blog jam

I knew this would happen ... I've let my postings to the Reelife blog slip... too much other stuff goin on ... not sure that it matters ...

For (diehard) Neil Young Fans only: A Palace in the Gravy • The Very Best & Worst of Neil Young (Radio Show) - reposted

I was really glad to have the opportunity to put this baby together (for a www.WRSI.com radio show called "Turn it up til 11") sponsored by a great local music store in Northampton Mass, called Turn It Up! Kind of like my dream mixed-tape that I actually got play on the radio..and now the internets. I'm planning on doing a follow up ...someday.




This 1hr 38 minute radio show originally aired February 14, 2010 on WRSI 93.9 (www.wrsi.com), Northampton, MA. I produced the show for WRSI's "Turn it up to 11" - sponsored by Turn It Up Records in Northampton, MA.

Keep on Rockin' in the Free World!

Playlist:
Saddle Up the Palomino                  
- talk -
Drifter                                              
Surfer Joe & Moe the Sleeze          
Computer Cowboy                          
Hey Hey                                          
- talk -
Without Rings                                
Heavy Love                                    
I've Been Waiting for You              
This Town                                      
- talk -
Fontaine Bleu                              
The World On a String                
Ode to Wild Bill #2                  
Cripple Creek Ferry
- talk -
Homegrown          
Piece of Crap        
Revolution Blues    
Country Home        
It's A Dream                      
- talk -
Country Girl                      
River of Pride aka White Line (outtake)
- talk -
rainin in my heart                  
midnight on the Bay              
captain kennedy                  
home on the range              
- talk -
through my sails

Experienced video production crew needed: TEDx Coming to little ole Shelburne Falls, MA

Reelife Productions is excited to be a part of the video production crew that is being assembled to work the big TEDx Event that is happeningon November 3, 2012 in Shelburne Falls.


We are assembling a video production crew and need experienced professionals to join us.

WANTED: video production specialists with 5+ yrs. experience:

• live webstreaming/simulcast service

• videotaping local speakers

• editing taped speaker talks

• video queuing/playback.

• presentation multi-media development assistance for our speakers (power point, video clipping, etc.) 

• building Facebook, etc. and email list communities

http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/6774

The Debut of TWO new videos produced by Reelife:

The video below is the new business promo video that Reelife produced in collaboration with VCA, MassDevelopment and Village Hill Northampton.

VCA creates exquisite, hand crafted furniture in a beautiful, brand new building located within the Village Hill community.



and this is the video that Reelife produced from the Jesse Adams / Kevin Sullivan for Governor's Council video… recorded at Northampton Community TV

Village Hill • Northampton • Mass Development videos

Are you looking for brand new, extremely energy efficient, beautifully designed housing in a unique community setting, adjacent to acres and acres of wilderness, right next to the bikepath & Downtown Northampton? Look no further...

Reelife Productions has been working with MassDevelopment to produce several informational videos that highlight this wonderful new community. Village Hill has properties available for residents AND Businesses (Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce)

ahhh, the dog days of summer...

just felt like posting some rock n roll... this from the Zeppelin Sabbath Metal Tribute that my buddy Dave Hayes put on a few years ago at The Elevens in Northampton, MA. I was happy to have captured the magic.

waiting

and today I shall wait to hear back from the same few clients I was waiting to hear back from yesterday & the day before & the day before, etc. about where we stand with the review of the various projects we're working on. ah summer, isn't it grand ...

talk about… "A picture being worth a 1,000 words…"

Gary O'Neal, Owner Paper Services, Inc. , Winchester, NH
a photo from yesterday's New Hampshire vs Paper Services, Inc. court session. 

(photo credit www.folktographybytom.com)

I spent yesterday sitting in a Keene, NH courtroom recording a whole lot of legal speak that almost made me sick to my stomach. 


I have too much to do today to spout out endless pontifications about our legal system and the way it unwillingly denigrates the truth and the very souls that are counting on it to bring resolution, but ...


For more about this tragic tale of post-industrial America, greed, red tape and the power of pride… 
see Reelife Productions documentary work-in-progress:

WNPR's Catie Talarski & artist Samuel Rowlett explore the underground Park River • Where We Live | Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network

from WNPR's site:

A hundred years ago, a river ran through the city of Hartford. And I don’t mean the powerful, 400 mile long Connecticut river. It was the Park River…and it was not loved. Due to massive pollution, the spread of disease, and a few devastating floods –the Park River, was buried beneath the city, entombed in concrete tunnels and drainage ditches. Started in 1940, It was one of the largest and most expensive projects in the history of the Army Corps of Engineers. After four decades and more than 100 milliondollars, the river now runs underground, relatively forgotten. Where We Live senior producer Catie Talarski takes us on a tour of this hidden landmark with artist Samuel Rowlett and his homemade canoe.

See more photos of the adventure.

Samuel Rowlett’s exhibit (which includes his homemade canvas canoe) is at Real Art Ways now through September 29. He will be giving an artist talkWednesday July 25 at 7PM, discussing his journey down the Connecticut River with Kim Lutz from the Nature Conservancy.

Here is the radio interview that played on WNPR in CT this morning.
Where We Live | Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network

and here is the accompanying minidocumentary that Reelife Produced:

Reelife's website is back in action

sure, sure, I know, you didn't actually notice it but Reelife's website was down for about a week. But now that it's back up and rarin' to go...I thought it would be a good time to dig into some of the lesser known facts about Reelife and the services that we provide. For instance...listen to this:

Extraordinary Events & Gatherings Documentation

The Art of the River: Exploring the Connecticut River in Art, History and a Canoe | The Nature Conservancy

Artist, Samuel Rowlett shares more of his arts adventures with you THIS Wednesday at Real Art Ways in Hartford. He may be incorporating some of the video/photos that Reelife shot during our big paddling adventure UNDERNEATH Hartford last week. Here's the story:


The Art of the River: Exploring the Connecticut River in Art, History and a Canoe | The Nature Conservancy

Paddling UNDER Hartford video released

video produced by www.ReelifeProductions.com

for more info about the art of Samuel Rowlett: http://www.samuelrowlett.com/

for more info about "The Hog River":
http://www.damnedct.com/park-hog-river-hartford
http://sadcityhartford.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-from-hog-river-revival.html

excited to document Samuel Rowlett's journey UNDERNEATH Hartford today… I knew I could put my kayak to good use! First we're stopping off at Real Art Ways to pick up his hand-made canoe… read more about this visionary artist from Williamsburg, MA here 

https://www.facebook.com/samuel.rowlett

Hampshire Life ID features Reelife's Director

http://www.gazettenet.com/2012/07/13/thomas-john-adams

ID: Thomas John Adams

Friday, July 13, 2012

Tom Adams says he enjoys his work so much that the line between "work and play" is getting fuzzy. He's the owner and director of Reelife Productions, a video production company in Williamsburg. He is a photographer (his work can be seen at www.folktographybytom.com) and a folk musician who plays drums with the bluegrass band Acoustic Brew and has recorded nine CDs with the experimental rock-jazz band NiL. He also masquerades as an unpublished but prolific writer/poet/cartoonist named lester b thomas.

Full name: Thomas John Adams

People know you as: Tom

Date and place of birth: May 6, 1969, Clarence, N.Y.

Address: Williamsburg

Job: Media producer/photographer

Who lives under the same roof as you? My wife, Melissa, daughter, Amanda, 12, son, Neil, 10

Education: Clarence Central High School, 1987; University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1991

Pets: Dog, Maggie; cat, Charlie; five chickens; two hamsters; a guinea pig; a fish

Hobbies: Interneting, recording, playing drums, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking

Book you'd recommend to a friend: I don't read much but I highly recommend "The Shroud of the Thwacker" by Chris Elliot

Favorite movie/TV show/singer: Movie - anything by director Errol Morris; TV - Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm"; Singer - Neil Young

Five items you can't live without: Family, iPhone, camera, drumsticks, kayak

Last thing you purchased just for fun: Wiffle balls

What's at the top of your bucket list? Run with the reindeer

Life-changing experience: It's all a big beautiful blur

Strangest job you ever held: University of Vermont health study caffeine-substitute tester

What is your current Facebook status? "Here's where we'll be in 10 days" (picture of Grand Canyon)

A little-known fact about you: I was homecoming king

Dumbest thing you ever did: Went train hopping with someone that was crazier than me

One trend you'd like to see return: People saying hello to each other

What really sets you off? Closed-mindedness

If you could spend the day with a celebrity from any time in history, who would it be? Neil Young. He seems like a really nice guy and he has created a great balance between following his muse and being a husband/father, all while becoming one of the most well-respected figures in modern music

Best advice you ever got: "Take my advice, don't listen to me"

Favorite place to get a bite: Joe's Cafe in Northampton. Good cookin'

Your favorite team: Buffalo Bills. Because I used to care a lot about sports and Buffalo is a wonderful place filled with some of the nicest people in the world

What does your ideal weekend look like? Sitting on the porch of a cabin in the woods with family and friends, or with no one at all

One thing you would change about yourself: Look on the bright side of things more often

What gives you the creeps? People that are completely disconnected with the bigger picture, and malls

People who knew you in high school thought you were: Fun to be with and maybe a little weird

Whom do you most admire? My parents. Because they are who they are

Parting shot: There's more to the picture than meets the eye

- Keri-Ann Aubin

Editor's Note - To suggest someone for ID, email Keri-Ann Aubin at kaubin@gazettenet.com.

Summer Reading

This video produced by Reelife back in 2007 for Pamela Thompson's Every Past Thing (Unbridled Books) features the author talking about her concept for the book... and it reminded me that it's time for some summertime reading...

If you're interested in buying the book, it's available on the Unbridled Books website

Happy 4th, America!

Hope you're out enjoying an American landscape this July 4th... relax and have fun!

Ron Sims on the Future of Sustainability

Okay, so the word "SUSTAINABILITY" is totally overused, but,... here's a great lecture by Ron Sims, former undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that puts it all into perspective and actually gives meaning to the word.

Reelife recorded the lecture for Lincoln Institute of Land Policy at the annual New England Smart Growth Leadership Forum on December 2, 2011, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, The event was co-sponsored with the regional offices of HUD and EPA, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and its focus was the past, present, and future of HUD's Sustainable Communities initiative.

Mobile Studio: Now Available!

With our current heat wave, I'm really ready for the call to use the mobile studio (aka kayak) for a shoot... I'm just sayin... isn't there anybody out there who desperately needs a documentary of something river related? Anybody?

Higher Ground: The Fight Continues...

I'll be spending next Monday at the Cheshire County Courthouse in Keene, NH, documenting the trial and getting a summary of The Paper Services, Inc. fight against Algonquin Power and GZA and all of the powers that be… It's such a sordid tale, I can't even begin to try to explain the current status.

The mill owner, Gary O'Neal, has been dragged through so much legal ugliness and now is fighting an even more serious health battle… I wish this situation was headed in a very different direction…but maybe now there will be some good news about how things can move forward.

This video is the first of four shot by Reelife that try to tell the whole story...

William Tucker at The Oxbow Gallery

I had the pleasure of shooting this talk by famed British sculptor William Tucker at the Oxbow Gallery back in March... for more information on him, visit this website.

Premiere Night in Williamsburg!

A wonderful night at The Meekins Library in Williamsburg, MA, premiering the video "Cross Generation Conversations: A Living Archive of Our Town." Pass the popcorn, please...

Acoustic Brew Strikes Again!

Had the pleasure yesterday of performing with my Acoustic Brew band mates at the first annual Hilltown Bluegrass Festival at Three Sisters Sanctuary in Goshen. It was a gorgeous day for a concert and a beautiful performance space... Though there was no video of the occasion (at least none shot by Reelife), here's one of the songs captured for posterity from the band's gig at the Pines Theater at Look Park back in May, for your listening enjoyment...

A Star in the Making!

Spent Sunday morning shooting another video for the mighty talented 13 year old Emma Henderson. She received a call back from one of the Disney studio audition videos that Reelife shot and produced a few weeks ago. This second video may just get her the job! Really happy to see all of Emma's (and her Mom's) hard work finally payoff.

It's been great to see her develop as a singer... and wait until you hear her sing Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"... she's the real deal.

Also, I just found out that she's come up with a stage name of "Emery Lux"... pretty bold move, I'd say.

Here's Emma's rendition of Dennis Caraher's song Crying in the Car...

Video Screen: Cross Generation Conversations

The video I shot of the fascinating cross-generational conversation held in Williamsburg back in February is beng screened next Thursday the 16th...

Storm Over Northampton Meadows

YouTube's "soundtrack enhancement" can really add some depth to already dramatic video (with bad original sound). I tried it on this video that I shot with my iPhone during the recent storm that crawled over Downtown Northampton... the wind-sound was really strong.

Documenting Another Land Policy Conference Keynote

...Documenting the keynote address at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's conference taking place this coming Monday in Boston. The speaker will be Kathy Sierra of the Brookings Institution, and her topic is "Sustainable infrastructure for urban growth."

http://atlincolnhouse.typepad.com/weblog/2012/05/land-policy-conference-to-focus-on-infrastructure.html

Have Kayak, Will Travel

Nice article on visionary artist Samuel Rowlett in the Valley Advocate. Can't wait to hop in the water and document part of his trip down the Connecticut in my new production vehicle (aka kayak, see photo on left) on June 9th... I love my job...

Art in Paradise: Ramble On

Welcome to Village Hill!

Produced this promotional video for Village Hill in Northampton... an exceptional neighborhood offering the best of community life. The development offers a variety of housing options which incorporate green design and energy efficiency, whether LEED or Energy Star certified. And residents can commute car-free! While the Mill River, Mount Tom, and the Holyoke range stretch before you, it's just a short walk from downtown Northampton... pretty sweet...

Cross Generations: Hearing from Williamsburg's Oldest and Youngest Residents

Wrapping up production on Williamsburg's "Cross Generation Discussions" video... It was so great to hear and record the stories from our town's oldest & youngest residents, which illustrated the contrasts of life during the "pre-Facebook era"...

The video will premiere at The Williamsburg Historic Society's area on Memorial Day and will then be available for viewing at The Meekins Library, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Culture Council and the help of the town's Council on Aging and the Library.

The event, held on February 26, and was attended by about 20 people. "There were people there like Jean Hemenway, who is in her 90s and was the first selectwoman in Williamsburg. She talked about things like how she went to school in a fish cart," said Marie Westburg, director of the Council on Aging, said in an article in the Hampshire Gazette. "We are hoping to continue these conversations and will be applying for the grant again. It is a great way to mix the generations and celebrate and preserve the history of our town."

Reelife recorded audio and video of the event, which will become part of the living archives collection at Meekins this summer.

Monte Gets The Scoop!

Monte Belmonte getting the whole scoop ... on the whole love, from wrsi.com 's "Breakfast with WILCO," June 24, 2011, at The Solid Sound Festival, Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA... as filmed by Reelife Productions...

A Documentary in Progress That Needs Some Love!

A documentary production-in-progress that STILL needs funding... go figure...

It's a modern day tale about reclaiming our past... there is much more to the story...more to be told about the people, the families, the towns and the lives that have been affected by the decline of industry in this once bustling New Hampshire town and towns like it across the Untied States.

"Higher Ground" is the name of the documentary... this larger story that needs to be told. Reelife Documentary Productions has been working with former mill owner Gary O'Neal for a few years to produce this film and to help find a new use for this property and reinvigorate the surrounding economy that is so desperately in need of a new life.

Hey Hey, My My

Posting this video for two reasons... this guy rocks... and (oh yeah) I was the guy behind the lens...

Neil Young. Wang Center. Boston. Twisted Road Tour. April 2011.

Helping The Food Bank Spread the Good Word...

Here's a link to the promotional video I produced last month for The Food Bank of Western Mass...

Voices of New Farmers

Here's a promo that Reelife produced for Storey Publishing for Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers' Movement by Zoë Bradbury, Severine von Tscharner Fleming, Paula Manalo... looks like very interesting reading!

A community of more than 5000 young farmers and activists, the Greenhorns are committed to producing and advocating for food grown with vision and respect for the earth. This book, edited by three of the group's leading members, comprises 50 original essays by new farmers who write about their experiences in the field from a wide range of angles, both practical and inspirational. Funny and sad, serious and light-hearted, these essays touch on everything from financing and machinery to family, community building, and social change.

Nice Spring Day in the Country...

Driving along in Chesterfield on this beautiful spring day and thought I'd shoot out the window of the car... Short but sweet, and shows what the Luma steadicam iphone app can do...

Unearthed! 1991 Phish Documentary

Got a kick out of this... my old Phish documentary "All My Plastic Melon Dreams" (VHS version 1, 1991) mysteriously showed up on an ole pal's Facebook page... don't even know how he found that early version...

Reelife Proud Sponsor of Wrsi iPhone App

It's very cool to see the happiness that WRSI - 93.9 The River's (free) iphone app brings to all parts of the state, country & world... Reelife Productions is proud to be the official sponsor of the app and is happy to help keep the digital river flowing :) Here's a quote from a WRSI listener who recently downloaded the iphone app:

"After months of living without the River since moving, I am giddy with content in listening to Monte in the mornings once again! It's true my recent iPhone purchase was in large part to get the free River iPhone app!! Well worth it! Otherwise this rainy Tues morning would seem quite dreary."

Download it from the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/93.9-the-river/id372202190?mt=8

Charting the Future Course of the City

Here's a wrap up of a very cool event that I had the opportunity to film last weekend... Co-sponsored by the Lincoln Institute, the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, and Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, it was the Annual Journalists Forum on Land and the Built Environment. The theme was The Contested City... http://www.lincolninst.edu/news-events/at-lincoln-house-blog

EcoBuilding Bargains on TV!

Congratulations to Reelife client EcoBuilding Bargains — they're being featured on an upcoming episode of the award-winning PBS show This Old House... the cast and crew of the show stopped by their retail operation at 83 Warwick Street in Springfield today for some filming...  Read more about it here

Hot Off the Presses!

Just wrapped up post production on a DVD of the presentation that modernist British sculptor William Tucker gave at The Oxbow Gallery last month... and got a note of thanks from Justin at the Oxbow...

And Today's Interesting Assignment Is (drum roll please)...

... I'll be recording Richard M. Daley, the longest serving mayor of Chicago (22 years) give a talk on "Leading the Contested City" this morning.

Daley's talk is part of The Journalists Forum on Land and the Built Environment: The Next City, presented by a partnership of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. The event is exploring urban policy, transportation and infrastructure, the role of cities in the green economy and more and takes place in Cambridge, MA.

A Love Letter to the Montague Bookmill

If you're a fan of the Montague Bookmill, this'll remind you of what a terrific funky old place it is... and if you've never been there, check it out! This video was shot in 2002, but today's Bookmill not only features the amazing used book store (Books You Don't Need in a Place You Can't Find) but also houses The Night Kitchen restaurant, The Lady Killigrew Café, Sawmill River Arts, Louise Minks' studio, and the most recent resident, Turn It Up! Records & CDs.

On the Air with Monte

Here's the interview I did Thursday morning with Mr. Monte Belmonte. We're talking about Reelife's recent Telly Award for Monte's March: The Movie and all the fine work that's going on at WRSI - 93.9 The River & The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Enjoy!

~ REELIFE PRODUCTIONS ~ WINS A TELLY AWARD FOR MONTE'S MARCH: THE MOVIE •

Official Press Release
(if there is even such a thing anymore :)


Williamsburg, MA — video producer Tom Adams, owner of Reelife Productions of Williamsburg, has won a Telly Award for the production of Monte's March: The Movie in the category of Non-Broadcast Productions/Fund Raising. The film was one of nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries.

Monte's March: The Movie documented the 26-mile march between Northampton and Greenfield that popular WRSI radio personality Monte Belmonte made with his decked out shopping cart on November 18, 2010. Held in conjunction with 93.9 The River's annual radio-thon, the march was held as en event to raise awareness of hunger in Western Massachusetts and raise funds for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

"The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video," said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. "Reelife Production's accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production."

"It's such an honor to be recognized for my work, or, in my case, my labor of love," said Adams, who founded Reelife Productions in 1996 to help individuals and companies use digital media to educate, enlighten and entertain. "I'm truly honored to be able to work with clients like The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Working with organizations like the Food Bank makes my job very gratifying and gives me a strong sense of accomplishment, especially knowing that it's for the greater good of the world around us. And of course, none of this would have happened if Monte wasn't such a big hearted, crafty, witty, fun and genuine all around nice guy. One thing some people might not realize is what an absolute pro this Monte guy is. It takes an incredible amount of skill, intelligence and confidence to do what he does, day in day out... and he really values his time with his community, and wife and kids....my hat goes off to him, really." 

Adams has produced more than 300 video projects for a variety of local and national clients. His work has been honored for four Telly Awards: 1997 for local business commercial, 2008 for Massachusetts Historical Commission, 2011 for Emma Henderson/ Dennis Carahar music video, and this latest award for Monte's March: The Movie.


Through the magic of the internets, you can view the 27 minute movie below:





For more information about Reelife Productions, visit the company's website at www.reelifeproductions.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
( The Food Bank of Western MA, WRSI - 93.9 The River, NiL)

Interview on WRSI, 93.9 The River with Monte • Telly Award for Monte's March- The Movie !

Here's the interview Reelife's Director/Owner, Tom Adams did with Mr. Monte Belmonte this morning. We're talking about the recent Telly Award that Reelife received for "Monte's March- The Movie" and all the fine work that's going on at WRSI - 93.9 The River & The Food Bank of Western MA

Really thankful Monte did the whole march thing, otherwise I couldn't have made the movie ;)

A Little Night Music, Rani Arbo Style

One of the many songs performed at The Connecticut River Watershed Council's: "Living Along the River: A Concert of River Songs" on November 7, 2010, in Northampton, MA... Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem with Riverside by Tony Lechner.

For more information, please visit http://www.ctriver.org

This Group Constantly Amazes Me!

I had a lot of fun editing the Young at Heart Chorus footage for use in their 2010 New Zealand stage show... Everytime I hear this group, I love them more!

Shining a Light on The Food Bank of Western MA

Reelife Productions is proud to share our latest video, an informational piece for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

During the production, we spent time with many fine folks from across Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden & Franklin Counties, including different elderly Brown Bag programs, farmers, pantries and other supporting organizations.

I'm very thankful to work in a field where I can help spread the good word about these organizations and all that they offer. Enjoy the video, and help out any way you can.

For more information about the great work being done by the Food Bank to wipe out hunger in Western MA, please visit their website.

Early Morning Music Break with Ms. Pegi Young

So happy to have been able to catch (and record) this show with Pegi Young. Such a sweet version of this beautiful Danny Whitten, Crazy Horse, original at The Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA. With The Survivors: including Rick Rosas and Spooner Oldham

Sharing the love for EcoBuilding Bargains!

Calling all DIYers, renovators, builders, collectors, resellers, homeowners, renters... is there a home improvement project on your "to do" (or "honey do") list? This is the place to get your stuff... Their new store is super... EcoBuilding Bargains in Springfield. Watch the promo video (by Reelife, of course!) and see what I mean...

Sneak Peak: Rusty Nail Concert Video

In the 1970s and early 80s, the Rusty Nail bar in Sunderland was the go-to place for live music in the area. On February 12, 2012, some of the key players from that era reunited for a sold out gig at the Northampton Academy of Music.

Reelife was there to document the entire event with five HD cameras in front, on the side and backstage. Supporters of the bar have created a Facebook page as a gathering place for those who were there as well as those who were unable to attend. It's also a way to drum up support for the post-production/editing of the concert video of this once in a lifetime event.

Here's a little teaser video to whet your whistle... and hop on over to the Facebook page to keep up to date with this project... https://www.facebook.com/RustyNailReunionConcertVideo

Just Released! How to Make An Echinacea Tincture

In the latest Reelife video production, Storey Publishing's Herbal remedy specialist Rosemary Gladstar demonstrates how to make an Echinacea Tincture.

Reelife was hired to shoot edit & produce this video and is honored to be involved with Storey's professional team that holds such high regard for quality work.

And if you don't know what a tincture is? Well... you're just gonna have to watch the video, now aren't ya? :)

For more information about using Echinacea and other medicinal herbs, see Rosemary's new book, Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide.

Acoustic Brew Live at Angel Park • "Poor Heart" Phish cover

Reelife's owner/director is now the drummer for this fine bluegrass group who play there own special blend of "brew-grass" music. And since this is The Reelife Blog... I thought I'd post it here ... for your viewing pleasure. For upcoming dates and much more visit them on the facebook.

Fresh Off the Editing Block: the Meridians Event at The Academy of Music

For Your Consideration: Reelife's latest production: The Sorvino Dance Project • Greg Snedeker and the Meridians Sextet • "Small Moon" Guitar Quartet by Michael Nix and the NixWorks Ensemble

Sunday, March 25, 4 pm, The Acadamy of Music, Northampton, MA

for more info please visit: http://nixworks.com/Meridians.html

Get Your Head in the Game!

Here's a clip of John Engels, Leadership Coach, in his keynote for the Rochester General Hospital System meeting, talking about "The Approval Virus," (edited by Reelife Productions)

For more information about John Engels and Leadership Coaching, please visit www.leadershipcoachinginc.com

Now Playing at Amherst Cinema: The Wright Builders Promo

Presenting the new Wright Builders pre-movie ad that is running at Amherst Cinema. In just 15 seconds, it features images from some of the fine projects that Wright Builders have been working on: Village Hill, Bement, a beautiful private residents in North Hadley, Hampshire College Greenhouse, and some other great, well known places in the Valley.

Reelife on the Air!

Here's a little radio ditty to let you know what Reelife Productions is all about featuring the vocal stylings of Mr. Monte Belmonte...

What I Did in Vegas (nope, it wasn't partying!)

And here it is... the video that Reelife produced for the opening of the 2012 ASAP Global Alliance Summit in Las Vegas last month.

If you're not exactly sure what they're talking about ... you can go to www.strategic-alliances.org and find out more....

In a nutshell, this is the mother-load of networking organizations: Founded in 1998, the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) is a professional association dedicated to elevating and promoting the profession and discipline of alliance management.

In fact, ASAP is the only organization dedicated to providing knowledge and resources, education and professional development, and a community for networking to alliance professionals at every stage of business collaboration — from partnership formation to alliance management after a deal is signed all the way through to the dissolution of a relationship.

Now that's a mouthful, isn't it? ;)

Thanks for the Props!

Always gratifying when a client thanks you you in writing with their customers. Glad to be able to shine a light on the great work that Eco Building Bargains is doing...

"We had an excellent time at the Western Mass Home Show! We saw some old friends, met some new...and enjoyed spreading the good word of reuse. Thanks to Trent at Metal Wood Common Good for displaying his gorgeous reclaimed wood cabinet and to Reelife Productions for creating a promotional video of our new store, it got quite a bit of attention! We hope to see you all soon at 83 Warwick Street with your 10% off coupons!"

And here's the video:

Ringing the New Client Bell!

Really happy to be producing two videos for Terraclime Geothermal, a new client that does some very interesting, cutting-edge work with Geothermal Heating & energy independence ... and they're right here in little ole Western Mass! I'm proud help them get the word out to the rest of the world. Check out their website for more info: http://terraclimegeo.com/

Monte's March: The Award-Winning Film!

Proud to have won a Telly Award for Monte's March: The Movie, the film that documented Monte Belmonte's 26-mile march between Northampton and Greenfield on November 18, 2010, with his decked out shopping cart to raise awareness of hunger and collect money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. The event was in conjunction with 93.9 The River's annual radio-thon.

And here's the award-winning film (27 minutes)!

Documenting Dance Set to Jazz

Reelife will be at the Academy of Music Theater in Northampton this Sunday afternoon to document Meridians: The energetic connections between movement and music.

Meridians is new dances by choreographers Ann Sorvino, Billbob Brown, and Meg Van Dyck set to jazz standards and compositions by Greg Snedeker performed by the Meridian Sextet; and Small Moon, a new three movement work for electric guitar quartet by composer/ guitarist Michael Nix performed by the NixWorks Ensemble.

This should be a pretty cool video...

Reelife Wins a Telly!

Wow! Reelife Documentary Productions is extremely honored to have just won a 33rd Annual Telly Award for the production of Monte's March - The Movie in the category of Non-Broadcast Productions/Fund Raising.

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and web commercials, videos and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

More info & general hoopla to follow, but for the moment... woo hoo!

Proud to be working with Storey Publishing again!

Going to be producing another video for Storey Publishing, this time to accompany Rosemary Gladstar's new medicinal herbs book. It'll provide an overview and focus on alcoholic tea tinctures... plus it'll feature the fun and engaging Rosemary Gladstar :) A video link will be posted soon, so stay tuned...

New Video Debuting this Weekend!

If you're going to the "Original" Western Mass Homeshow this weekend (Thursday through Sunday at The Big E)... stop by the EcoBuilding Bargains table and check out the new video that Reelife produced. These folks do great stuff, selling used building materials that are just the ticket for remodeling jobs and DIY projects...

Carry The River in your pocket, courtesy of Reelife

If you haven't experienced it yet, the WRSI/The River iPhone app (proudly sponsored by Reelife Productions!) is pretty awesome... the streaming is really great, as is the sound quality. It's mighty fine to carry The River around with me wherever I go... Check it out!

Behind the Scenes at The David Pakman Show

Back in December, I got the opportunity to go behind the scenes at The David Pakman Show, an internationally syndicated talk radio and television program hosted by David Pakman. If you don't know about the show, this video gives you some insight into the genius of this 'well oiled machine'... Have to say, it was a blast!

Arrrrgghhhh!

These anomalies are why editing with multi-layered photoshop psd files can drive video editors absolutely batty...

Final Cut Pro & Final Cut Express: Some imported .psd files may only contain the background layer

Vegas: One Last Look

Here's a little video I shot from the plane window as I was leaving Las Vegas last weekend... with a really cool jazz soundtrack... I especially like the patterns that the streets and boundary lines make from above, and the mountain backdrop...

A Little Disorienting

Tough to fly home from California and get used to east coast time again, but losing an hour to Daylight Savings this weekend on top of it makes it even harder...

Back to the Good Ol' PV!

Got home from Vegas last night and I have to say, it feels pretty darn GOOD! It was a hectic week of work and now I look forward to an equally hectic week in the edit suite...

It was an especially beautiful day to cross the country... here's a view of the Rocky Mountains from my plane window...

Las Vegas, Time Lapse Style

Woke up early this morning cause my body was still on east coast time, so I whipped up a little video magic... a time lapse out my hotel room window, set to the music of Wilco... Good morning, Las Vegas!

It's Show Time!

After spending the better part of Saturday putting finishing touches on the project that's going to play at an awards ceremony in front of 500 people at Caesar's Palace this week (nothing like bumping up against a deadline to make things real), I arrived in Vegas yesterday for the 2012 ASAP Global Alliance Summit. And here's my mobile office/edit suite (sweet suite, right?)...

And so it begins... today was the first video interview...

The Fish with a Polka Dot Dress

Here's a little story produced by Reelife about a fish, some trash, some kids and a wonderful collaboration between the CT River Watershed Council and a bunch of other people who are trying to help save our rivers :)

If you don't know about them, The Connecticut River Watershed Council is a fabulous organization that advocates for the entire, four-state Connecticut River watershed. They work tirelessly to protect water—the river, its tributaries, lakes, fish; and the land, plants, and creatures connected to that water in order to keep them safe now, and for future generations. Their annual Source to Sea Cleanup, which in 2011 drew 1500 volunteers from 66 groups, is helping to make the rivers, streams and banks that make up the vast Connecticut River system cleaner and safer for the people who enjoy them and lifeforms that inhabit them.

For more information please visit:
http://www.ctriver.org/
https://www.facebook.com/connecticutriver
http://www.row.ctriver.org

Back in Black

Introducing the slick new long-sleeved t-shirt design!

Good News, Bad News

You know those good news/bad news things? The good news is that this is Reelife's most profitable quarter in our ten year history... The bad news? I barely have any hair left! Especially after these last two weeks of intense editing... But it's all good. I love my job and in just a coupla days, it's Vegas, baby!

Dancing in Noho

This falls into the category of you never know what you're gonna find when you're out and about... I happened to be strolling through Northampton one night back in 2009 and came across this amazingly vibrant and romantic scene at the steps of the first church. So, I couldn't resist getting out the ole video camera and putting together this little vignette. Northampton is such a funky city...

Reelife Horn Toot o' the Month

Kudos from a satisfied client:

“Tom is rare in that he is very good at what he does and yet does not impose his vision or ideas on the client. He suggests, he listens, he's very open to changing directions. Very flexible. Extremely easy to work with and the results have been fantastic. I could not recommend him more highly."

~ Dennis Caraher, Singer Songwriter

Thanks Dennis, you're quite the great guy yourself! And I didn't even have to pay him for those kind words :)

Glued to my computer!

This is what I'll be looking at for the next two weeks... it's an editing marathon, as I scramble to get things done before leaving for Las Vegas...

Preserving the Present... and the Past

Reelife will be documenting a conversation about the experiences, memories, and traditions of residents of Williamsburg and Haydenville, this Sunday, Feb. 26th, from 2-5pm at the Meekins Library. "Cross Generational Conversations" will showcase the stories of our whole community, preserving it for the next generations. Looking forward to this... I think it will be very interesting...

For more information, call Archivist Daria at 268-7472.

Sunday Drivin' in Plainfield

Drivin' through the tall trees of Plainfield, MA, shooting this video, with the help of the awesome iPhone steadycam app, "Luna."

Getting ready to hunker down for seven days of seven hour editing sessions for current clients: Storey Publishing, Center for EcoTechnology's EcoBuildings, MASS MoCA, MassDevelpment, Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. Harvard University PON & The Food Bank of Western MA ...

All this so I can go shoot the 2012 ASAP Global Alliance Summit in Vegas in March with a clean slate... And so the countdown begins...

Affordable Auto Glass, Baby!

Got 42 minutes and a hankering to learn all about windshield replacement? Then watch perhaps the most entertaining auto glass infomercial ever made... 

It's a compilation of the full-length infomercial Reelife produced for Affordable Auto Glass back in 2008 along with all the commercials that I've produced for them since approximately 1999. OK, so it's not going to win any Oscars next month, but still fun! And if you need your windshield replaced...then this is the place to go!

And now the work begins...

Just starting to sort through the zillions of photos and video from the Northampton Arts Council's sold out Rusty Nail reunion show at the Academy yesterday... www.FolktographybyTom.com, copyright 2012

Another New Toy for Reelife!

Gotta love new technology! I downloaded the Blue FiRe 2 Pro iPhone app, a $6 thingy that turns my iPhone into a super high quality uncompressed audio hard disk recorder. The app will also let me see the accurate audio waveform in real-time.

I'll be using it for a crowd microphone for this afternoon's Rusty Nail reunion show at the Academy of Music. It's a two camera shoot with the HD digital SLR & the DX100 SD... load in to load out with backstage interviews, etc. When it's finished, there's the possibility that it will play on WGBY PBS. Pretty neato!

What's the Rusty Nail, you ask? Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the club of choice in the Valley was the Rusty Nail tucked amongst the tobacco fields of Sunderland. Some of the great local bands that created the core of the club are reuniting for this sold out show at the Academy... including Fat, Real Tears, the Mitch Chakour Band, and nearly all the members of Clean Living. It should be truly amazing!

New Client!

Not only do I have a new client, CET EcoBuilding Bargains (formerly The ReStore), but I get to go up in a crane at their new facility (83 Warwick Street in Springfield) for a promo video Reelife is producing! I love my work...

No Idle Hands Here!

As Prof. Harold Hill sang in the classic '60s musical, The Music Man, "Idle hands are the devil's playthings..." But there are no idle hands here at Reelife Productions, at least not today! Here's the Reelife To Do list-o-rama:

• 
Story publishing Greenhorns book promo

• Story publishing Rosemary Gladstar edit

• Affordable Autoglass playback loop setup

• MassDevelopment testimonial interviews
...
• Emma Henderson audition video

• ASAP awards edits

• Woodbine Reshoot??

• CRWC edit?

• FoodBank edit

• Harvard Program on Negotiations Forum

But that doesn't mean that there isn't always room for more (just like Jello!)... give us a call if you've got a video project in mind!

This Moment of Zen Brought to You By...

Reelife Productions! Shot this awesome sundown on the slopes of Berkshire East in Charlemont, MA... Gotta love the winter sky... such amazing light...

"It's like a thank you thing from God."... Out of the mouths of babes... This was a really fun PSA to shoot for the Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc.

One of the myriad Reelife projects from the last couple of weeks... a video promo for the all-new Rapido Loco from Woodbine Firewood Processors/CRD Metalworks LLC. Had a great shoot... of course I had to make sure I didn't stumble and get my torso cut in half (which kinda puts a crimp in your work) but it was amazing to see this mutha' in action. Stay tuned for the finished promo...



(photo credit: www.facebook.com/folkography)

Vegas, Baby!

Producing a bunch of awards ceremony videos during February. Then, in March, it's on to The ASAP conference at Caeser's Palace, to film some interviews and do on-site production. Vegas, here we come!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/2012-ASAP-Global-Alliance-Summit/263739730322172?sk=wall

The Day The Clothes Came Alive

Just playin' with laundry and the iMotion iPhone app... What do you think? Should it be a full length feature? I can see it in the Multiplex now... "In a land where laundry folds itself..." ;)

Ready for the Storey Publishing Shoot!

Jib arm... check. Crane... check. Glidetracks... check. Canon 60D HD DSLR... check. I'm all set for tomorrow's shoot with Storey Publishing. This is gonna be the best darn "how-to" Tea Tincture video anyone's ever seen!

Hmmm.... Beachy

A beachy moment for a winter's day brought to you by Reelife's trusty Canon SX20is HD camera...

Whew... What a Week!

Some intense editing sessions this week...

Today, I wrapped up editing for the draft of The Food Bank of Western MA promo video.... which is coming along very nicely, thank you...

Then onto:
• Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. children's story video
• edits for Storey Publishing "Greenhorns" book promo
• prepping audio files for morethansound.net's Daniel Goleman interview
• then MADevelopment's video for Village Hill
• Woodbine Firewood Processors | CRD Metalworks LLC new video for their latest Rapido Loco model...

Hard, but very rewarding work for some fabulous clients!

First Glidetrack Test

just a quick little ditty to show the depth of field and beautiful smooth motion of our new Glidetrack SD Slider. Shot this with a Canon 60D, no lighting or special setup... very much looking forward to putting this cool new toy to work!

Hanging with Ray Mason

Shot this last July 28th at Angel Park in Williamsburg... ah, summer, can't wait to welcome you back!

A New Video Production Tool

Reelife is the proud new owner of a new 39" Glidetrack! This baby is going to add a crucial new ingredient to the Reelife visual cookbook.

But what, you ask, is a Glidetrack and what does it do?

You've seen those smooth-as-silk dolly shots in films and TV shows, haven't you? They are done with a camera slider, or a set of bracketed tracks. The slider's moveable carriage attaches directly to the camera or is used with a tripod sandwiched between it and the camera for more angle options. The result is extremely high-end, compelling tracking shots that set up in seconds. As Sam Mallory reported in a review for equipment supplier B&H Video, "Tracking shots create a sense of movement, as if the camera was a passerby briefly peering at the subjects on screen."

Camera sliders can also be used for "reveal" shots... I'm sure you've seen them. The camera starts on a tight closeup of an object or person and then pulls back to put that object or person in context in the scene. This kind of shot helps tell the story or jazzes up an otherwise ordinary shot.

I'm psyched to use the Glidetrack in an upcoming shoot with Storey Publications. I'll let you know how it turns out.. or better yet, I'll post a sample soon!

On Location with Daniel Goleman

A still from the Daniel Goleman/More Than Sound interview shot yesterday...

More Than Sound

Shooting today with Daniel Goleman (author of Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence and The Brain and Emotional Intelligence: New Insights) and More Than Sound... I'll post some video soon so stay tuned!

PowerPoint Is So Last Century!

Wait! The next time you need a presentation for that all-important meeting, pass on the PowerPoint! Traditional PowerPoint presentations are über boring, and, frankly, LAME! Let Reelife Productions produce your organization's next "digital media presentation." It'll knock the socks off your audience (and that's a funnier image than imagining them naked, now isn't it?)

So say goodbye to those el lamo PowerPoint Presentations... Reelife can add a whole lotta' life to YOUR Presentation. And the reasonable rates may surprise you...

Toot, Toot!

A recent Reelife video of a lecture by former HUD director, Ron Sims, is being distributed by EPA New England for a wider audience. Reelife recorded the video at The Lincoln Institute's Smart Growth Forum last December.

Sims is known for his impassioned presentations and emotional investment to the many causes he champions. His presentation was hailed by many as a highlight of the Forum.

Laser-Like Vision

What I wouldn't give for the focus of this beautiful bird... must concentrate...










(copyright www.folktographybytom.com)

"Like" Folktography... You Know You Want To...

If you like pictures of rust or broken dishes (and seriously, who doesn't?) plus lots of other cool stuff, I invite you to like the Folktography By Tom Facebook page

Random Photo of the Day

Angel Park, winter of 2011...

Here's to the Farmers!

We are so lucky to live in the Pioneer Valley! Sharing this portrait of one of the happy, hard working, young families involved in modern farming here in Hampshire County.

Ben & Liz own and operate Mountainview Farm in Easthampton which also coordinates the Food Bank Farm in Hadley. Cheers to them and all the great work they are doin! (copyright www.FolktographybyTom.com • 2012)

Exciting news... but not just yet!

Over the River and Through the Woods to Orange

In Orange this evening at Bethany Lutheran Church to record the last bit of footage for the Food Bank of Western MA promo video. A splendid drive through the rolling, snow-covered hills of Franklin County...

Modern Man - Young at Heart Chorus

"like a record that's skipping, I'm a modern man." Gotta love these folks!

Get the new River iPhone app!

Here's a direct link to download the new WRSI - 93.9 The River iPhone app, sponsored by Reelife. Take the River with you today and every day! Click Here

Random Photo of the Day

Something about the light creeping into the frame really caught my attention... You can find this photo and a couple of thousand more at folktography.zenfolio.com

Wright Builders: Building the Future Now

Had the opportunity recently to shoot a video profile of Northampton's Wright Builders, LEED-certified builders of green homes and buildings in Western MA. These guys are really pros!

15,000 Views on YouTube!

15,000+ views in the past 6 days for Reelife's video of the Young at Heart Chorus singing Phish's Free on New Year's Eve... congrats to Bob and the Young at Heart... way to go!

I Want Some Cheeeze!

I know you've been just dying to find out how cheese is made, right? Here's a video about the process at Smith's Country Cheese in Winchendon:

Random Photo of the Day

I love the surreality of this shot, taken on Prince Edward Island and available at folktography.zenfolio.com

A Year of Perspective

Reelife is editing and packaging three new videos for John Engels' Leadership Coaching website and internet distribution: 
"Over-Functioning & Learned Helplessness," "Avoidant Empathy," and "The Reluctance to Change." In this blog entry, John offers a refreshing and moving perspective on the New Year that's well worth reading:

http://www.leadershipcoachinginc.com/?p=249

this video that I shot of The Young at Heart Chorus singing Phish's "Free" (John M. Greene Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA, 12/31/11) has been viewed over 3,000 times in less than 24 hrs! Obviously, The Young at Heart Chorus are AWESOME!

Reelife is the Proud Sponsor of WRSI's iPhone app!

It's official! Reelife Production is now the sponsor of the WRSI (The River) iPhone app... If you have an iPhone, go to the App store and download this free app... then you'll be able to take one of the finest radio stations in the country with you wherever you go! Here's what it looks like:

Happy New Year!

OK, all you folks in blog land... don't be ragging on me for not having blogged since last June... this is something I intend to correct now that we're officially ensconced in 2012. This is the year the Mayans predicted would be the end of the world, but I choose to think positively... and predict that not only will the world not end, but 2012 will be a much better year than 2011!

Alright, so that's not a hard prediction to make... 2011 was a tough year here in Western MA, at least weather-wise... floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, 15 inches of snow on Halloween... the only thing we didn't get was a plague of frogs! We're looking forward to some CALM weather in 2012...

Workwise, though, 2011 was actually pretty decent... lots of interesting client projects (thanks, guys!), my YouTube channel surpassed 1,000,000 viewers (http://www.youtube.com/reelife), and one of my photos was a winner in the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources photo contest (and is included in their 2012 calendar!). Personally, I heard a lot of great live music, did some traveling, and spent some quality time with the family.

So come 'on 2012... bring it on... I'm ready for you!