They’re onto me!
Here’s the video, about which this post is – backstory below! Pond5 Artist Spotlight: Mizamook
Ok, sorry – nothing as nefarious as jack-booted thugs wiretapping my emails and watching me with drones from 10,000 feet or anything. Not that I care if they did (they’d probably shut down the guv’mint for sheer boredom if they really paid attention) but this is a lot more fun, actually. See there’s this lovely chap in London, I think, by the name of Martin Ellerbeck, who has, by virtue of his creativity, created a YouTube series called “Pondcasts” which is all about creating and selling stock footage on a site called Pond5: 
Watch Martin’s work on Youtube if you haven’t already:
Pondcasts Channel on Youtube
So anyway, Martin is a fellow stock video artist on Pond5, and he also has a website: Thursday Films His artist name on Pond5 is the same, and looks like this: Thursdayfilms stock footage on Pond5 You should check it out! This guy has a lot of character, and I kinda though he was cool, and I tend to like to tell people I appreciate their character and their work, and to thank them for being awesome. So I wrote to Martin, and we exchanged some emails over time, during which he put out a couple spotlight videos of other Pond5 artists – both of these gents are known to me, and have helped me extensively with answers to questions, support, and generally being cool, encouraging, and inspirational for my own work: Andreas Hohl (vadervideo) (Andy’s site) and Jake Hellbach (kk5hy) (Jake’s site) The videos Martin created were very personable and fun, staged as interviews, and while making the world seem much smaller through technological advancements in video conferencing, really were wonderful because they brought their personalities into view – these responsible for creating great stock footage, and setting some of the standards by which many of us mere mortals measure our worth.
Here are those videos:
So! What the hell has all this got to do with government agents, shutdowns, or all that other BS?
Nothing.
But the long and short of it is that Martin contacted little old me, and asked me if I’d be willing or interested in such an interview, and I said yes! I was terrified, of course. Would I be cool enough? Professional enough? Have enough character? Would I be funny, or enthusiastic, or interesting? Oh well, no need to wallow in stupid insecurities, but find out the answers by going for it!
So literally in the middle of my move from Homer to Haines, I finally got ’round to shooting the answers to Martin’s video questions. Lucky me – I chose a late Alaska afternoon sitting on a bucket in a grassy wildflower meadow in Homer … right in the midst of a “no-see-um” hatching. But I was inspired, and also knew that I would not have another chance for a month or so, so this was it! Some of the enthusiasm you see might have been the result of those sneaky little bugs crawling up my short shirtsleeves intent on making my life miserable for the next week, but I assure you, everything I said, I really meant it!
Somehow, during the time I was moving, and Martin was editing, Pond5 got wind of this, or took an interest in Martin’s work, and they up and shanghaied my interview! They went and hired Martin on, gave him access to my clips, and made it official. I’m so happy for Martin. This is a good thing – showing that if you do what you love, people take notice, and help you keep doing it. Here’s another of his recent videos: Martin at IBC
Long and short – yeah right … (or long and long …. sorry, the ability to be concise has never been one of my strong points), the video that Martin created is now up and running, and yes, that really is me up on the big screen there, no touch-ups or anything … with some help from Martin’s deft editing skills, I say a few things about stock video shooting in Alaska, and get eaten by bugs, and chase a duck, and … oh bother, here is the first P5 Media Spotlight clip:
Pond5 Artist Spotlight: Mizamook
Hope you enjoy, and thanks Martin!
Remember: Keeeeep Stockin’! (And do it on Pond5!)
