Interview with Lola Blanc

Lola Blanc is a singer, songwriter, actress and model. Lola has appeared in videos for many bands such as Interpol and Lifehouse. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Lola recently about some of her past work as well as what she has planned for 2012.

Adam Lawton: What was it that made you want to pursue the music side of the entertainment business?
Lola Blanc: I have been writing since I can remember but when I was 9 I was really into the group Hanson. We had this closet growing up that my brother would use as a chemistry lab. I would go in there and listen to music by myself. I listened to the Hanson song “Thinking of You” and it made me cry. That was the first song to ever move me in such an emotional way. Hanson combined with the Spice Girls really changed my life and made me want to do music for the rest of my life.

AL: What has it been like working with people such as Brian Lee and David Gamson?
LB: Initially it was a little intimidating. I was thrown into this world with people who had done all these big things. It was however very exciting and overtime I felt like I was an equal as I was able to contribute creatively. It was truly a great experience.

AL: What is your favorite part working on music videos?
LB: It’s fun to play dress and play a character in someone else’s world. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other artists and see how the whole experience goes down. It has prepared me for working on my own music videos which is something that I am really looking forward to doing.

AL: Can you tell us about your work on “Repo: The Genetic Opera”?
LB: I was friends with someone who worked for Yoshiki and they needed people for some background vocals. I went in one night and did some yelling into a microphone which was a lot of fun. I eventually ended up working for Yoshiki as an assistant later on.

AL: What was it like working for Yoshiki?
LB: It’s interesting. Girls cry and scream when they are around him. They will actually bow down at his feet which I thought was kind of bizarre. It was fun and Yoshiki was really great. I was one of many assistants that he has and things are very hectic around there.

AL: What upcoming plans do you have for 2012?
LB: My main focus right now is getting prepared to shoot music videos. I am really excited as it’s a culmination of all the things I do. The videos are really a way for me to express myself on all levels. I get to show my fashion, personality and music all together. This is probably going to be the most fun I have had in my career. I also have plans to play some shows which I will get do the same thing and showcase all my talents.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: blanc, interview, lola

“Footloose” Let’s Dance Giveaways & Blu-ray Trailer

EVERYBODY CUT LOOSE!

To celebrate the Blu-ray release of “Footloose” on March 6th, 2012, Paramount Home Media Distribution is giving fans of the hit film Footloose the chance to win a dance inspired by the movie for their school! Just visit https://www.facebook.com/FootlooseMovie to vote for your school, then tell all of your friends and tweet using the #Footloose hashtag to earn extra votes. You can vote once a day and even download posters on Facebook to put up at your school and spread the word. Students at the winning school will get to kick up their heels with a DJ, professional dancers to get the party started, a dance contest with prizes, a photo booth, themed decorations and more fun and surprises, all courtesy of Paramount. Hurry, you’ve only got until March 2 to get your votes in!

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Interview with Jason Neulander

Jason Neulander is the creator of “The Intergalactic Nemesis”, which is a live-action graphic novel production tour.  Jason and his team will be performing “The Intergalactic Nemesis” with Conan O’Brien and Andy Ritcher on “Conan” on February 14th, 2012.  Media Mikes got a chance to ask Jason a few questions about the origin of “The Intergalactic Nemesis” and performing it live.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you come up with the idea for a live-action graphic novel production tour, called “The Intergalactic Nemesis”?
Jason Neulander: The project started as a radio play back in the ’90s when a few friends and I decided to try our hands at a no-budget tribute to Star Wars and Raiders. Over the years, the project developed a big local following (and we did our share of revisions and rewrites) until I was invited to bring it to the 2,400-seat Dell Hall in Austin, where we’re from. I felt that venue was too big for the intimate experience of a radio play and in a flash had a vision of comic-book artwork projected on a huge screen to create a visual spectacle. It took about 15 months for Tim Doyle to create that artwork and then we premiered the show to 2,100 people. Ten days later, we started booking tour dates and, well, here we are!

MG: The Intergalactic Nemesis will be performing on live on “Conan”, how did this come about?
JN: I landed us a story on NPR’s All Things Considered. Meantime, my agent had been working on the Conan thing. When the NPR story aired, that was the catalyst for the Conan folks to give the green light.

MG: Are you nervous performing with Conan O’Brien and Andy Ritcher?
JN: A little, but mainly really excited.

MG: Tell us about the character you play “Mysterion the Magnificent”?
JN: The story of “The Intergalactic Nemesis” takes place in the 1930s. Mysterion is a world famous magician and stage performer who has secret plans to take over the world (with the help of an invading force of sludge monsters from the planet Zygon).

MG: What is the biggest challenge in performing this live?
JN: Remembering the lines!

MG: What can expect from the sequel entitled “Book Two: Robot Planet Rising”?
JN: Lots and lots of robots. Adventure. Danger. Excitement. Book Two is actually the second of three, so, like any good part 2, it’s a little darker, a little more complex, and we get to meet a bunch of really awesome new characters.

MG: Where can people find out about this tour and your upcoming dates?
JN: http://www.theintergalacticnemesis.com/tour

 

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre, Interviews Tagged With: interview, jason, neulander

Film Review “Re:Generation Music Project”

Directed By: Amir Bar-Lev
Starring: Skrillex, DJ Premier, The Crystal Method, Pretty Lights, Mark Ronson, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, LeAnn Rimes, Dr. Ralph Stanley
Distributed by: D & E
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In “Re:Generation”, acclaimed director Amir Bar-Lev (“The Tillman Story”, “My Kid Could Paint That”), has gathered an incredible amount of musical talent for a documentary that is well suited for the iPod era.

The main concept of this film is a simple one. Five popular DJs are partnered with musical genres they rarely if ever work with and each is expected to create a whole new track in a matter of days. This leads to pairings as unusual as electronic music artist Skrillex with the remaining members of The Doors and Pretty Lights with country legend Dr Ralph Stanley. The set up could be the conceit of a reality show to exploit the differences between generations but both the artists and filmmakers smartly recognize that this is not the goal here. Instead we see professionals getting honestly inspired by their collaborators. Taking on classical music, New York-based DJ Premier is especially fun to watch as he’s taught how to conduct the Berklee Symphony Orchestra. His piece stitches together rapper Nas with eleven classical works from Mozart to Brahms to wonderful effect.

The starriest of collaborations is the jazz work created by producer Mark Ronson in New Orleans with Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Dap-Kings and Zigaboo Modeliste. In a piece themed to gumbo, Ronson perfectly captures the spirit of the project when he says “You mix it all up in a pot and see what works.” In an age where people walk around with entire musical libraries in their pockets, this sentiment is clearly already accepted by modern listeners. Using available technology to create actual seamless blends like these is the natural next step.

Adding to the talent on display is the fact that the doc is beautifully shot. You can feel the excitement of the working studio through Bar-Lev’s fly-on-the-wall footage. When the final products are eventually performed, the sense of accomplishment is palpable as Bar-Lev cuts between the isolated artists recording and the wild, entertained crowds. It’s remarkable to see concert goers open to artists they may never have encountered otherwise. One can only hope the DJs take the inspiration they found during this film and continue to work outside their comfort zones.

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, music, project, regeneration, review

“In the Land of Blood and Honey” Available March 27th on Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack

Academy Award® Winner Angelina Jolie Makes Her Acclaimed
Filmmaking Debut with the 2012 Golden Globe® Nominee for
Best Foreign Language Film – IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY

Featuring Both Authentic Language Theatrical and Never-Before-Seen English-Language Versions of the Film Available March 27th on
Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack. Get Both Versions Early on Digital and VOD – February 24th*

“Extraordinary! A total triumph!” -Danny Miller, MSN News

“Brilliant! A powerful, important, humane and uncompromising film.” – Pete Hammond / BACKSTAGE MAGAZINE

“Jolie is a startlingly effective director.” – John Powers / VOGUE

Culver City, CA (2/13/12) – From Academy Award® winner Angelina Jolie (Best Supporting Actress, Girl, Interrupted, 1999) comes the acclaimed war drama IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, available March 27th on Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Jolie makes her stunning directorial and screenwriting debut with this gripping tale of love and survival set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War. Nominated for a 2012 Golden Globe® Award for Best Foreign Language Film, IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY has been hailed by critics as “the starkest, most relentless film about war since Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket.” (David Ehrenstein, Quarterly Review of Film & Video). Now, movie fans can experience this riveting film with a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack which includes two versions of the film –the authentic language film with English subtitles on the Blu-ray and the English language version featured on the DVD disc. Both versions of the film will arrive early on VOD and Digital on February 24th.

The Blu-ray combo pack includes a “Making of” featurette that goes behind the scenes of filming in two languages with a local cast, who share their painful stories of their personal conflict during the war. Exclusively available on the Blu-ray version is a Q&A with Jolie and Actress Vanesa Glodjo.

IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY is the winner of the Producers Guild of America’s 2012 Stanley Kramer Award, which honors films whose “achievement or contribution illuminates provocative social issues in an accessible and elevating fashion.”

Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s, IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY tells the story of Danijel and Ajla, two people from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosnian held captive in the camp he oversees, knew each other before the war, and could have found love with each other. But as the armed conflict takes hold of their lives, their relationship grows darker, their motives and connection to one another ambiguous, their allegiances uncertain.

IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY features an all-Bosnian cast that includes Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic and Rade Serbedzija, cinematography by Academy Award® winner Dean Semler (1990, Best Cinematography, Dances with Wolves) and music by Academy Award® winner Gabriel Yared (1997, Best Music, The English Patient). It was produced by Angelina Jolie, Graham King, Tim Headington and Tim Moore.

The film has a run time of approximately 126 minutes and has been rated R for war violence and atrocities including rape, sexuality, nudity and language.

Blu-ray™ and DVD Bonus Material:
· “The Making of In the Land of Blood and Honey” Featurette
· Deleted Scenes
Blu-ray™ Exclusive:
· Q&A with Writer/Director Angelina Jolie and Actress Vanesa Glodjo

“Academy Award®” is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

* English-language version available on select providers.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; worldwide television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 27th, blood, bluray, combo, dvd, honey, ...

Interview with Kevin Tostado

Kevin Tostado is the producer and director of new documentary “Under the Boardwalk: The MONOPOLY Story”. The film focuses on the =history of the game and World Championship of Monopoly. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about his new life, his love for Monopoly and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your inspiration behind “Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story”?
Kevin Tostado: As a kid growing up, MONOPOLY was a game that always present in my house. It’s probably one of the first games that I played in which I had to handle cash as well as have to negotiate trades with my opponents. By the time I was 12, I could no longer get my family to play with me as they felt I took the game too seriously. It even got to the point where I was studying The Monopoly Companion written by Phil Orbanes, to try and prepare myself to be able to compete at the next US Monopoly Championship. “Under the Boardwalk: The MONOPOLY Story” arose out of my passion for the game of Monopoly as well as my desire to capture and create compelling stories to share with audiences.

MG: When was the first time you played the game Monopoly?
KT: It goes hand in hand with the first answer, but I can’t actually remember my first game as it was a game I just remember playing all the time. I imagine I started with Monopoly Jr, but think I was playing with the real game by 5 or so. It wasn’t until I was in my early teens that I started really learning all the strategies behind the game.

MG: Have you ever considered competing in the World Championship of Monopoly yourself?
KT: Most definitely! After I first read The Monopoly Companion, I started trying to train, but my family didn’t appreciate the game quite the way I did, so it was always difficult to find folks to play with. My senior year of college, I started training for the 2009 US Championship until I burnt out my suitemates on playing. I put my championship dreams on hold in order to make the film, but now since completing production, I’ve begun playing at local tournaments, and last April I won my first local tournament, beating several prominent players including Ken Koury and Lee Bayrd.

MG: How long did the project take to complete from concept to completion?
KT: I started initial research in Summer 2007 but you could argue that I started engrossing myself in the material when I was a teenager. We finished filming in early 2010, and was screening it at film festivals starting in September 2010. We then spent the next year playing at film festivals and running a limited theatrical release in a handful of cities around the country.

MG: What was the most challenging aspect of this documentary?
KT: It’s hard to narrow it down to just one challenging aspect. Obviously, getting one of the largest game companies in the planet to trust an unknown independent filmmaker with one of their prized games and allow us to film at the championships was a long road for us. Finding financing for a documentary about “a game that never ends” during a recession certainly wasn’t a cakewalk, and neither is negotiating complex world of international travel with film equipment and crew. But all of those struggles that we overcame gave us the motivation to see the project through and to get it out into the world for folks to enjoy.

MG: Tell us about bringing on Zachary Levi to narrate the film?
KT: We were able to attach Zac Levi to the project through our executive producer, Stephen Nemeth, who is one of the producers on this year’s Sundance hit The Surrogate. Steve has been a key player in Hollywood for the last 20 years (he produced Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas amongst many other notable films) and made the connection for us to get Zac!

MG: Tell us about what you have planned next?
KT: I’m helping produce a webseries called Research. starring Gabriel Diani and Barry Bostwick which we’ll be shooting in March and premiering online in the late Spring. You can learn more about that project at ResearchSeries.com. I’m also helping produce an 80’s rock star comedy called Todd Lucas: Singer/Songwriter which we are shooting in June, although we still have a big Kickstarter campaign coming for that in April to help us finance the film. Interested folks can follow me on Twitter (@Tostie) for the latest on my projects.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, kevin, tostado

PSN Game Review “Shank 2”

Developer: Klei Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: Playstation Network
Genre: Beat ’em up, Side-scroller
Mode: Single-player, Local cooperative
Rating: Mature

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left…….AWWWW I just bludgeoned that guy with a fish!!!!

If Rambo, every Jason Statham character created, Dutch from Predator and the characters from Contra, Double Dragon and those forgettable guys from the Final Fight series, had a baby, that baby wouldn’t be half as badass as SHANK. This side scrolling mass of testosterone, steroids and good old fashioned guts has gotten my palms sweaty, my neck muscles close to tearing and my need for carnage fulfilled.

I didn’t play Shank 1 prior to this review but you can be damned sure I will after. The storyline is simple: Bad Guys have kidnapped someone close to you and placed even more bad guys in between you and them. Your job? Slice, shoot, maim, stab and kill said bad guys, with an arsenal of weapons ranging from knives and guns to chainsaws and fish?? Yep. I pummeled a random dock working henchman with a large sea bass. And you know what? I felt good about it. I worked my way through these sloshy, blood-soaked levels in ways that Stallone & Schwarzenegger would stand slack jawed and peeing.

The games mechanics are typical of a side scrolling adventure, with each level ending in some sort of boss like encounter. Each level upped the ante a bit as I progressed through and ended in Adult Swim style, cut scenes that offset the carnage with some gory humor. At one point Shank kills a Great White Shark by breaking its neck and pulling out its jaws with his bare hands, causing the The “Jaws” and Fulci fan inside me to exclaim a joyful, “That-a-boy!” The controls are fairly smooth. No ground breaking changes there. Play time for the game is also typical for this genre, fairly quick.

The game features costume and weapons upgrades and 2 player co-op is heavily featured in the Survival mode. You and that special someone in your life can rack up the bodies together in a single screen mission where you are tasked with protecting supplies from crazy bombing henchmen. With a full arsenal of traps and weapons at your disposal, you divide your time between killing baddies and taking hefty swigs of tequila. You guessed right…that wonderful Mexican elixir has a new use in your life. Its health restoring properties in-game make me wish it were real out of game. I would drink myself into becoming the next Charles Atlas!!

One quick mention here for the music!! Fantastic!! Mixture of Top Gun-like phrasings, with a little every Delta Force score ever produced.

If your a fan of these types of games, consider yourself a fan of this one. However, if you find these button mashing fighting games a bit repetitive, this particular one won’t change your mind.

I really dug Shank 2! It’s well made and brought me back to my younger NES days…minus the blood, gore. and shark killing of course. But boy if I had had this game back then….who am I kidding…. if I had this game back then, my mother would have thrown my Nintendo system into my ceiling fan. SHAAAANK!!!

Shank 2 is available for download on all the good systems… 🙂 Sorry Wii…. 🙁

 

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Filed Under: Game Reviews Tagged With: 2, game, psn, review, shank

The 2012 Grammy Award Winners & Wrap-up

The 2012 Grammys were held on Sunday, February 12th 2012 at the Staple center in Los Angeles California. Though the night may have been overshadowed by the death of Whitney Houston the show continued on. Performances by Bruce Springsteen, the reformed Beach Boys, The Foo Fighters, and a touching rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” performed by Jennifer Hudson were definite highlights of the night. A heavily religious themed performance by Niky Minaj left people either scratching their heads or highly disturbed. LL Cool J did an ok job as the host for the event however his segues were kept very brief. Chris Brown made several appearances over the course of the evening as he has seemed to have earned his way back into the good graces of the music community. The big winners of the night were Adele who brought home 5 Grammy’s including one for Record of the Year and Album of the Year. The Foo Fighters also took home 5 Grammy’s which included Best Rock performance and Best Rock Album. Other noted winners were Bon Iver who beat out the likes of Skrillex and The Band Perry for Best new Artist while Lady Antebellum took home the award for Best Country Album beating out the likes of Jason Aldean and country staple George Strait. As with any awards show there will be high points and low points. Sadly I think the 2012 Grammy’s had more lows than highs but to end on a positive there are some really big releases slated for this year that will hopefully catch the attention of the right people.

2012 Grammy Award Winners

Record of the Year- “Rolling In the Deep” – Adele

Album of the Year- “21” – Adele

Song of the Year- “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

Best New Artist- Bon Iver

Best Pop Solo Performance- “Someone Like You” – Adele

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance- “Body And Soul” – Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse

Best Pop Instrumental Album- “The Road From Memphis” – Booker T. Jones

Best Pop Vocal Album- “21” – Adele

Best Dance Recording- “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” – Skrillex

Best Dance/Electronica Album- “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” – Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album- “Duets II” – Tony Bennett & Various Artists

Best Rock Performance- “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance- “White Limo” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song- “Walk” – Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album- “Wasting Light” – Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album- “Bon Iver” – Bon Iver

Best R&B Performance- “Is This Love” – Corinne Bailey Rae

Best Traditional R&B Performance- “Fool For You” – Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona

Best R&B Song- “Fool For You” – Cee Lo Green & Jack Splash, songwriters (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)

Best R&B Album- “F.A.M.E.” – Chris Brown

Best Rap Performance- “Otis” – Jay-Z & Kanye West

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration- “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Song- “All Of The Lights” – Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)

Best Rap Album- “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” – Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance- “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best Country Duo/Group Performance- “Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

Best Country Song- “Mean” – Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)

Best Country Album- “Own The Night” – Lady Antebellum

Best New Age Album- “What’s It All About” – Pat Metheny “Instrumental Oasis, Vol. 6” – Zamora

Best Improvised Jazz Solo- “500 Miles High” – Chick Corea, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album- “The Mosaic Project” – Terry Lyne Carrington & Various Artists

Best Jazz Instrumental Album- “Forever” – Corea, Clarke & White

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album- “The Good Feeling” – Christian McBride Big Band

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance- “Jesus” – Le’Andria Johnson

Best Gospel Song- “Hello Fear” – Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song- “Blessings” – Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)

Best Gospel Album- “Hello Fear” – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album- “And If Our God Is For Us…” – Chris Tomlin

Best Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album- “Drama Y Luz” – Maná

Best Regional Mexican or Tejano Album- “Bicentenario” – Pepe Aguilar

Best Banda or Norteño Album- “Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends” – Los Tigres Del Norte

Best Tropical Latin Album- “The Last Mambo” – Cachao

Best Americana Album- “Ramble At The Ryman” – Levon Helm

Best Bluegrass Album- “Paper Airplane” – Alison Krauss & Union Station

Best Blues Album- “Revelator” – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album- “Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

Best Regional Roots Music Album- “Rebirth Of New Orleans” – Rebirth Brass Band

Best Reggae Album- “Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life” – Stephen Marley

Best World Music Album- “Tassili” – Tinariwen

Best Children’s Album- “All About Bullies… Big And Small” – (Various Artists) James Cravero, Gloria Domina, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara & Patrick Robinson, producers

Best Spoken Word Album- “If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t)” – Betty White

Best Comedy Album- “Hilarious” – Louis C.K.

Best Musical Theater Album- “The Book Of Mormon” – Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, principal soloists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez, Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media– “Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1” – (Various Artists)

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media- “The King’s Speech” – Alexandre Desplat, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media- “I See The Light” (From “Tangled”) – Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, songwriters (Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi)

Best Instrumental Composition- “Life In Eleven” – Béla Fleck & Howard Levy, composers (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones)

Best Instrumental Arrangement- “Rhapsody In Blue” – Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist (s)- “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” – Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Tony Bennett & Queen Latifah)

Best Recording Packaging- “The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story” – Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen) “25th Anniversary Music Box” – Matt Taylor & Ellen Wakayama, art directors (Danny Elfman & Tim Burton)

Best Album Notes- “Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s” – Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album- “Band On The Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition)” – Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Sam Okell & Steve Rooke, mastering engineers (Paul McCartney & Wings)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical- “Paper Airplane” – Mike Shipley, engineer; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical- Paul Epworth – “Call It What You Want” (Foster The People) (T); “I Would Do Anything For You” (Foster The People) (T); “I’ll Be Waiting” (Adele) (T); “Life On The Nickel” (Foster The People) (T); “No One’s Gonna Love You” (Cee-Lo Green) (S); “Rolling In The Deep” (Adele)(T)

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical- “Cinema” (Skrillex Remix) – Sonny Moore, remixer (Benny Benassi)

Best Surround Sound Album- “Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition)” – Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)

Best Engineered Album, Classical- “Aldridge: Elmer Gantry” – Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Producer Of The Year, Classical- Judith Sherman – “Adams: Son Of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet” (John Adams, St. Lawrence String Quartet & International Contemporary Ensemble); “Capricho Latino” (Rachel Barton Pine); “85th Birthday Celebration” (Claude Frank); “Insects & Paper Airplanes – Chamber Music Of Lawrence Dillon” (Daedalus Quartet & Benjamin Hochman); “Midnight Frolic – The Broadway Theater Music Of Louis A.

Best Orchestral Performance- “Brahms: Symphony No. 4” – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Best Opera Recording- “Adams: Doctor Atomic” – Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Best Choral Performance-“Light & Gold” – Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King’s Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers)

Best Small Ensemble Performance- “Mackey: Lonely Motel – Music From Slide” – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

Best Classical Instrumental Solo- “Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra” – Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony); Track from:

Best Classical Vocal Solo- “Diva Divo” – Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L’Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L’Opéra National De Lyon)

Best Contemporary Classical Composition- “Aldridge, Robert: Elmer Gantry” – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein “Crumb, George: The Ghosts Of Alhambra” – George Crumb; Track from:

Best Short Form Music Video- “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele; Sam Brown, video director; Hannah Chandler, video producer

Best Long Form Music Video- “Foo Fighters: Back And Forth” – Foo Fighters; James Moll, video director; James Moll & Nigel Sinclair, video producers

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: 2012, award, grammy, winners, wrapup

Interview with Meagan Tandy

Meagan Tandy started off in the business co-starring with Denzel Washington in “Unstoppable”.  Megan is currently co-starring in the TV series “Jane by Design” and will be in the upcoming film “Piranha 3DD” as well.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Meagan about “Piranha 3DD” and also what else see has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What was it like getting to work with such a great cast on your first film “Unstoppable”?
Meagan Tandy: People were shocked that my first feature film was going to be a Fox feature with Tony Scott and Denzel Washington. I never thought my first feature film was going to be a studio film. I had the time of my life and it was so much fun getting to meet and work with everyone.

MG: Can you tell us about your next film “Piranha 3DD”?
MT: I was in Atlanta shooting for a show called “Single Ladies”. I was just doing my thing and my manager came to me and said I was being asked to read for the role of Ashley in what was being called “Piranha: The Sequel” at the time. I made a tape and sent it in not really knowing what I was auditioning for. Within about a week they notified me telling me I was the girl and they wanted me to be in Wilmington, NC the next day. I literally had no time to breathe. When I got there the entire cast was just so much fun.

MG: What can you tell us about the production?
MT: I can’t give away too much of what my character does but one day I was in the water filming a scene where I jump from a van into the water. We ended up only doing takes of this scene as during one of the takes I jumped and cut my foot. I had to go to the hospital and get stitches. Of course that’s the take I think they are going to be using. I have a lovely scar on the bottom of my foot and will always remember this film.

MG: Were you familiar with the first film?
MT: Absolutely! I did see the first one and the film did really well. I love a good horror film and being able to say that this is my first scary movie I am not complaining at all. I am very excited!

MG: What can you tell us about your upcoming role in “Jane by Design”?
MT: That will be my very first series. I play Lulu who is the exact opposite of my real personality as Lulu is the mean girl. The show is based around fashion and how the character of Jane balances the world of fashion and school. My character really likes to give Jane a hard time. I believe the show will be coming out January 2nd or 3rd.

MG: How did you become involved with the show initially?
MT: I auditioned for it in November of 2010. We shot the pilot and then waited quite awhile to find out if we got picked up or not. I found out that we did get picked up the same time I was getting ready to go to Wilmington. I really had no time to celebrate.

MG: How do you feel working on film and television differs from each other and do you prefer one over the other?
MT: I have always wanted to be an actress and I absolutely love movies and television. They are both great and I hope to get to do more movies in the future.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, meagan, tandy

Interview with Carla Renata

Carla Renata has appeared in dozens of television shows and commercials. She also has voiced several video game characters. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Carla recently about some of her previous work and what she has planned for 2012.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your recent appearances on “Raising Hope” and “Up All Night”?
Carla Renata: The episode I was on of “Raising Hope” aired a week or so ago. I played a shopper who basically made fun of one of the characters that was talking about how smart his baby was. My character asks the question of how smart is he? (Laughs) On “Up All Night” I play a TSA Agent who is not under any circumstances letting Christina Applegate and Will Arnett through so they can catch their flight.

AL: How did working on these two shows compare to some of the work you have done on other shows?
CR: On “Shake It Up!”, I play a mom and on “Hart of Dixie” I play a hairdresser. These roles are much different than the ones I recently played. The TSA agent is a real hard-nosed character with no sense of humor. On “Raising Hope” my character was empathetic with a slight bit of sarcasm. My hairdresser role is a fun role where I sit and do hair while getting all of the town gossip even though there isn’t a lot of gossip to get. On the Disney show I play a mom where I am the support for my children. My recent roles are quite different.

AL: Do you find it harder working on a set as a guest star rather than as a series regular?
CR: It depends on the show. I have been on some shows where they treat you like gold. They make you feel like you are a regular cast member that is coming back next week even though everyone knows you are not. I have also been on some sets where there was almost a click with the regular cast. You have to know how to feel the room and know when you can be friendlier or when you should just stay in your trailer till they need you. (Laughs)

AL: How did you get involved with doing voice over work?
CR: I was living in New York at the time and had agents that booked me for television commercials.  I would stop by their office quite often as a lot of the auditions I went on were in the vicinity of the office. I would stand around and talk and tell jokes to the people there.  The guy who was running the voice over department at the time heard me talking and asked me if I had done voice over work before. I told him no but he said he wanted to send me out for some voice over jobs. I ended up booking all the ones he sent me to.

AL: What do you like most about that type of acting?
CR: You can do it in your pajamas! (Laughs) When I first started there were very few people who had home studios as they were really expensive. Now it’s so much easier because of technology and the internet. You can just plug a microphone into the computer and click a few buttons. I love voice over work. I will roll out of bed, walk down to my office, record a couple tracks and then go back to bed. I am getting paid while in my pajamas. (Laughs)

AL: What was it like working on “Elvira’s Movie Macabre”?
CR: That was a lot of fun! What I didn’t know at the time and I probably should have was that Elvira and a couple other girls on the show all came from The Groundlings improv school. I had studied there as well. I never knew that Cassandra had created the Elvira character while studying there. I found that really amazing. Our shoot was all improv. It was scripted originally but none of us stuck to it. (Laughs) I think that’s what really made it fun. You couldn’t pay for that kind of acting class.

AL: Do you prefer an improv type script over one that is more rigid and strict?
CR: It depends. I come from a theater background where if you mess up your lines you have to say something. You can’t just stand there in the middle of the stage waiting for someone to give you your lines. I will just make stuff up if I have to because I have that ability.(Laughs) It really depends on the situation and what type of characterization you are going to bring to that piece of script.

AL: Do you have any other projects coming out that we can be watching for?
CR: I am taping a new episode of “Shake It Up!” next week but I‘m not sure when it will air. The episodes of that show we have previously shot air all the time. It looks like I am always on the Disney channel even though I am really not. (Laughs) I haven’t shot a “Hart of Dixie” episode in some time so that should be coming around shortly. Pilot season is coming up so you never know. I could be popping up anywhere. I do have some commercials for Progressive Insurance, Tidy Cat Kitty Litter and Hunt’s Tomato Sauce that will be airing around the country so people can definitely see me on those.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: carla, interview, renata

Whitney Houston dead at 48

Whitney Houston, the Grammy award winning singer whose career saw a major decline due to a battle with drugs, passed away earlier today. Cause of death and location were not immediately reported. Her death was confirmed by her publicist.

Houston, the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston and niece of pop legend Dionne Warwick (and, as if she didn’t have enough musical karma, the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin), was one of the most popular female solo artists of all time. Over her career she received six Grammy Awards as well as two Emmy awards for her television performances. She sold over 170 million singles and albums.

In 1992 she made her film debut opposite Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard.” The film’s soundtrack won that years Grammy Award as album of the year. Her hit song from the film, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” is the biggest selling single from a female performer of all time. She also made history when she became the first performer to score seven CONSECUTIVE number one hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With:

Interview with Jeffrey Reddick

Jeffrey Reddick is known best for creating the successful horror “Final Destination” series.  Jeffrey also was involved writing the 2008’s remake of “Day of the Dead”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jeffrey about the series and also what else he had planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: You created the very successful horror franchise, “Final Destination”, tell us the origin of how to created it?
Jeffrey Reddick: The idea stemmed from a strange real-life incident. I was on a plane, flying home to Kentucky. I read an article about a woman who was on vacation, in Hawaii, I think. On the morning of her flight, her mother called her and told her not to take the flight she was booked on because she had a bad feeling about it. The woman changed her flight and the plane she was supposed to be on crashed. This story got me thinking…what if she was meant to die in that crash? What if she cheated Death? At the time, I was working at New Line Cinema and was trying to get an agent. I was told to write a spec script for something on TV. “The X-Files” was my favorite show and it was really hot at the time. So, I came up with an episode where Scully’s brother had the premonition. The script got me an agent. Mark Kaufman, a colleague at New Line Cinema, really loved the script and convinced me to try and turn it in to a feature.

MG: Why did you leave “Final Destination” series after the second film?
JR: After the first film, I thought I had a really clever way to expand on the original movie, without just rehashing the first one. It’s interesting, I’ve done two of films, James Wong and Glen Morgan did two, as did David Ellis and Eric Bress. But the studio decided to go with completely new folks on the last one. But I didn’t leave the series. Each movie is its own animal and the studio always waits until the last film does theatrically, and on DVD, before deciding if they’re going to make another one. So, it’s really their call. But I’d only want to do another one if I could bring something fresh to the table. Just redoing the formula doesn’t interest me.

MG: After your departure from the series, how do you feel the the series continued through the latest fifth film?
JR: I always remember how fortunate I am to have created a horror film that’s had such a long life, so I’ve found things I’ve enjoyed about all of the films. But when you get to a part 5, sequel fatigue always sets in. The studio doesn’t want to mess with the formula, so the movies tend to blend together and feel repetitive. But each of the films has managed to be a fun ride.

MG: I feel the fifth film did a nice touch are related to the first film, do you think the franchise still has steam left?
JR: I think the fifth sequel was great. I feel they really made that one for the fans and not just to cash in. They brought Tony Todd back and added some real depth, and twists, to the story. I think part 5 is a great way to go out with the current formula. But I think if they want to keep the series vital, they should do a reboot. Death is a crafty mother…and can always come up with a new design.

MG: You took on the task of writing the screenplay to the 2008 remake of “Day of the Dead”, what was you most difficult task?
JR: Steve Miner’s involvement was the main reason I signed on. The hardest task was trying to craft a film that was reverent to the original. Because of the rights, we could only use the basic story and characters from “Day of the Dead.” We couldn’t reference any of the other movies, so it had to be a standalone story. But the treatment I wrote, which got me hired for the job, was much closer to the original film. I really feel it paid tribute in a respectful way, while creating a fresh new story. But after I got hired, the studio started making me change things…and strip out everything related to the original. There were many arguments, but at the end of the day they usually win. So, watching the film turn in to something other than what I intended, was the hardest part. At the end of the day, I think it’s a fun film…but it shouldn’t be called Day of The Dead.

MG: Any truth to the rumor of a 3D follow-up to “Day of the Dead”?
JR: They just announced they’re releasing the remake on Blu-ray in 3D. I’m excited to see it.

MG: What do you have planned next in the works?
JR: I’ve got several irons in the fire, but nothing I can report right now, as you never know if, and when, things will pan out. But I can say they’re all genre projects and I’m hoping to direct one of them. I’ll keep you posted.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: interview, jeffrey, reddick

Book Review “The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made”

Author: David Hughes
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Revised & Expanded Edition
Release Date: July 25, 2008

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I think we all forget that some of our favorites films have long journeys to the big screen and some never even get made.  Whether it is changing directors or projects falling through, this book reveals the “what if” factor of many sci-fi movies that were never made.  This revised & expanded edition contains over 100 pages added to the book.  It is a must for all sci-fi fans and probably movie fans in all.

The book is kicked off with a great foreword by H.R. Giger (designer for “Alien”), it is a great insight into his career and about his dealings with Hollywood.  I am a huge movie fan especially the sci-fi genre and this book is really such a great insight into these lost films.  Some of them I would have loved to have seen like Terry Gilliam’s “Watchmen” or Tim Burton’s “Superman Lives”. Then there are some that I would have hated like Nicholas Cage playing Superman.  I also enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t consisted of re-hashed knowledge and there was a lot of new information that I never knew about.   Author David Hughes made sure to back this book with a bunch of great new interviews with the people involved with the writers and directors of these lost projects.

Besides providing new information, the book is also very detailed and includes thorough information like budgets and technical information about these films.  I enjoyed that most about this book, especially because I am a big statistical nerd.  Lastly, who else should provide the afterword to a book aimed at nerds, then the biggest nerd, Harry Knowles aka the famous blogger from Ain’t it Cool News.  He gives good insight in the wrapping up the book and its message.  If you enjoyed this book also check out Hughes’ latest coming out February 28, 2012 from Titans Books called “Tales From Development Hell: The Greatest Movies Never Made?”.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, greatest, movies, review, scifi

Interview with The Twilight Saga’s Booboo Stewart

Booboo Stewart is known best for his role of Seth Clearwater in “The Twilight Saga”.  He is co-starring in the final installment of the series “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2” this November.  Booboo took out some time to sit down with Media Mikes during his press tour for “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1” Blu-ray and chatted about his role in the series and what else he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: What would you say has been the coolest thing that has happened to you since joining “The Twilight Saga”?
Booboo Stewart: Well there has been some really cool things…but I think the best part has been the fans.  They make you these really cool handmade bracelets and in my room, my mom put these hooks up and I’ve got a bunch of them.  Fans are able to send them to me via my PO Box and I’ll wear them in magazines and stuff like that.  They are able to see me wearing them and I think that is really cool.

MG: I was watching some of the special features on the “Breaking Dawn- Part 1” Blu-ray and what was you say was the most challenging aspect of that shoot?
BS: The beach scene was soooooo cold.  Everyone was wearing these huge jackets and I was sitting there with my shirt off freezing.  I remember that any of the shots that were above my waist, I had blankets, sweatpants, shoes…it was freezing.

MG: What can we expect from “Breaking Dawn- Part 2”?
BS: I can’t give too much away obvious, even though its a book and all.  You get to meet a lot of new characters in the second movie.  During filming actually, it very hard to tell who was in which film.  I can’t imagine for the AD and makeup people trying to figure out who was who.  There were so many cast members on set at the same time, since they were filming two movies.

MG: “Breaking Dawn- Part 2” looks to amp up the action from “Part 1”, how was the production?
BS: Since I starting with “Eclipse”, I think just having the different directors on set changes the whole vibe.  For the short time I was there for “Eclipse”, David Slade was very technical and he knew what he wanted.  When I got to work with Bill Condon, I worked with him a lot more and more personally as well.  He was more of an actor’s director.  He would talk to you and figure out what you are thinking in a scene and what you character was going through.  This was also with everyone, didn’t matter the size of your role.  So that was really different.

MG: Besides acting you also take roles in stunts and composing, tell us about that side?
BS: I have been involved with music since I started out.  Music is a really cool thing to record.  I think it is really fun and I figure I am in the movie, so why not do a song or something [laughs].

MG: You also created and illustrated the comic book “Millennium Man”, tell us about that?
BS: I love comic books and I love drawing.  I am drawing right now, as you can see.  I created this character a really long time about called “Millennium Man”.  He uses electrical force as his power. It is cool to see an idea that I had come to paper.  We will see what happens with it. Right now it is still being developed.

MG: How did you prepare for your role in the new film “White Frog”?
BS: I play a character named Nick Young who has Aspergers, which is a a form of autism. It was the most intense thing I have ever done but it was also the most fun I have every had. I was able to be very close with every crew member.   I am happy to get a chance to play a different character and not just playing the same ones every time.  Acting is fun because you get to play different characters. I did a lot of research by watching YouTube videos. I tried to get characteristics but everyone with Aspergers is so different.  Some can mild, some can be severe and there can be a mild case and severe case in one person. It was definitely challenging but also very rewarding.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: booboo, interview, sagas, stewart, twilight

Book Review “My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith”

Author: Kevin Smith
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Expanded and Updated Edition
Release Date: September 22, 2009

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Yes, you are not misreading the cover wrong Kevin Smith is a New York Times Bestseller author.  This book is a very personal in-depth diary into the life of Kevin Smith.  The expanded and updated edition of the book adds a behind-the-scenes look  at the making of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”.  A new afterword is also included which pretty much brings us up to date on what Kevin has been up to and what he has (or had) planned for 2009.  The subtitle of “Uncomfortably Candid” is definitely not an understatement either as the entries in this book are just as vulgar as his film scripts.  Nonetheless fans of Smith, will eat it up and get a chance to get inside of his mind.

If you think that the life of Kevin Smith is all razzle and dazzle you might be disappointed though coming into this book.  You will find that some of it is dull and uneventful but between watching his TiVo, Kevin also finds time to make kick-ass movies like “Clerks II”.  The book isn’t all jokes though, he also dives into the personal details of Jason Mewes’ drug addiction battle. Like myself you really need to be a die-hard fan of Smith in order to really take away the most from the book.

If you are looking for a typical autobiography, this is not what you would be looking for.  I actually enjoyed the diary format of “My Boring-Ass Life”, because it feels more personal and complete.  We get to experience Kevin’s full account for each day in his life as he completes his  journey entries.  Once you get started with this book it is almost hard to put it down and it is a rare book that actually gets better as it goes on.  If you don’t own this book already, it is recommended highly that you pick it up but get ready to laugh and be offended at the same time.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, boringass, candid, diary, kevin, life, ...
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