Project Unicorn

I first saw Mimi and Flo on www.unicornmedia.com in their music video “Same Dude” a parody of the R. Kelley and Usher song, “Same Girl.” The video is very funny, even if you haven’t seen the video for the original song. After I watched it, I discovered that there is a Mimi and Flo show as well, with several episodes available on the Unicorn Media site.

One of the best episodes has to be Under The Sink, in which Mimi and Flo, two friends who met in an elevator suspect Mimi’s cousin Ronnie of being a serial killer when they discover what appear to be human bones in the sink of the apartment that they share with him. To make matters worse, Ronnie’s creepy friend Howie may just be hiding a dark secret of his own. The ending is a little abrupt, but otherwise, definitely a very funny episode.

Flo: How well did you say you know your cousin Ronnie?

Mimi: Well, pretty well. We used to play together when we were kids until he was sent away to that special school.

Flo: Why?

Mimi: Well, he accidentally killed his dog and cat and a few of the neighbor’s pets.

See it and other Mimi and Flo episodes on the Unicorn site and on www.mimiandflo.com

Meredith Treinen Musings mimi and flo, Unicorn Media

With so much content on Digg, how do you know what to watch and read? The Digg Reel, that’s how. Hosted by Andrew Bancroft, this show highlights the most Dugg submissions per week, and features comments from Digg users as well.

Not only is this show hysterically funny, but it is also a great way to stay on top of what people are talking about each week. Users can also send in comments and videos related to Digg posts directly to the Digg Reel for possible inclusion in the show.

Whether it is a man voicing his dislike of people fromKentucky (and pumpkins) Paris Hilton responding to a John McCain ad, or a cat that takes his TV watching a little too seriously, if it is popular on Digg this week, you’ll find on the Digg Reel, and you can find episodes on Unicorn Media. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re really missing out. I laughed almost continuously throughout the episodes that I watched.

Meredith Treinen Musings digg, digg reel, Unicorn Media

Last week, I shared some valuable tips for successful independent film shoots. Of course, there are so many different tricks of the trade that they can’t possibly be listed in just two blog posts, but here are two more of the most valuable filmmaker tips. Camera Work:  I covered this briefly last week, stressing the importance of communication between the Director and the Director of Photography, but as I said, you may be filling both roles, and in any case it doesn’t hurt to be familiar with the difference between good camera work and bad camera work. Don’t get caught up in the fun of unnecessary camera angles, your film will reflect this and do we really need extreme close ups of all of the actors, or dramatic fades and side angles? What we really need, we being your audience are shots that integrate, rather than detract.  If your subject is a person, focus on their eyes, and if you don’t know what terms like aperture and depth of field mean, then buy a book or take a class and learn---this will only enhance your filmmaking career. Casting: Maybe you already have a cast, but if not, or if you feel like you probably could have done better, keep in mind that your cast can make or break your film. Many directors won’t start shooting until they are one hundred percent satisfied with their cast—period. If you can afford it, consider hiring someone with at least some casting experience, even another independent film director, just to gain someone else’s insight and experience. Patience: This last tip is meant to be a reminder. Patience is necessary when coordinating a large project, when dealing with difficult cast and crew members, and during the entire filming process. But keep your goal—a well acted, well shot, polished film, in mind at all times and you will be well on your way to making movie magic.

Meredith Treinen Musings independent filmmaking, independent films

If you're an extreme sports fan, you will want to check out all of the videos on Unicorn Media, from uncut MMA news to extreme sports of all types. One unique series that I noticed is the Warrior Training series by Layer Dynamics, which chronicles the stories of different people training to be experts in martial arts and other combat styles and sports.

The participants in Warrior Training undergo a series of physical challenges designed to prepare them for the most rigorous and extreme sports. From lifting giant tires to jumping hurdles, these people are willing to go to great lengths to be at the top of their game. One of the episodes actually chronicles the 2007 Pike's Peak race, and the footage near the top is just amazing.

Bottom line: You should definitely explore these and other extreme sport related videos on Unicorn Media.Com: you won't be disappointed.

Meredith Treinen Musings extreme sports, extreme sports videos, Unicorn Media

If you haven’t watched The Hubble Cast on Unicorn Media  and if you’ve ever wondered how the Hubble telescope works, or how they get those spectacular images from the sky to your computer’s screen saver, this is the show for you.

The Hubble Cast is narrated by Dr. Joe Lisko AKA Dr. J, and is extremely informative and educational while entertaining at the same time. The really interesting thing about The Hubble Cast, for me, is that it made think about things and learn things that professional astronomers understand and know but most people really don’t. Did you know that Hubble’s cameras image the universe through different filters? I didn’t.

There are many episodes of The Hubble Cast available on Unicorn Media right now, and each one deals with a different topic. Overall, I would say that this is an excellent resource for both adults, and children, although you may want to slow down the speed or repeat certain segments for them, because even though the episodes are short, there is a lot of information here and the images are really beautiful as well and worth looking at more than once.

While you’re on the site, check out some of the other videos as well. There are plenty to chose from.

Meredith Treinen Musings hubble telescope, Unicorn Media

You’re ready to shoot your independent film, right? Maybe. Shooting any type of film requires a high level of organization and planning long before the cameras ever start rolling. Make sure that you are on the right track with these three tips.

Tip One: Location, location, location. This old adage is true in real estate and in the movies too. Of course, since you probably don’t have a big budget, you may be limited as to your actual location options; but even so, you can try to match the location of your filming to the setting of your film as much as possible. In other words, don’t shoot your big fight scene in the forest indoors if you can at least walk to a wooded area and film there. Sound obvious? Well, take a look at some independent films that just scream “amateur” and you’ll find that one of the main red flags is poor choice of setting.

Tip Two: Synchronize. Do you have a director of photography? A director? Maybe you are filling both roles, but otherwise, make sure that there is close communication and interaction between these two. The DP is responsible for all of the movie’s technical aspects, from camera angles to color filters and film stock, and if the DP and the director can’t agree, this can hold up the actual shooting process, not to mention make for a very uncomfortable film set.

Tip Three: Stick to your budget. Again, if this sounds obvious, keep in mind that simply shooting ten percent more film than you originally expected can really put a dent in your available funds, as can sick or injured cast and crew members, and the weather. What to do? Make a budget, stick to it, and allow room in your budget for factors out of your control.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to filmmaking success. Need more tips? Tune in next week for Lights, Camera, Action Part II.

Meredith Treinen Musings independent filmmaking, independent films, movie tips

So now it’s time to take that next crucial unsigned band step and record your demo. The good news is that your demo doesn’t have to be expensive, because if your songs are good, people will want to listen to them. While I can’t really tell you how to write the kind of songs that people will want to listen to (at least not in this particular blog post) I can give you some helpful demo recording tips.

The first thing to do is to decide where you will be recording your demo. Will you rent time in a recording studio? Or will you record your demo at home? If you decide to record your demo at home, you should make sure that you have a fast computer and all of the right equipment, including good recording software. If you are renting time at a studio, do some research first to make sure that you are getting the best rates, and that the studio you chose has all of the necessary equipment that you will need, and someone to help make sure that your demo is recorded properly.

Wherever you chose to record your demo, you can either record it live, which means that all instruments and vocals are recorded on one take, or you can chose the multi track recording option, which means that each instrument is recorded independently. The choice depends on two things—your recording capabilities and the type of sound that you want to produce. You may not have the capability or be able to afford multi instrument recording, and if not, that is okay for a demo, particularly if your genre is punk or rock or another genre that affords a gritty sound and feel. If not, and or if you can afford and have access to multi instrument recording capabilities, then go for it by all means.

Either way, make sure that your recording session is set up correctly. Each drum should be miked individually and cymbals should have two mics each. There are other technical tips that you should follow as well, depending on the instruments that you have. Be sure to keep your recording session short, and do not worry about including all of your songs, it is a demo after all, and recording labels do not expect demos to be perfect. They do, however, expect you to have one before they will even consider you and your band.

Meredith Treinen Musings demo recording, tips for recording a demo, unsigned band demo recording