This Accursed Melody - the Movie

It's Christmas.  I'm on vacation with my family so, of course, we are watching zombie movies.  (Isn't that what every family does during holiday get-togethers?)  We've even managed to coerce my mom into watching several episodes of The Walking Dead with us.  She's admitted that the show is deeply compelling and well acted, but she wishes that "they'd not show so much gory stuff."  I think she's missed the point...

But we're not just zombie movie watchers.  We're also zombie movie makers.

Last summer, during my annual stint at music camp, I made a zombie movie with  my brother and the staff and campers. We managed to film and edit the entire movie in just under a week.  And everyone had a lot of fun.  Some of the leaders were a bit nervous when they heard rumors of a zombie movie; they were apprehensive about it being a horror movie, but when the movie was screened on the final day of camp, every one was pleased. (At least, no one came to yell at me afterwards.)

My brother and I entered the film into a couple of film contests and festivals, but it was rejected (awww...). That was kinda' sad, but instead of being depressed about our rejection we are - finally - making it available for you to watch and enjoy - perhaps you'd like to watch and enjoy it during your next family holiday vacation.

We made extensive use of The Freesound Project - both in the music and sound effects - for this film:

Logo Crash

Olga's Table
Door slam
 

The Arrival

Nasty mono poly 

Poly Six Chug 

DX Atmos C2 

Frellinnk 
Rev Verb GuitarChord 

Piano Effects 

Bloupr 

Glitch 09

Glitch 08 

Glitch 06 

Arrival

Gravel Road 

Forest 

Hiking / Trunk

Thump in grass 

Thump in grass 2 

Leaf Rustle

Sploosh 

They Open the Trunk

Bassi Brummi 

Drone 6 

Women Singing 

Fretless Leadsynth E2 

Tense Fluctuating Drone 

Hand Powered Drill No Ratchet

Rusty Music Box 

This Accursed Melody (Fortissimo)

Real Virus 12 – E2 

Radiator 2r 

Accordion Loop 1 

Glitch 06

Real Virus 12 – E5 

Trip Hop Driver Beat 4

Band Scene

Ominous Drone 

Scary Scream 1 

Scary Scream 2 

Scary Scream 3 

Choir Scene

Zombie Pain 1

Zombie Pain 4 

Zombie Pain 5 

  

Fugue

Scary Scream 

Scary Scream 2 

Girl folk scream 3 

Folk scream 

Horror Stab 

Industrial Drone 

Door Slam 

Northwoods TV 2011 - Friday

The penultimate episode of Northwoods TV for 2011. 



We used a couple of sound effects from the freesound project:
Flamenco
Forest

Saturday's episode was the premiere showing of This Accursed Melody, which will be available soon (we hope) on DVD. 

Northwoods TV 2011 - Thursday

The "coming soon" preview within Thrusday's episode of Northwoods TV is a real "coming soon". 
The movie - This Accursed Melody - will be available on DVD's soon.  We're going to do some final tinkering to it and then make copies available to everyone.  Check back for details.

Northwoods TV 2011 - Wednesday

This episode contains some of my favorite bits - a special thanks to my man, Clarence, who was a terrific sport about it all.



Be sure to share the link with your friends.  They'll be jealous that they weren't there and will want to come next year.

If you are not familiar with the animals at Northwoods Camp - the goat's name is "Skittles".

We used some sound effects from the Freesound Project:

Epic Ending

Northwoods TV 2011 - Tuesday

Tuesday's episode included the 10 minutes of sunshine we had all week.



Be sure to pass the link to your friends.

We used some sound effects from the freesound project:
Epic Ending
Dropping pans

Northwoods TV 2011 - Monday

I am home again after a week at Music Camp.  I spent a week with the kids, leading a band, helping with theory, and - hopefully - helping them to become better musicians.  That was the goal, and I like to think that we achieved it.  The group of youngsters in my band made some significant progress over the seven days and made me very proud during our final performance.

One of  my other responsibilities at music camp is the production of Northwoods TV - a daily video of camp silliness.  Here is the episode we produced for Monday. 




I would have posted these sooner, but I had little free time.  From early morning to late into the night (and into the next morning) we were busy.  But now that I'm home again, I'll be posting them for you to enjoy.  If you were there and you see yourself in the video, drop me a note. Be sure to pass the link on to your friends, too.


We used some sound effects from the freesound project:
Cow Moo
Fart

Coming Soon - Northwoods TV 2011

If you've been spending your winter months in some balmy tropical paradise you might not have noticed that this winter has been a long one.  I've had enough wind and snow and ice and freezing rain.  I'm ready for summer.  I'm ready for camp.  I'm ready for music camp and Northwoods TV.

Coming Soon: Northwoods TV 2011



Northwoods TV 20100 Intro Source Material
Audio
kidney3
Wah
Pretty voice humming

Video
Starcrash (1979) trailer
Space 1999 trailer
Raiders of the Galaxy
Mindwarp (1981) trailer
Message from Space (1978) trailer
Highlights 1965 NASA
Forbidden Planet trailer
and a couple of VJ Loops

You can also check out previous years Northwoods TV episodes

High Above it All

We're at camp again - the whole family this time.  It's a weekend thing, an annual Pilgrimage camp for the Salvation Army in the Northern Division. 

During our afternoon free time today we went for a little adventure.

Our first stop was to see the animals: cows, and sheep, and goats, and ponies, and chickens, and ducks, and llamas....  But that was just preliminary to the real fun.

The camp maintains a high ropes course. That is adventure -suspended high above the ground by ropes, and carabiner and trust in your belayer below. We belted into our harnesses, donned snug helmets, and climbed high into the air.

 

Our son - 9 years old - is a fearless climber.  He first ascended the ropes course three years ago - climbed up the pole and launched himself out on the zipline.  This year he mastered the 'platforms.' He said it would have been easier if his legs had been longer. I was pleasantly surpised that my wife went up. She's not always that brave.

Northwoods TV - Saturday - Season Finale

Northwoods TV - Friday - Can we go home yet?

Northwoods TV - Thursday - Offending Twilight Fans and Bandsmen Everywhere

Northwoods TV - Wednesday - 2010

Here's the latest episode of Northwoods TV - Wednesday - 2010.
See anyone you know?

Another Video from Northwoods TV (Tuesday 2010)

This one time...at band camp...

Yes.  I am a band geek.  I play my horn. I went to band camp as a kid - every summer.  And now I teach at band camp.

In addition to helping with the bands and teaching music theory to the kids I'm responsible for our daily television program.  Here is Monday's episode:

I'm a Lumberjack and a Rejected Author

I spent today playing at being a Lumberjack (the smell of fresh cut timber, the crash of mighty trees...)


I was part of the crew at Northwoods Camp getting the place ready for the kids who will fill the place all summer.




At days end I was covered in bark, and dirt, and pine sap. I smelled like sawdust, fresh cut pine, motor oil, and sweat. But it was a good day. A great day.

After showering and visiting with the family back at home, I checked my email and found a rejection letter from a magazine to which I had submitted a poem. They were not interested at this time.