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5. Terminator 2 (1991) The epic follow up to Terminator was chock full of things blowing up and bullets flying action from start to finish. Arnie found a true rival in the athletic and menacing T 1000, played by with malicious zeal by Robert Patrick and the set pieces of the hospital battle and the steel foundry scene at the end of the film will make this a must watch on any home cinema system for years to come, even despite the tepid sequels.

Phenomenal motion pictures are definitely not merely fables portraying joyous endings or fables that are oversentimental. Stupendous movies may also not just referring to controversial issues or first-rate jokes that ends up setting your soul ashine. To be precise, the best movies ever lists provides a stun loaded with pure keenness. A stupendous film wholly captures the true outlook of the period it was created. Chiefly in current recession and chilly generation, appreciable blockbusters can raise up the spirits of population and conceivably bring about a sea change.

A phenomenal flick necessarily is obliged to be seasonable. A fine specimen possibly be Billy Wilder’s Sunset. Gondry has portrayed important concerns for instance women ill-treatment, destitution, policeman barbary, and neediness. Explication of these sensitive questions accompanied by irony and careless power appoints Casablanca a amazing movie.

Fantastic motion pictures expand immediately backward to the primitive ascendancy of the motion picture industry. Roman Polanski’s Chinatown is a perfect sample of a amazing motion picture written early in the film past. Comic theater cinema have in addition been doted on by persons in the noiseless period. Godfather keep people interested. This phenomenal flick comprised about pantomime, runs, exploits conducted with appreciable spiritedness. Hitchcock’s films were typically created with a sentimental mix making a fantastic film method.

There exist very many specimen of very many cinematic producers striving exceedingly strong to write fantastic flicks. These cinemas involve a merchandising crew laboring unceasingly to entice listeners. Yet great films regularly amaze onlookers. The constituents of a exemplary and phenomenal film until this time presses on as a dispute. It may be hard to search out as not anyone may define a class of features that makes a fantastic movie. An adult may simply understand when they scrutinizes a extraordinary feature film.

‘Special Effects’ covers a wide range of disciplines and techniques, and for the beginner who wants to get into the industry it can be daunting to see the many areas of work that special effects encompasses. We’ve broken down the main areas to explain them in plain terms and illustrate the main points.

Special Effects
Special Effects (also known as FX, F/X, Special FX and SFX) have been used in films ever since film making began. Today, people generally apply the term to anything seen on screen that is not as it would be in real life like animatronics, props, prosthetics and models, and other artificially generated elements such as wind, rain and snow (when machines are used to produce it). It is also often applied to computer generated imagery (or CGI), although each of these areas have there own terminology which is recognized within the industry to differentiate between them. Here’s a brief rundown of the elements:

Physical Effects
Nimba Creations was hired to construct a ‘fall apart car’ for a TV commercial - a car which would drop to pieces, leak oil and let off steam on cue. This comes under the heading of ‘Physical Effects’ - an item that is constructed that will carry out specific physical functions. This can be a grey area as physical effects can often be classed as animatronics or props but if you imagine rigs that will, for example, throw around large objects in a controlled way on cue (such as the car falling through the tree in Jurassic Park) these will generally be classed as Physical Effects.

Visual Effects / CGI / Digital effects
Any animation or effect that is created within a computer will fall under these headings. These days, computers are used to great effect to draw together many elements of ‘effects shots’ in films (like many of the amazing scenes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and so they often deal with props and models to complete the final effects seen on screen, but the digitisation and animation of all these real elements (and many that are fabricated within the computer themselves) are commonly referred to as CGI or Computer Generated Imagery.

Atmospherics
This is the name applied to artificial snow, wind and rain. Companies who deal in atmospherics supply specialised machinery to create these natural elements when they are dictated by scripts. Getting a scene in a film or TV show requires many takes and applying these elements artificially insures that the amount and direction of wind, rain and snow is consistent between takes and different camera angles.

Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is perhaps the area of effects which leaves the least room for error, as it involves fire and explosions. Pyrotechnicians are highly skilled, licensed professionals who utilise explosives (and a range of other items such as primer cord) to create controlled fires on cue for films and TV shows. While it’s OK to create your own props or prosthetics, never attempt to become a pyrotechnician by experimenting in your own home - the consequences could be fatal. The National Film & Television School do training courses to learn this and other disciplines.

Special Effects ‘proper’ and the areas that Nimba Creations Specialises in.

Animatronics
In Special Effects, an animatronic is any model, prop or prosthetic which moves using cables, servos and piston-driven mechanisms. The way animatronics are created and animated is endless, and it’s seen as very high tech area of the special effects industry as a good knowledge of pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, computers, motors and mechanisms are all important elements of the industry. However, they can be startlingly low-tech too, depending on budget. Cables attached to manually operated levers can be very versatile and useful for all kinds of creations, such as Nimba Creations original T-rex head and neck animatronic made for a live show in 1997.

Prosthetics
Prosthetics and prosthetic makeup’s are a very popular area of the Special Effects industry, and requires skilled sculptors, mould makers and artists to create appliances to transform people into creatures and characters, as well as produce bruises, scars and mutilations on actors. A vital process of prosthetics is life casting, where moulds are taken of the body to produce custom made appliances to fit a specific actor or even to produce fake limbs such as severed heads - these limbs can also be classed under props. Nimba sells pre-made lifecast’s for sculpting directly onto which eliminates the life casting process.

Props & models
Regular props such as chairs and books aren’t classed as special effects unless they do something out of the ordinary or there is actually no such item in existence, such as a futuristic weaponry. A chair which breaks safely and easily on impact is a classic prop used in movie fight scenes which falls under the heading of special effects, but of course it also covers more exciting items. Props can often cross with animatronics if the item needs to also perform a certain function, like for example the puzzle box from Hellraiser.

Miniatures
Miniature building entails creating scaled down versions of objects and buildings to replace full size items in a shot. This can either be because there is some sort of explosion or damage which has to occur which is not viable in real life (or on full scale), or simply because a location doesn’t exist and building a miniature version is far more cost effective (and easier to film) on a smaller scale. A recent example of wonderful use of miniatures is in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. Beautiful miniatures like that of Rivendell are a perfect example of the great skill needed to create convincing miniature sets.

Special Costumes
‘Special’ costumes are anything that is worn by an actor which is more than a straight forward outfit. Tom Lauten (Nimba’s Projects Director) built many special costumes for Games Workshop. Complex costumes had to portray Space Marine characters from the Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 series, and had to be made from foam, fibre glass and plastics. Elements of prop building and animatronics are often part of producing special costumes.

Set Pieces
Regular sets aren’t regarded as special effects, but many set pieces that are created can fall into the category. Polystyrene sculpting is often used to create oversize set pieces such as the many large stone statues seen in Tomb Raider.

That covers the basics of special effects and the different skills and disciplines it encompasses. At our website (www.nimbacreations.com) you can go Behind the Scenes to see us creating some of our favourite pieces including a full size Tyrannosaurus Rex, & you can also learn how to begin a Special Effects career by downloading our exclusive guide, ‘How to get into Special Effects’.

Siobhan Hall is a Director of UK Special Effects company Nimba Creations Ltd., which creates props, animatronics, prosthetics and creatures for films and TV. She recently spent 5 months in New Zealand working on two Academy Award winning films, King Kong and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe at Weta Workshop (Lord of the Rings) and this year her company goes into production on their own shows.

As with so many subjective “things” in life, there is a great deal disagreement over who are the best method acting greats in the acting business and in movies. A good place to start in a search for the best of the method acting greats is the famed Actor’s Studio in New York City. Run for fifty years by the imitable Lee Strasberg, the Actor’s Studio turned out some of the great method acting legends in movies of the 20th century.

Acting greats that were part of the Actor’s Studio and who were instructed by Lee Strasberg include:

1. Marlon Brando. Brando necessarily must be on list of any great method actor. Particularly in his early roles, Brando breathed a believability into his work that truly transcended the movies he appeared in and made it seem as if he were the living and breathing character he portrayed.

2. Sidney Poitier. No actor in the 20th century broke down more barriers in Hollywood than did Poitier. And, he accomplished so much because of his ability to inhabit the souls of his characters and bring them to life on the big screen

3. James Dean. Although his life tragically was cut short, Dean’s short passage across the cinema screen and in movies is remarkable. Serious thinkers in the world of film credit Dean for cutting a believable stride in the few roles that he did play on the screen before his untimely death. There is near universal agreement that had Dean lived beyond his youth, he would be one of only a few actors who dominate the business, even today.

4. Robert de Niro. De Niro remains one of the hottest properties in movies today. Whether playing the role of a dangerous psycho-path to a silly, paranoid father in a happy comedy, de Niro’s work is shaped by his work with Strasberg. Indeed, the typical movie-goer forgets de Niro’s prior characters in movies each time they view him in a new film.

5. Marilyn Monroe. Certainly, some people scowl when Monroe’s name is mentioned as a great method actor. But, Strasberg himself considered Monroe to be one of his greatest pupils of all time. (Indeed, Monroe lived with Strasberg and his wife during her time at the Actor’s Studio.) Most people fail to remember that Monroe abandoned Hollywood at the height of her fame in movies to study under Strasberg at the Actor’s Studio, so intent was she on becoming a fine actor. According to Strasberg himself, Monroe succeed as a method actress, particularly in comedic roles. He maintained until his death that no actor had comedic timing and a method-based screen presence that could challenge Monroe. Like Dean, had she survived, she would have developed into one of the most formidable screen actors of the 20th century.

Beyond the Actor’s Studio alumni, there are numerous other strong method actors that have established a sense of greatness through their careers and work.

6. Rod Steiger. Steiger’s career in movies spanned over fifty years and included roles that brought him three Oscar nominations and one Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in “In the Heat of the Night” in 1967 opposite Sidney Poitier. He filled his roles in such a way that the characters he played on film will long be remembered and his personal essence is a bit misty.

7. Martin Landau. Landau has mastered some of the most complex roles in theater and motion picture history. He has been described as not only playing a character in movies or on the stage — but assuming and becoming the character through and through.

8. Dennis Hopper. Perhaps some consider the Wichita, Kansas, resident an unlikely choice for one of the great method actors of the 20th century, but Hopper’s turns on the screen have been phenomenal. From his early roles through his most recent fare, Hopper has fashioned characters that are now etched on the psyche of filmgoers the world over.

9. Charlize Theron. Women are noticeably a rare breed on lists of great method actors. While there are many formidable women on the screen today, very few of them have involved themselves in the method school as part of their training. With that said, one of the most extraordinary actresses in movies of the 20th and 21st century is Theron. Perhaps no actress in decades has so assumed a role than has Theron in “Monster” in which she actually seems to become the psychopathic, real life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Theron won critical acclaim and an Academy Award for her work on this film.

Publisher & Author Raymond DeChampfleur - You can access detailed articles, news, & more relevant resources along with great information and downloads on the movies and music world at Movies or http://muzic-and-moviez.com/wordpress/categories/articles/

It has been at least 30 years since I read this classic series by C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” and so imagine my surprise when the characters came to life on the movie screen. I did, however, remember enough of the plot not to feel too damned old to be there, although parts of the movie still seemed new to me. My daughter commented that the movie lacked the depth of the books; granted she’s closer in age to the “reading” event than I am, but for a movie, it seemed a good waste of 2.5 hours.

The Pevensie kids are separated from their mother during World War II and forced to live in a huge mansion with virtually no adult supervision save a housekeeper they call “The Mcready” who’s only purpose is to who warns that “The Professor” can not ever be disturbed. So, no running, no jumping, breathe lightly and tiptoe around. Well, we know how long that lasts. She seems more a housekeeper on methamphetamine - tense, terse and prone to exaggeration - than a caregiver of children. She becomes the woman with heavy feet, stomping around off-camera to send the kids scattering. Basically, there is no supervision at all.

The “Chronicles of Narnia” is about four kids discovering that their closet is a portal into a magical world. I remember being enthralled when I first read it; I was much younger then and less jaded. However, the beaver in full metal body armor gave me pause. I never imagined a beaver ready to “throw down,” armed to the nines and ready to take on all comers.

These kids also survive for long periods of time in a snowy forest, which could only happen in a Lewis novel. In reality, they would have about as much chance of surviving in a snowy, sub-zero degree forest as Captain Kirk would have leading a life of celibacy.

The children step from one war zone (World War II, Europe) into, well, another war zone called Narnia, where the warriors aren’t our brave soldiers in combat gear, but a collection of talking beavers, fauns, goblins, and other half man-half, half-animal creatures armed to the teeth with enough strategy and tactics to survive a South Central L.A. riot unscathed.

It’s been snowing for the past 100 years, which is liable to make anybody a bit, all thanks to the woman whom everyone is either enslaved to or preparing to fight. Enter the White Witch, played incredibly well by Tilda Swinton, an extraordinarily pale skinned woman with white hair - and when I say almost no color, I mean she makes ghosts look tanned.

We have the usual religious claptrap that went along with this book - “Two sons of Adam, and two daughters of Eve,” - who turn out to be the children themselves - must break the curse. Humans, you see, are virtually unknown beings in Narnia’s mystical world, and the children are viewed prophetically. All the beavers, fauns and such like have whispered of four humans coming to save the day. These kids could be less interested, but as the story progresses, they become more like the heroes in the Narnian fable and less like children trying to run back through the wardrobe to safety. They have the support of a mighty lion, Aslan, who is not only mighty, but good, pure and right. We have to have one of these in every fairy tale or evil would take over; then we’d be watching a horror film.

They are helped to their hero-hood by, of all people, Father Christmas (James Cosmo) who rides in on his sleigh and, after a long speech about hope and the future of Narnia, turns out to be an arms dealer on the side except for that one day of delivering toys to tots. I guess he has to do something those other 364 days out of the year.

Christmas takes armament out of his gift bag, giving the children with an assortment of weaponry, a quick speech about using their tools effectively, then rides off into the snow presumably back to the North Pole. I half expected him to pull out the Narnian equivalent of a glock, but he managed to just stick with the various white-trash, pre-industrial age solutions to disputes - knives, arrows and swords.One wonders, though if maybe he stop en-route to rob a convenience store, but I digress. It is definitely a 2005 Christmas moment.

Overall, Narnia’s comes to us with the same empowering message created by the book, and it is fueled by an engrossing plot, strong acting, the usual plethora of “Oh Wow!” special effects, and surprising bursts of comic relief. The beavers are cool; the faun silly and Aslan, very noble. It, of course, reminds me of “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter.” but it’s less cumbersome than the former movie and less goofy than the latter.
Rating: Four Out of Four Stars

The Science Fiction Buzz covers what’s going on in the genre, conveying the information in a fun and inspiring fashion. Science fiction is about hope, encouragement and the future. It is pure escapism, a window into imagination and fantasy. In a time when our world is super-serious, where diseases abound and terror is delivered with the evening news, the Science Fiction Buzz is a haven. We encourage you to leave your cares behind, and for a few moments, dwell in the astounding.

Oprah Winfrey is one of the most popular talk show hosts in American television history. As her show enters its 21rst season, she has millions of viewers who tune in each day. One of her most popular segments is her “Favorite Things” holiday show. During this show, Oprah shares with the studio and television audience some of her favorite things including jewelry, gadgets and vacation getaways.

People love this show because on the “Favorite Things” episode, audience members get the extravagant gifts that Oprah displays. Around 300 audience members are showered with gifts each holiday episode. The amount varies, but Oprah audience members can each expect to receive between $4,000 and $15,000 worth of gifts. But, Oprah is a big winner as well. The 2004 episode of “Oprah’s Favorite Things” had the highest ratings ever for a “Favorite Things” episode and was the second highest rated episode for the season.

Oprah has been doing her “Favorite Things” episode since 1999. Guests received a set of Illumination Ritual Candles, each one to inspire different feelings like love, peace and passion and each candle contained a tiny gemstone inside. The 12-candle set was valued at $169.95. Dog owners were no doubt thrilled with the Fifi and Romeo Pet Clothing ($150 and up) - one of Oprah’s favorite things of 1999. One of the most extravagant gifts that year was a Susan Abbott Personalized Painting, ranging from $5,000 and up. Oprah loved the Susan Abbott painting given to her by author Sarah Ban Breathnach.

In 2000, Oprah added many hi-tech gadgets like the Motorola Talkabout pager (priced at $179), so audience members could receive email while on the go. Another favorite thing from 2000 was the book equivalent of the iPod, the Gemstar REB1100 eBook from RCA ($299). The Gemstar let users download up to 8,000 book pages, so they never had to carry around a book again.

The BlissLabs Glamour Gloves ($44) and Gel ($22) was one of Oprah’s favorite things in 2002. The Panasonic 4-in-1 Digital Camera from Frontgate ($449) was also a big hit that year. The camera, the size of a credit card, takes pictures and video, but can also be used as a MP3 player and audio recorder.

In 2003, Oprah decided to do two episodes of her favorite things segment - one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Spring audience members got an Apple iPod ($399), Silhouette Minimal X Sunglasses ($175-$250), and a Hewlett Packard Digital Camera, Printer and Dock (total value $730) among other items. Fall audience members racked up with UGG Classic Short Boots ($110), a Philip Stein Teslar Watch ($595), and a Sony DCR-DVD200 Handycam ($1000).

2004 was a very special Favorite Things segment for Oprah. She convinced 300 teachers to attend her show, under the premise of talking about education and a teacher’s daily routine. Instead, she surprised them with the Favorite Things episode. The teachers received gifts such as a Sony VAIO S260 notebook computer, a Dell 30″ wide-screen LCD television, a Maytag Neptune Top-Load Washer and Drying Center, and a trip for two to the exclusive Miraval Resort and Spa. Total gift amount for each teacher was about $15,000 - much more than the previous year total of $4,800. Oprah, a supporter of education and teachers, knew the teachers were worth every penny.

In 2005, Oprah decided to make her favorite things audience up of Katrina relief workers. Among the gifts were Sony VAIO® FJ Notebook, Kashwére® Shawl Collar Robe, BlackBerry 7105T™ from T-Mobile, and a couple of Oprah’s favorites from 2004, UGG Australia’s Uptown Boot and an Apple iPod. While considerably less than the year before, the 2005 recipients still received over $7,000 worth of items.

Probably due in part to Oprah’s television audience as well as her personal appeal, each year the manufacturer’s of the items found on Oprah’s favorite things donate all the gifts. But they reap great benefits from doing so. They get television exposure and an immediate increase in sales after each episode. Companies like Sephora and Macy’s have both publically stated that as soon as Oprah mentions one of their products, people are coming in the stores in droves to get it.

So in the end, it is a win-win situation. The manufacturers see increased sales, the audience gets great gifts, and Oprah just keeps on getting more and more popular with her viewing audience.

Shelley Lowery is a successful writer with an interest in celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. She demonstrates the power of Oprah’s Favorite Things list each year on the holiday shopping season. See her report on what products made the list on Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2005, 2004, 2003, and 2002.

400 B.C, it was custom among Greeks to organize drama in rituals and festivals. Renowned playwrights were asked to present their creations, each writer had to represent three tragedies under the term “triology”. The drama was executed on large scale in opera with an open invitation to the people from all walks of life. The main objective of this activity was to impart knowledge in terms of religion, ethics, norms, cultural values; heroic deeds of their ancestors were revealed with full dignity and grandeur.

Today, in twenty 21st century era, when we hold remote of hundred channels, most of the fingers stick to only one and keep on trying to increase the clutch, until someone else is able to snatch. Almost in each family this kind of fight over remote can be observed, where females want to watch none other than STAR PLUS, the most happening one; why? Perhaps no one can answer this simple question. Star freaks are so much absorbed in these soaps (entertainment in installments) that they can’t live without; neither they get boredom nor lose patience. Sometimes it becomes an irritation to sit in front of screen watching these thirty minutes soaps at stretch, a kind of dose becoming an addiction day by day. Regarding merits and demerits we find the characters neither flat nor round, indulging in unethical activities, that excite, ignite and tempt youngsters to great extent.

The issue of illegitimate child and unwed mother is common in every second story; prevalence of illicit relations being the spice of whole recipe reflect deterioration of social values in stages. In every tale, a woman protagonist is dominating and manipulating others consistently and her counterpart man is bound to obey her in each matter. Male characters sit idly at home all the daylong, busy in resolving domestic disputes, being indulge in family politics we see them confronting and arguing over trivial issues; on the other hand their huge business empires are run by some invisible magical hands,

Hardly we see any professional attitude in their conversation and body language rather they seem mere emotional fools. Dialogues often don’t suit with their emergence. Each “parivar” is shown as business tycoon without struggling, striving or putting an effort into work life. Each person talks about a deal of 100 krore and a tender of 700 krore, only the “hero” gets these gigantic tenders leaving behind all his competent rivals, who might be more capable than him.

And sometimes this undefeated “hero” loses all the fortune incidentally, comes down on road in a very miserable plight. Even after this drastic financial collapse he puts on the same stylish clothes and accessories. In one episode, protagonist’s family members accuse himher of all the calamity, agony and suffering they are facing, throw himher out of their dwelling place and in the next episode all the misunderstandings, conflicts, clashes get resolved, all of sudden they begin to shower their compassion, sympathy and love on their beloved sondaughter, that happens repeatedly without any logical or causal link.

Every now & then we see main characters facing misfortunes, experiencing tragedies, undertaking series of co incidents, living in future, brooding over past almost oblivious of their present. ”pooja” and “arti” are the favourite activities of women, they feel much delight in fasting for their husband’s life every fortnight, arranging religious events twice a week, shedding tears on every changing moment, giving long speeches replete with references from their historical epics like “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana”, portray themselves as their ancient goddesses Saraswati, Paarvati, Lakshmi,and Durga etc , seem quite away from the real life human beings, unable we are to identify with themselves.

A vampire plays a vital role in each drama, who traps everyone in her charms, uses them for her personal interest and treats them as sheer puppets in her fingers. In the beginning, evils look like devils, neither they go through nemesis nor they face the music of their sinister deeds, they feel no guilt or regret, completely ignorant to the pangs of conscience. Suddenly we locate extremely wicked persons converting into saint-like nobles and vice versa.

Play usually lasts for years and years that factor influence the plot and theme to an extent. Just for the sake of sponsorships through ad-films, the channel has to compromise on quality, thought, plot, theme, essential ingredients and parameters of drama set by classic literature over centuries around the globe. It has become “theatre of absurd “owing to its farce, ludicrous and boisterous tragedies which seem tragii comedies indeed. Simultaneously has lost its status regarding mirror to 21st century society, rather inculcating social values, deviating masses from their culture.

Talking about the brighter side of these endless tragedies where we witness characters roaming around splendid, gorgeous sets in a very pleasant ambiance. SP has set the trend of spectacle (stage settings), which is made in accordance with aesthetic requirements of viewers. Despite all this, repetition of backgrounds occur in different plays of the same channel, because behind every project there is the same art director, stylist, concept writer, visualizer, and the cast. Background music is often too loud to tolerate. Progress in the field of plastic surgery has helped the stars of “plus” a lot because repeatedly they have to rush in order to change their visage entirely, after an accident, this “Face Off” therapy proves an exile for one character and becomes the cause of new entry for model cum actor who, with his unique performance changes completely the façade of serial and becomes the reason of downfall.

Always a house wife is seen in party dress while staying at home, nevertheless women are keen to watch these stereotype figures on screen, dreaming themselves in those gaudy outfits, loaded with jewels, gems and pearls. This kind of fantasy proves a relief to every next-door girlwoman; such world of imagination takes them far away from their daily hectic routine life in the form of an escape. Time leaves no consequences on these characters, as they look awfully young even, after the breach of two decades. Their minor activities draw full attention of media and press as they are often chased by reporters anchors.

On the other hand this channel lacks in thought, spirit and motivation, although a major source of penetration but giving no message at all.

Hardly we get any female character doing some valuable work outdoors or participating actively for some noble cause or society; rather she is busy all the time in family politics either +vly or –vly.
Different fields and outlets have never been touched whereas, in this era woman is performing lots of other duties besides household activities, but on screen she is depicted as mere source of amusement, is confined only to drawing rooms, ball rooms and bars. Even on work place she is draped in glitzy dress and loud makeup. All these aspects show limited range of the story line as middle and lower classes remain untouched.
Superstition plays a key role because most of the titles start with letter ‘K’ and this phenomenon also prevails throughout due to it’s existence in the sub conscious of all the participants.
Drama being a form of “Catharsis” gives vent to pent up feelings and emotions. It is said that the excitement of tragedy provides a safe outlet for our feelings, which we cannot express in actual life. But it demands it’s appropriate and necessary requirements that provide a soul to an “ideal play”, which is an imitation not only of a complete action but also of incidents arousing ‘pity’ and ‘fear’. Magnitude i-e the proper length of a tragic play is essential:

“It must be a whole story, not a collection of incidents”.

Apart from this a good play must have Prologue (beginning), middle and Exode (end). It should have good reason for beginning where it does and for ending where it does.

You can call it the secret love child of Jeopardy and Will & Grace, conceived in creativity and birthed in sexual diversity. Debuting on the Game Show Network on Monday, April 17, the updated version of the popular 1950’s game show, “I’ve Got A Secret” will blast before audiences with a whole new bag of tricks.

Dusted off and re-tooled, the show pays homage to one of the longest running and popular American game shows, by taking viewers back to an era of panel style gaming.

For an entire season an eclectic bunch of four feverishly work against the clock to guess the secrets of its guests who range from bored middle-American housewives to over-the-top celebrities.

The format is simple. The guest is introduced who then reveals their secret to the host while it is simultaneously revealed onscreen to both the studio audience and to viewers at home. Each panelist has 40 seconds to ask the right questions in order to guess the secrets of their guests.

Most times the panelists use all five of their senses, but sometimes they’re blindfolded and are comedically guided by yes/no/maybe responses from the host, guest, and studio audience reaction.

Hosted by the sarcastically witty, Bil Dwyer, (Extreme Dodge, That 70’s Show) the game show panelists include silly former pro baseball player, Billy Bean, chatty, Sirius Radio talk host, Frank DeCaro, snappy, stand up comedienne, Suzanne Westenhoefer (“Late Show with David Letterman”, “Politically Incorrect”) and quick tongued, Broadway stage actor/dancer, Jermaine Taylor.

The result is a surprisingly smart and hilariously funny half-hour of belly laughs filled with enough subtle gay puns to smooth out the most conservative wrinkles of any red state across America.

Just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, all of the aforementioned panelists with the exception of the host are openly gay but intriguingly enough the show itself isn’t “gay” according to show producer Burt Dubrow.

“It is not a gay anything….it’s not a heterosexual anything. This is not something that we talk about or find overly significant. We felt we’d turn the volume up a bit. It’s not an intrical part of the show. It’s never even brought up. It’s there and it’s not there. Our feeling is that there was no reason to put a label on it” Dubrow eagerly explained during a telephone interview.

So if sexual orientation is a non-issue just as Dubrow stresses, then what probably makes the panel of four click perhaps is the diversity among the gays versus the fact that they’re all gay. You see on this game show no two gays are alike.

First there’s Billy, the goofy but lovable out athletic jock. Remember him? He’s the guy everyone in high school hated because he always got the girl. Billy actually gives the show a hint of normalcy and a smidgen of sanity which helps to counter balance the over-the-top antics of his cohorts.

Next there’s Frank, the rotund radio announcer who gives life to our color-deficient lives by wearing loud and wacky shirts and sports coats occasionally accentuated with a corsage the size of San Diego stapled to his lapel. Frank really keeps the show hopping and skipping with his tongue-in-cheek, smarty-pants jokes and quips.

Next there’s the attractive but unusually blonde Suzanne who sports a wet looking, Endora (Betwiched) hairdo which defies the laws of gravity, staying perfectly in place like good hair follicles should. Her stand-up comedic background gives the right punch and jab alongside her male counterparts giving her a distinct on-air advantage.

Finally, there’s the chocolate-chiseled Jermaine who in every episode sports a gorgeous long sleeve shirt unbuttoned down to his navel, displaying approximately 95% of his chest and midsection revealing hills and valleys of muscle. His Boadway background and pearly white teeth give him an over-the-top million dollar appearance.

When they all get together this eclectic bunch of characters collectively are gayer than Liza Minelli’s ex-husband yet the show still isn’t “gay” according to show producer, Burt Dubrow.

At any rate, if you want to call it a “gay” game show, a “non-gay” game show, or a “non-gay” game show that has a lot of gays on it; this new and improved “I”ve Got A Secret” works extremely well.

Panelist Suzanne Westenhoefer agrees as she predicts mainstream success for the show. “I think the show will work for middle America because it is funny. It’s a fun, funny show and the gay panelists just adds more to it….plus there ARE gay people in middle American and they will watch too….and maybe…maybe it will bring us all together and we can end this intolerance and peace will rule throughout the entertainment land” Westenhoefer exclaims.

Her co-panelist, ball player, Billy Bean interjects that “Sarcasm is flying everywhere, and since the panelists are not hiding anything about ourselves. It’s truthful as well. That’s why we can shoot it live, without a script, or any knowledge of what we are going to see.”

Jermaine Taylor chimes in adding that “ the show brings back stars of Hollywood past. It’s always refreshing to see an act you once enjoyed in times before. and, some of our acts are just insanely intriguing to watch!”

As an added bonus, the newly revamped show allows for one or more of the “secrets” of its guests to be performed on air. To give you a hint of what’s to come, there’s the guy who can break pencils and rulers with his butt cheeks. Then there’s the woman who once hula hooped 82 of those plastic things around her body.

Next there’s the guy who broke the world record for kicking himself in the head, 42 times to be exact. Then there’s the world champion baton twirler who now works a 9-5 job at an auto company. Finally there’s the lizard trainer who teaches lizards how to sit in human poses. And yes, all of these “secrets” are all performed live adding yet another layered dimension of comedy and even amazement to the show.

So what’s the motivation for someone revealing their secret on national television and attempting to stump this sassy panel of four? Well $1,000 and a dinner for two in Beverly Hills await the victorious contestant, a far cry from 80 bucks guests received back in 1952.

The game show producers say they get their quirky guests from scouring the internet, newspapers and through word of mouth. Or you could contact the show yourself by going to www.gsn.com

This new take on an old concept is definitely worth watching not only for the giggles and laughs to alleviate the pressures of the day, but more importantly to support four vibrantly diverse and talented individuals whose careers are about to soar into the entertainment stratosphere.

To hear an audio commentary and snippets of the show, click here:
http://www.gayradio.com/herndondavis/index.htm

Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host. He can be reached directly at http://herndondavis.com.

There’s a very easy and quick way any iPod Video owner can use to get their favorite movies into their iPod Video. But first, we have to know what video formats the iPod works with. There are various types of video formats:

- DVD
- AVI
- DivX
- XviD
- WMV
- ASF
- RM
- RMVB
- Mpg/Mpeg

They appear as an extension after the file name of your video… such as ‘The Longest Yard.avi’…So to feed your iPod with videos, all we have to do is convert these formats into the MP4 video format, which the iPod only allows. The MP4 format is very compressed and saves a lot of space on your iPod hard drive.

Here is what you need as basics:

- A Video-to-iPod Converter. There is software that converts any video format to the iPod MP4 format.

- A DVD Player installed on your computer. You can use iTunes to preview videos before they get put into your iPod.

- A DVD Ripper installed in your computer if you want to transfer DVD into your iPod. Also, there is a software which converts any video format plus the DVD format to the iPod MP4 video format.

- iTunes, which is free for download at the Apple website.

- And your Video iPod with its USB Cable.

Here is the Basic 3 Step Method:

1. Use your Video-to-iPod converter to locate the video you want to convert into the iPod MP4 format in your hard drive… and click select/convert. Remember in the “Output Settings”, select “DivX 6.0 codec” for the optimum output.
2. If you want to copy DVD movies into your iPod, you need to use a DVD ripper to rip the DVD file out of the DVD…use the DVD ripper to select the movie you want to transfer to your iPod and click extract/rip.
3. Find the files that have been converted, DVD or Non-DVD using the iTunes Library. Make sure they appear in iTunes and test if they work. Load the MP4 files to your iPod by clicking “Update iPod” under “File” in iTunes.

There you go, a simple method to enjoy your movies – whatever you want, wherever you want and whenever you want!

Tommy Lee is both an iPod lover and movie lover. Need a great Video-to-iPod converter? Learn more about it.

Inspired by the grim statistic “fifty percent of America’s teachers quit within their first three years,” the independent film “Chalk” is a clever mock documentary about novice high school teachers and a newly promoted assistant principal as they struggle with their chosen careers. An insecure history teacher, an abrasive female gym coach, a self-promoting philosophy instructor, and a former teacher out of her element as a strict administrative disciplinarian, laugh and cry their way through the school year.

Austin, Texas-based writer-director-producer Mike Akel uses a mixture of professional actors and real students (from some of the classes he has taught) to take a quirky inside look at teachers. His two hand-held cameras might be hiding behind a bookshelf to eavesdrop on an intimate conversation between two friends or peeking through a partially closed door during outrageous student-teacher interactions.

In a Q&A session after the screening — which attracted dozens of teachers to Central Florida’s Enzian Theater — Akel and actor Chris Mass (also an off-screen teacher) fielded questions about this unusual style of filmmaking.

“As a real-life teacher, I did day-to-day research,” Akel says. “As for the shooting style, I wanted viewers to feel like they’re right there and the only way to capture this is to use hand-held cameras and let the actors improvise most of the lines to produce a visceral, frenetic feel.”

Although teachers in the audience griped about classes of 30 or more students, “Chalk” depicts sparsely populated classrooms and hallways. Acknowledging that this one element might lack authenticity, Akel revealed that the students in “Chalk” are real students with no acting experience who gave up a month of their summer to work on this low-budget film.

So if the onscreen teachers can’t handle classes of only 8-10 students while real teachers juggle dozens at a time — well — that’s just part of the fun.

When the brazen gym coach develops a romantic interest in the introverted history teacher, Akel wastes little screen time waiting for the relationship to blossom. An amusing dream sequence lets the audience know in no uncertain terms that beneath his shy exterior, the history teacher returns her feelings.

“The dream sequence has different pacing to show that it’s a dream,” Mass says. “But we also wanted to establish that the feelings are real. We thought the sequence helped move the romance along a little bit. Actually the scene started as just some funny improvising that we decided to use later on.”

Mass shares the screen with fellow actors Janelle Schremmer, Troy Schremmer, and Shannon Haragan. A SomeDaySoon Production, “Chalk” is screening at film festivals around the country. Your assignment: Watch for it to open at a theater near you. Teachers (and all former students everywhere) should love it.

Screened March 29, 2006
Florida Film Festival
East Coast Premiere

Copyright 2006 Leslie Halpern

Central Florida entertainment writer Leslie Halpern is the author of more than 1,300 articles in trade and consumer magazines. She wrote the books “Reel Romance. The Lovers’ Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies” (Taylor Trade Publishing), which reviews date movies for couples and suggests romantic ideas inspired by these films, and “Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science” (McFarland & Company), an analysis of representations of sleeping and dreaming in the movies. Both books are available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. Visit her website at http://home.cfl.rr.com/lesliehalpern/leslie_halpern.htm.