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Autograph - How to Get an Autograph

- Monday 31 August 2015 No Comments

Getting an autograph requires patience and tenacity. If you want a player to sign something for you, you will need to wait near where he will pass by. You should not yell or antagonize the player for any reason. You will need to observe the area where the player may go during a break in the game.

You may also need to get to a sporting venue very early so you will have the opportunity to get close to the players while they are warming up. Some players are relaxed during warm-up so they are more likely to give you a minute or two of their time.

If you are attending a professional tennis tournament, you may have the opportunity to get within inches of all of the tennis players including the most famous ones. Tennis players generally must move from their locker room quarters to the courts without the aid of any security.

If you are hoping for a player's autograph, you should smile and politely ask the player to sign your ball or program. Make sure that you have a pen ready. The players at a tennis tournament only have a few minutes to spare while transitioning between matches so you will need to be prepared.

If you are chasing a celebrity who is attending a publicity event, you will have to be extra diligent about how you behave. Movie stars and musicians often travel with heavy security so it is very difficult to get close to them. It is possible to get a celebrity's autograph if you are in the right position at the right time. When you are waiting for the celebrity to arrive at the event, you will want to be close to where vehicles are picking up and dropping off celebrities.

When a celebrity is just coming out of his limousine, you can then smile and politely plead for his signature. You are likely to get a response from a celebrity in this area. Celebrities who are entering into a restaurant or other venue are very preoccupied with what their handlers are telling them to do.

You have the best chance of getting a celebrity's autograph if you happen to see them out in public. Don't scream or yell or rush up to the celebrity. If a celebrity is walking, you might smile and assertively ask if they would sign something for you.

If you see a celebrity at a restaurant, wait until the celebrity seems done with their meal before you unobtrusively approach him. Treat any professional sports player or celebrity with courtesy and you will have a greater chance of obtaining their famous signature.

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The Godfather (1972)

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The Godfather is probably one of the best mafia based movies of its time with an all-star cast that delivers a magnificent film for everyone to enjoy. Marlon Brando plays Don Vito Corleone who is getting older in years and who is looking out for his sons and family to run the family "mafia" business. Al Pacino stars as Don Corleone's war hero son who is happy to stay out of the family business, which pleases his father.

Don Corleone is asked by a man named Virgil Solozzo, (Al Lettieri), a key player in the drugs business working within the Tattalia Crime family to finance his narcotics business and to guarantee him protection and crucial political contacts that will see him profit and guarantee the Corleone's a 30% cut of the takings. Tom Hagen, (Robert Duvall) and Sonny Corleone, (James Cann) recognize that there are huge future profits and growth potential in dealing in narcotics. However, Don Corleone senses distrust in Solozzo and rejects the deal as it would be bad for the family.

Solozzo is not content with the rejection and wants more power and demands retribution by trying to kill Don Corleone and by killing Corleone's loyal friend,. Luca Brasi.(Lenny Montana). When Michael Corleone visits his father Don Corleone at the hospital after the failed hit, he soon discovers that Solozzo's men are coming back to finish his father off. However, before that he learns that nobody was guarding his father at the hospital, not even Tessio's men, which raises suspicion of his involvement. Michael saves his father from being killed but is badly beaten by the bent cop, Captain McCluskey, (Sterling Hayden) who is obviously on the payroll of Solozzo.

The scene is now set for how the Corleone family will respond to being targeted by Solozzo and the response is memorable and surprising and lets us know that Michael is truly a Corleone at heart. Michael decides that he will kill Solozzo and Captain McCluskey in order to save his father's life. This ensures that Michael will always be involved in the mafia business and his father is initially shocked as he wanted Michael to stay out of that side of the business. However, Michael soon fits nicely into his role as the new boss of the Corleone family and takes care of unfinished business with all those involved in trying to kill his father.

However, as a consequence of killing Solozzo, it results in Sonny being set up and killed by those working with the Tatallia family, which included Barzini and Carlo Rizzi, (Gianni Russo) who was married to sonny's sister Connie, (Talia Shire).

During Michael's reign as boss of the family, he is told by his father how Don Barzini, (Richard Conte), one of the other head's of another mafia family will target him and it would be arranged with someone he can trust. This leads to Michael identifying the traitor within the Corleone family as Tessio, (Abe Vigoda) who is led off to be killed for his betrayal.

Carlo receives his reward for being a traitor when he is killed in the car by Peter Clemenza, (Richard Castellano) who is one of Corleone's soldiers. Barzini is also killed along with all other rivals who have gone against the Corleone family. We are now left with Michael Corleone showing his ruthlessness as head of the family business.

The Godfather is a great movie with some great performances, particularly from Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Al Lettieri and Robert Duvall Therefore, it is highly recommended to watch and very entertaining, a must see.

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Why Buying Movies Online Is The Best Option For Die-Hard Movie Fans

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Are you tired of waiting in line to watch your favorite movies? How about noisy moviegoers that seem to know everything and destroying your movie experience? These are just some classic examples why most people prefer to download or buy movies online. Here are some benefits of purchasing movies online versus watching it in the theater.

Anti-Social?


One might come off as an introvert, anti-social or loner if one prefers watching movies within the comforts of one's home but there are several benefits of watching movies at home rather than the movie theater and it has nothing to do with being an anti-social. One of the benefits is convenience. Imagine being at work for 8 hours and having to rush to the theater and wait for half an hour in order to get inside. You are hungry, tired from the whole day stress you receive from work and what is worst is that you get the most uncomfortable seat and your stomach is grumbling from hunger. 

Although you can schedule your movie time during your day-offs, chances are, you will still be waiting in line for the movie house to open and if there are kids and elderly people, you will have to wait another few minutes or so for them to get inside first.

This is not the case when you watch the movie that you like at home. You can change your clothes, re-heat some leftovers or cook your dinner while the movie downloads. Downloading movies would generally take about half an hour so by the time you finish your chores, you can prop your feet up, get the popcorn and watch the movie without any distraction. You can even hit pause if you suddenly feel the urge to go pee which is not the case if you are watching it in the movie house which will certainly make you feel cheated in the end.

Value for Your Money

If you are on a budget, then every dollar counts. Watching movies in the cinema costs a lot compared to subscribing online. Three to four movie tickets cost about twenty to thirty dollars which is equivalent to a one-month subscription online. Some sites also offer free downloads of your favorite movies so you can play it any time you like. If you are a fan of old movies, then this is also the best option as many online sites offer old and classic movies which are rare or hard to find. You can only find the copies in vintage stores or hobby shops.

Although watching movies at home is the best option for movie fanatics, there are some perks of watching it in the cinema especially if the movie is a 3D or 4D. However, for those who just want to watch their favorite movies and want the comforts of their own home, then purchasing an online membership is the best choice.

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Cinematography - An Important Element of Movie Making

- Sunday 30 August 2015 No Comments
When it comes to movie making, cinematography is the most important part. It involves the activity of getting the movie on celluloid film. In the early days of movies there was no sound in motion pictures. Therefore, the concentration was focused entirely on the picture. As such, it was the director who operated the camera also. But with the development of technology, adding sounds to movies became possible.


When artificial lighting became the norm, the camera had to be operated by a different person. This signaled the birth of cameramen for movies. The celluloid films were also improved in quality. Films with low speeds of ISO 50 to the high speeds of ISO 800 became available. This provided the cinematographers to capture scenes in very poor lighting conditions when they were doing the filming in locations other than studios.

While the quality of films improved, the formats also increased in number. This enabled cameramen to choose the format they wished. 8 mm, 16 mm and 35 mm were the formats available. For movies it was the 35mm format that was being used most often. Improved film laboratories also were established. This enabled the cinematographers to obtain films with high-resolution in order to achieve better quality with their films.

Different kinds of filters used in shooting offered the facility of creating different effects with both black and white and color films. Filters consist of two pieces of glass and a light-sensitive material filling the space between them. Yellow, blue and UV filters were often used.

Another asset that became available for cinematographers was the camera lenses. The wide-angle and telephoto lenses were made available for them to create various effects with cameras. Later, the macro lenses became available to make things easier.

With the manipulation of the lens aperture and the distance of focus, the cinematographers today are able to change the depth of field. Though a camera focuses just one plane, with increased depth of field cinematographers are able to focus their cameras on objects that are located in a bigger depth.

Traditionally, cinematography involved only recording motion pictures on celluloid film but modern trends have evolved where digital cameras are being used in the creation of video films. Therefore, modern-day cinematography involves the digital photography also. With digital cameras you have the possibility to create various effects in addition to recording the motion pictures. There are highly advanced digital cameras at the disposal of cinematographers today.

If you are searching for some great pictures of Bollywood, then please visit my website here to get some wonderful photos and images of Bollywood actors and actresses.

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The History of Hollywood Movie Awards

- Saturday 29 August 2015 No Comments
The modern movie was born in 1915 with the release of D.W. Griffith's silent epic "Birth of a Nation," and the first Hollywood movie awards followed little more than a decade later.

 
Eager to head off the potential threat of disruption cause by increasing unionization within the industry, Louis B. Mayer of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in May 1927. The organization aimed to promote harmony and solidarity among the five major divisions of the film production process: directors, producers, actors, writers, and technicians.

Two years later, in an effort to further promote unity, the Academy announced the launch of a series of awards for cinematic excellence. The very first Academy Awards ceremony took place on the evening of May 16, 1929, and was attended by around 270 guests.

Every film played at any theater in Los Angeles between Aug. 1, 1927 and Aug. 1, 1928 was eligible for nomination with one exception. The first ever feature-length motion picture to include synchronized dialogue, "The Jazz Singer," was disqualified from the Outstanding Picture category on the grounds that its pioneering use of sound gave it an unfair advantage against all of the silent movies that were in contention.

Although "The Jazz Singer" still received nominations for the categories of best Adapted Screenplay and Engineering Effects, it won neither. In consolation, a special honorary award for the film was presented to Darryl Zanuck, head of production at Warner Brothers, for having "revolutionized the industry."

Although they were hugely successful at the time, these first-ever award winning movies are now little remembered and studied only by students of film history. The awards for Best Production and Engineering Effects were both won by "Wings," a silent film about fighter pilots in World War I, while the romantic drama "Seventh Heaven" won in three categories, including Best Director.

This first event was chiefly focused on the actual presentations, as the names of the winners had all been announced roughly three months earlier. It also featured the sole appearance of a separate award for the best director of a comedy film, won by Lewis Milestone for "Two Arabian Knights."

The iconic statuette was designed by founder Academy member and MGM art director Cedric Gibbons and has changed little since it first made its debut at the first ceremony. No one quite knows how the statuette earned the "Oscar" nickname, but it is most often attributed to actress Bette Davis who is said to have named the figure after her husband.

The gold-plated statuettes stands 34 cm tall, weighs 3.85 kg, and depicts a medieval knight holding a broadsword and standing on a five-spoke film reel, where each spoke represents one of the five filmmaking disciplines.

The second Academy Awards in 1930 marked the first time the recipients were announced on the actual night of the ceremony. An arrangement was made to release the names of the winners to the newspapers earlier in the day on the understanding that they would not publish them before 11 p.m.

The Best Picture winner of 1930-31, "Cimarron," was the only Western film to win the top prize until "Dances with Wolves" seized it some sixty years later. In 1934, Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night" became the first film to make a clean sweep of the five most sought-after categories: Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay. Forty years had passed before any other film achieved the same feat.

One of the most remarkable years in the early history of film awards was 1939; this is due to the fact that the competition for Best Picture included several movies that, unlike the early silent movies, have gone on to stand the test of time and continued to receive widespread acclaim.

That year the John Wayne vehicle "Stagecoach" was vying for Best Picture with the Howard Hawks' screwball comedy "His Girl Friday," the ground-breaking "The Wizard of Oz," and the hugely popular "Gone with the Wind." More remarkable still is that, despite such stellar competition, "Gone with the Wind" managed to sweep the board with a total of eight Oscar wins.

For the first few years, awards related to all the work a particular actor or director had done was completed during the qualifying period. It was only in 1933 that the system was changed to honor specific works instead. Another major change came in 1935 when the qualifying period was altered to represent the previous calendar year rather than a period spanning two years.

In 1940, the Los Angeles Times busted the long-standing embargo and revealed the names of that year's winners in its evening edition. Ever since, the Academy has made use of the now famous system of sealed envelopes, keeping everyone in suspense until the very last minute.
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What Is Fusion Music?

- Thursday 27 August 2015 No Comments
What is fusion music? Well, you don't have to be an atomic scientist to understand fusion music. Let's look at a basic definition of fusion; 'the union of different things by or as if by melting; blending; coalition.' This definition is from the New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition. So, in music, different musical elements, often from different musical genres are put together. Here are some examples of fusion music:
  •     Reggae Rock
  •     Rap Rock
  •     Jazz Fusion
  •     Gypsy Punk
  •     Gypsie Jazz
  •     Folktronica
  •     Folk Metal
  •     Folk Punk
  •     Celtic Punk
  •     Country Rap
From most of these titles, you can see what genre has been mixed with what other genre; 'Country Rap' is obviously Country Music mixed with Rap Music and 'Folk Punk' is Folk Music mixed with Punk Music. This is only a partial list, of course, since the combinations are pretty much unlimited. Being of Germanic heritage, I have attended a number of Oktoberfests and heard 'Umpah Bands' playing rock songs. One of the more successful types of fusion music is Country Rock.

 
Another term applied to fusion music is 'cross-over.' You have probably heard the term 'Cross-Over Hit,' referring to a song that captured the attention of listeners in different genres of music. Fusion music often originates from the desire of a band to reach a broader audience but it can also come from the effort to establish a unique or new sound.

Most musical artists who have stood out have had a unique sound of their own and this is actually the end product of this fusion process we are talking about. Whereas some fusion efforts are very obvious, that is to say they have combined a very identifiable musical element with another very identifiable musical element, some fusion processes are much more subtle and involve a larger number of musical elements.

To illustrate this point, I will share a short story of when I heard a lecture by the late, great author Ray Bradbury. He knew that he was addressing an audience of young writers and he said, quite simply, if you want to be a writer, you just read and read and read and it starts coming back out. Somehow, I understood just what he was saying which was that, in being a writer, you don't shut yourself off in an ivory tower but you get as much exposure as possible to the writings of other authors and then this starts to come across in a mix that reflects your own personality.

You can take just about any great musical artist and trace his personal favorite musical artists in his music. In Beethoven, for example, we can find Mozart, Haydn, Handle and Bach, not ripped off verbatim, but present stylistically in the mix that is uniquely Beethoven. When we really look, we see that no musical genre has popped out of the blue but is a product what is fusion music.

If you like this article, you will probably like the most original new music on the web.

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Beginner's Guide to Filmmaking

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As a college student life on a budget is my middle name. As a film major no-budget is my last name. I've learned quite a bit about what works and what does not work when you have limited funds. I'm going to discuss the basic equipment needed as well as what happens in the different phases of production. If you have an interest in making movies or maybe you've just embarked on your journey to film school, here are a few basics to starting your film making journey.


First, you need a camera and depending on if you're looking to make films professionally or home videos, they can be pretty pricey. Red Epics and Black Magic cinema cameras are great finds, for a pretty penny that is. DSLRs are perfect for beginner filmmakers because they're inexpensive compared to the thousands of dollars spent on cinema cameras. You should choose a camera that shoots in 1080pi at 24 frames per second. For a cheap find I recommend the Canon Rebel EOS T3i with a basic lens kit. A basic lens kit usually consists of an 18-55mm lens. After you've purchased your camera it's time to invest in a 3 point light kit which consists of your key light, fill light, and back light. You will also need to purchase sound equipment such as a shotgun mic that you can mount on the hot shoe mount that is on most DSLRs. You may not think lighting and sound are important to a film, but they can make or break your film. Would you rather watch a movie with a good story line but you can't see the actors' faces or actions and can't hear what they're saying? Or would you rather watch a movie that's story line isn't the best but has adequate light and sound. You should be able to see the actors and their actions clearly and you should be able to hear footsteps if the actor is walking. When you are ready to write your script start with the treatment. The treatment will help conceptualize your idea from beginning to end. Once you have done that you can start your script.

There are three phases of production: pre-production, production, and post production. Pre-production is crucial to any film as it can fall apart without it. In pre-production actors are cast, locations are scouted and secured, costumes and sets are designed, and a shooting schedule is created. If a film is a period piece such as World War II, procuring locations and costumes are an essential part of the pre-production phase since it helps place a time frame on the film. Next comes production when the film is being shot. Director and director of photography of a film is hired during pre-production but more than likely if you are a film student or a hobbyist you will be directing and filming your own movies. After everything has been filmed it's time for post-production where the film is edited into its final product. I recommend Final Cut Pro for Macs and Adobe Premiere Pro CC or the Adobe Creative Suite for editing.

If you're college students you are probably relying on your college's theater department for actors looking for experience. Your crew members probably consist of friends or fellow film majors or enthusiasts. You may not be able to afford to pay your cast and crew, but make sure to provide them with craft services i.e. food and beverages to keep them happy. Something to look out for with your film, especially if your actors or crew members are not paid, is never trust talent. I can't tell you how many times actors have not shown up on shooting days because they didn't make the film a priority since it was essentially a volunteered service. You may have to remind your actors that what they are being paid with is more valuable than money: experience.

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"The Lunch Box" - A New Film Report

- Wednesday 26 August 2015 No Comments
Conjure up a housewife, who's a pretty good cook-- with a husband that's forgotten marital affection is something he provides. What does she do? Quaint wisdom has it that the secret to a man's libido is through his taste buds... And, in Mumbai, where she now resides, there moves a vast lunch service that feeds thousands of workers each day. The way it works is fantastic to observe: Every day, men on bicycles collect prepared lunch meals from restaurants as well as single chefs (mostly house wives); and through an archaic but effective system of conveyance these box lunches get delivered to folks working in the city.



Thus the housewife in this film has contrived through this service that her husband shall eat a lunch that should fetch some "results". But-- and here's the film's foil-- her lunch gets delivered to a man who's not her husband. His name is Saajan, and he is played by Ifram Kahn. The housewife, Ila, is played by Nimrat Kaur.

...So here's Saajan-sitting at his desk in a cramped office warren-- one day opening up interlocking food cups that make him slump back with surprised pleasure as he takes in their aromas. Next comes a bemused smile as he savors each delicious spoonful. (How is this happening?) He guesses there's been a mistake. Meanwhile, Ila soon learns that it's not her husband who's the one whose heart she has touched.

Ila and Saajan start writing to each other. Ila shares with Saajan that her husband is treating her with cool distain. Saajan shares the loveless life that he leads- as a widower who shortly will retire.

The director, Ritesh Batra, has given us a gem of a virtual match that leaves us at the end-puzzled whether or not these two really get together. But, regardless, we see two hearts longing to be fulfilled-- yet, not knowing whether they're really fit for each other-- cautiously risking crushed disenchantment should their paths never quite meet in accord.

Into this film there strides a young man who is meant to take the place of Saajan, once he retires from his accounting position. His name is Shaikh, (Nawajuddin Sidoliqui); and he brings a freshness to "THE LUNCH BOX"--as an orphan might who has had to fight to make a place for himself and develop some astute moxie. Saajan rebuffs him but Shaikh refuses to let him succeed; and slowly Saajan comes to see there is fresh courage in his outlook. Shaikh even tells Saajan-neatly spilling the beans of what the theme of the film is: "Often the wrong train takes you to the right station!" (In Mumbai it's an apt saying.)

Mumbai has a population of twenty million souls. There is no question that companionship isn't lacking, but that special contact with one's own inner self is not allowed to flourish much- and even special one-on-one intimacies are hard to come by, since locals tend to mostly be in crowded situations or singular bewilderment. That these two folks find each other haphazardly in the midst of such a city counts as a miracle. Of course, there's danger, too.

I noticed with earnest surprise just how both Saajan and Ila processed their roles by showing their charged emotions through the silent movements of cautious breath-taking. I could almost see what they were singly going through by the way they were breathing.

This film is a bit slow-moving, yet it might be one for you to spend some time with.It's not an eight, but I wouldn't hesitate giving it a reflective SEVEN. You'll feel something that's "real" in it.

Creator of "The Wizard's Outrageous Scheme For Stopping Smoking", Humbler Acts reports one film every week as relaxation from his speaking and writing on stopping smoking through dream use and Seven Forces. He's American, English-educated, residing in St. Louis, MO (USA). He can be reached: humbleracts@aol.com or telephone: 314-574-7681.

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Sherlock Holmes in Real Life - A Character Analysis

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My name is Jenine Silos and I'm a fan of Sherlock Holmes since time immemorial. And here I am thinking, what if Sherlock Holmes is real? Okay, I think that's scary. I really do.

The character of Sherlock Holmes is pretty amazing, and I must say, that the honorable writer of this fictional detective, none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is purely genius! He has written his character very well and totally impressive, even Sherlock's flaws are quite daunting. But that's for a fictional character only-no personal feelings.





First of all, who is Sherlock Holmes?

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective character created by Scottish writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock is a consulting detective, well, that's how he calls himself. Ever since his character publication in 1887, Sherlock Holmes has become one of the most historic fictional characters in the history of literature and even in mankind. Okay, that's quite exaggeration. Sherlock has then appeared in many series, short stories, and even in the movies. He has become a classical fictional celebrity.

The latest hit series, Sherlock, aired on BBC, has even become one of my favorite Sherlock series of all time. By the way, if you haven't watched it yet, you must-I'm telling you. Haha.

He's not real. That's the deal. He's just a fictional character.

But what if Sherlock is real? (a Character Analysis and Real Life Comparisons)

He's a case-freak

Sherlock Holmes loves nothing but criminal cases, well, he does care for Doctor Watson though. He can't live without a case. Imagine if you have a friend like that, or someone from your family members, I think that's a problem... it will be really awkward inside the house. Every single day he will look for a new case, and when he's bored, it's thunderstorm!

He's unsociable


I have some friends who are quite unsociable at times, but I can tolerate them. But if Sherlock is my friend then that's different story, he's unsocial skills are beyond my imagination. I might be able to tolerate a friend like Sherlock but, I really don't know how long it could last. I might end up pushing him to come out of his shells, and he might not like it.

High-functioning sociopath

In the Sherlock BBC series, Sherlock Holmes considers himself as a high-functioning sociopath. If a real person is like that in real life, I think that will be the end of my private life, goodbye my secrets-Sherlock person is here. I can't imagine my life with a person like Sherlock, who upon seeing my face will immediately deduct what has happened in my house, and that's a total bizarre.

Mind reader


It's connected to his high-functioning skills, and because he has ability like that, it is possible that he can read your mind, your thoughts. Not literally read the thoughts, but by observing your facial expressions and mannerisms, he surely can read you effortlessly. A friend like that in real life sounds amazing, and I have one in my list, and I'm telling you: it's quite scary to hang-out with this kind of person! Other people may think that having a Sherlock friend is amazing, that it's cool and awesome, however, I think the opposite. It will make you uneasy, especially of course, if you have inner secrets that no one should know. It's uncomfortable for sure!

Has a strong fascination with violins


Okay, of all Sherlock talents, this is the only thing that I have no complains in real life. Sherlock Holmes loves to play his violin, especially when he's thinking, or depressed, and I think that in real life this should not be a problem. I have a friend who is a Sherlockian, and he too, has a strong fascination with violins, and I find it: cute, cool, and simply awesome. I have a strong admiration with violinists, anyway, Lindsey Stirling to name!

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5 Movies to Watch After a Breakup

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Break-ups are by far some of the most unpleasant situations. Regardless of whose fault it is, they leave a bitter taste. I have the perfect recipe for broken hearts: a box of ice cream, a bowl of popcorn, alcohol and these three movies:

1. The First Wives Club
 
Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton are three women who have been deserted by their husbands for younger and more beautiful women.

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, the three decide to take revenge on their unfaithful husbands. So, the deserted wives found The First Wives Club and hit men where it hurts most: the budget.

2. 500 Days of Summer
 
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoey Deschanel are Tom and Summer. She does not believe in soul mates and true love. He is a hopeless romantic and falls madly in love with Summer.

The two eventually get together but their relationship becomes so complicated that Tom, despite his idealism, is forced to make a choice. Even if the film does not shows their relationship chronologically, it captures the sweet beginnings of a relationship, confusion and tension and the often inevitable end.

3. Heathers

If you have not seen before Heathers with Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty you will be at least stunned. Note to self: crime is not the best way to heal a broken heart.

This film does not ooze romance, but it can teach you a very important lesson when you go through a breakup: even the nicest people that are part of your life may be very toxic and you need to get rid of them.

4. She-Devil

Ruth (Roseanne Barr) was never a beautiful woman. Instead, she was a devoted mother and wife who did everything for her husband. He leaves her for Mary Fisher (Meryl Streep), a blonde version of Sandra Brown.

Initially, Ruth is devastated, but wipes her tears and devises the perfect plan to get revenge on Bob. She makes a list of the most valuable assets of her former man and destroys them methodically, step by step: home, family, career and freedom.

Before anything, Ruth sets fire to the house and takes her kids to their "new mom". Then she gets a job at a nursing home where Mary's mother is hospitalized and here she will meet Hooper, who will help her get one step closer to her plan.

Ruth and her friend establish Vesta Rose, a recruitment agency that helps disadvantaged women to find a job and get back on their feet. During this time, she successfully terminates her revenge plan against the unfaithful husband.

5. Eternal Sunshine of the Mind Spotless

Joel is an introverted man who falls for Clementine, a free-spirited woman with a very strong personality. Despite the differences between the two, they love each other and make a couple. After two years, their relationship deteriorates after a big fight, they break up.

Filled with anger, Clementine turns to the services of a company specializing in erasing memory, as she wants to forget all the details of their romance. Disappointed by this, Joel does the same. However, somewhere in the subconscious, he regretted the decision and will keep a memory of Clementine and this will completely change the story.

The lesson you can learn from the movie is that you cannot remove anyone from your life, nor is it healthy. You have to accept the past and make peace with it, or else it will affect your future.
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The Fastest Way for a Singer to Form A Band

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You're a singer-songwriter with a new CD and a CD release party to plan, and the musicians on the CD aren't available. Or you're a jazz or pop singer with a polished repertoire, ready to play some gigs, have some fun and make a little money. You need a band, so you hook up with some part-time musicians probably friends or friends of friends]. Rehearsal space is expensive and, with amateur musicians, the rehearsal process is too inefficient and frustratingly long. But it's feasible to form a band with limited rehearsal time and space. First, you need to hire an experienced music arranger to assemble a "book" of written charts (sheet music) of your songs. Then you need to find competent, professional musicians who can sight-read your charts.

Putting The Book Together

The music arranger will listen to recordings of each song in your repertoire [MP3s, YouTube links or CDs and transcribe the form of the song, including the chords, rhythm section shots or punches, important bass or melody lines, intros and endings, metronome markings, visual cues and any other information necessary to the performance of the song.The music should be transcribed to notation software (Sibelius and Finale are the most popular) and can be exported to PDF files and mailed to you electronically. Once saved to software the charts can be easily modified by the arranger (changing key, for example). For a rhythm section-only band (guitar, bass drums, keys) a single rhythm section chart is often sufficient and far less expensive than scoring separately for those instruments. The arranger will send you one copy, and you print one for each instrument in the band.

Although many musicians can scratch out a chord chart, it's important to find an experienced music arranger to write your book. An arranger needs a good working knowledge of the instruments he's writing for, so as not to write something the instrument can't play. It's also important that the chart is easily playable for most professionals... too much info can make the chart hard to play.

A poorly written chart can be a disaster. Take care to find the right arranger. Ask for references, listen to audio samples of his/her work. Most music arrangers charge by the hour for custom music arrangements. An average rhythm chart should cost between $40-$50 Canadian.

Finding Qualified Musicians

First decide on the instrumentation of your band. I recommend you keep it small, i.e. a duo, trio or quartet. Start by finding a qualified pianist or guitarist as music director/ contractor (to hire the remainder of the band). Consult with him/her regarding the style of music you wish to play and the budget for the musicians. A jazz singer will often play as a duo with only the piano or guitar as accompaniment. This person will direct rehearsal (if there is one), and, on stage, count in the tunes, direct endings and lead the band through the performance (so you can just sing). He/she may also be helpful in finding a suitable sound system to rent, if need be. Your music director should be paid a leader's fee, Your local musicians' union can help you determine fees for the leader and sidemen.

Where to Find Your Musicians

Ask the union. The Canadian Federation of Musicians [or American Federation of Musicians] has a local office with jurisdiction in your region. Contact them for a list or referral of qualified players. Tell them what style(s) you're playing and what instruments you're looking for. They can also tell you what the pay scale is for rehearsal and the type of gig you've booked. Sometimes you can get away with an unpaid rehearsal, it doesn't hurt to ask your music director. In my region (Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec), side men pay is $100-ish for a 3 hour call in a bar or restaurant, $160 or more for a private function.

Hiring Musicians

Once you've found your music director/contractor, it's time to book the band. You can let your contractor make the calls to the side men or do it yourself. You can have them pencil it in until the date is confirmed (signed contract and 50% deposit with the client). Until it's official, the players are not committed to your gig, and you're not committed to pay them. But when it's signed and sealed and you've confirmed with the band, you're on the hook for their pay.

Ready to Go

Once you have your book together and have established a relationship with the musicians, you'll be ready to gig at the drop of a hat. As you play more shows the band will become more comfortable with the repertoire, and new songs can be added easily as your arranger charts new tunes for you. Of course, the musicians you've used in the past may not always be available, but they should be able to book qualified substitutes if they can't make a gig, and you'll get to know many of your area's best musicians.

Peter Foret is a music arranger, composer, guitarist and singer based in Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec. He has written charts for dozens of jazz and pop vocalists, horn section arrangements for rock bands and orchestral arrangements for theater shows. Peter creates beautiful custom written music arrangements for clients from around the world.
For more information about the writing process, and to see and hear examples visit http://peterforet.com/wp/index.php/music-arrangements-for-vocalists/

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Multi Dimensional Cinemas - The Technical Edge

- Tuesday 25 August 2015 No Comments
The turn of the century has given entertainment gurus plenty to be happy about. With more innovations being bundled together by the day, the entertainment industry has seen a surge in technology that offers a whole new experience to the audiences. Multi dimensional movies have become the latest to tag in line with this in the present - day. With state of the art technology being used, the quality of cinema viewing has been enhanced multi folds.

The Experience

Marketing is all about how you make someone feel and this is very evident in the entertainment industry as well. 7 D cinemas have been created having this concept in mind which makes the audiences feel the video on the screen rather than making it just another viewing experience. High definition multi dimensional cinemas work with experience as the focal point and hence have been successful in making an impact with their audiences.

Innovative Seats

The experience begins with the comfortable seats that have six degrees of freedom control with 12 directions, 36 combinations and 72 movements in all. Just by the look at these numbers, one can understand the kind of impact these hydraulic movement seats can offer to the audiences. This offers the experience that the audience looks forward to - they move with the video shown on the screen, a flying experience is made more realistic with the seat movements that offer the feel of a true flight. Sudden jerks, swaying movements to imitate those of the waves, the experience of hanging on the top railing of a giant wheel or walking on the edge of the canyon, is made more realistic thanks to these seats.

The Stereo Effect

If the seats are a wonderful experience then the sound is no match. The stereo effects in a multi dimensional cinema offers some add-ons that makes the experience more thrilling and entertaining. The digital effects enhances the physical experience of the seats and with synchronization with the video and the seats, it offers a complete package. Though the stereo in the present - day regular movie viewing is enhanced, the experience is completely different in a 7 D cinema theater as the audiences are relatively lesser here and hence the stereo effect is enhanced.

Environmental Effects


In the digital age, there is seldom anything that creates an impact unless and until the target audience senses it. With the innovative designs of multi dimensional cinema, this feature is enhanced. The environmental effects are a definite add-on to the digital cinema experience. It offers a complete package with special effects such as the water sprays, snow fall, air turbines, seat vibrations, etc. all adding value to the viewing audience. These environmental effects are synchronized with what is being shown on the screen thereby offering an unbelievable and realistic effect.

Sudden light flashes in the theater hall followed by heavy sound, imitates lightning and thunder. Water sprays replicate rain drizzles and milder sprays are used to experience sneeze. The air turbines work wonders at making the audiences feel the gust of wind on their faces during a walk at a high mountain peak or a parasailing or parachuting experience. The seat vibrators and ticklers are used to imitate effects of walking through tall grass, or a pit of slimy snakes, a very old house full of cobwebs, pushing through the bushes in a garden, being part of a road accident, etc.

The special snow effect where there are tiny pieces of snowflakes falling into the theater can replicate a walk in one of the higher peaks of the world. The bubble machine helps to create bubbles all over the theater hall replicating a bath tub or the bubble land. The environmental effects make 7 D and 5 D cinema viewing a whole new experience for the audience. All this is synchronized with the plot of the video that is screened making it very realistic for the viewers. It is said that the human body remembers muscle and sensory memory more than emotional memories. Hence those effects that triggers the sensory organs puts cinema viewing on a pedestal.

The Edge

Such experiences are yet to be replicated on the silver screen and hence it can be said that the 7 D and 5 D cinema has a definite technical edge over it. It may not take too long for the big boys of the entertainment industry to follow suit. On an investment perspective this offers definite returns and is also business conducive. Any businessman who wants to do something special in the entertainment industry, while ensuring healthy returns on investment multi dimensional theater can be a blind fold choice.

Space constraints are never a problem here which is a huge and definite advantage as a small hall is good enough to host one screening. It is important to know all the options before choosing to commence a multi dimensional movie theater. A quick look at websites such as http://www.bca.co.in/blog/ can help in understanding the options on hand. With shopping malls becoming entertainment venues in the present day, a small space is good enough to house a multi dimensional theater unlike the regular theater models thereby offering an edge in more ways than one.

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The High Expense of Actors Versus the Options of Reality TV

- Monday 24 August 2015 No Comments
The latest fad to sweep the television industry is "Reality TV," which has become one of the largest features on the air with nearly a hundred different versions created to date. A wide variety of content is offered as to make it appealing to a vastly diverse arena of spectators. There is no doubt about it; this new style of TV programming is a hit with the American people with ratings that have literally gone through the roof.

However, the original idea for this new type of show had to originate from some source of need or even a scheme to cut expenses and boost profit margins. This is true. Commercial television has become inflated with so much expense that producers are looking for ways to reduce production costs.

The salaries of popular celebrities have literally exploded over the past couple of decades to where many actors are now pulling down one million dollars per episode. With that kind of salary paid to just one actor it makes any popular TV show a multi million dollar operation.

With that kind of expense laying across the board, it's no wonder that producers can extend a million dollar prize to a common participant of a thrilling challenge and still come out way ahead. After all, that grand prize is only given to one player out of as many as twenty participants. The rest have to be satisfied with a meager consolation prize that's not much better than minimum wage.

But what is it about reality TV that makes it so captivating? Is it because it tentatively follows ordinary people who are placed into perplexing situations? Is it because ordinary people are transformed into something special as they encounter difficult situations? What creates the magnetism that attracts so many to this genre of television?

The actual truth about is there is a variety of reasons for why people are so anxious to watch reality TV. The main reason is because it is so easy to connect with the average guy. The players are not professionally trained actors carrying out the role. We're talking about real people simply being themselves as they are facing up to strange and difficult situations.

An atmosphere of normality is created, which allows us to connect with them, get a mutual emotional experience and identify with them. This helps us to understand their motives so that we can realize where they are coming from. Then we can also know that it wasn't just a made up story.

Although the normality plays a big part, it is not the sole reason why we are fascinated by reality TV shows. Even though we hate to admit it, we enjoy watching the actors face up to the challenges. It creates the drama that we like in these programs and they hold our attention. We eagerly await from week to week to watch and see what new situation will lead to as it unfolds.

You have no doubt heard that reality TV has been described as a train wreck. This is probably one of the most common descriptions for this type of format, and that is because it is precisely true. The quality of the shows is not really that good, but yet we still cannot drag ourselves away from it. We are captivated by the things that these people do and how the situations work themselves out.

Another reason for the success is the thrill of it all. Not like the thrill of a roller coaster, but the way we get attached to the actors as we contemplate their success or failure. When the sequences of elimination work their way through, we hold our breath, hoping our favorite actor doesn't get kicked off. The same goes for the sequences of competition, we cross our fingers and hope that our favorite character wins.

There are many reasons as to why we enjoy reality TV. Whether it is cheering for our favorite characters and the challenges they face, to watching the actors sort through their problems, or simply putting ourselves in their shoes. Reality TV offers something for everybody, and that is why it has become such a prominent issue in the television industry.

Therefore, regardless of why you discover yourself watching reality TV, it is ultimately all about the qualities of enjoyment. It is in a sense a high quality of entertainment after all. So while there are various reasons as to why we find it entertaining, in the end we all share the common ground, that we have been entertained. That is the moral of the story that we should not be ashamed of, drama that we enjoy and the privilege to sit back and have a bit of fun.

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TV Versus Movies

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I'm a movie guy from way back and I even remember waiting in long, long lines for some movie greats that are now considered classics like Star Wars (1977) and the first Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). When these movies were released there was absolutely nothing on TV that could compare to them. Their jaw-dropping graphics were ground-breaking, it was like you were being transported to a new and different world. The Avatar movie followed (2009) and it again had the ability to put me on another planet flying through the air on a bird-like creature through an alien jungle, it was amazing.

In the somewhat recent past however TV has closed the gap. I distinctly remember the re-make of Mildred Pierce by HBO (2011) as a TV Series, it was a stunning example of just how good TV can be. It was movie quality acting and movie quality cinematography but a made for TV series.

Today we have cable TV shows like Penny Dreadful (2014) on Showtime that have sets, costumes and actors that rival any movie. There is Madmen, that can convincingly take you back into the 1950's, Downton Abbey that can drop you into turn of the century England, Ray Donovan, Homeland, Game of Thrones and the list goes on. The age of quality TV has finally arrived.

There are some TV Series, like the Netflix series Marco Polo (2014) and the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010), that are so much better than a movie could ever be because on TV they can tell a story in several hour segments that would have to fit into only a 2 hour movie format and that format just would not do the stories justice.

The new 4k television screens have reached movie screen quality. Sure they don't have the size of a movie screen but a 4k Sony 65" TV in your living room is a truly amazing, especially if it's playing something from a true 4k source. When a 4k source player finally becomes available movies may become even less compelling on TV, maybe that's the delay?

Hollywood stars have recognized how important quality TV has become and many are ready to take on compelling part and be seen in at least one season. It's not like it used to be, A TV series used to mean that your acting career was winding down. Now it may be the way for an actor to showcase their strengths.

Movies will always remain special to me, and yes I'm awaiting the 2017 release of Avatar 2, but TV is no longer the disappointing media that just doesn't compare. I keep an eye out for new TV, like the upcoming Netflix Sense8 series that is due out in June of 2015 that wad created by Andy and Lana Wachowski of Matrix fame. TV is just getting better.

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