Category: Video

REALLY LIKED SEVERANCE

I started watching Severance (Apple TV+) last Sunday. Watched all the shows in a few days, then had to wait until Friday (yesterday) for the season finale.

Oh my god.

I’ve tended to not really be a “TV guy” most of my life. My last real “broadcast TV” favorites was ‘The Mole’ was 2002. Shit, that was TWENTY YEARS AGO.

I remember rushing home to see new episodes, absolultey hooked. Then season two started and it turned to shit in a hurry, and I fell off.

Sure, I watched movies here and there (like the Matrix of course), and TV shows (Parks and Rec, etc.), but just nothing hooked me.

In 2019 we got The Mandalorian – WHEW. Wasn’t even fair. A TV series based around my favorite movie of all time? HOOKED.

LOKI in June of 2021, which pulled me in because of the “who’s really behind all this” story? I love that sort of stuff, which goes back to the Matrix, of course.

That things aren’t what they seem.

Which then lands us here at Severance on Apple TV+.

Aside from the amazing sets and design, and the brilliant acting, is a premise that gnaws at me a bit.

The “everyday you’re back here, you chose to come back” part.

Wow.

CREIGHTON UPSETS IOWA

To think that Lauren Jensen played for Iowa the previous year, transferred to Creighton, then hit the eventual game winning three pointer to beat her former team IN IOWA.

It’s their first ever trip to the Sweet 16, too. Wow.

THE CONTINUOUS SHOT FROM THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT

The fifth episode of the Book of Boba Fett is my favorite, and one I keep re-watching, mostly for the continuous shot that starts at the 7:04 mark, and lasts until 9:21.

After some gorgeous shots of the ring world of Glavis, we seen Mando walking to the elevator to deliver the bounty.

This interaction says everything, without a single word being said.

The camera goes in motion to Mando’s right, and goes around the entire table. I’ve watched this several times, and it’s fun watching all the subtle movements and reactions that each person sitting around the table has.

See? The camera continued around the table to Mando’s left side, and will follow him out of the club.

The music fades, and we’re left with Mando struggling with his hurt leg.

Mando gets off the elevator, and he walks by the camera and out of frame, ending the continuous shot at the 9:21 mark, cutting to another camera angle.

I haven’t noticed any of the big episode “wrap up” articles making note of this, but I did find a small thread on Reddit talking about.

“Before he 1st goes into the elevator, the shot begins with Mando walking out from behind a arched pillar on his right & a low concrete ledge on his left leading up to the elevator. Those same set pieces are shown in the same spots each floor he enters/exits the elevator from. The CG backdrop & possibly the slight change in lighting are the only things that changes to give the impression that he is ascending & descending levels,” via Reddit

So yeah, I love it so much.

Skateboard Moves Me

My buddy Dino sent me this. This video is good.

Skateboard is magic. Voodoo. Nothing has captivated me more over the years than skateboarding.

Yeah, I grew up with BMX and freestyle and all that, but skateboarding? Every skater is a wizard.

I will pick up a skateboard magazine before a BMX magazine. I can watch skateboard videos forever. BMX videos just don’t grip me the same way.

Skateboards are magic. And a video like this makes me wanna skateboard.

Not just for some cool factor, or whatever. Fuck, I’m 45. I’m good where I’m at. But man… I want to feel the magic. The forward energy.

Absolutely powerful video, talking about depression, mental health, the tragedy of losing anyone in this way. And the images of those lost, towards the end… gut wrenching.

Fuck it. Just watch the video.

Use Your Face and Your Voice

ABOVE: the TLDR version of the text below

I’ve been following Loom for awhile, and using their super easy video making software for my Close Mondays operation for awhile now. I didn’t even realize it, but I made 36 videos with their software, dating back to November 2019.

For business, it’s sometimes nice to send a video to someone you work with instead of just a plain text email, especially when you want to show a workflow process.

I’ve also used this for not-business, too. Like this:

I made that video for Metal Bandcamp Gift Club. I link to it from newsletters that we send out, and also put on social media every now and again, too.

The point is this: All text looks like… text. But FACES. VOICES. SMILES. That’s the stuff, right there. Bands could use something like Loom to announce new songs, or shirts, or tours with images of the very things they’re working so hard to promote.

Like, love them or hate them, reaction videos work because they’ve ALWAYS worked. Ask any older music nerd, and they will fondly remember the MTV NEWS breaks… zip zap, here’s Kurt Loder talking about something. Outro music. Done. PEOPLE. VOICES. FACES.

So with the stuff Loom lets you do, you can do just a bit more than point the camera at yourself and upload it.

Add album artwork. Or merchandise photos. Tour dates. Tons of stuff. And the “big scary” part – YOUR FACE. But people like your face, they like YOU.

Again, text is great. Add an image to a Tweet. Cool. But they put faces on billboards and magazine ads and pre-roll videos. Imagine if the was just all text? BORING.

Anyways, go check out Loom.

We Got The Moves

Summer is winding down, but this has become my summer anthem.

Usually I’m not a fan of the “harsh vocals” switching the “clean vocals” and all that stuff that “the kids” seem to like so much, but this just works for me. I mean, the visuals do it, too. Such attention to vibe and style and wit and sass. I love it so much.

Random Bandcamp Roulette

Check one, check two. Made this with Loom, which I’ve used a bit for work, and started to wonder if it would work for Bandcamp Roulette (see below) – and it sorta does! This was just a quick test – obviously some audio things to work on, but I like this. Made this within minutes, without having to mess with multiple video and audio files. There’s some limitation, sure (no ducking, but that’s okay), but I really like this. Considering how fast I can make these? AND not be tied to YouTube? Definitely going to upgrade my Loom account this weekend.

Sure, that looks and sounds really good, but those episodes are a beast to make. And, again, I like the idea of not spending more time on YouTube.