31 January 2012

CW casts a new 'Green Arrow'

For those longing for the halcyon days of Smallville and Justin Hartley’s recurring, then series regular role, as the Green Arrow, get ready as the CW has ordered a pilot for the DC superhero called Arrow. But Hartley will not be Oliver Queen, as the role has gone to relative newcomer Stephen Amell, a Toronto born 30 year-old actor who has worked steadily in Canada, but has also made appearances on American shows such as 90210, CSI and NCIS: Los Angeles. He also was part of the cast for the second season of The Vampire Diaries. He’s also shown off his sexy body on Queer as Folk, Dante’s Cove and Hung. Amell will play the vigilante superhero who fights crime using archery, martial arts and technology under his secret identity as Oliver Queen, a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist-turned-outspoken politician in Star City. David Nutter is directing the pilot, written/executive produced by Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim.

26 January 2012

Cast & Crew of Judas Kiss

Julian LeBlanc
Rhys Cooper & Richard Harmon
Timo Descamps, Carlos Pedraza, Matt Buccy (rear), Associate Producer Charlie Brewer, Richard Harmon

Catspaw

25 January 2012

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

In January of 2011, 4 months after principle photography finished, crew and some of the cast, returned to Seattle to film a few pick-up shots.
From L to R: Director J.T. Tepnapa, Genevieve Buechner, Richard Harmon and background actor James Firth. Standing behind James is Erynn Vaehne, another background actor who are now dear friends. Producer Jody Wheeler has his back to the camera.
The steps that lead up to Guggenhiem Hall at U-DUB, where most of the film was shot
The College Inn was a real place in Seattle, where Production Designer Rodrigo DeMedeiros and Unit Production Manager Tellier Killaby returned to for that one day of pick-ups

Dear God

hope you got the letter, and...
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
but all the people that you made in your image, see
them starving on their feet 'cause they don't get
enough to eat from God, I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but... I feel that I should be heard
loud and clear. We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
and all the people that you made in your image, see them fighting
in the street 'cause they can't make opinions meet about God,
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease, and the diamond blue? Did you make
mankind after we made you? And the devil too!

, don't know if you noticed, but... your name is on
a lot of quotes in this book, and us crazy humans wrote it, you
should take a look, and all the people that you made in your
image still believing that junk is true. Well I know it ain't, and
so do you, dear God, I can't believe in I don't believe in

I won't believe in heaven and hell. No saints, no sinners, no
devil as well. No pearly gates, no thorny crown. You're always
letting us humans down. The wars you bring, the babes you
drown. Those lost at sea and never found, and it's the same the
whole world 'round. The hurt I see helps to compound that
Father, Son and Holy Ghost is just somebody's unholy hoax,
and if you're up there you'd perceive that my heart's here upon
my sleeve. If there's one thing I don't believe in

it's you....

24 January 2012

All Our Yesterdays




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectus_excavatum

23 January 2012

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

Genevieve Buechner, who is also Richard Harmon's girlfriend
Julia Morizawa and Sean Paul Lockhart
Rhys Cooper, Timo Descamps and Genevieve Buechner with onset photographer Shawn Anderson (back to camera)

Cable Channel Starz signs lead for 'Da Vinici's Demons'

Over the weekend, I read a recent posting on Facebook that accused Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich’s Civil War novels as being inaccurate when it came to historical aspects, that his facts were wrong, and making the South a little more sympathetic to slavery than portrayed in the history books. But, the truth of the matter is, that his trilogy (and this is mentioned on the covers of the books, so no could argue this point) is a sort of “alternate” version of the Civil War. Alternate universe versions of history have been a staple in science fiction for eons, and while Gingrich’s work may not be shelved in the sci-fi/fantasy section of bookstores, it is a fictional re-telling of a historical truth. 

But the crux of any “alternate” re-telling (and the theory behind it) means major historical events happen in these other universes, its just certain aspects will make them unwind differently. So, the Civil War happens in this universe Gingrich has created, but certain historical events can be adjusted, such as characters motivations and other actions, to fit whatever story he wants to tell. Harry Turtledove has spent the last decade telling alternate histories of major historical events, and no one has criticized him for changing certain facts. 

The only argument in this non-story might be that the novels are placed in the standard fiction section instead of the sci-fi/fantasy area. But these days a lot of authors command a certain amount of power and can actually dictate where their books should be placed. A few examples include Anne Rice, who’s vampire novels are shelved not in horror, but fiction. Walter Mosely is shelved in mystery, where he once started out in the African American section. Nicholas Sparks is shelved in fiction as well, though he’s considered a rare breed of a male romance writer (and a lot of women think that’s where he should be shelved, in the romance section). 

So now that the long-winded introduction is done, here is the point of the posting. A few months ago, the premium cable channel Starz announced a new show called Da Vinci’s Demons, a series they describe as “a historical fantasy following the ‘untold’ story of the world’s greatest genius during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence. Brilliant and passionate, the twenty five-year old da Vinci is an artist, inventor, swordsman, lover, dreamer and idealist who begins to not only see the future, but invent it.” It was announced this week, that British actor Tom Riley had been cast in the lead. 

Now history records, with some probability, that Leonardo da Vinci was a homosexual, as he and three others were once charged with sodomy in 1476, when he was 24. The charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, but while he kept his life private (and one would, considering the time period he lived in), he did live with another man, once a pupil, for 30 years starting in 1490. Whether it was a sexual relationship or not -the student was the face of the Mona Lisa apparently- is up for conjecture, as there is no real evidence. 

The issue is, will Starz deal with this in their new series? Or, because they are calling this a “historical fantasy,” will they change those presumed facts by saying its a re-imaging, an alternate universe story of Leonardo da Vinci? While I realize this is cable, and Starz is the network that brings the world Spartacus in all its violent, gory, sexual glory, are they willing to deal with a hero of a TV series who is -again- presumed gay?

Series creator David S. Goyer makes no mention of if they’ll deal with this, but he says Riley came into the audition and was able to capture what they were looking for in da Vinci, a “tormented (person), because, as a true visionary and polymath, he was ostracized for his ideas as much as he was celebrated.”

It's Only A Paper Moon

22 January 2012

Turnabout Intruder

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

Production Assistant Rhys Cooper (who also provided additional Visual Effects) and Richard Harmon -they've been friends since they were 5.
Dale Bowers and Charlie David rehearse under the watchful eye of First Assistant Director Mike Drobinski
Second Unit Director/Documentary Director Matt Buccy

Joe Paterno dies

The death of Joe Paterno today, essentially, gives the former head coach of Penn State football a Get Out Jail Free Card. Over at CNN you can read about the "outpouring of emotions" as Penn State students rally around the statue of Paterno. 

Yes, I'm not from Penn State, so I can't see all the good Paterno did for the college, but I can also see reality far better than these students. His accomplishments as the coach, no matter what,  will now always be overshadowed by the Sandusky sex scandal that happened under his long watch at the college. Is that fair? Perhaps not, but he had to know something about some of the allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky. I mean, seriously, could he be that egotistical (and, hell, they have a statue of you, so maybe he could) that he simply ignored some of the assertions? Maybe, as it appears he chose to ignore what was probably right in front of his face, so not only would it protect his job and his reputation at Penn State, but also the financial stakes of a college as well. 

Joe Paterno turned the other cheek, and by doing so he allowed someone like Jerry Sandusky to abuse more children, and for what? So he could die with the fan's crying their eyes out, touching his statue and telling the world what a good man he was? Maybe he was a hero, maybe even a great man, but in the end, he was a bad leader. And while his epitaph in Pennsylvania will always be the greatest coach in history of Penn State, outside the state, he'll always be remembered as the coach who help hide a dangerous soul. 



21 January 2012

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

Visual Effects Designer Joël Bellucci places "markers" on a license plate to be later reworked in post production.
Actors Richard Harmon and Timo Descamps rehearse
Make-up Artist Tonya Carlson-Jolly (far left) with Key Make-up Artist Anne Sellery, Production Designer Rodrigo DeMedeiros and Script Supervisor Rhona Rubio

The Changeling

20 January 2012

Judas Kiss: Behind the Scenes

Actors Charlie David & Samantha Rund shoot their scene, while Sound/Boom Operator Alexander  Ibrahim records the dialogue
Model Stephen Mitchell and actor Troy Fischnaller (Topher Shadoe)
Once again, writer/producer Carlos Pedraza and director J.T. Tepnapa talk about things...

Tomorrow is Yesterday