Client Relations

the fact that i'm a freelance videographer for George Washington University is all over every single one of my profiles. but it doesn't really give a good idea of what i do (not that it's all that exciting).

every gig is different. i've only been doing this for about a year and i know at least 3 different video editing programs, 2 video sharing sites, and 4 web page/blogger platforms (it's hard 2 figure out what people are actually gonna watch online.)

i've taped hour long panel disscussions and upconverted/downcoverted/exported 2 quicktime/resized aspect ratios 4 HD/sat 4 hours on end watching footage digitize just n case their were dropped frames/used stillframes and broll from other cameramen-and i know i still have more to learn (i know this is getting long. but i'm almost done-2 triple shot espressos and 4 hours of sleep).

like one of my clients from the hectic day i had today. i had a prelim meeting with Thomas Cook for these vids he wants so he can break back into the Vegas scene. he threw an external drive and two dvds at me along with every creative idea in his head.

seems like it's gonna be a fun project-he even invited me to his 4th of July shin dig (i gotta get some fireworks from Cocoa mailed to me while i'm back home). . . realized i'm just rambling now.

nxt blog will b better-let's hope (time to get ready to drive 15 hours) . . . l8

9/25/10-Day 5-MTV TJ candidacy advocacy

yesterday i went to the Apple store in Pentagon City Mall. i needed a charger for my Touch, 'cause i'm leaving my laptop in D.C. when i go back to FL for a week (so my sister can continue to look for a more permanent gig).

i gotta b able to let the interweb know that i'm still here (gonna b scrounging for WiFi again-rents got dial up). and forgive typos in posts after today (not as good with the thumbs as a keyboard). might get some good tucker maxesque stories out of this trip though.

back to the apple store adventure-i knew that the iphone 4 was releasing, but i didn't think i was gonna have to stand in line for 40 min just to grab a charger. Apple did it up right, for its valued costumers.

a dude w/ donut wholes and water bottles was trolling the line. apple workers were constantly keeping the crowds energy up with games and candy bags. everyone got treaty like they found a golden ticket when it was their turn to enter the store (guided in by an Apple employee making relationships that would last the span of the 10 steps from the door to the store, where people were just playing with i-stuff and amazing themselves with apps).

i did meet a cool IT guy for Ocean Conservancy once i finally got n the store. he was getting ipads for the VP's of his company, while he was playing on his iphone 4 (got it early-must be on face2face terms with Jobs). we talked about compatibility issues between PC's and Macs. he recommended software to fix quicktime issues, while the cashier got change for me (never use cash at a store that doesn't have a register that dings-it does stop the world behind u).

guarantee i'll never see that guy again, but i did get his card so that i could link to his organization in this blog. go Ocean Conservancy ('cause he didn't give me guff when i told him i was gonna blog about our talk). i just realized that the IT guy looked just like the guy from gizmodo (irony-and no it wasn't 'cause they're both asian).

9/24/10-Day 4-MTV TJ candadacy advocacy

a good idea shouldn't be owned.

in all honesty good ideas come a dime a dozen (a good idea will get u a couple click throughs and maybe a twod-tweeter knod-if that). it all comes down to how far that idea goes after it's out.

Dr. Mark Drapeau is a twitter officianado (official type person) and a general social media impressario (makes an impression or inovates) for microsoft. he was my professor for a semester and his tutilouge help me develop my technique-if u can call it that.

earlier today he tweeted:

(srry bout the fuzzyness-screencapture-don't know how to embedd tweets yet. los links!!!-Part 1: http://is.gd/d1ZFD Part 2: http://is.gd/d1ZL9)

in these vids he mentioned something that i blogged about a couple days ago-'telling a good story.'

The Dizzle online-being a hologram-'by this kid' (forgot to put this link up when i first wrote this)

but he addressed something i only thought of later-'activating a community.'

that's something i barely considered in my blogging efforts in my candadacy advocacy series.

nominate @jdevo25 for @MTVTJ @ http://tj.mtv.com/open-nomination/ (sameless self promo)

i was just writing what was on my mind. is it better to reach out to a community and ask for support because u are one of them or because u need their support? if u r not one of them can u still represent them (will they even let u)? am i overthinking this (prbly)?

i know tit for tat works in a more complicated way when u r higher in the spere (blogo-, momo-, celebritypopo, et. al). regardless . . .

follow him @cheeky_geeky (if u don't already. he's got like 15, 000 followers-i'll get there contest or not) he's got a lot of things to say on social media objectively.

i gotta get involved, by doin me. then maybe i'll snag a spot.

Hustle 'N Flow Politic

earlier today General Mcchrystal was relieved of his duties and position involving the war in Afghanistan. if u want to know why go to Rolling Stone.

since this issue has been drug out all day by CNN's Wolfe Blitzer. in the words of Candy Crowley, CNN chief political correspondant: "they want this to be old news tomorrow," in reference to the Obama camp and his stance as a leader.

here are the highlights (CNN and Rolling Stone direct quotes and paraphrases):

Barack was paraphrased in Rolling Stone article saying: "Shut the fuck up: and keep a lower profile." to Mcchrystal.

Mcchrystal's 'top advisor' tells VP Biden, "Bite Me," in response.

not to be out done, the President reminds America again, "I'M IN CHARGE"-to quote Djay's cries of encouragement to Nola in 'Hustle & Flow' and John King's, CNN chief national correspondent.

and Barack had the last word in saying, "let's put the cap back on this thing."-(that's just me jabbing about the fact that they took the cap off of the BP spill-is that thing ever gonna get plugged so we can start cleaning up their mess?)

General Petreaus is taking the job-end of story.

and that was my rendition of what happened today in news . . . untill i run it back (tomorrow).

9/23/10-Day 3- MTV TJ candadacy advocacy

after staying on this series for about two days, i'm already bored w/ it (my own content can't keep up w/ my ADD). it might be because i couldn't think of anything to blog about and begging for people to nominate me over the interweb isn't what my blog series should be focused on.

@jdevo25 nominate here http://tj.mtv.com/open-nomination/

this is the last blog about being nominated, but it is not the last in the series.

i do have to give a shout out to @AbbeyBrandon for giving me my first nomination and @AudreyReinhardt for my second officially (i hope i don't have to beg as hard for the rest that follow). i met both @AbbeyBrandon and @AudreyReinhardt after coming to D.C.

@AbbeyBrandon is more conservative with her tweets (it's just another way for her to keep up w/ face2face friends)

@AudreyReinhardt on the other hand is an aspiring travel blogger and her lighthearted disposition carries her from italy-to maine-to where she dreams of going.

both great girls and great friends.

nominate @jdevo25 for @MTVTJ @ http://tj.mtv.com/open-nomination/

9/22/10-Day 2 Mtv TJ candidacy advocacy

for the past few days, my mother, father, and sister have been staying with me in my VA apartment. i haven't seen them face to face in almost a year-how long i've been away since the 1 way ticket. i can already tell that this blog post is gonna end up being the twilight of my eclipsing melow-dramatic blogging days, however i luv my family and knowing it's lame i don't care if this one blog is a bit gushy and less caking.

long story short my sister is staying with me for the rest of the summer. it's funny 'cause she's a big time christian-no drinking-no smoking-and definately no other thing. and i'm a recovering tucker max wannabe (cause who could really match max-my cooking job helped bring this hermit crab out of his high school hell enduced hybernation.

if i can't find a brilliant blog idea to write about and link other stuff to within the next week that i have to get at least one person to nominate me-other than myself (short term goals-just like that chick in 'Julie and Julia'-again, lame-i know).

(side thoguht in the middle of writing:srry 4 the ADD)-that's an idea (taking it global). nobody owns their own ideas anymore. the moment it is out there the people that have the best resources and can use the idea the best get the most out of it-nothing to get frustrated about, 'cause the only way to make sure that's u (brokeness, crappy equipment, and lack of time travel tech-be damned) is to be the one that does it consistantly and differently.

put u'r unpredictable hats on kids . . . untill tomorrow.

9/21/10-day 1 of mtv canditacy advocacy

I am jdevo25.

i'm trying to be an MTV TJ, or at least i'm trying to get a shot at competing with 19 other people to be the first MTV TJ. and i know that there are to many people to count trying to do the same thing. i don't think that i am half as cool or interesting as the 18 that are already up on http://at.mtv.com/rJU



@PegahRashti

@OhItsRyan

@MissAllizona

@luvelizabethany

@LivitLuvit

@KayKiSpeaks

@jthrasher

@gabifresh

@bitty_boop

@officialdjx

@rlytle

@imjmi

@DanChiz

@daniellesmyname

@lifeisadream89

@lolamack

@katehutson

@rolfenorman



but my sister thinks i'm funny (sad but true). i'mma c . . . c . . . c . . . c . . . if i can be as interesting in just txt. no vids till i get my candidacy.



this one will have to hold ya.

The Dizzle online-being a hologram

I'm nobody and I know nothing.

I know it's a grandious statement. But it is true. I have a limited presence online. If someone that knew me from my Hooters days about a year and a half ago, typed 'the dizzle' in a search engine they would find nothing (nothing about me anyway-i hope). Put in J. Deveaux, jdevo25, J. L. Deveaux; facebook, youtube, linkedin, brazen careerest, vimeo and maybe two other sites might pop up. There's probably still a myspace account of me chugging a beer holding a cute girls in a bikini.

That was who I was online then.

Honestly I'm not an expert on online branding or cultivating relationships with other people through online media. I just know that it's all about telling a story. And Telling a story is just like any other kind of art-It can be broken down into a formula.

I'm not giving anything away by pointing out something people already know. There is a patern to all the randomness of shock humor, fart jokes and stupid humor of viral videos and random tweets (Russel Brand is weirdly brilliant-oh those brits-and @shitmydadsays-wish my dad could get me a book/movie deal-he's still awesome n his normalness)



Building tension

Maintaining poeples attention

Not waisting peoples time by bogging them down with long and unneccassry fluff and fodder to get to the point

Pay as you go(fulfill promises of enterainment in action)

Anybody can be a star online (Tila Tequila-anybody?-anybody?-exactly!). MTV just gave me a reason to break down the door they just cracked open.

I had better line than that to end this with but I got side tracked after I had to give my dad a trim and clean up.

Regardless on to Red Lobster for pops day. I may be broke but the simple things make the people that matter in my life feel special.

Nominate @jdevo25 for MTV TJ at www.zync.mtv.com.

Super Cobra Kung Fu Kick - Karate Kid (updated)

'Karate Kid' has been out for a while. It hasn't been out as long as other movies that I've blogged about recently. But I'm not as worried about ruining other peoples' movie going experience. 'Karate Kid' just doesn't seem like a remake that would have that many opportunities to be spoiled.



It delivers on all expectations of a fun summer movie to go see with the family. The only thing that caught me off gaurd was the old school Virtua Fighter style finisher that Jadan Smith used to when the boss battle/conflict resolution. (I will continue to call Jadan Smith by his name in this blog 'cause the woman that was sitting in the row immediately ahead of me constantly repeated his name while I was watching the movie any time he came on screen.-"Get him Jadan.")

The best part about a fun family summer movie is the fact that you don't have to think or figure anything out while the pictures flash in front of you. The call back to the original with a super impossible move to show how much Jadan had to put into winning just made me think to hard after I left the movie theater.

It was cool-don't get me wrong. I just had to figure out where it came from after I saw it. I guess after Jadan got his leg broke like Machio (from the original), Mr. Hong's (Jackie Chan) super Kung Fu magic healed him enough that he mastered the techniques he wasn't ready to handle because of his lack of focus.

And he had to put 'em all together 'cause he only had one leg to work with. Since the Megatron video screen that was replayin the fight and keeping track of points for the audience inspired him to do something Mr. Hong never thought possible while he was teaching Jadan how to take off and put on his jacket-the Super Cobra Kung Fu Kick.

I wanna be an MTV TJ

I just found out about an opportunity to work for MTV as a TJ; I'm assuming this stands for Twitter Jockey. The moment I saw Sway and his dreads and heard him say that there was yet another opportunity to be apart of the cattle call for budding unknown internet talent, I had to jump at the opportunity.

I saw a show that only had like 6 episodes that came on so late I'm not supprised barely anyone knew about it. It was called, 'I Want to Write For Rolling Stone.' It was around the time I decided to change my major from engineering to creative writing.

After I saw that show and the way that it changed those peoples' lives, it gave me faith that MTV might be getting back to a degree of substance with it's programing. Don't get me wrong, style sells well before substance is on the radar. But I just remembered when MTV used to be on the ragedy edge.

The first season of Real World changed the landscape of documentary film and helped sier in reality . . . entertainment-it goes way passed television now.

This experiment proves that. Yes I am doing a bit of **** riding, but it is still true.

I wann be an MTV TJ. http://tj.mtv.com/open-nomination/

And I can write. And I can edit. And I can produce entertaining viral video in FCP and Imovie without appearing on screen.

And I am just another nobody trying to make it with a crappy toshiba laptop; to much free time on my hands; and way too many networking tools at my disposal.

Iron Man 2-It pays to have good writers

The first thing I thought when I finally saw the early stages of War Machine clash with drunk growling Iron Man, after a premature geekgasm of Downy Jr. blowing up champagn bottles with palm pulses over LA hotties, was that this movie can be summed up in one phrase . . .

Roided Rock'em Sock'em robots with a handle of Jose.



The movie was a well oiled machine of strategically casted and thoughtfully executed writing in what seemed like a 5 act arch reaction (Stark tech ref.-told you I'm a nerd; or maybe I just pay attention to close to stupid details).

Every expectation was fullfilled and every implied promise exceded. Most super hero and video game franchise flicks disappoint with overemphasis in the wrong areas. They try to appease hard core followings without understanding what to give them.

Iron Man 2 was worth the wait. Kudos

Kicked a**

I guess 'Kick Ass' lived up to it's namesake. I (all tenses of the to be verb- am, was, will be) a comic nerd, but have been a casual observer as of most recently. I saw 'Kick ass' the day after it came out in theaters and read the compilation comic novel a week before that. I couldn't put the novel down and scoped the movie for the awesomeness of super nerd money shots that I assumed would follow every punch line.


If nothing else, Nick Cage got to be the Cage that me and my friends now and love. He got dressed up in a batmanesque costume that reflected his awkward slap sticky violence. And even though he will never get a chance to be the cooky cutter straight laced man o' steal. He will always be able to be outlandishly entertaining simply by the virtue of his own ridiculousness.
The hero of the movie seemed to plucky and naively optimistic in stark contrast to his comic book mirror image. After reading the comic it did my heart good to see him less pathetic. But the fact that the comic hero was so pathetic is what makes him indearing to comic book readers.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I feel like a hopeless looser sometimes. I feel like, if I tried to be the super hero I wanted to be when I was younger, I would get my ass kicked. I feel like I need something to pull me away from the mundaneness of reality. And that's what kick ass came from.



Those are the feelings that made kick ass real and were even addressed in the movie in the dialogue of his play gay toy possessor of a girlfriend in the end. For the most part the comic industry falls short in hero comics because they are so unbelievable and frustratingly oblivious to the dirt under the feet of the heroes that live in/save from other super powered spandex fetishites.
The rocket pack at the end saved my attention span, because of the build up. I'm no critique just a pseudo nerd blogger that didn't want to put any spoilers online till the buzz died down. Too bad it didn't do as well as it could have because of the 10 year old homicidal mania.

P.S.-the news really needs to stop showing me things that I can look up on my twitter account. (frustrated side)