File Conversions

Going through all the tons of footage for the new Season 5 episodes of Go-Kustom TV converting files and looking for potential B-Roll for Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride. That's been the boon for rekindling Go-Kustom TV is getting multiple use footage for several projects. The file conversion is a long  process for the Canon HF-G10 Camera. The native format the Canon records in is MTS files which have to be run through three programs (in my work flow) to get them into my FCP 7 timelines. They look incredible when done- so it is worth the work. 

Reason 6 Sounds

Drum designing and running my B3 Organ after market sounds through Fender amp effects in Reason 6. This is such a deep and gorgeous sounding program! Getting the tones I am collecting for my next album and film projects. 

Go-Kustom TV @ Slaughterhouse Car Show 2012

"You are watching Go-Kustom TV!"

So after packing our portable (20 foot by 10 foot) outdoor projection screen, projection gear and vendor gear, the wife and I headed over to Monroe, Washington for the Rat Bastards Car Club Annual Slaughterhouse Car Show. The show is held at Monroe River Valley Farm, which is a great place to have an event or car show. Lots of outdoor parking, beer and wine bar, large stage on the back of the main building and easy access. Besides selling our Go-Kustom wares, I was filming for Go-Kustom TV most of the day. I forgot my external mic tho, and only attempted to interview a few car owners because of the background noise. Mics on camera tend to pick up everything and can make it difficult to hear the interviewees speech. Still I collected hours of event footage, including the pin-up contest (which I was also a judge for) and a promo spot with Kitty Mansfield for GK TV- "You are watching Go-Kustom TV!" After the awards ceremony for Best Hot Rod, etc., etc., a handful of Rat Bastards (and photographer Ralph Gayle- who was there to show me his photo shoot with Kitty Mansfield for an article I am writing) put together my behemoth outdoor screen. This took nearly an hour. After the sun went down we showed some music videos and a film on the big screen. The Rat Bastards brought the pop corn for the dozen or so stragglers that stayed for the movie. It felt like a real, mini-drive-in. Every time I do one of these outdoor screenings, I start thinking about how cool it would be to open a Drive-In Theater, but with a Kustom Kulture twist. Like a car show with bands during the day and then old B-Movies every weekend evening all summer long. Maybe even iPad projection onto mobile devices as well as the big screen. It could work! 

Pin-Up Finalists. Kitty Mansfield (middle) was the winner.

My wife and I camped out at the farm, so we could avoid a late night drive home then early return to tear down the screen. Putting the screen up is the hard part, taking it down only takes two people a half hour. We got home at 6 AM and slept in until nearly noon. Nice. 

Rats & Gassers Filming

Went over to Chuck Backman's place to interview him for Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride yesterday. The weather was overcast with sun breaks, but no rain- thank you very much! Did a nice little sit down interview with Chuck about his 1955 Chevy Gasser for my documentary, then model Kitty Mansfield and photographer Ralph Gayle came over to do a shoot with Chuck's '55 for a national car magazine (can't say which one yet). Kitty looked awesome paired up with the big green Chevy. I got a glimpse of a few pics on Ralph's camera and was blown away! Can't wait to see the full shoot on disc and in print! 

Go-Kustom TV @ Sunken Ship Anniversary Cruise-In

We headed up to Everett, Washington yesterday morning for the 5th Annual Sunken Ship Cruise-In. Hot Rod Heidi and her husband, tattoo artist, Matt Sawdon run Sunken Ship and every year they give back to the community with a free day of tattoos. First come first serve and when we arrived the line was down the street! The artists work all day for free (but do appreciate tips), doing a set list of tattoo artwork for clients. Some great original designs, with some designs being masculine and others more on the feminine side. We had a vendor booth on the north side parking lot and also filmed a bit for Go-Kustomn TV. The bands performing in store included Hard Money Saints, Repomen, Graceland 5, Billy Dwayne & The Creepers and Ryan Laplante. The kustoms and hot rods filed into the south parking lot for the cruise-in. Excellent turnout , excellent event. 

Distant Lightning

Woke up last night to a huge light show in the sky. Distant lightning, possibly over the ocean or on the coast. I woke up to go to the bathroom, when I laid back down I noticed light flashes on the ceiling through my eyelids. At first I thought it was cars pulling into our apartment parking lot, but the flashes were continuous and then I heard the distant rumbling of thunder. I got up and went out on the balcony. The sky was charged with a serious thunderstorm! Big big flashes, that lit up all the clouds across the sky. I stood there or a few minutes and then a giant bolt zig zagged down (or down and up- whatever lightning does). It looked 1/8 across my field of vision, splitting the lower sky in half! I have seen many lightning flashes, but never a solid bolt so close like that. I ran inside  and grabbed my video camera. I filmed for a few minutes getting some nice flashes, some that ignited the entire sky (through cloud reflections) but no more bolts. Nature is amazing. 

Go-Kustom TV @ Rat City Rodz Car Show 2012

Weather was excellent for the Rat City Rodz Car Show in Everett (put on by the Rat City Rodz Car Club). This is the fourth annual and it's been held the last few years at the Anchor Pub on Hewett in Downtown Everett, WA. This year had about 20-25 more cars than last year, so it looks like this event will grow each year. Bands played inside the Anchor, but could be seen and heard outside, via a huge garage style rolling door not far from the stage. Besides filming and interviewing car owners, we had our vendor booth set up and were pushing the Rat Rod Rockers! DVDs full force. We had run out of Hot Rod Girls Save The World DVDs at last weeks Greenwood Car Show, but made up for it in t-shirt and poster sales. The show only lasts from noon until five, so it seemed like a short day, but that worked out perfect. Sometimes the all day shows can get a bit long in the tooth- if ya know what I mean. I got great interviews for Go-Kustom TV, as most of you know, I don't only interview the Hot Rod/Rat Rod Owners, I have a penchant for the early Mopar Muscle Cars and occasional odd ball makes. The quality and variety of cars at Rat City Rodz was excellent. Put this show on your list!