All in all 2008 was a good year for me. I read an interesting article last week about how for just about anyone under the age of 70, this last year was probably the worst they had ever seen. The writer argued that all of the economic problems of the last twelve months added up to the worst year since 1938. Coupled with social unrest and the amount of violence in the world I might have to agree. I have no idea how most people can even begin to quantify that, but it does bring up and interesting point. I know so many people who are looking for work, those who had far less then the average American are now in an even worse situation and the world isn’t as peaceful as it’s been even in my short lifetime. I am however optimistic about the future, the economy will come back in time, new and more efficient ways can be implemented to help the world’s hungry and ending America’s own conflicts can only help to end others. There was a lot to be thankful for in 2008. I learned a lot at school, and am now in someways comfortable calling myself an artist. I can now support myself with my chosen profession. I no longer fear living alone or being without friends. I found something in a friendship that I never had seen before… I learned a lot about myself and how to deal with heartbreak. I learned that I miss my family more then I thought. I was able to begin to deepen my faith for the first time in a while. I’ve become a stronger, better person in the last year, I’m proud of that.

One of my roommates admitted yesterday that he has no idea what is going on with Isreal and the Palestinians. I shamed him but he didn’t care, I really don’t understand that mentality. We live in a democracy, that means that as a citizen you have to educate yourself to be able to participate in our own government. What’s happening now is the result of a terrible situation but I would really like to see our country take a firm stance against the sort of violence that is taking place. Raining down rockets indiscriminately is wrong, but so is destroying an entire neighborhood to kill one adversary. I’m not linking articles because you should know what I’m talking about. Honestly, if you don’t at least know there has been a rise in violence in the last couple of weeks you really need to shift your priorities, it only takes a few minutes to swing by cnn.com once and a while.

David Hildreth

If you don’t know who Danny Boyle is you’re a terrible human being. I went to go see his latest: Slumdog Millionaire and no one I went with had any idea who the director was. It’s a shame because the guy has really had a pretty amazing career. He’s just a director that pretty much always makes a great movie, and not just one type of movie either. He stays away from the studios and has to fight for every film but most turn out great. Slumdog is about a young Indian guy who ends up on the local version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He grew up in a Bombay slum and while he was out doing anything he could to survive his slum was transformed with the rest of the city into Mumbai, a center of commerce and industry. After doing well on the show he is suspected of cheating and relives his life to explain how he picked up the answers to questions an uneducated slumdog never should have known. It’s a great movie so go see it, take the whole family.

Things seem to be have new beginnings lately, not just in my favorite topic of discussion, but in most aspects of my life. It’s not cold and barren here in Tempe, and I think that helps. Nothing is dead here, it’s all still alive, the sky is still just as blue as it is in May. It does a lot for one’s spirit. My new contract job is working out so far, school is going to be over before I know it and things are looking up socially. I have a lot to be grateful for this holiday season, and I’m making a point to stop wondering about what could have been and to just focus on what I have.

Just incase you were wondering… this post’s soundtrack (facebook people follow the original post button below) is that Belle and Sebastian song, you know the one we’ve been listening to and enjoying. I’ve been watching High Fidelity just about every other day lately. It’s just what I need right now.

David Hildreth

Bleh… I’m glad that’s out.
Take it easy, I’m going to go try and not think about this for the next forever or so.
David Hildreth

I got some good news on tuesday, I’ve landed a steady editing gig for the next few months and maybe more. Freelance work as been harder to come by lately and the stability that this should bring will definitely keep me in Arizona for a while. The company produces concert DVDs for a well known heavy metal act and I’m going to be editing their next release. This should be a great opportunity to gain some more experience in film style editing and a chance to do some motion design and DVD work. I’d tell you more but while I haven’t signed an NDA yet they seem a bit squeamish so just know that it’s legit and I’m pretty excited about it.

I’m hoping this gig means some piece of mind about my near future and maybe will help to show that my decision to stay in town next year was a good one. There are many reasons I’m staying but this really helps validate it.

Recently I’ve been listening to more of The Beatles, everyone knows their singles but it had been a long time since I had really listened to a few of their albums. The last track of Abbey Road hit me hard about a month ago and inspired me to make something. It worked out that so I could turn it in as an assignment and it ended up good enough that it’l be seen on my reel. It’s an example of motion graphics typography, a style that has really become popular over the last few years. It can be seen in a recent batch of Ford truck commercials for example. This piece is set to Her Majesty, a track that wasn’t even suppose to be on Abbey Road. It was literally picked up off the cutting room floor… and it’s simple tune and complex words remind me of her.

I’m cutting away on three new reels, I don’t have anything to post but I will shortly. My motion design reel will be the first done, the VFX reel is made up of projects not yet polished enough and my editing reel is just an idea, I have no idea what it will look like.

Take it easy, I’m taking it extra easy for a while.
David Hildreth

This is an example of the sort of shot I’m working on. It’s just a generic piece of video shot a few years back, it would go on my reel if not for the dozens of other students that have done the same shot.

The first step is to key the screens, which isn’t too hard. There are places where you can’t exactly just do a one click key however, and a few small spots where you have to go in frame by frame and rotoscope. Secondly you have to track the shot, whatever goes into the monitors has to move with the camera. Third you have to make the video in the screens look like it’s on a TV and lastly I add some color correction so it doesn’t look so plain. None of those steps are really that hard, but they all are time consuming and tedious.
What I’ve got so far looks like this, it’s not done but it’s getting closer.

Some of you might have heard about a promising interview I had week before last, I’ve got a follow up this thursday so we’ll see how it goes.

I might get to go to LA this next weekend. A friend of a friend is shooting something has invited him to be the FX supervisor. A few of us are going along and should be able to see our friends who are now working LA. I’ll post some pictures if it happens, hopefully I can find the money to make it work.

David Hildreth