The Academy Awards were on tonight. The Departed really racked in the awards, while Babel was shunned. I must say that I was quite surprised at the results. I am also biased against The Departed because it is a complete ripoff of the original Hong Kong screenplay. Admittedly I have not seen the American version and plus it is directed by Scorsese, but seriously...they could have done something different in the movie.
Poor Peter O'Toole was shunned again (8 nominations and 0 awards) ...as was Leonardo DiCaprio (despite the Best Picture award), who has always reminded me a bit of Ivan.
Sorry, no time to post pictures. Perhaps later. We played a great game of soccer today (I got a little sunburnt). And I hear that there is amazing snow in Minnesota. I am jealous. Also got a chance to catch up with a lot of wonderful friends this weekend, so I would say all in all it was a good one. :) Now back to work!
Been working on a short animation with my partner for Red Bull. The whole process entails looking at, ironically, Muybridge's (who was the first to set up multiple cameras for still photography to record movement) images. Reminds me of the good old days when I got to study film for fun.
(This is an example of his most famous study. He was asked to find out if there is a point where all four hooves of a galloping horse leave the ground. He set up cameras that would go off one after the other around a race track. Check here (and scroll down) to see the result of the study. This process led to the idea of moving pictures using still images run at higher frames per second.)
It seems fitting that today is also DVD Fest. I hope there were some killer ones this year!
Besides movies, weddings have been the topic of choice for the day. Like I said, I want to be a bridesmaid. Can anyone help me out there?
Currently listening to:Just Anyone- One Foot Forward (cool Christian band)
Every once in awhile you encounter someone's work that is plain amazing and leaves you feeling just a tiny bit inadequate. Here's some photos from an recent grad of my school, Ken Pao. (I love the staircase!) And, of course, then there are the greats. Annie Leibovitz's Killers Kill Dead Men Die photos featured in Vanity Fair's March edition. (Source)
(Tobey Maguire)
(Jennifer Connelly and Aaron Eckhart)
(Rieko Takahashi [edit: Rinko Kikuchi, sorry], Abigail Breslin)
So cool! Who would've guessed you can do art with the classic Cube. (Source)
Gap is coming out with a new more neutrally toned campaign. Here are some sweet photos of Wentworth Miller and Daniel Dae Kim. Hawt! Click (Source) for more pictures. Along with their existing ads, Mastercard has been encouraging common folk to come up with copy for their Priceless commercials. The site is definitely worth checking out for the ads. Click here.
It's been a pretty good (although busy) week. I'm pumped for the Oscars on Sunday. My photos are done and now the layout and design part begins.
(Hmm...I started this post last night and never finished...)
Happy Lunar New Year!
I was walking back from church yesterday when a lady suddenly saw me, stopped talking on the phone, and yelled, "Happy New Year!" I was SO confused before I realized that she meant Chinese New Year (and assumed that I was indeed Chinese). Wow. I was speechless.
I realized today that I took 1900 photos in the course of a week. No joke. And not just cuz I've been trigger happy. It's been mad photoing. My photo shoot with my artist went well. She is really photogenic so it was easy to get some great shots. And I asked her to take a photo with my phat ski goggle sunglasses (you all should know what I am talking about). So great! One last thing...I keep forgetting to post this but consider it a late Valentine's related thing: Sending some love out to all of you working/schooling, esp. those who are compsing. :)
[This is Saturday's post.] It has dropped down to the 40s here! Yikes. It reminds me of Minnesotan springs. Oh, homesick.
Speaking of home, I went and got myself dim sum today. SO exciting! I ended up blowing $US40 on just little ole me (you really should go for dim sum with two other people) but I figured it was a celebration of first week of work and Chinese New Year. That and I almost cried when she brought out some lian goh and egg tarts. Talked to my family (and bai leen (aka wished them Happy Chinese New Year) over Skype...felt very strange) and my bro got into a college. Woot!!!!!!!!! I'm surprised they got back to him so quickly (I remember acceptance letters coming in April or May). I am muy happy for him. :)
Tomorrow I have a big photo shoot. I am a little nervous because I feel unprepared yet there is nothing I can prepare for. It's really up to how much the artist gives me. Gulp.
Check out NY Times' gallery of the Oscar contenders this year.
So I am listening to Goodbye Alice In Wonderland and it's so strange because I know I was doing the same thing last year at this exact time. Holed up in Leighton 310, I believe (the one to your immediate right after you get up the stairs), studying for Art History until late late late. Who would've guessed all this would happen in a year. Time is weird.
Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with luuuuurrveee (or at least lots of yummy chocolate (or hugs (for Stinker)).
For some reason I keep forgetting the fact. I guess I should have tried to wear red or pink or something. Oh well. I used to love making the little Valentine's mailboxes and getting home to open it up and read all the cards (which I got as a result of the teacher requiring everyone to give each other a card and not because I was the popular kid). I still miss that.
No class today. I was still really busy but it was nice to have a breather. If you are a LOST fan, tell me what you thought of tonight's ep. I loved it. I definitely almost teared up.
I'll end with an occasion-appropriate ad from Tiffany and Co.
Currently listening to: Quicksand - Sleeping At Last
This is a late post and actually not the one for Valentine's Day because I just got home. Been out doing work, or, as I like to call it, conquering the world. Today (Tuesday) was my hard day, so hopefully the week will be slightly less crazy.
Before I crash, here is the Coke ad "What Goes Around" that came out last year (agency: Mother).
If you watched it closely, it is all one continuous shot featuring a large number of talent (every figure is an individual actor).
It is funny how certain smells, songs, or even the way the light hits a tree's branches seem to open a hidden drawer in your brain. A single thing will cause a flood of memories of things you thought you had forgotten about long ago.
The last two days have been quite good. Even though my instructor trashed my ideas, my new group is pretty cool. We're pounding out new work for Tuesday. Photoshoots are going pretty well. Here is the latest (round 2). I was called an overachiever by one of my teachers, which I don't think was meant as a compliment (although she wasn't saying it in a mean way), but I take it with a little pride. I'm sure ever full fledged C~ gets called that in life.
Speaking of the alma mater (and school in general), isn't it such a great thing to have friends who still keep in touch despite distance? Not the same as Tazo tea dates, special Thursday nights, practice driving in Target parking lots, or potty breaks, but it still makes me smile.
Some news: The Grammy's are tomorrow night. I hope Not Ready to Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks will get song of the year and NOTCorinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records Onbut it probably won't. Check out this story of a boy who was almost eaten by an anaconda but was saved in the nick of time by his grandpa.
And finally, in case you haven't seen this great ad by Windows Vista...
(I think it's a beautiful piece but sorta is anti-climatic after the product has been introduced but oh well.)
For those of you thinking of travelling anytime soon (spring break anyone?), check out Expert Flyer. You can view how full flights are (even before buying the ticket), see which seats are cheaper, and make use of your frequent flier miles.
The Lost season picked up again after about 2 months hiatus. For those of you who follow, it was Juliette's back story. I'm still waiting for S3 to reach the quality of Season2, but I'll be a diehard fan to the end!
An eternal embrace (sorta creepy, I think, actually).
Went out today and shot a bazillion photos of my hotel.
(you can tell I enjoyed shooting the cereal)
Also trying to find an artist to shoot for my CD cover. I think I have some good leads so far. Brainstorming is still kicking my butt but I met with my new partner. It's one of those cases where your first impression of the person is stripped away after talking to him/her for awhile.
No interesting pictures to post, but I will put up two.
(the awesome bruise I got from playing soccer)
(Self-portrait final steps)
Currently listening to: She Will Be Loved- Maroon 5 (ahhhhh!!! This Love!)
Advertising is too hard for me. Either that or I don't want to market sex. Maybe I'd be a better graphic designer.
In happier news, accepted a job (my boss man said they hired me cuz of my artsy background, so I guess my creative training paid off in some way finally?) and my teacher thought my liquor ad wasn't bad.
In celebration for the continuation of LOST starting tomorrow, here is a great clip with two of my favorite characters.
Scientists have linked Alzheimer's to loneliness. So everyone go out and hug a friend! (Yes, side hugs count, I guess.)
Also, while looking for pictures for a project today, guess what I found? My Little Pony Sea Snake! I can't believe it. I bet it's fake but I thought it was hilarious.
Also, check out this picture of this gorgeous Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher.
Currently listening to: Over It - Katharine McPhee
Haven't felt like posting lately but this is for a special someone.
Yesterday I went to watch the Super Bowl with my peers. It was sorta surreal to watch it with other people who analyzed the ads as much as I did (and then afterwards asked which agency did them). Plus I got to have pizza and a Coke...two things I haven't had for ages. I have good memories of watching the show last year with Emer. I have a craving for string cheese...
It turns out that two of the spots were done by students from my school. They are the FedEx space one (which I actually hated) and the Rock, Paper, Scissors for Bud Light. My favorites were 1) Snickers 2) Etrade ("Things You Can Do With One Finger") 3) Nationwide's "Rollin' VIP" with KFed 4) Budlight "But He's Got Bud Light"5) Meet the Robinsons movie trailer (simply for the Trex). A few others were good, but some of the ads were old (such as the two coke ones). How dare they! I also loved the Charles Barkley cameo on Tmobile's myfaves ad. The couple of student-made ads (Doritos driving, Doritos cashier, and Chevy HMM (the one with the guys stripping in front of the car full of girls)) were so-so. I am not going to put up the ads here since most of you have seen them, but if you haven't, here's a great link (besides YouTube, of course).
Enough about ads. Sorry. It has been rainy and cloudy. This is the first time it's been like that here since I arrived. Very strange.
I actually have a lot of things to mention, but I haven't felt like blogging lately. But here it goes:
Check out this gorgeous picture by photog Mel Martin (click link for more). Just makes you marvel at God's beauty. Scientists found out recently what gives the ocean its smell. It is caused by bacteria in the ocean that feast on decaying material and produce the gas dimethyl sulfide as a bioproduct. This is what makes the fishy, salty smell. Read more here.
I lied, I guess I am going to talk more about ads.
Shot my liquor stuff this weekend. It was collectively an 8.5 hour ordeal. Luckily my partner is pretty cool (albeit he smokes). Will be showing it in class tomorrow, where my instructor will subsequently rip it apart and tell me I need to start over again. Oh well. Here is a rough shot. Critics (I guess you can call them that) in Seoul and Berlin have started putting stickers on outdoor ads to raise public awareness of the quality of what they see. Read more here (Source). Check out these great Mini Cooper ads. The ad is placed next to the stairway leading to the subway, I believe. Great guerrilla work (Source). Finally check out this British version Apple commercial. I like the American ones better but this one was particularly great.
Have massive bruises on my arms and legs from colliding multiple times in yesterday's soccer matched. My Pumas are ruined from the rain. Sad.
Currently listening to: My Love - Justin Timberlake
The area is abuzz with all of the Super Bowl prep. All the locals are staying indoors while all the visitors are partying it up. Apparently celebrities are swarming the area. You would've thought I would have run into one by now....
(Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minnillo, and Fergie Ferg partying it up in my backyard (Source))
(Btw, that's Crown Royal whisky in the bottom right corner. I know this only cuz one of my classmates is using that for his liquor ad.)
..and I did tonight! I went down to take the trash out and this really familiar guy (who was also doing the same thing) helped me and was a gentleman about it. It turned out to be Shawn, the winner of The Apprentice 5! Nooooo way! He's working for Trump now. I was a bit starstruck. My mom and I were totally rooting for him. He was wearing a pink dress shirt. I appreciated that. :) Turns out that I will need to rework my self portrait (even though my prof liked it) to make it even more photorealistic, so I'll probs post that sometime soon.
Check out this clip. Microsoft parodies itself in this video on how they would change the simple iPod packaging.
I don't recognize myself anymore. I used onions...yes, onions, when I made homemade pasta sauce today. What have I turned into? And my salmon turned out pretty well, in case you're wondering. I'm just relieved I didn't burn it or anything.
Also wanted to post this ad. Some of you may have seen it before. It's done by CP+B.
So glad it's Friday! It's been a long week.
Currently listening to: You Give Me Something - James Morrison
Realized this morning that I had completely forgotten to post for Thursday, so here is a late one.
Worked on my self portrait all morning before class (got a little perfectionist about it...sigh). Here is the finished work (or at least until my professor criticizes it and I have to go change it). Also went out for Japanese with housie and his brother. My little trigger happy self wished a thousand times I had brought my camera or my phone with me. I stood up a good friend on a date cuz we didn't get back in time. I am sorry. :(
In other news, France dimmed its lights for 5 minutes yesterday to raise awareness for the environment. A report also says that the probability global warming is a result of human activities is around 90%.
If you haven't heard, J.K. Rowling has announced that July 21st will be the day that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (aka HP7) will be released. It's the 10th anniversary of the first publication. SO EXCITED!
This last bit is posted just because I couldn't believe I found it on craigslist. Checkout the preferences. I felt they were bordering stereotypical IMO. There is no greater gift than the gift of life! We are currently seeking young women aged 21-29 years of age who are willing to help an infertile couple by donating their eggs. Candidates must fit the following requirements: *Be STD Free *Cannot have had a child within the last 12 months (having a child is OK) *Cannot have been administered the Depo Provera Shot within the last 12 months *Must Have Regular Periods *Cannot Have Psychological Issues including Depression, Anxiety, Etc (because of the adverse effect of the medication given on these conditions) *Cannot carry a genetically transferred disease *Must know at least one side of your family history *Must Have Healthy BMI Index Height to Weight Ratio If you fit these requirements, we would love to hear from you! To learn more about egg donation please go to findadonor.com and click on Donors. Here you can learn more about the process and also apply to be a donor. Please be advised that the application process takes about 15 minutes and we will NOT consider an application without a photo. If you have any questions, please email us at donoreggs@aol.com or call the office at 615-262-1562. We are need of donors from across the country so location doesn't matter. All types are encouraged to apply, but we currently have great demand for the following descriptions: 1. A light eyed caucasian donor who is attractive and in shape. Education is a plus! 2. We need a girl who is tall with model looks for an Intended Mother who was a model herself. 3. We are in need of East Indian/ Middle Eastern donors 4. We are in need of an attractive asian donor with a good educational background If you fit one of these descriptions, please respond ASAP!!
Will try to post again tonight (as a post for Friday). It's been a long week.
Currently listening to: how quiet it is outside (which will not be the case come tonight)
Thanks for all the encouragement guys. You rock! :)
Went to the store today and ended up buying a pound of salmon (as well as some corn muffins. woot!). I'm trying to figure out how to cook it (any suggestions?) with the limited ingredients I have.
Two more interviews today. I got offered an internship at an event planning place. Non paid, which = boo, but I might take it on to just learn a different side of marketing.
Michael McCabe came to speak today. He just shot cover and feature photos for Elle Magazine's March issue starring Ana de la Reguera, the nun in Nacho Libre if any of you saw the movie (I did not). The issue is in the making right now so I'm going to keep a look out for it. His online portfolio has a lot of nude shots (not graphic, but still nude), so viewer discretion required. A case of advertising gone wrong (people just weren't thinking clearly).
An advertisement for a (Thai?) DVD player.
Currently listening to: White and Nerdy- Weird Al Yankovic (parody of Ridin' Dirty - Chamillionaire)
