Film Courage With Ted Hope

New York based independent film producer Ted Hope has an impressive list of credits in the twenty years of his career.

This installment of Film Courage hosted by Karen Worden & David Branin features an interview with Mr. Hope. He tells the story of how he get interested in film, found his way into the New York independent business, worked hard (and I know he worked hard), learned how films are really made, and embarked on his career as a movie producer.

His passion for film continues and it comes through the internet and the phone lines in this program. He also addresses the use of social media as an essential tool for the 21 Century filmmaker and his blog Truly Free Film.

To succeed at anything, any creative work, that work needs to become play.
This installment of Film Courage is an inspirational hour. Give it a listen.

Cormorant

The title of this play refers to a type of sea bird. Cormorant is about a couple of men shipwrecked on a deserted island. They are without food and must try to kill the birds to survive. John, is the one who attempts the hunting while salty and demanding McKinney gets the bulk of the meat.

The play starts on the island but quickly moves on to life after the ordeal. John is suffering from a strange sort of post traumatic disorder. He is having dreams, nightmares that take him back to the island. He sets himself apart, he chooses to live in a rooming house owned by a suspicious unpleasant woman. Next door is a very odd fellow, a musician and conspiracy theorist named Crow who becomes interested in his new neighbor, John, who only wants to be left alone.

This play is an hour long, but it moves along so briskly that it feels much shorter.

It is simple in that it is not overloaded with characters and voices that one has to struggle to keep straight. It also has some good music and songs that are supposed to be those of Crow.
Cormorant is by Sarah Hutchings and Hil Cooke and directed by Catriona Ryan.

The Wireless Theatre Company offers it as a free download. This is a grown up entertainment which is to say it is not for very small children. some of the content is a bit unpleasant. It's well written produced and acted, even with the very odd voicing of the Crow character.

The Wireless Theatre Company is the best internet audio drama production companies. Their product is professional, and original. One can't go wrong with The Wireless Theatre Company.

Filthy Rich

Filthy Rich by Michael Butt, directed by Sasha Yevtushenko is a very enjoyable mystery. We have a pair of young adult brother and sister twins who have always had a, not so out of the ordinary, complicated relationship. But after momma and pappa die in an automobile accident leaving a substantial fortune, things get very complicated indeed.
Grandmamma is named executor of the will, and it also states that the twins must not fight, must get along for a five year period, and only then will they receive their inheritance.
The story is told from the point of view of Max, delightfully well played by William Beck. Max is a good guy and one wants things to work out nicely for him. Various seductive and potentially dangerous characters are introduced.
Max, and the audience must figure out who is a friendly, and who is in the game for only the benefit of themselves or a ruthless agent of another.

Michael Butt's lucid, entertaining play takes us through the twists and turns in playfully sinister style.
This BBC Radio 4 The Afternoon Play offering is very will produced and a delight to listen to.

Only available online until Monday Oct. 26. 2009. It would be nice if the BBC would stream their programs a little bit longer. A month? Would they settle for at least two weeks?

TURNING THE TIDE

Here is a satisfying play about bullying presented by the always solid and professional The Wireless Theatre Company.

Tuning the Tide in a multigenerational story told through the voice of the father of a teen boy. The father never learn to stand up for himself and still doesn't on the job.

The father teaches and learns from the son in Gareth Brownbill's entertaining and well performed life lesson.

This is a free download from The Wireless Theatre Company and well worth you time.

Tech Notes

First of all I want to state that after complaining about the BBC iPlayer, I am now pleased to report that it is working fine for me.
I've been using it via Firefox on my Mac. It plays just fine now, without a stutter or pause even if I do a lot of browsing with Safari which I open at the same. I also use Audio Hijack to open Firefox. This affords me the opportunity to record the content which so I can listen to plays on a portable digital audio player while working out or whatever.
So that is the happy ending to the iPlayer story.

Meanwhile I now have a new iPod Nano.
This is my very first iPod. I skipped buying one years ago when I was in the market for my first digital audio player because the iPods never had a radio. The iRiver did, so I got one of those and have been using it ever since. But finally this summer the iRiver was beginning to show it's age. The radio tuner would not work or only intermittently. Just as I was getting ready to look for something new, Apple released the new iPod Nano (5G) which had a radio, video recording. This was perfect for me since I also like to shoot some video.
So I got one and I love it. The radio is the best I've had in a portable devise. It is better than the tuner in the iRiver. The tuner in the iPod Nano holds the signal very well as I walk around the canyons of Manhattan. The video is really fun too. I love my new toy and am happy that it came just in time.

So now there should be more posts here. I no longer can rely on technical excuses.