I'm sure that by now many of you have heard of the Van Orman brothers from Michigan. If not, pick up a copy of Dig issue 52 and read a little bit about the eldest of the brothers, Beeler and Ted. Elliot is one of the younger Van Orman's and has been producing BMX videos for the past several years. Now, a couple years after the release of "The Day Is Over", Elliot is back to work on his next BMX video production. This video will be a little different from his previous works; it will be all street and trail footage, and will be his last BMX video. Elliot was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about his new project. Read on...
Elliot Van Orman in the windy City.
What's your newest video called, and how did you come up with the title? The video is called Time Will Tell. I was walking around the south ghetto of Chicago one day, singing a tune to myself. The chorus of the song had the words Time Will Tell. It stuck with me, I loved it. Time is such a interesting concept to me, and that title sums it all up easily. Also the title was an old saying that my Grandmother used to say, so that is also another reason for it.
Your last video, The Day Is Over, had a pretty good cast of riders, who can we expect to see Time Will Tell? The riders in The Day Is Over will be in it, plus a whole new cast of many riders from around different parts. A lot more focus on the Northwest Region of The States. Darrin Read, Paul Kitner, and GJ Nappo to name a few will have some amazing trail talent throughout the video as well.
Is it true that unlike most traditional BMX videos, Time Will Tell won't have any parts to it? If so, what made you decide to edit the video this way? I just said fuck it with parts, I want to try something new, I want to make each song a part in itself, like a narrative style meaning behind things, still remaining experimental with the edits. I'm looking forward to it.
How long have you been filming for this video? I filmed a little bit throughout 2004, but wasn't planning on making anything out of it, I was mentally lost that year anyways, so I didn't know what the fuck was I doing in my life. I really started locking down on filming in 2005 and have been filming since, I haven't stopped filming yet for it, but I plan to film for the rest of this years good weather.
Your previous videos showcased a lot of Michigan locals and spots, but now that you go to school in Chicago, has that changed who and where you shot most of this video? Or will the Michigan scene still be a big part of it? Michigan will defintley be a big part of the video still, at least the riders that I ride with in the Michigan scene. Chicago will be a big influence in the video, the city and experiences that is. There will be some riding from the city riders, but defintley not as much as from the Michigan scene. I never really clang onto a huge group of riders in the city, I just mainly kept to myself and my studying at film college. I kept it like fine wine, or at least most of the time.
What kinds of cities and places did you travel to while filming? A lot. With the help of my brothers Beeler and Ted I was able to get a lot captured from different places, the places will cover the midwest, east coast, west coast, southwest, south, northwest, Canada, New Zealand, Hawaii, the ocean and many other places.
Did you have any fun or interesting encounters with security or homeless people on the street during your travels?Too many, all of it will be in one of my bonus videos entitled The Other Times.
For the fellow video nerds out there, what kind of camera set up do you shoot with? For this video I have shot everything with a Sony VX 2000 (raynox .3x lens), Sony VX 2100 (with a century .3x lens) Panasonic GS250, and a 16mm Bolex film camera.
Elliot workin' with the Bolex 16mm camera.
You go to school for film, correct? What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to move to L.A. and try a start a film carrer out in the big old crooked industry.
Do you think you'll make more BMX videos, or will this be your last? This will be my last bmx video, I've been making them for ten years now, and i'm content to move on and try and start my future. I have lost interest in bmx anyways over the years, not the biking itself, just the people and scene stuff invovled.
When should expect to see this video released? I have so much fucking work ahead, but as many times as i try and explain my sitution to people, no one listens, so i'll just let it be said that when i get most of the things filmed and edited the way i wanted, then i will release it. only time will tell.
Where can people buy it? People will be able to buy it through most BMX retail shops.
Any comments or shout outs to wrap this thing up? The video will have a lot of content on it for its buy
there will the the main bike video intitled Time Will Tell(range from 40 to 50 min)
Bonus Will Feauture:
Another bike video intitled Sink to Think (title many change, range from 20 to 30 min)
A comedy video intitled The Other Times (range from 20 to 30 min)
A crash section of bike crashes, and misery shots of the world intitled The Good Guy (based of a tom waits style grave digging character, very harsh, i love it though) (like 4 min)
And a few short 16mm films will be invovled on the bonus as well.
this list is subject to change as the video wraps itself up.
word. just float on down the river of life.
Ted Van Orman boosting some trails for his younger brothers video.
TIME WILL TELL TRAILER:
FOR A HIGHER QUALITY VERSION OF THE TRAILER, AND FOR ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE VIDEO, VISIT ELLIOT'S MYSPACE.
