Saw this tweet earlier
.JPG)
and thought GOTDAMN! I wonder if I'll be finished MY script by then?!
Click the graphic below to see ALL of my
Friday, June 29, 2012
Dexter Script - Anxious Reaction
Saw this tweet earlier
and thought GOTDAMN! I wonder if I'll be finished MY script by then?!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Dexter Script: Update #2
.JPG)
I'm still thinking through the details of EXACTLY how I want my script to go, but I'm glad I got a chance to read someone else's version.
Click the graphic below to see ALL of my
The Practical FX of Spider-Man
‘Spider-Man’ stunt coordinator reveals how the film got Andrew Garfield into the swing of things
Andy Armstrong insisted that the new movie use real people, instead of CGI, whenever possible
BY NICOLE LYN PESCE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 6:00 AM
What helps makes the new “Spider-Man” reboot amazing is that there’s actually a man behind the mask.
Stunt coordinator Andy Armstrong agreed to bring the web-slinger back to the big screen on one condition: That director Marc Webb let him use practical special effects — that is, real people — instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI) whenever possible.
So when audiences watch “The Amazing Spider-Man” opening Tuesday, they’ll see Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker actually crawl along the ceiling inside of a speeding subway car, instead of an animated character.
“The best trick of all is when there’s no trick,” says Armstrong, 58, who was originally approached by director Sam Raimi over a decade ago to work on the previous Spidey trilogy starring Tobey Maguire.
Armstrong, who’s been in the risky business of bringing impossible stunts to life for 40 years, had to turn Raimi down because he was tied up in other projects.
“Not to knock the earlier movies, but they feel dated now purely because CGI has come a long way,” he says.
“This new film became a very good opportunity to show what we can do with real-life stunts.”
A number of often imperceptible things in CGI signal to the human eye immediately that something isn’t real. In Spidey’s case, it was swinging through the air properly.
Armstrong says he pored over scenes of what he calls “the CGI-Spider-Man” flying in Raimi’s films.
“His speed stays consistent,” notes Armstrong. “The swing is done at the same speed at the bottom as when he flies up.”
The stuntmaster then videotaped an Olympic gymnast swinging on a high bar and compared the footage.
“I realized immediately that there’s a big difference in speed,” he says. “The downward motion [of the gymnast] is incredibly violent and incredibly fast ... and then when he rises up, he gets slower, until eventually he becomes negative and is actually floating in the air for a second.”
Armstrong realized that the best way to make the superhero swing just as realistically was to strap a stuntman into the harness and fling him into the air. The eye-opening result is evident during a police chase between the wall-crawler and the NYPD on Riverside Drive in Harlem.
The film crew built rigs 200- to 300-feet long and tapped stuntmen skilled in acrobatics so that they could make Spider-Man physically swing.
“How cool is it that we were able to swing a real guy over real cars under a really beautiful location in an iconic city like New York?” says Armstrong. “It doesn’t get any better than that!”
Leading men also don’t get any better than Garfield, he says.
“Andrew was fabulous,” says Armstrong. “He was at our training facility every day learning the stunts, beating himself up and doing everything that he could [to get the moves down].”
The pair worked painstakingly to recreate Spidey’s iconic poses while in mid-swing or during fights, paging through the comics to memorize the iconography of Spidey. Garfield also took yoga and parkour classes to transform from another lean British actor into a lean, crouching-jumping-swinging machine.
They even rigged mirrors, with pictures of Spider-Man’s signature moves taped to them, around the training facility so that Garfield and his stunt doubles could strike poses to memory.
“You have a big obligation to the fans to do your best and create something that’s close to what they’ve seen in the comic-book world,” says Armstrong, “You don’t want to be even one tiny little bit off.”
Commentary: I LOVE practical effects. Unless it's for safety or budgetary reasons I prefer to see real stunts with real people, with real objects. Again, some things you just can't afford to do, some things you just can't do because of safety reasons, but when at all possible, make it practical.
Related Link:
I posted about safety in film @ the 'Nother Brother Entertainment blog in the post Gunplay In Film
Andy Armstrong insisted that the new movie use real people, instead of CGI, whenever possible
 |
| Stunt coordinator Andy Armstrong (r.) talks to Andrew Garfield on the set of The Amazing Spider-Man |
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 6:00 AM
What helps makes the new “Spider-Man” reboot amazing is that there’s actually a man behind the mask.
Stunt coordinator Andy Armstrong agreed to bring the web-slinger back to the big screen on one condition: That director Marc Webb let him use practical special effects — that is, real people — instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI) whenever possible.
So when audiences watch “The Amazing Spider-Man” opening Tuesday, they’ll see Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker actually crawl along the ceiling inside of a speeding subway car, instead of an animated character.
“The best trick of all is when there’s no trick,” says Armstrong, 58, who was originally approached by director Sam Raimi over a decade ago to work on the previous Spidey trilogy starring Tobey Maguire.
Armstrong, who’s been in the risky business of bringing impossible stunts to life for 40 years, had to turn Raimi down because he was tied up in other projects.
“Not to knock the earlier movies, but they feel dated now purely because CGI has come a long way,” he says.
“This new film became a very good opportunity to show what we can do with real-life stunts.”
A number of often imperceptible things in CGI signal to the human eye immediately that something isn’t real. In Spidey’s case, it was swinging through the air properly.
Armstrong says he pored over scenes of what he calls “the CGI-Spider-Man” flying in Raimi’s films.
“His speed stays consistent,” notes Armstrong. “The swing is done at the same speed at the bottom as when he flies up.”
The stuntmaster then videotaped an Olympic gymnast swinging on a high bar and compared the footage.
“I realized immediately that there’s a big difference in speed,” he says. “The downward motion [of the gymnast] is incredibly violent and incredibly fast ... and then when he rises up, he gets slower, until eventually he becomes negative and is actually floating in the air for a second.”
Armstrong realized that the best way to make the superhero swing just as realistically was to strap a stuntman into the harness and fling him into the air. The eye-opening result is evident during a police chase between the wall-crawler and the NYPD on Riverside Drive in Harlem.
The film crew built rigs 200- to 300-feet long and tapped stuntmen skilled in acrobatics so that they could make Spider-Man physically swing.
“How cool is it that we were able to swing a real guy over real cars under a really beautiful location in an iconic city like New York?” says Armstrong. “It doesn’t get any better than that!”
Leading men also don’t get any better than Garfield, he says.
“Andrew was fabulous,” says Armstrong. “He was at our training facility every day learning the stunts, beating himself up and doing everything that he could [to get the moves down].”
The pair worked painstakingly to recreate Spidey’s iconic poses while in mid-swing or during fights, paging through the comics to memorize the iconography of Spidey. Garfield also took yoga and parkour classes to transform from another lean British actor into a lean, crouching-jumping-swinging machine.
They even rigged mirrors, with pictures of Spider-Man’s signature moves taped to them, around the training facility so that Garfield and his stunt doubles could strike poses to memory.
“You have a big obligation to the fans to do your best and create something that’s close to what they’ve seen in the comic-book world,” says Armstrong, “You don’t want to be even one tiny little bit off.”
Commentary: I LOVE practical effects. Unless it's for safety or budgetary reasons I prefer to see real stunts with real people, with real objects. Again, some things you just can't afford to do, some things you just can't do because of safety reasons, but when at all possible, make it practical.
Related Link:
I posted about safety in film @ the 'Nother Brother Entertainment blog in the post Gunplay In Film
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The Impassioned Tweets of Ava DuVernay
 |
| Left poster for Restless City right Ava DuVernay |
In case you didn’t know, and you should, AFFRM (The African American Film Festival Releasing Movement) is a theatrical distribution entity powered by the nation’s finest black film festival organizations. The collective has theatrically released quality independent African-American films through simultaneous limited engagements in select cities.
Update from @AFFRM. NYC audiences are showing up. LA + ATL are just so-so. Keeping my head up. Support Black INDIE Film, y'all. We need you.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
I can't participate in another panel about black film, can't read another @ShadowandAct message board debate on the state of black cinema...
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
When folks don't show up for RESTLESS CITY, PARIAH, KINYARWANDA, THE SKINNY, A GOOD DAY TO BE BLACK/SEXY etc. Ain't nothing to talk about.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
We can't say the films aren't here. We can't say they aren't being made. They are. It's on us. We must develop as an audience. We must grow.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
I truly believe that there are MANY of us who crave complexity and nuance within the Black cinematic image. But, we must show and prove.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
Not prove to a studio or industry or press. But prove to OURSELVES, to our CHILDREN, to our ARTISTS. We support blossoming, not stagnation.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
I'm ranting. I know. Just going to roll up my sleeves and keep pushing. Keep being grateful for the beauty and not focus on the rough edges.
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
I salute director Andrew Dosunmu and all the artists who make their films against the odds for audiences that we hope, one day, will come.These are sentiments shared by those of us who are not only interested, but dedicated to affecting change. I quoted the below on the ‘Nother Brother Entertainment blog in my post Diversity in Hollywood 2011 and Beyond
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) April 28, 2012
"It seems like an annual occurrence now – mainstream media articles are written lamenting/criticizing/analyzing the film industry’s “diversity problem.” We all share them, discuss them, etc, but, ultimately, little, if anything, actually changes… until the next year, when the cycle only repeats itself and another batch of “Hollywood Whiteout”-style pieces are written, shared, discussed, and so on." February 24th, 2011 "It’s Time To Put Up Or Shut Up! (About That “Hollywood Whiteout” Problem)" Tambay A. Obenson, Shadow & ActI said more at the NBE blog, but that pretty much sums it up. I tweeted my own flurry of replies to Ava DuVernay and summed it up with the one below.
@AVADVA All I can say is keep up the good fight. Aspire to create art, aspire to push art. Art elevates & will endure
— Dankwa Brooks (@DankwaBrooks) April 28, 2012
Related Links
Read more about Restless City @ AFFRM http://www.affrm.com/restless-city/
At the ‘Nother Brother Entertainment blog
Read the extensive coverage I posted about AFFRM and Ava DuVernay @ http://bit.ly/NBE_AFFRM
Read Diversity in Hollywood 2011 and Beyond here
I Need To Talk About This Django Unchained
The below sounded intriguing
Development on Django Unchained began in 2007, when Quentin Tarantino, speaking with The Daily Telegraph discussed an idea for a form of spaghetti western set in America's Deep South which he called "a southern", stating that he wanted "to do movies that deal with America's horrible past with slavery and stuff but do them like spaghetti westerns, not like big issue movies. I want to do them like they're genre films, but they deal with everything that America has never dealt with because it's ashamed of it, and other countries don't really deal with because they don't feel they have the right to".I’m not one of the people who are mad with Tarantino’s use of the n-word. *dankshrug* people I know use the HELL out of it and his usage in the films weren't that “out of pocket” in my opinion. So all that I’ve read, I was excited to see this picture. Tarantino would be BACK—with a western! All that changed when I saw the trailer.
It’s ironic that I really liked The Help because I didn’t take it that seriously as an edict on civil rights; it was a good picture plain and simple, but I can’t help but take SLAVERY seriously. (You can read my review of The Help with an extended commentary here )
GeekScholars Movie News gave the preview an average score of "A" on an A+ to F- scale, saying, "the trailer exudes the classic Tarantino style, stringing together pithy dialogue, a sample of gorgeous cinematography, and a soundtrack that is both completely out of place yet brilliantly perfect at the same time".I don’t know if I can take “pithy dialogue” set with a backdrop of slavery. F*ck is so pithy about that?
Ok put all that aside, the usage of James Brown's The Big Payback really took me aback. WTF?!
In any case, I’m still going to see the film because a trailer does not a film make and maybe in the full context it won’t be that bad.
The trailer is below
Some information from Wikipedia. Read about Django Unchained @ Wikipedia
The blog indiewire has more reaction to the trailer 'Django Unchained,' Unleashed: New Trailer Inspires Debate About Race and Cinema at their site here My comments are on the site Shadow & Act linked in their article as and believe me the Shadow & Act commentary is contentious
JULY 1, 2012
New 60 second TV spot which pretty much covers the same footage as the trailer above, it just adds more footage of Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington
Sunday, June 24, 2012
But How Do They Really Feel About Me On Twitter?
Online analytic for Dankwa Brooks on Twitter
June 23, 2012
"Ladies love me, girls adore me, I mean even the ones who never saw me"
June 23, 2012
"Ladies love me, girls adore me, I mean even the ones who never saw me"
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
What is the "Dexter Script"?
In case you didn't know, I decided to write a new script. It’s not something I’m actually going to produce and direct. Because I know you want to know I explain more below about the
Wikipedia states that "a teleplay is a television play, a comedy or drama written or adapted for television. The term surfaced during the 1950s with wide usage to distinguish television plays from stage plays for the theater and screenplays written for films." Basically it's a script for a television.
Those who know me know I’ve been focusing on directing and producing not exactly screenwriting in recent years. I’ve been keeping my “pen wet” so to speak by writing blog posts online. I also stay creative posting on internet social networks. If I’m posting something that’s not a reply it’s usually something I’m expressing creatively. Another reason I kind of stay away is exemplified in this quote
If you don’t know what Dexter is it is an American television drama series, which debuted on the cable network Showtime on October 1, 2006. The series centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, pictured above), a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. He only kills the guilty though and usually multiple violent offenders. Basically he's a serial killer—who kills serial killers.
Given my affection for the show and where I work I figured this would be the perfect show to write an updated teleplay for. Stay tuned for more posts about it and you can click the button below for more updates!
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio.- WikipediaMy particular spec script is being written for an existing show. I'm not really writing the “DexterScript” to sell it. I haven't written a spec teleplay since I was in college and the shows I wrote them for are long off the air. A screenwriting professor in New York read one of those old teleplays and suggested, really TOLD me LOL, to write a newer one. Dang!
Wikipedia states that "a teleplay is a television play, a comedy or drama written or adapted for television. The term surfaced during the 1950s with wide usage to distinguish television plays from stage plays for the theater and screenplays written for films." Basically it's a script for a television.
Those who know me know I’ve been focusing on directing and producing not exactly screenwriting in recent years. I’ve been keeping my “pen wet” so to speak by writing blog posts online. I also stay creative posting on internet social networks. If I’m posting something that’s not a reply it’s usually something I’m expressing creatively. Another reason I kind of stay away is exemplified in this quote
I thought about it and the current show I would most like to take a hand at is Dexter. Sort of off topic, but not really, I write scripts under my full name as shown above since I won my first writing contests under that name and it is my real name. You can find more info on that linked at the end. But back to Dexter...Being a writer is like having homework every nightfor the rest of your life—Lawrence Kasdan
If you don’t know what Dexter is it is an American television drama series, which debuted on the cable network Showtime on October 1, 2006. The series centers on Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, pictured above), a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. He only kills the guilty though and usually multiple violent offenders. Basically he's a serial killer—who kills serial killers.
Given my affection for the show and where I work I figured this would be the perfect show to write an updated teleplay for. Stay tuned for more posts about it and you can click the button below for more updates!
Related:
Read what I said about Dexter's first five seasons here
Taken 2
I totally agree with the below article about
'Taken 2' trailer reminds us why we love Liam Neeson
By John Couture-VideoETA
June 21, 2012
If there's one film in the last five years that surprised me more than any other, that would be Taken. I went into the film completely expecting to hate it and couldn't have been more wrong by the time the credits ended.
Had you told me before watching it that in the future, I would actually be anticipating its sequel, I would have called you mad. But yet, here I am and so too here is the first footage from Taken 2 by way of an international trailer.
I think the key behind the success of Taken was the simplicity of the story. Liam Neeson was driven by pure revenge to regain his daughter and the film was testosterone-driven crash course through some of the best action film clichés and some new ones that it created all on its own.
The CIA background on Neeson's character was shady at best and really did it matter? His daughter was kidnapped and he was going to kick all the ass that he could until he got her back.
So, the sequel could have gone two routes in my mind. It could have followed Neeson's character independent of his family as the events of the first film would have re-ignited some sort of buried desire to get back into the business. Or it could have concocted another forced scenario in which one of his family members is kidnapped.
Surprisingly, they decided to go with the latter and from the first look, I think it's safe to say they "chose wisely." The trailer sets up a vengeance tale from the father, or crime boss, of Liam Neeson's victims in the first film point of view. It also appears that Neeson and his wife get taken this time, although his daughter is still in the picture.
Taken 2 is one of those films that have flown under the radar this year and Fox hopes that its late Fall release will be enough distance between it and Liam Neeson's bomb Battleship. As it stands Taken 2 is set for October 5 release.
The trailer is below
By John Couture-VideoETA
June 21, 2012
If there's one film in the last five years that surprised me more than any other, that would be Taken. I went into the film completely expecting to hate it and couldn't have been more wrong by the time the credits ended.
Had you told me before watching it that in the future, I would actually be anticipating its sequel, I would have called you mad. But yet, here I am and so too here is the first footage from Taken 2 by way of an international trailer.
I think the key behind the success of Taken was the simplicity of the story. Liam Neeson was driven by pure revenge to regain his daughter and the film was testosterone-driven crash course through some of the best action film clichés and some new ones that it created all on its own.
The CIA background on Neeson's character was shady at best and really did it matter? His daughter was kidnapped and he was going to kick all the ass that he could until he got her back.
So, the sequel could have gone two routes in my mind. It could have followed Neeson's character independent of his family as the events of the first film would have re-ignited some sort of buried desire to get back into the business. Or it could have concocted another forced scenario in which one of his family members is kidnapped.
Surprisingly, they decided to go with the latter and from the first look, I think it's safe to say they "chose wisely." The trailer sets up a vengeance tale from the father, or crime boss, of Liam Neeson's victims in the first film point of view. It also appears that Neeson and his wife get taken this time, although his daughter is still in the picture.
Taken 2 is one of those films that have flown under the radar this year and Fox hopes that its late Fall release will be enough distance between it and Liam Neeson's bomb Battleship. As it stands Taken 2 is set for October 5 release.
The trailer is below
___________________________________________________
 |
| A graphic I made. LOL |
__________________________________________________
Liam Neeson's 'Taken 2' Paycheck: $10 Million
 |
| Liam Neeson in "Taken 2" |
No sequel language and high-profile roles pushed the star's take north -- and may have priced him out of a possible "Taken 3."
Will there be a Taken 3? If so, producers of the smash-hit action franchise will need to pony up for star Liam Neeson in the wake of the surprise $49.5 million domestic bow by Taken 2.
No one expected a moneymaking franchise when the first Taken, about a retired CIA agent who unleashes all manner of hell to find his kidnapped daughter in France, was released in January 2009 after sitting on a shelf for nearly a year. That included filmmaker-producer Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, which produced the movie, French director Pierre Morel and Fox, which distributed the movie. After the film grossed $145 million domestically ($81.8 million internationally), Fox took a large ownership stake in the property and set about making a sequel. Besson and Robert Mark Kamen returned as writers (with Olivier Megaton replacing Morel), emphasizing the daughter role played by Maggie Grace and even bringing back Famke Janssen as Neeson's wife. The result: Taken 2's global haul reached $116.3 million by Oct. 7, and it will likely far outpace the original's global tally of $226.8 million.
But a third movie is not a slam dunk. To be sure, Fox and EuropaCorp would like another sequel, but the real question mark is Neeson. According to insiders, the CAA-repped actor was paid just $1 million for Taken, with no sequel language in the contract. After the movie hit big, Neeson suddenly found himself receiving leading-man offers. He upped his quote by starring in such action movies as The A-Team,Unknown and The Grey, so when it came time to negotiate for Taken 2, he was able to extract more than $10 million, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
Given the muscular box office of Taken 2, agency sources think Neeson could command $20 million-plus if he wanted to reprise the role -- a mark once considered standard for big franchise roles but now reserved for the likes of Johnny Depp and Will Smith in the right projects.
Fox insiders say it is too early to talk about the possibility of a third film. And both Neeson's interest and the timing are unclear. Nearly four years passed between Taken and Taken 2, and if that timetable were repeated, then Neeson, who turned 60 in June, would be close to retirement age in Taken 3 (though senior citizen status hasn't slowed the Expendables crew). Still, some insiders believe that if a sequel were to happen, it would have to shoot in 2013.
Commentary: I totally agree with that last sentence. Strike while the iron's hot and Liam isn't getting any younger.
No one expected a moneymaking franchise when the first Taken, about a retired CIA agent who unleashes all manner of hell to find his kidnapped daughter in France, was released in January 2009 after sitting on a shelf for nearly a year. That included filmmaker-producer Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, which produced the movie, French director Pierre Morel and Fox, which distributed the movie. After the film grossed $145 million domestically ($81.8 million internationally), Fox took a large ownership stake in the property and set about making a sequel. Besson and Robert Mark Kamen returned as writers (with Olivier Megaton replacing Morel), emphasizing the daughter role played by Maggie Grace and even bringing back Famke Janssen as Neeson's wife. The result: Taken 2's global haul reached $116.3 million by Oct. 7, and it will likely far outpace the original's global tally of $226.8 million.
But a third movie is not a slam dunk. To be sure, Fox and EuropaCorp would like another sequel, but the real question mark is Neeson. According to insiders, the CAA-repped actor was paid just $1 million for Taken, with no sequel language in the contract. After the movie hit big, Neeson suddenly found himself receiving leading-man offers. He upped his quote by starring in such action movies as The A-Team,Unknown and The Grey, so when it came time to negotiate for Taken 2, he was able to extract more than $10 million, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
Given the muscular box office of Taken 2, agency sources think Neeson could command $20 million-plus if he wanted to reprise the role -- a mark once considered standard for big franchise roles but now reserved for the likes of Johnny Depp and Will Smith in the right projects.
Fox insiders say it is too early to talk about the possibility of a third film. And both Neeson's interest and the timing are unclear. Nearly four years passed between Taken and Taken 2, and if that timetable were repeated, then Neeson, who turned 60 in June, would be close to retirement age in Taken 3 (though senior citizen status hasn't slowed the Expendables crew). Still, some insiders believe that if a sequel were to happen, it would have to shoot in 2013.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Starting the Dexter Script
Today I finally figured out the main plot/villain I wanted for my Dexter spec teleplay. Currently doing research. Stay tuned.
Note: July 2, 2012. I know this update doesn't have a lot of information, but I wanted to record the exact day and time (below) I figured out the main plot villain.
Note: July 2, 2012. I know this update doesn't have a lot of information, but I wanted to record the exact day and time (below) I figured out the main plot villain.
Click the graphic below to see ALL of my
Prometheus - WOW
No I'm not still talking about how WOWED I was about the film, but I could LOL. I'm talking about the reaction and attention my review has gotten. In the 10 days since I posted it on June 11, 2011 my Prometheus - The Cool Black Review AND Explanations (pictured below)
has gotten over 2,100 hits! I have NEVER gotten that many hits in this little of time on one of my reviews.I want to THANK anyone and everyone who has read the review. That goes to show you boys and girls, a review I didn't want to write in the first place is now one of my popular ever. *dankshrug*
You can read more of my reviews of independent films that did not have the marketing budget of Prometheus by clicking the graphic below
Additional
Even though I talk about all the spoilers in my review and explanation, if you liked the film there is a ton more info linked in my Prometheus - Spoiler Room
You can read more of my reviews of independent films that did not have the marketing budget of Prometheus by clicking the graphic below
Of course you can check out the heralded (LOL) Prometheus review here
UPDATE:
As of 6/25/2012 8:43 AM exactly two weeks since publishing over 4,200 hitsAdditional
Even though I talk about all the spoilers in my review and explanation, if you liked the film there is a ton more info linked in my Prometheus - Spoiler Room
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Prometheus - Spoiler Room
Additional Link:
Read my review of Prometheus here
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Importance of College
While doing a Google image search for a diploma (that's the one I found above) I came across this great article that articulates what I always try to do, explain the importance of college.
Now I’m the FIRST to admit that college is not for everyone and without the proper commitment can lead to a whole lot of wasted time and money.
The below is excerpted from a website development resource to assistant golf professionals, but the ideas expressed are pretty universal.
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Do you wonder the importance of having a college degree and what a college education has to offer? Well, according to a survey by the US Census Bureau, those with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $51,554 in 2004, while those with just a high school diploma earned $28,645. Those without a high school diploma earned an average of $19,169. In today’s economy, those numbers could be down. Funny, I still see entry level assistant professional positions that pay $20,000 a year. I know of entry level assistant professionals with college degrees that make that little, and I know of experienced assistant professionals with college degrees that make far less than $51,554. With all this said, for those of us that are passionate about our career [in the golf business], we can't ignore what is becoming a smoldering hot topic as the business evolves.
………………………………………….
You might be asking, “What does a college degree prove in this business?” “I work hard and that’s all that matters”. You’re half way correct, hard work does matter very much. But what a college degree can verify to Head Professionals and hiring committees is that you have the proven ability to manage your time over a lengthy period. From a social standpoint, you will likely be more refined in how you interact with people of all authorities. A college degree can confirm that you are organized in accomplishing tasks within time constraints. Because of your patience and discipline, the degree you achieved can verify that you were able to lay out a path, reach milestones, and arrive at an ultimate goal.
“Ability” “Manage” “Time” “Organized” “Accomplishing” “Tasks” “Constraints” “Patience” “Discipline” “Goal”. Take note of all those words in the previous paragraph. If you did not or do not go to college or you left college, this may raise a red flag to employers. You may have all the above characteristics, but they are not proven under strict conditions. In an industry that seems to be becoming less about golf and more about business, a college degree will aid you greatly in maximizing your potential and earning the best that your hard work deserves.
Before we continue further within the golf business, what are the intangible benefits of having a college education? One benefit of a college education is that it develops a person’s ability to think abstractly and critically as well as improves their ability to express their thoughts clearly both orally and in writing. It is also widely believed that a college education helps people become a responsible citizen by giving them a greater understanding of their community, country and global issues. If not achieving anything quite as grand as this a college education certainly helps people become more self-sufficient.
………………………………………….
Take Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as another example. SVCC has hosted more than one USGA Championship, carries a rich history of tradition within its gates, and caters to Eastern Pennsylvania’s upper class population. The clubs General Manager, Gene Mattare says “I would not hire an assistant or head professional who does not have a college degree. I think it is extremely important. You are dealing with a highly educated clientele and you have to be able to converse and communicate with them on a higher level.”
………………………………………….
General Manager Mike Leemhuis paints a vivid picture in his preferences for golf professionals with college degrees. “I look at a college degree as one of your "arrows", if you have it, great. If you don't, it’s an "arrow" you need to get. The same with a master’s degree, CCM, MCM and PGA certification. We would hire those without degrees and do hire the best assistant professionals that we can find but be sure that I will check to see what "arrows" are in their career quiver.”
………………………………………….
The moral of the story is this: You need to sit down and ask yourself, “What do I want out of this career path?” If you want to be the very best and work your way to the top or somewhere close, then the higher you get, the more significant a college degree becomes. As an [assistant golf] professional, you will have more opportunities if you have a college degree and you will put your resume higher in the pile when gunning for positions. If you don't have a college degree, does that mean you will never be able to accomplish what you want to accomplish? Absolutely not. But the odds might be stacked against you.
Bottom Line: Your opportunities as an [assistant golf] professional and beyond are greatly increased if you have a college degree in your credentials. Consider adding that arrow to your quiver.
Read the full article 100 Degrees & Climbing: Significance of a College Education in Todays Golf Business by Brian M. Dobak here
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Again I wasn’t even looking for that article, but I couldn’t stop from reading it and agreeing with everything he said. I was talking with a co-worker about how much of a struggle it was to get through college and she said the following.
.JPG)
Wise, wise words and very true. Even the president had to struggle.
"I’m the President of the United States, and it was only about 8 years ago that I finished paying off my student loans.”—President Obama
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 7, 2012
Finally, this is what I posted on Facebook June 13, 2010. With the below picture.
.JPG)
"Another alum of Towson University posted on FB that he just got his degree after 10 years (the actual paper degree) and while it hasn't been ten I realized I don't even have a digital pic of mine.
Yes it is in that envelope/folder since 2002. Never felt the need to put it on the wall...yet. I deserved it, I got it and it helped me get my job that I have now. One of the proudest moments of my life. Somehow that's enough for now :-D"
Drive - Review
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Produced by Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker & Adam Siegel
Screenplay by Hossein Amini
(Based on the novel Drive by James Sallis)
Cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel
Starring
Ryan Gosling
Carey Mulligan
Bryan Cranston
Christina Hendricks
Ron Perlman
Oscar Isaac
Albert Brooks
REVIEW
The film while it had its moments of brilliant scenes and an electrifying soundtrack was not good. It had good direction and cinematography, but so what. It was dull bordering on quietus.
Ryan Gosling gave a good performance, but in a movie that wasn’t what’s the point? The story was pretty much stuff we’ve seen before and none of it innovative. The movie went from moments of boredom to wild acts of violence, then boredom again.
Even though is had a great supporting cast, none of them were interesting either. I got this off of Facebook after a spirited online discussion about this film and I think it says it perfectly.
Raymond M.I have no more to add. Terrible movie.
Drive is a divisive movie. I know people who loved it and I know people who hated it. I know one guy who demanded his money back after seeing it.... I agree that Albert Brooks was mediocre to terrible and that some of the dialog was horrible, The movie excels in the style and world that it creates. Its a cool throwback to 70's and 80' action flicks with the silent anti-hero righting wrongs and protecting the innocent. Its also VERY well directed and slick and takes a basic story and makes it special. People who can appreciate that tend to love it. People who want more narrative meat on their movie's bones tend to not get what the fuss is about.
COMMENTARY: I NEVER write reviews for films I don’t like. I’m a filmmaker not a critic. I don’t spend time writing a review for a film I didn’t like because no matter what I thought of the film, they at least got it done and they deserve a modicum of respect for that.
I’m writing THIS review because SO MANY people have remarked what a great film this was and how it was snubbed across the awards circuit and I’m like in order to be snubbed you have to be at first good. The TV spots and trailer looked boring to me and I had NO interest in seeing this, but after everyone kept talking about how great it was I had to check it out. My bad.
As you know I did not enjoy it, but after I got in a debate with my filmmaker friends online AND in person I said I’ll watch this again. I may be wrong, but I doubt it.
Before I wrap, a funny tweet about Drive
Lastly, I LIVE TWEETED the re-watch I dubbed #DriveOver and below are screencaps of my rewatch of Drive. Warning, I DID get raw with the explicit language so parental discretion advised.
You can also see the album directly right HERE
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Harvard Study Says Obama Lost Votes Due To Racism
by Todd Gilchrist | The Hollywood Reporter
June 12, 2012
The study contends that "prejudice cost Obama between 3.1 and 5 percentage points of the national popular vote" in the 2008 election.
A study published by a Harvard PhD student on June 9 reveals new information about the effect of racism in voting trends. In his paper, The Effects of Racial Animus on a Black Presidential Candidate: Using Google Search Data to Find What Surveys Miss, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz concludes that “prejudice cost [president Barack] Obama between 3.1 percentage points and 5 percentage points of the national popular vote” in the 2008 election.
Looking at Google searches of racially charged terms in an effort to examine the racial attitudes of people in a given area, Stephens-Davidowitz ranks all 50 states in order of their frequency of searches. Search terms included permutations of the n-word and accompanying language such as “jokes” or “I hate.” West Virginia and Louisiana returned the highest numbers of searches using the epithet, and Hawaii and Utah ranked last. Noting that the most common searches including the epithet “return websites with derogatory material about African-Americans,” Stephens-Davidowitz observes that the content on these sites is the sort that would not be spoken or written in proximity with minorities.
“The top hits for the top racially charged searches are nearly all textbook examples of antilocution, a majority group’s sharing stereotype-based jokes using coarse language outside a minority group’s presence.”
Beyond providing a more accurate gauge of racist attitudes in different states, the study highlights a potential problem which Obama may face in the upcoming presidential election: faced with animosity from a constituency that may be dissatisfied with his achievements in office, that 5 point percentage may mark the difference between victory and defeat. In comparison to the 2008 election, where Obama won 52.9 percent of the popular vote, the president faces an uphill battle in trying to convince the American public he is capable of solving polarizing economic and social issues. The percentage of voters whose decisions were influenced by racism only exacerbates Obama’s fight to stay in office for a second term.
Stephens-Davidowitz wrote a piece for the New York Times June 9 touting the study and highlighting some of its conclusions. The most up-to-date version of his paper is available here
A Good Example of How Big Time Money Hollywood can Get Screwed Up
Brad Pitt's Zombie Nightmare: Inside the Troubled 'World War Z' Production
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Is It Too Early To Talk Oscar For Fassbender?
I never even heard of Michael Fassbender before he was in X-Men: First Class (2011)
 |
| Michael Fassbender in X-Men First Class |
 |
| Michael Fassbender in Shame |
Well maybe my anticipation was too great because I didn’t like his performance in Shame. I liked the film as a whole and thought he did a good job, but it was not the performance I thought he would give.
 |
| Fassbender and Mulligan in Shame |
I said all the above to say that the actor I knew he was is BACK!
 |
| Michael Fassbender in Prometheus |
Now how is this great performance in a summer sci-fi/action/horror flick like Prometheus gonna get recognized?
1. The director Ridley Scott is well respected among the industry.
2. It has a major budget and studio behind it—20th Century Fox
3. The technical achievement is undeniable. Whatever you think about Prometheus, one cannot deny its brilliant technical achievements.
A film that was truly forgettable won a slew of awards earlier this year. At the 84th Academy Awards, Hugo received five Oscars—for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing—and its 11 total nominations (including Best Picture) was the most for the evening.
I thought a great Oscar nomination performance was given by Adepero Oduye in Pariah (2011), but that film had none of the details I numerated above. Oscars ARE a personality/status contest as much as it is about the achievement in film. You must be firing on all cylinders in order to get major awards recognition. Most times it’s not enough to be great, unfortunate, but true.
I think in the evitable Oscar push 20th Century Fox will do for its films at the end of the year I don’t see them NOT including Prometheus in the bunch. If you recognize Prometheus you must recognize Michael Fassbender. I said. I wrote. I stand by it.
Additional Link:
Read my review of Prometheus here
Read my review of Pariah here
Read my picks for the 84th Academy Awards here
UPDATES:
LOL. I just found this 6/12/2012 12:59 PM *dankshrug* 12 of Oscar 2012's Biggest Snubs
6/12/2012 3:11 PM Just found this in a Hollywood Reporter interview with co-writer of Prometheus Damon Lindelof
UPDATES:
LOL. I just found this 6/12/2012 12:59 PM *dankshrug* 12 of Oscar 2012's Biggest Snubs
6/12/2012 3:11 PM Just found this in a Hollywood Reporter interview with co-writer of Prometheus Damon Lindelof
THR: Was there a part of the script that you’re particularly proud of?
Lindelof: I was really interested in and catalyzed by the robot, David [played by Michael Fassbender] -- I felt like he was going to become the central figure of the movie. Because in the genealogical chain of things, there are these beings that may or may mot have created us, then there's us, and then there's the being that we created in our own image. So we're on a mission to ask our creators why they made us, and he's there amongst hiscreators, and he's not impressed. Oddly enough, the one nonhuman human on this ship -- that's sort of a prison -- exists to question why it is we're doing this in the first place. And then Michael made me look like I really know what I'm doing, so I'm particularly proud of all the David stuff.
Monday, June 4, 2012
All About The Netflix Series Being Shot in Maryland
Netflix to film political thriller 'House of Cards' in Baltimore
Kevin Spacey, David Fincher to produce 13 hours for first TV season
By David Zurawik, The Baltimore Sun
January 5, 2012
"House of Cards," a political thriller starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher, will be filmed in Baltimore starting this spring, it was confirmed Thursday by Gov. Martin O'Malley.
The production, which involves 13 one-hour episodes for television, comes from Media Rights Capital and Netflix and is expected to launch the company known primarily for DVD distribution as a major creator of original dramatic programming. Netflix, which has more than 20 million subscribers, outbid such traditional producers of quality TV drama as HBO and AMC for the rights.
The series, which has been described as a $100 million project in Hollywood trade publications, will be a remake of an acclaimed 1990 BBC mini-series starring Ian Richardson. The Spacey-Fincher production will be an American version of the story of political scheming and media manipulation.
Fincher, who directed the feature films "The Social Network" and "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," will direct the pilot. "The Social Network" was also partially filmed in Baltimore.
"House of Cards" will be the third big-name, big-budget politics-themed production to arrive in Maryland during the last year, joining HBO's "VEEP" series, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and the film "Game Change" starring Ed Harris and Julianne Moore.
The two HBO productions are expected to premiere this spring on the premium cable channel. Incentives from the state played an important role in bringing all three productions to Maryland.
TV and film production in Maryland disappeared with the end of HBO's "The Wire," and many of the skilled production workers in the area had to go on location to other states to find work in recent years -- until the arrival of "VEEP" and "Game Change," which not only put local actors and production workers back on the job, but provided contracts for small area businesses that provided everything from scenery to set decorations and food to the visiting filmmakers.
“We are extremely pleased that filmmakers of this caliber have chosen Maryland as the location for this series,” said O’Malley. “The production is estimated to have a $75 million economic impact and is projected to create over 2,000 jobs for local crew, actors and extras and support hundreds of Maryland businesses.”
"Our office has been in discussions with the studio about "House of Cards" for over a year, and this announcement is a result of the efforts and our partnership with the Baltimore City Film Office, the Maryland Film Industry Coalition, local film industry unions and county officials in the Baltimore region," said Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office.
News of the production was hailed at City Hall Thursday.
“We are thrilled to welcome another quality television series to Baltimore. When a project like this comes to the city, jobs are created, small businesses are supported and the economic impact is enormous," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.
“The film industry is returning to Baltimore thanks to the Maryland Film Production Employment Act," said Debbie Donaldson Dorsey, director of the Baltimore Film Office and secretary of the Maryland Film Industry Coalition. "The new incentive program went to work immediately, bringing two impressive television series to Maryland - creating thousands of jobs and massive economic impact.
UPDATE OCTOBER 2012
Netflix sets Feb. 1 release for Baltimore-made 'House of Cards'
All 13 episodes of first season will be available on Feb. 1 to subscribers
By David Zurawik
The Baltimore Sun
October 4, 2012
On Thursday, Netflix announced a Feb. 1 release date for "House of Cards," the Baltimore-made political drama starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
All 13 episodes of the first season will be available to subscribers on that date. The whole project is a huge risk with a new business model, and it will be fascinating to see how it works out for Netflix with this distribution formula.
Here's the release:
The Netflix original series, from Media Rights Capital, “House of Cards,” starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey (“Horrible Bosses,” “American Beauty”), Golden Globe® nominee Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Forrest Gump”) and Kate Mara (“American Horror Story”) will be available for members to watch instantly beginning February 1, 2013.
All 13-episodes of the drama series’s first season will be available to Netflix members in territories where Netflix is available - North America, the UK, Ireland, Latin America and Scandinavia.
“‘House of Cards’ combines the best of filmmaking with the best of television. Beau Willimon’s compelling narrative, David Fincher’s unparalleled craftsmanship, indelible performances by Kevin Spacey and the rest of the cast unite to create a gripping story and new kind of viewing experience for Netflix members,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “In offering the entire season at once, Netflix is giving viewers complete control over how and when they watch the show.”
From director David Fincher (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Social Network”), award-winning playwrighet and Academy Award® nominated screenwriter Beau Willimon (“Farragut North,” “The Ides of March”) and Academy Award® winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”), “House of Cards” is based on the BBC miniseries of the same name. This wicked political drama slithers beneath the curtain and through the back halls of greed, sex, love and corruption in modern Washington D.C.
An uncompromising exploration of power, ambition and the American way, the series orbits Francis Underwood (Spacey), the House Majority Whip. Underwood is the politician’s politician – masterful, beguiling, charismatic and ruthless. He and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Wright) stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy. In addition to Spacey, Wright and Mara, the series also stars Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”), Kristen Connolly (“The Cabin in the Woods”), Michael Kelly (“The Adjustment Bureau”) and Sakina Jaffrey (“Definitely Maybe”).
Fincher directed the first two episodes of the series, which were written by Willimon. James Foley (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), Joel Schumacher (“Falling Down”), Charles McDougall (“The Good Wife”), Carl Franklin (“Devil in a Blue Dress”) and Alan Coulter (“The Sopranos”) also serve as directors on “House of Cards.”
The drama’s second season is due to begin production in spring 2013.
House of Cards is executive produced by Fincher, Willimon, Joshua Donen, Eric Roth, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs and John Melfi. The one-hour drama is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix.
All 13 episodes of the first season will be available to subscribers on that date. The whole project is a huge risk with a new business model, and it will be fascinating to see how it works out for Netflix with this distribution formula.
Here's the release:
The Netflix original series, from Media Rights Capital, “House of Cards,” starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey (“Horrible Bosses,” “American Beauty”), Golden Globe® nominee Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Forrest Gump”) and Kate Mara (“American Horror Story”) will be available for members to watch instantly beginning February 1, 2013.
All 13-episodes of the drama series’s first season will be available to Netflix members in territories where Netflix is available - North America, the UK, Ireland, Latin America and Scandinavia.
“‘House of Cards’ combines the best of filmmaking with the best of television. Beau Willimon’s compelling narrative, David Fincher’s unparalleled craftsmanship, indelible performances by Kevin Spacey and the rest of the cast unite to create a gripping story and new kind of viewing experience for Netflix members,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “In offering the entire season at once, Netflix is giving viewers complete control over how and when they watch the show.”
From director David Fincher (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Social Network”), award-winning playwrighet and Academy Award® nominated screenwriter Beau Willimon (“Farragut North,” “The Ides of March”) and Academy Award® winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”), “House of Cards” is based on the BBC miniseries of the same name. This wicked political drama slithers beneath the curtain and through the back halls of greed, sex, love and corruption in modern Washington D.C.
An uncompromising exploration of power, ambition and the American way, the series orbits Francis Underwood (Spacey), the House Majority Whip. Underwood is the politician’s politician – masterful, beguiling, charismatic and ruthless. He and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Wright) stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy. In addition to Spacey, Wright and Mara, the series also stars Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”), Kristen Connolly (“The Cabin in the Woods”), Michael Kelly (“The Adjustment Bureau”) and Sakina Jaffrey (“Definitely Maybe”).
Fincher directed the first two episodes of the series, which were written by Willimon. James Foley (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), Joel Schumacher (“Falling Down”), Charles McDougall (“The Good Wife”), Carl Franklin (“Devil in a Blue Dress”) and Alan Coulter (“The Sopranos”) also serve as directors on “House of Cards.”
The drama’s second season is due to begin production in spring 2013.
House of Cards is executive produced by Fincher, Willimon, Joshua Donen, Eric Roth, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs and John Melfi. The one-hour drama is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix.
Related
Click the photo from the set below to see all of the House of Cards coverage in The Baltimore Sun.
 |
| Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in House of Cards |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)