S'up?

What's up? Well, not my satellite connection, for one thing. Ever since the tsunami we had over the weekend the connection's been dodgy at best. I'm taking time right now, before I go into town to do a couple of industrials at MediaAgents (today's sponsor) to briefly talk about the last week. I'm on K.'s lap-top (she's in Eugene through Memorial Day, tending to Iva Lee--nothing serious, Iva's changing doctors as hers is taking a year off--and K. is helping with the transition and visiting. She's a good and dutiful daughter) writing this, getting used to the KEYBOARD (That's where CAPS-LOCK is!! With the little green suitcase with the "A" in it!) and doing a life-update.

Well, despite a solid week of "I Want" songs by Howard Ashman, I still haven't found that "permanent" job. Still looking. I went down to Portland one day last week to talk to a studio down there. One of the things that K. and I have talked about in this search was the possibility of relocating, and Portland is a place I can see making a good life at. I've applied at an "old haunt," as well. On Tuesday, I stopped by Shoreline Community College to give a rather shaggy lecture on foley/effects work to Steve M.'s Post-Production class. Their assignment: Strip the audio off two movies and replace them with all-new stuff--voices, music, effects. A daunting task on any film, but this quarter they're tackling "Star Wars" and "Spaceballs"--one for serious, one for creative freedom/experimentation. By June, they should (SHOULD) be done and there'll be a special showing at the Crest Theater in North Seattle. I'd like to go to that. Two years ago, when I co-taught the class, the films were "The Great Escape" and "Chicken Run." The students did well that year, and they "got" it, which was gratifying to see. This crop is working on "The Holy Grail" of sound effects films and though my lecture was a bit rough, I think I did impart some history, precedence and encouragement. There seemed to be some class-angst about their decision to do everything "new"--not use "StarWars" sound effects currently available on the Internet. I said it was the tougher job, but the more rewarding job, plus once their audience gets used to the idea that everything will be new they'll see the movie with new eyes...well, ears. I think I also gave them the impression that if they "nail" the opening, they'll have an easier time of it. Anyway, I walked away encouraged. And its always great to see Steve.

This week, some freelance--not enough to pay the bills, but something, at least--chores tomorrow (involving chopping wood, mowing the lawn, weed-whacking and painting the bath-tub--well, not painting the bath-tub, more like a touch-up), and trying to get some writing in. There'll be a long-put-off nearly final segment to a series coming up and a look at where I was 27 years ago--it's got everything: action, intrigue, political chicanery...and a volcano! Oh, and the sun doesn't rise! Well, not really, but it seemed like it. Anyway, it's a good way to close out the first year of blogging.
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Song in me head: "Yes It Is" The Beatles (infact, this would make a great "Same Old Song" bit
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Hey, for the next Bond movie (no title yet), the same writers are working on it (Purvis and Wade, Paul Haggis) and they're choosing a director...Martin Campbell has been "iffy" about doing the next one...here are the candidates: Tony Scott (Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Deja Vu), Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City, I, Robot), Jonathon Mostow (U-571, Terminator 3), or Marc Forster (Monster's Ball,Finding Neverland, Stranger than Fiction). Marc Forster? That'd be GREAT!