My Blog

Carless Festival has a MySpace Film site

surraco450 — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 21:34:58 GMT

There are some short videos from past Festivals and some promo trailers. Go to: http://www.myspace.com/carless_videofestival

Coming: The 4th Annual Carless Drive-In Video Festival April on 28th.

surraco450 — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 21:22:44 GMT

PRESS RELEASE The Institute of Arts and Multimedia and Better Than Television Club At Los Angeles Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Avenue, Sylmar, CA 91342 March 1, 2007 Sylmar, Ca. - Los Angeles Mission College is hosting the 4th Annual Carless Drive-In Film and Video Festival, this year thanks to a major California State Grant in collaboration with the Los Angeles Multimedia Entertainment Digital Arts Education Collaborative, films and videos from area colleges and universities, as well as invited high schools will be included. The Carless Drive-In Film and Video Festival scheduled for April 28th will attract over 400 guests ranging from industry professionals, international artists, college, and high school students. Entry categories include Animation, Documentary, Music, Narrative and abstract. Deadline for college entries is March 1st. The entries will be judged by professional filmmakers and animators including:   Ted Mather - Screenwriter, film and television Producer and Director. Ted Mather is the President of KnowWonder Entertainment, LLC; a new genre entertainment film company. He has directed and produced more than 75 music videos. Geoffrey Sawyer - Director or Assistant Director for broadcast commercials and films for the last 12 years, some current projects include: The Heartbreak Kid (2007) and Black August (2007). Michael Scroggins - A pioneer in the field of performance animation. His absolute animation works have been widely exhibited internationally including screenings at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris, Union of Filmmakers in Moscow, Seibu Ginza in Tokyo and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Adam Hyman - Los Angeles Filmforum A documentary filmmaker on the History Channel, the Learning Channel and others. A Producer, editor, sound edit and researcher. The programmer for Filmforum, which screens experimental and abstract work, documentaries, and animation. A special portion of the event will feature video shorts by international artists curated by new media artist Shoshana Brand of Contemporary MAP: Contemporary Modern Art Projects. The Carless-Drive-In Film and Video Festival is an all day event with food and drinks available. The Festival is outdoors on the campus of Los Angeles Mission College. Most of the entries in this year's festival are family friendly. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 18. Attendees are encouraged to wear spring weather attire and bring a light blanket. Visit us on-line at www.lamission.edu/multimedia/carless for more information. Contact: Curtis Stage (818) 364 – 7771 Posted by James Noack, President of the BTTC film club, IAM MM Department at L.A. Mission College.

News and Politics: "Public" venues NPR and PBS in danger of cuts in Budget

surraco450 — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 06:17:48 GMT

"Public" venues in danger! NPR and PBS cuts from coming Budget Cutting National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service funding in the upcoming budget is an attack on the free flow of information, and an attack on hard won Freedoms. "America's Culture and Values:" Freedom of information, access, is a key factor in making decisions, both sides of an issue or cause should be made available. The current budget proposal again attempts to gut the support of NON commercial sources of information with slashing the budget for NPR and PBS. yet again is noted, but not by the commercial press. Supporting public media in distributing news, not just in 6 sec. sound bites or one sided and slanted views but with a variety of views, even those we do not support. Commercial News sources have time constrants and advitisors to consider. There need to be checks and balances, the Constitution and Bill of Rights tried to make that very clear. WE need to be constantly alert and "work" to protect our rights, they will slip away in the blink of an eye. Information, real and varied are as necessary as the other needs of a "free" society and culture, it is not a "waste of limited resources to protect and defend ourselves from ALL sources of attack on values we hold dear, and won dearly. My newspaper weighs pounds less than a few years ago. Companies do not pay a million a second on "news" just ads, commercial broadcasts. Children are left behind, no money for pencils, now no ABCs or Big Bird either, he to will face the axe. Support for public radio and television, and the arts is NOT a waste, in my opinion it is critical to our freedoms and survival. I hope others will let the congress know that we support "Freedom" and our Rights against ALL attacks. I feel strongly about this if the foundations are eroded the structure will collapse, it may not be perfect, but it is the best yet, freedom deserves our attentions and our care. James

Gaia, mother earth does have an unforgiving way

surraco450 — Sun, 04 Sep 2005 23:40:41 GMT

I will upload art to go with this -- Gaia, mother earth doe have an unforgiving way of letting the life on its surface know that existence is temporary... mice and man will not outlive the cockroach. In a disaster who gets aid and comfort, not the poor and powerless, they are at the bottom of the list -- as shown before and after Kitrina's wrath. Maybe we will see changes if victims are able to vote and memory serves. Who gives aid? The government very reluctantly and late and a lot of that to the Defense Dept. Sate and local -- who will expect to be reimbursed, of course. But, to the victims, who were left to fend for themselves and after "overhead" is deducted -- we might keep an eye on that? Public (us) aid is looking more humane for sure. Definitely a bright spot in human nature. Individuals can and will give from the heart, non stop. I hope we will take a look at our priorities and how they are administrated. We know that "... with the present court system, litigation fears have stopped developments in many fields ..." name ANYthing, any area of development ! Politics? It may not seem or be fair -but- if we want change or improvements we do have to take stock ... investigate ... and hold their "feet to the fire", there are no "excuses" it is not tenable in ?*civilized*? society. We have to rise above being animals ... or ... History is there for a reason, written or oral it is a guide to conduct. IF we read or listen we don't have to repeat mayhem on ourselves. We don't; we do. Use technology the internet (keep it free of Gov. incursion and restrictions) and maybe we can hope to put a stop to the spread of "1984" social mentality. I am pissed off, did you notice? Poll: Do you care? __Yes, ___No, ___When convenient. James ~ Scorpio

work in progress, still

surraco450 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 18:15:20 GMT

A video project started last spring may screen this fall ... I hope, I did some of the camera work and the poster to promot it:

going about solving problems baddly

surraco450 — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 09:11:20 GMT

It is frustrating to see the way, as a culture, we are going about solving problems. Because we are not solving anything at all ... just running around in smaller and smaller circles ... and why is that? lack of information (correct and full information not BS) from "any" source. not from "news", too commercial and show biz, not cost/profit effective not from "school", all reconstituted and watered down or redacted to pap not from "leaders". just pools for brains, and attention span of a chimp the "history" we are feed has NO relation to actual events; for those that did not live it, how can we learn from "history" if we bury it under lies and deceit and put up cardboard heros and stories so that mistakes can be sponged away -- never, never tell the truth it might allow us to advance a rung up the ladder of evolution and away from the thread mil of self aggrandizement. liberty and freedom tremble and shrink --- free speech? -- why protect it? How can limits hurt if you are good, you should have nothing to hide? Who has and does have something to hide, any government, any elected official, business leaders, not all bad, we just need to be sure nothing is done in the name of "good" that hurts us or takes our freedom. -- this really scare me, -- a LOT. those putting limits on your actions or speech are a far greater danger then the criminals and terriusts - those in authority, in charge, government do far worse harm to far more people in their rush to "protect" their innocent charges. If we get [if we look for] full, and true reporting of events we can make our own decision and be mostly right. ...