View from AMC Theater

Alexis wanted to see Match Point and Walk the Line Thursday. I accepted the invitation and met her at the AMC Theater in Times Square. As we made our way to the sixth, or seventh floor to see Match Point, we were greeted by this lovely view of afternoon light hitting these buildings. I love the little satellite dish in the corner. I think I might go back and try a few more. I'm not quite satisfied. The perspective is a bit skewed, but the colors are pretty good. I'll be looking around to find out which buildings these are. Actually, I'll send Mr. Lovi here to ID these buildings.

For Match Point, we got to the theater before the film started, but the seat selection sucked. Lot's of single seats, but not two together. Alexis found a spot off to the side of the stairs with two seats. When I sat down though, the wall/railing cut into my view. Oy, what a pain. Alexis lent me her coat and I folded it and mine up so I could get a little height under my ass. It worked, but only if I leaned a little to the left. She started to gripe about it and I told her not to talk about it. The less I think about it, the less annoying it is. My ass got numb about halfway through. I had to keep shifting in my seat to keep the blood circulating. I need a girlfriend to massage my buns when I go to the theater.

As per Alexis' plan, we were naughty and after Match Point ended, we snuck into Walk The Line. We liked both movies, but felt that Walk the Line edged out Match point. Sorry, I'm at a loss for any tennis analogies. We got better seats for Walk, since we were early.

So I guess that's the price I pay for sneaking into a second show. But, technically, I did pay for my ticket to Match Point and not for Walk, so wouldn't I have gotten the bad seat for Walk? Hmm, God/Karma/Film works in strange ways.

I'm a big Scarlett, stalker/fan, but methinks my obsession with her may be coming to an end. I wasn't that excited about her in Woody's film. Though she looks good in a gauzy thin shirt that's soaking wet. Okay maybe I'm not completely done with her.

New York drivers

THIS is the kind of driver I have to deal with every day. They're all stupid and crazy and have no idea that there is a world outside of their one ton death missle.

During morning rush hour on 495 a couple of weeks ago, this moron decided to go four wheelin' to avoid traffic. If you look closely, you will notice that the driver is on a very large expanse of snowy grass, NOT on the road. I was hoping that there was a fence or four foot wall blocking his path, alas, I think the poor jerk made it. Schmuck!

I'm a racist. I don't know why, but a lot of the Korean, Chinese and Hispanic drivers, the majority here in fabulous Flushing, always insist on trying to go around lines of waiting traffic. Today, while trying to get out of the municipal lot, a Chinese woman tries to go around me and only succeeds in blocking another driver trying to get out. The only thing between the blocked car and freedom is this impatient fool who thinks she can cut the line. She did not back up and I was not about to let her cut me off, so she cut into line behind me. I move up a car length, only to be presented with the same scenario in the lane crossing mine. Another fool trying to go around the line and causing traffic to snarl. They don't learn and so we are destined to repeat the same thing over and over. Why must I be tangled up their insanity? It so sorely tries my patience.

I am convinced that no one actually takes the driver's test. They are able to pay a fee for one and/or have someone take the test for them and avoid learning how to actually drive.

I admit, I am sometimes the asshole, but I at least signal and wave and I'm usually in a hurry. The rest of the time, I take my time.

I really miss KROCK, no more angry metal to accompany me whilst I drive the streets on New York. It's so great to have System Of A Down, or Avenged Sevenfold blasting loudly, as I weave in and out of traffic. I am usualy alone when driving maniacally. If I kill anyone, it will be myself. I try not to threaten pedestrians, I am a menace only to other vehicles.

It's even more fun if I'm drving a CC Rental Van. No Fear! They're usually decently kept up, so accelleration is pretty good and since I am higher up and larger than most traffic, I can nose my way to wherever I need to go.

I think I should pitch an RPG where you are driving in NYC and must contend with all this craziness. The addition of a turret with twin .50 Cal machine guns and an MK19 grenade launcher, could make things alot more fun. Ooo, a GAU-8 would be even better. Yeah, a real Gat.

I'm saving my pennies for various bits of camera and lighting gear, but now I guess I'll have to think about getting a better car stereo. Chicks don't dig tapes. A combo CD/MP3 player, perhaps.

Bird Flu

If I die from Bird Flu. Or Hanta Virus, it's because a bird shit on me.

Yuck.

I was walking down my street, feeling good and looking good. I was crossing the street to go to the post office, watching traffic, but not paying any mind to the birds. I didn't even see them, being occupied with watching oncoming traffic. Large buses, trucks and cars, piloted by crazy drivers are more of a threat to soft squishy humans than a couple of birds. Unless the birds have to take a shit.

Apparently, I scare the shit out of birds. As I got to the other side, a couple of birds flew away, barely registering on my radar. Then I felt something touch my face. Immediately I knew what it was: bird shit. Dammit! I got hit on the face! Of all the places to get hit. Fucking birds. I was momentarily angry, but I shook my head and chuckled, while pulling a couple of napkins out of my coat, brushing my face off. Thankfully, only a small amount of effluent was there, and a little on my coat. But now I have the nagging feeling that somehow if it got near, or worse yet, into my mouth, I'd get the bird flu, or some other disease. Was I going to fall over dead, in twenty-four hours?

I suddenly felt the need to get some alcohol wipes to clean off my face and swab out my mouth.

I stopped for a moment by a trash can to clean myself off some more and throw away all of the soiled napkins. Then looked at my face in a parked car's rear view mirror. I had a memory of watching a homeless woman doing same thing one morning, while on a shoot in Manhattan.

I went to the P.O. and did my business and even though it might make me late, I had to go to Duane Reade and get some alcohol swabs. Maybe one of the Chinese places will have some, but I didn't see anywhere that looked likely, so I pressed on through the throng of people towards the subway and D/R. Thoughts are flashing into my mind: are there any bars, where I can just go in an get a shot? Or should I go and buy a beer somewhere? Nope. I press on towards the drugstore.

I remembered a Bird Flu news story I had seen on TV: some Chinese guy, who owned fighting cocks, died because he sucked the dried blood out of the beak of one of his beloved roosters, during a fight. Could the same happen from contact with bird poop? It didn't get in my mouth, but it was on my face. How gross.

At the store, I asked a woman stocking the shelf where to find prep pads and she told me where to go, I got my pads and walked out of Duane Reade with a box of about 100 alcohol swabs. A bit much, but I figured, if it'll prevent me from getting sick, it's worth it. The longer I live in New York, the more of a germophobe I become.

So, just outside the station, I wipe my face with the swab, and with the other side, I wipe inside the right side of my mouth. It tastes gross, but I feel better, now that I've ingested a little alcohol.

I know the chances are very low that I'll get sick, but shit, I got shit on! On the face! Fuckin' winged rats.

From the vault

I have a lot of photos that I've taken, but never posted. Building up a large vault of photos.

Back in March, I was walking around the Lower East Side after a lunch date, when I came across this cool layering of old posters. I love what I come across on the walls of New York. How did someone know that there were other eyes below? Was this intentional? Was this just through the normal course of decay? We'll never know. But I'll keep looking and shooting.

Oh yeah, there was no second date. Guess I shouldn't have sent her nude photos. I think just my left ear as proof of my undying love was enough. The photos were just a bit over the top.

MIDI magic

I was writing a response to a posting on DVinfo dot net and I started getting silly and while looking for a wav file of when doves cry, I came across this site and this person(s) has a whole bunch of MIDI's of different songs. This is the "New Wave" page. At the botom right, is the "back" button. there are other pages. I
'll let y'all make your own discoveries. My response is on the second page.

Flock of Seagulls is the best!

I really don't like anything by JTL. Their gear is crap, hence the picture of the crying babies.

Ellie

While Gaffing for Chris, I had a spare moment to photograph Ellie, while she was watching one of the other actors. I liked the double image of her and her expression was interesting. I didn't get to shoot as many as I would have liked, before she moved.

She had hired us to shoot a bunch of scenes for her reel. She is now out in LA, hopefully getting lots of gigs.

It was an interesting shoot. The biggest problem with this location was that it was on a busy street, Ninth Ave, so the traffic noise was overwhelming. Once the sun came up, I had to rig a large duvetyne curtain over the area where the actors were so that we would have consistent light throughout the day. Of course it was a whole wall of windows. A couple of times I had to move an 18x24 flag ever so strategically to cover a couple of holes. We used my 4x4 Kino flo as our main light and Inkies with either half blue, or naked, for side/edge lights. It looked nice. The warm light on Ellie and the other actress really lit them up nicely. HMI's would have been nice. I'm saving my pennies for a couple of small units and keeping a lookout on ebay. Though I may be able to get new ones near cost, by going directly to a couple of manufacturers/dealers. But, I already have way too much stuff.

New postal rates

I was over at Candleblog when I learned about the new postal rate change. Starting January 8, the rate for a first class letter goes up two cents, to thirty-nine cents.

You'll need a lot of these...




Your New thirty-nine cent stamp

New Year's Day Catblogging

This is for Ntodd. I shot this back in October, or November while shooting in Prospect Park. I was Gaffing a PBS show for Chris Webb. While taking a break, I walked up the street and happened upon this cute little tableau.

What is this?

Anyone care to guess what this is?