So where the hell have I been? Everytime I wake up in the morning, I ask myself that same question. Usually followed by what the hell is a traffic cone, orange wig, empty cases of import beer and one pissed off monkey doing in my room? But enough about how I cured cancer, on with the update…

The deadly life threatening flu that I contracted has all but gone and has dropped down to orange alert, annoying tickling cough. Would have been over it faster, but have been keeping myself way too busy, mostly with video store work and helping out on a wintec short film, which has been interesting to say the least. Lots of very cool gear being used and at one point, there was a 30 ft crane on set that had me changing my pants several times from pure delight. But the set is on a farm that was at first stinking to high heaven of sheep shit and now after some wonderful winter weather, reduced to a mud field of very squishy proportions. Its not so bad, but for some reason, walking around the dark at night, the constant squishing sounds of the mud just gets to me, even though no said liquids are in contact with my person. Washing machine is getting its run for its money though.

Best part about this is the fact that to both of our surprises, my friend Rob who disappeared from my life years ago to Wellington, turned up out of the blue for this film and he’s awesome and reads this blog. But yeah, its an interesting shoot and only being a helping hand on this one, it’s always still facinating to me to watch how other people’s productions run. Especially the other low budget stuff, its almost overkill how professional this shoot is, there are a couple of industry professionals here and the set ups are being rigged in a very industry professional manner and that on the level of this kind of production is making for facinating sideline viewing for me. Details another time no doubt.

At the same time, I’ve been juggling my work and pulled off the ridiculous amount of hours at the video store this weekend (28ish in 48 hours), but meh I say. Worst off is the fact I have a couple of corporate videos that need cutting and the deadline is only a few days away and the time to do so is getting tight. Oh and forgot to mention earlier, but the damn computer with Pictures of You on it is now sitting in my room waiting for me to start chopping into it as well, that’s my job on it now, but that’ll have to wait just a bit longer as I vainly attempt to clear up my workload.

Also to mention, I finally got myself a copy of Auckland’s international film festival booklet and as thought, the list is sweet. Already planned several times to just go up and watch as much cool stuff as possible. One particular weekend has about nine films pencilled in as “yeah, I’d really like to go to this one and that one and oh, this one will be cool” blah, blah, blah. Fact that I’m working this year will probably mean I’ll be seening more festival films in Auckland than I did last year when I was living there. Go figure.

Oh yeah, and the national winner of the 48 Hour competition was announced tonight. Hamilton’s entry didn’t win and to my disappointment, Lemonade Coup didn’t get Cinematography (though they still get a nice panasonic dvx102… dastards), but it was a very interesting line-up of finalists. Auckland’s finalist was a surprising winner and it’ll be interesting to see how it actually compares to their finalists. My bet was on the Christchurch entry that come in second and was just great, but in the end, Lease, one of Peter Jackon’s wild card entries took the top spot.

Now its off to some much needed sleep, been getting so little in the past week, and that’s not gonna let up for a few more days, so here is two highly amusing videos of street magic and stuff.

Yep. Forget other people. I don’t need them anymore. Not with a Pleo, now the only thing I ever want for Christmas.

And then a new Simpsons movie trailer, downloadable here or from a selection here. Or just watch the embedded goodness…

And just for fun. Scenes from some of the worst movies ever. Cause I’m just in that kind of mood.

Been cripplingly sick with the flu for the last few days and feeling like a totally unmotivated dead member of society. One night had me going with restless sleep and occasional vomiting, but I’m now through the worst of it, so happy fun times lie ahead of me. Only major victim was my room that turned into a sea of snot filled tissues and mugs filled with leftover soup, tea and other congealed liquids that were beneficial to my well being.

In saying that, here comes the happy fun times of knowing that the schedule for this year’s international film festival is out. I’ve been having issues with the site today, probably because of the new design and some obvious bugs going on with its layout, but not before catching a glimps of at least a few films of worthy note… David Lynch’s Inland Empire is topping the charts, so is Satoshi Kon’s Paparika, Ghibli’s Tales from the Earthsea, Hezrog’s Rescue Dawn, Tekkonkinkreet and the indulgently fun looking Daywatch. No doubt there are a lot more, but having such issues with the site at the moment, I can’t really see the whole list. But hopefully it’ll fix up soon, or even better, someone in Auckland can be a good sport and send me a few copies of the booklets as opposed to be being a selfish biach (you know how you are you whore).

Other than that, I really have nothing much else to report, so it’s off to bed with me and if luck is going my way, I’ll be well enough to go join in on the festivities for Shirow’s birthday party. But until then, here is more examples of the awesomeness that is the Japanese and human tetris. I miss that Naoki bastard.

I’m typing this on my own computer now, which is such a welcomed change as I find it really hard to type on particular keyboards. One of my anal retentive issues I’ve got with have that particular clicking noise that I’ve got to have.

But yeah, this is really still a kind of temporary thing. The computer is only hooked up through a really long cord across the house as we’re still waiting on the landlord to get back to us on drilling a hole in the corner to feed the cables under the house. Another problem from that is that despite this house being totally awesome old and pretty, is it’s ridiculously cold at almost all times of the day. The heater I bought (as my old and much bigger and better one was lost in my absent moving period) isn’t heating up as big of a room as I’d hope it would and I’m only getting mildly not cold temperatures going on. The rest of the house, like the hallway for example are like giant, pretty looking meat rooms with steamy breaths and everything going on wherever you are. I can’t wait for winter to end as this house will be great in the summer, but so far a deathtrap in the winter.

Oh and finally got results back today on our 48 hour film and how its done as a possible wild card selectee… nada! I never thought I’d be selected and once again, I’m right. So the big win is now I finally get to post it out online to the world for all of you to see. So without further ado, here is our entry into the 2007 V 48 Hour Furious Filmmaking Competition… Flash Sanders: Funk Detective.

So my room is pretty much set out. Desk. Bed. Computer. Stereo system. Super sweet leather chairs… all totally checked.

Still got to work out the internet connection as there is no easy way of connecting to my room at the moment, so for now I’m limited to using other flatmate’s computers which are all connected to the internet and running without hiccups. Reckon this is just a conspiricy of theirs to stop me using up all the bandwidth downloading emu porn or something. Cause that stuff is hot.

But yeah, the place is looking great and over time shall be even greater. Maybe a Chuck Norris level of great, but that’s a big stretch to be honest. But now I’m getting into a more settled lifestyle free of running around trying to remember where I live, I can finally get started on some editing of videos that have been in need of editing for sometime now.

But first… drinking. I’m just gonna keep writing it up everywhere because of the mega crushed phone incident, I have lost quite a few numbers and shall keep posting notes on here, myspace, bebo and public toilet walls of the flatwarming that shall be going on here this Saturday where there will be much drinking and… yeah, that’s it. Just the drinking. Email or txt me if you need details, but be sure to include who you are because I’m now sick of messaging people back “blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I lost my phone to a bear that mistoke it for a jar of honey and I’ve lost some numbers. Who is this?” Happens all the time. Damn grizzlys.

Still haven’t moved into new house yet. Everytime I go there, I’ve got more stuff and I throw that stuff into the room and sometimes organise it into tidy stuff, but I’ve still yet to sleep there. Flatmate figures that once I move my computer of awesome in there it’ll be a sign I’ve finally settled in. He’s probably right too. Problem is, I’m still waiting on a decently sized and reasonably priced desk to fall into my lap or into my room more preferably, but that will all come together soon. Very soon. Tomorrow a couple of trademe auctions shall finish and if the gods smile favourably, I shall emerge victorious of the bidders and with a sexy desk. The room is starting to take shape though, bed is in there and so is a shelf, but there are still many boxes of stuff around the place and lots of open floorspace going on still… as it’s so freaking huge, it’s awesome. Not to forget that there is a flatwarming this weekend for any and all that can make it. Saturday. Contact me for details. Did I mention earlier that I’ve broken my cellphone? Beat it up pretty bad and now it’s got a broken screen and walked out on me with some of my address book and the children. Since then, I’ve been getting txt messages from various ‘unknowns’ where I can either deduce through socratic logic of who it is, or sheepishly send a txt back saying sorry, I’ve come to depend on technology too much. But yeah, I have lost some numbers and that is why some are not hearing much from me. Which also reminds me… Marama, I don’t have yours or Joe’s number, so I didn’t get to send you a birthday greeting, but you’re hearing it here on the blog, Happy birthday! As a cheap present of some sort, here is the trailer to 30 Days of Night. Yeah That’s right, I’ve put together a trailer of the film you worked on as a birthday present for you. How magic am I? Seriously, it looks pretty cool though and I’m seeing quite a bit of the comic coming through. Yay!

Flash Sanders: Funk Detective recieved the following wins: Best Costume, Best Editing and City Runner Up Award. It also received nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Score, Best Actor and V Most Manic Performance.

I was so sure that either I’ll Die Before I Go Back or Shiseido and Jerry were going to win best and runner up for the region, but it was instead taken by The Playground which was alright, but yeah… what a surprise.

But this now means we’re not completely out of the competition and our film will now be sent down to Peter Jackson to check out and be screened with all the other tops and runner ups to be possibly selected as a wild card and added in with the national competitors. Not bagging on that happening, but I am just stoked enough with how we did last night. Only thing, I really wish Sash got something for his performance, he was great as Flash. Overall it was a good night (drinking and hangover now) and I’m slowly getting into the grove of wanting to do it again next year.

Oh yeah, it also means I still can’t post the short up on youtube until I get word back on how we do as a wildcard selectee. But we’ll get there. Eventually.

So the top 12 list has been announced and it looks like our short Flash Sanders: Funk Detective is among them, which I’m totally stoked about as it means we’re on the DVD and that’s all I need really. This Thursday will be the finals and I’ve got my bet on at least two films that are pretty top marked contenders to take away the region’s best award. Actually, one in particular I think is pretty damn awesome in everything it did, from the story structure to the acting to the very excellent intergration of the three required elements of a rope, the line “what do you call that” and a character named Jerry/Geri Reed/Reid, hypochondriac.

Still in the slow process of moving house… it’s slow.

And meanwhile Terry Gilliam is going to direct an Opera Andrea Chénier and has made the best casting choice ever for his new film The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus… bad ass mother Tom Waits.

And here’s a trailer for John Dahl’s new movie called You Kill Me, which stars Ben Kingsley as an alcoholic hit man and the trailer looks alright, but I’ve got a feeling it’s hiding stuff that’s cooler. Download it here.

Holy crap, been both busy and lazy in a wonderful combination.

Just recently I’ve had piles of tapes to review, CDs to listen to, assignments to mark and just DVDs to watch and in my current tiny room it’s all be piling up in a rather impressive mess. My windows desktop is also pretty cluttered and there are windows, each filled with tabs of stuff I’ve been meaning to post, including a blog entry from a couple of days ago which was half finished and totally scrapped in the end. But its almost all gone now. Almost…

So to recap recent events… the 48 Hour Competition film screenings have been going on this week. Monday was a horrible start, but since then the quality of the films have been phenomenal. Tonight is the last screening and the finalists get announced on Monday, I’m not too fussed how ours will fare, but it sure as hell has been fun.

Moving into a new empty and totally awesome house. Slowly bit by bit I’m moving more and more stuff into my large, but still empty room. Next week will see a bed and shelves and drawers making their way in, but there are still some bits of furniture and stuff that I’ve got to track down somewhere in this country.

And we shall be having a flat warming on the 16th this month, hopefully once we have stuff and furniture and everything else sorted and in there. Cause at the moment its really bare and empty, but totally awesome, cause its like something should be filmed in there.

And to be able to close some tabs, here are some stuff from the web…

Trailers for Michael Moore’s new film Sicko viewable here and a sneak peak here.

And just the coolest thing ever, if anyone is familar with Boston Legal and there was that really irritating newsreporter woman. Well, that’s Nancy Grace and what her producer does to her on her show in this clip is pure awesome. You could cut glass with just how awesome she is.

Plus friend Sean’s entry into the Auckland 48 Hour film competition. Goddamnit they were 30 seconds late in, but this is one damn good short.

Not much going on. Just posting a few pages so I can close some tabs and windows…

Passive Aggressive notes… very amusing, not that many so far, but some of them are pure gold. And by gold, I mean hookers.

More images from Stardust are online here and on the official website that has been updated some. Very pretty, so can’t wait.

Geekwise, Starcraft 2 has been announced and there are videos and trailers and such on the website that make me wish I was wearing a diaper at the time I visited it. So looks great.

And finally, some vids from japan, cause they’re all insane and awesome at the same time…

Another one of them game show clips where its all bullet-time on stage, this time as a food fight…

And the worlds fastests secretary or evil robot. You decide…

Ah the Japanese… I miss that Naoki bastard. Where the hell are you man?