by Joe Stumpo
Shutter Island: On the surface, the journey to Shutter Island is supposed to be a routine investigation for U.S. Marshalls Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). Their investigation, however, into the disappearance of a female murderer who escaped from the remote mental hospital for the criminally insane takes a darker turn, in particular for Daniels, who may or may have not been a patient there himself. What follows is a story that could well come from an intriguing Twilight Zone episode but with a deeply disturbing, if not, tragic twist. Instead of Rod Serling, we got director Martin Scorsese behind the camera acting as our host. If I were to reveal anything more, you’d accuse me of giving away spoilers. You have to see the movie, or ask someone who has read author Dennis Lehane’s book or the graphic comic on which this film is based. «««
… so addictive? As I work on a bit of my production homework, I sit here listening to iTunes and typing this blog, which helps keep my mind more than than just reading would. Reading in silence, without multitasking, is simply impossible for me, and I often wonder if this makes me a bad tester. I’d love to walk into a math course and crank up my iPod, but I have to bet the teacher would call it cheating somehow. Rather unfortunate if you ask me, but oh well.
iTunes also makes me think back, and tonight it has me thinking about today and what I could have done better in the studio. I hate wondering just how the lighting would have been in the studio if I had situated the lights more evenly, or if we could move all the studio lights to the corner while style utilizing the backup lights. I hate these questions, because it makes me hate the work I did today even though I know, for what I had at my disposal and for the little time I’ve been doing this, it’s actually decent work.
Next time, I have an idea, however. I really want to try a different lighting effect on the wall, and see if it makes green screening any easier. Hopefully, just hopefully…
So I’d like to say I feel I’ve improved a lot with my camera work lately. I went from really shaky to only somewhat shaky when panning, and I’ve been able to get a lot of practice in lately. I’ve actually, to be quite honest, grown fond of working the camera, and I simply love those amazing Sony’s the department utilizes. I also now like toying with the iris, and I know I’m going to have all kinds of fun with that little thing.
Headroom is still a problem with me, along with framing shots, but overall I’d say I’ve improved. I did some pretty decent work for the department’s “Woman 2 Woman” show, which needed a new intro. Props goes out to our new editor for making the amazing intro itself, however. I still need practice toying with the depth of field, but still, it’s not like I’m beating my own drum.
Oh wait, I am. And I mean to.
The long awaited Oscars aired last night and the results were a bit surprising! Avatar didn’t take best picture like most people would expect. A dark horse film “The Hurt Locker” took most of the night’s top honors including Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound mixing, and the night’s ultimate top honor for Best Picture. I will catching this film later on this week and will let you know if I feel the awards were justified! The highlight of my night was seeing Sandra Bullock win the female top honor for Best Actress in a Leading Role. It’s been a long time coming for her and she deserved that moment! Jeff Bridges definitely deserved Actor of the year with his performance in Crazy Heart- not only was his acting phenomenal but his vocal ability as a country artist was amazing! Chistoph Waltz took the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Inglorious Bastards. That movie would definitely not have been the same without him. The character was so well crafted that I felt like I was looking at a real Nazi general instead of an actor. The spectrum of the Oscar Winners this year was limited to a few movies in general: The Hurt Locker, Avatar, and Up took several awards while a couple others only took one. The overall feeling I got from the people who took home the top honors were actors who played serious, somewhat controversial roles and really became that character in a strong, powerful way. I’m already looking forward to see who will show up on the ballot for next year’s Oscars!
I recently read in a Dallas Morning News article that drivers have a new and dangerous distraction besides cell phones and texting. It’s digital roadside billboards. Such high-tech billboards are as eye-appealing as one might be in Times Square. The images are constantly changing in a matter of so many seconds. In our rushed society, drivers would be drawn to images that large while trying to steer through traffic and that could cause accidents. The billboard industry, of course, says this isn’t the case. But critics seem to think that these flashing billboards will be a distraction to drivers.
So far, there has been an effort to block construction of these huge billboards, with the argument being that you can turn off your phone, but not something this large. So far, this is becoming an issue in Michigan, but distracting billboards are going up all over the country. Most likely, we’ll start seeing some in the Dallas-Fort Worth area soon. The Federal Highway Administration, the Associated Press reports, has been conducting a study which will be available this summer. It will track volunteer drivers who look at the billboards - and come up with some results.
Los Angeles Businessman Kayvan Setareh is the first person to face criminal charges about these ads on billboards.
For all you American Idol fans, the race is on. Four guys are holding firm in the competition: Casey James, Todrick Hall, Tim Urban and Alex Lambert. All are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Considering that about 100,000 hopefuls tried out for Idol this year, the 9th season, there is hope that one of them could win. Simon Cowell said in a telephone interview with the Dallas Morning News Feb. 23 that he wasn’t sure any of them would win, and thought they were all equal at that point. My favorite at first was Casey James, but then over the last week in February, I liked Alex Lambert’s performance best.
However, I can’t help but believe one of the girls is going to win this year’s competition. My favorites are Crystal Bowersox, who sang “Long as I can See the Light,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Lilly Scott, who sang “A Change is Gonna Come.” Both performances, I thought, were fantastic.
If there is one thing about Idol that could be improved, it’s the way the contestants dress. If I were a singer and had gotten that far, I think I would dress a little better. In one of the shows, one of the female contestants one night was wearing a black-and-white striped long-sleeved blouse with a short brightly colored flowered skirt. It was atrocious! You’d think one of the Idol fashion experts would help the Idols pick out something more appealing to wear. When you’re dressed well, you feel more like a star - which is what you’re after. I don’t know if they get an allowance for clothes per show, but it sure would help. One of the guys one night actually had holes in his jeans. This may be fashionable, but I wouldn’t wear it on national TV.
The Top 12 will soon be chosen, and I can’t wait. I’m a fan - but I hope the show can survive when Simon Cowell leaves. He really makes it, but I hope they get rid of Ellen - she’s dead weight, as far as I’m concerned - too much chattering and saying the same thing.
Even without their starting center, their back-up center, and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year; the Dallas Mavericks (43-21) refuse to stop winning.
Only nine players were in uniform for the Mavs in Saturday night’s game and with only eight seeing game action (sorry Matt Carrol) on the second night of a back-to-back, Dallas still found the energy to battle with a lively Chicago Bulls (31-31) team. Chicago continuously refused to go quietly even though Dallas led by 14 going into the fourth quarter and 113-103 with less than four minutes to play. Derrick Rose scored a game-high 34 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and dished out eight assists as six Bulls scored in double-figures.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, Dirk Nowitzki scored 15 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter and the Mavericks were able to secure their 11th straight win. A key for Dallas was the use of their new small ball lineup, reminiscent of the Nellie-ball days. With Nowitzki starting at center and Beaubois starting at shooting guard, the Mavericks have the ability to get out on the break and score with any team in the NBA.
Chicago came into the game first in the NBA in blocks (6.1 per game) and had allowed teams to shoot only 44 percent against them - good for fourth in the NBA. It didn’t look like it Saturday night, as the Mavericks shot 56 percent and the Bulls blocked only two shots as Dallas had their way on the offensive end.
“We just couldn’t stop them at the other end,” said Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich, who scored 14 points and dished out six assists. “Dallas is 43-21 for a reason. They play well together.”
The 122 points in the most Chicago has allowed in a regular-season game since March 29, 2009 - in overtime - as they allowed 134 to the Toronto Raptors. Caron Butler (24 points), Shawn Marion (18 points) and Beaubois all had season-highs scoring in a Mavs uniform
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop
With Jason Terry out at least another two weeks after facial surgery, Dallas needed somebody to step up of the bench and carry at least a piece of JET’s 17 point-per-game scoring load.
Roddy B certainly held up his end of the bargain, setting a career-high in points (24) for the third consecutive game, while simultaneously playing good defense and sharing the ball. The rookie tied a season-high with five assists, grabbed five rebounds and played well on the defensive end, securing a steal and swatting Brad Miller’s dunk attempt near the end of the second quarter.
“He’s a talent,” said Jason Kidd, who has mentored Roddy B all-season long. “He’s going to be a special player in this league. He’s a great student.”
Beaubois played a career-high 35 minutes and may be setting himself up for more playing time - even when Terry returns from injury.
The Age-Less One
At age 36, Jason Kidd refuses to stop playing elite-level basketball at the point-guard position.
Kidd was all over the court Saturday night - dishing out 15 assists, grabbing 11 rebounds and coming four points shy of his second triple-double of the season. The most amazing thing to me is how efficient the 15-year vet is. Kidd had only two turnovers all game long. For someone who is relied on as heavily to run the offense as he is, he holds on to the ball extremely well.
Of the top five players in the NBA in assists, Kidd has the lowest turnover-per-game average (tied with Chris Paul) at 2.5 a game. His assists-turnover ratio (3.83) is third-best in the NBA, behind only Jose Calderon (3.88) and the aforementioned Paul (4.42).
Dallas Closing-Out Quarters Well
One of the keys to the game for the Mavericks was their ability to close-out quarters every time the Bulls cut into their lead. For example:
First Quarter: Dallas was down 18-20 to the Bulls before going on a 12-6 run in the final 3:09 of the quarter behind five points from Butler and a block each from Marion and Najera.
Second Quarter: The Bulls rallied to a three-point deficit, down 54-51 with 2:55 left in the first half. The Mavs then went on a 12-4 run behind six points and a steal from Marion, a steal by Kidd and a big block from Beaubois - going into the half with their first double-digit lead of the game at 66-55.
Third Quarter: Chicago got to within seven, 83-76, before Dallas went on a 11-4 run in the final 3:27 of the third. Beaubois had six points and an assist during the run and Dallas sat comfortably going into the final quarter up 94-80.
These crucial runs to end quarters, especially after the opposing team works its way back into the game, has to demoralize the opposition. While the Bulls stayed tough throughout, back-breaking runs to end quarters by Dallas had to of taken its toll on the Bulls.
Whats Next
Dallas travels to Minnesota Monday night to take on the Timberwolves in their fourth and final meeting this season. The Mavs are 2-1 thus far, having lost at home to Minnesota in January.
This is the second meeting between the two teams in the past week.
Minnesota still has the worst record in the West and are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak. The T-Wolves have won only one time in the past 12 games.
Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. and can be seen locally on Fox Sports Southwest.
News and Notes:
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
Last Tuesday night, i was one of the many students who volunteered to help with the
department’s coverage of the primary elections. I was looking forward to it because i had
never helped to cover an election night before so i was interested to see what it would be
like. We all volunteered to do different tasks as part of our coverage, and i volunteered to
do video editing. I hadn’t really ever done video editing before so i was eager to try it out
and see how it goes. I was shown how to do the video editing during the day so that i would
know what to do when our evening coverage began. When our evening coverage began,
they had food for us to eat in the Newsroom, and were quickly getting everyone organized
to go out on the various tasks that they were assigned to do for our coverage. There were
three different teams that were sent out to cover both the GOP and Democratic watch
parties that were held in various locations around the city. The students in the Newsroom
were constantly looking up on the AP Wire to check on the results of the various races, and
announce them. We then did live election reports from the Newsroom to update the results
as they came in. I thought that i would actually get to do more editing than i actually did. I
did get to edit one piece of video that we did as part of our coverage, but not anything else.
We thought that i was going to be able to edit some of the footage that we got from our
teams in the field, but they got back to the school later than we thought and they started
editing it themselves. It was a little disappointing, but at least i got to do a little editing.
Overall, it was a great experience, and i am glad that i decided to
help out with it.
I procrastinate. It’s just what I do. I even procrastinate in regards to procrastinating, if that’s even possible. But I’m feeling good today because I’m not procrastinating until the due day, and I actually completely some stuff early so I could enjoy the week ahead. As I listened to that awesome music from Two Steps From Hell, I was able to dominate my history, my mass communications essay, and some other stuff, and now it looks like a week of just reading and a little more writing. School related, of course.
I don’t count work as work. I count work as going to school to play, because I love it so much and I enjoy it so much. After talking with one of my professor’s on the phone today, I was reminded how amazing the advisers at Richland are as both teachers and work advisers. Amazing people, and if you don’t know them, you should. Check out the student media sometime, you might like it. I know I do. I’m also liking my chances for internships and SMU. If I keep up my grades and portfolio, I should be able to go to school and work anywhere I want. Let’s go, Dallas, I want to be your best reporter and some day your best anchor at one of you top dog stations.
I recently came across some music that I love for studying. The name of the band, if you could call it a band, is Two Steps From Hell, and while it sounds dark, or evil, it’s actually not. It’s an orchestrated style of music meant for epic scenes and movies and things like that, and if I remember correctly their work was used by the new Star Trek movie. Good stuff, huh?
Heart of Courage is by far one of their best songs, but I like all of their work. It’s all similar in ways, and yet it’s all a bit different. I’m currently listening to the song Nemesis, which I’ve gotta say is awesome to do homework to. Actually, all of their music is great to study to. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always had a thing for epic melodies and tunes; kind of gives studying a kind of “saving-the-world-feel.”
Anything of interest to community college students; please blog with care and common sense. Pretend your teachers are reading this - they probably are!
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