Mashup: SUPER FRIENDS
Posted on May 31, 2008
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Celebrating Memorial Day
Posted on May 26, 2008
It’s Monday, May 26th and Americans all over the country are enjoying cookouts in the honor of the soldiers who bravely serve this nation. For others this date holds more significance, marking the loss of a loved one or a fellow soldier. For a lot of folks, this is a difficult reminder every year of what they have given up for this country.
The casualties will grow, but so can our interest in building compassions to best put our country back together. After WWII we had the GI Bill to honor those that paid the ultimate price, and I think it would be apt for you to read the following speech by Roosevelt given on Memorial Day sixty six years ago. It’s the kind of speech that needs to be given in every backyard and over very meal we have today and for the weeks and months to follow.
Memorial Day 1942
Houston, Texas
On March 1, 1942 the USS Houston (CA-30), Heavy Cruiser was sunk by the Japanese off of Sunda Strait in the Pacific. It was the first American capital ship sunk in the Pacific after war was declared. Shortly thereafter the Navy Department announced a new cruiser named Houston (CL-81) would be launched in June 1943.
On Memorial Day 1942 the city of Houston asked for 1000 “Houston Volunteers” to man the new cruiser, over three thousand answered the call. President Roosevelt sent a letter to all in attendance that day commemorating their effort. Below is a copy of that letter.
On this Memorial Day, all America joins with you who are gathered in proud tribute to a great ship and a gallant company of American officers and men. That fighting ship and those fighting Americans shall live forever in our hearts. I knew that ship and loved her. Her officers and men were my friends.
When ship and men went down, still fighting, they did not go down to defeat. They had helped remove at least two cruisers and probably other vessels from the active list of the enemy’s rank. The officers and men of the U.S.S Houston were privileged to prove, once again, that free Americans consider no price too high to pay in defense of their freedom. The officers and men of the U.S.S Houston drove a hard bargain. They sold their liberty and their lives most dearly.
The spirit of these officers and men is still alive. That is being proved today in all Houston, in all Texas, in all America. Not one of us doubts that the thousand recruits sworn in today will carry on with the same determined spirit shown by the gallant men who have gone before them. Not one of us doubts that every true Texan and every true American will back up these new fighting men, and all our fighting men, with all our hearts and all our efforts.
Our enemies have given us the chance to prove that there will be another U.S.S Houston, and yet another U.S.S Houston if that becomes necessary, and still another U.S.S Houston as long as American ideals are in jeopardy. Our enemies have given us the chance to prove that an attack on peace-loving but proud Americans is the very gravest of all mistakes.
The officers and men of the U.S.S Houston have placed us all in their debt by winning a part of the victory which is our common goal. Reverently, and with humility, we acknowledge this debt. To those officers and men, wherever they may be, we give our solemn pledge that the debt will be repaid in full.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
-
Bill Moyers
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Filed Under 2008 GI Bill, VA, Memorial Day | Leave a Comment
Film History: John Cassavetes
Posted on May 22, 2008
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Squeeze Box Premiere
Posted on May 21, 2008
So Nick and I lent our camera talents to straw2gold pictures and filmed the after party at the Gramercy Theater. It was a hell of a show, with quite an elaborate crowd that seemed ready to receive anything from the list of appearances that ranged from Debbie Harry to Karen Black.
I thought I would throw a few clips up here for you so you can see that rock n roll still has a pulse, and you can find the rest of them at the straw2gold youtube channel.
Deborah Harry: Squeeze Box Premiere - After Party
Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Squeeze Box Premiere - After Party
Toilet Boys w/ Miss Guy: Squeeze Box Premiere - After Party
Justine Bond and Lily of The Valley: Squeeze Box Premiere - After Party
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Filed Under film, justine bond, squeeze box, Debbie Harry, Karen Black, camera, straw2gold | Leave a Comment
Non Partisan Mashup
Posted on May 16, 2008
For those of you who haven’t been reading up on the subject, Senator Jim Webb along with a long list of bipartison cosponsors have proposed a 2008 GI Bill which would help returning Veterans afford college. Repeatedly it has been introduced in the house only to be booted out again due to the costs. It’s also very likely George Bush would veto the bill, so it needs to pass with strong majorities.
I got my hands on a video from the forties explaining the GI Bill of rights, and mashed it up with some Cinematic Orchestra. I encourage you all to do the same, as it’s going to take a lot of public interest to make this Bill a reality.
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Written On the Wall
Posted on May 15, 2008
People, you have to click the link below and see this. Truly an undertaking that reminds us of the untapped possibilities of your click and shoot.
blublu.org/
blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm
music by Andrea Martignoni
produced by Mercurio Film
assistant: Sibe
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Filed Under film, animation, painting | Leave a Comment
Buy My Lemonaid
Posted on May 14, 2008
The one thing this recession has been teaching me is that there isn’t a single model or map for the well being of American Markets. Sure they are all connected, but the link between oil prices and food costs might be a more correlative relationship than Film distribution’s reliance on economic bliss.
During the last writer’s Strike, a lot of folk were pitching that the industry was shifting toward the Independent Film Makers for a new wave of features. At the same time others liked to point out these 30 million dollar monsters that keep appearing at Sundance. Big Budget Production Companies have been releasing their own ‘independent’ films in festivals, and their place has solidified rock solid elbowing out opportunities for less funded film-makers.
Still, one would think during such difficult economic times, with two possible strikes looming, that the Film Industry would be buying up independent films like beanie babies, but the numbers don’t look good. Sales at Sundance this year totaled 25 Million, down from 53 Million in 2007. So has the wounded economy dragged itself to the doors of Hollywood? Is this a sign that the future of film may drift to the safe enclosure of the big Apple? Though it appeared at first that New York’s skin was thick enough to outlast the economic slowdown, but there are signs that European investors can only prop the situation for so long. A single turn of currency could change the whole game.
I’m keeping an eye on the whole equation, because the markets are shifting and no one can quite see the shape of things to come. The one thing everyone is hedging their bets on is that the future of film is online, and things are going to get better.
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Filed Under film, SAG, Actors, AFTRA, festival, feature market | Leave a Comment
Actors In Negotiation Stand Divided
Posted on May 8, 2008
The first round of talks met no success. The Screen Actors Guild has been fighting it out with the networks for two weeks now, and it looks like there’s no resolution in sight. With the current contracts for actors running out June 30th, there is already chatter that clearance for a strike may happen as early as next week.
What’s at stake? Quite a lot. The Television industry is moving it’s business model onto the internet, and current contract agreements are excluding actors from their FAIR SHARE of those revenues. AMPTP wants three more years to finish the transition, but meanwhile people aren’t getting paid for their hard work. To make matters even more confusing, AFTRA has dispatched Matthew Kimbrough to proceed with their own separate negotiations.
Only time will tell if the divided will fall.
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Filed Under film, strike, SAG, AFTRA | Leave a Comment
Growing Pains Episode 2
Posted on May 2, 2008
It’s that time of year again to throw your old IT infrastructure right out the window. Talkie 21 has just finished post production for the next two episodes in a marketing campaign for a collocation company called Peer1.
The videos debuted at the INTEROP convention in Las Vegas, and Peer1 has released the second video along with a contest giveaway on their website.
It was a lot of fun shooting these two, being that we had a sharp crew and it involved breaking things. Andrew Lachance came back to DP and familiar face Robert O’Haire recorded sound. I also wanted to point out Vesta Goodarz did a wonderful job with the make up and I hope we get a chance to work with her again in the near future.
Actors were on it. Big thanks go out to Emily Mathason, John Yohan, George Demas, Steve Ruonna, Aaron Howard and Alex Colwell. Mr. Howard also did a great job with the art design, and you can check out his Oil Can Press here.
Despite the cold, I really enjoyed spending all that time in Prospect Park. It was a good excuse to drag my hibernating butt out into the sun, something most editors need to do more often. One of these days I’ll try my hat at surfing and that should help.
I also want to let you know Brian Sloan has some upcoming stand-up appearances that I’ll post as soon as I have all the information. If you’re going to be in New York you should definitely come out.
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Filed Under film, commercial, marketing, advertising | Leave a Comment
