Responsibly Wild Blog

This past winter I once again leant my scoring talents to a friend's documentary project, " Iowa's Firefighting Family. " Produced in 2011 the film tells the story of volunteer firefighters in Iowa (which makes up 90% of Iowa's firefighters), with the detailed story of one family of firefighters from Harlan, IA. My friend Jacob Rosdail produced the film along with mutual friends Aaron Riggs and Amy Langdon. The film airs June 5th at 7pm on IPTV... but if you can't wait, it is also streaming on IPTV 's website. If you'd like to taste a slice before you buy the whole pie, here's a excerpt: Recently Aaron screened the documentary to a packed house of firefighters in Ames, Iowa and Jacob posted this awesome letter on his film production blog " Cat Basket Films ":  Iowa Firefighters Association President Jack Runge wrote the following e-mail after the screening: Aaron and Jacob I wanted to send you a note to thank and c...

It's official, Team Tiny Explosions is registered for the 2012 48 Hour Film Project Des Moines . I've discussed this traveling film festival before but let me say it again, I love this thing. It's a mass gathering of filmmaking loons, hilarious short films, and it's a chance to share one of my favorite things (short films) with my friends and coworkers. Click the 48 banner for more details on  #DM48HFP  otherwise enjoy the piece I helped produced last year for the festival as a member of Team Mystery Box (I scored the film and produced some graphic elements). And because they were produced in the #DM48HFP model, here are two recent shorts that I produced with Team Tiny Explosions compatriots. See you in July!

Early this month my coworker Ryan Peterson, co-host of the dormant music podcast " We Hate Music ," introduced me to the local act Holy White Hounds and since that moment, I've been thirsting to see them live. Saturday that thirst was quenched. Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube Watch On Youtube I might have gone a little over board with the filming. What can I say I really dig these guys sound and their live performance lived up to their recordings. Three pieces are a tricky business but luckily these guys have the chops and stage presence to pull it off. After you watch these videos I suggest you download their EP on Amazon and check them out live. An added bonus to the evening was checking out local rock-country group Bright Giant . Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube Watch on Youtube All songs available for down...

Lately I've been going through a little bit of a musical renaissance. I've been going to local shows, post videos online, writing songs (not scoring videos) for the first time in years, I've even stopped listening to talk radio as much in favor of tunes. How far have I fallen down the rabbit hole? I spent some time at old local haunts Iowahardcore.com, 515crew.com, and Strangetalk.net. While those sites have fallen into some serious disarray, it's been fun taking a trip down musical memory lane. I got so nostalgic I actually purchased Ten Grand's "This is the Way to Rule" on Amazon (So glad I got to see those guys right before Matt passed). While tip-toeing through my musical past I came across a little tape (yes, an audio cassette) of basement recordings one Chris Saldanha and I made in June of the year 2000. We had just started a band and the summer prior we went to the Warped Tour for the first time. We saw a lot of cool bands but probably the c...

For the third time since I launched this baby back in 2003 I've changed the old blog name, you're now reading  P@ Rants . Why? Well basically everything on here is in one way or another, a rant; however to keep outside links from breaking we will soldier on with http://stuntbunny.blogspot.com . Along with the rebranding I've decided to build some blog pages. So if you're looking for one of my short films, a music video I shot, my video film reviews, PB & AJ videos, or one of my "slice of life" videos, they're all nicely kept at the top of this page. It was kind of fun looking through some of my older videos, like my "Scotty B Pool Tournament" mockumentary "Ball in Hand," click over to the Short Films page to watch that re-watch that puppy. Not a very in-depth post but I figured I'd keep you informed on the what and why. Enjoy your weekend.

Before I get to it, or post a single picture,  let me give you ample warning ; this post deals with, and shows, the blood and guts of cleaning/butchering a chicken . I'm talking chickens one minute, dead the next. So if you don't want to see or read about that, click away. May I suggest you check out one of my other blogs ? Okay, you've been sufficiently warned. On with the show... If you don't know from my Sustaining Iowa venture, Marieta and I are big into local food and we are proud to espouse its virtues wherever we go. A few weeks ago one of our favorite local farms, Coyote Run , was holding a chicken butchering party (basically a bunch of farm patrons helping kill and clean a bunch of birds), and due to my Master degree homework I couldn't make it. So Saturday at the first farmers' market of the 2012 season , I told Matt and Patrick from Coyote Run my dismay at missing the event. Pat said we should come down on Sunday and help them clean 10 roo...

Most Wednesday evenings I can be found chilling at home, either working on my Masters degree or hanging with the wife. Last night was a completely different story. Thanks to a school night gig from my good friends in Handlebar I spent my Wednesday evening in one of Des Moines' newer local venues, the Gas Lamp , getting to know a couple hard-as- rusty -nails local rock acts; Viva Montesa and Superchief , and you know I brought my camera along to share with you good people. These guys flat out rock. I've seen a lot of local acts in my day. More often than not you are subjected to new acts because they're riding the bill of groups you dig, well Viva Montesa is the gut-punching except to that norm. There are obvious comparisons to be drawn with their sound but I'll leave that for someone else. I've seen few local acts in my day that kept me engaged from the top of their set to the bottom. I only wish I had decided to film their entire performance. When I see...

Saturday was supposed to be so relaxing, eat some pancakes, run a few errands, watch a movie, hang with friends... Man I wish it had ended up that way, instead just when I was about eat my pancakes I looked under the kitchen sink only to discover... the garbage disposal had leaked all over the place. Son of a biznitch. Saturday and Sunday turned into something entirely different than initially planned, I was now in for a very handyman-ish weekend. Thirty hours later this was the scene, the garbage disposal replaced. Turns out Hubbell Homes used one of the worst reviewed disposals on Amazon for our sink. Thanks a lot guys. Not only was the disposal terrible but it was virtually locked in place. I was almost standing on my head trying to pull this thing off the sink flange. But in the end I won. Behold, Victory! On top of this I decided to attack a couple other projects as well; build a kitchen organizer and spread limestone on the lawn. In the zone I guess. So if anyone o...