Architect Video Series

We started working with Architect Magazine on a weekly video series titled, What's Next Videos. This is our first collaboration with Architect Magazine since producing the High Line Phase 2 Video. This new series follow a simple question/answer format with leaders in the field of architecture and design. The characters we have followed thus far include Lise Anne Couture and Hani Rashid from Asymptote Architecture. Arbuckle was only responsible for filming the interviews and the editing was done by Kaitlyn Rossi at Architect Magazine.  

My High Line- Gammy Miller

Wrapped up the first of a three part series titled My High Line (click for video) for the folks over at Friends of the High Line. Had such a great time working with local artist, Gammy Miller. She is a longterm resident of the Meetpacking neighborhood and had some amazing stories to share about the evolution of the surrounding area. This particular episode focuses on her love for the natural world and her work as a volunteer with the High Line. 

Yamaha CFX

We recently did a shoot for Yamaha to illustrate their RemoteLesson technology as well as to market their latest piano series, the CFX. Knowing nothing about pianos or this technology, I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but was certainly happy to be along for the ride.

The first portion of the shoot was a series of testimonials and recitals by well-known classical and jazz pianists, most notably Byron Janis and Olga Kern.  It was absolutely amazing to hear them play and I hope to post their full length recitals one day.  

The second portion of production focused on the piano itself, which provided many challenges including animating an inanimate object as well as finding a iconic location to situate the piano. Fortunately, Yamaha was able to have the piano delivered to the Bam Opera House in downtown Brooklyn.  Unfortunately, they were between shows, so there was no backdrop, nothing covering the floor and no stage lighting installed, so we were very limited in shot selection, but made the best of an undesirable situation. If you have never been to BAM it is absolutely worth the trip.  They host just about anything and everything from Rock Concerts to Low-Budget Films.  I have seen a number of things including my friend Dr. Israel perform at BAMcafe. Here is a link to their programs if you find yourself looking for something to do.  

Here is the final 30 Second Cut:

TIME TO VOTE FOR THE SPIRIT AWARDS

One of the big benefits that I find of being a part of so many various filmmaking organizations and groups is the opportunity to occasionally vote for my peers in award selections. Sure enough shortly after my arrival back from New Years a big packet arrived in the mail from the Spirit Awards. I was lucky enough to be selected last year (big thanks for letting me catch Mike Mill's Beginners, it was fantastic!) and am fortunate again to have a whole slew of amazing films that I may have been unable to catch at the theaters. Some to note already have been Moonrise Kingdom, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Silver Linings Playbook with many, many more to come. Voting wraps up in a couple weeks so here's to a busy schedule of indie film watching evenings!

SCOUTING FRESHKILLS PARK ON ONE OF THE COLDEST DAYS OF THE YEAR

So many of you know that we've been working with Freshkills Park Alliance over the past few months to construct a script for a video that we will be shooting throughout early 2013. First up will be the former Parks Commissioner, Adrian Benepe from his new diggs at the Trust for Public Land this week. However, in preparation for our on-site shoots once the weather shifts to warm spring growth, I headed out to the site to scout the future park with a group of Freshkills converts aka staff.

Panoramic view from North Mound  showing New Jersey Industry, Power Plant and Lower Manhattan

Our trusty parks vehicle for the journey along all the gravel roads

Panoramic taken from the top of the South Mound

Adjacent Staten Island commercial/retail strip

Future roadway into park from the East over eastern edge wetland and East Mound

Crowd of ducks along the main Freshkills waterway throught the center of the park with West Mound in the distance and I-440 on the bridge

Picturesque Richmond Creek from the southern edge of East Mound

Water runoff into the Richmond Creek

A robust stormwater management system is layed all over the biggest East Mound which direct all the water from these barren hills into fresh water wetlands along the entire east edge of the park

Another example of the impressive stormwater runoff infrastructure on the East Mound

This project has a variety of unique issues that it presents in so far as how do you produce a video on a park that is yet to open and only has people (non-Dept of Parks or Sanitation workers) on any of the grounds a couple of times a year. Another aspect which I think the picture speak to is the sheer scale of the place. I mean, it is multiple times the size of Central Park and is subdivided into three sections by the natural contours of the Freskills Creek and it's two tributaries, the Richmond Creek and Main Creek, and a fourth by highway 440. So, rarely do you actually get to see the landfill-turning-park in its totality or grasp its massive size unless you're looking down from outer space. Note, this site made headlines year ago because it was actually viewable from outer space when it was a landfill! To even further distort your perspective of scale there are few things on the various hills that could help you such as trees, cars, people, structures... anything. One of the most compelling moments for me during the trip came when we were on the South Mound when a Dept. of Sanitation SUV cruised along the road which runs down the spine of the East Mound. At that moment with sprawling Staten Island strip-malls and housing providing a backdrop, did the vastness of this amazing place finally shock me into perspective. Watching that little tiny vehicle reminded me of a rover on mars, while it drove along a landscape of odd bulbs outs that capture the precious methane pushing up from the decades of decomposing trash below.

East Mound showing the methane capture system burried unlike the rest of the site looking East toward the adjacent Staten Island neighborhood of New Springville

Looking north from the East Mound at the wetlands of Main Creek

Looking towards the North Mound from the East Mound across the frozen Main Creek

View from East Mound looking north with Lower Manhattan on the horizon

Giant trash movers from the days when the landfill still processed trash

Edge of the West Mound along Arthur Kill with disintegrating ships and industrial past

Mixed recycled stones used for water runoff along roadways

West Mound where Fresh Kill meets Arthur Kill

As we move forward with this project, this very specific yet undeniably unique quality of space will be an intriguing aspect to relay though our cameras. We're looking forward to the challenge and will likely shoot some B-Roll using either a helium balloon with a camera or a helicopter camera drone to help provide the expansive feeling that these rolling hills induce when you're there in person. We are constantly attempting to put our cinematic minds in the frame set of all who will watch the video and continue to ask the same questions we asked as we began to devour this vast and globally innovative new park for the citizens of New York. Where and what is exactly Freshkills Park.