Notables

Treats

2012-05-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

A lovely evening on the water with my band, The Pacific Madrone.

I recorded and mixed the audio. Chris Jespersen shot and edited the video.

Questions for Mary | Music Video

2011-12-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

Here's a new music video made over the past couple of weeks for Carlo Furlan at Hillcrest Chapel. He's using it to promote a cohesive identity for the artists at Hillcrest. They released a compilation album of music this fall and decided that a music video was the next step in promoting the movement.

Happy to oblige.

You can buy the album here.

One fun part of this project was finally getting to experiment with a few things that had been on my mind for a while... super widescreen (2.35:1 cinemascope) with no letterboxing, pan and scan to improve static shots in post, and 60fps to 15fps slow motion.

Same Day Edit

2011-06-22T23:06:00.003-07:00

I can't say enough nice things about my cinema team. They're rockstars. And together we made this wedding film in time to show it at the wedding. That's right. Folks sat down to eat, they heard a couple speeches, got a slice of cake and then BAM! We showed the wedding film. So fun.

Letterpress

2011-03-21T21:03:00.003-07:00

Alan Hussey brought this project to me and we had a good time making this together.

Letterpress from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

This little champ lives in the design studio and I don't mean Mike (aka Alan.) The Vandercook 219 is a beautiful peice of machinery.

Concept by Alan Hussey. http://helloalan.com/
Production by Brian Russell. http://willowcraftmedia.com/
Music by El Ten Eleven. http://www.elteneleven.com/

I Saw the Light

2011-02-21T16:50:00.002-08:00

Here's a little somthin' somthin' from church last night. I love the burst of applause when Jeff Flint pulls out the banjo before the song. Oh, and the yollering throughout.

I Saw the Light by Brian Russell

Snow - The Pacific Madrone

2010-12-19T01:12:00.001-08:00

And along those same lines, I joined a band last month and last weekend we headlined a benefit concert. It was way fun, there was dancing, and the diversity in our music was described as "theatrical." Best compliment ever.

Here's our first music video!

(And thanks to my friend Kayla Soper for filming it.)

Snow - The Pacific Madrone from Brian Russell on Vimeo.

Hope - Lamppost Revival

2010-12-18T17:44:00.005-08:00

It's true. Sometimes we get carried away and make music videos for our friends.

Thanks to Carlton Eide for scheduling the session, engineering the recordings, and inviting me in. Thanks to Fred Sprinkle for shooting this with me and (of course) thanks to Lammpost Revival for their unbridled awesomeness. Good friends all 'round.

Check out the band on Facebook. Their music is worth your money.

(But they'll give you a little for free anyway.)

Hope - Lamppost Revival from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

Hot off the presses!

2010-10-18T23:00:00.002-07:00

Another wedding film released to the world!

Stefanie & Nic || Down by the Bay from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

Stef and Nic are one hilarious high kickin' duo and they sure know how to throw a party. They got hitched at Windows on the Bay flanked by groomsmen, bridesmaids, and one courageous bridesman.

Music licensed from http://withetiquette.com

Perseid Meteor Shower

2010-09-25T15:52:00.004-07:00

Last month I went down to Squalicum beach with a few friends to watch the meteor shower. I failed to photograph a single one, but I was able to make this short video and time lapse.

Perseid Meteor Shower (sans meteors) from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

I recorded the music on location with Pishoy's guitar and a Zoom H4n.

5 Photos from Jeff's Bachelor Party

2010-09-25T15:35:00.005-07:00

Here's my favorite shots from our get-together at Twin Lakes last night:

[Kayaking in the sky (double exposure.)]

[So much meat!]

[Moonrise.]

[Andrew stoking the fire]

[Windy nights make for smooth clouds.]

Brandon & Jessica

2010-09-16T15:29:00.003-07:00

Here's the latest wedding video from Willowcraft Media. I've been having a great time making these and I have two more coming the the next couple weeks!

Brandon & Jessica || For The Rest Of.. And Love You from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

Tracking a soundtrack

2010-08-25T14:26:00.003-07:00

I laid down two tunes this week for the soundtrack of my upcoming thesis film. My brother, Jeff Russell, helped with the first one and we learned a ton.

Many thanks to Tristan McDaniel for writing the lyrics!

Coming Up, Grabbing Hold by Brian Russell

To Be As One by Brian Russell

Nothing but the Blood (new recording!)

2010-06-22T13:40:00.003-07:00

A while back, the illustrious Dan Snook came to visit and he brought along this arrangement of this hymn from 1876. We invited Derik Bron to join us and we had a lot of fun with it.

I love the music that happens in my living room.

Nothing but the Blood by Brian Russell

Phil & Jamie's Wedding

2010-06-17T02:42:00.005-07:00

Haven't you heard? Things are moving pretty quick up here in the 'ham as my new company, Willowcraft Media, is launching headlong into wedding videography. We kicked things off with a three camera shoot of my friends' wedding. Phil and Jamie are quite the pair and we had a fantastic time laughing through their wedding day with them.

Phil & Jamie || Snohomish, WA from Willowcraft Media on Vimeo.

Thanks to Dan Snook and Alan Hussey for their help shooting, editing, and designing typography. Dan's edit is heavily seasoned with magic and Alan sure knows his san-serifs better than your average bear.

Show us some love by "liking" Willowcraft Media on Facebook!

Concerts and recordings

2010-04-11T19:50:00.003-07:00

Last night's House Show Extravaganza/Lollapalooza/Hootenanny was excellent and the recordings fro that will be released later next month but in the meantime...

Here's another track of Luke, Derik, and myself from the 730 Sessions a few weeks ago:

[How He Loves]

730 Sessions

2010-03-25T18:56:00.003-07:00

Luke Stanage and Derik Bron came over last week to play music and we recorded a couple tunes. This week Derik came back and we snugged this one up enough to share with all y'all.

[You Alone Can Rescue]

We're getting ready to host a concert on April 10 and these two gentlemen will each be playing their own sets!

Procrastination Sessions

2010-03-05T13:52:00.002-08:00

I was trying to rehearse the music for church this week and thought it'd be nice to plug my guitar in.

One thing led to another and here's the result:

[Fairest Lord Jesus]

Enjoy!

Spring is coming

2010-03-04T12:26:00.002-08:00

And I love where I live:

[It's the one on the right.]

Merry Christmas!

2010-02-12T16:16:00.003-08:00

My christmas present finally arrived this month and today I learned how to make it work. It's more than a little glorious. As my brother aptly described it, it's the cadillac of recording hardware.

Specifically, it's a Digi 003 Rack+ from the little audio company that makes Pro Tools software.

Here's my first test recording:

[based on a lovely song by Chris Akers of Transcarlet]

Inch by inch

2010-01-29T02:32:00.008-08:00

The Give Them A Bus team has been making slow progress this winter toward launching our latest fundraiser. We met again tonight to work through more of the details and we're hoping to kick it off in the next couple weeks!

Did I forget to tell you? Amanda and I got to present the GTAB project to loads of high schoolers last month. There were more than seven spanish classes that all got to hear about how easy it is to see an injustice and rally some friends to help change it.

[Preparing to present]

[Amanda waiting for the fire drill to end]

A summer in sum

2009-11-09T14:20:00.001-08:00

Did you wonder what fun things happened this summer?

Well, wonder no more!

GTAB's Bellingham Team met twice each week while Kevin Gowan was in town. The team grew to six members and we outlined a new fundraising strategy (which is getting close to launch!)

[Most of the GTAB team: Michelle, Tim, Amanda, Kevin, and me.]

I decided to do a triathlon with my friend Tim and then told a whole bunch of people so that I wouldn't back out. The week of the race came and we decided that the registration was too expensive. But instead of bailing altogether, I got together with Tim and a pile of Widmans (they're always game on short notice!) and we did our own "self-administered" triathlon at Lake Whatcom. 1/4mi swim, 15mi bike, 3mi run.

[Tim, me, Jeff, Carla, and Brad before the triathlon.]

We added a couple of miles on the biking leg when Tim got lost and we went looking for him. Then the Widmans had to skip the run for a family thing but me and Tim (once he found his way back) both finished the while thing. It felt fantastic.

[Post race, post haste.]

Chris Akers (of Bridging Babel fame) has started a new band called Transcarlet and he invited me to play a concert with them at the Thurston County Fair. There weren't many people at the fair but those that witnessed our show may or may not have undergone some face melting.

[Jeff Storvick (#1 fan) and Chris before the show.]

I led my first mission trip in August and it went super well. I went to an orphanage in Mexico, 4hrs south of Tijuana with 8 of my good friends (including my sister.) After a lot of preparation the trip pretty much led itself as my friends were all so helpful, responsible, and aren't too bad at the Spanish themselves.

We got to paint classrooms, can tomatoes, demolish roof infested with bees and a coral snake, get schooled at soccer, and play lots of music. What a marvelous time.

[Pitstop at the Oregon dunes on our way to Mexico.] (Photo from Kevin Fitts)

[Music always sounds better when you're in a tree.] (Photo from Megan Eells)

Action for Africa is a group of Whatcom county locals who are partnering with a community in Lesotho (That's near the southern tip of Africa.) I'd been wanting to get involved with them so when they organized a small horde of relay teams for a local relay race, I jumped at the chance to participate. The only leg remaining to be filled was the one that's hardest for me. Boo. So I attempted a 5 mile run for the Bellingham Traverse with a long uphill at the end. I achieved my goal of never standing still... lots of walking up hills but never stopping.

Hey, thanks.
If you're reading this, chances are you deserve that. Friends, you've been tremendously encouraging this summer. You rock.

Underground

2009-11-09T13:58:00.007-08:00

I like Andrew.
We like adventures.

How do hide a huge (1.5mi) tunnel in a small town?
Put it underground.

How do you keep us out?
Good luck.

[At the mouth]

[The first of many manholes. This one surfaces at Happy Ct.]

One purpose, two reactions

2009-11-06T13:10:00.001-08:00

Every time I've told someone about switching my academic focus from Civil Engineering to Video Production I've gotten one of two reactions:

(1) "Now that's a switch!" or (2) "Finally!"

The first response is fairly ignorant of both disciplines. Producers and engineers both spend most of their time working with teams and wrangling project management... lots of scheduling, budgeting, and client communication. Both use complicated software tools and require heaps of technical knowledge (whether it's Young's modulus of elasticity or anamorphic pixels.)

My purpose in each of them has been to influence a positive change in the world. One by construction, the other through communication.

I realized, however, that one while video was taught through team-based projects, a degree in engineering looked a lot more like long lonely lectures and long problem sets. Funny that even though the careers look so similar they would be presented so differently.

[Still a little concerned of what may lie ahead]

Argentina in review

2009-07-03T11:59:00.002-07:00

Thank you to the many who prayed and to the few who gave money. God remained faithful (surprise, surprise!) and I feel both blessed and privileged to have experienced this trip. I enjoyed sharing so much of it with you through photos and I hope also to live the rest of life with this broader cultural understanding and a persistent desire to serve beyond these borders.

===Prayers answered===
~safety in travels (planes, buses, taxis, and back roads)
~hospitality in Colombia (completely unexpected and overwhelmingly good)
~financial provision (and now a fantastic summer job!)
~health (so many times I should have gotten sick and didn't)

===Things learned===
~Found a balance between experiencing and documenting (This was my first trip where I communicated enough with those who were supporting me in prayer.)
~Abiding in Christ is desirable but difficult. Definitely worthwhile. Still figuring out how.
~God is faithful and prayer works (softened our hearts to see and serve, favor with city officials, construction supplies provided on time)
~God is both sovereign and loving (Who knew that a free will vs. predestination conversation could be so life-giving?)

I've also learned a lot by watching Will and Jessica's leadership during this trip and I'm looking forward to trying it out as I taking a group of my friends to an orphanage in Baja California this August.

===Possible futures===
~Returning to Colombia to deliver a bus (hopefully soon!)
~Expansion of GTAB to new international education projects
~Use documentary video for non-profits or missionaries (primarily communications/fundraising)
~Use fiction video for education in developing countries
~Lead missions team to a church plant in Argentina
~Help Guille start an orphanage in Zimbabwe
~Photo journalism trek through Rwanda, Uganda, & Sudan

[The Argentina team with Gina Fernandez]

Coming home

2009-06-09T11:10:00.001-07:00

Today is my last day here.
Tomorrow I leave for Bellingham.

Prayers for tomorrow:
~safe travels
~fruitful reflection (I'll have lots of airport time)

Starting Strong:
~Establishing healthy rhythms at home
~Guarding margins of time

In the next 2 weeks:
~3 days with family before moving out
~editing GTAB documentary (diligence, clarity of communication)
~resuming internship at church (investing in community)
~starting work for Nathaniel (house painting)
~summer school starts a week from Tuesday