Resume includes: Microsoft Office Suite, Typing Speed of 100 WPM, and Krav Maga.
Rush Hour
Mick cut together another video. This one is a visualization of his poem "Rush Hour". Watch and read along below.
For more videos, click here.
5'o clock rolls around and we skitter
from our gray nests out into the world
for another few hours of freedom.
Our spirits soar like children released
for summer break, though
we shamble like zombies
through cavernous parking structures
to cars we can barely afford.
The line of vehicles idling
winds like a python
choking the flow of traffic
as exhausted workers go from
gas to break to gas again
inching down the road car by car,
the radio static and top forty dreck
occasionally punctuated by
the blast of a horn.
Heavy eyelids droop at red lights
only to snap open again
as if spring loaded.
We are a plague upon the highway,
a cloud of sluggish locust
belching exhaust as we
stop and go and stop
our way home.
The list of things to do hangs
like ticker tape before our eyes,
populating with the ever-accumulating
trivialities that make up life
only to vanish into vapor
when it comes time to act.
Then there are those brief moments
of horror and genuine introspection
where you take stock and find
that just a little bit more of yourself
has been worn away,
that your soul is being strip-mined
for bottom dollar
and by the time you understand
what it is that's happening to you
you're in your driveway and
there's so much to do before
you go to sleep and start it
all over again tomorrow.
Make Good Art - Daniel Harding
While we share many short films here on ALSO THAT, we rarely get a chance to speak with the people behind this camera. Luckily, this month we managed to have a few words with Daniel Harding of 23 1/2 Films about his latest project, "Punch Bag".
Click here to visit the 23 1/2 Films Website
Click here to follow 23 1/2 Films on Twitter
Click here to like 23 1/2 Films on Facebook
MT: How did you get your start filmmaking?
DH: At 16 I made a very bad life decision which was to go and work at a power station as an apprentice. The money was good, and would be even better now, but I wasn't happy. So instead, I decided I must pursue something I enjoy rather than money, and that was film. It took several more years before I finally went to uni and studied media and film, which gave me access to a kit room. I then made the most of that equipment at every opportunity - documentaries, music videos, anything and everything. But I only began writing when I was 23. Since then, I've just tried to keep busy, and continue to make things I want to do.
MT: Who are some of your biggest influences as an artist?
DH: I'm currently watching Zodiac by David Fincher, so there's an obvious one. He was the first filmmaker I 'studied' and really thought about how he directed a scene and film. But in all honesty, I have too many to list. Musicians, writers, biologists! But specifically for film, I always think about the Coen's for tone, P.T. Anderson for artistry and Kubrick for pretty much everything.
MT: Punch Bag is your latest short film. What were some of the challenges that came with making this piece?
DH: I wouldn't say there were many challenges. I guess my DOP struggled with some technical issues - I decided to shoot in December so we didn't have much natural daylight, and the location has big open windows. But, for me, making Punch Bag was fun and easy. That's what I think short films should be. Ingvild, who plays Naomi, had the challenge of portraying a character who goes from vulnerable and weak, to someone willing to confront and possibly beat-up her neighbours in the space of 10 minutes. But she rose to it brilliantly.
MT: Punch Bag has a very open-ended feel to it. What did you want audiences to take away from this film after the credits roll?
DH: I like to provoke some sort of response. If you tie everything up in a neat little bow, what is there to talk about afterwards? You do have to tell a story of sorts, but ultimately it needs to lead the audience to engaging with your idea. I hope that's what happens.
MT: In addition to shooting shorts, you also appear to be working on a feature called The Cult of Nigel. Can you give audiences a little background on this work-in-progress?
DH: We are planning to launch a fundraising campaign very soon, so everyone who has watched and enjoyed my short films over the years will hopefully sign up to be part of the team. The script was completed a few weeks ago, and we are beginning to plan the production. It's a darkish-comedy about a guy who believes he has been abducted by aliens. Upon his return he has to tell the world, everyone thinks he's crazy.
MT: What words of advice do you have for aspiring artists?
DH: Do it, and in the words of Neil Gaiman, make good art.
SOTW: Beta Male
Here at ALSO THAT we only employ the Alpha-est of Chads.
NTWON: Little Evil
September is on its way out and October, the spookiest month of the year, is just about here. So, it seems only fitting that this time around we spotlight a relatively spooky movie: Little Evil starring Adam Scott, Evangeline Lilly, and some kid.
Little Evil is a satirical take on the classic horror movie The Omen. Both films center around a strange little boy who seems to bring misfortune and mayhem wherever they go. But while The Omen plays things entirely straight, the characters in Little Evil are much more genre savvy and exist in a world where movies like The Omen and Rosemary's Baby exist.
Little Evil is different from other, more overt horror parodies like the Scary Movie franchise. Rather, the tone of the movie never wanders into the explicitly absurd. Instead, Adam Scott plays the only sane man that is paying close enough attention to his surroundings to actually remark on them. This film serves as a loving tribute to the demon baby genre that gently subverts the common tropes and expectations with a modern slant.
Though the writers were clearly inspired by the horror genre, this movie is not particularly scary. There are no jump scares or anything that's going to make viewers frightened to turn the lights off in their homes. That said, there are definitely some scenes that are pretty gross and disturbing, but these scenes are usually played for laughs as they are contrasted with completely oblivious bystanders that do not appreciate the seriousness of the situation.
This is definitely a fun watch if you are at all familiar with The Omen. Even if you don't normally watch horror movies, you'll probably enjoy this short, light film. Check it out!
SOTW: Seth Rogen = Worst Person in the World
You can only coast on Superbad for so long.
The Harder You Try - Charles Bukowski
Mick recorded a reading of Charles Bukowski's poem "The Harder You Try". Listen and read along below.
the waste of words
continues with a stunning
persistence
as the waiter runs by carrying the loaded
tray
for all the wise white boys who laugh at
us.
no matter. no matter,
as long as your shoes are tied and
nobody is walking too close
behind.
just being able to scratch yourself and
be nonchalant is victory
enough.
those constipated minds that seek
larger meaning
will be dispatched with the other
garbage.
back off.
if there is light
it will find
you.
SOTW: Clown Robbery
Stephen King isn't the only one who writes stories about terrifying clowns, apparently.
DWTS: The Emoji Movie
The eleventh episode of Don't Watch This Shit features the instant classic: The Emoji Movie, starring TJ Miller. It's basically Wreck-It Ralph but with way more corporate shilling. The gang is joined by special guests Keith and Lisa. They not only discuss this trainwreck of a film, they also speculate how the initial idea of a children's bang bus evolved into the Emoji movie.
Jesse
Lisa will fall asleep.
There will be a "lost princess" plot.
The movie's message will be "you are unique and special" and will abandon it halfway through.
Tons of product placement.
At some point, I will seriously consider ending my life during this movie.
Final Rating:
All proof of this film's existence needs to be fired into the sun.
Taylor
Just be yourself will be said 7 times.
Patrick Stewart will only have a single minute of screen time.
James Corden is going to sing a la car karaoke.
Somone is going to say "break the internet".
The following products will be shown on screen:
Sony Music
Sony Phone
Sony Television
Spiderman
Final Rating:
This is a cultural fart.
Mick
Tons of Product Places
Toilet Humor
Horrible amalgamation of Pixar tropes and plot lines.
Bumpin soundtrack.
Stacked with Cameos
Final Rating:
I was on my phone looking at Emojis for most of this movie.
Keith
Replacement of swears with random other words.
Everything is a terrible meme
Poop jokes
Shitty meta jokes about pandering.
Eggplant and Blue Water drops tag team peach emoji.
Dance sequence at the end.
Final Rating:
Tropical island meeting their shit gods shitty.
Lisa
Some sort of dating app will be included
This will be all about "you can be who you are"
TJ Miller's character will show the other emojis that they can also branch out
We will see the poop emoji at least 3 times.
Final Rating:
I slept for most of this movie and when I woke up the same stuff was happening.
SOTW: Every Fighting Game, Ever.
Life would be so much simpler if we settled our differences by shooting lasers from our fists at each other.
The Cove - Keith Roland
Keith Roland makes his glorious return to ALSO THAT with another set of photos, titled The Cove. These photos focus on the clash between man and nature while also spotlighting the stunning, often overlooked, beauty of the insects inhabiting our world.
Additionally, Keith is also pleased to announce the launch of his new publication, Skeleton Assembly. Here's what he has to say on the matter:
“I hope to one day create a place for artists to conglomerate, share with each other, and find themselves. I can honestly state that one of my best friends, Mick, helped me to make this decision. ”
SOTW: The Unmarketables
They seem pretty marketable to the bigwigs here at ALSO THAT.
NTWON: Naked
Another month, another movie to watch on Netflix. This go-around, Mick watched Naked, written, produced, and starring Marlon Waynes (of White Chicks and Scary Movie fame). Naked is a high-concept rom-com about a guy who keeps waking up naked in an elevator.
The first thing viewers should realize is the striking similarity this film has to Groundhog Day. Ultimately, both of these movies are about a character stuck in a time-warp forced to relive the same span of time over and over again. However, where Groundhog Day relied on Bill Murray's more subdued sense of delivery, Naked (and Marlon Waynes by extension) is much more ridiculous and overt in its humor.
The biggest difference between the cult-classic and its new-school counterpart is that Phil in Groundhog Day had to relive the same day over and over, starting from the moment he gets out of bed. In Naked, Rob relives a much shorter span of time, more on the order of 1-2 hours, starting from when he comes to naked in an elevator on his wedding day. Obviously, this presents a different set of challenges than the ones Phil faces.
Another thing that sets Naked apart from one of Bill Murray's most-loved movies is the difference in characterization. Phil starts Groundhog Day as a jerk and prima donna with little regard for the people around him and over the course of his millions of Groundhog Days learns to love his fellow man. Rob, on the other hand, suffers from Peter Pan Syndrome and struggles with accepting the responsibilities of adulthood.
It should be noted that this movie is not high art. There are definitely rough patches of dialogue in the script, but Waynes, to his credit, commits to them fully. The trailer and synopsis make a very specific promise and delivers on them in full. Overall, Naked is a fun, light-hearted rom-com that will amuse viewers over its tight 90-minute run time, especially if viewers are a fan of Groundhog Day.
Archetypes and Absurdities - Adam Chambers
After attending the HOT conference in Hartford, CT this summer, Mick became fast friends with the multi-talented Adam Chambers. Adam is not only a gifted visual artist but a prolific writer, musician, and activist.
I explore themes of juxtaposition, humor and contradiction, often through the layering of image and text, in my visual work. My imagery is drawn from a wellspring of deeply personal experiences, yet is peppered with the archetypes and absurdities of pop culture as well, embodying a unique and imaginative aesthetic of social and personal commentary.
I make my art because I want to explore the untapped potential of that synergistic realm in which seemingly contradictory layers of meaning can co-exist. The irrational vs. the rational; image vs. language; clarity vs. obfuscation; the mundane reality of the everyday and of popular culture vs. the layered, self-contradicting reality of dreams.
ltimately, the most fundamental contradiction I wrestle with in my creative process is that of how to assemble meaning, both personally and culturally, on the unstable ground of the impersonal, existential absurdity that is our experience as social beings.
-AC
SOTW: Rick and Morty Exquisite Corpse
We're...we're the *urp* short of the week, Morty.
Tools of a Dope Emcee - SO-LAR
SO-LAR is on his way up in the rap scene. As a Connecticut-based artist, he often shows love for his home state both in his verses and in his videos. Mick Theebs got a chance to speak with him and get an inside look into how he works and what drives him to create art.
Click here to visit SO-LAR's website.
Click here to follow SO-LAR on Twitter
Click here to follow SO-LAR on Instagram
MT: How did you get your start rapping?
SL: I first started rapping riding around in a car with my boys, drinking, and getting high. It was like a ritual: once the driver put on the instrumental, you had to rap when it was your turn. If you stayed quiet you would get kicked the car and had to walk home. Everybody spit a freestyle and when I would say mine it sounded good. I thought to myself that I had something that could grow if I kept doing it.
MT Where do you find inspiration for your work? Who are some of your major influences?
SL: I find inspiration from the tumultuous life I've had. I have a story to tell, an honest one that people respect. Music and ideas go together like hand and glove. To me, the tragedies of life and triumphs are enough to continue to inspire me to create listen-worthy material. My major influences are the notable legends in hip hop: Nas, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Eminem, and Lil Wayne, just to name a few. The artists I mentioned may sound cliche, but I would gauge my work against theirs as I grew as an artist. Each of them has their own identity as an artist, something I had to create on my own. The true talent lies in the ability to move the listener through different emotions, reactions, and elements of surprise. If you're a dope writer, the listener can never guess what you will say from one line to the next. If I may say so I think I have mastered those abilities over time.
As far as the newer artist that have emerged, I like Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Papoose, Kayne West, and J-Cole. All of these guys speak a full range of content, that is thought-provoking for the listener. Those are the tools of a dope emcee.
MT: How do your tracks come together? Do you work with a producer?
SL: My tracks come together when I hear a beat that fits my flow pattern(s). The track actually tells me what I should rap about as soon as I hear it. I usually write the hook first, then the verses follow. I have been writing that way for years. I've worked with a variety of underground producers over the years. Most recently I have been working with Jimmy Dukes out of Buffalo NY. He has tracks of all hip genres like trap, Midwest, R&B, new school, and classic east coast hip-hop. He has produced for industry artist like French Montana, The Lox, A$AP Ferg, Uncle Murda, and Fabolous.
MT: What was your proudest moment as an artist so far?
SL: My proudest moment was when a fan told me he listened to one of my songs called "Bullpen Therapy" every morning before work to motivate him for the day. The fact that the record had connected with him was big for me. It was the second track on my previous project called Back In Power. Bullpen Therapy is a slang term for when you get arrested and you have to sit in the waiting cell to make a phone call, pay a bail, or go to a court hearing. You are in this holding area with multiple personalities which makes it an interesting experience.
MT: Can you talk about your upcoming album The Valachi Papers? What does the title mean? What kind of sound can listeners expect to hear on it?
SL: Valachi Papers is the sophomore follow-up to my previous album/mixtape Back In Power that released in 2012. The project was named after an old Charles Bronson movie that actually the original La Costro Nostra film before we ever saw The Godfather or Goodfellas. Charles Bronson who played Joe Valachi in the film was just released from prison and became a driver for the mafia. They were involved in crimes like robbery, drugs, and extortion, all the while he wanted to quit his position as a driver for the mafia to open a restaurant and go legit. As the film goes on, the mafia members became the target of the FBI and were eventually arrested one by one. When he was the last one standing, the mafia began to speculate that he was an informant. He was the last one to be arrested he became a target to be murdered at every prison he was shipped to. Eventually, he began talking to federal agents and the notes they recorded became known as the Valachi Papers.
That film resonated with my life at certain points. I have been involved in illegal activity and had encounters with the legal systems. I am not only the founder/owner of CCE Records Music Group, but I'm also the owner of CCE Transport LLC, a car carrier company that ships new/used cars all over the Northeast/Southeast region. However, I never ratted (snitched) on anyone regarding illegal activity, which is where the disconnect was between me and the movie; facts.
The sound on the album is trap combined with east coast hip hop. That new sound that hip hop fans can identify with and the classic 'bar for bar" shit that true rap diehards demand. I touch a full range of topics that will cater to all people from different walks of life.
MT: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring artists?
SL: My advice for aspiring artists is to believe in yourself and your talent at all times. Do not seek validation from other people. Work on your craft until you become polished. Keep dope visuals on your social media so people can see you in motion, and not just HEAR it. Most importantly, keep GOD first!
SOTW: Aw Damn
We've all been there...
Brought to you by Matt Ingebretson and Pat Bishop.
Keeping Up with the Joneses
For the tenth episode of Don't Watch This Shit, Mick, Jesse, and Taylor watched Keeping Up with the Joneses, starring Zack Galifianakis, Isla Fischer, Jon Hamm, and Gal Gadot. The latest take on the suburban fish out of water genre, the boys discuss this movie about two nosy neighbors while simultaneously workshopping a screenplay about the Presidents of the United States, starring Jon Hamm.
JESSE
1. Kids largely unseen and ignored save for comic relief.
2. Joneses start off as seemingly bad guys but are later revealed to be good guys.
3. At least 1 Mexican Stand Off.
4. Zach G. does slow-mo dramatic aimed shot to save Jon Hamm/Gal Gadot.
5. At least 1 high-speed car chase, especially in a Mom car.
Bonus: Gal Gadot stabs and drinks the blood of her enemies.
Final Thoughts: More Man Hamm!
TAYLOR
1. The Joneses are going to be backstabbed by the government.
2. A car is going to explode from a bullet hit.
3. At the end, the frumpy couple will be invited to be spies, but decline.
4. Not a single gun will have recoil.
5. Jon Hamm is going to be shot in the shoulder, incapacitating him so Galifianakis has to save the day.
Bonus: Fishbowl=Keys
Final Thoughts:
I wish this movie had Zach Braff instead.
Mick
1. The Joneses are actually good.
2. Movie hinges on physical comedy.
3. The big bads will be North Korean or Russian.
4. Plot is kicked off by something stupid and innocuous that normal person would let go.
5. Movie will attempt to make ham-fisted commentary on suburban life/spying on neighbors.
Final Thoughts:
You'll probably see this on TV.
SOTW: Asian Bachelorette
Gotta get that equal representation for the Asian persuasion.
Richard Cory
Taylor Raj, Keith Roland, and Mick Theebs put together a visualization of the poem Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson. Taylor directed, Keith starred, and Mick narrated. Watch it right now!