie fact of the day: 
In the movie Silent Hill the strange stumbling movements of the Dark Nurses when they first "come alive" was created by filming them walking backwards, and then running the film in reverse.

Best Day Ever?

So I think it is safe to say that yesterday was the best day ever for my film career so far. I was an on set intern for the film Better Living Through Chemistry and I have to say it was amazing! I was at the place for call time at around 4:30 am and things started out all wrong for everyone, people weren't at the places they were supposed to be and not in the right locations it was all crazy to say the least. However after things got settled out it was just work time, I helped direct extras to the parking lot because they had close to 400 extras in one day which was insane! After I finally got to set at Druid Hill Park I was handing equipment off, talking to crew members, getting advice, and I got to see Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, and Michelle Monaghan who are all starring in the film! It was a long day since things didn't wrap until 8pm but it was a great day to say the least. It was all thanks to a recommendation from my awesome lighting professor Wade Tyree who I can't thank enough for providing me with this opportunity.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

21 Jump Street Review

On Friday it was me and my girlfriend Ashley's 4 year anniversary and out of the blue we decided to go see 21 Jump Street starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. In the film the two went to high school together and Hill was a nerd while Tatum was a jock. After high school both decide to join the police force and become friends because Tatum can't pass the mental exam and Hill can't pass the physical exam. After getting on the force the two are stuck doing day shift duty at a local park which is the exact opposite of what they wanted to do. One day they come accross a gang of bikers getting high at the park and think this is their big break to get on as a full time cop. After arresting one of the bikers in a hilarious chase scene Tatum and Hill forget to read the Miranda rights. Instead of being fired they are transferred to an undercover operation at a high school on Jump Street. From there they start unraveling a drug operation that threatens to get worse unless they find the supplier.

The film is directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller who have worked together on a lot of animated projects but this is the first feature length live action film for the two. I think the technical aspects are all solid in this film which is something I spend some time on if I feel as though it is less than good but in this case nothing really to complain about. The biggest issue of the film is the pace which can be a tad jumpy at times to the point where I literally jumped out of my seat a bit from the sheer unexpected nature of edits. Some of the gags were funny at first but wore thin by the end of there stints. Finally the most annoying character was Ice Cube who at first was hilarious but in some points just got downright annoying with the crazy captain schtick. However he was sprinkled around enough for me to forgive him.

Overall the film is funny and tries to stay away from any cliches of the comedies, maybe at times a little too much which sacrifices story at times. The pacing is hit or miss but overall works very well. The cameo by Johnny Depp is nice and unexpected even if you are expecting it. Finally the acting is solid if you are looking for a good comedy to go to this week, this is the one for you for sure. Go check it out!

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Kane Mayfield - Hello!

Well here it is! My first ever music video! It is a great moment for myself because this is yet another part of film/video industry I was able to take on. I have been wanting to do something like this since I first started making videos and this was my time to do it. Let me know what you think.


Kane Mayfield - Hello! from Mania Music Group on Vimeo.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess