Seasons Greetings

The Capone documentary won't be out until holidays time, just giving the update and just being honest about it.  Not a bad thing but there are a couple more snippets that I want to add.

it all makes sense when you think about it

There's an ocean of Capone information to swim through, but it's important to hold motivations in sight when it comes to how and why powerful people do what they do.  Overall, the main story--not the stories within the story--but the main story within the "Former Hangouts" documentary is one of money, sex, habits, circumstances, fear, and how certain individuals have a knack, a magic touch, that can't be artificially concocted (you either have it or you don't and most people don't) for connecting to the populace in ways that can turn tides.

But once those details and contradictions are processed, simple truths have a way of emerging.  The stories found at Capone-associated locations can be baffling but, stepping back away from them and viewing them from a different angle, taking stock of natural geography, culture, and symbols, we can understand why there are patterns.

Congregation

As we're continuing work on "Former Hangouts", one of the central themes that we keep running into are interesting patterns....patterns in how Capone is considered within pop culture, how he was able to do the things that he did as a *businessman*, and very interesting patterns regarding the places in which he operated.

We're addressing plenty of complicated subjects--and covering more ground than I had anticipated--so we're aiming to have this documentary done in October of this year rather than summer as originally planned.  Everyone who's heard that has said "Well, that sounds more appropriate actually." and I can't really argue against it.  There's a lot to talk about; a lot that's being discussed by the most knowledgeable experts on this subject who've been kind enough to participate in this film.  Al Capone was an extremely complicated man in ways that have never been considered by the public at large.  He was complex as an individual as were the people around him, the world in which he ran, how he made money, and the spaces that he's associated with (which are subjects unto themselves).

Tonal Recall

Despite what you see here, "Former Hangouts" (the documentary that we're working on right now--the one about Capone, his places, and the complicated legacy that he left behind) isn't going to be overly dark, aggressive, or depressing.  I'm aiming for it to be peppy, relatively upbeat, so that it propels itself along nicely.  With good music.  Fun, informative, with plenty of unique twists and turns.  Not sad or overly philosophical because it can easily go that route.  

Let's just say that the 1920's have a very palatable grit and pathos that is typically glossed over in how that decade is presented.  For this film at least, I've decided that it's best to take a light approach to the Jazz and Prohibition era because the closer you get to it, the more you realize how rough life was back then.  The subject matter isn't breezy by any stretch of the imagination so maybe it's best that we hum along as we're exploring crime and nihilism.

up north

Shooting some super-interesting historic locations today for "Former Hangouts" impacted some of my perspectives on Capone and the prohibition era.  Things were a lot more hardcore than I think people realize.  A light-hearted picture here (interestingly, on the last day of full covid-related widescale masking) but what lies beneath the surface at some locations can be very different.

"It's Complicated"

The work continues on the Al Capone-centric documentary, "Former Hangouts".  The goal with it is to approach the subject matter from unique angles and to tackle topics that aren't typically addressed.  With Capone, his world, Chicago, how individuals become iconic, and America in general, there's a lot to talk about.  Let's have some conversations, shall we?

More stills from this project, which will be new footage spiked with some absolutely incredible archival footage.

now and yesterday

Some stills from the full-length documentary that I'm working on right now, "Former Hangouts", about Capone, where he went, and what it means.  A fascinating/funny/surprisingly emotional project about an infamous American renegade who rode through the underground halls of power and how it all went explosively off the rails.

Highwire Act

The Upcoming Projects page has been updated, by the way.

Well, this year, I'll be attempting a couple of difficult endeavors:  one is a full-length documentary about Capone and his favorite places (and what circles around those) and, another, is a complete departure from that which is a silly, trashy Christmas movie that I'm aiming to be a weird, guilty pleasure.

Let's face it, I want everything that I do to fall under the "guilty pleasure" category.....  and, at this point, I absolutely embrace that....  

2021 won't be easy but it will be interesting and, hopefully, fruitful.  Let's try to get this done!  I'm aiming to have the Capone doc out by June or July and "The Christmas Bucket" (yes, that's the title) by.....like....?....early December.  Hopefully.  It would have to be, right?  ha

Tomorrow I'll be shooting all day outside in the snow through Chicago getting atmospherics for the Capone documentary project as well as getting some outside exterior establishing shots for the Christmas thing since the actors will be shooting their scenes (decorations and Christmas costumes and all of that) during the summer. 

And then it goes further from there.  

The horror-comedy movie that we'll be doing in 2022 has many more bells, whistles, and actors in it.....and 2021 will be dedicated OBVIOUSLY to the world recovering from the covid situation so I think that it would be a smarter route--for what I do and the resources and limitations that Addovolt Productions contends with--to tackle a more minimalist project (not as many actors, not as many locations, not as much $/costumes/effects/etc./etc.).  Plus, I've always wanted to do a really stupid Christmas movie and I'm going to use these different circumstances as an excuse.

predictably unpredictable

What an interesting year 2020 was/is.

.

Uhhmm.

Hm.

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It's an entirely different ballgame now, isn't it?

As we step into the unknown altogether, let's hope that '21 operates under much better circumstances for everyone.  There's a lot to do.

That being said, I wish everyone great holidays, a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Beautiful Yule.

While all of this is happening, I'll be working on some new things, which I have been for months now, but I'll discuss that stuff after the new year.

thankful for the predecessors

If it weren't for independent musicians and indie bands, I wouldn't have been able to figure out how to go about things when it comes to what I do as an indie filmmaker.  They're the ones who paved the way.  Small budgets to get things done, no arena-size seating but $ and seating nonetheless.  

People have assumed that other indie directors pointed the way towards how I'd be doing things but, actually, it has to do with observing the operational tactics of indie bands more than anything else.

I owe everything to the musicians.  They chopped through the wilderness and made the path.

Addovolt Explorations: Theoretical

Here's looking at you, kid

It's almost as though posting this video up on Halloween in the midst of an incredibly nasty election cycle was intentional (it was) but, if that's the conspiracy theory, then it would be the least of our worries.

"Addovolt Explorations: Theoretical" is HERE on YouTube.

Old Scratch was getting blamed for everything back during the witch trials and he still gets blamed by some folks for causing trouble to this day

The nice thing about being independent is having the ability to do silly projects like this short documentary, which is ridiculous but kind of serious but tongue-in-cheek but sincere yet...obviously satirical while actually making a few solid points....

Maybe it's completely appropriate for Halloween because it's over-the-top absurd....and, also, a bit creepy.  But it's a fast video carnival ride so it's a trick and a treat for tonight or whenever else.  Yeah, sometimes, on certain projects, I structure some films to feel like goofy, rickety dark rides at an amusement park.  Not joking.  To me, it makes sense.

pre-Jazz Age architecture is full of symbology and Chicago's Union Station has its own interesting details...this Greek-influenced muse statue holds an owl which can represent wisdom (most likely the intended meaning in this case) as well as evil, ferocity, and death itself

Lots of archival footage used in this as well as some custom snippets.  "Theoretical" was a group effort and truly a good time.

exactly

Is October 2020 an overall good time though?  I can't say that it is.  Regardless, here we are.  We may as tell try to poke some fun at ourselves while we're chewing our nails off.

Addovolt Explorations: Illumination

Like you, plants can have a somewhat picky diet.

This addition to the Addovolt Explorations quick docs is about plant biology which people have been asking for non-stop! (okay, no) but you're getting it anyway.

Personally, I think that photosynthesis is fascinating and I'm sure that I'm not the only one.  This video is HERE on YouTube, it's fun, it's insightful, it's a different feel than the kind of thing that we typically do, and it's only like 2 minutes.  You can handle it.

And a very special Thank You to Lisette S. for narrating this one.

Addovolt Explorations: Buried Treasure

character study

At no point did the dinosaurs have any kind of funerary procedures for themselves so you never know if you'll randomly stumble across some Plateosaurus femur--for example--the next time you're planting in your vegetable garden.  (okay, the likelihood of that actually happening isn't great but you get the point....)

And, then, if you do find one, maybe you can cash it in?  How much is it worth?  Can you sell it to the Smithsonian?  Could you shell it out to somebody on Etsy instead?  Are you now rich?

Impress your relatives by putting items like these in your guest bedroom.

Probably not.  But you could end up making a pretty decent amount.

Unconventionally Beautiful:  the very famous skull of Sue the T-Rex at Chicago's Field Museum

"Buried Treasure", the latest addition to the Addovolt Explorations short documentary series is right HERE.  Thank you, Kristina Betz, for doing the narration!

Pale Horseman's music video for "Tundra"

This is an entirely different flavor of music video for Pale Horseman (we've done two other videos with them in the past: "Conquistador" and "Phantasmal Voice"), "Tundra" being a sort of mixed-media project utilizing original scenes combined with archival footage mainly from old science, nature, news, and government safety films which don't make you feel safe whatsoever.

The music video for "Tundra", off of their latest album "For Dust Thou Art", premiered today on The Sludgelord! and you can watch it right HERE.  The video has also been featured on Metal Underground, Next Mosh, Kronos Mortus News, Insane Blog, and Metal Robot.

Rather than creating a contrast with the tone and lyrics of the song, the video links arms with the music completely, diving headfirst into the sweeping, crunchy bleakness of it all.

When it comes to the visual aspects of this project, the influences of Kenneth Anger, Jack Parsons, and the high-tech occultism of early and mid-20th Century Southern California are obvious and intentional as are nods to 80's/90's MTV, "Metropolis", "Eyes Wide Shut", H.R. Giger, H.P. Lovecraft, David Lynch, Snow White, Flash Gordon, the nuclear adventures of Enrico Fermi, and, yes, "Hellraiser".  I think that they all go together very well.  Frighteningly so.

I figured that we may as well explore some of the conspiracy theories that people enjoy so much, especially at the moment (understandably.....), such as the idea of powerful, secretive organizations pulling the levers of science and magic, deciding with the push of a button whether us earthlings will experience a jolt of progress or a blast resulting in complete annihilation.  Or, to accelerate things forward, a re-manifestation of Saturn--via chemicals, currents, and atomic energy--returning to vanquish all that we hold dear.  Let's just hope that they're simply rumors and nothing more.

The main theme that I wanted to explore in this project was the concept of inspiration.

Where does it come from?

Which parts come from inside of you and which parts come from elsewhere?  What if there's no difference?

We're all so used to hearing about how pleasant and wonderful inspirations are but what about negative inspirations?  What about wicked ideas popping into powerful heads, the ones that end up impacting the lives of millions of people?  How about those?

Inspirations aren't always good.  Sometimes they're toxic, sometimes they don't always reshape the world in positive ways.

Be careful what influences you.  Watch out for what inspires you.  You can't be sure where it came from or how it got there which could mean that, maybe, your paranoia is thoroughly justified....

Pale Horseman are Andre Almaraz, Eric Ondo, Rich Cygan, and Jason Schryver.  Extremely impressive hair, makeup, and performance contributions in this video from Erin Rose Alamaraz and performance by one of my very favorite longtime collaborators, Remy Osborne, as Lord Saturn.