Videophiles are Ludicrous

Most students enter college with no idea of what they want to do when they get out of school. That is not the case for SF State students Jon Artigo and Kevin Painchaud, who started their careers before they even graduated from high school.

Their company, Ludicrous Productions, was founded in Los Gatos by Artigo and friend Chad Meserve. They had a comedy cable access show called "Ludicrous Generation" at Los Gatos High School which, according to Artigo, "had some pretty sick humor at times."

The next year, 1991, Artigo and Meserve, who now attends U.C. San Diego, did a video yearbook for their high school and filmed an in-line skating video for Nuvo.

It was the skating video that caught Painchaud's eye in 1992.

"I approached him with my computer and showed him what I could do, and he was interested, even though the quality wasn't that good. We approached Nuvo with an offer to do a full in-line skate video for them. That is where we got our first big contract."

Painchaud, 22, brought more than just his skill in animation to Ludicrous -- he also brought some capital and expensive computer equipment, which expanded the company's capabilities. The ability to purchase the expensive editing equipment, which now adds up to about $70,000, came at no small price for Painchaud.

A car accident when he was 15 left Painchaud in a coma for four days. After beating the 50/50 chance of survival and winning the lawsuit filed against the driver's insurance company, he has had to deal with short-term memory loss and problems with his coordination.

He developed a love for animation during his days as the photo editor of his high school and junior college newspapers. Since he purchased his first Powerbook, he has gone through three computers and is now using a Macintosh 8100/E with 72 megabytes of RAM and a 20 gigabite hard drive.

With no fewer than three current projects with Ludicrous, Painchaud, who is a junior cinema major, claims "It's a bitch" when it comes to balancing school and work. In addition to his 13 class units, he also works as a teaching assistant for an upper division speech class (with Artigo), is a photographer for two magazines (Bay Area Music and Skater Magazine) and is planning to launch a new Ludicrous clothing line.

Artigo, who does most of the camera work for the company, has been associated with many original ventures. His track record bears witness to his beliefs that "Any individual in this world can do anything they want."

In addition to co-founding Ludicrous Productions in 1989, Artigo has organized an improvisational comedy troupe at SF State, is a founding father of the Eta Omicron (SF State) chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and recently made an unsuccessful bid for AS president.

After all of that, he simply says, "I really love to start things."

Last June, Artigo, a 24-year-old speech and communication major, decided to make some calls, looking for work. From the 45 video companies he called in one day, he netted himself some fairly regular work on the weekends with Talbot Video Productions. He also cut a deal for some office space with Circle Video Productions.

The office space, which they receive rent-free for the use of their non-linear editing equipment, has really helped the company.

"The office is really impressive to potential clients, and it gives us a place to keep all of our equipment."

Despite living in San Diego for most of the year, Meserve returns to the Bay Area during school breaks, and all important company decisions are made with his consent.

"It's hard for him because Ludicrous Productions is his dream, like it is for Jon and myself," says Painchaud.

After having advertisements in BAM magazine and commercials on ESPN and MTV, Painchaud agrees that it is not always what you know, but who you know.

"The whole reason we are where we are now is because of connections," said Painchaud.

One connection got Ludicrous Productions working on their largest project to date, a pilot episode for BAM-TV. Painchaud was startled to hear a familiar voice working as a disc jockey on Live 105 two months ago. The voice belonged to Web Fingers, who had done voice-overs for Ludicrous Productions before.

Since working together, they have covered such events as Cyberfest, the Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie concert and most recently, the Sublime concert. Future concerts in the works include Pearl Jam and Alanis Morisette.

Painchaud regularly works on editing and animating the video until 3 a.m. during the week, while balancing school and homework. He denies that all of the hours at work are affecting his schoolwork.

Ludicrous Productions has also allowed Painchaud to work with his first love, music. In addition to the BAM concerts, they have done concert videos for local ska band Skankin' Pickle.

"Music videos are the ultimate in creativity," said Painchaud. "I want to get Ludicrous established so others can run it," explains Painchaud.

Artigo, on the other hand, plans to stick with the company for the long haul.

"I plan to carry it out for the rest of my life," he said. "I want my kids doing this one day."

Despite his long-term plans, Artigo, in sharp contrast to Painchaud, is putting all his efforts into school, realizing "I gotta get out of school before I'm going to be fully successful. In past semesters, Ludicrous Productions had always been my first priority, but now I plan to donate more time to school and my fraternity."

To that end, Artigo is letting Painchaud handle most of the company's work right now.

While Artigo is taking a brief respite from the rigors of daily video work, he realized what is in his future. "I know what I am going to be doing, and I am very much a step ahead of other people in college."

[ Golden Gater Online October 31, 1995 ]

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