the milktrix

May 2003


While in Cleveland for a swim meet, I saw a film crew shooting a commercial of a car driving down the road. The camera man was following in an SUV standing in the sun roof. I immediately decided that shooting with the camera-out-the-sun-roof technique needed to happen and the milktrix was born.
The problem with the the camera-out-the-sun-roof technique is that it is apparently illegal on many levels. As we were filming, my ass half-out the roof of my mom's car, I have the driver go around Joe's car so that I can get the shot. Joe was following th posted speed limit of 45 mph which meant to pass him we were banging out about 55-60. This was not a problem with any of the other cars around us except for the police officer.

After we got the shot, we pulled over to thank the police officer for clearing traffic for us...

"Are you guys crazy?" He said, not calmly at all. "I oughta impound this vehicle and slap you with reckless opp."

"Hello officer, I'm Michael and this is Andrea. And we are filming a short for a photogr..."

"You guys were driving 60 miles an hour without a seatbelt, half out the car."

"Officer, I apologize, we just needed that one shot to finish our film and we have gotten it and so we're done."

"Well you have also got a pair of tickets for speeding and failure to wear a seat belt."
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Island Reef Job

I finally got my video application for IslandReefJob.com finished and uploaded. Over 34,000 videos have been uploaded. Some are garbage and some are really really good.

The idea is that you get this job, you go to the island and then you regale the world with your adventures via photos, videos and blog posts all the while drumming up interest in Australia as an international vacation destination.

The question becomes, how do you make yourself stand out in a group of 34,ooo?
Just because I got 15 emails and 30 phone calls in one day telling me that I am the perfect man for the job doesn't mean a whole lot unless I can show them.

I decided immediately upon hearing about it that we weren't going to go with a "talking head" type video application. Also, we were going to shy away from slide shows and pictures of me being awesome in various locales around the globe. Why?

1) Everyone else did that
2) This job is not about where you have been. Its about your ability to present Queensland to the world in an entertaining way. To do that, I have to start by presenting myself in an entertaining way.

I realize that not showing photos of me being awesome, and relying more heavily on imagery than words is a gamble. Focusing on plot, production value and humor did not however cause me to leave out any of the requirements for the video app. Instead, by sprinkling the pertinent information on top of this short, I have gone above and beyond; providing a preview of whats to come, not what has been.

I'm Travelin' Mike, and I'm going places.

Please go to: http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/applicants/watch/QCVC8pKWIV8

Thank you,

TM


p.s. I would like to give a special thanks to Joe Camerlengo for coming aboard behind the camera and Joe Fitzgerald for lending his vocal talents to the production. Both can be found at ThisIsMySuitcase
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