CELEBRATING MEDIOCRITY

This past weekend Daniel Radcliffe hosted SNL. The fact that Harry Potter himself does a convincing American accent isn't why I'm bringing it up. It's because of a slam dunk sketch titled 'You Can Do Anything!', in which two hosts invite various unknown Internet 'stars' onto their show and allow them to showcase their talents. The jokes don't come from the actual guests themselves as much as they do their attitude towards being part of the YouTube generation - a generation filled with people who forgo all skills and recognition that working hard and failure is a part of the road to success.

Even though I have two blogs and Youtube videos and Facebook and Twitter (blah, blah, etc.), I know there's a difference between having content show up when you Google yourself and being successful. Justin Bieber gained his start because of a few videos he posted on YouTube, but it's not why he's ingrained in pop culture today.

While there's an exaggeration in the SNL sketch itself, the old adage still applies today: It's funny because it's true.

*PS: Sorry for the quality of the video. Once a higher quality version is available for embedding, I'll update the post.

*PPS: On an unrelated note, I'll be selling autographed pictures of myself for $100 a pop. Better get them now before I hit it really big and they become too expensive for the average consumer.

FOTOSHOP BY ADOBE

Came across this video yesterday. It seemed particularly relevant as my friend Luke and I have a joke about my Photoshop skills after I offered my help to him during the creation of his 4th year film school project Elliot.

He often reminded me he imagined my Photoshop skills were much like that of Michael Scott's from The Office (example below).


So, when I came across this video - it just brought back some good memories and proved even further that once Luke makes a joke about you, he won't ever let you live it down - no matter how good at Photoshop you get! But alas, it is what it is. :-) Enjoy and have a good weekend!

YOUTUBE - NOT JUST FOR YOU ANYMORE

The new year perplexes me in a way that never ceases to amaze me. I was sitting down this evening to watch the last few episodes of 30 Rock's fourth season when I started to question why I was watching a show I loved so much when I could perhaps be creating something for others to enjoy.

I'm no stranger to making films for others' enjoyment (or my own). I've done wedding videos, contest videos, personal projects and I even put together an annual 'year before' Christmas video for my family. So far though, outside of a few smaller achievements, I'm still stuck working in a job that allows for very little creativity.

During these moments of pure 'uninspiration' I either get creative and form an idea that turns into something, or I head to my computer and watch my own works and wonder what the next step will be. That upcoming crucial step is overdue (I feel it), but for now I ran into an odd thing while browsing YouTube today.

I opened up my browser and clicked on a tab at the top titled 'Films'. I was expecting my channel or uploads list to populate and provide me with some inspiration. To be fair, I was a little tired but generally expected my films to pop up (as one would when logged into YouTube). Instead I got Netflix for YouTube - sort of. It seems the suits behind a once independent and innovative site have gone too far. Don't get me wrong - I was pleasantly surprised to find free films such as Quarantine and Life in a Day among other on-demand titles like The Dark Knight and The Help (for which you had to pay to watch).

But it seemed wrong.

With Netflix becoming all the rage (and closing down chain after chain of mom and pop video stores like Blockbuster and Rogers), it makes sense YouTube would not only allow for networks like NBC and CBS to submit content - but take it a step further and literally put movies online. I presume its all in an effort to stop piracy (and DVD/Blu-Ray sales). Not to mention make more money. But if all the views are going towards 120 minute films vs. the usual 120 second videos - is there any charm anymore?

Do I want to be watching 'Keyboard Cat' and 'Obama Songified' to upon completion have YouTube suggest I watch I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer? No, I don't. I want to discover new talents, favorite fads and perhaps a few sharp needles in a haystack filled with skateboard accidents and baby vomit. Not something I could already watch on Netflix or find lingering in the bottom of the $5 Wal-Mart DVD bin (or the $19.99 Blu-Ray section).

It seems strange to see this on YouTube. I wouldn't say it's unexpected - just disappointing. It feels like YouTube was something I used to be a part of. Even if my 40 videos only have just under 14,000 views - being small didn't mean non-existent. Now, with the 'You' being taken out of YouTube, I can't be positive this will be the case anymore. I also can't be positive I'll want to stay. I've been enjoying the lax nature of Vimeo for the past couple of years and if it wasn't for the popularity and social acceptance of YouTube I'd have jumped shipped a while ago.

When it comes down to it, though, I just don't see why or the reason. Other than the fact that YouTube is trying to be a one stop shop and profit from it - there doesn't seem to be a viable reason to hunch in front of my computer for that long when I can relax on my couch and actually enjoy the film. Especially when YouTube's quality for this type of thing is sub-par. Yes, before you say anything, I am aware you can hook a computer up to a TV or watch it on your smart phone. No, I don't care. Again, Netflix and actual, physical Blu-rays already have that covered. Along with on-demand networks provided by cable companies, Viewers Choice pay-per-view and a list of other services that have started as a hungry result for some of that Netflix pie.

YouTube, do us all a favour - be a little more YouTube and a little less MeTube.

ANGRY CHARLIE REVIEWS GETS A FACE LIFT

Last year in September I started my 3 Year Plan and due to a second job and the death of my close friend Dave Gassner, I lost sight of what I was ultimately doing with Angry Charlie Reviews and forgot why I was doing it in the first place. With the new year just beginning things have become more clear as to why I need to stay motivated and why it's important to keep on moving no matter how busy you get or how much you lose site of your ambitions - the future.

While it's easy to get lost in the here and now, something like a well maintained blog (I refer to those of my friends Luke and Wendy) can pay off in the future. For me, my blogs will be a place to not only showcase my love of movies and share my experiences watching them, but (as Luke's pointed out multiple times) also utilized to showcase my ambition, work and dedication to something I love. I've stated I wanted to get into advertising somehow and it all starts here and now with Don't Make Charlie Angry (face lift soon) and Angry Charlie Reviews.

So, I started with Angry Charlie Reviews. Aside from adding a handy dandy Review Index, I've also changed my header for the third time since the site's start in 2009. I give you the new header:


For now, it's enough to keep me motivated and (we all know) motivation is especially key when it comes to wokring on something you're currently doing for free. While the site may never produce any income for myself, I'm hoping it'll still pay off in one way or another.

Oh, and Happy New Year!

CATCHING UP ON LIFE

It's been a little over a month since I started my 3 Year Plan. Since then a lot of things have come to fruition and some things haven't as of yet. With my friend Dave's passing, September came and went faster than I could have ever imagined. To top it all off, I didn't feel like a I got a chance to accomplish much or stay in the social loop a lot of the time.

Between my two jobs I've been working around 70 hours a week. This is starting to wear on me. I'm barely home anymore and any chance I do get to have some time off isn't spent on playing PS3, or watching movies for Angry Charlie Reviews. It's been spent as of late doing what I find is the most important thing one should be doing when they're as busy as I am - spending time with friends. Even when I find myself lacking some sleep I still keep on pushing myself to be social. Is it because I feel it an obligation? Not really. I could go months without seeing or talking to people and those I truly care about would understand.

When it comes down to it, these people I'm closest to have become something even more valuable to me than a drinking buddy, or a movie-friend, or a Skype pal. They've become my motivation to keep on going. They listen to my rants, they give me opinions on they're perspective on various situations and mainly they understand why I'm doing what I'm doing - even if they miss 'seeing' me around on Facebook, or blogs, or in person. They're there for me, and I couldn't appreciate it more.

As for the life I've chosen (at least for now), it's easy to lose sight on why I started to do this in the first place. For me. For a betterment of my life and because I've already wasted enough of my life in meaningless jobs. Oddly enough, in order to get out of the meaningless job and directionless life I'm now in - I need to push myself even harder and do these jobs even more.

Until yesterday though I wasn't sure I could handle it. That is, until I went into my second job at Subway and saw I had less hours than normal. In fact, I'm normally supposed to work on Monday and Tuesday nights (right after my regular full-time job) but this week around I didn't at all. Right below this newest schedule and was a note stating as it was fall and the store would be slowing down, less hours would be given out. This sounds like it could be a detriment for somebody trying to scrounge up as much coin as possible, but for me it was exactly what I needed. Instantly I felt less pressure and I realized if these hours stayed the same way (something I'm going to look into getting done), that I would instantly gain more time for myself, for friends and for creative projects. While two nights a week don't seem like that much, it's about finding that balance and realizing when too much becomes, well, too much.

On this eve of my 27th birthday, I still feel like an inexperienced child sometimes. Be it doing the wrong things, saying the wrong things, pushing people too far or simply being irresponsible - be it financially, socially or physically with my health. This 3-Year Plan I've set up is due to reach completion in September of 2014 - one month before I turn 30. If I can make it that far, I know I'll come out this feeling stronger and more ready to take on the world. IF I can make it....

RETURN TO 3 YEAR PLAN - FATEFUL CUP OF COFEE

In truth, the title of this post is a little misleading. Really, I never left my plan alone. But, there was a major distraction this month in the form of the loss of a good man, great father and my dear friend. While Dave may have moved on and will be greatly missed, he leaves behind a few good lessons to be learnt. If I didn't have the ambition to make something more of myself before, I certainly do now. It just turns out I was already discovering the right path for myself with my 3 year plan.

I've spent a good amount of time with Dave's girlfriend Wendy this past week. It's something that works well because we've been able to keep each other company in this toughest of times and share some great stories about our best friend. The biggest lesson I believe to be taken from Dave's passing is something he only really discovered in the last year of his life - that sitting around and waiting for life to happen is the biggest waste of a precious gift. While I believe making mistakes is all a part of life, constant procrastination is not. Last year Dave started dating Wendy and their relationship progressed incredibly quickly. Wendy moved in with Dave only a few weeks after their initial, magical coffee date. Months later Wendy found out she was pregnant with their son Darwin, who was only born in late August. Had Dave not asked Wendy out for that fateful cup of coffee, he may have died without ever knowing just how good life can truly be - and this all coming from a cynical man who for the longest time believed the world was against him.

What this all leads to is the fact that I'm done wasting my time and spending life with no direction. Taking chances is what it's all about. That's why I created a plan for myself - to be better prepared for opportunites that'll come up unexpectedly. Today, I'm here to share my first few successes that I've achieved in my 3 year plan that will hopefully keep me going. The first (as discussed in my initial mission statement) was to get a second job. I've now done that in the form of returning to a place I had long hoped would remain part of my past. While I don't mind working at Subway, I spent five years there between 2003 and 2008. The reason I decided to go back? The hours would work for me (being open later than standard businesses), I would get the perk of free or cost-reduced healthier food and I wouldn 't have to often deal with difficult customers. Especially if I'd chosen a job at a cellular provider as I initially thought I would. Basically, after working 40 or so hours a week at my main job - I wanted something I didn't have to think much about while doing (a zombie job, basically). This would come in handy for those days where I just didn't want to do anything.

With that aspect under way, the second would be getting in better shape. I've now procured a treadmill on sale at my local Canadian Tire Store. I fell in love with the idea of an at-home treadmill while living with my sister earlier on this spring. She acquired one for the last month I lived there and after pushing myself for the first week, it soon became a highlight of my day for the following 3 weeks. Like most exercises will do, I felt better and loved the energy I had. It's now been almost four months since I had access to one on a regular basis, so come Monday I'm looking forward to getting back in the saddle, as they say.

Now all that's left to do is become more and more financially stable as my paydays start rolling in and stick to it. 3 years is a long time and things will change. I'll have to be prepared and ready for those changes and unforeseen events, much like the curve ball thrown at me this month. October is a new month though and I look forward to facing the challenges it brings, and the ones I bring upon myself.

DAVID GASSNER - FRIEND, ACTOR

On Saturday, September 10th, 2011 my good friend Dave Gassner passed away. He was 27 years old. I'll be taking some more time next week to reflect upon mine and Dave's friendship in a very similar way to my friend Luke's post (which I highly recommend checking out), but for now I wanted to share the movies I had made with Dave. Without him I wouldn't have had half the inspiration I did in film school, nor would I have had as much courage to show some of the more personal things I did.

On set Dave was always a thrill to work with and God bless him, he took my awful directing and sometimes inappropriate remarks like a champ. Dave, you'll be greatly missed. Regardless of whether you'd be flattered by it or not, these videos are now dedicated to you.