January 2012
1 post
13 tags
Jan 21st
December 2011
2 posts
9 tags
Dec 19th
4 notes
5 tags
Best McDonald's Commercial
In lieu of directing my first McDonald’s commercial come January, I wanted to post my favorite of the corporate giant’s ads. This was an ad that aired back in 1987. I remember watching this commercial over and over on an old dubbed tape of Raiders of the Lost Ark. For all of you who remember how magical and warm and fuzzy McDonald’s was, this is for you. (Thanks to...
Dec 15th
8 notes
November 2011
3 posts
9 tags
Nov 19th
10 tags
Nov 17th
16 notes
7 tags
WatchWatch
Sanford Children’s has posted the “The Art and Science of Health Care” spot I edited at MAKE this past Summer. All vfx work and animation was done in house by the guys at MAKE.
Nov 11th
14 notes
October 2011
6 posts
10 tags
Oct 28th
25 notes
4 tags
Oct 21st
27 notes
10 tags
Sunday with The Baron
Last Sunday I helped director Phil Harder yet again with his Baron Von Raschke film. The film chronicles the iconic wrestler’s life and rise to fame in both narrative and documentary form. Not only was I shooting along with Patrick Pierson, I also played an AWA interviewer back in the 70’s hamming it up with Verne Gagne (played by local acting veteran, Charles Hubbell) and the man...
Oct 20th
10 notes
4 tags
Oct 12th
1 note
9 tags
Oct 12th
11 tags
Today's Shoot - Bad Ass Big Wheel
Here are a few stills from the Big Wheel shoot I had today with Nick Junkersfeld and Peter Ostebo. And a special thanks to our little star, Spencer Brennan!
Oct 11th
17 notes
September 2011
5 posts
7 tags
WatchWatch
Here is the Dell Contest commercial I made with Gabe Steinberg. “Like” the video and move us to the top of the list! Then come back and vote to help us win! Shot in a day on the 7d with Canon glass. Special thanks to Jason Ho. To “like” us and/or comment to help us in the standings, Go here »» http://www.poptent.net/assignment/324#tab=submissions Yours...
Sep 19th
38 notes
6 tags
Sep 19th
4 notes
13 tags
A Monkey on your Back
Just wrapped a :30 today involving some human puppetry for some “Roger Rabbit” style animation interaction. I worked with Charles Hubbell and Kevin Joseph Klein and it was a blast. Shot on RED on Zeiss Super Speed glass, on green screen, with daylight. Thanks to Nick Junkersfeld on camera and Tom Colvin on sound. And a huge thank you to Justin Weber for making sure all the puppeteering...
Sep 16th
8 notes
10 tags
MMA Shoot
I just shot some stylized MMA fighter vignettes with Punnavith Koy and Jason Ho at MAKE. Had a lot of fun with lights and slow motion. Shot on the RED with Zeiss Superspeed glass. Check out some stills from what we did below. The stills are straight out of RedCine. Shot everything on green and hoping to key and replace with some killer backgrounds.
Sep 16th
6 tags
Motion Capture (Mo-Cap)
Wednesday and Thursday of this week I found myself learning and directing some motion capture for a faux video game cinematic spot we are making for Childsplaycharity.org at MAKE At first directing proved difficult. I was not used to directing overacting and focusing solely on body movements. As the day went on, I picked up a flow with the help of Kevin Wisdom and Aaron Dabelow from MAKE.  We...
Sep 9th
August 2011
2 posts
7 tags
A Bear Suit, a Drummer, and a Crooner
Just shot a few more style shots this past week at MAKE. Thanks to Nick Junkersfeld, Katie Maren, Josh Clos, Daniel Broadway, Justin Peters, Rico Ventura and Props on Wheels for making it all happen.
Aug 10th
8 tags
You Got Saged.
Today I shot some Aztec dancers on Nicollet Mall with my trusty RED Camera. After the performance, I was offered a free rejuvenation in which after kneeling down, I was covered in incense smoke and serenaded with flute music. I must say it felt pretty good. See below for some stills. Kalpulli MexicaYolotl.
Aug 4th
July 2011
5 posts
10 tags
Retro High Life Vignette - Shoot
Last Friday, I built a set wall with Sam Tucker at MAKE and we shot a sleek little vignette of some retro high life. Thanks to Oren Robashkin, Josh Clos and Aaron Quist for their help and to the talent, Valerie Square-Briggs, for bringing the beauty. Stay tuned for the clip in the future.
Jul 25th
10 tags
A RED, A Jib, and an Identity Disc
Today I had a fun shoot with Josh Clos at MAKE. We did a Tron fx shot at the studio. The shot is something Josh is doing FX on for a class at the Art Institute of Minnesota. We hung a RED camera upside down from an EZ Jib, on Matthews dolly with skates on track and created a little cinerama. Shot on a 18mm Zeiss Super Speed Prime. Stay tune in the next 9 weeks and I will post the final shot.
Jul 20th
2 notes
14 tags
WatchWatch
Just had a full house screening of Joe Dressel’s and Chris Cummings Super-Hero Guidance Counselor film, Hope this past Thursday. I played a supporting role in the film and did some of the makeup fx. I must say this is a film to be on the lookout for; dark, witty, machine gun paced comedic brilliance. If you get a chance see this film. I will post updates, showings, and festival related news...
Jul 18th
1 note
5 tags
2d/Live Action Interaction
Had a blast at work today puppeteering friend and co-worker Sam Tucker with Aaron and Chang. We are working on putting in a 2d animated character that will tug on her shirt and jump onto her shoulders.
Jul 14th
2 notes
5 tags
Jul 7th
33 notes
June 2011
6 posts
3 tags
The Work of Alex Prager
I don’t usually post work from other artists, but for this I had to make an exception.Truly inspiring work. The stories each of her images create are almost endless. A film for each character. Wow. “Barbara” www.alexprager.com Also take a peek at her film work. Vibrant bliss.
Jun 30th
2 notes
4 tags
WatchWatch
A :30 spot I shot using the Phantom Flex for the Microsoft Kinect SDK. All compositing and effects were done in house at MAKE.
Jun 24th
6 tags
TwitchFilm does Joe Corduroy again.
Just last week I posted the newest trailer for “Joe Corduroy.” Not long after, Todd Brown from twitchfilm wrote another little ditty about the film and posted the new trailer on the site. A big thanks to Todd and twitchfilm for their support. See the article here.
Jun 20th
1 note
7 tags
Jun 15th
4 notes
Have a question for Mike P. Nelson?
Ask me here »»> www.mikepnelson.com/ask
Jun 13th
12 tags
Another "Rough Tender" Screening 6.22.11
Next week (June 20-24), St. Anthony Main Theater will be screening Minnesota Made Films for the Stone Arch Festival. Rough Tender will be screening on Wednesday, June 22nd at 7pm. Check the link here for more details. Other films screening, Fargo, Purple Rain, Sweet Land, and Grumpy Old Men…I swear if you go see Fargo instead of Rough Tender I will cut you.
Jun 13th
May 2011
5 posts
8 tags
Animal Humane Society Spot hits 1,000,000 and...
Just a heads up…the Animal Humane Society “I Want…” spot hit 1,000,000 views the other day. Not only that, but the spot was featured in an Adweek artcle. Click here to read the article. It has also shown on just about every local news station. I was also interviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune where it was recently written up.
May 20th
8 tags
Rough Tender Wins "Best MN Made Film" at MSPIFF
We did it! Rough Tender took top prize for Minnesota Made Films at the Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival. A congratulatory shout out to all involved! The film screened a second time last night at the St. Anthony Main Theater in Minneapolis. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer here.
May 9th
6 tags
WatchWatch
Our latest spot at MAKE in lieu of Mother’s Day! This is our first spot using a CamBlock Motion control dolly system. Shot on the RED with Zeiss Super Speeds. Produced, Edited, and Directed by Mike P. Nelson Creative Danny Robashkin (www.makevisual.com) Executive Producer Oren Robashkin VFX Supervisor Aaron Dabelow Director of Photography Troy McCall Art Direction Sheila Anderson ...
May 6th
5 tags
May 5th
1 note
8 tags
"Retirement of Joe Corduroy" on TwitchFilm
The Retirement of Joe Corduroy got it’s first bit of real press recently on twitchfilm.com Read the article here! Thanks to Freddie Avalos for spreading the word to twitchfilm and to Todd Brown for the article and the donation to my kickstarter fund!
May 5th
April 2011
3 posts
13 tags
WatchWatch
Check out the new trailer for Rough Tender. The film will screen this Wednesday, April 20 at 9pm at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Fest! I was DP on the film.
Apr 19th
10 tags
WatchWatch
I need your help! Recently I started a fundraiser at Kickstarter.com to raise money to finish my short film “The Retirement of Joe Corduroy!” Please check out the video and the project page at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1138618551/retirement-of-joe-corduroy-vigilante-throwback to see images from the film, production stills and to learn how to support this action packed new...
Apr 13th
4 notes
5 tags
WatchWatch
A casino spot I cut and music supervised at MAKE. Graphics by Daniel Broadway.
Apr 6th
March 2011
4 posts
12 tags
WatchWatch
A small winter vignette I shot at MAKE with the RED. All practical light. Cooke 18-100 lens, Mysterium X Sensor. 1000-1600 ISO. No color correction.
Mar 30th
1 note
7 tags
WatchWatch
Teaser trailer for my film “The Retirement of Joe Corduroy.” Bad Guys Die Summer 2011.
Mar 4th
7 tags
WatchWatch
Social Security awareness campaign I shot and directed at MAKE with Nick Junkersfeld. www.makevisual.com
Mar 3rd
Mar 1st
February 2011
5 posts
10 tags
WatchWatch
Here is the Animal Humane Society spot I produced and directed with MAKE for the Minnesota based organization. www.makevisual.com
Feb 24th
4 tags
WatchWatch
Here is the Palm Springs International Film Festival Opener I directed. The spot showed for the fest this past January. Shot in studio and on location in Minnesota…ironic isn’t it? Shot on RED. Directed by - Mike P. Nelson Visual FX Coordinator/Colorist - Aaron Dabelow Creative  - Danny Robashkin Executive Producer - Oren Robashkin Producer - Matt Burns and Mike P. Nelson ...
Feb 15th
Joe Corduroy
Principle photography commence on “The Retirement of Joe Corduroy,” my Minnesota StateArts Board Grant project. Shoot started on Feb 5 and will continue through March. Check for updates!
Feb 14th
6 tags
Feb 10th
9 tags
WatchWatch
Debut of Danami’s music video “Settin’ In”! I was assistant director on the production last Fall. Shot on Red One. PRODUCTION CREDITS Director/Producer - Victor Rukavina Assistant Director - Mike Nelson Director of Photography - Jake Gardner Gaffer- Matt Kane Assistant Camera - Andrew Melby Grips - Ben Pawlik, Tom Schmidt, Silas Kindy Hair/Makeup - Syreeta Seve Graphic...
Feb 2nd
December 2010
4 posts
11 tags
WatchWatch
FX guru Aaron Dabelow ups the production value of my Minnesota Death Star video. AMAZING!
Dec 15th
3 tags
WatchWatch
Justa little fun I had while shoveling after the big Minnesota Blizzard the other day! The Minnesota snowfall creates a Star Wars landscape.
Dec 13th
11 tags
WatchWatch
Here’s that Be A Dad spec spot I was talking about! The spot was recently donated to The National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) We shot on the Red for two weekends. All post was done in house at Make LLC. Shot on location in Minnesota. Concepted, Edited & Directed by - Mike P. Nelson Creative - Danny Robashkin Executive Producer - Oren Robashkin Produced by - Matt Burns and Mike P....
Dec 7th