2.24.2009

Current Wallpaper - Monkey Master

Monkey Master for the Monkey:

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2.15.2009

Short Films - Current Inspiration

This one is an adaptation of a Local by Brian Wood:



This one is inspired by Half-Life 2 and was supposedly made for $500:



There is another one I saw recently but can't find now. No dialogue about a man who tries to find a woman who left her cell phone on a train. Really good one.

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Current Wallpaper - Phineas and Ferb

Replaces the Scott Pilgrim graphic from the movie site:

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2.14.2009

New Orleans Film Studios - 2009

First a piece on the Louisiana Film Studios:

Film producers moving into Elmwood

by Mark Waller, The Times-Picayune
Friday February 13, 2009, 4:58 PM

sprawling film production complex is taking shape inside a long-closed Winn-Dixie distribution center in Elmwood, where the cavernous warehouses soon will hold sound stages and the grocery company's front offices will become meeting places for movie makers.

With about 500,000 square feet of buildings on 25 acres, the development has the potential to become the largest film production hub in Louisiana, said Cherreen Gegenheimer, a Jefferson Parish government executive leading the parish's efforts to attract Hollywood business.

A firm called Louisiana Film Studios is renovating the vacant warehouse complex at 600 Edwards Ave. It has already lined up a $60 million project that Jefferson officials touted last month, although the producers have yet to announce details of the film.

"We're trying to build a film community," said Dan Forman, president of Louisiana Film Studios and son of Audubon Nature Institute CEO Ron Forman. "That means a campus for the entertainment industry."

It will be able to house up to eight productions simultaneously, said Wayne Read, studio CEO.


Next, a piece on Second Line Stages:

Lower Garden District warehouse being converted into film studio

Posted by Kimberly Quillen,
The Times-Picayune January 25, 2009 6:30PM

A dilapidated warehouse in the Lower Garden District is quietly being transformed into a $32 million independent film studio.

Second Line Stages began construction of the 90,000-square-foot complex -- which includes three sound stages, a 49-seat digital screening theater and nearly 50,000 square feet of space for offices and production support -- earlier this month.

The new facility will bring badly needed film production capabilities to Orleans Parish, according to Jennifer Day, director of the New Orleans Office of Film and Video.

"Because of demand and the high amount of (film) production we've been bringing to the region .¤.¤. we're having to turn away projects," Day said. "This is going to allow us to bring in more projects, more money, and it is absolutely needed."

Susan Brennan, owner and developer of Second Line Stages, acquired the fire-damaged warehouse at Richard and Chippewa streets in 1998


* * *

If and when these two facilities are completed (and the Louisiana Film Studios is already being used by films), this will give the New Orleans area three proper studios and stages; which is something the area and local film industry has needed. This allows us to compete with New Mexico and the new facilities in North Carolina and Michigan as well as the New Orleans area can properly compete with Shreveport and Baton Rouge for films.

I would love to see the building used for K-Ville and FD4 also bought and renovated into a proper studio since there is plenty of space there, but the facility does need a lot of renovation from electric to plumbing to just turning it into a proper soundstage.

Nice to see the Jefferson Parish leadership seems to recognize the trickle down effect the movie business has on Elmwood. I only hope the leadership of Harahan understand this as well

Things have been a little slow the beginning of this year as compared to last year. I know those who work on set are hurting bad and most are going to have to wait until the end of March/beginning of April for things to kick in. But offices are opening up, so that is good news for everyone.

Interesting fact, if Dead of Night actually films here, that will mean three comic book adaptations have filmed here in the first half of the year. Kind of cool. We have a new David Simon project (pilot for HBO) shooting here called Treme, and a huge action film called The Expendables directed and starring Sylvester Stallone and also starring Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Coutoure.

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2.13.2009

Robert Johnson

The Robert Johnson Notebooks: Good site with lyrics and info.



Searching for Robert Johnson: piece from Vanity Fair.

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2.04.2009

Desolation Row - Bob Dylan


Desolation Row


They're selling postcards of the hanging
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town
Here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other is in his pants
And the riot squad they're restless
They need somewhere to go
As Lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row

Cinderella, she seems so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style
And in comes Romeo, he's moaning
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
And someone says," You're in the wrong place, my friend
You better leave"
And the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row

Now the moon is almost hidden
The stars are beginning to hide
The fortunetelling lady
Has even taken all her things inside
All except for Cain and Abel
And the hunchback of Notre Dame
Everybody is making love
Or else expecting rain
And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing
He's getting ready for the show
He's going to the carnival tonight
On Desolation Row

Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window
For her I feel so afraid
On her twenty-second birthday
She already is an old maid

To her, death is quite romantic
She wears an iron vest
Her profession's her religion
Her sin is her lifelessness
And though her eyes are fixed upon
Noah's great rainbow
She spends her time peeking
Into Desolation Row

Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood
With his memories in a trunk
Passed this way an hour ago
With his friend, a jealous monk
He looked so immaculately frightful
As he bummed a cigarette
Then he went off sniffing drainpipes
And reciting the alphabet
Now you would not think to look at him
But he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row

Dr. Filth, he keeps his world
Inside of a leather cup
But all his sexless patients
They're trying to blow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser
She's in charge of the cyanide hole
And she also keeps the cards that read
"Have Mercy on His Soul"
They all play on penny whistles
You can hear them blow
If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row

Across the street they've nailed the curtains
They're getting ready for the feast
The Phantom of the Opera
A perfect image of a priest
They're spoonfeeding Casanova
To get him to feel more assured
Then they'll kill him with self-confidence
After poisoning him with words

And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls
"Get Outa Here If You Don't Know
Casanova is just being punished for going
To Desolation Row"

Now at midnight all the agents
And the superhuman crew
Come out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do
Then they bring them to the factory
Where the heart-attack machine
Is strapped across their shoulders
And then the kerosene
Is brought down from the castles
By insurance men who go
Check to see that nobody is escaping
To Desolation Row

Praise be to Nero's Neptune
The Titanic sails at dawn
And everybody's shouting
"Which Side Are You On?"
And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot
Fighting in the captain's tower
While calypso singers laugh at them
And fishermen hold flowers
Between the windows of the sea
Where lovely mermaids flow
And nobody has to think too much
About Desolation Row

Yes, I received your letter yesterday
(About the time the door knob broke)
When you asked how I was doing
Was that some kind of joke?
All these people that you mention
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame
I had to rearrange their faces
And give them all another name
Right now I can't read too good
Don't send me no more letters no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row

Copyright ©1965; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music

Dylan's (or most of it):



My Chemical Romance's version from Watchmen (video is directed by Zach Snyder as well):


My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row from McFly on Vimeo.

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2.03.2009

Corruption - The Don's Demise

Something I wrote the other day. Figured I should throw something up here since it has been a couple of days. From Care Forgot/Corruption:

CUT TO:

EXT - A WHARF - NIGHT

The two Italian gentlemen from the restaurant at the beginning of the film are there with the Don's Kid. Things are not going well for him.

DON'S KID
Look. You can't do this. Come on, you guys were with my dad. You can't do this. I'm the don. I'm the boss.

TONY
You know, if you're dad was still around he woul dbe out here with us. As it is,pretty sad and young guy like you can't take on two old men.

VINNIE
You know, this is long overdue. Sometimes you have to set things straight.

DON'S KID
Guys come on. I'll change. I promise. No more stupid deals or not following advice.

VINNIE
You know, the kid was right. He told us a long time ago you were going to cause problems.

TONY
You know, he said the old times were ending and we had to readjust. But we didn't listen. In some ways I feel bad, this is our fault.

VINNIE
You know, you're right.

DON'S KID
See, come on guys. Let me go.

TONY
You know, we can't stop now though. I mean we let him go now, he's gonna squeal.

VINNIE
You know, if not now then on some drug binge.

TONY
You know, you got an final words or thoughts you might want to say them now. Maybe some prayers. Might be good for ya to pray.

DON'S KID
What? Like this? In the river? Oh come on guys. You can't toss me in the river. At least make it clean.

VINNIE
You know we would, but one we like the old ways. And two, maybe the few minutes you have down there will make you see the error of your ways and allow for you to make amends.

DON'S KID
HOW AM I GOING TO MAKE AMENDS IF I AM DROWNING?!?!?

Tony slaps him upside the head.

TONY
You know, you never have learned to show respect. Now watch your tone and take it like a man. Or as much a man as you can.

Tony and Vinnie lift the kid in chains and weight and drag and carry him to the edge.

DON'S KID
PLEASE! PLEASE!PLEASE! DON'T LET ME DROWN ....

They toss him into the water. And they walk away.

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2.01.2009

Books in 2009

Moonraker
Prince of Thieves






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Digging - Seamus Heaney

From here:

Digging

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; as snug as a gun.

Under my window a clean rasping sound
When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade,
Just like his old man.

My grandfather could cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner's bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, digging down and down
For the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mold, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I'll dig with it.

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