SNL -- Weekend Update iPhone Special

Steve Jobs talking about the iPhone.

There is only one "i" in iPhone

Okay, it is out now, released into the world. Well, what has changed? What is the momentous shift in our lives we expected? Oh, yes an iPhone, hmmm, I always wondered about Steve Jobs and his naming of things with "i". is it really an "i"nternet phone or is it an "i" phone. An "i" phone meaning status, such as "i" have one of these cutting edge, change my life phones and "u" don't.

All you IBM PC'ers out there, okay, really, Mr. Jobs has tried to move you over to be Mac lovers for over 20 years and he was able to move most of your sons and daughters to thinking my way... the "i" way...like the phrase "my way or the highway". Oh, yes, I can see things from "u" on my phone such as "youtube". Mr. Jobs says --- Thank "u" for all the free content for the "i"phone.

And then promoting "i"Tunes is B "o" n "o" from the British rock group "u"2. He was in one of those "i"pod commercials, I can only think that all this money to pay for a simple phone could be used to help the poor in "A"frica. Wonder if those in Darfur, were lined up for the "i" products. Oh, yes, they were but it was r"i"ce.

As we approach, 07/07/07, just in time for the Live "e"arth day, where all the "i"phone users can watch some of the concerts from around the world, hoping they will change the world from global warming, I can only imagine, how all of these "i"phone "u"sers will be dumping and not rec"y"cling their phones in a "y"ear or so to get the one that actually runs on a better network from "A"T&T.

ttyl.

So, you want to be an actor - my first acting class

Vince Paul, casting director of Gospel Hiil, called me this week to tell me how much he liked the mediamensch blog and the stories and photos from my nascent acting career. Vince is not only casting director, but an actor,author, producer, agent, and entrepreneur.

We began to discuss his business and background. Vince authored a book and DVD called "The Talent Guide" which is a beginners guide to acting and modeling. He wanted my advice on how to create some awareness and sales momentum on the internet. I told him about my "real job" as a sales and marketing technology strategist for my company called eWarrior LLC and my knowledge of these cutting edge areas such as "Blogging and Social Networks (www.linktocharlotte.com is one of my ventures)

Vince invited me to his beginning class class for actors called "Launching your Career", so that I could get a better idea of who he was and what type of information would be on the DVD.

I arrived Saturday morning, to his offices and led to the back where he had a classroom with about 25 students watching part of a DVD about acting and modeling career. As in any industry, sometimes the smallest advantages in moving forward and getting ahead quickly comes with being prepared. That is what this 3 hour class taught us.

The first subject was regarding how to put together your head shot and resume. We saw various "before and after" headshots, which were the ones that were originally submitted or used by the actor and the after, showing how makeup, clothing, lighting and background. We clearly understood now that actors come in all ages, shapes and sizes from babies to senior citizens. For different ages there are different ways to handle the photo or headshot submission.

On the resume side, I found this to be very informative and asked a few questions because now I actually have experience with over 10 days on a film production. An actor resume is basically three columns, the show you were in the role you had and the director, production company or location. The resume unlike your regular business resume includes you height, weight (we were told not to lie), age, hair color and eye color.

For the basic beginning actor, many times an extras casting director, will choose you because he sees you have experience on a set and know what is called "set etiquette". Also because most days of filming are long (12 to 14 hours), they like to see that you stayed on the set all day and didn't leave. This is so important because once you are in a movie or scene, if you leave and the need to shoot anothe part of the scene, for continuity of the film you need to be in the shot, no matter how small your role.

The other thing I learned was the difference between applying for a modeling or print ad job and an acting job. For the modeling jobs, your picture IS your resume. The trick with your picture in this case would be to make you picture look like an ad you might see in magazine. He showed us an example of a child's photo resume or what is known as "composite card", where it was posed like a GAP store advertisement.

We also learned about the difference between theater, commercials, television and film. There are many differences in being in each medium and success in one does not guarantee success in another.

One thing I did learn and was not clear about, was the difference between an agent and a casting director. The agent represents the actor and the casting director works for the production company working calling on agents to find specific talent they need.

The last part we discussed was pay and what would be realistic pay for work. For jobs that were professionally shot and where an agent was involved an actor with some experience might expect $500 per day or more for a corporate training film or commercial. In some cases, agents may also be able to negotiate "residuals" for an actor in which an actor would be paid for each time the commercial is shown. I had a flashback to my first job at WNBC radio where a few of the other interns I worked with were in roles in "Milk is a Natural" and "Coca Cola" commercials. I didn't realize how much they were making....If I only new then what I know now.

Now, go "Break a Leg"

King Louis Narcisse - This Little Light Of Mine

This is real footage in church of "This Little Light of Mine". A version of this song will be in the movie "Gospel Hill".

This Little Light Of Mine

This is Springsteen's version of the old spiritual called "This Little Light of Mine". We sang this in the park scene with a 5 person gospel group in Gsopel Hill movie. Found this vefsion on Youtube.

Sicko - Letter I Recieved from Michael Moore - Director

Today is the Day for "Sicko"

June 29, 2007

Friends,

This is it! Two years in the making! The day that our new film, "Sicko," arrives in theaters all across North America! Click here to see where the nearest one is to you.

After you go, let me know what you think. Oh, and send us a photo or a video from your cell phone to show us what it looked like at your theater. We'd love to post a photo from each of the 440 movie theaters showing "Sicko."

To read more about the movie, you can go to www.michaelmoore.com.

Here's what this morning's review in the L.A. Times said: "It's likely his most important, most impressive, and most provocative film." Okay, what do they know? I prefer to trust the assessment of E! Television Online: " 'Sicko' - the best movie ever? Maybe." Maybe? MAYBE?! When will they ever give me a break?

It's been a weirdly funny week. First Larry King bumped me for Paris Hilton. Then today, when CNBC invited me to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for an interview, the stock exchange said I was barred from the building. On top of that, Tony Blair is gone, Cheney says he's no longer answerable to anyone's elected government, and I simply don't want an iPhone. Just another week in America.

Hope you enjoy the movie!

Yours,
Michael Moore
mmflint@aol.com

Gospel Hill - Movie Poster

 

Movie Poster for Gospel Hill
Starring Danny Glover, Angela Bassett and Julia Stiles
Directed by Giancarlo Exposito

Toward the middle of filming, I had a chance to shake hands and thankGiancarlo.
The movie is expected to be released in mid-2008.

Gospel Hill - "Singin' in the Heat"

 

In this scene, were are at a memorial service or celebration for the civil rights activist in this small southern town. Hundreds of people turn out to celebrate his life in ths scenee including in real life Nia Long, Danny Glover, Angela Bassett and Julia Stiles. There is a stage set up in this park. (the park was recreated for this film including a large commercial swing set that you find in city parks). In this scene a Gospel Group is singing a beautiful song celebrating his life. The crowd is singing along as well including me!...The singing was beautiful and inspirational even though this was pretend, it also felt real. I guess the tell actors to "be in the moment".

The other part which you do not see in this scene is that I am one of handful of people that actually had to wear a corporate dress suit. Even though this was taken at around 2 in the morning, I had to stand in 80 degree heat for 3 hours. (you can click on the photo to really see me sweat) There was not water available or what is known as "craft service" in the lingo. So I did what I learned from Leatherheads, (where everyone had to wear heavy winter clothes in 70 degree weather)...I boldly walked over to a production truck and asked them if I could have a bottle from the cooler set aside for the "crew".

See, on film set there is sort of a pecking order, or what I call a caste system. From bottom to top in terms of your power or position on the film it seems to be as follows

Non-paid extras to paid extras to crew to featured actors to directors to producers. (If anyone wants to correct me or add to this please leave a comment).

Well that is a long story for just one picture. We were "Singin' in the Heat' Not so glamourous is it?

Fort Mill (SC) Times Article about Filming "Gospel Hill"

This is an article with background of how Fort Mill, SC was chosen as one of the locations for filming the movie, Gospel Hlll and a detailed description of the first night of filming there with stars, Danny Glover, Julia Stiles, and Angela Bassett.
http://www.fortmilltimes.com/local/story/6563721p-5842267c.html

Gospel Hill - Waiting in Extra's Holding at Midnight

 

From L to R Frank West, Kricket Morton, Dianne Gallagher, Andy Kaplan waiting in "extra's holding" for the movie "Gospel Hill" (Photo by freelance photographer Wade Nash) Frank West and Dianne Gallagher are videographer and field reporter, respectively for CN2 News in Rock Hill, NC. Kricket Morton is former sports anchor for WBTV, Charlotte, NC. Wade Nash is one of the top freelance sports photographers in the country. Frank and Wade play their real life roles in the movie. Dianne Gallagher and I play as "memorializers" for at a celebration for a civil rights activists death in a city park.
We finally went out to the set at around 1 am and filmed until the film "wrapped" at 4 am.

Gospel Hill - Picking out my "Costume"

I was told to arrive at 7 pm in Fort Mill, SC, just outside of Charlotte. This was my first night shoot for the film Gospel Hill. I drove about 30 minutes to Fort Mill after I left a business meeting where I was wearing my grey pinstriped business suit.

To prepare for the film, I spent an hour earlier in the day organizing and selecting four or five different "casual outfits" that included jeans, tan khaki pants, blue dress pants and about 5 different combinations of shirts from polo to dress. The suit was definitely too formal, so I expected to change when I arrived.

After driving through a torrential downpour on the Interstate, I arrived at the location in Fort Mill. It was an beautiful old church. The extra's holding was in the main social hall in the church. As I walked into the room, over 200 people were sitting on black plastic folding chairs. I carried my 10 lbs of clothes on hangers into to room and checked in at the desk. They handed me a legal release from that says, they can use my likeness in the movie however they want and I won't sue them. I then met Vince who was the casting director who had called me the day before. Vince is a tall, good looking charismatic executive. He collected my release form and then directed me over to see the costumer to see which "outfit" would fit the part I needed to play.

As I looked over, the costumer, was Ginger, who I had worked on with at Leatherheads. As soon as she saw me get in her line, she exclaimed good naturedly with a big smile - "Here comes trouble". Ginger had been one of the friendliest and most meticulous costmers on Leatherheads.(On leatherheads she was straightening my hat, fixing my tie, tieing my overcoat belt in a square not...an lifting up our trousers to almost wedgie proportions to so we had the 1920's look of showing our socks).

She took one look at me in my pinstripe suit and said "Perfect, you can wear what you have on." I replied somewhat pleadingly "Do you want to see my other ties?", hoping at least my hour of preparation of choosing the outfits was not totally wasted, She smiled and said "No, what you have on is fine. Go put the reat of your clothes back in your car." I walked back out into the light drizzle, put the clothes in the trunk of my car.

"Gospel Hill" Movie - I'm going to a funeral

I got a call today from the casting director (Vince) for Gospel Hill. He told me to bring 4 different outfits mostly casual and possibly a suit. We are going to be in a scene at a funeral. As a "paid" extra, he wanted me to arrive earlier than the "unpaid" extras. I was told all of the stars of the film will be in the scene including Danny Glover, Julia Stiles and Angela Bassett.

This will be my first "night shoot". It will be an interesting experience to see how the lighting and directors will work at night. I googled the directions to the shoot and the place I am to arrive at is down the street from a cemetary, so I imagine that's where it will be shot.

The exciting part is that I had a chance to work with George Clooney, John Kasinski and Renee Zellweger in Leatherheads in April and May and a month later, I am in a role with these other major actors.

Charlotte, NC and South Carolina are now attracting more movie and television production. The Legend of Ricky Bobby was filmed here and the tv show about Nascar Reality racing show called Gillette Young Guns was filmed here at Lowes Motor Speedway. Last year, the movie Cars by Disney made its debut here and Regis and Kelly did a live show from here.

 

Billboard in Cannes for the film called "Gospel Hill". The film started production today just outside of Charlotte, NC (in South Carolina). I received a call today from the casting company and will be filming as an "extra" next week. This is exciting as I was exposed directly to the civil rights movement and marches.

Media Evolved - How Millions of CD's and DVD's are made

I had the opportunity to visit Bill Walker, CEO and founder of Media Evolved last week. His offices are in a converted "big box" where a Target store once existed. I parked in the parking lot with a chain link fence surrounding the cars.

Here was a non-descript white building. I walked in the door and read some articles on how MediaEvolved found this space.

Bill had met me via LinkedIn and also just joined my new social network called www.linktocharlotte.com. Bill's background had been in media and music so I looked forward to learning more about his business.

I thought I was going to find some machines that could mass copy cd's and dvd's. Instead when Bill gave me the tour of his factory, I actually watched machines make CD's and DVD's from scratch, piecing together the layers of a CD, digitizing with bits and bytes within a thin layer, then copying these. Media Evolved runs 7 by 24 and produces CD's and DVD's for movie companies, corporations, and record companies.
Some clients included Microsoft and Bank of America.

Not only does he make the cd's and dvd's but he has a warehouse of all the marketing materials and covers need to surround the DVD so it can be shipped directly to stores or to distributors.

I was amazed to watch this football field size facility create so much product simultaneously. At the time I visited he was expanding the space to include two new state of the art DVD machines at over $1 million each. I now have an appreciation to the amount of technology it takes to create millions of digital media.

Civil Rights movie "Gospel Hill"

After taking a one month "hiatus" from acting, I decided to apply for another role in the movie called "Gospel Hill" being filmed in South Carolina starting the end of June. This is a $6mm film with a cast including Julia Styles, Danny Glover, and Angela Bassett It is directed by Giancarlo Esposito.

According to IMDB.com, Gospel Hill is about the “former sheriff of the southern town dealing with past sins, and the former civil rights worker withdrawn since the martyrdom of his brother thirty years before".

End of Race Week

 

This was a photo taken by a photographer for Coca Cola and Food Lion. This was the last hour of racing for the Coca Cola 600 and I look a little hot and tired in the picture for the 14 hour days.

Dickinson College Alumni Weekend 2007

Well, for the second year in a row, I was awarded an alumni award from my college and was not able to attend to receive the awards due to other personal celebrations. Last year, I was awarded the alumni volunteer of the year award in June 2006. This year, the alumni club of Charlotte which I chair was awarded the most improved alumni club in just our second year.

Although I could not make the ceremony our college has a "virtual reunion" on its website with photographers posting pictures in chronological order of todays events.
Here is the snapshots in order: http://www.dickinson.edu/alumni/vr07/vr.cfm

Here is are a few photos shots from today's ceremonies. Brian Kamoie, President of the alumni council introducing the alumni awards and Julie Wise McClure of the Baltimore Club receiving her alumni volunteer of the year award. Photos our our beautiful campus in front of "Old West"

Dickinson College under the leadership of President Bill Durden is on its way to becoming one of the more prestigious liberal arts colleges in the country.

Cindy Sheehan, Bree Walker and Me

This article caught my eye as I logged onto AOL this morning.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/09/sheehan.land.ap/index.html and realized there was a connection. Bree Walker (see picture) and I worked together at NBC Radio early in our careers.

Okay, I have to admit, I have admired the guts of Cindy Sheehan and the campaign she ran against the Iraqi War. I know that she has had good intentions all along about the destruction that war brings.

Most of us remember that in the midst of her anti-war efforts, she bought a parcel of land in Crawford, TX, just down the road from George Bush's "ranch". She named it after her son who was killed in the Iraqi War, "Camp Casey". Her main intention of doing that was to create a way for her to meet with George Bush and create worldwide publicity for that meeting. George Bush and his "Carl Rovian" handlers would have none of that.

Last week I read about Cindy Sheehan's resignation from leading the anti war group because she wanted to get back to her life and family. The article mentioned that she also was upset with some of the new congressional democrats recently elected because they compromised with George Bush and continue to fund the war without deadlines. The story also mentioned that she was going to sell the parcel of land on e-bay starting at about $50,000.

Well, to my surprise, I saw a headline today as I logged into my AOL account, that a West Coast reporter offered to buy the land from her for around $80,000 and there would be no auction. This Los Angeles based reporter had interviewed Cindy Sheehan a few times over the years and supported her position. The reporters name was Bree Walker.

Okay, now here is the connection...In 2nd summer working my college job at WNBC radio at 30 Rock as the "N-Car" driver and in the music promotion and programming area, there was a smart beautiful young disk jockey named Bree Bushaw. A few years later she was married and moved to San Diego and then went on to LA. Her name is Bree Walker and I have not seen her in person for over 30 years. I remember how she was a fighter and a person who didn't let her disabilities get in her way.

Funny how our views of the world still coincide. Congrats Bree! You are fearless.

NASCAR - Coca Cola 600 - An Insiders View

I arrived at the race track at 11 am. Gates opened at noon for the fans and the race start time is about 5 pm. Already getting to the track you sit in traffic where the last mile took me about 15 minutes even though I had VIP parking passes. I quickly parked my car and made my way up the express elevator to the Diamond Tower Suites. I met with the team of other "concierges", medical personal, security, cleaning, catering and corporate hosts already preparing the suites for the day.

The suites and companies I worked with this year were a little different from the fall race season. I worked with a suite from Deloitte, Speedways Children's Charities, Carolinas Medical Center, Anheuser Busch, CT Communications, The Charlotte Observer Newspaper, and a suite called "The Pit Crew". Most of these are sponsors or closely connected with Lowes Motor Speedway.

I had worked with some of the "hosts" for the fall Bank of America races, so it was easier this time to anticipate issues and things they needed. Most of the suites are given "Pit Passes" so that their guests can visit the pit area prior to the race. Some of these suites will hire a guide for an "official tour".

At 4:15, one of the most interesting things happened. The army was presenting a 30 minute program that included blackhawk helicopters flying around suite level inside the stadium, army rangers rappelling into the track, and they even fired explosives from a large cannon. This was memorial day, so it was really time to reflect and honor the troops. I had met an army ranger the previous day and had a long discussion about Iraq and our exit strategy. He had served 3 tours in Iraq and really provided a different perspective than what I had grasped from reading newspapers and magazines and watching tv and youtube.

Most of this race was mixed with crashes as the heat on the track was around 140 degrees at race time and the track would be cooling down on until darkness fell. Top racers such as Jeff Gordon were eliminated early from the race. With about 50 laps to go it looked as if Tony Stewart would be wrapping up the win.

Also, at lap 50, in one of my suites was a winner of the Food Lion/Coca Cola Sweepstakes. He had been entertained all week, got a ride in the pace car prior to the race and now was heading down with a photographer, his host from Coca Cola to ride a stretch hummer to Victory Lane. I was close to tagging along as things were quiet at that point and there was plenty of room. I settled for the photographer taking my picture in the suite. (I hope to get a copy to post here).

Also during the race, there is lots of food and drinks being served from fruit plates to chicken, to cheesecake. There is also a bar in each suite with two bartenders who make sure that the food and drinks are plentiful.

At the end of the race, I was able to pick up a gift basket from the Pit Crew Suite from Cabarrus County Visitor Bureau. I also was able to bring home a giant bag of popcorn for my kids.

At the end of the night, I did have a bit of an insiders view of the track. I had the opportunity to drive my car around from Turn 2 to the corporate area near Turn 4 as I had to report in. It was interesting weaving in and out of the sea of fans leaving the race. It was only my car and the official golf carts in that area.

I did get to meet some people this week from NASCAR, Lowes Motor Speedway, Speedway Children's Charities, and

Cannes - Headhunter debuts as "Riding with Elvis"

I received a note of a change of the films name as it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. G. Edward Stanley's autobiographical production with had the title "Headhunter" changed its name to "Riding with Elvis". I actually like that name better as it is a clearer description of the impact that Elvis Presley had on G. David Stanley's life.