Ten below
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 30.01.07It’s funny, in an area where people consider themselves “southern” (and their accents confirm) the weather in Kentucky is rather cold. This past week we needed an image that displayed hatred and violence for a museum display. After sadly turning down the offer to photograph actual thugs in Cincinnati, Shari Streutker organized a photoshoot with some young karate and kick boxing experts.
Since the image needed to be rather season-less, we decided to do it in t-shirts and tank tops. Which, had we known exactly how cold it was, we might not have asked for! After a quick tattoo job of a dragon (yeah, I just used magic markers), we headed out to the location. I was wearing my usual wool coat and ridiculously long scarf, Shari was in two coats and a single set of gloves. Within 30 seconds we were shaking uncontrollably. Normally this would be cause for some concern, but it really made taking pictures a blurry proposition.
We cleared the snow off the concrete, bit our lips against the wind, and absolutely froze to death. The guys were great, though, and stuck it out through a grueling one hour photoshoot (though we did take a heated-car break two thirds through to review images). I fear there may be lasting resentment since Shari and I decided to keep shooting till we’d filled the two 1Gb CF cards. One of the better images came from the first 20 minutes, of course, but I think it was all worth it. If not for the images (which do border on the stagey at times), then for the knowledge that I survived a photoshoot with half dressed models in -10 degree wind.
Today I had another photoshoot, this time on a roof! Thankfully it went quite a bit faster, but the cold was just as dangerous. Thank God for desk jobs in weather like this.
Yep. The general consensus is that Jesus was being beaten up by happy thugs. Thank God for those few precious shots that turned out AMAZING, and made it all worthwhile!
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A danger to Democracy
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 23.01.07Currently flying around the internet is news of Senate Bill 1 and a section that would “silence free speech”. This is a serious charge, and the Carolina Journal seems to have a decent write up of the pages in question; section 220. The bill was supposedly intended to clean up some of the shadowy ethics between organizations and government officials. Unfortunately, section 220 does the opposite; completely exempting large corporations and senatorial buyoffs, it requires small grass roots groups to register with the government, notify of all activity, and report quarterly financial records for review. It’s serious enough that Focus on the Family and the ACLU actually agree on the severity of the threat. The impact can extend to any community organization, non-profit, religious group, and even blogger. It seems that without complete government registration (and 45 days notice ahead of all planned activity, among other requirements), anyone asking for petitions, requesting involvement in contacting officials, or even asking for neighbors to participate in their own government, would be faced with $200,00 fines.
You can read more from The Washington Post, and please contact your senator, let them know what you think.
Also recently brought to my attention, by Eli Ihms, Attorney General Gonzales has stated that Habeas Corpus (right to a fair trial) is not expressly granted by the constitution. I understand that respect for the law has been degrading rather badly, especially as war time brings sundry unpleasantries to the board, but this is an inconcievably grevious statement. While general reactions to the Attorney General still fall within “utter incredulity”, I pray there’s a turn for the better sometime in our future… the current run of things can, and will, lead to anarchy.
Thanks for getting the word out! For a link to a petition that you can sign (in addition to contacting your representatives in Congress), see the American Center for Law and Justice’s website: http://www.aclj.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=2507
I’ll likely post a link to your post in my blog soon.
I’m not normally one to comment on political issues, but the USA is getting so disturbingly close to socialism. I used to think we were 5-10 years from a socialist state; now it seems that the surroundings of the recent war have brought it within just a few years. This is a painful blow to liberty.
what’s wrong with a little socialism?
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A personal record
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 23.01.07I didn’t leave work today till 8:15. Which probably isn’t good, nor was it a personal record (which stands at an almost-insurmountable 3:30am). What it does mean? I got a late start to grocery shopping, which absolutely had to be done. My cupboards were down to cereals and various olive oils, which really don’t mix well (thankfully there was plenty of milk in the refrigerator).
While Kroger may not have the best prices, they are nearby. So I always end up doing the bulk of my shopping there. Who wants to drive all the way out to Aldi or Walmart in Indiana? Well, I would in a heartbeat if it involved art projects that could end in my death or maiming (these things being high on my list of important things). But not so much for food.
Which brings me to the personal record; I hit the perfect time to stock up, and got more than a third off my total. It does seem to pay to use the Kroger Plus card, and $45 is definitely my best so far!
Yes, this is the most exciting thing to happen to me today.
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Babel
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 21.01.07It is the sad tale of language barriers and misunderstanding; a global loneliness. Babel was a limited release almost a month ago, but I was finally able to find it in a smaller theater in Cincinnati. Not quite art-house, but far from mainstream, there are a lot of films I’ll have to see in the coming months.
It’s hard to write a review of Babel without referencing Crash, as the films could almost be part of a series on the human condition. Using the same storytelling style, Babel introduces multiple storylines woven together with little overt connection, not even a strict timeline. While the interplay’s begin to make sense, and some of the relationships are clear at the start, we don’t get the strong culmination that Crash had. There is no sweeping redemption of a character, but rather the quiet relief of openness. Emotional, spiritual, physical nakedness, the storyline of the blind and mute highschool student serves as the physical manifestation of the films themes, and the need for understanding and closeness. She searches for it in sex, hoping that by loosing her virginity, she’ll find healing and acceptance. A husband searches for it in his marriage; falling apart, and badly tattered. Others search merely for a place; as a Nanny becomes lost with her children, and brothers argue in the Moroccan desert. The themes become graphic, offensive, tragic; a grittiness that can make you weep for those in similar tragedy.
And as the film closes, each one finds their way, in one sense or another, home.
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Trailers
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 18.01.07I’ve been watching a trickle of media from this South Korean film for some time now, but we finally have a good detailed trailer for The Host! It gives a better overview of the movie, and touches on what I think sets it apart; it’s less of a horror movie, and more of a family action drama (though not for “families” per-say). Not to mention it’s a foreign film, and involves large amphibious creatures. And chemical waste. Meld that with what could be a far stronger storyline than most monster movies, and it could make for a rather fun flick.
I dislike motorcycles, and am frightened by stupid movies. But Wild Hogs mixes some very unlikely actors together. Perhaps I’m merely mistaken, but William H. Macy tends towards deeper indie films, John Travolta the more dangerous movies, Tim Allen sticks with a lot of children’s comedies, and Martin Lawrence does… something. I don’t know, I refused to watch Open Season. Anyway, here’s a film about the infamous midlife crisis. Complete with motorcycles and being forced to sleep out in the woods (John C. McGinley of Scrubs fame plays the park ranger). Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Seriously.
Just recently I was introduced to the rather addictive show Arrested Development, led by Jason Bateman. It’s hilarious. Sadly, it was canceled in the third season, but Jason is currently in a movie alongside Zach Braff and Amanda Peet; Fast Track. Along similar lines of possibly-raunchy comedies, we also have Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. At least someone seems to understand the horror of 1980s music.
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Trailers
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 17.01.07“The Lost Boys arrived to America after walking a thousand miles through the wilderness of Africa to escape their country’s bloody civil war…”
God Grew Tired of Us is a documentary regarding the completion of this journey. What happened to these boys, as they discovered and adjusted to a world unlike anything they’d ever imagined? Starting in 2001 a team of people set out to track their experiences and trials as immigrants in the United States.
“I thought that God… grew tired of us…”
Another movie was released last year titled Facing Sudan by Bell, Book & Camera, recounting the experiences and relief efforts of a highschool janitor and those he touched. As I find more stories in blogs, relief organizations, and news sources, I can only sit and weep for these young men (and the girls left behind). Yet after all the horror, many have gone back to Sudan to help rebuild and minister to their countrymen.
I think this film could be a very unique look into a life most Americans will never imagine!
Do you know how we can see these documentaries?bookmark
SteelSnowflake, online
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 14.01.07You can read the full report in Eli’s blog post. Still a few things to clean up (according to Eli), but overall a nice quick transition. The same can’t always be said of my own attempts to transfer sites… and they’re always much smaller, and on the same server!
Good luck with the new setup, it’s great to see SteelSnowflake.com back online.
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Narnia, extended
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 29.12.06Ah, more of a good thing! Late this year Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was released in an extended cut, with countless hours of extras.
Extended scenes are spread fairly well throughout the film, with tidbits of dialogue and character reactions added liberally. One of the first noticible additions is to the train scene, where we follow some of the other children a little more closely. It gives a better sense of the drastic measures so many people had to make in an effort to protect their families.
Though there are other additions as well, most of the longer scenes are added to the battle. Instead of just a few griffins dropping stones, we have flocks of griffins… and they are in turn attacked by hideous bat-like creatures. The phoenix is almost taken out by one of the flying creatures as well, but is saved by a judiciously thrown spear. There is added sword play, various animalistic entanglements, and the fight between Jadis (the White Witch) and Areous (lead centaur) is longer. The battle sequence was always, in my opinion, fantastically directed, and fleshing out the action just makes it that much better.
The extras are… extensive, to say the least! I will never make it through all of them (an interactive history of Narnia seems rather unwieldy to handle through DVD menus, and I’ve read all the books), but the ones I’ve watched have been tremendous. Excellent coverage on the processes behind effects, costuming, sets, locations, acting, and more. Can’t recommend it enough, and I hope, sometime, to get through all the commentaries. It’s a fairly major undertaking.
While this longer cut is great, I was also surprised by how well the original works in comparison. The extended version doesn’t add much to the storyline, so much as depth or detail to the actions taking place. It’s enjoyable, and yes, the battle is superb!
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Merry Christmas
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 25.12.06I pray the wonderment catches you by surprise. Enjoy the vacation, the family and friends, the gifts, and the food. But be blown away by the meaning.
God bless, and have a wonderful day!
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2006
iaian7 » blog John Einselen, 24.12.06I pray it’s been a pleasantly eventful year for everyone! It’s sometimes difficult trying to keep up with old friends, always cool hearing from some I hadn’t seen in awhile, and so rewarding finding new ones. After my whirlwind through 2005 (graduating, art show, and freelance work), 2006 has seen it’s own share of changes.
January brought a new job opportunity and a major move – to Kentucky. Never did I see myself willingly moving here. But God’s way is best, and it was pretty clear this was (and is) the path to take!
February 6th I started working for Answers in Genesis as a designer in the presentation department. This was presumably to work on illustrative animations and video, but after a few months those projects were canceled and the job devolved into powerpoint work. I also did packaging layout, a lot of graphics, and various photography jobs. Thankfully the occasional photo shoot was a nice break to the day and good bit of fun. I got to document some of the spring Creation Museum construction, shoot some events, and work on projects for print (such as ads to be placed in Answers magazine). We also got a visit from the presidential helicopter. How cool is that? I got to shoot a helicopter from the roof!
By July I had at least half my boxes unpacked, and was feeling a bit more at home. The living room is done in greens, blacks, and creams (of course with some of my black and white photography on the walls). Oh, and two mostly dead plants, since I just can’t remember to water them. In the kitchen I have my brown, blue, and clear bottles, a few bits of pottery, and some colour prints. There’s a lot of other art pieces I need to hang, but haven’t had a chance to matte and frame yet. A lot left to do!
The bathroom I did mostly in white: white curtains, frosted shower curtain with white leaves, clear glass oil lamps, and salted cedar branches. I’m trying a bit of antique ruggedness in the bedroom, as I’m keeping the old Singer treadle machine and my giant old trunk in there. Curtains are white with black hardware,
including a rather tricky installation hanging above the bed. I really hope no one notices the ceiling anchors whenever it comes time to move out of the appartment!
The summer weather was absolutely miserable, 90 degrees fahrenheit and 90% humidity, all the time. It was impossible to even breathe outdoors, so I pretty much stayed indoors till Fall arrived. Then Fall left a few weeks later in lieu of bitter Winter weather. I still got to do a little hiking (both Kentucky and southern Indiana), and a camping trip down to Red River Gorge. The timing was right to catch a few leaves as they were just starting to turn colours. Very beautiful area, with a ton of rock climbing opportunities!
September 2nd a friend died. Justin Vanderburg passed away after two weeks of complications from a motorcycle crash. Though I’d known him at Indiana Wesleyan University, lately he had been studying law and working with his dad’s firm. The funeral was in Ohio, and a lot of his college friends visited, along with hundreds of family, friends, and colleagues. He leaves a gaping hole I’m not sure will ever be filled for many people. A legacy was left that’s staggering considering how young he was, and amidst the tragedy, there was hope and glory in Christ’s clear salvation.
Back at work, things are always in full swing for the designers. I got to help with some more magazine production; a photo shoot involving fake snow in sweltering heat with Buddy Davis, and some cool photos for the Kid’s section of the magazine. Then there was the trip to the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, which is housed in an incredible old train station. While most areas have been converted into assorted museums, the photo of shadowy chairs is from part of the train station still left in tact.
I might have known that print projects were done well ahead of time, but it was weird doing Christmas stuff in August! Answers magazine goes to print months before it ships, and deadlines have gotten tighter with each issue.
After a couple days shooting for a nativity scene, I designed some Christmas cards for AiG, two of which were selected for print (the shepherds and earth cards) and went on to sell quite well. It was a welcome and creative respite for a lot of people, as we worked in the SFX theater using a monstrous fan, tons of cloth, and a couple lights to create the elements needed.
These were a few of the highlights, but to make a long story short, I started working with some of the other departments at AiG that needed visual effects. By the end of November I finally transfered departments, moving from presentations to the Creation Museum art team. It’s been an incredible change, and I’m finally working in video again! Lots of effects shots and animations for various displays, gearing up for the museum’s opening in 2007. I’d love to show you something, but it’s still very under wraps. Besides, it’s only getting better with the projects coming up this spring… you’ll just have to come visit the museum when it opens!
2006 also brought the birth of my online journal Iaian7.com, and the new year will be bringing updates to both JohnEinselen.com and SymbolEffects.com. I spend quite a bit of my free time working on my websites and prepairing for upcoming content. Hopefully I’ll be hosting tutorials for Lightwave, and a podcast that’s just starting.
Well, this has gone on long enough, and anyway it’s caught up to the end of this year as I spend these final weeks visiting family and friends. I’ve been incredibly blessed, and in so many ways. God has been taking care of me, wether I’ve thought so or not, and I’m truly looking forward to 2007!
I pray that all is well with you. May the wind be at your back, and the sun on your face.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God Bless.
John Einselen
John,
This was a beautiful letter. Thanks for the update. God Bless You!
Aunt Karen
mediaboxAdvanced
It appears as though Jesus is getting the crap beaten out of him.