I AM AN ADULT

The Very Professional Portfolio of Philip James Hart, a Minneapolis-based writer, photographer, and videographer.

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Well, I'm registered on the federal government's jobs database,

and here's what I wrote into the field for "My current goal is...":

"My current goal is to use my communications skills and cultural knowledge to increase awareness about and improve the public's perception of NASA's many worthwhile missions, especially those that strengthen our grasp of the universe. Though I could hardly hope to equal his intellect or way of speaking about space exploration, Carl Sagan is my greatest hero, and if my words could inspire even a sliver of the wonder that his did, my life would be complete."

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This was the first in-studio session at Radio K that I ever shot by myself.  I hadn't started editing yet, but I think I did a pretty good job operating the cameras, and Sub Pop must have agreed, because they put it up on their blog.

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For the last three days, I’ve been doing the 30-Day Movie Challenge on Facebook, but the limit of 420 characters in a given post on that site have proven insufficient for my musings.  So from now on, I’m gonna be writing about movies over here on Tumblr.  So, to bring you up to speed, here’s what I’ve done so far:

Day 1: Favorite Movie - Blue Velvet

Day 2: Least Favorite Movie - Ordinary People

Day 3: Favorite Comedy - Windy City Heat

And that brings us up to Day Four: Favorite Drama - There Will Be Blood

For me, this is undoubtedly Paul Thomas Anderson’s finest film, and it’s complimented by Daniel Day-Lewis’ finest performance.  There Will Be Blood is a testament to the value of location shooting, as well as to the results of creative freedom in a fairly well-funded production.  The languid plotting and surreal dialogue and line delivery made the film an unpleasant experience for many movie-goers.  I loved it.

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Lodger: Part 1 - Hershey's, Inc.

Lodger is a series in which Phil explores the consumer complaint letter as a literary form.  More letters can be found at his other blog, The Complaint Lodge.

Letter:

Dear Hershey’s,

I recently purchased a baggy of Twizzler’s NIBS from the vending machine at work.  The NIBS were covered with a strange, waxy substance, which wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but which definitely wasn’t supposed to be there.  Please send me some free licorice as an apology.

Love,

Phil

Response:

Thank you for contacting us about TWIZZLERS NIBS Licorice Candy. I am sorry you were disappointed and appreciate you bringing this to our attention. I believe the  product you have purchased was exposed to excessive heat and/or humidity somewhere in distribution.  These conditions can affect the texture and flavor of the product.  To help our products reach you in good condition, we have printed instructions on our shipping cases to inform all distributors of the proper handling and storage of our products. We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product.  You will receive a coupon by postal mail in 2-4 weeks. We appreciate your loyalty as a consumer. Maria Consumer Representative

Notes:

Like almost all of them, this response appears to have been written by an actual person.  Maria’s personalized message forced me to consider that my letters were not being read by a computer, and I thereafter adjusted the tone of my prose (not really). 

The coupon I received was good for $2.00 off any Hershey’s product.  Yes!

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Philip James Hart: Video Man is a daily series showcasing my progress as a videographer for Radio K.

For the first installment in the series, I'm posting the first video I ever shot at the station: a session with Portugal. The Man.  At the time I shot this, I was helping out intermittently at Radio K.  It was well over a year before I took up the formal position of Videographer and started editing all the videos myself.  Since we were just starting out with the video department, this video is, as you might imagine, a little rough.  But if you stick with me for the next 60 days or so, you'll see my progress unfold, like a beautiful butterfly hatching out of a beautiful, beautiful chrysalis.

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Welcome, Prospective Employers

My name is Philip James Hart.  Having recently departed the University of Minnesota as an art student, I am experiencing the post-college world for the first time, and I will readily admit that it is terrifying.  To cope with the stresses and obstacles of my new life in "reality," I have set up this blog, which I hope will give well-to-do business owners and other patrons of the arts a better idea of who I am and where I come from.  The content on this blog will be strictly PG-rated, but if you wish to see some of my "edgier" work, I can provide it upon request.  Thank you for reading, and please give me a job.

Love,

Phil