Month: July 2008

Immigrant Songs via Sundance

This week Sony premieres the Sundance 2008 Grand Jury winner Frozen River. Our friend Kevin Pazmino was the 1st AD (as he was on PK’s Predator), so we’re gonna go see it. Give a shout if you wanna come with, we’re buying popcorn.

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Also earlier this year IFC released Sangre de mi Sangre, the 2007 Grand Jury winner, produced by our friend Per Melita.

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Both films tell a story of ‘illegal’ immigration and were made on shoestring budgets. And so we raise a glass to our friends and their fine fine work in the trenches of NYC indie filmmaking.

July 29, 2008
Brand JC

During a drive down the LaFourche bayou a few days ago, I had the pleasure of seeing a 15-foot statue of JC standing outside of a Vietnamese church, and visiting a small memorial/church that could fit inside my living room. I was reminded that the distinct class of stylish laptop users who visit my local coffee shop is diverse enough to include the leadership of the Vintage Church, who conduct an operations meeting there weekly. Rob, whose style I would describe as Surf, leads the group through the mechanics of the organization’s upcoming needs while Andrew’s laptop seems to be the device responsible for managing data.

Desedo design peeps wndr, are responsible for the branding of Epic, “a Christ believing community that exists in the real world.” Similarly, it might as well have been between viewings of The Real World in my MTV-aided youth that I learned of the Skate Ministry, which is still kicking by the way; there are even imitators. It looks like You Know Who’s getting a facelift.

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1. jocular Epic collateral here.

July 28, 2008
Top Chef, Williamsburg + Mayonnaise

Word from Gothamist is that the new Top Chef contestants are living in my hood at the McCarren Park Condos. When asked what was filming, a crew member deadpanned “A mayonnaise commercial. Just a mayonnaise commercial.”

Mayonnaise and Cat Food are the two tried and true classics of film set crowd control. Tell the public that’s what you’re shooting, and they’ll keep on moving – the thinking is that nobody cares about these products. No prom king, sorry.

That said, while working on set I’ve had odd conversations with passerby about the virtues of condiments and cats. And even as a filmmaker, I am not immune from such chicanery. Last week I walked by a set and paused to ask what’s shooting – in my query using code to convey my insider status – it’s OK, you can tell me what’s really on camera.
But alas no pass for me, just a stonefaced response: “Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.” I smiled and pushed on.

(Bonus Points go to whichever upstart filmmakers create a meta-text that integrates Top Chef with their Carroll Gardens brethren Real World.)

July 25, 2008
Hanging on the Telephone

Since seeing the Fiest/Sesame Street video, I’ve been moseying down a muppety memory lane. One of my faves were the Yip-Yips – cultural anthropologists from Mars, ever curious about our Earthling ways. Loved them, but often watched them whilst hiding behind the sofa, cause they scared me.

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So after watching the above clip, I was reminded of a Gallup phone poll in June that had McCain and Obama in a dead heat. While it claims to source from both mobiles and landlines, I’ll wager that far fewer of the cell set partook.

As a teen I toyed with many surveys that called my parents’ landline, but have never once have had a chance in six years with my 917. And even if Gallup called my mobile, I probably wouldn’t answer their 800/private/unkown number. So while older folks do vote more than us whippersnappers, is it time for pollsters to reconsider what ‘pulse of a nation’ they truly take via telephone?

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Adliterate says hang up

July 24, 2008
Feist x Sesame Street

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If, like me, Apple’s bludgeoning repetition of commercials for its video-enabled iPod nano featuring the original version of this Feist’s “1 2 3 4 ” permanently turned you off to the song, you can breathe easier now. But who knew the prescription would be so simple? Add a klatch of cute monsters, interpolate the lyrics for the kiddies, and I’m right back on board.

Separately, because you need to hear it, check out the Boys Noize remix of the dulcet-voiced Canadian’s song “My Moon My Man” below.

July 22, 2008
Your Copywriter is Garbage

While I’ve always enjoyed the department of sanitation’s nickname, New York’s Strongest, and look for every opportunity to refer to the workers as San-Men, I’ve never quite gotten cozy with the department itself. Spending these couple months in New Orleans has changed my appreciation of the field. Outside of the tourist areas of the city, it seems like every third vehicle on the road is a pickup truck hauling debris and rusted nails; dumpsters are a common sight too. Garbage disposal, like construction and, um, bars, is one of the most visible industries in the city.

Unlike most places I’ve lived where garbage is collected by the city, in New Orleans it is a competitive business. As a subletter, I’ve no say in the matter of my own duplex, or even an idea how the contract is structured. But it has been curious to see how the various companies position themselves.

Garbage disposal is probably among the last businesses that I would consider ripe for whimsical contortions of the language. But that was before I became aware of River Parish Disposal, aka the biggest, meanest, garbage-eatin’ gator in town. Tagline: Our business stinks, but it’s picking up! Here’s another quote from the “Let’s talk trash” section of the website:

River Parish Disposal has been servicing the Greater New Orleans area for over 20 years. So it’s safe to say, we know where your garbage bin.

I don’t want to spoil the fun, so do check out the Gator Services section of the website yourself. It is safe to say that I would rip up my contract faster than you can say “Brett Favre” if I could have the honor of the “swamp-eater” picking up my bins every Tuesday.

July 15, 2008
Monday Chuckle: the Wilhelm Scream

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A history of the Wilhelm Scream here. I hope this doesn’t change the way I watch action movies. Apparently, later in his career Hitchcock moved his cameos earlier in his films so that people would focus on the story instead of watching for the cameo. Because the Wilhelm Scream strikes randomly and at the whimsy of the director or sound editor, it is impossible to predict which films will use it. One thing is for sure, however, the film geeks will have their say.

July 14, 2008