Pittsburgh's Film Guru - Benton - #026

In this episode, you have the opportunity to meet Benton Palermo. A videographer, photographer, and graphic designer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Benton has cultivated a great platform for artist to share their talent and the spotlight. This is called Studio friendship sessions. Benton and Zachary Rutter will tell you, "It's like tiny desk meets Bob Ross." On top of that Benton films music videos, interviews, recaps, and weddings. You could have him at your wedding to capture all the special moments. Please enjoy the episode.

Where can you find Benton?

IG: @Benton.dp

Youtube: Studio Friendship
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfAniEDQEzpzajaQr9dlew

#Spreadloveary
#Spreadloveheart

Host: @kstalker9

Beats: @josephj_callahan

Don't forget to subscribe, follow us on Instagram @_rawnessofreality, Snapchat @Rawnessreality, and Twitter @rawreality_

Remember, Stay Raw with Reality

Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
definitely stay in touch with your loved ones and your friends. You know, make sure everybody's good if something's not okay, you know, maybe volunteered to get the groceries for them. Just the way toe. Help people out if you can. Yeah, but use this time wisely. I mean, it's hard to think positively in unknown situation, though, and I don't wanna make that seem super easy to just be positive. Welcome to Episode 0 to 6 For rawness of Reality, I'm your host, Kevin Stocker, and in this episode you have the opportunity to meet Benton Palermo. Benton is a videographer, photographer and a graphic designer. When you see him out, you can typically catch him with his camera. He has worked on the YouTube Siri's studio friendship sessions with Zachary writer, and he's all about the spread love movement. If you haven't heard about it, definitely go check it out on his instagram at benton dot dp. I'd also like to mention that this episode was recorded on March 18th. This is probably the first week people in America started taking the Corona virus seriously. I, for one, think people should take it seriously. While we do take it seriously and practice our social distancing. We should also use this time to reach out to love one's family members and friends. Let people know you're out there and you do care and you're thinking of them. Well, you've heard enough from me. Here's Benton Palermo. What's up, guys? Money was bitten. I'm a local videographer photographer, creative person in the area. I like to make visual arts.

spk_1:   1:39
Okay, So typically, I start these interviews talking about who you are in the roots of where you came from. But we find ourselves in a bit of a pandemic. And with that going on, I just want to hear from a creative What is that, like from you and your circle?

spk_0:   1:57
So right now, I actually am kind of like lucky in the fact that I edit videos a lot, especially this time of year. So, like I saw a mean the other day, it was like video editor was a picture of them in front of a computer and then video editor during quarantine. It's the same picture. I could see that, and that's almost what my life has been like right now. I I have had some events cancel That were pretty crucial. But my day to day hasn't been affected yet.

spk_1:   2:28
Okay, well, that's good to hear to that you're able to kind of keep doing what it is that you love, and you're able to do it daily, no matter what commotions going on at the moment.

spk_0:   2:40
I also don't have cable, so I don't watch the news too much. If something's too, like a super important, my mom will call me. Yeah.

spk_1:   2:48
Did did you receive a call from your mom about this?

spk_0:   2:51
Yes. She liked. Told me. Um, like, you know, at least grab some food for a week or so. Yeah, if you run out, yeah, we'll help you out. But Lake, that's tough stock out

spk_1:   3:02
of I would say the fact that you had events canceled that you said were crucial And how it doesn't affect you much is it's a good standing to be in. For sure

spk_0:   3:14
it's rocky, but making light

spk_1:   3:16
of the situation. Yeah, exactly were these events Were you filming them or

spk_0:   3:22
Yeah, Yeah, it was Ah, it was a big day. I had packed and I was actually, like, nervous the whole week. Up until that day And then, like the day before, all of all of the like, I had more than one event. Baldwin got canceled, and I was like, Man, I was really relying on that.

spk_1:   3:41
What were you nervous about?

spk_0:   3:43
I'm making it work. It was there were two really big shoots. I can't go too much in the details about it, but

spk_1:   3:50
because you'll be doing them again,

spk_0:   3:52
hopefully hopefully or I the one I had to sign a non disclosure for literally can't talk about it. But there is gonna be a new opportunity with, um pretty relevant person, and it didn't happen. And now it's like a awkward communication because it's like, Well, we're gonna have the event eventually, But Lord knows when that's gonna be

spk_1:   4:18
I find it, uh, quite interesting that you said you were nervous about the two events before they happened. And then this whole pandemic ordeal came into our lives and really rock the boat. But what was it like? So you were nervous about these events taking place, and then you hear no more events. So you still nervous at that point? Are you Are you kind of relaxed? Are you anxious? Like, what's going through your mind.

spk_0:   4:44
That's a great question because it was like a wave, because the 1st 1 canceled and then I was like, Oh, awesome! I could put all my energy into the other one And then the other one canceled in the 1st 1 got put back on and then canceled again. So it was like a roller coaster. But at the end of the day, I felt better because I knew. But now I know what I'm doing. I know what's going on. I don't have to deal with that initial stress of making sure this is gonna happen. But now I got another stress that have to worry about. But that's like a long term thing. And as long as I just believe and work hard, I feel

spk_1:   5:21
like I'll be be ableto keep afloat. Okay, Yeah, that's a very good mindset have during this time. And like you said, being a video editor, it's like your world doesn't necessarily shift so much, so something that I was considering because you are a videographer, photographer and video letter. I was thinking, Well, as time goes on, we see that more people are less people are going out and more public spaces air opening and you see more nature and wildlife kind of like taking its course in, like these areas like Italy and China, they have a lot less. What is the word? I'm thinking of admissions? Global emissions from the people have stopped, probably quiet to really quiet, getting quieter. It's even quieter around here, and we're pretty much downtown. I mean, sometimes I'll be recording, and construction will be making hell a noise outside, and we'll be recording a podcast discussion. But my question, what this is leading me to is, do you now if I see an opportunity to go out there and take pictures of different things where normally I'd be filled with people, But now there's no people there, so it's like a totally different shot.

spk_0:   6:40
That is a very good point, and I plan to utilize that actually, over the next week or two, with the music video that I'm in the pre works on and having no people in the city will make it even Maur emotional for the video piece because like having people in the video can be cool. If that's the vibe. But the vibe for this video is like a very super emotional and intense feeling, and if there's nothing around, all you focus on is the person or, like the concept says they're distractions. So I think it's gonna be really, really cool, especially cause I wanted this special effects I'm gonna add. And I feel like if there's a lot of people around, they would probably look it was really weird because they wouldn't have

spk_1:   7:29
a clue what we're doing. Yeah, and you probably get that a lot from bystanders that when you're out there filming, what are these guys doing? Are these like famous people? Are these like Who are they right? It's like having a camera, Kind of. I

spk_0:   7:43
used to be so nervous being in the street like people looking at me or like I don't know why, you know, because it was none of their It's no one else's business. I'm in my own, I'm doing my thing. But I would always be self conscious until pretty recently I feel like a film anywhere, unless someone's yelling at me. Get out here. Where's your permit? Yeah,

spk_1:   8:05
so So that's interesting that that the lack of people in the city is going to make for a better in a more emotional music video. And you will be a lot more calmer while filming it, right? Oh,

spk_0:   8:20
definitely. I won't. I won't be looking around to see from a bump into someone. They're like, Does anybody care that? Whoa. You're probably thinking what just happened. Why did the interview cut out what happened to the discussion? Well, I'm gonna be honest with you. The audio just stopped working, and I wasn't able to record for about 20 minutes of our discussion because of this. And because of Benton being extremely understanding, we decided to carry on with our conversation. Enough from me. Here's Benton, Palermo.

spk_1:   9:00
All right. I'm probably gonna get you all of the same questions already. Maybe I'll be able

spk_0:   9:06
to answer them like better. I don't know you. Huh?

spk_1:   9:14
I think I have to re introduce you Were just gonna redo it. I'll try to shorten it up. Holy shit. I'm gonna I'm gonna say this happened. Mind is blown right now, huh? A big shout out having bent in Palermo on the podcast today.

spk_0:   9:32
What's up, guys? It's been, uh, local visual artists. Creative. This is

spk_1:   9:39
our second time recording this podcast because the first time the audio did kind of get Jang ki and my screen went Black Cove. It got it. Yeah, It's like my laptop has a virus, but anyway, that was really fun. And so, Benton, we've been talking for about 30 minutes now, uh, all that ideo is gone, and this could be taken as a really good lesson for myself and maybe some listeners, maybe you as well, that things in our life don't always go as planned. And it's up to us as the individuals to keep a cool head and stay calm during these situations because we don't know why or what will be the benefit going forward. So with that in mind, at first I was really upset that the audio doesn't work. And I feel for you for sitting through this again. So I do appreciate you.

spk_0:   10:45
Yeah, man, I'm here here to have a conversation.

spk_1:   10:48
Yeah, and so when this happened, you mentioned that this has happened to you before.

spk_0:   10:56
Yeah, Definitely. Like like specifically, it happened on a friendship session where I was doing a take and halfway through the taking of everyone's plans, acts painting I'm filming. I pulled back to do a wide shot and I looked at the computer and it wasn't recording the audio. And now I would probably just, like, stop and be like, Listen, guys, I messed up. We gotta start this over. But then, for whatever reason, I just kept going. Just kept filming and it didn't turn out to be the best take anyway, so we didn't We didn't even need that audio. So it was like making just rolling with the punches and just seeing what happens. Yeah, hoping for the best.

spk_1:   11:49
It's sometimes these unexpected things that we kind of just have to roll. If one of these unexpected things in our lives right now is the Corona virus, and I'd like to hear from your perspective what it's like being a creator, a videographer, photographer and editor, how the Corona virus has affected you and in what capacity?

spk_0:   12:11
So my day to day hasn't changed too much, especially because I've been doing a lot of edits lately. So I sit in my room, I remind my office room and I edit, you know, and I'd be doing the same thing otherwise, too, and like we were talking about that Mim, the video editor. It was a picture of him on the left, then video at her during quarantine. Same picture because, you know, they're doing the same thing. But it has affected me for events because a lot of events have been canceling because they don't want people gathering. And, you know, I had some crucial events. Cancel on me, and that's that's been impacting me

spk_1:   12:54
and going forward. These events that you had planned, though, probably attempt to push them back and plan them at a later date. But we don't know when this is really gonna end, and we don't know which month is the right month be setting these events for. So where does that leave you feeling

spk_0:   13:15
uncertain and kind of ski me, like trying to scheme up maybe some other ways of income

spk_1:   13:26
because you are in business for yourself, right? You freelance?

spk_0:   13:29
Yes. So, like, do the photos videos. That's what I like to do. But I can do like graphic design. I was a graphic designer right out of college, um, Web development type stuff. But I mean, I really like doing it, but might have to start doing some of that because you don't need to interact people to do that. But hopefully I don't have to do that. And people still want to film videos. Maybe they just won't be events.

spk_1:   13:59
Yeah, that I mean, what a bizarre time in our world, where the togetherness and the social inclusion of each other is all, for the most part, taking place online right now. And we're seeing that it is possible to at least here in America, it is possible to have a lot of individuals working from home really working for home and taking care of their work on still have this still jobs. So there are some silver linings here, and it is good to see that somebody in your situation there's still able to get work and do things that they love. You did mention that right out of college you did some graphic design, so you were in a 9 to 5 job, and then you transition to freelancing what has been You're biggest achievement within the freelancing,

spk_0:   15:02
I'd say finished, like finishing my rookie year in moving out, you know, moving out on my own. All in that same year of like quitting my job, like literally. It all happened within 12 months, and I My trajectory was way longer than that, you know? But I would say studio friendship is my tangible accomplishment. That I'm like, I think is my biggest accomplishment. But it's not just me. It's me and Zach, obviously something we did together. But it just feels right, like I feel like my heart is in that. And I haven't accomplish anything that, like I felt attracted to. But that capacity, Yeah.

spk_1:   15:49
So what? I'm gathering from that. A studio friendship is kind of the thing that you highlight in in your life at the moment as a big accomplishment. But there's still much more to go with that.

spk_0:   16:02
Definitely, definitely. I feel like I'm never really like accomplished. It's like a It's a blessing and a curse. I guess it

spk_1:   16:12
kind of goes back into that quote My Steve jobs. Stay hungry, stay foolish, and I did mention this the first time we recorded it, so it sounds even silly from me. Bring it up, but that it's really how I feel. Like each time you accomplish something, you shouldn't sit there in that accomplishment and be like, I guess I did it like I'm the best. Like, I think Ah, yeah, great. Like you should You should encourage yourself and you should enjoy the moment. But remember that that was one accomplishment in the grand scheme of your life and for you to genuinely, I feel fulfilled. You can't sit back and look at your past accomplishments and think that that's going to dictate your future successes by any means.

spk_0:   17:02
And I feel like achievements and success to me come from like an inward thing. Not as much of like, uh, I don't see success is like I have a big house and stuff like that and like the reason my studio of friendship. I consider that a big accomplishment because it means a lot to me. And it's like I'm actually doing something impassioned about bringing people together in specifically music cause musics, then bye, part of my life. Basically, ever. I don't say it like that, but stuff like 12

spk_1:   17:43
how ah, how did you get involved in music?

spk_0:   17:47
So, um, based, I guess, like anybody else and it sounds weird, but just listening to music right? And I had to ride around with my dad a lot. We'd go for, like, Sunday drives, and eventually he was like, I'm gonna take you to your first concert. And it was like deep purple, like smoke on the water. You know that song And like, after that, I made him take me to concerts all the time, and I was like, 12 You know what I mean? I was obviously not supposed to be in a lot of these places, but he'd take me there, and I just think like that Built my love for music and live music. And

spk_1:   18:23
it's it's really interesting that you had this exposure at a young age and now you're creating. So if you guys don't know who are listening, studio friendship is kind of like tiny desk meets Bob Ross. You have Benton filming the whole session. You have Zach writer painting, and then you have a musician performing live music for your ears, and they do a phenomenal job with. But what I'm thinking is you had all this experience with live music, and now you're creating it and kind of, um compiling their work into a really great video. So what's that like? Is it kind of surreal or

spk_0:   19:07
Yeah, man, A lot of times Well, I'm filming or like after filming, I'm like, Man, I really just did that even though, like, it wasn't like the craziest thing. But it's like the grand scheme of doing what you love. And, yeah, music's I've literally been. It shows super young and something about the live music that really gets me going more than like, you know, I loved a good master track from the studio, but live music just it's been going. I'm sorry. I just lost my train of thought first.

spk_1:   19:43
You're fun. You're fine. I'd like to hit on something else that you brought up. Uh, you said you focus more inward, and right now we find ourselves in a bit of a pandemic with Corona virus. And a lot of people are either out of work or working from home and kind of feeling uneasy, and they don't necessarily know exactly what to do. Some some of these people and my recommendation is look inward. Could you speak on that? Would you say that's a good thing to do? And I just like to hear your point of view.

spk_0:   20:22
I definitely think that people should take this timeto, you know, think inward. Think about you in your life, you know, some goals, some things you want to do. Maybe some things you wanna learn because the world outside is kind of on pause in a way, but like a very frustrating pause. Yeah, because like, a lot of people have these passions have these creative things that they want to share with the world, and they can't necessarily do it the same. Like do the same way. And for some people that are thinking like like they're working, they're 9 to 5. They really want to do something else, though. Maybe use this time to think about how, like a plan, something you might be able to do to accomplish that. Because what else are you gonna do if you don't actually have, like, something to be doing? Yeah, it's, ah, productive way to be stuck in the house. Some people don't like inward thinking, though they're afraid of, like, the their own mind or they're the what ifs. Yeah, I just

spk_1:   21:32
think it's a time and our life that we may have never had, and it's horrific in some areas of the world. But for some of us, we have the opportunity to be patient with ourselves, maybe pick up a book, maybe watch something we're not used to watching. Listen to a podcast. Or maybe you could even write some of your thoughts down. Get him out there, get him flowing. But I think it is important to use this time for yourself. Give your family members and your loved ones a call and show people that you're using this time effectively and appropriately for your life.

spk_0:   22:17
Definitely stay in touch with your loved ones and your friends. You know, make sure everybody's good if something's not okay, you know, maybe volunteered to get the groceries for them. Just the way toe. Help people out if you can, you know. But use this time wisely. I mean, it's hard to think positively in unknown situation, though, and I don't wanna make that seem super easy to just be positive, because it's not as easy as that. But no,

spk_1:   22:50
I I'd like to say something about that, actually. So, for me personally, I wanted to. I I just recently got back from Pod Fest, and it's like this big podcasting conference in Orlando, and I'm very motivated with what I've learned in I have these things I want to implement on my podcast and going forward in my life. But once this happened, I thought to myself, Well, this is a great time that I can reach out to the people who follow me in my network and my friends, my family and motivate them. I can tell them like this is what to do and like, you need to do this and like, be positive. And I thought to myself like, I can't do that. You know, I currently have sitting unemployed, and I was this a couple of days ago and I was feeling very down, and I was feeling like I don't know exactly what I'm gonna do next, uh, for my income. But then I really thought about it, and I thought to myself, Well, this is an opportunity that I have to make the most of my time. Typically, I find myself working in a restaurant 8 to 12 hours, some days working for somebody else. But now all of this time is kind of awarded to me as well as any of you listening and you have the opportunity to make this time work for you. Yeah, it's gonna be hard, and you have to get over that mental roadblock. But if you could do that, you could possibly come out of this situation better than when we entered it. So I don't know. I would like to hear a little bit more from you about it, too, because you are an introvert and you aren't too keen on crowds. You are typically at the crowds with your camera. But what is it like now? That so there aren't gonna be any events. But I'm sure that you still want to use your camera and still make the most of what you do. So what's it like going forward for you in this time?

spk_0:   24:52
So I'd certainly want to try to utilize on any upcoming shoots that are still still gonna happen. The empty space outside, You know, like there's not too many people and I won't have to worry about, you know, people walking in my shot and stuff like that. I get more creative and use the space more wisely, and I Yeah, I just think I'm gonna take advantage of it, especially for, like, B roll because B ro can be great with nobody in

spk_1:   25:23
it. So there's there's all this empty space. Do you have any ideas of a music video or some shoots coming up that you plan on doing?

spk_0:   25:33
Yeah. So I'm working on a music video right now. Um, it's going to be this artist first single. I don't want to release the name because they ah, not sure if they have an artist's name yet. I just know them is them. But we're gonna utilize this time toe film because the empty space will add to the emotion of the video was a very emotional, powerful video. And this it having simplistic visuals. Well, really. Send that

spk_1:   26:06
home. Where do you plan? If this doesn't give too much away, where do you plan to use this space at?

spk_0:   26:17
In short, downtown major downtown lives? And I

spk_1:   26:22
don't think there's many people downtown right now, Eyes

spk_0:   26:25
weird. It's like, ah, for a M all day, like the amount of traffic like yesterday I was driving at 5 30 I drove to the south side from Lawrenceville in like, 10 minutes, and I was like, Wait a minute, that's

spk_1:   26:43
like a big traffic time.

spk_0:   26:44
Yeah, it was a Tuesday. Yeah, Tuesday, but I was I was just amazed how, like a

spk_1:   26:52
few people were out. It's like a ghost town.

spk_0:   26:55
Yeah, it reminds me of my hometown on a Sunday because everything's closed in like there's a few people walking around, but like not too many signs of

spk_1:   27:05
life Yeah, it's It's super bizarre seeing Pittsburgh like this. I mean, I know it's going on all over the world and some communities air truly affected, uh, to a level of discomfort that I wouldn't wish upon anybody. But it is truly shocking. So your last name's Palermo? Oh, yeah. And you have roots to Italy. Has this affected you or your family and anywhere?

spk_0:   27:42
No, I think, uh, pretty much at least people that I talked to from my family don't live in Italy anymore. We've kind of moved here a long time ago and left behind. I'm actually I'm pretty positive. My last name probably was became because my family member was from Palermo, Italy, then probably came over on the boat and they couldn't pronounce their names. So therefore, like Okay, another Palermo.

spk_1:   28:13
Okay, Yeah, that's kind of cool

spk_0:   28:16
and my name. My first name is actually a last name too. So I'm, like, the opposite of like, Ricky. Bobby, I got to last me two last

spk_1:   28:24
names. I don't hear that often. That's cool. When I actually So when we first met, we met at a, uh, it's like a creative meeting. Greet about a year and 1/2 ago, maybe a year ago. And we're at Beacon, Pittsburgh. Ah, you were with Zachary Ready. And I was with my campus at the time, and you said you named Benton, and I couldn't out of my couldn't get it out of my head. I kept thinking of the TV show.

spk_0:   28:52
Oh, Ben 10. Yeah, Ben 10. And I

spk_1:   28:54
just I I always thought your name was Ben 10. The long it started,

spk_0:   28:59
And then you probably saw my i g in the game and 10. It was Ben 10 with an end at the end. Yeah,

spk_1:   29:05
and I was like, All right, Benton, a guy that's like something funny I was thought of.

spk_0:   29:11
It's funny one. Like I meet somebody that follows me on instagram and, like, Ham benton and they're like, Oh, that makes sense. now, like,

spk_1:   29:20
Yeah, that's kind of how it was for me. It was like, Oh, there we go. Okay.

spk_0:   29:26
It's a bad play on words. Yeah. I hope you've been enjoying this discussion with Benton. We're now gonna Segway into a new part of rawness or reality. It's when I break out the pod deck. It's a bunch of different questions that are on carts. Kind of like a deck of court. And randomly I pick these cards and I asked him a question From there, it'll be burst for first time. I put on a 59 2nd clock and I asked him pretty quick questions. Well, then transition to the end of the discussion in this

spk_1:   30:00
product. It's a deck of random questions that I'm going to ask Benton. So I'm gonna shuffle this and not get it shuffling. But here it go. First question from the deck. What do you consider your greatest achievement? It's

spk_0:   30:17
funny when I just recorded this,

spk_1:   30:19
uh, this was also a question he got. So we're gonna throw that one out. So the next one, what

spk_0:   30:25
is your most treasured possession man? I'd say my camera. I guard that thing with my life. Somebody tries to take my camera. I'm gonna beat them with it before they can have it. Okay, So have you ever seen getting out filming anything or taking photo? Please don't touch his camera. Because it's it's the way I express myself. It's also my livelihood. So essentially, I feel like it's an extension of me.

spk_1:   30:58
I met some good insight on this one. Next question. If you were to die tomorrow, what would thing would you regret not doing? I want that

spk_0:   31:10
one hits deep, man. That's it. Trying to regret too much because it makes us who we are. Even the crappy things. But if I could regret something or Mmm sorry, I just went really into my mind there for a second, thinking where this is the time to do it, I think a hot man. But what are crap? I guess something that I regret and then I continue to like sometimes regret is maybe not saying and tight, like not staying in touch with people that I should have stayed in touch with and for them, okay, like sometimes you have to distance yourself from somebody because it's toxic to you. But you know, sometimes I regret doing that with certain people, but I think is for the better. But if I do regret something that that would be it, okay. And this is the third No Birkerts, No

spk_1:   32:49
regrets. Yeah, I will say the one thing that ah is good about this time. If you do on a distance yourself from someone, now is the time to do it. Yeah. So, yeah, you got no choice. Really? All right, So the third question. Here we go. What's your guilty pleasure?

spk_0:   33:09
Smoke talk. You, Terry in Lawrenceville. I'm about the street. What is it? It's Ah, smoke Talk you, Terry. Or, like tacos and talk. Hurry. Oh, it's a weird, like smoked smoking and talking. Yeah, this is really weird. It's smoked meats and they make, like, their own weird tacos out of it. But they're not really like tacos like it's basically just a tortilla like flour tortillas. What makes it? But it's super guilty. Pleasure, man. I get it any time. Like someone asked me. Do you wanna go get smoke? And I'm like, Do I have the money? Let's go get smoke. Because I don't know, man. I just always hits the spot.

spk_1:   33:52
All right, that's I've never heard of it. Look,

spk_0:   33:55
it's hidden. They don't have, like, a sign or anything. Hawkers? Yeah, I usually get like meat just like a plate of meat, though, Like some shells inside. No, no, just just just the meat and some sides. And they serve like local beer, too. So that's why I like you support local. What's up? It's right next to ah, that feeder in Reading Co.

spk_1:   34:20
Do you know if they're open during the pandemic?

spk_0:   34:23
I don't know. They probably think most places they're just doing take out in which stinks, cause, like, me, empanada just opened. And that's gonna be rough for a business like you just open a business seem with convey. I've right next to it. You open a business and then you can't function.

spk_1:   34:42
And you also. So we just ST Patrick's Day just happened here and all over, uh, all these businesses, all these bars and restaurants were gearing up for ST Patrick's Day and they over ordered a lot of them beer and they overdid food. All this green beer, I'm sure. Uh,

spk_0:   35:02
yeah, I know what you do with all the green beer? Exactly. Yeah, and I mean, they're not open.

spk_1:   35:06
They're not open for about a month. A lot of this, these products, they're perishable, might go bad. And, uh, I don't know. It's just pretty scary to see some of these businesses face with this harsh reality of a pandemic sweeping across the world. Right now, some heart does go out to all the local and small business owners out there and just everyday people, Really. But we just gotta stay calm and remember that everything does happen for a reason. And we have the opportunity to make the most of those circumstances.

spk_0:   35:52
And if you don't know the answer toe big questions, not immediate questions. What I like to do is just don't make the decision until it feels right. Unless it's something immediately like, you know, like someone's like, Hey, you gotta pay your rent today or not. You can't sit on that one. But

spk_1:   36:09
so something I'd like to talk to you about. That s O. This is our second recording if I haven't mentioned it already. But in the first recording, Benton was very genuine and his response about a question I had and it was about. So he had to events geared to go. They were set up and they're ready to go. And he was extremely nervous at the events. Hey, just wanted things to go well during the events. And then he got the news about that pandemic and about how everybody here needs to be socially isolated from one another in social distance is going to take place. So that made it so. His events were then canceled. I'd like you to talk to our listeners about what was going through your head and, ah, how you handled that and what that was even like.

spk_0:   37:07
So it was a roller coaster because I was super nervous to make the chutes work like they're really important shoots. I was thinking about it for a week in advance, like how you do this. This this and then the day before hit and they both ended up canceling and one canceled first. And I was kind of like, relieved that I could put all my effort in tow to the other one now so less stress. And then that one canceled. And then the 1st 1 was back on and then canceled again. So at the end of the day, I was I don't want to say relieved, but I felt like a sense of least. I know in this short time I don't have to stress about this. But now I have the full stress of I needed those. I really needed those. And I just had to stay calm because I don't I don't know how I'm gonna come back from that exactly yet, but I'm just trying to stay positive that I will. I don't know how about and it's not

spk_1:   38:17
like a blind positivity where you're not facing the reality of what's going on. You're still working is still doing things, but

spk_0:   38:25
just trying to stay calm with the unknown, and it kind of real lights of fire when things bad things like that happen, at least for me. Look, let's fire under my butt like I needed Rethink this or I need ah gear myself towards that and that comes with, like, I'm very inward person. I'm like, what do I need to do to change this or make this better? This is Barry Stone. This is the first time for

spk_1:   38:51
Berries time, but I'm gonna break it down for you before I break it down. Let me mention Benton is on a cute Oh, diet. So Starburst will not be eaten here today. They will be safe for the next guest. All right, here it goes for this burst time, I'm gonna switch it up. Then from what I normally do, I'm putting a stop watch. It's like a rapid fire. Yeah, it's gonna go. We're gonna have 60 seconds on the clock. I'm gonna ask you questions. Try to answer them. Actually have 59 seconds on the clock. I'm gonna ask you questions. Try to answer them as quick as you can. I'll try to come up with them as quick. These air not scripted people bear with me. Go hamburger hut down. Hamper video or photography,

spk_0:   39:39
video, movie or book, Movie, shoe, lace or No, she weighs. No, she please. Hard shell or solve Show hard show. Okay. Be for chicken, beef, lettuce wrap or bun lettuce wrap. Shoutout. Taquito, huh? Dark photo

spk_1:   40:02
shoot or light photo shoot.

spk_0:   40:04
Dark Favors your owner of music Post rock artist you'd like to work with in Pittsburgh. Uh, thank you, Benji. The common heart, Let's see, is a lot sorry. I had to think on that one. That's

spk_1:   40:31
okay. That's okay. So who is the architect? You'd like to work with them.

spk_0:   40:34
So, like the common heart? Somebody I've been listening to a lot, Um, I'm pretty sure they're from Pittsburgh. They're like, uh, I kind of like a Folke rocklike of monsters and men type thing. Another do have this crazy voice, a big band. They just sound great. And there's no I feel like there's not enough, like, folk style music like that. Not I'm not talking like bluegrass folk, but like more the mainstream folk pop. If that's the genre which I Loki love, but I probably won't look like that. Yeah. Okay. Have you reached out? Um, I have not. I actually have. No, I wantto I want to be ready if I'm gonna do it. And it's a thing about me. Is like, there's somebody I really want to work with. I'm almost like it's the bad side of being an artist. Sometimes you don't want to share things because you feel like it's not right. You're like, I feel like sometimes I don't want to reach out to people, cause my car will they want to work with me, which is a bad mindset, tohave. But yes, they do. If you're listening to this common heart, let's do something.

spk_1:   41:46
I'll send it to Bill. Hey, you're mentioned anyway, So going forward, we are faced with a pandemic, and we can make light of the situation and we could be serious. But at the end, do you have anything you'd like to say to fellow Pittsburghers or listeners from around the world? Or even just the creatives who are listening?

spk_0:   42:10
You know, play your part, Don't be a jerk and go around public robin stuff. But your mind state try to keep it the same cause really somewhat the same because you're not truly affected yet unless you are somebody that's infected. And if you are, that does not apply to you but to the general public right now, I'd say, you know, use this time. And if you're gonna panic on something, maybe panic on some ex essential stuff, you know, what do you want to do? Rather than like, how are you gonna make this work? Because I mean sometimes, like those dumb things. So you do have thing about how it's gonna make it work. But don't trap yourself in that fear. And what is rawness of reality mean to you all? I think it's like to me. It's like, no script. No. B s like I'm would talk about what we think talk about what's really and say it, how it is. And sometimes it doesn't make sense. Least Meyer, honest of reality, doesn't always make sense. But it's really

spk_1:   43:20
heard that. And so that's all I have for you today. Thank you for taking time out of your day to record to discussions with May 1 that will actually post. I do appreciate you being here. I happen to know you. And I hope you and your family is doing well throughout this whole thing.

spk_0:   43:40
Likewise, man, I'm really glad to be on this. And, you know, I've never been on a podcast for anything, so yeah, I'm glad we got the sit and talk and I actually talked. Yeah, I needed a whole cup of coffee to get me talking. But you did. I'm honored to be on here. Thank you so much. So

spk_1:   43:57
going forward. Where? Not necessarily. What can people see you? Because the events aren't really going on at the moment. But where can people keep up with you and see the work that you've done before?

spk_0:   44:12
So if you'd like to see some of my work, I recommend you. I mean, you could totally follow my page. But most of my work gets like at least the music stuff is posted by the artists. And, like I intentionally do that because I want them tow, reap the benefits from it, and I'll promote their to their page. You know, like ill from the story or whatever. Um, but please check out my instagram. It's right now. It's benton dot d p and d. P stands for director of photography. That's that's something people have asked me about. Like those your initials, your middle name, like Dalton or something like No, no, it's just director of photography type. Thing is, that's what I like the most. So as well as bent in palermo dot com. Yeah, so probably should update the site a little bit, but you can, ah think the links in my bio, but it's just bent in palermo dot com. I landed that when I was lucky. Lucky one.

spk_1:   45:09
Yeah, and then He's also a part of Bird Brothers Media Studio Friendship, Pittsburgh Creative, but like you said

spk_0:   45:18
recently, stepped back from that a little bit. But all love, they're like, we still hang out and stuff all the time. So it's not nothing weird like that. I just want them to, you know, use their full potential. And I wasn't given it.

spk_1:   45:31
And, uh, yet, like I said, that's all I have. So, yeah, thanks again.

spk_0:   45:37
Thanks for having me, man. Peace out out of this world. Episodes always happen on a rawness of reality. I hope you all enjoyed listening to this latest episode with Benton. If you did, please let us know, right some comments and share with your friends. I want to again mention that you can take this time to reach out to family members, friends and Loveland and show them that our episodes can only get better from here. I want to give a big thank you to Joe cow on beats and remember, stay raw with reality.