Monthly Archive for December, 2008

A Year In The Life Of A Multimedia Designer: My Entire Year In Pictures

Published on December 31, 2008 in My Photography and Photography. 0 Comments Tags: Flickr.

A Year In The Life Of A Multimedia Designer: My Entire Year In Pictures

Back in 2003, I bought myself my first camera. It was just a standard point and shoot thing although at the time it cost me over $1000. Over the course of the next couple of years, I carried that thing everywhere!

The following year, 2004, I decided I would try and take one pic per day that documented my daily life and all that goes with it. It would be a photographic journal that would try to capture an essence of my existence. I would put these pics online and really, I didn’t care if it had an audience or not, this was a self-made project that would serve as a journal for me and a way to get better at the craft of photography. I believe this thing is still online and if you are so inclined, knock yourself out.

Towards the end of 2004, I found the entire process to be positively exhausting and a big drain, so for 2005, I didn’t continue with the idea. In fact, I barely took any photos through this time. I was burnt out. Bad.

In 2006, I was beginning to dabble with Flickr, so I decided I would have another crack at the ‘Day In The Life’ project. Here we are three years later and my photography has become a much more serious hobby for me and something I think about each and every day.

There have been several DSLR cameras come on board since that fateful point and shoot. Believe it or not, I have gone through 2 Canon 400Ds. TWO! I have invested in decent lenses and the like and to this day, my Canon 450D is constantly by my side. It goes wherever I go. Armed. Ready. Always. Without fail.

And here we are at the death-knell of yet another year and I am pleased to say that I managed to take a photo-a-day, everyday for the third year running. And yes, I will be continuing on in 2009.

At this point in time, I would like to consider this as a five year project but it may very well continue on further than that.

Its all there. Warts and all. Good times. Bad times. Cringeworthy times. There are things I wish I didn’t do or say. There are regrets. There are overwhelmingly happy times. There are times when I was at my absolute lowest.

But it is all there in as honest a fashion as I could muster.

You can view all of 2008′s effort here.

Past years are here: 2007 and 2006.

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The Wrestler

Published on December 19, 2008 in Cinema and Movie Of The Week. 0 Comments Tags: Darren Aronofsky, Marisa Tormei, Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler.

The Wrestler

I was fortunate enough to score a double-pass for an advance screening of ‘The Wrestler’ (thank you Penny!)

Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson had it all. An All American wrestling superstar from the 80′s – he now lives a solitary, lonely and empty existence. He’s been battered from pillar to post and carries the scars and pain of a bygone era. An era in which he was king when the sport of Wrestling was an international phenomenon. Sold out nights at stadiums with crowds of 20,000 plus have now been replaced by dingy little mess halls with 50 people in attendance.

It’s all past tense in Randy’s life. When fans greet him at makeshift and empty conventions, he signs 80′s posters for them with the fans telling him “You were the greatest!”

He was. But he is no more.

Barely able to pay the rent in a grungy trailer park. Barely able to be there for his estranged daughter, ‘The Ram’ is literally a shell of a man that carries physical and mental scars through the remainder of his damaged life.

Brilliantly portrayed by Mickey Rourke, ‘The Wrestler’ could quite easily be interpreting Rourke’s very own life. Rourke IS ‘The Ram’. Quite simply an amazing acting performance from the enigmatic Rourke and I couldn’t imagine another actor in this role – even though Nicolas Cage was originally cast in the lead role.

Director Darren Aronofsky has created an almost like documentary world. Grimey, gritty, grey, blue and cold. Whilst the plot doesn’t offer anything we haven’t seen before a hundred times, the real joy and majesty of this film is seeing actors deliver some brilliant, poignant and astounding performances.

I adored this movie. I loved the 80′s references and the soundtrack featuring all the cock rocking hair Metal bands that I still listen to.

Brilliant!

***** 5 Star!

Cradle Of Filth To Tour Australia

Published on December 18, 2008 in Gigs and Music. 0 Comments Tags: Cradle Of Filth.

Cradle Of Filth To Tour Australia

British extreme metallers Cradle of Filth will embark on a headlining tour of Australia in May 2009. Confirmed dates are as follows:

May 22 – Metro City – Perth, Australia
May 24 – Thebarton Theatre – Adelaide, Australia
May 26 – The Palace – Melbourne, Australia
May 28 – The Metro – Sydney, Australia
May 31 – The Arena – Brisbane, Australia

I’ll certainly try and get a photo-pass for this one!

Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2

Published on December 17, 2008 in Cinema and Posters. 0 Comments Tags: Bob Weinstein, Dimension Films, H2, Halloween 2, Rob Zombie.

Halloween 2 Rob Zombie

Hot off the presses directly from the folks at Dimension Films.

Dimension Films – the successful genre and specialty arm of The Weinstein Company – is pleased to announce that the company will make ‘H2′, the sequel to Rob Zombie’s 2007 reinvention of the horror classic ‘Halloween’. ‘Once again, Rob Zombie has been tapped to write and direct.’ Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films, who also produced 2007′s Halloween with Dimension, will produce the sequel, along with Andy Gould of Spectacle Entertainment Group, Zombie’s long time manager and producing partner. The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company.

Zombie’s ‘H2′ will pick up at the exact moment the first movie stopped and follow the aftermath of Michael Myers murderous rampage through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode.?

‘H2′ will be Zombie’s fifth written and directed feature. Prior to the success of Halloween, Zombie released the critically-acclaimed film ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ (2005), the follow-up to his cult classic ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ (2004). Zombie just wrapped production on his animated feature film ‘The Haunted World of El Superbeasto’ due to be released in 2009.

Bob Weinstein stated: “Following the success of 2007′s ‘Halloween’, we are thrilled to be back in business with Rob Zombie, bringing a sequel to theatres. The fans have made it clear and we agree – that they feel the franchise is in great hands with Rob Zombie”.?

Rob Zombie said, “I am very excited to be working with Bob Weinstein again and returning to the world of ‘Halloween’. The remake laid the groundwork, now it’s time to really take Michael Myers to the next level. I believe we’ve just barely scratched the surface of where we can take this series”.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Published on December 16, 2008 in Cinema, Comic Books and Superhero. 0 Comments Tags: Hugh Jackman, Logan, Weapon X, Wolverine, X-Men.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The bar has been raised with ‘The Dark Knight’. So much so that it is going to take a Herculean effort for any comic-book genre film to compare from here on. The X-Men movies, for the most part, were pretty good efforts. The first two in particular were grand. The stand-out was always Hugh Jackman and his effortless portrayal of Wolverine. He nailed the role perfectly.

I still remember the chills I got up my spine when he first appears on screen in the first X-Men movie.

A Wolverine flick was inevitable. It was a mere rumour for several years, but now it is indeed reality and the HD trailer is now out.

As far as trailers go, it certainly teases a lot. There’s Gambit (played by Taylor Kitsch), Sabretooth, Storm, Deadpool et al. There’s action. (natch!) There’s Jackman constantly crouching and with claws ready to strike… and there’s a whole origin film to unfold – cue Weapon X for all you fanboys & girls out there.

When all is said and done, I for one am looking forward to this one!
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Melbourne’s Banksy Destroyed

Published on December 14, 2008 in Art and Street Art. 1 Comment Tags: Banksy, Graffiti, Melbourne, Robert Banks, Street Art.

Melbourne's Banksy Destroyed

Sad but true. After all the media attention this particular Banksy was getting of late due to the City Of Melbourne putting the piece behind plexiglass…. the Cocker Alley Banksy ‘Little Diver’ piece was destroyed overnight.

S’funny, how when no one knew what this piece was or its significance, it stood alone unprotected and untouched in the rat infested Cocker Alley. Now when it had become a bit of a Melbourne treasure… someone has come along and destroyed it.

Just a few weeks ago, another little known ‘Little Diver’ was painted over on Greville Street. Another one in a Prahran alley has also met similar fate.

There are still a few Banksy pieces around Melbourne, most notably the series of stencils at the Revolver nightclub, but it did sadden me to see the Cocker Alley one meet its untimely death…

Shame.

The Age: Melbourne loses treasured Banksy…

The Runaways Movie

Published on December 8, 2008 in Cinema and Music. 0 Comments Tags: Cherrie Curie, Floria Sigismondi, Joan Jett, Kristen Stewart, Lita Ford, The Runaways.

Kristen Stewart is Joan Jett

‘Twilight’ star Kristen Stewart has signed on to play famous rock ‘n’ roller Joan Jett in ‘The Runaways’. Music video director Floria Sigismondi wrote and will helm the project. Sigismondis videos have included Marilyn Mansons Tourniquet, Christina Aguileras Fighter and The White Stripes Blue Orchid.

The film is a biopic of the first successful all-girl hard rock band ‘The Runaways’ (hence the title), which fell apart after four years due to management and money disputes. According to THR, the film “will revolve around Jett and [singer-keyboardist Cherie Currie] and follow them from the band’s meteoric rise as teenagers to their dissolution and disillusionment”.

River Road Entertainment hopes to go into production in 2009, but they will have to work around the ‘Twilight’ sequel ‘New Moon’, which is supposedly gearing up for a March 2009 start.

(via)

Johnny Depp As The Mad Hatter

Published on December 8, 2008 in Cinema. 0 Comments Tags: Alice In Wonderland, Johnny Depp, Tim Burton.

Johnny Depp As The Mad Hatter

With curly red hair sticking out from his quirky hat, a ghostly pallor and bohemian Victorian clothes, Johnny Depp is unrecognisable in his latest role.

The chameleon Hollywood actor is, once again, transforming his good looks for his upcoming role as the Mad Hatter in Alice In Wonderland.

The 45-year-old star is playing a darker version of the tea-drinking hat maker in Tim Burton’s upcoming remake of the Lewis Carroll classic.

And this picture is being touted as the first glimpse of the actor in the role.

Through his three decades-long career, Depp has frequently disguised his good looks for a variety of characters, including Edward Scissorhands and Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies.

Mia Wasikowska, 18, from Canberra, Australia, will be playing Alice, alongside Anne Hathaway as the White Queen.

Burton has also cast his real-life partner Helena Bonham Carter as the moody Red Queen. (Bet that one surprised you huh?)

The director frequently works with Bonham Carter in his movies, having cast her in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (which also starred Depp), Big Fish and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (again with Depp).

Matt Lucas, of Little Britain fame, has been cast as Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

The Queen star Michael Sheen (Tony Blair) will play the Cheshire Cat, while Back To The Future star Crispin Glover (George McFly) will play the Knave of Hearts.

Marilyn Manson Opens The Gates Of Hell

Published on December 8, 2008 in Art and Music. 0 Comments Tags: Brian Warner, Marilyn Manson.

Marilyn Manson Opens The Gates Of Hell
Isani Griffith & Manson

Marilyn Manson’s Trismegistus, (named for the legendary Greek alchemist) is his first ART BASEL solo show, presented by Germany’s GALERIE BRIGITTE SCHENK.

The show featured over 20 watercolor works by the painter spanning the past eight years of his ever-tumultuous life. Of course, the subject matter of the paintings did not disappoint, reflecting the artist’s deeply dark sense of humor, and included a transvestite Charlie Chaplin, Jon Benet Ramsey as Sleeping Beauty, portraits of the Black Dahlia, a bleeding, triple-faced Christ, and a self-portrait as an old, bald absinthe drinker.

Painting titles were equally imaginative and included poetic bits like ‘Green Whore of Love’, ‘I’ve got my arm around no one’, and ‘The man who eats his fingers’.

The show remains on display through February 2009, giving Tampa’s massive Goth population ample time to organize a massive field trip/Greyhound bus convoy to the show.

View some of the pieces here.