The Documentary Blog: Obsessed & Scientific Now Available on Google Video and YouTube
In honour of the final episode of ‘Young, Fast & Scientific’, i’ve made my student documentary film ‘Obsessed & Scientific’ available on Google Video and YouTube. For those of you who haven’t been following my podcast series about the making of the film, you can visit The Documentary Blog and get caught up. Basically I talk abou the process of filming a 25 minute student documentary film about time travel. Here’s the synopsis:
Is time travel possible? In this fascinating short documentary, director Jay Cheel explores the real-life theories behind the science of time travel and the strange subculture of enthusiasts who are obessed with it. Meet Michio Kaku, world-renowned theoretical physicist and author of the book Hyperspace. Meet Rob Niosi, a hobbyist building his own full-scale home replica of H.G. Wells’ time machine. Meet Larry Haber, the entertainment lawyer representing the family of John Titor, an alleged time traveller from the year 2036. Do these people know something about the world that the rest of us don’t? Obessed & Scientific is a quirky look at the intersection of science-fact and science-fiction.
For those interested, i’ve embedded the Google Video at the end of this post. You can also follow the links to the YouTube version. (broken into 6 parts) Let me know what you think!
Obsessed & Scientific on YouTube: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Comments (14)
Good work Jay! Its good to know that there’s something behind your rather pompous demeanor on the podcast. I have a few questions. Have you met Sujdan Stevens? Are you going to be making any more films anytime soon? Do you write? If you were to become a director would you have Sudjan Stevens do all your music, like Burton/Elfman, Spielberg/Williams? Do you think Film school is a waste of time? If not how did it help you in your career? Do you plan on moving to LA or establishing yourself in Canada?
Read this on the podcast that would rock.
Posted by The man on January 28th, 2007‘Bout time you got that on there.
Posted by Greg on January 28th, 2007Pompous Demeanor??!?!?!?!? This coming from someone who calls himself ‘The man’?!?!
Just kidding. I’ll answer your questions on the podcast tomorrow.
Thanks for watching!
Posted by Jay C. on January 29th, 2007Thank you for posting it up on google.
Posted by thesecretsafe on January 29th, 2007It is very well done and my only wish is that it were longer.
Is this availble on DVD?
If not,do you have any plans to so?
Has the replica been completed and if it has not do you think you will document its completion and perhaps include it as a bonus feature?
How difficult was it to get an interview with Michio?
Did you have to pay anyone for their time?
Were there any other people you wanted to interview or subject matter that was applicable but could not include it and why?
I would also enjoy a longer cut of the Niosi interview explaining his construction methods.
Would you ever post that?
What are you working on next?
Thanks.
Here’s three more short films that I made while in school. Henrik, you may be pleased to see a pre-movie blog Nagy in one of them.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aKV4RdAj7_Q
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9Ibp7G-jyGc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nK-nQGs3u7E
Posted by Jay C. on January 29th, 2007Hey ‘thesecretsafe’,
I recently did a four part podcast series over at The Documentary Blog that may answer some of your questions. It’s an audio series called ‘Young, Fast & Scientific’ in which I talk about the making of the film. Here’s a link to the first episode:
http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2006/12/11/young-fast-scientific-episode-1-the-pitch/
I’ll try and answer some of your questions on the podcast as well.
Posted by Jay C. on January 29th, 2007Here is another short film directed by Jay Cheel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGWKJJz1sFE
The riker beard looks totally zen. That Ted Johnson guy was amazing though. Was Brian Barker his name? He should be in actual movies, he had a great voice.
Awhile back I actually googled your name, and I came across a website proclaiming you were a cinematic mastermind. Now I don’t know who wrote it, but it had a pretty glowing review of a movie starring Sean Dwyer as Det. Fairchild, in a world were sex was outlawed. Are you going to upload that movie? It might have been the pretty enthusiastic review, but I thought it sounded interesting.
Posted by Henrik on January 29th, 2007Thanks Jay. Can’t wait to watch this.
Posted by Marina on January 29th, 2007Hey thesecretsafe,
Sorry I didn’t get to your questions on the podcast. I’ll try and address them here:
Is this availble on DVD?
- I have been selling the film on dvd through my own means. No official release though.
Has the replica been completed and if it has not do you think you will document its completion and perhaps include it as a bonus feature?
- Last I talked to Rob the replica was not yet finished. I would like to visit him again and shoot some more footage on his progress.
How difficult was it to get an interview with Michio?
- Suprisingly, it wasn’t difficult at all. I just emailed him, and he agreed to it.
Did you have to pay anyone for their time?
- Nobody was paid on this film.
Were there any other people you wanted to interview or subject matter that was applicable but could not include it and why?
- There was a man named Steven L. Gibbs that I wanted to talk to in the film. You can listen to the story about this in my ‘Young, Fast & Scientific’ podcast available at the link below:
http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2006/12/11/young-fast-scientific-episode-1-the-pitch/
I would also enjoy a longer cut of the Niosi interview explaining his construction methods.
Would you ever post that?
- I don’t have the original footage. But I have posted a ‘deleted scene’ on YouTube. It’s available at the link below:
http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2006/12/19/young-fast-scientific-episode-2-new-york/
What are you working on next?
- I would like to do a feature length version of Obsessed & Scientific. I’m also looking at 9/11 conspiracy theorists, and continually writing a horror film screenplay.
Thanks for the questions!
Posted by Jay C. on January 30th, 2007jay, i dont know if Wonder Showzen is up your alley, but i noticed on the season 2 dvd that Michio did a guest commentary track about time travel
Posted by Goon on January 30th, 2007Yeah, I picked it up for that single reason. Havne’t listened to the commentary yet though.
Posted by Jay C. on January 30th, 2007Jay, I truly do not wish to sound like a fool, but is there a way for me to download the song that is played with the credits at the end of your documentary? and if so, what is its name? I already know that Sufjan Stevens was the one who made it, but I just can’t find it while searching his music. Please answer, someone.
Posted by Desiderio on October 19th, 2008Hi,
Good doc.
What’s the track at the beginning? By Sufjan Stevenes? Whats it called?
Thanks.
Posted by David M on January 28th, 2009Time travel is an interesting notion, one of which has interesting theories laid out in this doc. I liked it.
I feel like I’ve entered a tomb of forgotten knowledge, since the last comment was over 2 years ago ^^
Posted by John Frum on February 17th, 2011Leave a Reply