Virginia Trip Today

So today is my trip down to Virginia to shoot more of Kane Mayfield's upcoming music video. It is going to be a very simple yet pretty cool little video we are putting together. So far from what we have from NY I am pretty happy so we should be able to get more great stuff today. We are staying pretty late so today when we get down there we are going to check into a hotel and then stay overnight. However we should be back tomorrow hopefully by early afternoon. I am not sure what is going to happen though because I kind of have work tomorrow and knowing how late we are going to be up tonight we might not be up any time soon tomorrow. I hope all goes well with the trip though. Well gotta run and start getting ready.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Got the Computer Back but...

So last night I got my new computer build back again from my friend. I had to give it back to him because I was having major issues with it. Now when I booted it up last night everything was fine well for a while. I installed what I needed to have for video purposes such as VLC player, Quicktime player, etc. I also downloaded AVG and Advanced Systemcare. Normal stuff going on there and then I finally got my Adobe Production Premium CS5 in and I was hoping to get it started on this build. First time I tried installing it no luck, next time same thing, and now this morning I got all the way to the final disc and surprise surprise it froze up again. At this point I am getting a little frustrated with the situation.

The guy who I had build it finished it the first time and gave it to me, it kept freezing up..ok a minor kink in the hardware it is all good. This time he gave it back to me, said he had it running for 8 hours no problem I get it back last night less than 3 hours in while installing programs I already get a freeze. I even had the system lock up when I was on the internet today just surfing the web. I mean this set up is a 1500 dollar beast designed for editing and yet it is freezing while I am on the internet? Come on this shouldn't be happening. It looks like I am going to have to send it out to him for a third time because I simply can't get it to work right. I let it sit last night just idling and at first it restarted itself and then at around 4am only 2 hours after I let it sit, it froze up again. So I don't know what to do at this point. All of my trial software installs on my labtop are about to expire and I have a whole other school semester coming up on the 3rd of January. Lets hope that he can fix all this before then.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Love and Sherlock Holmes

So yesterday I spent the majority of the day hanging out with a good friend of mine Joe just running around going to a few places. I got to shoot my first handgun which I sucked at from the start and then after that owned. We went to the Science Center which was awesome when I was a kid but kinda sucked now that I am older (should of expected that). Finally we saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows which I felt was better than the original in some regards and in others not so much.

This new film goes much further into the psyche of Holmes and decides to point out more of his quirky methods at time to the extreme for instance when he is drinking embalming fluid but other hits it right on the nose when he hates riding on the horse. I felt like the use of slow motion like in the first to show his thought process was again a very smart trick but when it was used on things such as a gun about to fire a huge explosive device it became a bit overused. The scene in the woods of them running away from the Germans was amazing and this by far was the best use of the slow motion effect in the whole film. The introduction of Moriarty was not overdone at all (as it can be in the Holmes universe) and his character was written in very well to fit the way the books had described him (he is a man who never gets his hands dirty). The ending is nothing short of a very Hollywood style but it still fits within all the workings of a Conan Doyle story. I would recommend a watch either in theaters or at home when it is on DVD. Not worth a rush to the theater really but it is still an enjoyable Sherlock Holmes film.

The other film I watched yesterday was entitled Love which is a very intensely slow drama piece about a man up in space who slowly learns he is going to be up there for a while. It can be assumed that back on Earth man is slowly killing themselves through war. At the same time there are flashbacks to a civil war soldier who is on the quest for a mysterious ship that is near the Mississippi river. Throughout the film we watch this lone mans decent into madness as he has no human interaction aboard the space station. There is no real villain in this film or not secret he really finds. It is just a slow paced strange film which is not terrible but a bit too philosophical for its own good at parts. Sometimes shots get repeated but from different angles which is excusable but the fact that these shots are shown in slow motion several times make it very apparent that we have seen them before. It comes to an end in a less than satisfactory ending and the only real way to have it make sense is if you use the excuse that he must have died. I really love the concept and the majority of the execution considering how indie this film is. I'd say if you can get past the slow pacing and the almost cheesy soundtrack from Angels and Airwaves at times it makes for a very good film. If not though stay away it is not going to pick up the pace at any point really.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Academic Superstore Sucks

So after my second order from Academic Superstore I will never shop there again. Don't get baited by the so called low prices they offer, after the order is placed they charge an arm and leg for shipping as well as sales tax, so more times than not you pay more than say a site such as Newegg. Also things that should be processed in a day never get processed at all leaving you to play the waiting game. Only after about 5 emails with them did they even ship out Adobe Production Premium CS5.5 and now I am trying to get Microsoft Office Professional which they are making a nightmare as well. Their academic verification process is a nightmare and the so called instant verification doesn't do anything. When you talk to their customer service you get a different representative every time and these people are complete idiots. They try to run you in circles to get you confused on purpose and not until you finally start yelling do they listen. Here is my story:

I ordered Adobe CS5.5 on December 3rd and by the time the 20th came to I was getting worried. I sent an email out and they told me that maybe I didn't get the confirmation that it shipped. After explaining to them that I check my email daily and it didn't just slip past me they then lied and said it shipped out the 15th according to their records. I explained how I wasn't even charged yet and then they finally fessed up that it hadn't shipped out yet. Finally after all that a lady came to and said I should be receiving shipping info on the 22nd which I did but after all that I pay for shipping it still isn't getting here until the 28th. What kind of crap is that?

Now I am trying to cancel my Microsoft order which I hope I can do. Bottom line, DON'T SHOP AT ACADEMIC SUPERSTORE!

Thank you for the support,
Daniel Hess

It is Official

So starting January 6th and continuing on every Friday from there I am going to do a weekly movie review where I pick one film opening that week and give it a nice brand spanking new review. I have always wanted to do movie reviews and doing this seems like a perfect fit. I want to start doing a simple video review and then also doing a written review as well here on the blog. So that is two reviews for the price of one. If things pick up and I get a lot of people checking out my stuff I hope to expand and also do dvd reviews every Tuesday in the future. This way I can capture the dvd and new film review market.

I hope this is as exciting to everyone else as it is to me because I can't wait to start reviewing films!

Thank you for your support,
Daniel Hess

Merry Christmas

Well it is Christmas again and I would like to extend my best Christmas and holiday wishes to everyone out there today. I hope today goes exactly the way you want it to and it is a joyous day for you. I may be out working today but hey it is double pay and my last Christmas at Oak Crest Village I know it. From me to you may your Christmas be magical and filled with greatness.

Holiday Blessings,
Daniel Hess

New Computer Here

So last night I was given my brand spanking new computer filled with all kinds of great new parts! I got home and let it adjust to my room temperature like I was told and started it up. It worked great, it was fast, efficient, and all that I wanted it to be. The only downside was this morning it was frozen which I couldn't figure out why and since I have been using it, it has froze up a few more times. If the problem persists I am going to talk to my friend but otherwise it may just be a little kink with the new build. So far so good and I hope it stays that way for a long while with this PC. Now just waiting to load Microsoft Office 2010 and Adobe CS5.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

More of the Waiting Game

So right now it is a little frustrating but I am playing the waiting game. As of yesterday my Adobe CS5 finally shipped after getting into a little bit of an argument with the Academic Superstore people. I ordered it back on December 3rd and they said it shipped on the 15th but they didn't even charge me yet so it was impossible. After talking to like 3 different people they finally fessed up and shipped it out yesterday, so I won't be getting it until the 28th when I should have had it by now. Also I finally ordered the Microsoft Office 2010 package from them last night and I am waiting for them to process it as well, hopefully it won't take have as long as the Adobe package did.

I am also eagerly awaiting my new computer which my friend at work predicted would be ready by today, so I am praying that he got it done, I am trying not to get my hopes up that it will be done today but if it is that would be freaking sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been using this labtop for like a month now and while I am used to it, having a desktop would be so great again (plus 64-bit processing!).

Other than that I am debating whether I want a Fujifilm Instax instant film camera and a part of me does but then another part of me wants to focus on getting a nice film camera like maybe some day owning a Red or something. However another part of me realizes I can just rent a great camera in all honesty. In the end I will figure it out, now it is time to round up all the bills and see what the damage is for this month.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Official Break

Well today was supposed to be the Samurai video day but my DP had to postpone again. Usually I would be pretty upset over such news but today I am actually a little relieved. This means I get a break, yes an actual real live break where I can take some time and just relax. The next time we are thinking about filming isn't until the first week in January so I am cool with that. Also yesterday my teacher was mentioning something about meeting to go over the corporate video projects but I have been in break mode so I haven't really been worried about it. Yesterday was the last day the labs were open until January 3rd so we aren't going to try to meet again until then, so I am officially off the hook for a little bit. It is a big relief to say the least.

However I still have to finish up the music video for my friend Kane Mayfield which we gotta get some more shots for and then we will be all good to go!


Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Time For Change

I feel as though I have done all I can with locations in this state. I have done plenty of video work here and feel as though now is the time to move out and start bringing you new and exciting places for video work. After this trip to New York I see how a place like that can truly bring out the best in a seemingly non existant story. Having exciting locations is a nice touch to add. I want to try and film more in places like New York, Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia; places that just have a life of their own. At the same time I want to go out west and film in the desert, that is my ultimate goal.

Maybe I am just in a rut right now and I need a change of pace or maybe I just need something exciting, something truly amazing to change the way I see life. I am a dreamer so when things get old I get into a funk where I can dream no more.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Today's Rant

I am tired of seeing crap...crap that people shouldn't be making into films. I am tired of the student films, of the music videos, short films, webseries, youtube videos, etc...that are all just terrible. Film is an art, it will always be an art when you film something that is total garbage don't pass it off as good, don't send it around and say oh yeah check this video out guys. Just stop it, look at what you are making and just stop.

Oh and those of you who watch those videos and are too chicken to say that it sucks, you need to stop the most. You think you are helping out...no you are not, you are making it worse. Just tell them it sucks, if they get hurt who cares because in the long run it will help. I only got here because I had a terrible friend who constantly told me my work sucked, I would make a video he would just run around dissing it as much as he could. Did I hate it? Yes! Did it make me angry? Yes!!!!! But it made me become a better filmmaker. I feel bad for those who make a steaming pile of crap video only to have everyone tell them it is great.

Be your own critic, don't make videos because you think it is going to make you money or get you famous. Make videos because you love the art, it makes you feel something inside, it is the only way to get better and to succeed.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Focus Time

Now that I am back from a pretty crazy/draining trip it is time to focus on the next project. This Thursday I am hoping to film to my Samurai short film if everything can go as planned. I still have to do storyboards and also meet with my DP before hand to go over all that I need to do. It looks like it is going to be a predominantly night shoot starting at either 4pm or 9pm depending on the way things work out. If my actor has to work it looks like 9pm but if now the 4 to 4:30 pm. It is a pretty easy shoot but I still think things will turn out pretty sweet, if all goes according to plan. I even have a title for the piece already The Silent Samurai which is used for a slot machine game but so far it does not seem to be taken.

Not only that but I have not forgotten Love is Undead which is still in the post production stage. I retrieved the files but it is still on my Hard Drive which my friend still has. Once I get it back I will start up editing and look to have it done before the late deadline for the Maryland Film Festival.

Speaking of computers I am dropping off my old computer and new parts to get my new system built tonight after work. My friend Dan is going to take everything out of the old and fill my first tower with all new hardware. When it is all said and done I will have an editing beast! If tonight is good for anything it will be a day when I get it all done.

Finished up my final final exam today, but still have to finish my Humane Society edit for school. Don't know how my grade for that class is going to look though.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Made It Back

Well I just got back from my New York trip about two hours ago with my man Kane Mayfield. We were up there shooting some video content for an upcoming song he has which was a lot of fun. We hit a lot of big spots around New York including Times Square, PNC radio, Fader magazine, and Penn Station. It was a lot of fun but mad mad draining on the body. I got to take my first subway ride which at first was a little nerve wracking since I never did if before but after a few times I got the hang of it. Also I got to take my first New York taxi cab ride through the city which was fun because cabs have a cool little tv in the back with trivia questions and cool things like that. You can also pay by credit now which was pretty sweet.

We got up there at a little after noon because the bus was some crappy thing from way back when and the driver kept having to pull to the side to let it reset itself. The way back was a breeze but we had to wait from about 3 am to 6:30 am before we got the next Megabus back home. We spent the time in Dunkin Donuts which is a very interesting place at night in New York. We were at a party before that for some big name producers at PNC radio which was cool because I got to here their beats and that went on from about 8:30pm to 1:30am. I was really tired at that point so I just laid down as much as could in the other rooms away from the party.

I didn't even mention the most amazing meal of my life in New York. After hours of shooting at around 3 or 4pm we finally went to get something to eat at this pizza place. It was $10.30 for two slices of pepperoni pizza and a big water, but it was so worth it because I was starving. The whole thing was like eating a little bit of heaven and I haven't felt that good about a meal since after like MayhemFest 3 years ago or however long that was. I had a blast in New York and it was just as much of a vacation as it was work but I was glad I worked up the courage to go. Thanks again to Kane Mayfield for showing me all the hot spots and making this video run real smooth so far.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Today is the Trip

So as of right now it is almost 6 am and I am getting everything ready for my trip up to New York. I am catching the megabus at 8:15 and will be there at around 11:35am. It is a video shoot day as well as a big meeting day for the artist I am riding up with. It is sure to be an exciting time just hate that is the middle of winter, it is going to be freezing up there. I just gotta bundle up and shoot some video content. Got more packing to do so I will update you guys on how the trip went tomorrow. Short and sweet today.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

New York Trip

As I type I am planning out tomorrows trip up to New York which would involve me and two good friends leaving Baltimore at 8:15am getting there at 11:45am and then we wouldn't depart until 1:15 am that morning. I just hope I can get everything ready before then. It is going to be a fun trip but the mix of cold weather and camera gear never like to mix well. We should be able to get good footage still.

This will be my first trip to the heart of New York, as my last trip was only to the Statue of Liberty. I am equal parts nervous and excited as with all my trips. On the drive up I am going to try to finish up my take home final for school and then on the way back...maybe...try and edit this corporate video project which has been a thorn in my side. That is pretty much my weekend in a nutshell. Sunday I am just going to sleep to recover and Monday I might edit some more.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess