Aero Film

Klaus Cam Adventure!

2012-01-20T15:07:00.000-05:00

The Klaus Cam, developed by Klaus Obermeyer, has been used in countless commercials and is continuing to be used in feature films!

The Klaus Cam has already been used in the films The Dark Knight and Eat, Pray, Love; and latest venture being on the set for Of Mavericks and Men, starring Gerard Butler. The movie enlisted the services of Aero aerial director, Craig Hosking to help capture the high intensity surfing scenes for the film. Klaus co-piloted with Craig and took these amazing stills.

You may be wondering, "What is or are Mavericks?" Well, I'll tell you. The Mavericks is (yes, singular) "a world renowned wave break" that's located in northern California a half a mile off Half Moon Bay.

In short, it is a dangerous and daring bit of ocean to surf on (as you can see in the above picture the surfer is incredibly small in comparison to that wave!) and shooting an action sequence on these giant waves is nearly an impossibility. But the Klaus Cam is perfect for a shoot like this because unlike other helicopter rigs, this camera can get right at eye level with all the dangerous action (but without putting any of the crew/talent in jeopardy!) So thanks to the Klaus Cam, all those close shots that they needed were captured! (You can read more about Mavericks here.)

Of Men and Mavericks is scheduled to open in theaters October, 2012.

Hyundai Holidays!

2012-01-06T14:25:00.002-05:00

Welcome to 2012!

The holidays are always a fun time to work in advertising as holiday spots are some of my favorite to watch. (Even the one where the kid comes home from wherever and all his parents have for him is Folgers coffee, but I digress....)

As we mentioned in a previous post, Aero director, Jason Farrand, did a holiday series for Hyundai with "internet music stars." This commercial features singer, Jessica Frech, who you may remember for her internet sensation, People of Walmart parody. (Note: Every time I watch People of Walmart, I feel pretty good about myself. I’m lookin’ a-OK. Oh how I wish WalMart would have a sale on full length mirrors for these fine folks...) Billboard Magazine even did an article about Frech's rise in popularity thanks to the Hyundai ad.

Stay tuned for more Aero news this year, lot's coming!

CREDITS:

Client: Hyundai Motor America
Agency: Innocean
Editorial Company: Hybrid
Editor: Christopher Willoughby
Executive Producer: Gail Butler

Happy Holidays from Aero!

2011-12-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

A very merry and happy holidays to all! Please enjoy our virtual holiday card, resplendent with festive music and special ornaments! Click to view in English and here to view in German!

So why is a version of the card in German, you may be asking? That is because our Munich office is opening in early 2012... Stay tuned!!

You may also be wondering where you can get your own ornament of a helicopter with a Klaus Cam attached to the bottom or of our festive logo? Believe me, I wish they were real, but alas they are CGI and were created in house by Sam O'Hare and the team at Aero Studios.

Oh! One last thing! Remember our blog about Cineskates? Well, we shot our holiday video (the tree) on the set of Cineskates we were given. Thanks guys! We loved using them and will use them again!

Happy holidas,have a great break, and here's to a very happy 2012. Thanks to all our readers for a great year. Lots to be thankful for, thanks for reading the blog. And remember, cookies don’t count towards calories so eat a bunch. No seriously, it's fine.

Happy Holidays from RAM and Jeep!

2011-12-02T13:09:00.001-05:00

Goodness,this is a very busy holiday season! Especially thanks to the latestRAM and Jeep spots shot by Klaus Obermeyer in snowy Aspen, whichmakes me want to grab a mug of marshmellowy hot chocolate and cuddleup a Labrador under a sparkly tree every time I watch them!

Watch the RAM and Jeep spots and then I'll tell you how we did them. It's okay, I'll wait....

Welcome back! To answer the first question about the RAM spot that is on your mind: "Did they really build that house and is the last shot actually the house, completely finished?" Answer: "Yes and yes!"

Both of these spots would not exist if we didn't have the Aero Jet. We were awarded both spots on a Friday and had a week to complete the shoot. So Saturday morning, Klaus (Director), Lance O'Connor (EP), Michael Hartog (VFX Supervisor) and Greg Blair (Production Designer) all hopped on the Aero Jet in Santa Monica, CA, and were in Colorado Springs a few hours later hard at work prepping the shoot in Aspen.

We bought the house that is built in the RAM spot in Colorado Springs (as a kit) and then hauled the wood to Aspen. At that point we had 3 days to cast the spot, permit and source it and then the last 2 days to shoot and build the house. No small task, this! Plus we had to plant a tree for the opening shot, which is still living on the mountain, by the way. It's nice little reminder that Aero and RAM were there.

(Sadly, the house had to be taken down... but for 2 days, we could say we owned a house in Aspen, Colorado!)

Now, moving onto the Jeep spot!

To answer the next question on your mind: "Will that Jeep Christmas tree fit in my house?"

Answer: "No, no it won't. But if you have your own mountain, go for it!"

Again, thanks to the Aero Jet, we were able to make Aspen our studio. Permits, locations all fell together and we got a beautiful commercial.

Aero’s in-house post division completed the editorial with editor Alex Hagon. We’re doing more and more soup to nuts these days which is fantastic not just for the creative, but for maximizing production budgets. Austin Smithard is in production now on a spot he’s directing and editing with Sam O’Hare as the VFX supervisor. The Aero Studios VFX team in NY is doing all the compositing and photo-real set extensions for this tour de force. Think Elizabeth: The Golden Age meets 300. I can’t tell you more about that now or I’ll be shot (or at least given a dirty look and a harsh email…) So you’ll have to stay tuned!

***

CREDITS:

Client: Chrysler

Agency: Doner

Chuck Meehan, EVP Exec Creative Director
Sam Sefton, SVP, Creative Director
Jaime Perry, Associate Creative Director
Bruna Carmargo, Copywriter
Sarah Bills, Art Director
Brian Dooley, Head of Production
Diana Eagleson, Producer

Editorial: Aero Post
Editor, Alex Hagon

Asst. Editor, Tony Gentile

"Sea to Shining Sea" is Complete!

2011-11-30T13:41:00.001-05:00

Last summer we posted a blog about Austin Smithard's documentary, Sea To Shining Sea. To summarize, Austin hopped on a bike and followed 18 disabled veterans as they cycled 4000 miles over 63 days across the US. 4000 miles. That number still boggles my mind. He shot this doc on his Canon 5D, strapped to his back the entire ride.

We're happy to report that the film is now complete! Please take a minute and watch the trailer HERE. It really is a heartwarming and inspirational film. Many of the riders on this journey were at death's door, barely surviving rocket attacks, helicopter crashes and IED explosions. Some even had last rites performed, so the fact that they were able to recover from their injuries and cycle 4000 miles... it's simply astounding.

It should be noted that this experience had an effect on Austin and many of us at Aero. Austin is still actively cycling (even he hadn't been on a bike in over 20 years before shooting this documentary!) and he has even inspired other Aero directors to get bikes and start training for the Fireflies Ride from San Francisco to LA next year.

Austin Smithard Films the Bruins

2011-11-29T13:54:00.001-05:00

This weekend held a bevy of football. Every day equaled two constants: Turkey and football. And now we're back at work and it's Tuesday. There's never a game on Tuesday! So to help fill the gap until the next game, please take a look at Aero director, Austin Smithard's, latest venture onto the field!

Austin Smithard, was given access to UCLA's football field, team and coach, Rick Neuheisel, to make an inspirational short. Whether or not you are a football fan (or even if you're a USC fan), this is short worth watching. Coach Neuheisel has many quotable lines, my favorite being: "Tough times don't last, tough people do." Well said.

Austin's work was recently featured on UCLA's athletics website which you can read HERE.

Okay, I'm off to eat my 37th turkey sandwich and anticipate this weekend's games only a few short days away! (A day without football counts as a tough time, right?)

Fog & Smog for Hyundai

2011-11-22T13:11:00.001-05:00

This is indeed a post about Hyundai, but first, we must visit Whole Foods. (Stick with me, it makes sense.)

If you're on the Facebook, you are no stranger to Fog & Smog, a hip hop group that recorded the song, "Whole Foods Parking Lot." If you have ever been to a Whole Foods you will relate to this song. A lot.

And now we arrive at the Hyundai portion of the post!

One of Hyundai's holiday spots this year features Fog & Smog, back in the driver's seat, cruising around a parking lot in their Hyundai, spitting lyrics to a dope beat. (I'm sorry. I used to watch "Yo MTV Raps" and thought I got hip.)

Please enjoy a little early holiday cheer brought to you by Fog & Smog for Hyundai, directed by Jason Farrand.

CREDITS:

Client: Hyundai Motor America
Agency: Innocean
Editorial Company: Hybrid
Editor: Christopher Willoughby
Executive Producer: Gail Butler

SEE School

2011-10-31T14:43:00.002-04:00

We are taking a break from our typical blog postings to share this story with you. One of our directors, Indrani, was born and raised in India. She co-founded a charitable school which she has has co-directed with her father for the last 17 years. This school is currently under siege.

Indrani is fighting land mafia in India who have attacked the school. Her foundation (www.seeschool.org) provides free education to 300 impoverished children and women, including vocational training, a lending library, exercise facilities, clinic, and microfinancing for women's collectives in the villages, and has helped thousands to uplift themselves from the cycle of poverty.

But instead of supporting her work, local politicians sent strongmen with threats, and when the school refused to pay bribes, they attacked. Police refused to even file complaints, and when magistrates ordered the police to restore the peace, they refused. Land mafia broke down the 10ft high walls, dug trenches, illegally occupied the schoolyard, and threatened the charity's administrators and students.

Indrani launched a petition, and sent hundreds of emails from outraged supporters to the press, politicians and Trinamool Congress MLA "mediator." He boldly told the press that police received no complaints, nobody forcibly took over, but the land now belongs to his colleague a Trinamool Congress councillor, fearlessly implicating themselves. It was only after the story was featured in the Times of India that the thugs disappeared from the destroyed children's park. But the Trinamool Congress councillor still threatens Indrani's family and home, and kids remain afraid, knowing thugs could return anytime. Indrani plans to soon rebuild the walls and gates.

So how can you help?

Please share this with your media contacts and sign the petition, to let politicians know they must root out corruption and protect the rights of the poor and those who help them:

*****

About the school: The Ramakrishna Vedanta Society Vidyapith /Shakti Empowerment Education foundation (www.SEEschool.org) provides free education and services to uplift 300 impoverished children and women, including literacy and vocational classes, tutoring, a lending library, a clinic, and micro-financing for women’s collectives in the villages. Though we are small we have helped thousands and we have plans to expand to a women's college, to help many more. Supporters of our foundation include Deepak Chopra’s foundation which has donated numerous books to our library; supermodel and TV host Iman wife of David Bowie, Dr. Phil correspondent Kelly Cutrone, Nanubhai Education Foundation and Keep A Child Alive, The Lucie Foundation, and The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts. The school has been featured in articles including the Times of India, Hindustan Times, South Asia Magazine, Asiance Magazine, the Princeton Alumni Weekly and Princeton University: Major Choice, and The Washington DC-based Darshan TV “The Indian American Perspective" aired an hour-long interview on the school, while Bravo/NBC, Fox Life, Sony Entertainment TV, and AXN TV networks have devoted one hour segments to the school on “Double Exposure,” in over 50 countries.

More articles about this topic:

http://www.asiancemagazine.com/news/2011/10/18/help-indrani-stop-the-illegal-attack-of-her-school

http://paw.princeton.edu/issues/2010/11/03/sections/alumni-profiles/4472/index.xml

In Gayle We Trust!

2011-10-25T17:39:00.000-04:00

Aero director, Jason Farrand, is no stranger to directing branded comedy, having done two webseries(webserieses? webseri?) in the past for Hewlett-Packard. His latestfeat in branded entertainment comes in the form of a 10-episodewebseries for NBC, In Gayle We Trust, in part with MindshareEntertainment and American Family Insurance.

The webseries follows American FamilyInsurance agent, Gayle, in her town of Maple Grove. This seasonGayle becomes a producer and star of a musical spectacular calledPolices! Policies! The series is comprised of a great cast,including the lovely Elisa Donovan reprising her role as Gayle andFred Willard as a guest star in the first episode!

If you liked Waiting for Guffmanyou will LOVE this season of In Gayle We Trust. The anticsand comedy are tight. And in short webisode lengths, perfect towatch while taking a break at work. (Unless you work here, we nevertake breaks! We work in our sleep!)

Click HERE to watch – ENJOY!

Karma!

2011-10-14T17:30:00.001-04:00

Wehere at Aero Film prefer to use the term “gear head”rather than “geek.” It just has a better ring to it, no? Here isa fellow gear head that we applaud, Cineskates Camera Sliders by Justin Jensen!

Firstof all, holy schmoly he raised a lot of dough on Kickstarter! Good job! And it's with good reason…This MIT alum designed an amazing rig with skateboard technology. Itfalls under that heading of, “We could have done that!” But, yeah,we didn’t, so, kudos to Justin Jensen who actually did.

Tosummarize, “CineSkates™are a set of three wheels that quickly attach to a tripod and enablefluid, rolling video in an ultra-portable package.” For instance, everneed to follow a toddler walking and you don’t have a Steadicam lying around? CineSkates would be pretty handy for that!

Huzzahto you, Justin Jensen, for being the DIY "gear head" of the day! Why doI say this? Well, he’s sending us a set of CineSkates as he’s a fan of Aero director Sam O’Hare’swork! Yes, yes, this is shameless promotion, but we're honored that he liked our work and wanted to pay him back with a blog mention. (Plus it helps that we're really excited about this clever innovation and can't wait to try them out!!) I’m not sure what would happen if we mix thesewith the Klaus Cam…. A black hole may be created. We probably shouldn’t riskit.

HappyFriday everyone, and look out for our video using Cineskates!

Go See "Killer Elite" This Weekend!

2011-09-23T17:17:00.000-04:00

Gary McKendry's film, Killer Elite, is now in a theater near you! Below is the red-band trailer, which means, put your headphones! (Or not, your choice.) Enjoy!

"Killer Elite" Opens Friday!

2011-09-21T15:01:00.001-04:00

Mark your calendars! This Friday,September 23^rd, is the opening of Aero director, GaryMcKendry's first feature film, Killer Elite!

Gary recently sat down and called intoIFC for their segment, “Call-In Commentary,” to talk about how heand his co-writer Matt Sherring, wrote the story (as it's based on atrue story that was turned into a novel, The Feather Men,by Ranulph Fiennes) and kept it true to the 1980s time period inwhich the story took place. Facial hair, Jason Statham's chair flip,relationships between actors, the 80s props used and all theaction/stunts are discussed. (Seriously, facial hair. It's atopic.)

Soplease make sure to check out the film, Killer Elite,starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro this weekend!

Garyis back in NYC and available for work! Check out his reel HERE.

Daphne Guinness Exhibit at FIT

2011-09-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

Fashion Week has settled upon New York City and the town is a-buzz with designers, limos and 28 inch heels. (Well not literally 28 inches, but they may as well be. Silly me always thought falling on your ass and breaking an ankle wasn’t fashionable… Two words: cobble stones. But I digress…. )

After the 6-hour lines 'till midnight and the unprecedented success of the Alexander McQueen exhibition at the Met, fashion week is abuzz with excitement about the Daphne Guinness Exhibition at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), launching this Friday September 16 through January 7, 2010.

The exhibition features the work of Aero director Indrani including previews of her new film starring Daphne, titled, The Legend of Lady White Snake: A Tribute to the Spirit of Alexander McQueen, written and directed by Indrani.

Based on China's most beloved ancient legend, the film is a meditation on obsessive love and metamorphosis. Shooting the film for 7 days in New York, they stopped traffic in Central Park as Daphne glided across a lake in a costume designed by GK Reid, stylist and production designer extraordinaire. GK also styled her in Gareth Pugh, Philip Tracy, and pieces designed by the Late Alexander McQueen just for Daphne, that have never before been seen. The film and images also feature a 20ft long python, and an owl… which thankfully, didn’t eat one another.

The Exhibit also features photographs by Markus Klinko and Indrani shot on the set of the film. One of these became the Barney's ad for Daphne's extraordinary performance art show in the windows of Barney's New York as she prepared for the Met Ball:

The images will also be featured in the book by the Museum at FIT, accompanying the exhibit that will be for sale.

In short, you should make time to go see this exhibit. It's a fabulous complement to the McQueen exhibit that the MET had this year and a great fantasy to walk through. But wear comfortable shoes. Stylish shoes, but comfortable. (Kitten heels, FTW!)

New Aero Film Website!

2011-09-09T16:54:00.000-04:00

We are very excited to unveil our revamped website!

Our new front page!

The folks at Simian have been amazing at accommodating our every request and design note, and we’re launched as of today. (Imagine 12 directors making design notes. It ain’t easy….)

Not only do we have the directors reels (I know, so progressive of us), but more photos and background info on everyone, and links to their still photography as well. The Klaus Cam video has been updated to feature the new footage he’s captured. (Yes, the Klaus Cam is a dude. He can’t be an “it.” Seems disrespectful when he does so much....)

Take a look around! We like to think it’s the best thing to hit the internet since kitten videos. (Why do people love kitten videos??!)

Shooting with the 5D

2011-08-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

On a daily basis, we are asked, “Can you shoot on a 5D?” Well, sure! But like any camera, it’s only as good as the hands that it’s in, or the eye that it’s in front of. However it should be noted that speaking about a camera around photographers is much like discussing your favorite politician at a dinner party. (To be safe, I always go with Lincoln… Both for accomplishments and best use of facial hair and hats.)

So, without getting into a great debate, our directors Ken Arlidge, Austin Smithard and Indrani use the 5D quite a lot in their work.

Ken Arlidge

Austin Smithard

Indrani

They have “run and gun styles” that are greatly aided by the 5D, and with their photography backgrounds, it was easy to make the transition. (Plus the they already had an arsenal of Canon prime lenses which always helps.)

To really let you get a feel of the work they have done with the 5D, here’s a reel with several examples of our favorite 5D work.

And if you want to know more (and why wouldn't you?), here’s an excerpt from an article Ken Arlidge wrote for Shoot magazine.

A remarkable tool has stepped into our film making arena. This is a paradigm shift that I believe is the onset of a change as dramatic as that of the transition from ‘silent movies to sound’ and from ‘black and white to color film’.

It is the melding of Consumer, Prosumer, and Professional technology and the miniaturization of the camera.

The Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR shoots HD 1920 x 1080 video. The camera weighs 5lbs. The difference in the physical rigging and moving of a 5 lb camera versus the typical 25-50 lb film and digital cameras needs little imagination. One high shot in the Coke spot was shot at the end of a 17 foot painter’s pole from Home Depot.

This technology allows us to travel light and minimize crew and unit sizes.

One 16GB card can hold 40 minutes of HD video. These cards are approximately 1 inch square!

The Canon 5D Mark II does use H264 compression on the HD files and the aliasing from this compression is problematic only with extreme over and underexposure.

The camera records mono through it’s built-in microphone but has a stereo input. I have built a sound kit that enables me to record boom and lavalier microphones directly into the camera wirelessly, cable free and in stereo.

Canon’s highest quality fast fixed and zoom lenses are available and the results are superb. Mounts are being designed to use existing film lenses but that is in part driven by the convenience, familiarity, and cost of using existing lenses, focus platforms, and accessories.

The latitude is no different in Telecine than with most other digital camera. It is imperative that, like the Red, Viper, and Phantom cameras you understand you have a smaller range than that of film. The beauty with these cameras is the grain free imagery you get in extremely low light situations.

It is critical to control the look for it to appear “filmic” and that requires a deep understanding of film and how to apply that experience to digital SLR shooting.

As a consumer camera you will of course see plenty of footage popping up shot on the Canon 5D that looks like “video”. It is when it is manipulated and controlled to look as film that we step into a Brave New and Exciting World.

Well, I couldn't have said it better. (No really, I couldn't.) But this is why I write blogs and point and clap at people to make thing happen. (The true sign of a great producer.) Really, it's better this way.

REEL CREDITS:

Tick, Ken Arlidge

Keep a Child Alive, Indrani

Lightbulb, Austin Smithard

Find Your Audience, Austin Smithard

Color of Nature, Austin Smithard

Pool, Austin Smithard

Bottles, Ken Arlidge

Battle of Waterloo, Austin Smithard

Aero Art Collection Expands

2011-07-27T13:26:00.000-04:00

Hello! I'm happy to report that things are shaping up nicely here at Aero Studios in NYC. Not only are we busy with work, but we are also busy “nesting,” if you will. (And thankfully the couch for our clients' suite finally showed up after 2 months of being on back order. There was a lot of fist shaking in the office.)

As you know, we here at Aero have a lot of artistic friends and we love to show them off! (You can see the blog about the artwork that hangs in our Santa Monica office by Declan McMullan HERE.) Our new NYC digs are in an old furrier building so our office space is quite loft-like, which means a lot of large, empty white walls (as well as amazing views of the city!). Thankfully, our friend and talented art director/artist, Mike Gambino saw our space and said, “Oh, I know what will go there.” And here it is...

This picture really doesn't do this koi pond justice. It's simply... amazing. First of all, the size is 8 feet by 5 feet. The motion of the koi are perfectly captured by Gambino in this oil on linen canvas. I swear you can hear the water rushing and fins splashing. It's a beautiful and peaceful addition to our office!

Gambino has been an artist since he was a kid. He had his first art show when he was 10-years-old. 10-years-old! Do you know what I was doing when I was 10? I was playing Little House on the Prairie with my sister and making the dog pretend to be a cow. No one wanted to see that. (Sorry, Mom!)

And like every artist, he has a day job, which thankfully he enjoys. He's an agency creative and short film maker. You can see his videos on his Vimeo page.

He's also won many awards including a Gold Cannes Lions and an Emmy nomination. You can read more about his career as an artist here.

So when you stop by our studio, make sure to take an extra minute to visit our koi pond. But don't throw in any pennies to make a wish, it doesn't work so hot. (Trust me.)

Watch Out Snooki, Here's the Hipster Shore

2011-07-15T16:35:00.000-04:00

Aero director, Jason Farrand, a well known humanitarian, reached out to the world with sketch group Family Sandwich to create this PSA titled: 4th of July Message From the Hipster Shore.

4th of July Message From Hipster Shore - watch more funny videos

Fixed gear bikes have always been a danger. Best we know about the wide reaching effects now. The line that I'm still giggling at: “That was VINTAGE. She can never get that back.” Tee hee! Anyhoooo, this video was on the front page of Funny or Die the entire holiday weekend, which is a formidable achievement since most featured videos are made by the Funny or Die staff. Congrats to Jason and Family Sandwich!

In other good (and funny) news, Jason will be directing the entire 3^rd season of American Family Insurance's comedy webseries, In Gayle We Trust, in conjunction with NBC Digital Studios. The show stars Elisa Donovan from “Clueless” as Gayle and Gary Anthony Williams from “Weeds” and “Boston Legal” fame. The show is about a hard working insurance agent, Gayle, taking care of the people in her small town, and like any good comedy, the people she encounters are not your average insurance customers. Their requests are extreme to say the least and Gayle has to figure out a way to keep everyone happy while handling the choas going on around her. We'll post the episodes when they are up!

Also, you can find Jason's show, Head Case, starring Alexandra Wentworth on Monday nights at 9:30pm on Starz as well as Netflix streaming. If you haven't seen this series, and you enjoy improvised shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, pull up a chair and enjoy! (See the trailer HERE.)

Guest stars on the show are well known actors, playing themselves and getting therapy from Dr. Elizabeth Goode, played by Wentworth. A sampling of stars that have appeared on the show are comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Janeane Garofalo, Jerry Stiller and Larry Miller; as well as pop culture stars such as Macy Gray, Tori Spelling and lead actors from big name shows like Desperate Housewives and Heroes. What really makes Head Case interesting for the guest stars is that the dialogue of the show is completely improvised. So the guests stars show up to set and have no idea what's going to happen. It's like “extreme acting” when they have to “play themselves.” (Not with themselves… very very different.)

Stay tuned for most posts from us! We've been quite busy and will share soon!

Gary McKendry's "Killer Elite" Trailer Is Out!

2011-06-28T12:22:00.001-04:00

I am so happy to share with you the trailer for Aero director, Gary McKendry's, new film, Killer Elite, starring Robert De Niro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen.

In an interview with actor, Jason Statham, he mentions that everyone was very excited to work with Gary on this project. (Gary served not only as the director, but he co-wrote the script. You can read our last blog entry about it here.) And now that this project is complete, Gary is back in the states (production and post were in Australia) and ready to go!

Stay tuned for pics from the premiere in September!

Austin Smithard's "Battle of Waterloo"

2011-06-15T09:29:00.018-04:00

When I think of England, I immediately think of fine dining. HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Oh, I’m such a kidder! But well, maybe I need to eat some crow (with Bovril?) on this one…

Austin Smithard, Aero director, is of English upbringing (and his teeth are nice, actually, thanks for asking). He recently met Chef Brendan Collins through mutual friends and after chatting for 10 minutes, they realized they both grew up in Nottingham and their grandfathers worked in the coal mines together. So the next logical step was that Austin should shoot a commercial and short documentary about Brendan’s new Gastropub, Waterloo & City in Culver City, CA.

Chef Brendan Collins

Waterloo & City's kitchen in action

2 nights and one Canon 5D, Austin shot a short documentary and the commercial. Now keep in mind that Austin has been in the trenches with Marines and has shot a documentary driving across the country on a bike… but he said nothing prepared him for how fast paced a kitchen is. (Or their hats...)

"Waterloo & City" is named after the London tube stop where Brendan started his culinary career, this new restaurant is his labor of love. He wanted to create a neighborhood hangout where you can enjoy a menu that’s sophisticated but that also compliments knocking back a pint or two. There’s a bit more fois gras and truffles than your Nottingham Granny would have used, but your nostalgia for British comfort food will be satisfied, plus your American friends will have a whole new appreciation for the fare.

Austin’s documentary and the commercial cut can be seen HERE. If you’re in Los Angeles/Culver City, stop by Waterloo & City on West Washington Blvd, below Centinela.

Indrani Launches new Live-Action Reel

2011-06-03T14:59:00.003-04:00

You’ve seen a lot of Indrani’s work in galleries, album covers and magazines (click here for a sample!), and now we’re happy to share Indrani's live-action director's reel!

I don’t look that good on normal day, let along with a Steadicam strapped to me… Alas, with Indrani. everything is done in style. Complete with “don’t mess with me” boots.

Note the "Don't Mess With Me Boots."

As you may know, Indrani has an impressive background as a still photographer along side her co-talent, Markus Klinko and creative director/designer GK Reid. She ventured into live-action by shooting video along side her photo shoots and it was there that her reel was born and has been growing ever since. To date, she has already completed spots for The London Times, Keep A Child Alive, Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Nothing But Nets and Carol's Daughter (which launches at the end of the month).

Indrani is also a very well accomplished digital artist and does all the retouching on all MKI photo projects and will continue to do so in motion footage as well. This works perfectly alongside our NYC expansion of Aero Studios, which is a CGI/Animation and VFX boutique.

Please take a look at Indrani's reel HERE! We are so proud of Indrani and the distinctive style she brings to live-action directing. You can also read more about Indrani, her numerous credits and background HERE.

I'd like to thank everyone who made Indrani's reel possible. She’s had amazing support from her stills team and Markus and GK.

Neiman Markus
Editor: Dayn Willians, Cut & Run NY
Color, Conform, Beauty Cleanup: Scarlett NY

Keep a Child Alive
Editor: Eric Carlson, Hooligan
Color: Tom Poole, CO3 NY
Conform, Beauty Cleanup: Method Studios NYC and Indrani, Aero Studios

Ralph Lauren Polo
Editor: Sonejuhi Sinha, Final Cut NY
Audio: Mat Guido, Blast NY
Color, Conform: Sam O’Hare, Aero Studios
Beauty Cleanup: Indrani, Aero Studios

London Sunday Times

Editor: Eric Argiro, Union Editorial NY
Color, Conform, Beauty Cleanup: Eight VFX LA

Nothing But Nets

Editor: Georgia Dodson, Cut & Run NY
Music: Finger Music, NY
Audio: Gerard Collins, Blast NY
Color, Conform, Beauty Cleanup: Indrani, Aero Studios

Have a great weekend!

Presenting Aero Studios!

2011-05-26T09:50:00.005-04:00

Well we're movin’ on up!

(Movin’ on up!)

To the… Chelsea.

(Which is actually down!)

To a de-luxe office space on the 7th floor…

Okay… So my musical stylings aren’t my strong suit. I can’t even sing through typing. Yeesh. But alas… Aero Film is EXPANDING! We’re launching Aero Studios, our boutique CGI/Animation Studio in Chelsea, NYC. Sam O’Hare, live-action director and VFX artist will over see the creative and I will assume the EP position.

Our first project came in the doors before the ink was dry on the new lease. Through the creative minds at Ogilvy NY, a film concept was created for the groundbreaking of the new Whitney Museum in New York. The premiere American art museum is leaving its home on the upper east side and their new building, designed by architect Renzo Piano, will be finished in 2015. It’s a bit dull to be at a ground breaking and just see models, drawings and a mound of dirt. So Ogilvy called upon Sam and Aero Studios to create a "photo real CGI film" of what the new museum will look like, complete with their comprehensive collection of art. Sam and his team had 6 weeks to create the entire museum in 3D from the architect’s plans, build the artwork, shoot background plates, and make it look stunning in the meantime.

You can watch the film HERE.

CGI rendering of the future Whitney next to the High Line.

Future Whitney as it fits into the skyline in Chelsea.

A shot of what the Future Whitney will look like at night.

The Groundbreaking event was Tuesday morning at the site on Washington and Gansevort street. Sam and I were there to hear the applause after the film and explain to some of the confused patrons, “No, no, the museum's not done yet. This is CGI.” Their response: "CG-HUH?" Us: "It’s a film! It’s not real!" Them: “How’s that now?!”

Ceiling art for the groundbreaking ceremony!

Mayor Bloomberg makes his speech.

Sam's film is presented to the crowd.

Architect, Renzo Piano, holds the future Whitney in his hands!

Performance art! And yes, that's dirt!

Performance art continues... dancers broke glass windows
to symbolize the Whitney's move as the dirt poured in center stage.

Please make sure you take a moment and check out The Whitney’s site and see first hand all the amazing developments that this new museum will hold.

We want to thanks the team at Ogilvy for being fantastic partners – Executive Producer, Peter Basset; Creative Directors, Jason Marks and Diego Zambrano. We want to thank The Standard Hotel for providing the shoot location for the time-lapse shots. The Standard is a great supporter for production, the arts, and promoting the culture of the Meatpacking District. Our LA directors stay there when shooting in NY (they have a beer garden… we have an Obermeyer… It fits.) And they also provided location support for Sam’s film, The Sandpit. I can’t say enough about how easy and professional they are to work with.

And of course, the team at the Whitney was an amazing client to have. Their respect for the work and the creative process made the whole experience very rewarding from start to finish.

Aero Film on the Small Screen

2011-05-24T14:23:00.001-04:00

Set your DVRs folks! I'm very happy to announce that Aero directors, James Mangold and Nelson McCormick have both directed winning pilots that got picked in the primetime lineup for this coming fall.

Nelson on set. Directing and such.

Nelson directed the original pilot for Body of Proof starring Dana Delaney on ABC. He continued on to shoot 3 more episodes in its short initial run. After great ratings, this mid-season replacement was picked up for a full season. Nelson also directed several episodes of CBS's legal drama starring Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife. Both shows have done exceedingly well and were both picked up for next season. In the past, he has directed episodes of Criminal Minds, Southland, The Closer as well as many, many other shows and movies.

Dana Delaney lookin' pretty good.

James is helming a new show that is being held as a mid-season replacement for CBS. CBS wanted to stagger its new dramas over the course of the year, so it’ll hit the air in December. (Or earlier if they realize CSI: Topeka isn’t working out… I kid. There’s no CSI: Topeka, but I bet you thought it possible for a few seconds.)

James, looking terribly directorial.

The 2-2 is a rookie cop drama starring Leelee Sobieski and Adam Goldberg. (PS - “2-2” refers to a precinct in NYC. I had to look it up.) One of the executive producers on this project is Robert DeNiro. (Who James directed in Copland, so they go way back.)

We’re happy to announce that no one from Aero Film is connected to Two and a Half Men. (How does that stay on the air!!?!? Come on! Even Capt. Crazypants knew it was bad.)

So, till the season kicks in, the guys are free for commercial work. They welcome the “calm” pacing of commercial work compared to that of TV shows. Granted, if they only shot :30sec a day, those 45min dramas would take a mighty long time….

"The Sandpit" is Nominated for 2 Webbys!

2011-04-15T12:25:00.000-04:00

Well touché. I had a good Monday, and I told Tuesday “to bring it” and it was broughten. Brought. Brung? Bringed? Whatever! It was achieved.

On Tuesday we got the great news that Sam O'Hare's short film, The Sandpit has been nominated for a Webby both in the Viral and Music categories.

We're just over the moon with this nomination! The internet is becoming the new movie theatre of our generation (which is great as my floor at home is much less sticky). But with over 10,000 entries from all 50 states and 60 countries, we’re honored to have been nominated to the internet’s most prestigious award. (And so glad that Honey Badger didn’t steal our thunder.)

Sam shot, edited, and did all of the post visual effects on this labor of love. The music was written and composed by Human Music and their magical work was a big part of what helped propel this film to viral status. There have been over 2.7 million views between Vimeo and You Tube, and it’s the 4^th most liked video of all time on Vimeo.

The Sandpit from Sam O'Hare on Vimeo.

There are 2 awards given in each category—one to the Jury’s choice and one to the People’s Voice. This is where we need our Aero friends to get your clicking fingers ready and VOTE. And spread the word! It’s super easy and you can log in through Facebook or Twitter.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

So this begs the question: What do you have for me, Mr. Next Week? Maybe I’ll quit while I’m ahead…

Kids Interact With "The Sandpit"!

2011-04-11T16:01:00.000-04:00

Ah, Monday. Here again reminding us the weekend is over. Thanks. But, Monday has been pretty great so far. I got an email this AM that made my week. (Sure it's early, but the bar has been set fairly high.)

As you know, we have been so overwhelmed and thrilled by everyone's reaction to Aero director, Sam O'Hare's film, The Sandpit. We’ve gotten many requests for using the film, and a while ago, we were contacted by a company called 4d Creative in England. 4d Creative designs and installs “immersive learning spaces” in schools for children. In layman's terms, they create rooms that let kids “walk through a desert” or “float in space” via video projection on the walls. These rooms stimulate kids' creative juices and help them understand what it's like to live in other parts of the world.

Kids tour "Egypt" in the comfort of their own school!

Nick Horrell, Creative Development Director of 4d Creative, contacted us an asked if he could use The Sandpit in one of the new spaces they were designing. Sounded like a very cool thing, and hey it’s for the kids, so Sam agreed and off went the film. We had forgotten about this until today’s email thanking us for the film and showing us photos of the students interacting with New York City through the film-- from exploring jobs around the city to waiting for a bus, even mimicking the actions of the diggers.

A student in England recreates a scene from "The Sandpit"
via 4d Creative's interactive studio at his school.

I can't help but be a little jealous of these kids' experience in school (as all I had growing up was a clunky Franklin PC that made duck sounds when saving data on a floppy disc), but I am excited for my own child knowing what kind of learning environments are popping up! Also, this is something none of us ever expected from The Sandpit. It's exciting to know that this film entertains and educates.

Please make sure to check out 4d Creative's site and explore all they can do. It's absolutely amazing and inspiring.

Okay, Tuesday, the bar's been set, BRING IT.

Body of Proof Wins the Night!

2011-04-01T09:16:00.001-04:00

Hello! I have a hot minute to blog before jumping on a call and eating my weight in Cadbury eggs. (Eggs are protein, right?)

Anyhoo... Usually when I read the trade magazines, I want to rip my hair out. The petty drivel about terrible movies and stupid reality shows gets to me... but alas! This Wednesday, Variety and the Hollywood Reporter made me smile and do a slightly dorky fist pump (it was a natural reaction, but dorky nonetheless). Nelson McCormick, a specialized directorial talent on our roster at Aero, directed the season premiere of ABC's Body of Proof with Dana Delaney and it won the night. Congrats, Nelson!

The show is about Dr. Hunt played by Dana Delaney, who is a top neurosurgeon. But a horrible car accident ends her career as a neurosurgeon, so she becomes a medical examiner and changes her focus from helping the living to helping the dead. Heavy material, but my oh my who doesn't love a good mystery solved by a kick-ass leading lady with the right amount of snark?

Body of Proof beat out The Good Wife and Parenthood in the ratings. Although it should be noted that Nelson has has directed a few episodes of The Good Wife, but thankfully his episodes weren't up against each other. Which would have been something, as I've always wanted to know how Peyton and Eli Manning's parents feel on Sundays.

Nelson gives direction on set.

"You, be less dead."

"This never ends well for you."

The show can be viewed online and airs again on Sunday at 10pm with its regular viewing Tuesdays at 10pm on ABC.

Okay, my hot minute is up and I'm dialing in to the conference line again... ooo, hold music. Another thing that makes me want to pull my hair out. (Who thought it was a good idea to make an instrumental version of Wham's Careless Whisper on an oboe?)

Like Father, Like Son

2011-03-10T22:21:00.002-05:00

As the saying goes… the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. As you know, our director Klaus Obermeyer considers a mundane day one where he spends it swimming with non-aggressive sharks just for funsies. Ho hum. Just another day. And where does he get this zest for danger from? His father!

We got the sad news earlier this week that the original adventure seeker in the family, Klaus Obermeyer’s father, Klaus Sr., had broken his femur. Klaus Sr. is 91-years-old, and he broke his leg while skiing down Racer’s Edge in Aspen while on his lunch break. (My lunch break usually involves a sandwich or wedge salad, but whatever.) Leave it to an Obermeyer to not break their leg the old fashioned way ie: a dodgy grocery store parking lot, slick bathroom floor, et al. Oh no, Oberymeyers do it with flair! I can say this jokingly, as thank goodness, Klaus Sr. is doing well…. But let me elaborate on his "lunch break."

Klaus Sr. has been skiing since he was 3-years-old and has rarely missed a day of skiing during the season. This is his first severe accident in 88 years. (Yeah, um, I don’t quite have a track record like that. And for the record, I’m currently typing with a Band-Aid on. Buh.) When contacted in the hospital by a reporter for the Aspen Times, Klaus Sr. replied, “I’m sorry, I can’t ski with you today.” Ha! Despite his accident, he’s still got the sense of humor and that Obermeyer charm!

Klaus Sr. is an Aspen icon having started his career on the mountain as a ski instructor and later starting Obermeyer Ski Wear. (Lore has it that he created the first parka after Hollywood starlets got too cold on the mountain to finish their lessons.)

Klaus Sr. knows the ski runs like the back of his hand and that is what lead to the accident. He didn’t see a rope that had been put up for a special event, and he ran into it at full speed. The Aspen Times quoted him saying: “I exploded,” Obermeyer said. “It could have been a lot worse. Sometimes you're lucky even when you're unlucky.” And then he said something nobody ever says: He said that the accident was completely his fault. (I’m sure Jackie Chiles is very disappointed.) You see, Klaus Sr. explained, laughing, “I was skiing with my eyes closed.” Oh. Oh sure. SHOW OFF. I mean really. I can barely WALK down the street and chew gum, and he’s skiing with his eyes closed at 91. Obermeyers. I think that sums them up pretty well.

In all seriousness, Klaus SR is recovering at Aspen Valley hospital and has begun physical therapy. He hopes to be discharged by the time your eyes reach this blog, if not before! Lots of thanks to the Buttermilk Ski Patrol members whose quick response, organization and skill certainly helped Mr. Obermeyer fare as well as he did.

Klaus SR vows to be back on the slopes next season… but said not to rule out skiing the Aspen Highlands, as after all, they’re open till April 24th. He promises to ski with both eyes open this time. Good plan, Papa Obermeyer!!!

Let's Stay "Connected"

2011-03-04T06:17:00.000-05:00

It's funny how people stay “connected.” (Note, the word “connected” is important. Stay with me.)

Aero director, Jason Farrand, recently worked with comedian Sergio Chili on a commercial for Ford featuring rap singer, Nelly, which you can watch HERE!

(Okay... Now is where the word “connected” comes into play.)

Funny or Die, in association with T-Mobile, has launched the 1^st Annual Sketch Comedy Challenge, where groups create a viral video featuring the word “connected.” (I’m guessing it is no coincidence that T-Mobile's tagline is “Stay connected.” I am pretty quick.) Preferably, it needed to be funny, as after all, the site isn’t called Drama or Decapitation. First round of the competition was to submit a script, so they wouldn’t be inundated with crappy sketch videos (again, the site is not called Crappy or Hemlock.) Sergio's sketch group, Cream, was selected to be produced; and being that Sergio is “connected” to Jason, he asked Jason to direct their video. (See, it all comes together!)

They grabbed their Canon 7D’s and shot the “connected” theme video in a week and it was edited in 2 days by the very talented Bob Mori at Jump in LA. That is some fast turnaround, my friends.

So please sit back and enjoy the works of the hilarious group, Cream, directed by Jason Farrand! Make sure to vote as the winner will “get to work with the Funny Or Die team on more internet magic, win cash, prizes and bragging rights of creating the funniest sketch.” Who doesn’t like bragging with a pocket full of cash?!

Enjoy!

CREAM: Cream Is Connected - watch more funny videos

Let's Catch Up...

2011-02-15T15:50:00.002-05:00

2011?! Man, you’re crazy! Revolutions. Snowmagedons. Painfully nice weather on the West Coast that makes everyone here on the East Coast want to smack them when they say, “Gosh, it’s gorgeous here!” Is it? IS IT? Well, great. Good for you. (Apparently 2011 is also the year I get that chip on my shoulder!) Bygones...

It's award season, kids! Grab your meat dress and head down that Grammy Red Carpet... Or watch it from home where its easier to point and laugh. If you did just that, then you saw the debut of the Ford spot that Jason Farrand shot with the rap artist Nelly in his home town of St. Louis. Yes, it was hot in there, but no, they didn’t feel the need to take off all their clothes. (That was my first question....) The spot also features one of Jason’s go-to improv artists, Sergio Cilli, who’s part of the LA Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and he also graduated from a brilliant school, Ithaca College. (WOOT WOOT!!! Yeah, guess where I went, too...) Enjoy the spot HERE.

We’re excited to have Gary McKendry back in the fray! He’s been in Australia shooting his first feature, The Killer Elite. He’s wrapping up post and will be back in the states ready to hit the ground running the end of March. Check out some behind the scenes photos— including Clive Owen with a formidable moustache. (Watch out, Tom Seleck.) As soon as the trailer is posted, we’ll let you know!

And finally, Tim Matheson has created a montage of all his TV and feature films. In a nutshell, it’s a lot of action, and a lot of comedy. He’s been busy since Animal House and Black Sheep!

Okay, I think my chip has filled in and I have a complete shoulder again! Huzzah! Happy February, everyone!

We All Work in an Aero Submarine!

2011-01-11T12:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2011! I for one am gravely disappointed that personal hovercrafts haven’t made it into the marketplace the way I expected. But alas, I guess I’ll have to be happy with other feats like 3D tv, new all-natural Cheetoes, and… the new Aero Film Sub! (And I don’t mean as in a giant sandwich, which would be great too, actually…)

We have taken over they sky, it’s time for us to take over the sea as well. Actually, I think Klaus is secretly a superhero and he figured Aquaman was overrated he’s now taking over his territory. But… seriously. Klaus has been SCUBA diving and free diving for years and works closely with the non-profit organization, Oceana, so this vessel will take our underwater abilities to a whole new level. And it’s something few if any other production companies can do, being that there are only a few subs in existence in the world.

Officially named the AeroDive submersible, it is a brand-new, self propelled, electric vessel that can carry two occupants in a one atmosphere acrylic cabin to depths of 1500 feet of sea water. (One atmosphere refers to the pressure, and that’s very comfortable.) It’s equipped with two 1080p HD cameras.

One of the cameras is a drone on a 40ft umbilical chord with the ability to easily shoot in tight places that are otherwise inaccessible. The cabin opens as a clamshell and allows for easy entry and exit for the occupants. The sealed cabin is equipped with a full life support system where scrubbers remove the carbon dioxide, oxygen is replenished at a controlled flow while the environment is constantly monitored by various analyzers. Even the most squeamish would be completely comfortable in this vessel… But more importantly, the footage that can be captured, would make Jacques Cousteau proud.

Stay tuned for video from our first dive!

Until then, happy 2011!

Aero's Jet!

2010-12-06T17:14:00.001-05:00

Someone asked me the other day, “Does Aero really need a jet?” And to that I responded, “Well, do you really need pants?” I mean, technically, no, you could go without either… but they sure are helpful to have, and they enable you to get things done in a way that could never do without. (And both aid in job security!)

I will elaborate....

During the production of an ambitious Chevy campaign spanning geographically from Aspen to Alaska, the Aero team encountered a potential disaster at Canadian customs. (WHEN MOOSE ATTACK!! I kid. Sorry, I love some good moose humor… Bygones.) We had a truck full of all our camera/grip equipment and planned to drive across Canada to Valdez, Alaska; however, customs officials were intent on holding the truck for 48 hours to check the validity of the paperwork relating to the serial numbers on ALL the gear. We didn’t have 48 hours to sit around, as the shoot was to take place in a remote part of Alaska within 48 hours and once through customs, it was a 25-hour drive. So, this border holdup was unacceptable.

Moving the shoot wasn’t an option. The time schedule was already very compressed on the agency and client side (as to meet an upcoming airdate) so we were cutting the footage shot in Aspen before we even started shooting in Alaska to compress time in the post process. So basically, the only answer for our problem was to get from Montana to Alaska and circumvent our northern neighbor altogether.

And this, is when you need a jet.

You rang?

The agency, director and production team had already arrived in Valdez, Alaska and upon hearing the news of the border delay, Aero Chief Pilot, John Vandervort (along with co-pilot/grip and Cinemoves owner, Scott Howell, and cameraman Mark “Sparkles” Reid) began taking out the interior seats of the Aero Jet, thus converting it into a cargo plane!

Every seat is an aisle seat.

John and Scott

They were wheels up within an hour and were flying to Montana at 500 mph to meet our trucks that had driven back into the US. They loaded up the plane and the jet departed from Montana, flying directly to Alaska, thus bypassing Canadian bureaucracy.

Thankfully there is no carry-on limit with Aero...

The morale of the story:

The gear was in Valdez eight hours after hearing of the predicament.

Because of the jet.

And to be clear, the Canadians were happy about our problem solving abilities! They weren’t really jazzed to have to meticulously go through every serial number, especially since the gear wasn’t going to a location on their soil. And could we have hired a private jet when this situation presented itself? Well, sure. But finding a private jet from East No Where, Montana to fly to Mid Bumblefluff, Alaska is no easy feat. Especially within an hour. (There’s sadly no Lens Crafters for jets.)

You can't get this view driving!

We're very happy to report that the shoot was executed in a perfect window of weather and time by Director Klaus Obermeyer and his terrific crew, empowered by our very own time machine. Who needs a Dolorian and a flux capacitor? THAT would be overkill. But pants and a jet? Yes, please.

World Aids Day

2010-12-01T12:39:00.001-05:00

December 1 marks World Aids Day and the launch of the Buy Life campaign from Alicia Keys’s organization Keep a Child Alive.

Photographers, Markus Klinko and Indrani, donated 5 months to planning, shooting and retouching the photography for the ads that are covering the web, magazines and billboards all over the country. The Buy Life campaign was created by TBWA/Chiat Day in New York with Lisa Topol at the helm.

Aero director, Indrani, explains the campaign best…

"We believe art can save the world. We put the world's most interesting artists in coffins, to provoke everyone to reflect on why they care so much about these people, but ignore millions dying of AIDS who they can save. Our images have a performance art/ interactive aspect--these celebs are making the ultimate sacrifice visually and in their digital lives, and their fans must Buy Life, support Keep A Child Alive, to bring them back. We've donated 5 months' work to this campaign, because we believe in the importance of support Keep A Child Alive's fight against AIDS in Africa and India. The campaign is ongoing, stay tuned for more!"

And by “more” she’s referring to an amazing video that she directed that is currently in post production. Many thanks for the dedicated artists who are helping on that: Eric Carlson and Sue Wladar at China Graph, and Martin Lazaro and Graham Dunglinson at Method Studios NY. The amazing styling and costumes seen on the celebrities can be attributed to the impeccable taste of stylist/costume designer, GK Reid.

Read more about the campaign here, and we’ll post Indrani’s video as soon as it launches. Donate today!! I mean, if I don’t get my regular tweets from Ryan Seacrest, what ever will I do!!!?? I kid! Gotta give the guy kudos for being a part of a great cause.

Make sure to stop by buylife.org and make a donation TODAY!

From the Aero News Desk...

2010-11-22T16:22:00.002-05:00

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving! I thought I’d take you in to the holiday with a quick News Desk edition of the Aero Blog. (Feel free to applaud.)

We have a lot to be thankful this year… including all the work we’ve done with the Richards Group! Watch the “making of” video for the “Truck of the ____” spot which Klaus directed. Get to know Klaus a little better and see the Klaus Cam in action yet again.

We’re also thankful for our new East Coast sales team members Ann Zagaroli and Jolie Miller from Simpatico!

Ann and Jolie recently visited the LA office and were quickly indoctrinated into the Aero family by taking a spin in the heli with director, Ken Arlidge! (What? Your company doesn't have a hazing ritual?)

Ann, Ken & Jolie.

Lance O’Conner now refers to Ann, Jolie and I as Charlie’s Angels. (Which would be totally sexist if Charlie's Angles weren’t so cool.) Of course it’s uncanny at how well we all execute a good roundhouse kick while wearing high-heeled boots. (Not really… but I like to know you’re paying attention.)

Last but not least, we're thankful for the success and popularity of The Sandpit by Sam O’Hare. Here's Sam at the red carpet for the 2010 AFI Film Festival, where it was included in their shorts program.

Sam O'Hare

We're even more thankful for the fact that Sam went immediately from the theatre to a night shoot for Lunesta! That spot ships this week, so more on that later…

And finally a big thanks TO YOU for reading and making the Aero Blog one of the top blogs on Blogspot! Over 5000 reads a week! Wooie! Thank you, thank you!!

Okay, back to work - Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Klaus in Tahiti

2010-11-12T11:44:00.013-05:00

Its been all work no play for awhile at the Aero Blog, so thought we’d take it easy a bit and show you Klaus’s vacation photos from Ninamu, a tiny island in Tahiti with one of the most amazing surf breaks in the world.

Klaus is friends with the guys who run the Billabong Pro tournament at Teahupoo, and this is the island that they found and are creating the ultimate surfers paradise here. There’s only one small corner of the island that gets cell reception that’s been named “Bad News Corner.” You get the vibe of the place, I think!

A post card from Klaus would read something like, “Hello from Tahiti! Today we rigged a gopro hd camera to the spear to capture a very unusual fishing practice on film that is performed by friend BenniB and a handful of Tahitian waterman in which they chase down Mahi Mahi until they are tired and spear them as they near the boat.”

Hope you’re not a member of PETA, dear readers, but if ever there was “sport” in fishing, it would be if you did it with a spear!

And in their freetime they went kite surfing and swam with some whales. Yeeaaah. Last vacation I went on was to Sandals in Jamaica. There were no sharks, and that was a selling point. I didn’t need a spear at any time… Nor do I know where I’d find one other than when I discover metallurgy in Civilization. Alas, this is why I produce and blog and Klaus is the filmmaker!

On a work note, Klaus has actually shot quite a few commercials in this area of Tahiti and has perfected his free-diving and underwater shooting techniques here. (Click here to read the blog that explains this in detail.) He’s got an amazing local crew that are extremely loyal to him. Check out the Oceana PSA (Tahiti was on of the many locals) and the BMW Surfer spot—which was his first time to the area.

I will continue to hope that in my next life I come back as Klaus Obermeyer... and not as a tired fish. But until then, back to work. Happy weekend!

"The Sandpit" Hits AFI FEST 2010!

2010-10-26T12:43:00.000-04:00

Sam O'Hare's short tilt-shift film, The Sandpit, has done it again!

The Sandpit was recently honored in Austria with the Prix Ars Electronica Award of Distinction. This is a prestigious award that took us all by surprise. And now The Sandpit has been selected as one of 31 entrees (out of over 3,000!) in the AFI Fest 2010 Presented by Audi being held in Los Angeles, California November 4th-11^th. Not too shabby!

AFI's history is pretty impressive. It was founded in 1967 through the National Endowment for the Arts as a nonprofit aimed to “enrich and nurture the art of Film in America.” Lyndon Johnson signed the legislation that created AFI siting that it was a major step in recognizing film making as a legitimate business and career path. Basically, he tried to calm the fears of all the parents who heard their children say, “I want to be a film director when I grow up!”

But most exciting is that The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences recognizes short film winners from AFI as qualifiers for an Academy Award! But let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's an honor just to be selected. (But getting another Oscar winner/nominee at Aero would be cool... Gary McKendry and James Mangold can’t have all the fun.)

But if all this wasn’t good enough, all tickets to the AFI Festival are FREE! Free movies?! I think popcorn may cost $47, but alas, the TICKET is free! So if you're in LA, get your tickets here. The Sandpit, is part of the Shorts Program 3 on Sunday, November 7^th at 3:30 in Mann Chinese Theatre 3 (click here for entire festival schedule).

Again, thanks for all the support!

"The Killer Elite" by Director Gary McKendry

2010-10-20T13:29:00.002-04:00

Remember when we were kids and our parents rewarded us for doing well by hanging our prized project on the fridge? Well, we need to buy another magnet for the Aero fridge. This week director, Gary McKendry was featured in an article in Shoot Online about his diversity as a director. (They actually still print the magazine as well, so don’t worry, I’m not tacking a laptop the fridge…)

Gary McKendry

I’ve never been a big fan of pigeon holing directors, and Gary’s a testament to that. This article highlights his most recent project—his first feature, The Killer Elite. Gary started his career as a storyboard artist, moved up the ad agency ranks as an art director and creative director… then moving into commercial directing. Most known for comedy, he then moved into more dramatic imagery and performance. In 2005 he expanded his repertoire in by directing a short film, Everything This Country Must, and went on to get an Academy Award nomination for best live action short. (Not bad first time out of the gate, eh?.) And fast forward to present day, and he’s wrapping up the edit on his action film that stars Robert DeNiro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen. The Killer Elite, was also co-penned by McKendry along with Matt Sherring, former copywriter at Euro RSCG in NY. (It’s based on Sir Ranulph Fiennes novel, The Feather Men.) Yay for ad men getting a foot in the Hollywood door!

Please take a minute to read the article and learn more about Gary. Not only is he an enormous talent, he's also an amazing person who we here at Aero are pleased to have in our family. More big news to come next week! We may need a new fridge altogether…

Sam O'Hare's new tilt shift film, "Coachelletta"

2010-10-06T15:21:00.004-04:00

You may remember Aero director, Sam O'Hare's name from the short film, The Sandpit. Well, he has a new film out using the tilt-shift style once again! The short film Coachelletta has just been released. It was commissioned by the Coachella Music Festival and is live on their site now www.coachella.com or see the director cut with vocals in full HD HERE. So give it a look and then read my interview with Sam below for more details on how this film came to fruition.

***

AERO: So The Sandpit did pretty well. Did you ever think 1.8 million people were going to see it?

SAM: Uh, no. No, that took me a little by surprise. I'm still a bit taken aback by it to be honest. It won an award and is being screened at the AFI Film Festival in LA this November. It's been much more popular than my wildest expectations.

AERO: You made a “viral.”

SAM: HA! I hate that phrase.

AERO: Yes me too! It’s so rarely appropriate… Bygones… After The Sandpit was posted, you were contacted by Goldenvoice who produces the Coachella Music Festival.

SAM: Yeah, they got in touch after they'd seen The Sandpit on Vimeo. They really liked it and said they were looking for somebody to do a film about Coachella and they thought that the style of film (tilt shift) would work really well. I had a week to prep and off I went.

AERO: So what is different about how you created The Sandpit versus Coachelletta? Obviously you didn't need to find rooftops this time.

SAM: Yeah, Coachella is different - it's a big polo field that they commandeer every year for a week or two and put up all the stages, tents and art installations. It's mostly flat, and I wasn't able to get onto any of the structures that they put up. So, to get the high vantage point that I need to shoot from, we ended up using cherry pickers. You know the big booms that extend out to 60 foot and have a cradle you can stand in?

AERO: Yeah, I don't like those. I'm afraid of heights.

SAM: I wasn’t a big fan, but I’ve become pretty used to heights as of late. With the help of the boom operators, I got to put them where I wanted around the edges of the site: behind the stages, in the production area, around the camping sections and the vendors' areas.

AERO: What's your favorite scene in the Coachella film?

SAM: It difficult to pick out an absolute favorite, but similarly to The Sandpit I like the serendipity of occasionally finding people doing interesting things, like the girl doing the hula hoop and the guy dancing in the glowing stick figure outfit. You just see these little unplanned events and shoot them, and that's the fun of the thing, it makes it quite like a documentary like in that respect. I also like the night shots in this - I did a lot of long exposures for these shots, up to two seconds, and so for some of those night shots you kind of get a blur and a shiver to the footage because the boom was actually moving in the wind. I rather like it as it adds to the energy of the night shots as the music track is starting to peak and the whole experience kind of leads up to that point.

AERO: So just to answer some people's questions that they had on The Sandpit, why do you shoot this on a Nikon D3s still camera instead of using a video option like the Canon 5D Mark II?

SAM: Well there are a couple of reasons. Firstly, there was quite a lot of stabilization that needed to be done on this stuff, similar to The Sandpit. Since I was up on booms, and because it was fairly windy most of the time, it wasn't possible to even stabilize the camera on a tripod, so I had to stabilize in post. To do so, you pick points in the footage that you know aren't moving, like the corner of a window and the computer tracks as it moves around in the scene and basically moves the image around each frame to keep that point in the same place. What you need with that is a little more scene around the edge of the frame, because you have to blow it up a little bit to absorb the movement. This means if you're shooting 1080p video and you want to deliver at 1080p, when you blow it up by 10% you're losing quality. Since the stills I was shooting were 2800 pixels wide, you have lots of space to play in. The other thing is that when you shoot on the 5D, it automatically compresses as H.264 and that means when it comes to color grading and tweaking it you have much less latitude. If you're shooting raw files you have an enormous amount you can do in the grade in terms of how you affect the white balance and the colors and all the rest because you've just got the raw light information that's been captured onto the sensor. If you've already run it through a compression, you are much more limited in what you can do. Also, because you can't shoot video at 4 frames a second with the Canon, you can only shoot at 24 so I would have been shooting five frames I didn't need for every one that I did and churning through data very very quickly.

AERO: There’s a moving camera in Coachella, which there wasn’t in The Sandpit.

SAM: Yeah, there are a few shots, actually. I was able to take advantage of the fact that I was on a boom and booms are able to move...

AERO: ...Not so much with The Sandpit as it was shot...

SAM: ...from buildings, yeah. Building aren’t known for moving easily.

AERO: Not so much.

SAM: Yeah, so I was able to do extensions on the boom and shoot while I was doing it. I did try to do a few pans around on the boom too, but they didn't really work as well. The best results were when the jib was either moving straight outwards or booming straight up and down, so I did quite a few of those. The problem with them is that they come out pretty bumpy, as the booms aren't designed to do these things smoothly, so once again all of those shots are stabilized. I'd pick 2 points the same distance away in perspective in the shot and stabilize from those.

AERO: So do you want a giant techno crane for Christmas?

SAM: Sure! I don't know where I'd put it but....

AERO: Mmm. True. Any new post effects used in Coachelletta?

SAM: It's really more of an extension of the techniques I started on while I was doing The Sandpit. For that one I spent a little time on some of the shots to add extra 3D information, but for a lot of them I got away with using the standard tilt shift defocus straight across the image. For Coachella I spent time on almost every shot to add in more accurate 3-D depth data for static objects. So you'll notice that vertical bits of the art work seem to stand up off the grass, and the tents and things seem to sit there in 3 dimensions. It means that the defocusing effect happens based more on the actual depth in the shot, so the result is more like what would happen if the scene really was a model. Most of these were rotoscoped in by hand which is pretty time-consuming, but for some I also pulled keys and mattes. The result isn't completely perfect, but I was happy with the overall effect.

AERO: How many frames did you shoot?

SAM: A little over 50,000.

AERO: Are you the most patient person on the planet?

SAM: Not really! Adobe Lightroom helps quite a bit!

AERO: The music on the film is super catchy.

SAM: I approached Human, who did the music for The Sandpit and because we had such a good experience working with them last time and they did such a great job. It's very different feel to the last one, I wanted to have something that felt summery and energetic would fit the experience the festival. They did an awesome job, I was very very happy with it. They’re just fantastic musicians and composers.

AERO: Awesome, thank so much Sam! What are you going to miniaturize next?

SAM: Not sure, maybe I’ll blow something up instead.

AERO: Good plan. You can never go wrong with blowing stuff up.

Check out more of Sam’s work HERE!

Keep A Child Alive

2010-10-01T12:24:00.000-04:00

Aero Film photographers Markus Klinko and Indrani were honored to shoot the latest work for the charity, Keep a Child Alive which aims to support HIV/AIDS victims in Africa and India. The photographs of Alicia Keys, Kim Kardashian, Katie Holmes, Swizz Beats, Usher, Jay Sean and Ryan Seacrest were unveiled last night at the Black Ball fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive. Markus and Indrani’s signature look is apparent in this latest work—simple but a touch celestial.

Swizz Beats

Ryan Seacrest

Katie Holmes

Usher


Alicia Keys


Jay Sean

Kim Kardashian

As you may be able to tell from the code on their shirts, this new campaign utilizes the Stickybits and Wimo Apps which allow you to scan the code on the celeb’s shirt with your camera phone. After you scan the celeb chest of choice (ahem!), the App facilitates placing the donation through your wireless account. (You can also text the celebrity’s first name to 90999.)

Stay tuned for more work on this campaign with more celebrity talent portraiture coming out through the end of the year… and whip out that phone and make a donation if you can!

From the Aero News Desk...

2010-09-22T15:33:00.000-04:00

Busy busy busy! Take that recession! (I am knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder. Just in case.)

Here are a few tidbits from our news desk:

Aero is proudly displaying artwork from East London artist, Declan McMullan. We’re big art buffs and our Santa Monica office is a great gallery space. So when Declan asked us if we would hang his work, it didn’t take much arm twisting. His last series, a collection of sculptures called “The Ladder Series,” were shown throughout St. John on Bethnal Green Church in London. Apparently, he’s into grand venues! Sure, we’re a tad smaller… but I bet we have nicer light and that we are more convenient to the best sushi restaurant ever (The Hump). I digress… Declan is an amazing artist and we’re honored to show his work. He’s worked with fellow Brit, Tracey Emin, at the Gagosian in LA.

So drop by Aero reception and enjoy!

Declan McMullan's artwork @ Aero.

We are still super excited about our newest family member, Tim Matheson!

Tim Matheson

Please take a look at his reel as he's truly a treasure with an amazing sense for comedic timing, and in true Aero form, can shoot a great action sequence as well!

And last but NOWHERE near least, Aero director, Sam O'Hare, has another short film coming out! After releasing his tilt-shift short, The Sandpit, he was approached by the Coachella Music Festival to create a film this year’s festival in Palm Springs, CA. He spent several days in the desert on the top of many a cherry picker. The film launches on October 1^stat Coachella.com! We'll (obviously) keep you posted on this and post the link when it’s available. Again, big big thanks to Human Music in NY for creating a brilliant score for the film.

"Bird at night" still from Coachella

Okay, time to get back to work and clean up all this salt on my floor. Have a great rest of the week!

Introducing our new director, Tim Matheson!

2010-09-10T15:07:00.002-04:00

Tim Matheson, Aero Film, director, damn glad to meet you!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist… Tim Matheson, comedy director and actor has joined the Aero Film roster. You may know him best from his epic roll of Eric “Otter” Stratton from the film Animal House.

His acting career and directing credits will go on for pages… but the latest highlights would be the spots you’ve most likely seen during Mad Men, thinking that the show had returned from its commercial break but instead it was a :60 spot for Unilever. Sorry to trick you, but thank goodness they’re entertaining! The spots feature the crack creative team at (fictional) Smith Winter Mitchell, which is a “slightly less-drunk” version of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. (Emphasis on "slightly.")

In the commercial, the ad team is working on developing creative content for classic Unilever products—Hellmans, Dove, Suave, Klondike, Breyers and Vaseline-- in a very witty and tongue and cheek Mad Man style. Unilever commissioned this work with Stacie Bright (Communications Marketing Manager for Unilever) stating that the goal behind these vignettes is to "aim to make all of our advertising and marketing campaigns relevant for our consumers, engaging with them where they work, live and play with compelling content." (Thanks to TVSquad.com for the quote!) Really, they’re a big DVR buster. Super funny and entertainingly satisfying to the Mad Man watcher.

You can check out all 6 spots HERE!

Aside from the Unilever work, he’s recently been directing TV shows such as Burn Notice, Psych, White Collar and Dirty Sexy Money. The nice people at IMDB can show you the whole list HERE.

Tim obviously brings a huge amount of talent to the table as a director. And if you’re itching for a toga party, he can help out with that too:

TOGA! TOGA!

Aero Aerials!

2010-08-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

We’ve told you a lot about the Klaus Cam and how it enhances Aero's Aerials, but its high time (see what I did there!?) to talk about the man that truly makes the Klaus Cam so impressive. (Not to toot our own horn but TOOT TOOT! He does a good job.) Please meet our helicopter pilot, Craig Hosking:

Craig Hosking

Craig is the guy who flies the helicopter and puts the Klaus Cam in dead accurate position for shooting. Imagine putting a camera a few feet away from your talent's face (most recently, Julia Roberts' face), whilst said camera is hanging off a 80 foot cable AND you’re flying the helicopter that the cable is attached to. Yeah, not a job you find on Craigslist! But this is precisely the skill Craig (no relation to the list) exercises on a daily basis. He balances the speed and the placement of the helicopter to make the camerawork smooth with perfect framing… and he makes sure not to bonk the talent on the noggin. (Which, as a producer, I am very thankful for... as is the talent, I'm sure.)

He was also at the helm (or whatever the phrase is for a helicopter) for a recent Chevy Truck spot directed by Klaus Obermeyer. (And while trucks don't have a noggin to whack into, it’s never good to have a camera and truck in a face off. Which insurance companies all around are grateful for.) Give this video a watch for some behind the scenes footage. (Note: Craig is on the right and Klaus is flying shotgun.)

Eat Pray Love was Craig’s experience with Julia Roberts, where he and Scott Howell from CineMoves (Klaus Cam designer) went to Bali for 2 weeks of aerial photography to capture shots that were only possible with the Klaus Cam. Many of Craig’s scenes were in the Eat Pray Love trailer, which I’m guessing you may have seen 3000 times as it apparently had the biggest media buy in history, so we cut it down to the good parts for your viewing pleasure (and sanity). Additionally, Craig was the Aerial Coordinator on Inception, Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace, Aviator and countless others like Hot Tub Time Machine…? Oh IMDB, you air out everyone’s secrets!

"HOW did he get into this odd line of work," you ask? Excellent query! Craig got into the business following in his father’s footsteps. (Or "flysteps.") He started flying when he was a teenager and moved into precision long line delivery for mining projects. That skill for precision flying translated into becoming a film pilot. Craig has shot and flown in over 50 countries and loves nothing more than capturing a shot where people have no idea how it was done. The end shot in Eat Pray Love does that, as well as the snow plow shot in Klaus’s Ram spot where he had the camera suspended in front of the truck as it drives through virgin snow. Russian Arm can’t do it, regular heli mount can’t either… And THIS challenge is what keeps Craig flying.

See more of Craig’s work here!

Music!

2010-08-20T16:58:00.001-04:00

We are all big music buffs at Aero Film. Tracks can definitely make or break commercial, and the most beautiful film can be tarnished by a plinky-plunky dud of a musical score. So, we are very grateful to our musical friends who create amazing tracks for our spots!

Shoot Magazine just named their 10 Best Tracks of the year, and 2 of Klaus's spots are on the list! #5 is Fruit of the Loom "Comfortably" by the Wojahn Brothers. It gets stuck in your head and we seem to hum it around the Aero office, so thank goodness its a great piece or that would get really annoying! #10 is Klaus's Oceana PSA "Fast", created by Nylon. We've worked with them quite a bit--Ken Arlidge's Kaiser work, as well as other Oceana and Obermeyer Ski Wear spot. They always create something beautiful and are incredibly collaborative.

Want to thank Human music as well, as they just scored Sam O'Hare latest short film which will launch in September. They did an amazing job on The Sandpit, and this new piece is just as poignant for the film. Its a completely different vibe, but just perfect.

Next week we'll feature Aero Aerials. (Say that 5 times fast...) Have a great weekend!

UPDATE: OH MY! Since posting Klaus' spot for Fruit of the Loom, "Comfortably" has been named Top Spot of the Week by SHOOTonline!

Updates from the Aero Film News Desk...

2010-08-13T11:41:00.000-04:00

It's been a great week here at Aero Film! Huzzah!

First, Aero director, Klaus Obermeyer, didn't get eaten sharks. I repeat, he was NOT eaten by sharks. (This is actually news in our office.)

“You're gonna need a bigger boat, Klaus.”

Second, Klaus' Fruit of the Loom spot got a wonderful shout-out on AdFreak.com. We loved working on this campaign. It's fresh, it's fun and the Klaus Cam got to go for a ride in the desert. Win/win all around.

Third, Marcus & Indrani's augmented reality shorts for fashion designer Marc Ecko are up and running!

Print out the glyph, turn on your webcam and watch Marc Ecko's muse, Lindsay Lohan, come to life in the palm of your hand. You can actually interact with her and even record your “conversation” and post it online! (For a bigger explanation of what augmented reality is and how its being used in the media world, check out this article on How Stuff Works.)

Fourth, Klaus sent some amazing photos from Valdez, Alaska where he was shooting a job for Chevy Trucks. Thank goodness it’s sea life that doesn’t have teeth for once…

Aero Director and DP Bill Ahrens gets the award for prettiest fish.

Shamu’s cousin says, 'Hi.'

Klaus and his future dinner.

Will all this fit in carry-on luggage?

Phew! That's all from our news desk for today. Check back next week for more updates and to see what nautical sea creature Klaus has decided to poke with a stick. I wish I was kidding....

Swimming with Sharks

2010-08-12T11:48:00.000-04:00

There are few things that surprise me anymore while working for Aero as lots of crazy things happen in our offices and on our shoots. (I mean "good crazy" not "angry with a hatchet crazy." Just to be clear.) So, yesterday I’m reading through emails and I get one from Lance O’Conner, Owner and EP of Aero who’s in the Santa Monica office. There are a LOT of exclamation points and words in the subject line that aren’t fit for a classy blog such as this. Lance is a spirited man, so I took it with a grain of salt… Until I saw the photos and put it all together.

Let me explain: Aero director, Klaus Obermeyer, decided to hang out with some great white sharks. No, this is not code. And no, not in a Kevin Spacey/crazed assistant sort of way either. I mean this LITERALLY. Klaus was in shark infested waters. On purpose. What’s more insane... I wasn’t at all surprised.

Let me explain further: When I first met Klaus, I knew he was a pretty ballsy kind of guy. It was 2003 and I was still on the agency side of life, and was shooting a surfing spot with him. On Day 2 of knowing Klaus, we’re on a boat off the coast of Tahiti. (It’s a tough gig, but someone’s gotta do it.) Behind us, we were towing a small speedboat that we were going to use for the shoot. The speedboat was owned by a local who ran surf camps and was a good friend of Klaus, who is also an avid surfer (of course).

Clockwipe to 45 minutes into the trip to our location when a HORRIBLE storm hits. It was basically the beginning credits to Gilligan’s Island. We were all getting tossed around like popcorn in a hot popper and unlike the passengers on the SS Minnow, I'd not packed a years worth of clothing for a 3 hour tour. In short, panic set in, which was not at all quelled when Lance leaned over and told me, “Just don’t fall in the water, there are sharks out there.” AWESOME. (However, on this trip I learned that even though I’m not a strong swimmer, I am GREAT at hiding in the corner of a boat and whimpering.)

The situation only got worse. Two minutes later, the speedboat comes untethered from our boat. The owner looks near tears, as he’d been saving up for this boat, and it was the first time taking it out, and now it’s about to be lost at sea. So what happened next, you ask? KLAUS JUMPS IN THE WATER. When I heard a giant SPLOOSH, I poked out from my huddled position and yell to Lance, “Did the director just jump in the shark infested water during a giant storm?!?” Lance replies, “Oh sure! He needs to get his friend’s boat.” I quickly envisioned the mounting paperwork explaining to the production insurance as to why we couldn’t shoot since our director was eaten by a shark… But, like all ballsy heros, Klaus emerged from the water unscathed with the speedboat safe and sound and I swear I could hear a John Williams score in the background. Later on, like any good producer, I questioned Klaus about why he thought jumping into water with sharks was a good idea and he brushed it off, “Oh, they’re just Tiger Sharks…” Oh sure, like that makes it a Koi pond, mister.

Back to the present… lunch time at the Aero office. Skip Short (another Owner/EP in Santa Monica, and helicopter pilot) goes for an afternoon fly in his chopper. He calls Klaus saying that he’s spotted some sharks off the coast. Klaus runs out of his house, gets in his boat and Skip guides him from the sky to the point in the ocean where the Great Whites are swimming. Klaus then kayaks out to them (because you can’t just motorboat up on a shark, you know.)

Here are the photos…. There aren’t words…..

I'm just glad he didn't jump in... but I haven't opened up today's emails yet. I'll keep you posted.