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I've known Kendra for at least 15 years now and I've been a fan for about that long as well. So I was especially honored to have her first music video also be my first non-hip-hop video (as well as the first video where I incorporated green screen footage).

The song, "I'm So Okay" is from her debut CD "New Voice" (released on her own label, Lola's Child Music) and in my eyes it is quintessential Ms. Kendra Ross. It is a song of strength and independence and those traits/qualities really speak to who she is as a person. The idea was to keep it simple and not to go the usual angry, bitter route.

Special thanks again to Laura (TLC Productions) for allowing me to borrow her camera (Sony DCR-VX2000). The three scenes were filmed all in one day and edited using Apple Final Cut Pro 5.x with the green screen footage keyed out using Adobe After Effects. Also, special thanks to Ms. Lonita Ross and Brian and Sherry Roberts for allowing us to film at their houses.

You can find more information about Kendra Ross and purchase her CD at kendraross.com and her myspace page - myspace.com/kendrarossmusic.

Created using Adobe Illustrator to recreate the logo and then extruding and animating using Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro Plug-In.

Quick Logo Animation for branding band's videos posted online. Created using Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro.

Simple 10-second animation using a photograph and 3D Text to be used as an intro for a weekly YouTube web video series, "This Week With Jasiri X." Created using Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro.

Created using Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop.
Used as a title plate on the opening for the DVD project, "The Art of Life" I made for ChaRon Don of Hands Down. Made for an online company that makes afrocentric buttons and keychains.

Created using Swift 3D and Adobe After Effects.

Used as a title plate on the opening for the DVD project, "The Art of Life" I made for ChaRon Don of Hands Down.

Created using Swift 3D and Adobe After Effects. Used as a title plate on the opening for the DVD project, "The Art of Life" I made for ChaRon Don of Hands Down.

Created using Final Cut Pro. I edited footage provided to me by the group to create a 5-minute clip that could be used to promote their live performances and gain new bookings. This is the first version.

Created using Adobe Photoshop, After Effects and Particular.

Inspired by the first flier I turned into a web promo video. Created for Liberation Music Group (LMG), Chen Lo lends his talents for the voiceover again, this time over an instrumental track "God in We" by labelmate, JahMed.

Created using Adobe Photoshop, After Effects and Particular.

Started out as a double-sided flier that I created in Photoshop and decided to make it into a promotional piece that could be placed on the web and circulated as well. Chen Lo of Liberation Music Group did the voiceover using an instrumental of one of his tracks titled "Real Thing."

This is the first music video I have created since I was enrolled at the Art Institute in 1993. ChaRon and I are good friends and earlier this year we released a documentary-style DVD called "The Art of Life." The DVD contained interviews and live performance footage as well as a lot of other bonus material. That is what led to this video. Special thanks to Laura for allowing me to borrow her camera. (Sony DCR-VX2000) The footage was edited using Apple Final Cut Pro with one or two extras added using Adobe After Effects.

The idea behind this video was to keep it simple. This is the first video that ChaRon has where he is the only subject. I wanted to make it personal because even though the topics are pretty general the overall mood/feel sounds personal to me. There are 3 nondescript locations and it features ChaRon doing what he loves. So the concept was no matter where he is, he will be creating music. The "recording booth" is with him wherever he goes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. (its always a labor of love)

10-minute montage of Kendra Ross performing a live acoustic set at the Shadow Lounge in Pittsburgh, PA on May 10, 2008. Accompanied by Christian Ver Halen and Miguel. Edited using Final Cut Pro.

This video is another first for me, the song is from Chen Lo's mixtape "The Inkwell" which drops on January 22, 2009 and will be available for FREE DOWNLOAD online. (see lmgtv.com) It is the first video I made that was shot all on green screen and keyed out. This was filmed the same weekend that I filmed the Kendra Ross "I'm So Okay" video. I shot her video on Saturday and his on Sunday. The footage was edited in Final Cut Pro and keyed out/effects added in Adobe After Effects CS3. Special thanks to The Pettigrew family for letting us film in their house and to Kia F. for her support and assistance. Also, thanks again to Laura of TLC Productions. I used her camera again (Sony DCR-VX2000). (Just one more video was shot on her camera and now I have my own ...FINALLY!!)

Since the video was called "World Wonder" I wanted to include images of some of the actual "world wonders." I also used images of Pittsburgh and NYC (where he used to live - PGH and now lives- NYC). I wasn't going for a realistic look but more artistic so I could have some fun and experiment and so it will stand out from the other videos I have made.

The artist, Chen Lo, is another good friend of mine (seems like I have a lot of really talented friends) who I met some time ago and we've been working together since. He is not only an emcee but also a consultant, teacher as well and works with our youth a lot. He has performed in a number of venues across the states and even in Africa. His song "brooklyn" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie "Blackout" and the accompanying video was aired on BET and MTVU. He has also appeared on several promo spots for MTV2.

Thanks for reading this. I figured this site has more people involved in the "making" of videos and motion graphics so they may be interested in some background information as opposed to YouTube where its more the fan/audience and they just want to watch it and move on to the next video of someone falling off a ladder or dancing offb

Created using Adobe Illustrator to recreate the logo and then extruding and animating using Adobe After Effects and Zaxwerks 3D Invigorator Pro Plug-In.

Created using Adobe Photoshop, After Effects and Trapcode Particular.

Made using a photo of my friend, Kendra Ross, a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter. Just wanted to try a technique I learned and decided I would make it sort of a promotional piece as well to get other use out of it.

Photo by: George Del Barrio 2008