I LOVE & adore Richard Simmons especially after this #epic hangout with him this week. It is a tragedy of our times that many people are unable/unwilling to see straight through to the heart of people like Richard, who has a heart of gold and truly kind hearted to his core despite a tough life he has lived!
People may look and act differently from us, but until & unless our society progress to love and care about others who may look & act different to us on the outside, the human race has a long way to learn and progress.
To me, Sarah Rafferty’s Donna in the TV series Suits personify the best of the best executive assistant (EA)!
The passable EA does what you want after asking for your clarifications and help.
The OK EA does what you ask competently without bugging you too much.
The best of the best EA knows what needs to be done before you ask and do it so well that you realize he/she has saved you so much time so you can focus on other important matters!
To me, my mom is one of the most #awesome executive assistant I know of! You ask how good? Well, after the first few years of a manager running the office with her help, the HQ decided to eliminate the manager position and have her run the office without a manager for the following decades! I’ve learned so much from my mom! LOVE you mom!
I just watched & experienced my first ever award-winning first-person-documentary! It got me to play along and fall in love with Bear 71! The online experience/first-person-documentary is FREE thanks to National Film Board of Canada. And today, after a year long global competition, Bear 71 was selected as Site of The Year Winner amongst 12 Site of The Month finalists by 58 international judges in 2 rounds of voting! To see how amazing this honour is, you should know that the Site of The Month finalists were in turn selected from 365 Site of The Day Winners!
I will watch & play with Bear 71 again for sure. (update: 3 times so far) Let me give you the permission to explore and to click and look at different things during the 20 minutes experience because there are endless ways and many interesting hidden surprise for people to “first-person” interact and discover within the documentary. I was imagining/hoping there was a “right” way to interact with the film but there isn’t one. At key moments, the gentle hands of the creators of the experiences will bring you right along into some memorable video that will hopefully stay with you. For me, the memorable experiences will stay with me and has reaffirm and be more aware of the beautiful environment we (and the animals) experience even things are changing rapidly (often in not so positive ways for the animals). Lets hope shows like Bear 71 will help us want to make our world a better place not only for us humans, but also for bears like Bear 71 and other wild animals before things are too late.
Jan 19th update: Here is my extensive video interview with co-creator Leanne Allison where we talk about the one million plus photos Leanne got to pick and choose to use. The raw & candid video footage of a variety of wild animals captured motion-triggered cameras. And down to a discussion of how best to protect bears from trains in high-speed. Leanne and I also got to chat about the awesome documentary Being Caribou (2004) which you can watch for free online.
“The team behind ‘Bear 71′ put interactive story telling at the new edge of how we should imagine things.”
Julie Campagna, Adobe:
“Innovative and memorable, yet disturbing.”
Steve Lemarquand, Resn:
“I felt emotionally compelled to trek the virtual landscape for Bear 71.”
Mathias Appelblad, BBDO:
“A beautiful experience that pulls you right in. A great example of how technology and interaction can tell a story in an innovative, engaging and emotional way.”
Wesley Ter Haar, MediaMonks:
“A site that is steadfast, almost stubbornly interactive. It interweaves narrative with data in a way that creates something uniquely digital, while also managing to resonate far beyond the experience itself. I catch myself thinking of Bear 71 in the same way I do about books or movies that have made a lasting impression, it is proof that our industry can create compelling, emotive work and will be the standard-bearer (pun not intended) for years to come.”
Eric Jordan, 2Advanced Studios:
“Bear 71 is masterful blending of documentary-style video and information graphics, which combine together to make the site deeply engaging and informative.”
Alison Klayman, director of Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, was very nice and cool to do her first post-Oscar-shortlist video interview with me on the day after she came back from a Bangkok film festival trip. Here is my video interview with Alison.
I just noticed on the back wall in the following film still, the pictures are the concept drawings that lead to the Remembering (2009), an installation for the Façade of the House of German Art.
Alison and I talked about the middle finger salute in the interview. To me, it is a show of defiance to the powerful, be it the one-party ruled Chinese government or any other governments or powerful institutions.
I can’t believe this year is already the 100th anniversary of Calgary Stampede. To join in the fun, we went out to one of the many free Stampede breakfasts this morning. And I ran into Calgary city councillor Brian Pincott. I jumped on the chance to interview Brian for a few minutes to talk about Calgary 100th Stampede and the $25 million Calgary Peace Bridge. Yes, before & during last city election, I wasn’t too convinced of the $25 million price tag for a foot bridge even I was and still is a fan of renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. You see, I got hooked on Calatrava when I watched a documentary about his Turning Torso project years ago at Calgary International Film Festival. I will let you watchBrian‘s explanation of how pedestrian foot traffic has exceeded the council’s original expectation and there was an even unexpected added benefit of the bridge.
“Boardwalk Empire – Masterclass with Terence Winter
A few short years after his tenure on The Sopranos ended, Terence Winter brought the gangster genre roaring back with Boardwalk Empire, a sweeping epic set in Prohibition-era Atlantic City. Along with Executive Producer Martin Scorsese, series Creator Winter deftly weaves fact and fiction to pull back the curtain on the worlds of both crime and politics. Join Winter as he discusses what it takes to create and produce an award-winning period drama.
What was the creative process of adapting an episodic series from a novel?
What are the challenges and limitations of integrating real-life figures with fictional characters?
What is it like collaborating with Martin Scorsese, one of the true masters of cinema?
What are the creative limitations and benefits to producing a period drama?”
Wiebo’s War is one of the best documentaries I have seen this year at 2011 CIFF, I highly recommend it as it tells a great story. The film is especially relevant to Albertans as we thought we know a lot about Wiebo Ludwig from TV news but David York’s Wiebo’s War, with intimate access to Wiebo and his family over two years, will show you a lot more.
If you miss the CIFF screening, the film is opening in theatres on Oct 21st, 2011 in Calgary (The Plaza) and Edmonton (Metro). I hope you find the Q&A and my interview insightful to watch.
“This feature documentary focuses on Wiebo Ludwig, a suspect in a recent string of pipeline bombings. The bombings echo a campaign of sabotage he waged against the oil and gas industry in the 90s – barricading roads and blowing up wells. And when a 16-year-old girl was fatally shot on the family farm in 1999, Wiebo’s fight with the industry was thrust further into the media spotlight.
The Ludwig family are part of a Christian community that lives in close adherence to their religious values. The community is comprised of 5 married couples, 7 unmarried adult children and 38 grandchildren. They are self-sufficient in food and energy, but live in isolation and believe that those that don’t share their religious beliefs, like filmmaker David York, are living in terrible darkness.“
My 2011 Calgary International Film Festival starts tonight. Here is a list of my recommendation. Have a great festival. As I said on FM94.7 this morning, CIFF is a great way to check out new films from around the world. Enjoy and have fun.
Friday, Sept 23rd
07:00pm Below Zero (World Premiere with filmmakers in attendance, Plaza, also on Sat Sept 24, 2pm)
“Director Jeff Meyers follows Jack Sanderson, an aspiring Santa trying to recapture the Christmas spirit after his parents’ passing. As Sanderson goes through his journey to becoming a mall Santa for a season, from bleaching his beard and hair to shopping for a custom suit, attending Santa school, and learning the tricks of the trade …“
It’s not quite the Red Mile, but you may just see a different type of red jersey scattered throughout the theatre for BECOMING SANTA. Winner of the audience award at this year’s SXSW film festival, this Yuletide doc will get everyone in the holiday spirit a little early this year.
Director Jeff Meyers follows Jack Sanderson, an aspiring Santa trying to recapture the Christmas spirit after his parents’ passing. As Sanderson goes through his journey to becoming a mall Santa for a season, from bleaching his beard and hair to shopping for a custom suit, attending Santa school, and learning the tricks of the trade, Meyers discovers that the task is harder than anyone would expect, and involves a personal, physical and emotional transformation that few of us are aware of. BECOMING SANTA features a number of interviews with professional Santas and Santa aficionados (including Calgary’s very own instructor and Santa agent Jennifer Andrews from the Victor Nevada Santa School), along with historians who provide a fascinating history of Santa Claus in America.
Warning: This documentary may contain some unwelcome surprises for young children.“
“Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Eric Bricker’s multiple award-winning VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman. Long considered to be the world’s greatest architectural photographer, Schulman’s iconic, instantly recognizable images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream.
Shulman captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s Modernist movement, bringing its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images.
Shulman developed a close association with the modernist architects, principally those active in Southern California, and his images played a major role in crafting the image of the Southern California lifestyle to the rest of the world during the 1950s and 1960s. A prolific author, consultant, lecturer, exhibitor and editor of his own vast archive, Shulman remained active up until his passing in July of 2009.”
It was my great pleasure to talk to Signe Olynyk, Writer & Producer of Below Zero a film that is world premiering at 2011 Calgary International Film Festival. (watch trailer here) In my video interview with Signe, she talked about her experiences in locking herself in a meat freezer for five days to write a script, and her amazing cast members Edward Furlong, Michael Berryman, Kristin Booth, and Sadie Madu (who celebrated her 8th birthday during production), and the experience of filming in Edson, Alberta. And I just find the following really cool! (emphasis added)
“I call this film an autobiographical horror,” says writer/producer, Signe Olynyk, who struggled with her own case of writer’s block. “You’ve heard of method acting? You could say I’m a ‘method writer’.” In order to complete the script, Olynyk arranged to have herself physically locked in the meat freezer of an abandoned slaughterhouse near Edson, Alberta. After camping out for five days, she emerged with the script for “Below Zero.”
In this video report, you will see Jacqueline Dupuis, Executive Director of Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), announces the opening (Donovan’s Echo) and closing (Take This Waltz) gala films and the stars and crews that will be visiting. Plus a look of the the brand new CIFF Lifestyle Lounge. Here is my report.
Here is Opening Gala Film Donovan’s Echo CIFF film synopsis,
“In DONOVAN’S ECHO, Danny Glover (LETHAL WEAPON, THE COLOR PURPLE) stars as Donovan Matheson, a brilliant mathematician and recovering alcoholic who returns to his hometown after a mysterious 30-year absence. Donovan is still haunted by the accidental death of his wife and daughter and feels guilty about his past obsession with his profession – and his neglect of his family and friends.
As he struggles to move on with his life, Donovan is plagued by horrible feelings of déjà-vu. History seems to be repeating itself, and Donovan comes to believe that a local girl is in deadly trouble, although he’s not sure how to communicate his instincts. How can you claim to know the future without coming across as, well, crazy?
DONOVAN’S ECHO is no simple thriller. Donovan’s journey will force him to confront his own troubled past, as well as the nature of life itself: Is there life after death? Is there life before birth?And how can one man hope to make sense of it all in time to save a life?”
Here is the Closing Gala Film Take This Waltz CIFF synopsis,
“Five years after winning over audiences worldwide with her directorial debut, AWAY FROM HER [Kempton: I love "AWAY FROM HER"], Sarah Polley returns to the director’s chair with proof that her previous success was only the beginning. Her follow-up, TAKE THIS WALTZ, is an unflinching look at all sides of modern love, one that is alternately endearing, erotic, funny and heart-wrenching.
Michelle Williams (BLUE VALENTINE, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) is Margot, a seemingly happily married woman who, after a chance encounter at the airport, finds herself torn between her doting husband (Seth Rogen, of KNOCKED UP and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS) and her rickshaw-driving neighbour (Luke Kirby, in a breakout performance). It’s a choice between the excitement of new love and the comfort of a long-established relationship, and as in real life, Polley’s script refuses to reduce the decision to something as simple as right and wrong. Even more than the keenly observed dialogue, stellar performances (including comedian Sarah Silverman in a supporting role) and consistently inventive cinematography, what elevates
TAKE THIS WALTZ is the remarkable chemistry between Williams and her two leading men. Both relationships are beyond just believable – the emotional connections between the actors are almost tangible. The result is an exploration of love that is unafraid to admit the answers are rarely obvious, and it is all the more affecting for that.”
RT @emmgryner: OMG just got off the phone w @Cmdr_Hadfield who signed off saying "see ya when I get back to Earth"...and I got chills 5 days ago
RT @WilliamShatner: I watch @Cmdr_Hadfield 's Space Oddity video last night and I have 2 words for him: "SHOW OFF!" I'd even look good floa… 5 days ago
RT @emmgryner: I am going to bed blown away by all the feedback and love re @Cmdr_Hadfield's Space Oddity. So proud to be a part of it. Wow… 5 days ago
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