Finally after a long and excruciating wait, bad colonies proudly unveils the epic "Hey, Rube". In order to optimize your viewing pleasure, it is highly recommended that you proceed as detailed below.
1. Watch video below.
2. Think to self, "WTF?"
3. Read this full post.
4. Watch again and state to self, "Ahhhhh, I think I get it."
Enjoy, comment, and send on to others, lots and lots of others.
The Director, Seth
I have always enjoyed the director commentary on DVDs and figured I would take this opportunity to pretend that I matter. This is the Director's cut blog.
Note: I am not going to hit on the music as there will be a full blown blog post detailing the artists shortly. In the meantime, check them out on the interweb:
Edison
Babelfishh
Lewee Regal
BACKGROUND
We were decidedly late in completing our mission from May and the list of choices for June was slim to say the least. Jen spotted the Pee Wee choice and strongly urged me to take it. As soon as the select button was depressed, we both started to realize the commitment this was really going to take.
During the early days of script discussion, there was a lot of debate about doing a full blown recreation of the opening scene to Pee Wee's Big Adventure.
It didn't take long to reach the conclusion that any attempt at this would suck. Most of the breakfast machine in the original ends up being expensive props that don't actually do anything. Furthermore, we didn't have a person to play Pee Wee that would commit to the full deal. Now Jennifer will tell you that she was all for it, but she never kitted up.
SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
As with most things in my world, the ideas for this project quickly drifted into the warped world of "Big Lebowski" subculture. What better than to combine concepts from two of the premiere cult classic movies. Shortly thereafter, the script was put together that essentially became the short video you hopefully just watched.
The idea was to follow a similar intro as Pee Wee's Big Adventure but centered around a Dude type character. Instead of a deliberate breakfast machine, the Dude would set one off with his clumsiness. I figured instead of the warped world of the playhouse set, we would build an odd late 80s early 90s pop culture driven set. I really wanted to shoot for the Wes Anderson feel. You know when it is difficult to place the timeframe of the video.
Dom did all of the editing and pulled off one heck of a fine job. He came up with the title. It has a triple meaning.
1. "Hey Rube" was Hunter S. Thompson's column at ESPN. HST is a big BIG influence on both of us.
2. It points to the namesake of such machines, Rube Goldberg.
3. And tips a hat towards Paul Reubens, of Pee Wee and arrest fame.
SCENE 1 | A Late Awakening
The opening shot pulls away from three empty 40s, an original Nintendo Gameboy, a discman, and an old (really old) phone. The phone is one of two items I inherited from my grandfather. The other is a globe from 1918 or so, I think the phone is the same vintage. I thought the Gameboy was a nice touch since a number of the missions dealt with the Wii. It took a little while to get the skate cam down and the jerkiness of early attempts shows in this shot. Luckily, the corner of the rug really ties the shot together. As a sidenote, we really wanted to incorporate my Commodore 64 monitor into the shot. Yes I still have one and use it with my Super Nintendo but I have moved on from doing graphic design with LOGO. Roots bro, roots.
We then cut to the Dude answering the phone. We had him pick up the phone and look at it as if it had caller ID. My buddy Rawlings and I always wanted to walk around with big rotary phones clipped to our belts and pretend to answer them as someone else's cellie rang. This was a hat tip to that failed dream. The poster above the couch is a vintage 1986 Burton piece and the "No Fear" sticker on the Sims 1/2 pipe is legit. I had one of those on my first car, a 1987 Chevy Cavalier.
The Dude puts on some sick slippers that Dom bought in a bazaar in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I got a pair as well. Unfortunately on my first night back in the states off the Rally, my dog Bob tore up one. To this day it is one of only two shoes he has devoured. The other was an elf like shoe that I bought in London. I guess he hates lame looking footwear.
In reference to the Big Lebowski, Dom is sporting one of the lesser known outfits of the Dude.
SCENE 2 | The Accidental Contraption
The Dude stumbles into the kitchen. Note the hefty number of 40s on the counter, I am singlehandedly trying to bring back this fine piece of early 90s life. Unsuccessfully of course. As he falls, we cut to stills of the machine.
Here is the basic sequence
1. Dude tangles in a web of string
2. As he falls it pulls the finger of The Mannequin releasing the arrow. We had thought about getting a legit mannequin but to be honest lazied out on it. Jen volunteered to play the role. Her wardrobe is a nod to the dancers for Gogol Bordello. She is also wearing a well filled out t-shirt that she bought in Mammoth, CA on our first mission.
3. The arrow hits the Lincoln Log house and inexplicably turns on the fan. I considered rewiring the fan with a big on button that would actually work but decided against it to keep with the spirit of the original.
4. The fan spins the miniature wind turbine. This is a direct influence of the original video.
5. The blade of the turbine hits a string.
6. The string releases a wiffle ball that hits a series of wiffle balls.
7. The final ball hits another string that releases the zipline GI Joes. This is classic Rube Goldberg as the wind turbine blade could have easily set off the GI Joes.
8. The boat zips down the line and hits a bbq skewer that is holding the bowling ball.
9. The bowling bowl rolls over the egg that is held by two plastic bowling pins. This is a nod to the likes of the Dude. Beneath the rails one can see the rear license plate from the original Fiestavus as well as the bottle of vodka that Patrick used while being smuggled into Kazakhstan. I can pack the props in.
10. The bowling ball slams into an orange, squeezing a minuscule amount of juice out. This was by design to mimic one of the classic quirks of Big Adventure. You will notice in the original that the pitcher of orange juice goes from semi empty to full out of nowhere. In the background of this shot you can see "The Peacemaker", my wiffle ball bat as well as the "Sick Boot" in the foreground.
A few props I would like to point out. On the table with the fan, there is an original 1985 RUN DMC "King of Rock" album. The album is significant as it represents the first hip hop album I ever owned and has influenced by musical tastes ever since. The vintage album motif is continued on the other side of the kitchen as we see the Biz Markie album below the bowling ball. A lot of the items above the stove credit influences on my creative process; videos from Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze, the Beasties, choice snowboard vids, the Big Lebowski, the original Willy Wonka, and Condorman. Also, though faint, there is an original disc from Urban Dance Squad, an absolute classic.
SCENE 3 | The Chauffeur
Following the machine sequence, we cut to the Dude eating breakfast. The breakfast is noticeably more complete than the machine could possibly have made. Also, notice the moose mug, that is a copy of the one used in that Dom got for us a few years ago.
Inexplicably the mannequin is now standing next to the Dude, holding a napkin with her foot raised in front of a soccer ball. The original plan was to have the mannequin leg from the Rally propped up here. It looked like way too much effort to get that to work so we went with the movable human mannequin. Much easier, much easier on the eyes.
When the Dude pulls the napkin, the mannequin reacts by kicking the soccer ball which exits the wide open door. We scroll along until it meets the foot of Pee Wee. You see Pee Wee was the one that called earlier waking up the Dude. He is there to pick him up for their league match against the Jesus, this is not Nam. I bet you put that together on your own, alright so there are some holes in the plot. Whatever.
I ran into Liam a few days before in Bristol and proposed that he should play Pee Wee. He really got into the part and put together that ridiculous outfit. We had a lot of issues editing his section. I completely screwed up the filming and have to apologize to Liam. He really did well and it should have showed better.
The final piece of the scene shows the Dude on the porch (with very dirty walls, damn) as he says, "Hey Man". This is a direct adoption of the below scene from the Big Lebowski.
THE CREDITS
The video ends abruptly and shifts straight into the credits. Early this year I really got into the Boy Friends series from Team Genius. My favorite part of these vids is how they always cut to credits at odd times which ends up being the punch line of the joke. We went the same way. I also like how the credits are longer than the video. Classicy.
Overall the video really has no plot, no real meaning. I like it that way, there is too much meaning in the world. Plus I like chaotic videos like the Fensler series based off of the GI Joe PSAs. Not everyone is going to get it, but those 3 that do will be hyper amped. Awesomeness. Now watch it again because it only can get better.
The following day, I was sitting in the bullpen with El Guapo. We were deep into the second game hsbc card services of the weekend, The Holy Matriwiffle. Guap and I laughed and taunted the opposing players while waiting for Dom to signal for some action in the bullpen. Dom had already pitched many innings more than a typical wiffle game and there was a silent pact amongst our team that he would not business credit cards stop. Suddenly a game of such utter irrelevance took on a higher meaning. On some days my passion can lead to Black Cloud type moments, but on this day, this day following Dom and Kaela's wedding, this day that Dom beamed from ear to ear as his family and friends cheered him on his homefield, on this day of destiny my passion steered to being a supporting actor in our own little "Natural".chase credit card
Bravo!!! On to Bollywood.
Zach and I did just what you said (steps 1-4) and were awed and amazed at the result. nice work! we've been inspired to design a similar contraption to go to the cafe in town and fetch coffee and bagels.
Ok, so we need more appreciation for contrived culture-laden processes for doing the simple things in life, but do so with less meaning. I like it. not the least because English majors would decry the nihilistic betrayal of the art form. That being said, a short essay that explores the submerged meaning beneath the lack of meaning would have some merit, and I'd probably really enjoy reading it.
I really appreciate the design and direction, and contextual richness of "Hey, Rube". the words "instant classic" come perhaps a bit too easily to the mind, but easily find a suitable namesake here.
I am not a lawyer, doctor, nor justice of the peace, but I now pronounce "Hey Rube" the most effective medicine within the law for whatever bummer you may find yourself in.
i enjoyed this a lot and appreciate the work that went in to making it a success. i have very little to criticize as prior to the creation of this video, it didn't exist. tight!