This week we are happy to bring you three short videos produced for PopCult, depicting different parts of our recent trip to Chicago. Everything you see below was shot within the last two weeks before posting.  In the videos below you will see Mel Larch singing under The Bean, the 2019 PopCult Mold A Rama Safari to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and a chillout video shot out the window of the famed CTA “L” train as it travels through the city and into the Loop District.

I also want to make a quick note that there are some rendering glitches in these videos. Next month I will be upgrading my computer with a new video card and additional memory, and until then, any video I render will have moments of blockiness to it. I could pretend that these were elaborate transitional effects that were done on purpose, but they aren’t. In all liklihood, after I get everything up and running, I’ll re-render these videos and probably repost them, compiled into one long clip.

First up, we bring you a quick video of Mrs. PopCulteer, Mel Larch, doing an impromptu performance of “Christmastime Is Here” underneath the Cloud Gate sculpture (AKA “The Bean”) In Chicago’s Millenium Park in December, 2019.

Keep in mind that it was about 19 degrees, Farenheit, and Mel didn’t know I was going to have her sing. She’s not happy with this video, but then, she’s never happy with any videos or photos of her. I think it’s a nice little holiday treat for our readers.

Next, PopCult goes to Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry to hunt down Mold A Rama toys from their six operating machines. This is our second Mold A Rama excursion in Chicago, following last year’s trip to Wills Tower.

Since this was the holiday season, the available molds included Santa Claus and the Christmas Tree, in Addition to The Submarine, The Space Shuttle, The Locomotive and The Jet. Looks like we’ll have to make a return trip to MSI to get the tractor and the other regular mold. It never hurst to have an excuse to go back to a cool place like the Museum of Science and Industry.

Our intention is to return to Chicago for more Mold A Rama safaris, particularly to the Brookfield Zoo, which is home to thirteen Mold A Rama machines. We shall see what the future brings.

This is just a short video, showing each machine in action, set to some lively YouTube-friendly music.

Finally, we take a trip on The Brown Line.  Disclaimer: This video actually starts on the Red Line of the famed CTA “L” train, but mentioning that in the title would have made it really long and unwieldy. I could have left out the Red Line footage, but then you wouldn’t get to see Wrigley Field.

This is a collection of footage shot out the window of Chicago’s Elevated Train as it barrels through town. The speed of the video is manipulated, with time compressed or extended, depending on the view. Most of the film is shot on The Brown Line, in The Loop. You’ll get fleeting glimpses of some pretty cool landmarks.

This is all set to some relaxing music, and the entire video is intended to be something you can just watch and zone out during it’s fifteen-minute running time. Shot on a Samsung J7, in December, 2019, this is the video with the most blockiness in the rendering. We’ll get those bugs worked out next month, in time for the next full-length episode of Radio Free Charleston.

I hope you enjoyed these three short videos. We have a little more footage from Chicago, but we may save that for after we get our technical issues resolved.