Famousness revisited again - The series

Today was like any other day. Well, not exactly, we had the day off after just finishing our shooting of the short film Mortecai. A film on which I was the Director of Photography. So anyhow, that was fun and it felt good to have the day off, just hanging out and whatnot.

So tonight we went to see the movie Sunshine. It was good, not fantastical, but it was good. But that isn't the point of my post. It was who was sitting just in front of us. Some guy! yeah. We were just sitting, waiting for the film to start and making fun of yellow hue of the lame projector. The man sitting in front of us agreed. We started talking about things we hate at theaters, one time he was at a movie and all the speakers weren't on, and nobody went to say anything.. that kind of conversation. So how is random theater guy famousness revisited again? well I'll tell you. I thought the guy looked familiar.. and it was totally Corbin Bersen! Who? how can you ask who!?! He's only the actor with one of the largest snow globe collections ever! It was nice to talk to him without knowing it, probably for him too. Because us, being film students, would have been all " You're totally an actor" "That's totally awesome" and other nonsensical jibber jabber.

So we were cool, and now I'm being a lame nerd about talking to an actor. Well, I think it's cool to see an actor just down at the local movie theater. It's just the jet set life that I live.

Till the next time I see someone famous, I bid you adue,

-Andrew

The continuing saga of the roast

The midnight roast continued late into the night. The clock slowly moved forward moving closer towards morning with each tick and tock. All things told, it took till about 4:30 for the roast to be finished. It was quite ridiculous. So I didn't eat any of it last night, as I was dead tired, but, I did eat some today. It was awesome! I love roast and horseradish. So very tasty. So after all that adventure, all is well.

Till the next adventure...

Midnight Pot Roast

It's 20 after 10, and I have just started cooking a roast. Call me crazy, call me irresponsible. I just really wanted a roast okay? I went out and bought some horseradish specially. I'm so excited.

Check back for more info.

Maybe you can drive my car.

I guess you could say it's been an odd weekend for me. Well, maybe it's been normal for me... Today I got up at 12:30, finally catching up on my much needed rest. Boring. Then I sat around... watching a few episodes of Macgyver. Now that's just freaking awesome. After that was grocery shopping, then lunch at about 4:30-5ish... Then I went to watch Die Hard by myself, and then I went to the Bar to watch my Stamp's slaughter the Ticats 37-9 or something like that. It was awesome... I love football. So anyways... I have spent my whole day doing things by myself that one would normaly do with other people.... it's kind of weird. and now I'm at school waiting for Chris so we can get some work done.... I think every work day should start at 10:30.

Man, this sure is a rambly story... That seems to be this blog's new format... I'm just to lazy to have any real structure. Or maybe I'm a structuralist rebel...without a cause.... yeah, that's pretty cool...

One day I was walking home, like I do every day now; I was walking through the crosswalk onto the bridge and car came really close to hitting me, an unnervingly common occourance here in Vancouver, so I thought nothing of it. I continued onto the bridge, on my way home. Down below, was the car that had almost hit me. The old man inside was yelling and carrying on, but I couldn't hear him so I just kind of shrug'd at him with a smile on my face.... apparently that ticked him off because he opened his door and yelled louder and more vulger obscenities at me. I shrug'd again and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Then he gave me the finger and sped away... I can't believe how rediculous people get when they drive; when they have 1500 pound automobiles to back them up. Apparently one isn't allowed to use a crosswalk... I bet if I sped right by him when he was in a crosswalk he'd have even more swearing for me... I don't know... people are stupid.. Oh and yesterday when I was walking home some dumbass ran through a red light going like 80k's. Maybe I'm just becoming a really angry jaded person (heh, becoming....) , but I was really mad... like really.... Someone with no reguard for life, or law. If I was not paying attention to him, I would have been killed, or someone else could have been. Probably stoned or drunk anyhow, so it wasn't his fault... I hate people sometimes...

This is turning into the stupid people I hate rant, so I might at well make it a full list.

Bums. They are really starting to piss me off. Always getting up in your face. Asking for money. Being creepy, smelly and a pian in the ass. All of my charitable nature is gone. I have no good will towards the homeless. They have beat it out of me. It's not even that I don't like help those less fortunate, it's just that the only help they want is money. Money for drugs and booze and smokes. I don't have enough money for myself thanks, let alone paying for your vices! Oh it pisses me off. and they have the gaul to get upset when you say no! I'm telling you, these homeless people better watch out. I'm pretty much ready to call the cops on any and all bums who give me shit. I have had it...

So yeah. Traffic and homeless people. My two biggest beefs with this city at the moment. The traffic itself isn't so bad, it's when it relates to pedestrians, they don't care about them. which is scary. even in the IGA parking lot I've almost been hit like 5-6 times... I think I'm going to carry a bunch off rocks in my bag, so I can fight back. Kidding! ... sort of.....

anyhow.. enough complaining for now....

peace.

Weirdy

Hey world, So here I am sitting at the University of Calgary in a random copmuter lab, blending in with the locals.... they have no cule I don't even go here... why? how? what's going on? All good questions. But the story is boring and long winded. And no one really cares anyhow so whatever.

Amy and Jer got married this weekend and My Dad is turning 50, so there are family milestones all over the place. I was glad that I could take a week off to come out here to enjoy both celebrations.

anyhow... I gotta go... this is a weird post.... peace

mhmhmmmmm...nnnm.mgm....nha.........ga...

Okay.... I'm really tired. We are now going into our 3rd night of shooting. I hate nights....... Plus, shooting has been not going well. We lost a scene as a result of setting of fire alarms, and we are like 10% over our film allocation. So yeah, all our instructor hate us.... last night we had 4 of them on set..... I am so stressed out and tired I can hardly handle myself..... Only 4 more days..... sigh....

help me.

All something and no something make Andrew something something....

Whoa hey, It's been too long since I've posted anything on this here blog. I've been super busy working, that's why.... that doesn't sound like me does it. well... it's the truth, so there. For the first part of the earlier I was 1st assistant cameraing..camering...being the 1st assistant camera for a short called Ethnic Girl. That was all well and good and then we moved on to the second round, where I am now the Assistant Director on a film called Gray Matter..... I wonder why all my titles have the word assistant in them... it's rather demeaning. I mean, come on, my job is important! Can't I get a little respect? Oh well, atleast the jobs themselves are cool, even if they don't have the most flattering titles. So yeah, I've been up to my armpits in paper work and phone calls for the last week, and that's hard to do. Even as I write this, I'm sitting in our production office, working on casting. Still no rest for the wicked... oooohhh well. So that's an update on school. basically, it's all work. Good times.

So short little update today, as I'm tired, and I'm on a stupid mac with a lame keyboard, so it's kind of hard to type.... Maybe next post I will get more philosophical... but today it's just complaining about work.... what fun...

Oh, and I get to go back to Alberta on the 15th of June, as it is the weekend Amy and Jer are getting married. I was glad I could get that weekend free so I could sneak off to that. It should be a grand time.

So much for whatnot; back to throwing stones.

Once

I have just seen a preview for my favorite movie of all time. Well, I can't be sure, but it looks promising. It's called Once. I was sitting in Fifth avenue cinema the other day, for those of you not from Vancouver, it's our more artsy theater, and a preview came up, and wow! I mean.... Wow.... I don't think I've ever been drawn in by a preview. It was so evocative. The music, the faux doc cinematography. I was enthralled.... and I'm just going to say, I don't often get this gushy over much... it's a little lame... sorry.... Yeah, so it's like a indie, music, romance movie thing. can you get a better combination? It kind of makes me think of the movie The Puffy Chair, another recent sundance film which you should see. Once comes out in Canada for limited release here on the 18th and I assume out on DVD in the future for those without sweet art theaters.

So, before you do anything else, go to this Website and check it out. Again, I'm calling it; this will be an awesome, awesome movie.

- So much for whatnot, back to throwing stones.

Oh the Humanity!

The other day I was just thinking about the Hindenburg; which is terribly random now that I think about it. Anyhow, I was thinking about the announcer on the video, the terror and sadness in his voice. It haunts me as being the most sincere reportage that I have ever heard. It has just kind of stuck with me since I first saw it, since like age 10ish. The irony of it all is that, 70 years ago, 3 days ago at 7:25 was the date that the hindenbug crashed. Kind of weird that it was on my mind the day before....

weird huh?

Great bands and the fans that love them.

I am a bit of a music snob. You know, the kind that likes a band till it's played on the radio and then everyone and their dog say they like it, That's when I start to dislike that band. It is ruined to me. I just can't like music that the general public likes, I'm elitist, I know, but hey, it's how I roll.
You know, bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, Sufjan Stevens, The White Stripes, Interpol and just recently Matt Pond PA. I liked all of them before they were popular. (sorry, that's my elitist streak) I would like to say however, that I am becoming better continuing to like music after it becomes popular, because lets face it, if it's good, it'll get popular eventually. I would also like to note that it is TV that makes all the cool bands popular. Mainly because it's cheap to license and it's just as good as expensive music. Just a little trivia for you. Jerks, stealing all my music.

So, now, to the point of the post. I wanted to point you guys in the direction of some new great bands. I will break this down into 3 different segments. Bands you've never heard of, Bands you may have heard of (and need to listen too), and Bands you need to get back into ( and if you haven't heard of them, foreshame)

Bands you've probably never heard of- (if you have, good on ya)

Band the first. - The Lonely Forest - This band out of Anacortes WA, is a sweet piano band. I first saw them in Seattle at Bumbershoot. I think it was my favorite show in the whole festival. And it was a pretty big festival. Anyways, check them out, you won't be disappointed. "Are you afraid of the world" is a great song.

Band the second - The Golden Dogs - This was the opening act when I was helping do a video shoot for Jets Overhead, another fairly solid band. I just thought their sound was pretty good, the songs Runnoutaluck and Nineteen eighty five are pretty darn catchy.

Band the third - The Wrens - watch the "She sends kisses" video - My friend Graham introduced me the this band a couple years back. I woke up to them every morning on my CD player for at least 2 months. They are pretty catchy.

Band the fourth - The Weakerthans - The Reasons - best song ever! Good 'ol Canadian band out of Winnipeg. They have become much more popular as of late. I don't know what superlatives I can use. None really good that I can think of. They are just good is all.

Band the fifth - The Honorary Title - I like bridges... I like tunnels.... and they have a song 'bout both. what's not to love?


Bands you may have heard of

numero 1 - Matt Pond PA - Myspace-scroll down and watch the so much trouble video .What can I say, they are just so freaking good. I almost can't stand it sometimes. You have to listen I was rather turned off when I heard them playing in the GAP one day, but what can you do, I just love them too much to dislike them for that reason.

numero 2 - Page France - the main website is broke, weird..... but they are nice, soft, girlie folk. Hence me liking them. It makes me wistful when I listen to them.

numero 3 - Patrick Park - What can I say.... I'd say I like it, but... I kind of say that about every band that I like..... so yeah..... he's good....um... yeah........

numero 4 - Corb Lund - Albertan country band. I;m generally not a fan of country, but this band is awesome. it's more like, folk rock country. good country. as opposed to pop country, which sucks (mostly). check them out, they are like my heros.

numero 5 - Carbon Leaf - a good celtic folk rock band. kind of like great big sea, only a million times better. Although, I did like great big sea live.

numero 6 - Built to Spill - myspace - An oldie but a goldie. Such a good band, highly underrated. listen to them, love them.

Bands you need to get back into (yeah, if you haven't heard of them... wow... that would just be too weird...)

1! - Yusuf Islam - The artist previously known as Cats Stevens - The greatest folk musician of all time, bar none. listen to him, bask in the greatness. BASK!

2! - The Tragically Hip - I am a pretty big fan. They are sometimes kind of hit or miss, but they are truly good, pure, Canadian sound. Listen to the new disc, "World Container"

3! System of a Down - lonely day - good song... Crazy turkish guys. They are a bit heavy and kind of angry sometimes. But their lyrics are though provoking, as if that mattered, and they actually have musical tune to their songs, despite the fact that they are heavy rock. So I like it. It is good. It's a good time during a sign-a-long, take my word for it.

4! Neil Young - need I say more.... that's a rhetorical question.... cause the answer is no.....

5! Terry Jacks - okay, this is a bit of a stretch. He was a singer in the 70's. Vancouver native. I like him, check him out.

Wow, this post got really out of hand. I was originally planning to just post the first two bands. wow. Get me talking about music and see what happens. This is by far not a full list of music I like; It's just good music that popped into my head while I was writing this..... so if you check these guys out, you'll be listening to some great music. Feel free to suggest some great bands of your own, although, if they suck, I'll make fun of you.....

so much for whatnot; back to throwing stones.....