"Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal #6

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays to join Devin on a chat walk in picturesque Picher, Oklahoma...home of the "Fighting Gorillas"...and so much more.

Yes, you guessed it: "Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 6



This is the part of the blog where I swear to you that the movie is almost done and is coming very, very soon. This is also the part where I ask (usually in vain) for some comments.

This is the part of the blog where it stops and you go on with your life.

New DVD Titles Added!

We've finally got several EMI DVD titles for sale online. The perfect gifts for the rock hound in your life:

RockHounds: The Movie - Special Edition DVD

North Texas Explorer: The Complete Series

The Best of GeoAmerica

This holiday season give the gift of "Devin."

"Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 5

I know we keep telling you that the movie is almost done and the wait is unbearable but maybe the brand new "Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 5 will help ease the pain.



By the way, the movie is almost done!

Walking With Dinosaurs: The Live Experience

A very well needed rest was taken this past weekend. The movie is almost finished but while I'm waiting for some graphics to get done (cough cough hurry up with my graphics cough) I did what any normal person would do to relax: go watch several dinosaurs trample around a hockey/basketball arena.

Yes, the "Walking With Dinosaurs: The Live Experience" came to town. If you're not familiar, here's their website.


Through puppetry, robotics, acrobatics and heavy handed narration, dinosaurs are brought to life for our amusement. A "paleontologist" walks the audience through various names, characteristic and traits of several dinosaurs as the creatures themselves walk around the arena and attack each other. You can tell the guy is a paleontologist because:

A) He is wearing the Paleontologist Vest™
B) The first word out of his mouth was "Bones!"

It's kind of like the animal shows you might see at Sea World...except with dinosaurs...some of whom get eaten.


Some people have criticized the show for not being too heavy with the science but I think it was probably more earth science than the seven years olds in the audience usually get on a day out.

The larger dinosaurs were mounted on a type of base the moved them around even though their legs moved to give the appearance of actually walking. The smaller ones (raptors and such) seemed to be large dinosaur costumes that were worn by a person. You could clearly see the person's legs in-between the dinosaur legs so you could get a good idea of how each of them worked.


Although it doesn't take long to ignore those minor details and start having some "Dinosaurs...kewl!" moments. An impressive level of realism was maintained. Also, the triceratops pooped.

Anyhoo, enough of this frivolity. Back to editing...

Last shoot...and we’re very tired

...making movie...hard...so tired...must rest...after blog... ...must mention Oklahoma History Center shoot... ...must include random wacky picture of Devin... ...and yet still so much...wackiness...must mention other random stuff we shot this past weekend... ...in and around Oklahoma City...so very tired... ...must also not forget to plug...the website...for "Oklahoma Rocks!"...not to mention our YouTube page filled with lots of...video ..and finally...must remind people that the movie is almost done...coming soon...must stay up all night editing.... ...sleep now...

And so the media blitz begins...

This morning we did our first interview to promote "Oklahoma Rocks!" We were interviewed by the AAPG's (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) Explorer Magazine. It went pretty well and I don't think we came off as just a couple of chimps with a camera...hopefully.

We're still not sure which issue of the magazine the story will be in but as soon as we find out we will announce it.

This isn't the first time the Explorer has done a story on us. So while you wait for the new one click below for a blast from the past:

Finally! The "Oklahoma Rocks!" Trailer

The wait is over! And now we present the trailer for "Oklahoma Rocks!" Let us know what you think.

"Oklahoma Rocks!" - VO Fo’ Sho’

Post-production rolls on with "Oklahoma Rocks!" In an effort to make it seem as interesting as possible we have some pictures of Devin recording voice overs. It's been almost two years since Devin has had to do voice stuff ("RockHounds: The Movie" didn't have any voice overs...only on-camera stuff), so Devin had to get back into the swing and possibly overcompensated by over-emoting in some instances: But I think we can make it work in context. That's the kind of enthusiasm that geology needs these days. Yea! Rocks! And now a public service message about public transportation brought to you by Mr. Sulu:

Latest Shoot: The Trouble With Trilobites

This is a trilobite: It's one of the many fossils shown to us on our latest shoot for "Oklahoma Rocks!" at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Invertebrate Paleo Curator Stephen Westrop gave us access to several great samples. Trilobite guru Jennifer Eoff filled in the rest of the trilo-holes in the script. And if that wasn't enough we got a great interview with Neil Suneson from the Oklahoma Geologic Survey who proceeded to rattle off fact after fact about Oklahoma geology until our batteries went dead. We're making a big push with the editing and hope to have the film completed in the next few months. Stay tuned for information about the world premiere!

New Video: Commentary Blooper

Good news: The "North Texas Explorer - The Complete Series" DVD Set is on its way. And a funny thing happened as we attempted to record an audio commentary for one of the episodes...

"Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 4

And now here is the long awaited "Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 4. Hope you like listening to people complain about the weather.

New Video: Baby Rhino!

Yeah! Baby Rhino! Yeah!



Yeah!

Latest Shoot: Smells Like Blog Spirit

Picture it: Lake Murray.  Summertime.  Geology.  It's how we roll.  Coincidentally it's also the latest EMI shoot for the documentary "Oklahoma Rocks!"

Tucker Tower Nature Center (at Lake Murray State Park) has the distinction of being the world's only coin operated Nature Center...or at least the only one we've ever found.  

A befuddled Devin Dennie contemplates the existential ramifications of a lack of pocket change:

50 cents later we were swimming in footage aplenty.  Personally I thought the idea of a coin operated turnstile was a charming throwback...and much more satisfying than the claw game (or crane game, if you will).

At this point in production we are just getting "pickup shots," which just means we are in the middle of editing and are picking up the extra shots that the film needs.  So this was a fairly quick one.

We got in.  We got footage.  We got out.

Take a closer look at the picture of Devin above.  Due to the short notice nature of this shoot and that Devin had previously lost his hat (see the SE Oklahoma Shoot Blog for details), we had to use one the older, cat urine soaked hats.  It's not exactly preferable but at least now we'll have an anecdote for the audio commentary.

So enjoy the view and the next time you see Devin try and act like he doesn't smell like cat urine (that's what I do).

More pics on the website: http://www.okgeology.com

Video Blog: Devin Bloopers

Can't get enough Devin? Here's a healthy helping of bloopers from NTE and other stuff:

 

Those are the bloopiest bloopers that ever blooped.

New Video: Wax On, Wax Off!

Feast you eyes on this:  Devin visits the Wax Museum (plus a little science thrown in there too).

 

Sculpt us some beautiful comments.

New Video: Big Bend Contrabando Movie set

Lot's of good stuff in Big Bend.  For example:


Love us via comments...we have low self esteem.

New Video: Carlsbad Caverns NP

Let's spelunk!

Turn on your headlamps because ladies and gentlemen, I give you Carlsbad Caverns:

New Video: Thirsty?

Man cannot live by geology alone.  Occasionally he gets thirsty.  And today's beverage of choice is Dr Pepper.

I've always admired Dr Pepper because it was the only soda to completely finish its postgraduate work.  Also it's tasty.  For all those reasons and more we featured the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco, TX on a past episode of North Texas Explorer.

Now crack open an ice cold bottle of video goodness.


What do we want?  Comments!  When do we want them?  Now!

New (Old) Video: The Woodbine Sandstone Formation

We reached into the vaults and dug up another "geo-TV" nugget from our "North Texas Explorer" days.  

Join a young, hatless, Performance Fleece-wearing Devin Dennie as he takes a quick look at the Woodbine Sandstone formation from the Grapevine episode:


We want comments and we want them now!!!

"Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal 3

And now the long awaited "Oklahoma Rocks!" Video Journal #3. 

While shooting the Arbuckles Region we stopped by Arbuckle Wilderness animal park to shoot their rocks.  While we were there we walked with the animals, talked with the animals, squeaked & squawked with the animals...etc.


Hope you enjoy.  We demand comments!!!