Does Technology Keep Us 'Alone Together'?

The book Alone Together is a very interesting look at how technology affects relationships between people.
 

I found the most relatable chapters are the ones about the paradox of social media: Facebook is supposed to connect people who otherwise would have little to contact. In the days of yore, former classmates would only see each other at reunions once every decade, if at all. But now you can know what the girl who used to sit next to you in homeroom grew up to be, how many kids she has and how they celebrated their birthday.
 

But, as author points out, many people use social media as a substitute for real human contact. She interviews a middle-aged woman who says she used to call her friends when she wanted to catch up with them, but now because of all the hours she works she doesn't have the energy to talk on the phone and would rather trade texts or Facebook messages. Several people featured in the book said they worry that picking up the phone and calling someone seems intrusive, like you're interrupting their life.
 

The author also interviews several teenagers who send and receive thousands of texts each month and dread actually talking to friends, boyfriends and girlfriends on the phone.
 

Some of the most disturbing chapters of the book explore how "sociable robots" may someday be employed as a substitute for humans. The author describes experiments in which robots are used as substitutes for caretakers of children whose parents are overworked and the elderly whose children and grandchildren are too busy to visit them. Is this a glimpse of the not-too-distant future?  

 

Visiting Artist Experience At Wexner - Day Five

The fifth day (Friday, Aug. 2) of my week-long residency at the Wexner Center for the Arts was probably the smoothest in terms of workflow. It's exciting that the documentary I'm working on, Lady Wrestler, is really taking shape.

My friend Paul, who's a film/video editor at Wexner, was able to help me fix a technical issue from the previous day concerning a corrupted file. With that problem solved, we spent much of the day dropping in narration that I'd recorded and edited earlier in the week.

At the end of the day on Friday, Paul converted the 90-minute work-in-progress to a QuickTime movie so that I can watch it and see what tweaks should be added here and there. He did an amazing job smoothing out the transitions between sequences, placing Ken Burns-style moves on vintage photos, color-correcting interview clips, etc.

There's still work to be done, but the documentary is certainly much further ahead and closer to a finished product.

I have to give a big thanks to everyone at Wexner for their help and providing such an amazing, wonderful experience.

Friday just happened to be my birthday, and being in such a creative, dynamic environment was a really special gift.

Visiting Artist Experience At Wexner - Day Four

My fourth day (Thursday, Aug. 1) of my artist-in-residence experience at the Wexner Center for the Arts, putting the finishing touches on my documentary Lady Wrestler, could be described as "Glitch Day."

I started out the day by heading back to the sound booth to re-record lines of narration I'd flubbed the day before. When I went to transfer the audio file to my laptop, I was scratching my head as to why the file was nowhere to be found on the SD card.

And then my friend Paul, who's a film/video editor at Wexner and has been extremely patient in helping me with my documentary project, pointed out that I'd probably forgotten to press "record" when I was in the sound booth. Oops!

After re-recording the narration once again, I had to leave to go take care of a "real world" problem: I had to go to the deputy registrar to renew my driver's license and tags. Walking down 15th Avenue on the way to my car, I was greeted by an odd sight: two young women riding horses along the street and sidewalk. Oh, the joys of being on campus!

I thought the trip to the deputy registrar was going to be a relatively simple lunch-time errand, but of course it ended up taking way longer than anticipated. Why, oh why, does the BMV refuse to take debit and credit cards and force people to go withdraw money from an ATM? And why, pray tell, do entire families stand in line together, when only one person has business at the counter?

When I finally made it back to Wexner's Film/Video department, Paul asked me to locate some files that hadn't successfully transferred from my laptop to Wexner's professional editing system. It turns out there's a corrupted file that refuses to transfer, and trying to figure out how to fix the problem gobbled up the rest of the afternoon. We finally decided to set the problem aside for the time being and start fresh tomorrow.

After a dinner break, I spent the rest of the evening editing narration while listening to some of my favorite artists over the Wexner studio's sound system: Prince, Sade, Duncan Sheik, movie soundtracks that provide inspiration.

Glitches aside, this has been an awesome experience thus far.

Visiting Artist Experience At Wexner - Day Three

I spent the third day (Wednesday, July 31) of my visiting-artist residency at the Wexner Center editing narration that I'd recorded the previous day. The narration will be used in the documentary I'm working on, Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring.

While working on the narration yesterday, I edited the sound file in the Final Cut video-editing software on my laptop so that it can be transferred to the Wexner's more robust Avid editing system.

Editing the narration was a painstaking process, requiring me to go through each and every take of 17 pages of "dialogue" that I wrote and recorded. I'm going to have to re-record a few lines where my diction was sloppy, or I didn't place the emphasis on the right word.

Since the documentary is just under 90 minutes long, dropping in the new narration under each scene took several hours. I ended up working well into the night, leaving the Wexner facility at around 1 a.m.  Rather than exhausted, I felt energized, since this is work I'm passionate about and have wanted to do all my life.

Maybe it was the environment. Being at the Wexner Center, where creativity thrives, is like being inside the Dream Factory.

Plus, I know that "real" filmmakers (i.e., the ones that don't have to work a day job) have to power through when trying to complete a project. Cast and crew work ridiculously long hours even on the most well-organized movie sets and TV shows.

A highlight of the day yesterday was a lunch break in which I strolled around campus and ate lunch in the Oval outside Bricker Hall, which I used to do back in the '90s when I took English classes there. It was a nice walk down memory lane.

Visiting Artist Experience At Wexner - Day Two

I spent much of the second day of my visiting-artist residency at the Wexner Center (Tuesday, July 30) as a "microphone fiend," to quote the lyrics of the classic hip-hop track by Eric B. and Rakim.

I spent a couple of hours in the Wexner's sound booth re-recording narration for the documentary I'm putting the finishing touches on, Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring.  

I've always been a huge music fan, so it was kind of cool getting to "rock the mic" - although I couldn't sing my way out of a paper bag! 

Recording the narration is an interesting experience, especially since I've always had a love/hate relationship with my voice. Sometimes I wish my voice weren't so deep and distinctive, but I guess the upshot is I can use it for projects like this. 

Sometimes it pays to sound like a two-pack-a-day smoker, even though I've never smoked a cigarette...

Visiting Artist Experience At Wexner - Day One

One of the major projects I've been working on for the past few years is a documentary titled Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring. The story chronicles courageous black women who battled racism and sexism to become world wrestling champions in the '50s, '60s and '70s - several of whom still live in Columbus.

To put the finishing touches on this labor of love, I'm really grateful to be able to spend this week as a visiting artist at the Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus of The Ohio State University, my alma mater. 

The first day (Monday, July 29) was mainly spent getting settled and transferring audio and video files from the Final Cut Pro video-editing software on my laptop to Wexner's professional editing suite in the Avid format, which is the industry standard for film, television, etc.

It's really exciting to be able to be in this laboratory of creativity. 

Zimmerman Verdict Has (Re)Ignited National Conversation on Race

Like the rest of the nation, I've been pondering the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. This case, and the ongoing question of whether Zimmerman was motivated by race during that ill-fated encounter with Trayvon Martin in February 2012, has brought the complexity of race in America (back) to the forefront.

When it comes to race, this nation seems to take a step forward and then two steps back. The nation elected, and then reelected an African-American president. But now stands sharply divided along racial lines in how we view the Zimmerman verdict. When President Barack Obama was elected in '08, there was a lot of media hype about the U.S. having magically become a "post-racial" society overnight. I didn't buy into that wishful thinking for one moment. 

From my perspective, it seems inconceivable that an armed adult could fatally shoot an unarmed minor and face no legal consequences - regardless of race. 

Although I grew up in an interracial family with three white stepparents and four biracial siblings, went to a predominantly white private school during my formative years and have always had friends of different races, I'm confused by many of the racial issues that have been raised by the George Zimmerman case.

There is a long-held stereotype that "one drop of black blood makes you black." This phrase has primarily been applied to biracial people who have one black parent and one white parent, yet are automatically considered to be "black."

In Zimmerman's case, does one drop of white blood make you white? His mother is Hispanic and his father is white. So does Zimmerman identify as white? (Of course, Hispanics can be of any race, which further complicates the question.)

If Zimmerman had his mother's Hispanic surname, would he have been perceived by the nearly all-white jury as "exotic," "other" and, therefore, dangerous?

The media is often quick to lump "black" and "brown" people into the same "underprivileged" category. So is Zimmerman not "brown"? Does he get some kind of special "hall pass" from "brown-ness" because his father's white? I have biracial and light-skinned African-American relatives who are Zimmerman's shade - and even lighter!

And what if Zimmerman were a dark-skinned Latino like, say, Sammy Sosa? Would we all be seeing this case differently?

The irony is that there are many areas of the country in which Zimmerman himself would be profiled. If the so-called neighborhood watch volunteer encountered the border police in Texas or Arizona, would he be perceived as just another law-abiding white American, or would he be asked to show proof of citizenship?

This case has certainly raised more questions than it has answered.

As the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington approaches, I wonder what Dr. Martin Luther King would say about all this. One thing he might do is encourage people to not only pray for the Martin family, but for the Zimmerman family as well: Pray that if Zimmerman did act with racial animus when he shot Trayvon Martin, that he see the error of his ways, have a genuine change of heart and maybe even become an advocate himself for healing and unity. 

Since the Zimmerman verdict, I've been moved to see peaceful protest rallies attended by people of all colors. If there's any good that has come out of this whole ordeal, it's that it has (re)opened the conversation about race in America.

CW's 'L.A. Complex' Is A Summer Show I'll Miss

 

 

One of the shows I’ll miss this summer TV season is The L.A. Complex, which ran last summer on the CW and was one of the best shows on TV. With its primary setting being an apartment complex centered around a swimming pool, The L.A. Complex was reminiscent of Melrose Place, only with acting that was a tad less over the top and storylines that were more grounded in reality.

The hour-long drama followed the lives of several aspiring young actors, musicians and writers who are trying to make it big in Hollywood. Of course, there were plenty of love triangles, backbiting and endless drama to spice things up.

One of the best “amenities” about The L.A. Complex was its diverse casting. One of the major plot lines involved an African-American rapper who was struggling with his sexuality. The rapper was also trying to reconnect with his long-lost father, who had recently been released from prison and was trying to turn his life around. Also, the owner of the apartment complex appeared, at least, to be Hispanic or Arabic. 

Other characters included a young woman who was raising her little brother, a child star wannabe; a struggling actress who signs on to do a reality show similar to VH-1's Celebrity Sober House and has to battle the manipulative producers trying to invent phony conflicts between the residents; and an up-and-coming actor who agreed to fake a relationship with a famous actress who wants resuscitate her career by staying in the tabloids.

The L.A. Complex deserved a renewal for another season, and at the very least could have served as an interesting summer replacement series for the CW each year. Its premise would have lent itself to a rotating cast, and maybe cameos by real-life rappers, singers and actors could have boosted its ratings. But the network “powers that be” opted for an eviction. Oh well…

A Few Thoughts On The Tragedy In Boston

A few thoughts on the tragedy in Boston:

This one hit home with me because I'm a runner. I've never done a marathon, but I've done the Columbus (Ohio) half-marathon and a few 5- and 10ks. When a race starts, I always get a surge of energy from being surrounded by people - a "wall of humanity."

The morning after the Boston Marathon bombing, instead of doing my usual indoor cardio workout, I felt like getting out and breathing fresh air. So I went for a run on a route near my house that I've been doing for years. It felt like a tribute run, of sorts, for the people affected by the events in Boston.

Whoever is responsible for this tragedy, domestic or international,  obviously wants to disrupt our way of life. So it seems to me that one of the best things we can do is continue going about our daily routines.

And I can think of no better way to start the day than with a run.

 

My Funny, Awkward Moment With Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Junot Diaz

I had a funny, awkward moment with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz when he came to speak at OSU on March 19.

Diaz appeared as part of Ohio State’s President and Provost's Diversity Lecture Series. As a Dominican-American who writes stories in which characters of all different races interact, he certainly fit the bill.

As a fellow writer, I enjoyed hearing Diaz speaking about his writing process and reading passages from his latest book, an engaging short-story collection titled This Is How You Lose Her.

I was fortunate enough to be able to do a phone interview with Diaz for the Call and Post newspaper before he spoke at Ohio State. Since winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for his debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Diaz has been a very busy man and I was pleasantly surprised that he made himself available for an interview.

When I emailed Diaz through his website, I was amazed that he replied almost immediately and said he could do the interview. He quite generously offered to do the interview upon returning from a trip abroad to Japan and a full day of teaching English lit at MIT in Boston, so we spoke at 11 o’clock one night. I was a bit groggy and had a little trouble formulating my questions, but he answered each question thoroughly and intelligently.

I went up and introduced myself to Diaz when he got done speaking at the event at OSU's Student Union, but because the line was so long, I didn’t get to converse with him.

The funny, awkward moment happened like this: I noticed that Diaz and I were wearing the exact same black peacoat and tried to joke about it by telling him, “Nice jacket.” He was so distracted, signing books for the dozens of people waiting, that he didn’t notice we were dressed alike and didn’t pick up on the joke. Oh, well…

Meeting a Pulitzer Prize winner was an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

My Totally Awkward Black History Moment

  

I really enjoyed attending the kickoff of Ohio State’s United Black World Month celebration on Monday, Feb. 4. The keynote speaker was Dr. Steve Perry, renowned African-American educator and author. He gained the national spotlight when he was recently featured in CNN’s “Black in America 2” documentary for his revolutionary leadership style at a magnet school he founded in Hartford, Conn.

Dr. Perry is a riveting speaker whose oratory style combines the soulful inflections of a Baptist preacher and the hip-hop phrases and street mannerisms of a rapper. Like controversial education reform advocate Michelle Rhee, Dr. Perry has a tell-it-like-it-is, take-no-prisoners management style. It’s his way or the highway. He’s not afraid to fire teachers and take on unions for the sake of producing better results for his students.

The OSU event with Dr. Perry was well-organized, with delicious food to boot. My only complaint would be that after Dr. Perry spoke for close to an hour and received a well-deserved standing ovation, he inexplicably took only one question during a Q&A with the audience.

I was disappointed, since I was there covering the event for the Call and Post newspaper and really wanted to ask him a question: If he were to reach a point in his career where he no longer wanted to be a full-time principal and chose to move on to devote more time to extracurricular activities, so to speak, like his commentating gig on CNN and television show “Save My Son” on TV One, would his school survive without his hands-on leadership?

After his speech, Dr. Perry graciously posed for photos with numerous people who came up and gushed over him. He has a rock-star vibe about him and people – women, especially - were acting very excited to be near him.

I waited for the long line of photo and autograph seekers to die down, then approached him and asked my question. Unfortunately, I didn’t formulate my question as succinctly as I would have liked and it took me a while to spit it out. When I finally asked if his school could survive without him, Dr. Perry simply replied, “Yes, I think it can.”

I wanted Dr. Perry to elaborate, but our conversation was interrupted when people holding cameras decided to start snapping photos, and Dr. Perry turned toward them to pose.

I really wasn’t there to do the groupie thing and pose for photos; I was there with my reporter hat on and wanted to ask him a perfectly legitimate, journalistic question. However, there was really nothing I could do in that moment but turn toward the camera as well.

I had noticed that with other men who asked Dr. Perry to pose for photos with them, he gave them a soul-handshake when the camera flash went off. Anyone who knows me knows that soul-handshaking is not really my style, so instead I put my hand on Dr. Perry’s shoulder. Bad idea.

When I put my hand on his shoulder, Dr. Perry didn’t reciprocate by placing his hand on my shoulder, as is the custom, one would think. I picked up a vibe from him that said he wasn’t going to extend contact to a male he’s not related to unless it’s a soul-handshake or a “thug hug.” Judging from Dr. Perry’s cool demeanor, I assumed I was supposed to follow his lead, so I just stood there with my hands dangling at my sides and a bewildered expression. Dr. Perry is shorter than me, so I had to crouch slightly to make sure the top of my head wouldn’t be cut off by the camera.

The resulting photo makes me want to laugh. I look as awkward as I felt. Instead of a respected educator and an inquisitive journalist, Dr. Perry and I look like some kind of academic hip-hop duo – like a preppy version of Kid n Play.

To make matters worse, I really wasn’t dressed right. Dr. Perry sports sharp three-piece suits like a minister of a mega-church. I had on a decent enough outfit – a tan button-up shirt and black slacks – but I was wearing tennis shoes because I had to slog through the dirty February snow to get to the Ohio Union from the side street where I parked.

Next to the cleaner-than-a-board-of-health Dr. Perry, I looked like a total dork in dress slacks and tennis shoes. I should have brought a bag to throw my dress shoes in and changed into them as soon as I got to the event. Oh well, lesson learned...

Jammin' With Prince in Chi-Town

Prince treated loyal fans who turned up for his Sept. 24-26 shows at Chicago’s United Center to a greatest-hits extravaganza. He was in rare form, serving up a “vintage Prince” performance worthy of his “Purple Rain” heyday and proving that he still has the showmanship and stamina to rival any artist young or old. 

Opening with “Let’s Go Crazy,” Prince brought the nearly sold-out crowd of 17,000 to a frenzy by rising from below the stage, which was colored purple and shaped like the symbol he once used as his show-business name. 

At 54, he still has the slender, muscular physique of his youth, as well as the unique fashion sense. He took the stage in a multicolored turtleneck, clingy banana-yellow slacks and matching high-heeled boots. Surprisingly, he did not change costumes, suggesting that he’s perhaps become a bit more practical in middle age.    

The nearly three-hour set concentrated on Prince’s tenure with former label Warner Bros. Records, spanning from early ‘80s hits such as “Controversy,” the title track and other songs from 1984’s landmark “Purple Rain” soundtrack, to the 1992 chart-topper “Cream” from the “Diamonds and Pearls” album. The diverse crowd sang along to the familiar tunes, and even young fans seemed to know the lyrics.

While Prince certainly commands the stage, he’s generous enough to share it. A major highlight was when R&B diva and Chicago native Jennifer Hudson joined him for a duet of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Hudson showed off her svelte figure in a short, clingy dress, towering above Prince in platform heels.

Prince, known for bringing The Time and Sheila E. among others into the limelight, continues to groom new talent. Latest protegee Andy Allo, who resembles Grammy-winning bassist Esperanza Spalding with her beauty and funky afro, dueted with Prince on “Take Me With U” and showcased a respectable voice and stage presence by performing a dance tune from her new album “Superconductor.”

After closing the United Center show with a medley of hits that encompassed everything from “Let’s Work” mixed with Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” to the popular B-side “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore,” Prince treated fans to another 90-minute set at the more intimate House of Blues.

Prince has not yet announced any upcoming Ohio concert dates. But if the “Welcome 2 Chicago” shows were any indication, he’ll be bringing the funk for many years to come.

This review appeared in the Oct. 3, 2012, edition of the Call and Post newspaper.

Drawing Inspiration from 'The Elephant Man'

I found Bradley Cooper's interview on Fresh Air last week interesting, found out things about him that I didn't know - mainly that he has a master's degree. Seems like most celebrities graduated from the school of life and don't hold advanced degrees, but Mr. Cooper is an exception.

Another thing I found interesting about the interview is that he said he had a movie theater practically in his backyard growing up in suburban Philadelphia, and the movie that inspired him to become an actor is The Elephant Man. It's kind of ironic that someone who is known so much for his looks was inspired by the story of a man who was physically deformed.

The Coffee Shop Dream

Had a dream the other night that I accidentally threw out a whole slew of library items while doing some cleaning. When I realized the mistake and went back to the charity donation box where I had inadvertently tossed the books, audiobooks, DVDs, etc., from the library,  to my dismay, I found someone had stolen them.

A couple days later, I visited a new coffee shop that had just opened. Near the register was a bookcase with books, etc., that customers could borrow for free. On this bookcase was all the library items I happened to toss out.

What’s the moral to the story? Drink more coffee?

Book Chronicles First Black Boxing Champ

The book The Longest Fight by journalist William Gildea provides an intriguing look into the life of Joe Gans, who gained fame in the early 1900s as America’s first African-American boxing champ. 

Gans overcame racism to be hailed as the greatest lightweight boxing champ of all time. In spite of the fact that sports writers at the time often referred to him by the most offensive racial epithets, Gans won over fans both black and white because of his reputation as a hard-working athlete with serious skills.

The Longest Fight has short, breezy chapters and is quick read, yet provides plenty of details about the dramatic peaks and valleys of Gans’ life and career.

The book is titled The Longest Fight, in part, because Gans defeated a Caucasian fighter known as Oscar “Battling” Nelson in a 42-round match on Sept. 3, 1906, that lasted an unprecedented two hours and 48 minutes in the blazing sun in Goldfield, Nevada.

The Longest Fight not only chronicles Gans’s too-brief life, which ended in August 1910 at the age of 35 after a long bout with tuberculosis, but also the history of boxing. For example, the book documents the rise and fall of Goldfield, Nevada, a mining town where fights were sometimes staged – a precursor to the glittering lights of Las Vegas.

During the match with Nelson in Goldfield, Gans was in the odd position of having white fans rooting for him and betting on him instead of his white opponent. Part of Gans’ popularity may have been that, unlike future African-American boxing champion Jack Johnson, who was known as being flashy and boastful, Gans was perceived as humble.

When he wasn’t in the boxing ring, Gans made thousands of dollars by touring with vaudeville shows and opening a popular bar and hotel in his native Baltimore.

It’s too bad that Gans’ name isn’t more widely known these days. A filmmaker would be wise to buy the rights to The Longest Fight and turn Gans’ story into either a Ken Burns-style documentary or a dramatic movie that would preserve his legacy for generations to come.    

Super Bowl Power Outage: New Orleans 'Hoo Doo'?

When the power outage occurred at last night’s Super Bowl, my first thought was there must be some of that strange black magic that New Orleans is known for going on. The San Francisco 49ers did manage to make a miraculous comeback after the power outage, although they ultimately ended up losing to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31.
  
Seeing the Superdome dimly lit and crowded with people brought back unfortunate images of Katrina. Hard to believe the storm of the century was almost 10 years ago. 

One thing that really struck me during the Super Bowl power outage was seeing the football players lying on the turf and stretching. Seeing how limber many of them are was a reminder that even though football players are known for their brute force, many of them have the agility and flexibility of dancers. NFL players are like ballerinas - who knew!

Mariah vs. Nicki?

The so-called “feud” between new American Idol Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj has been exaggerated in the media, as Wednesday’s episode revealed. 

In the much-hyped episode, Minaj stormed out of a room where Idol hopefuls were auditioning after Mariah and fellow judges Randy Jackson and Keith Urban grilled a contestant about whether she saw herself as a country singer or not. As Minaj rightfully pointed out, the judges were overemphasizing the twangy tone of the girl’s voice and intimidating her to admit, as a condition of receiving a “yes” to go on to the Hollywood round, that she liked country music and saw herself as a country singer.

Interestingly, Minaj stormed out after Jackson – not Mariah – made a remark that implied Minaj didn’t have enough experience to accurately gauge a singer’s vocal ability. Minaj made angry comments directed at all the judges, not just Mariah.

But of course the media plays up the mini-scandal as a catfight between the two women on the panel. I guess a Randy Jackson/Keith Urban fight wouldn’t make for titillating viewing.

I’ve only caught a little bit here and there of the new Idol season and haven’t watched it regularly since Simon Cowell left the show. When Mariah and Nicki Minaj were announced as judges, I assumed I’d be more partial to Mariah since I grew up with her music and there’s no disputing her vocal prowess.

But I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Nicki Minaj. Maybe she’s not a “singer’s singer” and her rap style might be a bit derivative (she’s often been compared to Lil’ Kim, but I actually here more of an influence of the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes from TLC). But on the Idol panel, she has proven herself to be articulate, able to dish out criticism without being mean and fair-minded when it comes to judging talent. I have to respect the fact that she has an opinion and she’s not afraid to express it.

Filmmaker DuVernay Leads With 'Follow'

Just watched filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s amazing 2011 debut, I Will Follow. This is one of the best independent, character-driven movies I’ve ever seen and deserves all the accolades and honors it’s won.

In the movie, Salli Richardson-Whitfield plays a Hollywood makeup artist who takes an extended leave of absence to tend to her aunt who is dying of breast cancer. Though Beverly Todd is just in a few brief flashbacks as the aunt, her performance is powerful and memorable.

It’s interesting that DuVernay, who wrote and directed the film, chose to make Todd’s character a drummer. I wonder if she was inspired at all by Sheila E., one of my favorite artists of all time.

Whether it’s the drummer-aunt or a female “cable guy,” DuVernary artfully shows women in non-conventional roles without being preachy about her feminist perspective. DuVernay is especially effective at showcasing Richardson-Whitfield, whose extraordinary beauty could easily distract from the fact that she’s a skillful actress.

It’s amazing that DuVernay self-financed I Will Follow on a budget of just $50,000. It looks much richer than that, in every sense of the word. With quality visuals, strong performances and subtle yet effective music as the score, I Will Follow is everything a movie should be.

'Catfish' Hooks You In

 

I recently watched the documentary Catfish, which is about a young man being scammed by a woman who claims to be something she’s not. Just by chance, I watched the documentary right before the scandal broke about Notre Dame football player Manti Te’o’s imaginary girlfriend. Like the subject of Catfish, Te’o was allegedly the victim of an online hoax.

In Catfish, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost document the online romance of Ariel’s brother, Nev. The trio soon comes to suspect that Nev’s Facebook friend who is passing herself off as a beautiful young woman is not what she seems.

After becoming a hit on the festival circuit and attracting a cult following, Catfish was adapted into an MTV reality series. The term “catfish” has also become a buzzword for anyone who is duped, especially online.  

The documentary Catfish is suspenseful, keeping the viewer guessing about what’s going to happen next as Nev, Ariel and Henry uncover more and more deceptions that Nev’s online friend concocted. Although the ending is a bit anticlimactic, the movie is definitely a cautionary tale about keeping a healthy dose of skepticism and thoroughly checking people out before you let them in your life.

My 'Seven Questions' Interview

Please check out my interview with Laura Stanfill's "Seven Questions" interview series with authors.

Laura is a novelist, award-winning journalist, freelance editor, publisher and all-around promoter of the written word and supporter of fellow writers.

The interview can be viewed at the following link:

http://laurastanfill.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/interview-author-chris-bournea-on-identity-place-and-dialogue/

Interview Anthology Helps Writers Be 'Brave'

Because writing is often a solitary endeavor, writers can sometimes feel isolated. Brave on the Page, an anthology of interviews with a diverse cross-section of writers, offers a sense of camaraderie and a communion with kindred spirits.

 

Edited by Laura Stanfill, Brave on the Page (Forest Avenue Press, 198 pages) features interviews with writers of many different genres: travel, sci fi, children’s literature, just to name a few.

 

In Brave on the Page, writers provide insight into the creative process and how they get ideas; how they find time to write while managing families and, in some cases, day jobs; and how to deal with agents and publishers and cope with – and learn from – rejection.

 

As a writer myself, I drew a lot of inspiration and motivation from Brave on the Page. Here are just a sampling of some of the insights I found most helpful:

 

“I don’t know if this works for all writers, but I just tried to keep submitting at a certain rate (say ten places a month with various stories) without even thinking about it too much. I’d get a rejection and I’d mark that submission off the list and that simply meant I had another one to send out. I was more like a detached secretary with regard to this process.”

 

-   Yuri Zalkow, author, of the critically-acclaimed comedic novel, A Brilliant Novel in the Works

 

“Attend and try to do local readings. If you’re serious about being a writer, then you have to be a team player and go to writer’s events. We all know it’s all about you, but you have to at least pretend otherwise. Don’t be competitive; we’re all in this together.”

 

-   Kristy Athens, author of the nonfiction book, Get Your Pitchfork On!: The Real Dirt on Country Living

“It’s very hard to get the world to pay attention to anything for long, especially a debut novel. But then I remind myself why we do this – we write for ourselves and out of loyalty to the stories we need to tell.”

 

-   Scott Sparling, author of the technology-inspired crime novel, Wire to Wire

“I lie on a twin bed squeezed against my long-limbed daughter, who insists on too many stuffed animals. … My daughter moves from songs to stories, from stories to slowed-down breaths. I lie there, eyes shut, until the story inside me gets restless. I must write one thing down.”

 

-   Laura Stanfill, novelist, award-winning journalist, freelance editor and publisher

 

Although the writers featured in Brave on the Page live and/or work in the Pacific Northwest region (the subtitle is Oregon Writers on Craft and the Creative Life), the insights they share are universal. For more information, visit http://www.forestavenuepress.com.

'Wave' Flicks Are a Groovy Ride

 

Recently watched two interesting documentaries about filmmaking movements: Two in a Wave, about the French New Wave of the ‘60s, and Blank City, about the “No Wave” indie movement in New York in the late ‘70s.

Two in a Wave explores the decades-long friendship and artistic relationship between legendary filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. It was interesting to learn that they started out as the best of friends, helping each other break into the movie industry and praising each other’s work. But they ended up bitter enemies over political differences in the turbulent ‘60s and ‘70s.

Although the Two in a Wave documentary was engaging, I must say it was also a bit hard to follow because it’s in French with English subtitles. Unless you’re glued to the screen the whole time, you have to occasionally rewind to pick up details you may have missed here and there.

Equally engaging was Blank City. Just by chance, I picked up these two documentaries in the same swoop during a trip to the library. Interestingly enough, “Blank City” was made by a French filmmaker.

In the bonus features of the DVD, Blank City director Celine Dahnier said she heard plenty about the New Wave cinema movement in her home base of Paris, but had trouble finding information about New York’s “No Wave.” So she set out to interview the cutting-edge filmmakers who were instrumental in the “No Wave.”

Filmmakers interviewed in Blank City include Jim Jarmusch (Coffee and Cigarettes) and Susan Seidelman, who went on to make Desperately Seeking Susan with Madonna. John Waters (Cry Baby) is also featured. Although he lived in Baltimore, he periodically journeyed to New York to sell his low-budget films, became friends with many of the “No Wave” directors and crashed on people’s floors when he was in the city.

Blank City gives a fascinating look into this bygone era of New York. The city was on the verge of bankruptcy, rent was low and the filmmakers could live cheaply while pursuing their art. 

The hip-hop and punk movements were just taking off and future celebrities like Debbie Harry of Blondie, Fab Five Freddy (later host of Yo! MTV Raps) and Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) acted in some of the “No Wave” films.

If you're a movie buff, both these docs are worth checking out. 

No Joy in Repetition

Why do businesses make customers repeat ourselves so much?

Like when you call a credit card or utility company and you're asked to key in your account number, only to have the customer service rep ask you to repeat it again when they come on the line.

Earlier today, I went to cash a check at the bank. To save time and keep the teller from asking me if I have an account with them, I handed my ID and debit card along with the endorsed check to the teller.

He still asked me, "Do you have an account with us?" And he was holding the friggin' debit card with my account information!

'Constellation' Is a Shining Star

The indie movie Constellation is a beautifully made movie about the power of love and forgiveness to overcome bigotry and family dysfunction. The multicultural ensemble cast features Zoe Saldana, Billy Dee Williams, Hill Harper, Rae Dawn Chong, Leslie Ann Warren and Gabrielle Union.

Union plays a woman in the Jim Crow South who falls in love with a white soldier. Her younger brother witnesses the pain she endures over not being able to build a life with the man she loves because of racial taboos. To escape the racist climate, the younger brother (later played by Billy Dee Williams) flees to Paris and becomes an artist.

Fifty years later, extended family reunites in Huntsville, Ala., for the funeral of Union’s character. Saldana (a few years before she hit it big in Avatar) plays Billy Dee Williams’ estranged daughter. Chong and Warren play Williams’ ex-wives and the mothers of his daughters. Harper plays Saldana’s ex-boyfriend, a globe-trotting photographer who tries to reconnect with her.

Over the course of several days while the family is gathered together for the funeral, deep-seated resentments are resolved and family members gradually come to understand one another.  

Constellation is a heartfelt film with subtle, nuanced performances and three-dimensional characters. It has the feel of a TV movie and I could have easily seen it playing on one of those “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. Although it was initially released in 2005, it has the look and feel of a story that is still very relevant.

Creativity and 'Hater-Aid- Don't Mix

Earlier today, my mom and I were discussing last night’s Golden Globes telecast and she asked me, “What did you think of Argo beating out Zero Dark Thirty?”

“I haven’t seen either one,” I replied, “so I don’t really have an opinion.”

“I think they gave it to Argo because it’s Ben Affleck,” she said.

I knew exactly what Mom meant: Argo is being showered with critical praise and award nominations because Ben Affleck is a Hollywood golden boy. Why should he get all that attention? Aren’t there people who are just as deserving - or more so?

The conversation with my mom could have easily turned into a celebrity-bashing gripe-fest. But I chose to redirect the conversation to a more general discussion about the Golden Globes show -- who won, Jody Foster’s “coming out” speech, how Tina Fey and Amy Poehler rated as hosts compared to Ricky Gervais, and so on.

I can’t claim that I always take the high road, however. I’m sometimes guilty of “hating on” the rich and famous who seem like they have it all, don’t have to struggle for anything and are lavished with an overabundance of adulation.

I do, however, recognize the folly of this way of thinking. Drinking “hater-aid” is especially hazardous for people like myself who strive to be successful at writing books, directing movies, bringing plays to the stage and excelling in other forms of creativity.

Why is bashing the rich and famous, or any successful person, for that matter, counterproductive?

Because creativity thrives on positive energy. It’s nearly impossible, in my opinion, to produce quality work in a creative endeavor – art, music, literature, film, theatre, etc. – while being consumed with envy, bitterness and any kind of negativity that drains rather than fuels energy and creativity.  

Furthermore, bashing someone that you see as having more than you presupposes that you’re inferior to them and don’t possess the same ability to succeed.

And, of course, it’s up to each of us to come up with our own definition of success. There are very talented actors, directors and writers who put out quality work but will never become household names or have a golden statuette handed to them before an international television audience. 

An Unlikely Coincidence

I was recently standing in line at the movies and was browsing through the songs on my Walkman (it's an MP3 player with the "Walkman" brand name, not a portable cassette player, although I do have one of those that I still listen to). 

One of my favorite groups of all time is Ambrosia, a light rock supergroup that was popular in the '70s and early '80s. I listen to their music a lot and was about to put on their greatest hits while I waited in line. But while I was scrolling through the albums on my Walkman, I decided I should mix it up for a change and put on something I rarely listen to.

On a whim, I pulled up rap group Cypress Hill's greatest hits and randomly picked the song "The Only Way." I had never listened to this song before and, just by chance, it has a sample of Ambrosia's "LIfe Beyond L.A.." Ambrosia's dramatic ballad has the haunting refrain, "Sometimes I think that the only way that I'll ever see life beyond L.A. is dying," which is the hook Cypress Hill uses in "The Only Way."

An unlikely collaboration, for sure, and one of those interesting little coincidences in life...