Give it up for Fantasia

Charlotte, NC

Its been a long road, but its almost done. And it's pretty damn good.... not your typical reality show.

Get a glimpse of the show here, spread the word, and give it up for Fantasia!

Pictured above - her candy apple red meredes. hot.

(not pictured: her BMW, her HUMMER, or the Impala she bought her brother - she has a long driveway.)

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Ghetto Ballet, premiering Dec 30th on HBO

Khayalitscha, South Africa

check it out

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Brannan Street Studio

San Francisco, CA

beautiful.

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Im About to Have Me a VH1 Show...

New York, NY

Check out the promo here

And in true fantasia fashion - she came up with this song just before wrapping for the night. Which of course, then became the promo. She always delivers...

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Klamath

Happy Camp, CA

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The ACE

Palm Springs, CA

Its a converted Ho-Jo. With expensive coffee and hefty "resort fees". I Love it

check it out here

The New York hotel is my favorite. Avoid the rooms with the bunk beds.

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Fantasia For Real

New York, NY

The promos are finally airing. You can see them on VH1, and you can read about it on the WOW Report

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More Ballet Promos

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From Cape Town to Center Stage

Premiering December 30th - HBO 2

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4 am

New York, NY

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The Zone

New York, NY

She doesnt just get in the zone - she lives there.

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The Bees are Back

Charlotte, NC

The other day, I was stung in the eye while on set and rushed to urgent care. A piece of the bee's leg had to be removed from under my eyelid.

Reminded me of those carefree last beekeeper days

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Ghetto Ballet on HBO

Guguletu, South Africa

HBO is premiering my short doc "Ghetto Ballet" in December. Stay tuned for more info....

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This Goes Out to all the Baby Daddies....

Charlotte, NC

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She is Beautiful

New York, NY

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The Soul(less) Train

Atlanta, GA

My DP is a curmudgeon. Hard wired for negativity... which is sometimes amusing, but more often a bore.

But recently, things changed. He fell in love. Fell hard and fast and 3 weeks after meeting his lovely lady (who I adore), they toured the mediterranean and got engaged. As a result, his entire pessimistic world view has crumbled around him - which of course makes him a much more interesting person to be around.

Its been a couple months now. And, I have gone from thinking I should never work with him again, to really liking the guy. He's a little bit crazy (obviously). He's a pessimist trapped in an optimistic situation. He's conflicted and in love and a little bit of a mess. He wants to embrace the sappiness but can't totally allow that. Every other word is still "fuck" - but its "fuck" with a half smile. Cause he's half - happy.

So tonight, while we were lining the red carpet, jockeying with hundreds of others for a shot no one really cared about, I knew he just wanted to get back to the room to call her. Normally, that would upset me, but not now. I believe that passion actually makes his work better. He is more present and more alive. He does a great job, has a great eye, and so what if he is counting the minutes till his next phone call. He's in love and I like to be around that. It's a beautiful thing.

Here he is on set before the Soul Train Music Awards (yep - they're back)

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One Day in LA

Los Angeles, CA

This shot was taken at 5am over Hyperion Blvd, as I wandered the streets after a sleepless night on a 24 hour layover in LA. This really is the time of day when I like LA most.

It seems like Im always having to search for things to like about LA... (which is another thing I like about LA)

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She's Got to Sacrifice for the Stacks

Charlotte, NC

Supervising Producer, Nisa Ahmad, taking care of important business - sporting "I Machine Gun LA" T-shirt, new 3Gs iPhone, and "Charlene" the turquoise Impala.

Note rear view mirror ornamentation. We all got to sacrifice for the stacks...

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Folsom Street Unicorn

San Francisco, CA

My favorite part of Folsom Street Fair actually happened a couple blocks away, in a great studio where I sat in front of this work in progress, doing notes on a new cut, and listening to a live version of This. The whole thing felt very san francisco - but in a good way.

Are unicorns making a comeback?

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Show Me What Im Looking For...

Christian Family Diner

High Point, NC

A wait staff required to wear "Jesus is King" T-shirts

A giant mural featuring a Jesus weeping over the failures of the world.

Glow Crosses that last for hours, but only cost 50 cents.

Macaroni made with government issue cheese (a distinct taste I remember from childhood)

BBQ served on styrofoam plates (environment be damned)

Green beans coated in canned sugar syrup

A waitress who actually sneezed on our food. twice.

And a crew thats so thankful to be there with a full 30 minutes off, there was not one complaint.

God bless 'em.

Thats how we roll on this production...

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Shameless Self Promotion...

New York, NY

Keith Johnson from "Man Shops Globe"

Check out the Man Shops Globe Website

and check out the show Oct 7th

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The Superficial is the Most Profound...

Tunis, Tunisia

8 weeks of the ultimate in escapist entertainment is coming to a flat screen TV near you. Read about it here

Who has the better job, Keith or me?

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I Missed Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Reading this, landing at sunset will do that to you....

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The Bees are Back...

State College, PA

Premiering on Planet Green this week - Saturday at 8. Kicking off the "Reel Impact" documentary series. Get all the info here

You can also check this out

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First Laugh of the Day

Media Motion Studio

Charlotte, NC

Today I reached a saturation point. A lot going on. Too much to think about. Too many things slipping through the cracks, happening outside my sphere of control. Suddenly it all culminated with the Supervising Producer turning to me with her pen and paper and asking - "For your lunch today, do you want tofu with your veggie curry?" Didn't she realize how many things I was processing at that moment? Budget! Schedule! Post! Shooting! Trade Out! Can't anyone just make a decision on their own? But no - I needed to be calm to provide answers that made sense and helped guide the production toward ultimate success.

Long pause. Deep Thought. Working the question out in my head - along with all the possibilities... Tofu can provide protein. Protein helps build muscle. I like that - but Im not working out, so there is no muscle to build. I dont like the flavor of tofu. Im not really a fan of soybeans. So whats the point really? Course, I could always do half tofu...

Finally I realized, I dont care about tofu

"I dont care about tofu", I said.

Which seemed so on point, it felt like it should be turned into a bumper sticker for my Kia Sedona rental.

This was my first laugh of the day.

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Parting Shot

Cape Town, South Africa

This was shot from Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for 20 something years before becoming the president of post apartheid South Africa.  It's sort of like Alcatraz, and it was notorious back in the apartheid days as the place to hold the most "dangerous" political prisoners.

Other famous inmates on Robben Island include Robert Sobukwe, the leader of the Pan African Congress.  He was held in solitary confinement for years until he literally died of isolation.  Which you may think isn't possible, but apparently, solitary confinement is one of the cruelest forms of torture (Though it's the form of punishment we often deem as safe, sane, and civilized - hence the prolific use of it in prisons across the US).  To learn more about the effects of solitary confinement, read this   Totally fascinating and is likely to change your views on the subject entirely.  

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This is Sibahkle

Khayalitscha, South Africa

Her name translates as beautiful.  Very appropriately named.

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This is Nkosinarte

Nyanga, South Africa

His name translates and "A Blessing of the Kings"

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This is Vuyelwa.....

Nyanga, South Africa

Her name translates as "Happy"

This was shot while filming a new documentary about a south african ballet in the townships.  More to come...

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Wall Art

Khayalitscha, South Africa

This is from the inside of the home of one of the students I am filming for the HBO documentary about the ballet school in Cape Town.

Apparently the translation here is:

If you are jealous of me, I don't worry about it, because you will be taken care of (by God, or demons, or witch doctors, or something...)

This woman is very unhappy. and it's 6:15.

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Im Back In Guguletu...

Guguletu, South Africa

...And loving it.  As long as I feel safe, there is no place in Cape Town I'd rather be.  And I feel safe when Im surrounded by good people who live there, and know what they are doing.  

But if I were alone shooting this picture on a playground in the township - I probably wouldn't last long.  That camera would be gone.  And if Im lucky, that's all that would happen.   Its so hard to tap into that sense of caution though, when everyone around you is so friendly and helpful.  It's deceptive.  (And I know this from experience)  It can all turn very bad very quickly.  

But today, its good.  And it only makes me sad to know that the reality is that I am so shut out of this world.  But that, Im afraid, is what this country is all about.  People keep to their kind and have their own ways on making outsiders feel very unwelcome.  The irony is that,  one on one, you can always find people that contradict that blanket statement, but when you look around, its fences, barbed wire and color lines that run very very deep.  

Btw - those waiting to hear the apollo story will have to move on... Im afraid its not post-able after all.  But it includes Mariah Carey and Prince and I love telling the story in person, so ask me!!

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An Hour Before The 75th Anniversary at the Apollo

Harlem, NY

I never could have imagined the drama that would ensue....  More to come.

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The Retrial of Cameron Brown

Palos Verdes, CA

I spent the morning revisiting the spot where Cameron Brown was accused of throwing his baby daughter off the cliff 9 years ago.  I was the 911 call that day, since I was on the beach below where she landed. As a result, Im playing a small part in the retrial (the first one ended as a hung jury a few years ago).  You can read all about it here

Its an odd thing to be a part of.  Wandering around Inspiration Point (which is, ironically, what the cliff is called) with detectives and the district attorney, leaves you with alot to think about. As Im listening to the 911 call from almost 10 years ago, looking down at the beach where she landed, my mind is filled with the possibilities of what really went on that day, and saddened to think about the slim chance that justice will ever really be served - whatever that is.   

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100 Day Later

Hollywood, CA

The Giant Ron English Linc-o-bama covering the WOW alleyway is finally coming down.  I must admit, after it was defaced with the words FALSE PROPHET and a huge swastika, I was more than happy to see it removed.  Though I did love it.  It was a great thing to see first thing in the morning and as I left at the end of the day.  

At the 100 day mark, I'm happy that public opinion for Obama has faired much better than the artwork in the alleyway would suggest.

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The Money Shot

New York, NY

Elle Decor is doing a spread on Keith's apartment and I was there to "cover the action".  I must say, there is a part of me that is envious of their schedule.  I think they pulled off 2 set ups all day.  Which is not to say they weren't productive.  Most of the time, they were contending with variant light and spent a good deal of time waiting for the sun to peak out from behind the clouds.  

But I am envious.  The number of times key moments in a shoot happen in florescent lights or in the darkness of night leaves me longing for that luxury.  Can't tell a subject in the middle of a breakdown to wait for the clouds to clear.  In my world, it's a completely different game.  I equate my job with a little like betting on the weather.  Trying to manage the moment, the scene, the lighting, the audio, and the emotional sensitivity of a scene - and hope your gamble pays off. It's not chance, but it's not total control either.  As you can imagine, the control freak in me never quite finds the satisfaction he is looking for.  Which has been good training for my life outside work.  

Though I must admit, when I have a fantastic (meaningful, beautiful, ... whatever) moment in life,  I do always think of how this moment should be filmed.  Almost like Im scripting my life in a more romantic way - shaping the story of my past and thinking or figuring out how to relay that story on camera in the future.

Does that sound crazy?  

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From Revolutionary Road to 14th Street

New York City, NY

This weekend, I got a chance to see Djahari Clark, an old friend of mine who recently moved to New York and is working on developing her dance company, Desert Sin.  Sounds sort of benign - like the kind of thing that happens every day.  But really, it's quite profound.  

To give up everything you know, end a significant relationship, leave your job and dive into the unknown is one thing at 20, and quite another at 35.  But here she is, in rehearsal at happy kicks studio on 14th street.  Preparing for a performance at Bonnaroo.  Just taking it one day at a time.  Counting pennies.  Holding onto what she believes. 

I'm not at all romantic about the notion of packing it all up one day and running away to someplace fabulous and pursuing "the dream".  In fact, I've known many other people to have done the same thing, and the whole idea was sort of sad and desperate.  You can be running to something, or away from something.  You can do it to be true to yourself or to hide who you really are.  And I supposed most of the time, only the person doing it know the truth behind it all.  Though maybe that's not even true.

But in this case, it is indeed a beautiful thing.  You feel it when you are around her.  You see it when she dances. It's a good feeling.  So, I whipped out my google phone and snapped a few shots to share, which is how I feel I can contribute.  My way of staying useful. We all need something.

For those who are intrigued,  I can confirm that Desert Sin is top notch and totally kicks ass.  If you are in New York, LA, or Bonnaroo, be sure to check them out.

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More From Regazzoni's Palace

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The entrance to one of Regazzoni's Railroad Slaughterhouse.  

Railroad Car Rooster awaiting the axe

See entry below for more on Rigazzoni

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The Cemetery from Rm 1408

Buenos Aires, Argentina

In order to get the all important landscape shot of Buenos Aires, we had to sneak to the top of a hotel, pretending to be a guest (with a big HD camera), sign in under an assumed name and provide a room number.  1408 was the first one to come to mind, having just seen the movie in my significantly less expensive hotel down the street.  (My lies are always sort of predictable and obvious.)  

Anyway, the shot immediately over the side of the roof top pool featured the cemetery where Eva Peron now lies.  

Not a great shot, but we were under pressure to perform before we were given the boot.  Which seems to sum up most of my shooting experiences.  I feel like Im always buying time, wondering if Ill get the goods before the moment is gone.  And always trying to stretch that moment longer.  

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Bee Chic

New York, NY

While shooting in Rockefeller Center this weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to see the new Bee-centric display concept at Anthropologie.  It's a crazy synergy of the 2 projects I have been spending all my time on these last few months.  Now thats hot.  Those guys at Anthropologie are so good, aren't they?  

I thinks these windows look fab

And while we are on the subject of bees, Austin's still spreading "The Last Beekeeper" love, Im happy to report

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La Boca

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Surprisingly, the most touristed of neighborhoods in Buenos Aires is totally worth the visit. All the building in this area were painted with left over paint from the adjacent shipyard.  Since the hulls of ships were painted in the brightest of colors to make them visible, the left over mishmash resulted in a distinctive neighborhood that draws the camera toting tourists by the masses.

Myself included

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Texas and the Bees

Austin TX

Yep - those Texans liked their bees.  Read about it here and here and even here

This photo was taken in the late evening after the first screening of "The Last Beekeeper".  It was a beautiful night and until this point, I never realized how beautiful the capital of Texas really was.

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