dianafilms

Our Oceans in peril

Ocean temps close to point of no return, monumental task ahead, must act now #climatechange #IUCNCongress #Boldsteps

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/oceans-warming-global-environment-climate/

Gene Wilder-We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.

Gene Wilder, so incredibly sad. I think the great philosophers/feelers of our time have all been comedians. A big heaping 'spoonfool' of loving kindness, humanity and wisdom. Goodnight you sweet and wonderful mensch.

"He was 83 and passed holding our hands with the same tenderness and love he exhibited as long as I can remember. As our hands clutched and he performed one last breath, the music speaker, which was set to random, began to blare out one of his favorites: Ella Fitzgerald. There is a picture of he and Ella meeting at a London Bistro some years ago that are among each of our cherished possessions. She was singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow as he was taken away."

Jordan Walker-Pearlman, Gene's Kid

It is with indescribable sadness and blues, but with spiritual gratitude for the life lived that I announce the passing of husband, parent, and universal artist Gene Wilder, at his home in Stamford, Conn. It is almost unbearable for us to contemplate our life without him. The cause was complications from Alzheimer's Disease with which he co-existed for the last three years. The choice to keep this private was his choice, in talking with us and making a decision as a family. We understand for all the emotional and physical challenges this situation presented we have been among the lucky ones — this illness-pirate, unlike in so many cases, never stole his ability to recognize those that were closest to him, nor took command of his central-gentle-life affirming core personality. It took enough, but not that.

 

The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn't vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him "there's Willy Wonka," would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world.

He continued to enjoy art, music, and kissing with his leading lady of the last twenty-five years, Karen. He danced down a church aisle at a wedding as parent of the groom and ring bearer, held countless afternoon movie western marathons and delighted in the the company of beloved ones.

He is survived by Karen, Jordan, and the Webbs (Kevin, Gretchen, Tucker, Spencer), along Jordan's wife, Elizabeth. Gene's sister Corinne, predeceased him in January of this year.

He was 83 and passed holding our hands with the same tenderness and love he exhibited as long as I can remember. As our hands clutched and he performed one last breath, the music speaker, which was set to random, began to blare out one of his favorites: Ella Fitzgerald. There is a picture of he and Ella meeting at a London Bistro some years ago that are among each of our cherished possessions. She was singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow as he was taken away.

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

Sincerely,

"Gene's Kid"

Harper Lee RiP

I wish she had written more, still, To Kill A Mockingbird is one of the most wonderful books I've read, and Scout is of the best girl characters ever created.

Harper Lee, RiP April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016

Thursday Tao: Alan Watts Primal Ignorance

 

Alan Watts, have a great weekend everyone. Reset-reboot and reconnect.

 

Neruda's Birthday

Today, he would be 101, under different circumstances he might still be alive.

I hunt for a sign of you in all the others,
In the rapid undulant river of women,
Braids, shyly sinking eyes,
Light step that slices, sailing through the foam.

Suddenly I think I can make out your nails,
Oblong, quick, nieces of a cherry:
Then it's your hair that passes by, and I think
I see your image, a bonfire, burning in the water.

I searched, but no one else had your rhythms,
Your light, the shady day you brought from the forest;
Nobody had your tiny ears.

You are whole, exact, and everything you are is one,
And so I go along, with you I float along, loving
A wide Mississippi toward a feminine sea.

Pablo Neruda

 

Soneto XXVII
Desnuda eres tan simple como una de tus manos,
lisa, terrestre, mínima, redonda, transparente,
tienes líneas de luna, caminos de manzana,
desnuda eres delgada como el trigo desnudo.

Desnuda eres azul como la noche en Cuba,
tienes enredaderas y estrellas en el pelo,
desnuda eres enorme y amarilla
como el verano en una iglesia de oro.

Desnuda eres pequeña como una de tus uñas,
curva, sutil, rosada hasta que nace el día
y te metes en el subterráneo del mundo

como en un largo túnel de trajes y trabajos:
tu claridad se apaga, se viste, se deshoja
y otra vez vuelve a ser una mano desnuda.

Naked, you're uncomplicated like your hand
lissome, terrestrial, slight, wholly translucent,
with curves of moon, and paths of apple-wood:
Naked you are as slender as a nude ear of corn.

Undressed you are blue as Cuban nights,
with tendrils and stars in your hair,
undressed you are wide and amber,
like summer in its chapel of gold.

Naked you are tiny as one of your fingertips,
shaped, subtle, reddening till light is born,
and you leave for the subterranean worlds,

as if down a deep tunnel of clothes and chores:
your brightness quells itself, quenches itself, strips itself down
turning, again, to being a naked hand.

#Love Is Love

F e e e e e e l i n g i i i i i i i t t !

Really happy that the next generation of GLBTQ gets to take marriage for granted, you ungrateful little shits! #getoffmylawn!

Best Zinger of the day "I'm still single in 50 states" Lisa Geduldig

Our brains collect so many stories

Our brains were built for storytelling, its how we make sense of the world, its how we remember, its our most basic function. The seat of empathy resides our mirror neurons, when we hear stories, we are there with the storyteller. As a professional storyteller, how does this inform your process?

 

The Fallen

This documentary from Neil Halloran is quite extraordinary both for its breathtaking analysis of war throughout recorded history and for the deep insights about our own humanity. H/T to Judy Mam for sharing!

The Fallen of World War II from Neil Halloran on Vimeo.

 

TFTD-Eleanor

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Earth day advice for greener productions

On every shoot that I produce I do the following:
I ensure that we make every effort to work with green vendors.
I/We re-use/recycle/re-purpose everything and donate what we can.
You'd be surprised how many schools and small theaters would be happy to take your extra flats & Jacks, set pieces, costumes and props and re-use them in multiple shows.

At every stage of production the goal is reduce our carbon foot print aiming for zero waste and zero impact. Maybe its my early training as a location manager, there's nothing better than making a positive impact on the locations and communities we're working with. 

Also, I've noticed that my best projects had as close to 50/50 ratio of males to females. Somehow having a set that reflects the ideal makes everyone feel good, and that tends to end up onscreen somehow. That spirit of generosity and cooperation goes a long way towards change-making and audiences can sense that.

As a rule, I make every effort to have income parity based on tier and skill and not on gender. I hire based on talent and diversity, and I encourage people to bring their whole self to work. There's a spirit of acceptance on my sets that frees people to be more creative and collaborative.

Some Local Green Resources

Green Hotels: https://www.kimptonhotels.com/kimpton-cares/environment
http://www.thescarlethotels.com/huntington-hotel-san-francisco/?src=sl_yelp
http://www.theorchardhotel.com/green-initiatives-en.html

Green Dry Cleaners: (this really comes in handy for long projects) https://www.sfgreenclean.com/

Office Supplies: http://www.thegreenoffice.com/ or http://blaisdells.com/ or http://www.cal-print.com/

Moving & Schlepping: http://www.sierraschleppers.com/
Orion normally moves furniture and households, he's ethical, green as they come and could use the money.

Junk Hauling:
http://www.howardhauling.com/
Not exactly 100% green but will recycle and give you a discount for recyclables

Digital & Electronic recycling http://www.greencitizen.com/

Green Fabrics and Materials: http://www.arc-com.com/about_us/ecotex

2nd Meal at the last minute and caterers that give back:
https://munchery.com/about/us/

Biofuels: http://www.regi.com/pdf/REG_Locations_Map.pdf
Unfortunately they have left the bay area, they only have one place in SSF. There are sources out there and its worth looking into. Also, this is something you can request from your Grip & Electric suppliers, they would know and it would probably delight them to do the research.

Great place to donate clothes: http://princessproject.org/ and http://www.wardrobe.org/
Also consider giving costumes and set pieces to local arts schools, small theaters and university theater programs.

In the past I have given much to SCRAP http://www.scrap-sf.org/get-involved/donate
and to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore: http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

Donating leftover food: http://www.sfmfoodbank.org/ you can also set something up yourself with local shelters and other organizations that have evening meal services.

Purchasing carbon offsets: http://www.terrapass.com/ it looks good on paper, but it is so much better to actively cut your own carbon usage. I liken these to what the über rich used to do in the Middle Ages in church on Sunday, tithing and buying indulgences from the church and behaving horribly the rest of the week.

There's lots more we can do:

1) Don't buy endangered, toxic or otherwise unsustainable materials.
2) Don't do business with businesses that harm the environment, animals and of course humans. If it feels shady, it probably is.
3) If you can rent it don't buy it.
4) Schedule phone meetings, skype meetings, google hangouts and use digital file sharing-project management software to keep the paper usage low.
5) Schedule runs and pick ups intelligently, consolidate trips to neighborhoods, carpool to set, and use public transportation whenever possible. Give your PA's and 2nd's Clipper Cards-Metro Cards-etc.
6) Use LED based lighting gear.
7) Use a solar charger for charging all battery operated gear.
8) Everything you're using has another use after you're done with it, find out what it is and make sure you're sending it there when you're done.
9) Find out about city, state and national initiatives that incentivize green business practices and follow their guidelines.