The Take

Happy Birthday

2010-02-11T12:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday you. I hope it is wonderful.

A different state of things...

2009-02-03T15:38:00.000-06:00

I’ve really only had a couple moments in my life where I have been awestruck by the amount of change that surrounds me. And of those moments is sitting here in the middle of Paris, France, surrounded by new people in my new home, with my new bed, and my new computer, confused by the new language, and foods, and even by the way dates and times are written. Its all very… different. I know that we are oft surrounded by the “winds” of change that are caused by the “sands” of time, but it always seems to be so subtle that it rarely registers to our doped out brains through the marijuana of familiarity. Yet, here at this moment, after diving into a pool of change head first, I can see it so clearly it truly frightens me.

Now let me just say that I have never been one that is scared of deviation. I have lived with and without a father for parts of my life, whether or not they are truly the man was my true father, he was always good to me, and worked as a figure of such. I have lived in many places as well, changing schools, on average, every 2 years of my student life. It was in this way I learned to make friends fast and ferociously as I was destined to be without them and they without me in only a short time. Looking back I don’t know if leaving them affected them very much, or if even sharing those moments with them affected them, but I do know that I can remember every one of my good friends and it will always be that way; These people had a profound impact on who I am today. Getting back to me not being one scared of change, I always saw it as something that could get me away from the things I did not like of wherever I was. I was never a popular kid, neither was I unpopular, but as with any child who joins a school from an outside source, there are going to be those that do not like you; that is why I would look forward to a new situation.

Anyway, that is really all the background you need for me to explain my current captivated condition on the existing circumstances of change (lets just say that after reading that sentence, the alliteration was not intended, except maybe by my Freudian super-ego).

Now I merely want to comment on the state of circumstances that I am surrounded by. In addition to those things I opened with I have seen the leaving of what some call the empirical president, and the arrival of what some call the socialist president. What’s odd is that both of these titles are equally bad, and both of these titles come from the adverse side of the argument over these men. This seems interesting to me, and says a lot about the true power of our president. But I digress. What I really want to point out is that I am in this new state of mind, seeing the ephemeral love of one and the arrival of another. I haven’t talked to my closest friend in a very long time, and I have made new ones since. Its as if those who really know me, no longer want to be near me. I don’t know if this really is a fault of mine, but I do blame myself. Maybe the whim of transplanting myself has worked out for the best, as now I can escape from this sense of isolation. I am not saying I am alone, as others surround me, but I am quite separate from the better parts of me.

I don’t know where I am really going with this… but that is what I wanted to say.

2008-12-25T13:59:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

I know this has become a retail orgasmic season, but lets remember that this is a day for people to realize just how lucky we really are, and be thankful for those given to us. We don't deserve it, and we haven't earned it, yet here we are, able to cling to the hope of something great rather than something eternally torturous. This day represents the beginning of an uplifting and promising eternity, embrace it. Have a great one and enjoy these few times given to us.

Love Will

The Take on Finals

2008-12-09T17:59:00.007-06:00

So it is that time of year again, yes, the depressing moods, furious chugging of anything claiming to give you energy and alertness, dashing from one study session to the next, few showers, and fewer matching socks.

Yes, Its Finals Week.

I have 4 finals, a paper, and a project all due for my 5 classes. Yes, count it, 6 items, 5 classes. Logical huh? Anywho, I hope all of you are faring better than myself.

I had my two hardest tests on Monday, so I can breath a sigh of relief that those are over, for better or for worse, I got those classes OUT OF MY WAY! YAY, lol. I'll update you later with those grades, which i should get no later than tomorrow.

Now, onto the things you really want to know.

I HAVE STILL NOT STARTED ON FAITH'S VIDEO.

I know, i'm a terrible Director, Editor, Company Exec, and Boyfriend. ha. Terrible. Anyway, I will be starting that as soon as EVERYTHING ELSE dies down. I am excited to do it though. But there is a hitch in my abilities as I have sold my laptop, and do not yet have another one. I will though..... hopefully.

Also, update on CUZ

I have been working around the clock since... well school started to get that thing finished, and I finally did so about 3 weeks ago. Now it is off on the circuit having a go at different Networks and Channels to see if anyone wants to pick it up. Apparently one station had interest, and actually got the green light, but then the GM heard it and said no as its audio was bad.

Now I will say that the audio is not great by any means, and I always knew it sounded bad, but... i hoped no one would be able to find out, because along the way, no one was ever able to really tell. Well he could. Thats what you get for having a $4000 budget, film in a HOUSE and the only person that really knows sound (and that is just relative to everyone elses knowledge on set, because I can tell you, I dont know sound very well either) was busy focusing on other things.

So if anything happens with CUZ I will keep you updated.

Finally, my dedicated readers, I am going to Paris!

Oooops... wrong photo folder... :-/

MUCH BETTER!!! Jeeze, but you gotta admit, this is one funny picture.... I mean... Did just looking at that burger give her an orgasm? Because, she hasnt even taken a bite out of it! I want one

But yes, I am going to Paris, France this upcoming semester, leaving on 1/11/09 (i really wish that was another 1 or something) It should be quite the experience!!! I am going to miss all of you though. It will be odd not being around, and chasing the dream. I hope y'all dont move on without me!!! haha. To keep up to date if i haven't talked to you in a while, just check back here or on my SMU exclusive blog:

Will In Paris

Tootles Friends

William

The Take on On Things Go

2008-12-01T18:27:00.001-06:00

Hey, holla, Bonjour, Chow

Comment-allez vous???!

Thought so, good to hear from you. Anywho, I have some pictures or "screengrabs" if you will from some of the Get it Started footage. Please, enjoy.

The Take on Marriage

2008-10-22T01:57:00.001-05:00

Seems a little soon doesnt it?

We're only 20 with so much ahead of us, and not very much behind. Why now?

Consider myself down for the count.

P.S. This is not about me, its about a friend of mine who is WAYYYY to young, in my opinion, to get married. For some 20 is a good time, but for others, like her, its not intelligent.

The Take on Getting Things Started

2008-10-17T00:44:00.001-05:00

So my friends it has been FOR-EV-ER since I have updated this, and I am sorry. So let me start by saying "qaleghqa'neS" aka "I am honored to see you again."

So I have been uber busy with getting ready to "Get it Started" (I did that to be punny)

Yes it is true, I am Directing the music video for the Hit Single from Faith Fitzgerald "Get it Started" And tomorrow we start.

I just want to say I am excited, anxious, and ready as ever. I have a great crew, great cast, and hopefully great extras! Haha. But really, Shane, Blake, Ty, Chase, David, Brent, Rob, Faith, The Back-up Dancers, Jubilee, and my friends that will help from SMU or elsewhere, this is going to be big, that only the STICKMEN can do.

So grab your popcorn people and bring your dancing shoes, because we are going to "Get it Started"!

The Take on Distant cousins, Olympics, and Ice Cream

2008-08-18T13:13:00.000-05:00

Bonjour. I'm sorry I've been away for so long. No, its not your fault, I have a problem with commitment. No, no, baby, I promise this wont happen again, I've changed. I'll take reasonable hours and spend time with the kids. Really? You wouldn't. You didnt! I would love some Ice Cream. Thank you. I love you too reader.

So I've been gone a while, I realize this, its been busy. I've been doing so many things here recently, I don't even know where to start, so lets start in North Carolina.

"Dad, I'm here"

"Oh, really? You're early, we're about 3o minutes away"

"I'm early by 10 minutes... So shouldn't you be here in 10 minutes?"

...

Silence

...

"We'll see you soon"

click

---

"Will, are you ready yet? When can you have those lights set up? can we shoot yet?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, 10 minutes"

"10 minutes?"

"10 minutes."

"Alright, lets shoot in 10 minutes!"

"Ok, I'll be done in 10 minutes, for you Shane."

1 minute passes

"Will, how long?"

"Uh, 10 minutes?"

"Ok, 10 minutes."

"Yup, we can shoot in 10 minutes"

3 minutes pass

"Will can we..."

"Almost..."

---

Ring

"Will, where are you?"

"I'm on the curb, Dad."

"What curb?"

"The curb under A-27 sign"

"I dont see you"

"Well Dad where are you?"

"Under the A-27 sign"

"Shit..."

---

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry to report that you will be changing the flight from Atlanta to Fort Walton Beach from D-33 to D-27"

---

6 minutes pass

"Will can we shoot, we need to get this done!"

"Soon buddy, the sun is blowing out the windows, almost there."

"How long"

...

Silence

...

"Uh... 10 minutes?"

---

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the flight to Fort Walton Beach has now been moved to gate D-30"

---

"Dad, ok, so if you are under the A-27 sign, are you at ticketing or baggage claim?"

"I'm at ticketing."

"Dad, why would I be at ticketing?"

"Hmmm... So you must be at the old Southwest 'B' Terminal"

"Uh, sure, all I know is I'm here under the A-27 Baggage claim sign."

---

"Shane, I'm ready."

"yeah, ok, great... hold on"

...

Silence

...

"Hold on?"

"Yeah, I gotta take a smoke"

"What? How long?"

"Uh, 10 minutes?"

...

"Son of a bitch"

---

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are sorry to do this again, but flight 4612 to Fort Walton Beach is now moved to gate D-32."

---

"Go Michael go!!!"

"He's not gonna get it, he's in 7th"

"So, he can do it!"

":ALKSDFJ:LASDKJ:LASDJK:LASJKD:LASJKD:ALSJKD"

"HE JUST GOT 1ST!!!"

"HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS!!!"

"LETS GET ICE CREAM TO CELEBRATE!"

"Will, what kind do you want?"

"Vanilla"

"We dont have any of that, we have bunny tracks"

"Why did you even ask me what kind I wanted?"

"I figured it was the polite thing to do."

"Then Bunny Feces it is!"

---

Click click click

"blake remember when i said i get in @ 330? i lied, it is at 430"

"great we just got 2 the airport"

"im sry it looks like im gonna b delayed 2"

"awesome"

---

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems we oversold this flight, are there by any chance 15 people that have flexible travel plans and mind giving up their seat for a voucher and a later flight?"

---

"Will, look up"

"Dad, what do you mean look up?"

"Just do it."

"Oh hey Dad."

Click

---

"Alright everyone, lets shoot this scene"

"Quite on the set, Roll sound."

"Speed"

"Roll Cameras"

"Speed"

"Action!"

---

"Wow Gran, this Ice Cream is delicious"

"And you were making fun of it"

"Well, i mean, does 'Bunny Tracks' really sound all that good?"

---

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Fort Walton Beach and thank you for flying DELTA"

---

"Cut, and that is a Wrap!"

The Take on Acting for Animation

2008-07-23T02:20:00.001-05:00

So here I am, watching the best commercials the TV has to offer (which are on the Discovery Channel if you are wondering since it is the #1 most watched Cable channel and is in fact channel #3 on the TV making it even more accessible than NBC, ABC, or CBS) such as the "Orkin Roach Pizza" one; which if you have ever been blessed enough to see this commercial, it is pure greatness. So I'm watching the tube (which is sort of ironic considering I actually am watching on a Plasma TV and thus there is no CRT tube to speak of...) when one of those E-surance commercials pops on and ruins my entire viewing experience. You know what I am talking about, the one where Dave or Jason or John, the overweight, bald, bearded guy who sums up this great nation of ours in a single appearance (which there are enough side notes in this post already that I'll stay clear of that topic), says that he is now "animated" for E-surance and suddenly becomes Honey I Shrunk the Kids zapped and changes into an animated character...

Well this is all fine and dandy, except this horrible actor that I just saw playing this "actual customer" becomes an alright animated character. And that is why I am writing this blog. See, it must be ridiculously easy to voice for animations. I mean, everyone speaks with inflection and dramatization in our world, that way we as human beings will be liked and viewed living an interesting life. Because the difference between live action and animation is the expression, or lack there of, on the human face as something occurs. In animation all you have to do is say the lines with proper inflection, the artists draw, and now computer animate, the actions that go along with what you said in face and body. So simple 2 year olds are able to accomplish it behind the walls of a sound stage, where they can rarely hope for a good performance on screen as 2 year olds are completely un-reliable.

So, call me crazy, or call me Will, but the fact that this Mr. Smith on the E-surance commercial (and i recently saw one with a Mrs. Smith who also seems to sum up the true american woman of the silent masses as LBJ said) was suddenly a passable character on this sub-par advertisement really made me discredit the acting abilities of any animated character before. Sure, sure, there are some where i feel as if they are real like in Finding Nemo and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, but other than those rare occasions, it seems like any old schmo can get paid great gobs of money to buy his favorite snacks and get only larger from too many ever-lasting gobstoppers, without any real marketable talent.

Even after saying all of this though, I must say, go get 'em John.

Take on Blogging

2008-07-22T01:06:00.000-05:00

Since all of my friends created there own sites in order to have something that the few will read, and even less will relate too, I decided to do the same thing, and live the delusional lie that you will read everything I have to say. I mean, isn't getting lost in the warm loving world of sharing ones most inner thoughts to the masses without the fear of repercussion fun? Yeah, we are all taken by it as we sit here and look on Myspace and Facebook stalking our friends into seeing how they communicate with others from the safety of their computer chair. Amazing is the comfort a firewall gives you from the rest of the world.

Anyway, away from my rant and back to the beginning of my masterful blog; please, stay tuned as I try to think of something interesting for you to read, and completely fabricate it from true events.

Shane, I'm sorry i ripped off your style, but you used the best one, so I'm not really that sorry