Remember when this was funny…?

When you’re interviewing with BBC, AND you want to be known as a thought leader on geopolitics in Asia, it’s incredibly difficult to maintain your composure when toddlers invade.

They really ARE part of your workforce now.

We might not be unveiling a spoiler when we tell you that we watched this well over a dozen times, and it might have gotten funnier each time.

We’re pretty sure that someone had to exercise great restraint to avoid the urge to say, “Pay no attention to the toddlers behind the pundit!”

Now that he’s gone viral and it appears that at least one member of his family is destined for YouTube stardom, we have to wonder if “somebody” in this video is still grounded for a month!

Mark and the Robbers

Mark Rober took his razor sharp wit and went to work outfoxing the porch pirates of the world. His hilarious videos journaled his battle with porch pirates. He created the perfect porch bait, and his adventures easily went viral, creating a new career for him.

Now, he’s topped himself by bringing battle to an adversary with a much sharper intellect and amazing physical skills.

Porch pirates are easy prey compared to these backyard geniuses. But in the end, Mark rose to the occasion, and we would probably declare the outcome to be a respectful draw.

It’s just a reminder that the battle doesn’t go to the player with the greatest boots. Sometimes it goes to the one with the stoutest heart and the sturdiest resolve.

Epic Smash-Up

There’s probably something coming out this holiday season that will get you back into the theaters at least once. For us, it was “The Last Jedi” but there may be at least one or two others that will get us spilling popcorn into our laps.

Since there will be a lot of Star Wars talk in the coming weeks, we couldn’t resist showing you this maker clip that celebrates the awesome bigness of the Super Star Destroyer.

The pure joy in the filmmaker’s reaction is worth the price of the ticket.

It’s Gold, It’s Slime, It’s Shredded!

We can never predict the types of things we’ll find irresistible. Okay, that’s not entirely true. Massively long domino runs, things exploding in slow motion, machines that have us question the nature of our existence, and any music video by OK Go…

Also gold slime fed into an industrial grinder…

Okay, that last one was a surprise to us.

Robot of the Year

It’s likely to be a big year for new robots. The range of shapes and uses is increasing rapidly.

One form of robot is the type that can talk on the phone for you. This one from Jolly Roger Telephone Company is absolutely our favorite!

We love this next one…

Some people feel sorry for this guy, but he’s working for a company that scams elderly homeowners. No sympathy here.

And there’s one more we can’t resist sharing. This guy figures out the gag, but he can’t put down the phone. Credit robot with nearly six additional minutes while the agent keeps interacting because he just can’t stop…

He can’t stop! He. Just. Can’t. Stop! He can’t stop, he – can’t…

 

Small Block, Big Lawn

Sometimes we do things because we think it’s a better way. Sometimes we do things because there’s a chance that it will make a difference, or solve a long-standing problem, or improve a condition we see around us.

And sometimes we do something just because of the sound!

There’s just something about that sound that stirs the blood for certain people. We confess to being in that group!

Just as some people can’t resist putting a small block chevy on anything with a fuel tank, other people can’t resist making a movie or video about something on their mind.

The 48 Hour Film Project was made for those people. It’s the oldest and largest time-based filmmaking challenge that invites participants to write, direct, and edit a short film in just two days.

In San Jose, the competition will take place in April this year, and you can start some of your planning now. Registration will begin in a few days. When you complete your movie and turn it in, you’ll see it screened in a theatre before a packed house audience.

Just 207 Words

We haven’t had a lot of chances to watch Louis CK work a crowd, but this seemed like a good time. Nerdwriter1 decided to illustrate the anatomy of both a Louis CK joke, and his masterful delivery.

We thought it wise to watch some of his work before studying this analysis, and were delighted by both experiences.

Now take a look if you will, at the magic that can be rendered with just 207 words.

We’re usually predisposed to let the comedy happen how it will and not dig too deep to see the gears turning. But this time it turned out to be both instructive and hilarious.

Comedy seems to be the most popular mechanism for entertainment among the participants in the 48 Hour Film Project. It’s probably because when people are having fun making a movie, they tend to want to laugh, and that makes them want the audience to laugh, and well…

The San Jose 48 Hour Film Project is going to happen in early Springtime (probably the start of April) and if you have a desire to make an audience laugh, you’ll be able to sign up right around the start of next month. keep an eye on their website or the Facebook page for news as the registration launch grows near.

You Could Look Right Inside

We’ve all probably seen some animation about how an internal combustion engine works. Usually it’s when we don’t care and we just want permission to take the car keys.

But somehow, seeing the real thing happen in slow motion, and right in front of your eyes — it’s a different thing.

We were afraid that this video would be a little bit too long, but we definitely felt that it was worth the time. We probably ran the view count up by a few, watching it over and over.

We’re always drawn to Maker Videos, and we expect to get something like that out of the next San Jose 48 Hour Film Project. It looks like the competition will run in April and the movies will be screened for audiences in late April and May.

Learn more about it and keep up with the latest news by visiting their website, or checking in to their Facebook page.