A is for Antelope

Welcome to the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge! Each day for the month of April I will be posting alphabetically from A to Z and my theme is Wyoming.

Near my hometown of Cheyenne, Antelope roam pretty much everywhere. In fact, on the grounds of F.E. Warren Air Force Base, they have no fear of man. They feed along the sides of the road and you can see them hanging out by the commissary, tennis courts, base housing - just about everywhere. When I run on the outdoor track, I'll often see a small herd of does and a large buck, standing apart, keeping watch over his harem. As I run the 1.5 loop, the buck has his eye on me. When I recall that antelope can run long distances of up to 60 miles an hour, my 11-minute mile pace seems insignificant.

Have you ever raced an animal?

Blue Jasmine and Woody Allen Magic

How many times have I seen "Blue Jasmine"? I've lost count. Eventually I bought the download on Amazon so I can watch it as often as I like.

For me, it's one of the best of Woody Allen's films in recent years. Jasmine's character, played by Cate Blanchett, is truly unique.

Woody Allen's heroines are almost always neurotic and self-absorbed: Linda in Play It Again, Sam; Annie in Annie Hall; Mary in Manhattan; Holly in Hannah and Her Sisters; Nola in Match Point; and Helena in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.

Jasmine is no exception. Cate's Jasmine reveals layers of this character in such a way that you can't imagine any other actress playing this part.

Woody Allen is a minimalist filmmaker, swimming against the tide in a sea of complex, high-tech, CGI productions. He consistently writes brilliant scripts and his actors, more often than not, get nominated for Academy Awards. Reason being, he writes parts that give actors an opportunity to stretch their acting muscles. Challenging characters that jump off the page and come alive on the screen.

No wonder highly-paid actors take a cut in pay to work in a Woody Allen film. They want that credit on their resume.

Not to say that every Woody Allen film is a true work of art. He's had his share of duds. Nevertheless, when he finds the perfect combination of story and actors, magic happens.

My favorite Woody Allen Films:
Annie Hall
Manhattan
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Match Point
Cassandra's Dream
Midnight in Paris
Blue Jasmine

Notable actors in Woody Allen films:

Meryl Streep - Manhattan
Jeff Daniels - The Purple Rose of Cairo
Michale Caine - Hannah and Her Sisters
Martin Landau - Crimes and Misdemeanors
Gena Rowlands - Another Woman
Alan Alda - Manhattan Murder Mystery/Crimes and Misdemeanors
Kenneth Branaugh - Celebrity
Sean Penn - Sweet and Low Down
Edward Norton - Everybody Says I Love You
Drew Barrymore - Everybody Says I Love You
Goldie Hawn - Everybody Says I Love You
Tim Roth - Everybody Says I Love You
Julia Roberts - Everybody Says I Love You
Scarlett Johansson - Match Point/Scoop/ Vicky Christina Barcelona
Ewan McGregor - Cassandra's Dream
Colin Farrell - Cassandra's Dream
Helen Hunt - The Jade Scorpion
Alec Baldwin - To Rome With Love/Blue Jasmine
Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Baracelona
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona/To Rome With Love
Anthony Hopkins - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Naomi Watts - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Owen Wilson - Midnight in Paris
Rachel McAdams - Midnight in Paris
Kathy Bates - Midnight in Paris
Jesse Eisenberg - To Rome With Love
Ellen Page - To Rome With Love
Colin Firth - Magic in the Moonlight
Josh Brolin - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

Wyoming Quilts "Downton Abbey: The Women's Collection"

We've finally gotten around to post production on the documentary we've been working on since last year. The film is the brainchild of my friend Susan who was inspired to produce a film documenting Wyoming women making quilts using the Downton Abbey Women's Collection. This fabric collection was inspired by the fabrics of the characters in the PBS show "Downton Abbey."

We enlisted the talents of Cheyenne's best filmmaking team, Shawn Crochet and Jerry Steinhour. We went to the International Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska to interview quilt historians. In Cheyenne, we filmed at a quilt retreat at the Nagle Warren Mansion where the women gathered to work on their Downton Abbey quilts.

I will be writing the narrative for the film. This is the first time I've written a script for a documentary. I've watched documentaries to get inspiration. I've realized that there are many documentary styles. Creative juices are kicking in.

Now we are in the editing process, going through all the footage. We are planning on submitting the film to Wyoming PBS.

This whole project is kind of like making a quilt. All the quilt pieces are laid out on the table and it looks overwhelming. But in the end the quilt will be sewn together, resulting in a beautiful work of art.

The Kat's Meow

Take a peek at my latest video featuring Monica Miller's interview with Kathryn Kij of The Kat's Meow, small business in Cheyenne.

Web Series: Untitled

For the past few weeks I've been tossing around an idea for a web series. It came to me one day when I was thinking about how expensive it is to own and maintain a car. I thought of people that don't have cars and that have to rely on public transportation or getting rides from friends.

So I asked myself, what if a young man with a good job and had everything going for him, chose to live with his parents and let them drive him wherever he wanted to go. His parents love doing it. The son loves it. The son has no interest ever in learning how to drive. The whole family is perfectly happy with this set up.

ENTER, the nosy neighbor who thinks this is ridiculous. She does everything in her power to change the situation, "for his own good."

Other episodes could include dating situations, work situations, extended family situations...

Ideas are fun, it's the actually "making it happen" part that kills me.

Bach and Ballet

So I'm scrolling through Facebook and come across a post from the New York City Ballet. Lo and Behold, I read this:

"If someone told you that seeing a certain piece of art, listening to a particular piece of music, or watching a specific ballet would transform your life and alter your vision of the world, you would definitely make sure you saw, listened or watched, right? Well here's your chance. Jerome Robbins' The Goldberg Variations."

This mini-documentary about how Bach's Goldberg Variations are performed as ballet is inspiring. I'm a huge fan of Bach and of ballet, so watching the melding of the two together is a double portion of beauty, art and joy!

Creating Promotion Videos

My latest projects:

I've been creating videos for my friend Monica, a freelance writer, who interviews local artists and business owners for her blog. My first video featured Monica herself and I just finished a video for a local Cheyenne business, Iron Sharpens Iron, which creates metalwork art from re-purposed metal.

Here's a link to that video:

Here is a link to Monica's video promoting her freelance writing business:

I've really enjoyed making these videos. I'm trying to learn more creative ways to do them in the future. Perhaps mixing it up with various locations and adding different video effects. These videos were shot at Monica's home.

I'm also creating inspirational videos for church that feature beautiful landscapes and music.

Another project in works is a web series I'd like to create and produce.

My biggest obstacle is wanting to update my video camera and editing software! Need money for these high-end purchases. Sigh.

Stay tuned!

San Francisco

I created a short video featuring the footage I shot in San Francisco last summer. Lucas and I were renting a place close to the beach and would walk along the shore every day. I included a lightning storm that I shot from my front porch. It wasn't raining, just lightning flashes and wind.

Carol of the Bells - The Piano Guys

So I'm scrolling through Facebook and come across The Piano Guys post and a link to this beautiful performance video. Carol of the Bells and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen are two of my favorite carols. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

God bless us! Eveyone!

The Christmas season is here! What would Christmas be like without Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol"? I read the book every year and I'm always blessed to read about Scrooge given a second chance in life. I'm all about second chances. The novella was published on December 19, 1843 and was met with "instant success and critical acclaim." Hear! Hear!

I also enjoy watching the different film versions of this classic story. I wonder what Charles Dickens would think if he knew that his tale of Ebenezer Scrooge would become a Christmas tradition for millions around the world and be adapted into plays, musicals and films. I think he might surprised and perhaps celebrate with a "Christmas bowl of smoking bishop."

So without further adieu, I would like to share my favorite "A Christmas Carol" films:

The Patrick Stewart version is my all-time favorite. The cinematography is superb and beautifully captures the time and place of the story. Stewart's "Scrooge" is perfectly gruff throughout, which makes his transformation so dramatic. Director: David Hugh Jones (1999).

Disney's version of the story is truly magical. The animation and computer effects take us to places that a live-action film could never do. Director: Robert Zemeckis (2009).

George C. Scott's Scrooge is a large, forbidding Scrooge. I can't seem to get the idea of "Patton" out of my head. I expect Scrooge to command a division of tanks to attack in his war against Christmas. Director: Clive Donner (1984).

I finally got around to seeing this version this year. It's delightful and is now one of my favorites. Alastair Sim's Scrooge transformation is joyous to watch. He skips and  dances for joy! My favorite scene. Director: Brian Desmond Hurst (1951).

I also saw this one this year for the first time. Reginald  Owen plays Scrooge in this 1931 black-and-white film. Sound had only been in films for a couple of years, so the acting was bit exaggerated in places. The characters come through, however, and I still cry when Scrooge awakes on Christmas Day with a new lease on life! Director: Edwin L. Marin (1938). 

Who doesn't love the Muppets? Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the gang are wonderful! And Michael Caine is a perfect Scrooge for this musical version. Director: Brian Henson (1992).

What are your favorite Christmas films?