MOVIE, MUSIC, MOD y MAS

DVD Studio Pro Scripting (from 2005)

Team Torres — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:24:00 +0000

Found this on a thumb drive. Rather than misfile and lose it for another 3 years, I'm posting it here. Extremely specific to DVD Studio Pro v.1. Alas, it's still the same scripting. I'm sure it's half finished, but I'll fill it in if anyone's interested.

Setting up dvd studio pro scripts 2005
May 08 2005 Sunday Mother's Day

Media Assets:
2 subheadings, 6 clips per subheading (total 12 clips, aka tracks in DVDSP1.5)
Total of 4 menu screens: Main Menu, Subhead 1, Subhead 2a, Subhead 2b (due to graphics I needed 2 menu screens)

I built the Menu Screens in Photoshop 7 at 720 x 534 72dpi. Screen grabs were CMD C in Quicktime player and CMD V in Photoshop, then deinterlace video filter applied, then sized down to taste. For Menu Highlights, I created a new layer called Button Overlay and painted in button selection over text. You then resize the composition to 720 x 480. Hide the Button Overlay, and save as "Pict, 32bit no compression." Then Hide rest of layers, turn on Button Overlay and White background. Save as "MenuName_Buttonoverlay.pct."

Imported everything by drag and drop.

Key to DVD SP is to go in Order, as much as possible. Create Asset folders in Order. Creat Menu folders in Order. Assign buttons in order so they'll automatically jump to next and you don't have to re-code. Create all Video tracks in Order. This makes life so much easier.

SCRIPTING NEEDS
Given 4 menus, I wanted a Play All for all 12 clips, then a Play all for Subhead 1's 6 clips, a Play ALl for Subhead 2's 6 clips, then individual "single plays" that would play a single clip, then advance the selection to the next button (not just go back to the just played clip (which is really annoying and lazy authoring).

SOLUTION
Different Letters for each task.
Rather than sort out A=1, A=2, I switched it all by assigning the play all is B and built that with a simple B=1 then play track=...
Playing the tracks in Menu order. This makes the other play alls easy, as you just duplicate this master play all and delete the unnecessary play alls, and just rename and renumber (so B = 6 would become G=1)

The beauty of this is you simplify the EXIT SCRIPT, which is where all the work really happens.

You have a "Play All _ Add +1 script,"
Which would be
B += 1
Play Script "Play All DVD"

So, to recap, when you press the button "Play All," it jumps to the "Play All_Add+1 script," which sets the variable to be "B + 1, which would be B=1 at this point. Then it goes to "Play All DVD Script." Which Sees "B=1" and plays that command line of "PLay track 1."

When Track 1 finishes, it goes to the "Exit Script."
All th e B's are set to
B=1
B=2
If B = 3 then play script "Play All_Add +1"

So, this B=1 goes to that add 1 script, and exits as B=2. It goes to the Play All DVD script, and Matches up with If B=2, then Play Track 2.

Do you follow?

The reason why you use different letters is so DVD SP doesn't get confused, and you simplify your scripting and ideally not confuse yourself (even though I'm still wrapping my head around this part...) But it's neat. Because you have all possible combinations in the exit script, which replaces the stock "jump to next track" feature. You jump to the script, and depending on which button you pressed first- and that button determines if you are at B, C, D, or E, then it matches it up to that line to go next.

Alright. Alana's crying on my lap and she needs her sleep. This makes sense to me now. All the best. - Anthony Torres musthavefreds@mindspring.com

SIDE RANT:
I don't understand DVDSP 2 OR 3. I learned the hardway, with the faulty software that was DVDSP 1.0 and 1.5. The manual was a piece of garbage, and the help books out at the time frankly stunk, particularly the underwhelming DVD Studio Pro Bible. He flat out got shit wrong. There was one book that dealt with SPRMS, but the problem lay with the DVDSP1.5 software preview, which was buggy so you'd try to compensate for issues that REALLY were NOT issues with the burned disc, just problems with the preview.

All the same, I appreciate the barebones simplicity of DVDSP1.0 and 1.5
It's nice that the new versions have superfast menu transitions and motion menu builders, but that comes at a render cost. So I work old fashioned with the DVDs, as all DVD SP was meant to be was a glorified Dreamweaver for DVDs. You wouldn't CREATE graphics or audio or video in Dreamweaver. You would assemble those assets/elements in Dreamweaver. And that's what DVDSP is. A glorified html editor type of tool for making DVDs.

The other thing is time. I just want to make a DVD. I know the probs with DVD SP1.5. I don't want to have to relearn for 3, particularly cuz I can't even work with it. 1.5 was the last upgrade for 9.2.2 Works for me. It's a keeper!

End of Side Rant

First:
Determine what you want all the scripts to do.

In my case, I have a DVD that has 5 seperate tracks that contain 10 minute video segments relating to film, and then 5 seperate tracks that relate to visual effects.

The opening menu has a play all, so that every segment MUST play after the other.

Then I have two breakout menu buttons.

One goes to teh film, and allows a film play all - OR- Select a video track at a time, and when it returns it should go to the next button.

Likewise for the Viz Effects: Play All, or select a video track at a time.
that has a Play All button.

Backwards to front:
Every menu button needs to deposit some variable that can work for itself.

Video Button 1 should be :
Z=1
Play Track "Video One."

The "Video One Outscript"
should be
If Z= 1, Play "Button 2" of Menu "viz Effects"
If X=2, Play Track "Video Two"

Then for all the buttons, you work it that way.
Button Two Script would be
Z=2
Play Track "Video Two"

You can't do a "jump to next" if you have chapters, as well.
It's Easier to do a MASS BUTTON track, so it's easier, and keep the variable a solid alphabet with numbers.
So you'd only have a single video out script.
if Z==1, then play button 2 of Menu Viz Effects
If z==2, then play button 3
If z==3 then play button 4
If z==4 then play button 5
* Hence, all the individual menu buttons would be coded with
Button 1 Scripts
"Z=1
play track one" *

*For the play all button, you would have to go to a B+=1,
If B == 1 then play track
If B ==2 then play

--- END OF SCRIPTING POST ----

THANKS!

Team Torres — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:37:00 +0000

Thanks so much to everyone who has ordered from GoSluggo.com!

It's been cool dropping off the orders at the post office knowing someone will receive something the really want.

I seriously love mailorder. Retail bricks and mortar? No. Mailorder- absolutely.
I've been shipping since 1996. 12 years of GoSluggo.com mailorder!

We expanded from Fred Perry to consumer and consummable electronics and used books.
Thanks for everyone's support.
Best,
Anthony Torres
http://www.GoSluggo.com

Taiyo Yuden fixes broken Mac Super Drive write speed

Team Torres — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:30:00 +0000

I'm posting this as it's been a frustrating experience.
I own the iMac G5 with the super drive. It's supposed to write DVD-R at 8x.
So far it's only mustered 2x on most all media.

Despite upgrading OS X and Toast, 2x write was the only option
with TDK, Maxell, and some generic printable media.

Then I bought Taiyo Yuden DVD-Rs. These are rated at 16x, but lo behold, they'll give 8x. Not real 8x, more a variable 8x.What previously took 25 minutes became a 6 minute burn. Wow!

The reason why Taiyo Yuden's work is because they manufacture their own DVDs. Others buy lots and brand them. There's little quality oversight or concern for player compatibility. Nothing sucks harder than shipping out a demo and finding out on your home set that the DVD-R has playback issues due to the DVD itself, not the authoring.

This happens with every media except Taiyo Yuden.

So if you wonder "Why doesn't my Mac DVD burner record higher than 2x?" the quick answer is media. The long answer is media. The shortcut is Taiyo Yuden. There is no alternative at present. Everyone else buys and brands generics.

dvGarage Secret Page

Team Torres — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:11:00 +0000

I'm frustrated with dvGarage.com and their Pixelcorps schemata. Given their small size, there of little help on forums. So you have to email direct because they don't even police their own forums.

This said, this is a direct link to training videos for DV Matte Pro 3, which you can't find on the Dv Garage.com site. WTF? Who knows why.
Here it is:
http://members.pixelcorps.com/pages/dvmatte_pro_3

SXSW TECH SESSIONS MP3s

Team Torres — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:55:00 +0000

Oh, information! If you couldn't make it to SXSW, you can visit this page: http://2008.sxsw.com/coverage/podcasts/ and get all their podcasts.

I'll be listening to these while I work over the next week.

Puppets, Not People

Team Torres — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:58:00 +0000

Having experienced the Orlando puppet festival this year, I now take puppetry seriously and will choose that before frustrating with animation. I'm patient, but not that patient for cell, digital, or stop motion animation. Puppets, however... they move... you got your shot! Next shot!

Alas, this requires more storyboarding, preplanning and construction than just getting actors together.
But that's half the charm.

It's a threat, not a promise. The threat is this: if a cast fails me, I'll resort to puppets. Puppets, not people. Puppets can do things people can't. Won't. Do, but don't on camera. Actors make movies fun as a process. Alas, actors are people. People don't always take the simplest path in their personal or creative lives. And more on point, everyone's busy. Schedules are difficult to match. What can you do? Set your own schedule. If no one can meet it, then you go to puppets!

BEST REASON TO BE VEGAN

Team Torres — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 20:06:00 +0000

A ring at the door and two hard knocks. Must be the UPS guy. I open the door and expect to see a box. No box, just a guy. "Hey, I had a delivery for Dr. Pallack, and I have some stuff left over. Steaks.."
"No, I'm vegetarian."
"I have seafood."
"I'm vegan. I don't eat any of that stuff."
"Oh, alright. Yeah, most of the time people say vegetarian, so I say seafood. If they are they'll say vegan, otherwise I know they're just bullshittin me."
"No, don't eat the stuff."
"Hey, I got some of those burgers, how are you supposed to cook 'em?"
"Most of that stuff is no good. You gotta cook em in olive oil. It's really that. Olive oil."
"alright. have a good day."
"Yeah, good luck."

So. Vegan is known to those selling the "overstock" of steak door to door. You don't know if that stuff is defrosted, discarded and then frozen for resale to suckers door to door.

Unless the guy had organic produce, which NEVER happens, no one's calling soon! - Anthony Torres www.GoSluggo.com

49th Parallel DVD Notes

Team Torres — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:38:00 +0000

This is from the great British propaganda film 49th Parallel, which deals with Nazi U-Boat survivors trying to make it across Canada to get back to Germany. More entertaining than any action film I've seen all year. Far more witty, too. Michael Powell directed.

Here's notes from the Criterion Collection DVD Booklet, from a speech given by Michael Powelll on October 8, 1941.
"... We were working to make better films, and as they got better, we hoped to make them cheaper, because if too much money is involved, it isn't honest to experiment or take risks, and we all know that a creative art which fails to experiment is soon going to be dead. We accepted the fact of equal competition with American films, although over there the business is highly industrialized and is able to mass-produce a large quantity of films each year. It is to America that we owe our present high technical standards and the fact that the average persona expects his films as regularly as his meals, with the result that it has become the powerful medium that it is today. But we in England can never copy such production, nor have we got the huge public to guarantee such an outlay. Quantity should not be our goal but quality, individuality, reality. All these things are present in the best American films but only in the best, perhaps 50 films a year out of 500. Well, we can make 50 films a year in England, and we must see to it that we are competing in ideas and entertainment and freshness and guts with those 50 champions from Hollywood, not the 450 runners-up...."

There's more to this, but this is the key paragraph. Actually, the first sentence says it all.

Secrets of Vlogging

Team Torres — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:49:00 +0000

Here's my notes / recipes from the book "Secrets of Video Blogging," which is available from Amazon.com
Blog directories:
Mefeedia.com
Vlogdir.com
vlogmap.org/map.php (worth signing up with)
fireant.tv

RSS:
Video Aggregators:
Mefeedia.com Fireant.tv itunes!
Mobile phones lll rboom.com or mobile.mobuzz.com

BEWARE movie to ipod setting. If using DV, file is 320 x 213, not 320 x 240. It has a .m4v extension, which won't allow playback. Mpeg-4 works with version 6 and 7 of QT.
Compression
Export to QT> options
Movie to Quicktime Movie
Settings Comp Type: Mpeg-4 Video . FR: 15 Keyframes: ever 5 frames Data Rate: 700 kbit/sec Qual: best
Export size: 320 x 240
Sound: AAC Mono 32 KHZ AAC Encoder: 32 Prep for internet: Fast Start
This bumps out an MOV

Creating a screen shot:
Open QT Player and Movie. CMD SHIFT 4. Find snapshot. Double Click. Save as Jpeg.
Upload to blogger
click to get link
To prevent spam: select : Anyone. Show words- yes. Enable. Yes. (that's annoying, but ...)

Attracting an audience:
feedburner.com
set up acount. Click publicize tab. Chicklet chooser. Copy code in text field.
Go to Blogger. Click gear (change settings). Click Template. Scroll down to bottom of text field for | Power Blogger code.
Put cursor above that and copy feedburner code.

Directories:
Fireant.tv: click directory button and log in. Click add your channel link.

ITUNES
Submit a podcast link.
Also mefeedia.com

authors site:
freevlog.org/wordpress/index.php/category/new-vlogs
or newvlog@freevlog.org with vlog address and feed URL so you can be included.

Ingmar Bergman, Rest in Peace

Team Torres — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:03:00 +0000

The definitive film artist Ingmar Bergman has passed away today, Monday July 30, 2007. I am currently watching his interview on the "Wild Strawberries" DVD. I have not seen the movie, though the synopsis says it is preoccupied with death.

He's very removed from my formative filmmaking experience, as his earlier movies were only available in atrocious film chain dubs on VHS. Now, thanks to Criterion, you can actually appreciate the light that stunned audiences of past.

Will he be forgotten? The films will remain, and the iconic "Death" from "7th Seal" will be embedded in goth conciousness forever. I better pay my respects and start watching Wild Strawberries.
Best, Anthony

And the moral of Ratatouille

Team Torres — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:16:00 +0000

Not to spoil this movie, but there is a nice quote that sums up the whole point of Pixar's latest.
"Not every cook is a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."

God Bless America! You don't have to come from the best schools, because everyone knows Florida is a running joke in public education, you don't have to much more than the ability to learn and ... well. This movie leaves out much of anything. But if you have a natural inborn talent, you can rise above your class and family and be great!

But for the rest of us without a natural inborn talent, um... average is normal. There's a lot of average people out there. They just don't make for dramatic animation is all.

Edie Girl on Fire Book Review

Team Torres — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:17:00 +0000

Edie: Girl on Fire Book Review
Two Words: Movie Bombed.

Book subject is glamorizing the mentally ill without offering solutions to those undergoing the same problems present day. (Want an answer? Medical evaluation. If suffering depression be aware of the natural highs, because that would mean you're manic depressive aka Bi Polar and that requires different drugs. Let your doctor know. There's no shame in medical help for what is a medical condition. Your brain is firing wrong. There's drugs to help that. Drug addiction and alcoholism are symptomatic of depression/mental illness, so if you find yourself feeling better getting wasted, try to quit the drugs and get professional help. You can score help even if you are uninsured.)

The 60's NYC Underground Courage came from the speed, which fueled the Kamikazes, Sex Pistols and early Punk Rock, as well as Stephen King. Hmmm. Even Nick Cave said something to the effect that everyone misunderstands drug addiction, and it's productivity. Which is nice and fucking good, but how many great novels are coming out of rehab? And the last popular redemptive "kicked" novel turned out to be a total fraud (James Frey). Why? Few come out unscathed. So Outrageous behaviour that is drug or alcohol fueled is rather trite in my estimation. It's like celebrating a feat of strength fueled by steroids. No shit sherlock. They have a helper. It's a cheat. Give credit where it's due- the foreign substance.

As for this book, everyone has their head up their ass. Edie is a mentally ill individual who became a drug addict. You can celebrate Warhol and the movies and her potential, but at root she was mentally ill and it’s only until present day that you can say “She’s mentally ill” and it not be a character attack. Who the fuck are these assholes who were turned on by her such that they wax poetic of her charms yet missed the fucking boat about the trouble she was really in. In a sense, the book says her main achievement was being herself. Which is nice and seductive, yet it’s not much to grow from beyond the initial spark of discovery. Though the factory is celebrated, everyone’s time with it is quite short. And this book fails to say what Bruce La Bruce said in the first chapter of his book: being famous does not mean you are rich. Edie was rich, spent it all, and then was looking to get rich but had no means of turning the attention to money. The accompanying CD is utterly depressing, as well. There’s no lesson but a sad, sad life.

All the same, we all know cute girls with charmed lives that everyone is universally attracted to. So it’s a sad, sad, situation. Glamorizing self destruction takes a while to sort out that it’s a bullshit pose. I reject this book. Everyone is so clueless, and don’t seem to have learned much in surviving.

p. 42: I want to reach people and express myself. You have to put up with the risk of being misunderstood if you are going to try to communicate. You have to put up with people projecting their own ideas, attitudes, misunderstanding you. But it’s worth being a public fool if that all you can be in order to communicate yourself.

Bartle Bull: p. 88
… the people that she was hanging around with have a moral burden for what happened to her and also for the general corruption they spread by making young people think that decadent self-destructive behaviour was charming. So I think they have quite a lot to answer for.

Rain Barrel of Fun

Team Torres — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 02:44:00 +0000

Drove out to the furthest reaches of Winter Garden and bought 3 50 Gallon rain barrels. There was a presentation of how to, but I got there late and then received a very important phone call from San Antonio Underground Film Festival. So when I was done with the call the presentation was over.

Fortunately, there were folks even later than me, so the nice gentleman re-did his whole presentation for them in the conversation. It's actually really simple to achieve if you can find the 50 Gallon food grade barrels. You have to use food grade or else toxins will seap into the water.

You need a 15/16 drill bit, and a 3/4" fawcetts and spigots. I was surprised how easy it was. Well, it was easy because the drill and parts were right there for me to put together. Getting the barrel is the hard part. That's why I drove the 30 miles to Winter Garden: I've no clue where to get them otherwise.

But if you are in Orlando, BIOSPHERE is the nursery that has them. They are selling them at cost. $30 today for you to mount the fawcett and spigot. Great!

I shot video so I need to load it up and get it into youtube, I suppose.
Maybe myspace, too.

So that's my father's day gift for my dad- a rain barrel.

And for myself. This is the first eco-concious thing I've been able to pull off. I made a vermiform composting bin, but still haven't bought the worms... Do what you can I suppose.

Exporting QT for Web or CD

Team Torres — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:12:00 +0000

This is an old recipe from 2001, yet it makes sense.

Export QuickTime
Sorenson
Data Rate: 100 Kilobits
medium quality
320x240
15 fps
keyframe: 150

Audio
QDesign Audio @ 44KHZ

That's all.

ORLANDONT OFFICIAL ADDRESS

Team Torres — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:34:00 +0000

Sluggo Mailorder has taken residence in Orlandont.
The new address is
Sluggo Mailorder
PO Box 2004
Orlandont, Florida 32802-2004

(Note: The change is merely cosmetic. Same PO box, just different city name...)

Community Garden in Orlandont

Team Torres — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:13:00 +0000

The community garden is being established in Orlando! A number of volunteers turned out to assist with the labor. I went out to help hang gutters, which was quite a learning experience having never laid gutters before. The garden is pretty cool, and I like the energy behind it. A lot of projects are the result of one or two people's initial efforts and belief. You don't need 20 people to make a difference. One, two, ten people can get things done. Wow!

If you are near Whole Foods or need to shop, try and go THIS WEDNESDAY, as Whole Foods is donating 5% of all sales to the Community Garden. That's pretty awesome!

I'll be going myself. The deal is, yes, you'd be just as well to NOT spend $100 and just donate $5 (5% of 100 is 5), yet, well, you do what you can. Frankly, you might SAVE $5 by not even shopping at whole foods and going to Publix, and you could then (in theory) donate $10 off $50 of purchases. Jeez, just buy a pint of Organic Strawberries at Publix and you'd save $3-$4.

Why gutters? To collect rainwater in CISTERNS, which I was told are available through Cooperative Extension for cheap. This is non-potable water, alas, it's only collected for plants. I'll be starting my calls for cisterns at 407 254 9200, Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm.

How you get it out of the bucket is what I'll find out much, much later. That's why I'm volunteering- to learn through doing. Also the plan was endorsed by one who is very qualified, so if they can't find fault, that's pretty cool.

Also keep in mind it's a community garden, which does not mean it's a community food bin. They're planting vegetables and herbs, but flowers too, I guess. That makes a garden.

Remember Whole Foods on Wednesday, if even to donate a little something.

REVISION: A cistern is actually called a Rain Barrel. Coop Extension in Orange County does not have them for resale. However, BIOSPHERE nursery in Winter Garden does. See 6/16/07 Post.

SKA SITE LINK: GET UP EDINA

Team Torres — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:56:00 +0000

GET UP EDINA.
Thanks to a kind email, I checked out this site and really dig the information in it.
Please visit and click around. The DIY and Articles have loads of good information, and you can listen to the Miss Upsetter podOmatic player casts. That makes my day and will be computer this Summer.

On an unrelated note, thanks to a gossip site, I checked out Lily Allen, and was in shock that she was doing trad ska. Now, those brits blow my mind time and time again. They appropriate styles without the subculture, or send it in a totally different trajectory. I'm not offended. Quite the opposite. I enjoy the surprise. Why shouldn't a ska female singer have her own clothing line? Gwen Stefani mints money off her clothing line.

It's healthier. The hardcore scene exclusions of the 90's ska explosion really stunted its spread beyond an MTV beach house weekend. Everyone buys flight jackets, goes ska, reads a book or two, and now everyone hates the ska punk and tries to out trad each other with obscurity. If you want a closed scene, don't be shocked when everyone moves on.

Go check out Get Up Edina. It's the only ska site I've seen in years (sad, but true) and it shares information rather than hoarding.

ORLANDONT

Team Torres — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:48:00 +0000

Just in case you were wondering... I've started and stopped a lot of one off half baked projects. Too many to mention. It's just too darn easy to register a domain name. It's a bit more effort to keep interested in it.

So I decided to start stenciling like the good person Josh and Brett do. And doing it as Orlandont is my town specific and a lot of fun as a city metaphor. If you've ever lived in a small town, you always think of being in the streets of a big city and the energy and freedom that has. Orlando itself is a great place to live and all. But it's a transitional place for a number of people for obvious economic reasons. The pay sucks here, or the pay is better elsewhere.

Orlandont is a BIGGER city dream. It's fun to be snide and derisive again, and have a name that isn't confused for 20 other things and pretty self explanatory. Some cities do, Orlandont. Putting it on the map. Orlandont Original.

Best- Anthony

BULLY & SHAM AND SHAME OF TRUE STORIES

Team Torres — Sun, 27 May 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Finally watched the 2001 film Bully, directed by the guy who did Kids (and Whassup Rockers).

Intrigued, I did the googles and yahoos and imdbs. Sadly, Google is a HORRIBLE search engine for any depth of content that might be on a remote site. HORRIBLE. Wikipedia provided links to a site that I had to use the wayback machine at the internet archives to see, about freeing the supposed ringleader of the group.

Sadly, it's all a case of disinformation, intending on misleading EVERYONE.

I awoke this morning thinking this Larry Clark fellow is onto something. The sex is raw and fairly accurate. Alas, therein lies a big problem which the film and the rest of the world is short to pick up on: these girls are victims of sexual abuse. It takes the "sexiness" out of whole deal when you realize "oh, wait. This is all a product of rapes."

The author is a dickhead. Just cuz your old doesn't mean you're smart. Larry Clark is who he is. I guess that's the messed up thing behind these movies. They're capturing the rawness of that age. Alas, they're ignoring the sadness behind the behaviour. Is rampant sex the cause or merely a symptom?

I won't read the book because the "free" site shows his bias and ignorance. I've spent four hours reading up on this shit online, and well, it leaves me rethinking how I think about sexual depictions on screen, prostitution, and portrayals of women. Granted, NONE of this is in the movie.

Bully shows the distancing effect these kids have with their realities, and the frustrations they meet when they finally reach out to their parents. It's a private joke. You can teach a baby sign language, but it doesn't matter because most parents won't listen. (One baby sign class promo tape had this example of a baby saying he needed a change, but the mother just changed him, but the GRANDMOTHER said check his diaper. The baby needed a change. Well, fuck you very much, but you gotta listen and be inconvenienced to check out the statement.)

This is the counterpoint to Alpha Dog, or A guide to recognizing your saints, which is a "true" story that holds true to the theme of "communication" and lack of. The significant thing of A guide is that the lead character actually LEAVES. He disappears. Runs away. All because of lack of communication. No one listens.

Alas, the case of Bully went down in 1993. I was the same age as some of those kids, but I deliberately avoided hanging out with my peers. Why? Didn't want to get caught up in other people's petty bullshit.

So you can watch Bully and be in awe of how they convinced these actors to bare all and simulate sex on camera. Or you can rethink it and realize they ignored these girls' tragic histories and how they used to cover up for a crime. And how they ignored the real story and real pain.

Or you can just say "Oh, those f-d up South Florida kids" and try to dismiss it. But it's just sad.

Oh yeah. "Thank you for smoking" is clever and hilarious. The followup by the Waiting for Guffman crew was a bit too sad. There was a spirit of defeat, which Guffman did not have despite a similar ending. Really kind of scary, so I didn't laugh much.

Movies and Marketing: Shootout by Guber...

Team Torres — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:03:00 +0000

May 26, 2007 Saturday

There is an arts books that says an artists time should be split 50-50 between creating and marketing. In this, a personal missions statement would read "I make and market movies." Marketing does not mean you have to start distribution. All the distribution and outlets won't sell your work. It just makes it available for sale. Marketing will help out.

The rest of this post is from the Peter Bart and Guber's book "Shoot out." It's easy to think everything would be better with a big studio behind you. Perhaps. You'd be guaranteed a salary. But not success.

“Given the high stakes, the selling of pop culture has clearly become something more complex, expensive… Awareness is enhanced through tried-and-true formula of reach and repetition. A major softdrink bran d like Pepsi must be ubiquitous both in terms of brand and availability.

Movie marketers face a more complex universe, however. They have doezens of new products to introduce each year- 480 features films in 2000. The overall “brand,” per se, whether it’s a Warners or Paramount or MGM, no longer represents added value. No one goes to see a film because 20th century fox released it- even the company name is an anachronism. Further, the simple hammering home of a title or logo does not in and of itself motivate anyone to buy a ticket. Rather… the film must…be injected into the public’s consciousness. The dream merchant must find a way of making that dream contagious. And he must mobilize every weapon under his command to do so. This entails press interviews, paid print and electronic ads, music videos, Internet sites, trailers in theaters and billboards on the streets. Wherever the potential filmgoer turns, he must somehow encounter some allusion to the movie. P. 215

The marketing function has evolved to a point where it’s become central to the production process rather than tangential to it. Marketing criteria determine what pictures are made and what TV shows get on air.

Ironically, the first marketing battle to break out usually involves the most obvious and basic element- the title…. Failure to come up with a decent copy line is often symptomatic of a deeper problem- that the movie, whatever its attributes, simply resists a “sell.” … Audience response may be enthusiastic, but getting them into the theaters is another matter…. Even if the audience loved the film, there was difficulty explaining its narrative to someone else. It just didn’t reduce to a simple line, which limited viral marketing. Even sex doesn’t translated into automatic box office for movies. Films with a high sexual content have failed more often than not (eyes wide shut.) … the adage that sex sells, if handled shrewdly and discreetly.

(end. I donated it to the bookstore I bought it from…)

Kids Hate Disco

Team Torres — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:12:00 +0000

Damn you Scenesters, and those that missed the boat the first go around! There's this dreadful organization that's hosting an overpriced party for babies and their stupid parents called "Babies Love Disco." I'd be fine if it was in cities like NYC or LA where people would be expected to have issues with being square parents. But no. Orlando is always 2-5 years behind the trends, and now this trendy tripe is rolling to the Club.

Now, for those of you who forgot the 1990s, the Club was the site of quite a few drug-induced rapes, overdoses, and fucking in the toilets. A few people died. A lot of people did ecstasy and danced through the night until they issued a curfew. Was it the best of times? Was it blissful community? Wake up, assholes. Rave was first and foremost about the drugs, as drugs for some reason were amplified by the music.

And now these clueless jerks want to drag their kids into this scene? The big question I have is "Why?" You live in freaking Orlando! It's pretty sunny. You have all these public parks. You have the theme parks. And yet you have to fulfill some god awful need of making your baby "cool" and bringing them to some geeked up disco day party with a $12 cover?

I've done a lot of dumb stuff with my kids, but never in a million years would I say "kids, I'm gonna stroll you to a club. Nevermind the stink of cigarettes and spilled beer and vomit. You dance in the "kids cavern" while I bump some lines on the bar with other folks who can't accept the responsibility of being a parent.

If you want to go to a club so bad, do what everyone else did: GET A BABYSITTER.
If you want to dance with your kid so bad, PLAY MUSIC AT HOME!

The whole spirit of raves- besides making lots of money off drugged up idiots - was to liberate the music from the confines of space. You rave in a cow pasture. You rave in a warehouse. You rave in a subway station. So you're now - because you can't get over the fact that you're OLD- dragging your poor child to a club and basically telling that child you can't party unless its at a club and you're paying stupid cover charges and some old dude is spinning shitty old records.

Wake up! The kids are united. It's called fucking Radio Disney! AM 990, asshole!

Sadly, this is the doing of folks in their 30s/40s who can't leave their teens and 20s behind. What's next- Babies Love Strippers? Bring your kid to a topless bar, let them lapdance on teh strippers lap. Develop nursing envy.

Age gracefully. Kids hate disco. You're embarassing yourself and your kids. And all these indie scenesters who are forcefeeding their kids their music- have the stones to be a parent. Be the adult. You're kids will have plenty of friends who'll give them the worse advice. They only have you to lead by example, and reinforce with words and kindness.

And if you are hype on kids hate disco, be honest about it. It's not about your kid. It's about you. Your child will go along to make you happy. The only upside is that you're dropping $12-24 dollars for this stupid party. Sucker!

MOVIE NUMBER 1: HARDCORE YOU KNOW THE SCORE

Team Torres — Tue, 01 May 2007 23:55:00 +0000

Here's a fun re-edit of Hardcore You know the Score. D.I.Y. Records Snag posted this to YouTube.
Ahh, the first movie with Tony El Guapo. Shot for the Spirit of 99 hardcore comp. It seems to be re-edited, but I'm cool with that. The great guy Ben Rock let me use his Hi-8 camera to shoot this (onboard mic, too... Oh, so innocent...) The good guys at Haxan let me stay up ALL NIGHT in their former Robinson St. Office to edit this. This is right before their world changed. Heck, I thought we were doing them a favor recommending "Blair Witch" on the liner notes. They didn't need our word of mouth!
Enjoy!
- Anthony @ GoSluggo.com

Canon hv20 workflow

Team Torres — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:30:00 +0000

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/24p_in_FCP_nattress.html

VIDEO COMPRESSION

Team Torres — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:17:00 +0000

HEre's a video compression article.

Swans, Mar, StAce of Bass

Team Torres — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:21:00 +0000