Work
I have never wanted to make my blog about work, or complaining about work, or even just talking about what I do for a living. That said I'll try to keep this pretty short. I think I need a new job. Not just something like what I'm doing with a different company, or "same shit different day" as the sages tell us, but genuinely a new job. For the last ten years (maybe more) I have been clicking a mouse for a living. As I type this my hands are paining me. Both arms end in a dull throb with fingers. This is getting to be more and more common. There's Advil in the kitchen, but that's a dangerous game to play. It's not a big stretch from, "I think I'll take an Advil or two to take the edge off this pain," to "I can't get through the day until I've taken my Advil." What terrifies me more than anything is the possibility that I've abused my hands so much for so long that my problem isn't so much a repetitive motion strain, but early-onset arthritis. That's probably over reacting, but it's something I think about. So, yeah, I could probably use a new job.
Writing
This is kind of tough because I don't get a lot of time each day. Between my day job and other things I get somewhere between twenty minutes and two hours a day that I could realistically use for writing. To a greater or lesser extent I do use that. I've been working on a story featuring a character I'm kind of proud of, and that's been going well. That narrative has reached up over the 20,000 word mark, and around 35 pages, single spaced. That's pretty exciting. I also have three or four different short film scripts that I'm working on. These fall under a couple of different categories. At some point I would like to produce these, in fact my goal is to do two next year. Another big reason to write them is as an exercise, preparing me to write a couple of very heavy feature films that I have rattling around in my brain.
Technology
The technological awesomeness of the moment for me has got to be the market that is springing up around "netbooks". Netbooks are very small computers made by a number of companies. These computers are based on the Intel Atom processor and are fairly low power machines by most standards, but they are good for some very basic things. For the most part none of them have an optical drive, their screens aren't any larger than 10 inches, and their hard-drives tend to be (comparatively) small. However they are ideal for writing on the go, a basic computer for getting online and writing email, and for a second computer when you don't want or need your more powerful notebook. There is quite a variety of netbooks produced by a number of companies including Asus, Acer, and HP. Netbooks got started running versions of Linux, though many are now running a stripped-down version of Windows XP Home. The best part is they are all relatively low-cost. Prices range from $400 up to around $800. On the high end, you're probably better off spending a little more for a full-on notebook, but up to that point the Netbook is a good alternative if all you need is a basic utilitarian computer.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Monday Madness
Just a short blog post to update this thing and get back in the groove of making a regular habit of writing. There has been a lot that has happened since the last time that I posted. I'll try to go through things in order.
Directed a Production of Much Ado about Nothing
This has to have been one of the most challenging, most stressful, most educational, and most rewarding things I have ever done. The actors we cast in this production were all wonderful, gifted, and professional individuals who each brought something important to the production. They also kept me on my toes as a director, which was great. This was the first time I had undertaken to direct one of Shakespeare's many plays, and the fifth play I have directed overall. I learned a great deal that will help me the next time I direct anything, much less another of Shakespeare's plays.
Appeared in a production of Little Women
This was my first experience with the Advent Theatre, and I hope that it was only the first of many. I played "Laurie" in this adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. You may not realize this, but Beth doesn't die in Little Women. She dies in the follow up novel Ms. Alcott wrote at the request of the publisher, called Good Wives. At some point after the initial run of the books as separate installments the were consolidated by U.S. publishers under the title Little Women. Some European publishers still publish the separate books. This created some confusion when the play ended, and beth was generally getting better.
Appeared in a production of Much Ado about Nothing
Right on the heels of Little Women (literally) I was cast in a production of Much Ado about Nothing, in which I played Claudio. Again, it was a rewarding and instructive experience. There was much here that I will take away as both an actor and a director. What I learned aside for the moment, I had a good time. Claudio is a fun role that I would like to do again should the opportunity present itself.
Taking some time off
On the whole the last year has been busy. Very busy. Insanely busy. Out of a full year I had maybe three months in which I was home in the evening. Otherwise, I was getting up so as to be at work by 9AM, and not getting home until after 10PM most nights. Many of those nights my wife was already in bed. For a year I have missed on any kind of home life, or personal time. I'm well overdue for a break. So that's what I'm doing right now. I'm taking time to be with my wife, go back to my acting class, and teach my martial arts class. To say nothing of bolstering my savings account.
Break time notwithstanding, I'm still not sitting idle. I've ordered new headshots, which will largely be used for distribution to agents. I've stepped up my efforts to submit on Actors Access and Now Casting (more the former than the latter), and I'm focusing on paid work, or work that I can use for promotional purposes. In essence, I've committed to taking my acting career seriously. We'll see if anything comes of that.
That's about all I have time for now. More coming later. Hopefully not much later.
Directed a Production of Much Ado about Nothing
This has to have been one of the most challenging, most stressful, most educational, and most rewarding things I have ever done. The actors we cast in this production were all wonderful, gifted, and professional individuals who each brought something important to the production. They also kept me on my toes as a director, which was great. This was the first time I had undertaken to direct one of Shakespeare's many plays, and the fifth play I have directed overall. I learned a great deal that will help me the next time I direct anything, much less another of Shakespeare's plays.
Appeared in a production of Little Women
This was my first experience with the Advent Theatre, and I hope that it was only the first of many. I played "Laurie" in this adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. You may not realize this, but Beth doesn't die in Little Women. She dies in the follow up novel Ms. Alcott wrote at the request of the publisher, called Good Wives. At some point after the initial run of the books as separate installments the were consolidated by U.S. publishers under the title Little Women. Some European publishers still publish the separate books. This created some confusion when the play ended, and beth was generally getting better.
Appeared in a production of Much Ado about Nothing
Right on the heels of Little Women (literally) I was cast in a production of Much Ado about Nothing, in which I played Claudio. Again, it was a rewarding and instructive experience. There was much here that I will take away as both an actor and a director. What I learned aside for the moment, I had a good time. Claudio is a fun role that I would like to do again should the opportunity present itself.
Taking some time off
On the whole the last year has been busy. Very busy. Insanely busy. Out of a full year I had maybe three months in which I was home in the evening. Otherwise, I was getting up so as to be at work by 9AM, and not getting home until after 10PM most nights. Many of those nights my wife was already in bed. For a year I have missed on any kind of home life, or personal time. I'm well overdue for a break. So that's what I'm doing right now. I'm taking time to be with my wife, go back to my acting class, and teach my martial arts class. To say nothing of bolstering my savings account.
Break time notwithstanding, I'm still not sitting idle. I've ordered new headshots, which will largely be used for distribution to agents. I've stepped up my efforts to submit on Actors Access and Now Casting (more the former than the latter), and I'm focusing on paid work, or work that I can use for promotional purposes. In essence, I've committed to taking my acting career seriously. We'll see if anything comes of that.
That's about all I have time for now. More coming later. Hopefully not much later.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Post Thanksgiving Thanks
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone I thought it a good time to sit down and list some of the things I'm thankful for. Lists like this tend to be overwrought and maudlin. I'll avoid that as much as possible and try to keep this brief.
My wife. I couldn't be more thankful for her in my life.
My friends. Without them I'd be able to pursue a lifetime as a hermit. I'm thankful they distract me from that ambition.
Puppies. Really, puppies make the world a better place.
My dog. He makes me feel needed, if only because he lacks an opposable digit.
Chili powder. Without which making my chili would be next to impossible.
My watch still works. I wear a Fossil “Blue” that is water resistant to 50 meters. It was a birthday or Christmas gift from my sister from well before my wife and I were ever married, and it still works.
Altoids. The curiously strong mint.
Neil Gaiman. His books rock!
Jim Butcher. His books rock!
Terry Pratchett. His books rock!
I'm no longer a kid, but I'm still young enough to enjoy myself.
The cooler weather that comes with winter. Los Angeles summer heat sucks.
I can walk to work. I'm saving a fortune in gas, but I'm wearing the hell out of my shoes.
That's probably enough. If I try to go any further I'll start saying things like “I'm thankful for my health, because without that you really don't have anything.” If it's at all avoidable I'd like to not be dragged out into the street and stoned for being maudlin and gushy.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Thanish Bad-Assedness
So this last weekend and the weekend before I had the pleasure of seeing Beowulf in 3D at the AMC 16 in Burbank and the Arclight in Hollywood, respectively. I've really been looking forward to this movie as I'm somewhat familiar with the epic poem, and I've recently become a fan of Neil Gaiman. Beowulf is also the first movie that I've seen in 3D. A fact which surprised my movie-going compatriots.
"Thou hast never partaken of the cinema of dimensions three? ...Philistine..."
Overall I really like this movie. Really like it. Being something of a sucker for animated movies anyway, it was pretty much a guarantee that I would be going to see this movie. Let's start with the good stuff shall we.
Visually the movie is a feast for the eyes. I'm really only talking about the 3D version of the film, because that's the only one I've seen. Even so, the look and composition of the film is never tired, pedantic, or boring. Each shot is carefully composed for maximum impact and effect, and the story flows well from shot to shot start to finish. The film is colorful, regardless of the winterly setting, but not so much so as to be like looking at Lord of the Rings through a kaleidescope.
The script is rock solid. It's co-written by Neil Gaiman. 'Nuff said.
The soundtrack is breathtaking. Even the pop-version of a song featured in the movie that rolls over the credits is well done and doesn't take away from the experience.
This is an animated movie for adults. HUZZAH! Such a thing in the U.S. is long, long overdue. Animation is a beautiful and flexible (if expensive) story telling medium that has long been under-utilized by western film companies. Disney has made some great films, and some not so great, but animation in the U.S. has long been considered 'kid's stuff' and not really explored beyond the animated musicals or 'family friendly' movies.
Here is some of the bad:
There is some cheese ball dialog. This was a little hard on my pallet until I remembered that the movie is based on an epic poem written sometime in the eighth to eleventh century. The language may seem cheesy, but this was how stories were told and news was passed in those days. When I pulled my head out of my modern complacency and remembered I was watching a period piece, some of the cheesier dialog was easier to bear.
Crispin Glover as Grendel talks in Old English. On one hand, Old English is much prettier than what passes for the English language now. His lines are beautiful to listen to (especially those responses in dialogue that are given by Angelina Jolie). On the other hand he's not subtitled and it's damn near impossible to figure out what he's saying except in context with the rest of the lines. I don't know if it was in the script this way, if it was a director's decision, or if it's just Crispin Glover being his slightly oddball, entirely over-educated, avant-garde self. Whatever the reason, the difficulty of understanding Grendel was pretty distracting, even on a second viewing.
The ugly
The biggest complaint I have about this movie is that it really could have been, and probably would have been better served by being, an R-rated film. It's violent, bloody, bawdy, and pretty heavy hitting. Even so, I spent most of the movie feeling like it was holding back somewhat. It showed in quick cut-aways during fight scenes with Grendel, clever ways of suggesting but not actually giving voice to especially bawdy lines. Most distractingly is the period leading up to the fight with Grendel, the fight itself, and the immediate afterward in which our hero, Beowulf, is nude. Throughout this sequence and shortly after there are lots of conveniently placed articles to hide his Geat-bits. It gets to be a little like the end of the first Austin Powers movie, which is not a compliment. It would have been better to swallow the R rating and show us Beowulf's Thanish glory, or to cover him somehow.
Water-demon Angelina strolling across the top of her watery lair in...sigh (I can't believe I'm actually saying this)...demon stiletto heels. Not shoes, her heels extend down to a point like physiological stripper gear. Yikes. Most guys just have to worry about their lover's cold feet. Her bedtime play things have to worry about freaking stab wounds.
On the whole I really like this movie. What criticisms I have in no way detract from my enjoyment of the movie. It's worth it just to see an animated Geat warrior come on to a Thanish honey with the oh-so-suave "How about a quick gobble".
"Thou hast never partaken of the cinema of dimensions three? ...Philistine..."
Overall I really like this movie. Really like it. Being something of a sucker for animated movies anyway, it was pretty much a guarantee that I would be going to see this movie. Let's start with the good stuff shall we.
Visually the movie is a feast for the eyes. I'm really only talking about the 3D version of the film, because that's the only one I've seen. Even so, the look and composition of the film is never tired, pedantic, or boring. Each shot is carefully composed for maximum impact and effect, and the story flows well from shot to shot start to finish. The film is colorful, regardless of the winterly setting, but not so much so as to be like looking at Lord of the Rings through a kaleidescope.
The script is rock solid. It's co-written by Neil Gaiman. 'Nuff said.
The soundtrack is breathtaking. Even the pop-version of a song featured in the movie that rolls over the credits is well done and doesn't take away from the experience.
This is an animated movie for adults. HUZZAH! Such a thing in the U.S. is long, long overdue. Animation is a beautiful and flexible (if expensive) story telling medium that has long been under-utilized by western film companies. Disney has made some great films, and some not so great, but animation in the U.S. has long been considered 'kid's stuff' and not really explored beyond the animated musicals or 'family friendly' movies.
Here is some of the bad:
There is some cheese ball dialog. This was a little hard on my pallet until I remembered that the movie is based on an epic poem written sometime in the eighth to eleventh century. The language may seem cheesy, but this was how stories were told and news was passed in those days. When I pulled my head out of my modern complacency and remembered I was watching a period piece, some of the cheesier dialog was easier to bear.
Crispin Glover as Grendel talks in Old English. On one hand, Old English is much prettier than what passes for the English language now. His lines are beautiful to listen to (especially those responses in dialogue that are given by Angelina Jolie). On the other hand he's not subtitled and it's damn near impossible to figure out what he's saying except in context with the rest of the lines. I don't know if it was in the script this way, if it was a director's decision, or if it's just Crispin Glover being his slightly oddball, entirely over-educated, avant-garde self. Whatever the reason, the difficulty of understanding Grendel was pretty distracting, even on a second viewing.
The ugly
The biggest complaint I have about this movie is that it really could have been, and probably would have been better served by being, an R-rated film. It's violent, bloody, bawdy, and pretty heavy hitting. Even so, I spent most of the movie feeling like it was holding back somewhat. It showed in quick cut-aways during fight scenes with Grendel, clever ways of suggesting but not actually giving voice to especially bawdy lines. Most distractingly is the period leading up to the fight with Grendel, the fight itself, and the immediate afterward in which our hero, Beowulf, is nude. Throughout this sequence and shortly after there are lots of conveniently placed articles to hide his Geat-bits. It gets to be a little like the end of the first Austin Powers movie, which is not a compliment. It would have been better to swallow the R rating and show us Beowulf's Thanish glory, or to cover him somehow.
Water-demon Angelina strolling across the top of her watery lair in...sigh (I can't believe I'm actually saying this)...demon stiletto heels. Not shoes, her heels extend down to a point like physiological stripper gear. Yikes. Most guys just have to worry about their lover's cold feet. Her bedtime play things have to worry about freaking stab wounds.
On the whole I really like this movie. What criticisms I have in no way detract from my enjoyment of the movie. It's worth it just to see an animated Geat warrior come on to a Thanish honey with the oh-so-suave "How about a quick gobble".
Sony Bailing Like Mad to Rescue Sinking Ship
Sony announced they would halve the cost of the development kit for the ailing PS3 in order to boost developer interest, and (hopefully) start turning out games. This is an ill sign for the ill-fated console. Much like the similarly ill-fated Sega Dreamcast and a number of start-up consoles the PS3 suffers from some bad decisions on the part of the producing company. Here is the deadly mix:
I don't want this to sound like a flame on Sony. I genuinely feel they produce good, solid products. Truthfully, they've just had a difficult year. My feeling is I would like to see them ditch the PS3 and steal a page from both Microsoft and Nintendo. Make a console whose format doesn't force adoption of new technology, has a reasonable price point, great online support, and games that are genuinely fun to play. With the technology that's available there's no reason Sony couldn't build a game console that plays top of the line games, has a good sized hard drive, plays HD movies, provides online support, and costs less than $400.
If you build it, they will buy.
- Forcing adoption of new technology, in this case the Blu-Ray media format.
- Lack of titles. This is the biggest killer of any game console. You get a game console to play games a shortage in this department means a disappointing Christmas bonus for your front line developers and employees.
- Ridiculously high price point. This was a major killer of Dreamcast, Neo-Geo, and 3D-O, among others. Your high price point may tell the consuming public that your console has the latest greatest technologies, but if they can't afford it they won't buy it. In this case, when the PS3 first came out it was possible to purchase the XBox 360 and the Nintendo Wii for the cost of one PS3. Way to alienate your public, Sony.
I don't want this to sound like a flame on Sony. I genuinely feel they produce good, solid products. Truthfully, they've just had a difficult year. My feeling is I would like to see them ditch the PS3 and steal a page from both Microsoft and Nintendo. Make a console whose format doesn't force adoption of new technology, has a reasonable price point, great online support, and games that are genuinely fun to play. With the technology that's available there's no reason Sony couldn't build a game console that plays top of the line games, has a good sized hard drive, plays HD movies, provides online support, and costs less than $400.
If you build it, they will buy.
Monday, September 11, 2006
All Things are Eventual
UNITED NATIONS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, calling President Bush, "the devil."
Oh that's FANTASTIC!!
Just what we need. Our name isn't mud in the global community as it is, we need this yahoo calling our president the devil. What's worse? He probably has a good argument! Fabulous! Frabjous day!
Learn to drive, please
Holy crap. I had to go to Inglewood today for a meeting. My God people! Learn how to drive please. I would like, just once, to make a trip down the 405 without fearing for my life. Over the course of the trip I narrowly avoided something like a half dozen accidents that were the result of somebody following someone too closely, who was in turn driving too fast, and had to slam on their breaks. I don't care how much 'oh shit' space you leave between yourself and the next guy. That's a recipe for a twelve-car pile-up
More to come.
Oh that's FANTASTIC!!
Just what we need. Our name isn't mud in the global community as it is, we need this yahoo calling our president the devil. What's worse? He probably has a good argument! Fabulous! Frabjous day!
Learn to drive, please
Holy crap. I had to go to Inglewood today for a meeting. My God people! Learn how to drive please. I would like, just once, to make a trip down the 405 without fearing for my life. Over the course of the trip I narrowly avoided something like a half dozen accidents that were the result of somebody following someone too closely, who was in turn driving too fast, and had to slam on their breaks. I don't care how much 'oh shit' space you leave between yourself and the next guy. That's a recipe for a twelve-car pile-up
More to come.
Friday, August 04, 2006
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