Let me start by saying I am a huge nerd, and I love all things web. Blogging, Twitter, RSS feeds, Crackbook - it is safe to say I spend a lot of time broadcasting my life and tuning in to the lives of other's on the web. But, while at SXSW, especially the Interactive session I noticed that people get so wrapped up in broadcasting every moment that they forget to actually slow down, be in a moment, and absorb an experience as it happens.
The more I reflect on this, the more I feel like detaching (to an extent) from technology, and just BE in a moment. To me, shooting film is perfect for such a mindset because after depressing the shutter there is no instant review. For better or worse that moment of light is captured. A few days or weeks down the road when the film is developed and scanned/printed and enough time has separated you from the event you can reflect and transmit. Shooting film means being present and aware, in my own little world at least.
With that here are a few rough images from SXSW Music, three of my favorite performances captured as moments of light. Bear in mind, this film had been expired for several years!
Circle Jerks at Emos, I flipped my shit when they played Coup D'Etat and I hopped in the pit and am quite sure I hit several people in the head with my camera.
The Great Lakes at Red 7. I could have gone either way until at the very end the guitarist hung his guitar from the rafters while it fedback like a banshee, he then climbed the rafters himself hanging above the crowd - awesome!
Efterklang at Habana Calle. Considered by many to be the Beatles of Denmark, the performance was overwhelmingly beautiful.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thoughts on Paying Attention
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
SXSW 09 Film Favorites
Having a Gold badge at this year's SXSW I made it a point to see a lot of films. In between panels, showcases, and items on my shot list I would sneak over to the Paramount or the Ritz as often as possible to catch a flick. I ended up seeing a total of nine films, all of which were excellent - was not disappointed in a single film. Here are my top 3 picks:
1. Winnebago Man. This film was unreal, a documentary based upon one of the first ever pre-youtube viral videos. An outtake reel from a late 80's Winnebago industrial film shoot hosted by the venerable Jack Rebney was copied from VHS tape to VHS tape, making the rounds all across the country. The filmmaker tracks down Jack, now a hermit living alone in Northern California, and tells a great story of someone who came into the spotlight under less than ideal terms. There is not a trailer for the film online, however the original clip that spawned the phenomenon is on youtube, and is probably the funniest thing I have EVER seen.
Official site.
2. Iron Maiden: Flight 666. So I grew up as a huge metal kid and have even played in a few metal bands, but I am confident that this fact did not bias my review of this film. You could hate metal and THOROUGHLY enjoy this film. It is an intimate portrait of a band that truly loves what they do and have created an incredible fanbase the world over. As the film's director said before the film ran, "If you are new to Iron Maiden, welcome to the family." Funny enough, after the film that is exactly how I felt. Most astonishing I think was the fact that the band got it's own custom 757 to tour the world with their gear and crew and the plane was flown by the band's lead singer Bruce Dickinson! The sound was fantastic on the film, and invoked a feeling of actually being at one of their larger than life shows. I was grinning from ear to ear the entire film and often laughed out loud. The crowd at the Paramount was awesome, when their marquee songs would come on a few guys in the front row would stand up, take their shirts off and swing them in the air, so good!
Official site.
3. Sons of a Gun. I met Greg, the filmmaker on my flight out to Texas - he was a SXSW virgin stoked to be showing his film. Once I landed in Austin I viewed the trailer and knew it was a must see. The production was done on a shoestring, but the film portrays such a touching drama that you can't helped but be sucked in. Better characters and story could not be fabricated and can only exist in the twisted reality that we all inhabit. Really and truly a great film and a wonderful human drama.
Official site
The rest of the films I saw:
Letters to the President. A great look inside Iran. Trailer.
Intangible Asset #82. An Australian drummer's quest to find a Korean Shaman. Trailer.
Along Came Kinky: Texas Jewboy for Governor Tales from the campaign trail of one of Texas' most original characters. Site.
Objectified From the creator of Helvetica, musings on industrial design. Trailer.
Sin Nombre A young girl travels to America with the help of a former gang member.Trailer
Most of these may not ever be available on DVD or in theaters, but if you get the chance to see any of them I highly recommend you do!
PEACE to you all!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
God Bless Texas
Let me start by saying thus far I love San Francisco and all, but my heart and soul will forever reside in Austin, Texas. It was wonderful to be back, it felt like I hadn't missed a step. Moving to SF was the right thing to do for now - but it will not be home forever.
So, here are a few snaps of two Texas icons - the Lone Star Flag and Kinky Friedman. The images are super grainy, I was shooting ISO 3200 Kodak that had been expired for over 5 years. In retrospect I should have hit it harder (more exposure time, wider aperture) and possibly dipped it another minute or two in the D76 developer, but oh well.
Also, as promised my write ups for film and music are on the way. Getting ready for a photo exhibition in the Haight, preparing negatives, master files and mounting is keeping me super busy.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Blur
I think I said this last year, and it certainly applies again, was it a dream? Am I already back in San Francisco, waking up in my own bed? Certainly I did not hit SXSW (music portion) as hard as I did last year, but still had a wonderful experience. Saw lots of good music, a ton of films, and made lots of images.
Let me start with the thank yous, Scott Gress you were a wonderful host, Gin and Meow Poww Media you rock, Marc Urselli always great to see you, and perhaps thank you most of all to Bettina and Eric at Austin Bikes. Really, lending me a bike totally made my trip and I am so very thankful. If you are in Austin and need a new ride, go to Austin Bikes, they are the best!!! Also, to all of you who I love and did not get to see (Jon, Todd, Duke, so many more), I was just so overextended that I was not able to see and do nearly 1/100th of what I wanted to, I love you all and will be back in Austin soon.
Tomorrow I am going to do a write up on all the films I saw, and the following day will do the same for music and post a few images. Was shooting exclusively film during music, so I need to go buy some new chemistry and develop/scan so I can post some images.
PEACE to you all!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It Has Begun...
SXSW Interactive kicked off today! Going to be a busy boy but I will check in from time to time...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Lace Up
OK, a few things:
1. I have refreshed my personal website with new imagery, social media icons, and updated some of the copy. ryanchahanovich.com
2. Thanks to the venerable Hannah for lending her arm. The background image of the site, seen below, is another sneak peek into my floaters project which I have shoots scheduled today and tomorrow for.
5. I will also be making sched's for the Films, Music, and other Panels I will be attending, post those soon. For now, here is a link to free food at SXSW! 
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Coming Up
SXSW will be here with the quickness! I just got my shot list from the powers that be for Screenburn at Interactive. You can view my shot list sched here: http://sxsw2009.sched.org/rc_interactive_foto
I will also be putting together another sched of the Film and Music I will be catching, post that here in the next few days. One showcase I will NOT be missing is being put on by MeowPoww, Gin is arguably the hardest working girl in the industry:) Not to mention, Ume will be there and it is TOTALLY free.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Wrist
Been working away on my project, code name "Floaters" - here is an outtake.
ps - SXSW is right around the corner, I will be shooting Screenburn at the Interactive Conference. Make sure to get your game on.
PEACE to you all!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
MF'in White Denim!
There are so few bands that give me goosebumps anymore, White Denim are one of those bands. They have finally released their first full length, Exposion, which you can buy DIRECTLY from the band at whitedenimmusic.com. This just may be my album of the year.
Here is the video for the tune Shake, Shake, Shake along with a few image comps of the band, shot at SXSW and Fun Fun Fun.
WHITE DENIM - Shake Shake Shake from ACIDBIRD on Vimeo.
PEACE to you all!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Play from your heart!!
Comedian, philosopher, and shaman Bill Hicks is one of my heros. A self described "Chomsky with dick jokes," nothing was taboo for Bill. Politics, religion, porn, drugs - he spoke of the things that dwell in everyone's mind but thanks to social conventions most of us are to afraid to discuss or even acknowledge.
I was looking at the photo below, reflecting on the experience and one Hick's quote kept on replaying in my head...
"When did mediocrity and banality become a good image for your children? I want my children to listen to people who fucking rocked. I don't care if they died in puddles of their own vomit. I want someone who plays from his fucking heart.
"Mommy, mommy, the man that Bill told me to listen to has a blood bubble on his nose!" Shut up and listen to him play!
Fuck that! I want my rock stars dead! I want them to fucking play with one hand and put a gun in their other fucking hand and go "I hope you enjoy the show!" ( BAMMM! gun-fire noise) Yes! Yes! Play from your fucking heart!"
For more on on the late, great Bill Hicks, go here...
peace and much love!
Monday, March 17, 2008
best of SXSW
well, i survived sxsw and now i shall tell the tale. i saw 50+ official showcases, countless street bands, attended several day parties and so much more. here is my rundown of the best of the best!
Best Japanese Act
Avengers in Sci Fi from Tokyo.
Best Surprise
This one is a toss up between street band 1 and street band 2.
Best Former RATM Member Solo Performance
Tom Morello!
Best Brit Band With a Wicked Long Name
Joe Lean and the Jing Jang jong
Sexiest Bassist That is Not Kim Gordon
Kamara from Earl Greyhound, and I love her.
Best Local Band That is Not White Denim
Grady
Only Band(s) Worth the Effort to See Twice
Another tie, this time between White Denim and Black Mountain.
Best In Show
Hands down, Thurston Moore and band. One encore just wasn't enough, the second time around Thurston had some help from the audience during his guitar solo which made me pee a little.
much love and appreciation to all those who made sxsw so wonderful
lush life austin/jules
meow poww media
the lovely magera moon
marc urselli
diego (and driego)
old friends
new friends
peace and love
Sunday, March 16, 2008
was it a dream?
is it really over? i need sleep in order to process what the hell happened over the last few days, full report coming tomorrow.
with that, here is a shot of the bass player from nada surf.
peace and love!
Friday, March 14, 2008
SXSW madness
day 3 is about to begin - neeeeeeeed sleeeeeeep......
peace and love!
Monday, March 10, 2008
facelift
just in time for SXSW i have given my website a facelift.
check it out at ryanchahanovich.com!
peace!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
my sxsw schedule
you can view my sxsw schedule here, http://sched.org/sxsw2008/ryan_chahanovich
this is only my band list and does not include the must attend parties (spin, iheartcomix, fader fort, vice saves texas...)
also, you have to check out the meow poww/skope magazine showcase on friday!!
peace!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
sxsw recs
be sure to check out the best sxsw scheduler around at http://sched.org/
here are my must sees:
earl greyhound
black mountain
lightspeed champion
har mar superstar
maps and atlases
colour of revolution
sleepercar
the spinto band
white denim
saul williams
vampire weekend
peace!
