On a side note, I could not for the life of me figure out how to embed this video onto my Facebook profile.  There’s a button and whatnot to share on new social media, but for me, it does nothing.  I cry a little inside.  Maybe my blog post will fair better?

If you have the option, please switch it over to high quality.  It’ll be much more enjoyable.  I promise.  Here’s the link.

I wish I could speak English properly.

Don’t know how this is going to affect Loaded or The 404, but maybe it’s a good opportunity for growth in those properties.  Natali Del Conte is just excited to be working in the same company as 60 Minutes.  Keep you posted.

I am thoroughly impressed–not that I ever had any doubts.  Demetrius Wren’s first full length play, Legends, Myths and Hieroglyphs is a resounding success!  It is a partly-autobiographical story about the life and imagination of Jarod, a young African American boy growing up in Mississippi.  He is raised by his “Grandmumma”, and when literally left to his devices, he conjurs up a time machine on which his “mission” is to save the world.  As delightful as it might sound, the story is tragic and biting.

His mother hasn’t spoken or seen Jarod in months.  His father secretly visits him as a stranger to drop off parts for his time machine.  And when his “cousin” Deon comes to stay for a few days, things unravel at their seams.  Jarod’s fantasty world collapses, and we begin to see how all things beautiful are destroyed by an endless cycle of fatherless and motherless black homes.

The play is a workshop and work-in-progress.  There are beats that go missed and opportunities to pull the audience one way that are glossed over, but considering the company, Mainspring Collective, has only had three weeks to put together this show, it can all be looked over.  The actor who plays Deon is truly impressive.  His performance is by far the most believable and has an incredible amount of depth.  I suspect he has the fewest lines of almost any character in the whole play!  Playing multiple parts, his performance as Kayla’s brother shows how remarkably diverse this actor can be.  I truly look forward to seeing him again in other pieces.

All in all, the ending is one of the best crafted scenes I’ve seen performed on stage.  It’s simply, understated but OVERWHELMINGLY powerful.  For those of you who have been exposed to single motherhood, growing up poor or simply growing up black in the South, you will struggle to hold your composure throughout the performance.  There are moments when the show is too true to life and this is where it is beautiful.

The workshop of Legends started on Friday, May 9th, and runs through Tuesday, May 13th.  Tickets are available at the box office of the The Producer’s Club at 44th St and 9th Ave in New York City for $20.  Show starts at 8 p.m.

See this play!

Full disclosure: Demetrius Wren is one of my very best friends.  We both went to Florida State University together in the Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts program.  And after seeing this play, we intend to adapt it into a feature length script.  And no matter what, shoot the film!

This is from a whlie ago, but I thought it would be fun to post in my blog.  A few months ago, my fellow coworker and friend Caroline McCarthy decided to send in my picture along with a couple of other CNET employee’s pics to Boinkology.  The website is devoted to dating, sex and relationships.  It’s the same picture I use in the About Me section on my site.  It’s not the most serious picture I’ve ever taken, but I’ll admit, I think it’s fun.  According to the powers that be, I’m a suprising 8 out of 10.  I’ve never thought of my self as a good looking guy, but hey Lux Alptraum seems to think I am, and she writes for Fleshbot (NSFW) too!

“Wilson Tang Co-host of The 404 podcast, Wilson’s known for being a suave aZn with a sexy voice — and, from what we hear, a way with the ladies. When he’s not talking tech or making women swoon, he can be found working his way towards a career directing films. All in all, he’s quite a catch: Wilson, we’d let you captain our S.S. Fantasy any day of the week! Hotness: 8/10″

For more CNET employee hotness, take a look at the post.  As a side note, I think Jeff Bakalar is a much hotter guy than the picture gives him credit for.  [And yes, I just ended that sentence in a preposition.  And what?]

At its core, it’s a standard three-act story with standard plot-twists. The key, however, is the excellent execution. The film knows it caters to a younger demographic and never veers into outright cheese but more a tacit acknowledgment. I’m most impressed with Andrew Adamson. His only previous live action film was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, but you would never know from watch Prince Caspian. He previously directed the Shrek films and won an Oscar for the first film’s incarnation. Before the ogre-movies, he was a visual effects supervisor, and his directing style really shows the amount of care in realism he tries to bring to the numerous CG characters. He knows when to show and reveal information, and most importantly, he has the right sense of timing when it comes to how long moments should linger and how tension should build.

Moving on, I visited Adamson at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Columbus Circle today, and spoke to him briefly for CNET TV.  I asked him the standard fare of technology and cinema-related questions, and he surprised me when he said that he thought there was a lack of integration between the production department and the interactive gaming departments in these multimillion dollar films.  While they share computer models and whatnot, the gaming department would sometimes get to scenes before he would.

Anna Popplewell, who played Susan Pevensie in the film, mentioned how much fun it was to make all the sound effects for the videogame coming out for the film.  William Moseley (Peter Pevensie) loves Grand Theft Auto IV.  And finally Ben Barnes, who plays the title character of Prince Caspian, says he only gets a big head when he sees the giant looming billboards featuring his mug around town.  All in all, they were a down to earth cast and clearly tired after an exhausting three day press junket.

Check back later for my CNET TV package and possibly the full interviews.  No guarantees.  In the meantime, enjoy the trailer.

Of My God is a semi-autobiographical film about an immigrant Chinese family.  When the father dies unexpectedly, the mother has to raise two children in a country where she doesn’t speak the language.

http://shortfilm.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/baby-blues/