Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween. Off to a meeting about a very cool art film that I will be doing, more details later.

Fish Taco and Elvis

Halloween if very serious around here. My lady, Noelle, is an amazing costume builder and designer. Here are a few of her finest works, The Fish Taco and Elvis. Check out her blog here.

Fixie Done

I dreamed of hours and hours shoulder to shoulder with my boy, but we got it done in a hurry. It was in great shape in the first place and Salt Lake City Bicycle Company hooked up with a few odds and ends and we were done. We cruised Main Street last night. If I make a movie about the conversion it will be a short, a short short. Happy Tuesday.

Fixie Project / Bianchi

My Boy wants to get a fixed gear bike. I want to a project with my boy. I have fond memories of a bike project with my dad. So we have been looking at garage sales, thrift stores and the like... and bingo we found one at our local thrift store. Who knows there might be a movie about the conversion process. This photo is before any work. Happy Monday.

Cycling Cartoons

I stumbled into this tonight. Pretty cool bicycle stuff, Cycling Cartoons by Dave Walker.

A Life in the Arts

As a filmmaker to say, "I am an artist" sounds a bit pretenious so I am more comfortable saying that I make a living, or that I have- "a life in the arts." I love having an artistic point of view. So yesterday I was working on "The Talking Fly" film project and I was hanging out with artists, eating with artists, talking with artists and just goofing around with artists, it was great fun and reminded me of a few quotes from the great artist David Hockney from his book "that's way i see it" he said---"I have always believed that art should be a deep pleasure" and he also said on the same page "I think you can't have art without play" O.K. so I filmed a mini documentary about painter Lee Bennion and we had some fun. Have a fun weekend.

Hanging out with Hippies

Heading to the country to do a long overdue mini-documantary on Lee Udall Bennion and her artwork. Lee is an awesome person, brilliant mom and world class artist. I will be doing many docs like this for my YouTube channel project "The Talking Fly' launching January 1st, 2013.

Below is a snap of Joe Bennion with my oldest kid. My first big "short 25 minutes" film was about Joe and his pottery.

Here a clip from that film (that played at the Sundance Film Festival).

Eliot Rausch is a Rad Filmmaker

DMWYA from Eliot Rausch on Vimeo.

Eliot Rausch is a rad filmmaker. This is a simple piece and there are 2 of my shots in it so that is why I am posting it. The very first shot is mine and another one of Cory "Nasty" Nastazio. I miss the Fuel TV days, I got blessed with lots of tasty work from them.

Fuzzy for Halloween

My kid was Fuzzy Hall for Halloween.

a piece of pottery in my studio

One of my favorite pieces of pottery by a Virginia potter, Kevin Crowe. I just instagrammed this photo, I have an instagram habit.

Another Pottery Video

I got my start in the documentary world by doing a student film about a potter, it played at Sundance and started my career as a filmmaker. I love the art of pottery and ceramics. Check out this quiet little piece about a mom that is back in school after her kids are gone. Her stuff is strong and she is great.

September 11, 2001

I spent September 11, 2001 with professional bike rider Cory "Nasty" Nastazio. I just found this photo of me and Nasty that I snapped through a car window. We spent a difficult week together, 2 guys with little in common and lots to talk about, I will never forget that week.

Mike Whiting working on his Pretzel

A short video about Mike Whiting.

Art.Work Episode #2 Print Students / Ad Students

Episode #2 of the art show I directed that features ad students in New York City and Paris and print students doing a print exchange with art students from the University of Hawaii. I love the idea of doing a print exchange with artist from another place, I would like to do more collaborations with other filmmakers. Have a good weekend. (*****this is mislabeled this is not modern dance / 3d, but ad / print)

Art.Work episode #1 Ceramics / Anne Frank

Here is episode #1 of the art show I directed. The series is a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process in art, dance, and music students. I love the stuff about Von in the ceramics segment, she is great. Happy Thursday.

Island Dolphin Care - Turning Point

Here is another Turning Point that I directed about Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida. I love these people, and swimming with dolphins was very fun. The into of this show was shot with with a GoPro by me with a mask and snorkel. Just me, Joe and the dolphins.

Art.Work airs tonight

That series I have been working on airs tonight on BYUTV. Big thanks to Boston for stepping in as the procducer! and thanks for all the artists, dancers, musician that let me into their lives to travel, film and talk about art.

Working with these Guys

Spent the day helping my kid with a little film about Bullying for school. It was great to hang with this guy, he is a cool kid.

Searching for Sugarman

I won't say much but if you can- go see "Searching for Sugarman." I saw it at the Park City Film Series and I still have a smile on my face. A feature length documentary full of beautiful music, family and magic. You will love it.

The Talking Fly (card #5)

The channel will have short documentaries that stand alone and a few series that could go on and on. So I am shooting new stuff and digging through the archives.

Happy Anniversary

Today is our Anniversary. This girl is great. Thanks for putting up with my month long documentary trips, the weird hours and irregular paychecks. I love being a filmmaker about as much I love you girl. -Noelle is a super creative person, but there is not a ton of overlap in our creatives lives, and for us that works out perfect. Thanks.

Documentary Bookshelf

Gotta run so here is quick snapshot of my shelf that has a few of documentary books. Happy Thursday

The Talking Fly (card #4)

The Talking Fly project launches Jan. 1, 2013.

Good Advice from Cory "Nasty" Nastazio

Good Advice Cory Nastazio from Ronin Media House on Vimeo.

I have worked a lot with Nasty over the years. He is wacky fun dude and one of my favorite pro athletes. Here is a great docu-style pseudo PSA with Nasty digging at his trails. I directed and shot this and I can't remember when I did it. ...but the two guys in this spot just showed up and we shot it this way, a happy accident for sure.

The Talking Fly (card # 3)

Just another friendly reminder, I am launching a YouTube Project on January 1st, 2013. The project is short nonfiction movies or documentaries or what ever you want to call them. There will be fresh films and a bunch of longer project cut into 2 to 5 minute chunks, like an online-mini-web-series and stuff from the archives. Happy Tuesday

Documentary Interview

I have been a documentary filmmaker for over 20 years, wow am I that old? I am still learning. I still love it. It challenges me everyday. Here is a still from an interview sitting on the sideway in Harlem. With my new Canon 5d I feel like you can get a beautiful interview anywhere, no bounce boards, lights, tripods or anything… just a person with passion and a story to tell and you have magic. The photo: Adam Green from Rocking the Boat, sitting on the sidewalk in Harlem during an interview for the documentary.

Thanks Cosmic

A screen grab for the credits of the ROCKING THE BOAT Turning Point. Thank you all Marty, Sam, Rich, Ty, Damien, Jenirae, Alicia and whole team. It is a huge honor to direct episodes of the TV show, 11 shows so far. thx

Rocking the Boat - documentary - watch it here

Check out the documentary I directed and was director of photography on. It is a half hour documentary about Rocking the Boat, a great organizations that gets kids in The Bronx involved in boat building, rowing, conservation and other good things. I had so much fun on this project it was just great mix art, sport, community and one of my favorite things in the world, WATER. Enjoy. Below a few photos from a week shooting in NYC.

Julian Acosta and Smart cars

Spent the Weekend in Las Vegas with director Julian Acosta of Saint Cloud Films doing a mini doc for Smarts cars on the Hoover Dam. Photos: Top by Julian, Travis Cline hanging out the door getting stealth actions shots on the strip in Vegas, good thing I am holding his belt so he doesn't fall into the road. The old belt trick from my days as working as a grip on movies years ago. It was an "All hands on Deck" film shoot, I was one of 5 camera guys on this one. Thanks Julian and Jared H.

Climbing on Art 2

I made a book for my boy last Christmas called Climbing on Art, this photo was on the cover. It was about an unforgettable day at a modern art museum in a national park in the Netherlands. While no one was looking my boy did a little climbing on more that one piece haha. I am on my way to a shoot in Las Vegas this weekend. Peace!

New Facebook profile picture

Thanks for the photo Ty Arnold, Used without permission.

The Talking Fly (YouTube Channel) coming soon (card#2)

January 1, 2013 I will launch my Youtube channel that will feature short documentaries and random odds and ends. It is all about celebrating the passion.

One Plastic Beach

One Plastic Beach from High Beam Media on Vimeo.

Plastic trash kind of drives me crazy, we say yes to way too much plastic each day. Here is a cool short documentary about plastic trash, it is more about art than politics. (I had nothing to do with this video, I just think it is nice)

MAURICE Photo Contest Winner is.... Rich Patch

The Winner of the Maurice photo contest is Rich Patch. Top photo Rich in action, bottom photo Rich's snapshot. Congrats Rich collect your prize in Midway, Utah at Tarahumara Mexican Restaurant.

I joined INSTAGRAM

O.K. Today I joined Instagram. I had just watch Casey's Instagram movie, Noelle has been encouraging me to do it, and buddy, producer Rich Patch, had been trying to talk me into forever. So I did it. I will be "The Talking Fly / Steve Olpin" more to come. Below a photo of Rich Patch, in well??? London.

Gustav Vigeland 1869-1943

This is an old snap of me standing in front of one of my favorite sculptures of all time. The dad with 4 kids sculpture by Gustav Vigeland in Oslo, Norway. There is giant park of Gustav's work, over 200 pieces. I spent hours there in the rain with my Norwegian buddy, Maggie. It is an amazing place, one of the most powerful art experiences I have ever had. Below a shot of Maggie.

The Talking Fly (YouTube Channel) Coming Soon

January 1, 2013 I will launch my Youtube channel that will feature short documentaries and random odds and ends.

Rocking the Boat: Turning Point / Documentary

The Turning Point documentary I directed about Rocking the Boat with be on TV this weekend and I will embedded it here as soon as it airs. I love this organization and it was very fun to shoot these guys in the Bronx. It is such a cool mix of art, craft, sport, nature, conservation, community and helping the kids of the Bronx and surrounding areas. Adam Green, bottom photo, is a cool guy with a big heart, he runs the show over there.

Sketchbook Page

A page from my sketchbook. I have been trying to work out my artistic angst in these hardbound 5.5 and 8.5 inch sketchbooks for years. Sometime I think of playing around with some canvas or boards, but for now my visual art lives I these books. I have big plans for my YouTube Channel, hope the will satisfy my artistic urges too or more...haha, launching January 1, 2013.