DocuDay and the Oscars

I went to DocuDay on Saturday, watching all the Academy Award nominated docs from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. -- but couldn't stay for "Undefeated," thereby guaranteeing it the win. I was also able to predict that "Saving Face" would win. I'm not sure why I knew that.

But the two real surprises:

1. DSLR video was key to "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom," shot on a Canon 7D, and also "Hell and Back Again," shot in essentially a photojournalistic style but on video.

2. The 3D look and feel of "Pina," which I thought I would hate, worked. Worked very well, even. Biggest surprise: Wim Wenders was very clear about the fact that editing for a 3D doc could not just use existing strategies from 2D work. It has to be a different edit.

Above: the worst cell phone camera photo I've ever taken.

Ball

A chain link fence supports a ball near the Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles on Monday, February 13, 2012.

Bricks

Chalk text seen on the USC campus in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Balls

Two preserved Union 76 ball signs seen through the window of a Metrolink train traveling westbound near Claremont, Calif., on Thursday, February 9, 2012.