this lossy codec

z

Time passes…

z

Time passes…

z

Time passes…

Suddenly, without notice, a new post appears on your favorite blog, this lossy codec. Although the writing isn’t necessarily very good & there isn’t really any coherent theme (what’s a ‘lossy codec’ anyway?) for some reason keeping up with the trivialities of the author’s humble existence makes your own life seem more interesting. What’s he writing about today? Hmmm… What’s this? He seems to be writing about you, in the style of the old Infocom games. What a gimmick. He must be desperate. This is really bad. If you wanted to read about yourself you’d have started your own blog. You are half inclined to post a comment just to express your annoyance at his bringing you into the blog without permission. In fact, you do. There. That feels better.

z

Time passes…

Fortunately, Pam the script supervisor said this to me today which inspired me to update the blog. She wasn’t being fresh – just repeating something she had actually heard go out over the walkies. Mr. Softy is (er, was) an armor plated ice cream truck that was part of Carnegie’s convoy of thugs. The scene involved blowing Mr. Softy sky high. And boy did they. Pretty unbelievable stunt. Almost nothing left of it by the time it hit the ground. There were lots of folks taking pictures but I was holding the boom pole at the time (it sounded awesome until the crew started cheering…good grief. amateurs). I wouldn’t want to post a pic of it anyway. Too spectacular to leak. Can’t wait to see it on the big screen.

Everything else seems pretty droll compared to that. Decent weather today (cool w/ very light wind), so that was nice. I think we only recorded 3 lines all day. Two of them were Carnegie (Oldman) saying “no” in two entirely different ways. Besides that it was just car sounds, grunts & death throws. At the end of the day we wrapped both Gary Oldman & Ray Stephenson (who played his right hand man, Redridge). What an experience working with such talent.

[hmm. while editing this I just had a reflection of one reason why I write here (I'd begun to believe the self-promotion bit from last time). Really, I think part of it is about control. There is something really therapeutic in allowing my voice to document the days events, unhindered by the plentitude of bosses to which I am subservient to throughout the day. It was even nicer earlier in the week when sound got called to set LONG before we were needed and I had time to completely update an old website (built w/ apple's iWeb app). I uploaded it while writing this post. So, now you can all find something else of relevant interest at lossycodec.com. Enjoy. And keep checking back. Should be growing fast.]

The pix attached are from last week.

]I’m not sure if it is how busy I’ve been (or not been) or something weird in the stars but I just haven’t had it in me to spill some verbage onto the interscapes. For the record, we are back on the sound stage, out of the blowing wind and so, not eating as much dirt. Which is certainly nice. Still, something is a little not right. I guess the bloom is off the rose and I’m just ready for this gig to be done.

Last week Governor Richardson made a surprise appearance on set. I was standing nearby and caught a bit of the discussion he had with the producers, directors & cast. He asked them about how the incentive program had helped the movie, about how capable the crew has been, etc. Everyone had a lot of good things to say all around. Hopefully, that will keep the business coming. Afterwards Richardson shook hands with some of the crew and Denzel called all the New Mexico folks in for a group photo.

Speaking of photos, somebody pointed out this link that has a picture of yours truly booming Eli himself. A further search today turned up this link to an Entertainment Tonight video with another shot of me booming.

After starting the week back at the stage in Albuquerque the company has moved up to the old prison in Santa Fe for the final few days of shooting. Creepy & cold though it may be, the 5 minute drive from home makes it an optimum way to phase out of show mode and back into “normal existence.” On top of that, M.M. has arrived on set, adding to an already stellar cast. Though the prison is normally a gloomy place, the set that’s been created here is amazing. Like a flea market / museum of the future. I feel right at home…

Everyone seems to be feeling good and enjoying our last few days. Some wrap gifts even got handed out today; a cool t-shirt & a silver arm band with a braille message, “stay on the path.”. Pretty damn cool (you’ll have to see the movie to find out the signigance of that). Also, someone put together a ‘gag reel’ that combined footage never meant for the big screen (actors joking around etc.) & some of the special effects. It looks beautiful. Sure to be cool flick &, no doubt, do well at the box office when it opens in theaters next January. What a wild ride it has been…

Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to write more extensively in the coming weeks, though about what I know not.

As has been the pattern this week, one heinous day is followed by a beautiful one. I wish there was more to write about than the weather (or lack thereof) but today was a pretty slow day. More fx shots with very little dialogue.

We did shoot a second take of the scene we shot yesterday (& I think a 3rd as well). That took us to lunch. Sheesh. It was a complicated scene, involving the aftermath of an RPG hitting a house, with dead people, return gunfire &…oh I shouldn’t give the whole movie away.

Short week this week. We’re off tomorrow (Friday) and back at work on Sunday. So, unless something interesting happens soon…uh, not bloody likely. Right now we’re sitting around waiting on a reset for this shot. Probably another hour or so to go. Zzzzzz.

After an utterly lovely day yesterday (blue sky & no wind) we’re back in the mess today. Sustained winds of 25-35 & gusts up to 45(uh, more on that below). But those are just numbers. They should make a dirt index to describe this. Tucked away in David’s increasingly valuable pop’n'work tent provides some protection but still somehow the tent acts as a kind of sieve, only letting through the finest particulate matter. Perfect for breathing in (cough, cough).

By lunch today we had only, just barely pulled off one shot. Fortunately, it was a keeper. Very complex shot and, luckily, the sound was great as well. Very lucky indeed because after lunch the winds picked up even more (65 mph gusts?) and the day was called before we could shoot a second take. Pretty unbelievable if that’s the shot they use considering the complexity of it and number of people involved in pulling it off. David even said that it might be the first time he’s gotten it right on the first take. Crazy.

I heard several people say it was the worst they had ever seen it on set. In the end I think it came down to safety. Some folks were worried about the house coming down. Parts of the outside were indeed flying off. The pictures I took somehow don’t capture the intense grittiness of the atmosphere.

Unbelievable. Jeff Knudsen, our 2nd boom op, broke his collar bone skateboarding this weekend. Is this show cursed or what? I’m starting to refer to it as the ‘Spinal Tap Drummer Syndrome’. Anyway, really tough break for Jeff. After two weeks the team had just caught our stride and Jeff & I were both looking forward to booming some more scenes together. Ah well, he’s supposed to be all healed up in six weeks so he’ll miss this show but (hopefully) be ready for the next one.

Luckily though, David called up another familiar face to fill the boom spot – Eddie Santiago. Long time readers may remember that he was the mixer I boomed for on Doc West. He’s another great guy & I’m glad to be working with someone I already have a raport with.

Regardless, with wind gusts up to 45 mph there isn’t much to be happy about. We’re still located in the same dirt-pile-on-top-of-buried-landfill and it’s pretty miserable. Luckily, shot-wise today is pretty kush. Very few lines and mostly special effects shots (exploding Cadillac flipping through the air, flaming body parts raining down, etc). So while Eddie is out booming such oddities David & I are seeking shelter in his tent.

Looking at the pile of dirt that accumulated on each piece of equipment regardless of the tent made me really wonder how my lungs were handling this. (cough, cough..)

I have posted some photos collected from Cole’s movie life.
Full resolution downloads are available. Also, you should be able to upload photos as well.

Cole
Gittinger Photo Gallery

Fortunately we mostly shot inside today as the weather was mostinhospitable. Apparently, at higher elevations there was some pretty major snow accumulation. No snow for us though. Just a cold, dirty, dusty wind. While David was get blasted and burried in his new tent from Pop’n'Work Jeff & I were inside the house double booming. No wires today…we were ‘being bold’. It felt good to be surrounded by the focused intensity of the scene, practicing the mystical art of boom fu. It was a sharp contrast to what was going on outside. Going out required donning goggles (at the very least) & pulling a bandana over my face. This was just nasty. Even with the tent the gear got covered with dust. Btw, did I mention the location was a buried over landfill? Presumably, this explained the large quantity of plastic tampon applicators scattered everywhere. Maybe it was part of the set dressing though, hmmm…

The scenes seemed to go well. They were fast paced, hand-held camera jobs, requiring Jeff & I to move quickly and hand people off to one another. I couldn’t help thinking how surreal & unlikely it was that I would be here, booming such major talent, so early in my career. Jeff helped out a lot (as Cole always had) by giving me tips on position & whatnot. But when the camera rolled it came down to walking the thin line between acoustical instinct & cinematographic paranoia (ie. staying out of the shot). We stayed out of the shot & David seemed happy with the sound. I felt pretty good about it. Would have liked to get a little closer to Eli & Solara as the walked out the door, though.

When they handed out call sheets we discovered there was no call for tomorrow (Friday). I guess the impending storm freaked them out. As it turns out, since they called it (Murphy’s Law being as it is) the storm barely touched Albuquerque. Oh well, another long weekend (only 3 days work this week though…).

Not sure if the nastiness of the dust filled wind comes through but here’s a picture.

I had plans to record Cole’s memorial but it was not meant to be. On the day I was too wrapped up in the moment to think about such things. I suppose it’s better that way – in my experience recording an event can sometimes seperate me from the experience I am trying to preserve. Sometimes this might be acceptable (or even desirable) but on this ocassion it benefited my own need for healing to be wholly present.

And healing it was. Such a beautiful view on a lovely a day as possible. Stories were told, music was played, tears were shed and there were (I think appropriately) moments of laughter. To be there and experience the outpouring of love, support & dedication from so many is to glimpse of how many lives Cole touched in his all too brief stint on planet earth. And even while many of us struggle to make sense of his passing and come to terms with his absence I find his presence in the movement of the wind in the trees.

Over a week has passed and still I find it difficult to write about the daily trivialities of work. Still, life goes on…

The picture is from last week.

Please join us in celebration of the life of
Cole Gittinger

This Saturday, March 21
2 PM until 5 PM

KTAOS SOLAR STATION
#9 State Road 150
Taos, NM 87571

This is a casual gathering. Everyone is welcome to speak.

If you have questions or need additional information, please call Dennis at 575-770-6697.
Please feel free to forward this information. Thank you.

(Having trouble getting the map posted here. Please post a comment requesting it and I will email the map to you.)

Somehow we carry on. Even as humanity has struggled to accept and understand the passing on of its brethren, the constant momentum of time is a balm on the wound of loss. Each day it is a little easier to cope with Cole’s passing even though contemplating it for any period of time brings back the grief. I hope his family is doing ok. As for me, I’m just trying to meditate on letting him go and being at peace with it. It’s important to let him go so he can move on. His passing really doesn’t seem so different than the way he lived his life. Like someone mentioned in the comments, just another wild adventure he’s on. Off by himself on the biggest adventure of all. He’s probably grooving away in that great jazz club in the sky.

Cole was always wary of my blog, preferring to called ‘boom guy x’ instead of his real name. Why? I guess it cramped his style. He said it was something about anonymity or someone finding him…As if his name wasn’t going to be on the credits anyway. “Besides,” I tried to tell him, “who reads my blog anyway?”

Well, both he and I were vindicated today when comments about Cole began to flood my inbox awaiting approval. It appears someone was in fact reading my blog and it was to find information about him. Cole’s family had found my post, presumably, while searching for information about his accident on the web (as I had, unsuccessfully). I guess Cole was right! Still, I am glad to have gone against his wishes to remain anonymous if I have benefited his friends and family in some way. If you knew Cole, please read the comments linked to at the bottom of the previous post and feel free to submit your own. Furthermore, Cole’s good friend and his boss & mine, David Brownlow, posted a really wonderful memorial on the ramps (rec.arts.movie.production.sound) board. Several folks have shared there as well: In Memory of Cole Gittinger.

As for me, today was rough though probably not as hard as yesterday. Of course, ‘the show must go on’ as they say and I heard a couple people mentioning how they felt it inappropriate to be shooting today. I understand and I have felt that way before, but honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to process than by working. Further, the outpouring of love and support from the crew was really spectacular. Kind of like a family coming together to support one another. People across all departments loved & respected Cole. Still, it was hard and every hug I got brought tears to my eyes. I suppose it will get harder as the days go by and the ‘conscious’ outpouring of compassion is forgotten by many. As for me, I just can’t imagine getting used to his absence.

Before I sign off I’d like to leave you all with something that was shared at the wake I was attending Saturday night. Actually, it was something being shared there from a previous wake. A small child, upon seeing all the adults trying to cope with the passing of a close one said, “You know, she went straight up.”

If Cole passed from this world in any way like he lived in it, then he is there, unburdened, free and finding his own way. Blessings & Peace in your passing, my friend. You will be missed.

This is going to be a little hard.

Last night I attended a wake for Lake, a friend of Daniél’s, who had passed away recently after a long struggle with cancer. I knew her only slightly but learned much more about her over the course of the stories & ceremony. It was a deeply moving event and there seemed to be a real catharsis over the course of the night that allowed for a true and graceful acceptance of the natural process of death.

Later, at home, Dani & I spoke about death & dying and compared our own experiences of losing people close to us (we both had tragic losses in our teenage years). It seemed apparent that, toward the end of her life, there was an acceptance and resignation that death was inevitable that allowed Lake and her loved ones to prepare consciously for her passing. It seemed apparent to me that this could be the most therapeutic way for loved ones to prepare – to know and begin to slowly become prepared for their inevitable disappearance. For death, otherwise, confronts the human ego with a fact that it forever seems to be trying to avoid – that this life is temporary and just as the miracle of birth is one aspect of life, so to is death just as mysterious and omnipresent.

I wish I could end this post here, with a seemingly significant statement that we can hold in our mind without having to be faced with these facts any more intimately. Unfortunately, it is not so. This morning I got a call from David telling me that my friend and colleague, Cole Gittinger (aka ‘boom guy x’) was killed in a tragic car accident last night. As you would expect I am in shock and as I’m sure many of his friends are, totally devastated but his sudden passing.

I had spent a lot of time with Cole over the past several weeks, both on set and off. After work I’d frequently join him in his hotel room (which he’d decked out with Turkish rugs he had recently begun collecting). He was full of life and a ‘free spirit’ if ever there was one. With the money he made booming he traveled the world and was planning a trip to (and across, via horse) Mongolia after this picture. He shared his knowledge and experience working in the industry with me openly and I learned a lot (mostly off the set). When, after work, I would be complaining about something David had hassled me about, Cole would tell me stories about David falling into a river while booming or falling off an apple box during a shot. Jokingly, in reference to his lifestyle, he had said he probably had less than 5 years left. Strange how things like that come up.

While we were down shooting in Carizozo, he had taken David and I to Lincoln, the site of the Lincoln County War. Apparently, Cole had done some studying of Billy the Kid and knew quite a bit about the war. He’d even begun to think of moving to Lincoln, if just for a summer.

How strange it seems now, the wake, the conversation with Daniél last night and now this tragic loss.

While we finished shooting some insert shots of the ‘engineer’s shop’ scece I had the chance to shoot the breeze with T.W. At the request of the directors he had brought (delivered actually) an old ‘barrel piano’. I’d never seen one of these things. Sort of like a player piano crossed with a music box. The barrel itself is quite large and, presumably, not interchangable meaning this is a ‘one-tune-instrument’. Unfortunately the barrel had become swollen & cracked from exposure over the years (over 150 of them). It still could be wound up and rotated but it was all catywampus so it played no recognizable tune.

In between takes I struck up a conversation with Tom. I had a compilation called Gravikors, Whirlies & Pyrophones that he had written an introduction to so I asked him if he’d built any instruments lately. He told me that he didn’t really build them (though he had friends that did) but sometimes he said he’d go into a hardware store and bang on stuff. He then mentioned Reed Ghazella, the godfather of cicuit bending, and Harry Partch, the godfather of experimental musical instruments. This opened the door for me to tell him about my own creations (the ‘electroacoustycle’ & circuit bent speak ‘n spell – with an obvious nod to Mr. Ghazella on that one). How cool it was to wrap with him on such familiar subjects.

On the down side, once his scenes were finished he mentioned his impending flight & was scurried off to get de-wardrobed & shuttled to the airport. This meant the sound crew was robbed of the chance to record Tom playing (er, plunking) the hammers of the barrel piano. Instead, we recorded the sound of the wind up motor running and the few disonant plinks & plunks that still made contact with the barrel. Then “boom guy x” (name witheld at his request) manually played the hammers in leu of Tom. Saddest part of all, fair readers, is that somehow I neglected to snap a pic of Tom or even the barrel piano for you all to see. Sad sad sad. I’ll see if I can get on from the set dress guys.

Today’s end wrapped us out of Carizozo (or the ‘zizo’ as we have dubbed it) and sent me back to Santa fe.

Whew! Sheesh! I’m forcing myself post an update even though my spirit really isn’t in it. The past couple days have been pretty brutal. It’s been an gunfight sequence (outside of course) and the weather has been typical New Mexico in the springtime (windy and alternatively hot or cold). Today was cold, yesterday hot, tomorow a chance of freezing rain. Lots of gunfire & lots of dust blowing around. Same old same old. Ah well, guess it wasn’t that bad.

Pix provide a dual view of front & back of one of the buildings.

A little discombobulated as I write this. Before I try to dig out a story from last weeks end I will try to explain the forces that brought about my current state.

In case you were unaware, we had to work on Saturday. Gratefully though, sound (among others) got wrapped early and I was back in Santa fe by 5. No rest for the weary though as the house in Golden still needed the final clean. So that was Saturday’s activities. Ended up finally unpacking the vehicles around 7pm. After packing I was back on the road down to ruidosa by 9 (7am call in the morning) finally arriving at the hotel around 1am. After this it gets more blurry. Right before closing my eyes I recalled that tonight was when clocks were to be moved forward. Unfortunately, the automatic clock setting on my phone had been screwing up ever since I got to ruidosa. After struggling in my confusion I settled and went to sleep. It wasn’t until after my alarm had woken me from a brief night’s sleep and I was showered and awake that I came to realize that somehow I had woken up an hot earlier than I needed. Thus, insted of 4 hours of sleep I got only 3. Good grief. Oh well. At least I had time to hit the starbucks across the street. And it’s raining anyway. Who knows what we’ll be able to shoot…the rain & wet everything don’t really match the post-apocolyptic windblown dust storms of our previous shots. Standing by…

Five hours later and the crew is desperately trying to turn rain soaked everything into dust & dirt blown. Great big fan blowing dirt everywhere. Just when we get it the rain starts up again. We eventually pull a couple shots off and are let out early. We’ll pay for it later…

Another ridiculous commute from
Riodosa to “the highway of death” (somewhere near White Sands). This time though mostly cloud covered though the forecast was windy. We had wind but the clouds made a short day of it by annhiliating our dry lake bed / miragey scene.

Still, sound was in action and I was instrumental. A big wide shot with no chance for boom and the whipping wind demanded a serious lav mic’ing with a totally gacked up wind cover. It was ok. I’ve broken my stride with “D” & wiring M.K. Is no sweat because she is laid back and has been wired a million times from her work on that 70’s show.

All things considered, we were able to ‘dig it out’ and ended up capturing decent sound for a 20-30 mph wind storm.

A little exploring around Ruidosa last night and an early turn in at a much nicer hotel. I don’t actually recall falling asleep but I suspect I was able to get a adaquate nights sleep for once, despite a 5:30am call for a bus pickup at the hotel. Not sure how long that ride was. At some point we land at White Sands National Monument, eat & are treated to an orientation lecture to inform us what kinds of activities will get us kicked out of the park (almost anything but breathing).

(later on)

Well, another banner day for the sound crew. Although we were transpo’d all over hell & high water (that morning drive took 1.5 hrs) and pulled out the sound cart, jammed up the slates & the cameras & had the boom all rash to go, no actual usable audio was put to tape. Sometimes the shot just doesn’t have sound and sometimes there is just too much noisy machinery around to get anything usable. A waste of a day but still, a paycheck.

Still, I snapped some good pix.

Today was a shift. After filling another couple carloads and driving them to the new place I finally hit the sheets around midnight. Up at 6 to pack for 10 days of uncertain new Mexican weather down around Ruidosa. On the road by 9:30.

Upon arrival at location we eat, and shoot for 2 hours. That’s it. Then we split to our hotels 40 miles away down in Ruidosa. Last time I was here was watching my grandfathers horse race probably 20 years ago or more.

En route down we hit the most insane road construction I have ever encountered. The pix hardly paint a picture. I guess the stimulus pkg must me kicking in.