Thursday, December 10, 2009

Art Basel Miami 2009 - Here and Gone

It's that magical time of year in Miami where for one week the cities of Miami and Miami Beach are overrun with art and art enthusiasts from all over the world. The exhibits, installations, events and after parties go nonstop from December 2nd - 6th. The imagery is inspiring and it's great to meet other artists from all around the world. The swanky event also provides an opportunity to polish off the old three piece suit...

The chatter and drinks are always a blast, but it's really all about the art. Like the 4 years prior, this year was a visual orgasm and I was really taken back by the work of dozen of artists. Here are five that come to mind (4 photographers and 1 painter). I wish I could have walked away with all of them.

Without a doubt my favorite pieces are by Berlin-based painter Franziska Klotz.

"Camper's View" 2009 by Franziska Klotz

"Thrift Store, San Fernando Valley," 2008 by Scott B. Davis

"Father-in-blues / Jimmy "T99" Nelson," 2006 by Don E. Camp

"New Crowd Series" by Misha Gordin
"The Art Lovers" by Rocky Schenck

I've been inspired to create a another video piece of my own utilizing new technology. I'll throw something up on the blog once I get it down on paper and into pre-production. Cheers...






Thursday, September 24, 2009

40,000 Views & PDN Online Write-Up

PDN OnLine & LostAtEMinor.com Write-Up
Profoto Homepage Banner

I'm happy to announce that after 8 days on YouTube the "Behind the Scenes" video for "SINNERS" by Hypernova is just about to break 40,000 views.

I've enjoyed reading all of your comments and appreciate the feedback.

Generally speaking, my main motivations for choosing these tools were my familiarity with Profoto lighting and Canon equipment. Also, the availability of electrical power on location (although we did blow a few circuit breakers on the day of the shoot when all 10 packs were firing), budget, and the ability to control the light sources using the Profoto light modifiers played a major factor in my creative workflow.

Budget... oh yeah! I do realize that 10 Pro 8A Air packs with 20 heads combined with all the goodies would not be cheap to rent, but neither is a grip truck with experienced grips and generators. We saved valuable time using the strobe lighting because it's easier to manipulate and maneuver. Therefore, we were able to execute multiple scenes within the short shooting schedule. Not to mention we had more than 20,000 watts of lighting at our disposal.

Incorporating the cinematic look and fluidity of the steadicam (provided by Michael Fuchs in the Hypernova video) occurred to me after I worked as a steadicam operator in Hawaii on the Vincent LaForet "Jamie O'Brien Experience" shoot back in January using the 5D Mark II.

However, as opposed to contributing to the popular 5D video movement, I wanted to combine the stop-motion feel of animation created by the still camera with flash photography. I also recognized this was the opportunity to create something new with a specific set of tools that were at my disposal.

I've always believed that we never create in a vacuum. We are influenced by a multitude of experiences and stimuli. I saw this project as an opportunity focus my creativity using my skills as a still photographer, steadicam operator, and day dreamer into one clip.

Thanks once again to all those who helped on this project. It was a great collaborative experience.

Monday, September 14, 2009

"SINNERS" Music Video by Hypernova Premieres on www.STROBIST.com


It's about 1:30 AM EST here in Miami, FL and I psyched to see my music video "Sinners" by Hypernova, debut on www.strobist.com 30 minutes ago.

I personally love the description / disclaimer for the video on Strobist.com, "The music video is very intense, and deals with themes of religious intolerance and torture. And while the ten-FPS strobed technique marries perfectly with the subject matter, you cubicle slaves might want to turn the sound down a little and/or wait till the office killjoy hits the coffee machine." - David Hobby

I produced, directed, and DPed this video and it's really great to finally see it completed and released. A special thank you goes out to Cliff Hausner & Ab Sesay of Profoto. Finally, an enormous thank you goes out to everyone involved: the band, the crew, and sponsors. I truly appreciate everyones hard work and time on this project and you all have been incredibly supportive.

Monday, August 3, 2009

"Estilio Crudo" by Bravo Linguista - Music Video, NSW Australia

Roughly 600 miles of driving throughout New South Wales, Australia delivered my crew and I to Dubbo, a small town nestled between somewhere and nowhere. We scouted, plotted, and shot our video in a hard and hot 32 hours. Our gear was provided by Panavision Cameras and Lighting. We used the Sony F23 (not your average camera, price tag $350,000 for the body alone), and the 4x4x4 uncompressed HD image it produces is ridiculous. As a friend of mine just recently said... "shoots are never perfect" and he would have been right once again here, however our small crew were total PROs and their hilarious jokes helped push us past the 100 degree temps. I want to thank each and everyone of them for their help on this project. Aussies Rock.

Director of Photography / Producer: Richard Patterson
Director: Luke Torrevillas
Producer/Playback/Unit/Technical Adviser: Nic Godoy
AD / PA / Driver: Paul Misbrener
Cam Assist / Focus Puller: Rose McVitte

Editor: Miles Selwyn
Grade: David Sander
Post Facilities: Klinik Design, Sydney Australia
Special Thanks to Clint Logan, EP Klinik Design

Camera Supplied by Panavision
Lighting by Panavision Lighting

Music:
myspace.com/bravolinguista

Monday, July 27, 2009

Lostateminor.com on CommonMachine.com

Extra Extra! Read all about it... the cool kids at Lostateminor.com (A very sharp, current, and dope website) reports on the opening and happenings of Common Machine Productions. We (Brett O'Bourke, Trip Williams, and myself) are really excited to break our news cherry with such a great site. This just follows the launch of our new website and reel.

This is a great start to a slammed week with back to back shoots (video and stills), which range from photo shoots on human genomics and aquaculture too video work for a major national airlines. Finally, we'll round off the week by shooting a video installment to the upcoming DVD album of the very cool Miami musical group, The Down-Home Southernaires.

Cheers :)!

Monday, July 6, 2009

CREATIVE LIGHT Photo Shoot

I received word today that my photo shoot for the new CREATIVE LIGHT product line is up and running. The shoot was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed working with our talent, Kim and Lisa.
The final selected imagery will be used for the brochure for CL and the video will live on their blog. This shoot followed an even larger music video shoot that I shoot using a stills camera and 16,000 pics.
It's in the editing room now and I look forward to showcasing it once it's spliced together. In the meantime, I hope you like the video below. Cheers, Richard.

Friday, June 12, 2009

A New Season, New Shoots, & A New Office


The month of May was crazy. Moving apartments, photo shoots for ProFoto (separate post to come soon), a music video with the band "Hypernova" and the opening of my production office and studio, COMMON MACHINE PROD. in Miami, FL with Brett O'Bourke in the Moore Building of the Design District.

COMMON MACHINE PROD. is a documentary film and video production company. Brett O'Bourke, Executive Producer, has produced for Discovery, A&E, Oxygen, and Lifetime. Not to mention he has also held the title of "Editor in Chief" of several print and online magazines, including the Miami - Flavorpill.com.

Also joining our crew in Miami is Director and Editor, Jorge Rubiera. Jorge and I are currently shooting the his feature independent film "Meniscus" in North Carolina and Miami. He is currently in the midst of editing our piece on Russian composer, Alexander Knaifel in Ireland.

Dividing my time between NYC and MIA will be great and while I've now taken on the role of Director of Photography at CM, I'm looking forward to a strong season of pitches for my commercial and advertising clients.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Ireland Documentary: Alexander Knaifel, Russian Composer

This is my third trip to Ireland and I'm always amazed at the hospitality, conversations, and adventures that take place here each time I come.  I'm working with Jorge and Raul Rubiera of Swamp Valve Pictures on a documentary on Alexander Knaifel, Russian composer.  His music provided the inspiration to Jorge's movie "Meniscus", which I'm working on as the DP. Everything is going really well and Alexander's music is very modern.  The best night so far followed Mr. Knaifel's performance at a really nice pub located high on a hill within the small town of Drogheda, Ireland.  The composer, the musicians, and our crew enjoyed a night of local folk music at a charming pub with an endless supply of Guiness and whiskey.  Getting the gear and instruments down the hill at sunrise was a symphony of sound in itself.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

CONVERSE & CORNERSTONE Promotion Video Shoot, NYC



I've said it before and I'll say it again... opportunities to work with clients with a good team, visually oriented, and a great rep to boot are fantastic for everyone involved. Just recently I finished putting the final grade on a behind the scenes video I shot for a New York City rock band called "The Flying Machines" sponsored by Converse and Journeys and produced by Cornerstone Promotion. This winning band was selected from a pool of 4800 entries for the national competition. We gathered in a unique recording space in Manhattan called Sear Sound and I documented the nip & tuck of the album under the guidance of Grammy award winning music producer Mario P. Petralia.

I captured all of the HD imagery using the Sony EX-3 coupled with 16mm B&W Kodak 7222 that was captured using a Bolex. The 16mm telecine transfer was performed at DuArt in NYC. The two formats were edited together using Final Cut and graded using Magic Bullet. The final piece will be displayed on the Converse website and distributed within Journey shoe stores nationwide.


Nautica South Beach Triathlon, Miami Beach, FL

The day started off at 4:30 am as I made my way towards 2000 + incredibly fit athletes milling about their Treks and Cannondales. Power Bar wrappers covered the ground and a hint of icy hot permeated through the air. After a quick introduction and the Pledge of Allegiance we marched five blocks on the sand to the sight of an amazing Sunday morning sunrise and the start of the Nautica South Beach Triathlon. I love being challenged at these particular sporting events which require you to capture the thrill of the competition while showcasing the overall ambience of the cities who play host to them.

This shot above was one of the first frames I made at the competition, which features pro-level athletes storming the Atlantic in the first leg of the triathlon. In order to be mobile, but still provide this unique perspective, I boomed my Canon 1Ds Mark II 10 feet above my head utilizing a Manfrotto monopod. In order to trigger the camera I called upon the Pocket Wizard receiver / transmitter in combination with the PocketWizard CM-N3 Motor Cord. I metered for the sunrise, prefocused the camera, and put the lens to manual focus.

In the run that followed towards the water, I barely even realized that I had chased the triathletes well beyond the shoreline and ended up about waist deep in the ocean... A few more steps and it would have been a call to Canon.

The client was extremely happy with the overall take and I look forward to next year's race.

Winter Music Conference Video Documentary, Miami Beach, FL

Every year thousands of dance music enthusiasts converge on the balmy shores of Miami Beach, FL, in the middle of March for a festive fun filled event called the Winter Music Conference. Common Machine Productions tackled this annual event for a web documentary focusing on the New York "Super Club," Pacha. I am the DP and camera operator for CM. For five days we endured the occasional spray found at the Miami Beach pool parties. All that sun was just so warm and nurturing we just had to complain...
The completed 12 minute documentary will be viewed and distributed over the night clubs youtube and commercial website.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Summer Is Just Around the Bend

I was working at my desk a couple of days ago on beautiful day in March when I heard a trumpet blast announcing the arrival of spring and summer... the Mr Softy Ice Cream truck jingle. As a kid growing up in New York summer evenings always concluded with a strawberry shortcake or a vanilla cone topped off with chocolate sprinkles and when I heard that sweet sound I could only think that cold days of winter are behind us. To celebrate this occasion I pulled out a stop motion video I shot in Central Park on an incredibly warm day in Sheep's Meadow, Central Park last July, 2008.
Go grab your ice cream...

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Fashion with Friends, NYC


Friends Elizabeth Marz, makeup artist, and Marissa Waters, stylist, and I got together one recent Saturday afternoon for a shoot on the roof of my building. It was unusually warm for the mid-February day and the sky was a beautiful cadet blue. Inspired by a recent Japanese anime, Marissa pulled a wardrobe fit for Blade runner and Liz complimented the attire with an equally impressive hand at the makeup and hair. In the end, a day intended for fun, turned into a great collaboration... big thanks goes out to Dasha from Elite NYC for bearing the above average but cold temps :)

Here are a couple of the non-retouched images:


Thursday, February 12, 2009

Video Trailer - Jamie O'Brien Shoot, North Shore, Hawaii



It's a great feeling when you finally see the fruits of your labor. The crew of the Jamie O'Brien shoot in Oahu, Hawaii put in a tremendous amount of work on a daily basis and I'm honored to be part of it. Please take the following link to see the finished trailer (2 minutes long) showcasing the work of Vincent Laforet, Nich Childs, Mike Isler, Tab Firchau, Ryan Hughes and myself and of course... Jamie O'Brien.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Betties and Biffs - SNOWBOARDING

ROAD TRIP!
We could have worked
We decided to play
Now my body feels it the next day 

It was a really great day out on the slopes (hill), but what a fantastic, last minute trip it turned out to be.  Special thanks to my stunt team :)
Karen "The Flame" Heston
Sarah "The African Bullet" Hart
Chris "The Sabo" Le

It's Friday, we're all back to work, but the daydreams of the white powder and blue skies make the day fly by that much quicker.  "wait, what's that, oh who's at the door?... oh, hello Weekend, won't you come in..."
Good times...

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Sydney, Australia - Music Video Shoot



The crew was packed, the equipment was tested and check out from Panavision, and the crafts were purchased, this could only mean one thing... road trip!  After consulting with the local film counsel for locations and two days of scouting, our crew headed approximately 250 miles west of Sydney to the barren town of Narrowmine on the western edge of New South Wales, Australia.  We wanted a sparse landscape and isolated roads to serve as the backdrop to the "Raw Style" music video.  Capturing the video with the Sony F23 was an amazing experience. The camera, despite her 60 lbs fully loaded was very easy to work with and was very comfortable to work with handheld.

Zeiss Digiprimes (7mm, 10mm, 20mm, 40mm all T/1.6) and Fuji 10-100mm T/1.8 were our lenses of choice.  Luke and Paul did a great job developing the common the story boards to our narrative that would run throughout the 3 minute video.  In the end we had 4 performance pieces, a narrative, and a dead body in the boot of the car all checked off the list.    


Monday, January 26, 2009

The Long Road Home... to get to another marathon - The ING Miami Marathon

38 hours of travel and six ports of call (SYD -> HNL -> LAX -> JFK -> LGA -> MIA) deliver me at the starting line of the ING Miami Marathon for the fourth year in a row.  Fighting the jet lag has become a science, but I look forward to shooting the race for ING.  20,000 people are expected... that's a lot of coffee and bananas for the 5 am call time... how are they so pumped so early will continually escape me.  

Friday, January 16, 2009

Aloha, Honolulu... G'Day, Sydney Australia

The final days of the Jamie O'Brien documentary finished strong. The weather was cooperating, the work flow was smooth, and the crew had survived the dreaded company move from our first base of operations to our new home located directly on Pipeline Beach... VERY NICE! Working with Tab, Mike, Ryan and Vincent on this project offered an opportunity to make collaborate with true pros.

As things go, the 3 weeks in beautiful Hawaii had to come to an end at some point, however with a very fortunate call from Australia and a quick ticket on Jetstar, I'm off to the even more amazing Sydney Australia.

So the evolution of camera geekology begins with the crawl of the Canon 5D MKII, to speed of the RED One, and to the amazing beauty of the Sony F23 Camera ($300,000 for the body! "Hello B&H, may I get 3 please...haha")and Zeiss Digiprime lenses (my fav... the 7mm T1.6) throught the 10mm-100mm Fuji Cinelens T1.8 . From the ground up, including the strong foundation of the Sachtler 2575 head... Panaivsion has outfitted the music video shoot for Redbak and DJ DreadJuan I am DPing with some pretty nice toyzzzzz.

The Crew
Director: Luke Torrevillas
Director of Photography: Richard Patterson
1st AD: Paul Misbrener
1st AC: Rose McVittie
Playback Operator / Producer: Nic Godoy

We're off to the deserts and western plains of New South Wales tomorrow and will begin shooting on Monday and Tuesday. SPF like my age... 30 something +

...more to come soon
Cheers :)