Preparing for the Tiger Mother

I met the Tiger Mother today. I booked Amy Chua, author of the "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" on a show that I currently produce. Chua's book chronicles her journey of raising her daughters the traditional Chinese way. She had mixed success with making her daughters practice the piano of minimum of two hours a day and not allowing them play dates or slumber parties. First, let me say that she was intense, charming and too tiny to appear to be anyone's task master.
The challenge with preparing the interview with Chua was that she has already been interviewed almost anywhere you turn - on television, on radio and in print. Her book and the reports about her book have drawn ire from some parents and praises from others. The critics are much louder than her supporters. It seems that they have sent her on a back-to-back damage control media tour. She's been accused of being a callous and tyrannically to her kids, of being condescending to western parents and of back peddling by trying to explain some of the harsher moments in her book away. My job was to find a line of questioning that both addressed the controversy surrounding "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" but also to compose questions that would elicit answers that viewers had not heard before. In other words, my job was to make the interview fresh. The questions had to be approved by my supervisor and asked by the host. We had the luxury of a half-hour show so we could go deeper than just discussing the headlines.
I felt for Chua. I think a lot of what she has to say makes a lot of sense. As a parent, I sometimes push my kids to do things that they don't want to do or don't think they can do. I agree with Chua that some western parents think that to build a child's self-esteem, you have to cater to that child's ever whim. I don't agree with her making her children practice a song without a bathroom break or something to drink until they got it right. But the interview wasn't about me. I wasn't even the one doing the interviewing.
After reading the book, digesting existing reviews and watching countless interviews, I noticed that few people, if any, were asking Chua about her day-to-day life. Spending all that time drilling her kids couldn't have been easy. What was her daily schedule like? Few people asked her about her previous two international policy books and how they related to her memoire. What were some common cultural insights in all of them? I tried to put the book on a broader scope, to find out what, other than the controversy about her tough love, could we learn from her and her work. I feel the questions covered a nice range and that the host did a good job making the conversation flow naturally and seamlessly.
Working with authors and literature is one of the best parts of what I do as a producer. It is always difficult to find the line between not repeating what has already been covered, respecting the author, and asking the probing questions. In the case of Amy Chua and "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother", the production staff was happy with the interview. Chua and her publisher seemed pleased as well. Now it's time to wait and see what the viewers think.

Wildlife Documentaries Continue To Captivate Audiences Worldwide

Wildlife documentaries have taken people into the homes of animals, plants and other non-human living creatures for years. It is a way to see life in the wilderness up-close and personal. There is nothing more extreme, breathtaking, and intricate than a film that explores the world we live in and the creatures that make it up.
Typically these forms of documentaries are made for television with most airing on public broadcasting channels. However, there are the rare few that are made for the cinema and awe audiences worldwide.
Television documentaries began on BBC television with a long-running series entitled Look. The first 50-minute weekly documentary series was The World About Us, which started with a color installment from a French film-maker Haroun Tazieff that was called Volcano.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s there were several television companies around the world that began specializing in the natural history department including the likes of ABC in Melbourne and Australia.
Wildlife documentaries feature a wide array of topics with varying series' and programs. Everything from different species to the ecosystem to scientific ideas like evolution has been touched on. And while most take the scientific and educational route, others find a unique way to create an alluring and stunning documentary that is mind-boggling.
There are different ways the films are presented, although most feature a human presenter. Explanatory voiceovers are most common, but extensive interaction and confrontations with animals have become increasingly popular over the years.
Some of the most famous documentary makers and presenters include Bernhard Grzimek, David Attenborough, Richard Brock, Jeff Corwin, Marty Stouffer and Steve Irwin. As mentioned, most films are made for TV. But some of the full-length cinematic presentations that have captivated audiences include Animals Are Beautiful People, The Living Desert, Blue Planet and March of the Penguins.
The idea of being able to see different species up close and in their environment is enthralling to many. This is what has kept wildlife documentaries going for years on end. Some are even presented as television miniseries with the most notable coming from 'Life' series from BBC, which was written and presented by Sir David Attenborough. The series comprises of Life on Earth in 1979 for 13 episodes, The Living Planet in 1984 for 12 episodes, The Trials of Life in 1990 for 12 episodes and several other adaptations.
Wildlife documentaries continue to amaze audiences worldwide today. The most traditional style known as 'blue chip' programming is extremely expensive, but delivers rare images. And the production of Planet Earth marked the first series to ever be made entirely in high-definition format. This is just a sign of what is to come in the future of wildlife cinematography.

I Wish I Attended Shermer High

I could have followed Ferris Bueller around. Envied Claire Standish from across the hall. Avoided eye contact with John Bender as he terrorized the class. Watched as Gary and Wyatt introduced their new 'friend' to the gym class. Been harassed by Ted 'the geek' for my panties. I would have fit right in at Shermer High. If none of this makes any sense to you, then you have lived a sheltered life without access to great movies. Shermer High School is the fictional High School John Hughes created. It's where Gary and Wyatt made their new girlfriend in Weird Science. It's the school that Ferris and Cameron were skipping in Ferris Buellers Day Off. It's the school where Ted 'The Geek' showed Samantha's underwear to a crowded bathroom of fellow geeks in Sixteen Candles. And of course it's the school whose library held host to a group of teens on Saturday detention in The Breakfast Club. John Hughes was an amazing story teller. He had a knack for expressing what angsty teens were thinking. I've always thought I was born a decade or two too late, I should have been a teen in the 80's. I already have the hair. I also may or may not own two pairs of leg warmers, and may or may not have been seen wearing them in public...... Although not featured at Shermer High, I feel I must mention Pretty in Pink, because who could forget John Cryer as Duckie, forever admiring Andie, following her wherever she went. "Blane? Blane? That's an appliance, not a name" I love it. And James Spader as the easy to hate Steff. So obnoxious, so disgustingly arrogant. Don't you just want to hit him?? Now I know I'm not the only fan of John Hughes. One of the characters in The Breakfast Club has the name Bender, and he tells the Principal to "eat my shorts". Sound like any characters we know??? Any Matt Groening characters?? Yeah, I thought so. I love The Breakfast Club, I think I've probably seen it at least 50 times now, and yet, every time Brian explains what he did to end up in detention, I cry. Every time. I'll always love Ferris Bueller, I know it word for word. I envied Sloane, the way Ferris loved her. And Cameron for his wallowing self pity. It's adorable;) I still have a crush on Matthew Broderick. I'll always love John Bender, he reminds me so much of my older brother Puke (as I like to call him).
So much in your face attitude. On my first day of High School, Puke gave me some advise: "Don't take any crap from the teachers, do whatever you want to do." Thanks Puke:) One of my favourite things to do, is to watch older movies, and spot now famous actors, before they were famous. For instance, did you know both John and Joan Cusack are in Sixteen Candles? They have maybe one or two lines each. Charlie Sheen is hilarious in Ferris Buellers Day Off. CS: "Drugs?" Jeannie Bueller: "No, thank you I'm straight" CS: "I meant, are you in here for drugs" Jeannie Bueller: "Why are you here?" CS: "Drugs" Art, imitating life, imitating art etc... But what ever happened to the actual stars of these classic movies?? Molly Ringwald, despite starring in The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink disappeared off the map completely. Anthony Michael Hall also starred in 3 John Hughes classics; The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Weird Science, then had a couple of terrible movies through the 80's, my favourite was "Johnny Be Good" where Robert Downey Jr and Uma Therman were his supporting cast. He was also the boyfriend in Edward Scissorhands, then disappeared only to reappear in his own Sci-Fi series The Dead Zone based on a Stephen King novel. John Cryer had a small role in Top Gun along side his future co-star of 3 and a Half Men Charlie Sheen. James Spader has had an awesome career since Pretty in Pink with Stargate (the movie, not the lame TV series) and Boston Legal under his belt. Love him. Judd Nelson disappeared a bit, only to reemerge in the crappy TV series Suddenly Susan with Brooke Shields. Eck!
Who else... Well Emilio Estevez was going strong until after The Mighty Ducks movies.... no explanation needed there. Ally Sheedy had a few movies through the 80's and 90's including Short Circuit, and the ingeniously titled Short Curcuit 2, then not a lot else. Alan Ruck was on the bus in Speed, and then worked alongside Michael J Fox in the TV series Spin City. Mia Sara disappeared into extra roles..... Jennifer Grey was of course Baby in Dirty Dancing. LOVE HER! then I didn't see her again until an episode of House.... Matthew Broderick is of course a huge star:) Michael Schoeffling disappeared.... Andrew McCarthy starred alongside Johnny Silverman in Weekend at Bernies 1 & 2. Awesome. Then he popped up in an episode of Gossip Girl.... People make fun of me for my 80's nostalgia, especially since I was born in '84 and didn't actually get to see a lot of the 80's.... But I can't help it, the big hair, the terrible fashions, the shoulder pads! I love it all for it's tackiness. The tackier the better! Movies today just don't have the same feel. They focus too much on big budget high tech computer graphics 3D extravaganzas and not so much on actually telling a good story about great characters. I long for the day that the next John Hughes comes around, tells me a story I'll never forget, and want to watch over and over again. RIP John Hughes 1950 - 2009.

The Brave Little 'Brit' Film!

Albert, the Duke of York (Colin Firth) has everything going for him but his speech impediment has always stopped him from living a glorious public life. Fondly called Bertie, the Duke has tried all the tricks in the book to overcome his stammering but nothing seems to work. Although Bertie's father, King George V (Michael Gambon), understands his son's troubles, he nevertheless tries it the old school way to push the lad every now and then hoping things would get better.
Bertie tries his darndest to avoid speaking in public and while not being the heir to the throne helps, his elder brother David's (Guy Pearce) non-conformist manner makes it difficult for him to avoid the spotlight.
The Duke's wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) is more resilient than monarch himself and persuades him to undergo a few sessions with an Australian speech therapist called Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Logue not only breaks all protocol while dealing with the Duke but also has rather unconventional methods at his disposal. Although they get off on the wrong foot Albert soon finds in Logue the friend he never had.
After the death of the King, David accedes to the throne as King Edward VIII but the new king seems to be more involved with Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), his American socialite girlfriend, than the matters of the state. In Bertie, Logue sees someone who has all the makings of a fine king and even suggests that England would be better off with him rather than David who cares two hoots for tradition. Albert accuses him of sedition and snaps all ties with him. When David suddenly gives up the crown in order to marry Wallis, circumstances compel Albert to become King George VI.
Albert and Elizabeth return to Logue and ask him to Albert address the nation at his coronation. Much to shock the king gets to know the truth about Logue and the two confront each other's abilities.
The King's Speech is one of those small lil 'Brit' films that celebrate English vanity with the help of heightened drama that evoke just the right emotional response from the viewer. Operating on a simple premise that 'only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly', The King's Speech is one of those films that portray great men and women comfortably perched in high places and yet tormented by the same troubles that would plague the folks they rule.
In Colin Firth director Tim Hooper finds just about the perfect actor to play the Duke of York. For years now Firth has delivering noteworthy performances and with last year's A Single Man he finally got a lead role that did justice to his talent.
But with The King's Speech Firth gets the role that he was born for. Firth gets Bertie so right that after a while you forget you are watching a film. He makes Bertie operate on two levels throughout the film to convincingly portray the two men that seem to reside within one.
He makes him strong in thought for that's what is expected from royalty and yet at the same time he makes him vulnerable enough to be ridiculed by his own father and brother.
We feel his pain when his people gawk at him as he struggles with each word; we are elated when he hears his own voice on the record that Logue makes of his almost unbroken rendition of Hamlet; we feel his fear when his daughters asks him to tell them a story and in the end in his victory, we rejoice.
This year's Oscar winner for Best Director and the Best Film in addition to Firth's Best Actor nod, The King's Speech has also been honored for its screenplay. David Seidler's script, at places, does look manufactured and even designed to evoke the correct reactions but one can't really say that the film doesn't deserve the laurels it's receiving.
It's become almost impossible to imagine a big British film without the presence of Helena Bonham Carter but she plays Queen Elizabeth with much poise and while Geoffrey Rush is quite convincing as the unconventional Logue, he does make it difficult to endure him at places. Rush summons the star in him rather than the actor and Logue go overboard at so many places that after a while it seems we are watching Seidler's play with some bad actor who looks a lot like Rush!
At places you are convinced that he is going to utilize his Captain Barbossa from The Pirates of the Caribbean to help Albert!
Some have questioned the historical inaccuracy of the film and even though The King's Speech looks contrived at places it's not fabricated enough to not move you. Watch it.
Rating: 4/5
Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce and Michael Gambom
Written by: David Seidler, based on his play

Green Screen on TV - The Colbert Report

The Colbert Report is the name of a satirical political show that airs on television lat in the night from Mondays to Thursdays, in America. It is broadcast on the channel Comedy Central and is hosted by Stephen Colbert who is a noted political humorist and was previously a correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The Colbert Report criticizes common politics oriented shows. In the show, there is a fictional character called Stephen Colbert who anchors the program and his real life namesake plays the role.
The show describes the character "a well intentioned, poorly informed, high status idiot" that is actually a sarcastic criticism of experts on politics who regularly appear on various TV shows. The fact that the show has been nominated for the Grammy Awards four times (in 2006, 2007 and 2008), and twice for both the Satellite Awards and the Television Critics Association Awards bears testimony to its popularity among common men and decision makers alike.
On the episode of 10th August 2006 Stephen appeared on TV, with a light saber in his hand standing before a green screen. This had been done as a portion of the show's popular segment called Better Know a District. It was a move to present the Star Wars as a parody when the segment was featuring on California's 6th Congressional District that was actually the native place of the George Lucas -- the creator of Star Wars. Fans of the show later edited this particular episode and several hosted them on You Tube.
In fact editing of subjects that have been filmed before a green screen is actually called the Chroma Key technology. This is a major tool for editing photographs and motion pictures and has been instrumental in making major Hollywood movies like Matrix and Harry Potter as successful as they are today.
Stephen Colbert thereafter went on to issue the Green Screen Challenge to the public. This was a competition among viewers to produce the best-edited footage of the episode aired on 10th August 2006. Apart from America, the show is also aired in Canada with a one-hour time difference in between.
It also airs in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, United Kingdom and Ireland. Since 2008, it is also being aired in the Middle East and North Africa where there is a 24-hour delay from the transmission time in USA. Apart from this, recent episodes of the show are also available for viewers online.

Music In Smallville Delivers True Emotion To Audience

When looking at television shows, there are numerous facets that can take it over the top. From the plots to the characters to the emotion that is expressed, every little detail can captivate an audience. But sometimes it is the music that will give it that last little edge, which is precisely what can be found from the music in Smallville.
Smallville is an American television series that is based on the DC Comics character Superman. It is an intense show that follows the adventures of Clark Kent who resides in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas. Through each passionate scene, action-packed adventure, and suspenseful mishap, the music from the show really helps the audience feel the characters emotions.
Music is a powerful tool that can do wonders for a show. During a climactic moment, the right tones can deliver shrills up one's spine. When a love connection is being made, the perfect song can enhance the perfect moment between two characters. And during an extreme scene, the proper music can have you sitting at the edge of your seat.
Music in Smallville has managed to capture all of this throughout the long history of the show. Each year music that is just right for what is happening seems to get played. It is just one more sign to a terrific show that has created a reputable image.
There is not much more to say about what you will hear each episode other than the mere fact that it is feeling, inspiring and even uplifting during the right moments. The only way to relive the magic is to pick up the official soundtrack, which is packed with true hits from a wide array of artists.
There are two separate mixes that can be purchased online, in stores and of course on iTunes. Some of the top artists in the industry are featured on these mixes including the likes of Weezer, Lifehouse, The All-American Rejects and Rascal Flatts.
Rascal Flatts shares their hit Feels Like Today on the second volume entitled Metropolis Mix. This mix also features You and Me by Lifehouse and Almost Honest by Josh Kelley. As for the first volume, The Talon Mix, you will find the classic Island in the Sun by Weezer, I Just Wanna Be Loved by AM Radio, and Superman by Five for Fighting.
The right tone, the right song, and the right music can really enhance a scene. This is precisely what music in Smallville has done and continues to do to this day.

Uncensored Confession of an Independent Movie Producer

This uncensored confession of an independent movie producer is being shared with readers that want to be in the entertainment business, are in the entertainment business, or are fascinated by the entertainment business that thrives outside of the glitz of celebrity. I am only one of many independent movie producers that work hard to make movies to feed their creative passion and pay their bills. Producing indie movies is always frustrating and extremely thrilling at the same time.
One the most frustrating jobs of any movie producer is finding film financing to produce an independent film that does not have known actors attached to the project. You are asking movie investors to back a project written by an unknown screenwriter that has no bankable celebrities attached, and that is being visually guided by a first time director or one with limited credits. That is a tough sell. The world is fascinated with celebrity and film investors are no different.
You can have a dynamite script, talented unknown actors, film director with vision, and your desire as an independent movie producer on your side, but without some kind of hook chances of finding film money will not happen. I have found myself in that position as a producer of independent entertainment. What did I do?
Honestly, as a producer I knew without stars attached to a project I had to include visual elements that would translate to worldwide audiences. I kicked up the violence, sex, and nudity aspects because they fit with the two projects I was producing. Both screenplays were written to realistically depict strong subject matters, human flaws, and graphic content based on characters that lived lurid lives.
Whatever type of project you have there is going to come a point, unless you are independently wealthy, where you are going to be confronted as an independent movie producer that you are going to have to compromise on what will be shown in order to get film investor backing. In one case I had an interested movie investor tell me flat out that she wanted the project to have a European film nudity flavor. She read the script and knew it well. The on-camera nudity and sex scenes should be tasteful, but hot in her opinion to appeal to an international audience of buyers and not only US viewers. I assured her that I would and she invested with her boyfriend.
The lesson learned is to always find different hooks for your movie that makes it attractive to the film investors you are pitching for funding. It could be a film investor is passionate about something that can easily be folded into the screenplay to appeal to them. Talented screenwriters, independent movie producers, and film directors are masters at being able to work in a plug or scene for specific investors. To me it is just like product placement done in major studio movies, but at the indie level it is a more personal pitch to individual movie investors.
Once an independent movie producer secures film financing for a project there is a rush that is indescribable. Each producer has a different reaction. That euphoria and high quickly disappears because now it is time to go to work. You are already exhausted from the grinding money hunt and then all stages of production begin. Next thing you know problems start to develop on set that can range from technical issues to cast and crew difficulties. Now you are thinking, "I am screwed!" As the independent movie producer it is your ass on the line for the money invested to complete the film.
Actors and crew can quit anytime during an independent film shoot. There is nothing immediately you can do as a gutsy film producer if they are not committed to honoring their actor's agreement or crew agreement. This is not a studio production where you have the luxury of hiring an entertainment attorney to sue. The reality is there is not the time or money to go through that. Going to film investors that have bankrolled an indie movie to tell them production has shut down and you need more money to hire an entertainment attorney will end your career early.
An independent movie producer is basically alone to fix problems and take care of business to finish a project. That is not the ego of the movie producer's mind coming out, it is a simple reality. When everything turns out good you are a superstar to cast, crew, and movie investors. When it goes to shit, you are a dung beetle in the eyes of everyone. The life of an independent movie producer is not for the timid.
Now you find yourself with a completed movie that you want a film distribution deal for. The hot indie entertainment buzzword is digital movie distribution. That is definitely where it is going and where independent movie producers will make money for their projects. As of right now digital movie distribution still is not up to speed to include indie produced entertainment in real cash revenue. Studios are still trying to figure out how it is going to work.
Like with any new technology you are going to have companies pop up that target independent movie producers. It makes sense. Without the talent and risk taking moxie of independent movie producers there is nothing for any distributor to sell outside of mainstream entertainment. Imagine how boring entertainment would be with only mainstream viewing choices.
This is where frustration turns to the extremely thrilling part of being an independent movie producer at the best time possible. DVD is not dead, but is slowly fading out. I look at declining DVD sales as a positive for indie producers. The truth is there are movie distributors that cater to independent cinema that will try to screw producers over financially by using DVD manufacturing and marketing fees as the weapon every chance they get. Not all are like that. Many are honest and fair with their accounting practices.
But there are always crooks, liars, thieves, and piles in every business you will deal with. That is a given in life as a whole. Giving it away for free or being shortchanged on royalty payments owed is not an option for me. I read Michael Moore is suing Harvey and Bob Weinstein, alleging that the two brothers used "classic Hollywood accounting tricks" to screw him out money he was owed. I have no idea on the real truth, but it shows if a millionaire filmmaker is worried about not getting paid, any independent movie producer better watch their ass too just in case.
The thrilling part of being an independent movie producer at the right time, which is right now, is digital movie distribution is opening up indie entertainment to a worldwide audience. This leads to more viewers and more money being earned by filmmakers. Profit is not a dirty word in my producer's book. I am not independently wealthy or can afford not to make money from entertainment I produce. I see digital movie distribution as the best platform to distribute independent content and make money for investors, as well as the creators. These were the ramblings of independent movie producer Sid Kali.