Essay Revisions

I am attempting to do my essay/screenplay revisions for my application to Chapman University.
As of now, I am procrastinating like the best of 'em.
I sit here in front of my computer and get intimidated by the sheer nature of my writing. My thoughts are scattered and unorganized. At times the mounds of crap that I have tried to call "essays" seem so large and unmanageable that I may never complete this.

I will complete this.
I will get through this.
It may take me sitting in a room where I cannot access the internet.
It may take me turning off the Swedish film I'm watching and actually sitting in silence late at night.
I feel like I work better with a film on. It's inspirational, but I bet it takes away from the quality of my work... as well as the quantity (sometimes).
I hate to be negative about this. In the long run, all of this work is beneficial. Whether or not I get into graduate school I will have punched out some major portfolios and written a lot of different pieces.
Hopefully I will get some envelopes asking for interviews... let's all keep our fingers crossed. If I don't, I will just figure out the next step on whatever path I have to take.

That's enough venting for now. I'm going to go back to editing. Wish me luck!

Car Seat Dance

Another video of Julia...
We have a lot of time on our hands. Lol.

I told her to dance with her arms in the car, like everyone should, she thought the legs should dance too. Hard to do when you're strapped into a harness.

Svensk Filmindustri

There is an article in today's New York Times about the struggle between a theatre in Aspen Colorado, The Isis Theatre, and Svensk Filmindustri in Sweden.
Here is where you can find and read the article, for further reference.

Seeking Bergman Film Rights? Try Aspen

The article discusses the 8 year legal battle between the two and whether or not anything is actually being solved.

I am personally extremely interested to see where the battle goes due to my love of Swedish film, Ingrid Bergman and Ingmar Bergman.

The film rights to Ingmar Bergman's (who died in 2007) movies are up in the air.

Due to Svensk Filmindustri's weak financial support and other problems, I feel like they should sell to someone who is either respectful of the native film practices or someone who will benefit them by distributing worldwide.
The internet has made a market place for movies that have a specific audience with highly defined needs. Some people are satisfied with the Dvd's and movie sales that consign their pop culture needs. There are those of us who are looking for a film like Dollar, the 1938 Swedish film starring Ingrid Bergman and directed by Gustof Moleander and have yet to have needs (aka wants) met.

I would love for foreign, classic films to be at my finger tips.
It would prevent me from watching Italian films that are shot in English, dubbed in Italian, subtitled in Spanish and bootlegged in China.

For now, steep.

My Name

I thumbed through the baby name books laying on Sarah and Jay's coffee table... I would like to say I don't look through baby name books regularly...opportunity knocked.
My name is
Alexis Monica... I found out some nifty things about it.

Alexis is a derivative of Alexander, it was traditionally a Russian boy's name, but has morphed into the ever-so-popular American baby name. #6 in the nation now. When I was growing up, it was a reference to the 1980's television show, Dynasty, or just weird.
The baby books said that it means "defender of human kind." I like that.
I looked up Monica, which comes from St. Monica. She was the mother of St. Augustine (you might know him for his super sinning then 180 to being super not sinning). I knew that it meant "advisor" in Latin, I think I learned that in school or on a prayer card or something? But apparently the Greek translation or meaning is "solitary." I find this name suiting.
The thing that pissed me off about one of the baby name books is that it said that Monica is a "no-no" because of Monica Lewinsky. WTF! That shouldn't wreck the whole name!
The baby book is wrong. People should be named Monica more often. They should think of Friends, or the saint or my great-grandmother... none of them were hookers.

No more looking through baby name books. Sorry for invading your privacy Sarah and Jay, it won't happen again. Lol.

Here's Looking at You Kid

I just read an article that rates the kiss in Casablanca the best kiss in cinema. Though I love this kiss scene, I disagree. First of all, I want to tell the author (as if he or she would be reading this) that we don't have to write the clichés, but yes they are fun, hence my entry's title. Though if you're going to use it, don't abuse it. Just write a quote or something catchy.

The article's statement: "Apparently that kiss is one that Sam can definitely play again." Is stretching it.

I disagree with the rating because I think the kissing scene in Notorious kicks this one's ass (if kissing scenes had asses).



The scene in Notorious was supposed to be a 3 second kiss, as ruled by the Production codes of the time. The scene ended up lasting for 3 minutes, finding every loop hole necessary for Hitchcock to get what he wanted. Hitchcock worked his way around this by having Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant hold a phone in between them. The two kissed, then remained extremely close, touching and nibbling on each other's ears, noses and nuzzling cheeks.
Breaking the rules, holding the kiss and the perfect look on celluloid totally beats the Casablanca kiss.
Granted, Casablanca is a wonderful movie. I have 2 copies (one of which is this huge 60th anniversary set with place holders) so anyone can challenge my fanaticism.
(Collector's set)
The film deserves the notoriety and fame that it brought to its stars, director, producers, crew, etc.
It just isn't my favorite and I think the rating was wrong.
:)

Tricking Kids is Fun

I took this video today at lunch. Julia thought I was taking a picture. I think that it's funny.
Rain + Salisbury +Julia and Alexis = STUCK INSIDE

Family Tree

My cousin Ellen, or I should say, my Dad's cousin Ellen, keeps up our family tree. She's really into genealogy and has extensive records of my entire family. I enjoy history and genealogy as well, so I like to help and stay involved.
Today I ventured to the site where she maintains our records online, www.geni.com.
The site is cool because you can interact with your living family members and see who's gone before you.
On my Paternal Grandfather's family tree. my Scottish and English ancestors can be traced back to the 1600s.

The best part of looking at my family tree is that there are pleasant discoveries awaiting my blue eyes.

For instance: I found that our lineage on the MacEwan side of my family can be traced so far back that the Scottish clan name is spelled "Mckuan" (this is how my 6th great-grandfather Robert McKuan spelled his name in the 1700s).
I also found that some of my aunts and a grandmother or two had the name Euphemia. I like this name. I know a lot of people probably don't because it's very old fashioned and quite Scottish, but I don't care. It means happiness and I think that it is beautiful.
Here is a picture of one of the Euphemia's. I think she is my Great-great-grandmother... Dad correct me if you know! (or Ellen if you read this!)

Euphemia in a beautiful profile.

Euphemia ready to rock the clogs.
The best find was pictures of my Pa.
Pa was my Dad's father who died when I was 13. He was like a second Dad to me. We lived with my Grandma and Pa for a while and spent a lot of time with him. When he died, it was extremely rough on me. It shook my whole world and I lost a lot of faith. I know that he is by my side and he visits me in dreams sometimes; all of which I am grateful for and welcome wholeheartedly (if you dismiss me as crazy; maybe I am and maybe I am. Lol.)
Pa was rarely in front of the camera, though he was very handsome and photogenic. He liked being the eyes of the party or gathering not the limelight. I like to think he is one of my inspirations for photography as well as cinematography.
Here is an adorable picture of my Pa's family when he was just a little Mac (His nickname. His real name is Ian MacEwan Morrell)

(Top Left: Grandpa Eric, Janet Mona. Bottom Left: Sheila, Mac and Bobbi)

This is when my Pa was wooing ladies like Eleanor "little Nellie from the farm" Monica Hicks (aka Grandma).

My Grandma recently revealed, at a family dinner, that she and my Pa's relationship began and flowered from pen pal correspondence. She wrote to him when he was in the Air Force or something and they totally have the love letter thing going on. I think it is so romantic and it fits right into my Classic Film way of thinking. They lived the stuff that I watch on the daily.
Love it.
Love them. :)