Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com Filmmaker Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:56:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 en hourly 1 billyjohnson/filmmakerhttp://feedburner.google.com “Tornados” Music Video Nears Completion http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/04/tornados-music-video-nears-completion/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/04/tornados-music-video-nears-completion/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:56:13 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=171

The Smart Set music video, “Tornados” is finally nearing completion and it looks awesome!  This has been a long time in the making, my apologies to the band.   I had a super busy 2009 filed with some big changes. In the meantime enjoy this screen grab of Brandi Emma singing and driving a 1962 Ford Falcon down Main street in Santa Monica.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/04/tornados-music-video-nears-completion/feed/ Funny or Die Presents on HBO http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/funny-or-die-presents-on-hbo/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/funny-or-die-presents-on-hbo/#comments Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:02:13 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=188 This is the trailer for the new Funny or Die series on HBO.  I was the camera operator on three of the shorts.  Series starts February 19th on HBO!
]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/funny-or-die-presents-on-hbo/feed/ My So Called Video http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/my-so-called-video/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/my-so-called-video/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:32:05 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=158 I have been hearing the new 30 Seconds to Mars’ song, “Kings and Queens,” for the last two months or so on Sirius. I thought it was a good tune, checked out the video on Youtube, and was like–Whoa!–the concept is eerily similar to the video I directed for The Airborne Toxic Event, “Gasoline.” Since “Gasoline” came out a year before “Kings and Queens” I can’t help but think something’s odd. Now, as you would expect 30 Seconds to Mars’ video had a huge budget, probably a huge crew and looks great. On the other hand, I shot “Gasoline” for next to nothing with a crew of two before the band was signed to Island Def Jam. It just makes you wonder, coincidence or not?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 ]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/my-so-called-video/feed/ Scores of Interviews in 2009 http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/scores-of-interviews-in-2009/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/scores-of-interviews-in-2009/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:15:08 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=168

I was archiving my projects from 2009 and realized I directed 116 interviews throughout the year.  Crazy, I knew I filmed a few, but not that many.  That’s going to be a tough record to break in 2010 unless the documentary financing fairies drop some cash.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2010/01/scores-of-interviews-in-2009/feed/ New “Work” page up http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/09/new-work-page-up/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/09/new-work-page-up/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:29:34 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=153 It has been a long time in the making and finally arrived. The new “work” page includes some recent work and old favorites I dug out of the archives. I’ll be adding more in the future. Currently my archives are about 20 terabytes, lots of material to sift through and I have so many projects right now that I need to finish. In time more will be up.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/09/new-work-page-up/feed/ In Oxford filming the TEDGlobal Fellows http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/07/in-oxford-filming-the-tedglobal-fellows/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/07/in-oxford-filming-the-tedglobal-fellows/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:48:17 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=112
When you walk around this town you can feel the history. Amazing! This photo is from the tower at Magdalan College, one of the 38 independent colleges of Oxford. It was founded in 1458!

If you haven’t heard of TED you should check it out.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/07/in-oxford-filming-the-tedglobal-fellows/feed/ The Smart Set “Tornados” Music Video on the Canon 5D Mark II http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/06/the-smart-set-tornados-music-video/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/06/the-smart-set-tornados-music-video/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:29:09 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=104
Last week I directed the first music video for a great new band called, The Smart Set. The song is called “Tornados” and it sounds like it is right out of an Apple ad. Super excited, the edit is just underway. The DP was my good friend Marcus Hoffman. Thanks to everyone who helped out, filmmaking is truly a collaborative process and I appreciate everyone.

We shot with the new Canon firmware on 5D Mark II with 14mm, 50mm and 85mm primes and 24-70mm and 70-200mm zooms. We brought out all the toys to give the camera a good work through. I’ve owned it for a few months but haven’t really had the time to use the video function. So I was eager to bring it out on set. We had our challenges. More on that later. Some sample footage soon to come.

Check out the band on their myspace page.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/06/the-smart-set-tornados-music-video/feed/ TED2009 Fellows Documentary Finished http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/05/ted2009-fellows-documentary-finished/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/05/ted2009-fellows-documentary-finished/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 13:19:12 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=82

The TED Fellows film I produced and directed is finally finished and available on the TED website.

I shot this during TED2009 in Long Beach. I directed 31 interviews in one day. It was a new record for me. You can see 30 interview stills above, 31 doesn’t make a rectangle. Sorry.

Some of the other interviews will be used in different versions of Fellows films yet to come.

If you don’t know what TED is, you should check it out. Go to their site and watch some Ted Talks, amazing!

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2009/05/ted2009-fellows-documentary-finished/feed/ The Airborne Toxic Event Official “Gasoline” Music Video Finished http://www.billyjohnson.com/2008/11/the-airborne-toxic-event-gasoline-video-finished/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2008/11/the-airborne-toxic-event-gasoline-video-finished/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:28:29 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=13

Today we finished editing the video for “Gasoline”.  This is for the second single off of the band’s debut album.  I don’t think it will be released for at least a few months.  Sorry, I can’t upload the video until it is released, a screen grab will have to do.

]]> http://www.billyjohnson.com/2008/11/the-airborne-toxic-event-gasoline-video-finished/feed/ All Hallows’ Eve http://www.billyjohnson.com/2008/10/all-hallows%e2%80%99-eve/ http://www.billyjohnson.com/2008/10/all-hallows%e2%80%99-eve/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:29:16 +0000 Billy Johnson http://www.billyjohnson.com/?p=25
If I only had more time I would have carved 20 pumpkins.  Can I get paid to do this?

As much as I like halloween, I really have no desire to ever make scary movies, but maybe scary documentaries.

And yes, I really carved this pumpkin.

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