When A Cover Up Is Not a Cover Up; When It Is In The Movies

I saw the Oscar nominated movie “Black Swan” and thoroughly enjoyed it. As a person involved in the film industry, not once did I ever suspect that Natalie Portman was 100% responsible for the portrayal of the lead ballerina, Nina Sayers. Before watching the film, I understood that Natalie Portman dedicated a lot of time and effort to her role. However, never did it cross my mind to be so naive as to think that Natalie Portman became an elite, top tier ballerina in such a short period of time. Such silly thoughts seem to be nonsensical, in my humble opinion. Possible, potentially, but not probable. And, after all, this is the movies.

I am familiar with the movie industry. I once made a movie featuring a narrator who, gasp!, did not appear in the film. This, in spite of the fact that the “narrator” in question was supposedly portraying the voice of one of the lead characters. It is not a cover up. It is not deception. It is movie making.

If there is any credence to be given to Entertainment Weekly (and I suspect there is), Sarah Lane (the body double of Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”) is ignorant to the movie making process. In yesterday’s EW article titled, “‘Black Swan’ double claims Natalie Portman only did ’5 percent’ of full-body dance shots in the movie” ballerina double Sarah Lane claims, “It’s just unfortunate that I kind of lost credit.” Meanwhile, the Internet Movie DataBase (IMDB.com) clearly shows that Sarah Lane was credited for her involvement in the film. Furthermore, according to the aforementioned EW article, the movie credits Sarah Lane as a “‘Hand Model,’ ‘Stunt Double,’ and ‘Lady in the Lane’.”

In the EW article, Lane goes on to say, “It is demeaning to the profession” and that “from a professional dancer’s standpoint, she [Natalie Portman] doesn’t look like a professional ballet dancer at all.” I acquiesce this latter point to Lane. However, I also think Lane needs to acquiesce that the latter point is irrelevant and the former point is untrue. Her comments merely show her ignorance about the movie industry. It is unfortunate, in my opinion.

Although totally unrelated, I am reminded of one of the necessary qualifications for a journalistic piece to be considered libel or slander, which is that the information must first be beleivable. I never believed Natalie Portman became an elite ballerina in a year and a half. I did not need to. That is part of the magic of the movies and exactly the reason Sarah Lane was able to land a job as a stunt double in the first place – to hide Natalie’s flaws as a relatively novice ballerina.

In my estimation, anyone who beleived Natalie Portman became some dancing prodigy is a fool. Actors and actresses play roles in movies every single time they step in front of a camera. They don’t become brain surgeons before stepping into that fake doctor’s office; they don’t become award-winning musicians before portraying the roles of musicians. It is absurd to think that would be the case. If the world ran that way, fictional movies would never get made. Otherwise, who would play the role of Forrest Gump? Who would star in Transformers? Who would play Batman? Need I go on?

If Sarah Lane were in charge of the movie industry, there would be no movie industry, because, in her eyes, suspension of disbelief woulld not be allowed, trick camera work would not be allowed, stunt doubles would not be allowed and body doubles would not be allowed. Of course, if that were the case, Sarah Lane would have been out of job on the film “Black Swan.” In reality, it is not the case, so I merely have one question for Sarah Lane, “Why did you sign on to be a body double in the first place?”

The Revolution Will NOT Be Televised

Television is the old, mythical, control mechanism of the global conglomerate utilized to zombify the masses, perpetuating a society that will buy, buy, buy the sh!t the global conglomerations are selling through ads, ads, ads… so, the Revolution will NOT be televised. It will, however, be tweeted. It will sprout up out of social media, like the butterfly flower that it is – beautiful and necessary. Change is necessary. We are dynamic and we must win! Charlie Sheen knows this. Kevin Smith knows this.

We the people of the United States of America are on the precipice of televution. Viva la revolucion del television (say that last bit en espanol, por favor).

We are all embedded or unplugged. The embedded need to be unplugged. The unplugged need to embed themselves into the unplugging. Kevin Smith and Charlie Sheen are your leaders. I can see it, like that final crest of the tsunami that towers over Los Angeles moments before it disappears into the abyss. Don’t succumb to the vast abyss like all your predecessors who said, “What can I do? It is what it is.”
Be a part of the revolution. Find a way, no matter how small. Tweet about it. Share it. Talk it up. This is real, folks.

Every day, people complain about the big global corporations that have all the power. Now is your chance to do something. Speak your mind. Speak up. Be heard. Use your voice or miss out on the revolution. Charlie Sheen and Kevin Smith are, simultaneously, in vastly different ways, attempting to show you the way. They are countering the culture, working outside the box, being independent of the mainstream media. So, stand up, join with them and Revolt!

It’s now or never. I feel it in my loins like Charlie Sheen feels tiger blood in his veins or Kevin Smith feels dick and fart jokes in his gut. This is it. This is our time to rise. Be the power you see in yourself. Be the change. Or, don’t complain.

Support Sheen’s Korner and the “Red State” USA Tour.

Kevin Smith Takes “Red State” on Tour and I’m Excited

Hollywood is Seeing Red Thinking About Kevin Smith’s “Red State” U.S.A. Tour
Town to Town Movie Release Excites Me More Than Movie

As a general movie-goer, I’m not immensely excited about watching Kevin Smith’s newest movie “Red State.” However, as a former Sundance Film Festival entrant, independent filmmaker and screenwriter, I love what Kevin Smith is doing with his latest movie “Red State.” I feel like it is my duty to support Kevin Smith, even if half of Hollywood thinks he’s having a mid-life crisis and/or imploding. They’re just saying that because… well, I don’t know… to be sensationalistic, to garner press, maybe they’re jealous that they’ll never have a chance to distribute the movie. Perhaps, everyone in Hollywood is bashing Kevin Smith exactly because they know that he is on the verge of changing the Hollywood game. Kevin Smith is attempting to change the status quo and that is scaring a lot of people enmeshed in a broken Hollywood system. No longer will they make the big bucks the same old way. At least, that’s what Kevin Smith is hoping. And, that’s what I’m hoping, which is why I kind of feel like it’s my duty to fork over $70 or more to see “Red State.”

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What About the Golden Globes? And the Academy Awards?

The 68th annual Golden Globe Awards were a “Golden Globes of Glee” with the television musical comedy taking home three Golden Globe Awards.
But, the question on everybody’s mind is whether the Golden Globes can be viewed as indicative of the Academy Awards (Oscars) outcomes. Academy Award nominations are revealed January 25th (8:30 am est), while the Oscar ceremony is held Sunday, February 27th at 8 pm est.
I’ve analyzed Oscar/Golden Globe correlations for actors and actresses in the article, “Golden Globe Awards an Indication of Academy Award (Oscar) Success?” and for “Best Motion Picture” in the article, “Will a Golden Globe ‘Best Motion Picture’ Award Winner Win an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Motion Picture?” Intriguingly enough, correlations seem to be quite different depending on the type of award.

Men Who Stare at Goats

“The Men Who Stare at Goats” is a 2005 book by Jon Ronson.  The book deals with a United States Army unit established in 1979 by people who believed they could “kill goats just by staring at them” and other wonderful things, that might come in handy on, you know, a daily basis.

The book is 284 pages, but never fear, you don’t have to read the book.  It’s being made into a movie – Men Who Stare at Goats, starring George Clooney.  Currently, it is scheduled for a 2010 release date.  Of course, that could change.  But, still, I thought you blog readers should mark your calendars for 2010, when the movie Men Who Stare at Goats is released.

Did I mention it’s a non-fiction story?

Sometimes Writing Rocks

Like today, when I sit down at my computer and blammo, wammo, pajamo, out pour multiple pages in a frenzy.  That’s what rocks about writing.  And, it’s not crap.  It’s good writing.  Nay, great writing.  Yes, I must admit, I must toot my own horn here.  Productivity rocks, especially when it’s super productivity.

The writing I did today was for a script I put on the back burner while the sequel script (my first sequel – good learning experience, FYI).  [Wow, this must be unbelievably confusing when I don’t name names of scripts, although I can understand my reasoning for not mentioning titles prematurely (hopefully, you can understand too.)

Maybe I can use the old title – or, better yet, an abbreviation of the old title (just in case)…

OPD got some great scenes today.  They’d been brewing, but, really, the culmination of that brewing was last night, when they began fermenting.  Now, they’re well on their way to being one darn tasty micro brew beer.  (Um, yeah.)

Anyway, I’ve been jumping between the Sequel and OPD, lately – pure writing wise.  Meaning, there’s also the script requiring editing (which isn’t going as well as anticipated), which was formerly titled “Red Road.”  I feel safe saying that because, well, the title is taken.  But, you know what?  I loved that title.  I thought it was perfect.  And, then I find it out’s taken.  That’s Denmark for ya!  But, I did learn something about Denmark that day.

Editing

I will be editing today.  And perhaps much of this week.  Unlike the last movie script I edited, which seemed more like tweaking things here and there (that’s the Quarterfinalist entry – pre-edits), this edit, I anticipate, will be more like an overhaul.  A re-modeling, if you will.  Granted, I think the last half of the script is quite solid, but the first half, I think, will require the bulk of the work.

I’m glad I’ll be editing, because now is the time I need to edit.  In other words, I started a new script lately and I was kind of on fire writing it for awhile there.  But, things have cooled off – slowed down.  So, editing something else seems great for two reasons. 1) It’s something new – a break from that other script.  Also, when I return to that other script (post editing), I’ll be ready to continue writing in a flurry again.  (Although, snow flurries are kind of meak, aren’t they?) 2) I’ll be that much closer (if not at) a level of completion for another script.  It’s a great sense of accomplishment to have.  Also, the sense of getting things done may be extra motivation when I return to writing that in-progress script. 3) I’ll jot down extra ideas for the in-progress script this week, while I’m busy editing, undoubtedly.  So, that too, will help. 4) Editing itself brings a nice sense of accomplishment when I re-read one of my wonderful creations.  Yay!  I love reading my stuff!  Ha ha.

What I See When I Watch a “Science Fiction” Movie

Any time I watch a movie like Equilibrium (the human race has gone so far as to wipe out emotions, since they have been deemed the root of war and hatred), I can not help but think our World is on a path headed for a similar outcome.  I have a feeling some people watch science fiction movies and think they are just fantastical stories that are entertaining to watch, but when I watch such movies, I see exactly where we are headed if we continue down the path we are on.

I can very easily envision a powerful figure, such as George Bush, fumbling through a speech attempting to convince the public that, “we need to eradicate the weapons of mass destruction lodged within our brains.”  Sadly, I see it as a feasible possibility due to the supporting evidence for such a thesis that I bear witness to every day.  Perhaps what makes the notion so daunting is that I can see a tiny shred of truth in the horrid concept.  Perhaps this shred scares me, because if I can see that, then who knows what some bumbling fool from Texas can see – got nothing against Texas, just certain people from Texas, or at least a certain person.

So, I suppose, what I see when I watch a “science fiction” movie is, well… science fact.  I see these so-called seemingly far-fetched movies as mere extensions of the path some want to take us down and it pisses me off and scares me. 

Marrying Capitalism and Environmentalism

It’s a tall task to take to town, but it’s on my mind and I’m thinking about writing an article about it.  I spent six months livin in an ecovillage in 2007.  Beforehand, I never considered myself much of a capitalist, but like Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) mirroring Jack’s (Edward Norton) shortcomings in the great movie Fight Club, some of the ecovillagers aversion to capitalism was a wake up call, especially when I contracted Hepatitis A and there was a scare with the health department.  Money’s necessary and while saving the Earth is probably more necessary, it is not as seemingly imminent.  And, therein lies the rub, along with years and years of systemic, built-in tradition and ways of living.  EDIT (04-17-08): In fact, I wrote an article on this titled, “The Environmental and Capitalistic Teachings of Living at an Ecovillage Intentional Community.”