I have returned to New York City and as the dust settles I am finally climbing out of decompression. Playa dust covered luggage still remains in my hallways as a constant reminder of Black Rock City, home away from home.  I was hesitant to bring my shiny new RED 1781 out into what I consider some of the harshest conditions anyone can shoot in but then when I thought how much I would regret not bringing and I had already made my mind.  These are the tools of my trade, my art, my passion and would not be a filmmaker if I was not willing to take some risk.

Black Rock City is more then just a city, its a way of life and every year thousands gather from all over the world to share this approach in life together.  It is not a cult or a drug and sex festival that outsiders who dont know (or afraid to find out) like to peg Burning Man as.  Simply put, it is a huge celebration of life and this year it was my job gain to capture just that. I was one of two RED DPs on a documentary produced titled “As the Dust Settles”.  The Film is currently in post production and I talked to the producer Mike hedge last night and he expressed his goal to have it cut and ready in 4 months, good luck Mike!

I plan share some of my own experiences so stay tuned as I will be posting images, frame grabs, and footage of the 1st RED camera on the playa, Burning Man 2008, “The American Dream”… what I consider the real life of Black Rock City.

Greetings Gotham City…

In five days I head to LA to meet up with Mike Hedge and prepare for our jouney into Black Rock City.  Mike Hedge is producing a docuemartary out at Burning Man this year called “As the dust settles” and asked me to be one of the DPs.  I will admit I was very reluctant at 1st to bring a RED camera to the Playa, the Black Rock desert can be a very agressive environment… at times 70mph plus winds, huge sand storms, hotter the hell in the day time and freezing at night, why on earth would I take a RED there?  I don’t know…maybe cause so many things went wrong with last years film expedition that I am trying to prove to myself I can do this.  The Playa gives and the Playa takes, you must be ready for anything and open to any outcome in order to find a comfort zone to work in out there.  I learned much from last years “Green Man” (my least favorite year at burning man) and I look forward to doing the time warp again!

I am building a configuartion that is rock solid for run and gun dessert shooting, my goal is saftey of the gear 1st,  design a comfortable set up and try and keep a low profile so not to take away from others expeirence.  I really did not think I was going to be working this year but times are hard and I dont have much a choice…the road ahead is not going to be easy, but then again when do filmmakers ever do things the easy way?