Art of Function

So, Here's The Deal!

2009-12-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

I plan on moving this blog to another in 2010 first quarter. It depends on whether or not the new site is up and running properly. There is a ton going on behind the scenes here at AOF, and in order for me to not give it completely away, I just want to say this blog will be less about blogging about an ideal or theme and more about what interests me that day. Which is kind of what it's always been, but at least I'll admit to it now. We will probably keep the name "Art of Function" but the URL and subsequent feed would change. So, there you go. Information!

Indefinite Hiatus

2009-11-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

I am going to be putting AOF on an indefinite Hiatus. Obviously, I have not posted in a great while, and that trend has been standing for too long here on AOF. I am not "Quitting" this gig, or closing the site. I'm just taking the rest of 2009, to do a little soul searching and determine what I want the site to be about, and what I want a web presence for myself to look like. I will be back when my heart and my soul have an answer that my brain can execute.

They Don't Know They're Lines?

2009-10-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dennis Baker of dennisbaker.net posted this article via Twitter. You can read it here! The article features a write up on how some TOP Tier broadway actors are using line prompters and ear pieces for line cues during actual paid performances. Matthew Broderick is the most cited offender. He is currently using a 'helper' who sits in the front row with the script. How sad is that? Angela Landsbury (a theater icon) used an ear piece with a prompter during her Tony run with "Blythe Spirit last year."

The article is blazing through the theater blogosphere, with most folks giving Landsbury a pass for her age (84), but Broderick who has seen his star fade since his "Producer" glory days is getting run on the rails.

It's difficult for me as a teaching artist, because I tell my students that line memorization is basically the bread and butter of their job. It should be like breathing. When I studied with Alfred Molina he often criticized not having your lines as a simple excuse. In his world, Lines should just "Fall out of your Mouth, You shouldn't have to think about them."

So, imagine my surprise when a paid AEA actor can't pull this simple of simplest tasks off. I don't care if you are getting re-writes during the preliminary runs. You have an obligation to that paid audience sitting out there to deliver a professional show.

Fox vs Bay

2009-10-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

The Megan Fox thing is fairly interesting. When I say the "Megan Fox Thing", I am referring to her feud with Director Michael Bay. Now, I know that both people have their fans and both people have their detractors. Fox has been likened to a younger Angelina Jolie. Sexy, controversial and box office gold. Bay is one of the best action sequence directors of all time, but his reputation for making good dialogue scenes is suspect. What am I saying? Well, they are box office hits in some ways, but they have yet to deliver anything that has inspired the illuminati of the Entertainment World who value both dollar signs and artistic integrity.

FOX started this feud by basically saying Michael Bay was an insecure tyrant on set. He is as she puts it, "Hitler". Bay has been rambling on and on about how he 'discovered' Megan Fox, which is probably true as well. Bay's crew wrote a scathing letter that painted Megan Fox as a dimwitted hack, whose attempts at acting were, "Painful to watch".

So, this was all pretty fun considering that deals for a sequel to Transformers 3 was in the works. Now, you may be reading this and saying, "Those Movies suck!" However, they are gold mines for the Above the Line talent. You are almost set for life if you get above the line or back end on any of those movies. So, the drama in the PR smears between the two was sure to play out in the behind closed doors meetings with the studios.

Bay has signed on to direct 3 and he is going to bring in Fox to reprise her roll as the bouncy breasted girl friend to Shia Lebouf's character. However, now nerd-dom is reporting he plans to kill her off in the first scene. Is this revenge? Probably. I'm sure Bay would love to kill her off, and then bring in some other hot piece of ass to take her place, and then that girl could be the next "It" girl.

Who suffers here? Really, no one. Fox is already booked for the next few years on projects. She'll be working until 2011 guaranteed. By then she'll have enough money to buy plenty of crayons and coloring books and pot to last her until 2036.

This is the product of EGO in Hollywood. A director desides to "Make a Star" in a movie, and then we're forced to stomach it. This is all gamesmanship over a movie that is a 90 minute commerical for toys. This thing in the grand scheme of things does not make humanity better for it being made. It makes humanity employed in a 1000 different ways. Money in this town creates egos so big they are staggering. I don't think Bay could line up his Transformers Franchises up to Peter Jackson's LOTR movies and say, "Mine are as good as his." He can't do it. Yet, when you can OPEN, you have done something in this business. And Bay's films OPEN every time they hit theaters. Thus the landscape of EGO we get to watch unfold.

ABC Looks Smarter than NBC!

2009-10-09T10:49:00.001-07:00

The news down the perverbial pipeline this morning is that ABC feels so good about their new Comedy Line-Up they've already picked up "The Middle", "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town". I managed to catch them all this week. The Middle is basically Malcom in the Middle, if you did the show from the Mom's perspective instead of the Middle Kid. Patricia Heaton is fairly average, but the rest of the cast picks up the pieces. Modern Family could be Arrested Development if it continues to keep taking big risks. Cougar Town will appeal to people other than me, but it's fine. And it shoots two blocks away from my house. Noticeably absent from the pick ups was the Kelsey Grammer DOA "Hank". This show is campy and awful. So, hopefully it dies. However, the good news from ABC is that they are proving that good writing and good acting can result in ratings.

NBC cancelled another Scripted show, "Southland". This was an edgy piece that painted cops in a negative fashion. Did you really think Middle America would love this? It should have been on FX or something. Also, rumored to go soon is the high price tag, TRAUMA. So, hey all you actors, NBC just keeps on screwing you over with their bad decisions.

People Want Leno To Fail: Part 2

2009-10-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Ah Ha! I was making this point about the 'safeness' of the NBC line up, and how it was pretty much doomed about two hours ago. Now, I just read this article on DHD!

"This is not a fun place to be right now. And we committed to Jay Leno on the air for 2 years because he was worried we'd have an itchy trigger finger. It's an embarrassment for all of us. Maybe he'll get fed up -- he's not right now -- and then we can re-negotiate." This is beyond sad. It's the destruction of a brand."

NBC is in trouble, which is sad based on the fact that the brand was seemingly on the rise prior to the Writers Strike in 07'. I guess Ben Silverman really was an idiot when it came to handling the primetime schedule.

People Want Leno To Fail

2009-10-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

I sat down a few weeks back and watched the premier of the Jay Leno show. My wife who is much more the expert in TV than I am (because she worked in it for 9 years and has a degree in it) thought the concept was a worth while experiment, but ultimately we found it a little flawed. However, NBC is pushing the show with both barrels. Jay Leno has been promoted as the bench mark for comedy today, and all kinds of big hollywood starts are lining up to appear on a show that is basically the same as Jay's old show, just on T.V. an hour and a half earlier.

However, as time has worn on, Leno has failed to match his first night Rating Extravaganza. He's fallen somewhere between 30% - 40% on average, with the biggest plummet hitting 50% below the deput of a 14 share. I don't really like talking numbers. I'm just trying to point out, that Leno is on shakey ground. And in this era when ratings are tracked by the minute, and failure to perform gets you the hook faster than you can say, "Head Cases", Leno has to wonder if his good graces will run out much sooner than say, Jimmy Kimmel's good graces. (seriously, who watches that show?).

There is a large cadre of folks who want Leno to fail. And it's not because people hate Jay Leno. People in the industry generally think he's an okay guy. I met him once at a Panda Express. He was a fairly normal, dude. (folks really reserve private hate for Ellen Degeneres) Folks want Leno to fail because it would be a big blow to "Alternative and Reality" programming replacing scripted series.

Leno's show (which is super cheap to produce, especially in post) replaces nearly 5 scripted 1 hour long dramas. That's millions of dollars and revenue going to writers, actors, producers, crews and post production staff. The cost is well above what Leno is doing his show. NBC, which is currently swirling in rumors of financial crisis (Both major share holders, Vivendi and GE are rumored to be shopping their shares), is trying to do what is ultimately the biggest mistake all SUITS running networks and studios make when they are terrified of their bottom line. They are playing it safe.

You look at their line up. They've cut back on NEW shows by at least 4, and replaced bad shows with tried and true dramas formerly in their 10pm slot. They even spun off SNL into a weekly prime time half hour show, in hopes of getting their viewers to watch more often. Jay's show is just another example of this. This is a safe line-up. While entertaining, their Thursday night line up features shows that basically clones of themselves. Parks and Recreation is a clone of The Office, while one could also argue Community is a clone of 30 Rock. I don't want to run a critique of the schedule, but the reality is this is the 'safest most reliable' way to garner stable ratings and try to hit revenue forecast numbers. It is also a great way to fail miserably.

And Fail Miserably, is what many on the inside want. Production companies are licking their chops and waiting to pitch their "I told You So!" shows once the Jay experiment loses it's grant funding. Only time will tell, dear, readers.

Print Vs Online

2009-10-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

This week it was announced that Gourmet Magazine, which has been an American Culinary Institution for 70 years will now shut it's doors. Since it was announced a furor of on-line articles and print articles have been wading into the collective consciousness discussing the ramifications of this action. Granted we are quickly watching PRINT media darlings falter in this new Internet Age of information and there is a fundamental problem that is being over-looked.

Here is a quote from Chris Kimbal's Op Ed piece in the New York Times:

"The shuttering of Gourmet reminds us that in a click-or-die advertising marketplace, one ruled by a million instant pundits, where an anonymous Twitter comment might be seen to pack more resonance and useful content than an article that reflects a lifetime of experience, experts are not created from the top down but from the bottom up. They can no longer be coronated; their voices have to be deemed essential to the lives of their customers. That leaves, I think, little room for the thoughtful, considered editorial with which Gourmet delighted its readers for almost seven decades. To survive, those of us who believe that inexperience rarely leads to wisdom need to swim against the tide, better define our brands, prove our worth, ask to be paid for what we do, and refuse to climb aboard this ship of fools, the one where everyone has an equal voice."

There is an issue with what is happening in the world of print and online and this great transition and fundamentally, there is an economic problem. Blogs (like the one you are reading now) are usually started because someone has an idea, some time on their hands, and the need to voice an opinion. The second reason they are started is to make some money. However, Blogs are so ubiquitous right now, that no one is really making any money except the idiot withe pink website that we don't want to talk about anymore. A few are rising to prominence. In fact, I got my quote from Chris Kimble from Ed Levin's Serious Eats Blog.

Blogging is a speculative business. My own podcast project The Starting Zone is getting some nice number and great traffic, but we're not making a cent off that site. The best we see are a few donations tossed our way to cover server space.

So, there is no money in the internet, but there was money in Print, but Print is dying because no one is using print and just using the internet... where is that money going?

Who knows really, where the money is going. My guess, people are shoveling it more towards rainy day savings accounts these days. Sure, my wife used to keep a nice little subscription to a few magazines, but she's since abandonned them so we can save a few bucks, and now she's using free online resources.

We all know that the Print businesses haven't really successfully managed to transition over to the internet. Deadline Hollywod Daily is the premier entertainment source on the net, and it surpasses Variety and Hollywood Reporter. However, both of the former Entertainment blab mags, are wallowing in a contracting market. They are losing money in the print game, but can't seem to get their share back in internet game. Why? Because the only way to make money outside of selling a product on the internet is through advertising. And since they lose their ability to sell subscriptions on the internet, they are stuck with the issue of accepting lower ad returns. Print Media, gets' to 'sell' their writing as well as make money in advertising. However, on the internet that model doesn't work because some schmuck is willing to give their writing away for free cutting about 50% of the cost model out of your equation for print business.

So, what happens when all the Print has in essence, died off? Well, perhaps Internet sites not charging now, might start charging. Who knows? Rupert Murdoch claims his Fox New site is going to go to a subscription service soon. Will it work? Well, it kind of has to. There is going to be a lot of folks formerly employed in the Print game who will be out of work without a company that can pay them to do what they used to do.

Economically the world cannot afford to lose Publication without a viable industry there to replace it. It's an interesting concept when you really think about it. What if an industry goes away, and there is nothing to replace it? Moreover, does the quality of writing suffer, when folks are not able to devote a career or vocation to the art of the writing, especially criticism.

What do we do in a world without critics?

Ken Howard Takes the Chair

2009-09-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

So, we spent a lot of time in the last year spewing vitriol at how Alan Rosenberg handled the SAG negotiations while in the position of President of the Union. Alan was perfectly incapable of doing a good job in his role and apparently the membership expressed that opinion in the latest SAG board and Leadership Elections.

Membership First, the very vocal and disruptive, faction that at one time held some prominence in the guild with one of their own as President, lost further seats on the National Board as well as saw their nominee for president, Anne Marie Johnson lose to Ken Howard of Unite for Strength.

In other words it's a bit of a new era in SAG headquarters. Hopefully Ken and his pals, don't screw it up worse than it already is.

How the Media Handles Stupidity

2009-09-15T13:11:00.001-07:00

There have been two moments over the past seven days where a public figure has taken a moment where the world is watching, and decided to make themselves look like a complete jack ass.

Congressman Joe Wilson's, "You Lie!" out burst during President Obama's address to the joint Houses of Congress should have been a lesson to those in public office. No matter how much you disagree, public decorum is always best maintained. Passions can get the best of us, and then you can say the dumbest of things. What was ultimately sad about Wilson's outburst was he was wrong. While Obama discussed the point that illegal immigrants would not be eligible for health care coverage under the Public Option, Wilson responded with his, "You Lie!" Then the next day the actual document for the proposed reform bill showed that indeed Obama wasn't lying. Wilson's career seems over with his own party mates now shuffling away from him. His chief rival in the 2010 election for his seat in Congress raised over six figures in campaign funds since the outburst. It was apparent, we had a lesson on our hands. Keep your cool when you don't agree, when its' in front of the world.

Kanye West, who is probably one of the most insulated stars in the music industry, apparently failed to see this lesson. So, he went to the VMA's this weekend with bottle of cognac in hand and crashed an award presentation to Taylor Swift, citing that Beyonce Knowles should have won the award of Swift. The incredible public display of rudeness and idiocy has been plastered over the news and webosphere. There is even a new Meme developing to finally kill the keyboard cat.

Check out an example here: http://imgur.com/h9Guq.png

I find it odd that the press rarely gives the apology though, which is usually equally public as much face time as they do the incident. While, Kanye and Joe Wilson had bad reps to begin with, and deserve their bad press (or is it still good press?), it is odd that the incidents merit more attention than the apology. My question is, does this lack of 'forgiveness' in the media equate to a lack of forgiveness on the part of our society. It's a big question. I just ate a bacon panini... I usually have big questions hit my little head after a bacon panini.

Patton Oswald Talks Obama and Time Travel

2009-09-04T10:37:00.001-07:00

Yeah, that's a screwed up header for a blog post, but it's what I have for you today. Patton Oswald had a new comedy central routine and as always he delivers some smart, funny and irreverent stuff while being poignant and topical. My jealousy hates this guy. By the way, I'm level 8 on farmville so excuse me while I go bask in my ineptitude. Holy Crap, I suck today.

Jokes.com

DVD - Exclusive Patton Oswalt - The Year 2009

comedians.comedycentral.com

Read Patton Oswalt's biography

Watch Patton Live at the New York Comedy Festival

Find out about Patton's movie Big Fan.

When Virals Collide!

2009-08-31T11:19:00.001-07:00

Zach Gali... fah... something?

2009-08-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

Zach Galifianakis (yes, I had to look it up to spell it) or Zach G as I will now refer to him in this post is probably the best unknown hipster indie (insert your own cool cred adjective here) comedian working today... if he wasn't so well known. Most of you know him as the bearded drunk in the summer smash, "The Hangover". Most of us knew him previously as... the bearded drunk who used to do stand-up routines with a piano. Anyway, Zach's star is on the rise and I will not hold the fact that he also starred in "G-Force" against him. Especially, after watching the latest episode of his web series mocking talk shows, "Between Two Ferns". On a side not, I really like Jon Hamm. If I were super handsome, and a critical sweet heart with a Golden Globe, I think I would model my exploits after his exploits. NOTE: I'm have no idea why I am used the word 'exploits' in the previous sentance.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns

District 9

2009-08-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

I have a few points to make here about the film District 9.

First, I do recommend it for those of you who can stomach some gore. The film has some definite gore points in it. So, if you can do that kind of thing, you should be fine. If you are squeamish, then unfortunately, you will have to miss the best movie to be released this summer.

District 9 is remarkable if you are a writer because of how the film takes the idea of the 'Hero' and completely turns it upside down. The lead character Vickers Van De Mere is quite possibly the most dynamic protagonist that has been created in cinema in the last 10 years. I have wracked my brain for a more conflicted hero who undergoes a similar transformation, but I can't come up with one.

What the film makers do is take a completely un-likable non-heroic character and completely transform him in every way, emotionally, idealistically and physically in the course of the 90 minute film. This transformation is at times almost unbelieveable. You at some points lose the ability to understand who you should be rooting for in this film. It's that crazy. You cannot understand how this dim-witted, happy go lucky, by the book, racist, cowardly knuckle head could be at any point likable, but they mange to do it. Even when the character completely abandons your ideals of heroism.

To say that Peter Jackson produced a land mark film is a bit of an understatement. Neil Blomkamp the director should be heavily praised for creating this Phoenix from the ashes of the lost Halo movie. As science fiction it's message of respect for life, and commentary on racism are not new, and in some ways very obvious. However, if one digs deeper they find this amazing selection of character studies ripe for discussion.

Lastly, the amazing part of D-9 is that it's already profitable in it's first weekend of release. Created for 30 million, it netted 34 million this weekend. So, this completely original idea is completely profitable, while 'established' intellectual property based films are not netting the 'sure thing' dollars they were supposed to. It will be interesting to see if this catches the eyes of the suits in Hollywood.

Crap, it's been a while!

2009-08-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Super Busy Mick, means lack of posting on the Blog. However, weird rumblings and weird actor things and good movies have prompted me back. I shall post, momentarily.

Peter Jackson Said It Out Loud!

2009-07-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

I'll post a little blog about Comic-con in a few moments. My general peripheral observations on that Pop Culture mash up may stir a hornets nest or two, and my thoughts are fairly wild. However, an interview was put out by the LA Times with Peter Jackson that took place in San Diego over the past weekend. Geoff Boucher put this little question to Jackson and his response was a fair but unrepentant indictment of business as usual in Hollywood today:

GB: (Referring to Comicon) Certainly, it's a place to introduce the new and celebrate the past, but I suppose what I was suggesting is that these days it seems difficult to make a big special-effects film unless it's based on some pre-existing, known quantity in pop-culture, such as a novel, comic book, video game, TV show, toy line or previous movie."...

PJ: Personally I think that’s one of the most depressing things about the film industry generally today. The writers and directors should be blamed just as much as the studios because really everything seems to be a remake or adapting a 1970s TV show that was never particularly good. Why anyone thinks that it would be a good feature film now, you know, goodness knows why. And I guess it’s easy to say it's security that you know a studio is only prepared to put $150 million or $200 million into something if it’s a known quantity. But at the same time I’m also aware that audiences are getting fed up with the lack of original ideas and original stories. And if you look back to the great days of "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" and those sorts of movies, they weren’t based on TV shows, they weren’t based on comics. They were inspired by them and they had DNA in them which came from years of Flash Gordon and various things in the past but nonetheless they were original. And yet we seem to be incapable as a general industry, which includes not just the studios but the filmmakers and writers and directors, we seem to be incapable of doing that now for some reason. It’s a little bit depressing. But hopefully it’s a cycle. Everything in the film business tends to be cyclic and hopefully this all drains itself out in a couple years and we’ll be back into original stories again.

Now, of course you might say, "This is coming from a guy whose biggest success was a series of movies based off an established work of literature." My only argument was that LOTR is just that an established piece of celebrated literature. Scooby Doo the cartoon or The Transformers are not literature. They are pop culture programming designed to sell toys, just as their movie counter parts were designed to do.

Now whether or not Jackson's film which he produced (not directed) District 9 seems to be a collection of themes taken from various sources, but at the end of the day it is original I.P. that has never been seen before. There is never going to be discussion about 'who is cast as the lead' because there is no established fan base to care about a decision like that. You do not have to cater to fanboys, and you do not have to worry about your 'adaptation' of the property or which story to tell. (Good luck with that by the way to Sam Raimi, P.S. I can help with the script if you need it). You have a fresh story that requires you as a film-maker to push your imagination and the technology around you to the limit, just as Lucas and Spielberg did decades ago.

My only hope for the film-biz right now is Jackson's last statement: Everything in the film business tends to be cyclic and hopefully this all drains itself out in a couple years and we’ll be back into original stories again.

It's clear audiences lap up original ideas. In T.V. you look at the preliminary success of HEROES and the long term success of LOST, and you can point to that and say, "LOOK original ideas work in Hollywood."

Deciding on An Agent

2009-07-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

I was asked recently a completely different question as it pertains to the thought of acting and of course agents / managers. Most new actors ask me, "How do I get one?" The answer and method is incredibly simple. I will save that for a later date. However, this question was even more important.

"How do I decide who to sign with?"

BTW, I recently signed new representation recently. I had deliberately waited despite a several rep offers for the person not with the biggest address book, but the person with the most access for me personally. You may have the greatest most well connected agent on Planet Earth, but if you can never get ahold of them, and they never send you out, they are in fact fairly worthless to you despite their pedigree.

So, if you can 'swing by' the office or 'get them on the horn' or 'text 'em' or 'email 'em', and they are receptive to your little check ins, then that's the person you want to be with. Pretty simple.

The Sage Wisdome of Craig

2009-07-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

A Blog on a Sunday? Yep. However, I hate to disappoint you, but this will be fairly short. I'm in the tail end of birthdays and vacations and I don't feel like being particularly clever, witty or observant right now. So, I'll leave that to Craig Ferguson who has this really underrated late night talk show on CBS. It comes on after Letterman. I've loved this guys since the DREW CAREY show, and he's only grown as a talent since then. So, since Craig doesn't have the viewership of other late night hosts, he gets to say whatever he wants. So, check out this gem.

Making Out On Stage

2009-07-07T16:01:00.001-07:00

When you teach Meisner based techniques as I do, you will eventually be subjected to some odd conversations surrounding your chosen platform for training actors. Now, we all know that REPETITON is a big part of the training. This exercise simply requires actors to stand before each other, make an observation of the others behavior in a word or two and repeat that word or phrase until a beat in the relationship occurs and the word or phrase changes.

It is the most powerful acting exercise I have ever done and I have ever intergrated into my teaching philosphy outside of Improv. However, repetition is like beginner's improvisation. So, they're kind of one and the same. These relationships that are created in REPS are the perfect harmony of a philosphy, living truthfully in imaginary circumstances. Actors are forced to deal with how they actually behave in certain circumstances opposed to working with 'put on or dressed' character traits.

Inevitably in most sessions of repetitions that I do, lasting up to an hour or more, I'll see around 10 - 20 repetitions with the group. In these sessions, without fail, two people will kiss. It happens frequently. The expressions of the kiss range from gentle, friendly, appreciative, affectionate, passionate, loving and down right horny tongue lashing. The result is always the same. The audience goes very still and is completely enraptured.

I think THE KISS is an incredible expression of human behavior. It's completely captivating. I think that actors need to understand how they do it. So, it's always odd that people have such a hard time simply... doing it.

This gets back to my first point of order... when folks know the exercise and know I teach it, they often ask me two questions: First, how is class going? Second, anyone made out recently? I've had non-actors come to audit the class (directors or agents or producers) they are often struck by the 'making out' that takes place. Which is odd, because it's mostly designated to one or two reps. They often make it sound like it's every rep that occurs. However, what bothers me, is that it bothers them.

Now, I'm not saying all actors should just whore it up on stage and walk into class looking for a cheap grope on-stage, but actors do need to be THAT expressive with their bodies. The fact that a performer could call themselves an actor and place that kind of boundry with physicality in their mind is incredibly baffling to me. We're actors, our bodies are the instrument. Physical touching and affection is part of the game. When I direct pieces, especially for the stage, with relationships that are supposed to be intimate or close, like marriages or families, I often use physical touching the blocking to provide that level of intimacy we need to make the relationship believeable. However, I'm shocked that I have to TELL ACTORS to do this. They don't just do it on their own. I am baffled by this continually. I am shocked that the simple act of holding hands is foreign to people. I am shocked that people think that if they kiss a person on stage, that it might lead to indiscretion or that a simple staged kiss could be considered infidelity in their own off stage relationships.

I think it's a question all artists need to think about, because it goes back to the idea of sexuality and its place in the arts. I think that our puritanical viewpoints on sexuality that still exist in our Western Cultures that are born from the Victorian Age still hold some weight in the fact that simple affection is seen as an open door to sex, and that actors ride this interesting moral ground of how they are percieved based on their choices as they surround the idea of sex. We either forwardly or discreetly bemoan the issues of sex when seen on stage or on television or in film, but at the same time we can't look away, and our numbers and dollars seem to indicate people respond to the idea of affection and even the far ends of sexual expression in media and on stage. Hell, what is HAIR known for? Not the soundtrack. It's the nudity. Why do you think Sex and the City stayed so Provocative, when it was really four almost middle aged women talking about their issues. Well, maybe the title had a little to do with it... that and the actual sex.

Hmmm... I'd love to hear y'alls thoughts on this.

Perez Should Retire

2009-06-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is my letter to Perez Hilton:

Dear Perez,

I think it may be time for you to hang it up. I am always a fan of creative folks pushing envelopes (writing is a creative process). You not only push, but you shove and punchthe boundries . You have done this for a while now. You have had countless magazine articles written about you, television appearances, etc. etc. etc. Your website is huge, and I know you make about 200K a year off of it. That is a nice little salary. However, I am sorry to say sweetie, but it looks like the wheels have come off the bus.

You are no longer pushing boundries. You are just pushing your luck. This week should be a testament to the reality that your 15 minutes stretched out over a few years, is finally up.

Let's begin with the fiasco of lies and deceptions you perpetrated as truth on your website about an altercation with Will.i.am. You documented your attack was unprovoked and that he hit you for no reason. Then we found out, you called him a name and it was his manager who hit you, not Will.i.am. Then we saw video of you screaming in Will.i.am's face and calling him derogatory names. These names of course being the vulgar words against the GLBT community you say you have proclaimed you are an advocate for. I have to be honest, in the video I saw, you look like you were about to hit him. It's no wonder that Will.i.am's manager stepped in and hit you.

You chose the path of your life. You wanted to spread 'gossip'. Gossip is one of the most dangerous and destructive behaviors to engage in. We all kind of learned this in junior high. You took your junior high mentalities and made a career out of them. Guess, what? The consequences were that by saying dangerous things about people, you would receive dangerous repercussions. I am actually shocked that this has not happened to you before. It goes to show you that the celebrities you ridicule are classier acts than you are.

I know youwrote a very half hearted apology on your website. I know you pledged to file a lawsuit and donate money to the Matthew Shepherd Fund. It must have been a realy slap in the face when the fund publically issued a statement today that they were refusing your money, because you had such blatant disregard for calling another person that slur. If you didn't realize it, they just called you a hypocrite.

Then yesterday you went way too far again, this was your post prior to you editing it about Michael Jackson:

“We knew something like this would happen!!
Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance from his Holmby Hills home to a nearby Los Angeles hospital on Thursday afternoon!!
Supposedly, the singer went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to administer CPR!!!
His mother is even on the way to visit him!!!
We are dubious!!
Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in ‘95 when he “collapsed” at rehearsal!
He was dragging his heels on that just like his upcoming 50 date London residency at the 02 Arena, of which he already postponed the first few dates!!!
Either he’s lying or making himself sick, but we’re curious to see if he’s able to go on!!!
Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!”

Look, I'm not a Michael Jackson fan. I never even owned an album. But clearly he was ill. You called it a stunt and accused him of being a lyer. Need we remind you ,that earlier in the week, you were caught in a lie?

You must have obviously felt very foolish when Mr. Jackson did end up dying. I noticed you edited your post to ease off you attack. I find it odd that you now have the audacity to actually publish story after story about Michael Jackson's death, a mere 24 hours after defaming him very publically at a what was a crisis moment in his life. It is just simply dis-tasteful.

Perez, you really helped put bloggers on the map. Your hit counts alone, made major media have to pay attention to the reality that Bloggers should be taken seriously as a source of information in this new age of communication. However, your actions this week set us all three steps backwards. As the most public member of the blogging community, you clearly did what so many traditional sources lambaste us for. You spoke without knowing or acknowledging the whole truth.

You, my friend, are as bad as Fox News.

I admit that I have been to your website. However, after this week. I can no longer support the effort of an individual who is doing more to disparage myself as an internet writer than they are to encourage and validate what I do. To the much smaller amount of folks who read my blog as opposed to Perez's.,You can continue to read his if you want. That is your choice. However, people who spew hate and negativity, especially at the expense of others are a real drain on us as a human collective.

Is the DHD Dead?

2009-06-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

I read Deadline Hollywood Daily... daily. I admit it. Her coverage of the rumors about the Union negotiations were pretty much spot on most of the time. While, I disagreed with her take on how the Unions should have handled the negotiations, I think she does provide the closest thing to an accountable moral or ethical compass that Hollywood Big Business can find. She actually covers the people who really make movies and television. Not the celebrities that the traditional media outlets like to fawn over. She tackles the moguls and scrutinizes every little decision or good or bad that they make. That is a good thing. Someone has to.

Today Finke sold her blog. She sold it to the folks who run Mail.com, MMC. The folks at Mail.com had very nice things to say about Finke, even stating she "Raised the bar of entertainment journalism", which to be honest is very true.

However, she would soon be acused of "Selling Out". There was no way around it.

This was her response to that, "Know this: I did not sell out. I really meant it when I said that DeadlineHollywood Daily.com will continue to be an independent editorial voice – and I would retain complete control over everything reported on the website -- so that DHD’s credibility with its readers could remain intact."

I think that Finke is in a tough spot here. She created a fantastic product. A product that sooner or later was going to be bought and purchased by someone with a lot of money. She clearly worked very hard on this website and so she deserves to be paid for it. However, we all know that corporations cannot help but 'tweak' whatever it is that they buy. I think it will be harder for Finke to do what she wants on the site, when she has to answer to someone who has very high expectations. If she does not meet those expectations (let's hope she can) they will want to change things. It's that simple.

So, what do you think? Did she sell out?

P.S. (just to Nikki) Congratulations on being rewarded for your hard work.

P.P.S. Why didn't you post the Press Release I sent you on the NoHo Show? :P

The NoHo Show, Gets Attention

2009-06-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hey the good folks over at www.webmagazine.com featured The NoHo Show on their site. So, if you want to go over check out just simple, click here!

Mick Montgomery wins a Major Award!

2009-06-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am proud to say that at the first every Produced By Conference held at the Sony Pictures Lot and hosted by the Producers Guild of America, that the web show I helped write, direct and produce called "THE NOHO SHOW" won Best Produced Webisode. This was an event to promote up and coming Producers in the medium of Web Series, Documentary and Short Film. We submitted NoHo on the recommendation of a friend and out of over 200 submitted projects, we won. We are very proud and very thankful to our cast and crew for their fine efforts in helping us to make a really great project. A project that can now call itself "Award Winning". I would also like to thank my partners in the project, Scott Phillips and John Schimke for their outstanding work. Producing film projects is no easy taks no matter if they are for the big or small screen. Either way, they are tough.

Finally, SAG Signs

2009-06-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

11 Months after the deal SAG had been working on expired, the membership ratified (overwhelmingly) the latest contract, which is a lot like the contract they saw offered 11 months ago. 80 million dollars in lost revenue later, a slumping economy and a cash strapped industry hampered by an ongoing labor dispute is the new world in which SAG members get to enjoy their 3% raise. You really have to either laugh or cry at the shear stupidity with which SAG handled this negotiation /catastrophe. In Further SAG news, Alan Rosenberg announced he was going to run for a third term as president. Do you hear that? Of course you don't, because it's the silence of no one rejoicing. The only president more dis-liked by their constituents was Bush.

We All Start Somewhere!

2009-06-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation with someone the other day about another fellow creative person who was struggling with the concept of 'paying your dues' in this business of Entertainment ( I love me some gossip). It's funny but no one these days seems to want to work hard for anything. Especially people under the age of 30. I don't blame them. I mean you see someone like Paris Hilton with the brains God gave a rock, who is worth millions, in movies, tv shows, music videos. How did she get there? Well, she won the genetic lottery and became heir to a hotel fortune, and if that wasn't enough... she blew some dude on a video and then put it out on the internet.

So, a lot of folks have a 'role model' for taking the easy train to success. However, there is something to the grind up to success that is so important. I'm no mogul, but I appreciate where I am today more, because I know I earned where I am at through work both as a professional and as an artist. So, to all you out there getting coffee for someone today, who always seems to lose their cell phone or can't work their computer hang in there. Even Bruce Willis knows the value of starting over and starting at the bottom.

The Price of Reality Fame

2009-05-28T12:36:00.001-07:00

This my friends is nota still shot from "Drag Me To Hell". It's a shot of TV Talent Show and Internet sensation, Susan Boyle, who according to reports today, has flipped her bonet under the strain of her newly found fame. So sad. Also, apparently that couple from "Jon and Kate Plus 8" are headed towards divorce, much to their own shock.

I have never quite understood the Reality TV world, or why people want to do it, because in the end 99% of the people who go on these shows are made to look like a fool. I myself back in 2003 was almost on a Reality Show, but I was going to be playing some sort of charade, so I would be acting as a character, but the thought of walking around with cameras following me for 12 - 16 hours a day, just seemed so odd.

It seems to me there are a few types of people on these shows. A) The Truly Undiscovered Talent, B) The Not-So-Talented, who should remain Undiscovered, C) The person who fell ass backwards into an odd situation (like have six kids at once), D) The washed up Celebrity Has-Been trying to make a quick buck and somehow stay on our collective consciousness.

Group A has the best chance of actually making a career entertaining us, but if you look at the darts thrown at folks like Kelly Clarkson (and her growing and shrinking behind) it's still a rough road. The Other Groups are pretty much doomed for complete and utter degradation. Which to me is so odd. Sure, you are famous, but you're famous because of your failure or your general oddness. And it's not like that failure is celebrated by the producers of these shows. It's exploited.

Let's take Jon and Kate. They have 8 children who will have to through at a very young age the difficulty of a broken home. All because their parents chose to put them on television and exploit the circumstances that the children were the product of sextuplets. Now, a family is being torn appart, and while some are sympathetic, the majority of America is relishing the "Drama" and can't wait to see the fall out. That's just sick.

Susan Boyle was originally praised by the media for getting her desserts at an age most people would have settled for the state of their life as it was. Now that same media is picking her apart like vultures, preying upon the difficulties of a woman, who in all honesty, probably had no idea she'd be this well received, nor this lambasted only weeks later.

I undrestand why Reality Shows are made. People watch them, and they are cheap. Yet, I still hate them, and I think the medium has gone from something that could have been quite interesting (episodic documentary film making) to a complete farce of the human condition with zero redemptive qualities.

Admiring A Rooftop Farm

2009-05-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

I found this over on seriouseats.com. We're obviously not a food blog, but I thought this idea for utilizing unused industrial space for farming was incredibly creative and inspiring. So, check out this link and read about a group who planted a whole farm on the roof of an old Bagel Factory.

Here is the Link!

What the....?

2009-05-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

I have no words to describe whatever this is supposed to be. I don't know if it's patriotic. I don't know if it's a sad story about someone dying. I don't know what's happening. I do know that this is one amazing piece of crap. But that's just my opinion. Judge for yourself!

SAG Screwed Itself

2009-05-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

There is right now a lot of hullabaloo over a proposed contract for Primetime TV and Theatrical Release between SAG and AMPTP. The 'sides' or factions that are allied to vote NO and YES are putting out internet videos, writing blogs, holding demonstrations, holding meetings to convince the majority to vote a particular way. We, however, will not see the results of these ballots for a little while. Here are some questions a few people have asked me on the subject.

Will it be ratified? Yes.

Should it be ratified? Not, if you are an actor with a career that precedes 1974 and 9171. For all the others, it's a toss up.

Why will it be ratified? Because everyone is broke. The WGA strike killed income for actors by default from late 2007 through the spring of 2008. A minor window of earning potential opened up between about March of 2008 and June of 2008. Then it closed when SAG failed to do anything about their contract until what will be June of 2009. So, that's (count it) 17 Months of decreased revenue earning potential for SAG working class actors. A year and a half where things have become so bad that A and B list actors are poaching guest starring roles from TV shows, Commericals, and co-starring roles on independent movies, that would have formerly gone to lesser known 'working class actors'.

To make matters worse, the economic downturn has forced Studios to pull back on their budgets and spending, which means that if you live in New York or Hollywood, you're watching potential shows you could have worked on, go out to Toronto, Utah, Michigan, North Carolina, etc. Local actors are being used sparingly in these productions, and you my L.A. friends are not getting these shows back.

The Los Angeles actor who is working today is facing a crisis. The crisis that nothing is shooting in town, and the projects being shot are being out-sourced to cheaper cities. So, to stop the bleeding SAG has to start working again on a new contract so Studios will start shooting in town again. However, you've already lost so much. Just when shows were returning to California after at trend in them leaving to go out state or out of the country, your Union's piss poor negotiating strategy is forcing productions back out of California. Guess what? Your paycheck is going right along with it.

If you had a career in the early seventies, and you have been fortunate to collect some residuals from that old work, you will never see a penny from New Media. As the new deal prevents the studio from having to pay you. So, all you Star Trek stars? You'll never see any money from those shows when they Air on Hulu.com (which by the way, they already are).

The sad part here is, now a deal has to be ratified or actors are going to starve. The bad part is that even after almost a year of negotiation. SAG could not get a better deal than the one they basically had in June of last year. One year of lost pay, for a deal you already had a year ago. That, my friends, is the definition of suck.

Jimmy Kimmel Went Ape Shit

2009-05-20T13:03:00.001-07:00

Upfronts are super key for TV Networks. It is the event where they announce their fall season for advertisers and try to convince them how awesome their new Fall Schedule will be. Usually all the stars show up to give the presentation the WOW factor. So, no surprise, ABC would trot out former Comedy Central Schmubb and current Late Night TV Show host, Jimmy Kimmel. However, what was surprising was the fact taht Jimmy pretty much lost his mind, and said this:

In a “Jerry Maguire”-like moment of clarity, Mr. Kimmel said, “Everything you’re going to hear this week is” nonsense… “These new fall shows? We’re going to cancel about 90 percent of them. Maybe more.” To the ABC advertisers, Mr. Kimmel said, “Every year we lie to you and every year you come back for more. You don’t need an upfront. You need therapy. We completely lie to you, and then you pass those lies onto your clients.” [...]In closing, Mr. Kimmel said, “I think all our shows are going to work this year. I really do.” He paused. “I don’t, really.”Before departing the stage, he said: “The important thing to remember is: who cares, it’s not your money.” [NYT Arts Beat]

Um... what the hell, Jimmy? Talk about throwing egg in everyone's faces. This a P.R. night mare for ABC, because even if the comments were meant to be a joke, it's not the kind of joke I'd tell. This is like going to a birthday party for your boss, at his house, and getting up to give him a toast, and then you decide to make a joke about how he's cheating on his wife with the secretary. Sure, it may be true, but you just don't do it.

FOX and NBC: Reading Between the Lines!

2009-05-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, comments by Chernoff @ Fox caused a bit of riff in what at the time were stalled AMPTP / SAG negotiations. Basically, Chernoff said that FOX would not air repeats on the network at some point in the future. He also said that they would simply shoot the repeated episodes over to Hulu.com for viewing. This of course freaked out SAG actors already nervous about the poor returns from content on the web.

Now, then you look at a statement from NBC on why they were ordering more episodes on shows than last year. That statement basically said that repeats are now getting less and less ratings. The viewers are not tuning into to watch repeated content and that instead, they would just create more shows and move to a year round slate.

Now, of course, when I say repeates, mean current network primetime shows, not the syndicated stuff that comes on after the local news.

So, if this is true. If more content is going to be ordered and created, and the repeats will be out, how does this affect actors. Well, in the short run, it means more jobs for actors, but without that repeat bonus check, you lose a nice amount of pay for your appearance on a show. So, in the end it will mean less money for actors once again. However, this isn't due to the fact that the network is trying to 'stick it' to actors, and screw everyone over by putting content on the web. It just means that the audience doesn't want to watch repeats anymore. And these days with ratings being examined even more thoroughly, Networks will work quickly to stop the bleeding and keep advertising dollars in house.

An Old Friend Dredges Up The Past

2009-05-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

So, I have a friend named Doug Clayton. I have not spoken with him in a while, but he and I have performed together and directed each other. He works for the LA Stage Alliance. He wrote an article that was his take on the "POST SHOW ROUND TABLE" I wrote about months ago. Here it is. He does a nice job summarizing a lot of parts that I left out. So, if you want another take on that incredibly frustrating night, go check it out.

Why So Silent?

2009-05-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, I am a blogger that writes on binges of consistency. I have not posted for a few weeks, and I know that some of you are a little concerned. Let me alleviate your concerns by sharing what I have been up to for the last few weeks. I am sure some of you can relate to how busy your creative / professional life can get at times. So, here's what's happened.

THE NOHO SHOW! The internet series, I write, direct and co-produce aired the final three episodes and we are finally done with our first season. It was a completely rewarding experience to make this project happen and I am very proud of it. Go, check it out at thenohoshow.com !

THE STARTING ZONE! I make play world of warcraft. I enjoy it and I have a wonderful little batch of friends in a guild, and we are all enjoying it. Many of us (like me) are fairly new to the game and we noticed there was not a whole lot of advice or information for new players on the complexities of starting a new character, so my friend Jesse Kobayashi and I started a podcast called, The Starting Zone. It is now seven episodes in and already we have 15K listeners per podcast. That's pretty remarkable for two guys talking WoW over Skype. Feel free to check out the site at thestartingzone.com !

DIARY OF AN ANGRY LIFE COACH! As a screen writer and web content developer, I am always creating new ideas. I recently submerged my writing focus on a new web series I plan to shoot this Summer called, "Diary of an Angry Life Coach". We're getting crews and cast together. If you want to be involved and you life in Los Angeles, comment on this site and we'll get in touch. I hope to have a site up and running by this fall with the episodes releasing weekly.

The Hunt for Gollum

2009-05-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

What you can watch below is a trailer for a completely 100% volunteer made movie that claims to be 'another chapter' in the Lord of the Rings story. Now, I'm not an LOTR nerd or fan boy. The movie's aren't bad, but I'm not going to a convention and dressing up like Boromir. Anyway, I want to put this up, because everyone volunteered their time to make a very high quality movie in terms of production values. While it obviously steals footage and art design inspiration from the Peter Jackson movies, it shows what passion, commitment and skill can create for FREE! I bet Warner Bros New Line is going to try and sue to get this thing put down, but if you want to go check out "The Hunt For Gollum" it opens May 3rd on the Movie Website.

THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM - FULL Trailer 1 from Independent Online Cinema on Vimeo.

American Idol Makes People Bonkers

2009-05-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

People wonder why I do not watch "American Idol". There is a reason. I think people take it way, way too seriously. This a review by Richard Rushfield. Based on the review, my personal image of Mr. Rushfield is basically Perez Hilton mixed with a Jack Russel Terrier with a urinary track infection. After reading, you too, will say the same words that I uttered, "Get a fucking life, Dude." You can't equate a near elimination (not even an elimination) of your favorite contestent with some like, Oh, I don't know... 9/11. I warn you read this with your hands clasped firmly on either side of your head to keep it from exploding with bewilderment.

"We will never know how close “American Idol’s” eighth season came to disaster Wednesday night. Had Adam Lambert been eliminated last night, a grieving nation would have spent all eternity shaking their heads in disbelief, haunted by the specter of what might have been.… In the annals of “Idol” tragedy – grim pages recounting the dark moments of Daughtry, of Hudson, of Grey — tonight could have marked the bleakest chapter yet for our republic. [...]

To take stock — first of all, while we pause, shaken by the almost cataclysm, let us not forget that to avert this disaster, we were forced to make a tragic Sophie’s choice, giving to Angel of Death Seacrest one of the most likable talents ever to grace the Idoldome. The judges’ use of the wild card and the save on Matt will go down, as Kara said, as the judges’ profiles in courage, bestowing a young man of grace, panache and good humor on our nation."

Design Us A LOGO!

2009-04-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hey! We're doing a little contest for all you folks who love to design logos. ART OF FUNCTION would love a cool new logo to replace the template header for the Page. However, we want to show off our readers awesomeness as well. So, if you want to take a stab at a logo, leave a comment and we'll figure out how to get in touch!

Sweet Pizza Box, Pizza Dude!

2009-04-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

When we first started ART OF FUNCTION, we posted a lot about thoughtful useful design concepts. (Remember the Jimi Wallet Posts?). Well we sill love a product that has some really cool features, simple and intelligent design, and is something everyone can appreciate or use. So, here's a video about the Pizza Box of the future. If I only had this in college, I wouldn't have had to invent "The Pizza Shelf" in my closet. Don't ask.

Where's the Risk?

2009-04-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

I'll get to all the furor over wage earnings going due to the on-going on-line debate between Todd Collins and Mike Daisey in another post. However, standing back, I'm looking at both their points. Daisey contends that actors, designers, directors are suffering deteriorating wages. Collins contends that theater staff and administrators are seeing their wages deteriorating.

So, it seems we're all in the shit. And we can blame the economy, but I can tell you from experience money in Theater has been going backwards since 2000 (a year prior to 9/11).

So, why are we finger pointing at the family making theater happen? Shouldn't we be (for lack of a better term) be pointing the finger at our audience? Or to be even more specific, educating our audience about the need for theater in this country? I don't think that patrons are simply turning away, dying off, or giving us the finger for no good reason. I just think they don't know how great theater is, and to be honest... We're not giving them much of a reason to learn.

Seriously, we're barely ever discussed in the greater National Discussion. Our critics (our only voice in traditional print media) are being fired right and left from major news papers. Houses are closing right and left, and what are we doing around the country to compensate. We're playing it safe. That's what. We're so scared that everything will collapse, we're not even putting out the art that gets the audience excited about theater.

And what's even worse, we're making safe choices and trying to convince ourselves that they're risks. For example, Sorry, to bash any of you who are putting August Wilson on your seasons, but putting August Wilson on you season and calling that your 'big risk'. Are you fucking kidding me? August Wilson is one of the most well regarded play wrights in the history of American Theater. That's like putting Tennessee Williams or Neil Simon on your season of shows and saying, "That's a big risk." *sarcastically* Oh, we might have a cast of all African American actors on our stage and talk about racism. Look at the Risk we're taking this season." Please, what is this 1952?

We're not making theater that truly lights up the National Perspective and drives people back to the theater in a passionate way! What was the last show that did that? RENT? Way back in the 90's? (and before you bring up Spring Awakening, please, consider, that the only people who know about that show are theater nerds. The public at large has no idea what that show is or even about.)

We're trucking out the same old product across the board and expecting the audience to get excited about seeing Damn Yankees for the 300th time. We've got to take bigger risks with our theater. We need to really create (for lack of a better term) controversy with the Art on the stage.

Theater managers are so worried about putting off their audience in this 'turbulent economy' that they are playing it safe, and guess what? The audience is bored. And before someone like Todd responds to me saying, "But but but... we have to save the theater and keep the doors open or no one will have a job!"

That viewpoint is like the captain of a ship telling his crew to repair sails, when the bow of the ship is already submerged in the water.

We need big important, social commenting, wildly entertaining shows right now. This is why we're all seeing the money and the audience disappear. To be honest, right now, theater is fairly boring.

The World's Biggest Cheeto

2009-04-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know what's worse. The fact that the makers of Cheetos came up with the concept of packaging "The World's Largest Cheeto" as a snack food item or the fact that Adam from Gizmodo ate the damn thing. This is the Canned Hamburger all over again, but with more sickening sound effects. Enjoy!

World's Largest Cheeto and the Optimus Maximus from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

AOF Changes the Template... again

2009-04-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

We never really loved the old template. So, we've changed to something a little more simple. Hope you understand, that you're still visiting the same site written by the same guy wearing the same pair of crocs.

Daisey and HTFA Still Stirring the Pot

2009-04-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

When Mike Daisey unleashed his monologue "How Theater Failed America" it pretty much set the theater world on fire. Many folks working in theater felt unjustly vilified or indicted by the piece. Many felt that finally someone was speaking out against imbalances and stupidity that had been running rampant through out the world of theater for years. The result of the impassioned points of view??? Lots of discussion, debates and yelling via the internet occurred. So, it was no surprise that some craziness was about to crop up after Daisey took HTFA out for a nation wide tour a few months back. You will recall we had a little heat in the theater blogosphere due to our comments on the Round Table Discussion held after Daisey's L.A. performance.

Now, a guy in Florida who runs an Equity Theater has decided it's his turn to throw a great big rock @ Daisey. Todd Olson is The Producing Artistic Director for a Theater in Florida called the American Stage Theater Company. I always cringe when I see some poor soul with the title Producing Artistic Director. Producing Director and Artistic Director are two separate jobs. So, when I see some person with the 'merged title', I immediately think to myself, they are either some poor schelp who has to do both jobs, because there isn't the budget to pay two people, OR they are in all regards a control freak. But I digress, Mr. Olson basically challenges Daisey to 'balance his budget' and do exactly what he claims should be done in his piece. Pay Actors a fair an equitable wage, while also getting the audience in the door. He 'challenges' Daisey to take up his offer, and if Daisey can do it, he will produce Mike's next show. And if he cannot, then Daisey has to stop railing against the state of regional American Theater. Theirback and forth can be read on MikeDaisey.com.

So, we may be in for another round of discussion about this topic. I, for one, am anxious to see if anyone has changed their model based on what Daisey started a year ago. I hope a new conversation pops up on the radar. Travis Bedard jumps in with his thoughts on this re-examination of the inferno known as "How Theater Failed America." It's a good read go check it out.

My issue in this exchange is the odd train of thought that Todd Collins seems to be riding. You see in my world, the theater is the Actors Medium. It's a place for actors, built by actors and the theater staff should be there to support them. However, in this country the actors are often times the last folks considered when it's time to hand out paychecks. I often hear theater managers talk about how they need all this staff to run a theater, and that of course drives up the budget. If you follow their logic, you need a full time staff person to, run the box office, market the shows, develop business relationships, manage and maintain the technical equipment, manage the facilities, and of course an office manager. So, if you look at that, and you say pay everyone 40K a year, that's a budget of 240K a year for the admin staff. That's a lot of dough. However, Producing Artistic Directors often claim they 'need this'. And without the staff the theater would crumble into oblivion. However, instead of employing multi talented artists to full fill these jobs, they often employe folks without any formal theater training. I remember working at a very well known regional theater, and one day at a company meeting the new 'development' person walked in the room. She had just been hired to drum up some funding for the company. She told us, she'd never really been into theater or studied it, but she knew how to glad hand business owners. She lasted all of a year I think before she ran screaming to another job.

Collins seems more quick to defend the need for his marketing staff and development staff, than to admit to the great white elephant no Producer of theater in this country really wants to admit. These days in theater, you pay everyone but the actors. This is the case in L.A., where I have often heard people say, "We got to pay the stage manager! But when it boils back to paying the actors, everyone will say, "Eh, they get to perform, that's payment in and of itself."

I think this concept of pay the actor last is what really fuels the angst in Daisey's piece. It's also the self indicting message that pisses folks like Todd Collis off, because ole Todd thinks he's doing the right thing. He is keeping the theater up and running. Hence the conflict, Daisey feels the actor is the whole reason the theater exists, and to be honest, he's right. Todd, sees the actor as a whiney baby who will never be satisfied with what they get. Todd has to have his staff so that the actor has a place to perform.

It's an interesting discussion, and I for one hope that Mike takes HTFA out every year so that every year theater producers both large and small get a good ole kick in the nutsackeroo, and have to look themselves in the mirror and think, "Hmmm without actors I have no product. If that's the case, why do I treat them like shit, and I lick the buttocks of my marketing guy, who got us 100 more subscribers this year." It's the theater equivolent of which came first? The chicken (the actor) or the egg (the theater staff).

What Daisey isn't pointing out here, and I think I'll be the one to talk about the Actors White Elephant... there are WAY TOO MANY ACTORS! With the market of 'product' available to producers (i.e. the actors) glutted the producers can continue to pay low wages or no wages to actors, who are willing to take them because it's all that they can get. I'm not calling for a UNION, because, Lord, knows we have several and they all suck. What I am calling for is a thinning of our acting herd. There needs to be less of us out there, because if we continue to offer up a smorgasborg of talent, there will never be enough pieces of pie to go around.

The Result of Airhead Alan and Dumb Dumb Doug

2009-04-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

So, what was the real fall out of the nine month SAG vs AMPTP fiasco? Well, you are an employee with SAG (you know the office staff), you're wondering if you are about to get a pink slip. Today David White (interim SAG Director) announced that SAG would be cutting 35 of the 440 staff positions this month. Apparently, there is a 6 million dollar gap that needs to be shored up. Could that gap be the result of down dues, due to the fact that no one has been working because of the prolonged negotiations? Well, according to White, that is exactly what has happened. You have to feel for White. He's like the Obama admistration trying to fix all the damage caused by the Bush Administration. It's like this guy was stuck with the check, and didn't even get to eat any of the food.

Will the Deal Get Done? SAG vs AMPTP

2009-04-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

So I decided to take a full weekend off, and of course as I'm running errands Friday afternoon trying to pull together a full weekend of culinary wonder (I cook for my family, and I love doing it) I hear the news across the old AM 1070 in Los Angeles, that the AMPTP (producers) and SAG (actors) have finally reached an agreement. I stop my car, bounce over to KCRW, and I hear th same story. Sunday night, the National Board narrowly approved the new contract for recommendation for ratification by the membership. This means Ballots will go out to the members and they will FINALLY get a shot at voting on someting after 9 months of complete and utter Fuckery.

Oh, and this great deal SAG worked so hard to get? Looks almost exactly like the one on the table in January. Shocker!

So, I expected to go onto sites today and hear all kinds of Membership First Vitriol about the new deal, and blah blah blah. I am sure five 'hardliners' for membership first are 'protesting' their little hearts out somewhere in Hollywood today, wearing their 'I Heart Alan' t-shirts. I swear, I think the membership first people are more in love with creating drama and doing 'Uniony Stuff' like picketing than they are in love with making money and getting a shot to audition in more than 2 Feature Films this year. Back to the original point of the paragraph, I expected a lot of HATE today, and the reason there isn't a lot of hate, is because the ding bats in the 'moderate' group decided to let the Membership First yahoos deliver a 'CON Statement' to coincide with their 'PRO Statement' in favor of the contract.

However, some folks feel that despite a fight that still needs to be waged by the membership over the vote, the fatigue of this long... whatever the hell it was... (negotiation?) will result in a very narrow ratification.

The losses in revenue to SAG members personally is well documented. What isn't is the millions of dollars Alan Rosenberg and Doug Allen squandered in trying to control the message about the negotiations and de-rail the current negotiation task force's efforts to get a quick resolve done.
The damage to SAG financially and in spirt, is so vast, I doubt that SAG can ever recover from this botched contract negotiation. Hopefully this will all run it's course now, and end. Then we can all get back to work doing what we love.

Alan Rosenberg Is an Idiot

2009-04-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

This article came out today in Variety. It details the amazing stupidity of Alan Rosenberg, elected president of SAG, whose term of office ends this year. Rosenberg has not announced whether or not he has decided to run for re-election, but from where I sit, SAG members should be praying that he decides he's had enough and walks away. The man by all accounts is a complete and utter F-TARD.

Here is a quote from Variety's article, quoting a letter Big Dumb Al wrote in the official SAG magazine, "I truly believe we would have had a deal last summer if this faction had not undermined our efforts and de-leveraged us against our real opponent: management." The faction he is talking about is the Unite For Strength folks, and their 'efforts to de-leverage' are a reference to the anit-strike vote campaign they launched as well as the aggressive efforts that lead to Alan Rosenberg's own faction, Membership First, losing seats on the National Board.

Alan fails to realize that when going 'into battle' with the AMPTP over the new contract SAG had no leverage to begin with. Hollywood had endured a 100+ day WGAstrike that poked a lot of holes in the wallets of many actors in the guild. Those actors didn't want to strike, and everyone on the planet (except Big Al, and his partner Dumb Dumb Doug Allen) knew it. There was no way that strike vote would have ever passed. Guess who also knew it? AMPTP. So, they were quite comfortable to sit on their hands, do nothing and wait for SAG to rip itself apart internally, which, shocker of all shockers, has happened. NOTE TO ALAN: If you believe you have a strike vote in hand, you don't let your contract expire and tell the members to keep working. You strike when it expires, Dumb Ass! When you didn't do that, everyone with half a brain knew that strike would never come. So, you can blame UFS as much as you want, but the members (outside of Membership First) are not stupid. So, don't try to re-write history. Don't try to Crown yourself Emporer and walk down the street naked, thinking no one will notice.

He also shoots below the belt when calling out those who are sitting on the Board today, "A slim majority of members, most of whom have not worked much as professional actors, and do not live in Los Angeles, hold a slight majority and call the shots for those who are working and who rely on SAG wages and residuals to support their families," Rosenberg said. Wow, now he's calling out the careers of the people sitting on the board. Nice. (Full disclosure: Rosenberg has consistently worked throughout his career in television and film).

Rosenberg has now let his ego soar so high, he's rallied his 'troops' at Membership First, who blindly follow him as some Messianic Prophet to their own wage earning deaths, to vote no on any ratification of ANY DEAL proposed by the current leadership, no matter the details of the contract. The shear stupidity, stubborness, and ridiculousness of this type of maneuver rates so high an the retard scale, one would wonder if the Memebership First hardliners are simply a mass of mouth breathers, who need assistance each morning to tie their shoes.

Notice that Rosenberg has never ever discussed the amount of wages lost during this contract stalemate. Notice he hasn't said anything that for actor living in Los Angeles, it must be tough to make any money when all the productions are leaving town due to this freaking stalemate, and that in the fiscal 2009 year, only 2 feature films have been shot by studios. Notice he isn't talking about the millions of dollars of lost revenue that SAG members will never ever get back. Notice he isn't talking about the fact that more and more Primetime television shows are moving over to AFTRA contracts. He isn't talking about this, because it's on his watch. He will go down as the SAG President who completely bankrupted the Union, and he doesn't have the decency to admit that his term as SAG Prexy has been by all accounts a dismal failure.

What are Unions for? Are they not to protect the wage earning ability of the members in the best and worst of times? I site fellow entertainment Union IATSE as a somewhat fair comparison, as they are 'working class folks', whose only major wage earning difference is that below the line talent (grips, sound techs, set builders, etc.) are not eligible for residual income. IATSE has not been on strike nor have they blustered in the media about how terrible the AMPTP is, etc. etc. etc. They simply negotiate better rates for their members each and every term without having to make empty threats or striking.

So, if a successful Union keeps it's members earning more money at every contract even in hard economic times, what does that say about SAG and Alan Rosenberg? SAG is a Union who has operated on an expired contract for close to 9 months. A Union that has lost far more revenue than it could hope to gain by chasing the myth that there is tons of money 'on the internet'. It is a Union in financial trouble, and it is a Union about to lose it's premier status to it's sister Union AFTRA. This all happened while Alan Rosenberg was in the hot seat, while he was in charge. He can point the finges al he wants, but at some point doesn't the buck stop somewhere?

SAG vs AMPTP: April Update!

2009-04-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

This article was posted at Variety.com on Sunday. It details how 'back channel' talks have been on-going between SAG and AMPTP. What this really means is Tom Hanks and George Clooney have somehow once again got the head honchos at the studios and networks in a dark room in the bowels of Hollywood to talk with the SAG leaders. This has been done outside of the watchful media eye. Some are citing that as early as Tuesday a deal may be announced ending almost 9 months of back and forth ridiculousness. I have only two things to say. First, the damage has been done. Second, I'll believe it when I seet.

The Reponse: The Post Show Round Table PART 2

2009-04-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

Mike Daisey himself picked up on the chatter my response in a post here last week about the post show round table discussion I just had to attend, following Daisey's performance of "How Theater Failed America." He was kind enough to repost on his website.

I did forget to share with you all my favorite quote from the Round Table that was somewhat inspiring. One of the audience members (very passionate, man) said this about the state of theater in Los Angeles, "This is our Fucking Church, People. We better start telling people about it." So, true. So, true.

Tell Me What You Are Doing!

2009-04-03T13:56:00.001-07:00

Hey, guess what! I like supporting my readers. I like to know what my readers are doing out there. I know that I'm not the only creative person struggling to do what I enjoy in this world. So, please, email me via the link, leave a comment post, or you can reply to me @ www.twitter.com/mickmontgomery. Tell me about your own blog, your play, your comedy act, your own creative outlet, or product, maybe you work for a non-profit... Whatever it is! I want to help you get the word out about your play or art show. I'll give you a little bumperoo here on Art of Function! Because that's what we creative types need to do for each other! Just give me the details in full, the old where, what and when.

So, Come on, folks! TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!

NERD ALERT

2009-04-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, Folks!

Your Friendly neighborhood Art Blogger actually does more in his spare time than rant and rave about the state of acting and the like in this country. I'm a bit of a gamer,as I'm sure long time readers know. It's one of my hobbies. I recently started playing World of Warcraft or "WoW" to the initiated. And, yes, I can confirm you can actually play the game casually and have a great time. No, need to devote your life to it.

Recently, I was asked to participate in a bi-monthly podcast about WoW called, "The Starting Zone". I recorded episode 1 and it is available via iTunes, or you can check it out at the website, www.thestartingzone.wordpress.com.

You're probably saying... How does your gaming Lifestyle jive with your whole approach to the arts and the like... my answer is... it just does. I think the word Artist and Nerd pretty much go hand in hand.

The Reponse: The Post Show Round Table

2009-03-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

My disillusionment is pervasive...

The Post from last week, "The Post Show Round Table" has provoked some dialogue, which is all I hope for with this blog.

We had a nice little bump from rising theater blogger Dennis Baker on his site. Dennis was the friend that clued me into Mike Daisey in the first place.

Scott Walters picked up on the post, I'm guessing from DB and he posted his response which I post below. It's a response to my response.

Then someone from Articles About Everything re-posted it on their website. If you don't want to do the clicky clicky deal on the links, I'll repost the text for you, Lazy Bone Jones. (But, please, do the clicky clicky, we all need the clicks, and these folks have some good thoughts in their noggins).

"As has been the case for the past two years, Mike Daisey continues to provoke long-overdue reflection and questioning on the part of artists. Theatre artists have a single kneejerk response to every problem: give us more money. Or, in lieu of that, the other knee jerks “we need better marketing.” When i reality, we need to do a Cartesian rethinking of the whole thing from the ground up. Peter Brook gave us a good starting point with the first lines of The Empty Space: “I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.” Three elements: a place, an actor, and an audience. What Brook fails to mention is the relationship between the three, which is what we need to be doing right now. I would argue that the connection needs to be ongoing, committed, and interactive. As Wendell Berry says in an interview in Conversations with Wendell Berry, “”I think art comes about in answer to a need. At least, mine does. The community needs to talk about itself, needs to remember itself. It needs to recall significant things that have happened, and to mull them over and figure out what the significance is.” In this case, “itself” embraces the three points of Brook’s triangle: place, artist, audience. It is a three-way conversation that takes place over time. Berry sees the artist not as “an isolated, preeminent genius who materializes ideas from thin air, but as a person who has been in a community a long time, has been attentive to its voices…and who is prepared to pass on what has been heard. There are two things the artist must do: pass on all this is involved — the art, the memory, the knowledge. And take responsibility for his or her own work — that is the reason the work is signed, and that should be the only reason.” Responsibility, not credit; humility, not self-aggrandizement. Mick Montgomery made this realization, and it made him hang his head. That is the first step. The next step is to raise your head, look around, and start listening to the people around you."

Here is what I glean from this... and I may be way off base... but it's my blog so... here goes.

We're the artists. We're making the theater. If the theater is broken. It's our job to fix it. New models have to be introduced, they have to be born into this world. No government, no Artistic Director, No Donor is going to fix the problem, the hole, we have dug for ourselves. We let this happen. So, I guess we have the ability to take back the control.

I'm not a theater tycoon. I'm not lucky like Jeremy Piven, where I can throw away opportunites to walk along the great white way. I've performed for audiences of thousands and audiences of 2. My theater career has always been more about 'doing the work' and less about the big pay check. (Although, I'm not averse to big paychecks).

However, now that I can see my ability to 'do the work' is in jeopardy, I am thankful that more and more voices like Mike Daisey's, and Dennis Baker, and the folks at "Articles About Everything" are talking about this. I guess we need to stop talking and stop doing or it's just going to get worse.

The Post Show Round Table

2009-03-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

I almost titled this post, "My Disillusionment".

You'll understand if you read on. If you have been paying attention, you know I went to see Mike Daisey on Friday. (Read Me and Mike Daisey Part 2). What I didn't tell you in that post was what happened afterwards. When I took my seat for the show one of the ushers addressed the crowd and informed us that a special round table discussion, hosted by Daisey, would take place following the show. The topic? The state of theater in Los Angeles. The participants? 10 illuminaries in Los Angeles Theater and anyone else who wanted to stay. I wish, I could tell you I paid really close attention to the names, but I didn't. Suffice to say, reps from Center Theater Group, Odyssey, Cornerstone, were on the stage as well as a critic from the L.A. Weekly and someone representing the LA Stage Alliance. These were some key figures in the Landscape of Los Angeles theater. Also, that night in attendence in the audience were some critics I recognized as well as some theater producers I knew. It was a pretty good cross section of personalities from our theater world.

A Little perspective before I write on... Los Angeles is a really unique 'theater town' in that despite having the largest concentration of actors in the United States, it's probably the fourth or fifth town on the list when it comes to Theater. New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. have more successful and thriving theater communities with better developed audiences. Seattle, San Fransciso, Miami also routinely juxtapose L.A. for being true 'theater towns'. Our theater is divided into primarily two categories, super huge institutional and corportized theaters, or... really small ma and pa shops relegated to self described theater districts around town (i.e. NoHo, Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood, Culver City??). Mid Level - regional houses are the rarity. The Colony and the Falcon being two that stand out. So, the pickings for making a living doing theater in this town is slim to none. Theater, culturally, for the actor in Los Angeles, is something to do to keep up your chops or challenge yourself artistically. It's something to do, when you're not doing anything in front of a camera. No one comes to Los Angeles as an actor to do theater. There just isn't enough money to be made here in it. We even have a 'showcase' clause in the equity contract that allows union actors to play for small houses of 99 seats our less. The idea of a sustained resident ensemble is rarely ever practiced, when you compare it to the over 100 plus 'companies in town' that are membership / dues driven. Yes, that's actors paying to play on stage. You throw in the wide real estate gaps in town, under developed audience and the incredible diverse and distinct cultures in the South and Eastern Regions of L.A. and you have a recipe for tremondous untapped potential that continues to remain... untapped.

Many years ago, I was asked to run for a position as Producing Director for a company in town called the Actors Co-Op. It was a company with two 99 seat equity waiver theaters. It was supported by an institution and further subsidized by membership dues. My dream was to try and figure out how to transistion the Co-Op into a company that paid a fair and competetive wage to the actors. I could only manage this, by coming to a special agreement with Equity on wages, having longer runs, and expanding 50% of the budget to education. This would have come at the cost of completely shifting the culture of the company from what it had been for almost 11 years. I realized that my dream of creating a theater that supported the community through education and entertainment, while supporting artists through fair wages was just that... it was a dream. So, I pushed my idea of education, but ultimately the job went to someone who was interested in maintaining status quo.

Thus this is the problem with theater in Los Angeles. It needs to change today, but no one wants to give up what is here now, despite how broken the model is.

The idea of a theater servicing the community through education and entertainment is the basis of what I feel is the regional theater model. A theater crops up in a town and locally invests in the citizens. The theater holds classes for youth and adults, while putting up shows. The education allows for grant money to be obtained, while also acting as an incredible marketing tool to children and their parents. Eventually the class transition to touring education shows and in house children's theater productions. This is how I feel you do theater right. The main stage provides the large adult oriented entertainment. The education provides the developed audience of subsribers. The last ingredient is heavy volunteer efforts from the local community to be ushers and ticket takers.

In Los Angeles, there are maybe three houses trying to do this model. They are succeeding. Everything else is not. And it's these houses, that constantly complain about not having enough money, not having enough press, and not having enough audience. Guess what, these were the 10 people sitting on the stage Friday night with Mike Daisey (with the exception of Cornerstone). I listened to someone from the Odyssey say the words that spell the down fall of all theaters in this country... "I don't want to do Children's Theater, I want to do the Art I want to do."

My message to those folks running theater in this town is... "Guess what? That's not your job." The job of the theater is to support it's audience and community, not exist soley for the purpose of indulging the creative proclivities of the artists entrusted with running the stage. Artistcally, I may want to do a season filled with "True West" and "End Game" and the like, where I could star in or direct them all, but that's not my job as the steward of the theater. My job is to embrace my community for who they are, and then go from there. I'm not saying this is soley doing Children's Theater, but it's about engaging your audience where they are at, not asking the audience to engage you where you are at. Theater is about people, audiences and artists sharing things together. Theater is not about a building or a 'great space' or subscriptions. The theater is the product of the people coming to it, not the other way around. We don't understand that here in Los Angeles.

We have an entity like Center Theater Group that has more money than it knows what to do with, and sucks all the focus of the media, so that it's hard for a regional theater to grow in an area like say, Culver City (one of the few towns in L.A. perfect for a regional theater model). It's like a great Black Hole sucking all the resources into it. Yet, if asked, who is your audience, I doubt the marketing team could tell you. It's because they pull everyone's audience into a mixed grab bag that is just enough to keep their subscriptions up and attract out of town productions to their stages.

I found it ironic that Mike Daisey railed against theaters trying to 'get more money' to solve all their problems with paying artists in his piece, and then comedically, 10 minutes after the show when he asked his panel, what would you need to make big changes to the theater culture in L.A. the first answer out of someone's mouth was... "We need more money."

I sat in my chair and hung my head. Did they not listen to the show?

It's not the money that is the issue. It's our model. Maybe theater needs to be less capitalized and more socialized. Maybe the City should figure out how to support the Theater Arts in L.A. like they support the visual arts. Maybe we do need $5 dollar theater Wednesdays. Maybe we need A Theater Alliance that truly correlates resources and marketing stragies. We have a city with a School District crying out for subsidized arts education, yet no one is there to help that process along. And here I sit asking myself, "What the Fuck is everyone doing? Why doesn't anyone understand how to make this work?" How come people in Portland or San Diego get it, but the place I live, where some of the most talented people in the world are living, can't figure it out?

Los Angeles Theater is the great disconnect. The Theater Community fails to understand the audience, and thus it fails to understand itself. Everyone is just scrambling for crumbs, no one is building relationships with each other through the art. The solutions are so simple. That's probably why I'm so frustrated.

Me and Mike Daisey (Part 2)

2009-03-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

Friday night I made the three block walk to the Kirk Douglas. The K.D. is one of the theaters in the Center Theater Group cadre, which if you didn't know is the collection of big profitable equity theaters in Los Angeles. The wife and I walked into the incredibly polished lobby of the K.D. and I was blown away by how many folks were waiting for the doors to open. That is not a knock against Mike Daisey. I know he's very popular, and the show "How Theater Failed America" is an incredibly important work of theater. However, I was surprised because it's been a while since I have seen an audience buzzed like this audience for a performance.

I shouldn't have been shocked at the buzz, since every town that has seen this show goes completely bonkers after Daisey rolls in with his brash and bigger than life indictments of the state of theater in America, and how those who control theater in this country are in essence ruining it and dismantling it before our very eyes. None the less, you may ask yourself, well, what is this show about? Why is it so important?

I'll let Mike Summarize the thesis of the show in his own words, "The principal argument is that the theatrical establishment in America has lost sight of the values that led to the establishment of regional theaters, and in its place are institutions that value buildings over artists, isolation over engagement and corporate growth over artistic development. On top and in part because of this is a shrinking and aging audience base, which has led to an art form in contraction, with less and less audience every year. We pay artists and workers starvation wages and make it impossible for a national theater to take root here, while at the same time engaging in orgies of building construction that defy logic or sense. We have forgotten that the play's the thing — the show attempts to illustrate that with stories from my years working in theaters across the country, and tries to shake us from our slumber. "

So, you may be saying to yourself, "Wow, Mick, this sounds like a real barn burner of a good time," sacrasm dripping from your tongue. Well, dear reader, it's all in the delivery. Daisey incorporates personal and intimate musings and stories from his own life into the thesis narrative in order to shape and illuminate the point to it's highest impact. Whether it be his raucous and hilarious tale of doing 'garage theater' in the late 90's Seattle, or his truly personal and tragic discussion about teaching high school theater in Western Maine, each discussion high lights each bit of the overall message. And that message is clear, it's getting really hard to make theater happen in this country.

So, what was my reaction. Well, this post isn't a review of the show. It really can't be. If I were to critique the show for what it is, it would take away from what the show did to me personally as I sat in Row G Seat 10, clutching my jacket and sitting on the edge of my seat. At some point I stopped evaluating the lights, and the minimalistic set, and the performer, and I just let the message of it all wash over me.

I was inspired by the show. It really hit me, in my guts as I draw so many parallels in my own theater career to Mike Daisy's. I too started a fledgling theater company straight out of college. I too taught high school students theater while still in college. His stories about Seattle Garage Theater sound a lot like my days producing and performing theater in North Hollywood. The funny part was, I'm not alone. The audience around me were equally plugged in, equally enthralled, equally saddened and equally inspired by the piece. The fact that so many theater artists had gathered for this show to hear the message, did what no organization or conference in Los Angeles has been able to do, unite us all for one night. Unite us under a cloud of personal self reflection on what we are all doing as theater professionals and how it impacts our own personal theater world.

All of this from a performer who simple sits behind a desk, with a glass of water and a small collection of notes... a single poignant lamp stage left. Mike Daisey was for a night, our hero, our voice and yet at the same time, he was there to indict us to our crime. Allowing theater to fail America, an ultimately, fail us all. This show hangs heavy on me. Now I have to figure out what I should do about that.

Follow Me on Twitter!

2009-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hey are you on Twitter? I know that's probably an annoying question. I have a friend who is completely 100% averse to all online socializing and social networks. So, when this person is asked, "Hey are you on Facebook?" or "Hey are you on MySpace?".... they usually roll their eyes and launch into a 15 minute lecture on safety, security, 'actual human contact'... it's as bad as listening to vegetarians proselytize to meat eaters.

However, if you're reading this, I bet you're not one of the S.N.A.'s (Social Network Averters) and you actually engage in some online socializing. By now you've noticed our little Twitter Feed in the upper left hand side of the page. Now, I am not new to Twitter. While it is now getting a huge bump in terms of users, I've had my account for about two years. I try to tweet or twit or whatever you want to call it... daily. If you want to follow me on Twitter, then go over to www.twitter.com/mickmontgomery and follow me. Message me afterwards to let me know you are following me, and I will probably add you to my list of people I am following. Social Network Loop... complete!

Oh, and for the fun of it... Steven Colbert decided to coin a new term for posting updates on twitter that is fairly original, but some people might have a problem with it. Check it out for yourself by going here.

Me and Mike Daisey

2009-03-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that Los Angeles has seen the arrival of Mr. Mike Daisey in Los Angeles. I was alerted to the upcoming run of "How Theater Failed America" by my good friend, Mr. Dennis Baker of www.dennisbaker.net. I went to the link to happily discover that Mr. Daisey will be performing at the Kirk Douglas Theater a mere stone's throw from the expansive Montgomery Estates. Theater has become a luxury in the Montgomery household as of late. This is not just due to the enconomy, but mostly due to the arrival of my Son eight months ago. So, I shall be dining at our favorite Ford's Filling Station and then catching the show. I shall post about the experience after the weekend.

SAG vs AMPTP: The Elephant Discussion

2009-03-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

John "Working Class Actor" (love that term) has put out a video on YouTube, that he hopes will call attention to some of the issues that SAG actors need to be aware of when examining what the AFTRA contract allows AFTRA members to do... which is work on non-union webisodes. John is basically sounding the alarm, that a massive influx on webisodic productions have stormed the casting sheets since the AFTRA deal was signed, and many actors in the Union are working these 'webisodes'. He feels this is terrible for the Unions, because it's undermining the wage scale for middle class actors. But don't take my word for it, take his:

Okay, so John makes a valid point, but it's somewhat unfortunately uninformed. He clearly doesn't understand the web content business as it stands today. He doesn't understand how you make money on the web, and that the money to be made is so small it barely can cover production costs. A lot of actors think that "New Media" is this gold mine where money is just churning out right and left from sites like Hulu or YouTube. They think there is the same money on the web as their is in traditional broadcast, and I have news for you... it's far from the same. We'll get to that later. What John's point of view demonstrates is an dangerous short sightedness actors have when it comes to their pay check. That is, they can only see what's on their paycheck and not the bigger industry picture, or more importantly how the whole industry makes money.

David Lawrence does a good job below explaining that you can't pay union scale when you don't have any money to even pay yourself. As a producer of Webisodic content, I can attest, there's no money in this... but I'll save that for later. However, David does a great job explaining this very point, as well as encapsulating the state of the current rise in internet content and how how 'profitable' it all is.

What David points out that John fails to realize is that the webisodic content that has surged on the casting sites is 'additional' opportunities that exist on top of what the Studios and Networks are already doing... that's not cutting into your pay or your market, it's adding to it. And if these 'independent' souls can even pay an actor $100.00 a day, God Bless them. Here's Jeff a webisodic producer discussing what it's like producing web content, and how much 'money' there is in it.

So, now you have an idea of how much "Money" is out there to be made. It's not a whole lot.

However, John is also uninformed from the stand point of what is made from Web Content vs Traditional Broadcast Television. That is not a small difference, it's a huge difference. What actors in the Unions have to realize is that if they do not give the internet market time to grow, time to find an audience so that advertisers will buy more expensive shares of ad space... this market will never develop into the full fledged money machine it can be. I'm not really good with Math, but David Lawrence is... and he was kind enough to put out another video explaining this.

If you look at what the Unions are 'fighting' for it seems ridiculous. You can't ask for scale, when the revenue the project generates doesn't even make money to pay scale. If you force the studios and networks to do this, guess what? They'll stop making content for the web, and that potential revenue for actors in the Unions will dry up.

John from the first video makes this statement, "If we give it away now, we'll never get it back. This industry has never given us back what we have freely given away." I would say to John that at this point, you have nothing to give away. Your Union has no jurisdiction over independently produced web content, nor does any of your bi-laws discuss web content. It's fair game for any actor to self produce or participate in something like this, if they feel it will benefit them. So, since you don't have jurisdiction now, how can you 'give it away'? You can't plain and simple.

What is really happening today is that all this mis-information out there, is stalling a process that is actually legitimately taking money out of actors pockets. Actors have lost much more money at this point than they could have hoped to have gained, and it will never be made back. As I have said many times on this blog, the time for pig-headedness is over.

Movie Review: The Watchmen

2009-03-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

I don't do a whole lot of these, but here we go... movie review time.

Director Zack Snyder thrilled audiences with a big screen brawn and blood filled adaptation of Frank Millers '300' in 2006. The money maker netted ye' ole Brothers Warner a fat wad of cash and Mr. Snyder carte blanche to direct whatever he wanted to direct next. Snyder quickly pegged another WB / DC property to be his next Graphic Novel Screen Adaptation. The Novel in question quickly lit up all the Fanboys across the Globe, when it was confirmed Snyder would take on the Holy Grail of Comic Book Literature, Alan Moore's "The Watchmen".

While Moore would do his usual poo pooing of the project as he has done to other screen adaptations of his work, Snyder still decided to do a painstakingly accurate portrayal of the Spawling U.S. Historical Revisionist tale of the Cold War climate in the mid-1980's. As production continued to grind on and character stills, screen shots, and a trailer were leaked to the public folks were wondering if THE WATCHMEN would prove to be another huge success.

The story isn't simple. The main timeline picks up in 1985 in a world where Richard Nixon has been elected to a 4th term as U.S. president and hostilities with the Russians are at an all time high. The U.S. has kept the edge in this conflict due to the fact we have the only bonefied Super Hero on our side, Dr. Manhatten. Manhatten, played by Bill Cudrup, is basically a nuclear reactor that can bend space, time and matter to his will. A cadre of Super Heros surround him and the team is called, The Watchmen. This is the second major U.S. Superhero team after the 1950's version known as "The Minute Men". However, the Watchmen were disbanded years before our story picks up, and we get to see the fractured personal relationships between the team mates, as they wrestle to uncover who recently killed one of their own, The Commedian. The ensuing story gives the audience, Love, Betrayal, Super Hero Fights, Flash Backs, Nudity, Sex, Abstract Inner Monologues that pontificate on the relevance of the human struggle, and more nudity.

I'm here to tell you, that this is a very solid movie, with an obviously great story behind it. The story is to be honest, brilliant. The adaptation of the text is quite good. The visuals are stunning. The movie however will not be as 'successful' as '300', and I think Snyder squandered his good credit a bit here in Hollywood.

This is a case of an artists, Snyder, taking the huge risk and cashing in new found industry cred to do what is essentially an ART HOUSE narrative wrapped in a Comic Book Torilla. It looks like a semi-dark fantastic comic book adventure if you stare hard enough at the posters, but once you sit down, you're treating to Moore's vision of a sprawling existential examination of how humanity reacts under the pretense of annihilation. As I watched it, I couldn't help but stare at all the TEENS that had suckered their way into the theater hoping for a pre-summer Hero flick like last summer' Iron Man, only to sit through a really complicated Domestic Drama / Internationl History lesson. This is why so many people are panning this film. They feel like they've been sold a bill of goods by the studio. They marketing an action flick and what they delivered is something that is part mystery, part head spinner, part dysfunctional romance, part independent film. It's like buying a butter finger, unwrapping the package and finding and Alan Wrench. Sure, you can always use an Alan Wrench, but you wanted candy.

Synder's execution is fine here visually. His research and creativity in adapation is quite solid. He needs to work getting better performances out of his actors. He could have also cut some things out of the final product. However, in the end I found this movie to be somewhat important. While I maybe stretching and observation, I couldn't help but equate the doom and gloom outlook potrayed in the film's version of the 1985 Cold War Nuclear Stand off, with our own 2009 Global Economic Disaster. It was interesting to see how the media in that world did the same panick button slapping as our own true to life media is doing with our current money crisis. In the end everything worked out fine in 1985, and we were facing Global Nuclear Armegeddon. It's really a testament to what Alan Moore created when he wrote these books over twenty years ago. The film made me re-consider how brilliant that man is. I commend Synder for taking a risk artistically here. I don't think it will help his career, because I don't think the Watchmen, with a bigger budget and more marketing, will make the same cash 300 did. We'll see what he can do with his next project.

What the Hell Happpened?

2009-03-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

I know... I apologize... I forgot how to write. I forgot how to blog, but this is what happens when I have to plan a shoot for The NoHo Show, and I get sick, but I'm back and hopefully you will enjoy the posts.

You're In Your Head

2009-02-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

As you know, I teach acting. What you don't know is I have taking on my first Collegiate Intern. He is studying the technique from a teaching perspective, and he has a really cool project lined up in conjunction with the paper he has to write. He's also a former student at the Acting School, I teach at.

A Few nights ago we got into that age old acting question... where do you act from?

To me, actors act from two places, either their head or their guts. I will always argue that you are much better off acting from your gut than your head. I know people who 'craft' performances by doing lots of homework and back ground work on their character. They ingest it into their head, but not their body or soul. In my world, looking at it from the outside, I see an actor who is never plugged into the moment with they're partner... they're thinking two steps ahead. Imagine having a conversation with a person who is trying to do two other things while talking to you. There is a distraction that takes place when you lose yourself in your head. You leave the moment. Guess, what? The audience leaves it as well.

The actor who plays from the gut is living the moment. They're not 'faking' the act of crying.. they are crying. It's real and tangible. They're partner is forced to deal with that issue in front of them in a real and raw kind of way. The gut also allows for more spontaneity within rehearsal or a performance. It allows for greater risks, because the character is not thinking about consequence or 'what is going on' in the performance. They are just living and breathing and failing and succeeding. It makes for a great performance and potentially a brilliant performance.

There are a lot of actors out there who are emotionally more comfortable with being in their head. The thought of being so emotionally bare for the audience is something they either scoff at as an un-necessary choice or they are just terrified at the prospect of being 'exposed'. And when I say 'exposed', I do not mean exposed as a fraud, I mean exposed as a person. It's easy to hide behind odd off the wall costuming, vocal choices and dialects as a sign of being a 'brilliant actor'. Heavens knows the industry 'apparently' rewards actors for those types of things, (Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Robert DeNiro). For some reason, actors get it in their head that if they lose or gain 60 pounds for a role, they're sacrificing for their art, they are making a 'brilliant choice'. To me, it's no different than deciding if a character wears sneakers or penny loafers. It's just easier to slip on shoes than lose 60 pounds.

I spend a lot of time helping actors learn to stay out of their head and stay either "In the Moment" or "With their Partner". I do a lot of repetition work and improvisation work both as an actor and as a teacher. I find when teaching repetition an interesting thing occurs, especially with experienced or well-educated actors. Reps as you may or may not know is an exercise created by Sandford Meisner. In the exercise, two actors make observations about each other and repeat the words and phrases used to describe the observations until those words naturally change with the change of their relationship. The goal of the exercise is to make the actors leave their head and engage their partner on an emotinal gut level. Skilled actors, who do repetition have provided some of the most heart pounding and engaging performances within the exercise I have ever seen.

When I get the "Head" actor in class, they focus on pretty much one thing... doing it right. The concept of engaging their partner comes second to their need to demonstrate proficiency. It's as if they are trying to turn this art into a science. Repetition doesn't live in the space of the intellect. It lives in the heart. I once watched an actor blankly repeat 'blue shirt' with their partner in such an emotionally empty vaccuous state, that their partner walked off the stage, even after she changed the phrase to "I Hate You". The "Head Actor" simply calmly repeated "I Hate You". When the actress left him on stage, he turned to me and said, "I don't understand why she's walking off the stage? I'm doing it right." I then asked him if he was engaged in his relationship. His response, "What relationship? I don't even know her. "I told him that was precisely the problem, he didn't need to know her to be in a relationship with her. He was trying to understand the "Why" of the event, not reacting to the event itself. "The WHY can never help you on stage." I told him, if I had been his partner, and I simply walked up to him and punched him in the stomach, what would he do. He said, I would want to know why you punched me. And I said, "Okay, what if I just punched you again." He told me, he would try to stop me or walk away. I said, that's acting. You just got punched. You react. You run away, or your fight back. There is no thinking involved. So, if that is real life, and you are trying to emulate 'real life' why would you take the time to think between each interaction? Just react. And if I take this thought to the next level, what help is it that you know your character's favorite color when you are in the midst of an argument? It shapes nothing, it gives you nothing, and if nothing else, all that head space just stops the performance from working.

It's this simple thought, that is so hard to grasp because it doesn't live in the world of thought, it lives in your gut, and that is where actors need to live.

SAG vs AMPTP Day 2

2009-02-18T15:44:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry, I can't break into the secret meeting, and my usual sources are tight lipped. However, they made it into Day 2 after a 10 hour session yesterday, and no one has yet to break the media black out. That's a good sign... Hopefully.

Will the Bulls**t End?

2009-02-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

Now that all the internal SAG lawsuit filing, in-fighting and public back biting has subsided since Doug "Fail" Allen has been outsted, it looks like the 'united' SAG leadership will meet with the AMPTP today. AMPTP will attempt to convince the actors they are just poor paupers living in a world of enconomic uncertainty despite the biggest President's Day weekend Box office in history happening over the weekend.

Regardless, will these new negotiations bring about the desperate resolution to this issue? I hope so. Keep in mind the WGA conflict and contract ended at the 100 day mark. This SAG contract issue is now over 200 days old, and virtually no progress has been made. I can't remember the last time Hollywood wasn't dealing with a labor issue. It's been that long.

NFL News is Screwed Up

2009-02-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

This is not really related to ART or DESIGN in anyway shape of fashion. This is not a SPORTS Blog, nor do I wish to change it into one, because then the name of the Blog would make even less sense than it does now... However, I am a fan of sports, and I noticed something interesting.

There seems to be an insatiable appetite for sports news. In this regard, it must be hard for reporters to come up with year round content on a sport, when the sport is on its break. For example, we all know the Pro Bowl of a weekend back took place, and this officially signals the end of all Football events until the NFL draft. That being said, the NFL beat writers still have to cover something.

However, instead of covering say all the charity work that the athletes do, and the positive things they are doing in the off season, they basically report on players getting fired or worse arrested. At least we won't have to deal with a Brett Farve canival ride this year as no one seems interested in what happens to that guy this off season.

Sick Call

2009-02-06T12:17:00.001-08:00

Not Feeling well, I've got a bug and a half... will post as soon as my creative juices are flowing in my body and not out of my nose.

Theater Needs Critics

2009-01-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

I was zipping around town yesterday and happened to tune in to my local membership funded NPR station. I was listening to Larry Mantle on Fresh Air. Larry is a sometimes embattled talk show host on KCPP, who is often criticized for bringing up 'soft topics'. However, Larry is a great reporter on the issues facing artists from an industry perspective. And while he does cover a lot of local and state political issues, he does a fantastic job keeping the public informed about the status of Arts and Culture in California.

Yesterday he chose to cover the topics of the cut backs in the news paper business and how the specifically hurt the Los Angeles Theater community. You're reading this here on line, so chances are you do not buy the local paper as much as you used to... or you never started. Well, guess what... a lot of people do not read the paper anymore, and that means that news papers are a dying breed in the traditional sense. It's sad to think that some of our most prolific news institutions will die off in the next 10 years, because they failed to create an online presence soon enough to move from the in hand product to the electronic product. Thus they newspapers are slowly but surely cutting jobs, and that means some of the most important critics in Los Angeles, got the axe this past week.

Most of us, who have produced theater, know that a great review means more butts in the seats and a higher box office review. Word of mouth is powerful, and that age old grape vine chain usually begins because a number of people read about a show in the paper, and then they go out and see it. Now, that the papers are cutting back their theater critics, less and less shows will be reviewed and exposed to the right demographic. So, the producers have a symbiotic relationship with critics. Producers need them in the right ways and at the right time. Now that the critics are out of work, Theater Producers will have one less reliable resource to spread the word about productions in town. This also means that some really good or even great shows will fail to be recognized in a manner that the 'general audience' can see. Sure, the truly 'In' theater buffs will know the game and what is out there, but that margin of dedicated audience members is so very small.

These cut backs mean that in L.A. the big Houses will continue to get press (Geffen, Pasadena Playhouse, Centre Theater Group Houses). While the mid level to high AEA99 theaters with a good rep will suffer terribly for the lack of coverage. While the low end producing done for small one time rental shows in NoHo and Hollywood will receive absolutely zero coverage from the papers. Word of mouth, blog reviews and Gold Star will now be the best marketing tool for the small time producer trying to get some steam on a good project.

The end result is a less informed audience, who already is penny pinching in this economy. With Oscar season up as well, the big time nominated movies with an artsy feel, will be a welcome and more cost effective alternative for patrons who would usually rather go see theater. Lean times all the way around.

Doug Allen R.I.P.

2009-01-27T11:19:00.001-08:00

Well the news yesterday was boisterous and today the truth of it all came crashing into reality. Doug Allen, director of SAG and lead negotiator was fired in an internal political battle that is sure to draw stronger battle lines within the Union. Some are hopeful that replacing Allen with a more experienced negotiator will result in a fair and swift resolution to the ongoing labor situation. I for one do not think SAG will get a better offer, although at this point AMPTP should seek to provide a sweeter deal so we can end this. What are your thoughts?

SAG Awards

2009-01-26T11:01:00.001-08:00

I will save my discussion for what Awards shows do to Actors, for a later post. Suffice to say, that I usually avoid watching the awards shows because... they're boring as hell. However, I was stuffed with steak and mashed potatoes at a family dinner and the SAG Awards managed to tick onto ye' ole viewing box. So, I watched.

Needless to say, I have a few questions...

1) Who has actually seen Milk?
2) Why is there way more talent in the Ensemble TV Comedy Category than the Ensemble TV Drama Category?
3) Why wasn't The Dark Knight nominated for Ensemble Drama Movie?
4) How does your cast win Best Ensemble Movie (Slum Dog Millionaire), but none of the individuals win a best actor award?
5) When will actors stop kissing producers asses? I'm talking to you, Lead Guy from Mad Men.
6) Was Meryl Streeps comment, "Awards mean nothing to me anymore" kind of a slap in the face to everyone who voted for her?
7) Alan's little appearance on stage... awkward much?
8) What the hell was that montage about great actors playing the roles of people struggling with illness and disabilities morphing into a montage of actors playing monsters?
9) Why were Katie Holmes nipples crooked? (I'm not trying to delve into Perez territory here, but go back and look at the tape. Those things are chasing bees.)
10) Why wasn't the only actor I was interested in seeing not there to accept his award? Paulie G, where are you?

Needless to say, due to the climate of the awards and the current labor situation, it was bound to happen that one actor would comment on the situation. Tina Fey, of course, took the bullet and made her little opinion in the form of a joke.

However, this quote came out prior to the evening's festivities.
"There's concern that our union has dissolved into a state of so much infighting," said "Dexter" co-star Julie Benz, who was nommed for drama series ensemble. "It's like a teacher losing control of the class. We've been let down by our leaders. I'm not going to point fingers ... but it does feel like we are in a bit of a crisis right now."(Variety)

I would agree with Julie. She's right. As you watched Alan walk out on stage last night, you realize. This guy is clueless. He's more interested in looking important one night out of the year at an awards show, than he is in leading this Union. He's leading it all right... into the toilet.

Oscar Time

2009-01-22T10:55:00.001-08:00

I shall refuse to give you my speech on the Oscars. Oh... who am I kidding. If you have not heard me say it before, I'll say it again, the Oscars are just a clever way for Hollywood to market movies to theater goers who wouldn't be caught dead going to them if they were not nominated for an Academy Award. I site the consistent reviews I get from people about MILK and BUTTONS before the Golden Globes (Boring), after the globes (Amazing). Oh, award shows... you get us every time! Well, the biggest fashion show in the world will once again grace our television shows, and in case you missed it on the news or radio or internet... here are the nominees.

On a persona note, this is the third consecutive year that I have worked on a movie nominated for Best Picture. The previous two were Babel and No Country For Old Men. This year it's Frost Nixon, which I have a very, very brief appearance in.

Watching Lost: Live Post

2009-01-21T22:12:00.001-08:00

Well, I'm sitting on the sofa of my Estate watching Lost. Sawyer finally got a shirt. I completely forgot how complicated this damn show is. I usually hate flash back re-cap shows, but if I didn't have one for this show, I'd totally be... Well... Lost.

Doug Allen Does A 180: Big News!

2009-01-15T16:28:00.000-08:00

SAG chief negotiator and executive director, Doug Allen, did a complete one hundred and eighty degrees today, reversing his pro strike authorization vote stance in favor of sending the existing AMPTP contract to the membership at large for a ratification vote.

Yeah, this is kind of a big deal. For many of us in the industry it's the first good news we've had that could signify the end of Labor issues in Hollywood for at least three years (until 2011, when the mother of all strikes will occur).

So, what brought about the 180? Well, as you know from my post earlier in the week, SAG held a board meeting early in the week, in which a majority of board members (and members of the Unite For Strength faction) had a clear agenda to bring a no confidence vote on Doug Allen. Doug's supporters managed to fillibuster this vote until Doug backed off on his Strike position. In other words, Doug Allen 180'ed to save his own ass. I will keep my sources completely confident and I will honor their wish for me to keep the real dirt off the internet for now, but Doug was going to be canned in that meeting.

So, he survived by reversing his opinion. He released this statement today on the subject...

""I proposed that the strike authorisation referendum be suspended and that management's offer be put to the membership in a ratification vote," the letter reads. "I also proposed that, before that membership ratification vote, we meet immediately with the AMPTP to determine to what extent, if any, they are willing to improve their last offer, to maximise its chances for ratification.

"I further proposed that the offer then be sent to the members with pro and con statements from national board members and that otherwise the Guild would remain neutral during any member vote during ratification. This process will give SAG members the opportunity to formally express themselves on the bargaining issues.

"This suggestion was communicated to some, but not all, board members in attendance, and apparently was rejected by some who heard it, at least in part because they believe I could not be 'trusted' to implement it. Since I am the one proposing it and since I have never acted contrary to the directives of the national board, that is not a reasonable objection."

So, WHY is he backing down now?

Well, it's pretty simple. This move is a win / win for Doug Allen. First, he satisfies the majority of SAG members who do not want to vote on a strike. It's clear that the leadership guiding negotiations has a minority opinion in SAG on handling the strike. Second, by sending the contract to the membership, he removes any blame from himself for any current or future angst. For example, if the Membership passes the vote and in three years, they are complaining about how bad their "AFTRA" contract is, Doug can say, "Hey, I did everything I could to get us to Strike for a better deal. This isn't my fault, it's UTF's fault." If the contract doesn't pass the membership, he can go back to the table and say to the AMPTP, "See, I told you they wouldn't go for it." Another Strike Vote would be right around the table, and AMPTP would have to determine if continued labor issues in a dire economy is something they want to continue doing.

Doug's a slippery little snake here, but in the end this may be the final straw that ends nearly 15 months of Labor issues that have crippled one of the top five industries in America. Hopefully, a rebound for Hollywood, helps rebound the economy. I just hope a lot of my friends who lost their jobs at the studios due to cut backs, finally can return to work.

It will be interesting to see how AMPTP comments on this, as Doug wants them to sweetened the deal a little more to push it through the memership. I also wonder if Phil Rosenblum will get a t-shirt made that says, "Doug Allen Sold Me Out".

Gear Sighting: Kick AXe

2009-01-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, Okay! I've realized two things... first, product photos on a black background blog are a little odd, because most products have photos with white back grounds... how wonderfully stark. This makes the site look a little icky. Maybe, I'll have to reformat the look again... Sheesh.

Second, if I were to go to the most REMOTE ISLAND in the world, then I would need really cool and portable gear. Not sure how many trees are on the most REMOTE ISLAND in the world, but I'm sure I'll need to chop something at some point on the hikes throughout the lush and rocky terrain.

Thankfully, the Kick AXe was invented. This wicked little Sci-Fi inspired gadget, looks like something Ripley would have used to cave in the skull of the Queen Xenomorph. It folds up quick and easy and provides you with that chopping tool you need out in the wild. Because, banging your knife with a rock get's old after a while.

Doug Dodges a Bullet

2009-01-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

So, there was some big time flack at a big time board meeting held by SAG in L.A. this week. The big story that was leaked from the 30 hour marathon session was the fact that Doug Alan, lead negotiator for SAG in the War against the AMPTP, was going to be removed from his position. Variety reported on it, many news sources reported on the leak 'from the inside'. However, when the board members emerged from the secret battle grounds, nothing had changed, and the proposed Strike Authorization vote would go on as scheduled (next week). If you need any further evidence that SAG is fundamentally broken, this would be it. 30 straight hours of deliberation and NOTHING CHANGED!

Want to Get Away?

2009-01-14T10:46:00.001-08:00

I have to admit... part of me longs to be unplugged for a short amount of time... I think all of us just want to get away every once in a while and leave our obligations behind. It's part of being human. I think this place might be a great place to completely get away from it all. It's the most remote island on the planet.

Broadway pain to Broadway fun... or not.

2009-01-12T15:26:00.001-08:00

When life gives you lemons... then do what SNL does... make your first poignant and relevant sketch since the campains.

When Broadway Finally Dies...

2009-01-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

I hesitate writing this blog, because in many ways it's deeply depressing for me to finally acknowledge the writing on the wall. Back in October of 2008, I wrote this post about the possible impact that the arts could expect from the current economic downturn. While, I discussed the overall potential for the limitation of an earning wage for art driven organizations and the artists themselves, my overall point of that article was to reflect that an artist big picture goal is to serve a community during the most troubled of times.

While, I still believe that philosophy holds the weight of a tidal wave, it's becoming hard out there for one of the most endangered mediums of American Art... Theater.

Broadway is in many ways an institution. The NYC street is not so much a geographical hub of theatrical innovation, but in many ways, it's a symbol of the potential of what theater can be. It's been a measurement of success for actors, artists, playwrights, producers and directors. It is also one of the few places America has, where we can point and say... "Hey, we're culturally relevant." However, if you read the writing on the wall, Theater is dying in America. Broadway's swan song is imminent.

This month Broadway will close some of it's most successful shows, because they simply cannot go on in their current state. Prices are too high, and patrons with available cash are too few. No city in America felt the collapse of investment banking harder than New York. And if they investment bankers are turning to jobs flipping burgers, there isn't a whole lot of folks out there ready to drop $120 bucks on a pair of nosebleeds to see "Wicked". The show model of "Bigger is not only Better, it's more lucrative" has tanked the Big Time Theater Producers much like the SUV tanked the Auto Industry's Big Three. It's their own fault, but none the less the tragedy of it is unfortunate.

For the last several years, Broadway has been the last big justification for artists and craftsman to pursue a career in Theater. Hey, there's money in being a stage actor. Look at Broadway. However, many of us know that's not really true anymore. Money has been slipping away in earnest for several years now. One can only wonder if the dream of walking the stage on the Big White Way, has finally died and future thesbians will now consider becoming... well... accountants.

I feel that the big theatrical production has completely marred what Theater should be. While it would be sad to think that an icon can and will fade, it's also somewhat comforting that we can stop expecting to see productions like "Shrek: The Musical". Perhaps the death of Broadway is a boon for what "real theater" should be about. I have always contended that theater is about community and about creating a center for enlightenment. The small regional theater is really where some interesting things happen and people actual come to theater for the right reason, to connect with their neighbor.

However, in the end what will really suffer as Broadway falters, are the actual Theaters themselves. These epic buildings, without tenants and revenue, will be sold off to developers and probably turned into Grocery Stores or Public Storage. It's just sad that the history will fade away, and be replaced.

SAG vs AMPTP... Quiet

2009-01-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

What gives? We're weeks away from the vote and all the posturing has died down a bit.... I wonder why? Don't you?

The Right Choice and The Strong Choice

2009-01-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

Actors spend a lot of time vetting over a single word, "Choices". For the lay person, a choice is a decision to due something. I'm standing at Starbucks and my choice is a Grande Vanilla De-Caf Latte. Sounds simple, right? However, the concept of Choices for actors is a bigger deal.

Let's start the discussion on a broad scale. You can ask a lot of actors a simple question, "As and Actor, what is your job?" You will get a ton of different answers, like: tell a story, be in the moment, create a character, etc. I have come to love this quote on what an actor's job is, "To Live Truthfully in Imaginary Circumstances." At the end of the day, actors are creating a false reality for the audience to engage. The 'realness' or 'truthfulness' of that reality creates an experience that is impactful for the audience. So, if we make choices in everyday life, those choices created onstage, must have the same touchstone real life quality. If they do not, then you have egg on your face, or worse, you never book work.

For some actors they can be pre-planned and carefully crafted ahead of time in rehearsal or in personal work (ugg) or they can be created within the moment of the performance improvisationally (yeah). They can be small, like whether or not to pick up a book and read it on stage briefly while in the midst of a dialogue scene. Or they can be Big, like deciding a character's preparation or global motivations for an entire play. Like I said, they're diverse, but in the end, we just call them, choices.

The Choices you make on stage are the art part of acting. Just as a painter makes choices on his or her canvas, the actor uses his or her body, stage, scene partners to make choices within the story. How good those choices are, how convincing they are, define your art in this discipline. Therefore, you can see why actors could get really worked up about choices.

Early in my career in Los Angeles, I joined a great theater group with a diverse set of actors. It was a membership group so people came and went every year. There were a lot of amazing actors who booked tons of work in the group, and people would always say, "Oh, So and So, makes such interesting choices," or "They're choices are so compelling, I'm jealous." I was young and despite having a degree, untrained, and I was easily caught up in this really important word, Choices. I used to agonize over whether or not I was making the right choice or a good choice or an interesting choice... it was demoralizing at times. I think a lot of actors can relate. They ask themselves the question, "Am I doing this right?" I think part of that anxiety stems from not fully understanding yourself as artist, which is a touch road to walk down, but it's also part of the world of comparisons that actors constantly engage in. These negative habits and lack of exploration personally create the life of anxiety surrounding choices, which affect how you rehearse and audition to be honest.

The worst part about choices is not making them. That's because the actor gets so anxious and in their head, they become wooden, stilted, false. I remember watching a play rehearsal once, and an actress was just standing in the scene, not moving. The director asked her, "What's Wrong?" She said, "I didn't make a choice here, did I?" He of course agreed. The question was, "Why?" Her response, "I don't know the right one to make." As I replay it now in my mind... I cringe.

So, here is your daily paradigm shift, There is no such thing as 'the right choice'. There is not singular perfect choice. It does not exist. This is what so many actors fail to realize. And the act of trying to come with "The Perfect Choice" is a process that for me looks like the marriage of banging the tv for a better picture and a Senate Confirmation Hearing. I worked with a director who was always after 'the perfect choice' in rehearsal, and he would have me a scene 27 times to find 'the perfect choice'. Then he'd find it, only to change it the next day after 37 times through running the same scene... that, my friends, is creative agony. I later came to the conclusion, through my own return to study, that there is no right choice. There are but a myriad of appropriate choices. Those appropriate choices become brilliant choices when the actor makes them strong... and thus, you have what all actors must seek to make... the strong choice.

The strong choice is the one hundred percent, stick your face in it, burn your eyes out, commitment to what you are doing on stage, 100% truthfully. This choice is the choice that books work, wins awards and furthers the individuals artistic journey. It's what lights up the room, makes a director feel he's found a budding star, and makes an audience member become a fan, buy the DVD or come back the next day to see the matinee at full price. The strong choice is what actors need to aspire to, not the right choice.

Why? Well, it's because the strong choice is so simple. It's the equivalent of me putting a ball on a tee for you, and saying swing as hard as you can. It's not effortless, but it's straightforward honest and pure. It simply take 100% commitment and zero fear of failure. However, you'd be surprised how many folks can't swing for the fences with a choice. I think it may be that word "Failure" that prevents them from letting it all hang out. "What if I embarass myself. What if I piss off the casting director? What if I don't book the gig?" The funny part is that by not taking a risk and making a storng choice, you are embarassing yourself, pissing off the casting director and you won't book the gig.

But, that's the process of the artist in end. The art should be a journey that changes you personally as well as artistically. I write this note, only to provide you with encouragement in your own discipline as an artist. I say this so that you will stop worrying about, 'screwing it up' and start doing the work without fear. If you find yourself paralyzed in making that kind of choice, and I meet plenty of actors who are, then get some help, invest in a community that supports you, go see a therapist, get into a class where you are encouraged to take risks. Sometimes the only way to swim is to jump into the water with both feet.

Go Tell It On The Moutain... Pathetic Apathy.

2008-12-29T11:10:00.000-08:00

Little Post Holiday video fun... this maybe viral... maybe real... I don't know and I don't care... it's awesome... the gal on the left looks like she's waiting to face the death sentence.

Daisey Skewers Butz

2008-12-29T11:00:00.001-08:00

I applaud Mike Daisey for being one of the braver performers out there. He saddles onto the stage with a set of notes and a glass of water like gunslinger at high noon to deliver a fast pace, brash, and poignant performance. He is also just coming off an Off Broadway production deemed highly successful in some circles.

It is with this level of NYC theater street cred that gives him the voice to lambaste Norman Leo Butz's performance in the revival of "Speed the Plow". Lead Actor Jeremy Piven (who I respected a whole lot more before Entourage) famously dropped out due to Mercury Poisoning (Rumors that heavy drug use and lack of committment forced Piven out). Butz has been tapped to jump in and take the stage.

However after a few weeks of rehearsals and such, apparently he's not off book and he's using prompters off stage, and he's... on the stage. It's a little perplexing because for Gosh Darn Sakes, this is Broadway, not some College Stage Production. So, Daisy Really takes him to task, calling his work pretty much unacceptable. I think it's a matter of an actor being a little overwhelmed by the pressure of carrying a straight play on broadway. However, producers are sticking with him, what choice do they have? However, even I think that being a well paid stand in, you should be doing everything in your power to be at least off book. I have no idea what level of committment his co-stars are giving him... maybe they don't want to rehearse. However, memorization is like breathing to an actor... it's not something you should have a hard time doing.

Steve Brule on Viral Videos

2008-12-23T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hey! We love Doctor Steve Brule, and we're stoked that the old DSB has created a little tutorial on how to make a viral video. You know what a viral video is right? It's like some dude singing in a tree and then he falls out of the tree, and it's so funny people email it or post it on their blogs and befor eyou know it, that dude who fell out of a tree has a million hits, and then marketing people in a room call him a genius, and then they go to his house and say, "Hey, you should work for us, we want to hire you to direct a commercial for Pepsi." So, then the Tree Dude, does another viral video for about six figures, and it's basically him singing in a tree, only this time he's holding a can of Pepsi, and when he falls out of the tree his fall is broken, because he lands in a pool of refreshing Pepsi... Pepsi! Savor the holidays!

And now for your enjoyment! Dr. Steve Brule, You Turkey!

Happy Birthday Art Of Function

2008-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

We turned 1 years old this week! Yep, Art of Function was unleashed upon the unsuspecting humans nearly a year ago this week. We're super excited to survive a tumultuous year of labor strikes in media, a new president, news media flim flam, tons of cool gear, the rise of Mike Daisey, and yours truly posting videos of people doing odd things in the name of expression. 2008 was a great year for AOF, not so much the U.S. economy, but great for AOF!

You're Never Finished Growing

2008-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

My father is a golf professional. He used to be a touring professional and has been the head golf pro for many prestigious country clubs. He now owns his own equipment business. When I was a boy, he was giving golf lessons to a beginner, who had decided at the age of 52 to take up golf. He had never played before, but he had moved into a Condo off the 14th green, and decided he wanted to do it. As a young lad, I often attended lessons my Dad gave to folks at the driving range. He is a terrific teacher and swing mechanic. On this occasion, his 52 year old student asked my Dad, "Why do you love Golf so much?" My Dad, replied, "Because it's a game you can play your whole life, and never stop learning." This statement has truly shaped my philosophy as an acting teacher.

When I first came to Hollywood, I took a class with Wendy Phillips. Her husband used to attend class, and he told us how a certain A-List actor still attended acting classes to this day to stay sharp. It showed that in Acting, like many arts, the process of self discovery is the paramount goal of the artist, and that journey never ends. That is why the journey is so beautiful.

However, out of all the actors in the world, many seem to lack an understanding of this important tenant. They think a few workshops in the bag, and they are good to go. Then the y wonder, why they never book any work. Did you know that Doctors have to attend education seminars every 4 years in order to maintain their license? Did you also know many other professions require that same level of continued education? If they have to do, why should we as actors stop doing it? However, so many folks refuse to go back into the Studio to work on their craft, and some never even start. It's this problem that truly saddens me. Because learning about your art, your craft, is so incredibly enriching. It's a community process that helps you become the artist you want to be. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why people choose to step aside or away from an opportunity staring them in the face.

Many young actors fall into two traps, that I see:

The First, "I've been told that I'm super talented, so I figure don't need training. I can see why some actors would need training, because they lack talent, but since I have it, I don't need training." Now, I'm not making this quote up. An actual actor (who was not talented by the way) told me this... out loud, in front of other people. It's this level of misguided understanding of what acting is, that really handicaps a lot of people out there. Talent may get you in the door, but training gets you the role. You know why? Because in a town like Los Angeles or New York, there are talented actors everywhere, and they have training, and talent and training will beat someone with just talent any day of the week.

The Second, "I've got a degree from the Muckety Muck Institute, I've completed my training. I don't need anymore." Oh, what a trap this one is. Academic degrees do little to provide practical application to students. This not the fault of the Academic circile. Academia is meant to provide a broad introduction to different styles and theories as it relates to acting. The Goal of a University is to broaden your perspective, not provide you with on the job training. Many actors, fail to realize this. They may know in their head the difference between Mesiner or Adler, because a class had them spend a few weeks discussing the techniques, but they probably have never really dug into the technique for themselves. But they 'know it'. So, in their minds, they have been trained. They have a degree they spent a lot of money on, so who could blame them for seeing their training as a process you can actually finish.

I want to share a little anecdote with you. I once had a potential student who had graduated from a very prestigious East Coast school, come to audit my class. I asked him where he received his training. He mentioned the school, I acknowledged the prestige of it. I asked him, what training he had received or who he had studied with since coming to L.A. He said no one, he didn't need it. He had a degree from Blah Blah Blah. "Okay, fair enough, can you tell me what brought you to my class?" His response, "I met with an agent and he told me I needed to be in a class. I just want to take one for a few months to get it on my resume." I tried not to roll my eyes, "Okay, well, jump in the exercises as you feel lead. Let me see what you've got." We started doing some exercises, and I noticed he wasn't stepping on stage with anyone. I turned to him, and I asked him to jump up. He shoke his head no. I decided not to press. At the break, I pulled him aside, and asked him why he wasn't getting out of his chair. His response, "Because I don't know how to do those exercises." He looked very shaken. "That's okay," I said, "You're here to learn, right?" He kind of shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, I guess."

This happens a lot. I call it Univesity Ego. A degree creates a false sense of accomplishment in many professionals, and acting isn't excluded. A degree is beneficial but it is not the end of your study.

I'm not relaying this as something I've just observed, but experienced. I myself have a degree in theater. I came to Los Angeles, and was told I needed to study. I had no idea why, since I had a degree, but I did anyway. I studied under four teachers in three years, before finding my 'home' studio, where I studied for 2 and a half years. My teacher asked me to start teaching for him after that time, but I still to this day go an take one shot classes every month to keep my chops up. For me, the class work is the most rewarding. It's where I really get to stretch myself.

And it's in that last statement, "Stretch Myself", that I want to really emphasize on. An artist is only finished growing and learning, when they seal your casket shut. I read a memoir by Sir Alec Guiness about his life, and in his later years, he recounted that he got the same joy and nerves in his 70's before walking out on stage, that he found he had in his twenties. That passion for the art has to be cultivated through work and pushing yourself. It's why the painter or sculptor rents a Studio, to have a place to explore. It's why the musician picks up more than one instrument, or practices for hours each day. We can never be finished becoming better at what we do. There is no bottom to what lies inside of us, and our ability to pull it out for our audience.

I contend that the process of experimentation and growth for actors (or any artist) is the most rewarding part of the art itself. It's where our lives change, and to pass that up because of ego, shame, or ignorance is completely devastating to me. It makes me sad for people. It's like watching them tear up a million dollar lottery ticket, because they mis-read the numbers.

I work with a lot of actors who come to L.A. with no experience acting, it's just something they want to try. Maybe they had a mid-life crisis or a quarter life crisis, I don't know. However, they are fresh and eager. They know they need to learn how to act. The whole experience is a wonderful new journey. After a little bit of time training (sometimes a year, sometimes a few months) they start booking work. It never fails. I think it's because they do not carry all the baggage coming in that I mentioned above. They just want to learn. It's the perfect attitude to become the artist you want to be.

However, Ego, Shame and Ignorance are not the only enemies of growth. Perhaps the biggest hurdle for some artists is Procrastination. So, many people say, after the new year, I'm taking a class. Or they say, after I get my tax return. Or maybe after the summer, and then before they know it, they are a year older and no more the wiser. It is so key to act on your impulse as an artist. By it's definition an impulse is quick and sometimes lacking prejudice, but artists, have to live in that world. I once met an actor in a class, who had elected to give up his cell phone, cable, electricity (no joke) and gas for the car for a month, just so they could stay in class. That's dedication. This guy rode the bus, in Los Angeles, and read plays by candle light, so he could be in class four days out of the month. I once heard another famous Broadway actress say that in her early days of studying in New York with Sanford Meisner, she had to waitress to make ends meat, while waiting for the big break to come. She used to say to her co-workers, "I work 40 hours a week, so I can live for 3 hours on Wednesday nights." That's the mentality artists need to have at some point in their lives.

I know that many of you reading this are the creative type. You may be an actor, or writer, or painter... you have a creative spirit inside you. I challenge you to consider how you will cultivate that creativity in the new year. Some of you are probably thinking, I really need to jump start this project. You may think that you need to audition more. I would challenge you to consider taking a class. It's simple, it's effective and it gets the right momentum and energy flowing in the direction you want to go. However, before you embark on this, check your ego and your fear at the door. You will have a lot more fun that way.

Remember, you're never finished growing.

Mick Montgomery is a teacher at the Actors Workout Studio.

China has the World's Laziest Army

2008-12-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of the laziest army ever assembled, it appears that that Mall Cop movie coming out with the dude from King of Queens is more influential than some people thought.

Amazon.com PS3 Jail Break Sale!

2008-12-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

Big sale over at Amazon.com today on PS3 related items. I hear Fallout 3 is on sale for super duper cheap... so, go check it out if you still have some holiday gifts to buy for that big ole dork in your life.

Rosenberg Feels At Home in Hollywood

2008-12-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

In a display that may show more the ever widening divide between the coasts in the creative unions, especially SAG, I was told today by several sources who attended the Town Hall in Los Angeles, last night that an overwhelming amount of people turned out to express their support of Alan Rosenberg and and the 'Yes' vote on the strike. This was a big turn over from the NYC meeting where several members turned out in droves to play down the strike authorization vote while simultaneously calling for Alan Rosenberg's head on a platter.

This is no shocker as Rosenberg has repeatedly appealed more to the Feature Film side of the acting business, almost completely ignoring television, which makes him Hollywood centric. A lot of TV shows are shot in New York, and the board in NYC has already voted a no-confidence on Rosenberg... which is not good, by the way.

After the meeting NPR caught up to Rosenberg, and he changed his tune a bit on the 'Yes' vote. In the past Rosenberg has painted the 'Yes' vote and a step towards an actual strike. Now, he's saying it's merely a threat to be used as a bargaining chip at the table with AMPTP. I think he knows a lot of members do not want to strike, and he's trying to pull back a little on his own rehetoric to gain more support. Cheap tactic in my opinion.

Has the Business Compromised the Art in 08?

2008-12-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

I was reviewing my top 10 lists from last year, and I was beginning to formulate in my head some top 10 lists for movies and music for 2008, then I realized, that I have not really seen anything this year or heard anything this year that really blew me away.

Last year, we were treated to movies like "No Country For Old Men", and "There Will Be Blood". We had records like the soundtrack for "Once". You already know my opinion on the television product out this season. Very, Very lack luster. It seems the only good thing to come out in 08 was the web series "The NoHo Show" (yes, I am shameless).

Granted, a lot of the 'artsy' movies haven't really come out yet and are just now trickling in, but outside of a few, I'm not dying to go out and see anything yet. Usually, I will take an afternoon or two to see a bunch at once, but this year nothing is motivating me out of my chair.

Album wise, I'm usually plugged in, but nothing on the Indie Scene or Mainstream scene has been that interesting or relevant this year. If you disagree, please, comment away.

As I thought about this, I wondered if the Business distractions of commercial art product was distracting the focus of the artists themselves. It's no secret the music industry is in turmoil as it shifts from the firm album distribution model to the less lucrative, but explosive digital model. If you look at recent comments from Smashing Pumpkins front man, Billy Corgan, you would think that musicians are focusing more on how to adapt to the new digital audience and how they can make that profitable than turning out work that matters artistically. Corgan claims that folks like iTunes have killed the album, and are teaching consumers to buy singles only. In his mind, that means bands do not need to undergo the album process and should just churn out singles as they come. It's a valid point, but a shameful self admission that money is now the motivating factor for bands that at one time were considered ground breaking acts.

Over in Hollywood, the writers strike definitely handicapped the current television season and turned viewers away... pushing people to back log viewing of DVD's through netflix instead of tuning into primetime fair (although, I for one still love the Office and 30 Rock).

The current labor stalls with SAG show a faltering quality of product out there in terms of critical acclaim. However, despite the economic down turn, movie houses are showing profits above 2007. I would argue that most folks in Hollywood are more concerned about whether or not there will be work out there in 2009, than they are about what that work is, and with zero movie production in Hollywood right now due to the ongoing stalled negotiations (the default strike)films previously deemed unreleasable are now being dusted off and trucked out to the masses. It's kind of getting ridiculous.

Obviously, I am not naive enough to overlook the fact that good art has a certain dollar value attached. Money motivates everyone, but it's difficult to stomach a climate where the creative product is overlooked to an even greater degree because of the doom and gloom of a transitioning entertainment industry.

SAG Leadership Publically Brutalized!

2008-12-15T23:56:00.000-08:00

SAG Leader Alan Rosenberg and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen were basically high jacked at the Town Hall meeting in New York tonight. Apparently, Alec Baldwin stood up and called for both Doug and Al to resign their posts. They were both called, inept, deceptive and Hollywood Centric.

There are several petitions and online circulations calling for SAG to take the deal while high profile members call for a No Vote on Strike Authorization. Stife and Division have come to the last major Hollywood Union hoping to get a better deal out of the AMPTP.

Sources report that the majority of folks basically argued that leadership had blundered the negotiations and that SAG should take the deal today and live to fight a more united battle in three years when the deals are up again for renewal. This is something we have been arguing for for quite sometime on this website.

Golden Globes are out today!

2008-12-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

So, do you remember the Golden Globes? I bet you kind of do, but it's been so long since we had them. As you recall last year they were relegated to a half hour news special on NBC due to the writers strike. This year the may not happen due to the SAG strike. I think that is sad. I like the Golden Globes a little more than the Oscars, because they do a dinner style presentation, and I love it more because the folks get a little tanked before the ceremony begins and then sometimes say things they regret later. That's good TV.

Anyway, the Golden Globes, is the precursor to the Oscars, and a fairly important notch to have in one's belt, because a win in the category means your quote goes up. The nominations are also kind of important because they usually motivate me to get my butt out of the house to go see some movies.

I post the full list below for your consumption.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros and Paramount Pictures
FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures
THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
ANNE HATHAWAY, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
ANGELINA JOLIE, CHANGELING
MERYL STREEP, DOUBT
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
KATE WINSLET, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
FRANK LANGELLA, FROST/NIXON
SEAN PENN, MILK
BRAD PITT, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
MICKEY ROURKE, THE WRESTLER

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films
IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features
MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
REBECCA HALL, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
SALLY HAWKINS, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
FRANCES MCDORMAND, BURN AFTER READING
MERYL STREEP, MAMMA MIA!
EMMA THOMPSON, LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
JAVIER BARDEM, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
COLIN FARRELL, IN BRUGES
JAMES FRANCO, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
BRENDAN GLEESON, IN BRUGES
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures
WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BADDER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
AMY ADAMS, DOUBT
PENELOPE CRUZ, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
VIOLA DAVIS, DOUBT
MARISA TOMEI, THE WRESTLER
KATE WINSLET, THE READER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
TOM CRUISE , TROPIC THUNDER
ROBERT DOWNEY JR, TROPIC THUNDER
RALPH FIENNES, THE DUCHESS
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, DOUBT
HEATH LEDGER, THE DARK KNIGHT

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
DANNY BOYLE, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
STEPHEN DALDRY, THE READER
DAVID FINCHER, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
RON HOWARD, FROST/NIXON
SAM MENDES, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
SIMON BEAUFOY, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
DAVID HARE, THE READER
PETER MORGAN, FROST/NIXON
ERIC ROTH, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, DOUBT

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
CLINT EASTWOOD, CHANGELING
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD, DEFIANCE
A. R. RAHMAN, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
HANS ZIMMER, FROST/NIXON

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
“GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
“I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
“ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
“THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions
HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
SALLY FIELD BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MARISKA HARGITAY LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
JANUARY JONES MAD MEN
ANNA PAQUIN TRUE BLOOD
KYRA SEDGWICK THE CLOSER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
GABRIEL BYRNE IN TREATMENT
MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER
JON HAMM MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE HOUSE
JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS THE TUDORS

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios
WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA UGLY BETTY
TINA FEY 30 ROCK
DEBRA MESSING THE STARTER WIFE
MARY-LOUISE PARKER WEEDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL THE OFFICE
KEVIN CONNOLLY ENTOURAGE
DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION
TONY SHALHOUB MONK

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television
BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO)
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films
CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.
JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films
RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
JUDI DENCH CRANFORD
CATHERINE KEENER AN AMERICAN CRIME
LAURA LINNEY JOHN ADAMS
SHIRLEY MACLAINE COCO CHANEL
SUSAN SARANDON BERNARD AND DORIS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
RALPH FIENNES BERNARD AND DORIS
PAUL GIAMATTI JOHN ADAMS
KEVIN SPACEY RECOUNT
KIEFER SUTHERLAND 24: REDEMPTION
TOM WILKINSON RECOUNT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
EILEEN ATKINS CRANFORD
LAURA DERN RECOUNT
MELISSA GEORGE IN TREATMENT
RACHEL GRIFFITHS BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DIANNE WIEST IN TREATMENT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURES MADE FOR TV
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
DENIS LEARY, RECOUNT
JEREMY PIVEN, ENTOURAGE
BLAIR UNDERWOOD, IN TREATMENT
TOM WILKINSON, JOHN ADAMS

Blogging from the iPhone

2008-12-10T14:01:00.001-08:00

Okay,
I have hesitated to post anything as it pertains to the fact that I now own an iPhone. I wanted to have a few weeks to really tool with it to find out if it is indeed worth hype.

I can with 100% confidence that this little monster is completely awesome.

The fact I no longer have to carry two devices with is great. The syncing of calenders and email and contacts with mobile me is a dream come true.

The application store alone is sheer genius. In fact I am writing this blog for you from my iPhone thanks to an application called blog write lite.

There are so many pros when it comes to this device it is no wonder it is the #1 phone in the U.S.

T.R. Knight Walks Away?

2008-12-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

So, I have friends who are friends with T.R. Knight and I have heard nothing but wonderful things about him as a person. However, today it was pushed that the star walked off the set the other day and asked out of his contract with Grey's Anatomy because he is unhappy with the storyline for his character, Dr. George O'Malley. I don't blame him. I agree that the storyline for his character has been somewhat weak in comparison to previous seasons. He seems to float aimlessly in show.

However, this is not a posting about Grey's Anatomy's creative direction. This is also not a blog about whether Mr. Knight is selfish or acting unjustly. I realize he has a three year contract and some people say he should honor that. As I read this story, I ultimately asked myself, why? Why would you leave a paid acting gig? A well paid acting gig? And I'm not alone. I have several friends who have seen this story and said, "He's ungrateful." or "He doesn't know how good he has it." Maybe he is and maybe he doesn't. I don't know. However, for many of us, the acting roles are few and far between these days. Walking away from a six figure a year paycheck to do what you love seems odd... it seems confusing.... it seems self destructive.

However, if the reports are true... T.R. Knight has done exactly that. He's walked away.

It's interesting that Knight is the second high profile star to complain about the writing of the show. Catherine Hiegl was very vocal last year about her displeasure with the character of Izzy Stephens. This year it's not much better as she finds herself haunted by a ghost or something.

I love acting, and I think Mr. Knight does too. So, how bad must life be on that set to warrant quitting?

Jack Sparrow Gets Flashed and Fired

2008-12-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

You may not know this, but it's hard being an actor. Sometimes, you need to take a gig just to make ends meat. However, sometimes, that gig has fringe benefits. Like the guys playing Jack Sparrow at Disneyland. That is of course until the fringe benefits get you fired.

So, if you're an actor it's hard to keep booking national commercials and televisions shows. In Los Angeles, there is an estimated 300,000 actor seeking work, so go figure... it's tough to keep a job. So, a lot of folks take less than wonderful gigs to pay the bills. Brad Pitt was once the El Pollo Loco Chicken.

One thing that actors do is take theme park jobs. They are steady jobs, usually covered under AFTRA or some Union and they pay okay. They're easy to do, and you get to act a little.

One of the new 'legendary' fun positions at Disney land is to be Jack Sparrow. People love Jack Sparrow. Apparently, some women love Jack Sparrow so much they like to show him their boobs. Disney land is a family friendly place, and that means that boobs are a non starter. However, Disney, known for their Draconian ways, decided that a few bad apples needed to spoil the fun for everyone. So, they canned their Jack Sparrows and replace them with fairies for the new Tinker Bell attraction. So, the poor guys playing Jack are out of the a job because Disney security could not do theirs. That's tough.

By the way, when did Disneyland turn into the new home for woot girls. For love of Sanity, Ladies, it's Disneyland, not Cancun!

The Sequel to D*** in a Box!

2008-12-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

A few years ago Andy Samberg blew up for creating a video parody of early 90's rap / r&b bands. Both Samberg and Justin Timberlak donned sideburns and circle glasses for the video short, "Dick in a Box". This then spawned about a zillion Dick in a Box Halloween costumes. Samberg has done some funny stuff since D.I.B. However, I'm sure his fans were waiting for the sequel. Well, here it is.

Photos You Can't Refuse

2008-12-07T20:04:00.001-08:00

Are you a fan of the GOD FATHER trilogy? Hey, what movie fan out there isn't to some degree. It may be one of the greatest commentaries on theDarkness and Light of the American Dream. Well, apparently a new photo album of candid shots taken during filming has been released. Some of the photos are in an article on the website Daily Mail. If you want to see some cool shots on how they made Brando's cheeks puffy or how Sonny took all those head shots, then click the link and read the article. It's and offer you can't refuse.

Mick's 2008 Letter to Santa

2008-12-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Here is my letter to Santa, if you want to read it then just click to see the whole letter after the jump. I mostly post this for my relatives who like it when I give them hints on what to buy me

Dear Mr. Claus,

I hope you have had a truly fruitful and rewarding 2008. Hopefully, your retirement investments have weathered the bad economy. Mine have not done so well. Oh, well, live and learn. By the way, did you hear that they canceled Knight Rider, honestly it's about time. Right? I hear Heroes is next, but I watched it this week, and it's kind of getting good again. What do you think?

Oh, by the by, go check out Frost / Nixon and Yes Man in theaters this month. I know it's a busy time of year for you, but I have small parts in both, and I hear they're pretty good.

Anyway, I've been a real good blogger this year. I've managed to keep this one you're reading up for an entire year, and I'm really excited for where Art of Function is at and what it has been a forum for this year. As you know I shut down a few other blogs, I started up, but recently filled my writing slate with a new blog called Indie Majority. So, go and check that out. Oh, and go check out THE NOHO SHOW, that's my internet web series, I produce and direct!

On a personal note, it's been a great year, with the greatest gift of all being my son, Maximus coming into this world. It has been wonderful to watch him grow up this year. And even though a full night's sleep is a distant memory, I'm really excited that he is in my life.

So, on to the list. I'm a pretty happy guy. I already have my top three gadgets (Mac Book Pro, iPhone and Kindle). So, I decided to pair down the list in cost this year for some cool lower end stuff. Everything with the exception of the camera lens is under $60, and most of it is under $40.00. It's pretty interesting, and it contains a lot of odds and ends that I think are cool. I've factored in my increased use of the DSLR camera I purchased last year, and my new hobby Krav Maga. So, enjoy! I've tried to list everything by the most inexpensive price and by use through Amazon.com because that's a fairly reliable online source for buying gifts.

Amazon Gift Card: With my new Kindle, I download all my books digitally for purchase so, I have abandoned other book retailers like Barnes and Noble and Borders. Plus there are a ton of other cool stuff at Amazon.

iTunes Gift Card: Yeah, it's an addictive little app the old iTunes. That's why I love me some gift cards.

Nikon 55 - 200mm Zoom Lens: So, I'm a slave to my Nikon D40x. It's an awesome DSLR camera, and I've been meaning to upgrade the lens for quite sometime. This would be an awesome gift, however a little expensive, but I could also use a cool camera strap (link here) or I thought it would be good to protect my little investment with this cool Camera Case Armor by MADE (link here).

The Leatherman SERCA LED Flashlight: This thing is super bright and super durable. It's also better for the environment and is more power efficient than the traditional incandescent flash light. Plus Leatherman is a manly brand.

Gears of War 2: It's really the only game I have on the Xmas list this year for the Xbox 360.

The Front Pocket Wallet with Money Clip by Perry Ellis: It's a nice little wallet with room for more than three credit cards while maintaining a slimmer profile. And it's inexpensive for a wallet.

UFC Offical Fight Grappling Gloves: Since, I've taken up Krav Maga it's become apparent you need some good gloves every once in a while. These gloves are great for in class training as you do not need to remove them to practice grappling techniques.

Everlast Pro Style High Performance Training Gloves: I'm hoping to jump into the bag classes at my studio and you need a bit more padding on your gloves than what the above grappling gloves accomodate.

Under Armor: Compression shorts are a must when you're doing any training, and after owning my first pair of under armor shorts, I'm hooked. However, it's great to have more. So, if you want to get me some great (click link here). However, I'd be up for anything by underarmor. Size XL for shorts and XXL for up top.

Kleen Kanteen Water Bottle: Hey, if you are a fan of the Blog, then you know about our appreciation of the SIGG water bottle. Well, we have a new favorite, and it's called Kleen Kanteen and it's the same as a SIGG but with a wider mouth. I prefer the black model.

Tool Logic SL 3 Fire Knife: Ever watch Survivor Man or Man vs Wild? I do. And if you've ever watched Bear Gryllis light a fire with one of those sparking knives, you kind of get the chills. Well, here's one of those knives on the cheap!

Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket: I need a good water proof rain jacket that is nice and light. I have plenty of heavy coats that do not block out the rain. In Los Angeles, we get more rain than super duper cold.

So, that's it big guy. If you can somehow find a way to get a resolution to this darn SAG / AMPTP thing done then that would really help out in a big big way. However, what I am most looking forward to this year is going to a big family gathering like last year, and just hanging out with my family. I think as a whole I am pretty blessed in that regard.

Sanity Restored

2008-12-04T23:00:00.000-08:00

NBC has ceased production on the new Knight Rider and canceled future episodes. Finally something right is starting to happen on Television.

SAG Fires Back! So Does AMPTP!

2008-12-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

We posted a blog a few day ago that reflected on the AMPTP's Los Angeles Times add stating their side of the story. Now SAG have posted a response.

"Los Angeles, CA (December 01, 2008) - Today’s open letter, full-page ad from the eight entertainment industry moguls is confirmation of their continued refusal to bargain with Screen Actors Guild. In an effort to push negotiations forward in the face of AMPTP stonewalling, we asked two of the CEO’s who signed this letter to get involved in the talks in September. They refused. We wish they had taken us up on our offer. It better serves the industry to negotiate than to buy and respond to $100,000 newspaper ads.

We are still waiting for the CEO’s or their AMPTP negotiators to make a good faith effort at bargaining with us. Agreements with other guilds and unions can’t dictate actors’ terms just because they are part of a pattern set by the DGA. Actors issues are different and must be heard and addressed.

We are still waiting for our turn. We want exactly what the DGA got – the chance to negotiate an agreement that addresses the needs of our members. No other guild or union can negotiate a pattern deal that fits the industry and SAG members, any more than ABC can negotiate license fees for NBC. No one has our proxy.

Our issues are different – not better, but different and we deserve to have our unique issues and very valid concerns resolved in negotiation. Agreeing to fairly negotiate the unique needs of actors would mean that the CEO’s are honorably engaging in the negotiations process rather than continuing to stonewall.

Our message to the CEOs is this, “Gentlemen, please understand, the pattern does not fit. Now that you have at least acknowledged our effort to achieve a fair contract for actors, perhaps you would be willing to sit down with our negotiating committee and resolve our issues?”
Here is the response from the AMPTP:
"SAG's press release proves that SAG is now officially out of touch with reality. The Producers negotiated with SAG for 46 days - and over that entire time SAG failed to justify why it deserves a better deal than the six other agreements negotiated so far this year. On a day when the United States was officially declared to be in a recession, when Governor Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency for California, and when the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 680 points, SAG continues to demand more and better than everyone else. Unfortunately, the chasm between reality and SAG seems to widen by the day."
So, here is the bad part of all of this. AMPTP has clearly become frustrated and if you have watched their behavior in these labor negotiations, you know one thing, if you piss them off, the more stubborn they become. The more they feel they have the upper hand, the more stubborn they become. SAG has never been able to actually understand this. The first team DGA knew this and they knew how to corerce the AMPTP into making a deal. AFTRA also made a deal. WGA made a deal following in line with DGA. It's quite simple. SAG is the last to the table. They get the scraps. Could they have avoided this? Yes, they chose to sit back and let the WGA and DGA do all the heavy lifting and then were shocked that all of their own demands were not discussed. They didn't even start negotiating until after AFTRA had already secured a deal. This mixed with the inevitable failure of a strike vote is simply frustrating the producers because it means more months of stalled momentum on the actual issue... Getting a deal signed. This is what is allowing the producers to sit back with arms folded and say, "Prove it to me." The reality is, they can't. Plus, SAG has to realize the AMPTP is in a bind. They can't reinvent a new model for one Union when six others have agreed to the terms of another model. It's not fair to the other Labor Unions.
Now, I know that the Producers have a ton of money. I get it. It's unfair, they won't share. Blah Blah Blah, Whine whine whine. Hollywood is profitable... who would have thought? Some big bloggers out there want to point out how hypocritical the producers are when they have so much money in their own accounts and then they complain about the economy. Look, let's be smart for once. The Moguls are businessmen and women. They're job is to maintain a bottom line for their corporations. They are not in the business of fair. It's not part of their job description. So, stop whining about it, and produce a compelling argument for why you want more money. Oh, that's right... you can't.

Your Letter To Santa?

2008-12-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Have you written your letter to Santa this year? I haven't yet. Since I was about 8, my mother made me compose my Christmas List every year. That somewhere in college morphed into a Letter to Santa I wrote with my tell tale Sardonic wit that became a humor point for my family. It's to the point, where it is now a popular holiday tradition. And if don't do it, people give me a hard time. Last year, I even posted my Holiday Letter to Santa here on Art of Function. Anyway, I wanted to find out what some of you readers are going to put on your Christmas list this year. I really wanted an iPhone and a new President. I already got both. So, I'm a little stumped. So... help a brother out y'all. Comment away!

Santa Photos Make Children Cry

2008-12-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

Before you head out this holiday season with the intent of getting your chubby little cherub of a child to pose with Santa for the most adorable of adorable photos, I want you to read this article. Then think long and hard about what you are about to do to your little bundle of joy.

This is the Key to Awesome

2008-12-01T11:02:00.001-08:00

Is it just me or is this freaking Key Blank, just plain awesome, maybe even Badass or Radical, or as my friends in sixth grade used to say, Badical (a combination of Badass and Radical mixed for complete dominance in the area of superlatives). I am going right out to my local Key stand, to see if they have this template. Then, I'm getting all keys redone. Oh, here's the website for the company who came up with this thing.

Here's The Mogul Argument

2008-12-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

The above graphic is a letter to the public from the AMPTP explaining their stance on the whole possible SAG strike. Unlike some popular bloggers out there with the luxury of advertising dollars to protect their steady income, yours truly has a different viewpoint on the current labor stand off between Actors and Moguls. If you've been paying attention, you know I don't support a strike, because like many other actors in Hollywood, I do not draw my sole income from acting. I do other things to pay the bills (like many of you). I for one need Hollywood to be producing movies in order to put food on the table. I'm an actor and I sympathize with the issues SAG is bringing to the table.

However, despite the arguments brought forth in the lette rabove, I also would like to point out one more. When you have 100,000 options for a sevice available to you, the cost for those options goes down, not up. SAG's membership is incredibly bloated for the scale of work currently offered out there. Many members are paying dues for a union that provides labor protection for people who may never work on a project. It's kind of insane. This is why the producers do not want to pay the actors more money, because they know there are lots of people out there they can put in movies and on T.V. who will not quibble about the money. Think of it this way, if we had just 1,500 cellular providers out there, how much money do you think you'd have to pay for cell phone service? Probably not the fifty bucks you pay now. It would be more like 5 bucks.

However, SAG loves them some money. So, they won't turn anyone away.

This is ultimatley why this Union drives me nutes. There is no certification to be in SAG. There is no board that looks at a talented actor and says. Yes, they deserve to be a member of the Union. For example, You fall ass backwards into three days of extra work, and you're in the union. Does it make sense that all you have to do is stand there, and you get to be in a union?
You didn't have to have a speaking part. You didn't have to audition. You just have to be able to stand there. I'm not saying background isn't hard work (there are long hours involved), but as someone who has done it to make ends meat, it's a role that really challenges your acting chops. This is why so many talented trained regional theatrical actors give up and go back to where they came from. They've trained, received degrees, have years of experience, but for some reaons agents treat them like the plague because they cannot make friends with one of the nine extra casting agencies in L.A.

I worked some background a few years back. Everyone I talked to didn't even call themselves an Actor. They 'just did this for fun', or did it for the extra cash. Many had never even taken an acting class and didn't plan to. One guy saw me reading a copy of a play. He asked me what I was reading. I said a play. He said, "You mean you can buy copies of plays to read? I didn't nkow that". However, this guy was a member of the Screen ACTORS guild.

SAG has created this problem. They take anyone so they can so they canc ontinue to support the corporate model they have created for themselves. The Union is so bloated it needs a bigger deal to keep it up and running. It's no secret to anyone that SAG is fundamentally broken. It's model is corrupted and not working. This negotiation process is just one further example of why it needs to be dissolved, and re-invented.

Twilight Time for Hollywood Stars

2008-11-25T10:09:00.000-08:00

The success of the TWILIGHT movie is considered a very very bad omen for the Big Budget stars that have made so much money selling their wares to Hollywood. TWILIGHT is in many ways an enigma. It's a cult favorite amongst women ages 13 to 50. And as a feature film, it has successfully tapped into that demographic and expanded it to create a large audience for the film. Because of the loyalty the fans have to the subject matter and story, the books and films are enjoying cross over marketing and repeat business. I myself walked past the local theater, to watch one packed out audience leave the theater, turn right around and buy more tickets for the late show.

The phenomenon even has a nickname, "The Twilight Zone". However, we've seen this rabid female fanbase churn out their money before in mild ways for "The Bridges of Madison County" and infamously for, "Titanic". This is the story you probably know from the news.

There is another story however buried underneath. With SAG being difficult to sign a deal, Hollywood moguls are actually contemplating behind closed doors a complete bankruptcy of the Union all together. They have been discussing what life would be like without SAG and all the high priced stars and agents that come with the Union.

The Logic right now is that a Big Star generates publicity, which in turn translates into box office dollars. This why actors like Angelina Jolie and Jim Carey make well over 20 million a picture. They're agents know that they tend to delivery a box office bonanza every time. Hence it's worth the investment to the producers.

However, you can bet the Hollywood Moguls hate all the courtship, ego and drama associated with big name actors. Most of all, they hate writing that fat check too. So, for the past 8 years, they have been laying ground work to completely disenfranchise their product from the need to have big stars.

A new story is hard to sell to an audience. That's why having a big star can help. So, if you do not want to rely on a big star, you need to find a very popular old story to sell. Twilight is a perfect example of taking a well established product (er... Story) and using unknown talent at a cheap rate to make a big profit. This is nothing new. The Harry Potter kids know full well, that they are paid a fraction of what a major star would make, but they also understand that the Harry Potter movies have made them. Without those pictures, they're just... kids.

The moguls have begun to explore the idea of taking this model and applying it to their Tent Pole franchises. There is a reason why smaller stars at cheaper quotes are being tapped for big roles in movies like the latest Superman remake. This is going to be the new model for big budget movies and unfortunately, litttle by little, the big Stars will start losing out on the big piece of the pie.

Sign This Petetion!

2008-11-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

So, once again the landscape of media is about to be thumped one more time by the insane. It's become clear that the Media Mogul lapdogs AMPTP and their partners in stupidity, SAG Leadership, can't seem to figure out a way to get a deal signed. It's been almost six months, since the current SAG contract expired. So, instead of just taking the offer, on the table and living to fight another day, SAG is doing something stupid. Which is why I encourage you to go sign this petition.

SAG has very little on the bargaining table at this point. They are in backed into a corner. Six major Union contracts have been negotiated in the past ten months, with DGA, WGA, IATSE and AFTRA (an actors union) being the big high lights. The initial deals established a short term model that would allow the members of the aforementioned unions increased pay and compensation while allowing big media some breathing room to figure out how to make NEW MEDIA (the web) profitable. AMPTP is refusing to budge on their offer, because (and they have a point) why should SAG get a better deal than everyone else?

SAG Leadership is in a bad spot. They made moves a month ago to get some Federal Mediation at the table to help the process out. Membership indicated that if the Federal Mediation proved fruitless (and SAG did everything they could to make sure that happened) then SAG leadership could try and call for a STRIKE AUTHORIZATION vote.

The STRIKE is their last bargaining chip. However, what many non-industry folks do not understand is this... we've been feeling a defacto strike for about 90 days now. Without the SAG labor contract in place, and with the credit industry in turmoil, the Studios cannot get their lenders to release the budget capital for any new movies. So, no one is shooting anything in Hollywood right now except for T.V. and some independent films. This has forced many ancilliary companies who rely on production for business to start cutting back on staff and budget in an attempt to hold tight until the storm blows over.

Another STRIKE will in essence make the storm worse. However, rumor mill right now is churning around this vote. Whispers in the wind are basically stating that the membership is exhausted after the lack of income from the WGA strike. Many members do not want to strike.

It is my opinion that SAG Leadership is only forcing this vote, because they want to have the old "I Told You So" card to play when membership starts to grumble a few years from now about their deal again.

Regardless of the politics of the insane at work here, I encourage you to sign the aforementioned petition. Almost 8,000 people already have signed up, and you need to make your voice heard. If you live in L.A. and work in this industry, you know it's once again the 'little' people who are powerless in this fight, who have no voice at the table, who will suffer for bad decision making and bad negotiating. That is unfair.

Change is okay!

2008-11-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Okay folks!

I just wanted to a quick shout out to let you know we changed the template a bit. I hope you like it. It's just a visual change, the content will be the same, and unfortunately, so will the author... for now.