Time Out for a Creative Change

Dave Howe: President of Syfy by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

It was beyond cool having the opportunity to be inside NBC studios for a question and answer session with the President of the Syfy channel Dave Howe. The question and answer session was off the record and there was clearly no Twittering allowed. That being said it was a very lively and humorous discussion about the workings of Syfy. It was very gracious of Mr. Howe to take the time to meet with an assortment of members from the International Radio and Television Society. IRTS can be found on the Internet at irts.org. The people in attendance were journalists, students, production producers, and sales people.

Most of the discussion was concerning Syfy’s sales growth and new upcoming Syfy programming. It is interesting to note that the Syfy staff does work together as a team and contributions and ideas are accepted from everyone. Programming ideas that have contributed to the success of Syfy have been well written, relate to the brand, imaginative, sellable and have characters that viewers can relate to.

This is a little bit about the Syfy channel, www.syfy.com, and Mr. Howe from IRTS:
Syfy, a division of NBC Universal Cable, was launched in September 1992. More than a decade later, Syfy continues to attract industry-wide interest in its achievements, most recently winning an Emmy for its history-making Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN - the biggest miniseries ever on television. In the last few years, the Channel has undergone a massive re-design and become one of cable's leaders in the production of high-quality original programming.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in 95 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
With major investment from its parent company and notable programming successes, Syfy continues to generate buzz among advertisers, affiliates and consumers.

NETWORK LAUNCH:
September 24, 1992

DISTRIBUTION:
95 million
Dave Howe Bio:
Dave Howe was named President, Syfy in January 2008. Howe oversees Original Development, Programming and Marketing, Global Brand Strategy and Market Development, Strategic Planning, Syfy Digital, Syfy Ventures, Media Relations and Syfy’s public affairs initiative, Visions for Tomorrow. In July 2009, Howe launched a new global brand identity by evolving SCI FI Channel to Syfy. He is charged with expanding and diversifying its business portfolio beyond broadcast and digital media into new affinity areas such as video gaming, mobile, licensing and merchandising and the youth market.
Appointed the Channel’s General Manager and Executive Vice President in July 2004, Howe had served as Executive Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy since joining the company in September 2001. Since becoming General Manager, Howe has overseen the launch of some of Syfy’s most successful and ground-breaking programming, including "Tin Man" -- which was ad-supported cable’s top entertainment telecast among Adults 25-54 in more than two years in addition to being the most-watched telecast in Channel history -- and the critically acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning series "Battlestar Galactica."
Howe also spearheaded a major overhaul of Syfy’s brand strategy, focused on redefining the genre and making it more relatable and accessible to a broader audience and new generation of viewers. This lead the way for record-breaking hit drama series, "Eureka," and hit reality series, "Ghost Hunters," which have attracted record numbers of new, female and younger viewers to the channel.
Howe has been instrumental in shaping Syfy’s pioneering digital strategy, ensuring Syfy remains at the forefront of digital growth and innovation. Howe orchestrated the launch of a successful portfolio of Syfy.com standalone sites, including technology blog DVICE, gaming site Fidgit and SCI FI Wire, the on-line destination for the entire science fiction genre’s entertainment news.
Howe has played a lead role in Syfy's consistent ratings and revenue growth, firmly establishing its top 10 cable network ranking and culminating in its best year ever in both ratings and revenue in 2008. Syfy continues to demonstrate unprecedented growth in all key demographics fueled by its original dramatic and reality series. Syfy is widely regarded as one of the best-branded and marketed channels on television. The Channel has been honored with numerous accolades, including a D&AD Award, a Clio, countless PROMAX & BDA awards, two Cannes Lions, two One Club Awards, as well as a 2004 Gold Effie Award for the campaign promoting TAKEN.
In 2003, Howe was the recipient of the prestigious Brandbuilders Award. Presented by PROMAX & BDA, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News, the honor was awarded in recognition of his industry leadership and outstanding dedication to branding in the electronic media.
Prior to joining Syfy, Howe spent 15 years at the BBC in London, most recently as head of the BBC’s on-air marketing and creative services division (now part of Red Bee Media), where he is credited with building the BBC’s multi-award-winning in-house creative team, which has delivered acclaimed on- and off-air campaigns, as well as world-class branding for the BBC’s 17 UK and international TV channels, including BBC America, BBC World and the UK flagship broadcast channels BBC One and BBC Two. As Creative Director of the BBC’s new channels, Howe also directed the branding and on-air launch of the BBC’s five new commercial channels, UKTV, and the re-launch of the BBC’s new on-air corporate identity and program branding initiative.

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Movie Review: Aliens of the Deep by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:14:00 +0000

IMAX 3-D

Directors: James Cameron, Steven Quale

Cast: Dijanna Figueroa, Dr. Jim Childress, Dr. Anatoly Sagalevitch, Loretta Hidalgo, James Cameron

Isn’t that the coolest photo you have ever seen! If you are looking for a family friendly movie to watch on Halloween, look no more.
This movie is a continuation of Mr. Cameron’s undersea adventures this time involving scientists and a robot named Jake.

In Mr. Cameron’s view undersea exploration is like exploring space and more exciting than filming aliens in front of a green screen.
There is a lot we don’t know about the depths of the ocean and Mr. Cameron has brought along a team of experts some of whom
have worked in space to explain what they have uncovered on their exploration in Aliens of the Deep.

At times the movie is slow with researchers explaining how creatures pulled up from the depths of the ocean are examined and studied.
The most interesting video footage comes from the robot Jake. Jake was able to get up close and personal with some crustaceans that
enjoy volcano water jets and smoke. Jets hot enough to melt the windows of the submersible sub making it a very interesting underwater
Jacuzzi to watch.

I watched this movie on DVD which probably doesn’t do it justice as opposed to the IMAX experience with the 3D glasses.
The DVD does not possess bonus features and I did miss the humorous out takes that would have made the DVD more fun to watch.

Only on the big screen can you get that submersed feeling and that theater sound system that sends chills up your spine. Maybe I am
one for cheap thrills yet this movie did pass the time on a rainy afternoon and would make a nice addition at a kids Halloween party.
It is educational and does posses those creepy looking aliens.

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The Today Show with Special Guest Steve Ballmer the CEO of Microsoft

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:12:00 +0000

A News Brief by Lorraine Messina

At the Today Show today Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft demonstrated Windows 7. The demonstration went well without any glitches. For those of you that have not been to New York City to watch the Today Show live, it is a very interesting experience. The Today Show is filmed in a TV studio located in Rockefeller Center. People in the plaza can watch the show by looking through a glass window. The studio backdrop actually rolls down at times revealing the commentators and the audience standing outside the window. In the plaza outside the studio two cameras are setup to video tape the audience.

Today Steve Ballmer was a guest. You can watch his interview on the Today Show at this link:

http://www.cultofmac.com/video-watch-steve-ballmer-intro-windows-7-on-today-show-no-bsd-unfortunately/19398

There were also some free tee shirts given away to mark the Windows 7 launch event.

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Jason Marcus: A Fresh Young Comic from Boston by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:42:00 +0000

He’s fast and he’s hot! Jason Marcus is a young comic from Boston, Massachusetts that has participated in several nationwide comedy contests. Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason about his latest projects, his comedy and working in the entertainment field.

Lorraine:

Please tell us about your experience at the Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival.

Jason:

The LYAO Festival was the best comedy festival that I have ever participated in. The staff really knew what they were doing and they were extremely professional and supportive in every aspect of the event. They did an excellent job of promoting the shows so that the tickets were almost sold out every night and it really makes for a better performance if the comics aren’t performing in front of only other comics and industry panelists. Another thing that was head and shoulders above nearly every festival that I have done is there actually was industry present at the shows, offering advice and work for comics who did well. The LYAOF staff set all the comics up in a nicer hotel with a great discounted rate and even provided a shuttle to and from the hotel to the shows. They also had plenty of events following the festival every night to keep comics around to comfortably network and tell road stories on stage at a bar next door.

Lorraine:

What was the event like, that is, how much stage time did comics get?

Jason:

I had a blast; I drove down to Asheville with fellow comic and good friend, Sean Wilkinson. We recorded a mini travel video our adventure and of our experiences every night at the festival before and after every show. Performing on stage at the Diana Worthem Theatre was AMAZING. It was my first time ever performing in a theatre and it was intense. The place was nearly sold out every night so it would have been kind of intimidating if the festival staff and other comics hadn’t been so supportive and fun. We all got 10 minutes to do our thing and they weren’t too harsh on anyone who had gone over (and there was a bunch of them.)

Lorraine:

Who was there?

Jason:

There were so many great comics from around the country present at the festival, people I’d met at different festivals over the years in Las Vegas, New York, and Detroit as well as comics I’ve met on the road at random places. Almost everyone was outstanding; I watched every show as a huge fan of nearly everybody I saw.

Lorraine:

What positive outcome came from performing at the Festival?

Jason:

I made a lot of new friends and reconnected with a lot of old ones; I got to work with comics who are so good that it makes me feel miserably unfunny in comparison ha-ha. I even got some work out of it. Plus I got to see beautiful Asheville, North Carolina and perform in front of the biggest audience in my career to date in a beautiful theatre.

Lorraine:

Where does your comedy come from? If it is from your family background, in what way did your family influence your creative talent?

Jason:

My comedy comes from my neuroses, my irrational fears, and what I’ve seen in my real life every day. I wouldn’t call it observational humor in the same way that people describe Seinfeld’s comedy where he finds the funny in random everyday things; my comedy is more of an observation of the unfunny things about everyday life. My experiences create a broad range of topics, from racism and pro-life activists, to addressing the parallels of dating strippers and dating the prom queen. I think my family plays a huge role in my comedy, my mom is my rock and my dad is a lunatic. On top of everything, I grew up with racially mixed parents (white mother and Hawaiian father) although that never mattered inside of our home; it was a constant issue everywhere else. In a lot of ways comedy is an outlet for me to laugh about things that otherwise wouldn’t be funny at all… but that’s life I think and when you get it, it’s hilarious.

Lorraine:

How did you get started in the entertainment field? Do you have an academic background in the performing arts?

Jason:

I have always wanted to be a comic; I grew up listening to George Carlin and Richard Pryor at a really young age. I think they inspired me to try to be funny at family parties; it really was all about making the grownups laugh. I knew that if I could do that they wouldn’t think I was just a dumb kid and they’d treat me like I was one of them. That mentality and reasoning carried on with every group of people I admired all through my life. I got my first chance to perform kind of on a whim as a friend of mine was running a variety show at his college and when one of his acts dropped out, he needed to fill the time and he said, “you were always hilarious, would you want to just come in and do some standup comedy for 20 minutes” I didn’t think it would be that hard so I did it and the crowd was actually into it, I didn’t have any jokes at that time, just sad and true stories that I’d made funny by not crying as I told them. It was a rush and I was hooked. I always wonder if I would have kept doing comedy if the audience had hated me that night instead of laughing and being so cool.

Lorraine:

What are your current projects?

Jason:

Currently, I’m working on a few writing projects and trying to get on the road more. I am trying to write a feature (like everyone else in the world), I’m writing a lot of sketches, and of course I’m always writing new jokes. The feature I am writing is kind of a secret but I can tell you it’s not really a comedy... but if it is, it’s more of a dark comedy. Its one of the kind of movies that I have always hated where the good guy doesn’t necessarily win in the end and your left with same kind of feeling that is conjured up in the movie the Shawshank Redemption when Tim Robbins isn’t able to fight off “the Sisters” in the laundry room. I am also working on a series of sketches with comedian Sean Wilkinson about a former mini golf champion and his alcohol/mental illness driven fall from grace entitled, ”Booze Allen: Semi-Professional Mini golf Champion “ part 1 of 3 is already on YouTube and has been getting generally positive feedback.

Lorraine:

I hear you perform at colleges. How would you rate your material? PG 13?

Jason:

I love doing college shows! I would rate my material PG-13 but I can change the depth of my material to be cleaner or dirtier depending upon what is appropriate for the room. I do a lot of charity shows and typically it’s all the same jokes just with the “F word” taken out.

Lorraine:

What colleges have booked you? How should people contact you regarding a performance?

Jason:

I have done a lot of colleges in the New England area and as far as contacting me for bookings please contact me at Jasonmarcuscomedy@gmail.com or visit any of my social networking sites.

www.Facebook.com/jasonmarcuscomedy

www.Myspace.com/jaycomedy

www.Jasonmarcus.com

Lorraine:

What advice do you have for new comics?

Get out and get on stage as many times as you can every single night. If you live in a comedy town (Boston, Austin, Seattle, San Fran, LA, etc...) there is no excuse for you to not to be getting onstage every night as many times a night as possible in order to get better at your craft. If you don’t live in a comedy town and are serious about becoming a comic, pack your bags and move your butt to a comedy town!!! The only way to get better at comedy, the only way to become a competent comic is by performing a lot...to the point where you are the same guy/girl off stage that you are on stage. You should be really comfortable with a microphone and it’s the only way you are going to find your real voice as a comic. Comedy, like everything else takes a lot of practice and dedication. Don’t give up, try out new jokes, get a tight 7 minutes, and become a student of comedy by reading every book, article, newspaper review, or blog and go out and see live comedy as often as you can, take notes on how the greats move and keep a rhythm on stage. This should take you forever.

Lorraine:

Where are you currently performing?

Jason:

All over New England. Please visit www.myspace.com/jaycomedy for an updated schedule.

Lorraine:

Do you have a link to a video online?

Jason:

Yes.

Either //www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFR-6AFqNq4

or

//jasonmarcus.com/Media.html

Lorraine:

Visit Jason on Twitter too at:

http://twitter.com/Jason_Marcus

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Great Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Check out this great soup recipe that will keep you warm on cold days. Mushroom Spinach Soup.

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Movie Review: Frost/Nixon by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:19:00 +0000

Universal Pictures

Directed by Ron Howard
Written by Peter Morgan and based on his play.

Richard Nixon: Frank Langella
David Frost: Michael Sheen
Bob Zelnick: Oliver Platt
James Reston: Sam Rockwell
Jack Brennan: Kevin Bacon
Caroline Cushing: Rebecca Hall
Swifty Lazar: Toby Jones
John Birt: Matthew Macfadyen
Pat Nixon: Patty McCormack

A great movie based on Peter Morgan’s play of the 1977 Watergate Interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon. The performances of Richard Nixon played by Frank Langella and David Frost played by Michael Sheen were just superb. These two actors really captured the motivation behind the interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon. I have heard that Mr. Langella asked the film crew to refer to him as “Mr. President” as a way to stay in character. A technique that definitely worked for him.

Keep in mine the movie isn’t a truly accurate representation of the interviews yet it is a very gripping movie to view and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I just love the retro décor in the movie. The movie was filmed at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and at the Nixon compound in San Clemente, California. These filming locations in the movie give the movie a realistic feel that makes viewing it such a pleasure. It really makes you feel that you seeing history created all over again.

After viewing the DVD for this movie I was fortunate to watch the actual Frost/Nixon interviews being re-broadcasted on PBS. It was a great coincidence to have the opportunity to compare the movie to the actual interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon. The movie’s recreation of the event does do it justice. No doubt that is why the movie earned several Oscar nominations. I would highly recommend watching both the movie and the footage of the actual interviews. You can watch the real Frost/Nixon interviews at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH8qujkk3rU

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Celebrity Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:34:00 +0000

More celebrity interviews coming soon!

Movie Review: Julie and Julia by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:37:00 +0000

Columbia Pictures

Directed by Nora Ephron
Screenplay by Ephron and Julie Powell, based on her book

Julia Child: Meryl Streep
Julie Powell: Amy Adams
Paul Child: StanleyTucci
Eric Powell: ChrisMessina
Simone Beck: Linda Emond
Louise Bertholle: Helen Carey
Madame Brassart: Joan Juliet Buck
Dorothy McWilliams: Jane Lynch

Loved Meryl Streep as Julia Child in the movie Julie and Julia. The theater audience equally loved Ms. Streep’s portrayal of the famous chef. I haven’t heard so much laughter from an audience in a long time. What a trip it was to view this movie. An Oscar nod should definitely go to Ms. Streep. She just sings her way through this movie. It is so funny to watch her Julia Child mannerisms and the audience thought so too.

On the other hand Amy Adams’s portrayal of Julie Powell wasn’t so bold. Ms. Adams interpreted Julie Powell as a sweet innocent victim of an idea to get herself out of the doldrums by cooking all of Julie Child’s 524 cookbook recipes in 365 days. The whole feat Ms. Powell chronologized in an online blog. I would have liked to have seen more drama in the role. There were some blood, sweat, and tears but I think it should have been more empowering to watch
than it was.

Being a blog writer myself I can certainly identify with the long hours needed to create interesting content. I clearly could relate to this in the movie. The two hours spent watching the movie did go quickly and I didn’t find myself glancing down at my watch at all.

There were a few technical details of the movie that I wished were cleaned up. A couple times I could see the camera lights in the eye glasses worn by the actors. It shows a lack of attention to details from the technical staff but I maybe more perceptive than some people are. It’s one of those pet peeves I have. I like the movie to be real, that is, when a couple is in
a bedroom there should be no headlights shining in their eyes.

I am dating myself now, but if you use to watch the old Julia Child cooking shows as I did, this movie should delight you. It is always fun to reminisce.

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Great Laughs with Owen Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:59:00 +0000

By: Lorraine Messina

Comedian Owen Smith is sizzling in his new comedy DVD called Anonymous. Anonymous will be the featured anchor show on the new BBN Network coming this September. Owen currently writes for the TV show Everybody Hates Chris and has a pilot show in the works called The Judge Moore Show. You can see Owen perform at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles and he appears in a number of Fiber One TV commercials.

Born in Nassau, Bahamas and raised in the Washington, DC area, Owen’s unique ability to look at this rough society and still paint a clean picture has audiences gasping for air all over the country! Destined for success and longevity, this energetic 1995 Notre Dame graduate has already logged appearances on NBC’s Friday Night, BET’s Comic View,
HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, the hit ABC sitcom Cupid and Comedy Central.

Clearly one of the hottest young comics today Owen’s realistic and honest approach to comedy is very refreshing. He blends stories about himself with things that people can relate to making his take on comedy very unique.

Owen draws his comedy from his personal family experiences. When he was nine months old his parents separated and his mother took him with her to live in Maryland. Owen fondly remembers his mom telling him the very first time he ever flew on an airplane he flew first class. Definitely a sign of things to come for this young comic. Owen would visit his father in the Bahamas every summer and in his early 20’s, after graduating Notre Dame, he lived in Chicago for five years before moving to Los Angeles where he currently resides.

Owen has been in the entertainment field for over fifteen years. His advice to new comics is: “Don’t rush to success.” “Enjoy the journey.” Owen feels that the best way to success on stage is to perform a lot, record your shows, watch them,
prepare and study. Be sure to study clips from new comics as well as the great masters.

Watch Owen’s very funny videos online at:

http://www.owensmithlive.com/

http://comedians.comedycentral.com/owen-smith

Check out Owen’s web site:

http://www.owensmithisfunny.com

Become a fan of Owen’s on Facebook:

http://bit.ly/FDNLX

http://www.facebook.com/owenlol

Follow Owen on Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/owenlol

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/owensmithtv

Purchase Owen Smith: Anonymous at Owen’s Website or on Amazon.com

http://bit.ly/LCxdC

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Movie Review: Bewitched by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Sony Pictures

Director: Nora Ephron
Writer: Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron, Adam McKay
Producer: Lucy Fisher, Penny Marshall, Douglas Wick
Composer: George Fenton
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman,
Steve Carell

Bewitched the movie uses smoke and mirrors to recreate ABC’s hit TV series Bewitched which stared Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York (1964–1969), Dick Sargent (1969–1972), Agnes Moorehead and David White. Maybe that is a little harsh to say yet I think you will either love this movie or hate it. The movie just doesn’t have the magic of the old TV series.

Nicole Kidman plays Sam. In the movie adaptation of Bewitched Sam is portrayed as being rather naïve. Elizabeth Montgomery’s characterization of Sam was filled with more boldness and power. On the TV show Sam wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed in. I don’t blame Ms. Kidman for this I think she did her best with the script that was given to her.

Will Ferrell played Darrin. In the movie Darrin was portrayed as a self-centered actor not the aggressive businessman from the TV series. Like the portrayal of Sam, Darrin lacked the same empowerment that was present in the TV series.

Endora was played by Shirley MacLaine. I think this part would have been a delightful part to play in any movie yet it lacked the vitality of Agnes Moorehead’s portrayal. The magic zaps kind of fizzled. They were more like bongs. I just didn’t see Ms. MacLaine but her heart into the role. Ms. MacLaine is an extremely talented performer but this performance just got away from her. She looked beautiful in the part but her characterization of Endora lacked the evil edge that was present in the TV Series.

Overall I did like the twists in the plot toward the end of the movie. I could see that the writers tried to put their own twist on the series. It is just that too much was taken away from the original series. It needed more let’s say: “Cow Bell” to quote a famous Saturday Night Live sketch.

All smoke, mirrors and cow bells aside the movie is fun to watch with the kids.

Check out this link on YouTube for Bewitched the TV Series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgncLPRLd2E

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A Very Beautiful Book - Satellites Mistaken for Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Understanding the poetical potential of a refined everyday occurrence. Describing a disbelief in a fixed balance of power, normative aesthetics, and hierarchical contemplative concepts by taking a position and documenting a process of changing values.

Objective elements with a translocated place of abstraction are extracted from the immediately visible. Intersubjectivity and metalayers avoiding a one-dimensional easy meaning, but offering a set of viewpoints instead. Giving up the distance represented by the artificial differentiation of marketable, selfsatisfied image-building in order to establish an open discourse regardless of the risk of being vulnerable. Activating the recipients, heightening their sense of awareness, and offering involvement and differentiation in order to shape an identity through friction with the surrounding system. Simple, open results animate the viewer to proceed further with a more complicated interrogation. Omissions raise new questions. Noise, superimpositions, failures and misunderstandings, disturbances, errors, interruptions, resonances, corrections, breaks, encroachments, details, notes, bits and pieces, details and space, emptiness, and silence delineate a relational system of de- and recontextualisations.

Apparently unimportant everyday elements and processes, perfectly integrated into our daily life, adopted and completely assimilated, become banal. Changing the encoding, or else the context, will bring them back into our field of vision. The construction of a subjective system by processing the external influences through deconstruction and exclusion and by suspending and breaking down relationships or establishing different ones. Interpretation and resignification. Varying of the existing rather than heading for the new. An amalgamation of the seemingly contradictory — of coinciding states, a transformation of stagnation into a movement: the moment of change. Shapes interact and react with each other. Individual parts create a new coherence that is visualised by adhering, judging, or simply dealing with it. Establishing a plan of action through a re-politicisation of micro processes: everything is equally important. At the same time, everything could also be different. The definite is obvious and therefore uninteresting. Things are not completely ascertainable through rational logic but are probably already outlined by means of a certain intuitiveness. Confusion, deficiencies, and surprises are weaved into the process as errors, interferences, patterns, and routines and imply an addition of concrete meaning. Contexts, conflicts, and confrontations spark images and impulses that are affected by the viewer’s imagination and personal experiences. The pictures remain transient, intermediate results of the development, as fields of possibility; so absorbing them constitutes a continuance and reprocessing.

Alexander Egger

Explaining someone’s output on the basis of a biography would be short-sighted, ineffective, delusive, and wouldn’t do justice to the variability of life and its complex conditions. A set of completely insignificant random facts: Alexander Egger lived the first third of his life on the Italian side of the Alps in a little village where Ezra Pound used to spend his summer holidays. In his childhood Alexander was found playing with building bricks suspiciously often and spent time researching the life of ants while sitting for hours on a milk can in the middle of the street. He was truly impressed when he saw the sea for the very first time at the age of eighteen. He can’t drive even though he has got a driving license, doesn’t like eating, especially not vegetables, and likes people sometimes. He is not easily impressionable, but can fall in love with certain incidental gestures which are not intended for anyone at all. Shyness and discontentment with his own inadequacies provide him a strong driving force.

In 1995 he went to Milan, Italy, and created, among other objects, a number of dustbins. He met quite a few interesting bands there just before their first big album releases. He is still convinced of being personally responsible for their lack of commercial success because of the album covers he designed for them, yet he continues to believe design must never be art. He went to Vienna in 1998, where he still frequently steps in dog shit because of his habit of walking about with his head in the clouds. He stumbled into the advertising business by mistake. Two years later he started working for Nofrontiere as art director and later on as head of the design department. He is presently working in a variety of media on a range of cultural and commercial projects for either very small or very large clients. He plays music with the band “ Waiting for J.“ and started the record label “Arm the Lonely“ in 2006 to establish a platform for sounds conceived to occur in banal surroundings. His work has been published in international magazines and books and has had exposure on every continent but Antarctica during the last year.

Satellites Mistaken for Stars

Design and Concept: Alexander Egger

22 x 27,5 cm

180 pages

4 c

Softcover

29,80 Euro (D)

30,80 (AT)

ISBN: 978-3-940393-16-6

www.rupapublishing.com

An Interview with Comedienne Susan Alexander

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:43:00 +0000

By Lorraine Messina

NYC Friars Roaster and host/creator of 5 Funny Females national tour, Susan Alexander, brings her Singles Who Mingles show to Gotham Comedy Club. The first part of the show features a variety of comedians from TV, festivals and national tours.

Location: Gotham Comedy Club
Address: 208 West 23rd Street, NY , NY 10011
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30th @ 8 PM (arrive by 7:30 PM)

Recently I had the opportunity to talk to Susan about her show and how she got started in comedy. Susan has a degree in Journalism from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1993. She has worked as a sales and marketing executive in media and worked with a top video game company for eight years. After the DOT com companies went bust Susan wanted to do something creative and started to work as a stand-up Comic in San Francisco. During her years in San Francisco her passion for comedy increased and she wanted to experience making people laugh more and more. Susan's advice to young comics is that they must become an entrepreneur and create their own path in comedy.

To keep up with Susan and her events please visit her websites at:

http://www.susanalexandershow.com/
http://www.5funnyfemales.com/
http://www.singleswhomingle.com

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/5funnyfemales
http://www.myspace.com/susanalexandershow

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=717335828

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Another Amusing Word Book

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:36:00 +0000

Does Tony Blair speak differently from the rest of us?

What might Iggle Piggle tell us about how children learn language?

How many words do we know and how fast do we talk?

What does your doctor mean by UBI or TEETH – and do you really want to know?

Professor Vivian Cook addresses these and hundreds of other wordy issues in It’s All in A Word – a delightful guide to the wonders of words.

Discover the theojollylogical joys of infixation. Find out if you’re a charva, what it means to be nithered, and how to hoy. Delve into the hidden nature of words. Consider how they’re born, why they change, and how they die. Learn about the words that are never spoken and others that don’t get written, and how children learn English in the first place.

It’s All In A Word shows how English has romped across the world, from America (where men wear suspenders and display their pants without looking like Superman) to Singapore - world-renowned for its makan (food) – to West Africa where a hot drink may make you a little tipsy. There are fascinating differences between regions too - where in the UK is a butty a chum and a jetty an alleyway?

As Aldous Huxley put it, ‘words are magical in the way they affect the minds of those who use them’. Here is a book that shares that word-magic – a must for word-lovers of all ages, from a yaar (friend) to your gogo (grandma).

www.profilebooks.com | www.serpentstail.com

Follow the latest Profile news on twitter.com/profilebooks

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An Interview with Comedienne Linda Smith by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:15:00 +0000

You may know Linda Smith from her stand-up comedy routines, comedy classes, or her comedy writing. She has received three Emmy nominations as a staff writer for The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Recently I had the opportunity to interview Linda. It was a pleasure speaking to Linda. She is a very funny and truthful woman.

Linda’s current projects are teaching private comedy writing lessons, providing stand-up comedy coaching, or teaching comedy classes. Her comedy classes are held in New York City at Caroline’s Comedy Club and the Manhattan Comedy School.

During Linda’s three years of teaching stand-up comedy she has had the opportunity to coach a lot of CEOs. She says humor of course creates sales and she would like to teach more classes to business executives. She is pursuing doing more business coaching in the corporate sector. The comics she has coached are not without there own successes. Recently a pupil of hers received a review in the New York Times.

For people interested in Linda’s services but do not live locally to New York City, Vocation Vacation offers a two day vacation with Linda in which you will receive eight hours of coaching a day for two days and a spot in a show. For more information, visit their web site at: vocationvacations.com/DreamJobHolidays/linda-smith.php

One question I especially wanted to ask Linda was how Reality TV is affecting the employment opportunities of comedy writers and comics. Linda’s advice is to write material for Cable TV, commercials, acts or shows. Linda says: “There isn’t as much opportunity in TV any more”. She says that comics are doing a lot of club acts now.

Linda enjoys teaching and would be happy to discuss her services with any one that is interested. She does offer free seminars about getting into the comedy business at the Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York City.

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An Amusing Book:

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Have you heard of Whiffling? This amusing book by Adam Jacot de Boinod takes you on a humorous journey of the English language. This is what is in store for you:

The Wonder of Whiffling is a tour of English around the globe (with fine coinages from our English-speaking cousins across the pond, Down Under and elsewhere).

Discover all sorts of words you've always wished existed but never knew, such as fornale, to spend one's money before it has been earned; cagg, a solemn vow or resolution not to get drunk for a certain time; and petrichor, the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

Delving passionately into the English language, I also discover why it is you wouldn't want to have dinner with a vice admiral of the narrow seas, why Jacobites toasted the little gentleman in black velvet, and why a Nottingham Goodnight is better than one from anywhere else.

Check out this web site: www.thewonderofwhiffling.com

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An Interview with Comedienne Candy Churilla from Last Comic Standing

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Author: Lorraine Messina
lorrainemessina.blogspot.com and lorrainemessina.com

It’s hot in San Francisco and Comedienne Candy Churilla is in the thick of things with
her stage show A Fag, A Hag, and a Drag. The show is currently playing at the Stud Bar in San Francisco and will be playing at the Russian River Resort in Guerneville, California one hour from San Francisco. Candy is also headed to Aliso Viejo in southern California for the semi-finals of the Funniest Female contest. In November Candy will be appearing at the Villa Maria’s II in her home town of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Candy Churilla was featured on season six of NBC's Last Comic Standing. She was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Before moving to California she spent four years acting, performing improv, and doing standup comedy. She studied improv in Chapel Hill North Carolina with the Transactors Improv Company the oldest Improv company in the South. Later Candy wrote, produced and starred in her play Sex, Drugs, & Dinner. After switching from improv to stand-up comedy, she won Rooftop Comedy's Comic of the Month Contest in August 2006 and placed as a finalist in the Ladies Only Comedy Competition at Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco. In August 2007 her video submission to the UK’s Pot Noodle Network won an award.

Someday she hopes to star in her own HBO series Sex & the Ghetto. Her advice to new comics is to perform as much as possible and try out new material. The most important
thing Candy recommends is: “Don’t Be Afraid to Bomb” just keep moving forward with new material.

Watch Candy’s very funny videos online at:

www.candychurilla.com

www.myspace.com/candyisprecious

www.youtube.com/candychurilla

benfeldmanshow.wordpress.com/

www.rooftopcomedy.com/comics/CandyChurilla

Become a fan of Candy’s on Facebook:

facebook.com

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A Conversation with Actress and Consulting Producer Andrea Abbate

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Author: Lorraine Messina

lorrainemessina.blogspot.com and lorrainemessina.com

TV writer Andrea Abbate has a few irons in the fire for this up coming season. She is a Consulting Producer on a new sit - com called Accidentally on Purpose which debuts this fall on CBS. It is written by her best friend Claudia Lonow and is based on a book about a woman that breaks up with her jet setting boy friend. She befriends a younger man and gets pregnant. You will need to see how the affair gets sorted out on Monday nights at 8:30 this September.

Andrea also has a pilot at Showtime which she created called Random Acts. She has not been given the green light yet on this project yet – though they have ordered two more episodes.

Andrea has been very successful at her craft. She worked as a standup comic for ten years. She loved working in Miami, Las Vegas, New York City as well as many other major cities. She has a unique comedy voice and was known as the Blonde with an Attitude. She is very passionate about writing and loves taking things that are not talked about too much and turning them into comedy routines. Andrea turned to producing and creating TV scripts for the pay. She says that producers are always looking for fresh material and a unique point of view. Just get an agent and send your material out there.

Some of her acting appearances have been on the TV show Full House and a total of nine appearances on Bill Maher’s TV show Politically Incorrect.

Watch Andrea’s very funny videos online at:

http://www.funnyordie.com/andreaabbate

http://youtube.com

Become a fan of Andrea’s on Facebook:

http://facebook.com

Visit Andrea’s web site at:

http://www.andreaabbate.com/

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How to Soothe a Bee Sting While on Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Author: Lorraine Messina

Have you experienced a bee sting on vacation and didn't have anything to soothe it with?
Here is a great tip! Listerine contains eucalyptol a colorless oily liquid derived from eucalyptus and is used in pharmaceuticals. The oil derived from the Eucalyptus tree
can help heal insect bites and stings.

Eucalyptus trees can be found in the United States on the Island of Kauai. Below is a photo of the picturesque Eucalyptus Tunnel on Kauai.

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Celebrity Interviews Coming Soon to this Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Tried of hearing the same old boring stories about the same old celebrities? It is like listening to a parrot talk. Coming soon to this Blog interesting interviews with celebrities that have worked with other famous celebrities. There is more to Entertainment news than writing about the same old celebrities. Learn about up coming shows in your area, find out what it is like to work in front of the camera, hear what new things are in store for us from the Entertainment Industry. You won't be disappointed.
Don't miss out on all the fun!

Lorraine Messina
Entertainment Writer
ERMP TV

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Celebrity Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Celebrity Interviews coming soon to this Blog.

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Movie Review of UP

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Reviewer: Lorraine Messina

lorrainemessina.blogspot.com and lorrainemessina.com

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /Pixar Animation Studios production.

Produced by: Jonas Rivera.
Executive producers: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
Directed by: Peter Docter Co-director: Bob Peterson
Screenplay: Peter Docter
Story: Peter Docter, Tom McCarthy

Voices:
Carl Fredericksen - Ed Asner
Charles Muntz - Christopher Plummer
Russell - Jordan Nagai
Dug - Bob Peterson
Beta - Delroy Lindo
Gamma - Jerome Ranft
Alpha - Bob Peterson
Construction Foreman Tom - John Ratzenberger

Don’t the colors in the above photo look just beautiful! The details of the characters are just amazing. Ed Asner plays the lead character of Carl Fredericksen and elderly man looking for some adventure. Russell voiced by Jordan Nagai is a boy scout that unwittingly gets involved in Mr. Fredericksen’s adventure.

It is a very cute story with humor and a grown up theme. The film has just enough fantasy to keep the kid’s interest. Can’t say I heard any kids in the theater complaining during the movie. Its one of those stories that pit age and youth together into a funny mix of circumstances.

Don’t feel that you are missing out on anything if you see the 2D version of the film. Even with sub-titles the 2D version is beautiful and vibrant to watch. There are an assortment of villains and cute creatures in the movie introduced at the appropriate moments that keep the movie moving.

The creatures are so cute that I wouldn’t be surprised if you find them as stuffed animals in your local toy store. This is a short running movie so the younger children can sit through it without getting bored and keyed up. There isn’t much else to say about the movie except to put it on your must see list this summer. Bring a group of kids with you. They will all enjoy it.

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Michael Jackson Remembered by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:07:00 +0000

After watching MTV's tribute to Michael Jackson last night one video in particular brought back memories. "Say Say Say" with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson from the 1983 album Pipes of Peace did for me. I remember when that video first came out. I watched it over and over again. I still love that song. Michael Jackson's music is just timeless and his perfectionism is such an inspiration. He was the Fred Astaire of Pop Music.

Watch the video here: "Say Say Say".

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Movie Review: Flash of Genius

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Author: Lorraine Messina

Universal Studios

Director: Marc Abraham

Starring: Greg Kinnear as Dr.Robert Kearns

Lauren Graham as Mrs. Phyllis Kearns

Dermot Mulroney as Gil Privick

Alan Alda as the Lawyer Gregory Lawson

Mitch Pileggi as Macklin Tyler

Bill Smitrovich as Judge Michael Franks

Tim Kelleher as Charles Defao

The film Flash of Genius is an aspiring movie about an inventor that has his idea stolen by a large corporation. Sounds familiar. Right? Greg Kinnear plays Dr. Robert Kearns. Lauren Graham plays his wife Phyllis Kearns and Alan Alda plays the Lawyer Gil Privick. Other cast members include Demot Mulroney as Gil Privick, Mitch Pileggie as Macklin Tyler, Bill Smitrovich as Judge Michael Franks and Tim Kellerher as Charles Defao.

I enjoyed Alan Alda's portrayal of Gregory Lawson and enjoyed the script associated with his character. So often seasoned actors look the same in every part they are portraying. It was nice to see Mr. Alda give some depth to his portrayal of Gregory Lawson. His acting was firm and the words used were typical of lawyer speak as you would call it. Mr. Alda demonstrated how a lawyer can sometimes be intimidating to someone that lacks his same professional background.

It was Dr. Robert Kearns that stood up to all the intimidation and pursued what he believed was right. Mr.Greg Kinnear's portrayal of Dr. Robert Kearns was OK. It didn't really have any strong definition to it or enough emotion. I would say the same thing is true for Ms. Lauren Graham's portrayal of Mrs. Phyllis Kearns. No real depth to the character and not

much emotion.

Speaking of depth. The film tends to gloss over a lot of things in the story. We never really see the specifics of what really happens between Dr. Kearns his wife and children. The scenes are disjointed. In particular there was one scene where Mrs. Kearns exchanges words with a wife of an associate of Dr. Kearns. It was a scene that appeared in between other scenes and it seems that it was put there to fill a void. In fact the whole movie ran this way. One scene is about one part of the time line of events. Then you see another scene about another time line of events. Nothing really flowed together in this film.

The film is an aspiring story that you would want your kids to see. The film has lessons in determination, grit, and stick-to-it-ness no matter what other people think, say or do. Standing up for what you believe in when faced with intimidation and negative feels of others.

Put this movie on your list to watch with your kids or if you need a boost of confidence.

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Going Green on Your Summer Driving by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:03:00 +0000

Want to save money on your summer driving? Here is a great tip:

Keep track of every time you car idles whether it is at the gas pump at the store or at home when you start the car in the morning. It is amazing the list you will come up with. This is a little thing that can make a big change in your gasoline bill. It is something you ignore when you have things on your mind like what errands you have to run for the day. By shutting your car off and not letting it idle you can cut your weekly gasoline bill in half. I have done it.

Give it a try!

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Tips for Some Great Summer Snacks by Lorraine Messina

noreply@blogger.com (Lorraine Messina) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Try these great summer snacks when watching movies at home or when you have some friends and family over:

How to Pick a Really Ripe Cantaloupe

Fresh Fruit Kabobs

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