shot down

i get frustrated when people deny me interviews.

i have a final video due on friday, and at least 6 of my ideas have fallen through. so i scrambled to get something tonight. i have it, but its not what i wanted.

but here's a funny story.

one of my ideas was a taxidermist (i was struggling... the gamut ran from inner city boarding school to quilting circles to boxing gyms to christmas tree lots to communes [again] to taxidermy). out of all the calls i made, i figured this one would be the easiest and this guy would be the story that panned out the quickest and most smoothly.

not so. never before have i been shot down so quickly.

i called (for the 3rd time) and finally got an answer. i explained again who i was and what i wanted to do, in the friendliest, most professional voice possible.

before i even finished, he cut me off and said

"ehhhh i've been doing this for bout two or three years now, and i find that it just takes up too much of my time. plus the females can't handle the blood when they come out here, so i'm just gonna have to say no."

words cannot explain my indignation, but i recovered gracefully and hung up.

i haven't run into this too much, but one of my great frustrations in journalistic endeavors is when people tell me my story will take up too much of their time. as if their time is so precious that they can't give me a 30 minute interview at their convenience. that's just arrogant.

i'm sorry if you're really busy slaughtering a deer, but i'm pretty sure me filming it won't interfere or take ANY of your sweet time. did i mention that last week my brother shot a deer 15 feet from the kitchen window WHILE WE WERE EATING DINNER?

it makes my blooooood boooooil.

anyhow. it seems all i do here is rant. let me say some happy things.

it seems that i will be on a team of other unc students in february to go to idaho and document the special olympics there for 10 days. i'll probably get to do both stills and video. i couldn't be more thrilled! idaho is one place i never thought of going... not that i don't want to, but its just not on the way to anywhere, and i don't know a thing about it.

i can guess that idaho in february will be cold. but i also have heard that where we're going is beautiful, and if its the olympics, i imagine there will be skiing. now trying to find a way to squeeze that in. in thailand, i went to the pool while capturing tape. maybe i can ski a slope or two while capturing tape this time?

also, i've been experimenting with video a bit more and doing some little projects on family traditions and stories. one audio piece, two video, coming soon.

one video is done and you can watch it here.

they've been interesting experiments with new ways of storytelling. new to me, anyway. i've found myself thinking in terms of video more and photo less. i'm not sure i like that development, but it is what it is, and perhaps i'll return to my first love more over break when i am video camera-less, but still have my dslr.

speaking of, if anyone is looking to upgrade to the 5D mark II and wants to sell a 5D body, i'm in the market.