New Blog Location

Hey kids! Good news and bad news. The Bad: I will no longer be posting to this blog web address. The Good: I will be now posting all of my new adventures to this address! www.gergwerk.com/blog

Thank you for your understanding, and hope to see you there!

Poor Kid in First Class

I'm sitting at home one day and up pops an email about sending me to South Africa for a video shoot. “Pfffft, South Africa?” I say as I drag the email to the trash bin. After a day or two, I get another email from a production company in LA that has indeed confirmed that this is no joke. They proposed to send me to South Africa in order to have my work in a snippet for a promotional video. This begins the story of me being flown out to Cape Town, South Africa for a week.

Lets face it, the closest thing to I've ever been to first class is watching George Clooney in Up In the Air. Little did I know after boarding the plane that I wasn't just in first class, I was on the upper deck of a British Airways Boeing 747. An interesting story about this plane is that I have met the industrial designer for the famous seats I would be sliding my butt into. It may be described as having 72 inches of legroom with audio video on demand, inflight entertainment and AC power outlets.


 source 

Oh yeah, did I mention that the seat also slides down into a FREAKING BED?

source

As soon as I entered the plane, I was pampered like a fancy baby. As I sat down, an in flight stewardesses offered me a hot towel. Never being offered a hot towel before, I sat and observed the other passengers smother their faces and hands with this steamy delight. I started getting odd stares when they started noticing some punk ass kid staring blankly at them like a complete creeper. Next we were served our meals (what, we actually had a choice of what to eat?) My first meal was one of the best meals I've had in months. Something like... Steak tartar with mashed potatoes and greens. Soon everyone was off to sleep after indulging themselves with fine dining and drinks. Sitting there in the dark, on my fancy flat bed, the cabin was something reminiscent of a shuttle ticking it's way into space. Before I knew it, we had landed in London where I would await my next flight to Cape Town. Here is my documentation of the stop in London:

After another 10 hour flight to Cape Town, I was brought to the hotel I would be staying. After dropping my things off, I was able to get a quick tour of the area in and around Cape Town. The images explain in more detail than I ever could with writing, so just sit back and let your eye balls enjoy. 

view from my window 

View of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela stayed for many years 

Table Mountain. The reason they call it Table Mountain is because when there are clouds in the sky, they move in a way that resembles a tablecloth waving in the wind. I although I did get to see the amazing effect, I didn't get my camera out because I was too busy picking up my jaw off the ground. 

And now, some photos of the on site video shoot. I have taken the liberty of hiding people's faces so they cannot be identified. 

What's that? Oh not much, just a cheetah walking through the lobby of the hotel.  

I leave you with a sunrise in Frankfurt, Germany. Auf Wiedersehen!

CLICK SF

This past week I was very fortunate to be invited by Brett Wickens of the Ammunition Group to attend the Click San Francisco conference. It was just what I needed - more exposure! I am also very proud that the Ammunition Group has asked me to help design (a quite badass) iPad application. I can't show you any details, but you'll hear all about it once it comes out.  

At the conference, the setting was very intimate, so intimate in fact, that I ended up sitting next to Mattais Hanson, the CEO of a digital media training and immersion programme in Sweden called Hyper Island. He mentioned there were no ‘teachers’, no ‘grades’ and instead of working on one big assignment, the students attending do work with real clients for real life exposure. It made me reflect on my experiences at the KCAI and note the similarities and differences between the two programs. It's interesting to hear how other students go through different school curriculums.
Hyper Island in a Nutshell from Martin Bergén on Vimeo.

Dustin Callif and Jason Zada of Tool of North America gave an interesting talk about how they are thinking about interactive video for the iPad. They have recently come out with a bitchin’ iPad application (from what I've seen). "By touching, shaking and turning your iPad, you can navigate, unlock and reveal unexpected variations in each of these four “Touching Stories.” Shot by five different directors—and contained in one single app—these interactive, live-action, short stories evolve storytelling in ways that have never been done before on the iPad." - source Not to mention the app IS FREE (search “Touching Stories”). So if you find yourself with time and an ipad laying around, swing your sweet butt down to the apple store and download this app!  Here is a little behind the scenes video to get your interests peaked.



I was also able to hear Stephen Clements of AKQA talk about their solution to head up the new Halo Reach “Remember Reach” Campaign (which is super caliente right now). They built an interactive space that “will let gamers manipulate a Kuka industrial robot to create a virtual monument to Spartan warriors in the run-up to Halo: Reach.” I'll just leave this here.

"Halo: Remember Reach" Behind the Scenes from Ashley Rodholm on Vimeo.

Another really nice guy I met was Vincent Morisset of AATOAA. He has done some really amazing things for Arcade Fire. His newest project with them, Synchronized Artwork, explores new ways to create and present visuals with digital albums. He also did the be oNline B interactive music video that won Gold Pencil award at the One Show. 


I was able to listen and meet lots of other speakers such as Iain Tate of Wieden and Kennedy, Daniel Rhatigan of Monotype Imaging as well as some other great speakers on a panel that answered various questions.

These talks were great, but I was very excited by one in particular. Brett Wickens of the Ammunition Group included my work in his presentation. He didn't just mention my work. He didn't just show a slide of the final video. He played the ENTIRE THING. My heart was practically exploding out of my chest when the final credits ran. I am very grateful that Brett liked my project enough to share it with other people. 

Flying Lotus + CASPA = yessssssss

okay so I’ll be sharing more than just than that show. First we’ll start with the Global Dance Festival at the Red Rocks in Colorado.

Dubstep sucka - Rusko

Rusko // Red Rocks from gerg kaufman on Vimeo.

Deadmau5 had the best light show I think I’ve ever seen.

deadmau5 // Red Rocks from gerg kaufman on Vimeo.

I mean, just look at these clips from MiLyfestyle on youtube.





Such a great show.
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These next couple come from the party at the Mezzanine in SF (09.24.2010).
Flying Lotus and CASPA, who could have seen a better combo?


the world’s friendliest ghost. (caspa) Opening his set right after a fantastic performance by DJ Centipede.

CASPA from gerg kaufman on Vimeo.


Caspa dropping “The Others - Gravity”

the switchover. Caspa > Flying Lotus



and of course, last but not least, Flying Lotus.

Oakland Museum of California

opening party for The Marvelous Museum exhibition in Oakland. Most of the items are works from the museums collection: part science, history and art — exhibition by Mark Dion. 

LAYBOR DAY (and other events before that)

time for a little exploring and photographing.

is that a cemetery next to a clown motel? why yes, yes it is. 

sf moma

Down at the Art Murmur in Oakland: excellent piece by Esther Traugot with hanging wasps

Edmund Wyss painting