Image is Everything

“Image is Everything” according to many people as well at Peter Ishkhans the “style-nista” of his own business makeover show “Peter Perfect”.

In general, I always mixed image with materialistic. I don’t know why, perhaps it was because in order to look good, you must purchase items to make yourself look good and keep up. However, I believe it reigns true that image is important. Whether we like it or not, people make judgments after seeing something or someone for the first time. Appearance can tell a lot about a person as a whole. To be honest, from a persons style alone, I can tell if they keep their home neat or not.

So let’s face it, image is important, especially when it comes to business. When running a business your job is to attract clientele. So you must appear friendly, high end, and show others that what you have, they need.  I appreciate the show “Peter Perfect” because Peter goes to businesses that are at risk of losing everything and adds a lot of charisma, hope and inspiration to them all. He takes what could be a disaster and transforms the look, feel, and organizes each organization with style and grace. With the help of Wonderful Graffiti and many other vendors, he helps piece each business together, while taking the employees and making over their souls and looks. Check the show out here Peter Perfect.

Film Production Etiquette

Notice the Sharpie in his pocket;)

Being a Production Assistant is no easy task, neither is it for the producers, directors or actors. The trick is to love what you do and do it swiftly, correctly, without complaints, and as quick as you can.

As a production assistant you must be humble, ready to say yes at any time, ready for the next task and you should use your common sense as much as possible. If you hear the director say “That’s a Wrap”, this means “All Hands on Deck” start packing, throw out garbage, clean up crafty and then standby for direction. Why wouldn’t you want to get things going so you and the crew can get out as soon as possible?

If possible always have a call sheet on your person, always be prepared and watch what you say in front of anyone, you might think you have a friend, but that friend might be someone who knows the person you are bad mouthing.

Always carry a note pad on your person, some extra pens, sharpies, lighters, stain pen, small scissors, pencils, highlighters and try to get a super fanny pack or nice book bag so you can use both hands. Being prepared and detail oriented just might be the reason you get called back or asked to stay longer than expected.

Act as if it is your tv show, your film, your production. Being a Production Assistant is one of the most important jobs, who else is available to drive around talent or make sure lunch is ready for the crew? Love your job or you probably won’t be called back.

A BRIEF STORY OF A PA DO NOT

I was assigned to be a courtesy driver for a short film this week. Happily I took the job for little money as I am kind and I enjoy what I do, I picked up the van the day before without pay so it could be convenient for myself to not have to take the train extra early to pick up the production vehicle to then pick up some of the crew.

On the way there, the team was great, calm and ready to work, on the way back, I hear people complaining about the hours, the people, traffic, etc. As a driver and a Production Assistant who works hard to have things run smoothly, I don’t appreciate complaints about the obvious, just be happy you are getting paid, you have a ride, you were offered a job, and you got to do what you love. Don’t lose sight of what you desire and be humble. For these reasons why would I even offer you a job to work with me in the future? Like I said, watch what you say about people and who you complain to. It can make or break you!

Stay Positive!

Jill Scott: “Ain’t A Ceiling”

Jill Scott has always been by far the woman I am easily moved by through sound and poetry. Her talents are beyond the norm. Here is a little inspiration from her poem/song, “Ain’t A Ceiling”

Trouble for TV Pilots in California

Filming in California isn’t always affordable for a productions budget. Tax incentives are perhaps the most important thing any state has to offer a production.  In California a locations fee does not apply, however, there are costs for the location itself. Now that the economy is stirred up, both New York and California are reassessing their incentives.

According to Variety Magazine there are least 20 out of 39 hour-long pilots that are set to shoot outside of California’s borders. Recently California has approved a $500 Million five-year production tax credit incentive program. Unfortunately for their mission, many of the productions believe it is too late and it may be an inconvenience because there are too many strings attached.

California allows tax incentives for productions who’s budgets are a minimum of $1 Million Dollars. This year many pilots have traveled to Baltimore, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Richmond VA, Pittsburgh, Providence and R.I. because their tax incentives were beneficial to production costs. Even Twentieth Century Fox TV traveled as far as Prauge for it “Da Vinci Code” film. Recently, New Jersey has greenlit their own incentives as well. To see more on this matter click here.

If you enjoy New York City being a main place for features and t.v. shows to shoot please ask to save NYC’s tax incentives.

I Can’t Hate on Beyonce

I must say, I have been an official hater when it comes to Beyonce’s new album. Although her lyrics are catchy and she’s a great performer, I didn’t really and I still don’t really like some of the generic, “If you like it then you should’ve put a ring on it…, Where Yo Boss At?”  lyrics. But this one song,” Halo”,  is beautiful. The lyrics are moving and although many of us experience the worst of heart breaks, this song creatively makes me envision and re-live a true love with no flaws. Great job to Beyonce for killing the track and to whoever wrote such a beautiful song! Diva is the other video included. I wasn’t a fan of that song either, but the video is dope. Art is art.

Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they’re tumbling down
And they didn’t even put up a fight
They didn’t even make up a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It’s like I’ve been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin’
It’s the risk that I’m takin’
I ain’t never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and more
It’s written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You’re the only one that I want
Think I’m addicted to your light

I swore I’d never fall again
But this don’t even feel like falling
Gravity can’t forget
To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I’ve been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin’
The risk that I’m takin’
I’m never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and more
It’s written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and more
It’s written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won’t fade away

Hook 2 x

Courtesy of EMI Publishing

Film Review: The Last House on the Left

Click Here to Go to Official Website

I was extremely skeptical about seeing this film because of the opinions of critics and the Up and Down reviews it received from viewers. I was aware that there was a rape scene and I am sensitive to those kinds of things. I made the decision not to judge without seeing it myself so I gave it a shot. Not to mention I trust Wes Craven and if he played a part in producing this film, I was sure to like some aspect of it.

Highly suspenseful is the best way I can describe this film. With lots of graphic gore combined with the story, Director Dennis IIiadas and writers Adam Alleca and Carl Ellsworth did a great job putting together a thrilling plot. There were a few times I covered my mouth with both hands and the ending made me react…well, my foot was in the air. If you have a taste for thrills and revenge this film is definitely a go see.

The plot, which I don’t want to kill for all those who have not yet seen it,is about three young adults who have an emotional psychological problem and seek to harm and put fear in the hearts of others. Throughout this film, you as the viewer will pick a side and become sucked into the gore, suspense, and thrill that this film will take you on.

What’s the Symbolism behind Doctor Manhattan?

Doctor Manhattan

Everyone is subconsciously intrigued by Doctor Manhattan because of his outlook on humanity and life as a whole. His poetic speech and “Christ like” personality draw him apart from the other Watchmen Characters. I never read comic books as a child and I saw the film without knowing the plot but immediately I became intrigued by the story and the psychological views of the characters.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with who Dr. Manhattan is I will give you a brief description, he is one of the flawed “superheroes” from the twelve issue comic book limited series “Watchmen” created by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins.

Watchmen 2009

Dr. Manhattan’s true name is Jon Osterman, Jon meaning “Gift of God” and Osterman, Oster meaning “one who was baptized or born during Easter” to Germans as well as “Sharp” or “Sharp-minded” to the Polish. Therefore he was a “Christ-like, sharp-minded man” (notice the details in his crucified body language).

Jon Osterman’s father was a watchmaker and in the film Jon was being taught how to break apart and re-build a watch, training him to be a “watch man” so to speak, however, following the destruction of Hiroshima by an atom bomb, the elder Osterman decided that his son’s future depended upon his success in the new “atomic age”. Jon attended Princeton University, graduating ten years later with a Ph.D in atomic physics.

Transformation

While working at a nuclear research center, Jon was accidentally locked into a test chamber two minutes before midnight, trapping him in an “Intrinsic Field Subtractor” in 1959. Looking down at his watch, the time became 12AM and the transformation happened, turning him into a blue-skinned super-powered being and he became a contracted superhero by the United States government, with the special name, “Doctor Manhattan”. In the film he described this moment being, “The last time he felt fear.” He was no longer human, rather a soul and a spiritual being. He is the only character in the story who possesses real superpowers. He can transport on Earth and into the Universe, He can increase in size and number and he is a clairvoyant psychic.

Now Allow Me to Delve into the Symbolism

Color: The Color Blue represents truth, wisdom, heaven, eternity, devotion, tranquility, loyalty and openness. Doctor Manhattan represented everything the color blue depicts. His calm demeanor and God-like expressions through body language and speech reflected this.

Bulletin Atomic Scientists Cover

Midnight: The number 12 denotes spiritual strength and divine perfection. In my translation to the symbol on his forehead represented the time being midnight. In mythology, symbols and folklore midday and midnight are temporal turning points that have special significance. “You know, Cinderella will turn back into a peasant and her luxurious horse and carriage will turn into fruit.” The esoteric perception of midnight is the time when the spiritual (in contrast to the physical) sun stands at the zenith, midnight therefore, is associated with contemplation, initiation, spiritual knowledge and insight. More interesting is the correlation with the Nuclear War, the main fear in the plot of the Watchmen film. According to the book, “Nuclear Fear: A History of Images” by Spencer Wert, There was the “Clock of Doom”, this clock was featured on the cover of every issue of the “Bulletin Atomic Scientists”. The clock was first appeared in 1947 set as seven minutes to midnight and the editors put it forward to two minutes before midnight in 1953 when the hydrogen bombs arrived. The clock of doom  image, ignoring what would happen after the clock struck twelve, had a clear symbolism: Nuclear midnight meant the end of time. For any of you who have saw the film notice how he represented the nuclear bomb, at least that’s what everyone thought. Hope this helps and gave you a better understanding on our mystery man Doctor Manhattan, the Christ Like, Self Sacrificing, Peaceful, Introspective Super Hero.