Aurora is the effort:

Aurora is the effort

A poem by Emily Dickinson

Aurora is the effort
Of the Celestial Face
Unconsciousness of Perfectness
To simulate, to Us.

Recommended reading:

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson (1960).
Edited by Thomas H. Johnson.

Pictures in video were taken during two events of the aurora borealis, visible from my home in 2024.

Video by Jack Kost.
2024.

A View from the Window:

A View from the Window

One year … and one day of snow.

First section of photographs taken from June 11, 2023 to June 11, 2024.

It didn’t snow for another 6 months.

Then, on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 6:30am, we awoke to one day of snow …

April 22 is Earth Day.

We used to have 4 distinct seasons.

Not anymore.

Climate change is real and a threat to us all.

Weather events around the world are becoming more unpredictable, erratic, extreme and destructive.

Value and protect the environment, wildlife, and pollinators.

Learn how to reduce carbon emissions.

Observe. Conserve. Preserve. Recycle. Reduce. Reuse. Save.

We only have one world.

Make a positive difference, before it’s too late.

Make every day Earth Day.

Video created by Jack Kost.
2024.

Music credit:

Ethereal Relaxation, by Kevin MacLeod.

A timeline and pictorial tribute to the work of Stanley Kubrick:

A timeline and pictorial tribute to the work of Stanley Kubrick.

In celebration of his movies:

Day of the Fight (1951)

Flying Padre (1951)

The Seafarers (1953)

Fear and Desire (1953)

Killer's Kiss (1955)

The Killing (1956)

Paths of Glory (1957)

Spartacus (1960)

Lolita (1962)

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Barry Lyndon (1975)

The Shining (1980)

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Video created by Jack Kost.

2022.

Music credit:

Cryptic Sorrow by Kevin MacLeod.

If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.

– Stanley Kubrick.

In memory of Stanley Kubrick

Director

Producer

Writer

Photographer

July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999

National VCR DAY – June 7:

National VCR DAY – June 7

#NationalVCRDay

Making the Bad Blood & Mall Maze trailer videos:

During the making of the video trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze, I got to make fake blood again.
Something I always loved to do during many Halloweens past.
Great fun.

There are various recipes for making fake blood, using water, flour, corn syrup, chocolate syrup, etc …
Through trial and error … a lot of trial and error … I eventually settled on clear liquid hand soap and food dye.
It’s easier and faster.
The soap already has a thick consistency, with an effect that mimics the slow flow, ooze and drip of real blood.

To make the fake blood, I filled a jar with soap, added red food dye, then green food dye to darken it.
Apply the green dye one drop at a time as you continue to mix.
If you add too much green, the solution turns brown and you have to dump it out and start over.
It’s that simple.
 
Choose the recipe that works best for you.
If you’re going to use my method – remember that it's soap.

Be cautious how you use it.
One advantage is that soap and food dye doesn’t permanently stain clothes.
I patch-tested a white washcloth and it cleaned no problem.
The disadvantage is that it’s SOAP.
Patch-test to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin.
Get any in your eyes – it’ll sting.
Swallow any – it’ll make you sick.
Be mindful and careful.

Remember the pros and cons.

Pros ... it's soap.

Cons ... it's SOAP!
 
For the Bad Blood trailer, in reference to one of the key chapters in that novel, I repurposed the machete from my collection of gardening tools and two precision craft knives from my art tools I use for miniature model making.
In the future, I will be making videos using miniature models.
 
To make the fake blood flow down the blade, I used an applicator bottle with the narrow funnel.

You can control the flow better, with less mess and waste.

I draped one of my plain black T-shirts over the front of the sink.

The black fabric absorbs light and prevents reflection when filming metal surfaces.

My wife exclaimed: “What the …?!” when she walked into the bathroom and saw I’d used the fake blood to make a bloody handprint and put some nice smears around the inside of the tub.

Another advantage of using soap … it rinses away no problem.

For part of the Mall Maze trailer, again in reference to part of that novel, I filled my left driving glove with fake blood and let it ooze out through the seams for the effect of a wounded hand.

Using the same method of preventing reflection, with black curtains around the camera lens, I made another short film of the jar I’ll be using in a future video.

I'll be using the same blanketing method when filming and photographing a glass tank, for mixing inks and paints in water.

Below are the trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze:

Finally, here’s my assistant, Bodhi, our crazy Ragdoll cat:

Abstract Acrylic Art Portfolio Showreel # 2:

This is the second of a series of video portfolio showreels I made to promote my wife’s abstract acrylic painting.
 
Future work will include mixed ink abstracts.
 
A percentage from sales is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Research.
 
Paintings available to buy from the online Zazzle store:
 

Allegorical_Littera

 

https://www.zazzle.com/

 
Designs are also available as greeting cards, with options to transfer onto other products.
 
Themes:
art, artwork, poster, painting, acrylic, abstract, fluid painting, Kathleen Jane Kost, Portfolio, showreel, video, MP4,
 
Music credit:
 
Ambiance#5
by Lilo Sound.

Abstract Acrylic Art Portfolio Showreel # 1:

This is the first of a series of video portfolio showreels I made to promote my wife’s abstract acrylic painting.
 
Future work will include mixed ink abstracts.
 
A percentage from sales is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Research.
 
Paintings available to buy from the online Zazzle store:
 

Allegorical_Littera

 

https://www.zazzle.com/

 
Designs are also available as greeting cards, with options to transfer onto other products.
 
Themes:

art, artwork, poster, painting, acrylic, abstract, fluid painting, Kathleen Jane Kost, Portfolio, showreel, video, MP4,
 
Music credit:
 
Ambiance#5
by Lilo Sound.