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New DVD Releases For November 2005

As winter approaches, it is time to think about ways to entertain ourselves during the coldest months of the year. Some of you might be interested in outdoor sports like skiing or snowboarding, but I am more concerned with simply staying warm. I will be a spectator for the next few months, and luckily there are a number of awesome DVD movies coming out just in time. Let’s have a look at some. . .

‘Things Just Ain’t the Same’: Hip-Hop’s Reconstruction of...

Gangster rap, or hardcore rap, is generally considered a sub genre of the larger category of rap music, which itself is a subcategory of hip-hop. Gangster rap is differentiable from other rap music in that it makes use of images of urban life associated with crime (Haugen, 2). The top four images associated with the genre are violence, drugs, materialism and sexual promiscuity. Gangster Rappers. . .

Vertigo - A Masterpiece?

Vertigo, a 1958 suspense film, was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Many people beleive that this film is Hitchcock's masterpiece.The movie tells the story of a detective in San Francisco. The detectives name is Scottie who is played by James Stewart. Scottie leaves the police force after a fellow policeman falls and dies while the two were chasing a criminal across rooftops in downtown San Franci. . .

Rehearsing on the Set

In the last article, I discussed Blocking - the first part of a four stage process of shooting any scene: 1) Blocking - determining where the actors will be on the set and the first camera position 2) Lighting - time for the DOP to light the set and position the camera for the first shot 3) Rehearsing - camera rehearsal of the first set-up with the actors and crew 4) Shooting - shooting the fir. . .

Indie Music Artists Meet Clear Channel Execs

"What does it cost to get a record on the charts?" The question was directed to Mike McVay, programming consultant to about 400 radio stations owned by media giant Clear Channel.A hush fell over the audience, as this was a piece of information that could determine the fate of independent artists everywhere.McVay pulled no punches. Depending on your genre, the amount is "a hundred thousand dolla. . .

Script Breakdown - Script and Scene Analysis

A) Director as Story-Teller       There are many facets of a Director's prep on any film or TV show - from location scouts and creative meetings to casting and scheduling. But the first, and most important part of your job, is to understand the script - what the story is about; the themes; the story points; the characters. A director is a story-teller, and to be a good story-teller, you need to. . .

Blocking a Scene

When I was a Second AD (many, many years ago) I learned a valuable lesson from a dolly grip on how a film set works. Very simply, every film shoot is divided into four parts: 1) Block - determining where the actors will be on the set and the first camera position 2) Light - time for the DOP to light the set and position the camera for the first shot 3) Rehearse - camera rehearsal of the first s. . .

Breakdancing: The Roots of The Street Dance

Breakdancing is the street dancing which began around 1969. Most people will agree that the superstar James Brown began the whole thing with a dance called the "Good Foot". James Brown was a real innovator and his dancing was something to behold. He did things with his feet that would give most of us a couple of broken legs!Simultaneously in the ghetto, what is known as the "dance battle" becam. . .

Thursday Rock

Thursday, a post-hardcore band, is from New Brunswick, New Jersey. The band formed in 1997. Their first full-length album was released in 1999 with a New Jersey based company called indie Eyeball Records. Thursday is known for their notable advancements of artistic nature; many of the bands songs are as a result of books, real world events, and art of various forms. Successfully emerging from t. . .

Whatever Happened to James Bond?

James Bond is dead.That may be an overstatement, but the way I see it, he is at least on life-support. I don't see any actor in Hollywood being able to play the role the right way. Not the way Sean Connery did it. Roger Moore was OK, but since he retired in 1985 after his romp with Tanya Roberts in "A View to a Kill", we've been stuck with a nobody (Timothy Dalton) and a lightweight (Pierce Bro. . .

Sansamp Bass DI

The ironic thing about the situation is the engineer admits now that he did nothing different on that bass sound than he had on the numerous other records he had done. Of course, no one cared much about the bass sound on the other records. It turns out that the only change in the equation was the song and the player. The engineer said that this one particular bass player just sounds that dam. . .

ASCAP and MySpace.com, Fantasy International Film Festiva...

The Sixth Annual Latin Grammy Awards features 43 categories and is set for November 3 at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Latin Grammy Viewing Parties, set up by the Recording Academy that hosts the award, take place in Miami and New York City November 3. AFI Fest 2005 features international competitions of new films from emerging filmmakers, global showcases of the latest work from film maste. . .

Acting The Passion and The Dream

The universe and all of history is your classroomIt takes a very strong and dedicated person to pursue a career in acting. After all, you are doing it because you love it. You couldn’t imagine doing anything else. And of course, not many people will understand this. Some people cannot understand why anyone would want to do something with such an unpredictable future. But you know it is you futu. . .

Fender 62 Reissue Telecaster Reviewed

One guitarist who plays country, rock and roll, and even the blues, finds that the Fender 62 reissue Telecaster is a great instrument for all three. He uses the pickups of the bridge when playing country music, for blues the neck pickup. His Fender 62 reissue Telecaster was designed in 1983.This same guitarist has been playing for around thirty years. He bought his Fender 62 reissue Telecaster . . .

Turning a Band Into Songwriters – 10 Songs In One Hour

While most bands have good or even very good drummers, guitar players, and bassists (notice I didn't say singers), most bands don't have good songwriters. In fact, songwriting is usually an afterthought with most bands. That's why I came up with the 10 songs in one hour challenge.That's right, if you did the math, you quickly figured out that the band must write a song every 6 minutes to stay. . .

Types Of BC Rich 7 String Guitars

BC Rich 7 string guitars are available online in various styles and types, used and new, at different auctions and e-commerce Web sites.One example is the BC Rich 7 string bronz Warlock Bass. Its body is made of bass wood, plus the Warlock is equipped with an EB-7 adjustable bridge that is traditional and recognized as BC Rich. Its fingerboard has 24 frets and is made of rosewood, the hardware . . .

Self Home Recording vs Paying a Recording Studio

Back in the old days (around 'Nam) recording at home was a new miracle. You could actually hit record on a device and capture sound in your own home. Your eyes would light up just like Thomas Edison did when he first invented audio recording. Fast forward to 2005. It's now completely affordable to outfit a fully functional recording rig in your home for the price of a high quality, American mad. . .

The World Is Full Of Great Guitar Solos

Do you have a favourite guitar solo? You know, one that sends a cold chill down the back of your neck? One, that for some unknown reason seems to fit the song so perfectly that you couldn't imagine any other guitar solo being played in that song? I bet you have a few you could mention. I'm going to list five all time classic solos that influenced me when I was starting out. See what you think.S. . .

So Today – The Rising Fame of Hilary Duff

It’s undeniable - if you had never seen Hilary Duff before in your life her beautiful face would instantly sweep you up. With pearlescent eyes that never quite seem the same colour in any two pictures, and a face that screams both girl next door and sexpot, it is obvious to see why she has captivated the music and silver screen industries.At a mere eighteen years of age Hilary has already been . . .

Acting Isn't A Bed Of Roses!

Is the world your stage? The life of an actor involves long periods of unemployment, intense competition for roles, and frequent rejections in auditions. They need formal training through a university though some of them do get roles on the basis of their experience and talent alone. They have to hold other jobs to supplement their erratic incomes. Actors strive to deliver flawless performances. . .

How To Mic An Electric Guitar

With modern music (especially pop/rock music) production demands are greater than ever. The average listener expects the recording quality of your music to be the equivalent of those amazing productions you often hear on the radio. Since this discussion could take weeks and weeks and page after page, I've decided to narrow the focus of this guide to recording the electric guitar. With any recor. . .

Free Music Video Downloads

Listening to all of your favorite songs whenever you want is always exciting. No more having to wait for it to be played on the radio or have to go out and buy the whole CD for just one particular song. When you can download all of your favorite songs for free it just makes it that much better. What if you could download the music videos to all of your favorite songs for free and add to the . . .

How to Find and Download Your Favorite Music Videos

With all of the latest technology of downloading songs to burn onto CD’s, iPod’s, and more, the simple thought of music video downloads often passes peoples minds anymore. With burning songs onto CD’s, and listening to songs on your iPod, you’re only retaining the audio portion of music and completely overlooking the visual aspect of music. Sure you can tune into MTV and VH1 and all of the oth. . .

Wallace & Gromit’s “Curse of the Were-Rabbit”

If you’re in the mood to laugh yourself silly, Wallace & Gromit’s “Curse of the Were-Rabbit” is a jolly good show for the whole family. It’s about a dimwitted inventor named Wallace and his sidekick dog, Gromit, coming up with a solution to the flurry of rabbits destroying the community’s vegetable gardens. If something isn’t done quickly, the townspeople will have nothing to show for at the to. . .

Pluck Up the Courage For Karaoke Singing!

This article is designed to help anyone to enjoy karaoke and improve their singing performance whether it be as a "virgin" karaoke singer or as someone starting out on a singing career. It contains tips designed to help old hands and newbies alike achieve a better karaoke singing style. The best piece of advice is to bear in mind that one of the whole idea behind karaoke is that it doesn't matt. . .

Jam Band Writing Journals – Track Your Shows

Following jam bands is a blast because of the music, places you see and cool people you meet. Jam band journals are great ways to keep track of your shows.Jam Band JournalsUndoubtedly, the Grateful Dead was the greatest jam band in history, but others such as String Cheese Incident have carried on the tradition. Whatever your favorite band is, think back to the last show you saw. What sticks ou. . .

Script Breakdown - Character Analysis

In the last article, I talked about the first, and most important, part of a Director's job - understanding the script: what the story is about; the themes; the story points; and the characters. In this article, I will focus on Character Development and Analysis.After reading the script and working through the script structure and scene analysis, it's time to figure out the development and obje. . .

History of the Guitar

It is very difficult to trace a line back to the exact birth of the instrument we know as the guitar today, as there is a lot of myth and uncertainty surrounding its origins. This is mainly due to the fact there have been a number of similar instruments throughout the ages. Many historians claim the guitar originated at various points in time. Some believe the guitar in its earliest form dates . . .

Taking Care of your Soul Mate: Useful Piano Care Tips

Your piano is your soul mate. Once you start playing it, you two are hopelessly entwined, enjoying a world of your own, mindless of what goes on outside your world. It is therefore absolutely important that you take care of your piano properly.Taking care of your piano does not only entail having it tuned up every two to five years. It would also appreciate a daily maintenance from the owner hi. . .

Fall Is In The Air! What Does That Mean? FOOTBALL SEASON!

I just hate it! To make matters worse hubby is home on sick leave due to his own football injury tossing the dogs toy football and trying to beat the dog across the yard for it, needless to say those groin muscles will be out of commission for a while. Lying around with his ice bag the first day watching soaps with me was enough to make him nuts! Then day two at 2:00 pm, time for “The Young a. . .

Mischievous Imp: Baby's Eleventh Month Guide

Believe it or not, your baby is just one month short of being a year old!Bubbling with energyIn baby's eleventh month, he is discovering a whole new exciting universe at a frantic pace. He can roll, sit, stand and even walk a few steps. He has a mind of his own now and you might be shocked to see him assert himself! If he seems to be quiet for a while it could signals some mischief he is up to.. . .

Review of the Rivera Knucklehead Guitar Amp

Not surprising, Rivera is owned by some guy named Paul Rivera. I guess it's a little surprising that his name is Paul, but that's about it. While I hate to spread rumors about facts I don't know, this is press, and that's that the press is all about. The rumor on the street is that Paul Rivera worked for both Marshall and Fender for years modifying guitar amplifiers for the rock stars that coul. . .

A Huge Concern Over Web: Music Download

Internet has come to change everything that once relations used to be lied on. Since Internet had invaded homes, the daily life has never been the same again. Internet changed the family’s habits, the culture and the way someone sees the world. Music is just a part of this change.Regarding to music, this issue is even more complicated. People now can prepare their own CDs by downloading music f. . .

Science Fiction Movie Characters: 10 of the Best

Some of the most memorable movie characters have and continue to come from the Science Fiction genre. The reason is that these characters face extraordinary circumstance and must use extraordinary means to overcome them.The following is a list of ten of the best Science Fiction characters of all time. The two criteria used are the strength of the creation(writing) of the character and the quali. . .

Help Piano Students in the Bad Mood Feel Better

The students could be in the bad mood while taking lessons. Force them to play will not make them playing well even the kids often persist in not wanting to play. Let them just sit with no activity is also not the good solution. As teachers, what should we do so that the lessons can still be valued?As my experienced, the following tips will help students in the bad mood feel better and improve . . .

Planning your DJ Set

My first DJ Experience occurred when I was about 10, I was at a friends house and his father was away so we sneaked into the garage where he had what I now know to be a set of Technics 1210’s set up. We messed about with them for a few minutes not really knowing what we were doing; putting records on the platter and watching them spin. One of the needles snapped, then we left, and that was that. . .

Acting for the Newbie

Getting your act right!Acting began because of the man's need to express, emote andto tell stories. Acting is said to have found its origins inthe religious rituals of the primitive times and the firstperformers were the religious leaders of the tribes. Thedevelopment of theater, as we see today, is largelyattributed to the Greeks.Drama dates back to 534 BC. Contest were held to determinewho w. . .

Rate Your Children’s Movies

As a parent, it’s my job to make sure the movies my children watch are appropriate. I don’t rely on the standard movie rating system.Why?The standard movie ratings are given by a group of parents that are part of a committee called the film and rating board, which is part of the Classification and Rating Administration. The following quote, taken directly from www.flimratings.com, explains the . . .

Can’t Find Your Favorite Movie Poster?

Many of us have that one special film we can’t quite get out of our heads. More likely there are several movies that have taken their turn in your “favorites” category. These could include an epic feature like Gone with the Wind. Or they might number a children’s classic like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Perhaps you have a favorite film or two starring a beloved cinema idol. Souvenirs. . .

Legal Music Download Sites VS P2P File Sharing

This article compares the differences between legal music download sites VS file sharing networks. 1) Music files available for download:The p2p file sharing networks heavily out number the legal music sites when it comes to the amount of files available for download. A p2p application provides millions of unlimited mp3 music files, while a legal music download site provides legitimately licen. . .

Jackson Browne- Revisiting An Old Friend

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the music of Jackson Browne. I think the first album of his that I bought was 1974’s “Late for the Sky” and it still remains one of my all-time favorites. … If I had to put together a list of my 10 favorite all-time artists, Jackson Browne would definitely hold one of the spots. He's been on that list since music started playing a major role in my lif. . .

Legal Free MP3 Downloads - Is It Possible ?

Downloading free mp3 music from the internet its a great thing to do. Mp3 downloads can give you thousands of free mp3 songs and hundreds of hours of listening just by using your fingertips. However, the common way to do download mp3 music is illegal... but there is an other method.Its a fact that companies and individuals are getting sued for encouraging and downloading illegal music. The Reco. . .

Molecular Models at the Movies

A model situationDavid BradleyYou may have noticed a recent spate of shiny ads in the Sunday supplements and glossy "style" magazines for sleek roller ball writing implements and exclusive walnut fountain pens and the like. It seems, intriguingly, that despite the billions upon billions of text messages, emails, and (these days) the occasional fax transmission there remains a deep-seated desire. . .

Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams

When it comes to punk ballads there are not all that many out there. Punk is a hard and driven form of music that prohibits it from being well-suited to conveying softer emotions – that is, it has been, until now. Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams is another undeniable hit from a trio that has consistently shown that despite their punk roots, they are versatile musicians who can produce mo. . .

James Bond Rebuilt

Craig. Daniel Craig.The new 007 -- call him James Blonde. I wrote in an earlier post (http://thepopcornbox.blogspot.com/2005/08/whatever-happened-to-james-bond.html) that I was throughly disgusted with the weak Bond actors to stink up the screen since Sean Connery. Actually, I shouldn't say that Roger Moore was weak, but he never stood up to the original. Connery was Bond and Bond was Connery. . .

Enhanced Healing Through Music

Music has always been a very important part of our lives, from childhood to our being an adult. As a part of our experience, music can have both a physiological and psychological affect upon us as human beings. In addition to the influence that it has on our life, music also has many therapeutic qualities and has been utilized in promoting a variety of healings throughout the ages. As we kno. . .

History of the Synthesizer - A Brief Look Back

The synthesizer was a long time in the making. The history of the synthesizer is one that goes back long before electricity – many of early composers conceived of the concept, but could never put it into practice. In fact, it would take the invention of the silicon chip to make synthesizers possible.The first synthesizers were very crude in their abilities. They date back well over 50 years. Th. . .

U2 Tickets

In the fall of 1976, a popular high school student Paul Hewson observed a note on the notice board of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin . It was from a 14 year old student Larry Mullen and he had asked for some music lovers to come and join a band. Paul's immediately answered the call and so did three other lads, Dave Evans, Dick Evans and Adam Clayton. A five-piece band was organized. . .

35mm Film - A Short History

35 mm film - short history.When it comes to photography and motion picture it is impossible not to hear about 35 mm. film when going technical into the conversation. It is called 35 mm. film as it is 35 mm. wide and will have perforations on both edges at each 4.23 mm along it. With a history dating back since 1889, when it was first introduced by Thomas Edison, the 35 mm film is still used tod. . .

Five Fingers Same Position Notes Reading Method

There are beginner piano books begin by introducing five notes i.e. CDEFG in right hand (RH) and CBAGF in left (LH) by using the same fingers position such as on RH note C played by thumb, D played by index finger, etc. On LH note C played by thumb, B played by index finger, so on. I called as "five fingers same position".The benefit is before added the new note, beginners have practiced some s. . .