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Short Action Film Shoot

Wednesday, Aug 19, 2009 10:15PM / Standard Entry

Not long ago, a group of film makers got together to have a bit of fun one weekend here in Beijing. Although I could not join them on location for the full extent of their misadventures, I was able to drop in for a few hours and document the work. For the more serious side of things, you can check out Wu Di's blog as he has posted some of the pics. However, I thought the view from behind the scenes was more entertaining, if not telling, of a few hours in the life of a no-budget film project.

In an abandoned Beijing parking lot, an epic struggle for life and death was unfolding.

A seemingly vanquished Shahaub was using his suit to clean the garage floor. But who was responsible for this madness?

One was the director, Zhang Lei, who took a simple, yet professional, pleasure in maximizing their pain.

Li Yuan, the choreographer, was pushing the actors hard too. He kept saying, "Shoot it again. Real blood will look better!"

Li Yuan showed he wasn't all talk.

Meanwhile, Wu Di was starting to take a few beatings of his own. What's a big Brit to do? A header, of course.

But don't count Shahaub out of the game yet. This coiled spring is as lethal as James Bond himself.

Shahaub, Just Shahaub. Licensed to kill you - with laughter.

Watch out for this one ladies. Time magazine named him the Persian Jim Carrey.

With each take, Shahaub really felt Wu Di's pain in this shot. I could sense the empathy on his face each time the big Brit landed on top of Wu Di.

Taking a page from Lucus, Zhang Lei filmed multiple endings to confuse the crew. In this surprise twist, enemies become lovers right on the battlefield.

Love fest over. Cue violent death scene.

Turns out fake blood doesn't taste so nice.

After learning the caterers did not show up, Wu Di vowed, "I will have my vengeance in this life or the next!"

With no change of clothes, he had an entertaining subway ride home after the shoot.

Ah, the old crotch cam. By the way, this is about what a colonoscopy is like.

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Guns, tigers and bike races, oh my!

Thursday, Aug 13, 2009 5:18PM / Standard Entry

On my recent trip to Oregon to visit family, I had intended to photograph some culture Americana a la the 4th of July Independence Day festivities in my hometown. Though Ashland is not very big, it does put on a good parade each year and afterwards there is a festival atmosphere and fireworks in the night. Unfortunately, I had flu symptoms that weekend and was in no condition to go out, so that shoot will wait for another year.

Consequently, I returned to Beijing after five weeks of leave thinking I did not have much photographically to wow you with. Perhaps this is why it took me so long to upload the images from the trip. Still, submitted for your approval, here are a few of my escapades.

Without time to go fishing, my dad and I found a few hours one afternoon when we could escape to the mountains outside of town. It was only a 30 minute drive, so why not enjoy the great outdoors? This is one of the benefits of living in a small town.

The drive out of town

Here's a nice spot, but not quite right for what we had in mind. The 9,500 foot peak of Mount McLoughlin in the background.

Ah, here is a worthy spot.

About the time I learned to take photographs, I was also taught how to shoot a gun, but I've rarely partaken of the sport. I don't think I've shot more than a few rounds in the past 20 years. It seemed like a good diversion and dad said he had some ammo that needed to be spent. "Getting old." Whatever that meant. So, with about 70 meters to work with (100 is the preferred distance), he placed a target on a dead tree that had clearly served the same purpose many a time and we began to add some bore holes for insects using his .270 Winchester. At least, I think it was a Winchester.

I had hoped to catch a bullet exiting the gun, but my Canon is not as quick as his .270.

Dad examines his first three rounds.

Then we looked at my first, and only, three rounds. Aw shucks.

Truth is, in my youth, I spent more time practicing with a compound bow in the backyard than with guns (which cannot be fired in backyards). Consequently, I felt this was a fair showing considering the years and that I was using a scope on a gun sighted for someone else. The bruise on my shoulder for the rest of the week reminded me why I spent more time with the bow. It is worth noting that the .270 has quite a bit of recoil or kick. Which equals pain. It was like getting punched in the same place repeatedly.

.270 shell. Dead trees beware! Ear protection a must!

Now, one thing you can do with guns is go hunting for something more agile than a dead tree. However, and this is important, you cannot go hunting at a zoo. With this firmly in our minds, we left the guns behind when we took Reina to the Portland Zoo. You can pay hundreds of dollars ($400 a day I believe) to go tiger trekking where I visited in India this past February. And you can drive in a jeep for hours and never see more than a tiger footprint. Or you can pay $30, walk for 15 minutes and see this beauty in an enclosure.
It took a few extra months, but I finally saw a tiger! In a zoo.

Another place you probably should not carry firearms is to a bike race and the Portland, Oregon Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge is no exception, especially since my nephew-in-law, Dean, was one of the racers. Currently training for the 2012 Olympics with the USA cycling team in Colorado, Dean came out to compete in what is essentially a hometown race for him.

That's Dean in the yellow jersey.

For those of you who do not know, the velodrome is an oval track where the track is steep at the corners. It is a race for sprinters. People on bikes with no breaks and hellbent on winning. Basically, slightly insane people.

Must go faster, must go faster. Racers in an elimination race. Each lap, the slowest rider is dropped until the final few battle it out in a sprint finish.

At the start of this Keirin, the racers follow a pace motorbike for a couple of laps before attacking. Like the mechanical rabbit in greyhound racing, no one knows what would happen if the bike riders caught the motorbike, but I suspect it would not be pretty.

Dean looked good with about 30 meters to go, but the guy in red and black actually beat Dean to the line by half a bike length.

These cyclists produce so much explosive power when the stamp on the pedals that they crack normal bike frames, even the really expensive pro ones. Consequently, they do a lot of extra welding work on bikes for track sprinters.
Detail of Dean's racing bike. He has cracked four.

Enough rambling. I'll put up some more pics from the coastal portion of our trip in a bit and I've still got some surprises regarding the music video shoot. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, a word from our sponsors:

When not terrorizing trees, Chris has been known to photograph nature.

Reina demonstrates how to properly pack a toddler in a carry-on bag.

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Can I get a caption please?

Monday, Jul 27, 2009 10:44PM / Standard Entry

Alright, I'm back. What's that? You failed to notice my absence. People, where is the love? I just returned from a much needed 5 week break from life in Beijing. I'll get something up about that soon, but in the mean time, it's time to play...

Caption This:

Good luck, and may the best caption win.

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Custom Cameras

Wednesday, Jun 17, 2009 1:32PM / Standard Entry

Went over to Li Gang's studio the other day. Li Gang is a Beijing based sculptor, photographer and so much more who is represented by the Red Gate Gallery. I may be involved on a project he is dreaming up for the fall, but it's too soon to divulge details. Though I don't know him well, he was eager to discuss cameras and show me some of the gear he has cobbled together himself. Here's a few shots of his custom built cameras.

Medium format with binocular lens. Wonder if he would loan it to me?

Another medium format custom job.

From what I saw, he had at least three other cameras he had built himself and without using camera glass. I would have taken more photos, but we were in a meeting with other people, so I had to, uh, focus.

Then he introduced me to what may be my next camera. Apparently the Russians made some good 120 film cameras that can be easily picked up used in Beijing for around 1,000RMB. Though I do not have time to go shopping before leaving for the USA tomorrow (5 weeks in Oregon!), I'll definitely take him up on his offer to go find one together and get it restored. Even the film sells for less than 10RMB a pack. I'm looking forward to going back into film the old fashioned way - with a decidedly low tech piece of history.

Could this Russian made beauty be my next camera? Stay tuned....

Right, bags are packed, blog written, pre-departure massage scheduled...now where did I leave those airline tickets?

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AnD's Favorite Young Model Rocks On

Monday, Jun 1, 2009 4:37PM / Standard Entry

It was a hot morning and AnD's favorite young model, Reina, decided to look for some fun out of the sun. Her search ended at the Linda Gallery in 798. It's big, it's free, it's air conditioned!

She searched the joint for something unique.

Artwork she could relate too. It was all good, but she was looking for something....

A bit more interactive.

And she knew it when she found it!

Here was some art she could really appreciate.

Art she could kick off her shoes for and sink her toes into.

Okay, this one is done. What's next?

Next up? Reina wants to visit the National Gallery and see what kind of trouble she can get into.

Special thanks to Di Wu, the fantastic artist who created the mandala, for encouraging Reina to come and redesign his artwork. You rock!

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