"It's a story about us, people, being persuaded to spend money we don't have, on things we don't need, to create impressions that don't last, on people we don't care about."
- Tim Jackson

This quote from an economist kept coming to mind while I re-watched The Last Days of Disco. Still my favorite movie about young people in New York City. And young people in general. And, I guess, disco.

It's been a busy year, which is why this blog fell by the wayside months ago. I'm reading some of my posts from the past 2 years, and I'm having one of those moments where you realize that maybe you've become a totally different person really fast and didn't even realize it. Like when I rewatched some Wes Anderson movies a few months ago and questioned what kind of person I had been in college to identify so much with movies that I can barely stomach now. Or when I listen to an old mix cd that I used to love and now all the songs seem random and irrelevant.

So maybe I should just rename this blog, "Things that seem important enough to post about at the moment, but that I will feel uncomfortable reading again in less time than it takes for most people to graduate from bar tending school." Catchy, right?

This is what's happened since my last post: I'm married now, to an exceptional woman with pretty hair and a lot of patience. I've directed some great projects and spent way too much time reading people's youtube comments after they've been released online (I know I shouldn't do this, please help). I'm working on a feature screenplay that's probably going to consume the next 2 years of my life. Also, I just rewatched the above Woody Allen clip and realized that there are certain things that I will always think are great.

I'll try posting more regularly here, I promise.

My new Cage the Elephant video is being screened at Joaquin Poblete's Videomacher series this Friday night. Come by and talk videos with me over complimentary Boxed Waters!

The new video I directed for Cage The Elephant came out this weekend. I'm celebrating by being really sick.

Catskills set humor via Joaquin:

Q: How many first-time directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: "I don't know, what do you think?"

I'm back on twitter.

Yes, she takes a lot of pictures.

But did I mention that she also speaks a little Chinese?

And that she knows almost every tree in our neighborhood by its proper name?

And that she can do a dead-on impression of Hillary Clinton?

Did I mention that she can dance really well when she's a little tipsy?

And that she genuinely appreciates Dizzee Rascal?

And that she has a preoccupation with unsettling historical details? Like Howard Hughes' OCD. Or the Donner Party. Or Van Gogh's chlamydia.

Did I mention that she paints surprisingly well, especially on the backs of old paper grocery bags?

And that kids and animals adore her?

And that old men do double- sometimes triple- takes when she walks by?

Did I mention that she's brave? Even in the face of really bad odds?

And that she never gives up, because she's unwaveringly stubborn?

And that she has integrity, and grace, and a quiet dignity that makes everyone around her a little less afraid to be a little more sincere?

And yes, she takes lots and lots of pictures.

It was really only a matter of time before this happened.

moremediaforeveryone.com

We'd talked about starting our company for years, and last month was the perfect time to launch it. Steve and I have always had a do-it-ourselves (d.i.o?) mentality, and we're glad to have the opportunity to branch out completely on our own. Our rep, Laure Scott, is on board, and we're looking at options for UK and commercial reps. We're also excited to be joined by our good friend Josh Forbes. He's a genius in every possible way.

Since it's 2010 and an addendum like this is inevitable, you can follow us on:

twitter, facebook, tumblr, and flickr

On an unrelated note, this is hilarious.

Just got back from a life-changing experience in Kentucky. I saw things no man should see.

I passed out on the plane last night and woke up realizing that I'd had this on repeat for 3 straight hours:



Seriously, this is going to be a great year.

The new Motion City Soundtrack video I directed is out now. I owe a big thanks to the band, Targa, and everyone at Sony for taking a chance on a weird little idea. And of course, a giant thanks to Steve, Roger, Hillary, Bjorn, Ryan, Danielle, Chef, George, Justin, Joaquin, and our whole team of insanely dedicated and amazing people.

Also, check out the commentary I did with Keith for his hilarious Lenny Kravitz/Justice/Michael J Fox video. We talk enthusiastically about the 80s, Blossom, and promising young electronic french bands.

I started the year off with food poisoning and post-production, which is a horrible mix. I sampled every drink at the bodega on the corner, pleading with God to let something stay put in my stomach and sustain me through the edits, and re-edits, and edits of re-edits. Here's what didn't work: Gatorade, Naked Juice, 7-Up, Vitamin Water. Here's what did work: UCC Coffee. Leave it to the Japanese to concoct a beverage that's impervious to whatever evil cousin of mad cow disease/ebola virus I was suffering through. I'm addicted now.

The Manchester Orchestra and Pistol Youth videos ended up on a few more "best of" lists and Fuse has a cool behind the scenes feature on the Shake It Out video. Yet another opportunity to see Clay lose fake arm-wrestling competitions, this time from all new angles!

A huge thanks is owed to all the talanted people who made the Motion City Soundtrack video happen this weekend.
Virtual reality, cloning machines, death rays, and a choreographed dance sequence. I think we covered all the bases.


Also, check out Spin Magazine's list of the best music videos of 2009. Manchester Orchestra comes in at #8 on the countdown-
Lady Gaga got robbed!



If you haven't gotten your fill yet, there's more Manchester Orchestra action over at videostatic, where Keith Schofield was nice enough to join me for a video commentary. Hear us discuss the finer points of filmmaking and count the number of times I use the word "like".

I'm in Chicago, speaking at Bjorn's amazing CoLab forum, which is one of those rich, rewarding experiences that helps me to appreciate 1) how many extremely talented people Steve and I are surrounded by, 2) how it would be impossible to do what we do without those people, and 3) how difficult it is to explain how I do what I do without simply bragging about these people. Seriously, we have the greatest group of creative friends anyone could ever ask for.

But it's also really cold out here (my first time ever in the midwest in winter), and I'm ready to get back to LA. We have a bunch of projects coming up with some fun bands and some weird ideas, and I can't wait to walk around my apartment again in jeans shorts with all the windows open.

My new video for Manchester Orchestra is debuting on the web today. I watched Over The Top around 10 times over the course of the production, which is about 9 more times than anyone should have to watch Stallone do pushups on the back of a parked 18-wheeler.

After four years of slapping band-aids and duct tape on my crumbling web portfolio, it was time to finally give the whole thing a massive overhaul. If you're one of the few people who reads this blog without having been redirected from my site, check it out.

You can always count on honest design critiques from Bjorn. For goodness sake's man, it's a Stallone movie, I'm pretty sure big homey didn't even know what Helvetica was.

Also, I have a really quick cameo in the new Lenny Kravitz/Justice video. Somewhere around the 3:20 mark. Look mom, I'm my name is on TV the internet! Thanks Keith. Any color timers out there want to explain what it is they do?

I spent the weekend in Nashville shooting a Manchester Orchestra video and getting acquainted with the south. Like every trip to a location with it's own dialect, I ended up subconsciously assimilating myself and by sunday afternoon I had a lazy drawl that made me sound folksier than a will call at the Grand Ole Opry. I caught myself telling a key grip to "move that there C-stand" and was so embarrassed that I spent the next hour reciting Wu-Tang lyrics in my head to cleanse my palette.

Dear Kanye,

Today I found a box of costumes from the "Best I Ever Had" video under my desk. Do your video girls still need these? I was thinking about giving them to my girlfriend's nephews for Christmas. They sure love sports.

Good luck on your VMA nominations!
Isaac

ps - If you win, my producer and I are storming the stage looking like this:

The video I directed for Cage The Elephant premieres on the MTVs this Thursday. A super huge thanks to Max, Marc, and everyone else who pushed it so hard. We still don't know if they're airing the director's cut or the "broadcast safe" version, but either way, it gets pretty grizzly.

I don't even have cable, so if someone wants to tivo that, that'd be great. In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to celebrate a job well done in a more unorthodox style:

A huge thanks to everyone who helped out on last week's shoot. We spent all day filming off of moving golf carts in downtown LA, and then finished the night by bashing some life-sized pinatas. Sometimes it was hard to tell if we were filming a music video or putting together the ultimate quinceanera.

If I'm ever on Jeopardy, I hope one of the categories is "garden gnomes", because I learned enough about them last week to completely dominate. I directed a video for Cage The Elephant on Monday that will feature little people, psychedelic forest sets, and a vague metaphor about the perils of hiding secrets. The guys put on a great Letterman performance last night, which was a relief since I was sure that their throats were coated with fake snow and spray paint fumes from the set. We're in post now and already in pre-production for the next video- it's shaping up to be a busy summer.

Personally, it's been one of those weeks (months? seasons? it's hard to tell sometimes), and I'm extremely grateful to be surrounded by good people. The kind that genuinely care about me and will remind me to do the right thing when I'm feeling unsure. The kind that will kick my butt a little when I'm not being myself and the kind that will put an arm around me when I'm up to my neck in stuff that's out of my control. I still believe that truth, and love, and goodness always triumph in the end, and you're all a constant reminder of that. Thanks guys.