Following the birth of Elliott, life as I knew it morphed into a space that was equal parts exciting and "oh no"... To be clear, I am incredibly selfish with my free time and very protective of what I deem to be my "artistic streak". I can't apologize for this - even my Mom told me I was selfish about my free time as a little kid...she was right. I want to be able to disappear when I feel like it to chase this muse - for better or for worse, with or without tangible results. Since I have no control over when it comes and goes, it makes it very difficult to plan for. Adding a wife (let alone a child) short-sheeted my proverbial bed. I felt like a part of me was headed for cruel and unusual punishment. As such, I tried my best to just work the system as much as possible to wiggle out some breathing room. The results (while inducing initial frustration) turned out to be a redirection of sorts. As soon as I let go of the fact that I simply couldn't leave the house at bath time, I became present again. While we have taken a bajillion pictures of our son, his exposure to and appreciation of music has been priceless. The following material is the loose link between my return to work in late July of 2007 (following Elliott's birth) and now.
Elliott & the Thanksgiving Song
Shot on Thanksgiving morning 2007, this was classic Elliott at the time - simply sitting still and hanging out at 5 months old. While there has been pressure to recreate/re-produce this song, I think this version is the gold standard.
Elliott & The Checkbox
This was a Christmas present for Mommy in 2007. Elliott was in the studio sleeping in his bouncy chair for the entire recording. I liked the whole montage idea to get his first few months organized. I would love to shoot more video, but I just don't feel present looking at things from behind a camera. I don't think the song has been played since.
Elliott vs. The Vinyl
Shot in mid-2008 by my wife, this was obviously done without my permission. My guess is that he's looking for something to play, but I'm not sure what. My favorite part is about halfway through when he looks directly at the camera with a cold stare and continues on without remorse. It reminds me of that footage of Bigfoot where there is that split second he/she looks at the camera and continues moving through the tundra. The bottom shelf was sealed off with a bungy cord shortly thereafter - another fruitless pursuit that has only delayed the inevitable since bungy cords are also easily removable when there's a "will" and a "way". I'm sure there will be casualties to follow - but they're his records anyway now... right?
Elliott & Paradise City
A tribute to my air guitar / air drum roots, this was shot coming back from Old Town on a sunny San Diego day in September 2008. I especially like the "mouthing of the words" and the fact that he picks his feet up when the song escalates.
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