http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/ ja http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-13.html 昨年の５月からスタートしたロサンジェルスブログは、ワイズポリシーオフィシャルサイトの閉鎖とともに終了することになりました。短い間ではありましたが、ご覧いただいたみなさまに感謝いたします。またどこかでお会いできる日を愉しみにしています。
短い間ではありましたが、ご覧いただいたみなさまに感謝いたします。

またどこかでお会いできる日を愉しみにしています。 ]]> LA BLOG 2009-04-24T16:56:48+09:00 WISEPOLICY FC2-BLOG http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-12.html Politics seems to be consuming the United States this year. Not only the race between BARACK OBAMA and that OTHER GUY but Hollywood has its own political power struggle going on.We all know that Hollywood tends to skew a little on the Liberal/Progressive side . Donations to OBAMA from celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Oprah and many more help rally the population t
We all know that Hollywood tends to skew a little on the Liberal/Progressive side . Donations to OBAMA from celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Oprah and many more help rally the population to the side of this very popular candidate.




Then on the Other Side, well...
Let’s just say Wilford Brimley doesn’t attract the crowd he used to.




To be fair, the race remains very close despite the celebrity advantage that Obama seems to have.

Now, you would think the exhausting Presidential race is enough for all Americans even Hollywood Americans to chew on for the year, however Hollywood has been in the middle of HUGE political battles all year long.

I am going to spare you the boring details and give you the annotated short version.

Hollywood is presently in contract negotiations. All of Hollywood? Yes, all of Hollywood. How can a town be in negotiations? Not a town, but the industry. All the industry?
Yes all of it.

What?

You see, the entertainment industry is a symbiotic mess. Everyone depends on everyone else to keep the wheels turning, but ultimately the money in centralized with the major studios and networks. Every actor, every writer, every technician and every stage hand, and all their agents, publicists, managers, and their assistants, and nannies and the waiters at their favorite restaurants,and their families are dependent on the wheels being kept in motion.

Every ten years or so, there comes a time for contract renegotiations, where the unions WGA (Writers), SAG (Actors), AFTRA (Actors), DGA (Directors), IATSE (TECHNICIANS), face off against the studios and television networks who are represented by the AMPTP




These happy and good natured brawls have resulted in millions if not billions of lost revenues, not for the studios who have found record profits this year, but to the rest of the industry.

The Writer’s strike was first, and now we are facing a slower but possibly more devastating SAG strike and it has ripped our entertainment community in two. Pitting Network and Studio executives against their friends and neighbors. It has been brutal and very saddening.

But wait! There’s more!
You may have noticed that there are TWO Actor’s Unions. Well, these Unions hate each other. AFTRA is historically a little less excited about striking since they are run by the largest union in the U.S , the AFL/CIO and it would mean an enormous work stoppage if they put the full force of their union behind these negotiations. SAG, on the other hand is run solely by actors for actors which makes them a little more forceful and ready to strike. The result of this schism has been that AFTRA made a deal with the AMPTP, without the consent of SAG.




Now SAG stands alone against the AMPTP.

BUT, WAIT!

Now SAG is having elections, and two groups are fighting within SAG for control of the union and to continue negotiations.

There is the group MEMBERSHIP FIRST who represent the status quo and the “Old Guard”,
and the group for change called UNITE FOR STRENGTH.




One thing is certain in this strange year for the U.S and for the entertainment industry, with all the strikes and anger with the high stakes and crises that we face, no matter the outcome, things will never be the same.


*** The views expressed in this post do not represent those of WISEPOLICY or any of its affiliates, Alf LaMont is presently involved in the election campaign of Barack Obama, was dating a member of the WGA, and has a friend running for SAG office under UNITE FOR STRENGTH any bias towards any group was accidental but totally understandable.


日本語翻訳は ]]> politics 2008-09-04T07:41:44+09:00 WISEPOLICY FC2-BLOG http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-11.html This last week was very very sad here in Hollywood.Over the weekend we had two legendary performers pass away. The Comedian Bernie Mac Bernie had been struggling with health issues from some time but was known as one of the KINGS OF COMEDY. Hollywood also parted ways with the soulful singer Isaac HayesIsaac Hayes was best known for singing the theme to SHAFT (Which can be heard in the link below)

This last week was very very sad here in Hollywood.

Over the weekend we had two legendary performers pass away.
The Comedian Bernie Mac



Bernie had been struggling with health issues from some time but was known as one of the KINGS OF COMEDY.

Hollywood also parted ways with the soulful singer Isaac Hayes



Isaac Hayes was best known for singing the theme to SHAFT (Which can be heard in the link below),
and for providing the voice to the SOUTH PARK animated character of “Chef”.

http://www.box.net/index.php?rm=box_v2_download_file&uniq_name=onehit2&file_id=f_78799341/247.%20Isaac%20Hayes%20-%20Shaft.mp3

Despite the loss of these two personalities, nothing has reverberated throughout the Hollywood
community however like the loss of Talent Manager, Bernie Brillstein



A friend to all who knew him and a rarity indeed ,in a town made famous for people who will do anything to get to the top. Bernie Brillstein was a kind and decent man with an eye for innovation and creativity. His oldest and most famous clients were JIM HENSON of the Muppets, and producer LORNE MICHAELS (AUSTIN POWERS, WAYNES WORLD, SNL)

Bernie was the man who practically invented “Packaging” , the art of putting more than one client in a show so as a manager you not only receive 10% for one actor, but rather 10% for all the actors in a show, and the writers, and a producing fee. Amazingly, Bernie did this without sacrificing the quality of his product. Being a genius for spotting talent, and a respectful fan of good work his shows made him vastly popular without creating any real enemies. He helped produce the show JUST SHOOT ME, which gave rise to the company I now work for, and did the same hundreds of times over for countless amounts of people.

He will be missed in the entertainment community and his legacy of mutual respect and family within this crazy town is something I will always hold dear.


日本語翻訳は ]]> hollywood 2008-08-11T23:12:51+09:00 WISEPOLICY FC2-BLOG http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-10.html This last weekend not only did I attend Comic-Con, but I also went to the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIAN CENTER’S 40th ANNUAL POW WOW. Now, I’m assuming that many of you out there have no Idea what a “Pow Wow” is. From Wikipedia:“A pow-wow (also powwow or pow wow or pau wau) is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader" SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIAN CENTER’S 40th ANNUAL POW WOW. Now, I’m assuming that many of you out there have no Idea what a “Pow Wow” is.

From Wikipedia:
“A pow-wow (also powwow or pow wow or pau wau) is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader".”

So all the tribes from the Southern California Region and a few from Alaska and even Oklahoma gathered in Griffith Park to enjoy Los Angeles, Eat, Dance, Sing and of course sell cool stuff.
Here are some pictures from the annual event.



This Teepee was where some of the dancers were changing costumes



Vendors were selling Traditional native Jewelry



The Dancers wore elaborate costumes for their tradititonal dances

And since this is California...



Native Surfboards!



And some representation from FULL BLOOD SKATEBOARDS an Indian run and operated
skateboarding company.


日本語翻訳は
]]> events 2008-08-01T07:35:14+09:00 WISEPOLICY FC2-BLOG http://wisepolicylablog.blog25.fc2.com/blog-entry-9.html As many of you probably have noticed, there has been an ever increasing demand for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Comic Book related films. With THE DARK KNIGHT having already broken many records, and set to overtake TITANIC in largest gross ever Hollywood has turned its colossal eye to the fan base of these genres. With movies like WATCHMEN, GI JOE, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, and TV series like BATT

As many of you probably have noticed, there has been an ever increasing demand for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Comic Book related films. With THE DARK KNIGHT having already broken many records, and set to overtake TITANIC in largest gross ever Hollywood has turned its colossal eye to the fan base of these genres. With movies like WATCHMEN, GI JOE, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, and TV series like BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE BIONIC WOMAN, TERMINATOR, and THE CLONE WARS, Studios and merchants descended on San Diego this weekend for COMIC CON 2008.

I have been attending this event every year since I moved to Southern California in 2001 and since then, it has become enormous, with major stars like Samuel Jackson, Hugh Jackman, Jet Li, Scarlett Johansen And entire casts from upcoming features like THE SPIRIT showing up to please the fans and talk about upcoming projects. Many people are sad to see the giant film studios overtake what was once a small convention of comic book collectors and with crowds of 50000 people, you can imagine, it gets a little crazy. However, there is no other venue for fans of sci fi, anime, fantasy and movies to get up close and personal to the stars and creators of their favorite series and films. And of course.. Dress up.



An Elvis Storm Trooper and a Fat Darth Vader



Harley Quinn, The Joker , and The Penguin (El Pinguino, sice he looks like he’s Mexican)



Klingons from Star Trek (I think the one on the left is My High School Math Teacher)



Spidey!



Jet Li Discussing THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR



Hugh Jackman at the panel for WOLVERINE



I Have no idea what this thing is, but it kept following me saying “Pika Pika” untill I finally called the police.



Yes, I kicked Batman’s Ass.

日本語翻訳は ]]> events 2008-07-28T22:27:05+09:00 WISEPOLICY FC2-BLOG