I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Although I love Taraji and Madea I just can’t get down with Tyler Perry’s style of filmmaking. As a current film student it makes me cringe when I see how successful Tyler Perry is but how inexplicably sloppy his filmmaking is done. I keep trying to figure out whether it’s beause I am a snob or whether I don’t like his style or if he is just not talented and none of those are 100% true. The best reasoning behind my sour feelings for him as a director is summed up in this statement by Stefan Sharff:

When a proper cinema “syntax” is used, the viewer is engaged in an active process of constantly “matching” chains of shots not merely by association or logical relationship but by an empathy peculiar to cinema. The blend so achieved spells cinema sense–a mixture of emotion and understanding, meditative or subliminal, engaging the viewers ability to respond to a structured cinema “language”…A cinematic syntax yields meaning not only through the surface content of shots but also through their connections and mutual relationships.

Some may call me a HATER or a total hypocrite as I do support Tyler Perry’s films in the hopes that he has learned one more thing about filmmaking that will better him during his reign as king of “black” cinema with each new film that he does. But he keeps disappointing me and I keep going back! Am I a whore for Madea? What gives!?!?!

My gripe is that he abominates everything in the aforementioned statement and he creates films for dare I say a dumb ass audience. He doesn’t challenge his viewers AT ALL! Instead he creates 2 hour  bad dreams in which they can relive and affirm the emotional trenches of all the things gone wrong or things salvaged through JESUS in their lives.

This formula is extremely problematic for me as I know that his audience is predominantly black and he is in some sense a cinematic voice of “GOD” for these poor souls.

Film is supposed to challenge your way of viewing, not create CEREBRAL INERTIA! Enough Hateration… I am sure I will be back to gripe on this subject.  What do you think?

The Resurrection

Hello World,

I have been away for quite some time now. I think my absence was for the sole purpose of finding my voice and something unique to share with you. I have since then been inspired from all corners of the Earth and am ready to give this thing a try once again. I think the pressure to perform created a road block for me but I am over it and ready to get into the real. I just embarked upon a journey to what some think is  FINANCIAL HELL aka FILM SCHOOL and I would like to use the blog to share the experience of discovery and growth with you. Without further adieu lets GROW.

This is my first film at school. It was made during orientation with two non actors, one of which aspires to be an actor and the other… a colleague of mine who SHOULD be an actor

The assignment was to use the line “when you say it like that its almost poetry” and use an umbrella as a prop.

Hustler

Erykah Badu @ SXSW

Saturday March 21 @7pm Erykah Badu is set to perform with the Cannabinoids at Auditorium Shores… this is a set you will NOT want to miss!  What is a Cannabinoid you ask???

8 turntables, 4 MP’s, 3 laptops, 2 motif’s, 1 funk box, no rehearsal.

The Cannabinoids represent a musical exploration of the science of addiction. It’s the sensational reaction created when the synthetic combines with the organic, and The Cannabinoids are the receptors that bind the experience. The project was originally conceived when Erykah Badu sought to manifest live musical improvisation utilizing the tools of studio tracking and hip-hop production.

Inspired by her cosmic collaborations for her upcoming record due out in 2007, she reached out to musicians, DJs, and beatsmiths from her hometown of Dallas whom she felt would be able to vibe with the concept. The musical concept was improvisation. The ideological concept was akin to the studies done on cannabinoid receptors, which identified specific proteins present in the brain that are responsible for the euphoric effects of cannabis.

With each member of the group assigned a specific cannabinoid (musical role), the receptors proceed to serve as a catalyst to inspire creation in each other, and to collectively create a psychedelic, live hip-hop experience for the audience.

THE CANNABINOIDS present
“the welcome to the human brain… and the science of addiction.”

introducing: (in no certain order)

1. Jah born – HU-210… as cerebral cortex aka grey matter
(controBs thinking)

2. Erykah Badu – THC as sarah bellum aka meddula oblongata
(known as the ‘little brain’/controls heart rate)

3. DJ Big Texas – SR141716 as sphenoid
(bone in skull that is known as ‘two great wings’)

4. Head Krack – SR144528 as frontal lobe aka hypothalamus
(controls impulse/connects directly to the Master gland)

5. Skin – WIN55,212-2 as fornix aka sagittal suture
(carrier of the signals/connects the 2 sides of the skull)

6. Sportizm – CP-55940 as zygomatic
(articulates with sphenoid bone in skull/keeps from aka cheekbone)

7. RC Williams – JWH-133 as maxilla
(part of skull that fuses 2 halves of mental symphysis)

8. Symbolic one – NABILONE as somatosensory cortex
(triggers the sensation or experience of touch)

9. Free – LEVONATRADOL as superior colliculus aka substantia nigra
(generator of hand eye coordination/black substance in midbrain)

10. Picnic – MARINOL as corpus callosum aka white matter
(connects rt and lft cerebral hemispheres)

11. A ONE – SATIVEX as cingulated gyrus
(controls emotion, memory, processing, learning)

For more info on the SXSW lineup check out tha link!

http://sxsw.com/music/shows/auditorium_shores

Rest In Peace Brothas

Last week this time two American Legends passed on to the afterworld, Bernie Mac and “The Black Moses”, Isaac Hayes. This came as a shock to me especially because I had recently finished working with them on a film called “Soul Men“, which I am currently still working on. It was a pleasure and a divine blessing to be able to work with two men who gave unconditionally of themselves to the world.

Segun Oluwadele singing “Bring Me Flowers”

Hello All,

My lovely talented little brother would like to dedicate this song to you as he continues on his journey to developing his craft as a musician.

Lil’ Wayne/ Jay Z Spoof “Mr. Carter” Feat. Affion Crockett

My dude Affion is back at it once again on his grind with this video “Mr. Carter” Edited by Damaine Radcliff. Check him out! He is more than talented and needs the support of all the viewers out there so he can make something happen for himself. Subscribe to Youtube.com/affioncrockett.

ENJOY THE VIDEO: 

Affion Crockett/ Youtube

Sorry I have been MIA for a bit. I have been diligently working on my Big Brother Blog at www.liveeviction.com. Today I would like you to check out my friend Affion Crockett from Wildin’ Out amongst many other things! He is a talented actor, dancer, & comedian and I would like for my readers to show him some love by subscribing to his Youtube Channel!!!!

Check out his latest spoof on Diddy’s Making The Band (Danity Kane):

Also check out his spoof on Hancock:

This cat is a dear friend of mine and is also extremely talented. We need to support him so he can make that leap towards negotiating his own show. Thank you!

Dark Knight, The Superhero and the Id

Surprisingly this has been a drab day in the news as well as on the weather front–Temperatures in the mid 60’s with scattered showers and overcast skies… and through it all I still managed to find something that really really made me smile

While browsing through various websites to find something interesting to write about I stumbled upon a review of the much anticipated Dark Knight by Peter Travers.

DARK KNIGHT

DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

WRITTEN BY:CHRISTOPHER NOLAN & JONATHAN NOLAN

STARRING: CHRISTIAN BALE, MICHAEL CAINE, HEATH LEDGER, GARY OLDMAN, & AARON ECKHART

Release Date: July 18, 2008

Running Time 2 hours 30 minutes

CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE: I COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF AND I HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN PRIVIED TO SEE THE FILM YET…