I
start with a sigh because it's all you can
do really. The best laid plans right? "I'm
going into filmmaking like everyone else.
I have all the skills, it's a helluva lot
more marketable than 4tvs. T3 marks the
end."
And
then the "flux capacitor" vision part
37.
I've been
threatening to do "The Journey" , as a 4tvs show,
forever now. It's even a nice little inside joke on
the first T1 DVD that it says: "Coming Fall 2002". An
idea of a 4tvs show that takes you on the ups and
downs of this hellish LA road. Special because with
the TVs - I can do say 30 seconds of a Trinitrons show
change a hat, and go right into a song or another part
of the story - all in one seamless visual
presentation. Hell I can even talk about the infamous
"Comedy Store" night…do a moment from that show -
and even have THAT audience's live reaction for sound.
It never came to
fruition as I couldn't find the story arc. There just
wasn't enough content and without some direction it'd
be pretty boring. By this year it was pretty obvious
it wasn't going to happen. I was "done" with 4tvs and
if anything it would be a short film…but even
that - what's that? A movie about your life? Made by
you? Huh? Just doesn't work. Then early year I did
Adamazon.com and it occurred to me that the Journey
songs were now a project within itself. And on top of
that, this year they became more than just
songs…the videos themselves portrayed the
feelings as much as the words (i.e. speeding up the
video when I'm cuh-RAZY)…
I mean, those
songs, and that way of recording emotions as they
happen, are special. They are the journey. A show of
these songs started to creep into my head, but I
didn't want to just talk, and then play a video of me
singing. How boring would that be? I'm right there - I
should perform it…but damn those videos are
good.
Then Tuesday night
happened. During the 51 minute Chinese water torture
my mind was all over the place. In and out of dreams,
daydreams - basically hallucinating (you should all
try waking up every hour. Good times - lol) I thought
of the show and had just a killer idea. One of those
ideas that yeah, will probably change my entire life
for 2005 and put off any "filmmaking" until
thereafter. Picture this badass show:
The 4tvs, and in
the middle a piano/keyboard sideways. I actually
perform the songs while the "DV Therapy" video comes
up, but here's the wrinkle: there's a videocamera on
me, just as it is in all my "DV Therapy" songs. That
image is piped into one of the TVs while I'm doing the
show live. The other TVs will have whatever images are
necessary for the story. But as I tell the story, I
control everything that comes on. I time it all out,
flip the image from the pre-recorded 4tvs DVD to the
live shot of me when performing, then back to the 4tvs
DVD when I talk about the Trinitrons. Mixing the video
as I go, and the kicker - the camera will be
recording. I record the show just like I record my DV
therapy videos, just this time in front of an
audience. Then, THAT footage can be reworked into the
next show. The sense of what's live and filmed will be
blurred. As well I get to perform live and taped at
the same time, and the audience sees it on all 4tvs
and they see it live - WITH the original footage of
when it was shot. AHHHHHHHHH. Heh. The best part, I
can easily monitor everything. The camera has a
viewable screen, and I can use my portable DVD player
to watch from my vantage point what is being seen
live. If written correctly, this is the Aspen show.
This is it. This is the one-man show that truly shows
an audience something they've never seen before, all
the while allowing me to sing and play music, and talk
people through the entire story.
ON TOP OF THAT
gooey mess of fun.- it's always breathing. The Journey
always continues. The hard part will be keeping this
to an hour. But man, what an awesome hour. The mix of
live/taped/ that whole jumble chaotic goodness -
that's the shit. That could be specTACULAR. Of course
for the next 51 minute burning cycle, I didn't come
close to sleeping. You kidding? The second I thought
of taping myself, like an entire DV therapy video live
onstage and having it come through one of the TVs?
Well that did it. That determined my 2005. No avoiding
it. Add to that the beginning of the show, where I can
actually trick people into thinking it's taped. I can
start off singing a song, have old footage come up,
then me live onstage singing it before the spotlight
comes up…and then they realize it's live when the
spotlight comes on. So many possibilities.
One problem. I
need new TVs. It's time. It's so necessary that I'm
considering going down to 21 inch flat screens as
anything bigger is OUTRAGEOUS for flatscreens and
there's no way I'm replacing the TVs with the clunky
ones again.. What sucks about going smaller is that I
will have to blow-up everything I've ever done 4tvs
related, so thay're the correct size for my big-ass
LIVE head. I can pull off a 21 inch for $6-700, and
though not doable now - doable in the near future.
That also means I could change my entire set-up and
basically get rid of my trailer. That could be $1000 -
$1500 right there. Those pups are in high demand out
here. To pull off the show though, I would need a
video mixer and those bitches are pricey as hell. Ugh.
But you know what, it will happen. I can't believe I'm
gonna do this, and I can see everyone saying - JESUS
YOU WERE OUT MAN! You were "movin' on…". Now
you're gonna redo 4tvs from the ground-up for one
show? A show that hasn't worked financially for you in
5 years?
Yup. You bet I am.
And it's gonna be the coolest thing anyone's ever
seen. So there. I mean what's my alternative? Buy a
camera and make short-films to get into festivals like
everyone else out here? I mean it may still come down
to that, but I can't ignore something with the
potential of being this awesome. Sure it has the
direction of Aspen as it will be more "intelligent"
than The Trinitrons, but that is NOT why I'm doing it.
I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. I
physically become euphoric thinking about it. The show
I see in my head should make you laugh and cry. OOOH
just had another good idea. Man… this really is
it. I'm now devoting the next 12 months of my life to
this. All in an effort to get it done in time to push
it for Aspen…Christ - Aspen 2006 which they'll
choose in November 2005.
The final piece of
all of this is what the hell does that do to T3? Does
it render it useless? No, I still think I can get on
TV with it, I still think it can make some noise, but
now when it does garner interest - I'll have another
project to point them towards. That's always a plus.
But this "Journey" 4tvs show is the key. All those
videos…360? All that content that can be weaved
seamlessly into one show taking you through 5 years.
Man - that's the shit. That's the piece de resistance
of 4tvs.
But for the next
week - it's all things Trinitrons for one last run.
It's an awesome show and I just can't wait to share it
with everyone. And for the first time I can truly say
"EVERYONE". Heh.
Goddamn I'm tired.
And now October gets to be filled producing this new
show. Ha. Classic Adam. Don't ever stop man. Run like
the bear is 2 feet behind you. Run, run,
run.
Adam
Oh and here's just
one
more song
for the show. Watched this with Jess this morning.
Balled our eyes out. Isn't life FUN?!!?
(sigh).
