Friday, January 28, 2011

FlyHyNY: Why the Jets lost.

There are some superstitious fans out there who think their game day behavior somehow affects the team's success.  They think that in order for the team to win, they need to wear a certain jersey, or watch the game at a certain place, or not shave, or not shower, or not change their underwear.  Or whatever else they may believe.

I don't really buy into this.  I used to get overhyped on gameday and put on my Jets jersey and shirt and hat and green pants while I watched the game.  I used to even dress up my baby boy in his Jets onesie.  But I haven't done it since last year.  They lost too many games then, which was seven.  So that's around seven times I sat there in my living room wondering why I'm putting all this effort into representing a bunch of losers.  Of course, the next day I always wore my Jets jacket to work. 

Years ago, I would tape the games because I worked on some Sundays.  But it felt like everytime I did that, they would lose.  So I stopped taping.  I felt like it was worth it for me to miss the game entirely if that meant that they would win.  It was a sacrifice.  Well, it didn't always work.

There were some big games that I wish I could have recorded for posterity.  There was the Monday Night Miracle in 2001, and then there was the great win against the Packers in 2002 where the Jets clinched a playoff spot.  I wish I could watch those games again.

The ensuing years were not always good for Gang Green.  I ended up taping the games every week.  I kept the few times they would win.  I taped over the rest of the games when they lost.

Last year, I was cautiously optimistic.  It was nice to watch the team perform very well.  They won two playoff games and I just sat back and enjoyed it.  They were leading in the AFC Championship Game at halftime, and when they ended up losing, I was able to accept it right away.

This year felt different.  I really thought they were going to win it all.  After beating the Colts and the Patriots, they were back in the AFC Championship Game.  This time I really thought they would do it.  I gave my son a bath early in the evening because I didn't think there would be time after the game.  I thought I would be glued to the television as the team was awarded the Lamar Hunt Trophy.

I also set aside two tapes for the game, because I wanted to record the award presentation and all the post-game celebration.  The tapes already had some of my kid's TV shows recorded on it, but I didn't mind because I had two, and that would be more than plenty.  I hadn't done this in the previous weeks.  But that is not why they lost.

Earlier in the day, I took a walk to the liquor store and bought some beer.  My wife also asked for some Doritos and soda.  I picked a box of twelve Coronas, a bottle of Sprite, but they didn't have Doritos.  So I took a couple of Lays' salt and vinegar chips.  The total was about $22, and I gave the cashier my Jets credit card.  She looked at it and said, "Oh no."  Apparently, they only took cash.

I put the card away and took out the twenty in my wallet.  I asked them to subtract the chips.  When I got home I explained to my wife that I didn't have enough money and they didn't have Doritos anyway.  She was disappointed.  I guess I should have gotten her those chips anyway.  Maybe I should have put back the box of Coronas and got a six-pack instead.  But that is not why they lost.

The total was $19.25.  I put back the change in my pocket and felt another quarter in there.  So I actually had a dollar.  I could have bought the chips with that.  But that is not why they lost.

The next day, my son had a very high fever.  I had a cough and a headache.  Apparently, beer is not good for you if you have a developing bacterial infection.  Our car got a flat tire, and it hasn't stopped snowing.

The Jets lost because usually when I go to a store or a deli, I buy a lotto ticket for the hell of it.  Now I don't even know if that place sold the lotto, but if I had asked, their answer would have been yes.  The Jets would have won the game.  A couple of days later I would have won the lotto.  And a couple of weeks later my family and I would have been on a plane to Dallas to watch the Super Bowl.   That is why the Jets lost.

And I could have bought my wife a lifetime supply of Doritos.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Final Cut Bro: Eep!

This is kind of related to my post from yesterday.  When you use a tape, please don't set it on EP mode.  Or LP mode.  Or SLP mode.  Keep it SP.  Standard play.

In case you didn't know, those other abbreviations stand for extended play, long play, and super long play.  Those modes basically let you record more footage but at less quality.  These exist because the videotape companies want you to think you can get more for less.

That's why they put the LP capacity in large print: SIX HOURS.  And in very small print: in EP mode.  That example is from a VHS box, of course.  That's fine if you're recording TV shows you'll watch once and never think about again.  I would still tape it at a higher quality though, if I can help it.

But if you're shooting video, and if you fancy yourself a professional, do not ever shoot in anything other than SP.  It's a dead giveaway to producers, directors and editors that you do not in fact have any idea what you are doing.  Furthermore, even if they can forgive you for this, some video decks simply will not play tapes at other modes.  Yes, tapes cost money, but it will cost more in the end having to round up a compatible deck or even having to reshoot.  It's not worth the headache.

So do yourself a favor and shoot in SP.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Final Cut Bro: Tape over.

Right now one of our big projects at work is a digitizing job.  Our client has been in the news many times over the years, and they taped the appearances.  Now, they want the footage digitally stored in a hard drive.

They put almost each appearance on a single tape with a capacity of 120 minutes.  Most of the clips last no longer than a couple of minutes, with just brief mentions of the company's name.  So we have two big boxes of VHS tapes for clips that probably won't total more than a couple of hours altogether.

You're probably thinking that seems very inefficient.  You would be wrong.  It was the right thing for them to do.  They recorded each clip on a tape and left it alone.  They didn't mess around by trying to squeeze as much as they can onto one tape.  Especially since the news appearances are weeks or even months apart.  You never want to risk taping over your valuable data.

It's better to be safe than sorry, as they say.  Yes, tapes cost money.  But tapes are replaceable.  The video they contain are not.  Once they're lost, they may be gone forever.  Is it worth risking for a couple of bucks?

I have a certain client who keeps bringing me home videos of his kids to transfer to DVD.  And everytime he sends them over, it's the same tape.  He tapes over the old stuff.  Sometimes he'll record the new stuff in the middle of the tape because he still wants the stuff at the end or beginning.  It only takes one distraction for this guy to not realize where he left off and record over the valuable footage of his son scoring the winning touchdown or his daughter starring in the school play.

Also, if you're a professional, or if you fancy yourself as one, please don't show up to the shoot with one tape.  One.  Really?  Please stock up before you get to the set.  And please, please, please don't call your client on the day of, and ask if they have extra tapes with them.  And don't tape over what you shoot.  You might think the footage isn't worth shit, but sometimes the client wants it anyway.  Yes, she may not have said anything coherent and she happened to be drunk, but she happened to be the president of the company!  So we still want her on the video.  And you deleted it because you were running out of tape.  See my point?

It is simply not not worth it.  The medium costs less than the message.  Just buy some more tapes please.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Queue Tips: Wireless.

This is what I liked about "The Wire".  Any character can die at any time.  And you simply move on.  And the show was still good until the very end.  The series ended after five seasons.  Despite some situations being unresolved and some characters not getting their comeuppance, the show was over.  Furthermore, there were actually some new developments.  I'm glad it ended before it got stale.

Before this, "The X-Files" was probably my favorite series, and that show definitely got formulaic, especially with the so-called "monster-of-the-week" episodes.  And then near the end after David Duchovny left, I felt like they were stringing the audience along whether Mulder was coming back or not.  I wish they had just killed him off and challenged themselves.

The summer after I graduated college my then-girlfriend and I stayed up nights watching this.  Around 4 in the morning, we would cook ramen noodles.  Most of the time I fell asleep on her lap and missed some of the shows.  She would fill me in the next day.

The apartment we were staying in at the time happened to have some mice.  We would see them scurrying about in the dark from time to time.  We decided to hunt them.  We pretended they were aliens and we were Mulder and Scully.  We set traps all over the place.  We were armed with tennis racquets, a broom and a dustpan.  It was fun.

Anyways, a friend tells me that "Shameless" is pretty good.  He taped the first episodes, so I might check it out.  And then I'll let you know what I think about it.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Queue Tips: Are you series?

I don't like TV shows.  Well, I don't want to like them.  If I do, I'll have to sit through all those hours because if I don't watch each and every episode, I feel unfulfilled.  Even if everyone says it's good, I won't check out a TV series because by the time I've heard about it, I've already missed out on some of the shows.

I almost caved with one show though.  People would always mention it on Facebook or Twitter.  "Modern Family" is on.  But I never did change the channel.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend lent me the first season DVDs.  I didn't know anything about the show, but when I saw that Ed O'Neill was in the cast, I decided to give it a chance.  It turned out to be pretty good, actually.

It's kind of like "The Office", but with a modern family instead of an office.  The difference is that some of the timing of the jokes in "Modern Family" are a little off, while some are simply weak.  My guess is that they don't improvise much like the cast of "The Office" does.  Still, it's worth watching I think, and I don't really mind being hooked to it.

A while ago, my friend also let me watch "True Blood".  I didn't like it.  It just wasn't my thing.  So I was glad I didn't have to watch the rest of it.

I did check out HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" though.  It was produced by Martin Scorsese, and he even directed the first episode.  It was okay.  I could take it or leave it.  But since I had started to watch it, I kept tuning in for the rest.  I thought it was interesting that one of the lead actors is Michael Pitt, who kind of looks like Leonardo DiCaprio I think.  I also like hearing references to Jersey City every once in a while.

Another show I've been watching is "Treme".  I highly recommend it.  It's produced by David Simon, who has also written and produced some of my past favorites in "Homicide: Life on the Streets", "The Corner" and "The Wire".

The series is about residents of a neighborhood in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  I didn't know John Goodman would be in it, so I was pleasantly surprised.  Melissa Leo plays his wife.  In addition, Khandi Alexander also has one of the leading roles.  And in one of the last episodes of the season, I actually saw a client of mine actually saying a line.  So that was cool.  I think the DVD is coming out in a few weeks so be sure to save it on your queue.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Queue Tips: True Grit

Apparently, "True Grit" is not a documentary about properly cooking a Southern breakfast.  It is the latest film by the Coen Brothers.  I was so excited about this film when I first heard about it that I went out and rented the 1969 version starring John Wayne.  That wasn't such a good idea because now I knew the plot, and as I've mentioned time and again, I like to know as little as possible about a movie when I see it.

I guess I kind of expected it to be very unlike the first one.  When I heard Quentin Tarantino was directing "Inglourious Basterds", I went out and rented "Inglorious Bastards", the 1978 Italian film.  The differences with those two were pretty stark, including the story.

I guess I expected the same for "True Grit" because I knew the Coens were going to be truer to the novel.  Still, both films' stories are basically the same.

Joel and Ethan definitely had a much better cast, and the performances were excellent.  In the first one, Kim Darby as Mattie Ross was many years older than fourteen and looked it.  It was a little tough for me to look past it, and I think maybe they shouldn't have mentioned her age at all.  Her youth is actually very important though because it adds to her character.  As much as John Wayne is all over the posters for the movie, I think the title applies more to Mattie and her determination.

For the new version, I thought Hailee Steinfeld was terrific.  She is part Filipina, by the way.  It's not really relevant, but just FYI for those who wouldn't mind knowing.

And all you have to do is mention the names of the rest of the main cast - Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.  Those are pretty much synonymous with good performances.  And then they have Barry Pepper playing Ned Pepper.  Awesome.

Maybe I need to watch it again someday when the earlier film still isn't fresh on my mind.  If you haven't seen that one, then maybe watch the new one first.  If you have seen the John Wayne movie, then I guess I still think it's worth seeing.

I still have to check out the original versions of "Intolerable Cruelty" and "The Ladykillers".  Wait, was "Intolerable Cruelty" a remake?  I always thought it was.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Queue Tips: 127 Hours

Apparently, "127 Hours" is not the sequel to "The Hours".  Or "27 Dresses".   It is the latest film by "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle.  Surprisingly, I was able to keep up with it even though I haven't seen the first 126.

As always, Boyle's composition, editing and use of music don't disappoint.  The plot involves a hiker who gets trapped under a rock and must fight for survival.  How much of a story can you make of that?  I think Boyle made a successful film by exploring the mind of the character as he assessed his situation and struggled to escape. 

There was a movie I saw once as a child that I barely remember.  I think Kevin Bacon was in it.  It was about a group of climbers or scouts or something.  There was a scene where one character breaks his lower leg, and I kind of cringed a little.  All I can say is, you probably won't be eating popcorn and sipping your soda while you watch it.

Friday, January 21, 2011

FlyHyNY: David Harris Appreciation Day.

Today is New York Jets ILB David Harris' birthday.  Now, I don't generally make a big deal of these things, but as we all know, the Hitman is one of the most underrated linebackers in the league.  The team MVP stays quiet and doesn't seek out attention.  He is also about to become a free agent.

We are about to face the Pittsburgh for a chance to play in the Super Bowl.  The Steelers have won two of those with the help of former Jets draft pick LB James Farrior.  Gang Green let Farrior go after one of his best seasons, and his replacement couldn't live up to his predecessor.  I remember 2003 as a year in which the Jets couldn't stop a nosebleed and opponents ran all over them.

In addition, just last year LB Jonathan Vilma played one of his best games in the Saints' Super Bowl win.  It was bittersweet to watch another former Jets draft pick at linebacker shine somewhere else.
So what I'm saying is, I would really hate to lose David Harris.  I hope we win the Super Bowl this year, and I hope we win some more with his help in the future.  (Wow, what a shockingly brash and bold thing for a fan to hope for!) 

But anyways, I wanted to put up this post to give Hitman some love.  Even though he didn't win the popularity contest which is the Pro Bowl, most Jets fans know that he plays at an All-Pro caliber and we hope GM Mike Tannenbaum makes sure that we keep him for many years to come.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Queue Tips: Shyama-lama-ding-dong.

I didn't really have much time to write yesterday.  Been kinda busy.  But I wanted to reflect a little bit on the work of the great genius M. Night Shyamalan.  Mainly because after going through the special features, I have learned that "Devil" is only the first of an apparent trilogy called "The Night Chronicles".  So finally, I found something scary.

It had been a while since I've watched a film and actually felt what the characters were going through.  The last time I think was during "The Happening".  Through most of that, the characters were wondering about the things that were going on, confused as to why they were occuring.  I certainly empathized.  I myself couldn't figure out what the hell was happening.  And much like the characters, I just wanted it to stop and be over with.

I doubt, however, that this was the director's purpose.  There had been much hype about how this was his first ever R-rated film, which stands for "restricted".  Someone should have restricted him from making it.  There was too much focus on the "R-rated" part than the "film" part.

I thought at the time that Shyamalan should stop doing everything himself and start working with another writer.  As it turned out, he actually let another director take charge of "Devil" while he produced it.  So I guess it turns out that I was wrong.  I think Shyamalan should probably just stop altogether.

I was thinking more about trying a different genre though.  If you've ever seen his early film called "Wide Awake", that happened to be a Disney film and it worked very well.  It was also able to explore some of the same themes shared in his other works - religion, faith and doubt.

"The Happening" came out around the same time as "I Want to Believe", and I think it would have been interesting if M. Night and Chris Carter had each other's material for their movies.  The plot for "The Happening" was more of an X-File than the last X-Files movie.  And I would like to see Shyamalan directing a less fantastic, more realistic mass murderer hunt movie.

I don't know if "I Want to Believe" needed to be made anyway.  Apart from the characters, it didn't really feel like "The X-Files" at all.  The filmmakers should have challenged themselves by having the characters of John Doggett and Monica Reyes involved, I think.  Or they should have moved on after David Duchovny left the show and should have stopped stringing the audience along in hopes that Mulder would come back.

So anyway, what was my point?

I really liked "Wide Awake" when it first came out and I didn't even know or care who directed it.  I liked "The Sixth Sense", too.  I didn't even see the ending coming, although most people apparently knew what was going to happen in the first few minutes.  I didn't see the first five though, so maybe that's why?

I even liked "Unbreakable" even though some people thought it was simply stupid.  I've only seen it once though.  It was at the theatre with a bunch of my friends, and we happened to be in a great mood at the time.  So maybe that's why I didn't hate it.

His first films were pretty decent, I guess, but his movies lately have been terrible.  The difference between his early and recent works is - here it comes - night and day.  Get it?

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Queue Tips: What made them do it?

I don't pay attention to detail because the devil is in the details.

Anyways, apparently, "Devil" is not the sequel to "The Devil Wears Prada".  Also, it's not a documentary about a hockey player from New Jersey.  Or a wild and crazy cartoon character.

This movie is about a group of people who end up stuck in an elevator together because the devil decided to torture them.  I don't know if the filmmakers aimed to punish the audience as well, but they certainly accomplished it.  Watch it at your own risk.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

e Props

This is something I wrote back in 2004.  I really like it, for some reason.  I think because it was just a random thing that happened while I was typing away.  I call it "e Props" because it's lifted from my old xanga site and I don't know what else to name it.


my final.  an essay.  don't know what to say.  no, no.  it is vital, though.  on my cd player, i am listening to slayer.  loosening, but atempting to write.  it is tempting so.  i am dying to write this right.  trying, trying.  tiring, tiring.  just the same shit.  fishing for some wit.  wishing i could play drums again.  reviving my dreams again.  reliving the stories of the past.  and the glories and the girlies that didn't last.  nothing new.  must work on it now.  just a week before it's due.  still one more to do today.  maybe two.


12/03/04


While we're at it, this was my friend's comment:


This is Genius!
i didn't know you had poetry in you.
Posted 12/3/2004 3:09 PM


And this was my response to his comment:


i was bored.
Posted 12/4/2004 10:39 AM

Monday, January 17, 2011

Queue Tips: Children of old ages.

Have you ever seen "Pinocchio"?  It's been around forever, but I've only seen it recently.  It was fun.  And as far as I can remember, it stays pretty true to the Carlo Collodi book.  It's a classic.  I recommend it no matter what age you are.  Both the book and the film.  They're for children of all ages, as they say.

The only thing I didn't like about the DVD was that once it finished, it automatically redirects to this god-awful pop cover of "When You Wish Upon a Star".  What a letdown.  Way to ruin your product.  I grabbed the remote right away, pressed stop and just shook my head.  SMH, as the kids say.  Some things I just don't understand.

Trying to keep an open mind, I actually watched "Mamma Mia!"  I guess you have to be an ABBA fan to appreciate this.  I found the plot ludicrous, and the songs didn't fit the situations.  They were forced.  It also bothered me that with the cast's voices, the songs didn't sound like the original.  They were butchered.

I felt the same about the songs in "Happy Feet", especially their rendition of Queen's "Somebody to Love".  Some of my friends found this movie a little boring.  Well, I didn't think it was great or anything, but I found it watchable.  I'm sure the target audiences - the kids and the young at heart - enjoyed it.
_.. ._ ..._ .. _.. ..._ .. ._.. ._..

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Queue Tips: Uneasy.

"Not Easily Broken" was not very easy to watch.  It was quite awkward, and in my opinion, amateurish.  It's about this married couple who are having trouble staying together.  They kept showing why the union wasn't working but never really gave a reason why the pair should have been together in the first place.  It's hard to care about what happens.  Wood Harris is in it, if you're a fan of "The Wire".  Geez, I mention that show in almost every one of these posts, don't I?

"Valkyrie" is a movie about Nazi officers who plot to kill Hitler.  I couldn't care about these characters either.  They're freaking Nazis.  And I already knew they wouldn't succeed.

So those are a couple of big problems there.  You can't identify with the protagonists and you already know they will fail.  They should have explored these characters more and examine their emotional conflicts about what they thought was good and bad.

After being Nazis for so many years, did they suddenly just realize they were bad people?  Were they afrraid that they would lose the war if they don't surrender?  What did they plan to do if they were in control?  Stuff like that.  Or did I miss something?

The bigger question though is, what were audiences supposed to take from this?  Were we supposed to idolize these Nazi failures?  Why are we lionizing them?  Seriously.

"My Blueberry Nights" is a film about a woman who wants to save money for a car.  She works two jobs to accomplish this, at a bar at night and a diner in the daytime.  Things happen at work, things that don't contribute much to the plot.

She goes from New York to Memphis to Las Vegas and back to New York.  I don't really understand why she has to go through all that.  It didn't seem to change her anyway.  She's just the same old boring person she was at the beginning.  It's almost as though they were just making things up as they went along.  Not recommended.

_.. ._ ..._ .. _.. ..._ .. ._.. ._..

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Chum Bucket: Half moon fever.

My elementary school burned down the day after my last day of fifth grade.  The rumor was that some irate parent set fire to it because his or her kid flunked and had to repeat.  My dad woke me up in the middle of the night and asked me to climb a wall of our house.  Our town had no big buildings, and I could see something glowing towards the town center.  We then jumped onto his motorcycle and drove towards the light.

We didn't have a highly skilled or equipped fire department, or police, for that matter, and I, along with the rest of the crowd was able to stand literally a few feet away from the burning edifice and watch the fire consume it.  I bumped into a couple of friends that night.  I think Steve Landsteamer and Bertie Sanchez were there, along with one or two more.

It's funny how we didn't really feel bad about it or anything.  We just stood there and gazed in shock and awe.  The next morning we even went back there and ventured in the ashes.  Not once do I remember any of us expressing any mournfulness or joy at the destruction.  Kids just don't think too much about that stuff, I guess.

I didn't put much thought into it, either, when my parents decided that I should go to another school in the sixth grade.  My oldest brother was attending college at a city about an hour or two away from our town, and they had an elementary and high school there as well.  I didn't protest.  I didn't think about missing my friends or the neighborhood.  Things had already changed at home anyway, because my mom had gone away to work in America near the end of my fourth grade.


Friday, January 14, 2011

Chum Bucket: On a roll.

The last time I saw my childhood chums as kids, a bunch of the boys were hanging out by the bus stop.  I walked by and they asked me to spend the afternoon with them.  I asked what they were up to.  They said once the next bus leaves, they would climb on the side and ride to the next town.

I asked how they planned to get back.  They said they would wait for another bus to pass or walk.  I said, maybe next time, and I went on my way.  I don't remember where I was headed to.  I regret saying to to them now.  They probably would have jumped off after a couple of blocks anyway.

We were in the sixth grade at the time and I had transferred to a different school.  I was back in town for the weeked.  Apparently that's what they had been up to for a while, and they had done it before.  I never expected that I wouldn't see them again for ten years.


Thursday, January 13, 2011

Chum Bucket: Connie Lingus.

I mentioned yesterday that I moved to America in the sixth grade.  I exchanged some letters with my friend Steve Landsteamer, and I think he shared it with some of our chums in class.  One of them decided to write me as well.  That was Connie Lingus, and we actually became pretty good pen pals.

Now since she's female, I'd like to clarify that I never sensed any romantic interest from her.  Either that, or I was just too dense and didn't notice it.  For my part, I never looked at her that way even since grade school.

Connie turned out to be one of those people who kept the friends together.  Some of us moved away or went to different schools, and she pretty much kept in touch with everybody.  If anybody wondered how someone somewhere was doing, the first person you would ask was Connie.

In the Philippines, kids generally don't go to seventh and eighth grade.  They go straight to high school after grade six.  This is mostly due to economics to save parents and schools money.  Kids are given more freedom and more responsibility at an earlier age.

Connie wrote to me about our friends, about projects, classroom antics and everything else.  She shared about all the adventures they would go on, about road trips and spending the night at the beach.  I was very jealous of them.  I wished I could have been there with me.  Meanwhile, they probably thought I was having a great time living in the United States.  But it was very lonely for me.


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Chum Bucket: Carmen Getit.

I wrote about my best buddies in grade school yesterday, so today I decided to write about the girls.  What better place to start than my first crush, Carmen Getit.  Carmen was this pretty girl who actually became the school queen or something year after year when we've had those fund-raising things.  She was the Valentine queen or something like that.  She was also always voted the class muse.

We sat at the same table in the first grade, and this really dumb friend of mine, whose name I forget, would tease her from time to time.  In the town where I grew up, kids and teachers are dismissed at noon for the lunch hour, and one day my friend and I followed her home.  After a few blocks, my friend lost heart and we turned back.  But I remember really wanting to keep going.

For years I paid no attention to other girls because I just remember knowing that I wanted Carmen to be my girlfriend.  It was just my idea of love, I guess.  I also thought my older brothers were meant to be with their girlfriends at the time.  So at a very early age, I was already holding a torch for someone.

I never did anything about it.  I mean, I was a kid, you know.  I think if I didn't grow up with two older brothers, I wouldn't have even thought about girls like that.  I think she liked me back, though.  She used to run her fingers through my hair.  Then she would say something like, "I like running my fingers through your hair."  And I would just stand there blushing, but enjoying every moment of it.

I remember for a while, we would be alone at the schoolyard with her cousin and my brother at the end of the day.  My brother would take me on his bike and ride by her and tell her I liked her.  Then she and her cousin would laugh.  One day I was playing around with my brother and as I was running, I fell right in front of her.  I got this big gash on my knee from it.  It was embarrassing and my brother laughed.  I think Carmen was concerned though.

Around the third or fourth grade, there was a time when all the boys acted like jerks to all the girls.  We would run around shouting that they had AIDs and stuff like that.  I remember Carmen getting mad at me and lecturing me while poking me in the chest repeatedly.  I just stood there not saying anything back.  And enjoying every moment of it.  That was the closest I ever got to her.

Kids our age in our town didn't "hook up", as the kids these days would say.  I don't remember anybody being anybody's boyfriend or girlfriend until I left and went to America in the sixth grade.  Then everybody here was watching "Beverly Hills 90210" and talking about dating and stuff.  That change was always confusing for me.  I didn't know whether it was an age thing or a cultural thing.


Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Chum Bucket: Gordon Schauer.

This is going to be about more than one person.  These will be some of the early friends that I can remember from childhood, as well as some who were close friends for a while and then quickly forgotten.  I will share some real names for those whose last names I don't know and overall only vaguely remember.  This is so that I don't confuse myself by giving them aliases.

First off, the title character, Gordon Schauer.  When we were in second grade, the teacher was talking about best friends.  Gordon was sitting next to me, and we said to each other, "Do you want to be best friends?"  And we agreed.  For years after that, I always thought Gordon and I were best friends.  I didn't feel that.  I just thought it.  Now, we never hated each other or anything, but we never became very close either.  It's just that the label always stuck to my head.

When I look back to elementary school, the guy that kind of stands out for me as a best friend type was Steve Landsteamer.  We were in every class from first to fifth grade.  I believe we may have been in kindergarten together as well, but that's too hazy for me now.  We used to ride our bikes everywhere together.  One memory that always stands out is me riding with him on his bike by this store in the marketplace place called The G Spot and he was singing this song about finding an ugly girl to marry you.

Anyways, this was the kid with whom I skipped class together, ventured to the outskirts of town together and even peed outdoors together.  We joined the drum corps and the baseball team also.  I believe he joined the Cub Scouts, too.  I think every kid did.  But I'm pretty sure he wasn't in the folk dancing group with me.


Monday, January 10, 2011

Queue Tips: Hail stones.

Apparently, "Shine A Light" is not the sequel to "Shine".  Or "Little Miss Sunshine".  Or "Sunshine".  Or "Sunshine Cleaning".  Or "Visions of Light".

I don't know what to make of this Martin Scorsese film.  Is it a documentary, or a concert movie?  I don't think the director was sure either.

If it was a concert movie, then why break it up with behind-the-scenes and archival interview footage?  If it's a documentary, then why not explain things whenever possible.  For example, I would have appreciated knowing what songs they're playing.  I mean, I know the Rolling Stone enough to recognize "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Shattered" and the rest of the popular stuff, but there are lesser known songs that I wouldn't automatically recognize.  "Shine A Light", for example.  Or they may be younger audiences out there who might not know who originated "Just My Imagination".

There was a point in the show when another musician joins them on guitar and vocals.  Obviously, I'm not "hip to the scene" because I had no idea who that guy was.  He must be somebody.  He was worthy enough to share the stage with the Stones.

The target audiences are definitely those who are big fans of the band and don't need anything explained to them, like me.  I like the Rolling Stones, and I like Martin Scorsese.  And I like hearing Stones music in Scorsese pictures, from "Jumpin' Jack Flash" in "Mean Streets" to "Gimme Shelter" in "The Departed".  However, I'm not crazy about him directing their concert movie/documentary.

I admit though, that the first few minutes brought up some not-so-happy experiences for me.  The film opens with the film crew trying to get on the same page with the musical act.  Decisions needed to be made, but didn't get made until the last hour.  Those kinds of memories were brought up, and I don't know whether it affected my enjoyment.  This film is still worth watching though.


Sunday, January 9, 2011

IndieVisible: Point of no return.

I once told my film professor that there's not enough Slayer in movies.  He said, "There's a reason for that."  Well, whatever that reason is, it's stupid.

In any case, I decided to bring the movies to Slayer instead.  And then I thought, why not use footage by a great director who almost became a priest?  So here then is "Hallowed Point" cut to the images of Martin Scorsese's films.  Or vice versa.



As usual, I have no express permission to use either the music or movies, so I hope it's all right under fair use.  This is just one of those things that come into my head, and I needed to do it to get some sort of release.  And once I did it, what good is it if I didn't share it?

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Commuter Illiterate: Don't hate, motivate.

Here is a case where this post's category actually applies.  There are actually commuters out there who are illiterate.  There are many who don't understand English.  I wonder what those people will think when they see cute little animals all over the PATH train later on this year.


The above are two examples of motivational posters that the Port Authority Trans-Hudson is reportedly planning to unleash on the public.  It is supposed to motivate people to be nice to each other.  Commuters who encounter these pictures will be overcome with warmth and kindness and be inclined to be nice to each other.  I asked Santa for peace on earth, and it looks like he has enlisted the PATH system to make it come true.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Commuter Illiterate: See you later, escalator.

Many times have I stood on an escalator and wanted to shout out loud, "What is this, an amusement ride?" Some people seem to think so.  Well, I'm sorry but that is not how we view this device around these parts.

New Yorkers are busy people.  "When in Rome," as they say, "you do as the Romans do."  In New York and its surrounding areas, you do not stand on the escalator.  Not when there is a swarm of commuters behind you.  Not if you are an able-bodied person.  Not if I just saw you run towards the escalator and shove yourself in front of everybody.  Generally, we'll tolerate it if you're obviously elderly or physically challenged, but we would like to remind you that they do have elevators at the station.

It seems silly, I know.  The escalator is already moving.  Why expend energy when the machine already does the work for you?  How much time can you really save by walking on an escalator?  Well, basically, the faster we get through there, the farther away we can be from people like you who need to ask those kinds of questions.

Now if you happen to come upon a moving stairway wide enough to accommodate two lines of people, notice that those who chose to stand, do so on the right side.  They wisely keep the left side clear for those who prefer to keep moving.  If you happen to be one of these people standing on the left side, remember the old saying, "Lead, follow or get out of the way".

When you finally get to the top or bottom of the escalator, please do not stop.  You may not know where you're going, or you may simply want to take a breath since the narrow confines of the moving stairway can be claustrophobic, whatever the reason may be, please move along.  You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.  There happens to be a mass of commuters being herded towards you by the conveyor from which you have just alighted.  They have no choice but to head towards the space you are currently occupying.  Please choose to wisely step aside if you feel disoriented.

If you can't follow these simple suggestions, you may have to stay home during rush hour or move to a different city.  Otherwise, you'll have to endure loud sighs and eye rolls as you block our path to or from work.  Even worse, we may even blog about you.  So there.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Queue Tips: It's not anything.

I recommended "Black Swan" yesterday.  It's not out on DVD yet, so you can't have it on your Netflix queue apart from the Saved section.  But you can stand in an actual theatre queue and get your tickets to it.  Interestingly, it looks like Darren Aronofsky's next movie will be about Wolverine the superhero, starring Hugh Jackman.

I've never been a die-hard X-Men fan or anything, but I've always found them interesting.  I have noticed though that everytime I've read a comic or watched a cartoon, there always seems to be a different storyline.  So I don't really know what the original plot should be.  I know many of my friends were complaining about that with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine".  As for me, I had no expectations or predispositions, and I was able to just sit back and go along with the ride.

I actually found the story interesting.  I've enjoyed the other X-Men movies as well, and of course, I recommend this one.  Hugh Jackman as the title character didn't disappoint.

He was also in "Australia" with Nicole Kidman.  That was disappointing.  First of all, the title is too bold and broad for what turned out to be a simple action movie, especially if you can tweak a few elements and set it anywhere else.  There were scenes involving half-caste kids which seemed like cheap imitations of "Rabbit-Proof Fence", but maybe that's just me.  They tried to incorporate World War II in the story, and it was about as historical as "Pearl Harbor" was.

Speaking of history, WTF happened to The History Channel?  Where's all the education stuff that you would normally expect?  History, as I understand it, is a written record of the past.  "How The Earth was Made" is actually a great show, I think, but it's not strictly history, is it?  It's a bit of a stretch that I can sort of accept, but when they show stuff like dinosaurs walking around eating, hunting, fighting, that's a bit too much for me.  That's considered prehistory, I believe, before written records existed.

And now they have "Pawn Stars", "Ice Road Truckers" and many other reality-type shows.  According to their slogan, they produce these shows on their channel because history is made everyday.  Wow!  By that standard, so much history is made everyday that they are being made on every other channel as well.

It's a free country, I suppose.  But what really irritates me about this, is that this channel probably survived through the years because there were many history buffs out there who supported it.  This is no way to thank them, I think.  At the end of the day, it's all about the bottom line.

While I'm at it, I'd also like to mention MTV, formerly known as Music Television.  This channel who became so popular because of the music videos they showed, no longer shows music videos.  But now you can check out MTV2, MTVU, and other offshoot channels if you want music videos.  That is, if they show them there anymore or at all.  Likewise, The History Channel has many other permutations out there.

As for The Animal Planet, they used to have all these nature shows like "Wild Kingdom" and "Meerkat Manor".  Now it's just full of reality shows about people and their pets.  Who wants to see that?  I can see cats messing up our trash cans or dogs pooping on the sidewalk when I step outside.

One other channel I'd like to mention is TruTV.  Their tagline: It's not reality, it's actuality.  What's the difference?  I don't know.  I do know their shows aren't actually real.  A while ago, they had a marathon of this show about a tow truck company, and my wife and I actually found it interesting.  After a handful of episodes, we started to notice a pattern that everybody was always irrational and for people who had been in the business for a long time, they certainly didn't seem like they knew how to handle irate customers.  Once they had a man pretending to be handicapped, and they find out that he wasn't when he decides to stand up and fight them.  Once they were towing a very expensive sports car and of all the things that could happen, they get into an accident and total it.

I got Fios not too long ago.  I like it.  It's already cheaper than what I was getting with cable, and I'm already getting so many more channels.  But it's really frustrating because I still can't find anything to watch.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Queue Tips: Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" is kind of like "The Wrestler" with dancers.  (I wonder if I'm the first one to say that.)  I knew Natalie Portman was in it.  I wasn't aware of the rest of the cast or the story.  And I definitely didn't expect some of the scenes that were in it.  They were pleasant surprises.  Very pleasant.  So yes, I recommend it, and I won't say much more.

One movie that I would really love to watch while it's still in theatres is "True Grit".  I generally get excited about Coen brothers films and want to see them right away.  If I can, I would love to see this one on the big screen.  If I don't get to, however, I don't think I would really mind so much this time.  I've already seen the earlier film with John Wayne, so I know the story.  Now this new version might be different, especially if Joel and Ethan stick to the book.

I would like to see their take on it since it's already out.  Otherwise, I don't generally like remakes, even for them.  I haven't seen the original versions of "Intolerable Cruelty" and "The Ladykillers".  Both were okay, for the Coen brothers.  I really should check out the earlier films so I can make up my mind whether they needed to be remade.

Then there's "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader".  I would like to see this one as well if I had the time and money (for popcorn and such).  I liked the two previous "The Chronicles of Narnia" films, but they were both directed by Andrew Adamson, while this third one is directed by Michael Apted.  I hope it won't be a disappointment.  I can probably wait for the DVD though.

Speaking of DVDs, apparently, "Last Day of Summer" is not the sequel to "(500) Days of Summer".  As I had mentioned in previous posts, I had my Netflix account canceled, and so I am now at the mercy of my friends who still subscribe to it.  One was kind enough to lend me this DVD.  I had no idea what i was watching.  It's about this guy who has had it with his job and decides to do something about it.  Don't rush to put it on your queue, but if it somehow ends up being mailed to you, I don't think you'll hate it either.  However, I don't know if I was only tolerating this because I didn't have to rent it myself.

By the way, I watched "Inception" again recently.  Or did I dream it?  (Okay, that's an old joke by now, but whatever).  I just wanted to mention how much I love that slow motion of the van falling off the bridge in the end.

Also, I love the fact that the twirly thingy that Cobb keeps is called a totem and not a token.  A totem pole, of course, is a bunch of heads on top of each other, as the characters in the film go through layers of dream after dream.  And lastly, for all the talk about how important it is not to let other people touch your totem, I find it interesting that the first time we see Cobb's totem, it has already been touched by a projection in the dream.  Also, it wasn't his totem in the first place; it was Mal's, if I remember correctly.  She locked it in a safe which he opened.

Trying to make sense of this movie is really an exercise in futility, I think.  But it's still fun.  For all we know, the whole film could have been a dream.  Perhaps Mal is still alive and it was her dream we've been watching from start to finish.  Including the credits.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Chum Bucket: Mona Lott.

I received a text message not too long ago from Mona Lott.  She was updating her contacts and asked if it was still me on that number.  I ignored it.  I've just had it with some people.  With most people actually.  It's just my personality, I'm afraid.  I put up with people for so long, and then all of a sudden I'm done.

It's partly my fault because I don't say anything.  It's what frustrates my wife sometimes.  I keep to myself when I'm mad about something and still expect people to change anyway.

Maybe I should have told Mona that she talks too much about people and that she's too self-absorbed.  Too many years have passed since we became friends in high school and it's just a little too late now, I think.  If I saw her on the street, I would probably say hello and move on, but I don't feel much like chatting on the phone or online about mostly her life while she largely ignores mine.

The last straw really came about a year ago after my son was born.  She had her daughter a couple of months before, and I remember her emailing me pictures of her daughter Wynona Lott*.  When my son Rocky* came, I made sure I emailed her pictures of him as well, and I put on the subject line, "Here's Rocky!"

*fake names

Monday, January 3, 2011

IndieVisible: Maintaining independence.

Here is a video I shot of a good friend of mine.  I hardly see him anymore, but I used to work with his wife at Macky*s.  They're a very nice couple.

One day I needed to shoot a video portrait, and we went to this guy who owns a video store.  We interviewed him and took some B-roll.  But once we got - or, once I got - to the editing room, I found that the sound was messed up (which is what happens when you use on-camera microphone).

We tried going back to the video guy, but he was not cooperative.  He seemed annoyed, and we seemed to be getting in the way of his business.  It was not my idea to come to him, by the way, but I won't go into all that, except to say that I originally wanted to profile the mailman at school, who I call Danny the Champion of the World.



Originally, I had heavy metal music to go with it.  I didn't have a specific reason why.  I just thought you never hear enough heavy metal in movies, shows, etc.  But when I showed it to the class, it kind of threw them off,  and they wondered whether he was into that kind of music.  I said no, and they just kind of scratched their heads. So after a while, I found this song by Yano, a Filipino group, called "State U".  It seemed to fit, so I kept it, although I had to loop the song a little bit.

I wanted to do more of these, focusing on Filipino figures around the area.  I wanted to also profile the lady who owns a Filipino restaurnat called Rowena's Delight.  I wanted to make a piece featuring some of my old friends from a wedding band called UltraSonic.  These never happened, of course.

I also planned on profiling other figures in the neighborhood who were not Filipino.  There was this Indian guy who worked at this video store (not the same guy mentioned above), and his son would come to work with him in the summer.  Years passed, and the son grew up and with the rental business going down, half of the store is now groceries.  I wish I shot the video years ago, and then come back later on to see how things have changed.
 
I also wanted to shoot these little girls at a Chinese restaurant, who have been working there since they were around ten.  They would do their homework during downtime.  They started out just taking orders, and as they grew they would cook some of the food.  But then years passed and I don't see them there anymore.  Now their little sister is doing the same thing.  As with the above, I wish I profiled them also and came back for an update.

Now I'm thinking about doing a profile about the ladies at my son's daycare.  One of the concerns would be whether the other parents wouldn't mind videotaping their kids.  I can always blur out their faces, of course, but I would still need to convince them.  I'm not good at that, involving people.

O-welles.
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Sunday, January 2, 2011

Final Cut Bro: TMI.

Most of these entries may end up as negative venting and criticism, so I wanted to make sure I post about the good early on.  I think it's especially important since it's the new year.  I love working with clients, most of them anyway.  I get the privilege of knowing about their life stories and potentially positively affecting their future.  I'm happy to be able to help and wish the best for them.

One area we specialize in is demo reels.  We have actors, dancers, producers and more come in and put together their media appearances in hopes of getting more work.  I get to critique their appearances in movies, TV shows, commercials and even amateur productions.  They trust me with helping them decide which clips are strong or weak.  It's a privilege that I treasure.  Some are highly talented.  Some should keep their day job.  And life is not always fair.

There are some terrific clients who have to keep coming back to tweak their reels in search of that one chance.  Then there are some who keep coming back to update because they keep finding work despite their lack of skill.  There are some who deserve a shot and get it.  And there are some who I never hear from again.  But I love being able to help each one of them, and share what I have learned about the business from their fellow hopefuls.

There are clients who come in to work on presentations for their company.  I love being able to help them look good to their higher ups.  It's great to hear back from them to hear that things worked out and that their bosses and/or clients were happy with the project.  Once in a while, I would even get a tip.


Saturday, January 1, 2011

IndieVisible: At the gate.

Here's a video I shot in college.  I was so ambitious that I wanted to direct a whole feature length movie in one semester.  It didn't work out so well.  We only shot this one scene, and we messed up the sound.  I won't go into specifics as to why.

For my part, I didn't organize a big enough crew and thought we could do it on our own.  We didn't rehearse either.  And I don't remember whether I even drew up storyboards.



Obviously, there's no dialogue because of the audio problems (which can happen when you only use on-camera microphone).  I added music for sound, which would have been what I wanted for the soundtrack.  The songs are from heavy metal bands called At The Gates and Nothingface.

It's close to how I wanted it to look, except it should have been set at the heart of summer and not in the fall.  I'm not crazy about the sweaters and the leaves on the ground.  I guess it's a good thing I never shot the rest of it, because I wouldn't have been happy with it as part of the whole.

I like the piece by itself though.  It would have been my first feature, and I called it "First" at first.  But now, I'm trying to re-write that script, so I'll rename this one once I've completed that screenplay.

Happy first day of the year!

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