Magic Spoon Productions

2012-01-30T18:10:00.003-06:00

It's a MINOR MISHAP Monday! Check out this action-packed music video I just finished for Minor Mishap Marching Band performing Bubamara off their recently released self-titled album. The video was shot by myself and friend Nico Galindo at the HONK!TX Fundraiser on January 20, 2012 at the 29th Street Ballroom in Austin, Texas. For more info on HONK!TX, which is coming back to Austin March 23-25, check out their website. Don't miss the marching band madness!

New MSP Motion Intro Title Graphic

2012-01-17T01:46:00.004-06:00

This is a new 10-second motion intro title graphic that I designed for Magic Spoon Productions. Inspired by Eadweard Muybridge's Horse in Motion, the first motion picture ever created in 1878.

So This Is The New Year...

2012-01-10T10:01:00.005-06:00

2012 is upon us and I couldn't be more excited for what's on tap this year for Magic Spoon Productions and my creative creations! I'm kicking off the new year with a promo video I filmed and edited for the upcoming Medmob Austin event on January 21st from 11am-12pm at the Farmer's Market downtown at Republic Square. Come out and join us for this unique and inspiring event!

MedMob started in Austin, TX in January 2011 and is now coordinated with 150+ cities worldwide. The intention of the movement is to organize meditations open to all walks of life, all over the world, expanding peace on the planet by exposing the world to meditation, & accelerating our personal and planetary evolution. For more info on MedMob visit their website.

Mindy & Albert Wedding

2011-12-01T01:48:00.004-06:00

I came across Mindy as a potential wedding client interested in exchanging a custom-made piece of art for wedding photography services. I was immediately drawn to the idea of art-swapping and was sold upon meeting her and Albert for the first time. Mindy is a mosaic artist, specializing in glass tile installation and a maker of the finest mandalas. I received the piece below in exchange for my photo services. Simply stellar. Who needs money when you have art and love...

Dance Your PhD: Human-Based Percussion and Self-Similarity Detection in Electroacoustic Music

2011-10-08T10:45:00.007-05:00

This is a video I edited together and shot along with Andrew Stalick and Nico Galindo for a friend of ours, Anderson Mills, who was the mastermind behind this video submission for the Dance Your PhD contest. To read more about on Anderson's PhD dissertation click here.

UPDATE: Anderson's dance was selected as one of the finalists! Grand prize winners will be announced later this week. In the meantime, Boing Boing also picked up the video and featured it on their website. You can check out the write-up here.

Elaine Greer & Friends

2011-10-05T01:03:00.005-05:00

Earlier this summer I hooked up with Elaine Greer and some of her Sour Notes bandmates to film some live acoustic tracks from her recently released album Annotations. The videos are for her tracks Small Fires, How Many Hearts, and It Rains It Pours.

Chris Maddin & Chuck Kerr present Radiohead's "Kid A" Live Album Cover

2011-09-20T12:47:00.008-05:00

Friends of mine in San Antonio have taken to covering entire albums monthly and have definitely set the bar with their latest album cover of Radiohead's Kid A. What began as a weekly cover night at the Broadway 5050, Chris Maddin and Chuck Kerr have enlisted the talent of some of San Antonio's finest musicians for their cover album projects, covering the likes of Arcade Fire, David Bowie, Wilco and The Flaming Lips in the past.

The Radiohead Kid A cover band consists of Chris Maddin (Blowing Trees), Chuck Kerr (We Leave At Midnight, Bad Breaks), Leonard Rader (Morris Orchids), Jaime Rader (Morris Orchids), Chris Guerra (Morris Orchids, We Leave At Midnight), and Matt Thomas (Morris Orchids, Bad Breaks). Special thanks to Frank Bernal for recording sound and to Stephen Castro of Miranda Studios and Nico Galindo for providing their footage to make this video possible. Everything is in it's right place :)

MedMob Austin: OM the DOME

2011-09-15T16:35:00.009-05:00

This is a video I put together from MedMob's OM the DOME event held in the Austin state capitol building on August 28, 2011. Over 300 people joined in unison for a one hour silent meditation followed by a sound-bath of OMs that resonated throughout the capitol dome... truly a spiritual experience! Special thanks to Jefe Greenheart of Greenheart Creative for additional footage.

MedMob started in Austin, TX in January 2011 and is now coordinated with 120+ cities worldwide. The intention of the movement is to organize meditations open to all walks of life, all over the world, expanding peace on the planet by exposing the world to meditation, & accelerating our personal and planetary evolution. Visit their website for more info on future events.

2011 Texas 4000 For Cancer Team Videos

2011-09-07T19:16:00.009-05:00

This summer I had the honor of putting together the 2011 Texas 4000 for Cancer summer videos for their Homecoming Bash and Tribute Gala fundraiser upon the team's return from Alaska after their 70 day journey. As an alumni rider (I rode in 2008), it was so much fun to work on this project and again an honor to be able to provide the organization with my professional services!

Check out the following videos to get an idea of the countless hours of work that went into the making of these videos, and please visit their website to donate to the cause or learn more about Texas 4000 and how to get involved in the fight.

Matt and Melissa's Wedding

2011-07-19T08:35:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, another one of my best friends in the whole whitey-tighty world got married and I was once again honored to be his wedding photographer. Matt and Melissa got married in a small private ceremony amongst their families at The Lodge in San Antonio, Texas. Here's a few faves so far. Congrats again to Matt and Mely!

Leonard & Talia's Wedding

2011-07-01T23:56:00.005-05:00

Last month, two of my good friends since high school, Leonard and Talia, got married and I was honored to be a part of their big day as their wedding photographer. Check out their wedding photo slideshow below along with some select favorites:

Play Me I'm Yours: Austin Piano Installation

2011-06-12T16:48:00.003-05:00

"Play Me, I'm Yours" was a month-long, city-wide interactive art installation that invited Austinites to explore and enhance the city's soundscape. During the month of April 2011, pianos appeared in public places throughout Austin's urban area with the simple invitation to "Play Me, I'm Yours." Passersby were encouraged to play at least a few keys while listening to and observing the effects of their endeavors. In total, there were 14 pianos placed throughout downtown Austin. I didn't get photos of them all but here are a few that I managed to play!

2011 Texas 4000 for Cancer ATLAS Ride

2011-06-04T21:45:00.005-05:00

Today, the 2011 Texas 4000 for Cancer team set out on their 70 day cycling journey from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. The 70 mile ride to Lampasas, known as the ATLAS ride, gives supporters of the organization the opportunity to ride along with the team on the first day. Nearly 500 supporters joined the team en route to the Texas Legato Winery, where a celebration was held for the team. They presented their new Program Presentation which will be accompanied by this video that I put together from rider interviews and other Texas 4000 related footage. Ride Strong!

Talia's Bridal Session

2011-06-02T21:53:00.006-05:00

Now that the wedding has come and gone, I can finally upload photos from a bridal session I did with my friend Talia. Last week, she married one of my good friends from high school in San Antonio at the Witte Museum so keep an eye out for photos to come soon! For her bridal portraits, Talia wanted to take urban photos in and around south and downtown San Antonio. Growing up in the area gave me some insight to some cool locations so here's some of my favorites with a few more for your viewing pleasure on my Flickr.

MSP Wedding Video Demo Reel

2011-04-20T23:32:00.005-05:00

This is a short demo reel that I edited together from various weddings that I have shot under Magic Spoon Productions, because the big day is too important to forget :)

Texas 4000 Jersey Presentation

2011-04-14T17:17:00.005-05:00

For the last few months, I've been working with the 2011 Texas 4000 for Cancer cycling team, helping to coordinate video production before they leave on their 70 day summer bike ride from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. It's been a blast involving myself with this organization once again (I rode in 2008) and an honor to help coordinate their media efforts.

Last week the team was surprised at their weekly meeting with the jerseys and cycling kits they will be wearing throughout the summer and I was invited to document the evening and put together this 3 minute short video from the night. I remember the feeling of putting on my team's jersey for the first time and it was just as exciting to see them experiencing that moment. Ride strong 2011 :)

HONK! TX Festival of Marching Bands

2011-03-24T10:42:00.003-05:00

This is a video I shot and edited from the HONK! TX Festival of Community Marching Bands held in Austin, TX from March 11th through the 13th. Over 20 marching bands from all over North America took to the streets of Austin for 3 days creating a wall of sound heard for miles! On the final day of the festival, all the bands marched a couple of miles from City Hall in downtown Austin down Caesar Chavez towards Pan Am park on the east side where the final performances were held. For more information on HONK! or for more info on the participating bands visit the HONK! website.

BurdaStyle & Etsy DIY Fashion Show

2011-03-23T09:41:00.002-05:00

Last week I had the opportunity to shoot my first fashion show, an event presented by BurdaStyle and Etsy featuring 15 Do-It-Yourself fashion designers. Check out the write up featured on BurdaStyle's website or for more information on the individual fashion designers or to visit their BurdaStyle and Etsy clothing shops, click here. And now it's showtime:

South By Southwest 2011

2011-03-21T11:51:00.007-05:00

Another South by Southwest has come and gone, leaving Austin hungover from a week-long music, film and interactive binge. As always, I spent the week catching free tunes, free food, and most importantly free booze :) It was a great time and now its only 350 more days until the madness begins again! Here are some of my photo highlights from this year's festivities:

SXSW: Light After Dark

2011-03-15T22:56:00.005-05:00

The music portion of South by Southwest kicked off last night at the Seaholm Power Plant with Light After Dark, an electronic-visual explosion put on by Vimeo and Nikon featuring Diplo and Eclectic Method. I think my camera's going to get put to work a lot this week!

Minor Mishap Marching Band @ The Swan Dive

2011-03-07T01:14:00.005-06:00

This is a video I shot and edited of Minor Mishap Marching Band performing after Datri Bean's "Ruby" CD release show at The Swan Dive in Austin, Texas. If you've never seen MMMB perform, I highly recommend checking out on of their performances. You never know where you'll run into this collective wall of sound... it just might be in the aisles of your local grocer!

Lone Star Studios Presents Mr. Gnome

2011-03-06T15:02:00.003-06:00

This is a video I edited together from a live performance by Mr. Gnome at Lone Star Studios in San Antonio, TX on December 4, 2010. The evening was curated by Sean FitzGibbons who produced the event and did the stage design. Special thanks to Matt Daly for filming the performance, Edwin Jered Stephens for the audio recording and mixing, and everyone else who helped orchestrate the night.

Luna Tart's Cocktail Hour

2011-02-28T22:56:00.004-06:00

This is a video I shot and edited back in January of this year of Luna Tart's Cocktail Hour performance at the East Side Show Room in Austin, Texas. As her website explains, she's the quintessential trauma queen, even on her deathbed she contemplates the optimal cause of death: "I did consider being eaten by a tiger or being mauled by a bear, but unfortunately that might mess my hair." See for yourself:

C'est Mon Dada: Kai Mantsch

2011-02-28T09:19:00.004-06:00

I have had this documentary film series project in the works for quite some time now called C'est Mon Dada (French for "it' my hobby") and just completed my first one featuring my friend and housemate Kai Mantsch who writes and performs children's songs. My goal with this series is to film and produce short 3-5 minute documentatries about all of my friends with interesting hobbies and talents so stay tuned for new videos in the series.

Artsy Fartsy Week

2011-02-27T12:58:00.003-06:00

With all the free time in the world as of late, I've taken to jump starting my creative juices and have been working on various art projects. Just wanted to share a couple of creative creations I've been working on as of late. The first is a piece called "Wishful Drinking" which is part of a larger project called BIG. The second is a piano staircase I painted at my house and the last is a can tab coffee table I made for my room.

Faces of Austin @ the People's Gallery

2011-02-14T19:11:00.003-06:00

I've got some exciting news to share on this Valentines Day... my stop-motion music video for Victoria Noll's song "Take Me With You" was selected to be a part of the Faces of Austin multi-media program at the People's Gallery art exhibition this coming Friday at Austin's City Hall. The event will take place from 6-9pm, but the video will remain on display at City Hall for the next year and will be available to watch on their local City of Austin channel 6 television station as well as their website. Check out the video below if you haven't seen it yet. Cheers :)

Gotta Coon Hutched Up In Here

2011-02-13T19:22:00.008-06:00

This has nothing to do with my production work, but I just wanted to share a couple of pics from a raccoon fiasco we've been having at the Pink Palace. Over the last few days, we've caught 2 raccoons and chased squirrels out of hour house so we're clearly having some critter problems. We caught this lil guy earlier today and took him out to Sculpture Falls where he'll have a more natural but far less cool living experience. Sorry buddy, the Palace is for humans only!

UPDATE: We caught Momma Coon and another baby of hers last night so hopefully this brings us to the end of the raccoon fiasco we've been having at the Palace! Check out the cute couple:

Datri Bean's "Ruby" CD Release Show

2011-02-12T15:59:00.002-06:00

Last week, I filmed Datri Bean's "Ruby" CD release show at The Swan Dive, a new speakeasy located in downtown Austin. Datri's music is best described as southern-fried vintage jazz for a lazy afternoon on the porch. For more information about Datri and her jazzy tunes, check out her website.

Knoxville Colorline by Bill FitzGibbons

2011-01-28T15:47:00.002-06:00

In November 2010, I flew to Knoxville, Tennessee to film and document a light installation by Bill FitzGibbons on the exterior of the Knoxville Museum of Art. FitzGibbons is a San Antonio based artist and sculptor who received his BFA from the University of Tennessee. He has become internationally known for his large-scale public art work and I will be working with him again soon in the near future documenting several other projects of his. In the meantime, check out the final Knoxville Colorline video below:

Happy New Year: On Animal Farm

2011-01-04T21:25:00.015-06:00

Happy New Year humans! I've got a lot of exciting projects planned for 2011, but in the meantime, I just wanted to share some recent artwork with all the other animals out there on the farm. This is a mixed media collage on a canvas puzzle that I made over the holidays:

So far, 2011 is setting itself up to be an exciting year for future artistic and creative endeavors of mine. Finishing out the year strong with the release of my W Hotel time lapse photography project was great and I can't wait to carry over the drive and inspiration. I am currently in production working on an animated stop-motion music video and am in conversations with several other musicians and artists who are interested in that thing I do :) I am also working with a graphic designer on a new website design so look to see something new soon. As always, thanks for flying with Magic Spoon Productions and do something this year that you've never done before!

W Hotel Austin: Construction Time Lapse Video

2010-12-13T14:47:00.002-06:00

Since March of 2009, I have been photographing the construction of the W Hotel, the new Austin City Limits Studio, and the residential condos currently under construction on 2nd Street in downtown Austin, Texas. After 22 months and thousands of photographs, this project is finally complete so I now present to you my W Hotel construction time lapse video! Music is "Bonnie" by my friend's band Morris Orchids.

Dan & Angharad's Wedding

2010-12-07T22:58:00.006-06:00

Back on October 30th, I photographed a wedding for some good friends of mine who met and lived with me at the 21st Street Co-op back in 2005. It was one of the most fun weddings I've shot this year, attended by a mix of beautiful Brits and merry Minnesotans, a Texas-sytle Saltlick BBQ dinner, and a Halloween costume photobooth to wrap up the wonderful evening. Check out Dan and Angharad's wedding photo slideshow below and congrats again to the amazing couple!

Chris Maddin & Chuck Kerr present Radiohead's OK Computer: Live Cover

2010-12-02T15:36:00.003-06:00

Several friends of mine from various bands in San Antonio, Texas have been performing live album covers every month and I'm super excited to share the most recent one with everyone. With Chris Maddin and Chuck Kerr at the helm once again, this time around the two recruited Jared Stephens, Chris Guerra, Jaime Rader, and Matt Thomas to perform Radiohead's "OK Computer." In addition, my good friend Matt Daly provided live visuals for the show and yours truly did the filming. Hope you enjoy the video!

Krupa Troopa: Stop-Motion Painting of American Jazz Drummer Gene Krupa

2010-11-30T11:22:00.005-06:00

I love making art for people to hang on their walls. The hardest part though is giving the work of art away after spending so much time on it. This time around, I decided to document the progress of my work to put together this short video time lapse. I painted this image of Gene Krupa, an influential jazz drummer from the 1930s to the 1960s, for my girlfriend as a birthday gift to her. Music is "Little Room" by the White Stripes off their album White Blood Cells.

Here is a photo of the final product. Happy Birthday Lauren!

Bill FitzGibbons KMA Light Installation

2010-11-08T10:26:00.015-06:00

Last week, I flew to Knoxville, Tennessee to film and document a light installation by Bill FitzGibbons on the exterior of the Knoxville Museum of Art. FitzGibbons is a San Antonio based artist and sculptor who received his BFA from the University of Tennessee. He has become internationally known for his large-scale public art work. Currently, his installation Knoxville Colorline is on display outside the KMA through this year, so if you're in the area, I highly recommend checking it out.

I've never been to Knoxville before, so it was great getting to visit the city during such a beautiful time of the year when the leaves were changing colors. We stayed on campus at the University of Tennessee in an old cottage, so it was interesting getting to see the other UT. I also liked how their airport had rocking chairs all over the place, as you can see in a few photos below:

One Hundred Flowers: Live & Unplugged @ Uncommon Objects in Austin, Texas

2010-11-01T16:34:00.008-05:00

Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of working with local Austin band One Hundred Flowers on a music video shoot at Uncommon Objects. We had the evening to shoot this 3 act structure of songs from their upcoming album Mechanical Bride which is being released tomorrow. The Austinist has a great review of the album here as well as another post premiering the video today. I'm very excited to finally share this with you!

Dan & Angharad's Wedding

2010-11-01T14:32:00.007-05:00

I photographed a wedding for some friends of mine this weekend and just wanted to share one of my favorite shots so far. More photos from the wedding to come soon, including a costume photo booth! Congrats again to Dan and Angharad :)

Arcade Fire Funeral Album Cover

2010-10-02T20:33:00.005-05:00

Several friends of mine from multiple bands in San Antonio, TX have been covering entire albums live and recently performed Funeral by the Arcade Fire at Broadway 5050 on September 29, 2010. This was their third album cover since the series began in July. Here is a video of the entire show performed by Chris Maddin, Chuck Kerr, Libby Wardlaw, Marcus Rubio, Chris Guerra, Matt Thomas, and Meg Lobasso.

Re-Releases in High Definition

2010-09-15T23:33:00.012-05:00

So lately, I have been working on re-releasing a lot of my stop motion photography time lapse work in high definition... not only do they look better, but did I mention, THEY LOOK SOOOO MUCH BETTER!?!? Over the next few weeks, I'll be releasing some old and new videos so check back often for new additions.

Second Hand News cover Fleetwood Mac

2010-09-14T21:21:00.006-05:00

If you're a Fleetwood Mac fan, I recommend watching the following video... this is a performance I shot and edited of Second Hand News covering the album Rumours in it's entirety at Beauty Bar in Austin.

Happy Birth America!

2010-07-05T20:55:00.018-05:00

This year, I celebrated the Fourth of July once again at Auditorium Shores in Austin, TX. My sister was in town visiting me, so we made the trip down for the fireworks show put on by the Austin Symphony, who played right before the fireworks began. My camera died pretty early so I didn't get too many shots, but managed to get some great ones as the sun was setting that can be seen below. The first photo was from last year and was featured on Bikerumor.com in honor of the holiday!

Mariel Mentink: Bike For Your Rights Benefit

2010-06-22T12:22:00.005-05:00

This is a video I shot & edited at the Bike For Your Rights fundraiser, an event benefiting Mariel Mentink, an Austin cyclist who was hit while riding her bike on New Years Eve. Mariel sustained several life threatening injuries and the fundraiser was organized by several of her friends to help offset her medical bills.

I have personally never met Mariel, but couldn't turn down the opportunity to document this event in her absence. Several local businesses and talent, not to mention the hundreds of people in attendance, helped make the event a huge success and although Mariel could not be there in person, hopefully this video shows her how much love and support she has from her community. Get well soon Mariel!

Gabriel & Joanne's Wedding

2010-06-21T12:04:00.007-05:00

I haven't had the chance to upload more photos from this wedding, but here are a few selects from a friend's wedding that I shot back in May. I just finished a photo slideshow from all their wedding photos, so I'll be uploading that soon. Congratulations again to Gabriel & Joanne!

Texas 4000 Documentary

2010-06-04T16:22:00.023-05:00

During the summer of 2008, I cycled from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska with Texas 4000 for Cancer, an organization at the University of Texas dedicated to raising money for cancer research and awareness. I brought my video camera along the way to document this amazing journey and came home with over 30 hours of footage from the 70 day ride. For months, I've been working on putting all that video together, and have finally completed a 3 hour documentary-summer video from our ride, which I will be uploading this summer in weekly installments!

Over 40 cyclists biked in what was the 5th year of the ride, dedicated to raising money for cancer research and awareness while spreading hope, knowledge and charity along the way. Our team was split up into two routes to maximize the aforementioned three fold mission of the organization. I was on the Coastal route, traveling 4,569.2 miles across Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, into Canada, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and into Alaska. For more information or to donate please visit Texas 4000.

Burning Flipside

2010-06-03T10:20:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, I attended Burning Flipside, a regional "Burner" event held in Central Texas every year during Memorial Day weekend. The 5 day campout is filled with art, themed camps, lots of costumes, and radical self-expression. As is custom in the Burner community, on the last night, a large effigy is set on fire, while thousands of people watch and celebrate. This year's effigy, designed by the DaFT team, was called Texas Tango and posted below are some photos of the effigy before and during the burn, including some other shots of Flipside happenings. Check out more photos here!

Co-op Chronicles are HERE!

2010-04-05T09:22:00.004-05:00

For months now, I have been finishing up work on a documentary film called Co-op Chronicles, which chronicles my time spent living at the 21st Street Co-op from 2003-2008. The film watches more like a video yearbook rather than a traditional documentary and covers all the co-op madness from parties to special events to down-right shenanigans. A limited number of DVDs were made so get in touch with me if you're interested in purchasing a copy.

South By Southwest 2010

2010-03-23T13:24:00.011-05:00

Last week was South By Southwest, which meant for almost two weeks, techies, film-buffs, and hipsters invaded Austin and made things just a little bit weirder! With thousands of bands performing from all over the world in the last few days, I made sure to take off from work to experience as much of the madness as I could. Without a doubt, the highlight of my SXSW was watching Andrew W.K. perform at my old house, the 21st Street Co-op... he didn't go on until after 4 in the morning, but I can assure you, he partied hard! Check out the video from the performance below as well as my SXSW photo set on Flickr for more photo fun.

Zilker Park Kite Festival

2010-03-15T10:00:00.009-05:00

This weekend was the 82nd annual Zilker Park Kite Festival. I didn't have the whole day to spend it there, but made my way down to the park to meet up with some family and friends and enjoy the kite chaos. Here's a few pictures from the festival along with a stop-motion video I shot a few years ago at the festival.

Club Arthouse

2010-03-15T09:50:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend, I was biking around downtown and came across a cool art project in the works at Arthouse, which is currently under rennovation. Local students from Austin area high schools participating in the Advanced Young Artists education program at Arthouse painted the panels along the construction walkways, bringing some color and life to the block.

Magic Spoon Productions Video Title Credit

2010-02-17T09:11:00.009-06:00

A few days ago, I worked on the following art project in order to create both a new video title credit for Magic Spoon Productions for a movie I just finished working on, as well as a new business card for the company... mission accomplished. I photographed a 10 second stop motion animation with this old typewriter to spell out Magic Spoon Productions to the tune of typing keystrokes. Check out the video and some of the photos below:

Collage Barrage

2010-01-25T11:53:00.005-06:00

OH SHIT is a collage I recently created on a 16x20 canvas as a belated Christmas and birthday gift for a good friend of mine. As much as I love creating art for others, sometimes it's so hard to let go of it in the end! I also posted a few other collage gifts I've made for friends, so feel free to check'em out as well...

W in Progress

2010-01-20T11:01:00.009-06:00

Since March of 2009, I have been photographing the construction of the W Hotel, the new Austin City Limits Studio, and the residential condos currently under construction on 2nd Street in downtown Austin. Much like several of the other time lapse videos I have worked on in the past, I created this video by taking photographs from several vantage points and edited it all together into a time lapse video documenting the construction over time.

When it is finished in December of this year, the W Hotel and residential condos above it will come in at 36 stories high, making it one of Austin's tallest buildings. In 2011, the Austin City Limits Studio will move to it's new location, greatly increasing the seating capacity from 300 to 2,000 for live Austin City Limits music tapings and concerts.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy watching the video, and if you dig the music, check out Morris Orchids... they are great friends of mine from San Antonio and a band that you definitely must listen to!

Wedding, Wedding, Wedding!

2010-01-20T10:03:00.013-06:00

The last couple of months of 2009 were wedding-bell busy for Magic Spoon Productions. I have spent the last few weeks playing catch up with a lot of the workload, so I've finally uploaded photos and video for your viewing pleasure. In no particular order, here's work from the weddings of Crystal & Bryon, Lisa & Mario, and last but not least, a dance-tastic video sample from Sean & Amber's wedding. Congratulations again to all the happy couples and thanks for going with MSP for your wedding day coverage!

Janet and Steve's Wedding

2010-01-14T15:29:00.008-06:00

Back in October of last year, I shot a wedding for Janet Kim and Steve Yi in Las Colinas, Texas at the Omni Mandalay Hotel. Unfortunately, the rain rolled in just before the ceremony, but that didn't stop them and their guests from having a great wedding! Check out their 10 minute wedding video short below. What a great couple, congratulations to them again!

As for my recent update-absence (if anyone even really noticed), the last two months of 2009 were also wedding-bell busy, so stay tuned for several more updates from several weddings I shot photos and video for in November and December. 2010 should be a very productive year for Magic Spoon Productions, with several new time lapse construction videos coming, some music videos currently under production, and some new artisitc endeavors that are slowly begining to take shape!

Co-op Birthday Party Fire Show

2009-11-23T11:10:00.007-06:00

This past weekend was the 35th Birthday Party at the 21st Street Co-op, a busy day filled with food, fun, friends and fire! After dinner was the annual fire show, a performance put on by several members of the 21st Street Co-op, spinning, breathing and playing with fire in front of hundreds of people dancing and grooving to a large drum circle. Sometimes, I really miss not living at the co-op anymore, but it's great to have nights like this with a community that I will always call home. More photos on my Flickr.

Candly Land Board Game

2009-11-10T21:15:00.005-06:00

For the Halloween party we threw at the Pink Palace, I created a life-size Candy Land game that guests walked down in order to get into the party. The initial goal was to have guests draw cards and play the game in order to get into the party... it worked at times, it bottle-necked at times, all in all, it was a great addition to the awesome party we threw on Halloween! Check it out:

Claude and Danica's Halloween Wedding

2009-11-06T14:41:00.009-06:00

My friends, Claude and Danica, who met a few years ago when we were all living at the 21st Street Co-op, got married last weekend on Halloween here in Austin at the Zilker Botanical Gardens. Something tells me that the Gardens had never seen the likes of a wedding like this ever before! Claude and Danica encouraged all their guests to come to the wedding in costume since the wedding fell on Halloween. It was a great night with over 100 co-opers past and present in attendance. As an old co-op saying goes, "Once a Mother Fucker, always a Mother Fucker!" Congrats again to the newly weds. As always, more photos can be seen on my Flickr.

21st Street Co-op Chronicles Premiere

2009-10-12T09:49:00.011-05:00

For several months, I have been finishing up a feature length documentary chronicling my time spent living at the 21st Street Co-op from 2003-2008. Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Co-op Chronicles! The premiere watches more like a "through-the-years" video yearbook more than an informative documentary, but it's gauranteed to be a great time. Come on out to the 21st Street Co-op this Friday night at 9pm to relive the glory and witness all the madness that I managed to catch on video. Check out the trailer for Co-op Chronicles here.

UFL Season 5 Opener

2009-09-29T09:09:00.006-05:00

This past weekend was the season 5 opener of the Unicyle Football League, featuring a matchup between the Hot Dogs and last season's championship runner-up, the Gnarwhals. It looks to be another great season of UFL action, featuring a new team, the Ill Eagles. Catch the games live in San Marcos every Sunday at 3:33 in the parking lot next to Tantra Coffeehouse. For more photos from the UFL, check out my Flickr set here.

Reed and Michelle's Wedding

2009-09-25T09:01:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday, two good friends of mine since high school, Reed and Michelle, got married! It was a beautiful ceremony and an even better reception. I've been shooting weddings for years now and this was the first wedding I got to shoot with this group of friends, which for me, made it all the more memorable. It's not that often that I get to photograph my friends, so I spent the day and night shooting away and came away with some great stuff. I put together a photo slide show from some of the photos, edited to "Eyes" by Morris Orchids, more friends of mine who played during the reception. Next up, Sean and Amber!

DAC SOS - Blowing Trees "Stealing Us Away"

2009-09-21T09:43:00.010-05:00

Back in July, I filmed the Digital Art Consortium's inaugural event, Sesnory Overload Sunday at the Mohawk in Austin, TX. My friends Blowing Trees were the headlining act, which featured live visual projections courtesy of my partner in crime Matt Daly. Without further ado, here's a video from the evening that I edited together from Matt's visuals and my live feed of the show:

Unicycle Football League Photo Shoot

2009-09-17T11:55:00.010-05:00

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of doing a calendar photo-shoot with the Unicycle Football League and their cheerleaders, the UniBrawdz. The UFL, created by my friend Marcus Garland, begins their 5th season on Sunday September 27th in San Marcos, TX with a match between seasoned veterans, the Hot Dogs and the Gnarwhals. An expansion team, the Ill Eagles, will join the UFL this season along side the defending champions, the Unicychos and last season's rookie team, the Berzerkers. Games are every Sunday in the parking lot next to Tantra Coffeehouse at 3:33pm in San Marcos. I highly recommend you check one out!

Bringing In The Sheep

2009-09-15T09:16:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday, I had some art in Lone Star Studios 2nd Saturday art show C'est Mon Dada including this centerpiece installation titled "Bringing In The Sheep." It was a big hit with everyone, from children to adults who remember playing with the toys that littered the installation. The one question that I got the most was "what is this supposed to mean?" I can't really give a definite answer since it all just sort of came together, but for me, it's a nostalgic look at childhood, with a twist of disturbia.

10,000 Views

2009-09-14T13:29:00.011-05:00

Last year, I completed a photographic time lapse project of the construction and renovations of the north end zone at Darrel K Royal Memorial Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin. I began the project back in December 2006 and completed it in December 2008, with the help of my friend Jody Cross, who shot photos while I was on my bike ride to Alaska with Texas 4000. I've got two versions of the video up on Youtube and the first one I posted back in 2007 has hit 10,000 views. Combined with the final version, the project has now been seen over 15,000 times!

My goal at the beginning of the project was to pitch it to the UT football media department and try to get it screened on Godzillatron at a game. They liked the project but decided that it was something that they would not be screening. Their loss:

C'est Mon Dada

2009-09-08T15:06:00.009-05:00

This weekend, I will have some of my art on display at Lone Star Studios 2nd Saturday gallery opening art show entitled "C'est Mon Dada." I've created a child-size diorama of sorts that is entitled Bringing In The Sheep... it's basically color meets creepy. Check back soon for photos of the project. I'll also have some other art work on display as well, so if you're in the area, stop by and check out the gallery in south San Antonio.

August Critical Mass

2009-08-29T11:47:00.004-05:00

It's been a few months since I've been on the streets with Austin's Critical Massers but yesterday marked my return to the road. As usual, there were some great photo moments on the ride. I bailed after the Mass went for a dip in Barton Springs but you can check out more photos from the ride here. Highlight of the ride was definitely Papa Wheely and his son out on the ride, probably the youngest person ever on an Austin Critical Mass ride.... kid's going to be poppng wheelies all over the place soon. Like father, like son.

The Windy City

2009-08-25T14:08:00.011-05:00

I didn't think it could get much better than Austin but last week I visited Chicago and fell in love with this amazing city. I initially went to take a look at the Art Institute of Chicago's graduate school program and ended up running around all over town with my sister. From Millennium Park to the Sears Tower observation deck, I had my camera in hand and came home with some great photos of this architectural and cultural wonder. As always, more photos from my trip can be seen here.

Road Trippin' With My Two Favorite Allies

2009-08-14T13:00:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow I will be leaving on a road trip for Chicago, en route to driving my sister back to school for her final year of college... man, I'm feeling old! Anyway, if anyone even reads this blog regularly other than my grandma, don't expect any updates until after I get back, at which point I'll have lots of new photos for your eyes. Hopefully this road trip will be nothing like this one:

I'm on a Boat

2009-08-12T10:01:00.010-05:00

Yesterday afternoon was the annual summer boat party thrown by the 21st Street Co-op. In the madness that was swimming, kegs, lots of nudity, kegs, random boat party hoppers, dance parties and more kegs, I didn't have my camera out much but had a blast! If you've never partied on a barge before, I highly recommend checking out Beach Front Boat Rentals. These guys will take care of you and sit back while you party hard on Lake Travis!

This is a video I made from the 2007 summer boat party:

The Therapeutist

2009-08-05T15:40:00.008-05:00

The Therapeutist is a coffee-table-type-book that I have been slowly putting together. Created with just paper, scissors, and glue, this work in progress is a tribute to both my childhood days when collaging was a past-time favorite of mine and to one of my favorite surrealist artists Rene Magritte. It's been a rainy day project as of late, but one that I hope to take off the back burner and continue adding to. To see more collages click here...

Bat City Bombshells Photo Shoot

2009-08-03T18:12:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of doing another photo shoot with the Bat City Bombshells, a burlesque troupe here in Austin, TX. They have been performing for almost a year now and are just getting hotter and hotter! Check out more of the photos from the shoot here.

Digital Arts Consortium: Sensory Overload Sunday

2009-07-27T21:35:00.004-05:00

Last night, the Digital Arts Consortium hosted their inaugural multi-media collaborative event, Sensory Overload Sunday at Mohawk in downtown Austin, TX. In conjunction with live music performances headlined by Blowing Trees, several local artists had their hand in putting together a visual experience rigged like no other! My pal and partner in crime, Matt Daly, provided live visuals during the Blowing Trees set which were projected on multiple screens throughout the venue. Yours truly was there to film it all so check back soon for some visually stunning moving pictures. In the mean time here's a couple stills:

Bye Bye Bedroom

2009-07-24T10:06:00.007-05:00

Sadly, I am moving out of my awesome house in a week, so before I started taking everything down off the walls and shelves and started packing up all my stuff, I decided to take some photos of my room and put together this little short to remember it by. Central Cooling Station #9, you have done me well. Now it's onto new adventures at the Pink Palace, voted the Best House in West Campus in 2007 by the Austin Chronicle! Lucky me...

"Take Me With You" Music Video

2009-07-16T20:59:00.013-05:00

I just finished a stop-motion music video for Victoria Noll and her song "Take Me With You" which was shot at over 100 locations in Austin, TX. I have lived in Austin for over 6 years now and it has become my home, so I wanted to shoot a video that showcased both my beloved city and an upcoming singer-songwriter.

The multi-colored guitar and chairs were created by me for the video, which is meant to take viewers on a journey through the city. The theme and concept fit well with the song as well so I hope you enjoy the video and Keep Austin Weird! Many thanks go out to Victoria, the city of Austin and the colors blue, green, red, white, orange, and yellow!

Teresa Champion Dance Academy Recital

2009-07-14T10:31:00.007-05:00

One month ago, I was hired to film the Teresa Champion Dance Academy's summer recital, from which I shot, edited and produced DVDs to sell to parents of the performance. Getting the DVDs burned turned out to be quite problematic as both my computer and DVD burner seem to be on their deathbed. Luckily I was able to produce a master copy of the performance and get duplicates made at Access Video & Photo. They were a life saver and I highly recommend their services if you ever need photo or video assistance. I put together a short compliation from the recital which you can view below. Overture, curtain lights, OLE!

Weekend Wedding & the 2-1-Oh!

2009-07-13T10:25:00.012-05:00

This weekend, I went down to San Antonio to visit family that was vacationing from LA, to shoot photos for a family friend that was celebrating her 50th anniversary in the convent and to shoot a wedding for Mike and Jennifer Oropeza. It's always great going back to San Antonio, not only to visit friends that I don't get to see that often, but for the free food and fun at home! From touring the San Antonio Missions to Lone Star Studios 2nd Saturday, I had my camera in one hand and a drink in the other! Posted below are a few photos from the weekend and as always, more can be seen on Flickr... Coming soon: Victoria Noll music video (finally!)

Morris Orchids: In Bloom

2009-07-03T11:46:00.021-05:00

Some really great friends of mine since high school play in a band called Morris Orchids. They are not amazing just because they are my friends... they are amazing because they know how to create great music. They have been playing together since 2005 and have added new members and sounds over the years. They just finished up a 6 track EP that is now available to download online via Band Camp. I highly recommend you check them out.

I'll be starting work on a music video for one of the new tracks in the near future but in the mean time, check out this video I dug up from their very first show on November 19, 2005 at Cafe Revolucion in San Antonio and a few other videos I've shot for them. They sure have come a long way...

New York Cares

2009-06-25T13:53:00.014-05:00

It's been a while since I felt like a tourist, but for the last 10 days, I was in New York City being just that. Some good friends of mine live in Williamsburg, and with another friend in town, we spent the days in a daze, traveling all over the city from hot spot to not-so-hot spots. From the top of 30 Rock to Rockaway Beach, I came home with over 1,400 photos and absolutely no time to go through them all right now. I did however meet some amazing people, had a great time, and am missing the non-100 degree weather back here in Austin. Biggest Asshole Award goes to a douchebag bartender at Lit Lounge who gave me shit for paying with 4 quarters after I had already spent $40 in drinks and tips. I must have missed the phasing-out of their monetary value? UPDATE: Finally uploaded photos which you can view here.

Victoria Noll Music Video: Update

2009-06-15T15:05:00.007-05:00

Today, I finished all the photography for Victoria Noll's stop motion music video for her song "Take Me With You." We've been shooting for 2 months at over 100 locations around Austin and I am glad to say that we are finally done shooting! Check back soon for the final video. In the meantime, here are a few more stills from some of the locations. More can be seen on my Flickr...

Republic of Texs Biker Rally

2009-06-12T23:58:00.005-05:00

The 2009 Republic of Texas Biker Rally is this weekend in Austin and earlier today was the motorcycle parade of thousands of bikers down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin. I couldn't stay for the evening festivities, but Congress was completely blocked off from traffic while vendors, live music, and thousands of people filled the streets in celebration of this years ROT Rally. The night cap featured stuntman Robbie Knievel, who was set to jump a couple of Budweiser 18 wheelers in front of the Capitol.

Deaths at 21 Rio Construciton Site

2009-06-11T10:04:00.008-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, 3 construction workers died at the 21 Rio high rise construction site when a scaffolding collapsed, sending the three men 11 stories down to their deaths. I have been photographing a time lapse of the construction of this building since the beginning of 2008 (it is right down the street from my former home, the 21st Street Co-op) and was there yesterday taking my daily photographs 30 minutes before this tragedy occurred. It's just strange to think had I been there a little later than I was, I would have witnessed and captured the horrific scene. My thoughts go out to the victims and their families...

Beach Bike Critical Mass

2009-06-01T10:03:00.008-05:00

I was missing the themed Critical Mass bike rides as of late, so in honor of bike month and the beaches we don't have here in Austin, I sent a flier over to Jason who runs ATXBS.com and we had ourselves a Beach Bike Critical Mass ride that rode all over town and stopped in several areas for a swim. Good times...

Becuase I Got High... Definition!

2009-05-28T10:41:00.007-05:00

I just purchased a Panasonic HVX200 high definition video camera and am counting down the days until I get to play around with this beast! Magic Spoon Productions will never be the same...

2009 UT Commencement

2009-05-25T01:48:00.005-05:00

I was stuck indoors yesterday afternoon due to the rain and was sitting around at my house bored when I remembered that the campus wide UT commencement was going down with Robert Rodriguez as the keynote speaker. Luckily the rains gave way so I grabbed my camera and made my way down to catch his address and the fireworks display after all the degree candidates were declared graduates. Everything is bigger in Texas!

Co-op Chronicles

2009-05-19T10:12:00.007-05:00

From 2003-2008, I lived at the 21st Street Co-op and spent much of my time there with a videocamera in hand. You can't script the craziness that goes down in a place like that. Living with 100 people, there was always something going on worthy of documenting. For a few of those years, I was the video historian and put together end of the semester screenings for my fellow house mates from all the madness I caught on tape. Over time, my collection of co-op videos grew and for the last several months, I have been putting together a best-of-the-best collection that I like to call Co-op Chronicles.

Starting Magic Spoon Productions and putting together the website put this project on the back burner, but I'm back in the swing of things, and will hopefully have the premiere sometime in June at the 21st Street Co-op. If you want to stay in the loop about the premiere or attend, send me a message and I'll keep you up to date. I will also be selling a 2 disc DVD box set for $10 at the screening if you want to pick up your collector's edition of Co-op Chronicles- a cooperative fundraiser that will help me purchase a brand new high definition video camera. In the mean time, here's a sneek peak at what you can expect (watch in HQ):

Magic Spoon Productions Website Launch

2009-05-11T11:18:00.014-05:00

First of all, making a website is tough and the Internet is a confusing place. After weeks of preparation, work, and accidental file over-writing, the Magic Spoon Productions website is now officially up and running! Feel free to check out the website at http://www.magicspoonproductions.com and let me know what you think! Thanks for flying with Magic Spoon Productions.

This weekend brought around another great Cinco de Mayo party at the 21st Street Co-op filled with fun, food, friends and fire! Here's a couple of photos and as always, more can be found here.

Around midnight, I left to ride in the Full Moon bike ride. Hundreds of cyclists took to the street and rode till sunrise. I was obviously the best looking cyclists with my glowstick covered bike! Many thanks to Jake and Sally for helping me pull it off.

Texas 4000 Bike Ride Time Lapse

2009-05-06T11:16:00.015-05:00

Last year around this time, my life was pretty chaotic... between finishing up my Director duties at the 21st Street Co-op, packing up all my things after living there for 5 years, and saying goodbye to family and friends, I was preparing to embark on what would become the greatest adventure of my life thus far. As some of you reading this may know, last summer I cycled over 4,000 miles from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska with a non-profit organizaiton called Texas 4000 for Cancer.

Realizing that this would be an unforgettable experience, I took my video camera along for the ride and came home with over 30 hours of footage from the summer. Aside from putting together a summer video for the riders (which I will be uploading soon in several parts) I rigged a tripod head to my bike handlebars and filmed a couple of minutes everyday and created this video time lapse of our 70 day journey (watch in HQ):

I submitted this video to the 2009 Bicycle Film Festival and was pretty confident that it would be picked up and screened, but I just got notice this week that unfortunately my submission was not selected. I was pretty bummed since I was looking forward to going to New York City for the premiere in June, but so it goes. The 2009 team's Day 1 ATLAS ride is only one month away!

Victoria Noll Music Video

2009-05-04T10:16:00.007-05:00

I don't want to give away too much, but here are a couple still frames from a stop motion music video that I am currently shooting with Victoria Noll for her song "Take Me With You."

GARY!

2009-05-01T09:26:00.008-05:00

What's in a name? To be GARY or not to be GARY... that is the question.

My fascination with GARY goes back to 2003 and started as an inside joke with some friends of mine as we stood in line for a UT basketball game. Soon after, spotting a GARY out in the real world took on a whole new meaning and the name to this day rings hilarity, irony and comedic genius in my mind. To me, GARY is more than just a name you give your kid or pet snail, it's a state of being that runs the spectrum from mystery to predictability.

Last year, I began a Flickr group called GARY! The purpose of the group was to collect as many photos as I could with the word "Gary" spelled out somewhere in the photo. Submissions range from business establishments, signs, posters, labels etc. I posted a few of my favorite GARY photos so far but feel free to check out the group pool for over 400 more. If you're a Flicker user, join the group and keep your eyes out for GARY! Remember, if it's GARY, it's game!

Vennie Monster

2009-04-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

Photoshop favorite from 2003. Happy Birthday Vanessa :)

The Freakin' Weekend

2009-04-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

This weekend was one of those weekends that makes me realize how much I am going to miss Austin when I leave next year for grad school (that's the plan right now at least). It seems like every weekend there is something to do here that is not only fun but free- both excellent reasons to dust off the camera and put it to good use. I struck photo-gold three times over the weekend with Critical Mass on Friday, Eeyore's Birthday on Saturday, and the Stupor Bowl on Sunday, leaving me on the brink of yet another full hard drive....

For those of you who do not know what Critical Mass is, it's a collective gathering of cyclists who meet at 5pm on the West Mall of the UT campus on the last Friday of every month to ride through the streets of Austin. In the last few months, the ride has grown to hundreds of cyclists which has caused some problems while biking through the downtown area. This month, we avoided some of those problems by going north on Guadalupe and riding all over the east side of Austin. The second photo is a composite taken at a rest stop at Mueller Lake Park. Dude jumped over a total of 9 people after this attempt. Anyone want to join in on the fun next month?

Saturday brought around Eeyore's Birthday celebration in Pease Park. Initially started in the 1960's, Eeyore's Birthday is a free festival-like fundraiser that benefits local non-profit groups in Austin. It is famous for it's vendors, large drum circles, family fun and the kind of free-spirited hippiedom that Keeps Austin Weird! I can't believe that I've lived in Austin for 6 years now and just down the street from this event and somehow had never been to one until this year. I had a blast and can't wait for this again next year. I'm already working on my costume....

Sunday bloody Sunday! Time for some UFL action... The one and only Unicycle Football League was created by my friend Marcus Garland in San Marcos, TX and this weekend was Stupor Bowl III. The rules are simple: it's basically flag football but on a unicycle. The UFL is currently a 4 team league that just finished its third season with a championship matchup between the defending champs, the Unicychos and the Gnarwhals, with the Unicychos taking home the Stupor Bowl trophy once again. Season IV starts in 6 weeks. Time to hit the gym....

As always, more photos from these events can be found on my Flickr until the new website is launched. Go Spurs go!

Bloggorama

2009-04-27T15:09:00.000-05:00

The end of the beginning is near.... please do not try to adjust your monitor. Ladies and gentlemen, we ask that you make sure you are buckled in, your trays are locked, and your seats are in the upright position. The captain estimates your departure time to be T-minus 6 seconds. Sit back & relax. An attendant will be by shortly with drinks and snacks free of charge. If you have reached this blog in error, welcome to Magic Spoon Productions.

I recently tried applying for a couple of photo and video related jobs and discovered that I was apparently "not qualified" for the positions since until now, my only online portfolios of work fell under the affordable Flickr and YouTube classifications.... I guess I was just an amateur then? Having earned my degrees from the University of Texas in Photojournalism as well as Radio-Television-Film, it was time to professionalize myself a bit so I went out and did what every other clown can do: I made a website. Time to bring the cows home!

At the beginning of May, I will be launching my new website (http://www.magicspoonproductions.com) which will give potential employers and folks the "illusion" that I am now a professional, because let's all admit, I obviously have no clue what I am doing in this world or why I was put here... ART IS YES! I love it, I make it, I eat it on occasions. I enjoy sharing it with others and without the Internet, none of this could be possible, so let's give it up for ARPANET, the Defense Department, and 1969!

This new blog (also my first) somewhat coincides with my professional coming-out, but I assume will become just another blog lost at sea, so feel free to stop in every now and then to make sure we're surviving after the fiery crash. I will be building and working on a lot of cool projects in the months to come and intend to use this blog to keep family and friends updated since everyone always seems to ask me "what have you been up to lately?" Look at me now... just a click away :)

We hope you have a wonderful trip and thank you for flying with Magic Spoon Productions.