video gALLIxSEE

The Video GallixSEE has moved...

2007-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have ported to Wordpress and thanks to Tim at New Media Synergy I have a hosted blog that will give me far more flexibility than Blogger does. Now to learn a whole lot more about CSS and all that jazz... *sigh* Come on over and check out my shiny new digs!

The (New) VideoGALLIxSEE

oh, and tell yer friends if you fancy!

Whetzel does it live...

2007-03-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

I Have a Secret (Palmwine Guitar) :: Oh Yeah! (Throat Singing)
Run Time: 3min 09sec :: 1min 52sec
Creator's Page: Directed and shot by gALLIxSEE::media:: with second camera work by the lovely Greg of Innermission Online Additional Information: Music Performed by James Whetzel of Funketabla

James’ West African Palmwine style guitar song “I Have A Secret:

Six beats translated into throat sung “oh yeahs”:

It's so much more fun to watch when it's live... James did his last show in Seattle before heading on a cross-country road trip at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Greg of Innermission and myself were on hand to capture every last bit of his strange and wonderful brand of musical delights. And check that backdrop- someone asked me if that was CGI- ha!

Be sure to take a peek at the new Funketabla website. James is now on the road and has been posting vlog entries of his trip there. He bought a little point and shoot still camera with video capabilities and is having a good ol' time with it. Check it out
.

My Convenient Truths

2007-03-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

I am a Climate Activist
Run Time: 2min 0sec
Creator's Page: This is a collaboration between gALLIxSEE::media:: (me!), Amy Burgess and Phil Mitchell of 2People.org
Additional Information: This is our Submission to the Treehugger.com "Convenient Truths" Green Video contest. If you dig it, please vote for it HERE

**Click at bottom of the video to play**

This was so much fun to make. Phil Mitchell and Amy Burgess were my awesome collaborators and I am newly inspired. Now we just have to get those votes coming in... our main goal in making this video was to get Phil's 2People out to the world and in front of the celebrity panel of judges. I, obviously, only did it for the prizes. Just kidding. I did it for the love of it, for the planet, and to get my work seen by the panel of celebrity judges. To do that, though, we need to be in the top ten... and it is you, John and Jane Q. Public, who decides the top ten. So please, please, please... take a minute and

vote for our video!!!

pretty please?

UPDATE: Thanks to all of your support we made it into the final round... now we get to twiddle our green thumbs until April 19th when they will announce the winners to kick off Earth Day weekend. I'll be sure to let y'all know how it comes out! Regardless, we have gotten a lot of exposure as a result of this contest. Our piece screened at the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival and we just got an email from a film festival in Italy that wants to screen the video as well. yup. Video contests are cool.

A lil' Tabla Poetry for Ya, babe...

2007-02-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Dhagenatin/If You Find One (Tabla Poetry #1)
Run Time: 1min 0sec
Creator's Page: This is another video collaboration between gALLIxSEE::media:: (me!) and James Whezel of Funketabla.com

***Click to Play!!!***

James Whetzel and I have a lot of fun with our collaborations. This one was shot in a day on location in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. It happened to be snowing that day. Unprotected bald heads and snow make for quite a bit of cursing and hilarity. I'm not normally one to laugh at others' pain, but this was just funny (you have to watch the video all the way through to know what I'm referencing here).

James called me just after Christmas to tell me he wanted to make this video. He had performed his tabla poetry compositions for a group at a Christmas party and the response was quite positive. We chose quintessential Seattle locations and backgrounds for this video: Lakeview Cemetery (where we shot the snow scene), Volunteer Park Conservatory, and paintings/sculptures from Seattle Artists Francis Celantano and Parks Anderson, respectively.

If you're wondering what exactly Tabla Poetry is, James explains it like this:

"What it is is putting English words to the rhythms of tabla compositions. First there is a simple gat (tabla composition) and then an English poem set to the melody and rhythm of the gat."

I've included the lyrics in the image below. Whaddya think? Tabla Poetry #2 will be in production in March... and it looks to be even more interesting than #1... we're shooting on location at the Seattle Center with a cast and full run of the grounds. And I even get a PA this time! Hooray! Stay tuned...

::and so it is::

2007-01-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

Think It So
Run Time: 4min 44sec
Creator's Page: Malcolm Cohan is the brilliant mind behind the Vision Statement Project and the creator of these videos... wow.

So I stumbled upon this video tonight and found myself overcome by the synchronicity and inspiration of it. Wow. What a simple concept- Malcolm culls techniques from well known self-help/new age philosophies like Abraham Hicks' Law of Attraction made popular by The Secret and Vision Boards from The Artist's Way and distills them down into a simple, easy for anyone to do little project that could quite possibly change one's way of life altogether. I was thinking while driving today about how important it is to know what I want. After all, how can I create my life if I don't even know how I want it to look?! And in waltzes Malcolm. Ta-Da! So simple and yet somehow, pretty profound.

I'm feeling so inspired that I'm going to start working on mine tonight. I'd like to encourage you all to create your own destinies as well. So here's the deal- this is the first video gallixsee challenge ever: I'm giving you all to the full moon on February 1st to sift through all the good the bad and the scary in web photos and video. Find the imagery that inspires you the most- that reflects your highest visions of what is possible in your life. Collage it all together with some good music and perhaps some fun effects and clock it in under 3 minutes. Then upload it to a video hosting service (I like Revver because they support artists like us by sharing ad revenues, but I won't hold it against you if you upload to YouTube) and post a link here in the comments section- or you can send it to me privately using the mail link in the sidebar. The top two videos (judged by some complex algorithm and criteria matrix that I will make up as I go along) will be featured here on the site and given lots of applause and love. I'm going to finish mine within the week and will post it here for inspiration or, for you to laugh at- whichever comes first.

Ready, set... goooooooogle (or flickr- there are lots of CC licensed photos there, but don't forget to give the creators credit!)

I can't wait to see what we all come up with!

::Blessings (and laughter) for the New Year::

2006-12-29T21:54:00.000-08:00

A New Years Blessing (Sarod Lang Syne) ::&:: New Years (By Ze Frank)
Run Time: 1min 04sec :: 2min 54 sec
Creator's Page: New Years Blessing is by me, Alli of gALLIxSEE::media:: with music performed by James Whetzel of Funketabla. New Years created by Ze Frank, of The Show infamy...

Well, 2007 is indeed upon us. And the time has come to make those dreaded resolutions, eh? I guess I'm already a bit ahead of the game, since I've been making my resolutions every day, year round. heheh. Naw, I'm making my list of what I want to change this year like all the rest of y'all. One of those goals is to produce more original video for the sake of my sanity and creative outlet. The one above that you (hopefully) just watched is just such a project: it's a collaboration between myself and mister James Whetzel. We shot all of the performance footage in the last three days and I collaged it with some of the highlights from my trip to India and Thailand this past spring. A sort of year in review, if you will.

What's that? You want to know the rest of my intentions for 2007? Oh alright. In 2007 I'm going to:
* Produce at least one new, original video every month (yay!)
* Make at least one pod for Current TV (I know, I know...)
* Get the Smiling Flower series up and running
* Practice yoga every day
* Travel to at least 7 new countries (hey, it's 2007, right?!)
* Buy a new camera (ooooh I've been eying the new Canon Hx-A1)
* Be great~full for all that I have, in each and every day.
* Laugh more and bring laughter to others

Of course, good ol' Ze Frank is lightyears ahead of me on the last one. Here's a piece he did in the spirit of New Year's that's sure to inspire smiles and smug nods all around:

::how tiny we truly are::

2006-12-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

The Hubble Deep Field: The Most Important Image Ever Taken
Run Time: 6min 39sec
Creator's Page: Put together by Tony Darnell: the imagery, obviously, comes from NASA

I really don't need to say anything, do I? "We live on a planet, one of eight (?) in our solar system. These planets orbit a rather unremarkable star. Our star is in a gallixsee, one of five hundred thousand million in the milky way (!)... looking at this image, the idea that earth may be the only planet in the entire universe that harbors life seems almost absurd."

I studied astronomy in high school and college. I was riveted by the idea that we are just a tiny piece of an inconceivably large universe- I was drawn into the field of astronomy by the idea that there is no way we could even begin to pretend to know what's out there. The unknown is exciting, ya know?

Having left that all behind in college to focus on film school, this video re-ignited that childlike delight and awe for the infinite universe that we are merely a tiny speck of. Did you think that the whole gALLIxSEE thing was just a silly play on words?

Dream of vastness and the unimaginable becoming reality...

::Smiling Flower Wisdom::

2006-12-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

James Figurine: "Apologies" music video
Run Time: 3min 52sec
Creator's Page: The Song is by James Figurine, Video By Die Versilberte Eitelkeit Animation Studio

This sweet little song got me humming along today whilst enjoying the eclectic grooves of my new favorite internet radio stream, dublab. The song comes from the brilliant James Figurine, one of the creative forces behind the groups Figurine and The Postal Service. When I found James on Myspace, I was delighted to discover his video was equally as cheering on this dark, blustery day. Music videos don't normally make the cut here. This one, however, features sweet & simple animation and... one of my own personal heroes, the Smiling Flower, and I just couldn't resist. Hope this one brings a little sunshine to your day as it did to mine!

If you didn't know, the Smiling Flower is one of the greatest Taoist teachers on this planet today. I have been working with the Flower and a cast of its closest friends in an attempt to capture a bit of the flowery wisdom. After losing a number of my crew members to various causes (all of them noble, I assure you), I have re-opened the Smiling Flower project and will be posting episodes from the series throughout the winter. ::stay tuned::

:: what is YOUR prophetic persuasion? ::

2006-12-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

2012, The Odyssey
Run Time: 3min 48sec
Creator's Info: Produced by Sacred Mysteries Films
Related Links: The homepage for the feature doc with cast bios and all that jazz is here
If you're interested in experiencing or discussing prophecies, I suggest you check out the Oracle Gatherings' website, as their next event focuses solely on the archetype of Prophecy.

proph·e·cy [prof-uh-see] (from dictionary.com)

1.	the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.

2.	something that is declared by a prophet, esp. a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.

3.	a divinely inspired utterance or revelation: oracular prophecies.

4.	the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.

With the definition out of the way, I have been pondering quite a bit lately on the nature of prophecies. Nostradamus predicted many things, and most of his prophecies have never come to pass. But the few that did (arguably) have received much attention. When I was 9, I found myself watching a TV documentary on the Mayan civilization. It was a bit disturbing for my young mind, but I do remember vividly that, just before the break, the announcer said something to the effect of: "when we return, we will explore the prophecies of the Mayan calendar, which appears to end on December 21st, 2012." I remember calculating that I would be 32 years old and telling myself that I needed to remember that date. I didn't know why , but I was nine, and sending messages to my future self seemed like something that nine year olds did.

That message lay dormant in my subconscious for 12 years. In 2000, I was working on a documentary and was interviewing an expert on permaculture in B.C. He mentioned something about 2012 and the Mayan calendar and all of a sudden that little sticky note I had posted in the astral plane for my future self came flying out of the air and landed smack dab in the middle of my conscious mind. I felt a cold chill run through my entire body. I remembered and I sat up and paid particular attention to what this man was speaking of.

Now, nearly seven years later, I've talked to a whole lot of people about their visions of the future, especially as they relate to prophecies from all the world's cultures. I've explored Jose Arguelles' Dreamspell interpretation of the Mayan Calendar and decided I'm not too keen on it (i.e. it doesn't really resonate for me); I've participated in a five-day New Year ceremony with a Mayan Shaman in Guatemala; I've interviewed countless people about their dreary and hopefull visions of an apocalyptic/utopian future; I've had visions of my own, and I've spent countless sleepless nights wrestling with integrating all that I've seen/heard/observed/felt/watched. I don't have a definitive answer, of course, but the one thing that has become clear to me is that prophecies are only true if we collectively believe them and thus, give them power. With all the talk recently, then, about 2012 and what that means for our society, I feel compelled to be very clear about what I want to create for the future. I feel hope~full that we can create whatever it is we wish to see in this world. It will take hard work and dedication to a vision, but I know from my own experiences in life that anything... ANYTHING is possible.

That said, I haven't seen this film in its entirety. I am planning to see it next Saturday, but I may have to work... so I figured I'd post this and see what the rest of y'all think. I'm not a huge fan of Arguelles, as I said, but I am willing to put that aside and listen to what this film has to say with an open mind. It doesn't look like a particularly visually stimulating film, but who knows- maybe the trailer editor was having a bad day. heh.

Anywho. Thoughts and musings from my world. I want to know what you think about prophecies and prophets and about the whole 2012 experience. What do YOU want to create for the future?

magic, the maaaagical oven

2006-11-30T00:32:00.000-08:00

**Miss Muffy & the Muff Mob ~ Ep.5 Pt.3: Mo' Muffins Mo' Problems**
Run Time: 6min 0sec
Creator's Info: Produced by Bullseye Art
Related Links: The new home for Bullseye Art is Magic Butter... a fabulous little dwelling for all things ridiculous and flash-y. Music by the Pharcyde

Ok, so the flakes they are a fallin' here in Snow~attle. And I think a little comic relief is in order. There's nothing like a lil' LOL to brighten that "OMFG it's coooooooooold!" Thanks to Madame7 I found this little gem- not sure why I hadn't stumbled upon Miss Muffy and her posse before. But I suppose the timing was impeccable. Just what I needed this evening. If you like this one, you should definitely waste some more time giggling into your wastebasket with the rest of the series.

C'mon girls, let's bake!

::click the collapsed muffin to start the oven:: (warning: these muffins have dirty fruit holes)

p.s. :::::: i am the dark one ::::::

:::gratitude:::

2006-11-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

:::gratitude:::
Run Time: 5min 32sec
Creator's Info: Written, shot, edited, directed by me, Alli of gALLIxSEE::media::
Related Links: Original musica by James Whetzel

Ok, so this isn't exactly my self-assigned homework project (I'll get to that later this weekend), but I was inspired by my posting yesterday to create this video in loving memory of my dear friend Mahzza Hauser who left this plane of existence last weekend. This is my first time EVER sitting in front of a camera and talking about my feelings, so it's a little raw and definitely very personal. But I thought that perhaps if it inspired even one of you it would be worth being vulnerable to the entire www. Enjoy. And as always, comments and feedback are all~ways appreciated.

p.s. sorry about the audio. My mic input is busted and I'm getting a lot of audio drop-outs. Have to get that fixed this weekend...

::click the toppled pineapple wedge to play::

That's Why I'm Here

2006-11-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

That's Why I'm Here
Run Time: 1min 0sec
Creator's Info: Written, shot, edited, directed and... by Steven Guglielmo (I couldn't find ANY other info on him out there. The video was uploaded to Revver by IFP- if anyone knows anything about him, I would love to give him further credit!)
Related Links: ifp.org

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon this little gem whilst browsing Revver. I think all artists and creative people can relate to this elegantly simple sentiment. Art is such a gift to humanity- indeed it is one of the things that sets us apart. Take a look around you and see if you can't find something mundane and yet extraordinarily unusual to photograph or write a poem about or make a painting of. Hmmm... that's MY homework assignment for the weekend. Care to join in the fun? I'll post my results if you post yours!

::click the equilateral stuffed turkey to play::

~Remember What We Really Are~

2006-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Dance Monkey Dance
Run Time: 3min 53sec
Creator's Page: originally a slam poem turned into video by Ernest Cline
Related Links: We're all just monkeys.

Yeah, that's right. We humans are really just monkeys with overdeveloped brains. That's all. Can you imagine how aliens might perceive us if they came to visit? Silly monkeys.

And hey, today is the anniversary of this monkey's birth. I'm going to be celebrating with wine and cheese and crepes but you know what? That doesn't make me any less of a monkey. This is my little un~birthday gift to you- I've been working on doing more giving than receiving this year, so...

Enjoy, monkey!

::click on the badly squashed triangular banana to watch::

All I Know...

2006-11-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

All I Know
Run Time: 4min 30sec
Creator's Page: written, directed, shot and edited by Alli of gALLIxSEE::media:: (um, yeah, that's me).
Related Links: original music, "Two Wishes to Hold in Reserve" by James Whetzel

So yeah. Ah. I do actually make video, too. And from time to time I post it here. The frequency with which that happens will increase over the winter months when I have nothing better to do than get all creative-like inside whilst the sky dumps cloud urine on Seattle and leaves the world moldy and reeking like cat pee. But I digress.

I decided to post this here today because after watching way too many minutes of cheeky flash animations on Albino Blacksheep about blowing stuff up, I decided to do a search on The Google for "inspirational web videos" to cheer me up. The search returned no results. NO RESULTS!!! Ok, so I did a search for "inspirational video" and I got a bunch of results, but I was unable to find a collection of inspiring videos all in one place. So here is my contribution. From here on out, I aspire to bring you all the most inspirational, creative expressions of humanity in the 21st century available in this undulating, fickle sea of web video. May it bring some sunshine to your darkening autumn days (or, uh, cool breezes to your warming spring nights for those in the Southern Hemisphere). And if you know of any *good* portals for non-cheesy, non self-help type inspiring or invigorating or innovatively scintillating web videos, for goddess' sake, let me know!!!

A little background, in case you're really curious:

I wrote this essay in 2000, a few moments before quantum physics became a household term while frantically putting my application together for the (read aloud with a snooty british accent. or a blonde sorority girl intonation. whatever.): USC school of cinema-television. So yeah, this essay, in written form essentially got me into film school. I'm pretty sure it wasn't my freshman year gpa.

I had just returned from my first year on the playa and was reading a lot about quantum physics and had, in my previous semester been taking philosophy, anthropology and astronomy all at the same time. Dem were some serious paradigm shifts, I tell you. I thought perhaps I was going crazy. I was getting all of this new information from all over the place about the constructs of the universe and the very threads of life itself. And I was surrounded by people who stared at me like I had thirteen hollow watermelons for a head when I tried to talk to them about this stuff. So I sat down in a flurry of creation and I wrote about what I was experiencing: Awakening. Wholly other perceptions of the world around me. Intense awareness and sensitivities to sensory stimuli. Paradigm shifts.

A couple of years later, I was asked to produce an original personal video statement for my application to be a Digital Correspondent for Current TV (which was then INDTV- they never went through with the whole DC thing. I'll spare you the rant). I dusted off the old essay, which was scrawled in silver ink on a black notebook, and compiled, shot and edited the whole thing in one night. I originally used Thoman Newman's "Dead Already" from the American Beauty Score, one of my favorite film scores of all time. Recently, with the whole webvideo explosion thing happening, I realized I didn't really want to use copyrighted music. So I recut the whole thing to my talented friend James' "Two Wishes to Hold in Reserve" from his album Capitol Hill Secret Tracks. And, well, there ya have it. The way too long history of this shot + edited in one night, passionately vulnerable video of mine. Betcha that was really too much information. But it's my vlog and I'll ramble if I wanna. So go ahead, lett'er fly. Whaddya think of it?

As an interesting (and amazingly, related) sidenote, a few of my friends have asked me repeatedly if I've seen the movie The Secret yet. They kept saying that a lot of what is mentioned in the film is stuff they've endured me babbling on about for years. I didn't get around to *actually* watching it until yesterday. It kind of freaked me out. In a good way. There were parts of it that echoed eerily many of the sentiments expressed in this very video. More on The Secret and how to watch it for free in the next installment. I think I've done enough meandering for one day. *deep breath*

:: Visionary Seeds of HOPE ::

2006-10-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

Vision Seed :: HOPE (visions of Whitefeather)
Run Time: 8min 08sec :: 8min 06sec
Creators Page: VisionSeed was created by Bruce of DharmaDog Pictures as a teaser to his forthcoming feature-length documentary on Willy Whitefeather and his wisdom. HOPE was the original animated short created by Luna Media.

I first came across Vision Seed on the Current TV site. I have seen quite a bit of Bruce's work on there and am repeatedly impressed. His work continues to give voice to the spirit of the united nature of human beings, native wisdom and the earth. When researching his history I discovered that he and his wife are the driving force behind For the Next 7 Generations, a documentary film in progress about the 13 Grandmothers Council which is convening with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India on October 14th. All of this work is truly inspiring to me. I actually considered tearing off to India when I first heard of the work of the 13 Grandmothers. But that's a whole other tangent...

I have included the VisionSeed video as well as the original animated short film HOPE because hearing Willy Whitefeather speak sends chills down my spine everytime. His wisdom seems to resonate on a universal level. Whitefeather is a Cherokee elder and the author of several children's books. I will stop babbling now cuz you should really get to watchin' these. They're superb, in my opinion, on every level.

::click the trampled pyramids to play::

::HOPE by Luna Media::

Bust That Cycle!

2006-10-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Bust That Cycle
Run Time: 3min
Original Format: Mini-DV
Created By: The Fabulouso ZeFrank, from his Video Blog, The Show with ZeFrank

Ze Frank is my hero. Seriously. After my friend Eddie introduced me to the phenomenon that is The Show a month ago, I've become an addict. I get up every morning and before I do anything I click up zefrank.com to get my daily fix. He posts every day except for weekends. I get a little jonesy on the weekends. I look forward to Mondays now.

This episode is perhaps my favorite so far. It inspired me to take a whole new look at what is possible in the world of video blogging and to bust a few cycles of my own. I like them inspirational videos. And I like to share them with you! So enjoy. More info on Ze and his plethora of amazingness below...

Oh, and don't be discouraged by all the inside jokes. Watch a few more episodes of The Show and you'll catch on. I promise.

::click the little tipped triangle thingy to watch::

In case you're curious, Ze Frank is a web designer, developer, speaker, and occasionally funny person with a really cool cat named Annie. In 2001, Ze created an online birthday invitation and sent it to seventeen of his closest friends. Forwarded wildly, the invitation soon generated millions of hits and over 100 gigabytes of daily web traffic to Ze's personal Web site zefrank.com. The site grew to include interactive group projects, short films, animations, and video games, many Flash-based, including children's educational videos featuring handy tips such as "Don't vacuum your face".

See? It just goes to prove that people really like cool stuff. Or, something like that.

MIDI Animusical Madness

2006-10-06T03:43:00.000-07:00

Animusic 2 :: Fiber Bundles :: Heavy Light
Run Time: 5min 12 sec :: 7min 12sec
Original Format: CGI, computer-animated MIDI algorithms (wow.)
Created By: Wayne Lytle is the founder of Animusic and composed most of the music.

My next door neighbor text messaged me the other night:

"Alli, you have to come over and check out this DVD I just bought."

We got comfy on his couch with a glass of good red wine and he opened the portal to the planet of Animusic to me for the first time. My mind was a little blown. The whole time my geek brain was racing with the complexities of the algorithms and the 3D rendering that must have gone into making this magical technological masterpiece. "What did he use to animate all of those landscapes? Maya? Shake? How much editing was involved? Must... make... sense of the technological factors!" (yes, I realize this officially makes me a geek.)

I have included only two of my favorite episodes here. There are 13 chapters of this on the DVD with multiple angle options. Stunning, really. Have a look... and if you get the chance, I highly recommend the DVD projected onto a really big screen.

::: Hug a Stranger :::

2006-10-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Free Hugs Campaign ~ The Story of Juan Mann
Run Time: 3 min 39 sec
Original Format: Mini-DV
Creator's Page: Free Hugs Campaign on MySpace
Related Links: Music by Sick Puppies

This is the story of one man who was inspired by his own loneliness to do something great for humanity. Juan Mann decided that he was going to give himself a gift by giving to others- after all, if you can give it away, you must have more than enough to go around. One day, after arriving home in Sydney, Australia and feeling like a tourist in his own hometown, Juan Mann wrote a sign with black marker on a piece of cardboard: "FREE HUGS" was all it said.

If anyone ever told you that one person has no power to make a difference in the world, take a risk and hug a stranger and then see how you feel.

"I found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words "Free Hugs" on both sides. And for 15 minutes, people just stared right through me. The first person who stopped, tapped me on the shoulder and told me how her dog had just died that morning. How that morning had been the one year anniversary of her only daughter dying in a car accident. How what she needed now, when she felt most alone in the world, was a hug. I got down on one knee, we put our arms around each other and when we parted, she was smiling... Everyone has problems and for sure mine haven't compared. But to see someone who was once frowning smile even for a moment, is worth it every time." -Juan Mann

Apparently, the city of Sydney thought the free hugs campaign was a risk to public health. So it banned the free hugs. Juan collected signatures and, well, *power to the peace~full* is all I need to say. A bit more on Juan and his plight here:

And yeah, I got a little misty this morning when my new friend on Zaadz gifted this video to me. It touched me in that sweet, fuzzy place that I sincerely believe resides in every human. Thanks, Juan, for reminding us that teeny-tiny acts from the heart can catalyze huge amounts of inspiration and change.

Yes, I'm a nerd...

2006-09-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

White and Nerdy
From Weird Al's forthcoming album Straight Outta Lynnwood (hey! I grew up in Lynnwood!)
Run Time: 2min 47sec
Original Format: HD (or so the weird one says on his Myspace Page)
Creator's Webpage: WeirdAl.com

::: Hey Google~ers... if you're looking for the White and Nerdy Midi, you can find it HERE... but poke around in this GALLIxSEE for a minute or two- you might just find something worthwhile. After all- I'm a nerd, you're a nerd. We can all be geeky together! Oh, and if you haven't seen it (or if you just need a refresher), check out both the original Ridin' Dirty and Weird Al's White and Nerdy videos below... :::

...well, actually more of a geek. Or wait. Maybe I'm more of a dork. How does one distinguish these things, anyways? Regardless, Weird Al has certainly managed to distill the essence of nerdiness in one nifty little package. He's got everything necessary for a successful hit: gangstas, fast cars, bowling, pocket protectors and even... wait for it... bubble wrap. *sigh* my dreamboat.

Besides the fact that I grew up in Lynnwood (probably not the same one he's referring to, but we did used to call it Lynn-hood), and my sister calls me Al (don't even think about it) I have to say that I actually get more of the jokes in this video than I care to freely admit. Or wait- I guess I just did. What's so nerdy about Earl Grey? Or Wikipedia? jeez...

And yes. I'm feeling random today.

Oh and in case you're curious what the spoof is all about (I admittedly had to look it up, I had never heard of the Chamillionaires before), here is the original video, Ridin' Dirty from the Chamillionaires. I think the spoof is even more hilarious after seeing the original:

I thought this video particularly appropriate because my housemate violet and I are fixin' to do a lil' social experiment caught on tape here in our 'transitional' neighborhood in the C.D. (read, the See-dy). More on that news as it breaks. I'll make sure you, all three of my loyal readers are kept abreast of the most important video news as it happens. Really.

Spontaneous Journeys and Geeks and Killer Kites! Oh My!

2006-09-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

Killer Kites
3min 66sec
Original Format: HDV (shot on a Sony Z1-U)
Creator: Geek Entertainment Television

Yup. I'm back. You wondered where I'd gotten off to didn't you? Oh you wouldn't believe me if I told you... Or maybe you would. I left Seattle on the 24th of August expecting to be in LaLaland for a short 5-day jaunt to shoot the Sri Lanka Day Festival on the Santa Monica Promenade. Two days into my journey I got a text message from Jeronimo, a documentary filmmaker I had recently connected with . It said only this:

I think I have an extra ticket if you want to burn.
You can introduce me to some people and help me
shoot some interviews...

It may sound cryptic to you but to me it somehow made perfect sense. It meant things were about to get way more interesting; schedules were going out the window and life was about to do some loop-di-loops through burning, playa-covered hula-hoops. It had been three years since I had attended the Burning Man Festival in Northern Nevada and someone upstairs was insistent that it was time for me to go back-back to the playa-playa. So I bit. I talked my friend Violet into driving down from Seattle (and bringing my playa-worthy gear with her, bless her heart). I shot some interviews and some workshops and some cool nightime art/creation and I came out of it with a whole playa-frosted cupcake full of new inspiration. And on my last day, in Center Camp, with a soy chai labeled 'gallixsee' in one hand and Jeronimo's Sony PD-170 in the other I met the fabuloso Eddie:

"Whaddya know? I'm a video geek too!"

Are you wondering yet what the hell-o kitty this has to do with ravenous kites?

Eddie graciously invited us back to his place in SF, promising us plenty of hot water and a comfy guest bed. As it turns out, Eddie was more of a geek than he let on. He, along with his on-camera accomplice in all things techie/nonsequiter/web2.0-ey, Irina Slutsky, are the cunning minds behind one of the web's most preeminent gems: Geek Entertainment TV.

I had the great privilege of accompanying them on a couple of their on-location assignments. GETV is truly dedicated to getting the geek news out to the people, as it happens. I think they may even be so on the pulse of the scene that they occasionally cover stories before they've even happened. But I digress.

Eddie, getting a bit tired of wiping my drool off of his spankin' new Z1-U everytime I took it out of the bag for him, actually let me shoot and edit a bit of an episode. It was a dangerous assignment. Evil kites were flying everywhere. The tension was high. We had to position ourselves in the middle of the battleground to get the shots, but such is the job of any devoted camera dork.

Stay tuned to GETV for more of their endlessly entertaining antics and eclectic crew of characters. And keep your eavesdropping ear to the ground for whispers about the upcoming Video Blogging Awards, the Vloggies...

The truth underwater

2006-07-31T00:43:00.000-07:00

Canary is Dead
7min 01sec
Original Format: Unknown
Filmmaker:Laser/Planetary Coral Reef Foundation

I watched this video in the Current studio about a month ago. It brought me to tears. As someone who has spent time diving amidst the breathtaking seascapes of the Caribbean I can viscerally feel the destruction of these reefs in my body. I personally think this is a beautiful example of how the emerging digital video format can bring important issues to light and genuinely move people without having to cost a fortune. Long live affordable media technologies.

Canary is Dead was voted to the top of the leaderboards this week and will be airing on Current TV in the coming months. It brings a smile to my face to know that the world is beginning to pay attention to environmental issues, as is evidenced by the success and impact of Al Gore's new film, An Inconvenient Truth

Ok, I know, I talk about Current way too much. Why haven't I submitted anything yet? I've been asking myself the same question. Seriously, stay tuned. I have a project in the works that is really inspiring me at the moment. You'll see. Just be patient... For now, enjoy the beauty and atrocity of Canary is Dead

Hoopalicious!

2006-07-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

I know this doesn't fall under the normal scope of this gALLIxSEE, but I wanted to give a shout out to an amazing woman who I had the pleasure of hanging out with in the underground dance community in Los Angeles. Her name is Anah aka Hoopalicious and she was recently on "America's Got Talent". I think she is an inspiring and powerful woman and I just wanted to share this clip from the show because I think she rocks. Since I don't watch Television much myself, I think its important that there are empowered people putting positive messages out there to the masses. If you want to learn more about Anah and what she does (she's one amazing woman!!!), you can check out her website, hooprevolution.com

***UPDATE*** Anah's got a new, uber rockin' demo up. This girl has some incredible moves. Check her out:

Ambient Perspective

2006-07-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

Diffraction
2min 27sec
Mini-DV
Filmmaker's Page: CatalystKomics

Today's selection, Diffraction, is one from the vast CatalystKomics archive. It is my personal favorite of the shorts there, and is a film that gave me a new perspective on what makes for interesting video. Actually, all of D's videos are very interesting and perspective-shift inducing. I highly recommend setting aside a few minutes to browse his work. This one moves me particularly because it plays with available/ambient light in a way that I had never thought to-- as a dance with the camera lens. The light itself becomes the star of the show and breathes new depth into the possibilities of intentional lens flares. The experimental soundtrack is also highly effective and adds another level of scope to the project.

::viva la luz::

Winter Dancing...

2006-07-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

...ok, I know it's summer. But I stumbled upon this video in the Current TV studio recently and it actually made me look forward to winter. Well, not really, but I was absolutely astounded by the beauty and emotion evoked from such a simple concept: dancing in the snow. So that's how others stave off the winter nasties. Produced by Great Sitting Films out of Santa Monica , CA, this film was shot entirely in 'film clip mode' on a small digital still camera. Makes me wonder what my little Canon point and shoot can do... hmmm.

Currently, this video sits at the #15 rank on the Current TV leaderboard. It needs to go to #1 to get on air. If you haven't created a Current Studio account, this is a good excuse to do it. As a member (its free, of course), you can watch and greenlight viewer created content. The #1 video on the leaderboard each week is purchased by Current and put on air. In my humble opinion, this is television as it should be. I'm working on two pods for Current right now. They should be done within the next few weeks. Y'all will be the first to see them, I promise. For now, enjoy The Winter of the Dance by Great Sitting Films.

p.s. I don't work for Current TV nor am I affiliated with them in any way. I just think what they're doing is really friggin' cool.

Fiyah!

2006-07-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, so if I'm doing a video blog and critiquing and commenting on others' videos I suppose I should include some of my own work, huh? Here's the Womanipura fire demo that I completed before I left for Thailand and India. If you haven't seen it already, give it a watch-- I think its quite fun. My friend and video dork peer D told me he hated it more than anything else he's seen of mine. Ha! That's because all he watches are boring experimental films where people put their penises in boxes and dump egg yolks and flour and candy all over them just for shock value. Anyway. Bonus points if you have any idea what I was talking about.

Watch it and lemme know what YOU think. I truly value honest artistic critique, as long as its done in a constructive manner. In fact, D and I became friends because he was the first person to tell me flat out that he hated this video-- and why.

::Enjoy::

And the Vlog journey begins...

2006-07-09T00:51:00.000-07:00

...I've been interested in beginning a video blog for quite some time now. For some reason, life got busy and I was off gallavanting across the globe and the gALLIxSEE vlog project got put on the back burner for a bit. But I'm back from traveling and I have many images and sounds and dv deliciousness to share- mine as well as others'. I find myself getting juicy tips on videos all over the inner:net and I do love to share. Enjoy the ride...

This first video I would like to share was found thanks to a tip from my lovely friend Eric. This is a video cut together entirely from GW Bush's State of the Union Address~ the technical skills in this lil' tidbit are enough to make an editor dizzy, but the eerily melancholy yet hopeful tone that this video manages really makes it one for the archives.

Lyrics:

there's been a lot of talk about this next song
this next song is not a rebel song
this song is sunday bloody sunday

i can't believe the news today
can't close my eyes and make it go away
how long how long must we sing this song
how long too long for too long

tonight we can be as one
tonight tonight tonight

broken bottles under children's feet
bodies strewn across the dead end streets
but i won't heed the battle call
it puts my back up puts my back up against the wall

sunday bloody sunday
sunday bloody sunday
let's roll

and the battle's just begun
this many lost and tell me who has won
the trench is dug within our hearts
mothers children brothers sisters torn apart

sunday bloody sunday
sunday bloody sunday

how long how long must we sing this song
how long too long for too long

tonight we can be as one
tonight tonight tonight

sunday bloody sunday
sunday bloody sunday
let's roll

anyone who wants more details on my agenda can find them online
the web address is not very imaginative but its easy to remember
thepartyparty.com

wipe the tears from your eyes
wipe your tears away
wipe your tears away
wipe your tears away
wipe your blood shot eyes

sunday bloody sunday
sunday bloody sunday
let's roll

and it's true we're not immune
when fact is fiction and tv reality
and today the millions cry
we eat and drink while tomorrow they die

sunday bloody sunday
sunday bloody sunday

(words & music: u2)

Original Video Source: http://onegoodmove.org and Rx @ http://www.thepartyparty.com