Behind the Lens

When you are watching a movie, you often forget where you are. You are in a new world that is confined to the screen in front of you. You are transported to a new place by the story and characters – all in the comfort of a movie theater. But what happens when you watch a movie in an unlikely place like a Veteran’s Hall or even an Irish Pub? You are left wondering if the movie theater or your home is the only place to comfortably watch a movie.

Last weekend I had the honor of attending the 16^th Annual International Sonoma Film Festival http://www.sonomafilmfest.org/. Hundreds of people flock to the city of Sonoma to watch films from 16 different countries. From feature films to documentaries, there weren’t enough hours in the day to see all of the films. The ones I did see like Mia, Acorazado, In Montauk and Spinning Plates, to name a few, were outstanding.

The venues were as varied as the films. One minute, I was in an art museum then an Irish pub and I ended my day in the Sonoma Valley Women’s Club. They were even showing films at the local Congregational church. The different venues made me realize that it was much more enjoyable to watch a movie in an unlikely place than a familiar place. Indeed, the unique experience of watching a movie in a small, intimate setting is what made the Sonoma Film Festival a truly enjoyable experience for me.

-GO

On USC’s annual day of service, we have the opportunity to give our time and our labor to worthwhile causes. I was fortunate this year to be able to give something else – my story. I never would have thought that sharing my past experiences with someone would mean so much.

-GO

Had a great time with Rosie for her fabulous photo shoot. Here is a sneak peek of the day. Enjoy!

-GO

Do you spot someone famous in this clip from the classic film “Goonies”?  Don’t worry I have embedded the clip below for the nostalgic fans out there.

Corey Feldman isn’t the only actor in this scene who would go on to great things. The actress who plays the maid is named Lupe Ontiveros. Lupe would go on and have a career that extended over 35 years. She starred in over 100 films including television and theater productions. You might have also seen her in such classic films as “As Good As it Gets,” “Real Woman Have Curves” and, most importantly, in “Selena”. She was in a category unto herself.

Every year during the Academy Awards, there is a memoriam in the middle of the show. While every year, they inevitably miss someone who deserves recognition, the omission of Lupe Ontiveros this year was shocking. Lupe deserves recognition not only for her incredible acting, but for what she inspired others to do.

She was an inspiration to me in particular because she beat all the odds in the entertainment industry. It is very difficult to be an actress in Hollywood let alone a Latina and an older woman. Lupe was in a class of her own, always finding a way to do what she truly loved.

Anytime Latinos are acknowledged for their contribution in the media, it makes a huge impact on the dreams and aspirations of hundreds of people. Her exclusion made me think how important it is for Latinos or any ethnic group to see themselves on the silver screen. Movies give us a chance to relate to characters that closely resemble ourselves.

Including her in the memoriam would have shown Hollywood was going in the right direction finally and recognizing talented actresses from all ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately, they let me down. But Lupe Ontiveros never did. Her films will ultimately remain her lasting tribute. That is something that the Academy can never take away from her.

-GO

My Top Picks For 2012

-GO

Sierra’s Picks

Let me explain.

Clearly I have excellent taste in cinema and am a very discerning viewer. However, at the end of the day, we go to the movies to be entertained. I happen to love romantic comedies and action films/thrillers – unfortunately, there are few great movies produced in these genres.

The films on this list are MY top films of 2012. They’re not what the Academy deem worthy of their esteem. They are, however, the movies that made me laugh and cry, that made me care for the characters portrayed and that transported me to a whole other place, even if just for a couple of hours.

My itty bitty reviews

Ted: Crass and flippin’ hilarious
End of Watch: Real, heart-breaking. I am PSYCHED to see Michael Pena portraying Cesar Chavez.
Flight: Just a really excellent film – tight
Cloud Atlas: Loved the book, loved the movie
Life of Pi: Ditto- Beautiful
Silver Linings Playbook: Couldn’t look away
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer: If you haven’t seen it, don’t talk smack. History + vampires = awesome
The Five Year Engagement: The only rom-com that was any good this year. I love all these funny people.
Magic Mike: Thank you, Channing Tatum.
21 Jump Street: SO funny!
Skyfall: I love Daniel Craig as Bond. I didn’t think he could outdo himself…then this came along.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower: One of the best movies I’ve ever seen about high school
Savages: CA + Mexico collide w/ lots of pretty people
The Hunger Games: Saw the movie first, then read the book – they did an amazingly good job. Great casting.
Wreck-it Ralph: Te quiero mucho, Ralph!
7 Psychopaths: Great original script! Dare I say Christopher Walken’s most awesome performance yet?!
Looper: Original, though-provoking and just a great film
The Lorax: After working on my boyfriend for four years to make him love nature, THIS film singlehandedly turned him into an environmentalist. He still yells “Lorax!” every time he sees a stump.

-Sierra

There are five seasons in Los Angeles – winter, spring, summer, fall and Awards season, the end of which is marked with an annual ritual called the Academy Awards. LA is an industry town – it seems a majority of Angelenos either work in the industry or are within one to two degrees of someone who does. That’s partly because it takes SO MANY people to make a movie. It’s the antithesis of the solitary writer laboring on novel. A movie is fundamentally a collaborative effort.

But don’t think for a moment that all collaborators are equal. No, there is a definitive caste system in the movie industry – are you above or below the line? This metaphorical line refers to the creative individuals who are indispensable (and need to be insured because if something happens to them, the future of movie would be in jeopardy). Below the line is a veritable army of technical production people – from camera operators to assistants to make-up artists and the costume crew to caterers – all of whom are indispensable to the movie actually getting made…. Those above the line usually include the writer, director, the lead actors and not many more.

Guess who isn’t generally above the line? The cinematographer. Cinematography is still viewed as a technical skill. But I don’t take that as a knock – cinematography is a beautiful combination of artistry and tech and that’s exactly why I love it.

Every year, German and I spend the months leading up to the Oscars binging on great films and debating the Academy’s selections. We always fill out our ballots for awards night and every year German beats me on the technical categories like sound design, visual effects and production design. He has honed his eye to what great craft looks like.

This year, as you watch the Oscars, don’t tune out when they get to the more technical categories or that weird moment when they play footage of a bunch of nerdy men in tuxedoes (at the Academy’s technical award). I ask you to join me in clapping just as hard for the amazing artists below the line.

http://oscar.go.com/mypicks#

-Sierra

Here we are trying to work off the calories we ate last weekend for Superbowl Sunday. Or, in my case, getting over the fact that the 49ers were so close to being back on top. Some are feeling bitter, but let’s use this opportunity to reflect on what really matters in this life. As we approach the first weekend without football, I am looking thru my DVD library to find a movie to fill in for football. There were many memorable moments of the game including the blackout that changed the momentum of the game or the amazing Superbowl commercials. I continued searching for a film that captures the same emotion as the Superbowl. It did not take long to find the movie that I was looking for.

I will give you a clue…its the story about a young man who grew up to be a football player. The player’s name is Michael Oher and guess what he played in the Superbowl. His life inspired the film “The Blind Side” the 2009 biopic about a woman who opens up her home to a homeless teen and fosters his love of football. If you have not seen the movie I highly recommend it. As we move on with our weekends without football. I can’t stop to think how far Michael has come from nothing to Super Bowl Champ. Football season might be over and there clearly was a winner on Sunday, but the true winner are those who believe in the power of generosity and helping people achieve their dreams. Can’t wait to watch it over the weekend.

-GO

I will admit to you that sometimes I spend a little bit to much time on YouTube. I might even be considered a “YouTube junkie”. YouTube has provided me with hours of entertainment and there is always something new. Very few times there is a video that stands out above the rest. This week a great little gem came out starring a little kid giving you a pep talk for the ages. As we wind down the first month of the new year my goals have been set. Watching the video made me realize that I am very excited to make them come true and add a little more awesome to the world along the way. I had to share it with everyone in case you haven’t seen it yet. If there was ever a kid slapping you with some awesomeness this is it. The video is so inspirational that I am reading more Robert Frost and renting Space Jam tomorrow. Happy Friday!

-GO

I remember when I was I was a kid and going to Disneyland was the greatest adventure of all time. Every kid dreams of the day that he or she will visit the Happiest Place On Earth and meet Mickey Mouse. But what happens when you grow up?

This past weekend my sister invited my mom, dad and myself to visit Seaworld. We spent the day watching killer whales, dolphins and even pigs do some amazing tricks. But, the greatest trick that I saw did not involve any animals it involved us. I realized how lucky I am to have a family that still believes in the magic of a family trip to an amusement park. We might all have our own lives but we still try to make time for each other.

It was much more than a day trip, it showed me that in some ways we’re lucky in that we never fully grow up.

-GO

On Tuesday, I went to Justin & Mary’s “What’s Next” tour here in Los Angeles. Both Justin & Mary are awesome photographers who I admire and look up to. The magnificent event provided me with the opportunity to meet local photographers and learn how to pursue my “What’s Next” in my career. This past year has been fabulous for us and I wanted to keep the momentum going.

When I walked into the event, the word Fear was written on a black chalkboard.

The word commanded you to stop and take notice. Even though it was just written, it felt as if I was the one responsible in writing it. The word made me feel like I was incapable of moving forward. Ultimately, the word reminded me of my own fears.

An example of such a fear for me was blogging. A year ago I would of never put a blog on my website. Who do I blame that on …FEAR.

With the help of Justin & Mary, I learned that in order to not have fear one has to come to the conclusion that we will ALL fail at several points in our lives. It only matters what we do when we fail that defines who we truly are.

So the next time I see FEAR written or not, I will always think just to confront it and chances are what comes next isn’t that bad.

-GO