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Justice - DVNO

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This is a new video for DVNO, from Justice's symbolically titled debut album. I am not usually a fan of animated videos, but this one is pretty amazing, and also very meta (which many of you know I am quite the fan of). I believe that most of the graphics are old logos and images from tv and film. I recognize one former HBO graphic and one former FOX Home Video logo. I guess I'm just dorky enough to recognize what this 'is', but not quite so to recognize each individual logo. Enjoy.

Respeck

I am pretty sure these kids are onto something.

Behind the Scenes

This is some video shot on set of the Blu and Exile video I shot in January. I didn't shoot this, someone else did. Whoever it was they must have been standing close to me, because you can hear me yelling 'Action' and 'Cut'

On the list of the worst most horrible sounds in the universe: my own voice.

Spike+Kanye

I saw this yesterday, and didn't quite know what to make of it. Then today I found out the new Kanye West video for 'Flashing Lights' (the best song by miles from Graduation) was directed by Spike Jonze. I honestly don't really know what to think of it. I think I love it. It's not for MTV, it's not really for TV in general, it's just a badass artfully done clip. What it has to do with the song I don't know, but you have the love the balls out attitude.

Enjoy.

One Year Ago....

I don't care what happens in today's game. I really don't. But no matter what does, nothing will ever be as exciting as this:



Ahh the memoris

Apple Bomb

I got a nice bite taken out of my ass by Apple today. I went and bought myself one of those snazzy new iPods with video. Yes, I guess I'm a bit behind the times, but mine still is black and white and doesn't include album covers. Excuuuuuuuse me, I didn't know that I had an electronic device from the stone age. In any event, I brought it home, hoping to put my music on it, as well as my directing work (see buttons on the right!). Well little did I know that Apple had a nice surprise waiting for me.

Yep, you guessed it, my Apple iPod is not compatible with my Apple computer. I guess 3 years old makes my computer too old to wipe it's own ass and tie it's own shoes, because as a nice operator told me, I need to get a new operating system if I want to use my iPod. Yeah, I have to spend an ADDITIONAL $150 on top of the $350 I spent on the iPod just to make it work.

I don't even know what to say. My friend Andrew thinks this warrants a Justin Long commercial. Andrew thinks he is pretty funny, but he has an iPhone.

So I can return it tomorrow, and I will. And they will only charge me 10% because I opened the box. Thanks Steve Jobs. Asshole.

C-O-U-R.......Are you going to the mall later?

In other news, someone very special has been doing something very nice for me while I've been in California.

Acceptance

I write a lot of treatments for music videos, and at this point in my budding career, most of them are rejected. On the occasion that my idea does get rejected, my first thought it always to wonder what the winning idea is. Luckily for me, I usually get to find out. Such is the case with the newly released video for Brooklyn band Les Savy Fav. I love their album and wrote them an unsolicited treatment for the song 'What Would Wolves Do?', my favorite from their new album. I had a few interactions with them, and they were very nice and very responsive and they really liked the idea, however it turned out they already had an animator who was deep into working on a video.

I have had this happen more times than not, and unfortunately, more times than not the video turns out lame. While I feel that my concept fits the song a little better, this video is certainly very enjoyable. Plus I was not that broken up, as I am sure I'll get to use the treatment at some point anyway. Enjoy.

This is how I chill

This is my favorite one of these

An Outlet For My Unhealthy Sports Addiction

I started writing for a Chicago sports related blog recently, and to all of our surprise, it has really taken off. I know what many of you are saying, 'Aaron, you aren't from Chicago'. Well, I don't have the time nor the desire to explain to you that growing up the son of two native Chicagoans in Sacramento, a town with only one major sports team, forced me to pay attention to Chicago sports. Ok? I don't have the time to talk about it. Just know that besides the Kings, my sports allegiances reside just to the (North)West of Lake Michigan. So check it out if you have the time at work. I know that most of you do.

Luol's Dong

Return of Spare Time

Wow. It has been a really long time. No excuses, only a new look and some new stuff to talk about. I have been busy on a few projects. Lot's of big news coming up. I'll try and stay up on this, assuming anyone cares.

Blu and Exile-Blu Colla Worker
Music Video coming very soon.

Never too busy for failure

Things have been slow on the creative front, Aaron has to pay bills. Of course my 17 hour days and 7 day weeks don't stop me from watching my beloved North Siders climb to the top of the NL Central, only to give it back to the overachieving Brewers the next day. They are now in a 9-12 skid over the last 21 games as our pitchers have forgotten how to pitch, and our offense has floated with the wind out of Wrigley. It is painful and sad, and it makes me wish I didn't like baseball.

At least I can say that our season isn't collapsing because of a high profile free agent acquisition. Yeesh, that must hurt.

Wes is Back

I really do love Wes Anderson, but doesn't it look like he is turning out to be a one trick pony?

Things The Darjeeling Limited has in common with every other Wes Anderson film...which can be determined from the trailer

-Dysfunctional family
-Absent father
-One family member trying to mend a broken home
-Dry dialogue
-Long dolly shots
-Symmetrical frame
-Hyperbolic production design
-Indeterminate time period, but a period piece none the less
-That one shot with everyone in the frame, organized so that everyone is looking towards the camera.
-Slow motion on that one shot with an obscure 60's British rock song

Christ even the posters are starting to look the same.



Come on, Wes. You were the future of American cinema. Don't let us down on #5.

Validation

These people have now seen my name in print on their computers

The Moment You Have All Been Waiting For

Also, please visit my site for a fancy flash version, and visit Hella for updates on them.

Also, tell your friends. Especially those in high places. Leave comments in the...uh...comments.

Patience: No Longer Just A Song By Guns N Roses

I know, I know many of you are wondering where the new fantastic superstatic, wondertastical Hella music video is. Some of you are wondering if it exists. Some of you are wondering if I even make music videos, and if my name is actually Aaron. Let me put your queries to rest.

Yes it exists, yes my name is Aaron, and fuck off its on it's way. Technology is a bitch and sometimes uploading genius takes more time than anticipated. Those who have seen the video are rendered speechless, thoughtless, and (on rare occasion) brainless. Just look at some of the reviews:


I can't get it to work. I hear music, but there is no video. Is there supposed to be a picture?
-My mom

I couldn't get the sound to work, but the picture looked good. Your credit card bill arrived. We need to have a talk.
-My dad

I mean, it's really good. I don't really like the song, but I think I can appreciate how cool the video is.
-My girlfriend

It looks super sweet, and we are really stoked.
-Hella guitar player Spencer Seim

Obviously the only review that even matters is the last one, and since my parents have trouble resetting the clock on the oven, I am not even sure why I sent them something as complicated as sound and picture coming out of their internet machine. So hold your horses, it is worth the wait.

No, YOU Tube it

I used to love YouTube. I thought it was merely a good idea at first; given that anyone could post anyhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifthing at any time. Then when I realized that it would be the future of the music video industry, I embraced it with the love that can only be shared between father and son, mother and daughter, priest and alter boy. Soon though, it got bogged down with nonsense. The curse started to outweigh the gift, as people started posting stuff like this:

Really? You really want people to see this on the internet? Nothing says, 'I rule' like a white kid 'ghostriding' his sister's bike through his gated subdivision. Maybe if it included that same white kid ghostriding his sister's bike through downtown Cincinnati, it would be more interesting. Racial strife is always interesting.
In any event, the same geniuses who put up videos like must be in charge of uploading, because after two tries to put up my Hella video (which looks gorgeous in quicktime, by the way), the quality didn't look much better than that of Chad riding his sister's bike down the streets of the Babbling Brook complex. I am currently on the lookout for another site where I can upload my site. Any suggestions?

Something very exciting is coming very soon

Very soon...

Deferment

I saw Judd Apatow's winning comedy Knocked Up this past weekend. With expectations as high as can be, I sat down in the theatre ready for the first original movie of the summer, and was not disappointed by any part of the film. It actually managed to exceed many of my expectations; shocking as so many of the hyped films released during the summer leave much to be desired. I was so excited, in fact, that I was all set to come home and write a review of the film for all 6 of my readers to enjoy. Then I stumbled across my friend Andrew Dignan's self described contrarian take on the film. I then realized that no matter how much of my writing prowess I mustered, no amount of Strunk and White consultation would deliver a better written review. Although I disagree with many of the points that Andrew makes, I cannot help but send you curious readers to his article, if only to see what intelligent film commentary looks like. I respect all of Andrew's opinions (yeah, I'm diplomatic like that) even when they are contrary to mine (Miami Vice and Thank You for Smoking). Read and enjoy his writing, and understand why as long as I am able to make films, I will never ask his opinion of anything I create. I just don't think I could take that kind of intelligent constructive criticism.

Potentially Dangerous

Some of you are lucky enough to have attended a !!! concert with me. If you have, then you know that they are the only band in the world who manages to drag me out on the dance floor without the aid of alcohol. Not only do they get me to dance, but they get me to dance like a maniac. When presented with the music of !!! (live or recorded) my dance skills are undeniable. They make Carlton look like Michael Jackson, Christopher Walken like Stephen Hawking, Grandmaster Flash like Pimpbot 5000. Keep this in mind as I go on to explain my last few days.

It started with a typical pickup day at work. I actually got off work early, picked up a van which I would drive the next morning, and parked it in Greenpoint near the venue (conveniently located literally around the corner from Lauren's apt). After a shower (completely in vein) at home, I went back up to Greenpoint and attended the show. I did all of this, knowing full well that I had to be AT work at 4:30AM. Yes, AT work, which meant that I had to be up at 3:30 at the latest.

Of course the show was legendary. !!! tore down the former Polish nightclub Studio B and ripped the final show of their tour. The show ended at around 12:45, and I went quickly back to Lauren's place, took another shower (3rd of the day) and was in bed and asleep by 1:30, leaving me 3 hours to sleep. Which I did, before getting dressed, in a van and driving with 15 other people an hour in a half into New Jersey. The day was relatively short and I was able to get home pretty early. Which was a good thing considering I had to be AT work at....2:30AM the next night/day.

So here I sit, having worked a full 10 hour day by 11:00AM and my sleep deprivation and severe exhaustion was all capped off by a thrilling show by Sacramento's finest.

I also heard I missed a spectacular showing by King James in Detroit last night. Too bad I missed the only good game of the playoffs.