Sneak Preview: Review of the Film “Thr3e”

by: Joshua Thompson

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the “Christian Film Festival” at the Waterworks cinema in Pittsburgh. One of the main attractions was the Film “Thr3e,” based upon the book by Ted Dekker. The movie will be released next January, so it was a real treat and privilege to see the film ahead of time, and I want to share my experience with you.

The story revolves around Kevin Parson, a 28-year old seminary student. Kevin’s life is thrown into turmoil when he finds himself to be the target of a notorious criminal, “RK” – the riddle killer, whom we come to know as “Slater.” At the time, Kevin is working on a paper for seminary about the nature of evil, and Slater seems to be the very embodiment of what Kevin is writing about. When Kevin first encounters Slater, he is driving in his car and finds a mysterious cell phone in his passenger seat. It rings; Kevin picks up; and Slater tells Kevin that he has 3 minutes to solve the riddle “what falls but does not break; what breaks but does not fall” or else his car will blow up. Kevin is unable to solve the puzzle, and gets out of his car just seconds before it explodes. Slater continues to give Kevin a series of riddles to solve, and if he is unable to solve them, a bomb blows up destroying someone near to Kevin – his childhood pet, a fellow seminary student, etc. !

Above all, Slater wants Kevin to confess some unknown sin, and calls him a guilty hypocrite for pretending to be a good person. Kevin is helped in his struggle by a childhood sweetheart, who seems to embody good just as much as Slater embodies evil, and a female FBI agent who begins to fall for Kevin. As the film progresses, we get glimpses into Kevin’s disturbing childhood and begin to guess as to what the sin might be. The end has a great surprise twist, so I won’t give it away, but suffice it to say that it gives insight into human nature and the nature of evil.

As far as the plot went, there were a few implausibilities that bothered me a little bit. Not to give away too much, but there were a series of phone calls that were made between Kevin’s childhood sweetheart and the FBI agent, and once the surprise ending was revealed, it is hard to understand how those calls could have been made. It’s a little bit of a stretch, the way it all fits together at the end, but the ending is still satisfying and insightful.

As far as the cinematography goes, most of the backdrops are darkly colored - even the events that take place outside. It reminded me a little bit of the Matrix, the way the dark hues permeate the film. The film is fast-paced, moving from one riddle to another. All in all, it was a satisfying film; it got a nice round of applause at the preview. I would give it 3 out of 4 stars. Look for the film this coming January in a theater near you.

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The History Of Horror Movies - Tribute to Horror in Cinemas

From time to time, we see so many horror movies come and go. Spooky, haunted houses, serial killers, slashers, maniacs, mentals, satanic and many others have been pictured in the movie. A lot of sub genres, a lot of remakes, a lot of variations, twist and all that can easily be found through the ages. Yeah, it’s all true. But have we ever thought where it all came from? Or how does the horror movies genre change from time to time?

For you who share the same passion about horror movies, and want to know the road that have been travelled by Horror movies, allow me to have the honor to be your guide. Buckle up, here we go.

Where It All Began

The year was 1922, place: German. I can say that it was the birth of horror movies. W Murnau started the terror and fear thru Nosferatu, nosferatuthe story about bloodsucking vampire. It wasn’t the first vampire movie, as in 1896 Georges Melies made Le Castle Du Diable, but Nosferatu was the first movie where we saw vampire destroyed by sunlight. This one boasted remarkable animalistic makeup that has not been replicated, even with modern technology. Dozens of vampire movies followed after that. In 1931 Universal Studio launched 2 legendary horror movies, Dracula with Bela Lugosi and Frankenstein with Boris Karloff. Both of the movie became a classic and very successful. Boris Karloff even became a legendary name in horror movies history. The Mummy (1932) a silent picture with horror icon Boris Karloff in the title role, remains a classic, with unforgettable make-up and atmosphere. In 1935, the sequel of Frankenstein, The Bride Of Frankenstein was made.This isn’t silent anymore.

Psycho

During 40’s the world’s on war, and it has changed the genre. Horror was almost forgotten as patriotic movies and war has taken the place. It slowly raised again around 50’s, where comedy and musical movies ruled. There were good ones took place at this time, House of Wax is one of the example. 1960 was the time for Hitchcock to make a memorable movie: Psycho. Too bad, this is the only horror movie by Hitchcock, cuz then he made lots of suspence thriller goodies like Rear Window, Vertigo,North by Northwest,Dial M For Murder that kinda changed the genre again. And remember, spaghetti western Movies in the late 60’s also had its moment.

The 70’s

This is the most creative year of Horror movies.Unlike before, horror movies got big exploration, where so many variation of story and evil came in. Note there were lots of controversy and protest happened here.The Exorcist (1973) for example showed disgusting scenes that never been imagined before, like the green puke to the face transformed to evil. This movie was controversial when Catholic Church protested that the demon cast-out in the movie was against the code of conduct. The shining, that based on Stephen King’s novel was one of the best one during 70’s. Later on from this decade to 80s and 90s, lots of movies was made based on his scary novel such as Carrie, Christine, Cujo, It, , Cat’s Eye, Dream Catcher, are the example. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was a low budget movie that reached a great result. This one introduced “the slasher movie” to the world that later followed by Halloween (say hi to Michael Myers) , Friday the 13th, Scream in the 80’s and 90’s and so on. Omen is a bonechillin’ movie that can still give you nightmare even with today’s technology of making movie.Simply unforgettable. Amityville Horror, based on the true story was the first movie that took place in the actual location. The report said a lot of bizzare and dreadful things were experienced by cast and crew in location.

The 80’s

Freddie Kruger

This is the decade of madness. All gory stuff were shown sadistically for viewing. cutted off body parts were seen everywhere. Nightmare on Elm Street that launched Freddy Krueger to horror hall of fame, and Jason Voorheyes slashing games in Friday the 13th are one of the example. These two had some of their sequels during 80s, together with 3 of Halloweens. And remember how Italian horror movies that have a very sick super bloody vision? Count Romero and Argento for this category. This is also the era where horror expanded to tv.

The 90’s

Funny thing happened in 90s. There’s a tendency of self defense and self actualization by horror character on terror they have made to people. For example Ghost, Bram Stocker’s Dracula that told the story about Count Dracula’s painful love to Mina, or Interview With Vampires that unlocked the mystery of vampire lives. Scream started a new genre, teen horror movies, slashing-serial-killer-who-did-it,which soon followed by I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and some more. A note in 1999, an independent movie Blair Witch Project became a big phenomena,using a documentation technique to give us fear,tense and mental disturbance. This one inspired some other movies like St.Francisville Experiment, The Lamarie Project and tv series Freaky Links.

2000’s

Ringu

Still too early maybe to talk about horror movies in 2000s, but looks like Hollywood has running out of ideas. They are trying to widen up their view to see new ideas outside that can give new vision on the term of horror. The Ring, remake from Japanese movie was their first success. Followed by The eye, and some other remakes from Asian cinemas. This decade seems being led by Japan and Korea, by making so many horror movies with lack of effects or gory blood but still successfully tortured our feeling. They don’t go with the Hollywood pattern, they just dig everything else that hasn’t been touched yet. Thailand is also emerging as a good horror maker. Indonesian movies too, with amusing number of horror movies every year. We also mark the decade 2000 for the decade of sequels and remakes too, such as Halloween H2O, Freddy vs Jason, modern version of Bram Stocker’s Dracula, Dracula 2001, Halloween Resurrection , The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , House of The Dead, The Amityville Horror and so on. While the effort to combine some genres and produce something new has still been going on. Saw for example, combine the psycho thriller ala Hitchkock with slasher, sadistic, bloody and graphic scenes. My prediction? I think this decade will continue to do so. Hopefully in the next decade we will see some new approach, style and way to present horror movies. Let’s wait and see where the horror movies continue their path.

Author by
Riandy Kurniawan
A Movie freak
Website: http://www.vrjunkyard.com

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Seven Steps To A Successful Audition

I have been a musician since the tender age of 7 and in my career I've passed a larger number of auditions all of which have taught me something. These days, however, as the owner of a talent agency, I seem to be learning a disproportioned amount more about these same auditions. There is something to be said about looking at an issue from different perspectives.

In this article, I want to shed some light on what an audition process looks like from the point of view of the "auditioner" rather than the "auditionee". I'll give you seven tips that hopefully provide some help.

I should mention that my company, Oceanbound Entertainment Inc., hires musicians, bands, and variety acts for placement on cruise ships and thus the auditions I'll talk about will mostly relate to cruise line entertainment auditions.

Let me quickly outline the various types of auditions you can encounter when applying for a job on a cruise ship.

The most obvious type would be the live audition, where you go to the audition location in person and play what's asked of you.

You may also be asked to record your audition on videotape and mail it to the company. This is very similar to the first category since you'd play almost exactly the same music.

And finally, you may be asked to submit a recording of your band or your solo act to the company. This audition differs from the previous two in that you don't have to perform music that the company provides, but rather your own repertoire.

There are several problems that keep arising in regards to these different types of auditions that have led me to compile the following tips.

1. Get the details on the job description

This is one of the most important steps. If you know exactly what it is that the employer is looking for, you won't waste time, money, and energy presenting the wrong package. There is no point in submitting a tape of your local blues band if the employer is looking for a cover band that plays all kinds of musical styles. Similarly, there is no point in applying as a clarinet player if the job description clearly indicates that woodwind players have to play saxophone, flute and clarinet.

Also, if sight-reading is the main focus of the job you're applying for, there is no point in hoping you'll slip by simply because you can improvise like Charlie Parker.

2. Be flexible enough to present what's actually needed

Let's assume that you got all the details on the job description and you realize that you don't exactly fit that description. It is probably wiser for you to take some time to try to fit the description, rather than trying anyway, hoping it'll pass somehow. Try to make changes to your line-up, add some repertoire or start a completely new project that’s geared to the job in question.

3. Audition only when you feel that you have a good chance of passing

Often musicians apply for a job they are not qualified for. Now, you could argue that that's what auditions are for, and people couldn't possibly know in every case whether they are qualified or not. I agree, all I'm saying is that if the job description mentions that strong sight-reading skills are required for example, musicians should ask themselves how good their sight-reading skills really are and be honest about it.

Being dishonest about what your skills really are can hurt you in more ways than one. Let's assume for a minute that you slip through the cracks and you end up in an orchestra but you can't cut the gig. First and foremost, you'll be humiliated in front of other musicians, you'll feel uncomfortable, you may actually feel guilty for not being able to do the job, and you will get fired on top of it, which will most likely kill your career before it's begun. (This happens all too often...)

So if you are unsure about whether you are qualified or not, ask questions. Call the agency you are about to audition for and ask specific questions that will help you get a good picture of the job you're about to apply for. With that knowledge you can always postpone the audition and work on the skills that you may feel you're lacking.

4. Put some time and effort into preparing your best possible package

This applies to bands, small ensembles, and solo entertainers. Often artists get turned down, not because they are bad entertainers, but because they didn't supply a package that's appealing, that can be viewed quickly and that presents exactly what was asked for in the beginning. Often this happens because the artist already has some demo laying around that could kind of qualify but not really, and instead of modifying it or recording a new one that fits the specifications, they send it in anyway.

Usually, demo packages include the recording itself, which should present the exact repertoire you're planning to play on the gig, a short resume of each member, and a list of your repertoire.

You won't impress people with fancy DVD animations or 12-page resumes, but rather with short examples of the repertoire that's asked of you, played with energy and skill.

5. Try to impress with your playing, not with your resume

I would say 7 people out of 10 probably fall under this category. Simply put, a masters degree from the best school in the country won't get you a gig if you can't play, yet all too often do people try to sway the decision in their favor by mailing in overly long resumes stating all the famous people they've played with. You're doing yourself a disservice if you hype yourself up with your resume and you can't back it up later during the audition.

6. If you fail, accept the criticism and use it to prepare better for your next audition

All the practicing in the world may sometimes not be enough to pass an audition. If that's the case, accept the reasons that you're given by the jury, and go home and practice those specific things. If they aren't forthcoming with specific reasons, ask questions. I think it's only fair that a jury tells you what your weaknesses are if they turn you down.

I'll spare you the details of all the things we've heard from people that have been rejected. Just watch "American Idol", and you'll get a good idea of what we go through sometimes.

7. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses

This step ties in with step #3. Keep in mind that the ideal candidate for a job is not always the best musician. Other qualities like, honesty, work ethic, respect for others and inter-communication skills, amongst others are qualities that you're being judged on. Weaknesses you've been trying to hide prior to the audition will come out during the audition and will speak volumes about your character. Would you hire a dishonest person?

Those are my "7 Steps to a successful audition". I hope that some of you will find this information helpful. Please visit my website for more information on the subject of "Music on Cruise Ships". Contact me if you have questions or if you'd like to audition.

Good luck

Author by:
Marco Kasel
President
Oceanbound Entertainment Inc.
http://www.oceanbound.ca

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Songwriters! - What‘cha Doin’ In Your Rhythm Fit?

I was watching TV recently and I saw a movie that I hadn't seen in a long time that changed musical history. Wow! Where has the time gone? Can you believe that it's been almost 30 years since the movie "Saturday Night Fever" came out and broke all records at the box office and music sales.

Songwriters and Musicians - Do You Want To Get Paid? You need to go out and rent this movie, or even better, buy the soundtrack and study it very closely. Saturday Night Fever is one of the best selling record albums ever made because of one thing, GREAT SONGS.

The level of song craftsmanship is off the hook. The variety of music in this movie covers every single emotion. There's straight dance music, love songs, funk, r & b, pure disco, ballads, and more.

Up and coming songwriters should make it a point to regularly refer to the greats of the past and examine every nuance of their writing. These masters take the craft to a whole new level that still gets them income decades later.

Don't make the mistake of considering artists like the Bee Gees, or Kool and the Gang, as old fashioned and not what you need to study. These people made hits time and time again, proving that it was no accident. Wouldn't you like to have a fraction of their success? You can if you study them carefully.

You can listen to these songs 30 years later and even though styles have changed, a great song lives forever, and that's how you really get paid. Publishing royalties get you paid over and over and over again.

There is a BIG difference between a SONG and a RECORD. Great songs from the 70's and ‘80's are constantly being redone and sampled by younger writers and artists all the time. As a result, the songwriters of that era are still getting paid time and time again.

The thing that determines whether music sounds modern or old fashioned are the changes to the beat and rhythm. This applies to singing as well as musical instruments. You can even sing the melody to "Mary Had A Little Lamb" over reggae, rock ,or rap and it takes on a new sound each time, but that great and simple melody is still the basis of it all.

Just think about how differently singers such as Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Sara Vaughn, and Elvis Presley sounded compared to singers like Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, or Beyonce.

Young people started singing and making music with more complicated syncopation compared to back in the day when rhythms were much simpler. But, the same 12 musical notes still exist. They just get shifted to different rhythm based on what's happening now.

Even rap is not immune to this effect. Think about how complicated the rhythm is for most rap compared to the days of "Rapper's Delight".

My point to this whole comparison is that if you build your song based on a great foundation of strong melody and lyrics, then it doesn't matter what happens with the rhythm too much because your song can be done in many styles and redone in the future. This will provide you with income well into the future because more than just one artist can perform it.

Destiny's Child redid "Emotions" written by the Bee Gees and it became a hit all over again and they get paid all over again decades later.

Study, study, study old songs to learn the craft and you'll have a huge advantage over your peers. Learn the reason why these songs are so catchy and why you can remember them even if you were a kid when you first heard them. They hook you and never let you go. So now YOU - GO FISH.

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Learn How to Play Piano

Some people are more musically inclined than others, but that doesn’t mean you cannot learn how to play the piano. Many tricks of the trade exist that can have you playing the piano within a couple of months of practice, and some online courses even claim to help you learn much faster. No matter what is claimed or what is available, the most important aspect of learning how to play any new instrument, hobby, or art form is dedication and practice.

Listening to Beethoven, Mozart, or any other genius composers might make you want to sign up with the best instructor you can find. Your aim might be to enthrall others with the beauty of classical, modern, or even jazz piano playing. Many adults who learn how to play the piano choose to do so through rigorous methodologies of learning the fundamentals of music first. This requires dedication and lots of practice, not to mention the cost of an instructor.

For other learners who want to give the piano a try, quicker methods won’t mean you will enjoy playing the piano any less. It simply means you will not have the fundamental base that someone else has learned over a longer period. One of these quicker methods, both on and offline, involve the learning of chords. In an evening, someone who knows nothing about the piano might have the ability to play a melody just on chords alone. Playing by chords is usually encouraged more than playing by tablature. And, there are no problems with those who first learn chords then learn to read music later on.

Any piano melody is made up of its smallest parts – its notes. Those who learn chords do not actually learn these ‘smallest’ pieces, but instead learn how to break the music into chunks. By dealing with songs one chunk at a time and matching what is heard, many piano players enjoy greater freedom of creativity as they progress.

One who learns how to play the piano using chords does it more so through trial and error. This person may not actually be able to read musical notations or scores, but he or she will at least be able to judge what chord is played and for how long. As the tune or melody is practiced, usually by breaking a song up into its basic elements and listening to it as it is being played, the person matches what he or she is hearing.

A player who learns how to play the piano by ear will not necessarily be able to judge if a key is sharp or flat, and that’s where having some basic knowledge of the notes comes in handy. If you need to stay in key F-major, for example, then you will know how to keep that note flat during the entire scale. While flat keys and sharp keys follow similar patterns, learning how to play the piano is not based on this alone. For teenagers or adults who are inspired and self-motivated enough to pursue their goals, learning how to play the piano can be done within a short amount of time.

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When I Grow Up I Want To Play Guitar

by: Mike Hayes

The secret to becoming a really good guitar player is, start playing and never stop. It really IS that simple!

Many people say "Gee you know, I've always wanted to play guitar, or I'd like to play guitar but I don't think I'll be very good at it".

You know if you really want to play guitar, just start. Don't listen to all the advice of all the people around you.

Now, here's a little story I'm sure many of you will be able to relate to. It's a story about Paddy - a guy who knew what he wanted to do and followed his heart.

When Paddy was in grade five at school, the teacher asked the class "What do you want to be when you grow up?". She would ask each member of the class.

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Jimmy? "

Jimmy would say. "A doctor miss".

"Oh that's very good choice Jimmy, that's great".

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Mary?"

"I'm going to be an accountant miss"

"Excellent choice, very good choice"

Now when it came to Paddy, she asked.

" What do you want to be when you grow up, Paddy?"

Paddy replied, "a guitar player".

The whole class errupted in laughter. The whole class .... it was just amazing. Paddy wasn't expecting this reaction. He had no idea why this was happening . Paddy hadn't started to play guitar or anything yet, but that's really what he wanted to do.

So the teacher asked again.

"What do you really want to do when you grow up, Paddy?"

Paddy said, "play guitar".

And the same thing only louder, everybody laughed. Paddy just couldn't work out why they had this reaction. So he sat down red faced and quite puzzled trying to work this out.

Anyway, a year later, the teacher asked the class, "what do you want to be when you grow up". When it came to Paddy's turn, the teacher said.

"Now Paddy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

So Paddy stood up, he wasn't as confident this time as he was the previous year, but he said.

"A guitar player".

And the same thing, the whole class erupted. Paddy looked around for support from the teacher but.... she was kind of buckled up in pain trying to hold back the laughter. And so anyway he got to thinking that maybe he wasn't giving them the answer they want.

So the next year, he was prepared for it. Paddy thought, right, I've got the hang of this now. So when it came around to his turn again, she asked.

"Now Paddy"...... and of course the class is just waiting for his answer.

"Now Paddy, what are you going to do when you grow up? What do you want be?"

this time, he said............"a swimmer".

And the whole class laughed AGAIN!. By this time he was REALLY angry ... he looked down to his, (now) ex -friend , who was sitting pretty close to him and Paddy asked....

"What's SO funny about that?"

The guy just looked up and said...

"But you CAN'T swim!"

Paddy exclaimed, " does that matter?"

He just couldn't really get the hang of this. Of course the thing was Paddy really wasn't giving them the stock standard answer that they wanted. Like a doctor or a dentist or something like that. But that's really what Paddy wanted to do and the reality is that all he's ever really done.

Now the reason why I'm telling you this is because the formula to become a really good guitar player is quite simple. There's only two steps.

Decide to do it. Do it.

Now, along the way you'll need a properly set up guitar. You'll need your equipment to be easy to play. And you'll need top quality information. But the most important thing is you need to be internally motivated. That's if you want to be really good. If you are internally motivated that means you REALLY want to play guitar, that's what you want to do. There's really nothing that can stop you.

So until next time have fun with your guitar playing and if that's what you want to do, just go for it!

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