Seven Years and Counting...

Seven years ago today, I married the love of my life. My girl. On the eleventh we actually had a smaller, more intimate ceremony in the church with just family, and the following day we celebrated with family and friends in an outdoor ceremony. So, we have two wedding anniversaries.

No matter how much time passes, I still remember both nights so well. Whether it was looking at Gina and seeing my whole life in her eyes as I stood before God and vowed to love her forever, or dancing our special dance the next night and remembering how everything around me just went silent.

All I could think about was her. All I could hear was her voice. For three minutes, everything around me just went silent. Gina looked at me over and over that night and I knew that she loved me so much. It was one of the greatest moments of my life: seeing her beauty, hearing her words to me at the alter, feeling her hand in my hand. Walking proudly from table to table with that I'm-the-luckiest-guy-in-the-world look on my face.

Gina, I love you more than anything in this world, and the vows that I said to you on our wedding day(s) are just as meaningful today as they were seven years ago.



Here is my favorite picture of us from our wedding and here are the vows I said on our wedding day. I don't mind sharing something so intimate because I want the whole world to know how much my wife means to me.

MY 5-DAY WALKABOUT IN SAN FRANCISCO

PIER 7 AND BEYOND from onward films on Vimeo.

I am often asked what motivates me to use film to help celebrate the art of childhood. I've been at an interesting crossroads in my life as of late, and so when I was recently asked this question, it got me to thinking about who I am as an artist.

But to do so, I knew I had to get away for a while. And so, with the smile of my lovely wife urging me on to do what I had to do, I set out (with cameras in hand) to the town I love so much.

A few weeks ago I spent five days wandering through the streets of San Francisco on a quest to find some deeper meaning in my life and here is the result.

BUSHMAN | the lost scenes |

BUSHMAN | the lost scenes | from onward films on Vimeo.

iPhone Attached to a Glidecam

iPhone Attached to a Glidecam from onward films on Vimeo.

I have always been fond of the Glidecam, so it only made perfect sense that when I purchased the new iPhone 3GS that I try and attach it to a stabilizer. In doing so, I told myself that I could only do it with whatever I had in my garage. A few l-brackets, a handful of bolts, some duct tape and one Mr. Clean foam pad later, I was up and running.

I grabbed Madeleine and away we went. Overall, I'm impressed with the results. It was awkward at first because of the light weight, but I soon overcame that and just had fun--after all, that was the whole plan. Of course, I would never use the iPhone in a professional setting, much less hook it up to a stabilizer.

At one point in the shoot, Madeleine looked at the iPhone mounted on the Glidecam and said, "You should put a big camera on there. That just doesn't look right."

Could you imagine the look on a client's face if you showed up with an iPhone mounted on a stabilizer and you had this serious, I'm-ready-to-conquer-the-world look on your face?

BUSHMAN | fisherman's wharf san francisco |

BUSHMAN | fisherman's wharf san francisco | from onward films on Vimeo.

David Johnson, also known as the World Famous Bushman, has been an entertainer along Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco since 1980.

Johnson hides motionless behind some eucalyptus branches and waits for unsuspecting people to wander by. When they approach, he jumps out and startles them.

Be sure to wait until the end--the last one is great!

I had so much fun watching David, and if you look closely at his face, he is having a blast doing what he does.

You haven't seen the last of BUSHMAN, so stay tuned for a bigger project in the works. This is just a sneak peek!

BUCKETMAN | downtown san francisco |

BUCKETMAN | downtown san francisco | from onward films on Vimeo.

Larry Hunt is a contemporary landmark of the city of San Francisco whose world centers around fifteen buckets and a pair of drumsticks.

I already talked about Larry "Bucketman" Hunt in an earlier post, but it's such a beautiful thing how we find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places. Larry was such a wonderful, happy soul, and all I can say is this--you haven't seen the last of him.

Here's a brief piece I shot in ten minutes. Totally unplanned. Handheld camera. Onboard mic. Just me having fun and not thinking about being a filmmaker. I am very happy with the result. Hopefully, you take something from it about passion and life and how we all have a gift in this world to share. Thank you for reminding me of this Bucketman.

I spent nearly two hours on Tuesday at Fisherman's Wharf talking to David Johnson, who is also known as the World Famous Bushman. Johnson has been scaring passers-by along the Wharf since 1980. His act is simple: Johnson hides motionless behind some eucalyptus branches and waits for unsuspecting people to wander by. When they approach, he jumps out and startles them.



Johnson was kind enough to let me interview him as well. I look forward to sharing it with you in the upcoming weeks. Don't feel bad for him though (I guess you can if you want, depending on how you view his situation). According to tax records, Johnson earns $60,000 a year.



And then there was Hoseman (I love these names). I wanted to interview him as well, but there was a language barrier, so I just shot footage of this happy guy in action. He not only played the hose but he played tea cups and a yard blower contraption that looked like a saxophone, but played like a guitar. Talk to you later.

Day 2: Demonstration for Iran

By now, many of you already know about the attrocities taking place in Iran. I won't get into the politics of whose right or wrong (even though I do have an opinion), but what I will say is that I have always been a huge supporter of people having the right to freely speak their minds. It is one of the cornerstones of this great country of ours.



This evening I stumbled upon a demonstration taking place in Union Square and grabbed my cameras. Since so much of the Iranian protest has taken place via Twitter (providing the world with immediate details of the turmoil taking place in Iran) I stopped from time to time and provided images via my cell phone to the Twitter world, in the hopes of telling those in Iran that people on the other side of the world were speaking out.



Here are just a few of the images I captured. When I return to SoCal, I can't wait to edit the video footage.









Tomorrow, I will try to post my shots of Bush Man and Hose Man (both very friendly and talented men).

Day 1: Bucket Man

Within ten minutes of arriving to downtown San Francisco, I was in Union Square filming a short PSA with Larry "Bucketman" Hunt. You may remember him from Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith. What an amazing spirit.



How can I describe him? Well, picture a bunch of 5 gallon buckets turned upside down like a drum set. Throw in some drumsticks and happy spirit, and welcome to Bucketman's world outside Old Navy in Union Square (apparently, the city wants to shut him down.)

While he was playing, he took time to let children bang on the buckets as well, and that's when I stepped in and asked if I could take some shots and capture some footage. I had noticed that he was openly talking to the kids about staying in school and following their passions. That's when I asked Larry if I could interview him about a message he has for children.



It just seemed like the perfect fit for ONWARD FILMS. I can't wait to get back home and edit his short piece.

I also purchased his CD so I can't wait to share his music as well.

Here is a shot of another musician I spoke with:



But he wasn't as open as Bucketman. I think his sign said it all.



It may seem like their is a DOWN ON YOUR LUCK theme, but I saw beyond the struggling men on street corners and realized that they were just fellow artists, and I can appreciate it that without labels and such.



Off to the Mission Street Murals tomorrow.

Never Stop Believing in Your Dreams...