PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE I KNOW

SLEEPY SUN "OPEN EYES" VIDEO

Sleepy Sun - Open Eyes from ATP Recordings on Vimeo.

thanks to everyone for all of their hard work and dedication getting this bad mother done.

THE END

here is a photo of a closed gas station in evanston illinois. i imagine we'll be seeing more and more scenes like this in coming years. party.

SLEEPY SUN

here are some screen grabs from the new video i directed for northern california's sleepy sun. if you don't know the band... you should. great music. wonderful people.

we are currently embroiled in post production here at radar. things are looking great and i can't wait for all to see.

PLACENTA

my friend and co-worker mr. graham gangi and his lovely wife rebecca (she really likes maxwell) just had a kid. the young boy is named griffin. every male in the gangi family starting way, way, way back with graham's great great great grandpappy GAYLORD GANGI has been given a "g" name. so the tradition continues.

what i can only imagine is NOT a gangi family tradition is placentophagy. Placentophagy is the act of mammals eating the placenta of their young after child birth. the new parents chose to go the way of placenta encapsulation. this is where the placenta is cooked ala jerky, ground up and put into pills. folks believe that eating the placenta prevents postpartum depression and other pregnancy complications. regardless of what one believes, i for one like the idea for the simple fact that it seems completely far out.

for more photos click here.

SWAN MARKINGS

in twelfth century britain swans were hunted and eaten to the point of near extinction. these birds were seen as a delicacy not to be wasted on the likes of commoners. laws were enacted forbidding anyone to kill swans without direct permission from the crown.

"the privileged few who were allowed to breed and own swans were granted a "swan mark," the oldest of which dates to 1230." -christopher turner

these marks were cut into the swan's beaks with sharp knives. as the birds matured their black beaks would turn orange, and the markings - sometimes referred to as cigninota - would become even more pronounced.

"swans remain a royally protected species: the maximum penalty for killing a swan is a 5,000 pound fine and/or six months in prison. the last person to be prosecuted for this crime was a welsh muslim, shamshu miah. in 2006, he chose to break his ramadan fast with a feast of swan. he stabbed one by a boating pond with a knife and was caught carrying it home in a plastic bag."i was so hungry," he told police, adding, " i hate the queen." He received a two-month prison sentence." - christopher turner

thanks to my friend faythe for sharing christopher turner's fascinating article in the most recent issue of cabinet. look for these images to show up in an upcoming video i will be shooting for the excellent band from the west sleepy sun.

SIGN PAINTER

just got back from our first weekend of shooting the sign painter documentary. seattle was great and everyone we shot with were beyond inspiring. more here.