Big Orange Box

Another day of fun in Toronto at the film festival. Walked across the street from my hotel to see the stars walk the red carpet for the premiere of “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”. The fans & photogs were all crowded near the entrance, so I headed around back near the hospitality tent where I had a clear line to take some decent shots. Even got a chance to have a brief chat with Tyler Labine, star of Reaper and in the movies Control Alt Delete (which he made with his brother Cameron) and Zack and Miri Make a Porno — both movies were playing at the festival.

My real reason for being at the festival was to support my friends who made the movie Deadgirl. The movie was frightening, humorous, and downright disturbing all at once. I was totally impressed and so happy for everyone involved in the film.

Here’s some photos of the glamorous peeps:

On my second day in Toronto for TIFF08, I decided to wander the city with camera in hand and hope for the best.

After seeing a slam dunk contest and a pretty cool sidewalk chalk drawing in the Younge/Dundas square, I wandered up to Ryerson University and almost walked into LeBron James as he was being ushered out of a movie premiere. Missed getting a photo of him but at least his entourage didn’t beat the crap out of me for not watching where I was going.

I had been to the Sutton Place Hotel the previous day and since festival registration was there I thought I’d take a walk over that way to see if anyone was hanging around. The lobby at Sutton Place was bustling with flimgoers so I walked around the back of the hotel to escape the crowds. Good thing I did. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and The Edge (U2) stepped out of the hotel just as I turned the corner. Found out later they were at the hotel doing a press conference for the movie “It Might Get Loud“.

U2’s “The Edge”

Jimmy Page

Tonight I head out to the Toronto International Film Festival. Going to cheer on some friends who have a movie premiering there during Midnight Madness. Should be an exciting weekend. More pics and stories to follow!

Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, recently met with the guy who makes the decisions on which music gets “featured” on Apple’s iTunes service. He had a telling experience that the “all digital all the time” world isn’t quite a reality yet. In fact, sometimes physical media is the best way to get noticed as Derek wrote:

When visiting Apple iTunes, I had lunch with the guy who’s in charge of independent music editorial - the one who chooses who gets featured placement.

I asked him, “What’s the best way for me to turn you on to something I think you’ll love?”

His answer? “Send me the CD.”

I said, “Uh.. really? What if it’s already on iTunes? Shouldn’t I just send you the link?”

He said, “Yeah. I commute an hour each way to Apple’s office. I do all my real listening in the car, so I need the CD.”

This likely applies in a similar fashion to video as well. While instant digital distribution is available to all of us through outlets like YouTube, Vimeo, Revver, etc., sometimes the best way to sit down and really pay attention to video is to pop in a DVD and watch it on the big screen. And, if a big-time producer gets handed your DVD from someone who they respect, they’re a lot more likely to pay it some attention (now and later) than a link passed to them in an email.

I was sneaking around Stage A at DotLot™ Digital Studios this weekend and saw a whole bunch of scaffolding and riggings that have recently been assembled. Looks like they’re prepping for a big video project. More details to follow…

Weezer’s “Pork and Beans” video features a menagerie of top YouTubers lip syncing along to the song in their full regalia and in the actual (simulated) environments in which their original videos were shot. Good luck trying to think of a way to use YouTube folks in any production this year. Weezer has used up all the good ones. YouTube’s talent pool has just been rebooted.

(via)

Ten Things I Hate About Commandments

This trailer & many othes recut by Mike Dow & Ari Eisner (AKA Smaky Productions)