Sunday, March 25, 2007
War on Terror in the Movies
...at the movies, all we're getting is home-front angst and the occasional "Syriana," in which "moderate" Islam is thwarted by evil American interests. But the notion that this war is about our moral failings is comfort fantasy, pure and simple. It soothes us with the false idea that, if we but mend ourselves, the scary people will leave us alone.
The real world is both darker than that and lighted brighter in places by surprising fires of nobility. It's darker because our enemies were not created by the peccadilloes of free people and will not melt away before a moral perfection that we, in any case, can never achieve. It's brighter because there are heroes like the FBI, the military and the cop on the corner who will give up everything, even their lives, to stop these madmen
That kind of rousing story seems tailor-made for films. So why aren't they telling it? It's not just about left and right, blue and red; it really isn't. You don't have to like President Bush or support our efforts in Iraq to understand the threat of conspirators plotting to kill your children in the name of jihad(from Los Angeles Times).
Labels: trends
Monday, March 19, 2007
Broadway Selling in China
Next week the Nederlanders, one of the big three Broadway theater owners, are planning to announce the details of a new company they have formed that, among other things, will present and market tours and live entertainment in China. But the entry of the Nederlanders into the Asian market is only the latest sign of how sizzling it has become(from The New York Times).
Labels: trends
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Matt McDonald Photography
A photographer that was recommended to me.Labels: headshots, photographers
Friday, March 02, 2007
MyNetworkTV discontinues scripted projects
News Corp.-owned MyNetworkTV has announced it will discontinue production for the planned seventh and eighth telenovelas, and will not pursue any future scripted projects(from Cynopsis).
Labels: trends
Putting Your Email on Your Website
Putting your email on your acting site can lead to lots of spam. This email encoder from Automatic Labs may keep robots from harvesting your email address and spamming you, while allowing any producers/directors/casting directors to email you. I'm trying it on my site (from Bonnie Gillespie's 'The Actors Voice' column).
Labels: Bonnie Gillespie, submissions
Humor: 20 Reasons You Might Be From SoCal
- Your monthly house payments exceed your annual income.
- You don't know anyone's phone number unless you check your cell phone.
- You speak Spanish, but you're not Mexican.
- You make $300,000 a year and can't afford a home.
- You drive to your neighborhood block party.
- In the "winter", you can go to the beach and ski at Big Bear on the same day.
- If your destination is more than 5 minutes away on foot, you're definitely driving.
- Calling your neighbors requires knowing their area code.
- You don't stop at a STOP sign, you do a California Roll.
- You go to a tanning salon before going to the beach.
- You think that Venice is a beach.
- You classify new people you meet by their Area Code. An "818" would never date a "562" and anyone from "323" or "213" is ghetto/second class.
- You call 911 and they put you on hold.
- The gym is packed at 3 pm...on a workday.
- You know that if you drive two miles in any direction you will find a McDonald's, Subway or a Starbucks.
- You know what "Sigalert", "PCH", and "The Five" mean.
- You know the meaning behind the name of the 405 freeway.... because it takes 4 hours to get one way, and 5 hours to get back.
- It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station: "STORM WATCH."
- The Terminator is your governor.
- You actually get these jokes.