Reel Expression

Dig it, kats and kittens: SLCC 07, review copies, films, books, and new kittens.

SLCC 07
So, today I was listening to second cast while building. I actually don’t keep too up on things happening around the grid because of the sheer lack of time. Oddly enough, I’m even in the SLCC 07 annoucement group and I still didn’t know when it was. Or where it was. Chicago: Aug 24-26th. Even more odd is that I’ll be passing through Chicago on my way to visiting family around that time. Shall I make a quick trip to Chicago? I haven’t yet made up my mind. Did talk to Moo Money about a panel for animations for machinma. That might be interesting.

Review Copies:
Over the past few months, there has been a lot of talk about review copies. As you may already know I’m pretty free on splashing my opinion around so you might already know my stance. Being blogged is about the best damn advertising one can get in SL. If you don’t offer review copies, then what you are asking for is someone to pay you to advertise your shop. That seems odd to me.

Then you have the debate on should they ask for copies or should you send out unsolicited copies? Honestly? I send them out. I know they don’t feel overwhelming pressure, cause they don’t always blog me. I send out the swag and hope someone likes it enough to write about it. No harm, no foul in my book.

To new designers: the blogs really are your ticket in to the crazy ride of SL buisiness. Fact: I’ve been creating since ‘04. Even had a few top name customers. I advertised in all different places trying to find the best place. But the day Willow first blogged me, my sales jumped by 4x and have stayed pretty steady. And since that day, I’ve had countless IMs from people who told me how shocked they were to have never found me before. I’m not saying suck up and be their best friend, but treat them as professionals.

Films:
I spent Friday night curled up on the couch watching movies. Yeah I’m boring. Whatever. I wasn’t in the mood for anything heavy so I put in the rented dvd of Stay. Let me just say, bad idea. They called it a thriller. That movie was just rubbish. No redeeming quality what so ever. The yummy Ewan was dull and flat. He play a shrink and anyone who’s ever been to one or watched enough Law and Order knows that’s not how they act. The story was odd but not at all interesting. The supposed big pay off ending never did explain the oddities. I have no idea why that film was even made.

To get the nasty taste out of my mouth, I put in another rental: Proof. Now this was good. I was captivated by this film. Usually, I don’t like flashback - this had a lot of them - but I actually thought it worked. I also didn’t notice any of the filmic stuff because I was so wrapped up in the story. Very good sign for me. Now honestly there aren’t many films I don’t like with the always delicious Jake Gyllenhaal. Although, Bubble Boy and Brokeback Mountain are not something I’d ever watch again.

In the end, this film is all about Gwyneth Paltrow. 80% of the film is with her in it and fucking hell if she doesn’t bring a highly emotional, nuanced, and so finely-tuned performance. This film is about the blurred line between maddness and genius. About how often they overlap. That idea is a reoccuring theme in my world. I remember fondly sitting in a diner listening to a dear friend of mine’s diatribe on this very subject. Hauntingly it was also the reason for his suicide almost 7 years ago. Remember kids, mixing meds and booze is never a good thing.

Anyways, the pacing for this film was spot on. There never was a moment that I’d wish the scenes or shots would slow down or speed up. I only hoped that it would never end.

Books:
Currently working on the last book of the L.A Quartet by Jame Ellory. I loved LA confidential and my hubbie got me the Black Dahlia for christmas. I’m a bit occ with books and having a tough go at reading them out of order. He was told you can so he for some reason got our favourite indie book store to get White Jazz in before book 2 and 3. We have overflowing bookshelves but nothing else to read so I’m reading it anyways. Oh wells.

New Kittens:
A couple of weeks ago we decided to get a playmate for our pudgy Chuck. Hubbie’s been busy with work, rehearsals, and poker weekends so we haven’t had a chance until this week. Tomorrow we are going to pick up the extra stuff we need down at the pet store and thur will be spent at the shelter hopefully picking up our new kitten Hunter (for Hunter S Thompson). Hey at least it’s not Frank - everything else in the house is. We have a stuffed monkey (!) and 4 plants named Frank - or Bernard. Yes Mr B is odder then me, who knew?

Remember hepkats, you heard it here first off the record, on the QT and very hush-hush.