Fred

No updates for a while — didn’t feel like it — and that’s just the way it is. A friend of mine posted part two of the videos below and I though I’d post both parts here to get the blog up and running again. I’ve done another post on urban exploration, check it out by clicking here [UNDERCITY Urban Exploration].

Click here to view the embedded video.

INFO: The first in a series of short documentaries focusing on the culture of Urban Exploring, those who risk it all to access and infiltrate closed or forgotten spaces.

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INFO: Episode II takes a look at a small collection of explorers from across the pond in America and Canada, focusing on their participation and experiences within their local and global exploring community. Filmed over six weeks resulting in over 1.5TB of raw footage from locations such as New York, Indianapolis, Chicago, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Montreal.

Links:
Crack The Surface on Vimeo.com | Episode 1 | Episode 2

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Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Portlandia fame came to my hometown to do a Portlandia promo (apparently showing on a Swedish channel I didn’t even know existed). Luckily for him — and us — his profession is not in travel guides; he gets everything wrong in this short guide. That’s the point, I guess.

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No new posts from me the last few days. That’s just the way it is. This post: A brand new track — released on Jan 17 — from MNDR, the American duo consisting of Amanda Warner and Peter Wade. I’m really not sure if they are still a duo though, or if Amanda (MNDR) is going at it as a solo act, but that’s what Wikipedia says anyways. If you feel like buying it; click here to go to the record label. I can listen (and I do) to this track on repeat. Mostly because it’s good but also because my temporary neighbor is seemingly 99% deaf; his TV is constantly blasting through the wall.

Links:
MNDR | Official | MySpace | Twitter | Last.fm

There are really only two blogs targeted at iPhone photography that I follow on a regular basis (several times a day). The first one is iPhoneography and the second one is Life in LoFi: iPhoneography. They review all the latest apps and they also let you know when a certain app is free on the App Store. I rely on them quite a bit and heed all the warnings when an app is sub-par. Also, it’s nice to be a part of the iPhone photography community. So, if you’re into this sort of thing — go check ‘em out. Pronto.

Links:
iPhoneography
Life in LoFi: iPhoneography

Click here to view the embedded video.

Link:
Video by Matthijs Vlot

My supervisor/instructor at the wood shop gave me his brothers old camera tripod. It’s called SLIK 35D and from Googling the name it seems like it was made a thousand years ago — but it’s in remarkably good condition and a welcome addition since the one I already own is a bit on the cheap side (and rather small). The picture makes the tripod look like a mini tripod but that’s just the perspective — it’s full size. It’ll be a perfect companion to my trusty (old) Nikon D40.

My life as a gamer started in the late 70′s with the legendary Atari 2600. I got it from my cousin when he got a new system (I think he got the Intellivision). I had heaps of games for the Atari but I traded it with a friend from school in the 80′s — it was supposed to be a temporary switch (I got his Intellivision) — but we never got around switching back. I wonder if he still have my dear old Atari system… Damn you Paolo!

I had a few other systems during the years like a bunch of Game & Watch handhelds (Parachute, Donkey Kong!). Skip to the launch of the original Sony PlayStation, had that — got it on launch day. Same with the Nintendo 64. Then came computers, trying to get a lowly 486 IBM to play Doom.

Years passed and I started playing Unreal Tournament 2003 when it was released, same with the 2004 edition. I was really good and got asked to join a clan or two. Good times. I also spent a lot of time at the legendary Atari forums (Atari owned the UT franchise).

Last Saturday I went and bought the Xbox 360, I’m a gamer again. It came bundled with Forza Motorsport 3 and Crysis 2. I also got Gears of War 3 (since it’s made by the same guys who brought us Unreal Tournament). Half an hour into GoW 3 I remembered that I can no longer play FPS (First Person Shooter) games anymore — I get terrible motion sickness and I feel dizzy as hell. Because of this fact I have spent my time playing Forza, It’s a driving simulator and I get no motion sickness at all. I’m still playing on the Easy setting, I’d like to finish the game before upping the difficulty. Here are some screens from Crysis 2, Gears of War 3 and Forza Motorsport 3.

I’m planning on getting at last one more driving game. Also a fighting game (I really miss Tekken on the PlayStation). It’s nice playing from the sofa and not be crouched in front of a computer screen. Gaming should be comfortable!

UPDATE: Went ahead and bought Tekken 6 too. The Tekken series is an old fave of mine and now all I need is a second controller and my friend Björn. Some nice wars in the past between us.

Also, added a bit of blue to the blog — I hope you like it!

Just checking in to see that the blog is up and running. I’ve been occupied with something the last few days — I might tell you later. Anyway; new year, new candle holders! I’ve done this design twice before. Wood: glorious oak. I’m doing five of them and I completed the trickiest part today, I don’t even know what the process is called in English — for once, I fail… I’ll keep posting the progress until finished product. Stay tuned. Oh, and you can see the 3D blueprint in the upper left corner of the pic.

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I think I did a post about this with season 1 of Boardwalk Empire — but I’m not sure. Anyway, here is the one for season 2. BTW, I’ve yet to see a single episode of Boardwalk Empire (I’m a bit ashamed to admit). It’s always good to have a complete season — or two — of a TV series in store when all else fails. Some info about the video from the Vimeo page:

The Emmy award-winning team at Brainstorm Digital has put together the before and after shots from season 2 of HBO’s hit series “Boardwalk Empire”. (courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc)

Links:
Video @ Vimeo.com
VFX by Brainstorm Digital