"Lagniappe"
is an expression used in South Louisiana that
means "something extra". Each
year the local schools get a day off from
school. It's called Lagniappe Day.
Parkour is not a competitive sport. Instead it depends on internet videos as it’s performance venue. The parkour athletes, or traceurs, or freerunners – or whatever! – must also be innovative filmmakers of the short subject genre. They are creative and adventurous.
The style of parkour videos is evolving daily. Here’s a favorite that veers off the beaten path of the more common rock or rap ones. The artist/filmmaker is one of the WFPF’s Official Athletes, Danny Arroyo.
The title might be misleading. I’m not in the hot new Star Trek movie that just came out last week. However, I did work on an episode of the television version, Enterprise. A Star Trek enthusiast in Germany wrote a nice article about my work on Enterprise and more. I am terribly flattered and wanted to share it.
Much needed love for the state of Louisiana comes from the Hollywood film community as they travel to the state to produce movies. When Hollywood films in the state, they spend money and employ local residents. The current tax incentives are slated for “sundown,” meaning their time is nearly up. Therefore, the state legislature must reinstate them and, better yet, increase them to compete with other states with incentive programs.
Please show your love. Support Louisiana’s Film Tax Incentives by contacting Louisiana legislators and the Gov. Ask them to continue the incentives or increase them so the state can continue to gain much needed jobs and revenue.
The economic impact study completed by Economics Research Associates – commissioned by the Louisiana Economic Development Department – presents ample evidence to support the success of the film industry incentive program. These numbers clearly bolster the argument to increase our production incentive to 30% to remain competitive.
These are the facts:
1. In 2007, the year that $115 million in tax credits were paid, the economic impact to the State of the industry as a whole was $763 million.
2. Employment in Louisiana’s film industry increased at a compound annual growth rate of 22 percent from 2001-2007. This compares to a national growth rate of 1.8 percent annually. Wages have increase at an average annual rate of 8.2%, much faster than inflation.
3. In 2007, the total spend of the film industry in Louisiana supported 3,310 jobs directly and an additional 2,920 jobs indirectly. That is 6,230 jobs in Louisiana created because of the film incentive program.
The fun never stops in The Big Easy. Last weekend we attended Festival Internationale de Louisiane. Tuesday night we had dinner with friends in Foubourg Merigny. Last night we went to a Jazz Festival party at our friend’s house in the Quarter who is on the Jazz Festival Board – musical entertainment was Charmaine Neville. And, this is the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz Festival which we will attend and see Zachary Richard, Buckwheat Zydeco, Dr. John and possibly we’ll stay for Bon Jovi – who really doesn’t play Jazz, but us girls think he’s hot.
A pioneer in the world of acrobatic sports, Glenn Sundby, passed away on Wednesday. He was 87.
My personal connection to Glenn is this amazing photo he took of me in front of the Pyramids of Giza on our national gymnastics and trampoline tour of Egypt. At that point in time, there was no digital photography or Adobe Photoshop. It was film, therefore he caught a true, magical moment in time that was made into a poster displayed in gyms and bedrooms of little gymnasts across the country. He made me semi-famous.
I think of Glenn as a tremendous acrobatics enthusiast in shorts, t-shirt, sandals and a camera always around his neck as editor of his gymnastics magazines. USA Gymnastics, which he co-founded decades ago, released this story about Glenn’s passing. The Canadian Press: Glenn Marlin Sundby, co-founder of USA Gymnastics, dies at 87
One of the major differences between L.A. and LA is convenience. In Los Angeles, for example, if you want to go to a professional basketball game, tickets are near impossible to get or afford with an unbearable two hours of traffic to get to your seat. In New Orleans, even though the Hornets have sold to 98% capacity, the tickets are gettable at a family-friendly price with a 20-minute drive from home to dome. Easy.
I wanted to start training trampoline again here in New Orleans to enhance my stunt career. In L.A., I had to drive all the way to Orange County in traffic, a 1.5-2.5 hour drive in rush hour. Or, pay $20 per workout at a local gym to train on sub-par equipment. But what a difference Louisiana makes! I found three trampoline programs with quality equipment, two allowing me to train anytime for a very reasonable fee: good PR.
I started yesterday at the Mandeville Sports Complex with a lively group of 5th graders who were very gracious and sweet and didn’t mind at all that this crazy adult joined them in a work-out session. It was a good feeling, the comfort of home. The very nice gym owner and equally nice coaches were helpful and generous.
This afternoon I’m returning to get my butt kicked by another group of kids. The bottle of Pinot Noir I’ll have will be for the gym owner – although I probably could use a swig when I’m done.
Ash Wednesday. For traditional Catholics it’s a day of repentance. For Louisiana’s Cajuns and Creoles, it’s the day they recover from the indulgences of Fat Tuesday and they go to church to start the unbearably long lent season of clean living. For me, this year it has a new meaning. It’s the end of one party and the beginning of another.
I’m not Catholic even though as a child growing up in Louisiana I used to think I was. Everybody else was. So, I adopted the lent ritual as an opportunity to energize my direction. After years of living in other states, it is apropos that I am back in Louisiana to be reminded of the benefit of cleansing and driving toward a bluer sky after the most amazing Carnival Season ever.
So, I took the few days to play in the streets of New Orleans and Lafayette and forget about career, money, work or other practicalities. Today, Ash Wednesday, I’m attending the new party that starts now, the one that celebrates talent, curiosity and wit in a community of creative and supportive professionals. Laissez les bon temps roulez!
So. We did it. We packed up a rented SUV with stuff, dog and cat and drove across the west to land in Louisiana so I can continue my film career and be near family at the same time. Of course, it is the drastic measure spurred by economic reality referred to in an earlier post. It’s early, but at this point the least I can say is that we “Walk the Walk.” (more…)
For those familiar with Twitter, the social networking site that limits posts to 140 characters, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I entered my Twitter page in the Twitter Background Gallery contest in the Photograph category and I just learned that it is featured! I have no idea what I would win if I get the most votes, but that doesn’t matter. I’m simply giddy to get recognized for my design ideas.
The photo I use is from World Tumbling Champion, Jim Bertz. It was shot during my competition days and it’s of Jim and his teammates – my friends – doing handstands in the street. It was probably taken in the 70′s and has a wonderful vintage quality. I love the photo! Then, of course, I had to create a design around the photo. It was fun and I’m proud of my Twitter page.
It’s the second time I’ve entered a creative idea online. The first was the Obama photoshop contest on The Indecider.com where I gave The Prez a front row seat at my wedding last October. I posted about it recently, and if you recall I won that contest! So, maybe I should consider new career options …
Anyway, for those of you who Tweet, please go to @TwitterBGallery and vote for @Demisdouble background in the Photograph category. I would greatly appreciate it!
