Testing out some new techniques on my camera today. Masking was fun to learn and use, and wow… I can’t believe I’ve never took the time to learn it all these years. If only I did, I would be so much more advanced, but thanks to playing with it now, it’ll pay off in the future now. Can’t wait to get out and take some more and use Photoshop more and more, love it!

March and April went quick, as films came to an end, classes winded down and it was almost time to say goodbye to the people we had lived so close with for the past 3 months.  April came and went quick, our film premiered at a theater on Sunset, got to spend time with some of the cast and crew from the film, then the following night a banquet with all the classmates – the last time we were all together as a crew – might have been the final time ever! But, it was exciting as we all were about to take on our own adventures of filmmaking (some would deciding they didn’t want to), but all in all was great and tear-jerking.  I was one of the many who had to leave LA to make it back to graduation, which because of delayed flights and time changes I wasn’t able to the next morning, but truly enjoyed all the texts and news about a Hollywood director giving the speech to all the graduates who called my name specifically, felt nicely honored.  Then for the past week, the dreaded week of nothingness and no one to see, I relaxed and unpacked only to repack (I’m still not completely packed as I try and figure out what I need for this summer).  But I’m excited to what the future holds.  Especially the near future with the trip up to North Carolina, such a beautiful one, but what makes it so beautiful is that I’m driving to a girl whom I love so much, only God can sum up the amount of love I have for this amazing girl.  And to finally hold her in my arms, to be able to spin her around, walk everywhere hand in hand, snuggle while watching a movie and watching her cuteness sit in front of me as she cutely and shyly eats a Moe’s burrito.  Oh, I can’t wait.  To take her to her favorite places, Old Navy and Target, and run around with her, to go out to the park and sit by the lake and read together, also narrowing down all the places in the world we want to visit.  To finally take her to putt-putt and go-karts and watch her smile and flirt with each other again.  Then as summer draws closer, we’ll work together at camp, me being able to work full-time and her as well, as I start my post-graduate freelance cinematography.  Hopefully all the “talks” and “plans” of films actually pull through, with the music video, short films and our French film in LA, as well as my professors feature film in Florida, one in Texas possibly, and what more North Carolina has to offer with they’re booming film industry.  So far what seems to be locked is TYI in Texas and Amy & David’s wedding in October, both which I’m not getting paid for.

But with all these I’ve also had the great opportunity to invest in my own equipment, truly blessed by my godmother who sadly passed away days before my high school graduation, which meant more to her than anyone I know.  Her original plans fell through for support through college, but her family was able to give $5,000 to my name which made it through all of my college career and were used to invest in my cinematography adventure, thank you Karen, I know you’re looking down smiling at where I’m at.  There have been many people who cherished me the most who have had to leave this planet in hope for better futures, which they are having, but without their mercy and love I wouldn’t be who I am today, there’s only a few left who I know for sure that value my life more than theirs (my mom and Laura).  I thank God everyday for all of this love that he’s given me and one thing I want to share before heading out is a verse that really hit me hard this week.  It struck me because the past few weeks, even months and years, have always been tough on me.  I’ve let this stress take over that things always still need to get done, always feel the need that “I still have this to do… I need to do this” and never decided to open scripture about it and find out what God has to say.  I mean I’ve even studied and taught a class about Genesis 1 where God says that rest is important, to look at our work and know that it is good, and then we can rest – to put forth 100% effort, and when finished look back saying it is good, and resting.  But, this verse hit me last night, it’s Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 talking a bit about the extra stresses marriage (which most people believe he says to not get married) instead he says there’s just stress in that, this coming from a single man who prefers not to deal with relationships with women – not bad, just not me.  In verse 29-32 (now this relates nothing to marriage topic, this relates only to stress in the world that overcomes me) “I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence.  There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily.  Keep it simple – in marriage, grief, joy, whatever.  Even in ordinary things – your daily routines of shopping, and so on.  Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you.  This world as you see it is on its way out.”

P.S. – I cut my hair for the first time, for free! And I’m impressed with it (with some help of my mom touching up the back for me, shhhh)

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! Grandma! Karen! Aunts!

Watching films and studying the art of it, it becomes more and more apparent, that true artists can only express creation by loving, the same God has for us.  And, through that love, it becomes beautiful. I want to live my life being able to share the love I have for her, to share to the world what true love is and be able to tell everyone about it in hopes that they find it too.  There is no greater desire (beside God of course), I want her, but more than anything I need her.  I desire to be with her, every step of this walk of life, and in less than 2 months never want to miss a day with her again.  I make this my promise and as an artist, I have found my love… my true love… Laura Jane Poff!

The most beautiful girl,
caught my eye waiting in line,
for a snack.
It was low lighting,
but I’m sure there was enough on her for my eyes to see,
and my heart to melt.
It was the shy heart of hers,
that wrapped my mind around hers,
to desire to only get to know her,
and I strived to.
In a battle against others,
a competition it seemed.
But there wasn’t any,
for it was just between us.
However, I fought,
I put on my armor,
pulled out my sword,
and I rode my horse as fast as I could to her heart.
I wanted everything about her,
everything there was to know,
everything one could give her,
I wanted to be her world.
Days passed,
subtle stalking continued,
and the final day came,
the lump in my heart to DJ a dance I wanted with only her.
However, this did come true,
leaving my post, I handed it over to others,
I chose specific songs from the heart,
songs that I planned I would hold her,
songs I would connect with her,
that I’d be alone with her,
on that dance floor.
It was just her and me.
And, finally, she was in my arms,
her head on my shoulder,
and her heart on my chest.
It was that night,
I knew I wanted her everything.
And after almost 2 long years,
I am here 2,600 miles from her,
but burning ever more than when I first met her,
yet the amount when I had first met her,
it’ll never die out,
nor will it ever be weaker than any other,
there is no other blessing that one could ask for.
And I pray to God,
thanking Him every second,
that I realized the most important thing in life to me:
Laura!
I love you baby!
Thank you God!

In the mean time I came across this hilarious website with these photos and I miss my girlfriend dearly.  I can’t wait until I get to see her again, just 63 days until I graduate and will be able to shift my life to her direction, turn my boat to hers.  I just recently wrote a paper on a metaphor of me and wrote about myself as a kayak, also got a lot of responses from it, but love it so much, here’s the post:

“I would have to say the best way to describe me currently is like a
kayaker.  At the moment I feel that way for many reasons and looking
at it in various ways.  One possible reason is the paths that I set
goals on, the rivers or streams.  I feel I am always heading down this
stream and sometimes unforeseen weather or currents rush up on me,
while other times it’s calm and steady and no work or endurance needs
to be taken.  Not only is it sometimes rough, but has different paths
to choose from, could split to a dead end or just a longer way off
course of my original heading.  Or sometimes, it might be too shallow
and I’ll get stuck, or even sometimes have flipped over.  But, the
goal is the ocean for me, and it fits so perfect because in every goal
when I finally reach it I am free, I have accomplished that
challenge.  Right now, that goal is my future, and after I graduate
this coming May, but have no idea what that ocean looks like just know
the name which is filmmaking.  On this trip, it’s taken me here to LA
after a long struggle through school, rapid waters and lengthy
endurance.  At times it has loosened up to just flow with a steady
current, but now I’ve come to many forks and going down one, another
comes up and many choices come my way, but I know that I’m not too far
from reaching another point to see further ahead, or finally reach the
ocean and restart on the next river.  There are many ways to view the
goal also, that being the ocean, whether it’s just on this journey and
my next achievement, or my lifetime goal.  It speaks in so many ways
in my spiritual life, physical and mental realms.  And I choose a
kayak, because it’s a one-man boat, to be able to have strength and
courage to move along my path, but also remain humble and not a huge
boat or ship.  I’m just a single person, who can help out others and
connect to form larger boats, but not someone who will try and be
seen, just to reach that next goal, and with God in mind.”

Off to sleep now!  Also… new demo reel:

Also three short film directors asked me to help them out, but can only help one all day Saturday and another all day Sunday until the evening, and then Sunday night a screening of The Natural, and Q&A with the DP of Juno and Up in the Air.  Too bad Caleb Deschanel can’t make it that night, but it’ll still be a great session.  Either way, looks like a busy weekend and next week is filling up too: production meetings to shoot a short film that hopefully will be amazing, and also more screenings.  Plus homework and work, getting up the new site for the company HappyFunTime and also my own.

Well, on the other hand, I’ve been staying up later and later every night and I think it’s due to all the work the past few weeks.  But, I’ve been working on the site for my internship’s business and also recently created my own, in fact just put videos up on it and created the design and logo (which matches my new business cards).  Check it out when you get a chance, it’s free right now so just a WordPress domain, but here it is.

davehaasjr.wordpress.com

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes also!

But, now in post with my first MPP project, I still have loads of work to do before it’s due on Tuesday, so every night and spare time will be spent this weekend in the edit suite. Wish me luck and will post it online once it’s finished.

On the other hand, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, this weekend, and I will not be able to take my special valentine on a date and make her feel like the most wonderful valentine ever, because she is, but I will make it up as soon as I return to her and also with the things coming her way (which I cannot say because she’s most likely reading this).  But, I absolutely love her and think she is the most beautiful and attractive girl I have ever met, and find it so cute that she was having problems the other day trying to figure out where I’ll be at certain times (with my birthday next week also).  But, I love her to death and will and want to in terms of foreverness! She will always be my valentine and the absolute best and most gorgeously beautifully hot!