Missed the PBDG Trailer at CAX? Catch it in Australia Instead!

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Anna Newman

Newcastle Pinball Association is having their first annual Pinfest September 8-9, and you can bring out your whole family for free game play at one low admission. Jady, one of the organizers, tells me they will have tons of cool games, from the new AC/DC pin to vintage pinball machines.

Oh, yes, you can also see hi-res versions of the Pinball Donut Girl trailer and the teaser for Wade Krause, Pinball Artist.

This is the inaugural year for this annual pinball show, so please come out and support it, get it off to a great start. I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. It’s at Caves Beachside Hotel in Newcastle,

some of the accommodations

PBDG hangs out with Wade Krause

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Anna Newman

Pinball artist Wade Krause was in the Bay Area last weekend to meet with customers and do some research at the Pacific Pinball warehouse. Wade was kind enough to let me, PBDG Director Don Starnes, and Cinematographer Charlie Kuttner tag along.

photo by Charlie Kuttner

While Wade worked at the PPM warehouse and we filmed him, I snuck in some photos of games.

Time 2000 backglass

Bally Hot Rods playfield detail

In addition to the wonderful games waiting their turn to be exhibited at the museum or PPE, I’m always fascinated by the machines under repair and the store of components and parts.

Beehive detail on EM game

EM game under repair

Wood legs for games

Woodrails waiting room

I was happy to visit a Pinbot we used in Pinball Donut Girl.

Pinbot Playfield detail

More Pinbot

Pinbot playfield detail

Wade and Charlie and I also made a quick trip to the De Young Museum and hit the Gaultier exhibit.

photo by Charlie Kuttner

Even if you aren’t into fashion, the projection technology of the exhibition itself and the over the top construction and materials of the garments never get old. I think this was my fourth visit. It runs through August 19, 2012 and is totally worth a trip.

Gaultier exhibit, San Francisco

While you are in Golden Gate park, you can go across the way and also visit the Academy of Sciences — that museum has been redone in the last few years and is amazing too.

East Bay Photos

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Anna Newman

I have been getting a set of photos ready to post from Wade Krause’s recent trip up here. I don’t know if I have mentioned this or not, but the PBDG DVD will include documentary material about Wade and his work on the clear pinball games, Hellacopters, etc.

I should have that post ready tomorrow. First — I want to share a photo I took last night on the way home from a screening:

These giant sculptures from Burning Man by Karen Cusolito are outside American Steel Studios an amazing art place in Oakland where they are created. Cinematographer Charlie Kuttner (who is also working on the Wade project), told me about them and taught me how to take these long exposure night photos. So cool!

photo by Charlie Kuttner

You can’t imagine how huge these pieces are until you see them.
We also stopped on Treasure Island to take some skyline photos. We had the good fortune of a barge passing through some of the shots.