back in 2006

It seemed a silly tagline for MoMA’s full-page advertisement in the NYTimes a few weeks back. But considering the exhibitions on the fall program of NYC’s premier venue for modern art, “Plan Accordingly” is the best advice anyone could give you.

MoMA’s two marquee shows, “Bauhaus: Workshops for Modernity, 1919-1933” and “Tim Burton” are each staggering in their own way. They’re also causing mobs in the museum as visitors flock to them. Plan accordingly – try to visit the museum on a weekday.

A drawing of Edward Scissorhands from "Tim Burton"

We all knew “Tim Burton” was going to be special, and despite a general need for editing, it still lives up to those expectations. It is the first exhibition of the director’s non-cinematic work at a major fine arts museum. It is also a retrospective of his major motion pictures – pretty much everything from “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” to “Sweeney Todd” is being screened in one of MoMA’s plush theaters. The journey into the third floor gallery is quite literally a walk into the belly of the monster. The exhibition, with its hundreds of drawings, dozens of sculptures and film props is a journey into the macabre and relentless imagination of Tim Burton. There are a lot of distorted gothic characters on the walls and many of them you’ll recognize (Edward Scissorhands is everywhere). The majority of the drawings come from Burton’s personal sketch books, and as such they are not so much works of fine art as they are a visualized stream of consciousness. It’s hard not to like the Burton show. Sure it could have about a hundred fewer sketches, but ultimately it’s a refreshing and entertaining display of the work of an undeniable (twisted) genius. (Note: there are timed-tickets for the Burton gallery, which can be booked in advance online).

While Burton is cool, the jewel of MoMA’s fall program is unarguably “Bauhaus.”  It is a scholarly yet approachable survey of the 20^th century’s most influential school of design. Beautifully curated with something for everyone, Bauhaus sandblasts misconceived notions that German design is grey and industrial. Color abounds, particularly in the glistening textiles that adorn the walls. Bauhaus should be slowly savored, and luckily with everyone crammed into Burton, you’ll probably have most of the 6^th floor gallery to yourself.

A chair from "Bauhaus"

*******
Kathleen Reckling
CC ‘07, GSAS ‘09

This is the part of our blog series 30 Museums in 28 Weeks. Through CUarts’ Passport to New York program, Columbia students get in free to 30 museums in the city. We will attempt to visit every single one of these museums before the end of this academic year and share the experience here with you. 30 museums. 28 weeks. That’s a lot of culture. Check out our progress here.

I was looking up Edward Cullen on Wikipedia and I saw that it said that Edward was a Byronic hero. Because of that, I clicked on the link that explained what a Byronic hero was. Anyway, as I was reading the characteristics, it did sounds like Edward As I continued down the website, it mentioned that Lestat from the Vampire Chronicles and the Phantom from the Phantom of the Opera were Byronic heros as well, but I digress with the Phantom. That made me think about how much Lestat and Edward were alike in the sense that they are both Byronic heros. I think that’s the reason why I don’t like either character. I mean, it’s not that I hate them, but it’s just that they’re not my favorites characters from their respective series. Anyway, I think that’s the reason why I don’t like Lestat and Edward is the fact that they’re Byronic heros.

In my search for any Lestat vs. Edward stuff, I found quite a few pictures that made fun of Edward and the Twilight series or making fun of the fact the Twilight series “outshines” the Vampire Chronicles. The one that I found to be the most funny was the one where it showed Edward and Bella together in the first box, and the following three boxes showing Louis, Lestat, and Armand telling their opinions on the series. I found that Lestat’s and Armand’s reactions to be the most funny. Their reactions were classic Lestat and Armand. Anyway, the next one that I thought was funny was the one where Lestat as picking on Edward. I just found those funny. By the way, you can find the originals at this site.

I was bored recently and was on my computer I don’t know why but I typed Lestat vs. Edward into Google to see what I would get. Anyway, a lot of stuff that popped up were drawings of people making fun of Edward through Lestat’s point of view, and videos and articles asking who would win in a no-holds bar fight. I immediately thought that Lestat would definitely win. I say that because, after looking up their powers as a refresher, while Edward has super strength, super speed, and can read minds, Lestat can do or has all of that, plus so much more. Lestat also has pyrokinesis, the ability to fly, and he’s telekinetic. Plus, he killed an entire wolf pack by himself, albeit with the help of his two mastiff dogs. Anyway, I really think that Lestat would definitely win the fight against Edward, and that’s assuming Lestat doesn’t fall in love with Edward first, which I doubt would actually happen, and that Lestat doesn’t hurt Bella.

I finished reading Eclipse about a month, maybe a month and a half ago. The thing that I found most funny was in chapter 18 when Jacob, when he was in wolf form, came up to Bella and licked her. In that same general area, I also liked when Jacob, again in wolf form, looked like he was smiling. I think the reason why I liked those two parts was because it’s typical of Jacob to be happy-go-lucky. Anyway, I just found those two parts to be funny.

BROADWAY BABIES: After they co-starred in Evita, she went on to recreate stellar stage roles at home and abroad in Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes,

MANDY & PATTI: together in T.O.

Sweeney Todd and Gypsy and on screen in the hit TV series Life Goes On. He graduated to Sunday In The Park With George, made his mark on the big screen in The Princess Bride and Yentl, then scored a hit in three top-notch TV series, Chicago Hope, Dead Like Me, and Criminal Minds. But they always were, and still are, traffic-stopping singers who remain dream-come-true interpreters of Broadway’s greatest composers. The good news is, they’re together again at last, on a rare reunion concert tour. The better news is, they’re coming to Toronto. An Evening With Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin will rule the Royal Alex for one short week only, Feb. 9-14, and tickets are already on sale. So don’t say I didn’t warn ya. Because this will truly be a night to remember.

NO, NOT THAT MADONNA: After kicking off its 40th (!!!) anniversary season with Brad Fraser’s high-octane crowd-pleaser True Love Lies, Factory Theatre reportedly has another big winner in The Madonna Painter. After a

HUDSON: that's Mrs. Mandela to you

week of buzz-provoklng previews the world premiere of Michel Marc Bouchard’s theatrical parable, directed by Eda Holmes, opens tonight with a stellar cast including Bartholemew Fair scene-stealer Juan Chioran, who’s already set to headline the Stratford revivals of Kiss Me Kate and Evita next season. In Bouchard’s play, set in rural Quebec at the end of World War I, a village priest commissions a fresco dedicated to the Virgin Mary to protect his parishioners from a flu epidemic, and assistant director Cory O’Brien hints that the synergy between the premise of the play and our current H1N1 headlines was downright eerie. “Coughing rattles throughout the rehearsal hall,” he blogged two weeks ago. “Either our actors are overly ‘method’ or we’ve encountered a very strange coincidence. In a play filled with the ominous threat of the Spanish flu our cast has fallen sick. Stay home? Or come to rehearsal? Ginseng. Hand sanitizer. Cold formula tea. To get the flu shot or not to get the flu shot. That is the question.”

Should be fascinating to see who makes it to the stage tonight.

NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Glee club guru Will Schuester (aka Matthew Morrison) and rabid cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (aka Jane

MORRISON & LYNCH: Glee-full

Lynch) got together last week when Morrison stopped by the off-Broadway’s theatre to catch Lynch and Tyne Daly in the current Nora & Delia Ephron hit Love, Loss and What I Wore … Lisa Ray, currently being treated for multiple myeloma, is preparing for a stem cell transplant to treat her rare cancer. Next week the gorgeous star of Water and Bollywood/Hollywood starts a two-week procedure that involves releasing her own stem cells back into her blood to “reboot” her system before any further treatment … Jennifer Hudson will go to South Africa next spring to star in a screen biography of Winnie Mandela, the controversial ex-wife of Nelson … and L.A. audiences got an unexpected bonus last week when Dick Van Dyke joined the national touring cast of Mary Poppins for their curtain call at the Ahmanson Theatre.

TOMORROW:

Lily in Las Vegas

-/-

Ficha técnica

Director:

Tim Burton

Productores:

Richard D. Zanuck, John Logan, Walter F. Parkes y Laurie McDonald

Escrita por:

- Musical: Stephen Sondheim

- Play: Christopher Bond

- Screenplay: John Logan

Reparto:

Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett)

Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)

Ed Sanders (Toby)

Alan Rickman (Juez Turpin)

Timothy Spall (Alguacil Bamford)

Sacha Baron Cohen (Adolfo Pirelli)

Jamie Cambel Bower (Anthony)

Laura Michelle Kelly (Mendiga)

Jayne Wisener (Johanna)

SINOPSIS

Benjamin Barker lleva una feliz vida con su mujer, Lucy, y su hija, Johanna, hasta que el malvado juez Turpin, ayudado por el alguacil Bamford, le deporta a Australia con una falsa acusación. Durante la ausencia de Benjamin, el juez intenta seducir a Lucy y llega a violarla. Lucy se toma un arsénico y el juez adopta a la niña como hija propia.

15 años después, Sweeney Todd regresa a Londres, dispuesto a hacer pagar los pecados cometidos. Con la ayuda de la Sra. Lovett, su cómplice y vecina, se dedica a ‘afeitar’ a sus clientes mientras ella hace desaparecer los cuerpos y al mismo tiempo reaviva su negocio de empanadas de carne. Además… ella siempre le ha tenido cariño.

Por otra parte, Anthony (un marinero), se enamora de Johanna sin saber de quién es realmente hija y intenta rescatarla.

Amores correspondidos y no correspondidos, tragedia, sangre, humor negro… Y todo ello dirigido por Tim Burton.

 ’La película en imágenes’

SPOLIERS.

¿Qué es eso rojo que gotea…?

Lleno de gente, mierda y fantasmas… ¿Qué es? ¡Londres!

Ah, sir, time is haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!

No todas las cárceles lo parecen.

Gotearán rubíes… Por cierto, ¿no pagas alquiler ni nada, Sweeney? Si es que la Sra. Lovett es un trozo de pan.
Pero yo cerraría la puerta cuando me fuese a dormir.

Elixir Milagroso de Pirelli. Ingredientes: orina (98%) y tinta (2%)

Afeitar no es un trabajo, es un Arte. Y vestirse también, ¡torero!.

¡La semana aún no ha acabado! ¡Solo es martes! (*nota: error de la película. Van al ’show’ de Pirelli el jueves y se supone que la semana no habría acabado. O deberían poner que fueron a
ver el espectáculo de Pirelli el lunes o que ‘¡Solo es viernes!’ O cambiar ambos.)

A mi marido también le gustaba comer hasta reventar…

Mujeres bellas y cuellos cortados. Así debe ser.

¡¡Todos merecen morir afeitarse!!

¿Cura? ¿Actor? ¿Poeta? ¿Verdulero? ¿Escudero? ¿Soldado? ¿Abogado? ¡Juez! = ¡¡Empanadas!!

¿El secreto de mis empanadas? Las hierbas.

Y podemos casarnos, y vivir junto al mar, y tener visitas, y envejecer juntos, y… y… y… por cierto, ¿le puedo tutear?

Nadie te va ha hacer daño mientras yo esté aquí… Por cierto, ¿sigue en pie lo de bajar al sótano…?

En el horno caben varias docenas de empanadas. Y en cuanto a la picadora…: “metes la cane, la picas bien… y sale por ahí” ¡Ay! ¡Pero que buena mami soy!

¡Señor Bamford! ¡Qué se le olvida el sombrero!

¿Toby? ¿Dónde te escoooondes? ¡No tengas miedo! ¡Si aunque tito Sweeney tenga una navaja y yo te llame con voz de psicótica no te va a pasar nada!

¡¡Yo soy tu padre Benjamin Barker!!

¡Ostia! ¡La vieja!

Ahora que está cubierto de sangre y que acaba de matar a su mujer por mi culpa, creo que es el momento adecuado…: ¿nos casamos? ¡venga vaaa!

¡Oh, qué triste! ¡Sweeney y Lucy abrazados mientras él muere! Por cierto, ¿eso es humo o el alma de la Sra. Lovett? 

Tras esta colección de imágenes, supongo que no tengo que añadir que me encanta esta película y el director, y actores y TOOOODO lo relacionado con ellos.

Minha reação a cada filme do Tim Burton lançado é de torcer o nariz, mas o cara é muito foda. Não dá pra não gostar de nenhum filme dele. Mesmo com as caricaturas que viraram o Johnny Depp e a Helena Bonham Carter.
Um barbeiro[Depp] volta da cadeia pra Londres com sede de vingança. Queremos carne humana, é isso! O mais legal do filme são as voltas que o roteiro dá, quando pensamos que o negócio está tomando um rumo, surge o inesperado. O final é bem disgusting, mas ainda poderoso.
No mais, tem aquela estética soturna bem característica do diretor, super direção de arte[premiada no Oscar] e figurino, retratando perfeitamente uma Londres a la David Copperfield. E a trilha do Danny Elfman não deixa nenhuma melodia na cabeça mas não incomoda.
E ainda que caricatos, Depp e Carter têm seus bons momentos no filme, mas pra mim a melhor interpretação é a do Alan Rickman[casaria com a voz dele] como um suposto vilão[?].
*
E só hoje descobri que o Sacha Baron Cohen participava do filme. Ui!

Jamie Campbell Bower as Number 11-12 in The Prisoner. Photo copyright of Granada/AMC

Imagine having a life where pretty much everything you want is within easy reach and all you have to do is ask for it. In AMC’s re-imagined version of The Prisoner, Number 11-12 wakes up to that every day as a resident of The Village. The son of Number Two, the overseer of this residential “paradise,” and M2, his idealistic mother, this 17-year-old is among the privileged and is being groomed to one day take over his father’s duties within The Village. It sounds like the perfect situation, maybe not for 11-12, but it was one that actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays 11-12, could not wait to jump into.

“There had been rumors of The Prisoner floating about, and then I got a phone call from my agent telling me, ‘I think you should go out for this.’ He’s rarely wrong, so I did,” recalls Bower. “I received four pages of audition sides from one of the episodes, and as I read them something really struck home with me. There was just something quite moving about the material and this idea of family and the connection between 11-12 and his father, Two, played by Ian McKellen.

“So I was very excited about the project to begin with, and it was, I think, a rainy Tuesday afternoon when I went down to London’s South Bank next to the Thames for my audition. Whatever I did must have worked because I received another call telling me that I got the role, which was brilliant.”

11-12 with his father, Number Two (Ian McKellen). Photo copyright of Granada/AMC

While a life of privilege may sound enticing to some, especially a young person, it is rarely all that is cracked up to be. And as typically happens, no one seems to have asked 11-12 what he wants.

“With my character, it’s that classic case of, ‘I don’t want to be the prince any more. I want to be an ordinary person,” says Bower. “But then he also thinks that one day he might inherit The Village, so like most people his age, 11-12 is definitely feeling some angst towards his father. As for his relationship with his mother, M2 [Rachael Blake], it’s very distant. He loves her dearly, but he never sees her. His mother is just this entity in the house they live in, and 11-12 strives to have a much closer bond with her.

“So as you might imagine, 11-12 is quite highly strung and emotionally charged. He also has this feeling that he’s missing something in his life, but he doesn’t know what it is. Acting-wise, maintaining that high level of intensity and emotion wasn’t easy. In fact,there was one particular scene that I did with Vincent Regan [Number 909] that screws up my character in a major way. We shot it over an entire day and I had to be incredibly emotional most of that time. Again, it was tough, but it was also a challenge and one I enjoyed because it really helped me to grow as a person as well as an actor.”

Not a good day in The Village for 11-12. Photo copyright of Granada/AMC

Much to his surprise, a frustrated 11-12’s eyes are opened to an entirely new set of possibilities for his future, thanks to The Village’s newest resident and The Prisoner’s lead character, Number Six (Jim Caviezel). “Six’s arrival throws a bit of a spanner into the works of The Village,” notes Bower. “He comes along and forthrightly and outwardly says, ‘This isn’t all there is’ and 11-12’s reaction to that is, ‘Well, maybe he’s right.’ So his interaction with Six is one of curiosity as well as questioning and trying to understand why it is that this man is saying what he’s saying. And I think 11-12 ends up believing in and trusting Six.”

While their onscreen personas are caught up in the turmoil of what is happening to them, The Prisoner’s cast as well as crew could not have enjoyed their time together more, Bower included. “Everyone involved in this project is incredibly talented and fun,” enthuses the actor. “Working with Ian McKellen is an absolute joy and a pleasure. The same is true of working with young British stars like Hayley Atwell [Lucy/4-15] and Ruth Wilson [Number 313]. We all became good mates and helped each other out, patted one another on the back when we needed it, and laughed at each other when we didn’t need it,” he jokes. “We spent four-and-a-half months together in South Africa. Not many people can say that, apart from those who live there, and we had a really nice time.”

Bower was 14 when he decided that he wanted to become an actor, and four years later made his feature film debut in director Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. “I had just turned 18 and was at boarding school in the English countryside,” he says. “I was sneaking out at five o’clock in the morning through my house master’s backdoor and getting into a car that was waiting for me outside the school gates to take me to set. I’d then return to school around seven at night and go back to bed.

11-12 shares a rare moment with his mother, M2 (Rachael Blake). Photo copyright of Granada/AMC

“I did that for about two weeks and then I made the decision that I should probably just leave school and not bum a free bed off them every night. So that’s what I did, and it was an incredibly terrifying experience for me, being just 18 and working alongside people like Tim Burton as well as Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall. It was also a phenomenal opportunity and it gave me such an amazing starting point that I could never have dreamt of, so I was very, very lucky.”

Besides The Prisoner, Bower can also currently be seen as Caius in the latest installment of the hugely successful teenage vampire tale The Twilight Saga: New Moon. “I was in Los Angeles not too long ago and they were casting for New Moon,” says the actor. “My American agent asked me if I would like to audition for it, and I said that I’d kill to audition for it. So I met with [director] Chris Weitz and then I got a call offering me the role of Caius, which I was really excited about.

“Caius, along with Michael Sheen’s character of Ar0, and Marcus,who is played by Chris Heyerdahl, are the leaders of an ancient Italian vampire coven known as the Volturi. We shot in Vancouver and I was there for about three weeks working with actors like Michael, Chris, Dakota Fanning [Jane], Rob Pattinson [Edward Cullen] and Kris Stewart [Bella Swan]. It was a real treasure of a role for me and another great set of actors to work with and learn from.”

Change is in the air when 11-12 crosses paths with Number Six (Jim Caviezel). Photo copyright of Granada/AMC

The actor has a lead role alongside Keira Knightley and Colin Farrell in the upcoming film London Boulevard and has guest-starred in an episode of the new British Fantasy TV series Game of Thrones. Harry Potter fans can also look forward to enjoying Bower’s performance in the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

“I play Gellert Grindelwald, who’s an old friend of Dumbledore’s [Michael Gambon],” he says. “They have this idea that they can create a utopian wizardry world, and then there’s a big fight and something awful happens,” teases the actor.

“So it was another fun project, and ‘fun’ is one of the things about this job that’s important to me. I hope I can continue doing this up until the point that it isn’t fun any more. That’s when people become jaded and become the person that they never wanted to be. I think growing as an actor and a performer is a wonderful thing to behold, and feeling like you’re learning as well. That’s especially important for young actors like myself who have chosen a different path. We haven’t gone to university, but, instead, have decided that acting is what we want to do, and as long as you’re learning while doing it, then I think that’s the main thing that will keep you happy.”

Steve Eramo

The Prisoner concludes tonight, Tuesday, November 17th @ 8 p.m. EST/PST.

As noted above, all photos copyright of Granada TV and AMC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Christmas house

Sweeney Todd Christmas house

A clean house…

Mountains of foam in the lovely city of Bath

]]> http://jordanbayorgeon.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/the-real-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:44:34 +0000 jordanbayorgeon http://jordanbayorgeon.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/the-real-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/

What is cleverer than a barber, murder and “delicious” meat pies?  Well, maybe it’s not clever, maybe it’s true. The story of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was first known in print in 1846 in “The People’s Periodicals.”  After more installments, the people of England began to think that this was a real person. Well, as it turns out, there is no actually evidence or documents that suggest Sweeney Todd was real. However, there is information that the character was based on horrific crimes of the past.

Thomas Prest was the creator of the character.  One story that could have gave Prest the idea was from a barber very close to Fleet Street that killed one customer over a jealous rage. He suspected the customer was sleeping with his wife; so he cut the man’s throat from ear to ear.

There is also the story of Sawney Bean, the mass murderer and cannibal of Scotland. Now, there could be a relationship with the names ‘Sawney’ and ‘Sweeney.’ Bean was known to murder incident people who came by, and then ate them with his family.

Lastly, and more closely to the movie, there was an account of an 1800 Persian barber in France who subsequently killed its patrons and gave them to the neighbor who was a pastry chef and fed the remains to its customers. Now, even this was documented by the police in Paris, some say that there is no truth behind the events.

Still Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a story that will live on both in Hollywood and on Broadway. But if you are looking for a story based on one particular set of events, I don’t think you will find it here.

I had a particularly bad day today and I have no idea why.  I felt really crappy when I left the house.  Mind you, I dind’t get a terribly good night’s sleep so that could have had something to do with it.  All day I felt really down but the day went fairly quickly, thank goodness and I came home, had tea and sat down to do bugger all.  Things picked up for a while but they seem to be back to where they were 2 weeks ago and slowly sliding again.

We caught up on Fringe and are now sitting down to watch Sweeney Todd.  Paul doesn’t really do musicals but he’s quite enjoying this one.  It’s mostly because it’s Johnny Depp and Tim Burton gothic style.  Must admit, I like the Johnny Depp/Helena Bonham-Carter pairing.

I’ve been getting clued up what deals I can get with a Blackberry so I’m going to try my luck with O2 tomorrow and see what they can do for me.  I was going to ring them tonight but truth be told I just can’t be arsed!  I can’t wait till January though.  I always need to have everything yesterday…terribly impatient.  Watch this space…

Tim Burton este personajul real, care pentru mine inseamna mai mult decat i aspiratie. Pentru a ajunge la nivelul lui de nebunie, chiar paranoia, iti trebuie ani de risc si de creatie continuua. Si sunt dispusa la multe incercari. Un stil nevrotic de a fi acceptat. Filme de un real succes international. Pictura de imensa imaginatie. Jocuri de cuvinte, nebunie si o doza mica de psihoza au facut dintr-un baiat care in anii de liceu aducea a tocilat, intr-unul dintre cei mai mari si neintelesi genii in viata. Caractere ale unor personaje care par atat de naturale, dar in spatele carora stau ani de creatie si de sudoare. Filme atat de fascinante, diferite si unice, dar totusi cu un numitor comun, un stil demonic si rece in spatele unor comedii de inceput de secol 20 in spatii comune dar totusi imune in fata trecerii timpului.

Filme:

• The World of Stainboy
• Lost in Oz
• Mars Attacks!
• James and the Giant Peach
• Batman Forever
• Ed Wood
• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Batman Returns
• Edward Scissorhands
• Corpse Bride
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Sleepy Hollow

Din pacate nu am putut si nu am avut de unde sa iau poze ale picturilor sale, dar va indemn catre site-ul sau, unde acestea sunt prezentate www.timburton.com.

Vizionare placuta

I recently submitted my website and it’s work to a fellow photographer that I admire greatly not only for his work but his contributions to other photographers of all levels; hobbyist and amateurs to professionals alike – Zack Arias.

I feel very fortunate to have been chosen to be critiqued by someone I admire so much. Having anyone you look up to actually look at your work is one of those ‘heady’ type of things. I was ready for anything he might say – like, “Your work is complete and total CRAP!” to “I love it!” – though honestly I didn’t expect the last one. I mean, the whole point of a critique is to have an honest opinion. I did kinda know ahead of time that he might be critiquing my site, so I did kinda flood it with some additional images – fully expecting him to call me out on the additional fluff, but wanting him to see it at the same time. He’s a very busy man and I wanted to take full advantage of the time spent on my site, and that meant posting stuff to get an opinion on it. Something other than the typical, “that’s nice” I mean.

I know I’ve grown a lot in the last year in abilities, (and gear), but I know I have so much to learn still! It’s actually daunting to step back and look at that aspect of things. To know that you’ve come such a long way already, but to see you have SO much farther to go! I’m not discouraged by this, mind you. Just aware.

It’s after doing this that I decided it was time to do something else to force myself to take that next step. I had felt like I hit a bit of a plateau and I was searching for something to push me forward. Something that wouldn’t cost me money especially… as I don’t have much to invest at the moment. If I had funds to invest I would be traveling to Atlanta to take a class from Zack, actually; which is still something I plan on doing at some point in the near future!

So, what do I do? I submit my website to Zack for a critique. This made me nervous, but I wanted to know what a photographer of his caliber thought of my site and my work. Now, I know that most understand what critiques are… but have you ever looked at Dictionary.com to see what they have to say on the subject?

I would like to point out the one thing that caught my eye in that – “But this use of critique is still regarded by many as pretentious jargon…” This is interesting to me since I’ve been receiving comments from those of you who have watched Zack’s critique of my site and work back on November 4th [’09] basically stating that his critique seemed to be just that. I would also like to point out that I do NOT feel this way about his critique. I do not regard what he had to say about my site and the work I’ve been creating as “pretentious” anything. I understand fully what he was saying with each point he made.

However, I recently received a message from a client that articulated quite well what many others have been saying to me since they too have viewed his critique. In this message Karen explained her viewpoint on a few of the points Zack made. First of which was about my old logo/watermark.

One of the very first things that Zack (and his wife, Meg) had to say about it was basically, “what is it?” Well, it’s an abstract drawing I made several years ago of a Mousebird; an african species of small bird that I used to work with. I actually have a VERY similar rendering as a tattoo on my right forearm and often get this same basic question. So, when Zack and Meg asked what it was I was not surprised. The species of bird it is based on is not common or even well known unless you live in the same area they do – where they are actually regarded as pests because of their habit of raiding people’s houses for food; not unlike mice which people are much more familiar with here in the states.

So I understood where they were coming from on that one. I almost expected it. As far as how it relates to my photography – well… it doesn’t really. Not anymore. See, when I first started taking photos I was still an animal trainer for a local park – working mainly with a variety of avian species, aka birds. So, nearly all my photos were of birds. I’ve been published for my work on that subject – I actually recently gave permission for one of those photos to be used in an upcoming publication that will be released only to libraries. Kinda cool. But I haven’t considered myself a nature photographer for quite some time. I do however still photograph animals on occasion, but since this is not the “target demographic” I am trying to reach, the logo just seems like some odd squiggle.

But that’s just the type of uniqueness that Karen and a few others have stated is part of my appeal. To quote Karen, “I did not know what it was originally either, but that made it all the more interesting. I think it was unique, just like you and your vision for your work.” It is a good thing to be different and memorable. Plus, Karen also stated that it is a “conversation starter” which is also a very valid point and should not be dismissed. I have never wanted to be just another photographer out there… creating the same stuff that everyone else is. I’ve been searching for what I can create that will be unique and still desirable for potential clients for some time now. I’m starting to find my way there at this point with all the themed shoots I’ve done and am currently planning.

Well, the question then is what do I do with all this knowledge. Do I redesign my “branding” and go with something more traditional or do I stick with the unique and unidentifiable logo? Hmmm. I’m not sure at this point what the answer to that is. I have pulled the old logo from the site and replaced it with something more traditional for the time being, but I have not definitively decided what I will or even should do there. I’m always grateful for any opinions you may have on this subject! To those who have already given me your opinions I would like to say Thanks! I am reading them all and thinking on all you have to say.

Another criticism Zack had on my site specifically was the fact that I had photos of things like kids and weddings in the same place where I have my themed work. Again, this was a point that I kinda expected. I mean, if you look through my portfolio and see all the portraits and kids and then go to my Character tab and look through photos of the Sweeney Todd shoot you might at least pause at the contrast. If you’re a parent and wanting me to photograph your kids, would photos like this:

startle you? Might it scare you away? Or does it show, as Karen articulated so well, that my work is, “…versatile, AND that you can bring your uniqueness and whimsical sense to ordinary subjects and situations!” … “not bound by an age group or other demographic. I think it crosses boundaries, and that is what I like to see.” Again, another valid point. I can see both sides again on this one. I have been thinking this over since the critique and decided at first to pull those photos, (kids, weddings and such), from the site but I plan on putting them back up at least for the time being. In order to display all my work, Zack recommends I make another site to post the kids, family and wedding photos on.

However, I have one problem with doing this at the moment. I am having business come in with these images displayed together. To me that means that potential clients are not deterred by the contrasting images. It doesn’t mean they aren’t startled by them, but perhaps it is like Karen and others are telling me. That the character stuff – regardless of how shocking it might be – does display a uniques that clients find appealing rather than repelling? Since the style in which I shoot remains consistent, I decided it was best to leave all the images up so as to give the best comprehensive view of my work.

Lastly, I would like to state that I am in total agreement with Zack on the lack of story with my themed shoots. What is the point of all these images, if not to tell a story? I have taken that to heart and am currently working on another themed shoot where I am implementing these changes. I am creating a storyboard of sorts with sketches in order to see the story on paper (not just in my head) before we even do one shot. I like how less nervous it makes me about the overall shoot. Normally, I just kick ideas around with Chris (my husband) ahead of time but never write anything down… so when the actual shoot arrives it’s more impromptu and chaotic. I’ve found that I come up with neat ideas in those types of situations… but taking the time to plan some things out is proving to be a lot less stressful for me. Which is always a plus! =)

Ultimately, I have pulled some of the shots from the site in response to Zack’s critique that I feel did not portray my abilities as a photographer to the highest standard with which I am capable. I have redesigned the logo – temporarily at least. And have also replaced the family, kid and wedding photos which need to be displayed – with the idea that I may make an additional site to display them in the near future.

Again, I would like to say a big THANKS to Zack for his critique and to all my fans who have taken their time to not only watch the critique, but also to write me with their opinions on what they saw. The combination of everyone’s opinions helps me to grow as a photographer and as a small business owner. I am so grateful to everyone for taking the time to not only look at my stuff but to let me know they did and what they thought!  [*blushing*]  It really means a lot to me! Thank you! =)

~Squeek!

Yam yam gimme some…

1.Johnny Depp – From 21 Jumpstreet to crazy barber and mumbling pirate, this is one beautiful man.

2.Alexander Skarsgård – Put your teeth in me mister Vampire

3.Ryan Kwanten – The boy next door

4. Eric Dane – McSteamy / Patrick Dempsey – McDreamy

 5.Gerard Butler – Every girl loves a bad guy

It’s been awhile since I blogged.  I know, I know…a long while…But college has kept me busy.

A friend of mine recently made a list of experiences she had had since starting college.  In light of that, I decided to make a list of some experiences that have also taken place in my life

1. I never thought I would visit a donut shop at 11:30 at night.
2. I didn’t think I would get the experience of seeing Wicked again, which I drove out of state to see.  Wichita, Kansas isn’t that bad of a city.
3. I also didn’t think that I would get to see Sweeney Todd performed live (which is much much better than the movie).
4. I knew I would enjoy the church here in Ada, but I had no idea that God would bless me like he has here.
5. Who knew that by being apart of ECU’s premiere music theatre ensemble, Showtime, would lead me to be the first performing act in the new fine arts center by recreating the opening scene of the movie RENT.  Experiences like that come few for a performer.
6. I complained in high school about having to write a paper.  Now, I churn out at least one paper a week.
7. I went at 10 pm to go walking around the park with friends.  We returned at roughly midnight, only to watch Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  Only one of the four made it through to The Dark Knight.
8. I had a good mentor once tell me that during college, all you need to operate on is four hours of sleep a night as to not miss anything.  Little did I know that this wasn’t always a decision.
9. I have been able to introduce movies to people that needed a good Kubrick film to watch, as well challenging people to look past the surface of the movie as the great Bobby Reeves taught me (The Happening is about way more than what people think).
10. 10. A dorm room for too long can make an individual a bit crazy, thus resulting in random trips to Norman where all that is purchased is a bag of candy, and a fairly inexpensive dinner at El Chico.

This is just the beginning of the list.  I am positive that there will be more to come.  All-in-all, college has been a great experience.

Twelve21

Aujourd’hui un ciné club un peu particulier. Puisqu’au lieu de dire du bien d’un film, je vais dire (beaucoup) de mal d’un réalisateur. Parce que, soyons clair, Tim Burton est non seulement un connard, mais il fait quand même un tas de merde. Pourquoi Burton ? En fait au début je le laissais dans sa médiocrité, c’était pas mal, l’indifférence. Puis j’ai réalisé que les gens de base, et les filles en particulier, étaient complètement fans du Tim. Tiens, prenez un profil de site de rencontre de nana, y’a une chance sur deux pour qu’elle liste Burton dans ses réalisateurs préférés. L’explication est toute simple : le réalisateur possède un des univers visuels les plus forts du cinéma contemporain. Tu vois un Burton, tu sais que c’est de lui. Au point que ce traitement graphique lui soit exclusivement réservé, mais j’y reviendrai. Dans un milieu où la culture est médiocre, crasse, où l’on n’est pas capable de discerner un beau plan, une belle construction scénique, un sens du tempo et du montage, l’apparence fait tout. Et au royaume de la poudre aux yeux, Tim Burton est roi.

Déjà le mec est un gros connard, fondamentalement, humainement. Bien sûr il y a le cas « L’étrange Noël de Mr. Jack », où le pauvre réalisateur du film s’est fait déposséder de son travail, son nom oublié et broyé dans la grande machine de Burton et son aura mégalomane. Dès qu’on essaie de jouer dans un univers gothique et cartoon à la fois, ayé, les terres de Tim, aucune chance d’échapper au classique « Tiens, c’est un Burton ? ». Puis, à un niveau plus personnel, je lui en voudrais toujours d’avoir flingué le reboot de la franchise Superman. Après le succès de ses Batman, la Warner le propulse réalisateur sur Superman V. Un script était prêt, celui de Kevin Smith, ultra respectueux du comics (logique). Burton refusera de voir Smith, jettera le script déjà écrit à la poubelle et dépensera l’argent du studio pendant cinq ans et pré production et réécritures avant de jeter l’éponge. Un échec de plus sur la longue route qui mènera au pitoyable, pathétique, rageant Superman Returns.

Ensuite, et surtout, ses films sont bien merdiques. Okay, y’a Edward Aux Mains D’Argent, ça c’était la classe. Les Batmans aussi un peu. Mais son dernier bon film , c’était Sleepy Hollow, y’a dix putains d’années. Entre temps y’aura eu l’infâme Planète des singes, les poussives Noces funèbres, le visuellement gerbant Charlie et la chocolaterie et le soporifiques Sweeney Todd. Seul Big Fish réchappe du carnage, mais à sa décharge il s’agit d’une adaptation, ce qui aide niveau script (quoi que la chocolaterie…). Avec les années Burton s’est de plus en plus enfoncé dans son style au mépris de tous les autres aspects de la réalisation et de la production (comme le joli tirage de couverture sur 9, très classe, une fois de plus). Son catalogue de vieilleries le rend inattaquable auprès du grand public, qui te citera toujours un Beetlejuice pour aller le défendre. A ce stade fanatisme, on peu dire que le papy Tim à bien réussi son hold-up.

Parce que le cinéma c’est un peu compliqué que mettre Johnny Depp devant une caméra pendant deux heures au milieu de lutins boursouflés et d’architecture de travers, si seulement les vrais gens pouvaient aller s’éduquer au lieu de me faire saigner des yeux. Pour la peine, aujourd’hui je vais me passer un bon film, en espérant que vous ayez l’occasion de faire de même.

Demain, des nouvelles du front.

Je sais que t’en as rien à battre, mais je sors de chez le coiffeur. Je me sens tout léger et tout ça. Ca fait un bout de temps que je passais devant et que je disais, en voyant ma tronche, que ça allait commencer à devenir indispensable. Je te mets pas de photo, tu vas avoir peur. Le seul truc que je peux dire c’est que je ne ressemblais pas encore à André Agassi à cette époque.

Alors cet après-midi, en sortant de cours, j’ai craqué. Le choix du coiffeur n’a pas été très très compliqué à effectuer, c’est le seul salon de coiffure du quartier qui ne coupe pas les cheveux à la cisaille pour 6$ CAD au fin fond d’une épicerie indienne ou d’un électricien grec. J’ai rien contre les coiffeurs à 6$ hein, mais quand j’ai vu mon colloc sortir du fameux, je me suis dit que c’était pas pour moi. Même si, à lui, ça lui allait très bien. Une semaine après.

Bref, je rentre dans le salon, le type m’invite à patienter. Alors je m’exécute. Et là, je réalise dans quelle embuscade je suis tombé. Le son de la télé était à fond, la télé réglée sur la RAI (oui, oui la chaîne italienne) et tout le monde causait italien, comme on cause grec dans le MacDo. Inutile de te dire que le coiffeur maîtrisait aussi le français que je parle italien, donc j’étais pas dans la merde.

Effectivement, les seuls rudiments d’italien que j’ai tiré de mon voyage en Sicile me permettent de commander, certes très poliment mais peu efficacement dans la situation présente, un marsala, un martini ou une bière en rab. Bref, je voyais pas trop comment j’allais lui expliquer ce que je voulais comme longueur de cheveux, dans quel sens et tout ça. Néanmoins, je me suis roulé par terre d’hilarité quand j’ai vu que le type était branché sur Google Finance – page “Comparaison des devises” – pour faire ses factures en € et en $ CAD.

Ensuite vint mon tour. J’ai eu la grande joie d’enfiler une blouse à l’effigie de Zucherro (véridique) et je me suis assis. Pas de shampooing, heureusement que j’étais fraichement lavé du matin. Et là c’est parti. Pendant 20 minutes, j’ai eu l’impression de vivre en direct les vendanges italiennes sur tout mon crâne. Il m’a super bien coiffé, mais qu’est-ce que j’ai morflé. Il coiffait si vite que j’ai passé la moitié du temps un oeil fermé pour éviter l’amputation fortuite. Il a du rater mes oreilles au moins une dizaine de fois, à tel point que je me suis d’ailleurs demandé si il voulait pas simplement me la virer, histoire de se marrer un coup.

Et on est passé au shampooing. Ouai. Après. Moi aussi, ça m’a fait bizarre. Je me suis assis sur l’équivalent de ça, sur le dos et le bonhomme a commencé à me secouer la tronche sous une flotte brûlante. Je me suis levé avec l’impression d’avoir passé deux jours et deux nuits dans une machine à laver, mais j’avais moins de cheveux et une tronche bien moins pire que celle à laquelle je m’attendais. Donc finalement tout bénef, c’était une expérience.

Je sais que t’en avais rien à battre, mais bon, je me suis bien marré au final.

Sending all these different signs
But yours aren’t quite the same as mine

Song of the day:
“Will You, Won’t You” by Bombay Bicycle Club

Sorry for the weird video. It’s all they have.

Hmm. so it’s after school. I’m just chillin’.
Tim is not giving me adequate conversation starters. So I suppose I shall stop texting him for the time being.
I made the most delicious cupcakes ever yesterday.. I love coconut.
Today I woke up at 5:45 (after 4.8 hours of sleep) and so I was tired all day.
I also was a creeper and stared at this one person alot. Whoops.

I discovered that I am playing “the last post” for Remembrance Day tomorrow. sweet. The whole school gets to listen to me play. And possibly mess up. I won’t though.. it’s quite an easy song. I should probably be practising trumpet right now..
This blog is sort of a stream-of-conciousness style of writing, is it not? hm.

Amanda didn’t get my Sweeney Todd reference. (BEST MOVIE EVER. BEST MUSICAL EVER… STEPHEN SONDHEIM IS A GENIUS.) She really needs to watch it.
uhmmm what else.? hm. nothing. nothing at allllll.

It’s been a while since I last posted, and I think it might be an idea to review my last post.  I did the one thing I can always count on myself to do.  I had a major revelation saying how I was going to change my ways and be the person I want to be.  Within two days however, everything was back to how it was.  Is that what I want to do my whole life, never strive to actually achieve my goals? NO! So why am I doing it now?

I need to get a good push into doing what I set out to do.  Weight loss, organisation, creative things.  Everything needs something to force me into doing it.  I never finish what I set out to do, but not anymore.  For all the people reading this, please do what you can to help me with this, force me where needs be and remind me why I want to change myself.  A better life, a better me and a wonderfully bright future.

On a lighter note, I got a call back for the Sweeney Todd auditions on wednesday, which is surprising since I messed up on “My Friends”, who knew I could get so nervous.  By the time I sat down I was shaking and my skin was tingling all along my left arm.  It’s a crazy world.  Call backs are this wednesday and I really desperately need to improve on my acting and appear more “evil”.  Miss (or Mrs.) Braddy has been wonderful and is a bubbly person, which compared to the Abbey school teachers, is a lovely surprise

Thanks for reading