FEB 03 2017
An Incredible Pay Off
A few months ago, Ashley C. Ford, a writer out of NYC, sent a little thought out into the Twitterverse:
This caught on like wildfire. Kind folk have donated over $144k across the US. That’s only what has been reported publicly and to-date. Who knows how much more generosity has been shown as a result of such a brief social thought.
The story here continues with both the efforts to raise money along with the continued need across the nation and those less fortunate.
They got jokes!
Jimmy Fallon, the viral guy of late night television, recent had Judd Apatow and Keanu Reeves on to deliver children’s jokes in true standup form. There’s nothing complex about this, but if you can appreciate a little giggle at the, I’ll say it, silly, then you’ll enjoy as much as I did.
Keanu is so awkward. I love the guy, no matter the hate, but man, so awkward.
Say Yes
In celebrating the anniversary of the release of his record, Either/Or, released in 1998, Elliot Smith’s label, Kill Rock Stars, is reissuing his album in an expanded form along with partnering to create a new podcast, Say Yes: An Elliot Smith Podcast. At the helm is Sean Cannon, host of the podcast, The Guestlist, who is no stranger to having fantastic talent in tow to subject his feed. Though its only a short run, this podcast looks very promising and should give further light into the late songwriter’s incredible story and ability.
As shown by Pitchfork, the podcast is packed with a whole lot of inspiration by Smith’s legacy and in turn, a whole lot of talent he helped to spur. Take a listen to the teaser below, if you haven’t clicked over already:
Why Are They Always Wearing Gloves?
Vox did some pretty impressive recon on the origin, and overall why, of gloves in animation. There are still some gaps to be filled, but with time and creators passing, there’s not telling if we’ll really know; however, this is a job well done and charming video to go along with it.
I can’t say I had previously ever thought of this, or the awkwardness involved when the gloves are removed, but now, I can’t unsee it. I don’t watch Looney Tunes much, though I’m always trying to introduce my kid to more and more of me, so I may be startled by this again sooner than I expect. I will say it is pretty funny how self-aware the animators made themselves by having the characters, themselves, call each other out, as Bugs and Daffy do in the clip near the end.
Oh geez, we watch a ton of Mickey, too….
Aaron Sorkin and Aaron Sorkining
One of the best screenwriters, safe to say writers, of the past 20–30 years has been, is, and [confidently] will be Aaron Sorkin. From The West Wing to The Newsroom, A Few Good Men to The Social Network, he has penned natural interactions effortlessly taking us to more complex states without losing understanding of the simple element at hand while at the same time, he has absolutely had no trouble allowing touchstone films to remain both personal and deep despite whatever grandeur is transpiring on screen. Granted, directing is not to be forgotten, his storytelling and dialogue are key and never go unnoticed. Lessons from the Screenplay do an excellent job detailing out the voice and personality Sorkin holds in his writing and structure. Even though he’s notorious for reusing his own specific-voice over and over again in some capacity, each piece remains original and all the more impressive. Also, see: Sorkinisms.
