Sunday, December 31, 2006

Christmas Kids and the 105





I have a secret passion for a short depth of field. As a Filmmaker working with Digital Video, this is especially hard to get, and is only slightly easier with a Digital Still Camera. But after I confiscated Cannon's borrowed 105mm lens and opened the aperture all the way up, the background began to melt away into the converted blur I have been searching for.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Wii are having Fun

I got a Nintendo Wii from my mom and her Husband Kurt for Christmas, and Wii are having so much fun with it. It comes with Wii Sports, a game with several basic games in it like tennis, golf and boxing. I boxed for about an hour on Thursday night while Jen fell asleep on the couch. i woke up the next day with sore arms and back. the games are quite different in the way you play them. the controllers are motion controlled so you often don't ever have to push a button, like in the boxing, once you start the game, its all punches. the golf is actually pretty realistic. I real life i have a wicked slice, and so in the Wii sports Golf, I have just as wicked a slice. I don't know how they do it but is is pretty cool. Jens favorite thing to do is to make Mii. A Mii is a small animated character that you can "play as" in the game. They are very basic, but you can change things like their face shape, nose, eye color, skin color, height, weight, hair style and color and many other things. The Wii is family fun for everyone.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A few Flicks I've seen lately





Kinky Boots was by far the best of this lot

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Vader Dad

Ahh, this takes me back, do you remember the original commercial?

Monday, December 04, 2006

Weekend Movies

This was a Great disappointment, the child in me wanted this to be good.

You Me and Dupree-iece of Crap

Long Shutter Thanksgiving






Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Is This REAL?

Can this be real?

Monday, November 20, 2006

Quickly....

Just a Few Films I've seen lately:


Stay was my surprise favorite.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Favorite Films #6

Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Wells, is thought by many to be the best American film ever made. I don’t know about that, but it is one of the greats. Orson Wells understood the importance of the details. For one shot Wells was said to have dug a hole in the stage floor to get the camera were he wanted it, all for just one shot. Orson Wells has a strange career in Hollywood, striving for greatness, but never quite making it. He went on to make many other films I enjoy, mostly for there strangeness, and non-Hollywood feel, Such as, The Trial, The Stranger, and Touch of Evil.

Tagline for Citizen Kane: Radio's Most Dynamic Artist . . The Man At Whose Voice A Nation Trembled . . . Now the screen's most exciting NEW star ! ORSON WELLES in the picture Hollywood said he'd never make
I also enjoy RKO 281. This is the story of Orson Wells struggle to make Citizen Kane. It is not 100% historically accurate, but a good movie and follow up to Citizen Kane. Often it seems that the story behind the story is just as interesting, and often more interesting than the story its self.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Favorite Films #5


I watch Jaws at least once a year. this is, in my opinion, the very best film Steven Spielberg has ever and most likely will ever do. Will ever, because while his technique is always improving, and his story telling is phenomenal, the man is a giant cheese ball. every movie he has done since jaws has been Spielbergized!

(Spielbergized: 1. to have a scene or section of a film, usually at the end, that makes everything OK, or is there not for the story but to tug at your heart strings. 2. dishonest film making designed to cause an extra shock or emotion at some point in the film. 2-1. See Saving Private Ryan, it has all this and more, the perfect example of Spielbergized.)

Jaws is pure, honest film making from a young director with nothing to loose, who took a lot of chances. Jaws has more themes running through it than i have time for here, but it is truly one of the best films in the last 50 years.

tagline for Jaws: The Nation's No.1 Best-Selling Book now the Screen's Super-Thriller

Monday, October 16, 2006

Favorite films #4




28 Days Later is a horror film that i like VERY much. The Director, Danny Boyle is another one of my favorites. His past films are shallow grave, trainspotting, A life Less Ordinary, the Beach, and Millions. His body of work ranges from horror to romantic action/comedy to almost family entertainment, but one thing remains the same; Boyles themes are always focused on human depravity. 28 days Later is no exception, which should not come as a surprise to anyone being that there is no better tool in film making to show the evil of man than the horror genre. 28 Days later is loosely based on George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, the follow up to his indy hit, Night of the Living Dead.

Tageline for 28 Days Later: His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn't.

you can view the trailer HERE

I also recommend to ANYONE, especially those that think horror has nothing to offer then, to take a look at the documentary "American Nightmare". This film talks with many of the American filmmakers of the 60's/70's who were making horror films. They talk about there films and why they made them and why they think it was and is important to make these types of films. The documentary also does a great job of showing you what was going on at that time in history and how it directly influenced the film making of that era.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Favorite Films #3


Alfred Hitchcock's Rope is one of my all time favorite hitchcock films. Shot in a unique way, especially for 1948, there are very few cuts in this film. Hitchcock shot a whole magazine of film in one shot (about 10 mins) and then would run the camera into some back just before the camera ran out. The next shot would start on that same persons back and pull away, as if there was no cut at all. They say the floor on the set was covered with tape marking were the actors were supposed to be, and were the cameraman was. This film is one of Hitchcock's best.

Tagline for Rope: The guest who's dead on time

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Favorite Films #2

A Clockwork Orange is the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film made directly after his masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. In A Clockwork Orange, Kubrick investigates Free will, and the what happens if you take away a mans ability to choose between right and wrong. A Clockwork Orange ran for years in theaters and was pull only after Kubrick demonstrated his unprecedented directors power, when he told the studio to stop showing it after receiving many threats against his family. you see, the "Utra Violence" in A Clockwork Orange had teens reenacting scenes on the streets, and several murderers said they got the idea to kill from the film.

Tagline for A Clockwork Orange:
"Being the adventures of a young man ... who couldn't resist pretty girls ... or a bit of the old ultra-violence ... went to jail, was re-conditioned ... and came out a different young man ... or was he ?"
You can see the Trailer HERE


Whether you like Kubrick or not, another great film is, "Stanley Kubrick, A life in Pictures". This documentary follows Kubrick's career from a teen taking pictures for Look Magazine, all the way to his death just before Eyes Wide Shut was released to theaters.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Favorite films #1

I thought I would take this time of not having anything to say, and list a few of my favorite movies.


Magnolia is my favorite film by P.T. Anderson (boogie nights, hard eight, punch-drunk love). Magnolia, like most of his films is pretty long (3+ hours), but worth the endeavor. Anderson seems to be struggling with predestination and that things happen for a reason, resulting in a things being connected somehow. I find it more miraculous to see a non-christian film maker (artist of any kind) struggling with these themes and coming to the right conclusion, rather than a Christian, who knows the answers and is just spreading the message.
Tagline: "Things fall down. People look up. And when it rains, it pours.
you can see the trailer HERE.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

My ship has Come In


I “rejoiced” this morning to find an email indicating that I am soon to be receiving half of a 45 million dollar insurance policy of a man that I never met. Share I my good fortune, and read the email I received:


FROM: MR. MIKE WILLIAMS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE
COMPANY


My Dear Friend,

I feel quite safe and satisfy dealing with you in this mutual beneficial transaction.

Though, this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest, surest and most secured medium of communication.

However, this correspondence is purely private, and it should be treated as such. l also guarantee you that this deal is hitch free from all what you may think of and I encourage you to read it to the end so that you can understand it very well.

I am Mr. MIKE WILLIAMS, Executive Director in charge of Claims and Indemnity of Prudential Insurance Company.

I am contacting you based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this deal for the benefit of both of us.

The Management and the Legal / Treasury Department of this Prudential Insurance Company in a recent meeting, recommended that the account of MR. ROBERT FINKELSTEIN, who maintained a Life Assurance Policy, should be declared Dormant and confiscated hence moving his unclaimed benefits funds to the Treasury according to our Banking and Financial law.

Recently, I came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased person (MR.ROBERT FINKELSTEIN). He is a foreigner; unfortunately He is now late as he was amongst those that on the recent plane crash during his visit to London.

This man was our client and has Life Assurance Policy WORTH the sum of Forty Five Million United States Dollars (US$45,000,000.00). Right now, the fund is lying unclaimed in our custody and there is NO next of kin mentioned in his file and there is no how we can reach any of his relatives. All efforts made by us to establish contacts with any other of his relation have proved abortive and unsuccessful. His life Assurance Policy will expire in the next few months from the date of this letter.

Just last week we received an instruction from Ministry of Social Welfare to forward particulars of all unclaimed benefits that will expire in the next few months.

Upon my personal finding on this matter, I kept this information secret to myself until now that I am contacting you. In view of the fact that the deceased customer is a foreigner (from a different country), it is officially important for the involvement of a foreigner who will pose as a next-of-kin.

I will use my exalted position in this Insurance Company to present you as his Next of Kin as you can be his relative, friend or Cousin and the Money (US$45Million) will be safely transferred into your own bank account in your country.

Please include your telephone/fax number/ Home Address when replying this mail and I will give you more information as soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this viable transaction. I will use my exalted position here to get all internal documentations to back up the claims.

The whole Procedures will last only 10 working days to get the fund retrieved successfully without trace even in future.

PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS:

NAME: __________SURNAME: __________________

SEX: _____ AGE: ______MARITAL: _______________
COUNTRY: _______CITY: _________

STATE _______ZIP CODE: _______
CONTACT ADDRESS: ________________________
PHONE NO#___________FAX NO#_________________
OCCUPATION: ______________POSITION: _____________
DATE: ___________

The transaction will be done successfully and smoothly completed via Email and phone. Send your full name, address and telephone number to me via email urgently today so that I will call you for discussions. I PROMISE that you must be happy and shall rejoice greatly soonest for co-operating with me in this transaction.

After successful conclusion of this transaction, we shall share the money 50-50 (50% for you and 50% for me).

I await your good response today.

Thanks and remain bless.

I require you to maintain the confidentiality of this transaction because it is important due to the fact that I am still in active services to the Prudential Insurance Company.

Your earliest response to this matter is very important.

REPLY TO :(Williams_mike01)
I AM WAITING YOUR REPLY TODAY.

Best Regards,
MR. MIKE WILLIAMS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY.



You all (you know who you are) are welcome to come out to my great mansion I will start building (in about 10 business days) to live the life of luxury with me an my family. Quit your job and join us, I resigned just minutes after reading this. Come to think of it, maybe I should have waited till I got the funds?

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

How to Dissuade Yourself from Becoming a Blogger

I found the following very funny:

What a buzz all the bloggers are making these days! It seems like just about everybody is pouring their musings into a text box. Are you feeling tempted to start a blog of your own? Here are some ways to bypass the trend.

1. Find five completely random blogs, and read them daily for a month. After thirty days, you will absolutely dread your self-imposed requirement to read all that dreck. Any blog you create will most likely be on par with what you've been reading. Don't put anyone through that.


2. Consider that your voice, even if it is truly a good one, is a tiny peep against the massive wave of tripe out there. The odds of anyone you don't already know finding your blog are low.

3. Write on a regular basis in Wordpad instead. If that doesn't satisfy your urge, and you feel that you must post your blog online, then you might just be craving attention and validation--which you'll never truly find in a blog. If you give up on your Wordpad journal after about three days, you'll do the same with a blog that just takes up server space.

4. Ask yourself if you really have the time to commit to a blog. What about that treehouse you wanted to build? Or the book you wanted to write? Or the car you wanted to fix up? Or the restaurant you wanted to take your wife to? Or the new career you wanted to pursue? Instead of writing about pretty much nothing, or whining about all the things you wish you were doing instead, start doing something that'd actually be worth writing about. And if it's really worth writing about, you'll be having too much fun doing it to tear yourself away from it.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Lavender stills video

I took a series of pictures, and i thought it would be fun to make a video out of them

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

test footage



This is some test footage for my next flick. it is shot with my XL2 with a nikon lens adapter. it gives it a more filmy look by adding true grain and a nice, short depth of field. this next project is a horror / thriller so i wanted to make it look like bad, 1970's 16mm.

Demotivation


My brother in law told me about these “Demotivation” posters. It sounded pretty funny so I looked them up, the above is an example of one of my favorites. It you cant read the text, it says “quitters never win, winners never quit, but those who never win or quit are idiots”

You can see more of these posters HERE

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Duck Duck Sit

One thing that no one tells you about fatherhood is that not long after your little bundle of joy arrives you can't just sit down. Were ever I try to sit or lye down, I squeak,because there is always this rubber duck in my seat, my couch and in my bed. This little duck really gets around.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Saturday Breakfast



This morning my lovely wife, cooked me a lovely breakfast; sausage, eggs and toast. We listened to James Brown while we ate and Lavender looked on. It was all real good!

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Funny Sounds

Lavender likes it when I make Farting sounds. But really, who doesn't enjoy a good fart sound? Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Wallpaper


I found this site with some pretty cool desktop wallpapers. the pic above is from said site. they have a zillian different pics, check em out, here's a link

Thursday, August 17, 2006

If Film Noir had a middle name, it would be “Brick”

If you can imagine all of Humphrey Bogart’s characters rolled into one and going to high school in David Lynch’s "Twin Peaks", then you might start to get the feel of the independent film, Brick. I don’t want to say too much about this film, but I will say that I loved it, and I want to see it again and again. In short, it is about an overly clever boy, who is trying to solve a murder. I love it when a film creates a world just off kilter from reality; were everything that happens would not work in reality, but you never question it happening in the world of the film.

You can see the trailer for brick Here www.brickmovie.net

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

2/3 of the Aviator



We started The Aviator on Sunday, but Jen had to go to bed so we stopped it. We have not had a chance to finish it yet, but I was enjoying it a great deal. I hate watching films in this manner, a little here and a little there. This is a big no-no if film viewing and should be made illegal in the continental US.
I felt like Martin Scorsese (the Director) was headed towards asking the question, does the man make his actions, of does the actions make the man? But I’m not done yet, so I could be wrong.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

A Small, Red Tragedy



This morning we awoke to find Erwin, or Ervin dead in his bowl. We have had Erwin or Ervin for almost 2 years. We even moved him in a jar when we moved back from FL. Jen named him when we first brought him home. She named him Erwin, or maybe it was Ervin, we are not sure. So when I committed him to the great rice patty in the sky, Jen made me do it twice, once for Erwin, and again for Ervin, or maybe it was for Ervin and them Erwin, I don’t know. Anyway he is in a better place now, our septic tank.
For those who don’t know, evidently not all dead fish float to the top, Erwin didn’t, neither did Ervin.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Just Some Clouds


Nothing special, just wanted to put something up; so I put up this PIC I took for my desktop background.

Friday, August 11, 2006

funny

funny comercial

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

What Old People Do For Fun...

This is just a funny video that i found on google video

Monday, August 07, 2006

Another Giant Cat Pic

Here is another picture of me as the giant cat. Sorry, I don’t have a pic of me with the head on, but you can just see it on the left side of this pic.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Don't Ask

Somehow I got roped into dressing up like a 6 ft cat and greeting kids at a kids’ TV show premier . Don’t ask, cause I won’t tell.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Regina Rocks

I found a new favorite. Regina Spektor. She reminds me of a more mature Fiona Apple, both in look and sound. I especially like the song “Us”. You can listen to “Us” at http://www.comingzune.com/

this is actually an ad for Microsoft’s new portable music player the Zune, but her song is on the ad. By the way, the Zune is referred to as the “iPod killer”, we will see. While there is not much on it yet, it will supposedly do all a video iPod will do, plus run windows mobile and play games?

Edit: i found the whole video on YouTube, http://youtube.com/watch?v=9pKujuTgtL0&search=regina%20spektor%20us

still check out the Zune site, i like the strange, simple animation a great deal.

Posted by Picasa

Monday, July 31, 2006

Long Shot



Here are a few shots I did last night with a shutter speed of around 30 seconds Posted by Picasa