Last night we filmed a live show at a popular music venue in the French Quarter called One-Eyed Jacks [www.oneeyedjacks.net]. The Headliners: Rotary Downs [www.rotarydowns.com], a popular New Orleans rock band whose newest release, Sing Like The Sun, has received national attention. Not only was the band incredibly friendly, but a few days before we filmed their set, we discovered that Byron designed their lead guitarist’s new home! (Chris Colombo gives us a tour of his house-in-progress with Byron in this Webisode.)

(The series also features songs by New Orleans musicians Blair [www.myspace.com] and The Iguanas [www.myspace.com].)

Casey, Alex, and Adriana came for a ladies’ night out. We shot the band performing their title song, and we filmed the girls as they proceeded to knock their male counterparts. It was a much-needed break from the site. As for the gender rivalry, ladies and gents, watch the show. Our crew refuses to take sides. What I can tell you is that it all started with a messed up wooden beam…

Rachel Clift
Producer

About a month ago, a reporter from a well-respected magazine, ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, visited the build site to write a story about URBANbuild 08. The students were thrilled for the attention, and excited to share their project with the larger architecture and design community. The magazine story itself was glowing, but imagine how disheartened the students felt when a bunch of “armchair architects” wrote disparaging comments about the new house, following the article. Sprinkled among several positive letters of support were shocking phrases from anonymous readers, emboldened by the free-for-all Internet but too cowardly to sign their real names.

The main complaint – one that has been voiced much more constructively by a few of the neighbors – centers on the highly modern URBANbuild style. An informed dialogue might have included reasonable questions like: Are the Tulane houses an appropriate build choice for this neighborhood, where traditional model homes are close to the hearts of longtime residents? How might they contribute to a new vision for the neighborhood, and for New Orleans? What works about this design, and what can be improved for future prototypes? How can we be inspired by the traditional architectural styles of New Orleans, yet at the same time express our new times, new technology, and new attention to climate changes in a bold new architecture?

As it was, a few responses were so irresponsible that even Casey, the ever-grinning morale booster, was left with a broken spirit. Right after that, her wallet was stolen from her car a block away from the site. We’re seriously beginning to wonder if she’ll come back to work tomorrow.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Casey isn’t the only one feeling down. Despite their stoic appearance, the rest of the group has been pretty low on fuel. Byron’s never-ending “Punch List” (the final To-Do’s) is written on a wooden slab that leans against an unfinished living room wall. Every time they cross off a task, two more appear. The students are burnt out and can’t find the fun in their work.

Hmmmm. I can relate.

Like building a house, making a documentary is a collaborative effort, and it requires constant teamwork, effective communication, and determination to solve all problems as they arise – and they do, every day. Sometimes the rough patches can knock you off kilter. Filming on location for long stretches of time can also be a challenge. I’ll admit it: Although cuddling with Coz goes a long way, I’m feeling a little homesick.

But what’s life without hard work? Bad days come and go, and the good ones are great. Small things lift you up, like when Big Jack, a surly old neighbor across the street, says “You know, it’s growin’ on me. Those kids worked hard for that house. It ain’t too bad.”

Or you’re walking through the French Quarter late at night, cameras and tripods and batteries weighing you down, when all of a sudden, from around a corner there appears a traditional New Orleans wedding parade, white scarves waving as the merry crowd marches down the street, bride and groom aglow in the moonlight.

The most important thing for us in that we BELIEVE IN what we’re doing. If we can find value and meaning in our work – personally, politically, socially – then it’s worth every effort, and a few bad days.

A finished house, a TV show – that’s the icing. Or the sugar, if you’re like me and you prefer beignets.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Crawfish Boils are a Louisiana staple. But thanks to a nasty fever I got from too much Mardi Gras and not enough rest, I missed out on the Cajun festivities at Byron’s house that night. Dan Gilbert, our Associate Producer in New York, came down to help me out just in time for the delicious and apparently provocative meal. I won’t spread rumors, but…Dan told me that Wesley told him that our sound guy said there were some unsavory comments made. See entry above.

And check out Dan Gilbert’s blog entry [gilbysworld.blogspot.com]
about his time down here in the Big Easy. He’s included some excellent restaurant options for those of you planning a food tour. It’s one of the best ways to discover New Orleans. If afterwards you want to plan your own boil, looky here [www.lacrawfish.com].

Rachel Clift
Producer

While the students have remained loyal to their labor of love despite the violence, a prospective homebuyer who fell head over heels for the second URBANbuild house now has misgivings.

Discrepancies are emerging between those who can afford the URBANbuild homes, those who can appreciate their architectural design, and those who are willing to live in this still-tenuous area. When will the right match come along? It’s like dating in New York. It requires a tremendous amount of faith and patience. And as much as we’d like to follow this story until a happy owner walks through the front door, our production schedule and our budget have limits.

This is one of the many challenging things about making documentary television. You can’t control the storyline, or wait around until the ending you want comes along. Ask Jamie, our Line Producer, who deals with our frantic phone calls all day. “Please, please get me back on Scripted,” she prays to the Gods of TV. On ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL, there are no scripts, and in our case, no formula either. We run around with a camera, capturing moments as they unfold. Back in the edit room, we’ll craft a unique style and we’ll tell a good story, but we can’t make fairy tales come true. And we can’t will events into happening. Like Michael always says, Tulane was going to build that house whether we filmed it or not. And someone will buy those houses when they’re ready to. Not when we are. Maybe we should add another credit to our roll. Creative Consultant: FATE. I mean, if you believe in that sort of thing.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Yesterday someone was shot and killed directly across the street from the build site. Nobody from URBANbuild was there – it was a Sunday and we all had the day off. According to news reports that followed, it was one of the deadliest weekends New Orleans has seen in a long time.

The URBANbuild team knows the site is located within a rough couple of blocks. I don’t know, maybe we’re so used to violence that we’ve become desensitized, but everyone’s been relatively nonchalant about the murder. It occurs to me that the URBANbuild group is bound by a tacit understanding: The goal is not only to build a modern, efficient home that pushes the design envelope, but also to redefine communities through innovative architecture, so that a new home means a new beginning – for a family, a neighborhood, and hopefully an entire community. Is it a realistic goal? Your thoughts are as good as mine.

Rachel Clift
Producer

There’s nothing like waking up at four in the morning for work. I’m only being halfway sarcastic. We filmed Kim’s varsity rowing crew practicing on the canal this morning, and got to watch the sun rise slowly over the city. We waited until the crew was about to glide underneath our bridge; then Michael captured the overhead shot on Camera B while Rob teetered on the edge of the coach’s motorized boat below, filming the thin line of women rowing in sync beside him. It was almost enough to make a ‘morning person’ out of me. I bet four-seconds worth of that shoot will end up on screen, but it doesn’t matter. It was a beautiful day, and they are beautiful shots.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Endymion Parade in Mid-Town. Families set up camp all day waiting for this one.

A surprise visit from our New York friend.

Happy revelers.

Mardi Gras ends.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Guess what, folks? It’s still Mardi Gras. And I hate to ask, but when’s the party over? This little girl is exhausted, and so are we.

Yesterday Rob went to the King Arthur parade and got hit in the head with a string of purple beads that actually drew blood. People have been stumbling down the street, yelling outside our apartment building all day, every day, for the past two weeks. And the masks. They’re starting to freak me out.

As for WORK, the roads are constantly blocked so we haven’t been able to shoot for three days… and counting, except for shooting parades on foot.

Meanwhile, the students haven’t touched a hammer since the shear wall went up last week. (See lonesome shear wall behind Amarit and drinking buddies below.) Argh! This might seem odd, but too many days off in a row can make you go crazy.

Morale of the story: If you decide to come on down next year for America’s biggest pre-Lent party, pick your days wisely… and bring hard hats. Turns out they come in handy.

Rachel Clift
Producer

I have an exciting announcement to make: The Streetcars are back! Temporarily shut down after the storm, now we hear them every night, that sweet sound of old wood rollin’ down the tracks outside our apartment building on Carondelet St – just three short blocks from Bourbon. Taken from my cell, that’s me on the car at night, happy as a gator in the bayou.

And while we’re on the subject, let us take a moment to honor the famous Tennessee Williams [www.imdb.com] play-turned-film, and the famous path [www.bourbonstreetexperience.com] that stretches across the historic French Quarter, laying claim to many a drunk out-of-towner.

A journal from New Orleans would be sorely lacking without a tip of the hat to Bourbon Street and its “Huge Ass Beers”. ‘Nuff said.

Rachel Clift
Producer

Remember Coz, our adorable Crew Mascot? He came all the way from New York to keep us company during what is sometimes a difficult five-week stretch away from our friends and family. At the end of a long day, nothing beats coming home to an unconditionally loving pup!

So when it came time for Barkus, an all-dog Krewe and wordplay on the Bacchus parade, there was no question in our minds that Coz would participate. What we didn’t know is that he would prove to be one of the crowd’s best-dressed canines!

Okay, he was a little embarrassed at first, but when he saw that parade roll down St. Ann’s street…

…there was no denying it: He was psyched.

And apparently, so were the ladies…

I can’t resist. Here’s some of the best from the parade:

Like mother, like puppy.

Ladies in pink.

Fairies unite!

Simba.

This year’s Barkus Queen, and her Dutchess.

Ummm…

Heading home for a nap. Phew. Exhausted.

Rachel Clift
Producer