'Making of' Inspirations

Artist are inspired by other artist. The push and pull, the ups and downs, the challenges, the rise and fall, the depths of the conscience and dreams that overlap, the tales of wit, and the pleasure of the voice and the uniqueness of each artists' vision. We find pleasure in each other, we find doubt in the darkest hour, the faith I hold to will not be shaken and yet and still the frustrations of life try to make me compromise...
Every artist should have promises they have been given from the Almighty or the promises we make to ourselves. The dreams have to be reality, which no longer make them dreams, and the accomplishments may look like a burden, the weight of it all..but it's lighter when you have faith.
To settle for a mediocre life is to settle as a ordinary human being, and that is not what we as artist are. We see the world differently, we live and breath differently, we observe and capture things that others take for granted. We have the honor to see the very tiniest details in a person's character, every gesture, every beautiful imperfect in a person we lock into and have the strong ability to portray it in front of others that are afraid to admit it. Flaws and all we live with it on our sleeves...we launch out images that stains the conscience and we find awesome ways to show the subconcious...artist...real artist...the phony ones will soon fade out and be no more...Since we have the ability to take in the beautiful and ugly things in life, whether it's death, laughter, babies, skin, sex, faith, joy, the sun, the moon, the passion of many alike and different, the world's various colories, the strength of the human spirit, who portrays it better?...we artist can see so much but we must have the courage to show it...through our own unique, colorful voices...
Artist are inspired by...

Artist Expression: Pollock

Now to see Pollock's paintings in person is quite extraordinary. When I was in college I was always interested in reading about his life and looking at his paintings in books. But what justice does that really do for his work. To really experience and see what the man was up to one should see his work in person. So I took my trip to the museum in NYC and saw a huge Pollock painting in front me, and I want to say it's the one above that I saw-it was overwhelming at first and then I breathed and noticed the strokes, the 'mess' wasn't mess at all, and the drips was drips of this man's expression of his wild nature. Pollock was a alcoholic who was wrestling with many inner conflicts. His art work is a deep deep depiction to what was going on within him. When you see his work it's an example of personal art work being exposed to the public. His work grips me everytime I see it. The brilliant usage of colors...I just love the crazyness of it all! How it makes sense and then it doesn't because we as artist are complex people, and we can be misunderstood...at least I am sometimes.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE COMING SOON!!!

Very excited about my official website that is planned to be up and running by late Feb. 2011! It's going to consist of photos of me in my favorite city- New York City, plus behind the scenes footage of me at work on the set directing, etc.
The website will also have updates on my public screenings and interviews, and the latest projects that I'm working on. It's going to be a splendid website. 

Production: 'Happiness is you'

This sunday is rehearsals for what is to be an emotional, challenging short movie for the audience...looking to have a lot of fun in rehearsal...find new things for the story & characters.

Production for 'Happiness is You' starts next month!!

I will be shooting a new movie entitled, 'Happiness is You'  next month in NYC. It is from a new script I've written this year and will be directing with a new fire in my belly with two beautifully talented upcoming actress' Jennivere S. Lee & Dominique Mitchell.

The movie is about a madam who after surviving a stroke decides to change her life around but not without facing the devastating departure from her prostitute who has become very attached to her over the past four years knowing each other.
It will be shot all outdoors, except one scene in a car. Expect an emotionally charged drama.

Release date: Summer 2011

Boot me Up

Boots is one of the coolest inventions on the planet...who was the first creator of boots? What was the first boot that broke through and became the first success? I don't know (i'll try and find out), but what I do know is that I'm fascinated with boots and it's various designs and how they can make one look sexy, taller, and more powerful, and stylish...they have a raw style to them. Or maybe because filmmakers Cecil B. Demille, Eric Von Stroheim, and some other powerful visual storytellers have worn boots on the set. Yeah, maybe that's why. :-)

Tower of Books Part 2: Spike Lee-Autobiography

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Lee twice. Our first brief encounter was in Ikea. I was working that day, I decided to leave my department to walk to the other side of the store after I heard Mr. Lee was in the building. So I strolled over there to catch a glimpse of him. When I arrived in the living room department there he was with I believe two other people. They wanted a nice chair for a set I believe. He's short and polite. I walked by him, nodded at him and he looked at me and said something like 'What's up'.  That moment was cool. I didn't have my business card made at that time...plus I don't like to be a pest towards famous people.

The second encounter was even better. This time it was in Barnes and Noble in NYC. Mr. Lee was celebrating the anniversary of 'Do the Right Thing'. So the DVD was being sold. But what I had in my hand I think was better and that was his Autobiography he wrote along with Kaleem Aftab, it's entitled 'That's my Story and I'm Sticking to It'. It's an inspiring, provoking, intriguing book-much like his movies-and it gives such private insight to what makes Mr. Lee who he is today. He talks about his wife and kids, how he first met his wife, the pressures he went through making Malcolm X, and the determination he had at such a young age to be a filmmaker and many other things.  So there in Barnes and Noble he talked to us in the room those of us that was let in on a first come first serve bases. When he walked in the room you notice a certain aura, confident presence entering in. He was funny, calm, focus, but you could feel a nice energy in the room. This event happened not to long after Michael Jackson's death so they played MJ's songs as he signed books, dvd's, etc...

So I got on line to get his autobiography signed for me. When I finally got to him I reminded him of the brief encounter in Ikea we had, thought I would give it a shot, but he didn't remember-which is understandable because this was about a few years back. So he signs my copy of his book and I tell him that I'm a independent film director and writer and I tell him I'm making movies and he says to me ethusiastically 'Do it!' It was few words but encouraging, he was just telling me to just keep going at it and don't stop, and just do it. To be a movie director you have to just do it; write a script, grab a camera and shoot the movie.

Thanks Mr. Lee! Now I feel like reading the book again. :-)