"In your face-book!"

I received a "special offer" from CLASSMATES.COM to renew my membership that I had let run out a few years ago. They offered one year at $9.95. I thought it was worth it because I have a High School reunion coming up. I missed out on all the other reunions and wanted to make sure this time I at least heard about it. As I started the process of signing up once again my wife informed me that spending $9.95 to keep in touch was old fashioned. Since it was my wife's idea to start my blog almost a year ago I deferred to her computer savvy. She told me FACE BOOK is free and where everyone goes to keep in touch.

For free? How could I go wrong......"Let me count the ways." I signed up and completed my profile. If you complete all the details it is time consuming, however, by the time I finished my profile page, I was contacted by three people who wanted to "Friend" me. I had little to no idea who these persons were and even read their profiles hoping for a clue. Two more "Friendings." One was a person I've been avoiding all my career, so why would I want to "Friend" him? Not understanding this concept but I'm sure it will clear up as I work out the kinks. I did a search for my High School to no avail. Apparently, in Levittown, New York, Memorial High School, no longer exists. I found Division, Island Trees and MacArthur but no Memorial. We were the oldest of the four Levittown High Schools and it would make sense that the building was either torn down or made into something else but someone else from my high school has to be listed somewhere on this FACE BOOK? No? I've now been friended by five more strangers and two more people that if I wanted to stay in touch with, I would....via telephone. My account is less than two hours old. I now tried to cross reference people that went to my High School and a community college in the neighborhood which was listed. Couldn't find a soul. My wife couldn't make heads or tails of it either. She repeatedly asked "you sure you have the school name right? I only went to the school for four years, I'm pretty sure that Levittown Memorial High School was the place I was president of the drama club, DJ on the radio station, and lettered in three sports at! I started to put names into the "Friend me" list. After all, why not, I was now asked to be friends with seventeen people I couldn't remember, perhaps I can find one classmate who could tell me if we're planning a reunion anytime soon.

I then tried to link my FACE BOOK account to my BLOG. I clicked on the button that said, "click here to link." I did and nothing. I did it again and nothing. I did it a third time and gave up. I then went to my blog site to post my Face Book account and found three places for a logo to be transferred. Completely screwed the cover page of my blog account. It appears "Baby Boomers" of the 50s aren't as likely to be on FACE BOOK as they are to be on CLASSMATES. I remember having no problems finding almost my entire LMHS graduating class a couple of years ago when the site first came out. However, since high school, I've lost touch with all but one of my classmates and he was my best friend when I lived in New York. I didn't need FACE BOOK or CLASSMATES to keep in touch with him. I still talk to Johnny four times a year and I don't even have to "Friend" him. You see, we were already friends.

I cancelled my FACE BOOK account a little more than three hours after I signed up. People of this generation have way too much time on their hands to maintain such a detailed account. And who has time for that many friends? Now that I think of it, if someone from Levittown Memorial High School in New York wants me to attend a class of '70 Reunion, GOOGLE me!!!

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Avatar Stays #1

I could cry foul and say 7000 screens versus 4000 screens, no wonder they stayed #1. However, during the holiday season anything goes. I did read that 75% of all Avatar's box office came from 3-D and IMAX theaters. Sherlock Holmes ran second at $65 million with a smaller nut to crack. Speaking of NUTS, Alvin and those pesky Chipmunks came in third at $60 million. Disney's "Princess and the Frog," despite good reviews and an excellent family viewing, dropped down to seventh place not even cracking the ten million dollar mark. What gives? Could it possibly be because the princess is black? I sincerely hope not! It's probably the best well rounded Disney animated film since "Beauty and the Beast."

I heard somewhere that people are getting paid to plug certain products on their blogs. I have yet to be approached but if I start ranting how good something is nowadays you've got to figure the check is in the mail. I also heard that people are selling the names of their followers to spam sites. Fear not, I don't need money bad enough to sell out people that want to hear what I have to say but be careful out there.

We begin accepting "Early Bird" entries, January 15, 2010. Prize money stays the same for features ($500), shorts ($250) and Documentaries ($250). The best Florida project receives a plaque and a one hundred dollar check.

Hove a safe New Years!

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Four Hundred Million Dollars? Really?

I got to see AVATAR this weekend and I thought it was well done. I didn't think it was the greatest thing since the talkie but I thought it was worthy of Oscar mention. What I'd like to know is how a studio can "green light" a film at an expense of $400 million dollars? TITANIC, Cameron's first two hundred million dollar feature stayed on top for about twenty weeks and became the industry's standard as well a top box office hit of all time (I would still like to see the numbers compared to GONE WITH THE WIND if we included box office prices in 1939-1940). AVATAR was a formula movie, with brilliant special effects. Once the audience gets over being mesmerized over the transitions into the fantasy world isn't the story something we've seen before? I mean it had little bits and pieces of several cinematic classics all rolled up into one. Fine performances, excellent effects and a director's vision second to none but four hundred million dollars? Do you have any idea what the film has to gross even receiving a 60-65% cut? It's absurd. However, it should walk away with at least eight Oscar nominations and I guarantee at least four Academy Awards (Editing, Sound Effects Editing, Sound, Visual Effects). I'm not sure Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume or a supporting actress award are guaranteed.

Check out the film this holiday season before SHERLOCK HOLMES knocks it out of the #1 spot!

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Festival Porn

I've got to ask, why are porn sites following my blog and the festival twitter sites? What could they possibly get from it? I don't get it. I just received the fifteenth person saying they are following the festival site and when I go to find out who they are, it's an amateur porn site.

I looked through hundreds of photos (strictly research) to try and find a connection to the film industry to no avail. I just don't get it. I've blocked them and I hope I didn't hurt any ones feelings. Perhaps I should include a porn category at our film festival but then I would have to hold it at the Pussycat Theater instead of the classier West Orange 5.

If someone could explain it to me I would appreciate it and I would share it with my readers. In the meantime have a healthy and happy holiday season.

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Thank you! We're Planning for 2010

I want to thank the filmmakers that sent emails of heartwarming thanks and good wishes. I guess two bad apples does not a festival make. The Central Florida Film Festival will be returning over the Labor Day weekend (September 3-6) in 2010. We will even be adding another day (Monday). It appears most Florida filmmakers like what we are doing for the film community in Central Florida. I am also pleased to announce that our two main sponsors, MARSHALL ENTERTAINMENT INSURANCE and BIGSTAR.TV, will be returning.

I am also happy to announce that Caroline Lewis will be heading up our marketing and publicity department. Miss Lewis believes that Florida film students should be increased as a target market and we will make the adjustments accordingly. I am currently in negotiations to create a festival scholarship program and present this award once a year at CENFLO. The festival already has a relationship with the Ocoee High School film and television program.

The Central Florida Film Festival will be accepting EARLY BIRD ENTRIES beginning mid-January. We are planning an "early bird" entry fee of $35 for features and documentaries and $30 for dramatic and comedy shorts. If you submit via http://www.withoutabox.com/ you will receive a generous ten dollar discount in all categories. Which means you can enter your film for only $25!!! And a short longer than three minutes but shorter than thirty five can be entered for only twenty dollars ($20)!!! Talk about a stocking stuffer!

CENFLO is one of the few festivals to provide any rejected films a critique explaining why.

Category and Prizes:

Best Feature - Plaque and $500 (check)
Best Documentary - Plaque and $250 (check)
Best Short - Plaque and $250 (check)
Best Florida Project - Plaque and $100 (check)

We are NOT taking entries at this time. January 15, 2010 is the tentative date we've set up to begin accepting films. There will be additional announcements regarding the entry process via http://www.centralfloridafilmfestival.com/ and http://www.withoutabox.com/.

"Upward and Onward!"

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