I eventually would like to make this blog section an actual blog. So far I’ve been using the fact that the site is still under construction as a crutch but no longer! Until I am employed and or cannot continue due to work related…work, I am going to have a new post of some kind of art or site update every Thursday. Being that this is a networking tool and it’s my first time I figured I should start with a plug.
My friend Ryan Bogaard uploaded a video to the UCSB Water Ski team. This is his fourth music video style project for the team. Ryan, like many others, got his start by purchasing a GoPro. The 300 dollar waterproof high resolution video camera with fisheye lense is probably the biggest innovation in amateur film making since the camcorder was first introduced in the mid 1980’s, but that’s a whole different discussion. The video in question focuses on the collegiate tournament the team hosted in May of 2011 and is his strongest effort to date.
Ryan is starting to push his editing in a more complex and professional direction. The music choice is awesome, which is key to making a video like this easy to watch and make people want to watch it more than once. Another strength is his ability to infuse the action shots with lifestyle shots to create a greater picture of the whole event. The place that Ryan has really stepped up his game is in the use of fast cuts that pique interest and subtle use of slow motion to highlight certain aspects of the collegiate waterski environment. I especially liked the shot at 1:30, it does a great job of juxtaposing the social atmosphere, tranquility and intensity of a weekend at the lake. His editing has always lined up with the beat but in this video the music and editing are building off each other. Instead of using drops and verse changes as cues, he is playing with those existing elements to guide the viewer to what part of the song you should pay attention to. It shows a command over both audio and visual not present in previous endeavors. My only real complaint is the shaky camera work in the intro, which keeps the view from being immersed, but the rest of the video shows a real step towards something of professional quality.
Site Update:
1. New URL!
I decided to throw down so that this site is now http://www.blakesmisko.com (the .wordpress was obviously the one thing holding me back)
2. New Resume!
After receiving some critiques on my old resume I decided the whole Wes Anderson look was not coming through, so I went back to the drawing board. After beating my head against the desk for inspirado I surfaced with a half done painting of a sperm whale battling a giant squid. Even though it’s awesome and I plan on that being the subject of next weeks post it didn’t result in a better resume. This morning I got back to my roots and designed something that I think reflects both my home town and love for movies. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Blake Smisko 