Pinball Donut Girl

Films and Pinball (and Donuts)

Visiting the Exploratorium — best Thanksgiving trip

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Anna Newman

This year I’m thankful for a chance to see the Visible Pinball machine in its new home at the Exploratorium. Visiting his awesome San Francisco science museum was the perfect end to a long Thanksgiving weekend. Kids and adults were playing pinball nonstop, so excited to see the game. Wade and the Pacific Pinball Museum created a gift to the city and beyond when they made this machine.

Exploratorium will be moving to a new home at Pier 15 in San Francisco this spring — I can’t wait to see the magic they make in an expanded space. Based on the huge interest and enjoyment I saw with the exhibit, I hope more museums buy clear pinball machines for their visitors.

Filming Surf Champ

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Anna Newman

This weekend I got to return to the Pacific Pinball Warehouse to film some material for a piece on the Clear Pinball games created by Wade Krause, Michael and Christian Schiess, and others at the PPM. DP Charlie Kuttner (who also worked on PBDG) and I were trying to capture some of the magic of the visible games.

They are pretty magical.

Michael has been such a huge supporter of PBDG — I’m really excited to be working on this small video for him and the museum. It will be included in the bonus material of the PBDG DVD.

It’s tricky to light all the reflective surfaces in the games, especially the clear pins.

photo by Charlie Kuttner

Unfortunately manipulating the playfield directly is not only the way to get the sounds that I want for the footage, but also the only time I ever get a free game ;).

Even the new artwork in progress at the warehouse is impressed by Surf Champ’s beauty.