Category Archives: the mindlab

Interview with the CP kid

the mindlab

I was interviewed today for a young lady’s research paper. Thought I’d share with you my responses; knowledge is power.

[Mr. Webb sic] When I looked at your profile on www.thecpgroup.org I was unsure of your connection to cerebral palsy. Do you have CP or do you work with individuals that have CP? In any case, I compiled a couple lists of questions so you can answer those which are appropriate:

I have cerebral palsy and I work with folks with a wide spectrum of disabilities, including CP. My CP is mild compared to most, I walk with two canes for balance and have limited range of motion in my hips, legs, and feet. My speech, vision, and hearing is not effected. My cognitive ability, although some may beg to differ, is unaffected.

Continue reading Interview with the CP kid →

Thee

the mindlab 
Behold I am become Quirt Evans!

Casually imperious in the saddle,
Swinging mighty staves to batter down my foes,
Fists clenched, quaking in rightous Quaker rage,
Run amok in bar and bordello,
Hurling cornsilk-haired hussies wrecklessly through the air.

What smart tounged sneak-foot sheriff
Would loan this outlaw new rope?

Or

What forward doe-eyed Friend dare slack
His bad man's thirst for violence
And divine spark enkindle?

If Ever I Had

the mindlab 
What is this I hear going on about me?
Needing to conceal that I had little hope 
Perhaps I was worried about what wouldn’t be
Unsure if these feelings will ever know it’s not a joke

I pen this looking from the outside in
Delighted in revealing that thoughts can evolve
Calm shadows cast by generations of souls within
They would never have sought my help to solve

Outcomes, solutions, conclusions, the end
Later we will discover the epilogue’s brightness
Now we must adapt and bend and avoid the trends
Knowing that eternity will demonstrate her genius

Post Production: Day 4

the mindlab

Well, all the footage has been imported. It looks good. It’s all been labeled and sorted, and the sound has been synced. We burned 2 dvds of the footage to review. We watched those tonight. Now it is time to start editing.

Here’s a frame capture. Looking good!

Scene 6

The Green Machine – Production Completed

the mindlab

Production on “The Green Machine” has come to a close and we have officially begun post-production. Post-production on “The Green Machine” will last until or around April 22nd, at which time we should have a final cut of the film. At that particular juncture, we will then seek out someone to score the film and tentatively have the whole thing in the can by May or June.

Overall, production on the “The Green Machine” was successful. Going into it we had three major goals:

  1. To shoot a more technically advanced project

  2. To cast and work with trained actors

  3. To work full shooting days (i.e. 12 pages a day – the script was actually 25, so we did a 12-page day and a 13-page day).

Not only did we accomplish all three goals, but as Tim indicated, we did so 21 minutes ahead of schedule.

There were some minor mishaps along the way, such as the fire alarm we set off with a fogger and a near brush with the Chestertown Fire Department, but otherwise everyone walked away from the weekend relatively unscathed. Even temper wise, there weren’t any major fights. Tim and I (rather amazingly) only came close once to really going “gallaghers” on each other. The greatest cause for worry the whole weekend was a certain “seasoned beef” smell in the cottage, which we later learned was human waste in one of the trash cans.

There is still a lot to be done on “The Green Machine” and a whole lot more to be reckoned with. But the worst is over. I can’t even begin to communicate how much I’ve learned working on the project, nor can I communicate how fun it has been. It has truly been one of the greatest experiences in my life so far.

I am exhausted

the mindlab

I should probably let Mike write this, but I won’t. He can do another post or reply in the comments.

We finished taping The Green Machine this weekend. Very tiring, but we finished 21 mins ahead of schedule. I’ll try to get a few pictures up in the next few days.

Pete, I think you will like what we did with the Green Machine itself.

R’lyeh’s Next Top Chef

the mindlab

Throughout most of the day yesterday I could feel a tickle in my throat and by the time I went to bed a dull ache had settled over my body. Unable now to sleep I may as well regale you all with my experience this past night.

Fuel for the Fire

Partly due to the interest of a mutual friend and partly to the loathsome yet addictively crack-like nature of the medium, my wife and I have ended up watching several “reality TV” competitions over the last few months, the most recent being “America’s Next Top Chef”. In addition Cartoon Network recently replayed the episode of Futurama where Bender wins the Iron Chef competition by unknowingly using an aqueous solution of LSD as his secret seasoning.

In a totally unrelated vein: Last night I’d been pouring over descriptions of monsters and spells in the old Call of Cthulhu horror RPG to help provide background for an artifact I was thinking of submitting to the Delta Green mailing list.

All of these ingredients mixed together in my fever-addled brain, congealing at around 4:00 a.m. this morning into a viscous stew.

Continue reading R’lyeh’s Next Top Chef →

Getting Ready…

the mindlab

We begin filming “The Green Machine” on Friday. Should be… interesting.

I just ran a test tonight for syncing sound recorded on the external recorder with the video from the camera. It works pretty easy. The clapboard (slate) is essential.

I also grabbed a frame from last night when Mike and I threw up some quick lighting. I think we made the right choice with this camera. Click on the image to see it in full 720p glory.

I just realized that nobody has mentioned the camera. A quick note is in order. We were originally going to go with the Panasonic DVX100, the original 24p DV camera. However, for a bit more cash, we ended up with the JVC HD100. The JVC is an HDV camera which is high definition. It records in 720p30 and 720p24, as well as DV modes of 24p, 24pA, and 60i.

For all you non techies out there, 24p is is 24 frames per second, which is the rate that film is shot at. 60i is normal TV video; it’s what makes the news look different from movies (or at least one of the big things). DV resolution is 720×480, whereas 720p is 1280×720. The JVC records in 16:9 widescreen in the HD modes and is capable of 4:3 or 16:9 in regular DV mode.

It’s a shoulder mount camera and it has a detachable broadcast style lens. When Mike ordered it, he also got a free $800 professional battery system. It’s a pretty amazing device. Hopefully we can live up to a fraction of it’s potential.

Love Widgets

the mindlab

Protozoius! Theology Girl, at [http://www.theologygirl.com](http:// www.theoloygirl.com), has just put up the first installment in her new podcast, Love Widgets. Host Adrienne Kisner guides her listeners through a wide range of off-beat topics, ranging from geek love to RPGs. It’s savvy and whip smart, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll tune in now. Here’s looking forward to episode number two!

Click here to visit Theology Girl.

Click here to listen to Love Widgets.