Don't Shoot! - A Filmmaker's Frustration

Or How I Made a Charlie Kaufman Love Letter without Knowing who Charlie Kaufman is.
The project I had been working on since the beginning of the year went up on YouTube last week, and it occurred to me that I had failed to provide an accompanying blog post as of yet. Having neglected the blog pretty extensively for a while now, and even using it for a few patches in the film itself, I believe it's only right to return to the site that started this whole "DudeMeister" gimmick in the first place.

Of course, if you've yet to treat yourself with the rollicking comedic delight that is Don't Shoot! then you might want to do so now via this handy embedded version:
  

Once the hilarity has finished devouring your senses, proceed onward with this nifty Q&A that no one asked for.

Q: What the hell did I just watch?
A: You just witnessed what happens when I am denied the chance to make something. I make something bigger. Two months bigger. What started out as a silly inside joke ended up snowballing into this gargantuan mockumentary that exposed mine and my friends short-and-long-comings, and somehow managed to incorporate a  meaningful message (however crowbarred in said message was).

Q: So it's actually real?
A: Mmmm, partly. Everything you see the guys (Cameron, Nick, Josh, Austen, Charlie) saying and doing is 100% real, however hard that may be to believe. The Risk script is real - you can in fact read it here - and the whole refusal business is real. When Risk went kaput, I picked up my camera and channelled my frustration into annoyingly interviewing my friends about it, as a way to kill time. Little did I know how damn hilarious some of them would be *cough*Cameron*cough*. Obviously, everything I say in the film is a scripted piece of nonsense, along with our resident scientist, Joyce Prett.

Q: Josh isn't really an alcoholic then?
A: Not as far as I know, but I believe right now he's more concerned about the fact that he was "misrepresented" as a compulsive FIFA player. Go figure.

Q: What would you call your multi-faceted role in the film?
A: Oxymoronic Master of Narcissistic Self-Deprecation.

Q: Who is that lovable-rogue-yet-suave-intellectual of a silhouette known only as "ATR"?
A: I'm afraid I am still not allowed to divulge that information.

Q: Is that geek room really yours?
A: Yep. Star Wars mini-busts and all. #NerdPride

Q: Dude, everyone hates it when people hashtag outside of Twitter...
A: #LetTheHatersHateTwoKayThirteen

Q: Why the Credits Song at the end?
A: Uh, I think you mean 'Ode to the Credits'. And really it was just this simple ditty I wrote and recorded in three hours prior to finishing the film (hence its wonkiness), as a means to get people to stay and admire my abnormally large name for a little longer.

Q: That is a stupidly long name.
A: Right? It gets worse with middle names. Two of 'em.

Q: Your parents were not kind to you, in regards to future paperwork...
A: No. No they were not. But they were kind enough to lend some feedback during the editing process, which is why they found themselves in the Special Thanks credits (also, you know, having me kind of helped as well).

Q: There were a lot of Special Thanks. Care to tell us what the hell Francis Ford Coppola had to do with this film?
A: Just like my furry friends in the Kingdom of Caring, I would very much care. Coppola there directed Apocalypse Now, which Risk was very liberal in referencing, while Don't Shoot! took some inspiration from its behind-the-scenes documentary/exposé Heart of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse. Now the funny thing about that is I have never seen either of those films. I'm a huge phony. Instead, the influence was filtered down to me through those geniuses at Community; namely creator Dan Harmon and writer (particularly of the "Documentary Filmmaking" episodes) Megan Ganz.

Q: How about the other people thanked in that section?
A: Well, I don't think I can do anything in my life without attributing it in some way to Joss Whedon, whilst Ben Blacker's Writer's Panel Podcasts have taught me so much about writing and Jane Espenson's 'Writing Sprints' gave me focused and driven time to work on this thing. My guitar teacher was in there for obvious reasons, along with the ever amazing comedic-musical talents of Garfunkel & Oates. And of course there was BriTANick, without whom I don't think I would have even considered attempting a sketch in the first place, let alone expand upon one with a 15 minute documentary. Seriously. Check. Them. Out. They're my heroes right now.


Q: Are you aware that you spelt JUDAS wrong?
A: ... Well now I am!


Q: You quite literally interview and talk to yourself in Don't Shoot! - is that a thing you make a habit of in real life?
A: Huh. Uhm...

Q: Were you apprehensive that the lengthy time code (14:22) would turn a lot of potential viewers away?
A: A little bit. But I figured/hoped that the curiosity that I somehow managed to make a film that long would at least warrant it a click, and then I was just betting on the ever-changing nature of the documentary to keep them hanging on.

Q: Finally, what's next?
A: I'm currently developing another documentary about how one misspelling of a notorious biblical figure can make a man hate everyone and everything he has ever known.

Q: Sounds... well it sounds. Been great typing to you.
A: Yup.

Thus ends my blog post about my latest film, which has its flaws, but stands as a nifty reminder to myself that creation always finds a way out, if you give it the time. #Proudsies. Remember you can watch Don't Shoot! - A Filmmaker's Frustration right now on the Tube of You, which I've heard supports Like, Favourite, Subscribe and Share features that I'll leave in the capable hands of your own free will. With your help, it could go viral by Christmas*!

ATR

*2113

TV's Best of Prom Episodes

I can neither confirm nor deny my presence in this picture...
Having just come off of my own prom, and having an unexpected blast, I thought I'd take a look at some of TV's famous attempts to capture that most anticipated of teen events. So here's some of my favourite prom episodes from recent memory that stand out in the slow dance of televised pop-culture; full of drama, angst, laughs and of course, glamour:

(In no particular order)

Smallville
"Tempest"/"Spirit"
One was the pivotal, high stakes season 1 finale, the other marking the end of an era and featuring an axe-wielding, psycho-ghost murderer, but both have major parts to play in the Smallville lore. The draw here wasn't the big catastrophes looming (the tempest itself and the aforementioned psycho prom queen possessor) but instead the small, personal dramas of Clark and Chloe. In "Tempest", Clark finally asked Chloe for a slow dance (to the series theme tune, "Save Me" no less) which was romantic and all, but it was of course interrupted by the storm blowing into town and Clark's responsibility to stop it, especially as his real love interest, Lana, was at risk. He never did return to the dance with Chloe and we could all feel her pain at being so close to what she wanted, but then being harshly reminded that it was never going to happen.

Skip ahead to season 4 and it was time for the senior prom, where amongst all the supernatural peril, "Spirit" saw the gang's high school years drawing to a close. Again, Clark gets his slow dance on, but this time with Lana despite his fears of rejection. Chloe looks on, admitting how the events of the last prom (in "Tempest") still hurt, although reminded by the glowing Lois that Chloe's future may be even greater than Clark's himself. Neatly tied into each other, both looking fabulously Prom-like, a great music selection and the dramatic, emotion driven beats made these two super promisodes gleam brightly amongst the sci-fi and action elements surrounding the show's mythos. 



How I Met Your Mother
"Best Prom Ever"

Still in its first season, it was important for HIMYM to find its feet by taking classic trope episodes like the Prom in a different direction, as to drift away from the Friends clone that many would label it as. So instead of going flashback style (Lily's moments notwithstanding), we saw the gang, at their current adult ages, crash a senior prom. There was everything in this one; Lily's character is developed through the realisation of her failed dreams, Barney sneaks into the prom via Turtle outfit and Ted and Marshall fight a kid with Nunchucks. Seriously, what else would you need to prove that How I Met Your Mother was a fresh, original sitcom that stood on its own two hilarious legs? 


Glee
"Prom Queen"/"Prom-asaurus"
Say what you will about those folks down at McKinley High, but they sure can throw a prom. Multiple, it would seem, and manage to keep both different enough from one another to justify its inclusion in the series. Whilst neither of these were ground-breaking in their prom portrayals, both certainly had their highlights, whether it was the surprise performance of Rebecca Black's "Friday" and the turmoil Kurt went through in "Prom Queen" or the bizarre Brittany "Dinosaur" number, the cute Becky/Puck stuff and that ever-hilarious Jar-Jar binks line in "Prom-asaurus". Cheesy, yes, but there was also a lot of the emotional high notes being struck throughout reminding all us Gleeks why Glee still rules the teen-drama scene.

Friends
"The One with the Prom Video"

'Twas a simpler time

Often hailed as one of Friends' greatest episodes, "The One with the Prom Video" is one of those moments in a sitcom's run where you watch it and just think "I friggin' love this show". And how could you possibly say otherwise? Because it was at that point when the critics began to say that this could well be the comedy that defines a generation and will run for years and years (at the time it was only on season 2). We don't even see them at the prom, yet the heart and soul of the prom atmosphere is captured perfectly in the few parts of the prom-prep we do see. I don't think I really need to run down the events of this cultural masterpiece, because if you haven't witnessed frumpy Monica, bitchy Rachel and horrifically Geeky Ross (we're talking 80s geeky), then honestly, what are you doing here?

The Suite Life of Zach and Cody

Less than ideal...

"A Prom Story"
You can't beat some classic Disney Channel, especially when it was a pre-pubescent Zack and Cody. In all honesty, this was probably the closest the show got to resembling some kind of sincerity between Maddie (Ashley Tisdale) and Zach. In hindsight with that particular relationship, even though it was just a kids' show, there were some poignant themes of tragedy and inevitability of heartbreak involved. So when the two dance, you know that for the significantly younger Zach this is his only realistic shot with the crush of his life. Bet you never thought Zach and Cody could be rich in humanised subtext, eh? Plus the Cody-Mime subplot here was a genuine funny highlight of the series.

Community

Yep, that's Community for ya. 

"Pascal's Triangle Revisited"
While not strictly speaking a prom, out of all the dances Greendale holds (some for the most obscurest of reasons), the "Transfer Dance" in this episode was pretty much the show's homage to the classic Prom episode. In true Community (and Greendale) style, it's not prom queen they're running for, but "Tranny Queen", while a love triangle then becomes a line, back to a triangle, and then a quad, and there is some very impromptu and inappropriate rapping going on courtesy of Professor Duncan. Add to that with Dean Pelton's developing Dalmatian fetish and Abed toying with the TV tropes themselves to deliver some genuine heart-warming stuff that rounds off the terrific first season, and you've got a sort-of-prom episode that won't be forgotten in a hurry.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"The Prom"
As a show having always been a very close portrayal of teen life (despite the whole demons and vampires thing), Buffy's Prom episode was damn near perfect, encompassing everything you could want from it. The hype and build-up, the preparation, the fun, the raw emotion, the hell hounds of doom -- oh right, that too. Yet even with its trademark slayage of creatures from the nether, each part of this episode somehow sprung from the prom ideal. These dogs were being set upon people in tuxedos and dresses, which seems daft on face value, but is given meaning from the lonely, prom-hater kid who trained them. Xander and Cordelia's friendship is restored through his generosity of buying her dress in her struggling financial times, and even Buffy gets recognition from her peers as being "Class Protector", in a truly eye-watering moment that culminated the past 3 years.

"Soul" Mates

   However, with all the joys and highs, there also came the huge, crushing lows. Angel came to the heart-breaking conclusion that to be with Buffy wasn't fair on her because of all the things he just couldn't give. So there it was, laid bare, the end of the Buffy/Angel romance as it came to a sad but necessary and realistic end. For one final time, the two shared an intimate moment in what would become the slow dance of the century when Angel turned up unannounced to the prom. "Wild Horses" played them out as we witnessed  those touching moments of doomed love at its peak of both tragedy and beauty; possibly the most powerful of all prom scenes going.

                                                                                                                                               

By no means a comprehensive list, of course, so sorry if I missed one of your own favourites. However, one thing that does remain clear throughout all of these is the theme of endings and beginnings, all resting on one night of living in the moment; and if these beloved characters can do it, then you bet that the rest of us (past, present and future) can too.

ATR

Trailer Tuesday: Ted

From Family Guy creator and American comedian, Seth MacFarlane, comes his first feature film in the shape of Ted. Naturally, with Seth writing/directing/starring/producing, there will be a very FG-esque feel to it, which thankfully looks to be refreshing and funny in the shape of a cinematic production. Let's get to synopsisising:

Mark Wahlberg plays John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) — voiced by MacFarlane himself — remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted's irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John's attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori (Mila Kunis). - Wikipedia.

And now for the trailer, which briefly boasts Universal's brand new logo update! Ah, it's the little things. Anyway, there be plenty o' cussin' in this trailer, just so y'know:

Fun Facts/Observations:

• Stars Mila Kunis, who also voices Meg in Family Guy: yep, kinda a different in real life, huh? 
• Total Seth set-up going on, with a random character who shouldn't be talking doing just that and no-one giving a hoot, a la Brian the dog, or Roger the alien. And of course, lots of inappropriate profanity, drug use and obnoxiousness. But this time, in live-action form!
• Sounds a lot like You, Me and Dupree crossed with Pegg 'n' Frost's Paul, which seems like a good combo on paper, and plays out fairly well here. 
• Community's Joel McHale will be making an appearance at some point in the movie as a guy called Rex. Here's hoping for some doucheness from his performance.
• First time directing on a feature for Seth, so it'll be interesting to see how his award-winning Family Guy formula will transition from animated 2D TV, to a fully realised live action movie. 
• Release date is 13th July in the States, with an apparent 3rd August launch in the UK.  

ATR

 

More F*$%£#g Trailers!? 

9(ish) People We Need To See In Husbands

Last year, writer/producer, Jane Espenson launched the laugh-a-minute web series, Husbands, which focused on the unlikely gay couple of reality star Cheeks (YouTube Sensation, Brad Bell) and pro baseball player, Brady (Sean Hemeon). Swept up in a wave of uniqueness, the 11 episodes of the series (each at around 2 and a half minutes long) became the new kid on the block for internet-comedy, that brought something fresh and untapped into its hilariously written scripts from Cheeks and Espenson, but with a TV-level of aesthetic, thanks to director Jeff Greenstein.

     While I've praised Husbands heavily in the past (a write-up which actually found its way on to their official press page), it's now time to look toward the show's future. Whether it'll return to the web or wiggle its affectionate way onto network television is yet to be seen, but if the acclaim that the first season got is anything to go by, I think we'll certainly be seeing more of this independent, potentially ground-breaking series. And so it is that my mind drifts to the kind of guest stars that would be perfect for a cameo - or even a recurring role - next time around, following in the footsteps of Nathan Fillion's brief (but awesome) appearance in the third episode.

Shall we begin?


Jim Rash
One of my favourite characters from NBC's Community is, hands down, Dean Pelton (played by Jim Rash). As the overtly camp and flamboyant dean of Greendale College, Rash frequently steals the show with his impeccable comedic timing and physical presence, often taking the well written lines to entirely new levels of funny. This kind of camp is textbook Husbands material, and something that could be mined for all manner of hilarity.

    Although it pains me to say it, Community is treading a fine line this year, with a potential cancellation once the season is out, due to poor ratings (somehow!) and a slouch in marketing on NBC's behalf. This means, if worst comes to the worst, Rash could find himself out of a job soon - but the silver lining is he could then have time to appear on Husbands. And Jane's a big fan of Community (so I've heard), making it an even more promising venture if things pan out.

    Anyone who's seen Rash in action knows that I need not describe the kinds of character he could bring to the show  - just that it will be gut-busting fun. Heck, best case scenario: Community gets renewed (Six Seasons and a Movie, baby!) and Rash still makes a cameo. Win Win. And probably another Win.


Felicia Day (and the rest of The Guild cast)

Felicia became an internet phenomenon after creating her very own web series, The Guild, which was literally the show that started this web revolution for creative media. Now a goddess among geeks, Felicia and the rest of the talented Guild crew are five seasons in with no signs of slowing down, as she even expands into a variety of other web shows (See Dragon Age: Redemption).

When I participated in Jane (@JaneEspenson) and Cheeks' (@GoCheeksGo) Husbands Twitter Q&A at the beginning of the series, I asked whether a Guild/Husbands crossover would be on the cards, to which Jane replied: "We would totally be open to a crossover with The Guild! Love them! Love Felicia Day!", and Cheeks chipped in with: "Ha! Those worlds colliding would be hilarious! :D". So at least one side is up for this, and what with Jane and Felicia being rather good buddies, I'd say it's definitely plausible.

    How the two show's casts would mingle would be a very interesting thing to see, and how they are brought together would be quite the complex scenario (they are, after all, completely different character archetypes). But I'm sure the talent of Jane and Felicia's writing could make it all work out, with some hilarious consequences no doubt: Bladezz chatting up Haley, Brady being weirded out by Vork, Cheeks having a spa day/shopping trip with Clara. Yep, I can hear the laughter already...

   And hey, even if it wasn't a crossover, and just Felicia cameoing, that'd still be awesome and sure to attract a lot of viewers. I could imagine her as some sort of Celebrity-Gossip Blogger trying to get the low-down on Cheeks and Brady; prepared to do ANYTHING to get the scoop. Yep, still hearing the hypothetical laughter.


Neil Patrick Harris
Anyone who's seen NPH on How I Met Your Mother knows he plays Barney, the ladies' man; a player down to the core. But in real life, it couldn't be more different. Yep, Neil is 100% gay, contrary to his popular character. And that's not the only surprise he has up his sleeve (literally), as he's multi-talented in almost every performance based area: Acting, Singing, Dancing, Comedy, Magic - you name it, he does it.

       Now Neil's no stranger to web-shows either, thanks to his starring role in Joss Whedon's hugely successful Dr Horrible. With a fan base the size of a city, Neil could bring a huge number of new-comers into Husbands - even if it was a two second cameo. And the great thing is that he could play anyone due to his diverse acting capabilities: friend, foe, bub or babe, he'd be sure to mix things up with the Husbands guys. Whatever it is, this would be a guest star of LEGEN-wait for it-DARY proportions (just as long as he's wearing a suit!).


Wil Wheaton

An odd choice, I know, but one that could work. Former child star Wheaton managed to dodge adult-failure by garnering a big fanbase around him through his blog and various other internet projects, taking his nerdy attributes and using them to become a cultural icon. Nowadays, he can be seen turning up on a number on niche shows like Eureka, The Big Bang Theory and of course, The Guild.

    But one thing we've learnt from his roles on these, is that he is very good at playing the douche. A sharp tongue and a stone-heart drive his (purposefully) dislikeable characters into classically pantomimic, villainous territory. This is where Husbands comes in: Wil plays a stereotypical, homophobic meanie. After slating and belittling the guys, they fight back to him in some deviously funny ways, ending in tears of sorrow for Wil and tears of laughter for us. And just for pure speculation, Jane recently contacted Wil privately through Twitter for unknown reasons... Suspicious, eh?

Sean Maher
Last year, it came as a bit of a shock that Maher, who played Firefly's Simon Tam, turned out to be gay, AND has been happily living with a nine-year partner and their two kids. So that's twelve years in Hollywood, and no one really suspected a thing.

    Now the great thing for Sean is that Husbands could be a great stepping stone for his coming out shindig. While his "secret-gay-guy" role in the short lived The Playboy Club never got anywhere due to its swift cancellation, Sean has yet to truly shine in a role that reflects his newly revealed place in life. So with Husbands, he could jump aboard into perhaps a recurring role, as his ties with Jane and series costume designer, Shawna Trpcic are still pretty tight (at least I like to think).
 
 What I could picture him as is a fellow Baseball player of Brady's, who also comes out after seeing Brady's warm reception into the world of gay. But Cheeks being Cheeks sees him as a no-good copycat, out for Brady's heart, and inevitably creates some hilarious, inadvertent chaos. An episode entitled "Swing and a Miss", perhaps?


Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates)

Garfunkel and Oates are a comedy-folk duo, made up of comedic actresses/musicians Riki and Kate, who are often found on YouTube singing downright dirty-crude songs, that'll bring smiles to your face and suggestive thoughts into your minds; but ultimately, it'll bring laughs to your life.

   Having signed a deal with HBO to make their own show pilot last year, and enjoying a successful career due to their mass-internet fanbase since their arrival, the girls are obviously not shy to either medium. You may even recognise Kate from Scrubs (as Season 8's Gooch) or Raising Hope, Riki from her countless bit-parts on tons of shows, and the pair of them from my RE:Commend of them and their awesome music.

    Now let's transfer their skill-sets to Husbands, and it's awesome all around; I smell a musical number (or even a musical episode!). And if their "Sex With Ducks" and "Gay Boyfriend" songs are anything to go by, I'd say the two would be rather delighted to appear on the show. At the same time as giving us pure entertainment, they could also build up some hype around their upcoming show, which is already being dubbed "Glee with dick jokes".

Alec Mapa
Alec is one of those people whose face you know, but the name escapes you. He's one of America's finest "That Guy"s, making appearances in everything from Friends to Marley and Me, and had a recurring role as the gloriously camp fashion show presenter on Ugly Betty. Again, this is a no brainer for Husbands, clicking perfectly with Cheeks' humour, and giving us some cultural diversity along the way.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I happen to recall Mapa getting in touch with Jane (via Twitter) shortly after the premiere with regards to the show and appearing on it. This may be "totes" jumping the gun, but I reckon this one's already locked down, if not in serious consideration. Possible roles: Cheeks' agent, Cheeks' mortal enemy (because he is also a gay reality star) or even a reprisal/reference to the Ugly Betty role, as some sort of reporter?

Hayden Panettiere

By having Haley, Cheeks' BFF, in Husbands (played by the wonderful Alessandra Torresani), the show is given another dynamic, from which some great storylines could sprout from. And therefore comes Hayden, another lavish young blonde who could amp up some tensions in the show. Just imagine her as Haley's rival, hating each other since high-school, and now in very similar life-roles. Why not throw in the classic sitcom trope of "OMG, look: a group of people exactly the same as you!", with Cheeks also having a parallel who hangs out with Panittiere's character. Stink eye would be given, drinks thrown into pretty faces and hysterical nonsense all around.

     Why Panettiere though? Well, we really haven't seen much of her since Heroes, and her similar age and style to Alessandra makes her the perfect candidate for a mirror-like character. Them both having come from Sci-Fi show backgrounds (Alessandra on Caprica; Hayden on Heroes) furthers the similarities and could provide some referential easter egg moments. And if that doesn't work out, well it wouldn't hurt to have an non-identical twin-sister come visit, would it?

John Barrowman
Another thing that I brought up during the aforementioned Q&A was the prospect of good ol' John making an appearance later on, to which Jane and Cheeks both whole-heartedly agreed would be awesome, with a "We'd love to have John on Husbands! That would be amazing!" and an "Omg, he endlessly flirts with both of them and causes drama! (Comedic drama, obvi)" from the pair, respectively.

Now remember, Jane was writing and co-exec-producing on Torchwood: Miracle Day not long ago, and Husbands' director, Jeff Greenstein is an exec on Desperate Housewives; both shows that Barrowman has been involved in (obviously the former more than the latter). So basically, the links are there, and it'll only take a few phone calls (and a lot of crossed fingers) for John to be getting his camp on, and causing mayhem with Cheeks and Brady in pure Husbands style.

                                                                                                                                    

While we may not get to see all these familiar faces making a well-deserved appearance, it's safe to say that no matter where Husbands takes us, it's sure to be one heck of a funny ride (but you've got to admit, some of those set-ups I've plotted do sound pretty rad, right?). Jane and Cheeks may have started work on the next bout of episodes, but that doesn't mean a couple cameos can't be thrown in for good measure.

Whatever happens, let's just make sure we keep watching and supporting the show, via:

husbandstheseries.com

ATR

@DMeisterTweets

The One Year Anniversary Giveaway!

Yes indeed my friends, after successfully completing a whole year with Dude Meister Blogs, I'm celebrating with a giveaway. And the best part? You get to choose which one out of these 4 incredible DVD boxsets you'd like if you win:

Spaced: Definitive Collector's Edition
Firefly: The Complete Series
Sherlock: Series 1
Community: Season 1

To enter, simply post a comment on this post stating:

1.  Which ONE of these 4 you'd like to win.
2. Plus your email address.

or, if you're unable to do that or want to increase your chances with a second entry, you can:

1. Go here, to the Dude Meister Blogs Facebook Page.
2.  Like the page.
3. Then just post a comment on the status containing this post with which Boxset you'd like to win.

 And you'll be entered into the prize draw next week. Competition closes 5pm (UK Time) on the 16th January, only one comment per person please, and this is for UK residents only. Sorry, rest of the world! The winner will be notified by email (or Facebook) shortly after the competition closes and asked to provide an address to receive the prize through.

So get those comments in quick for your chance to win, and feel free to follow me on Twitter (@DMeisterTweets) for all the latest here and for more future giveaways.

EDIT: Just to clarify, this will be a brand new boxset the winner receives, not one taken from my own collection and passed on. Hope that prevents any confusion.

Don't forget to check out the special DMb Birthday post too!

ATR


Supported by the Blog Giveaway Directory

The Sunday Supdate: 08/01/12

Like a newsletter, but with less effort.

Happy New Year everybody, and welcome to the first Supdate of 2012, where I'll be implanting mostly useless knowledge into your heads. First on this weeks agenda is concerning a certain promise I made a while back:

Short Film Sadness...
In the last Supdate I mentioned the Short Film I'd been working on at school, entitled Facehook. While I can confirm that post-production on the epic mini has indeed wrapped, something else has unfortunately come to light. Due to certain "Plagiarism" rules in the exam board, the film can't be posted online until after it's been officially marked. So despite my best wishes, you're just going to have to wait until this June to witness what critics are already hailing as "a masterpiece". At least this way it'll have a "Summer Blockbuster" vibe going for it...

Expanding The Empire
In a desperate attempt to stay current, I finally gave in and created a Facebook Page for the blog. Complete with a tacky, Microsoft Paint-created profile picture, the page now enables you to "Like" me (because liking in the real world counts for nothing these days) and be treated with all the latest posts and whatnot via that feed. Here it is here if you failed to take the other link hints. That's right, just click here. I won't bite. Promise.
 Likes are very much appreciated, thank you!

     I've also been thinking about a couple more feature-type things to get started, especially after the amount of fun I had with the beat-boxing, vocal thingy I did. A couple of helpful "How To" articles too, perhaps? And maybe some more Single Epsiode reviews of shows, like last week's Sherlock episode that I looked at. The Podcast project has also taken another step toward actually, maybe, kind of, hopefully happening, especially after all the research I've done by listening to the awesome podcasts over at the Nerdist Network. Template: found. And maybe once all these blasted exams I'm having to work for this month, I'll be able to do some more networking.

Nearly 1 Year Old
Tomorrow (9th January 2012) marks the first birthday for the blog. I'll be celebrating in numerous ways, such as:

• Doing a post about it (obviously).
• Revising for exams.
• Giving away a free DVD boxset in the anniversary giveaway I'm going to set up.
• Drinking a lot. Mostly tea. I am British (and 15) after all.
• Sleeping.
• Making a blanket-fort.

Hey, can't blame a guy for wanting to party, am I right? Especially if Magnitude turns up:



Catch ya later.

ATR

RE:View: Community: Season 1

After 2 whole years of the US hogging hilarious comedy series, Community, the show's first season has finally been released in the UK. The saddest thing about it, however, is how little attention has been paid to the series, which takes place in fictional community college, Greendale. You see, across the pond here, the 25 episodes were only ever aired on VIVA, a channel located in the 'Music' section of most digital providers. Hence: no one has seen it.

The Show

  Boasting a large array of unique characters, which dynamic from one another drastically (from race to age), Community brings us Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), an ex-lawyer who now has to redo a degree in order to get his lawyering license back. He's brash, narcissistic and pretty much a douche-bag. Some of that changes, however, when he meets his new study group, who he's going to have to learn to love to get through the hell that is Greendale Community College. Thus, Community is born.

Enter Abed, Britta, Troy, Annie, Shirley and of course, the obnoxious Pierce (Chevy Chase). Together with Jeff, they form 7 very different characters and personalities, which cultivate into the ultimate clash of culture. The outcome: pure win. Every single one of them melds so well with each other, whether it be the dumb Jock, Troy, pop-cult messiah, Abed, religious Mom, Shirley, or even the cutesy "We Must Not Sexualise Her" Annie.

And it's through this group that we experience the eccentricities of Community, providing us with a completely unpredictable episode every time, whereby one time the gang could be holding a protest and the next could just be a parody of multiple movies. Quirky, quick and quippy comes the humour, in all manor of form. Donald Glover (who plays Troy) proves to be a great physical comedian, improvising lines and doing the goofiest of expressions, while the idiosyncratic Abed gives the show this meta-flair, full of self-referential jokes and pop-cult intricacies that stands it aside from other, more self contained shows, planting Community firmly in the post-modern world with these tongue-in-cheek sensibilities.

While we do occasionally fall into soap-like love tangles, they usually resolve themselves, aided by the fact that the script literally acknowledges its own misguidances in the aforementioned meta-humour way. Character development works much the same way, with a general unease about Jeff's likeability vs douchability, and the saga that is his love interest, Britta, and how her character goes through so many motions. But of course, this was just the first season, so the finding of feet is expected, even if it is a bit bumpy.

What's not bumpy though, is the supporting cast outside of the main group. The Hangover's Ken Jeong plays the zany (as you would expect) Spanish teacher for the study group, Senior Chang, and brings his trademark hilarity (through ad lib and physicality) in spades. And then there's the flamboyant Dean Pelton, ravishingly portrayed by Jim Rash, who has this obscene amount of campness which gives the show yet another layer of laugh-out-loud-ness. Heck, Jack Black even drops by for one episode, and makes one of the funniest TV scenes I've ever witnessed.

Racial sensitivity is forgotten and thrown away in favour of this metro-humouristic way of comedy - aka; no one cares about it. Which really stands to another point of Community's genius, by letting go of society's discrepancies and serving itself as a point of moral code. It's not like this to a point of offence, because the voices are of the light-hearted characters (mostly old-man Pierce), not the writers themselves, so the lee-way is given and allows the viewer to just enjoy the diverse cast and comedy on offer.

There are plenty of giggle-till-it-hurts moments, WTF moments (the greatest of which are usually the Troy and Abed shorts at the end of each episode), "Awhhh" moments, "Aha, I get the reference" moments and I guarantee that 90% of the time, you'll have a huge grin on your face while watching. It may take a few episodes to properly get in to it, but once you do, you'll love these characters and won't want to stop watching.

4.5/5 Stars

The Extras


As if the price of the box set wan't worth it for the episodes alone, there's also tons of add ons to compliment the ultimate Community experience. Not least of these is the fact that there is a commentary for each and every episode, providing those with the initiative to listen a charming little insight. While not particularly anything of substantial depth, they're fun enough to at least sit through a couple, with the majority featuring series creator Dan Harmon and at least a couple members of the lead cast.

  Then there is the gut-achingly funny out-takes on each disk (of 4) for their respective episodes, which often show the improv that goes on, especially with Donald, Joel, Chevy and Ken. Jammed in between all this is also some mini-episodes (3 ninety second shorts), a highlight reel (best bits), a rather dry "Cast Evaluations" segment, and the strangely humourous "Creative Compromises" featurette. All in all, it just adds longevity to an already great package.

4/5 Stars


So with all this awesome from Community, it really is a wonder why no major UK network has picked it up. The way I see it, it sits in the same slot as Scrubs did (quirky humour), and so surely E4 should have given it a look. Anyway, despite Television's neglect of it, you can still thoroughly enjoy this gem of a box set, and just hope that it gets the much deserved main stream British TV service soon.

Show: 4.5 Stars
Extras: 4 Stars

Stand-Out Episodes: "Spanish 101", "Introduction to Statistics", "Comparative Religion", "Investigative Journalism", "Contempary American Poultry" (literally a love letter to Goodfellas and The Godfather) and "Modern Warfare" (one of the best twenty-one minutes of television - EVER).

And this:

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