Posted on Oct 29, 2009 05:06:50 PM | Michael Bibbo | 18 Comments
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Yo,
just dropping in to say hai, chime in and make my presence known on the 360 board :)
We had a blast (as we always do when we travel to location) first stop: filming at NASA Dryden in Edwards California - dude, that seems like ages ago... We were so stoaked to shoot the x-48 model but the winds picked up to like a million miles an hour (not really a million miles an hour, but enough to shut the flight down) so we finished up shooting in the hanger where the flight simulator was. That was pretty cool too - and the crew that we interviewed was right on point. We got tonz of beauty shots - Tom did this time elapse shot of the sunrise with the moon dipping down all in the same shot - it was hawt :) Check it out, I was talking to this intern dude at the site. He said on their free time they'd take out these wind jammers and wind surf all over the lake bed getting speeds up to 45 miles per hour. The stretch was pretty big - it went for miles - I could only imagine how cool it would be to speed on one of the wind jammers over the lake bed. But if the wind drops out - you're done and your walking back - now that would be SO lame. lol
Our next location landed us at Black Point Lava Flow in Arizona (which also seems like years ago - it was only 6 weeks back) we got to shoot the Desert Rats program - the Tri-Athlete and the Lunar Electric Rover or the LER (sounds like a few lines off my script written by Kevin & Bibs) Again - good timez from the second we jumped into breakfast at a hotel...to shooting on location with many familiar NASA faces. We got to hang with Kimberly Land from NASA Langley and the paisans from NASA Edge. We got to meet and hang with astronaut Mike Gernhardt and Geologist Brent Garry (Brent actually recognized me from NASA 360. He was like " Hey...yea man, I know who you are, I've seen several episodes of NASA 360. I like the show.) yo.......how cool is that!!! That so made my day!!! ;p
Bibs and I got a chance to talk with Mike G and interview him inside the LER. Now that was a trip! These cats Mike and Barry were in the LER for like 2 weeks straight never leaving the ride - completing many missions, totally living it. When they rolled out (actually got out of the LER for the first time after 2 straight weeks) your Johnny Alonso from NASA 360 was the first one to hi five astronaut Mike and grab an interview with geologist Brent....now tell me...who's the man?? ;)
Kevin, Bibs, Tom, Kimberly, Spooner and I rolled over to the Grand Canyon. Ive never been to the canyon before - what a site, I tell you! We shot several tags and commercial spots for 360 at the canyon. Tom also shot his NASA 360 3-D tags at this cool looking, fake Mexican fortress. This was where we bought a bunch of souvenirs. I bought several post cards and 2 shot glasses. I never sent the post cards - this is becoming a habit.
So, we rolled and left the Grand Canyon. Next stop was this Native American roadside - jewelry, souvenir place (I should take a writing class) Kevin was rapping with the Indian guy telling him how Kevin and he are blood. They connected in their Native American way. Kevin bought a bunch of jewelry, then we rolled. That was cool.
I'm so missing other events that took place at both locations. But as you can see - not only do we get our work done and have a cool looking, hip and interesting educational show, we have a blast getting it done. We have our own way of making things happen and work. Sure, we might not follow the typical schematic for making a television series - but then again, NASA 360 isn't your typical show :)
Hit me back -
Johnny Alonso - NASA 360
Tags : General
18 comments so far ( Post your own )
- 18
On Nov 05, 2009 09:15:31 AM
guest
wrote:
When is the next program! I read on your blog about editing the DRATS program. How long does it take to edit and film a show? Great photographs from the desert. I saw them on webshots. I think you guys do great stuff, I have all your shows on my computer. Looking forward to DRATS!
- 17 On Nov 04, 2009 09:18:17 AM Ronice Mhone wrote:
hie jonny.
Glad to read your email. i am a fanatic of the universe. at night i like looking at the stars and everything that can be seen with our naked eyes. i am writing from Blantyre, Malawi in Africa.- 16 On Nov 02, 2009 11:03:06 PM Monette Bennington wrote:
Monette
I'm 49 and just Love Johnny's work and energy. Makes NASA more fun and interesting. Younger generation is the future and to capture this audience, you have to make it fun, interesting and easy to follow. I love this website. It's like being there. It makes science and learning more fun and I think Johnny Alonso is doing an excellent job promoting science and I know my young adult kids will love this too. Keep up the great work Johnny. Love your work. Can't wait to see what is next.- 15 On Nov 02, 2009 12:48:50 AM Elliott wrote:
Douglas,
I agree with you (I'm 30, and I work at NASA) that this guy comes off like an illiterate 8th grader but apparently this is the way that "young people" communicate these days.
NASA 360 is a great thing (though it does get a bit painful sometimes), and the conversational style of posting here is nice because it (at least potentially) tells a narrative that people can get involved in (as opposed to the mostly boring methods we normally see from NASA). It may take a few passes over the posts to figure out what he's saying but there are actually some interesting tidbits.
I would be less embarrassed by it if they would run his posts by an editor to fix some of the more heinous crimes against grammar. On the other hand, I've also accepted the fact that I'm a decrepit old fossil now and I "just don't get it." Sometimes it's easier to just shake your head and move on, but do give the blog a chance ... you may warm up to it!- 14 On Nov 02, 2009 10:26:46 AM Douglas Mallette wrote:
I'm 33, young enough, and I can't stand this bad grammar and improper spelling nonsense. The dumbing down of America must STOP! Slang for a Tweet is one thing since you're space limited, but in a full article?! Where's the respect for the written word, the eloquence of proper spelling and sentence structure, and the ability to deliver a strong message without demeaning the content by dragging it into the abyss of "tween speak"?
I'm all for trying to reach a younger audience, but I'd prefer if we didn't try to re-write Webster's Dictionary to accommodate a severe lack of educational prowess.- 13 On Nov 02, 2009 10:24:43 AM guest wrote:
Man, a few negative posts and the rally begins! I really don't respond to blogs, but in this case I felt I had to say I'm a fan of this program. I'm always interested in reading the behind the scenes stuff, which is cool, but to take the time to trash Johnny is just weird. I wonder how many people bashing him have actually seen the show? He's great. Speak your mind Johnny!
- 12 On Nov 02, 2009 10:10:44 AM guest wrote:
amazing website!
- 11 On Nov 02, 2009 10:02:33 AM Engineer32 wrote:
Johnny,
Don't take that stuff personally. I have been an engineer at NASA for a lot of years now and I have to say that people in my generation just don't get it. They have a different frame of reference than most young people. My generation still sees NASA in its glory days of Apollo, but times have changed since then. In the late 60's and early 70's NASA was really the only game in town. Today the internet, personal communication devices, 500 tv stations etc. all makes NASA (in the eyes of the young) a little less relevant. Think about this...the average college grad today was not born when the Challenger was lost. Their frame of reference is completely different than mine.
With that said, I think the NASA 360 program is a breath of fresh air for NASA. What you guys do is right on the money by connecting with both younger and older audiences. For my money (tax payer money) there is no better program about NASA than NASA 360. Keep up the good work and don't worry about all those old guys in my generation...most of us know that what you are doing is valuable for the Agency to help keep us relevant for the next generation of engineers.- 10 On Nov 02, 2009 09:11:22 AM Phil wrote:
I quite enjoy reading blogs written in this manner. It reminds me of other blogs I read daily, including Kotaku, Gizmodo etc.
Good move.- 9 On Oct 30, 2009 07:36:49 PM guest wrote:
Wow - old people can be grumpy
- 8 On Oct 30, 2009 01:57:04 PM lilly G. wrote:
What's all the JA slammin'! Does this guy have the best job in the world or what! If some of you bloggers can't overlook a few forced typos, get a life! This show is "ftastic", get it? Oh wait, fantastic. Have you ever heard the expression, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it all"? Well, here goes. I enjoy this program with my family. We convert it off iTunes on our widescreen television and it looks great. Thank you for the entertainment 360, NASA is way more than just flying to Mars or the Moon. Peace out!
- 7 On Oct 30, 2009 11:32:39 AM Stacy Hamilton wrote:
From your home page it appears that you are over 30. Please try composing your thoughts like an adult so that young people reading this page (your videos are targeted at them) will not think that it is OK to "write" like this. That is what I pay taxes for you to do.
- 6 On Oct 30, 2009 12:06:56 AM guest wrote:
Wow, idiocracy is coming true.
- 5 On Oct 30, 2009 01:02:27 PM Abe wrote:
Dude!!
I thought I recognized you!! You were in Growing Pains:Return of the Seavers!!! I loved that movie.- 4 On Oct 30, 2009 01:14:41 PM squeak wrote:
Why oh why does NASA think having some twit write like Spicoli (sorry Jeff) is what we want to see when we come here to find out what's going on? I think an on-the-ground blog is a great idea, especially written by someone who can address a wider, perhaps younger, audience and get them interested in the program overall, and give good, engaging, narrative descriptions of events.
But would it kill Alonso to not write like a fifth grader, and actually spell words correctly? It would be so totally a million times better if like, you didn't address your audience, you know, like they were all morons.
sriusly. That blog is awful. Way lame, even.- 3 On Oct 30, 2009 10:27:01 AM meb wrote:
Love you Johnny Alonso, love your blog - where the sun always shines in your great adventures.
- 2 On Oct 29, 2009 07:10:19 PM Jeff Spicoli wrote:
Gnarly, dude
- 1 On Oct 30, 2009 07:20:06 AM pooja wrote:
hey johnny,
hi wats up. nice one... very new things for me ... as i am surffing this site first time.. but happy to know that you r doing your job joyfully, you are exploring the hidden things of nature. keep going....amazing........ - 17 On Nov 04, 2009 09:18:17 AM Ronice Mhone wrote:
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