In case you missed them when I posted them to twitter, here they are again!
01 - The Eyeglass Smudger Strikes Again!
02 - A Sunny Day in South Florida
03 - No, Wait a Minute ... that doesn't look good!
04 - Oooh! Lightning! (BTW, that's the slider door picking up the reflection of the outside patio and black sky. Cool, huh?)
05 - The Skies Are Black -- But the Sun is Still Shining Bright (look at the grass!)
06 - Pineapple Palms, Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Last Friday I did a knock-out job working on a pair of outlines for two projects that have been lying dorm want for far too long. You'd think that with a long weekend, I'd have plenty of time to do some hard work on these projects.
And I did think about it. Almost all weekend. Instead of actually doing anything, however, I watched television and road my bike and went to the pool and got sunburned. It was nice.
I've talked about it over and over again, but I am damn content with how my life is right now. I used to cram in as much creative projects as humanly possible to fill the gaping void that is my day-to-day life (whoa ... drama much??) but it just hasn't been necessary. Not only am I content with how things have been, but I'm also very happy living in the NOW--inasmuch as that I haven't been overwhelmed with where I allegedly need to be tomorrow to ensure that I won't be HERE. Or something like that.
Another problem (thinly velied solution?) is the extra person living in the house. More time interacting with other people means less time time to spend holed-up next to the computer. Again, good or bad? Different, to say the very least.
So maybe that'll be my question for you: how do you balance your real life with your internet life? Do you find that there's no balance necessary? Does one overshadow the other or is there a ying and yang harmony in both?
"The human spirit is, in a word, indefatigable. It is driven by passion and it thrives on conflict. If an individual's life is devoid of these things, surely the person has no spirit."
Production of the Explorers of the Unknown comic continues and we're getting closer and closer to the debut. I'd tell you when that is, specifically, if not for the fact that I don't know just yet. Maybe about two weeks.
We'll see.
I know I haven't been writing much lately--neither here nor on twitter--and I think it's pretty obvious why. Between all-consuming projects like the Apocablog and the dino-hunters, and then slowly slipping into my second job (which, if you count the creative work, is actually my third job) ... I've just been busy as hell. And tired, too.
But of course these are just excuses that we all recycle over and over and over again, both in our written blogs and in our videos on youtube ... when in fact, the truth is that as far as excuses go, they're pretty lame.
The other truth is that I'm horribly behind on other productions. I also have a book review that I shot at least two weeks ago that I've neglected to post because I don't want to detract from the Apocablog or dino videos right now.
That's actually a question I'd like some input on: how many videos do you keep up with on a daily basis? How many videos are too many to post in a single day? Do multiple blog posts inhibit your enjoyment factor the way multiple video posts might?
 You ever have one of those days? Filled with apprehension, trepidation, fear, and excitement all rolled into one giant glass ball of emotion?
I had a similar day just over a year ago. I knew in my gut that if I applied for this job, I would get it. I was, therefore, very nervous about simply submitting the application in the first place.
For the past six months or so I've been sitting on a business plan that involved one-on-one, BASIC computer training--setting up and showing people how to use an email account or their webcam or putting their vacation photos into a slideshow. I've done a few jobs here and there, all the while constantly aware of the vast potential that this opportunity held.
I made a menu with several, specific services. Each bit of software and training has a small fee attached to it. It's very straight-forward and incredibly easy to understand.
Most importantly, however, is the location and the target demographics of said location. Namely, an abundance of 60+ people in need of someone patient enough to walk them through some basic stuff on their computers.
Yesterday, I wrote and purchased a services classified ad to run for three days. It was far more than I was anticipating, but hardly more than I was able to foot. The ad is published today and will run through Sunday.
Either this entire opportunity will simply fizzle and disappear or things will change.
EVERYTHING will change.
 I've spent a good 10 to 12 hours working on a video to be titled "Everglades National Jurassic Park". The source of the video was an hour worth of footage that I shot on Saturday that I have currently whittled down to a little over fifteen minutes. Last night I had my first "screening" of the rough cut and I got a pretty damn good idea what areas are too long and I'm pretty confident that I can trim the remaining five minutes out of the cut.
But what's interesting is the differences I'm seeing between editing this JP video versus a Talking Heads episode. I'm getting ready to start working on episode 43 of Talking Heads, and this will prove to be a good 10-15 hour editing project, but the main difference is that there's a script that guides me the whole way. When I was taping my footage on Saturday, I was a tourist in a park with a video camera. The only unifying element is my quest for dinosaurs.
So there's a distinct difference between editing a "home movie" style project and editing a scripted production. Granted, many of the same skills are used and both styles of projects rely heavily on the editor's ability to tell a concise story, it's just that the former leans on it far more than the latter.
What concerns me, however, is that there is such a thing as "too much editing". While I do have YouTube's 10 minute limit that I need to work towards, I worry that I spend so much time with this footage, cutting and abbrievating sequences to tighten it up and bring down the length, that--in fact--I'm butchering the hell out of my video.
I guess you'll have to be the judge. I'll probably finish it tonight and post it either tonight or tomorrow. In the mean time, what has been the longest amount of time you've spent editing a video? And for that matter, what has been your biggest challenge in video editing?
 Jordan; Interesting ...  Chris  Jordan  Jason  A Shocked Timmy  Something Dark
It's coming ... oh, yes ... it's coming. Above is a quick shot of Chris. Dig it with a shovel, baby.
 I don't know many details about the Survivor Fitness Challenge that TheStarvingSoprano was involved with. Obviously, it's a web-based fitness challenge akin to what you might find on television in the form of the reality program flavor of the week.
The program is judged and there is some kind of prize. Whatever.
The heart of the program, based on what I've seen, is a swift kick in the pants and a motivator for people to change their lifestyles to be healthier and active. I'm sure many people share my opinion on reality television shows, but I think that if ANYTHING can end up having a positive impact on an individuals health and well-being, than it's probably not all that bad.
When it comes to the Survivor Fitness Challenge, based on what I've seen from TheStarvingSoprano, it acted not only as the impetus for leading a more active and healthier life, but also producing some truly beautiful, honest, an inventive videos.
I'm writing all of this because I've been following TheStarvingSoprano both on her YouTube channel and her blog and through her I've learned that the judging of the Survivor Fitness Challenge was completely botched and, on the whole, TheStarvingSoprano was robbed from winning whatever prizes were due her.
Again, I'm forced to say: whatever.
This morning the results for the last screenwriting contest I entered were finally posted. I was a semi-finalist for Caffeine (or maybe Videorama ... the whole process was so protracted that I hardly remember anymore). Of course, the winning scripts did not bear my name. Maybe it's the fact that the whole process took so long that I'm deadened to the failure that the results handed to me.
Or maybe it's that contented feeling I was talking about earlier. I've accomplished a great deal and am rather satisfied with what I have and where I'm at. No doubt TheStarvingSoprano has already had plenty of people point this out to her, but look at all that you've achieved and gained from this Fitness Challenge. Even putting aside the health aspects of it, look at how your
editing skills have developed since the start of the challenge. Look at how much of a presence you've created for yourself and how that person you show on YouTube inspires others.
Look at just how much you've managed to accomplish. And screw the judges and the prizes and the accolades. Screw them with a jackhammer--a chainsaw, even!
You can't measure your accomplishment by how some biased people decided to "judge" your performance.
Now let me ask you something that maybe no one else has: what's next?
 You ever just get so disconnected from the web that by the time you come back, so much has happened to talk and write about that you just don't know where to start?
I actually started writing quite the post yesterday but it quickly ran off track and started sounding more like the ramblings of a blithering madman than anything of true substance. Still, there are bits that I still want to mention:
ON WRITING
I posted a video talking about dealing with writer's blog, which basically went over three separate elements: discipline, outlines and notes, and writing the right stuff versus the wrong stuff. YouTuber Camo1000 recently finished the final edit of his novel (of which I would recommend acquiring once he makes it available) and chimed in with his two cents. What really ended up sticking with me--days after I watched his video--was his suggestion to knuckle down and write at least five hundred words a day. This is some excellent advice, whether you're trying to write a book or if your goal is simply to flex your creative writing skills.
ON COMMUNITY
Even when I take a break from active, minute-to-minute involvement in our YT community, I observe it at a distance and am constantly impressed. From Benzone50 producing a truly inspiring tribute collab, to all the Talking Heads birthday wishes, to every one of the many Apocabloggers. The creative community is alive and well on YouTube. More importantly, it is the FUTURE of YouTube.
YOU are the future of YouTube.
ON KRUMBINE'S CHANNEL
A transformation has been taking place. I think you've probably noticed it. I've gone from production-centric videos to a style of vlogging that embraces the creative community. My productions haven't (and won't) disappear ... they have simply become the feature presentation in a line-up of--for lack of a better phrase--creative commentary.
My goals have always been to inspire the creativity of others, and I am now recognizing just how important this element of my channel is.
ON PRODUCTION
I shot an hour worth of footage about my dino-hunting excursion this past weekend. I don't know if I'll get it down to ten minutes, so it might end being a horbawrong.com exclusive. I started editing last night and so far it's a blast.
Apocabloggers, fret not--I've been prepping footage and was also waiting for Chris LeBrane to supply me with some music for the project (of which he has; of which the tracks absolutely rock). While a few have already posted a second-round apocablog, many have not. I'll be posting a video soon calling for the videos, but if you want to wait and see what the master video will look like, that's cool, too.
Two of the four new episodes of Talking Heads are underway. These are episodes 43 and 44 and we're at least two weeks out from the first of the new episodes.
Finally, the above picture has nothing to do with anything. I bought some dinosaurs that I found at CVS and was having fun with them on the ride back to the office. Cause, you know, dinosaurs are cool.
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