An Otis Grove New Year

I was at the Middle East a couple nights ago shooting a live set for a local band (a punk band, but that's another story) when I noticed this poster for Otis Grove playing for free on New Years Eve.


In September I worked with Adam Woodworth to shoot Otis Grove's CD release concert at a really cool warehouse location in Somerville. The band has posted a few of the cuts from the DVD here, if you're interested in seeing some of what we shot.

Adam, by the way, has made some really top notch short films. Comedy fans will recognize local comedy legend DJ Hazard playing the heavy in Adam's latest: Bourbon: The Movie. (Non-gangster film fans, need not apply)

So if you haven't made New Years Eve plans and went a little over budget on the holiday spending this year, head over to the Middle East Monday and ring in the New Year with Otis Grove and their unique brand of feisty retro-jazz/rock.

They are a truly stellar live trio, rockin' a great old Hammond organ through the coolest vintage amps in Boston. Can't beat the price, either.

HD Shoot for CCAS

Last month I worked as DP (Director of Photography) with Playomatic Media Group to shoot a high-definition product demonstration for Cross Country Automotive Services for one of their new high-tech automotive products (think OnStar on steroids).

A good part of the shoot was outdoors utilizing a jib (basically, a nifty sort of balanced arm with the camera mounted at the end for smooth Hollywood-style camera moves).

You always cross your fingers about the weather before an outdoor shoot, but we really weren't expecting snow before Thanksgiving. But, snow it did! This is New England after all.

With thousands of dollars on the line if we were we to lose the day, cast and crew soldiered on and it made for a really interesting process.

To avoid the large wet snowflakes, we rigged a series of umbrellas for everything from the camera and crew to our star talent Jennifer Wilson. Fur trim also seemed to help.

Some more of the CCAS team weathering the weather:






Fortunately, the weather wasn't crucial to the script and actually made for more atmospheric images. The low clouds and snow-filled sky casting a soft, even light and the late Fall New England leaves still providing some colorful pop.

Director Steven Stuart Baldwin signals Touchdown! on the Umbella-Cam (patent pending) jib shot.

Then we got to move indoors to for the warm, cozy part of the shoot:




























After a long day everyone felt celebratory.

Cast and Crew bid adieu...

Looking forward to shooting again with Playomatic and CCAS later this month. They're great people to work with!

(photos and text ©bradkelly2007)

I Blog, Therefore I Am

Someday I'll use this space to post thoughts, photos and clips about my various film projects.

But right now, I just need an account so I can post a comment on my brother's blog, so he doesn't feel like his blog is a vast empty space with virtual tumbleweeds blowing through it.