I’m working on my “list of movies that have inspired me” list. But for now, I thought I’d share my answer to a meme that’s being passed around on Livejournal.

So, in honor of my favorite movie:

I bought this movie for my dad around Christmas ‘97 and I don’t think he ever watched it. I ended up sticking it in the VCR and from that day on, the desert and these characters have never left me. It’s a movie you either fall in love with or you hate. I see the reasoning behind both camps. Gabriel Yared’s soundtrack for this film is my favorite of all time. It introduced me to the poet, Michael Ondaatje, another favorite. I love Ralph Fiennes as the iconoclast Count Almasy who wants to live in a world without borders. The cinematography, writing, music, cast….everything about this movie is seductive: at times romantic, at times intense. Basically, as pretentious as this all of this may sound…the movie has stood the test of time for me and I’m still under its spell. It doesn’t fit into my usual favorite categories of spies, robots, ass-kicking, or the post-apocalypse…but this movie might as well be made of magic powder. Where’d I put my hanky?

RIP Director Anthony Minghella.

Just as I’ve settled into my excitement for “Southland” - TNT’s excellent cop drama series that has me faithfully parking my butt in front of the television every Tuesday night – along comes another promising show that has me all eyes and ears… On March 16th, the FX Network debuts its new series “Justified”, starring Timothy Olyphant.

Not only is this man one of my favorite actors, he’s also stepping back into the shoes of a lawman that’s coming to clean up town: a role he first perfected in HBO’s critically-acclaimed ”Deadwood” as Sheriff Seth Bullock. Whether or not Olyphant has an affinity for playing these kinds of characters is irrelevant… I fully admire his instinct to take on characters that kick ass, take names, and wear the badge out of politeness!

Here’s the preview  clip that first drew me into the project… It reveals like gospel to me that if Garth Ennis’ powerful “Preacher” comic were ever to become adapted for screen, Olyphant would be just the right actor to do justice by the great Reverend Custer…

Watch and make the call for yourself:

(Note: The title has since been changed to “Justified” to avoid being mistakened for Steven Seagal’s reality cop show.)

And here’s are the trailers that FX has put out so far:

“Southland” may need to wait on the shelf when March rolls in…

Can’t wait to tune into this one!

For someone who loves to surround herself with music on a daily basis, buying into the hype of these Monster Beats by Dre headphones was a difficult decision. I practically coveted them every single time I walked into the store. Each product trial ended the same: I was lured again and again by the thundering bass. My pocket was ready to make the investment, but my mind had real doubts. Since its debut over two years ago, these popular ear candies have received mixed reviews online. True believers emphasize its performance and aesthetics. Other reviewers warn about its price and sub-standard craftsmanship. Both sides are equally passionate about either loving or hating these headphones.

After about six months of sweating out the details, I decided to order it and form my own opinion. When it finally arrived yesterday, the negative reviews thankfully didn’t diminish my experience of opening a newly-minted gadget. It felt like Christmas morning and I was giddy to fill my ears with music! I immediately put together a quick playlist to break her in with:

1. Circa Survive – “The Greatest Lie”
2. Voices of Light – “Pater Noster”
3. Dr. Dre & Ice Cube – “Natural Born Killaz”
4. Divine Comedy – “A Lady of a Certain Age”
5. Hanz Zimmer – “Hunger” (Black Hawk Down soundtrack)
6. Radiohead – “Reckoner”
7. Philip Quast – “Stars” (Les Miserables: 10th Anniversary Concert)
8. The Rifles – “The General”
9. Timbaland feat. SoShy & Nelly Furtado – “Morning After Dark”
10. Garth Brooks – “More Than A Memory”
11. Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah”
12. Philip Glass – “Metamorphosis One”
13. Eric Serra – “NPOKMOP” (La Femme Nikita soundtrack)
14. Gabriel Yared – “Rupert Bear” (The English Patient soundtrack)
15. Joaquin Phoenix – “Get Rhythm” (Walk The Line soundtrack)
16. Michael Giacchino – “Nero Sighted” (Star Trek soundtrack)
17. Juliana Finch – “Outshine the Sun”
18. Miles Davis – “So What”

So, how did my new headphones stack up to this playlist?

The point was for these songs to have little in common with one another. I use studio monitors at work so I can listen with a discerning ear during post-production. What I’m after at home is less demanding: to simply enjoy my music with enough clarity to make out certain details. But having that killer bass is definitely a luxury! Here are some of my impressions after a day’s worth of listening to the Monster Beats…

Performance: Don’t go after these headphones if you don’t want your head shaken like a melon at high volumes or if you’re not interested in recreating the experience of listening to music in the car with expensive speakers blaring. Personally speaking, I was after those results. The bass was very powerful on the rock and hip-hop tracks, but surprisingly, it added a whole new depth to the orchestrations from the soundtracks above.

“Nero Sighted” (the baddie’s theme song in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek) transported me back to the movie theater and made me feel chills from the march of the deep brass instruments. “Hunger”, the seductive opening piece to Black Hawk Down, begins with a lament (the vocals totally crisp and unobstructed) and ends with a ferocious growl of distorted guitars. The most outstanding track on my playlist was “NPOKMOP” – an instrumental track from Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita (listen to it here, about 2:20 mins.). It’s a tense scene in the movie where Nikita is forced to assassinate targets in a crowded restaurant against her will and the Monster Beats terrifically brings out all the nuances of the moment.

Acoustic tracks like Jeff Buckley’s delicious “Hallelujah” and my friend Juliana Finch’s “Outshine the Sun” play beautifully with guitars close to the center and vocals to the front, so they sound like where they should be: inside you head.

I’ve had to play around with the EQ for some tracks, but even at high volumes, the bass doesn’t distort and doesn’t entirely overwhelm other sounds. The general idea is that none of these songs have sounded as good as now. Although I’ve tried true studio headphones, it’s the extra presence of bass that really gives the Monster Beats experience a definite atmosphere. Most surprisingly, the kinds of songs I thought were going to sound great on these headphones (rock and rap) ended up sounding totally predictable. Instead, I’m prompted to explore other genres just to see if the Monster Beats breathes into them new life. (As I write this, I’ve started in on my classic jazz collection which I haven’t touched in months.)

Hearing safety is a real concern with headphones as powerful as these, which is why I’ve committed to taking plenty of breaks from listening and to keep my audio at comfortable levels. Once in a sweet while, though, the Monster Beats are a real treat cranked up to my favorite songs.

Price: $399 retail is a lot to ask for headphones, but it’s a worthwhile package as long as you know what you’re getting to. Since the Beats have managed to transport me to a different plane of listening, I feel it’s worth it. Knowing what I know now, I would at least avoid paying for these headphones at full price and spend the time (as I did) searching for deals online. Since I got my pair for almost 40% off retail price, I have no regrets.

Practicality: The Beats are not practical at all, contrary to its positioning as noise-cancelling headphones. Yes, it does a decent job of shutting out the outside world – but everyone else in the room can hear what you’re listening to. Even with the volume as low as 25%, the audio spill is pretty noticeable. (Good if you’re the sharing type, bad if you hate being the center of attention.) I’ve seen people on the plane with these phones on and in retrospect I can’t imagine how annoying it must have been for their neighbors. I’m planning on using these headphones in private so this isn’t really a problem for me. Other people may have gotten kicked off the bus.

Also, the Beats only run on AAA batteries, meaning they’re practically useless if you want to use them as regular headphones without the noise-cancelling feature. It says on the packaging, however, that these are “powered isolation” headphones so at least there’s a warning. I can see why negative reviewers are unhappy with its construction: basically, the headphones fold in its hard case, so the wires get bent inside the plastic spine. But like any fancy phone or gadget, its longevity depends on how well you take care of it.

Attractiveness: I won’t lie, Monster took my favorite colors and made a very good-looking pair of headphones out of them. The red wires are a nice touch!

To wrap things up, I feel these headphones have been worth the wait and money. Despite some setbacks, it does perform to my expectations and I wouldn’t return them. I recommend them for anyone who wants something more from their at-home music experience. Before purchasing, weigh your options and read more reviews like these. Since music is my biggest muse…I will definitely be using my Beats to help me with my work.

This trailer for Spike Jonze’s latest short film caught my attention because I’ve been enjoying fiction over the past few years that has anything to do robots. (I think my interest might have started when I first saw “Robocop” as a kid.) Its concept reminds me a bit of something that would come out of Michel Gondry’s ”Be Kind Rewind” movie…the idea that you can turn something made of ghetto parts into something fabulous. The trailer is thoughtful and just the right amount of unusual. Totally right up Spike Jonze’s alley.

Kicking the Habit videos are my way of forcing myself to practice writing and shooting. If I can’t be clever, I try to be honest. When I’m working, I avoid rules.

Prompt: “Time is money…”

Hoo, I’m feeling rusty. As I mentioned in my previous post, I had some difficulty getting started…but being in Chicago was a great last-minute opportunity. I wrote and edited it in a few hours and it was shot in less than half an hour on my Flip camera with help from a friend. My goal with these exercises is focused more towards content creation and storywriting and less about production value.

Anyway, I’m putting away my analytical hat for now and will enjoy the fact that I was able to get a video off the ground. It’s hard to undo years of perfectionism and ignore that small voice in my head that keeps telling me to hack away at the timeline. It’s a small accomplishment but it feels like a good start. Please check it out and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

(Shooting in Chicago, Photo by Shawn Miller)

“You cannot be an artist and stay in hiding.” –Michael Rabiger

Above is a quote from Rabiger’s book, Developing Story Ideas. I picked it up last week and immediately related as an audience, because it’s essentially a self-help book on overcoming creative obstacles. His philosophy is that the most impactful stories are made by writing from within, as opposed to writing from the “outside” - in other words, to the tune of another person’s work. He walks the reader through some helpful brainstorming exercises designed to create story prompts that you can then expand into a novel, film script, etc. Although I want to attempt some of the exercises, I’m more interested in what he has to say about the creative topic I struggle the most with: finding my artistic identity.

“Finding your own direction takes curiosity, a hunger to make sense of things, and a need to resolve the psychic marks and wounds left by key experiences. This is your unfinished business, a bundle of mysterious proclivities that we shall call your artistic identity.”

I love that he gave a name to what I’ve been basically struggling to define my entire life, ever since stories clumsily began forming in my head as a child. An artist’s ambition has everything to do with expressing their “unfinished business” – the same force compels me to want to create and tell stories in my own way. Now that I have an idea of what’s pushing me to be creative…I’m hopeful that at some point in the near future I can stop focusing on the “how” or “why” and start concentrating on doing the work.

So, in the spirit of “less thinking, more doing”…I’ve started working on my first Kicking the Habit assignment. I was at a work trip in Chicago this week and decided to put myself through a quick-fire challenge of writing a simple narrative that took place in the hotel and shooting it when I could find the free time. Since I was spending the week in a different city, I felt compelled to bring home some footage that I could make something out of. It was difficult at first to even put words to paper…but eventually I woke up one morning with a prompt. This weekend, I’ll spend some time editing and will be posting a short video!

Since my goal is to get back into the habit of making creative videos, I really needed to commit to reading about the story writing process again. The last time I bothered being interested in the subject was film school. Back then, I was self-assured enough in my writing ability to believe that it was the only thing necessary for crafting stories. It turns out that I was just being arrogant, and by not exploring my own experiences or trusting my perspective on life, I was actually limiting my ideas.

Creativity is a nebulous concept and I could probably spend the rest of my life having never figured out what my unfinished business is all about. However, at least now I have something to work towards and I don’t feel so aimless about what I need to do from here on out. I’ve thrown myself into the fire and although the first couple of videos may be rough around the edges, I’m hoping to find my stride in the coming year. Time to work on self-examination and trusting my instincts…

Thanks to my friend Adgy for setting up my blog with a feed! I will NOT be paying GoDaddy excessive money to buy notgonnalie.com – instead, please point your browsers to www.notgonnalie.org.

Livejournal users, here’s the feed for ease of following:

http://syndicated.livejournal.com/notgonnaliefeed/

Thanks, Richard!

I’ve marked April 16th on the calendar for this fetching piece of absurdity. This might be the last teaser I’m letting myself get suckered into watching…and I’m okay with that because it leaves me with high hopes for the movie.

Already released in the UK as of September ‘09, this is on my radar to watch. Why? Because director, Andrea Arnold, somehow makes the film’s reality more real than real life. Because I forget that mise-en-scene counts for something, even if the setting is the slums. And because…is that really Michael Fassbender?

It boggles my mind where technology is headed nowadays and how saturated our shopping aisles have become. These are just some of today’s headlines that grabbed my attention. I hope to get into the habit of collecting stories like these to fuel my interests.

Panasonic releases world’s first prosumer 3D HD camera
…And gives Wall-E’s designers a run for their money. Like most video gear news I come across, this one was passed along by a good friend and coworker. Here’s the kicker: “Using a standardized, fully integrated design, the Full HD 3D camcorder will be offered at a much lower price than traditional 3D rigs. Transportation expenses for this handheld unit will be less and faster setup times reduce labor costs.” In English: potentially, indie filmmakers and film schools around the country could get their feet wet producing their own 3D films… But without an inexpensive way to display 3D content, it may be best to let blockbusters get away with the technology for now.

Windows 7 goes mobile
Although I was skeptical of owning an iPhone, it’s become an indispensable gadget especially when I’m on the road and need immediate questions answered. Recently, I’d purchased a lower-end Samsung netbook running Win7 Starter and, despite some limitations in desktop personalization, I’ve found the experience of running Win7 overall as friendly. I don’t see myself switching from my iPhone to a mobile device running Win7 soon, but I’ll be paying a visit to the store when phones start carrying Microsoft’s mobile browser and see how it stacks up.

Invisible (See-Through) OLED Laptop
It gets points for style but not privacy – this proof-of-concept laptop features a totally see-through screen (even the borders are clear). With the way personal devices are going these days, it may do well for itself if it includes touch technology. But I have just one question…where might you use this thing except inside your closet?

Polaroid’s not dead (no no)
A couple months ago, I toyed around with the idea of going out and buying myself an Holga camera – those inexpensive toy cameras anybody nowadays can buy online or at stores like Urban Outfitters. They were popular in the early 80’s and have been resurrected for hobbyists today. That Polaroid is still getting development support is good news for amateur photographers like myself that rely on their iPhone camera apps to fake vintage pictures. Now maybe I should quit being cheap and go out and buy a real film camera.

Intel’s Double-HD MultiTouch Wall like something out of “Minority Report”
Okay, so there no floating displays that interact with you by touch, but this is still an impressive display. I’ve interacted firsthand with TV displays running touch technology and it’s easy to never want to go back to clicking buttons. Even lightly sliding my finger over my phone’s display still hasn’t gotten old. Now, where are our precogs to tell us what the pricetag is on these wall displays in the future?

Ion Twin video camera has two lenses
So many trick little HD cameras being introduced, so little time to try them all. I own a Flip Ultra HD which suits my needs fine and have even come across HD cameras you can mount on ski goggles and helmets at REI (Seattle’s giant outdoors gear and clothing store). But I have to admit, this is a pretty cool idea… I mean, if you’re going to be jumping out of a plane, you’d definitely want the camera to capture your fearsome descent to the ground and your terrified mug at the same time, right? If it was on discount at Woot.com, I’d lap this up.

Denon S-5BD Receiver with BluRay player
A wish list item that I’ve been sitting on the fence about for months is owning my first home theater system. I’ve been keeping an eye on the Onkyo  HT S7200 receiver/speakers package because it’s in my price range and steadily dropping. But along comes this gorgeous receiver that makes me think twice about settling for less… Do you have a home theater system that you’re happy with? Email me some recommendations!