(Half) True...

Driving in New York...

I'm glad that I finally learned to drive fearlessly in New York City. I don't mind driving 15 people 5 hours through Manhattan and to MA or driving an equally large crew with equipment to CT or even moving couches and furniture into the new apartment. Somehow a tire exploding with 15 passengers on the MA Turnpike makes me feel like a stronger driver too. Driving in NYC is just a pumped up, anxiety headrush...that I enjoy?

documenting the tire:
A "real" piece of my photography.

Welcome to Brooklyn

Jill

i thought you might enjoy this: my roommate and I almost got arrested
1:52am
Ryan
how?????
1:52am
Jill
we met some guys at a bar and found out they lived in the same building
so we went up to the roof and they have fireworks
so they lit off some fireworks - like actual fireworks that go up and explode
and then the cops heard it and pulled up to the building
1:53am
Ryan
omggg
1:53am
Jill
so I told my roommate I was a little too drunk (even though I’m not) and I have work in the morning so I ran downstairs
I sat on the balcony, saw the cops pull up to the building, and realized my roommate didn't have her phone so I couldn't warn her

they also buzzed my door, but I ignored it

a few minutes later, she runs into the apt, bolts the door and was like "I ran into them in the stairwell, and they told me I had a guilty face so I shrugged and just continued down the stairs."

haha what a fucking rush
welcome to brooklyn
1:55am

I knew it

To do...

I want to congratulate myself for once again slacking. I’ve told myself that I’ve made a commitment to write and I haven’t done that. Wow, scare of commitment for something as small as keeping up with a blog? Sad truth right there.
I know I did write a bit of a rambling piece a few weeks ago and about a day or so later, deleted it. That’s fine. Sometimes it’s okay to spit out emotions, but it wasn’t really the place to do it. Luckily nobody really reads this anyone.
Thankfully, I’m finding that I’m in a much better place than I was in before. Things have started to turn slightly. The frustration (and depression, which I hate admitting to) seems to have passed. I’m trying to focus my energy back to my work.
I crewed on two projects this weekend as an assistant director and as a unit production manager. I had both my share of laughs and frustration, but I’ve come to realize that I think I might actually enjoy what I do. I’ve been on about 5 hours of sleep a night for the past five nights. I woke up at a 5:45 this morning to get ready for the train back to NYC this morning and I feel oddly awake and energized. Maybe after exhausting myself, I just appreciate the sleep that I did get.
I’ve recently started excavating the fat away from my face and discovered traces of cheekbones. I’m hoping that a continued excavation will uncover other such features.
My proposal for Berlin seems to have hit a roadblock at the moment. I hope to restart it again in the coming week or so and send it to a few professors for review (and hopefully have them help me find some funding). For those interested, the “Berlin Proposal” at the moment consists of a game plan and well, a proposal to send me and a small group of students of varying disciplines (history, media, film) to Berlin for a week in November in order to create a documentary piece and possible a written “thesis” on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the start of reunification. Just think that in some ways, this “new” Germany is only 20 years old. I’m older than Germany! Not really.
I completed a rough cut of my film and I’m hoping to hand it over to another editor to try their hand at it with the hope of having a more concise piece.
Do you like how this is basically an extended “to do” list?
What’s left to do? Start writing on Sociology of Musical Theatre. Yeah, that semi-thesis idea I’ve been working on should really get started. I’ll have to dig up whatever notes I did take when I saw musical theater in Europe. The list was:
“Elisabeth” in Berlin and Budapest (two incredibly different productions)
“Rebecca” in Vienna
“The Phantom of the Opera” in London (trust me, there is a reason I saw the show overseas)
“My Fair Lady” in Berlin (a VERY modernized version of the classic show – I briefly wrote about this when I wrote about Theater des Westens)

I missed/passed on “Rudolf: Affair Mayerling” when I was in Vienna for financial reasons and also because I was traveling with my dad who lacks interest in theatre and we wanted to make the most of our time together in Vienna.

And how about I post a picture too like I’ve said I’ll try and do?
A church (I forget which of the many) from Budapest, Hungary.

Speaking of which...

I wasn't expecting this a few hours after writing today.

Only For A While to Feature Previously Unreleased Recordings from Phantom's Steve Barton

By: Andy Propst · Jul 14, 2009 · New York

On September 7, the UK label Stage Door Records will release Only For A While, the first retrospective of vocals from Steve Barton, who originated the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera in both the West End and on Broadway.

The disc will feature 14 previously unreleased tracks provided by West End lyricist Dee Shipman and Denny Berry (dance captain for 'Phantom'), and it represents a unique collection compiled by Barton's family and friends that pays tribute to this performer who passed away in 2001.

Among the selections on Only For A While are Barton's very last recording sessions for the musical Emma, which were recorded just months before his death.

Pre-orders for the disc are currently being taken at the Stage Door Records site and will ship earlier than the September 7 release date.

For more information visit, www.stagedoorrecords.coma.

Hey there

I think I want to start getting in the habit of writing again. A lot has happened since the last time I wrote and I find it weird that I haven’t documented any of it. Who reads it anyway? At least for my own benefit I might be so lucky as to trick myself into remembering things that happened a few years down the road.

I’m lucky to have some encouragement from friends and reassurance that it’s okay to not have written for some time. I’ve argued that the blog makes me upset because every time I refer to it, a post about Chet stares me rudely in the face. I won’t delete it. That wouldn’t make much sense. But maybe that’s a decent reason -  the desire to write fades when I’m reminded of something like that. The posts after that have been limited and basically meaningless. I'm happy to at least be reassured (from feedback) that writing what I did about Chet was a necessity to more than just myself.

But a summary of things I’d like to at least touch base on, at least for my own benefit:

My return trip to Europe with my dad

My freelance work

Val’s Wedding/Photography

My new place in Brooklyn (which is awesome)

Something comical?

 

Oh and because I promised to help spread the good word, check out Noga’s new cooking blog at steakcookbook.blogspot.com.

And how about a photo so I can pretend I’ve been up on my photography.

 

Special Thanks?

Val's brother compliments my photography:

Message from Eric after asking for his mailing address:

The Study of Video Games

A top video game analyst?

Now this?

Should I enjoy that sinking feeling whenever I hear of a new Hollywood endeavour particularly those that are of remakes? I already posted and said my piece about the Three Stooges, but what about the Sorcerer's Apprentice? It's Disney re-vamp of the classic Fantasia piece originally starring Mickey...and now starring Nicholas Cage.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A stunt man filming a car chase in Times Square for a new Nicolas Cage movie crashed his Ferrari into a store front and two pedestrians suffered minor injuries, police and the film's producers said on Monday.

The crash, which happened early on Monday, was captured on amateur video that was posted on the New York Post web site, www.nypost.com.

It showed two cars weaving in between other traffic before the front one skidded out of control, mounting the sidewalk and crashing into the window of an outlet of an Italian chain restaurant.

Normal traffic in Times Square had been shut down for the filming of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and all the cars in the video were part of the movie shoot.

Police said a 23-year-old man was hit by a falling pole and complained of a head injury, and a 21-year-old woman suffered a foot injury. Both injuries were considered minor and the stunt man driving the car was uninjured.

"On site production medics responded immediately and two pedestrians were taken to the hospital for evaluation," said a statement from the production of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," which is a Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films production.

"One person has been released and while we were told the second person was also released we have not been able to confirm that," said the statement. "All safety regulations were followed and second unit filming will continue as planned."

Due for release in mid-2010, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is the story of a college student reluctantly recruited to work for a sorcerer, played by Cage. Set in contemporary New York, it is based on the segment of the same name from the Disney animated film "Fantasia."

I Drive Trucks

Shortest Teamster?

Contributions

Thanks to Zach for this...poor thing.

Dicktopia.

Share

Yesterday at 8:41pm

As I am writing this, I am still a bit in shock at the realization that a place like this exists. Yesterday, as myself and four of my esteemed colleagues searched for a future place of residence, our real estate agent took us into a place that would soon become known as to us only as Dicktopia. The owner called it a museum, wore a hotel bathrobe, and pointed out the particularly disturbing ones. The landlords felt awkward the entire time while trying to sell the place to us, but all we could do is laugh and stare in amazement. I could only get a small fraction of what was all over the house, but I managed to get a fair share of the interesting ones. After about 15 minutes in this place we were left in a strange daze for the rest of the day. Enjoy.


Listen. DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK if you don't find hilarious/disturbing drawings of dicks funny.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37136765@N04/sets/72157616351585717/

Disney Eggs

Thank God, because I wasn't eating eggs before.

Color Sync in the Can

I SHOT MY INTERMEDIATE FILM.

TEMPORARY FREEDOM

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

www.theparkfilm.blogspot.com

WHY?!

Dear Hollywood,

You took "The Pink Panther" and you took "Underdog" and you also took "Bewitched." But this?!?!

'Three Stooges' coming together at MGM

Wed Mar 25, 2009, 02:54 PM ET • Source: Hollywood Reporter

(WireImage.com/Sony Pictures)

Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk.

MGM and the Farrelly brothers are finally slapping together their high-profile cast for "The Three Stooges," a comedy project the filmmakers have been developing for years. Sean Penn is set to play Larry, and Jim Carrey is in negotiations to play Curly. Benicio del Toro is a rumored possibility for the brothers' taciturn leader, Moe.

The studio is looking to start production in the fall for a 2010 release slot.

The project was originally set up at Columbia, which produced the 1930s Stooges shorts. C3 Entertainment Inc., which holds the licensing rights to the Stooges brand, then sold the feature rights to Warner Bros. in 2001 for the Farrellys to write and produce the movie. Eventually, Warner Bros. let the rights lapse and MGM's Mary Parent scooped them up along with the Farrellys' continuing participation.

Peter and Bobby Farrelly wrote the script, which Bobby has referenced as "Dumb, Dumber & Dumbest," and will produce with Bradley Thomas and Charlie Wessler. Earl and Robert Benjamin of C3 will executive produce.

The film is not a biopic but a fictional treatment that maintains the Stooges' gleeful slap schtick updated for a modern milieu.

Originally constructed as four separate shorts, the feature screenplay has since been streamlined into a single narrative. Included in the story line is an opening that shows the Stooges as kids in an orphanage, a device that will require some "Benjamin Button"-style visual trickery to place the adult actors' heads on child actors' bodies.

The Stooges maintain remarkably global brand recognition, and their shorts, films and cartoons are still broadcast in 30 countries. The Farrelly brothers' latest comedy "The Heartbreak Kid" grossed $124 million worldwide.

Penn is repped by CAA, Carrey by CAA and the Miller Co.