Live Right Now

"It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that..."

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:21:47 -0700

“It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now. And you may as well do it now. Generally speaking, now is as good a time as any.”

- Hugh Laurie (via thatkindofwoman)

"I always had hopes of being a big star. But as you get older, you aim a little lower. Everybody..."

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:48:00 -0700

“I always had hopes of being a big star. But as you get older, you aim a little lower. Everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. Then you think, you’ve made a mark on the world if you just get through it, and a few people remember your name. Then you’ve left a mark. You don’t have to bend the whole world. I think it’s better to just enjoy it. Pay your dues, and just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you.”

- Dorian Corey.

How I love the devastating & hopeful Paris Is Burning. It’s streaming on Netflix, you all should watch.

Do Whatever You Fucking Want

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:40:42 -0700

Do Whatever You Fucking Want:

Most of the shit you think you absolutely “have to do” isn’t actually shit you have to do at all.

You don’t have to check your email on your phone when you first wake up. You don’t have to respond to voice messages right away. You don’t have to use Twitter. You don’t have to drink at happy hour or own an iPad or wear heels or watch the news. You don’t have to be an entrepreneur and you don’t have to love yoga and you don’t have to do a 3-day juice cleanse. You just… don’t.

And you know what else? All of the things you really do want but aren’t doing because you think you need more time or more money or more whatever are actually things you could start doing right now. Today. No matter what.

Continue

Words to live by.

Pitcher’s got a big butt…

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:39:04 -0700

Pitcher’s got a big butt…

Don’t think I could ever get tired of this song.

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:12 -0700

Don’t think I could ever get tired of this song.

So I was reading the question someone asked about doing sound in college and I'm actually going to do radio production major at a college in LA. Im wanting to do sound and tour with bands as well along with interning, but it raised the question, in your opinion, do you think there are a lot of opportunities to do these things with this major besides radio stations? Thank you.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:05:00 -0700

Let’s preface this with: I have not studied audio or radio production, so my response is based on what limited knowledge I have of what a radio production major studies in college.

Are your classes teaching you solely about radio, or is it more audio based? Is there an audio program in which you can take classes?

It goes back to the last question about radio/college, your major doesn’t necessarily dictate where you go from there. However, if you want to work in sound, and there’s an audio program available, is there a reason you’re choosing radio production over audio? If you’re looking to tour, especially as a sound engineer, audio training will likely never hurt your chances. Unless you’re the kind of person unwilling to learn anything outside of what you learned in the classroom, even from those in audio for twenty, thirty years. Don’t be that person. Local sound guys can get real mean, real fast.

There are a lot of opportunities in LA, period. You just have to be willing to work hard and sacrifice any semblance of a life for awhile to get that base foundation down. Since this is a city of networks, if you have the opportunity, major in the field you want to be in. Especially since you’re at college in LA. Many teachers can help, your fellow students are great people to keep in touch with, and the opportunity for guest speakers in your desired fields which you can network with is key.

One thing, be careful about programs that are set on teaching an industry in the way it is right now. For example, and I’m dating myself here, one film program I was in would only teach undergrads about news broadcast production using film cameras. They wouldn’t even consider discussing the inevitable explosion of digital production, which was on the brink that year, and spent months making sure we knew every facet of a physical piece of film. So now people who finished that program had a wealth of knowledge which was basically useless within a year or two. Had the same experience in a music industry class which taught us about the mainstream record labels, and how it was only a matter of time before indie labels folded. Teacher hadn’t ever actually worked in the music industry.

Just keep in mind: Fundamentals are important to learn. But make sure if your college program isn’t keeping up on the current industry, that you are.

Hi I was the person who sent the two messages of going to college and pretty much getting somewhere and I just wanted to say thank you so much for responding and for taking the time. I guess I'm just nervous about things not working out and figuring out how to make all the connections, but I guess I'll figure that out when I get there. I do know there will be at least a 30 min commute on public transportation and a whole lot of hard work but I know it will be worth it so thank you again! :D

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:17:00 -0700

You’re welcome. It’s completely okay to feel nervous, and not quite sure about how you’re going to accomplish what you want. Everyone feels that way, whether they’re 18, 30, 45, or 60+. Use that uneasy feeling to fuel your drive to go after what you want.

If you can swing it - invest in a cheap car. Mostly for safety reasons. Trust me, you get stuck in Downtown LA & Union Station for one night in the middle of a freezing January with no coat and very little cash to your name with no way home, you’ll start to question every decision you’ve ever made. Oh, just me? We’ll carry on, then.

Anyway, best of luck at Northridge and in your chosen educational path. Feel free to send me an email once you’re out here, though I’m sure our paths will cross eventually in this tiny industry.

The Nine Circles of Vans Warped Tour by Geoff Rickly - The Talkhouse

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:29:00 -0700

The Nine Circles of Vans Warped Tour by Geoff Rickly - The Talkhouse:

The most honest, truthful, flat out best description of Warped Tour I’ve ever read by Geoff Rickly.

Blood on the Dance Floor makes me feel old and irrelevant. Why? Because I don’t know what the fuck it is. It’s electro-pop-scream-metal-violence in goth drag that celebrates “cumming” on the audience with giant foam canons and has one of the most positive, inspirational record inserts that I’ve ever read. It’s either horrible nonsense or next-level art. But it’s truly made me realize, I don’t know the difference. So the singer with red hair and scary make-up told me that Thursday’s song, “You know,” he says, “the car crash one” changed his life. Luckily I was wasted and said, “How can I change it back?” Rimshot, dad… Am I right?

Originally snagged from AbsolutePunk.

Went to visit family in town, ended up on the Backstreet Boys...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:08:00 -0700

Went to visit family in town, ended up on the Backstreet Boys Instagram. (The one holding a Starbucks cup, naturally.)

Eight year-old me is dancing in place, unable to speak through all the excitement. Followed by a hand on the hip, inquisitive glance to my twenty-something self, “You didn’t see The Backstreet Boys because you went to a play instead? … Is Jim Carrey in it?”

If we’re being real, though: Reading an announcement in the newspaper about the Backstreet Boys coming to town way back in the ’90s was the first time I ever realized groups like that had a whole touring crew, and if an awkward, incredibly shy little kid in Orange County could ever do something like that.

From my twenty-something self to that eight year-old: Not bad, kid. Not bad.

(Blanked out a bullying remark caught in the comments, ‘cause ain’t nobody got time for that.)

"We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in..."

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:11:31 -0700

“We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in the ocean, because there’s no service on the beach and adventures aren’t real unless they’re on Instagram. Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we’re helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag.”

- Jeremy Glass, We Can’t Get Lost Anymore (via wendesgray)

Wrapped my first 2nd AD gig this week on the upcoming short film...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0700

Wrapped my first 2nd AD gig this week on the upcoming short film Ice Cream For Breakfast. Such an incredible experience. Forever grateful to my friend B, who gave the opportunity to join an amazing team.

Bridge 9 Looking for Warped Tour Volunteers

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0700

Basically, you’d come before doors open, help me set up, distribute flyers, sell shit throughout the day, hold the tent down when I need to grab lunch and dinner, and help me break down and pack up at the end of the day. It doesn’t have to be that much work, and we can have a lot of fun. I need driven, motivated people that are gonna go out there with a good attitude and sell shit, not mope in the tent all day or disappear into the sea of burnt flesh and circlepits.

If you’re interested, shoot me an e-mail at sean (at) bridge9 dot com with the following information-

1) Your first and last name
2) Your e-mail address (this gets entertaining)
3) Your cellphone number (this is incredibly important, day-of)
4) A fun fact about you
5) Why you’d be a good volunteer-of-the-day for Bridge 9 (doesn’t have to be an essay)

Please DO NOT send me your resumes (that’s actually happened).

Thanks for reading/volunteering/replying!

Snagged from Absolutepunk.

aaronkaiser: “On The Precipice”Settings: 50mm and 1/4000 at...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:25:00 -0700

aaronkaiser:

“On The Precipice”
Settings: 50mm and 1/4000 at f/2.5 (ISO 100)
Featuring: Jennifer G

Check out my talented friend Aaron’s photography, and his smart 30 Days of Creativity challenge.

If I understand your ask correctly, you want to double major in...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0700

If I understand your ask correctly, you want to double major in 1) Film, with a concentration in Radio Production, and 2) Theatre, with a concentration in Sound?

I’ve got a question for you… why the heck do you want to sell merchandise for artists?

If you are just looking for a way on tour, and figure that’s the easiest path, I understand. We’ve all been there. There’s a small percentage chance it could work. But if you double major in what you say you want to, you’ll potentially have so many crazy awesome opportunities available to you once you get your name out there and a couple years of experience under your belt, selling merchandise will seem like a distant, youthful desire.

Now I’m not shaming merchandise. But if you want to work in the sound department, why would you focus on becoming known as a merchandise seller?

One thing I wish everyone would understand: Your major in college does not dictate where you go from there. It really doesn’t. There are millions of people working in fields they did not study in college. There are millions of people who returned to school to study in a different field, in which they did end up working. There are people who never attended college and have their choice professions.

You don’t need your college to give you permission to take a music class. There are workshops, seminars, classes at community colleges, and so on, that will allow you to learn the information you may not have access to at your college. Going to school in Northridge, you’re close enough to Los Angeles that there’s no excuse for not taking advantage of every educational opportunity available in the city. There’ll be a lot of driving. There’ll be many sleepless nights. You’ll get tired. But it will all be worth it. And if it’s not, you’re aiming for the wrong goal.

You reach your end goal by not giving up. Ever. You want to intern at a record label? Apply to every single one, knock on every single door, until someone says yes. You want to do sound at a venue? Ask every single venue manager and theatre manager if you can intern and prove yourself, in exchange for future consideration when they’re looking for a sound person. Intern at a radio station. Radio Disney, KROQ, and other local LA stations are always looking. And most often you can receive college credit. Intern with non-profit organizations throwing benefit concerts. Ask to shadow their sound engineer. Always keep working, learning. Always be that person ready to go, reliable, and with a good attitude. People that can help you recognize a good work ethic when they see one, and they remember the people who are always there, ready to work, and pleasant to be around.

You are young and you have all the time and energy in the world. Don’t waste this opportunity.

"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world..."

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0700

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

- Howard Thurman (Morehouse College c/o ‘23)

Night shoot. Day 3 of 5.

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:57:24 -0700

Night shoot. Day 3 of 5.

The distinctive smell of a music venue is so disgustingly...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:01:33 -0700

The distinctive smell of a music venue is so disgustingly familiar, it’s really quite wonderful.

I may have had too much caffeine today.

Day 1 of 5.

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:50:13 -0700

Day 1 of 5.

"Closed mouths don’t get fed."

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:00:00 -0700

“Closed mouths don’t get fed.”

- A friend told me this, driving down the 134 freeway late at night after a shoot that fulfilled a personal goal I’d previously considered out of reach. Lived by it ever since.

Every person I’ve met on the road has shaped my life in...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:59:00 -0700

Every person I’ve met on the road has shaped my life in some way.