Scenario, Story, Moral, Plot and "Faust" Eddy Brock.

So I got this idea for a movie.  A journeyman (re: average) major league baseball player (Ed Brock) gets on a hot streak and subsequently announces to the media that the streak is the result of his selling his soul to the devil (thereby becoming known as "Faust" Eddy Brock).  Theres a few other wrinkles involved (an opposing star player who loses his skills as part of the deal, a city going wild for the man who was willing to sell his soul for their pennant hopes, religious nuts, ect).  Its a solid idea.  I pitch it to my wife.  She says, "good scenario but whats the story"?  I says "huh"?  She says "whats the moral?  Why would I watch it?"  I says, "cause your my wife". Chuckles ensue.  


Its true though.  Too often I got a good scenario but a story it is not so much.  Will have to think this one through.   It's times like these I wish I had a good collaborator.

The New (well...1980s new) Flesh, Easy Beach Reading and Incubus

Heres a rather interesting essay on Cronenberg and the Postmodern from the Art and Culture of Movies blog.  I would expound deeper on my thoughts of postmodernity but I'd rather show you a little screencap of something Ive been playing around with as an idea for an Iclone short (which has absolutely nothing to do with the postmodern...or does it?).  This is just a cap from sketchup but its easy to see where I'm headed.  Easy beach reading....get it?   Cause they are words.

Finally here's Incubus from Chatnoir studios.  Well written, expertly shot and edited. Skills.  How does this movie not have more comments. Sigh.

Gawping and Film Essays

After your done gawping at my brand new blog design (stunning aint it) you should head over to the Criterion Collection Online Cinematheque to check out some very well written essays on movies you probably haven't heard of.  Yes, 90% of the criterion collection is old, arty or foreign language (or some combination of the three) but thats no reason to miss out on some fine film critique and expand the old horizons..

Heres a few of the more recognizable subjects that I enjoyed:


Why we feel icky watching Peckinpah's Straw Dogs  


A boozy, winding but interesting reprinted discussion (or is it a monologue) from Robert Mitchum


An insiders look at why Wes Anderson is awesome 


A look at the genius/insanity of Guy Maddin

More Map Fun, LoC Tour, Without Words

Another excellent Map, this time in the Gothamist.  Here someone has used geo-tagged photos to delineate NYC locals from tourists to produce a tourist hotspot map. OK, realistically I don't need a map to avoid areas with throngs of tourists but it is an interesting idea and a groovy looking map.


Next up, Without Words from ToxicMenges.  A little creepy, cool SL Machinima.  Good narration, great visuals.  This is the second time TM has impressed me with Second Life (Princess and the Pea was the other).  


Finally, heres a tour of the Library of Congress digital archive process.  Ive mentioned my love of the LoC before and if you like geeky digital archive things this is a very fun read.


Also, a brief mention about a very brief (4 pages) writeup about "how Pixar works" in the latest issue of Wired.  You would think it would be a bit more hefty given its the cover story but theres a pretty cool set of pics that goes from storyboard concept to actual movie scene still.  Worth thumbing through in your local newstand.

Summertime, Graeme Mitchell

Amid the sunshine and the cookouts and the walks to the park or trains to Coney Island and the late nights playing Texas Hold'em in Red Dead Redemption (almost like having friends..hehe) it is hard to work on Machinima or even interact so much with the computer.  Now that the 2010 Machinima Expo is officially accepting submissions I have a new deadline of August 31st to complete Monsters.  Wish me luck - or perhaps a cold rainy weekend.


Ran across this very cool site featuring the photography of Graeme Mitchell.  Lots and lots of NYC in wonderful black and white making everything look like its 1970s and making me want to pull out the old 35m. Man, when is the last time I took a picture with something other than my phone?