That's my mantra today apparently. I should have it printed on a sign, glued to my forehead. Since the moment I walked in the door here at VCAM today I have had at least 2 things I needed to be doing at any one time. As soon as I get involved with something, someone says "Bill, can you help me get this DVD recording?" or "Hey Bill, the edit isn't taking," or "Bill, why do you look so dour?"

I really love my job and I'm not complaining in a general sense, I'm just having trouble feeling any sort of sense of completion today.

Now I'm going to try and eat something, tensed in anticipation of the ringing phone, or the station going off the air, or an irate, uzi weilding producer. 

So, the QE2 sets out to sea w/ a damaged rotor. Destinations are missed, timelines changed, passengers upset, but organized.... "organized"? Oh yeh, we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore! Fuck the QE2! Fuck The QE2! FUCK THE QE2! (c'mon, everybody now...!). This is only going to get worse (remember Leon Klinghoffer on the Achille Lauro?).
 

So I've agreed to be the mentor of an 8th grader who's doing some filmmaking for his "8th grade challenge" and today he emailed me some rather lofty qestions about filmmaking (e.g., "What is successful editing and how can I teach that [to other students]?). In the process of trying to answer one of the questions, I ended up summerizing the significant events in (narrative) film history, according to me (along with relevant the Wikipedia and IMDb links). Here now, for your amusement and edification, is my reply to the young gentleman's question:

He asked:

How has movie making changed throughout history?

I replied:

When we meet I can talk to you a little about this. I can't think of any books specifically but there are loads out there. Significant events in the history of narrative (as oppsed to documentary or experimental) movie-making include:
1. The The Lumière Brothers inventing technology and popularizing the new invention of motion pictures: link
2. D.W. Griffith is credited with creating the language of cinema: link
3. Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein invented his theory of montage and showed how powerful moviemaking is as a propaganda tool: link
4. Orson Welles reinvented the language of cinema with his masterpiece Citizen Kane--considered one of the greatest films of all time: link 1 link 2
5. French critics described what they called the "auteur theory" and cited films by American directors Howard Hawkes, John Ford, Billy Wilder and Alfred Hitchcock (and others) as examples of how the director of the film was the primary author of the work no matter who the screenwriter was: link
6. American motion pictures in the 1960s and 70s revolutionized the art form and incorporated styles and techniques from documentary filmmaking and the fine arts: link This period of film history is also significant because it's when film directors started appearing who were film school graduates.
7. The American indy revolution began in the late 1980s and marked the time when do-it-yourself filmmaking came into vogue: link
8. The advent of digital editing and cinematography in the 1990s further enhanced the do-it-yourself filmmaking culture and now the means of producing films are available to almost everyone (even middle school students!): link

Here endeth the lesson.

Upon further reflection I think I probably should have at least mentioned the French new wave and Italian neo-realists, but whatever. What else did I miss?  

The senate has introduced yet another iteration of the bone-headed broadcast flag. Boing Boing's Cory Doctorow sums this issue up nicely:

There are two things to be certain of this century:

1. Everything that can be expressed as bits will be expressed as bits

2. Bits will only get easier to copy

The entertainment companies are convinced that their businesses depend on copy-proof bits. This is ridiculous: there's no such thing, there never will be.

Governments that try to protect businesses that demand copy-proof bits are like governments that try to protect businesses on the sides of volcanoes, who demand an immediate end to business-disrupting lava.

If the current entertainment companies can't or won't adapt to a world of bits, that's too bad. Let them die, and let new businesses that thrive in the new technological reality take their place. If you can't stand the heat, get off the volcano.

 

We recorded the first FCB of 2006 today. I was joined by Matty the Greek and Evening and we talked about the New Horizons mission, employers who block certain internet sites, SXSW and more. Look for it early next week.

Coffee report:
(1) big skinny double mocha--no whip
(1) lg. black coffee

Eve reports that she dumped half of her intensely strong coffee out and filled it up with half & half and it was still quite dark. The Radio Bean makes some serious joe. 

I bought my JetBlue tickets to Austin and registered for SXSW tonight. I'll be in Austin from Saturday March 11th to Wednesday March 15th. I'm trying to convince NTodd to go with me and he hasn't totally ruled it out, but he has to check his schedule and stuff. As the time draws near I'll post the specific events I'm planning on attending (gotta play to the cyber stalkers out there).

I didn't realize the music festival was so much bigger than the film festival. I've always known about SXSW as a film festival first (I guess because I'm a filmmaker) but it's clear from reading the materials that the music thing is just huge. Former BTV denizen and dreamy indy rock star Arthur will be performing at this year's festival, though I'll almost certainly miss the show because the day I leave is the first day of the music festival. Hopefully he'll be there early enough for us to hang out a bit.

Candleblog pal Neil Cleary has been to SXSW several times and used to live in Austin and he's given me some starter tips--the "hipster basics"--on enjoying the city. I've started to make pushpin notes on Google Earth of all of the relevant stuff--the hotel, the convention center, the state house, the good bars, the bridge where all of the bats live, etc.

The stars at night are big and bright... 

You likey the linky?

Seattle P.I. interviews Starbuck

Therem describes some Wikipedia hi-larity

Download some good songs from great bands you've never heard of (if you're an unhip square like me)

Holy crap! It's the harmonic convergence of pop! (YouTube video)

The Bad Astonomer on last weekend's USA Today "science" story (also noted at 802 Online)

The Essence of a Geek

Links via Gravity Lens, The Central Cortex, False 45th, solidstate & Bad Astronomy Blog 

Mentos are such crazy fun,
They really are miraculous.
You put them in some soda
And the rest is jizzumtaculous.

Direct Link to .wmv file
 

Here.

Oval Office
You are standing inside a White House, having just been elected to the presidency of the United States. You knew Scalia would pull through for you.

There is a large desk here, along with a few chairs and couches. The presidential seal is in the middle of the room and there is a full-length mirror upon the wall.

What do you want to do now?

> INVADE IRAQ
You are not able to do that, yet.

> LOOK MIRROR
Self-reflection is not your strong suit.

> PET SEAL
It's not that kind of seal.

> EXAMINE CHAIRS
They are two several chairs arranged around the center of the room, along with two couches. Under one couch you find Clinton's shoes.

> FILL SHOES
You are unable to fill Clinton's shoes....

via Backwards City 

Another lost episode from the vault at Friday Coffeeblogging headquarters has surfaced. This one was recorded on October 21st and the highlights include Flameape doing a very good Chewbaca impersonation as well as Jabba the Hutt offering his take on the Plamegate scandal. Don't miss it.