Benjamin Franklin is one heck of a role model… he’s on the hundred dollar bill; he helped write the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution; he worked out in the nude; he even invented the printing press, bifocals, AND electricity! Plus he doesn’t have a middle name, which just makes him 10 times cooler…the one, the only. This year I’m going to try to be more like Ben…

Benjamin Franklin 1706 – 1790

Did you know that in 1726, at the age of 20, while on an 80-day ocean voyage from London back to Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin developed a “Plan” for regulating his future conduct? He followed the plan he created “pretty faithfully” even to the age of 79 (when he wrote about it), and he was even more determined to stick with it for his remaining days because of the happiness he had enjoyed so far by following it.

His “Plan” was made up of 13 virtues, each with short descriptions:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.

He tracked his progress by using a little book of 13 charts. At the top of each chart was one of the virtues. The charts had a column for each day of the week and thirteen rows marked with the first letter of each of the 13 virtues. Every evening he would review the day and put a mark (dot) next to each virtue for each fault committed with respect to that virtue for that day.

Naturally, his goal was to live his days and weeks without having to put any marks on his chart. Initially he found himself putting more marks on these pages than he ever imagined, but in time he enjoyed seeing them diminish. After awhile he went through the series only once per year and then only once in several years until finally omitting them entirely. But he always carried the little book with him as a reminder.

Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues are unique and obviously served him well since he is one of the most respected and most accomplished men in the history of the United States.
(source: flamebright.com)

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I am also looking for locations and other people who can volunteer their time such as general artists, hair and make-up professionals, photographers, clothing designers, and location coordinators.

These are not paid gigs, but great opportunities to work with other practicing professionals just for fun and experience. We will share the photos and you will be able to use the photos we create to promote your own artistic talent.

My friend Ai speaks Japanese and is setting up shoots and translating, so contacting me in Japanese is no problem.

Let’s shoot!

Thanks,
Aaron

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Little Bo-Peep lost their sheep… and the sheep from space took over. Here’s what happens when a bad dream meets animal farm with guns, George Orwell style.

Band – Bo-Peep
Song Title – Power
Album – Vibe
Labels – Flightpath Records & Tours and 3rd Stone from the Sun Corp.. Available worldwide in every major music store, also online at Japan Files and iTunes.

Credits:
Producer – Ethan Green
Co-Producer, Director, Art Director, and Editor – Aaron Jenkin
Camera Operators – Edward Caughlin, Ethan Green, Aaron Jenkin, and Pierre Maugendre

Notes:
This was my third video on the Canon 5D Mark 2; I love this camera. My first attempt at stock motion was a 30 second Kraft Singles Cheese commercial. We shot the Kraft commercial in one day and edited it in three days. It was a piece of cake, or should I say cheese? I made the assumption that any stop motion was easy. Enter, Bo-Peep and “Power.”

Follow on YouTube

Bo-Peep is a punk rock girls band from Tokyo, Japan. Mika is the lead singer and guitarist, Ryoko is on drums, and Take is destroying the bass. They write their own music and perform live shows on a regular basis. If you see them, you will be instantly PUMPED. Recently they had an awesome writeup in a very popular Tokyo Magazine for English Speakers, titled Metropolis. They also went on tour in the US to promote their 3rd album, “VIBE” which will hit stores worldwide on May 29th. Alternatively, you can download the album at Japan Files and on iTunes.

The Experience:
The concept for this video was originally VERY simple. Of course as my brain ran wild, it went from a one month project to an obsessive five month perfection attempted, but very successful disasterpiece. Working with the band was nothing short of great, and in the end the video turned out just as we had hoped, but the hours put in to make the final result became uncountable and there were days when I thought I was going to go insane over not being able to get something technical to work. This video pushed the limits for me and everyone who helped. Four cameras shooting a live performance (We shot on 4 different cameras, including one with a fish-eye lens, to give the video a mixed look); 130GB’s of miniature footage; sometimes 20 takes to get a shot perfect; countless other hurdles. I now am a firm believer that shooting miniatures, even with the right equipment is one of the hardest things in the world. A speck of dust or a hair that you miss with the naked eye turns up so easily when you view it full screen. We got to the point where we had to check every take on a laptop monitor, to give it a pass or fail. Even our High Rez shooting monitor was not picking up all of the necessary details. Editing was not any easier than shooting. Since we were doing both simultaneously we had to learn new techniques AND invent new techniques to pull off all of the gags and ideas we had. Coming out of this, I feel like we can call this experience the miniature version of filming Apocalypse Now. At least we were in a studio for most of the shoot!

If you are interested in working with me on a music video and have an idea using miniatures or stop motion, let’s collaborate. As much as I hate the pain staking process, I love the outcome.

Special thanks to Bo-Peep for making such a rocking song and freedom to create a visual to match, Flightpath Records & Tours and 3rd Stone from the Sun Corp. for giving me the opportunity to work with the girls, Dean De La Cruz and Joe McDaniel for technical assistance, and Michelle Vines for letting us set our stage on fire in her studio space.

I’ll be in Tokyo for two months and I’m looking for cool and friendly girls to shoot. Maybe you are a self produced idol, a professional idol, model, actress, or musician. Maybe you’ve never taken pictures before with a photographer and just want to have a fun experience or need good quality pictures for memories to show your friends on all of your social networking sites.

I can work with any ideas you have and I can help you build your ideas too. I will shoot in Tokyo, Kawasaki, or Yokohama. If you want to pay for my plane ticket to a tropical island, I’ll shoot there too! ^_*

I will give you the photos for free and you can use the photos to promote yourself.

My friend Ai is seting up shoots and translating so Japanese is okay. Let’s do shooting!

Thanks,
Aaron

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Life is hard enough when you’re alive. Try the dating game when your mind is rotting and you smell like a corpse.

Writer, Producer – Scott Maio
Writer, Producer, Director, Photographer, Editor – Aaron Jenkin

Cast:
Zombie – Mike Kniewel
Zombie Voice Over -Scott Maio

Crew:
Production Assistant – Scott Maio

Notes:
This was put together as a viral video to promote my friend Scott’s new company, brainlesstees.com. BT is a fresh website selling funny t-shirts that are all original.

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