January 15, 2010
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Mike's Video Blog 12: A Short Trip Downtown
Mike's Video Blog #12 in High Def and Widescreen:
Parts One and Two
Mike's Video Blog #12.1: "A Short Trip Downtown Part One" HD widescreeen 9 min. 32 sec.
MikeVideo and his assistant MikeVideo Jr. take a "Short Trip Downtown" to Los Angeles on Christmas day, 2009. In part One, we visit Staples Center, Figueroa Street, Broadway Street, City Hall and Disney Hall.
Videomaking has been one of my passions for over 20 years. Recently, I know I've been presenting a lot of videos, but this one is special. My assistant in this video, Mike, in his early 40s, lives with his mother in the next mobile home. We've become fast friends, and he was overwhelmed by my videos, especially the video blogs, which he compared to video documentarian Hewell Howser's work on L.A.s PBS station KCET. Since Hewell (along with Ralph Story and Charles Kuralt) is one of my prime inspirations, I really liked this compliment.
Mike wanted to make a "Mike's Video Blog" with me and for a few months, and our shedules kept conflicting, but on Christmas day, we both ventured out to downtown L.A. in my convertible. It took me a couple of weeks to edit the footage, and the results are above and below. I had lots to work with, and didn't want to edit this into just one video, so I split it in two 10 minute "webisodes" and am presenting them here. (Apologies to my hearing imparied readers. I do promise to "close caption" an upcoming video but did not type out the dialogue in this one.) Since my "free" Vimeo account only can accept one HD video a week, I've embedded the Motionbox feed for Part 2. If anyone takes the time to watch both, let me know which player you prefer. (I'm suspecting the Motionbox player below is the best, since I'm paying $39.00 a year as a "premium" member of the service. It also allows me to stream the vids to my 60" TV!) When I uploaded these to YouTube, the audio was immediately disabled because of "copyright infringement" on the over 40 year old Doors song I use on the soundtrack. (sigh)
Mike's Video Blog #12.2: "A Short Trip Downtown Part Two" HD widescreeen 10 min. 21 sec.
In Part Two, we visit Main Street, Little Tokyo, Skid Row, 7th Street, and end up at the temporary ice skating rink at L.A. Live, next to L.A.s newest skyscraper, the Ritz-Carlton/Marriot Hotel.
Comments (19)
:wave: Hi! Mike, my computer is definitely broke & I'm on my friend's. so I can check subs and do my own blog (which I did on 12th). Blogs are hard to read, though, these days unless the font is large. I'm thankful R eye cataract surgery will be over on 18th, but I prob. won't be reading much until end of week, I'm not sure. I know I can't drive next day for post-op visit w/my reg. eye doc.
Blessings 'n cheers :goodjob:
Oooh, I hate you Mike!! I dont have time to look at these videos now...and will have to wait till tomorrow before I can watch them...will be back.
Mike. I have always wanted to see LA. Thanks for sharing. Now I can save the money on the trip. LOL Thanks as always for taking the time to share. The videos were fascinating. I can't wait for more.
Hugs
Kat
P.S. Tell MikeVideo Jr that he is cute. Laughing.
i feel like this is a show i'm watching :]
Thanks for the trip downtown in the convertible Michael. You are looking mighty spiffy in that cap.
Hi Mike!
Thank you so much for the trip to Los Angeles and listening that old Doors song again! It was really nice to see it from the car because it seems I was there. You must had fun also with Mike Video Jr, who seems to be a nice person, and a great ice skater even without skates =D
Loved the friendly people waving and even the homeless who decided not to share his image =)
Thanks for sharing!
Have a nice weekend!
Isabel
Two guys out havin' fun on a sunny winter's day in LA. And you took us all along to enjoy the ride, thx Mikes.
@Zeal4living - Dear Jurgens, Don't hate me. The vids will be online waiting for you. I use "tags" so if they fall off the front page of my blog, just go to my "tags" section and click "mikevideo". (Belive it or not there's 6 pages of Xanga videoblog and MikeVideo posts!
@Betrayed1959 - Dear Kat, As I mentioned in a comment on your site, I told my neighbor that in the only comment I'd received where someone saw the vids, you thought he was "cute". I don't know if you know this, but I have a complete website dedicated to my video hobby. Click MikeVideo. (I just noticed I need to update again, since the last time was in November.
@elelkewljay - Dear Thu. It is a "show". I've been doing "reality TV" before they invented the term!
@WhataWonderfulNewWorld - Dear Isabel, I should have done a 'run through" and then used a tripod in the back seat! I tried to "correct" some of the 'shakycam' in post production, but it took two weeks to edit,and I finally said, "hey, it's not as if I'm trying to impress Spielberg! Thanks for the encouragement. I'm showing "MikeVideo Jr." the vids tonight when he gets off work.
Merry Christmas
I remember L.A. There were would be a lot more gangs in my videos if I recorded.
Mike
Cool! I will go and check out your video site. I have seen most of the ones you post on here but I don't know that I have ever been to that particular site.
Hope you are having a good day.
kat
aww, man! The internet at my school is really slow. I really wish I could watch these!
Wow. Thanks for sharing your field trip with us. I don't think I need to go to LA now. I do have a request..... take me to the ocean Mike!
I can get the first one, but not the second, for some reason. I'm going to have to come back later and watch because it is so late and the video keeps hanging up. I'll probably have to let it completely load and then try to watch. Neat idea, though!
I love this! Makes me feel like I'm right there travelling through the streets. :coolman: It's the two Mikes!!:spinning:
I will definitely be watching these later.
RYC: The show's been moved to Friday at 3pm, next week. That's my new time slot. I get more people watching then
great vids mike. I was almost feeling car-sick a couple of times. LA is a bigger-than-life city but the life there is the same as almost anywhere/everywhere. you shoulda offered the bicycle guy a couple of bucks to be in your vid, or at least the free-parking pass. he coulda swapped it for something. you coulda made him famous
Although however your own utterances must be realistic
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