TRENT REZNOR AND ATTICUS ROSS

FRENEMIES, perhaps someday (I hope not). Great music, right now of course!

Complication with Optimistic Outcome from the movie THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Just Wanted To Share Something Ikki and Fake With You This Holiday Season

THE SKY WAS PINK - NATHAN FAKE (IKKI REMIX)







   HAPPY HOLIDAYS & SO MUCH LOVE IN THE NEW YEAR!!!! 


PEACE, 
N8

THE OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR THE P.A.C.T.

Chu Farging Iceholes chu betta watch my video!!!! (lol (Johnny Dangerously just popped into my head... Yeah that is taking us back a bit in movie lore ;) ) )

Enjoy!!!
N8




It can also be seen on Vimeo  http://vimeo.com/33460164

7 Quick P.A.C.T. Facts

1) To the right is the official banner

2) It is no longer an hour long feature but rather a 26 minute fast moving very dark dramedy.

3) I am still entering it into festivals as both a short film and TV pilot.

4) On one of the postcards that the actors will receive I spell "starring" with one " r " instead of two. HOWEVER, on the postcards that I sent out to advertise the film IT IS SPELLED CORRECTLY!

5) If you would like a banner or more postcards I can order those for you at a reasonable price.

6) The premiere is in the Spring. That's all I can say about that :)

7) I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A FANTASTIC HOLIDAY SEASON AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!!!  :D

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
N8

JUST A FEW MORE PHOTOS FROM THE P.A.C.T. SHOOT

Just a few more photos by FERNANDO PHOTOGRAPHY :)
ENJOY
N8

Almost a wrap for my next film!

Today is the officially the final day of shooting on my latest film. Give us good energy and some good ol' fashion sunshine eventually.

N8

4 Days To Go

I am just posting up this widget again to inspire those who have it to donate. Every dollar counts :)

N8

And Now For Something Completely Different... LONDON BELOW

So all yesterday I am talking film music... Scores vs soundtracks... Solo artists vs bands and just like clockwork Moon Kitty chimes in and suggests that I look into several of her more musically inclined friends. She emails me a ton of links to different bands and one of them just effing ROCKED!!! So much so did they have that goth-emo-crazy-cool-hard vibe that I had to (out of curiosity) reach out to them!!! I mean when I heard LONDON BELOW (who can be found and friended on Facebook and other social media) I started trippin' a little... Okay I lie... I was trippin' a lot!

In the overall scheme of the film I am creating there are major visual sections that could use music like theirs and most of the people who have worked with me before know I don't mind mixing styles or genres to get the effect I need both visually and acoustically.

Hmmm... Not to give my age away but what if The Cure, Billy Idol, and Marilyn Manson had a love child? I figure it would look, sound, and feel something like LONDON BELOW

Listen to this West Coast band playing "GO" @ Bar Sinister and tell me they ain't something a little different and a lot fresh!

Always Keep L@@KIN' For Those Shining Stars
N8

Associate Producer, Actor, Editor, And Overall Tech Genius LOUIS SRYGLEY

The production was graced by addition of Louis Srygley to its cast and technical crew. Louis is Comicon Fanboy!!! (lol) He has traveled the U.S. and the world from the U.K. to Asia following his passion for Science Fiction and fantasy. All the green screen work for this production was done at Louis Srygley's private studio. Beside being a computer/tech/production genius Louis is a wonderfully kind human being with a true love for LIFE!

His IMDb producer and actor credits from 2011 are below.
ENJOY!!!

Producer (3 titles)
2011 A Stock & a Jack (short) (executive producer) (completed)
2011 Solo: The Series (TV series) (co-producer - 6 episodes)
– Mole! (2011) (co-producer)
– Female Persuasion (2011) (co-producer)
– Endgame... Is Just the Beginning (co-producer)
– The Discovery & The Challenger (co-producer)
– Turning Japanese (co-producer)
See all 6 episodes »
2011 Corrupting the Classics with Contemporary Crap (video short) (executive producer)

Actor (2 titles)
2011 Corrupting the Classics with Contemporary Crap (video short)
Audience Member
2009 The Guild (TV series)
Guild Applicant
– Application'd (2009) … Guild Applicant

Thanks (1 title)
2011 ElfQuest: A Fan Imagining (short) (special thanks)

Introducing JEFFERSON "DJ" SANDERS as E. La Flabian

DJ (as his friends call him) was a true find. He is a local talent and neighbor of mine who has expressed interest in the arts especially acting from a young age. He has a sharp and edgy presentation to his performance that can only be gain in an urban environment BUT don't be fooled because he has played various roles. Some of those roles include a detective in a recent horror film, a soldier, a cameraman, and even a dancing sailor on HBO's Sex And The City. He was also in HBO's Undefeated with John Leguizamo.

 

It's Charlie Sheen... No It's JOE ZALESKI As Augustus "Augie" Mumford

Joe Zaleski is thrilled to have just completed the award winning LAByrinth Theater Company’s Master Class. He is also a recent graduate of the William Esper Professional Two Year Conservatory. Best known for his featured role as ‘Charlie Sheen” in the April 2011 issue of GQ magazine. Other lesser known theatrical roles include Marty Abrams in
Making a Killing, performed at The Edison Valley Playhouse and “Dad” in “Dad’s Birthday” performed at the NY Reparatory Theatre. Film credits include Dr. Clark in Psycho- Path, Will Bottain “Above the Shelf” and Alex Guthrue in “Relationship”.

Joe spends most of his time contemplating what he wants to be when he grows up.

Prop Master, Set Designer, & Actor M.J. TOONE Tackles The Role Of Andy Baxter In THE P.A.C.T.

Mark J. Toone is more of a production person at heart although he is very interested in on camera work. Mark started his "Acting / Theatrical" activities as the guy who was rarely seen... starting as a puppeteer as a teen-ager in the mid-70's to the early 80's. In the beginning he entertained children and the elderly in Church and hospice venues bringing cheer, thought, reminiscence and morals through marionettes, hand puppets and miniature set designed presentations. A "walking one-man-stage" with various vocal skills led him to work in children's publishing and educational media for adults which led to trade show set up and logistics. Props and details were required for the behind the scenes work. He focused on fashion set up and wardrobe in the NYC/NJ area for runway shows

Currently, he has done extra-work in film and television. A protester in "The Dictator" (Sasha Baron Cohen), A dancer in "Musical Chairs" (out in 2012), a reveler in "New Year's Eve" (with dreads), "English-Vinglish" (Bollywood) as the "annoyed guy in line" plus a gambler during a hold up, a by-stander to a murder in "Person of Interest", and several court scenes in "The Good Wife".


  

REBECCA GEDDIS Is Marisol De Pueblo Of THE P.A.C.T.

The mournful character of Marisol De Pueblo will be played be the joyful and charming, Rebecca Geddis. Her acting career began on a whim when she decided to take a level I acting class at NJSDA. This journey began out of sheer curiosity but has blossomed into something beyond her wildest dreams.

A Montclair native, Rebecca is a registered pharmacist and the proud parent of two strong boys. 

She is currently rehearsing for a production of ten one acts and is very excited to expand and spread her acting wings.

ILEANA LOPEZ VERGNE Is The Precocious Ms. Clarke

ILEANA LOPEZ VERGNE was born and raised in Puerto Rico, of French and Italian descendants. Highly educated and inspired because of her diverse background, Ileana became and is an extremely proficient linguist. Her skills as a multi-linguist phenom was put to the test when she was recently asked to translate part of the script for THE P.A.C.T. into Portuguese. Amazingly her career in acting and the arts got a late start because it wasn't until the end of 2003 that Ileana made the decision to become an actress. As an actress she started getting small acting opportunities in 2004 that lead to bigger roles. Luck and good fortune were on her side because she has already made her debut on the big screen in NYC in 2009. She can also be seen in a film that was screened at the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2011.

Francis "Kuji" Franklin Is Brought To Life By HAROLD B. GIBSON

SAPIEN FILMS has always sought after new talent that the studios have yet to discover but will find of great interest someday and HAROLD  B. GIBSON is the perfect example that brilliant diamond in the rough waiting to be seen! This Newark N.J. native started acting in the holiday season of 2006 in the Phoenix Ensemble Production of They Sing Christmas in Harlem: The Leonx Avenue Christmas Carol. After that, he appeared in over 10 plays including A Soldier’s Play, where he played the part the blues guitar playing soldier, “C.J. Memphis”. He later on performed in Valerie Fullilove’s When Dove’s Fly and shared the stage with legendary pop singer, Taana Gardner (Heartbeat). Mr. Gibson has appeared in several short film projects including The Human Game, The Human Game 2: The Culling of a King and recently The Yard (from Sapien Films). Mr. Gibson also appeared as a background actor in an episode of the TV show Cupid on ABC. Mr. Gibson received his theatrical education at The New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts located in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

AMANDA POLICASTRO Is Nurse Mya

Amanda Policastro was born and raised in New Jersey. She attended and graduated from William Paterson University in 2008 with a BA degree in Communications. She played sports her whole life and thought about career in sports broadcasting and/or tv production. But shortly after graduation she chose to follow her childhood dream of becoming an actress. She has studied acting at New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts since April 2010. She acted in a short film titled, "Devil's Knight" in October 2011 that has been released. Besides her role in "The P.A.C.T." she just wrapped up shooting another short film/tv pilot called "Scared" in which she is playing a lead character.

David Bravanti will be played by DINO MATIS

The role of David Bravanti aka the team leader of THE P.A.C.T. will be played by DINO MATIS. This self-confident and charming Greek American has studied at the NJ School of the Dramatic Arts under Bob Sapoff and Beth Bauer while earning his BS in marketing from Kean University. Minoring in Studio Arts and traveling the world Dino has become fluent in his native Greek language and conversational Spanish as well.

And Our Tobey Tamara is... MARIA PAGOULATOS

After searching for a long time to find the right actress a series of headshots were mailed in and the producers were immediately enamored with MARIA PAGOULATOS. Quoting one of the producers "She had the right look in her eyes!" So I agreed and I was not disappointed. She is true to the art form. Skilled at improvisation and able to adjust comfortably to all cast members and situations on screen. Maria as an actress has the likability of Sandra Bullock with the appealing curvature of a Greek Jennifer Lopez. Her bio below speaks for itself. Be sure to catch her as Tobey Tamara in THE PA.C.T. this Spring.

Maria's Bio
Maria Pagoulatos studied the art of acting at the New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts. She started classes back in 2006. Upon taking time off to pursue her MFA in creative writing and teach literature at the City College of New York, Maria returned to NJSDA in 2009 to finish the theater program. She discovered her true passion is to act. Maria loves delving into and discovering the characters she portrays. Her background consists of theater, film and improv. Having mostly done theater, she has performed in Anna In the Tropics (Marela), Prelude to a Kiss (Rita), and Sex With Censor (Woman), among others. Her most challenging theatrical endeavor was portraying eight different characters in The Dining Room.

Maria enjoys the rush of adrenalin the theater provides as well as the fulfillment and beauty that film offers. Her gratitude lies toward her mentors and directors, especially Bob Sapoff, Beth Baur, Gary Lynch and Maury Ginsberg.

Meet Associate Producer LARRY JAY TISH

Larry Jay Tish is an actor, writer, director, producer. improv performer, and educator. Larry’s stage credits include The Black-Jew Dialogues, which he co-wrote and stars in with Ron Jones. The Black-Jew Dialogues premiered at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in ’06 and continues to tour the US, Canada, and the UK. Other stage credits include his one-man-show Everything Hurts, Gene in Sideman, Tom in Dinner With Friends, Billy in The House of Blue Leaves, The Prospector in The Madwoman of Chaillot, numerous roles in Hard Times, and Jumpin' Jack Flash in Gravity Rules at the Boston Museum of Science Planetarium. Larry also performed in Anger Box at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in ‘04. He is a founding member of StageCoach Improv, and has facilitated workshops and performances for 93.7 Mike FM, Harvard Business School, Reebok, The American Bar Association, Greenberg Traurig Law, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Segue Software (now Borland), MediMedia, The International Academy of Collaboration Professionals (IACP), The New Law Center, among others. Larry was a freelance copywriter for over ten years in Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, and was Senior Copywriter at the Larkin Group in Newton. 

His film credits include Harry Toland in Dangerous Crosswinds, the host of two travel DVD’s on Amsterdam, and Question Freedom. He played Dr. Warren in the BBC production of Brothers At War, The Ponytail Man in Luigi Films' Cowboys and Indians, and Northern Lights Production Voices From Andersonville, a documentary installation at the National Museum in Washington DC. Larry is co-creator, writer, and co-star (with Jeff Vachon) of the cable sketch comedy show Under The Nut. He currently plays Professor Fritz on The New England Patriots’ Sunday morning TV program “Totally Patriots.” Larry's principal roles in TV commercials include The Greater Hartford Open, ESPN Outdoor Games, The Maine Lottery, Brotherhood Credit Union, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem. His voice over work includes radio commercials for Fleet Bank, COMCAST, and Garelick Farms, and he played CEO Jack White in a training graphic novel for The Monitor Group. Larry was a Standardized Patient Educator for Harvard, Tufts, and UMASS medical schools. He lives in Cambridge, MA, with his wife Robin, daughter Ana, and their dog Cheska.

http://www.larryjaytish.com

BERNADETTE MORGAN - Executive Producer of THE P.A.C.T.

British entrepreneur and maverick, Bernadette Morgan, is the owner of Clear Mind Therapy. She is also a psychologist, hypnotherapist/psychotherapist, holistic therapist and Theta Healing teacher. She is the author of Healthy Mind Beautiful Body a self-help book for people with weight and self-esteem issues. Her passion throughout her life in practice has been to provide individually tailored therapeutic techniques which enable people to cope better with the emotional and mental issues which create problems of depression, addiction, low self-esteem, stress, anxiety and associated physiological problems which prevent them from leading the full and happy lives which they deserve.

She was recently given the opportunity to create, write and present a video empowerment course which allowed her to reach people in a medium which she had not previously used and she found the experience extremely enriching. The P.A.C.T. has now given her the opportunity to get a foothold in the movie industry whilst also providing an opportunity to remove the stigma from mental and emotional health issues and give wider scope to expand on her passion for helping people to see that they are not alone in their problems, that there is real help available when they need it and encouraging them to reach out and accept that help.

http://www.berniemorgan.com 

The Front and Backside of THE PACT CAST POSTER

THIS IS THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE P.A.C.T. CAST POSTER. I PURPOSELY LEFT THE FRONT COLORLESS AND PUT "PROPERTY OF SAPIEN FILMS" ON THE BACK FOR OBVIOUS REASONS

:P
N8
                                                                                   

THE P.A.C.T. POST-PRODUCTION WIDGET

HERE IT IS SO SPREAD THE WORD!!!

THE P.A.C.T. OFFICIAL POSTER & SHOOT PHOTOS

Production is almost over for my next film called THE P.A.C.T. It is a direct remake of an early story I named The P.A.R.C.


FERNANDOPHOTOGRAPHY.NET took the
pics of Rebecca Geddis as Marisol De Pueblo and Louis Srygley as Dr. Cunnings.

We are almost through so if anyone wants to make donations and be a part of the project extra roles are available as well as behind the scenes post-production positions. This is going to be a phenomenal new venture of a GREAT untold story.

N8

p.s. The official poster is below.

 **************************************************************************

WeCan08 Video

There is an election in NOVEMBER so try to keep focused and REMEMBER what we wanted in the first place. CHANGE!!!

What does a psychiatrist, a guru, and post-modern furniture all have in common?

Laughter. Especially when Jerry Lewis is involved. I remember when the below movie first came out. I was extremely young and like most of America did not like it. Yet there were at least 3 scenes in the movie "Cracking Up" that just should and have to be considered classic.
Below is the opening credits scene and my all time fave scene in the surgery room. If you haven't seen these clips you haven't truly laughed in you life. Check out what I mean and rent (don't  buy) a copy from your local video store.
Enjoy
N8

Abel Ferrera, Willem Dafoe and A Big Green Screen

For all of you unfamiliar with green screen there is a great link below showing two legends playing around after successfully utilizing this filming technique.

Enjoy.
N8

http://abelferrara.com/films/movie/444-last-day-on-set/27259

I SEE DoP PEOPLE

If you are a Director of Photography in central New Jersey and have weekends free in September/October please check out our listing below.

http://cnj.craigslist.org/cwg/2573309018.html

N8

Yeah The Room SHOOK... From Laughter! ( ROTFLMAO )

So instead of doing the typical and talking about the earthquake this week or the fact that I am looking at the gray skies of a hurricane right now I have decided to share a new found guilty pleasure... Gigi!

As a former actor, I took it to heart when I watched a clip called "Gigi Sings For Gigi". As a man who has seen some wild stuff, I fell out laughing when I saw the episode "For A Good Time". And as human being who has mistaken infatuation with true LOVE, I rolled teary eyed on the ground at "Gigi's Book Club".

Some wrong things are just meant to be laughed at so although it may not be a 5.0 on the Richter Scale Gigi beats Irene by a long shot! You will be shaking/quaking from the laughter that will ensue once you figure out what's really going on.

Enjoy
N8

THE POWER OF INTENTIONS

A fellow blogger hipped me to this wonderful clip of Jim Carrey talking about the power of intentions. As usual, Jim is hilarious and no one not even in the back row is safe. However, there is something deeper to his commentary that should strike a nerve with anyone trying to get inline with what they are really suppose to be doing on this planet.

Jim found his path. I do believe I am on mine. Hence, I sincerely hope you are aware and enjoying yours.

Stay Positive and In Peace,
N8

GENERATE SOME FUNDS

If you are interested in participating in a future SAPIEN FILMS production please hit the link above in the title or the one below. Thanks.


N8






*FYI - SAPIEN FILMS is looking for two actresses with Brazilian or Grecian look. They must be bilingual in either Spanish or Portuguese and look between the ages of 21 and 28. The auditions will be held within the next two weeks so send A.S.A.P.* 

Email Headshot and Resumes to: nathanwaire@gmail.com

This Underwear Just Isn't Right At Sweet Sixteen

Unless you are Victoria's Secret then it is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!

BTW - Caution! There are images of male models that will make you laugh and some freaky facts about hand modeling and lotion that maybe the easily influenced should not see.  There are enough products being sold because of vanity all we need is more lotion and gloves. Trust me this is a weird way to make money but if I could you know I WOULD! NO DOUBT!!

You see I am not a total h8er so L8er
N8er

http://news.yahoo.com/video/whoknew-19124225/victoria-s-secret-models-26090962.html

THE CONCLUSION TO THE DARK KNIGHT SERIES IS COMING!!

About 2 weeks ago, I saw a trailer that leaked on the net for THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. I was gonna post it seeing that it showed Robin Williams as the Riddler and how Bane was created but everyone said that the footage leaked and therefore hurt the studio. I hate that!!! It had actual scenes from the film and the trailer was fantastic! Especially, seeing that this is the conclusion to this story line for the Dark Knight. However, I don't buy bootleg and I (because I am serious about film) will not promote such videos that hurt the studio, artists, and everyone else involved in the production of the film.

So here is the official trailer that was released. Not as good as the leaked trailer but there is just so much of the film they can show. You judge for yourself.

N8

Jon Favreau Will Do Anything... THAT IS WICKED COOL!!!!

Did you see Cowboys & Aliens? I think if you watch this vid you will have gotten the gist of the movie or at least the special effects in it.

When is Iron-Man 3 due for production?

N8

'NUFF' SAID.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT?

N8

REDTAILS (HOOORAAYY) By George Lucas (Really?)

George Lucas must have been talking to Steven Spielberg when this story came across his desk. Lord, I pray there isn't a African-American with a Jar-Jar-like speech impediment/problem in the this film or meesa gonna beesa ANGRY. VERISA ANGRY!!! LOL.

On a serious note, history and truth are way stranger than fiction. African-Americans have served in ALL of America's wars!!! I LOVE IT when Hollywood figures that kind of stuff out and actually puts a bankroll behind it.

Peace-a :)
N8

This is why Rugby and American Football are two very different sports.

Do this illegal move in the NFL and you would have both teams kick your @$$! Can you say monetary fines and serious penalties? The look of humiliation on the other guys face was killa but still that wouldn't get pass go with the egos in American sports. Even the still shot for the vid looks crazy wrong.



He definitely has the vert maybe he should play B-Ball??? NAAAAWWWW!!!!!

Keep Laughin @ Life
N8

An Odd Variation On Spider-Man Story

If you watch the trailer closely you "true fans" will see the AMAZING variation. Is it cool? I am seriously gonna watch the film to find out ;)

N8

MORE KICKSTARTER PROMOS FOR BOY

My Kickstarter Plea For BOY: A Story Based On True Events

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/752006192/boy-a-story-based-on-true-events-the-motion-pictur

Some of you may have noticed...

That the counter is back. Let's see if I can each that 16,000 # in less time than before. Old habits die hard.
I tried.
I realllly tried.
:P
N8

This Never Happens To Me At Target

This never happens to anyone at Target. LOL!!

God Rest Her Soul... Amy Winehouse Dead At 27

Police: Singer Amy Winehouse Dies at Age 27

Posted Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:56am PDT by AP in Stop The Presses!

LONDON (AP) - Amy Winehouse, the beehived soul-jazz diva whose self-destructive habits overshadowed a distinctive musical talent, was found dead Saturday in her London home, police said. She was 27.

Winehouse shot to fame in 2006 with the album "Back to Black," whose blend of jazz, soul, rock and classic pop was a global hit. It won five Grammys and made Winehouse - with her black beehive hairdoand old-fashioned sailor tattoos - one of music's most recognizable stars. But her personal life, with its drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders and destructive relationships, soon took over her career.

Police confirmed that a 27-year-old female was pronounced dead at the home in Camden Square northern London; the cause of death was not immediately known. London Ambulance Services said Winehouse had died before the two ambulance crews it sent arrived at the scene.

Singer and actress Kelly Osbourne, who helped Winehouse check into a drug addiction treatment facility in 2008, was one of many who grieved for the singer on Twitter.

"I cant even breath right now im crying so hard i just lost 1 of my best friends. i love you forever Amy and will never forget the real you!" she tweeted.

The singer's father, Mitch Winehouse, had arrived in New York this weekend to prepare for his U.S. performing debut Monday night at the Blue Note jazz club, but upon receiving news of his daughter's death was heading back home to London to be with his family, his publicist Don Lucoff said.

An ambulance could be seen parked beneath the trees outside her London home, and the whole street was cordoned off by police tape. Officers kept onlookers away from the scene.

Last month, Winehouse canceled her European comeback tour after she swayed and slurred her way through barely recognizable songs in her first show in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. Booed and jeered off stage, she flew home and her management said she would take time off to recover.

Winehouse was last publicly seen on at a London concert on Wednesday when she joined hergoddaughter Dionne Bromfield on stage. In that impromptu appearance, Winehouse danced with Bromfield and encouraged the audience to buy her album, before leaving the stage.

"I didn't go out looking to be famous," Winehouse told the Associated Press when "Back to Black" was released. "I'm just a musician."

But in the end, the music was overshadowed by fame, and by Winehouse's demons. Tabloids lapped up the erratic stage appearances, drunken fights, stints in hospital and rehab clinics. Performances became shambling, stumbling train wrecks, watched around the world on the Internet.

Born in 1983 to Mitch Winehouse, taxi driver, and his pharmacist wife Janis, Winehouse grew up in the north London suburbs, and was set on a showbiz career from an early age. When she was 10, she and a friend formed a rap group, Sweet 'n' Sour - Winehouse was Sour - that she later described as "the little white Jewish Salt 'n' Pepa."

She attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School, a factory for British music and acting moppets, later went to the Brit School, a performing arts academy in the "Fame" mold, and was originally signed to "Pop Idol" svengali Simon Fuller's 19 Management.

But Winehouse was never a packaged teen star, and always resisted being pigeonholed.

Her jazz-influenced 2003 debut album, "Frank," was critically praised and sold well in Britain. It earned Winehouse an Ivor Novello songwriting award, two Brit nominations and a spot on the shortlist for the Mercury Music Prize.

But Winehouse soon expressed dissatisfaction with the disc, saying she was "only 80 percent behind" the album.

"Frank" was followed by a slump during which Winehouse broke up with her boyfriend, suffered a long period of writer's block and, she later said, smoked a lot of marijuana.

"I had writer's block for so long," she said in 2007. "And as a writer, your self-worth is literally based on the last thing you wrote. .. I used to think, 'What happened to me?'

"At one point it had been two years since the last record and (the record company) actually said to me, 'Do you even want to make another record?' I was like, 'I swear it's coming.' I said to them, 'Once I start writing I will write and write and write. But I just have to start it.'"

The album she eventually produced was a sensation.

Released in Britain in the fall of 2006, "Back to Black" brought Winehouse global fame. Working with producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi and soul-funk group the Dap-Kings, Winehouse fused soul, jazz, doo-wop and, above all, a love of the girl-groups of the early 1960s with lyrical tales of romantic obsession and emotional excess.

"Back to Black" was released in the United States in March 2007 and went on to win five Grammy awards, including song and record of the year for "Rehab."

Music critic John Aizlewood attributed her trans-Atlantic success to a fantastic voice and a genuinely original sound.

"A lot of British bands fail in America because they give America something Americans do better - that's why most British hip-hop has failed," he said. "But they won't have come across anything quite like Amy Winehouse."

Winehouse's rise was helped by her distinctive look - black beehive of hair, thickly lined cat eyes, girly tattoos - and her tart tongue.

She was famously blunt in her assessment of her peers, once describing Dido's sound as "background music - the background to death" and saying of pop princess Kylie Minogue, "she's not an artist ... she's a pony."

The songs on "Black to Black" detailed breakups and breakdowns with a similar frankness. Lyrically, as in life, Winehouse wore her heart on her sleeve.

"I listen to a lot of '60s music, but society is different now," Winehouse said in 2007. "I'm a young woman and I'm going to write about what I know."

Even then, Winehouse's performances were sometimes shambolic, and she admitted she is "a terrible drunk." She acknowledged struggling with eating disorders and told a newspaper that she had been diagnosed as manic depressive but refused to take medication. Soon accounts of her erratic behavior, canceled concerts and drink- and drug-fueled nights began to multiply.

Photographs caught her unsteady on her feet or vacant-eyed, and she appeared unhealthily thin, with scabs on her face and marks on her arms.

There were embarrassing videos released to the world on the Internet. One showed an addled Winehouse and Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty playing with newborn mice. Another, for which Winehouse apologized, showed her singing a racist ditty to the tune of a children's song.

Winehouse's managers went to increasingly desperate lengths to keep the wayward star on the straight and narrow. Before the June concert in Belgrade, her hotel was stripped of booze. It did no good, and the concert was painful to watch.

Though she was often reported to be working on new material, fans got tired of waiting for the much-promised followup to "Back to Black."

Occasional bits of recording saw the light of day. Her rendition of The Zutons' "Valerie" was a highlight of producer Mark Ronson's 2007 album "Version," and she recorded the pop classic "It's My Party" for the 2010 Quincy Jones album "Q: Soul Bossa Nostra."

But other recording projects with Ronson, one of the architects of the success of "Back to Black," came to nothing.

She also had run-ins with the law. In April 2008, Winehouse was cautioned by police for assault after she slapped a man during a raucous night out.

The same year she was investigated by police, although not charged, after a tabloid newspaper published a video that appeared to show her smoking crack cocaine.

In 2010, Winehouse pleaded guilty to assaulting a theater manager who asked her to leave a family Christmas show because she'd had too much to drink. She was given a fine and a warning to stay out of trouble by a judge who praised her for trying to clean up her act.

In May 2007 in Miami, she married music industry hanger-on Blake Fielder-Civil, but the honeymoon was brief. That November, Fielder-Civil was arrested for an attack on a pub manager the year before. Fielder-Civil later pleaded guilty to assaulting barman James King and then offering him 200,000 pounds (US$400,000) to keep quiet about it.

Winehouse stood by "my Blake" throughout his trial, often blowing kisses at him from the court's public gallery and wearing a heart-shaped pin labeled "Blake" in her hair at concerts. But British newspapers reported extramarital affairs while Fielder-Civil was behind bars.

They divorced in 2009.

Winehouse's health often appeared fragile. In June 2008 and again in April 2010, she was taken to hospital and treated for injuries after fainting and falling at home.

Her father said she had developed the lung disease emphysema from smoking cigarettes and crack, although her spokeswoman later said Winehouse only had "early signs of what could lead to emphysema."

She left the hospital to perform at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park in June 2008, and at the Glastonbury festival the next day, where she received a rousing reception but scuffled with a member of the crowd. Then it was back to a London clinic for treatment, continuing the cycle of music, excess and recuperation that marked her career.

Kickstarter Promo Poster # 2 for BOY

BOY ON KICKSTARTER

Take a moment to view the new push for funding a feature length version of BOY: A Story Based On True Events.


 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/752006192/boy-a-story-based-on-true-events-the-motion-pictur

Thanks,

N8

Cesar Salazar's MMA training landed him a Virgin... T-Mobile ad that is (LMAO)

NO JOKE!!! The guy is filming this week on a campaign that starts as print ads, then progresses to internet commercials, and finally goes on air. The grappling hold that he shows in the clip is called the Kimora (or as I like to call it the Kill-more-a) Shoulder Lock and when he first gets into position I freaked out saying "No, No, NOOO!" then I remembered he actually got that gig because of it. Trust me if my legs are in the air with some 200+ pound dude between them something is terribly wrong cause I don't know no grapplin' and if I live everybody else is gonna die (lol4real)!

SERIOUSLY, I am super proud of Cesar! He is a versatile actor who has a vast range of emotions and true depth of character. I wish him the best of luck with the Virgin T-Mobile ad campaign. Trust me when I say Cesar is a versatile and talented actor. The fact that he can probably kill us in about three moves only reinforces the point that Cesar is one Bad @$$ Dude.

Cesar when you blow up be sure to remember the people who believed that you would make it to that point. The sky is the limit!

Good Luck!
N8

Another Glimpse At BIOSHOCK INFINITE

As some of you steady readers may have noticed that earlier in the spring I posted BIOSHOCK's opening trailer and game play. YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS 15 MINUTES OF AMAZINGLY MINDBLOWING DEMO!!! They tell a better story in 15 minutes than some movies show you in 90. You will be ASTONISHED!!!

N8

RAISING FUNDS

Please donate so that the next few steps in the SAPIEN FILMS venture can be achieved.
Thanks
N8

p.s. There are some very cool perks for donating like producer credits.

Pollinators - Yeah Right!

I was actually going to post a video about pollinators from the "you've got" series then I saw Jessica White...

ENJOY!!!

N8

p.s. Note that I did not make any bad pollination jokes although my mind clearly went there.
p.p.s. Pollinators like butterflies and bees are essential to all fruits and vegetables in the US and the world... OKAY YOU DIRTY B@ST@RDS BACK TO JESSICA!!!

http://video.aol.com/video/youve-got-jessica-white/1366611117

Eminem rapping for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

COOL... As long as he doesn't make a guest appearance... That would suck.

LOL and enjoy the trailer!

BTW - I hope there isn't a Tom Cruise hanging from a wire scene because in the first M.I. it was breathtaking, in  the second it was yeah I remember that, in the third it was like ok, in the forth... You get my point. All M.I. fans can hate me now but don't deny the truth.

N8

What No Hands?!!! That Is Somethin' Ya Gotta See Unless You're Robbing A Major Bank

First let me say that my next few statements are not truly related but just what is rolling through my head right now. So Citibank got robbed by a legally blind and Black dude from NYC (YO/OMG!!! I want the movie rights to that film- NO JOKE), Captian America is coming out on the 23rd instead of the 4th (Say What?!?) and this is my fave song on the radio... Hmmm... I wonder if  there are anymore hackers like the cat who robbed Citibank who would like to finance some videos I am working on? I have accounts at... Never mind. I sneeze the wrong way near a bank and I have too many people starring at my @$$ .

Enjoy Waka Flocka.

'Nuff' Said!
N8

HORRIBLE BOSSES WILL BE ONE OF THE FUNNIEST FILMS THIS YEAR!

You take the 9 to 5 formula (Dolly Parton/ early 80s movie) update it with actual murder and a bunch of dudes instead of ladies; throw in some GREAT C and B list comic actors including Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Aniston... WAIT THEY ARE  ON THE A-LIST!!! My Bad!!! And I am pretty sure you have a d@mn funny movie. Watch the clips and judge for yourself ;)

N8

DINO MATIS - D. Bravanti Reading

Dino's dramatic improvisational take on the characters makes him one of the stronger choices for the David Bravanti character.

N8

Another very cool letter from a talented and brilliant guy - BILLY FRANKS

This artist has a BRILLIANT BOOK MARKETING CONCEPT & MUSIC PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY!!! NOW it is time for you (the viewers and listeners) to judge his approach, musical & writing styles, as well as genre choices. 

N8

Nathan,

You may know that I have a book being published in the not to distant future by Black & White, the same publishers for Roald Dahl among others.

I have been networking for over a year now to try and gather as many friends as possible so they could at least consider the book on publication.

It really is a beautiful little book. (I have added the introduction below in case you would like to read it)

So I was thinking I might ask you and a few others if you would be willing to do some kind of promotional exchange:

You email or post to your connections an invitation to download my free compilation album.

In return I will do the same for any product or service you would like me to promote.

Here are my figures.

Myspace: 22,495

Face book: Fan Page members 8,479 -  Friends 3,465

Youtube: Friends 10,667 – Subscribers: 1,631

Mailing list: 10,110

Twitter 10,124

Linkedin: 4,384

Allowing for the little amount of crossover that there is, the total is over 60,000

I would like to know your thoughts before I approach any others with the same proposition,

I hope all remains well with you,

Billy

     Billy Franks: Singer/Songwriter/Author
Email: billy@billyfranks.com
Website: www.billyfranks.com
Free Compilation Album: euphoria@billyfranks.com

A Far Cry from Sunset: - Introduction.

Starting in the summer of 2005, three friends and I took an eight month journey across the two continents of America and Europe.

We were on a mission: – to get ten of the world’s most famous recording artists to record a tribute album to an unknown songwriter; – And that songwriter would be me.

As we travelled, we were going to make a road movie; an epic chronicle of our quest, and a testament to our friendship.

We made it and called it, Tribute This!

The adventures we had and the people we met changed my life profoundly. Not only its present but also how I view its past.

Apart from our struggles with managers, publicists, security, and even one or two of the artists themselves, we ran into so many people from ordinary walks of life; cab drivers, hotel porters, fans standing in line to see their heroes, who couldn’t do enough to help or encourage us on our journey.

For one long summer, we lived life so brilliantly; so full of laughter and a gathering sense of achievement, that I wondered if the artists we were pursuing ever got to see life in anything like the same way.

In contrast, they seemed so protected, so hidden away, so cut off from the world that, towards the end of our travels, the thought occurred to me, at that point in time, I wouldn’t swap one year of their lives for one day of ours.

My hope is, in reading my account of those heady days, along with the memories from my musical life so far, you will understand why

Billy Franks