Floating On a Cloud: The Feel
I elected to do a short documentary for the final project. I have shot a few different kinds of visual projects in the past but the idea of shooting a documentary is still a relatively new thing for me. I’ve had a hand in shooting and editing many of skateboarding videos but this form is different, very different. One of my passions has always been music. I’ve played the guitar since I was about twelve years old. I actually met my best friend, Colby, through playing music and since the early years of high school he and I have always made time to play together. As we have gotten older I was introduced to Colby’s uncle, Mykal. Now at first glance he looks intimidating. Covered in tattoos, a little short tempered at times, and a colorful vocabulary made him a little bit different in approaching. However throughout the past five years I have gotten to know Mykal very well and when I had the idea to shoot a documentary involving music I could not think of a better subject than the guitar duo that is Colby and Mykal, The Feel. The Feel originally started as the three of us picking up some instruments and starting to jam with no direction and no real agenda. Because I am predominantly in Austin for school and not my hometown of San Antonio I have never been a quote-unquote “member” of The Feel. And that is absolutely okay. I am a part time contributor and a longtime supporter. The two of them as uncle and nephew play constantly. It is one of the first things we do the moment I walk in the door. What made them so interesting to capture is both their dynamic and their different backgrounds in spite of their family name.
Mykal grew up a military brat moving around a lot since he was young. He was born in San Bernardino, California but lived predominantly in Washington and San Antonio, Texas. He has had an extremely interesting upbringing and that has ultimately shaped him into a very different human being today. He is confident in himself and holds no inhibitions in speaking his mind. He has travelled the world with nothing but a one way ticket and guitar. And somehow he has always managed to make it back to the one place that unites us all, San Antonio. He speaks highly of his father being a very strict man and really showing him the value of a dollar. He left home at the age of sixteen to pursue a relationship. Now in his mid-thirties Mykal is a proud father and musician as well as a hard worker. He may come off as an intimidating kind of person, but in actually he is very calm and passive human being that has honestly never been in a single physical altercation. He enjoys the simple things in life and most of all enjoys making music. Colby and him and some similarities but some very distinct difference as well.
I have known Colby close to ten years now and he has always been a very mellow guy. He never talks much but when he does it is usually something insightful or humorous. It was very apparent when shooting that Colby and Mykal get along so well because their personalities complement each other so well. Colby was born and raised in San Antonio. He has always been a hard worker and very calm in himself. Overall he is the mellower side of The Feel. Colby has always been the kind of person that can handle almost anything and still remain calm under pressure. Colby has a lot to say, but usually likes to only speak up when necessary.
The film itself ended up being a huge undertaking and I shot so much footage I could not possibly edit all of it in time for the viewing in class. That being said I put together some important clips along with some creative transitions to really convey both who The Feel is and most importantly what The Feel is. The Feel is that perfect feeling of zen clear thinking, that sunset that puts everything out of mind. The Feel is that inner peace you feel at the end of a hard day’s work. The Feel is in everything and everyone, at least according to the guys. The Feel is everywhere and the guys think that the feel is what gives them their creative spark and motivation to continue to make music regardless of any circumstances. The Feel represent what a calm state of mind can do for overall peace within your own life and mind. They are by no means professionals or wealthy. They are two people, waiting tables by day, and creating music in spare time. This is what a real musician looks like and that is what I wanted to show in this film. Everyone has a story just waiting to be heard. All that is missing is a medium to express it. With that I bring you the first installment of Floating on a Cloud: The Story of the Feel.