Jam Donut 2010!

Jam Donut from Jono Sandilands on Vimeo.

This week I've been having fun with my new camera on a little promo project for 'Jam Donut 2010' which is a BMX & Skate session in Lerwick next month.

The whole idea of 'Jam Donut' is for it to be fun and to raise awareness for the need of a skatepark, as well as a heap of competitions and of course, skating.

I got asked to do a poster for the event but I had a great idea for a little promo video for it too. At first I wanted to take slow motion footage of a doughnut being shot by a pellet gun, but this proved to be a bit too ambitious. So I rethought the idea with more brainstorming and came up with the wheel crushing the doughnut and jam oozing everywhere.

So after digging out my old, cheap BMX and giving it a bit of a clean up, inflation of tires and a trip to the shop for a load of reduced jam doughnuts, I set the shot up...

First attempt - on my own - camera rolling - focus in on the first doughnut - climb up on table - pick up bike (of course I planned to edit this) - BAM! ... flat doughnut, no jam, nothing ... BAM! ... "oooh a little bit. Maybe it'l do, see how it looks..." Rubbish. Clean up. Reshoot.

Second attempt - on my own again - pot of jam from cupboard, knife and spoon - open top of doughnut - fill - cover with part of first doughnut - camera rolling - up on table again - BAM! ... some jam comes out top and side, under wheel. Doh!

Third attempt - Dad onboard (I'm living at home again for now) to help the bamming and jamming up. - Dad proceeds to cut a huge slit and spoon half a jar of jam into side of doughnut - ridiculous jam oozing doughnut - dad up on table - me dedicated camera man - BAM! - does a backflip somehow - still intact - BAM! doughnut basically opens and gives full view of jam. ha ha. We're getting there...

Attempt four - Bit of problem solving from my Dad - "wonder if it would work better heated up" - BINGO - these are old doughnuts - the heat will make them nice and soft again - yusss - Now we're on fire - using hole in side of doughnut, fill with jam using DIY pipette - microwave - hot! hot! - extra filling of jam after heat - BAM! woooaw! Ha ha! Jam explosion just missing the camera and landing on the floor behind - that worked toooo good! "Ok one more, we're going to nail it..."

Fifth and final doughnut - hot again - extra, extra filling jam - but this time, no sudden force (or BAM!) - Perfect! Check out the video.

Nothing like help from your Dad and a bit of trial and error! Thanks Dad!

Other info: Text added in After Effects.
Audio: Teenage Bottlerocket - Skate or Die.

Edit: Just adding the poster thats going around shops etc...