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gaffer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:04:45 GMT

For the most part I am a cinematographer who designs his own lighting and operates the camera (not all people titled "DP" can light, and not all operate). Occasionally I have served as gaffer for colleague DP's, and I also have a production company through which I have, by necessity, worn several other hats. Essentially, I am a cinematographer.

My current focus is primarily feature-length-films, whatever it's form or screening venue. In the past I have shot many short films & trailers, & occasional music videos & commercial projects. My past experience & expertise includes every kind of film & video production from documentary, educational & edutainment to infomercial, commercial, corporate & industrial.

I�ve been a full-time Director of Photography since about 1998. I have regularly crewed, operated and lit various projects for almost 20 years prior to that. Many people, particularly in the independent film arena, chose to call themselves "DP" very early-on. I�ve only been able to call myself a DP and keep a straight face the past few years. To be a rounded, professional Director of Photography is the culmination of much experience, not simply something you decide to do because it's cool, contrary to the current popularity of claiming the title. But that�s just my opinion, and I have met a few talented young DP�s who prove remarkable exceptions to that opinion.

Nationality: British. Born: London, Career: 1968s�clapper boy at Gainsborough Studios; at the end of that year I left for the USA.I now live in Sea Cliff, Long Island, New York, (USA).Though I am originally worked most of my live in Hollywood, but I consider New York my home. I have lived here for over ten years and I rather like it, especially in fall. I am coming up for 60 this year. I hold a bachelor of science in psychology from California Coast University, and a master of arts in educational psychology from California State University. I still work in the film industry as a professional cinematographer nerd. DP Cameraman, Gaffer lighting management system.

The mood

Edward — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:50:19 GMT

The photo surfaces from the depth of unconscious. Why?

Tripping gracefully unto the Great Hereafter

Jasonik — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:38:25 GMT

First test of 'psychedelic psychotherapy' since 70s

Researchers hope effects will improve quality of life

Prof Roland Griffiths at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore Maryland recently published a study of 36 healthy volunteers who were given psilocybin and then observed in the lab. The participants' ages ranged from 24 to 64 and none had taken hallucinogens before. When the group were interviewed again 14 months later 58% said they rated the experience as being among the five most personally meaningful of their lives, 67% said it was in their top five spiritual experiences, and 64% said it had increased their well-being or life satisfaction.

"The working hypothesis is that if psilocybin or LSD can occasion these experiences of great personal meaning and spiritual significance ... then it would allow [patients with terminal illnesses] hopefully to face their own demise completely differently - to restructure some of the psychological angst that so often occurs concurrently with severe disease," said Griffiths. So by expanding their consciousness during a session on the drug, the patient is able to comprehend their thoughts and feelings from a new perspective. This can lead to a release of negative emotions that leaves them in a much more positive state of mind.

Twelve patients with terminal cancer have already helped Grob to test this idea and, although the research is not yet published, anecdotal reports from some subjects are encouraging. Pamela Sakuda (see below) was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in December 2002. Her husband, Norbert Litzinger, said the psilocybin treatment transformed her outlook.

"Pamela had lost hope. She wasn't able to make plans for the future. She wasn't able to engage the day as if she had a future left," he said. Her "epiphany" during the treatment was the realisation that her fear about the disease was destroying the remaining time she had left, he said. [complete story]

Pamela's Story

THE GREAT HEREAFTER

'Tis sweet to think when struggling
~The goal of life to win,
That just beyond the shores of time
~The better days begin.

When through the nameless ages
~I cast my longing eyes,
Before me, like a boundless sea,
~The Great Hereafter lies.

Along its brimming bosom
~Perpetual summer smiles,
And gathers like a golden robe
~Around the emerald isles.

There in the long blue distance,
~By lulling breezes fanned,
I seem to see the flowering groves
~Of old Beulah's land.

And far beyond the islands
~That gem the wave serene,
The image of the cloudless shore
~Of holy Heaven is seen.

Unto the Great Hereafter---
~Aforetime dim and dark---
I freely now, and gladly, give
~Of life the wandering bark.

And in the far-off haven,
~When shadowy seas are passed,
By angel hands its quivering sails
~Shall all be furled at last.

Otway Curry

And I'm in!

KenNYC — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:26:05 GMT

After 4 days at a hotel I was finally allowed into my apartment, and it's great. Well, no river view, but otherwise pretty nice - got a view of the new Goldman Sachs building if that can be called a view. And some skyline until the Milstein towers come up, all in all pretty good.

Kinda weird to see it furnished though... When I went shopping furniture I looked at the list and was wondering how the heck I could fit everything in my apartment - turns out my apartment was bigger than I remembered and I only had furniture enough to fill half of it. The good side of that; got room for a breakfast nook or a dining table - probably going with the latter so I can use it as a work desk / study area too.

Anyway, pretty excited. Ali is the greatest, I cannot imagine how long this would've taken if I didn't have her pounding on the right doors.

Moving to New York

KenNYC — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:40:59 GMT

Figured I'd throw in a little post here, I'm sure there could be others in a similar situation looking for some advice....

First of all, I'm from Norway and I moved to the US, more specifically New York to attend law school; thus I'm on a student visa. For anyone looking to make the move to the US know that getting a student visa is infinitely easier than getting a working visa. I won't linger more over that, but do your research if you really want to move.

Pre-move

Got in contact with Wired's resident real estate agent, Ali on the forums after I'd been told by TREGNY to "Go search on Craigslist, we won't help you". Turns out, that was a good thing for me, she did a great job. Got myself an apartment at Battery Park City, and everything looked jolly :p

Some bank issues made the whole process a good bit harder, and now I've lived at a hotel for 3 days waiting to get clearance to move in. Starting to notice that in America you have to be "on top of people" to get stuff done, and luckily Ali is a real pitbull when it comes to that ;)

Post-move

Anyhow, spent my first days walking around the town, doing shopping, finding out how to get to my university etc. Taken about 200 pictures of downtown and started working on Midtown today. Have to say I'm still very happy with choosing Battery Park City, by far my favorite place so far. But there's certainly a good few more places to visist before passing final judgement...

Tomorrow family will be visiting for about a week, so I doubt I will get to do much more walking then. With a bit of luck I will finally be able to move in to my apartment as well, which is about time since my hotel room is about brimfull of stuff I've been buying. If VISA and MasterCard charge a percentage on my shopping I've made them very happy!

Anyhow, conclusion after 3 days is that New York is a damn nice place to live. Haven't seen a single negative thing to complain about so far!

The iPatriot Act -- get ready

Jasonik — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:07:38 GMT

"In the Next Few Years": Life on the Net
A panel discussion with Lawrence Lessig, Joichi Ito and Phil Rosedale

Further commentary on Lessig's assertion of an i9/11 and iPatriot Act.

28 seconds : The Killing of Fouad Kaady

Jasonik — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:28:17 GMT

In the early afternoon of September 8, 2005, police encountered Fouad Kaady shortly after he was in an accident that left him in shock and bleeding, burned over much of his body. Rather than calling for medical help, the police commanded him to lie on the pavement, even though they could see the burned flesh hanging from his body, and even though they said he appeared to be "in a catatonic state." When he did not comply with their orders, but instead continued to sit on the ground in a daze, they tasered him repeatedly. And then, they shot him to death.

Part 1/5

Part 2/5

Part 3/5

Part 4/5

Part 5/5

I'm so Encited!

Jasonik — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:06:07 GMT

For a dinner-party late September of last year, from the tree in our yard, I made and brought an apple pie -- another guest, dreamt of a dictator.

Working for a private intelligence contractor, a former military man was unsure if his oath to protect and defend The Constitution was still in effect while he performed intelligence analysis for the US military. The topic came up when his desire for an imperial and monarchical "benevolent dictator" was openly stated.

Aghast and enraged that within the military industrial complex, there seemed to thrive a sentiment abhorrent to the rule of law and the deepest foundational American ideals, my voice became raised with righteous indignation much to the consternation of the other guests. Wild eyed leering accompanied my finger-pointing and accusations of treasonous thinking -- surely nothing could excuse my breach of etiquette. For I was surely the crazy one for believing that some sentiments are truly beyond the pale -- simply intolerable and to be roundly denounced with certainty and vigor. Who was I to accuse this man of being a domestic enemy of the constitution?

Oh how foolish I was. Little did I know, more than a month prior to the outburst that still brings me tepid hellos and furtive glances, an opinion piece was written on a website deeply entwined with the highest levels of the Bush administration, and calling for Bush

Quote:

"...to wield military power to become the first permanent president of America, and end the civil chaos caused by the continually squabbling Congress and the out-of-control Supreme Court."

How silly I was for thinking such ideas should be roundly dismissed. Me and my September 10th thinking...

Has a soft coup has occurred, where the intelligence agencies and their lackeys are actively undermining the fundamental principles of the Republic? Will we have to wait for the equivalent of the Nuremberg trials to find out?

A Peoples History of American Empire

Jasonik — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:04:08 GMT

by Howard Zinn

Hevel Havolim: Eliot Spitzer's Vanity Plate

New York Wanderer — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:58:19 GMT

Down the Taconic Parkway we flew, my wife and I late one recent Monday morning, she at the wheel, the stillness of upstate weekday field and forest, beauty all around. It�s hard to believe that such quiet exists so near to New York City, such greenery and access, the Parkway an IV from heaven so little used, save weekend rush hours.

Suddenly, though, the spell was broken, a silver coupe intruding as it sped onto the road. An Audi or Lexus (I�m a klutz at cars) bore down in front of us from the on ramp at Jackson Corners Road, its lone occupant bent intently over the controls. I�d not seen his face, just the brunette comb-over and shape of his scalp. In a trice, though, I could see him head on, even as he paced far ahead of us. The New York State license place bore a single character. Right in the middle, a number, �1.�

Client number 9 has retained his dignity. They couldn�t take his plate away, at least not yet. Eliot�s long had a place in Gallatin, a rural community just over the Dutchess County line. In days gone by, a black Explorer or two (well, maybe I do know cars) would thunder ahead, bearing his majesty to and fro. Now much reduced, the poor fellow�s his own chauffeur. Weekends alone, Silda and kinder, God help them all, on their own.

Hevel havolim goes the expression. Vanity of vanities, in Yiddish: plain nothing. Still he clutches. They can�t take it from me. The shield and the sword are mine, for the nonce. When he cops his final plea, will the Feds cop this medal from Eliot, too? Or will it be the DMV to strip him of his last epaulet? (What�s the use? David Patterson doesn�t drive).

Perhaps they should let him keep it, spare him some dignity. Have some rakhmones for a crazy fool? I�ve heard tell, about in the City: There�s a man goin� round takin� names.

Call Me Daddy - the story of Edward West Browning, New York's Jazz Age Lecher King

New York Wanderer — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:48:33 GMT

Call Me Daddy - The Life and Loves of Edward West Browning, New York's Jazz Age Lecher King, my second full-legnth book, will be published during the spring of 2009. Take a look at the book's website at
http://www.edwardwestbrowning.blogspot.com for further details. It's gonna be a doozie !

Many Thanks -

Ben Feldman
The New York Wanderer
http://www.new-york-wanderer.blogspot.com

The New York Wanderer joins Wired New York !

New York Wanderer — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:44:50 GMT

Wired New York members one and all - those of you (I daresay the vast majority) who enjoy New York City history and the wonderful choices and contents of Wired New York will also enjoy the contents of my blog, The New York Wanderer @
http://www.new-york-wanderer.blogspot.com

I am an independent historian living and working in the City for the past 39 years, as enthralled today as the first day I stepped off the Greyhound bus at the Port Authority. On my blog you will find: (1) NOTHING about my breakfast nor my bodily functions (other than those of my mind), (2) serious articles for serious minds, mostly about things historic in this wonderful town that I have encountered over the years, whether recently during my work as an archivist at Green-Wood Cemetery, during the research for my book about the once infamous murder of Dr. Harvey Burdell on Bond Street in lower Manhattan in 1857, and through my wanderings in the Yiddish-speaking neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

Take a gander there and at the website for my first book http://www.butcheryonbondstreet.blogspot.com
as well as the announcement of my forthcoming second opus,

Call Me Daddy - The Life and Loves of Edward West Browning, New York's Jazz Age Lecher King @
http://www.edwardwestbrowning.blogspot.com

Many thanks !

Ben Feldman

Bush Victims

Jasonik — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:47:12 GMT

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

Tears on Wound [spam poetry]

chenchen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:48:36 GMT

Final prediction of a person's luck in a given year.

We will also meet again again ! Limited growing is being annual.

Let me see your smile! I only want to see the same smiling at Ye of that sunshine of yours again. In this way I can be comfortable satisfied.

Whether can be shaking hands with you and going over human world flourishingly and bleakly again ?

Quiet and misted years of this life. Hope, wear I eyes that wipe low low slight chill in the air!
I have remembered our meeting for the first time. You standing on platform. Lost the sunshine in my world in the twinkling of an eye in smile on the face. Then I believe Heaven destine to can only have first you on being lonely I.
You are that I solve medicines. But I have already lost you.

Such a moist cavity of palm. I do not dare to laugh at oneself all the time. ! Close your leaving. Then you became poison missed all day. Ease pain once in a while. Angina once in a while.

To know which way to go you can remember we. Fail to pay close attention to your news regarding the wind brings at all. Your world is so so far. Have already gone beyond the limit that I can miss.
Then let one season and one season in my prediction of a person's luck in a given year be passed through. Shuttle back and forth, reach you at the moment like this that day perhaps. All empty rumors will disappear and disappear from then on!

What we deviated from in prediction of a person's luck in a given year has gone that far. You will also remember missing.
Dazzle rotten that to the utmost point and wipe the firework outside the window. Why moist my eyes? I do not think you will know again. !

I have seen the lonely silent appearance that bloom. Quan contract in the lonely corner like a child, pain speech no!

One's remaining years, we can mild and indirect and longer also what kind of memory. Those opened flower which the goblin winds on the other shore. It fall scattered crossroad the so many walkings vast and hazy.
Those free appearances. Whether it is the tears lost on the prediction of a person's tears on wound....

Holy Fvckeroly

Gregory Tenenbaum — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:55:38 GMT

This is what happens when you do something very very bad.

Original Artwork by Gregory Tenenbaum. Purchase enquiries welcome.

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