I will be in Louisiana from today until April 2nd. Hopefully I won’t have time to blog, however I will be bringing my video camera and will probably post some sort of travel diary snippet next week. It won’t be anything to the degree of justin.tv, but I think that’s a good thing. Some elements of my life are on a need to know basis.
If you start to miss me and it tickles your fancy, check the twitter.
Happy Trails!
After I downloaded the new version of Joost Beta today - 0.8.1. - everything seems to be the same. I was disappointed that I still couldn’t find any MTV (USA) content.
The redesign, among other things, includes an area with “approved” screenshots to use in blogs. I assume the Joost team caught on to the fact that everyone is posting their own. It probably wouldn’t have hurt them to include screenshots of the website makeover as well.
(There is also a “What’s Joost” section where there is a video explaining what Joost is about, as well as an official list of available programming. Again, it lists MTV and BET but when I search for both I get nothing.
The Joost “Coming Soon” area teases to more upcoming community features, and a Joost developer kit that will allow you to create your own widgets and share them with the community.
… I wonder if Joost plans on partnering with Play Station Home. If they don’t, someone else will.
Since the birth of cinema, the stereotype of the female as victim has been explored in countless ways. Females on screen, much as in real life (and to this day) exerted their limited power (beauty, charm, maternal sway) to manipulate those with power into giving them what they desired. And in the 1930’s, no actress epitomized the young female ideal more than Shirley Temple.
In all of her roles, Temple represented the feminine traits that were desirable in a young girl/woman-to-be: beauty, intelligence, social graces, and possessing a strong moral compass.
Noir films and the sinister Femme Fatales of the 1940’s/50’s crossed over from Europe and opened the doors for mainstream American audiences to witness the development of a new type of young female character: The Girl Antagonist.
#1 - Olfactory Minutiae
There isn’t a lot of time, once you enter a subway car, to figure out where you are going to stand or sit. Time is of the essence. You could end up crammed in a corner by that scary partition door that flies open, making you feel like you are on Money Train and going to be sucked out onto the tracks. The worst experience is, because of lacking reek-dar, being stuck next to Stinky McFunkatrons.
Here is a brief list of factors to help you determine if that person crammed next to you will smell Good/Bad, thereby instantly determining the overall quality of your subway ride:
pic via digitalvillain
NYRemezcla faves Pistolera have been nominated for the American Latino Awards as Favorite American Latino Indie Musical Artist. The awards air on July 16th across the country.
Here is the video I shot/directed for their anti-minuteman single, “Cazador”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZcSt-gjI8
Thanks to Claire for posting! 
I just uploaded the final version of Proximity to Blip TV.
Description: On a routine day after returning home from work, a young woman begins experiencing unnerving encounters with her material possessions.
Other locations (pending processing):
For fun, I also added stills from Proximity to my flickr account.
I don’t know what I want to do with them, but at least they are there in case I need them for anything. My first guess would be for future press related requests. In any case, it’s another method to share info about my short. If anyone searches in flickr for “brooklyn”, “apartment”, “blackberry”, etc., my stills will show up (with a link to the short).
Ok seriously, time for bed.
Are you ready? Can you handle it?
Check out the on air version tomorrow on MTV/MTV2/MTVU/etc.
If you can’t wait, read more about bilingual bands right now, and peep my first mtvnews.com byline.
Big thanks to Tami, Ryan, Ben, and Lee!
I rarely watch television, but when I do I revel in the bizarre and inappropriate shows that somehow are allowed to air. TLC, my beloved channel of all things giganto, is premiering the second season of Honey We’re Killing the Kids! on April 9 at 9pm. The series focuses on the childhood obesity issue. These unfortunate folks are addicted to food, and I am addicted to watching them eat it. Who is more sick? I don’t know, but it’s awesome. Also check out 627 lb. Woman - Jackie’s Story.
MENSA THOUGHTS
edit: I was lazy and did not upload images. If these break later today, let me know because otherwise this entry makes less sense than it already does. Thankyee.
I am not a member of MENSA.
However, I recently stumbled on to their magazine through my creative partner. She is a member and graciously allows me to pursue through old copies of the “members only” magazine which features lengthy articles by MENSAns? of all ages. The topics range from time management, the gay marriage debate, DIY home repair, info on local MENSA-related activities, and works of short fiction/poetry.
MENSAns, according to the magazine, can be doctors, lawyers, trapeze artists, unschooled, gay, straight, punk rockers, priests, autistic - basically they keep reiterating that there isn’t an accurate catch all MENSAn description.
Reading these magazines makes me think about how intelligence is generally measured by society, what an “intelligent” person is supposed to look like, and how formal education is a measure for future success.
When people initially assess/interview me, they usually assume I completed college or some sort of video/film production program. That is not the case. I finished High School with my diploma when I was sixteen, but afterwards found the experience of college so profoundly boring that I dropped out after two years (over the course of five years). Fortunately, my lack of formal education has never prevented me from pursuing and attaining my goals. I worked in several challenging fields prior to switching to this “business of show” (primarily educational institutions/organizations), where there was ample opportunity for career advancement if I had chosen to stay on. I would have to say that in all of my positions, my educational background has never an issue.
I do not support dropping out of school. In most cases I would think this is kind of a dumb move. In general, when you go through the interview process, being able to demonstrate that you can finish the things that you start is a crucial asset. Particularly if you are of color, it is highly beneficial to finish your degree and apply what you learn to best serve your dreams. It only makes sense in a world where race definitely still comes in to play at hiring time (If you try to argue with me and say it isn’t, you are getting ass punched).
But to put things into perspective, in the three years that I have worked professionally in NYC, I have met all types of successful people in the industry. Some had masters degrees, others were like me and never finished their bachelors. Some never took any college courses. Others never finished high school. However, what all of these folks had in common were three things (to boil it down): Common Sense, a strong work ethic, and an open mind. I suspect that these three qualities are not something you can completely pick up in a lecture.
Nevertheless, my advice to a young person, if they were to come to me all soft and doe-eyed (aw), would be to stay in school. Frankly, it’s just easier for you all around. Being self schooled is tough. You go into the real world and not only do you have to support yourself but you have to somehow educate yourself as well. Because you don’t want to walk around being a dummy. And there is a certain element of freedom on a college campus you aren’t going to get anywhere else. You get to be an adult, experimenting with what life has to offer, without any of the responsibility (if you are lucky enough to be on the ‘rents/state’s dollar).
When you apply to an internship through the school system, it gives you a certain credibility that Joe Shmoe from the Block is not going to get. People are more likely going to take you seriously if you are already in school, working towards your degree. It implies there is a certain set trajectory that they, your potential future employers, can rely on. People like the illusion of security.
As a former Joe Shmoe from the Block, who applied to 8 zillion internships in NYC and managed to get three solid experiences, I cannot imagine doing that again beyond my early 20’s. It was a horrendous experience, and although my lack of education didn’t prevent me from those three (Killer Films, Jennifer McNamara/Casting, Mirabai Films) I am sure that the other zillion or so applications that no one responded to were rejected solely on the basis of me not being enrolled at a University. MTV does not take interns who aren’t in school, neither does NBC, CBS, and many other media companies. However once I had my first real paid gig on my resume, nothing else mattered.
Entry level production questions:
Do you have an NY drivers license? check. Do you know Avid/FCP? check. Can you use a walkie? check. You will be working weekends, is that going to be a problem? No? check. Who referred you? Oh, blank? Ok yeah, I worked with him/her on whozitz.
Ok you’re hired.
Post entry level production questions (no longer green):
Insert-name-of-Trusted-Associate gave us your name. What have you shot on? Do you have any experience with online/digital production? Can we see samples of your work? Nice.
Ok, you’re hired.
Maybe one day I will go back to school. After I get my first Oscar.
My Favorite “D” Palindromes
Dennis, no misfit can act if Simon sinned.
Derek, I like red!
Dr. Awkward
Damn! I, Agassi, miss again! Mad!
Happy Monday!
I just finished watching a rough cut of my bilingual bands package. In the talented hands of Lee and Tami, I am confident that it’s going to come out great. Along with live performance clips and excerpts from their latest music videos, it will include exclusive interviews with Los Abandoned, Kinky, and Pacha Massive.
Be sure to check it out on MTV/MTVU/MTV2/MTV TR3S, etc. this Wednesday, 3/21! I will most likely be handling the digital production of this as well so drop by either Wednesday 3/21 or Thursday 3/22 to mtvnews.com for extra bilingual bands goodness.
After it airs I can give you the lowdown on how it all came together.
…In non work related news, this past weekend I saw 300. It was the most brainless, awesome, homoerotic testosterone-fest. It made Braveheart look like a tea dance. …I also predict there will be a lot of Spartan costumes at this year’s Halloween parade in the Village. Can’t wait!
