Once again, this is our latest straight-up martial arts picture, trying to pick up where Sammo Hung and Jung Doo-Hung left off, and really just go all out with intricate choreography and hard-hitting stunts; away from parkour and power poses and incomprehensible cuts that have plagued the current cycle of action cinema. Here is a taste:

Oh and check out this other film that I was in, made by another troupe of The Stunt People graduates:

Enjoy. Be on the lookout!

Early 2011, Eric Wolfinger invited me to hang with him at a farmhouse up in Mendocino, where he’d been shooting a cookbook with no set, no artificial light, no phone, no internet, and with only one other baker and assistant, where the three of them baked and styled and photograph every single recipe themselves. It was a delicious way to spend three days, where we worked literally from sunrise to sunset, but then got a whole gorgeous house full of food and wine to ourselves every evening.

Enjoy:

You can check out the cookbook here.

I was contacted by North Sky, an exquisite and bold cello quartet with the illustrious Brian Chase (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), through my Classical Revolution buddy, to film some stuff for them. They were very funny people who loved greasy Chinese food, and could roll with anything I threw at them.

We had a last minute change of venue, when their session time ran long and could no longer use the million dollar mansion. I called Viracocha, and within the hour we were there, set up and ready to shoot. The place sounded and look no worse than the mansion.

I’d shot a few more videos there, and will release them in the very near future. For now, enjoy!

I met Jennie of the Portland duo John Heart Jackie when she and Ezza Rose crashed a dinner party on a boat that my friends were hosting. Next thing I knew Ezza, Jennie and I were harmonizing over Mariah Carey covers, as well as a gospel-infused take on old Raffi tunes. Just a couple of weeks ago Jennie stopped by SF with her bandmates, expressing interest in a video session.

I was excited to film them, ‘cause Jennie has the best singing/harmonizing face I’d ever seen, and also because I’d been waiting for an excuse to film at Salle Pianos, a gorgeous antique gallery showcasing exclusively pianos, run by a badass, impeccably dressed Hungarian impresario/martial artist named Tibor.

Without further ado.

Also snapped some photos of the joint:

I didn’t set out to make this series exclusively about girl singers, and there are at least two dudes just waiting to be edited. Be patient y’all.

Anyways, this is Xandra. She’s the charismatic front woman to Con Brio, my favorite prog soul band ever. She’d written a beautiful somethin’ somethin’, which she performed at the Highbridge Arms, the city’s last surviving gun shop.

Without further ado:

I’m having a lot of fun with low contrast and backlight. no lens flare this time. switching it up? special thanks to my mentor and pal Stu Maschwitz for his philosophical approaches into digital coloring. that man has insights like I have calories. he’s helped me through all my projects, one way or the other, and I’m in constant disbelief that someone juggling so many meaningful projects and relationships all at once will have anything to do with me!

steph barrak has graciously invited me into her boston apartment, along with her co-pilot and fiddler Eva. I first noticed her when I caught her last song at the now-defunct Blue Six Lounge. Then we shared the stage together. Anyways. Long history, lovely times.

Enjoy. 

My boy Ben Fee told me about his Session with Ezza and insisted that I had to go see her when her band and her came through town.

I was blown away. Next day I got Peter of Porto Franco records to shoot with me and run sound, at the Tenderloin National Forest, courtesy of a very generous Daryl Smith, who has done a beautiful job with that lot. We plan on doing a few more things in that space, be on the look out.

Ezza and crew performed a few songs and then a few more. Then we got dim sum. Then I cooked for them. Great day.

As I plan to go all out for my upcoming short film, a Hip Hop Noir (temporarily?) titled “The Beat Between Heaven and Hell” - I wanna go ahead and re-share one that I’d made from a few years back. Flawed as it may be (and lots of gratitude to those who don’t mind them), it was one of the most calming experiences I’d had.

Peep it.