The Grand Finale

Shadows in the Dark

The Tunnel

Wheels

Production Strategy

I plan on starting at the Breakwall because the area will be pretty empty and it will give me a great view of the city as well as the lake. It is down at the McKinley Marina and I will be able to come across some interesting sounds coming off the lake as well as some great reflection footage. I will make sure I plan out shots before I take any pictures and footage and focus only on smooth areas that allow for some imagination. I will do the same with sounds that may be one thing but allow the listener/viewer to picture what exactly they are hearing and seeing. I want to find out exactly the potential of the Downtown area I have been exploring and really get my creative juices flowing in order to get great footage. I am looking for any new and interesting situations in the area.

Ten Questions

1. Will there be any boats in Lake Michigan?
2. What kind of moon will it be when I gather my footage?
3. Will it be cloudy or not and what kind of reflections will that cause?
4. What kind of lighting will there be in the buildings?
5. What kind of Christmas lighting will be in the area?
6. Is there any wooded area or nature-like part of this area?
7. Can I get on the top of a building for a better and different angle with the camera?
8. Am I going to be able to record any sounds that are unique and cannot be recreated?
9. Is there an area where I can film some car "stunts"?
10. Will I be able to come across any interesting people with stories to tell I can record?

Reflection #4

My favorite experience was looking at the skyline of downtown Milwaukee at night. I love being from Milwaukee and I think it's a great city. It has a better skyline than L.A., I think and it's really beautiful at night. It was a full moon and the sights were beautiful. The moon reflected in Lake Michigan and it was very cool. The lights from cranes for construction were flashing very quickly as well and it fit in the skyline and the whole scene was pretty awesome.

Reflection #3

I am tone deaf. I may sing while I drive on occasion, but I suck ass at singing. I am terrible. On that note, I have never ever seen anyone break out into song randomly. And I have never seen anyone break out into "A Whole New World." Not really something I expected to happen in downtown Milwaukee. Another thing I didn't expect was a panhandler to come up to me and my friend and tell us a heart-wrenching story about how he lives in Burlington and he makes a lot of money and his wife is in Texas and he needs money for gas because he doesn't have much left but apparently enough to keep his car running on the corner. I thought it was so great I recorded part of his story and used it on a previous blog, but apparently I am incapable of properly using a microphone according to certain people. Another thing that hit me like a kick in the chest was this: after the guy panhandled us, he got in his car, and my buddy who had given him five bucks was pissed and wanted it back. So we followed this guy for about 20 minutes. And, even though we shouldn't have, we were going to try to tip off the cops because of the principal. Not a single cop in sight. After we lost the guy, we saw two squad cars, a motorcycle cop, a meter maid, and a paddywagon. It was the second time on my treks that I saw an abundance of police without any clear purpose.

Reflection #2

The Breakwall was an area where I filmed much of my footage and recorded some sounds as well. I made around 5 trips down there in the last three months. The first trip I made down there, it was fall, but warm for fall. There was a breeze coming off the lake, enough to keep the weather comfortable. The place was deserted, it was late at night on a Tuesday or Wednesday and it was really quiet. I could hear some cars in the distance, but not enough to bother me. It was really relaxing, very peaceful, and along with the lights of downtown, it was a natural high that I wish I could bottle and sell.
There was another situation during these Treks where I had a very peaceful experience, only this one was in a different way. I was walking downtown with my buddy, down near Wisconsin Ave. and around that area. It was a Fridy night so there were people in the bars and clubs, drinking and getting stupid. Anyways, we're walking and w see one cop car drive by. Then another. Then a motorcycle cop. Then a paddywagon. And then, to top it all off, one more squad car. Five cops drove by us within 20 to 30 minutes. It was pretty ridiculous, I mean I knew if I did something stupid, I'd get busted, but I also knew if some drunk guy felt ten feet tall and badass enough to jump me, the 5-0 would be on the scene soon enough to stop me from having to kick the dudes ass. Or so I would hope.

Reflection #1

After performing two Treks, I discovered many things that irritated me. One of the big ones is the lack of respect people have for an aspiring artist with headphones, a camera and microphones. The weird looks shot my way I could deal with, it was the people driving by honking, yelling shit out the window, or the people walking by talking shit that pissed me off. And I know I should just deal with it or ignore it, but it's easier said than done.
Another thing that irritated me was something I don't really have any control over. I mean, I can do my part to help, but there will always be some other mook littering. The garbage that washed ashore by the Breakwall at Lake Michigan bugged me. In this day and age of the Global Warming Hoax and Ozone nonsense, people still don't care and dump whatever they want wherever they want.