Every other year the towns of Lake Forest & Lake Bluff (& Knollwood) produce an original musical called “Community Capers.” It is written, directed and performed by non-professionals from the villages. “No Business Like Local Business” is a celebration of independent retail operations in small towns everywhere.

In addition to the live performances that poke fun at the status quo, it also includes a few video interludes. In 2011, Blue Sky Video Productions produced two videos for the musical. The first was “Kidlaw” a follow up to a video that we produced in 2009 called “Pet Law Emporium” In “Pet Law” a prominent local attorney, because of “hard times” decided to branch off of his traditional representation of humans to take on animals as clients. The pets included dogs, cats, birds and more. In “Kidlaw” the defender of justice took on kids as clients to defend against the boogey man, bullies and negotiated with parents for allowances. In “No Business Like Local Business”, you will see a quick shot of the lawyer behind his desk with a parrot on the computer screen behind him. This shot was taken from the “Kidlaw” shoot.

The other video that we produced for Community Capers was this music video that was conceived & written by Chuck Helander, owner of Helanders, Inc., a local stationary & gift store. It features his wife MaryLee, his son, Casey and his daughter-in-law, Stephanie, who also assisted with the choreography.

The video was shot in 3 days, and featured many of the local business owners who had never been on camera before. When first approached, they had no idea what they volunteer for.

The very first shot for the video was the last shot of the video where at a business after hours meeting at Lake Forest Bank & Trust we handed out Shop Local bags and had every one hold it up. I think we got it on the 6th take.

We started at Helander’s, a stationary shop that has been a staple of Lake Forest since 1922. They had recently moved from their original location in the historic Market Square to their new location a block away. The concept was simple, a customer comes in to buy 1 paper clip and when Casey doesn’t charge her for it, Chuck commends him on his customer service and then breaks into song about how there is no business like local business. I shot about 5 takes with the Helanders that covered the entire song so that if I could not find a business that could represent a verse, I could cut back to them singing and dancing.

The executive director of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce contacted a number of the chamber members to see if they were interested in appearing the video, stating that it would be great publicity for them. What she, neglected to inform them was that they would have to possibly sing & dance in the video. I went through the song and matched up the businesses to the verses, so I would know what coverage I would need when I started shooting. Because we were short on time, by assigning just 1 or 2 verses per business, I could get in and out within 30 minutes and not have to shoot the entire song at each location. In the locations where the shop owner or clerks had to lip sync to the song, my iPhone came in very handy.

In other locations, the retailers only had to do a simple dance step, point or just smile.

The original video ended in silence with the chamber members holding up the “Shop Local” bags. We felt we needed something more. So after screening the nearly complete version at a chamber luncheon meeting 3 weeks later we asked all in attendance to do the “Shop Local” shout out.

I had a lot of fun shooting and editing this video. It gave me a chance to see chamber members that I had not seen in a while and to meet new business owners. And I thank all of those who participated in the making of this video.

Please add your comments. And if you appeared in this video, please add your experiences in the making of this video.

WEVA News: VeriSign pt 1 from WEVA on Vimeo.

These days it’s a matter of trust and businesses online have to be trusted in order to do business. There are a lot of threats out in the world today and consumers are really looking for some type of indicator that that website can be trusted. Not all websites can be big brand names like Amazon and Wal-Mart. In fact that the vast majority of websites are not. So companies that are small start-ups or online businesses can show the VeriSign Trusted seal on their website which that tells customers that they’re safe, as well as having an assurance that their information is safe.

Also there are benefits to the website owner themselves. You get increased traffic because that VeriSign Trusted seal shows up in search results. But then also you get the increased conversion rates. VeriSign has seen that when websites show the VeriSign Trusted seal on their site, that on average there is about a 24% increase in conversions over site that don’t show the seal.

10. Ghosts – Although this is more of a docu-drama and not strictly a documentary. Filmmaker, Nick Broomfield (Kurt & Courtney. Biggie and Tupac, Sarah Palin: You Betcha!) brings his documentary expertise to the story of a young Chinese girl is smuggled into the UK so she can support her son and family in China. The use of non-professional actors brings a cinema-verite fell to the film. http://nickbroomfield.com/

9. How the States Got Their Shapes – Based on the book by Mark Stein. America’s first century was defined by expansion and the negotiation of territories among areas colonized by the French and Spanish, or occupied by natives. Amazom.com

8. Sicko – Michael Moore had the most number of films on the “50 Docs” list (Roger & Me, Bowling For Columbine & Fahrenheit 9/11). Sicko is a documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories. Whether or not you agree with Moore’s philosophy, his filmmaking style worth noting. This movie as well as Capitalism: A Love Story should also be added to your list must see docs. http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/sicko/

7. Word Wars – In this character-driven documentary, filmmakers Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo follow four “word nerds” through their fastidious preparations and smaller tournaments that lead to the national championship Scrabble tournament in San Diego in 2002. http://www.wordwarsmovie.com/

6. I.O.U.S.A. – Filmmaker Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) interweaves archival footage and economic data to paint a vivid and alarming profile of America’s current economic situation. The ultimate power of I.O.U.S.A. is that the film moves beyond doomsday rhetoric to proffer potential financial scenarios and propose solutions about how we can recreate a fiscally sound nation for future generations.
http://www.iousathemovie.com/

5. The Cove – Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, THE COVE follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan. The team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
http://www.thecovemovie.com/

4. Afghan Star – After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Pop Idol / American Idol has come to Afghanistan – people are risking all to sing. www.afghanstardocumentary.com/

3. Wordplay – An in-depth look at The New York Times’ long-time crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz and his loyal fan base. Featuring Jon Stewart, Ken Burns, Bill Clinton & more. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492506/

2. Where in the World is Osama Bin Ladin – I think this film is more relevant now with 20/20 hindsight. Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold) travels to Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Afghanistan, Pakistan amongst others to try and locate the man who eluded the American army for nearly a decade.
http://www.whereisobl.com/

1. We Live In Public – Winner of the 2009 Sundance grand jury prize for U.S. documentary. Ondi Timoner’s documentary chronicles a decade in the life of Internet pioneer Josh Harris, who instigated an “artificial society” experiment in which more than 100 artists lived under 24-hour surveillance in an underground compound in New York City. www.weliveinpublicthemovie.com/
Currently available on Hulu

What docs are on your list?

Best known for its online service, there is a store open to consumers at the company’s Lake Forest address.

The Popcorn Factory has been part of the unincorporated area of Lake Forest for more than 30 years, residing at 13970 W. Laurel Drive.

Over that time, the company has expanded to incorporate two buildings covering 140,000 square feet of production space dedicated to producing popcorn.

For more information, call 1-888-216-0235 or visit their website.

Rashid Ghazi (Director) of Fordson (USA)

Interview with Rashid Ghazi (Director) of Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football (USA) a feature length documentary film that follows four talented high school football players from Dearborn, Michigan as they gear up for their big senior year rivalry game during the last ten days of Ramadan, a month when Muslims traditionally fast every day from sunrise to sundown.

Fordson premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival 2011 at Park City, Utah.

Executive Producer/Host: Mike Smith
Producer: Sue Lawson
Camera/Editor: Bruce Himmelblau

Shot on the Panasonic HVX200A

Göran Olsson (director) of The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Sweden)

Interview with Göran Olsson (director) of The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Sweden) a feature documentary film that screened in the World Documentary Competition of the Sundance Film Festival 2011 and at the Berlinale Film Festival.

The footage was shot by a group of Swedish journalists whose footage had languished in a basement for 30 years which has been constructed into a mesmerizing journey through the Black Panther activities during that era.

Executive Producer: Mike Smith
Producer/Host: Sue Lawson
Camera/Editor: Bruce Himmelblau

Indie Film Nation Video Podcast #045: Interview with Lilly Scourtis Ayers(director) and Danielle Bernal (associate producer) of Last Fast Ride (2011), USA, documentary feature film recorded during the film’s world premiere in the documentary competition of the Slamdance Film Festival 2011.

Last Fast Ride chronicles the life and times of Marian Anderson the would-be rock star who was one of the Bay Area’s most provocative and controversial lead singers of the ’90s punk scene. The fetish model and dominatrix quickly became known for her wild and lewd live sex acts during performances, which often involved other women and bananas. Narrated by pop-culture icon Henry Rollins.

Producer/Camera: Mike Smith
Co-Producer/Camera: Bruce Himmelblau
Host: Sue Lawson
Interview shot on Panasonic AG200A & Sony NEX-VG10, edited on Final Cut Pro

Michael Barnett (director) and Zimmer (superhero) of Superheroes (USA)

For our Sundance & Slamdance coverage for the Indie Film Nation podcast, one of the films that was on my must see list was this independent documentary film called “Superheroes”.

On this episode, I interview Michael Barnett, Co-Writer/Director and Director of Photography of Superheroes (USA) during the film’s world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in the Documentary Competition of the festival.

Michael Barnett is joined by Zimmer, real life superhero, as they discuss this incredibly engaging and enjoyable documentary that takes into the world of those people who patrol the streets of USA cities dressed in homemade costumes. The names of Mr. Xtreme, Master Legend, Thanatos, Zetaman, Life, Dark Guardian, The New York Initiative and Xtreme Justice League may not be as iconic as the fictional superheroes created by Stan Lee but it’s worthy of spending 90 minutes with on this adventure on the mean streets. They have no special powers but strong sense of justice, at times misguided but at least their honest and genuine souls.

Superheroes was shot on Canon 5D which Michael Barnett demonstrates what powerful camera can be in the hands of very clever and brilliant cinematography.

Behind the Scenes
For the interview, we set up in the green room/party room at the Slamdance Film Festival for the interview. After moving some chairs around to take advantage of the Slamdance background, we discovered that the area needed lighting. Since we were doing the interview with both the director, Michael Barnett and one of the featured superheroes from the film, Zimmer, we needed more light than the small LED light could supply. We spied a floodlight on the far end of the room. Unable to move it, we ended up just pointing towards our set-up. Sue Lawson and I swapped our usual roles, putting me in the position of interviewer and her as camera person on the Panasonic HVX-200A. Our director/co-host, Mike Smith provided his unique perspective as 2nd camera with his Sony NEX-VG10.

Back in the studio, we had very little trouble working with the radically different formats. Since I am from the US, the HVX-200A P2 camera was set to DVCPRO HD 720/30PN NTSC and since Mike is from Australia, the Sony NEX-VG10 was set to 1080/25i PAL and recorded in AVCHD. We knew that the AVCHD footage had to be transcoded in order to work with it at all. So we chose to correct the difference on frame rate and size during the transcode. Although there was still a difference in the look of the two cameras, a little color correction helped to close the gap. Also, because the two cameras were recording in different frame rates, the audio was off a bit as well. I used the audio from the 200A and used short segments from the VG10, so the audio didn’t drift more than a few frames per segment.

Las Vegas Makes Me Laugh from BlueSkyVideo on Vimeo.

This is a pilot that I worked on a couple years ago. It integrated jokes & stories from Las Vegas tourists as well as interviews with headline comics such as George Wallace and the Scintas. Hosted by radio personality, Chet Buchanan, producer, Jonathan Scott and comic, Bruce Reiner, this show takes us from the streets of Las Vegas into the clubs for a game of Strip Beer Pong to the golf course for interactive game of golf with entertainers from Las Vegas’ Scores Gentleman’s Club. Produced by Barter Exchange Television and Blue Sky Video Productions.

At this year at the Sundance Film Festival, in addition to scheduling and shooting interviews, we managed to see a number of films and catch some parties, including the “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, premiere featuring The Roots.

While wrapping our up for our interview with the director of “Superheroes” at the Slamdance Film Festival, we learned that the publicist’s agency for “Superheroes” also represented a few films that were screening at the Sundance Film Festival. One of those films was “Being Elmo“. After a few phone calls, we had our interview set up with director, Constance Marks. The film had been receiving a lot of good buzz around Park City and we looked forward to sitting down with Ms. Marks. When we confirmed the interview, we they told us that Kevin Clash would also be available.

When we got to the interview, we learned that Kevin was on a tight schedule and that we could talk to him first and then Constance. While we were setting up, everyone in the room was checking their emails and voice mails. Kevin Clash was listening to his messages and started cracking up. It was a message from his daughter who warned that if he wasn’t really busy working that he was in trouble.

True to his nature, Kevin offer sit down and do the interview before calling his daughter back. But, we all insisted that he return the call and we could do the interview with Constance first.

At the end of the interviews we asked them to do the stand-up for our show opening. To our surprise, Kevin reached into a bag and brought out his alter ego, the little red monster, Elmo.

Interview with Constance Marks (Director) and Kevin Clash (Elmo) of Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (USA) feature documentary during the film’s world premiere in US Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival 2011.

shot on Panasonic HVX-200A

Exec Producer: Mike Smith
Producer/Camera: Bruce Himmelblau
Host: Sue Lawson