Punk in Africa is what looks to be a very promising documentary in the works by Meerkat Media, exploring the evolution of the punk music scene in South Africa. For the past three decades while punk flourished in democratic Western countries like England and the US, it existed as a largely underground anti-fascist movement in a country ruled by a fascist, apartheid regime. This discourse is explored in the backdrop of Punk in Africa's chronicling of the rise of South Africa's original pioneering punk band National Wake.
The below is a teaser from the film, which is still in production in Johannesburg. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the release date... really excited to see this in some format.
I think I've mentioned it a couple of times on the good ol' blog here, but when I'm not writing about irrelevant things to distract you from your workday, I'm myself am working! And my 9 to 5 job is in the business of making movies.
I used to like my job. I used to like it a lot. But, like any job it gets boring if you don't have a real zest for it. So, I began to hate it. Hate it a lot. I think what put the nail in the coffin was Scary Movie 5. Srsly movie making business? Do I really want to work in an industry that thinks we need a Scary Movie 5? So, I started writing online. Partly because I love writing, but mostly because online is the only place that would accept my writing. So far, writing has been going pretty good. And in this future, there is no Scary Movie 5 looming in the distance. I still work in movie making, but the more I explore online, I realize that I want to make movies for the online set, about the designers and the products and the bands that move my world.
Here's an interview with a guy that's totally inspiring me to achieve the above mentioned. Levi Maestro has been producing his own online show Maestro Knows for 2 seasons now, and it's kind of a big deal. A really big deal. Because he basically films his life, his skating, even his eating. And he edits it himself and makes it look REALLY good. I guess the best way to put is that watching his show makes want to make my own show, and makes me miss In N Out Burgers really badly.
Watch StreetLevel's interview with Maestro below. He knows!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a fine actor. I've been impressed by the guy since Brick, mostly because as an actor, he tells real stories in a very real way. Yet there is always something in his performance that alludes to the unreal, as in holy-shit-this-guy-is-so-good-it's-unreal. He understands when to go big, and when to make something so small that as an audience, we can see a lifetime unfold in one small gesture.
Eeeek! Gahhhh, egads! I can barely speak. This is amazing! As a video geek (it's part of my dayjob), I'm practically big-O-ing over how awesome the finished product of Kicks After Six is. Ok I can't speak anymore, sensory and fashion overload, just watch!
Although my focus is more on 90s era hip-hop and R&B, I am a closet 1960s psychedelic and folk rock fan. In my first year of college, I went through a huge 60s phase, where I obsessively delved into the careers of some of my favorite acid rock stoner hippie brethren. I would listen to tracks by The Kinks, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, S and Garfunkel, and others over and over and over again until I had my never-ending fill. Yes, I was definitely a closet fan, of the rabid breed. It got stale after awhile, and I made an equally devoted transition to early 70s punk, but whenever I hear a 60s psychedelic song I get a slight twinge.
A couple of nights ago I stayed up late to watch the 1968 concert film Monterey Pop and I wasn't disappointed. The performances, such as Ravi Shankar's stateside debut, Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar into a ball of flames, and The Who smashing their instruments to shreds, are super duper raw.
Photographers at the festival, especially Tom Gundelfinger O'Neal, introduced the nation to a whole new youth movement that had previously existed on the fringes (Monterey Pop took place a whole two years before the infamous Woodstock fest). I was really drawn to Gundelfinger's snapshots because they captured more than just the events and performances, they captured the movement. The fashion, the energy, and the freedom these kids were experimenting with are all caught on camera, and I'm loving it!
Looking back at these shots, I couldn't help but think of my modern day hipster brethren and smile. Seriously guys, looking at these shots makes me feel like I'm taking a stroll down Bedford Ave, what with the abundance of vests and leopard prints, bangs, and furry headgear.
I mean, LATFH (if you don't know what that means... google it!)! I hate them, but seriously sometimes you gotta give props where they are due, because this guy has inadvertently done his homework and payed homage to the original 60s hipsters.
Enjoy the rest of the shots from the festival of yore below!
There's a lot more bouncing in this video than just the basketballs, but how can you hate on the man who's billed as the second coming of wannabe-hipster rap! Make sure to watch through the end for some cheeky innuendo and punning, courtesy of Drake's Degrassi-honed acting skills.
My day job is in the film industry, where I toil away for a ridiculous amount of hours and endure an insane amount of frustration to make sure that audiences everywhere can enjoy movie magic! One of the projects I've come into contact with in the last few years has finally come to fruition. Based on the successful novel Push , the film is now called Precious, and has garnered extremely successful reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and in the film media in general. The story chronicles the rise of an teenager growing up in Harlem who has endured physical abuse by the hands of her mother, and sexual abuse from her father. Pregnant for the second time, she is invited to enroll in an alternative school and finally meets a teacher who inspires her to transcend the negativity around her and make the best of her life. With amazing performances from an all-star cast, including Monique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe . The director, Lee Daniels , ensured that a sense of gritty realisim was reflected in the film's cinematography, and his direction is both tender and enganging. Check out the trailer, if only because this is a powerful story that will touch you, I promise (if it doesn't, you have a heart of steel and I can't help you...good luck with that!).
The creative brains over at Nike SB have been stewing, and the result is the above trailer of their HD skate video, entitled "Debacle". Set to debut in the mecca of street-skating, Los Angeles, on June 10th, SB sponsored skaters Shane O'Neill, Daryl Angel, David Clark, Grant Taylor, and Justin Brock take you on a ride you'll never forget. Featuring a series of expertly edited shots and wild tricks and jumps, the trailer is definitely just a teaser for the amazingness yet to come. I can't wait to see the finished product, and catch a glimpse of some of the exclusive SBs that the skaters will be rockin.
Who wants to see Medicine for Melancholy as badly as I do?
It looks so dope! A favorite at SxSW film festival, the debut film from director Barry Jenkins focuses on two strangers who decide to get to know each other after a drunken one-night stand, instead of just parting ways and forgetting about each other. The photography reminds me of early Spike Lee (think She's Gotta Have It), and I love the reference to Godard's Breathless in the trailer!
The film is out now in select theatres. You can see it in NYC at the IFC.
Monday, January 5th, marked the first day of production for Melvin James Filmworks' latest feature, the comedyStill A Teen. Set to be filmed on location in Jamaica Estates, Queens, hip hop honeys such as Jessica "Rabbit" Rich, Buffie the Body, Gina Lynn, Savanna Samson, and Rosa Acosta are already pouring on to the set in droves. Sure to be the hip-hop centric comedy smash of the summer, Still A Teen comes to us courtesy of season director Melvin James, who also has a project starring Lauren London and Chris Brown currently in development.
Following a wild series of adventures in the lives of four affluent teens, the film explores what happens when a group of recent high school graduates get the chance to shoot their own music video. Obsessed with video vixens, Brett (Jason Hurt) and best friends Billy (Johnny Donovan) and Josh (Tyler Ham Pong) decide to make a pact to get the girls of their dreams, the music video models they've fantasized about day in and day out. When their classmate Stew's (Dan Shaked) parents go out of town, they take his mansion hostage and go on a wild rampage to cast and shoot their own hip hop video. Highjinks, partying (and even kidnapping a famous rapper!) are what's in store for the four best friends as they try their best to win over the girls of their wildest dreams.
We at The Ladies First have the exclusive look inside the production, and will be bringing you reports throughout filming straight from the set. Expect interviews with cast and crew, the style exclusives from the wardrobe and makeup departments, and of course any and all breaking gossip. And with a cast as wild as this, you KNOW that there'll be plenty of drama behind the scenes of Still a Teen, so stay tuned!
Two of England's most famous female break-out music stars of '07-'08 have released new videos just as the year is coming to a close. Lily Allen and Lady Sovereign, both part of the new trend of British "bad girl" artists-- meaning, they have a brain and use it to break the mold by being outrageous and outspoken-- have taken the musical world by storm and, by the looks of these new videos, have no plans to stop anytime soon!
I can't say much for the music. Both seem to have been influenced by current pop music (Lily by dance-pop and Lady Sov by dance-rap) and have taken their sound in new, although not the best, directions. However, the videos are where it's at! Creativity abounds, and visually they have produced fun and cinematically thoughtful pieces.
Lily's "The Fear" is a play on modern feminine cinema popular with directors such as Sophia Coppola. Think soft lighting, elaborate sets, wide landscapes, symmetry. The video brilliantly captures those essentials and relates them to her tale on the pitfalls of celebrity.
Lady Sov, meanwhile, draws from one of the best movies of all time, "The Warriors". She creates a girl-power interpretation of the film, including it's grimy lighting and gloomy, harsh coloring.
Keep up the good work ladies-- at least visually! Check out the videos below...
Brian D'Palma is a genius. Most people know this because of Scarface or Carrie. But the real reason is this scene from 1980's Dressed to Kill.
From the gleaming, soft glow of Kate's (a very MILF-esque Angie Dickinson) coat to the shining light bouncing off Bobbi's scary ass switchblade, DePalma is the master of reflection and lighting. The whole film is based on the idea of reflection-- Kate's reflection on her repressed sexuality, Liz's reflection on prostitution, and Dr. Elliot/Bobbi's reflection on his gender--and this singular scene physically manifests that theme so perfectly. The mirrored elevator allows everything to gleam with an angelic halo-like light. Even the bracelet on Kate's dying hand, as she reaches out for help and liberation, shines beautifully. This contrasts with the brutality of the murder, and really drives the idea of reflection home.
Punk in Africa is what looks to be a very promising documentary in the works by Meerkat Media, exploring the evolution of the punk music scene in South Africa. For the past three decades while punk flourished in democratic Western countries like England and the US, it existed as a largely underground anti-fascist movement in a country ruled by a fascist, apartheid regime. This discourse is explored in the backdrop of Punk in Africa's chronicling of the rise of South Africa's original pioneering punk band National Wake. 
