Political campaign documentaries and defeatism.

Film producer R.J. Cutler talks about why a cinema verite documentary about a presidential campaign would be so difficult to pull off today. “I don’t really think they can be done,” he says, noting that “now campaigns have their own films, their own documentarians… They are stage managed to an inch of their lives.”

Awwwww review.

Ed Halter on Edward Owens.

“I had only discovered Private Imaginings and Narrative Facts in 2009, by reading its description in the catalog of the Film-makers’ Co-op. There was little other information about its maker on file, and I assumed he might be dead. But then I noticed that he had made the film when he was very young, and decided to look up his phone number, wondering if he might still be alive in his native Chicago. One of the numbers worked, and over several more phone calls I interviewed Edward for many hours. It was from these discussions that numerous biographical details emerged. He was overjoyed that someone had seen and loved his film after so many years, and had forgotten that the print was even at the Co-op. His conversations were full of salty humor and explicit gossip, but I also heard the voice of a much older man, vaguely alluding to medical problems, and speaking of dreams that had never come to pass. The narrative facts of daily existence had long overtaken the private imaginings of his youth. Only a few months after I first contacted him, Edward passed away, at just over 60 years old.”

Théodore Géricault, Portrait of a Woman Suffering from Obsessive Envy (The Hyena of La Salpêtrière), 1819-20

R.I.P. Roddy

WWE World Champ and actor 'Rowdy' Riddy Piper' has died at 61 years of age in his sleep.
Bye, Roddy. May heaven's doors play your bagpipes as you enter. ..

                                         :(

and totally surprised that the new 'Vacation' film was halarious and topped all others. I'm still shocked. bye.

In our thoughts , VALERIE HARPER. bye.

mojo

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm strong to the finich Cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm one tough Gazookus Which hates all Palookas Wot ain't on the up and square. I biffs 'em and buffs 'em And always out roughs 'em But none of 'em gets nowhere. If anyone dares to risk my "Fisk", It's "Boff" an' it's "Wham" un'erstan'? So keep "Good Be-hav-or" That's your one life saver With Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm strong to the finich Cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. Bye!

Thank you, Catherine DeZegher.

HBO's 4 hour doc, 'Sinatra All or Nothing at All' is so very great. Bye. 

VHS Chuck Norris movies used for political rebellion.

http://www.sundance.org/projects/chuck-norris-vs-communism

http://www.chucknorrisvscommunism.co.uk

p.s. Cara's moody blues moment ...

From Sundance to Showtime BRANDO release in August

                   

Supporting my dear friend (and clinical psychologist), Rebecca Brando.

                  

GO SEE HER DAD'S MOVIE ON SHOWTIME THIS AUGUST!!! BYE.

p.s .   r.i.p.  Movita Castaneda Brando.

Shirley Manson (band Garbage) is an incredible and fierce public speaker and thinker. Wow. Bye. 

And- she has the BEST laugh ever!

This is what a drying wig on a clothes line looks like...

                                              bye. 

Freedom by WiFi.

Just found out from Yoani Sanchez that the Cuban government have alloted an area by Calle 23 to have publically available WIFi. It is in a small area of space, but allows the Cuban people the ability to communicate with family members residing in the U.S. and other countries, who have had no visual contact with in years, using digital technology like Skype, YouTube, etc...   A new beginning and good are things happening. 

bye.

Rooftops, Kim Richards, shoplifting and bail.

                                    

"Work to live. Don't live to work."

-Dave Chappelle

That said, today I just learned that Brian DePalma directed the Bruce Springsteen video for, 'Dancing in the Dark' that had actress Courtney Cox hopping around on stage- as she was first introduced to the world ! ...

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/viral-videos/468719/springsteens-embarrassing-moment-lost-dancing-in-the-dark

I wanna live in the safety of my own little snow globe. 

Bret Easton Ellis 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'BRONX BRED' STANLEY KUBRICK !

“A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction.”

- Stanley Kubrick, born on this day in 1928.

p.s. and by the way Stanley, there is nothing more aggravating than to have completed shooting a scene, to only learn after that there was a smudge on the lens. Thanks for the fair warning. No, honestly. The way in which you simply left in the helicopter shadow in the opening credits of, The Shining educated so many of us that sometimes the technical accidents and Murphy Law creepiness adds character to the final edited footage. If there is power in what is being shown on-screen (or told on-screen) then that is more than enough to give your audience permission to forgive any technical boo-boos. And better yet, the audience will immediately turn those boo-boos into the work's most definitive 'human' moments captured. Weird thing though, in your grave Stan, I'm sure that you're wishing that in the 70's you could have gotten your dirty hands on one of these cam drones we are all toying around with these days. That, I am certain, that you're pissed about, lying in the dirt 6 feet below us. bye.

"WHILE TO MOST PEOPLE SCARCITY MEANS SUFFERING , TO OTHERS IT MEANS PROFIT. BYE."

Gypsy roads and hated nomadic people.

http://www.romanicriss.org

Translation:

                                       p.s. on a happy note -

Talking shop with producer R.J. Cutler  'THE WAR ROOM'

Burger time with a time watch on.

This is what a freak accident looks like ...

Vicon Headlamps and better than Fenix.

http://www.vicon.com/products/camera-systems/cara

"Thank you for a couple of more hours with my father."

Stretching things out a bit more.

What is really bad?

When you wake up early in the morning with a crew for an anticipated film shoot and all if  (if was not a sic so its spelling will be corrected now) of your camera batteries are found Dead. That's really bad. Battery Life nowadays are this world's true nightmare.  Bye?

No wait!  Did you like, and do you recommend, the bittersweet, 'PAPER TOWNS' ?

- yup. I do. Go see it.

great! But one last thingy .... did you get any work or tests done despite the battery debacle ?

Yeah. I found an techie 'stunt man' to dare physically enter into the dark tunnel/sewer for our future scene to see if it could be physically possible, with body chest camera rig set-up for an actor. The test worked out! and so now will prepare equipment accordingly.  In the end-  not a waste of a day. bye again.

                                                                                       
                                                                                         Customized underwater head-cam.  

Wardrobe hunting for the 'talent' at Ramin's Collection.

The 'lead' will wear this in the opening scene. Why? - Cuz it was marked down from $250 to $15 at Ramin's. That's why.

Bye.

tgif .

                                                   

Outdoor screening.

                                                      

                                            

DIY 'phantom3 ' gear 'cocked and loaded'.

http://www.7-ny.com/postproduction.php

                     

                                                         

http://www.7-ny.com/postproduction.php

https://vimeo.com/135178239

                   b ye. 

 "Creativity, not money, is used to solve problems."

- filmmaker Robert .R.

This is what an impromptu PowerPoint presentation looks like ...

                               

                                        Special Thanks to the Vidal Group for invite & accommodations.  bye.

Technical questions ...

- what's shaky , sexy and way way hard to find these days'

Answer - Jean Rollin camera work and films. 

Bye. 

- bye. 

This is what 3 pensive NYC bumper2bumper traffic moments looks like . . .

                                                                

 And just ran into my pal singer David Byrne again- this time I'm sittin' in a car, and he's across the street sittin' on his bike, and we're both 'trapped.' Funny moment in which we both cracked up. Til' Tuesday blasting in my air sound waves. Good times and bad traffic. Luv your watch. Bye again. 

Watchin' 'Repulsion' and 'Child 44' with Hardy and Rapace. Bye. 

Grave theft of Murnau.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/14/nosferatu-director-head-stolen-germany-grave-fw-murnau

p.s. a good, and a sad, read...