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Top-10 NFL Players Turned Hollywood

July 14, 2012 by Shaun Horrigan 0 Comments

Forty-six years ago today, arguably the greatest professional football player ever retired from the sport at the age of 29. Only a few months prior, he led his team to a second consecutive NFL championship game appearance and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player for 1965. And unlike other future Hall of Famers who walked away from the game at an early age, Jim Brown wasn’t forced out because of injuries. Brown, at the time a cast member of The Dirty Dozen, left the NFL to pursue an acting career.

In my past life as an NFL Network researcher, summer was the only time during the year that there was the possibility of a slow news day… As long as Brett Favre wasn’t un-retiring.

Occasionally, we needed to get a little creative and silly in order to fill airtime on the daily show, NFL Total Access. On a couple of occasions, that meant creating an in-house game show based on “Password.” Other times, it meant that we needed to venture outside of our usual on-field football top-10 lists we frequently used to wrap the show.

For the most part, the research department would create a top-10 ranking based on timely records being set, spectacular performances, or teams and players making headlines for positive reasons. For example, if Vikings running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 250 yards in a game on Sunday, we’d come up with a list of ‘all-time single-game rushing performances’ on Monday.

I was often the go-to-guy when it came to lists, especially when they involved historical significances. (I especially enjoyed anything where I could tie-in the AAFC and early 1950s Cleveland Browns.) And as long as a producer didn’t ask me to come up with one an hour before air, I really dug researching, ranking and writing them.

It was always fun explaining, and sometimes defending, my rationale for my selections and positioning to my fellow researchers, producers and others in the newsroom. And once the arguments were decided in the newsroom, new arguments would form between on-air analysts and viewers via the web. (I think there are still fans in Oakland arguing about just who actually was ‘“the greatest Raider of all time.”)

More often than not, the lists created by the research department weren’t too heavily questioned by producers. After all, we were the dudes who reviewed the record book, watched the videos, read the transcripts and, when possible, asked outside experts. However, our authority was often challenged in the summertime.

During some of our slower days, we’d come up with “fun” lists like the top-10 football players turned actor. And unlike some of the on-field rankings, this one was fluid. Depending on which former player had a hit movie, or who was visiting us in studio, we would tweak the list. But no matter how much we changed it, we always kept the number one spot for one man.

Brown was consistently the top-ranked player-turned actor. Never mind the criteria we established, or the fact that he hadn’t done anything in a long time, the top spot was always reserved. And unlike anything stats-based, this type of list created a stir within the newsroom, even from people who never weighed in on more serious topics.

I think much of the rationale of reserving the pole position for Brown was simply that it was JIM BROWN. Much like those Chuck Norris jokes where no matter what the task or who the opponent was, Norris would come out on top, Brown had to be ranked at the top for the sake it being JIM BROWN.

And much like the creation of the NFLN lists, this one wasn’t as easy as it might come off as. But at least I didn’t need to horse trade or appease any in-studio guests. The choices are all my own and based on these criteria:

- All actors must have been on an NFL roster. There was no consideration for big-time college players like John Wayne (USC), Burt Reynolds (Florida State) or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Miami). Also, training camp players like, Brian White (New England Patriots), Dean Cain (Buffalo Bills) and Ed O’Neill (Pittsburgh Steelers) were not considered.

- Cameo appearances don’t carry much weight. Brett Favre playing “Brett Favre” in There’s Something About Mary, or many of the cast members in football flicks like The Longest Yard (both versions) and Necessary Roughness, should not be in the same discussion as the former players that successfully made second careers in TV and/or film.

Top-10 NFL Players Turned Actor

10. Alex Karras - “Mongo only a pawn in the game of life.” OK, so Webster might have been a Diff’rent Strokes ripoff, and the acting wasn’t always the best. And it probably wasn’t a stretch to play himself in Paper Lion. But Karras played one of the most memorable characters in movie history as “Mongo” in the genius and socially important movie Blazing Saddles. Between that and Porky’s, Karras had comedy covered. And his performance in Buffalo 66 showed that he could also handle drama.

9. Ed Marinaro – Ragnar remembers him as a Vikings fullback in the early ‘70s. Mrs. Ragnar remembers him for a list of Lifetime movies. Marinaro found early acting success on Steven Bochco’s Hill Street Blues.

8. Fred Dryer – Hunter. Fred Dryer played the iconic cop for seven seasons as well as a few TV movies. How many shows even last that long these days?

7. Bernie Casey – Casey had a nice eight-year career with the 49ers and Rams, and even earned a Pro Bowl selection. But to people of my generation, the first thing that comes to mind when seeing him is his role in Revenge of the Nerds… Bill and Ted’s high school principal is a close second.

6. Fred Williamson – “The Hammer” played most of his pro football career in the pre-merger American Football League, and made a name for himself prior to his appearance in the first Super Bowl. The man had the gift of gab… Williamson has done everything from Blaxploitation to horror to Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller comedies.

5. Merlin Olsen – The supply of leading men from the Rams to Hollywood dried up once the team moved to St. Louis. But for a while, there was a steady flow of talent. Along with other Fearsome Foursome members, Olsen became a TV icon starring in Little House on the Prairie before getting his own show,  Father Murphy. It’s hard to imagine one of today’s NFL superstar defensive linemen (let alone someone who earned 14 Pro Bowl nods) starring in flower commercials without any intended irony.

4. Jim Brown – Would Jim Brown the actor have received the silver screen opportunities he had if he weren’t also Jim Brown the football legend? Probably not. He found early mainstream success with The Dirty Dozen before downshifting into Blaxploitation and TV. Perhaps his best role was in the Keenan Ivory Wayans spoof, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, along with Bernie Casey.

3. Carl Weathers – Weathers didn’t have much of an NFL career. But he’s a household name because of his role as “Apollo Creed” in the Rocky movies. He spent time along Arnold Schwarzenegger’s side in Predator before starring in the the title role of Action Jackson. And while his blockbuster film days might be behind him, Weathers continues to land work on TV.

2. Woody Strode – Strode had a nice career on the silver screen. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in the legendary movie Spartacus and has an acting resume that spans six decades. However, his bigger place in history is the fact that he was one of four African-Americans to re-integrate pro football in 1946. Strode and Kenny Washington joined the Los Angeles Rams a full year before their former UCLA teammate Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

1. Terry Crews – Terry Crews certainly didn’t parlay his NFL notoriety into a Hollywood career. It wasn’t until he started to become a successful actor that many people realized that he even played in the league.

Crews has quickly risen from “muscle in the background” of Training Day to the family patriarch in Everybody Hates Chris to summer blockbusters (The Expendables). Of course, my favorite role of his (not including the Old Spice campaign) was as the President of America in the underrated and hilarious Idiocracy.

While his resume isn’t as long as some of the other actors on this list, Terry Crews is, in my opinion, the most talented of the bunch. His Hollywood success will only grow.

Honorable Mention

Brian Bosworth – I’m not sure why “The Boz” didn’t become the next Michael Dudikoff after Stone Cold. It seemed like all the ingredients for a C+ action movie star were there.

Ben Davidson – The recently deceased Davidson had a lot of small roles. But once you saw his kickass mustache on screen, it was just awesome.

John Matuszak – Who doesn’t love Chunk and the rest of The Goonies?

Lyle Alzado – If one crazy former Raider wasn’t enough, here’s Alzado.

Bubba Smith – It was difficult to keep him out of the top 10, but the Police Academy movies really were bad.

Dick Butkus – My Two Dads was bad. But if you could combine the efforts of Butkus and Bubba Smith, a la Blue Thunder, they’d have a place in the top 10.

Howie Long – It looked like Howie could become a real movie star in the late ‘90s. There are plenty of worse actors who regularly find work in big productions.

Terry Bradshaw – He was fun to watch in the mediocre comedy Failure to Launch opposite Kathy Bates.

O.J. Simpson – … nah.

So, did I get this right? Why or why not?

Film Talk, Sports
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Museo Del Prado

July 9, 2012 by paul peters 0 Comments

By Paul Peters, The Everywhere Man

For me there are three groups of paintings. One group sponsored by the church, the others sponsored by some form of government, and those independent artists who paint from passion. Much of the classical work of Europe is based on the Christianity. Spain’s unique struggles through history (between the Moors, Romans, Christians, and Jewish faiths) provide a rich opportunity to see great art. The Moors and Muslims are not allowed to make a graphical representation of Allah. This allowed them to focus their artist energizes on complex intricate geographical shapes and patterns of amazing ornate detail. In contrast, Catholics and Christians promoted the pictorial stories from the bible to assist in the education of the illiterate congregations.

The Museo Del Prado has a massive collection of this second type of art, the kind that serves the story of Christ and the bible in a multitude of sculptures and paintings. In other words, if you are not a fan of the bible or Christianity, this is not the museum for you.

As museums go I have three large criticisms. First, the lighting in much of the museum is poorly set. Why is this a problem? Well, many of the lights are brighter than needed or cast a glare on the painting, or worse a shadow, so it is difficult to see many of the pieces. On some of the large canvases, glued together from smaller canvases, lighting is so poor that seams are highlighted and pronounced. Second, the place is very confusing. I enter on floor 1, much of what I want to see is on floor 0, the stairs are hard to find, rooms are a maze poorly marked, and the groups of work are not easy to maneuver through. Finally, the audio tour is not very interesting. Some rooms have no recordings, other have 3 – 4, and there is no consistency in telling an overarching narrative in a room let alone the collections. Some works get a great amount of detail with rich support and even sound effects, while others leave you wanting more.

This is not to say that you should skip The Museo Del Prado in Madrid. On the contrary, you should see this museum as part of a ticket package that covers other locations as well.

Here are the three names that make your trip worthwhile – Francisco Goya, Claude Lorrain, and George de la Tour.

Goya was the court painter to the Spanish Crown and might be the best known of Spanish artists. Maja are two separate paintings of the same woman. One where is of her clothed, the other is of her nude. One for when guests like the Cardinal came to visit, the other behind it for when guests where not over. Goya also painted about the French invasion from Napoleon. You can see both “” and “The Third of May 1808” side by side of one another. These are brilliant works that tell the story of Spain’s independence and passion to keep it. Most important of all is the Goya Black Period. This series or paintings from later in life are memorizing and totally different than anything of it’s time. The opportunity to see “Saturn” with your own eyes devour his son is worth the price of admission alone.

Claude Lorrain brings us two important aspects of art that we take for granted – light and the rule of thirds. For light he is known for naturalism, or capturing what the sun and how it impacts what we see. He also brings us landscapes that incorporate the Aristotelian rule of thirds unlike anyone prior to him. He is brave and bold in the use of the sky. It provides depth in the painting and detail in the activity of the foreground.

There are only 100 known paintings from George de la Tour and The Prado has two, “A Blind Hurdy-gurdy Player” and “Saint Jerome”. It is unfortunate that they are easy to pass by if you don’t know what you are looking for. They are in a small room people walk through quickly and separated from each other by a walkway. Old George is know for his use of light. Unlike Lorrain, his work is nearly all-interior lighting. “A Blind Hurdy-gurdy Player” is a great example of the contrast in colors to create the effects of candlelight. Dark backgrounds make the skin tones of the beleaguered and desperate man pop from the canvas as he turns the crank and begs for money.

Plan your trip to include 3 – 4 hours with a coffee or snack from the café. There are many benches to observe and rest your feet at. Other great works include many native Spanish artist, Flemish paintings, Italian works, and some German.

Culture
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“Ted” a “Family Guy” Style Metaphor for Life Choices

July 6, 2012 by RUOMLA 1 Comment

By Rashid Umar

Last weekend, the much-anticipated motion picture Ted opened in theaters earning the top spot at the box office, pulling in an impressive $54 million.

The film, which was directed, written, and produced by Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane, who also stars as the title character, is centered on the relationship between a man and his teddy bear, who was brought to life as a result of an innocent childhood wish.

John Bennett, a 35-year-old rental car employee (played by Mark Wahlberg), has been buddies with his teddy bear, Ted, since he was eight-years-old. However, their friendship is tested when Lori (Mila Kunis), John’s girlfriend of four years, wants her boyfriend to be more responsible, you know, that thing that’s required when you become an adult.

All sorts of wackiness ensues as John struggles to realize the need to “grow up” and take more responsibility as he allows his fuzzy friend to influence him into making bad decisions, like smoking weed and slamming beers while watching DVD episodes of that hideous 1980s movie remake, Flash Gordon.  Or, even worse, when John allowed his somewhat high friend-toy to drive him to work because he was running late and was a bit hungover.  Needless-to-say that that a bear driving a car is weird itself, due to the fact that it can barely see above the steering wheel.

In yet another instance, John had to make the not-so difficult decision to leave his lady at her boss’s party to join his buddy at his place because his boyhood hero, Sam Jones (yes of the aforementioned Flash Gordon), had somehow arrived. Now, you tell me, what would have been the more responsible thing to do?

With all this being said, if one were to look deeper into the film’s message, you may leave the theater with the notion that can resonate in your (or anyone who’s close to you’s) life.

Ted gives its viewers some insight, through explicit language — i.e. d*ck and fart jokes,  into how making bad decisions has consequences that’ll bring to question what’s more important in life.

An example of this, is when Lori has reached her limit with John and Ted’s antics and decides to push her beau to ask him to move out or risk loosing her. Being that the duo had been friends for nearly three decades, they had grown accustom to being around one another, and with that notion, lazy habits and bad decisions had been a regular occurrence.

The fact is that, we’ve all had to mature at some point, while letting go of our dependency on other people or things.  Sometimes, it takes the threat of losing something meaningful to wake us up.  That’s what we call life.

It’s really not all that hard to figure out.  Actually, what’s more puzzling is how did this guy, who again is a sale rep at a Boston rental car place, got lucky enough to be in the same place to meet a girl like Lori, let alone become fortunate to date her for four years.

Perhaps, I’ve missed another positive message in the movie that states how any weed-smoking mid-30 year-old guy, who still cuddles with his teddy bear during thunderstorms, can bag an attractive brunette who works as a professional at a law firm.  We’ll save that one for another post.

So, if you chose to see Ted, remember that it’s more than just a comedy that was made from those Family Guy people, it’s a film that’s more of a metaphor for life in a d*ck and fart joke kind of way.

Rashid Umar is a contributor to Rough Cutz. You can read his blog at Dredline.

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Django Unchained (International Trailer) Review

July 5, 2012 by Shaun Horrigan 0 Comments

I feel like a kid who just peeked at his Christmas presents way too soon, because I just watched the international trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, a film that won’t be released for another five months. And like a naughty child who went snooping in his parents’ closets, I think I know what I’m going to get in December, and I cannot wait.

In just 2 ½ minutes, I can tell that Tarantino is going to deliver his original brand of storytelling, which was formed from borrowing heavily from different non-traditional genres and filmmakers. That seems pretty fitting for someone whose education in film came by means of working as a SoCal video store clerk, rather than a university.

What I really love about Tarantino’s style is his eclectic blending of genres such as Blaxploitation, B Movies, Spaghetti Westerns and Kung Fu flicks. He’s able to pay homage with just the right about of pressure from tongue on to cheek.

Django Unchained, much like Inglourious Basterds, is based on a terrible part of world/U.S. history and is told through the eyes of victims turned empowered antiheroes. The first half of this trailer depicts a dark and somber mood showing slaves in shackles as Johnny Cash’s voice is once again wonderfully delivering its tone. But then, at the halfway point… BOOM! goes the black dynamite when James Brown’s “The Payback,” introduces a revenge story, quirky humor and all.

Django Unhained’s imdb.com cast page shows Hollywood heavyweights, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Sam Jackson, and of course Jamie Foxx. But I’m most eager to see another performance by Austrian Christoph Waltz.

Waltz was absolutely brilliant in Inglourious Basterds as Hans Landa, a detective-turned-hunter-of-human beings for the Nazis. As Landa, he was a despicable sociopath who put shivers down the spines of both the on-screen characters and the movie audience. And while I hated what his character was, Waltz carried a swagger and charm that made me want Landa to have more screen time.

Judging by the Django trailer, Waltz’s character, Dr. King Schulz, has that same charisma. And by the looks of it, the bounty hunter is much grayer than his Basterds counterpart. Sure, he kills people for money. But an audience can probably get behind him in this flick as he and Foxx (in the title role) track down slave-selling scum.

In the next five months, I’ll surely be seeing, hearing and reading more about Django Unchained. But based on this trailer alone, I am sold. Saint Nick, plan to put a couple of movie tickets in my stocking.

Film Trailers
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The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía – Museo Reina Sofía

July 4, 2012 by paul peters 0 Comments

The Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, Spain, holds a collection of modern art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is the National Museum for modern art. Most notably you will know the names of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. It is named for Queen Sofia of Spain and opened in 1992.

Madrid is full of wonderful architecture and “The Sofia” is no exception. It is grand on the outside and an easy to maneuver through the large groups of onlookers inside. There are four levels to the building with a semi outdoor café on the 4th that is a wonderful relief from the hours one can spend walking the exhibits. I took a short siesta in the warm gentle breezes of the afternoon there. Each exhibit area is grouped into connecting rooms with similar themes.

Plan to spend most of your time on the second floor. There you will find Guemica. It is larger and more powerful than any description I have known. It’s impressive. Turn around and you will find a series of photos taken during the painting of the artwork. You will note that the original design of the painting is very different that the final version.

Supporting the several Picasso’s of the period are historical models that explain what was happening in Spain during the early part of the 1930’s, the start of the Spanish Civil War, the rule of Franco, and the defeat of the Republicans after the 3 year war. Picasso and other active artists of the time were in fact commissioned to represent Spain at the 1937 Paris exhibit. The Sofia gets high marks for sharing both the education of art and the history that influenced.

In contrast to the serious cubist works of Picaso, the outrageous and playful Dali has some works on display as well. I would have enjoyed seeing more of the Dadaist, but for this one must visit Barcelona, the birth place of Dali. This small collection in Madrid includes most notably “El Gran Masturbador”, which, if you don’t know the work, or speak Spanish, is exactly what it sounds like – The Great Masturbator.

Overshadowed by Picasso and Dali, but just as wonderful to see are works by Mann Ray, Max Ernst, the Magnetic Fields of Joan Miró, and my newly discovered favorite Francis Picabia.

The audio tour is very helpful. However, finding the symbols for the audio recording and the track number are small and difficult to find. The works of this caliber draw huge crowds and it is best to go at off peak hours to see the artwork at it’s best.

Culture
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What is Your Favorite Movie (You are Willing to Admit to)?

June 26, 2012 by paul peters 6 Comments

What is your favorite movie? Is it a classic like The Wizard of OZ, Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia? Maybe it is something more modern – Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter. What about Iron Man, The Avengers or The Royal Tenenbaums? You could be a cult fan with  The Big Lebowski, A Clockwork Orange, or Pulp Fiction.

All time favorite movie is a hard title to pin down. There are so many good movies to choose from throughout history. The ones I’ve named are well known and ease to make a case for it’s superior ranking.

What about your favorite movie that you are not willing to admit to? That dirty little secret that you know will get a laugh or cringe from fellow movie fans? I have three that I will admit to publicly, here they are and why.

These are not box office hits, in fact, each were panned. If you are under a certain age, you may never have heard of them.

Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)

Synopsys: A hypochondriac is told he has a limited amount of time to live. A rich man hires him to jump in a volcano to appease the god’s of the tiny island. His adventure to the island introduces him to interesting new people. This movie is not about plot.

Actors: Tom Hanks plays Joe Banks, Meg Ryan has three roles – DeDe, Angelica, and Patricia. Watch for great performances by Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Abe Vigoda, Ossie Davis, the highly memorable Dan Hedaya, and the reason I am so picky about buying luggage Barry McGovern. Also, see if you can find Nathan Lane.

Background: This movie is about details. Joe literally walks a crooked path through the entire film, opening credits to going up the volcano. His office lamp tells the whole story of the film. The billboards in the background, the music played, the crack of lightening, all by the design of the director. The dialogue of the characters are wonderful and I still quote many of them today (but nobody gets it as I am the only one in on it). More details can be found here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099892/trivia 

What was panned? This movie was split getting one thumb up and the other down making the review mildly bland. Some people don’t like the last 20 minutes of this movie, others find the pace slow and off beat. I can see both of those criticisms when I watch it, but they don’t bother me in light of all of the other wonderful things about this movie. There is not a lot of laugh out loud funny in this movie either, it’s a fun romantic fantasy.

Why I love it: I love the way this movie looks. Each segment of the adventure looks slightly different than the other. I love the soundtrack, it is perfectly match to the action. Along with the supporting dialogue, there are themes in this movie that are true, there are some things in life we have to face alone and there are people all around you who love you if you know it or not. Every time I watch this movie, I find something new in it.

The Razor’s Edge (1984)

Synopsys: A group of life long friends from just outside of Chicago go through the trials of The Great War. For those who return they face uncertainty followed by economic collapse. The protagonist spends his years after the war searching for a truth. The movie is about the choices they make and the people they love. The movie is different in many ways than the novel by W. Summerset Maugham

Actors: Larry Darrell, played by Bill Murray, and Isabel Bradley, played by Catherine Hicks, are the primary focus. A real treat in the movie is Theresa Russell chewing up the screen as Sophie MacDonald and the perfect casting of James Keach as Gray Maturin. I should also point out that three of the best secondary characters in any movie are here – Denholm Elliott, Peter Vaughan, and Brian Doyle-Murray are just brilliant in their roles.

Background: Aside from great acting here, Murray and his writing partner drove across country taking the novel and interpreting into the screenplay. This was right after the death of John Belushi putting Murray was in a very spiritual place in his life. Murray has also noted in interviews that in his mind, it would have been timelier had they written it for the war in Vietnam instead of The Great War. Finally, at the end of Scrooged do you ever wonder why Bill Murray looks to the camera in the credits and says “Feed Me Seymore, Feed Me”? Hollywood said that Bill Murray’s career was over after The Razor’s Edge. It was only when friend, Frank Oz, put him in the highly memorable role of the masochistic Arthur Denton against Steve Martin’s Orin Scrivello – D.D.S. that Hollywood started to remember our national treasure Bill Murray.

What was panned? Murray in a serious role and the dramatization was considered melodramatic.  For me, having read the book several times, I thought this was a poor criticism. Murray is funny in some parts, but no more out of place than in other roles he was highly acclaimed for. Melodrama? Well, yeah, it’s W. Summerset Maugham, that’s what he wrote.

Why I love it: There are small speeches near the start and end of the movie Murray gives that was not about the movie, but about Belushi. The overview of a life (like in Giant or Gone with the Wind) is explored here. For some reason the Larry Darrel character trying to be a better person is intriguing to me. I love the musical score of this movie and the locations it was filmed.

Meatballs (1979)

Synopsys: Hijinks ensue for the camp counselors once the campers arrive!

Actors: You will only recognize Bill Murray. If you are Canadian you will recognize Chris Makepeace.

Background: Ivan Reitman says that they were surprised Bill Murray showed up on the first day of shooting, they weren’t sure he was on board. Wow, the movie would have been just as bad as its 20 sequels that had nothing to do with the first movie.  Chris Makepeace was also in My Bodyguard.

What was panned? It’s not one of those deep films that win awards.

Why I love it: I can’t explain why, I just do. And also I have this movie memorized, still, to this day. It has just come out on HD from iTunes if you have not gotten to see it.

Of these three, my favorite, maybe of all time, is The Razors Edge. Be proud and let us know, what is your favorite movie?

Film Talk
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Hero

June 25, 2012 by paul peters 0 Comments

By Paul Peters, The Everywhere Man

Think of your favorite hero. What characteristics do they hold? What morals do they cling to? What embodies the hero?

I would argue that your hero is nothing without the villain. In fact, the worse your villain is, the better your hero acts in contrast.

Case in point, Indiana Jones.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark he faces the ultimate villain of the last century, the Nazis. As they take power, try to grow stronger, and attempt to usurp the power of God almighty, Dr. Jones is able to out smart, out maneuver, and eventually stay true to the good side. Great villain, great movie.

During the Temple of Doom Dr. Jones is facing… a kind of bad guy who has convinced a cult of followers that he can rip out the hearts of the non-believer. How high are the stakes? Ultimate power? No – just rocks. Ok villain, ok movie, has some good parts.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade we go back to fighting Nazis, the ultimate embodiment of evil. They are so bad, they have even captured James Bond! What is at stake? Family, fortune, and the life eternal. Great villain, great movie.

It’s a good thing they ended there, with that movie, there is no way they would have…

Oh yeah, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Now I have watched this movie a few times to try to find redeeming value. There are some well-conceptualized ideas, but they end after the 15-minute mark following the nuclear explosion (Yep, hard to follow the Beatles, or an Atomic bomb.) Communism, while just an awfully executed social experiment in Russia, was a cold war. It was about spies and control and calculated movements, the kind of thing perfect for the elder Dr. Jones as James Bond, but hard to wrap your head around as the embodiment of evil, sure it’s evil, but a complicated evil. As the Stalinist styled Irina Spalko is the focal point of villainy, her efforts to find SPOILER ALERT** Aliens, is way beyond the suspension of disbelief. Ugh.

Who could best Sherlock Holmes, the greatest mind of his time? Only an equally intelligent adversary Dr. James Moriarty. Who could oppose the innocent and bright Clarice Starling, or the dedicated street smart Will Graham? Hannibal Lecter. The Wicked Witch, Nurse Ratched, Darth Vader, Michael Corleone, Hal 9000, Annie Wilkes, The Shark, The Terminator, Gordon Grekko and Lord Voldemort are all the proof you need. You need a great bad guy to make your good guy better.

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Warren Sapp’s Justice League

June 22, 2012 by Shaun Horrigan 0 Comments

Who gave that man a gavel!?

In some Bizzaro World, a producer pitched the idea a daytime-style courtroom show that was equal parts The People’s Court and Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Of course that idea couldn’t have been shocking to anyone. The genre of “reality TV” has been full of weird ideas, which most fail to capture an audience’s approval. But something must have really grabbed the attention of the show’s would-be backers and separated it from the numerous other Judge Joe Wapner proteges. And I’m willing to bet attaching the name of Super Bowl Champion Warren Sapp was that factor.

The man who goes by the moniker, “QB Killa,” has an impressive resume. He was one of the greatest “executioners” of his generation and has the hardware to prove it (1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year & 7 Pro Bowl selections). Not to mention, he’s found success as a “jury member” of sorts on both NFL Network and Showtime. But now, in his new non-football role, Sapp wears the black robe of justice in the webseries Judge Sapp on YouTube.

Understandably, not everyone is a fan of Sapp. On the TV front, some football fans find him to be loquacious. And despite a playing career that could very well earn him a bronze look-a-like in Canton, some will always remember him for a then-legal hit on Chad Clifton in 2002 that resulted in the Packers tackle being carted off the field and in an on-field altercation between Sapp and Packers head coach Mike Sherman.

After watching the first two episodes of Judge Sapp, I will tell you it’s not the NFL analyst Sapp. And its not the juggernaut defensive tackle Sapp. Rather, this is the Warren Sapp I got to know while working at NFL Network.

Sapp is one of the most intriguing people I’ve ever had the privilege knowing. I never knew what to expect on the days I was scheduled to work with him. Was I going to be up to be pouring through pages of 3rd down conversion stats to help build his on-air points, or were we going to be discussing the previous night’s Rachel Maddow Show, of which he is a big fan. Either way, I could count on having a laugh or three. The dude is funny and quick-witted.

I think something Judge Sapp viewers will notice is how smart the man really is, and how good he is at looking at both sides of an argument. Sure, he can act goofy and he bounces around a lot while making Jim Carrey-esque facial expressions. But I attribute that to his high-motor. — By “high-motor,” I don’t necessarily mean in football terms where evaluators talk about a player’s ability to hustle each and every down without quit. What I actually mean is that Sapp’s brain is high-motor. The gears are always moving at a fast pace, which was pretty apparent to me sitting in production meetings with him. It was like watching an episode of VH1’s Popup Video. The producers and company would be focused on a topic, and Sapp, still focused on the matter at hand, would interject with seemingly random factoids. However, those side comments were actually relevant most of the time.

Perhaps what really makes Judge Sapp fun to watch is its tongue-in-cheek approach. Like Judge Judy and the others, the show features idiots arguing about things like car payments and loud dogs. However, unlike all of the other judge shows, this one is on the joke. Sapp, of course, has no legal training. And while he has a legal expert on-hand, he doesn’t necessarily listen to her, as shown in episode two’s “sex for rent” case.

Additionally, in a really silly twist, Sapp conjures the spirit of Monty Hall (who I realize isn’t dead) and lets the participants gamble their courtroom winnings on the outcome of spinning “The Wheel of Justice,” which could result in cash, or Sapp’s used toenail clipper. — When I saw that, I couldn’t help but reminded of both Weird Al’s movie UHF’s “wheel of fish” game show scene and the courtroom scene in the very underrated Mike Judge flick Idiocracy.

After his ruling, Sapp is featured in a short “knowing is half the battle” segment to wrap the show. They do a really nice job of showing his sketch comedy skills. (Check out his Funny or Die sketch from last year.)

Two episodes in and I think I’ve found my newest guilty pleasure. Check it out on YouTube and get to know the Warren Sapp I found so compelling and interesting.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Humor, Sports, TV
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DSLR vs Traditional Video

June 21, 2012 by johnbujak114 0 Comments

By John Bujak

Last year, I had the opportunity to work on a show for Bravo Network called “Miss Advised.” It’s a show about three single women who live in different parts of the country and give out relationship advice. The young lady who was the main character for the portion we filmed lives in San Francisco but is from Michigan. So we filmed the episode that was her home coming. The jist of the show is basically these women give out advice but don’t listen to their own advice when it comes to dating and relationships, thus their own love life is a mess.

I was Director of Photography on the show, Steve Broxterman was second Camera and Helena Blakemore was Camera assist. Gabriela Tavakoli was our amazing producer. The style of the show (which you can see on Bravo, so go watch it so I get more work) was very much a hand-held movie style look. The camera was never to be stationary, always a little movement with a very blurry background. That was all fine and dandy except for the fact we had Sony F800′s on our shoulder’s with about 40 pounds of accessories and were 20-30 feet away zoomed in. The purpose was to again give the film look, which can only be achieved with that specific camera and lens configuration by being far away and zoomed in. When I spoke with the other DP, who was shooting the main show in San Francisco, I simply asked ‘Why aren’t we using Canon Mark ii‘s?’ We were capturing the audio separately on a Sound Device mixer/recorder, so in post production, video and audio were going to be synced anyway. He agreed and didn’t know why the production company that had conceived the show didn’t first start shooting with DSLRs. The canon would have achieved a better look and allowed us to have lighter gear and steadier shots. Steve and I with Sony F800's getting ready for Scene 312 Hour 19

With the introduction of DSLRs a few years ago, the entire low budget, independent film makers and story tellers world has been turned upside down. Now for under $6,000, you can get a beautiful camera and an array of prime lenses. No longer is the medium of the “hollywood” look limited to the high budget Red One rental houses and production companies. Now anyone can achieve the desired look for a fraction of the cost.

But Hollywood hasn’t caught up yet in a lot of ways. Many are afraid of the unknown and aren’t aware of how amazing these little cameras are. I shot a production for Dr. Pepper/Snapple a few months back and was given the green light to use any camera I wanted. I choose the Mark ii and the Sony EX1. I used the Mark ii for all the beauty shots and the EX1 for some crazy low angle or off center interview shots along side the EX1. The footage turned out fantastic and the editor who was nervous on how to sync everything since we recorded the audio onto a separate digital recorder was delighted when I told him about “Plural Eyes,” which retails for around $130 and automatically syncs all your audio and video sources onto a timeline. Dr. Pepper was so enamored at the look I was giving them for their internal corporate video they couldn’t believe it. They were used to the “video” 59.97 look, clean, high def and well….plain. What an impression the little camera makes on a new client.
sKenny the PA and I looking over lighting arrangements from Steve Camera in another room

But with everything, there are some draw backs with DSLRs as well. First the focus area is very small, so an external monitor or a magnifier on the back of the LCD is a must or at the very least a hugh help. Second you can’t zoom, which means no snap zooms, slow zoom outs, or anything like that. You have to treat the lenses as if they are all primes. Now D|focus has introduced a new product called the “D|Zoom,” which is made to allow you to take a zoom DSLR lens and allow for smooth zooming. They sent me one to test, which I will be putting to the test and my next blog will be about what I found while using it in real world situations.

If you have any questions or topic ideas please feel free to email me.

John Bujak
Producer/DP
114films.com

Tech Talk

“Where words fail, Music speaks”

June 20, 2012 by paul peters 1 Comment

By Paul Peters – Everywhere Man

Danish Author Hans Christian Andersen is attributed with saying, “Where words fail, Music speaks”. It’s a phrase that has stuck with me since the summer of 2001 when my supply of free and interesting music from Napster met the first of several legal challenges. As a music junkie I needed my fix and brought together a small group of friend who participated in a music mix exchange of CD’s and tapes (yes tapes) that was called The Great Mix Experiment of Aught One.

At the time my profession was “trade show guy” traveling roughly three weeks each month and writing about my adventures under the blog “Everywhere Man”. I carried a 1 GB MP3 player made by Archos with me and had a satisfying rotation of music that was the soundtrack of my life on planes, in hotel rooms, and on the trade show floor. These were great times.

In the fall of that year trade shows and conferences disappeared. Still, I carried with me many wonderful and funny memories that are brought back in an instant when the right song is played.

Since then this annual experimental music exchange has continued to expand the interests and tastes of all those who participate. I’ve had the pleasure of being introduced to some amazing music and in turn provide the same service to others.

Here are some of the best songs and a few memories:

Frank Black  – San Antonio TX

I was not in San Antonio when I first heard this song. I was in a window seat on a Northwest A-320 flying to San Francisco. The first three times I listened there was something about it that spoke to my situation of hotel rooms and flights. I excused myself to the men’s room forcing the other two people from their seat. When I returned the man in the middle seat took the opportunity as well. When he returned I realized that this retired man was alone and needed a good deal of assistance as he asked me to help him zip up his fly. #1 rule of flying – bring headphones to keep out the world. Yes, I helped another man with his pants, twice.

The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die

This song came at an odd time. It’s wry in humor. Still, very true. I always think of someone named Ben when I hear this song. He is in the back yard smoking a brisket, delicious brisket, that took hours longer to cook than originally expected. It was the best brisket ever.

Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye

Wouldn’t it be cool if this song reminded me of the love of my life? How she was so amazing, stole my heart, than broke it into small bits? It would be a perfect fit. Well, it reminds me of a girl, a sad girl who though that a “pepper grinder” was a sexual act. Oh, I hate that moment, but love this song.

Decemberists – The Crane Wife 3

I think of how cool my sister is when I hear this song. I wish I were as cool as her.

Midlake  – It Covers the Hillside

In 2007 I visited Punxsutawney Phil for Groundhogs Day. It was great fun and I highly recommend you take the chance when you can. Driving home after a long nap and being up all night, I was heading west on I-80 when a strong snow storm hit. My new car and a great GME Mix from my brother Phil made for a memorable drive.

Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

I had been out of work since the spring of 2009 and was only getting by from the kindness of friends for months. It was a very tough year. In December I had a job offer in Toronto and listened to this submission to the GME on the drive back and forth that month. That sense of desperation to work still lingers with me when I hear this song and the gratitude I have to be employed and the friends who supported me.

Now take these six great songs and make your own memories.

The Great Mix Experiment

If you would like to be a part of The Great Mix Experiment we are always happy to add new members. The music exchange starts on Thanksgiving weekend and all submissions are due on January 2. You submit the 14 – 20 songs that you listened to that year, or had the most impact on your life. They do not need to be produced that year, just most played for you. Send your request to join the group here: The Great Mix Experiment

Music
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