For 5 Questions this week, the Herald speaks to photographer John Thomas Goerke, who is in the process of setting up a videography company called Liquid Images.
Q: Tell us about yourself, and your business.
A: My name is John Thomas Goerke. I work as a photographer under my own name and, starting in early 2021, as a videographer for my company, Liquid Images. As a photographer, I focus on (pun intended) product photography and portraiture. As a videographer, I specialize in what you might call “stylized B-Roll” and grandiose advertisements.
Q: Why did you want to go into videography?
A: How else could you take someone and put them inside of a pop can? Or back to the JFK assassination? Those were both things I wanted to do as a high school student when all I had was a $100 Canon point-and-shoot. And I did. I made a killer physics video about collapsing metal drums with air pressure, and I recreated the Zapruder film for history class. I’ve had the film bug ever since.
ADVERTISEMENT
Q: You filmed a humorous commercial to sell your used car. How did that come about? What was the reaction?
A: Honestly, I need to get me a truck to deal with the winters here. And the first step is to get rid of the little sedan that I had the last five years living in Virginia. So I thought, if I’m going to offer stylized filmmaking as a means of advertising, I should first offer it to myself. I planned out the video pretty much as you see it finished: handheld closeups downtown, drone footage over by the university, a hyperlapse of the sunrise north of town and just started shooting. The reaction has been wonderful. I met a potential client the day after it came out. (I was) planning to show it to him, and he had already seen it! Really made my first impression easy. You (can see) it by searching my name “ John Thomas Goerke ” on YouTube and the video “ BUY THIS CAR!!! (Epic Used Car Commercial) ” should pop right up.
Q: You did a cover of the Weekend's "Blinding Lights" for the video. How was it produced, and who sang?
A: Huge shout-out to Matt Komprood, a local CPA for Fritz Nelson, who has a full-blown music studio in his basement. I told him what I needed, and we started laying the track down. I played one instrumental part and recorded a cut of vocals. But I hated the sound of my own voice, so I asked Matt to take a pass at it. The song you hear in the video is 99% his creation. All I did was play a piano riff and stare over his shoulder.
Q: What do you hope for Liquid Images in the new year?
A: Imagine how cool a can of Rhombus Guys beer would look hovering in mid-air, slowly emptying into a frosty mug. Or a Red Pepper taco assembling itself in mid-air over a table. Not to name names, but those are the sorts of videos I hope for. The level of quality I want to offer.
