Raafi Rivero | images and ideas

New Museum, two views

back side of the New Museum in manhattan
Front side of the New Museum in manhattan

Another couple shots from my ongoing “year in walls” series. One is from the handycam, the other from the new Canon. A friend’s office faces the back wall of the New Museum in Manhattan. I love looking at the strange quantization problems of an image shot with a consumer-grade lens, through a window, through a screen, at a highly textured facade, and finally compressed for the web.

The other one is shot on the street in front of the museum.

Stare at these two if you want to have a headache after a few minutes.

Funny People I Know

I recently busted out the new camera while sitting with buds Seaton and Johnalynn at a Brooklyn bar on Comedy night. An hour later, Seaton took the mic and absolutely killed. People always complain that when comedy isn’t good, it’s unbearable. This was unbearable for completely the opposite reason — my stomach hurt afterwards.

What I most like about a good joke is how economical it is with story — setup and punchline must necessarily be rid of all extraneous elements. Only what is funny is left in. We storytellers could learn much from studying the technique of comedy writing.

Busting Out Shots

gummy bears lunch

pool-room-ed

So these last couple months have been a wicked ride in film. I’ve been directing a little something: a short, some commercials. And editing some of that stuff too. More to come in a minute. And my screenplay was just accepted into a prestigious film market. In the meantime there have been meetings and camera purchases, allegations and recriminations. All in a day’s work.

The short is called, Their Eyes Were Watching Gummy Bears. There will be laughs and tears. Soon, I promise.

Young Man’s Game

These two kids were riding across from me on the train today. One had their dad’s iPhone, the other was playing a game on the iPad. The fact that some people refuse to regard that device as a game-changer baffles the mind.

update:
A day later I overheard the following on an elevator:

one of my kid’s first words was iPad. Or sometimes he says iPodtouch.

Coffee Bear

Years ago I was pegged as a “details guy” by a friend, a declaration I did not dispute at the time. These days, “top-level thinkers,” and “big picture” people abound in my work. It’s all true. I don’t mind one bit. Part of what makes me happy every morning is seeing the smiling teddy bear on top of my coffee.