Universal Studios...fire wrecks havoc! Jackson videos shot on back lot...

A devastating fire swept through the Universal Studios theme park last night (and beyond to the CityWalk) and wrecked havoc with every amusement within its path save for one (that of the mighty King Kong).

Props were tossed  this way 'n that before disintegrating into nothingness, fascades of fanciful buildings went up in flames in clouds of dark menacing smoke, as studio workers gazed on powerless and unable to  quelch the fire's insatiable hunger.

At one point, gas lines previously installed for a pyrotechnics display (shut down recently to make way for a spanking-new thrill attraction), fueled a wall of ferocious flames that quickly raged down a slope towards Toluca Lake.

For tourists, it was a great loss - for now - until the rebuilding starts up.

Management has already issued a press release in which they have already stated in so many words that "the show will go on" in spite of the firey setback.

Universal Studios has been the a "home" away from home to many actors over the years.

Any performer worth their weight, has probably toiled on a movie set on the backlot - for instance - sometimes 'til the crack of dawn (tired, hungry, and anxious for their own familiar digs and the comfy bed that awaited them).

In fact, shortly after Michael Jackson passed to spirit in June (2009), I penned a post about a Jackson Video I worked on many moons ago at the backlot at Universal.

Post:  07/07/2009

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-jacksonbrief-encounter-on-set.html

Today, I noticed a full--age ad for the King Kong attraction in the LA Times.

If management is true to their word, then the legendary Ape should be open today - and henceforth - for tourist business.

I expect the macabre-minded will seize the opportunity to take in King Kong - and meander-off, too - to get an up-close gander at the destruction that the fire left in its wake.

Truth is stranger than fiction, alright!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Toyota Presents Cinema Musica...Videos rev up packed Independent Theatre! Asian Pacific Film Festival...

Downtown, admidst a cultural landscape that has emerged in a tony environ in the inner city of Los Angeles, Toyota (a sponsor of the Asian Paciflic Film Festival) launched a night of festive entertainment for Festival attendees with a big focus on up-and-coming talent and the Music Video industry.

The Independent Theatre, a mainstay venue for the annual event, was not begging for ticket sales.

An hour or so before the doors were to slated to swing open, music enthusiasts were braving a crush of ticket-holders in the street, with the hope of nabbing a plush seat at the much-anticipated presentation.

I have to admit, this years roster of videos were a little more traditional (in a basic two-minute format rife with a smorgasbord of slick visuals designed to bolster up the potential pop hits being promoted).

Unforunately, most of the  videos, were run-of-the-mill.

Kids, get with it!

Lead singers hip-hopping in the mean city streets, mugging into camera - and a lot of superficial attitude - does't cut it anymore in the competitive world of pop stardom!

A large   percentage of clips that flew across the wide screen were hum-drum, mediocre, boring!

With the exception of "Valentine" and the "11th Dimension".

Actually, I happened to be standing in line next to the director of the "Valentine" piece, so I snatched up the opportunity to pick his brains a tad.

In his novel video, frames of a cartoon were affixed to DVD cases, and set on a warehouse floor in a domino-style mode (with a pop singer strumming her guitar in the background).

When the frames started to fall - a cartoon was ceremoniously set into motion - at which point the audience was transfixed by romantic images of a lovestruck dude crafting a heart and presenting it to the object of his desire.

Enchanting!

Ross Ching noted that he landed the project after he published a video sample of his work on YouTube.

During a Q & A - getting the artists to chat about their work and the creative process - was like pulling teeth.

When I asked the group what their influences were - the response was pretty much - huh?

Mr. Ching came back with - what was the question?

The young talent appeared to be better at fathoming up their visions, than discussing the creative process behind it.

I re-phrased the question.

"What motivates you?"

That did the trick.

Suddenly, the young filmmakers were babbling at the mouth.

"The fact that music is a Universal language. It is a medium I can work in that touches everyone," one sincere young man uttered up quite eloquently.

Another chimed up that it was the collaborative effort in video-making that inspired him.

In another instant case, a video artist's asserted that his ideas were altruistic and flowed from endeavours with community appeal.

At least one humanitarian in the crowd, eh?

Mr. Ching had no qualms about discussing his prime motivation first and foremost.

"The money!"

The rapt audience roared in approval.

The entertaining evening was topped off with a night-cap on the roof of the Independent Theatre with a sweeping breathtaking view of the Los Angeles.

By the way, at the end of the week, film buffs may want to catch two foreign films that are creating a lot of buzz at the Asian Pacific Film Festival this year.

*The Actresses
*Bodyguards &  Assassins

See 'ya there!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Michael Jackson...brief encounter on set of Music Video! Directed by MJ...

Years ago, a casting office rang me up out-of-the-blue, and offered me a gig on a high-budget Michael Jackson Music Video shooting on the backlot at Universal Studios.

I was particularly keen on the fact that MJ was directing!

One of the main characters in the evil plot line was a nasty villain with a gang of thugs always on the lookout for trouble.

Although, I generally steered away from night shoots, it was difficult to resist a golden opportunity to rub shoulders with the legendary Pop Icon on the fast-track to super stardom.

Michael was at the height of his creative powers, having just come off of the gargantuan success of the multi-million-dollar best-selling album, "Thriller".

Although a few unsubstantiated rumors abounded about the King of Pop's fascination with plastic surgery (and an obsession over the alleged benefits of pure oxygen) the celebrated hit-maker appeared for-all-the-world a down-to-earth musical genius.

Shortly after I strolled up to the backlot at Universal to check in with the 1st Assistant Director, the wardrobe department corralled me and a handful of actors cast to play the mean dudes, and hustled us off to get fitted for our ubiquitous costumes which consisted of warrior-style uniforms - custom-made in imposing durable black plastic - with helmets to match.

Right from the get-go it was obvious the assignment was not going to be a piece of cake.

For instance, all the actors required assistance to facilitate the task of fitting each snugly into the high-tech threads in a body-fitting fashion, from behind.

In addition to being difficult to maneuver around in, the sinister slabs of armour were also inclined to obstruct the eyesight and hinder breathing as well.

Too late to back out.

No matter; after all, I was what you called a "trooper" in those days.

The show must go on, 'ya know, and all that sentimental crap.

The production company was relentless.

The shoot often ground on for hours on end and required a lot of painstaking detail to satisfy the "man" in the chair.

Michael was a stickler for perfection, after all.

To make matters worse, the cameras didn't generally start rolling 'til around the witching hour, or wind down until the sun started to climb lazily in the East the following morning.

Maybe Michael was a Vampire - like the one he play-acted in Thriller - after all.

As to the elusive Pop Icon?

During the duration of the shoot he remained out-of-sight, directing from afar.

Yup!

One of his lowly handlers was assigned the heady task of hustling us in-and-out of our trailers, positioning us on the set, calling us into action, and what-have-you.

Not a peep from MJ the mega-Star at the helm of the million-dollar extravaganza!

On occasion when logistics slowed production down - the other dudes and I would twiddle our thumbs, chew the fat, or huddle up in the trailer to stay warm whenever a night chill chose to usher itself in unexpectedly.

The lot of us - trekked in-and-out, back and forth, this way 'n that - as directed.

But, no MJ in sight!

One fine night under a starlit sky - just as we were about to wrap - I spied the mysterious superstar nimbly stepping out of a trailer across the lot.

For one brief second he glanced in my direction - burst into a wide smile for a second or two - then departed into the good night with little ado.

A close encounter of the 3rd kind, alright!

And that, as they say, was that.

In spite of the fact the shoot was long and drawn-out and terribly boring - quite stressful, too - one thing made it all worthwhile.

Why, of course, all the pretty checks that flew into the mailbox shortly thereafter with gobs of golden time tacked on.

Time to party-hearty and raise a mug to MJ in thanks!

The King of Pop paid the rent that month, too.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Asian Pacific Film Festival...Boys, you don't have to be Asian to be entertained (or enlightened) by a foreign film!

On Monday, the Asian Pacific Film Festival kicked off its second week of screenings in Little Tokyo after a first-rate run at the prestigious Director's Guild last week.

However, a handful of films will continue to screen at intimate little Theatres @ Laemlle 5 in West Hollywood until Thursday (May 7th).

Since a trek downtown by car in the mean streets of the big bad city is definitely not my cup of tea, I hopped on the red line to catch a music video program that was causing a buzz on the Festival cicuit.

Once on board, I happened to plunk down next to three young boys on their way home from school, but thought nothing of it

A few minutes later, one of the lads noticed my wrist watch, and asked what time it was.

I obliged.

The impromptu action on the part of the grade-schooler triggered a conversation between the four of us.

Personally, I was curious about their studies and the Los Angeles teaching system.

I was surprised to learn that parents in the inner city are allowed to pick-and-choose the learning institution their children will attend each September even if the facility is outside of their immediate neighborhood.

When I was a kid (I must be getting old when I use a tired old phrase like that) students were required to sign up each calendar year for classes nearest the family residence (unless it was a Catholic or Special-learning school).

One of the bolder lads asked me where I was off to after he noticed my eye-catching "press" badge for the Asian Pacific Film Festival.

In respone, I excitedly noted that I was on my way downtown to take in a couple of videos.

"Ever been to the Asian Film Festival," I innocently asked.

"I'm not Asian," one boy quickly responded.

"You don't have to be Asian to attend," I pointed out matter-of-fact.

The silence was so loud it fell with a thud to the floor!

"There are many exciting foreign films being screened from around the world that focus on a myriad of cultures," I added.

"The independent films are not all from Japan or China, 'ya know?"

The comment appeared to stir up a reaction or two beneath the surface.

"Hasn't your teacher ever taken you to a movie on a class outing?"

No, they responded unanimously.

As this juncture, one of the students confessed that their courses basically focused on a mandatory curriculum which consisted of Social Studies, English, and Math.

Suddenly, without warning, two of the boys jumped up at their stop when it was announced, and dashed off into the fray without so much as looking back.

The third boy remained on the Metro vehicle for a few more blocks.

"What do you want to be when you're an adult," I asked.

"A fireman," he replied without hesitation.

"That's a great job, 'cause you'd be helping people and saving lives . You must be very brave, eh?"

He smiled proudly.

But, when he waved good-bye and quickly exited, I was a little overwhelmed by emotion.

Was no one teaching these kids how to create a piece of art from scratch, or even giving them a little incentive to imagine a profession that went beyond the norm or the stereotypical "in-the-box" variety so much touted by society?

Perhaps, if teachers took their students out to a movie or a museum, now and then, they might dream bigger!

If one day excursion inspired a talented visionary child to craft a film that touched the soul or design a piece of architecture that turned out environmentally-friendly, let's say, wouldn't the journey have been worth it?

George Santayana said it best:

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child."

http://www.julianayrs.com

San Diego Film Festival...seeking film entries!

The San Diego Film Festival is seeking entries!

The annual event - which attracts about 15,000 film buffs each year - was founded in 2002 with the express aim of tossing a spotlight on up-and-coming filmmakers and the best that the world of cinema has to offer.

From its inception, the organizers have been committed to the notion that the best way to enjoy fine films is in a fun, relaxed, and festive environment such as the idyllic picturesque one that is San Diego.

Each year, the Festival hand picks eight-five unique stand-out projects to showcase at the popular Southern California festival.

According to festival Officials, they deliberately mimicked the very best ideas from film fests around the globe, the end result being a celebration of film which guarantees great venues, an eclectic mix of theatre-goers, and a round of upbeat parties sure to appeal to the most discerning party-hearty die-hards!


Festival Date
September 24th - 27th

Deadline for Submisions
Early Deadline: May 1st (2009)
Final Deadline: June 1st (2009)

Info: http://www.sdff.org/filmmakers.htm

http://www.julianayrs.com/

Paris Hilton...John McCain "wrinkly" old man!

Paris stalks her prey...


This past week - an acid remark John McCain tossed into the political arena about Barack Obama may have boosted media attention his way - but there were repercussions.

When the war monger accused Barack Obama of taking a cue from Paris Hilton - and acting like a celebrity - all he** broke loose.

After all, the Hilton family contributed to the windbag's campaign.

Although mommy held a press conference - and stood by her darling - Paris was inclined to demonstrate her own capacity for chutzpah, too.

With a gaggle of attentive handlers in tow, the celebrity known for being - well, um - famous - shot a video to launch her cause celebre

As she coyly lolled about in a leopard-skin swimsuit before the cameras, Ms. Hilton not only proceeded to poke holes in McCain's hot air balloon, but ended up writing him off as a "wrinkly white-haired" old man.

To many young women your age, Paris, they're known as lovable "Sugar Daddies".

But, with all your big bucks, I don't expect you'd fit in the role of trophy gal!

Although the contributions from the Hilton camp have dried up, McCain has allegedly ventured down the dusty back roads of America in search of untapped blood.

At a Hell's Angels rally this past week, he obviously struck gold!

When the aging Lothario strode on stage - excited bikers belched and revved their motors - in support.

Unfortunately, Obama was not on hand to offer up any expert advice on the Art of Motorcycle maintenance!



Me wrinkly?

Boten Anna...zany fun music video!