21
st ANNUAL
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL
PHILIP
GLASS
MINIMALIST MAESTRO THE
LAST
EXORCISM
WITH LOUIS HERTHUM
THE BUSINESS OF
LOUISIANA MUSIC
BRUCE WILLIS RED HOT
PLUS
THE FASHION SCENE
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VOL. 1, ISSUE 8 | September/October 2010 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kevin Barraco
EDITOR’S LETTER
Louisiana’s entertainment industry has been planting seeds and this fall, we’ll see our biggest harvest yet. With huge music events and today’s most anticipated films being produced right in our own backyard, entertainment is the king crop of the season. This issue showcases the
best of it, including a special fashion photo spread that is sure to turn heads. Over the next few months, Louisiana films look to dominate the box office much like The Expendables, including RED, set to premiere in October. Our cover Bruce Willis has spent much of this past year here on RED in New Orleans and Catch .44 in Shreveport. He is preparing to come back to New Orleans again this year to star in Looper with Joseph Gordon Levitt. I don’t have to say much, but be aware that there will be a lot of blood sucking in Baton Rouge over the next several months. In addition to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Stephen Moyer of True Blood will star in the
CONTRIBUTORS JASON KRUPPA is a freelance photographer, graphic artist and writer who lives in New Orleans.
The Big Valley, and Alexander Skarsgard of True Blood will star in Battleship at the same time, all under the roof of Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge. Fangs aside, I’m looking forward to Voodoo Fest. We’re happy to participate in New Orleans at this year’s Voodoo Music Experience and will have a tent on grounds for all of our fans to stop by. Stay posted to our website and social network, we’ll have all the latest news and resources. Please read our posts and feel free to comment. As always we want to hear what our readers are thinking.
KEVIN BARRACO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@scenelouisiana.com
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KATHERINE BOSIO
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Danielle Tabary SALES Jon Bajon, Drew Aizpurua, Cyndi Wiseman, Jessica Mason CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ashley Merlin, Mark St. James, Noel Nichols, Jason Kruppa, Lawles Bourque, Zack Delaune GRAPHIC ARTIST Burton Chatelain, Jr. FASHION STYLIST John Delgadillo PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING Julie Nathanson, Rogers & Cowan CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AJ Buckley, Arthur Vandelay, Ben Adams, Danielle Nelson, Chris Jay, Greg Milneck, Katherine Bosio, Drew Langhart Scene Magazine at Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge 10000 Celtic Drive Suite 201 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-361-0701 at Second Line Stages 800 Richard St. Suite 222 New Orleans, LA 70130 504-224-2221 info@scenelouisiana.com www.scenelouisiana.com
All submitted materials become the property of Louisiana Entertainment Publishers LLC. For subscriptions or more information visit our website www.scenelouisiana.com
JOHN DELGADILLO
4 | September/October 2010
HEAD WRITER Micah Haley
Published By Louisiana Entertainment Publishers LLC Display Advertising: Call Louisiana Entertainment Publishers for a current rate card or visit www.scenelouisiana.com
started her journalism career in her home state of Mississippi, writing for The Mississippi Press-Register. In August 2009, she moved to New Orleans and soon began freelancing for Scene, where she contributes her writing and fashion knowledge.
is originally from Los Angeles, California, where he was one of the youngest fashion designers in the ‘80s to hit the Hollywood scene. Now living in New Orleans, his knowledge of today’s fashion is versatile.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erin Theriot
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CONTENTS ON THE COVER
Bruce Willis ABOVE THE LINE
20
Bruce Willis Still Has It
BEHIND THE SCENES
10
Hear from cast and crew and take a look behind the Scenes
BEFORE THE SCENE
14
A Conversation with Jewel Staite
PRODUCER’S CORNER
8
Producer Michael Arata talks Night of the Demons
LAST LOOKS
16
Inside the production of The Last Exorcism with Louisiana native Louis Herthum
MUSIC / SOUND SPEED 2010 Voodoo Music Experience Philip Glass Sound Business - Part 2
32
FASHION / THE RED CARPET Aristocracy’s Fashion Show The Fashion Scene
SCENE EXTRAS
38
26
News, Resources, and Celebrities on the Scene
COLUMNS Today’s Scene 6 The 21st Annual New Orleans Film Festival State of the Artist 18 Trustworthy by Micah Haley In the Mix 64 The iPhone 4 by Greg Milneck Good Seats 22 A Guided Tour through Metropolis by Chris Jay Crew Up 24 An Interview with Luisa Dantes by Danielle Nelson
THE UNSCENE
52 www.scenelouisiana.com | 5
TODAY’S SCENE
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he 21st Annual New Orleans Films Festival runs this year on October 14-21. The film festival continues its tradition as Louisiana’s preeminent film event, presenting an eclectic offering of films and professional panels. A few of the featured films this year are The Canal St. Madam, Conviction and Night Catches Us.
THE CANAL ST. MADAM DIRECTED BY CAMERON YATES An FBI raid on Jeanette Maier’s infamous familyrun brothel in New Orleans destroyed her livelihood. Stigmatized by felony, fearing recrimination from powerful clients and determined to protect her children, Jeanette sets out to re-invent herself. www.thecanalstreetmadamfilm.com
NIGHT CATCHES US DIRECTED BY TANYA HAMILTON In 1976, after years of mysterious absence, Marcus (Anthony Mackie), returns to the Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age in the midst of the Black Power movement. While his arrival raises suspicion among his family and former neighbors, he finds acceptance from his old friend Patricia (Kerry Washington) and her daughter. However, Marcus quickly finds himself at odds with the organization he once embraced, whose members suspect he orchestrated the slaying of their former comrade-inarms. In a startling sequence of events, Marcus must protect a secret that could shatter everyone’s beliefs as he rediscovers his forbidden passion for Patricia. The film also stars Jamie Hector, Wendell Pierce and Amari Cheatom. www.nightcatchesus.com
Anthony Mackie / Night Catches Us
CONVICTION DIRECTED BY TONY GOLDWYN Starring Hilary Swank, Juliette Lewis, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher and Melissa Leo, Conviction, tells how Betty Ann Waters (Swank), an unemployed single mother of two, saw her brother begin serving a life sentence in 1983 for murder and robbery. Convinced that he was innocent, she spent the next twelve years taking steps to earn a law degree. In 1995, she began focusing on her brother’s case. Challenging the conviction with DNA evidence, she proved her brother’s innocence, and Kenneth Waters walked out a free man in March 2001. www.foxsearchlight.com/conviction The Renaissance Arts Hotel New Orleans is the official hotel and headquarters for the 2010 New Orleans Film Festival. The hotel will play host to panels and VIP lounge and festival attendees are able to take part in a generous $79/night room discount. For more festival and ticket information please visit www.neworleansfilmsociety.org. S 6 | September/October 2010
Director Cameron Yates / The Canal St. Madam
FILM |
VOODOO PRODUCER by Kevin Barraco
Director Adam Gierasch and Monica Keena on the set of Night of the Demons
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photos courtesy of NOTD Productions and First Wedding Productions
ouisiana producers Michael Arata and Jerry Daigle, togeth- it’s really remarkable.” Jason Hewitt co-wrote the script and directer with their production company Voodoo Productions, ed Blood Out, an action thriller that delivers a real punch. Lionshave produced several projects over the last few years with gate is set to distribute the film. Also in post-production for Arata is the comedy flick Snatched, which he a slate of films in post-production preparco-produced with Jerry Daigle and Alan ing for release. With the premiere of Night Donnes’ Flim Flam Films for National of the Demons on DVD this October, and Lampoon. The film reunites actors Anthe start of pre-production on his next drew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman. project at the same time, Arata sees Louisiana’s film industry hitting an all time high. Night of the Demons, which shot in New Orleans, is one of Arata’s most anticiLouisiana continues to set standards as a pated films. “This was our second film destination for studio productions, and with director/writer Adam Gierasch,” he independent films continue to flourish as says. “We produced his first feature Auan essential part of the industry’s growth. tospy in 2007, and it was very rewarding “One of our last films, Love Wedding to see how he developed his skills since Marriage, which will have a spring 2011 then. He has a great eye for humor and big screen release, is in the editing room certainly loves the gore, which this movnow,” said Arata. “It’s a fun romantic comie has lots of that. It does not take itself edy, starring the beautiful and talented too seriously, and you can see that the Mandy Moore, heart-throb Kellan Lutz, actors enjoyed making the film as much Jane Seymour, James Brolin and Christoas the audience will enjoy watching it.” pher Lloyd. Dermot Mulroney directed the film and he did a wonderful job. He has the Currently Arata is producing an action Michael Arata on set with Jane Seymour film called House of the Rising Sun, which perfect touch for big budget Hollywood glamour and he made sure our cast looked magical in every frame.” stars David Bautista of WWE, based on the novel of the same name by Another film shot in Baton Rouge, Blood Out, was co-produced Louisiana writer Chuck Hustmyre. Other films produced by Arata and by Arata together with Jason Hewitt of Films In Motion. “We pro- his team set for release next year are National Lampoon’s Dirty Movduced Autopsy in Baton Rouge in 2006-2007 and it is amazing to ie, to be directed by Flim Flam Films’ Jerry Daigle, and The Legend of see what has happened to that city’s film infrastructure since then, Awesomest Maximus, another partnership with National Lampoon. S 8 | September/October 2010
BEHIND THE
SCENES S
KNUCKLEHEAD WWE Studios has been producing a slate of films over the last year and continues to utilize New Orleans as their film location destination. Knucklehead stars Mark Feuerstein, Melora Hardin and WWE Superstar Paul “Big Show” Wight. Director Michael W. Watkins helmed the comedy adventure, which is scheduled for DVD release on October 24th. Knucklehead follows the on-the-road adventures of a trio of misfits: a naïve giant and church orphan-turnedamateur fighter Walter Krunk (Big Show), former mixed martial arts champion-turned-manager Eddie Sullivan (Mark Feuerstein), and church aide-turned-chaperone, Mary O’Connor (Melora Hardin). The trio fights their way across the South to the annual Pro-Am mixed martial arts tournament in New Orleans. WWE Studios also produced Legendary in New Orleans, starring Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover and John Cena, which is released on DVD this September. In addition, WWE Studios also wrapped several other films this year in New Orleans, including That’s What I Am starring Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Randy Orton, Inside Out starring Michael Rapaport, Parker Posey, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque and The Chaperone starring Triple H, Ariel Winters, and Kevin Corrigan, and Chasing the Hawk is currently filming.
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Paul “Big Show” Wright and Melora Hardin on set in New Orleans Melora Hardin sat down with Scene Magazine while on set and talked about her work. “It’s nice to have people see some of my work on films besides what they know of me from playing Jane on The Office.” Melora also independently directed and produced You, a film about love and loss, co-starring her husband, Gildart Jackson, and her father, Jerry Hardin. They have been screening the film in different cities and festivals. Visit www.youthefilm.com for more information. To listen to the entire Melora Hardin interview visit www.scenelouisiana.com.
MONSTERWOLF Shot in Lafayette, Active Entertainment and Bullet Films’ MonsterWolf premieres this October on the Syfy Network. The horror film stars Jason London, Leonor Varela and Robert Picardo (left). Active Entertainment’s rapidly growing Louisiana subsidiaries are providing post-production and studio operations through Sweetpost Productions and Activity Film Services. Next up is Weather Wars starring Jason London, Alien Tornado and Miami Magma. These effects heavy, disaster-oriented shows continue the long-standing relationship that Active Entertainment has with its U.S and international networks and distributors, including Syfy, RAI and numerous others. Recently Active Entertainment wrapped principal photography on Swamp Shark in Henderson, LA, starring Kristy Swanson, D.B. Sweeney and Robert Davi. This is Bullet Film’s eighth feature shot in Louisiana in the last two years. The company is in discussions with key distributors for a U.S. video partner to handle the flow of four to six films a year.
MORE BEHIND THE SCENES 10 | September/October 2010
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RED
Shot in Canada and New Orleans, RED is based on the cult DC Comics graphic novels by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. RED is an explosive action- comedy starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren, which Summit Entertainment releases into theater on October 15, 2010.
Helen Mirren, John Malkovich
photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment
Karl Urban on the set of RED filming in New Orleans
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SECRETARIAT With release set for October 8th, Secretariat was directed by Randall Wallace and stars Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Nelsan Ellis, and Kevin Connolly. The movie’s soundstage space and production offices were located in Lafayette, and much of the film editing was done at the LITE center. About 95 percent of the racing scenes were shot at the former Evangeline Downs racetrack in Carencro. “I fell in love with Lafayette,” said producer, Mark Ciardi. “I would not hesitate to bring another move here. We really knew we had a big budget film but Lafayette gave us more bang for the buck, plus the look of the Acadiana area has not yet been over seen for locations in Louisiana.”
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Diane Lane, Nelsan Ellis and John Malkovich
photos by Disney
BEFORE THE SCENE WITH JEWEL STAITE by AJ Buckley
Before the Scene is where we all start. In a small town with our families. In front of a mirror with our friends. The days spent sleeping on a couch. The nights working at a bar. Living with the unknown and surrounded by uncertainty. It’s about the times that define us. It’s about the darkness just before the limelight.
Q: What made you want to become an actor? A: I started acting when I was five, mainly because my parents were trying to find an outlet for my creativity. I just sort of fell into it, and luckily, I’ve always had enough work to support myself. (I’m knocking on wood like a crazy person right now.) So I guess you could say it found me instead of the other way around. I feel like I’ve been doing this job for so long, it’s a part of who I am. Q: What was your biggest fear? A: My biggest fear has always been, and probably always will be, the fear of never booking a job again. It’s a completely irrational and totally ridiculous fear, but it consumes me at the end of every job nevertheless. It’s gotten to the point where my agent expects the phone call about a week after the last job wraps, the one where I have a slight tinge of panic to my voice because I’ve started convincing myself that it’s all over. But once I start to rationalize and calm down a little bit, and once the phone starts to ring and I realize that there are always new opportunities being created for me to take advantage of, then it slowly goes away. Q: What was your lowest point? A: A few years ago, I went through a period of not working, which happens to everybody. I was at this weird stage in my career where it wasn’t smart to take every offer that came along, because I’d built up this quote that I had worked really hard to achieve. So I had to hold out and say no a lot, which was extremely tough to do. It was also an incredibly slow year to begin with, and I honestly thought I was going to run out of money and become a bartender or something. This coming from the girl who had never worked a “normal” job in her life. I felt really defeated and frustrated, not to mention creatively unfulfilled and really bored. I started saying yes to those jobs I should have been saying no to, and I really do regret doing that. My heart wasn’t in those jobs, and I wasn’t proud of them at all. But I didn’t have much of a choice. Q: What kept you from walking away? A: Like I said, it’s who I am! I love what I do. I’ve never let myself forget that. There are elements of this business that aren’t so fun, and the politics of it all can make you think you’re losing your mind, but the payoff, doing what you adore for a living, is so huge, it’s worth all the struggle in the end. There will always be good years, and there will always be not-so-good years. It’s a cycle. You just have to tough it out. Q: What did you walk away from? A: Moving down to L.A. was a big step for me. A step that took, like, five years. I finally decided it was now or never, sold the house in Vancouver, said good-bye to my family and my friends and pretty much my entire support system, and took the plunge. Luckily, my husband’s an actor, so we made the move together and had each other to lean on, but it still wasn’t easy, for either one of us. But eventually we created a support system down here, too, and now we’ve really grown to love it here. And I never thought I’d say that!
14 | September/October 2010
Jewel Staite
Q: Who was your closest ally? A: My husband, Matty, most definitely. He’s a pretty calm person by nature, so I’m free to be the drama queen as much as I need to be. He’s really patient, not only with me, but with life in general. And he makes me laugh. I really lucked out the day I found him. Q: What were the words that kept you going? How have you changed? A: The strong will survive. A friend told me that once, right when I moved to L.A. He said, “If you want it bad enough and if you want it for the right reasons, it will happen for you.” L.A. eats dreams alive and sends people back to where they moved from. He said to me, “Just remember...the strong will survive.” I will never forget that. Q: What words do you have to inspire others? A: Learn to market yourself in a positive way. Be gracious. Be on time. And throw away all of your “back-up plans.” You don’t need them!
FILM |
FATHER by Drew Langhart
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LOUIS
ouis Herthum is an actor and producer who splits his time between Los Angeles and Louisiana. After moving from his hometown of Baton Rouge to Los Angeles in 1982, he was convinced in 2006 by local talent agent Brenda Netzberger to begin submitting for roles in Louisiana. He has since appeared in over forty films, including Road House 2, American Violet, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. His next film, the highly anticipated horror flick The Last Exorcism, comes to theaters on August 27. DL: What were your first impressions of the script for The Last Exorcism, which was then known as Cotton? LH: The producers were going to come shoot a trailer to have something to show to raise money, and [Louisiana casting director] Brent Caballero asked me “Will you do this part for the trailer”? My first impression was, ‘I’m perfect for this part and, yes, I’d love to do it.’ The fact that they were doing it as a documentary-style film intrigued me because I’d never done that. So, my first impression was, this is a really fun project that I would love to do. DL: How did you prepare for the role of Louis Sweetzer? Louis Herthum and actress Ashley Bell
LH: Louis Sweetzer is a very fundamentalist Christian man, so I talked with some people who were very devout Christians, people who can recite scriptures. I’m a Christian, but they perhaps wear it on their sleeve a little more than I do. I felt like Louis was a guy who could recite scriptures, so I talked to some friends who could help me with that. I gave them a few examples of things that might come up during shooting, and they gave me scriptures that would be appropriate. DL: What was it like shooting in St. Bernard Parish outside of New Orleans? LH: We shot near the Lower 9th Ward where Brad Pitt is building new houses, passing the devastated areas every day on the way to set. We shot at Creedmoor Plantation, which was under five feet of water [after Hurricane Katrina]. They had replaced the floorboards, but everything still seemed warped. The whole setting…there was something about knowing how depressed that area was after the storm, coupled with the fact that the plantation was a pretty creepy place anyway. It was just perfect. The owners of the plantation visited the set with her husband during filming. She was in her nineties: she was born in that house, built in the 1840s to 1860s. I don’t think they could have found a better place. DL:What was it like working with Ashley Bell, who plays your daughter? LH: We were shooting the very first scene, which was a very emotional scene, an ending in the church that is not in the film. The director had planned all these bonding exercising, but we hit it off so quickly, she 16 | September/October 2010
had me laughing instantly! The director just threw the exercises out the window. Ashley’s very funny: she can do comedy, she can do drama, she can do it all. I can’t explain our instant connection except to say that we all have met people in our lives that we instantly have a bond with. It was beyond joy to work with her. DL: Talk about working with director Daniel Stamm. LH: He was quiet, but he fully knew what he wanted. That was absolutely clear from the beginning, and it’s a joy to work for someone who is like that. He was shaping this film in his head. I remember one scene that made the trailer, where I had the line, ”Reverend, I need you to do an exorcism on my daughter.” I had just gotten some really bad news over a voicemail, and then I had to do this emotional scene, and I nailed it. Keep in mind it’s supposed to be a documentary movie. He comes in and tells the cinematographer, “That was so perfectly framed! If Louis was nominated for an Oscar, that would be the shot that they would use at the ceremony! But it’s too ‘clean,’ we have to do it again. Don’t frame it so cleanly.” And I’m thinking to myself “What?! You’re going to give my Oscar away?!” But he said it so quietly and firmly, he knew so clearly what he wanted for the film. DL:What are your hopes for the film? LH:We’re really hoping that it’s going to win its opening weekend. Two films, Piranha 3-D and Going the Distance have already moved their date to avoid it. It will be such a great thing for Louisiana if it wins its opening weekend, so I really hope people will go out and support it. S
STATE OF THE ARTIST
TRUST worthy by Micah Haley
Liana Liberato
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exas native Liana Liberato is quickly on the rise. At fourteen, her resume outshines actors three decades her senior. Her first feature film role came at the age of nine. “That was The Last Sin Eater,” she says. “I think I turned ten on set. It was a religious film about a little girl discovering Jesus and kind of showing her whole village that there isn’t a sin eater anymore.” Unlike many of her teenage contemporaries, the young thespian has trended toward serious, dramatic material, with early guest roles on CSI, Cold Case Files and House. This September, her most ambitious project to date will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where she will star in Trust, a drama directed by a famous friend. “It probably took about a month,” says Liberato of the audition process. “I went in for my first call, and about a week later they wanted me to meet the director, David Schwimmer. I’d watched Friends a lot before then. I knew who David was, I knew his character ‘Ross’ but I didn’t know his name was David Schwimmer. Of course I walked in and my mom didn’t tell me it was Ross, and I thought ‘Oh my gosh! It’s David Schwimmer!’ That was kind of a shock to me.” Liberato’s impressive audition led to another with her would-be co-
18 | September/October 2010
stars. “I had one more meeting with [Schwimmer], and then they asked me to do a chemistry read with Clive Owen and Catherine Keener,” she says. “About a week later, they called me at school and told me I got the role.” Her affinity for challenging material has afforded her opportunities to work with well-respected actors. On Trust, Clive Owen and Catherine Keener play her parents. “It was a lot of fun! Clive is my buddy,” she says. “He’s like my second dad. We used to joke around, and even though we had some hard scenes together, we always kept it lighthearted around set.” “Catherine was like a mother to me,” she says. “She’d come on set and say, ‘Oh my God I have a present for you!’ And she always stuck by me if I had any questions. It was just nice to watch them do their work.” When asked about her role models, Liberato doesn’t miss a beat. “Dakota Fanning. I kind of find myself looking at her and saying, that’s the kind of roles I want to do,” she says. “I also like Meryl Streep. She’s a chameleon, she can do anything, from Mamma Mia to Doubt. She’s very talented. I love Nicole Kidman, who I’ll be lucky to work with.” Liana Liberato is currently in Shreveport filming Trespass with veteran director Joel Schumacher. She co-stars with Oscar-winners Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage. S
FILM |
STILL GOT IT by Ben Adams
John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis in RED
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ruce Willis is a wanted man. Nearly twenty-three years removed from his star-making turn as John McClane, he remains an action icon. When Sylvester Stallone began assembling his brothers in arms for The Expendables, Bruce’s name was at the top of the list. However, unlike some underemployed stars of the throwback actioner, Bruce’s full schedule limited his involvement in the box office smash to a high profile cameo with Arnold Schwartzenegger. Stallone has revitalized his career in the last four years by revisiting the Rocky and Rambo franchises that made him a star. Bruce’s star has never faded. While his career is studded with wide-audience driven fare such as Armageddon and the Die Hard franchise, Bruce Willis has continued to show depth as an actor. Yet, even while stretching his chops beyond action flicks, he has continued to be a box office force, claiming nearly three billion dollars in gross domestic receipts. Critically acclaimed films such as Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, the science fiction thriller Twelve Monkeys and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense have contributed significantly to that total. Early this year, RED began shooting in New Orleans. Based on the graphic novel, RED is the story of Frank Moses, a former CIA operative forced out of retirement when his former employers target him for elimination. Bruce plays Moses, who assembles his old black-ops team, played by Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich, for a mission to break into CIA headquarters to uncover a conspiracy. After beginning principle photography by shooting interiors in Toronto, RED relocated to New Orleans, shooting key exterior locations including St. Vincent’s Guest House as a retirement home, a chase sequence on North Peters St at Decatur and the swamp hideout of Malkovich’s character, Marvin Boggs. Early looks at the film reveal Bruce at his best in an all out action caper reminiscent of his most famous film franchise. RED hits theaters October 15, where it looks to continue Bruce’s, and Louisiana’s, trend of box office dominance. 20 | September/October 2010
photos Courtesy of Summit Entertainment
After finishing work on RED in New Orleans, Bruce began work on Catch .44 in Shreveport, starring as the crime boss of a motley crew consisting of a psychopathic hitman, a grizzled trucker and a delusional line cook. The indie drama balances leading man Bruce with three beauties (Watchmen’s Malin Akerman, Twilight’s Nikki Reed and True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll) that he cajoles into joining his syndicate. While Bruce Willis’s calm authority are an obvious casting match for a crime boss, the slightly off-kilter concept places Catch .44 amongst his most interesting projects. With Catch .44 recently wrapped, Bruce Willis will again be in Louisiana to work on director Rian Johnson’s next film Looper in New Orleans, where he will co-star with Inception’s Joseph Gordon Levitt. With Looper and rumors that he’ll be filming Kane & Lynch in Louisiana as well, Willis’s career seems to be as resilient as the characters he portrays. One thing’s for sure: Bruce’s bright shining star will die hard. S
Bruce Willis and Karl Urban on the set of RED in New Orleans
GOOD SEATS
A GUIDED TOUR OF
METROPOLIS WITH MOONBOT STUDIOS’ WILLIAM JOYCE
by Chris Jay William Joyce introducing a special screening of Metropolis at the Robinson Film Center
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n January of 1927, Fritz Lang’s silent film epic Metropolis premiered in Berlin. A pioneering science fiction tale involving a mad scientist and his out-of-control creation, the robot Maria, Metropolis was almost immediately reedited down from its original runtime of 153 minutes to less than ninety minutes in length. Censored for content and shortened for the sake of selling more tickets, Metropolis was an early casualty in the now-familiar war between studios and distributors, and filmmakers. But somehow, Metropolis survived long enough in its many forms to see a proper resurrection. In 2008, a film historian in Buenos Aires discovered a nearly complete copy of the film, including twenty-five Brigitte Helm as “Maria” minutes of footage not seen since 1927, as well as the original score. The newly restored film is now in release, opening at the Robinson Film Center in Shreveport on June 18. In the eighty years between birth and resurrection, Metropolis has made movie lovers out of millions of viewers lucky enough to encounter it in a college class, on late-night television or in a textbook. Shreveportbased author, illustrator and filmmaker William Joyce, creator of Robots and Meet the Robinsons and co-founder of Moonbot Studio, is a diehard fan who longed to see the complete film. Moonbot Studios and the Robinson Film Center co-presented a sold-out screening in Shreveport on Friday, June 18. Joyce introduced the film by narrating a selection of clips from other films by director Fritz Lang, a guided tour through the work of a filmmaker whose work Joyce calls “huge, open-hearted, romantic operas in which love always triumphs.” After explaining how he discovered Metropolis in the pages of Forrest Ackerman’s Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, Joyce spoke to the audience as clips unspooled. From Lang’s lesser-known fantasy epic Siegfried (1924), Joyce highlighted sequences in which the filmmaker combined animation and live action to great effect. “This is one of the first
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live action films to incorporate animated sequences. The special effects hold up quite well over time,” Joyce said. “The risks he took…combining live action and animation, putting so much poetry and romance into these epic action films,” Joyce remarked, obviously speaking about a subject very near and dear to his heart. “What cajones that took.” Joyce also screened clips from Lang’s The Woman in the Moon, the 1929 film that introduced the idea of space travel by rocket, getting admittedly giddy over the miniature sets used by Lang to create the film. “I love all of these Moon miniatures. This film is wildly entertaining and fun.” Joyce drew laughs from the crowd as he narrated sequences of the space travelers in the film learning their way around the moon, discovering lunar mountain ranges made of gold, and subsequently being driven mad by greed and jealousy. As the opening of Metropolis approached, Joyce invited the audience to prepare themselves for one of the most singular cinematic experiences in the history of motion pictures. “This is a long, strange trip,” he said. “It is his greatest and maddest work. I give you Metropolis!” At the end of the night, the audience filed out of the theater and those of us with a passion for film history gathered in the lobby and on the sidewalk to discuss the full frontal assault of creativity and vision we’d just endured: the creator of Robots had just walked us through the genesis of movie history’s first android. The establishment of a thriving film industry in Louisiana has brought with it almost unlimited economic and career opportunities, as well as cultural opportunities: the chance to meet and learn from those creative minds behind the scenes. Other filmmakers on hand for the screening were J.V. Hart (screenwriter of Hook, Contact, and August Rush among others), Baton Rouge’s Zack Godshall (God’s Architects, Low and Behold), Moonbot co-founder Brandon Oldenburg and about a dozen young animators from Moonbot Studios. Altogether, it was an amazing night to be a part of Louisiana’s thriving film Scene. S
CREW UP AN INTERVIEW WITH INDIE FILMMAKER
LUISA DANTES by Danielle Nelson
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uisa Dantas is an independent filmmaker who has written, directed, produced, and edited projects ranging from nationally syndicated television programs to short films and critically acclaimed feature length documentaries, such as Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Her new documentary Land of Opportunity focuses on a diverse group of people struggling to rebuild postcatastrophe New Orleans. Dantas has been on the ground in New Orleans for over four years and has begun a multi-platform outreach campaign for the film. DN: At what point did you decide to come to New Orleans to make Land of Opportunity? LD: When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, I was in Florida working on outreach for a documentary about Wal-Mart that I co-produced and as a part of that national outreach campaign we were working with ACORN. Members of ACORN staff in Louisiana asked me to come to New Orleans to help document their work in late 2005. It was then that I knew I would have to return to tell a larger story about the complexity of rebuilding a great American city. DN: You’re essentially a New Orleanian at this point, having been here since 2006, working for and with the people and places of our city. Was staying here always part of the plan? LD: I’d like to clarify that I don’t consider myself a New Orleanian, since I wasn’t actually born here and that seems to be the pre-requisite for being considered a true New Orleanian! Early on in the process, I realized that I could only capture the kind of in-depth stories that I was looking for by relocating here and becoming a part of the rebuilding process. As all newcomers to this city know, it has a way of seducing you while also testing the very limits of your physical and mental stamina! DN: Documentary-making seems overwhelming in terms of logging hours of footage and catching the right person or place at the right time, hoping you’ll get something you can use. Land of Opportunity is such a concise, well-woven series of stories. How did you 24 | September/October 2010
Luisa Dantas
coordinate locations and select the protagonists? LD: So much of documentary filmmaking is about serendipity. For example, I was living and teaching film in L.A. in early 2006 and a colleague of mine was at a CVS pharmacy and overheard the pharmacy tech talking about how she and her son were Katrina evacuees and had relocated to Los Angeles. Knowing that I had just begun working on a project about New Orleans, he got her number. That woman was Debra Tanner and her son, Tr’Vel Lyons, became the first person I followed for Land of Opportunity. We’ve watched him grow from a perspicacious twelve-year old boy to an extremely accomplished young man who’s just started his first year of college. Because we met so many incredible people and heard so many amazing stories, despite the 1500+ hours of footage we have accumulated in the last five years, I often find myself wishing that a cameras were attached to my forehead at all times! DN: After much work and preparation, the film is being released five years after Katrina. What life do you hope the film will take on now? LD: My biggest wish for this project is that it is used in a way that sees post-Katrina New Orleans as the beginning of a discussion, rather than a conclusion. What happens here doesn’t stay here. As our tagline says, “Happening to a city near you…”, which is meant to convey that New Orleans is a starting point for a national conversation on the future of urban
Photo by Zack Delaune
America. Our content also provides viewers an opportunity to redefine “disaster recovery.” Our cities are experiencing disasters every day, whether they’re defined as economic, natural or man-made. Detroit’s struggles are eerily familiar to New Orleans post-Katrina. DN: This documentary is multi-platform, with a very active web presence intended on getting the viewer involved. Talk a little about how you plan to use the website as a tool for education and activism. LD: We’re using our website as a way to amplify the stories and issues that the film explores in even greater depth and breadth. For every story that made it into our film, there are five other equally amazing stories and situations that will be depicted on our website. The short videos on our site (for which Spike Lee is acting as a consultant) can be a tool for raising awareness, education, and organizing around issues that exist in every city—housing, immigration, and economic displacement. We don’t want people to just passively view the film and go on about their day, but to actively become part of something they may not have been before, and to engage with their communities in different and new ways. S Find out more at www.landofopportunitymovie. com. For more information about the New Orleans Video Access Center (NOVAC), including class listings and upcoming events, visit www. novacvideo.org.
scene ISSA ABOU-ISSA by Arthur Vandelay
“N
ew York is a very fast-paced life,” says Issa. Over a generous plate of carne asada and sweet plantains, we spoke at the Havana Grill in Houma of her earliest days as an artist. “It was around the mid-to-late 80s and 90s. I picked up my charcoal, pencil and sketch pad and headed to SoHo, the equivalent of the French Quarter, and began doing portraits of anyone who would pay me $20.” Finding authentic Cuban food that far down the bayou ought to have been odd, but no more so than meeting a born and bred New Yorker there. Issa is protective of the celebrities and royalty that patronize her art, but very willing to discuss her roots in the city that ignited her interest in it. “I was nine years old when I went to a school field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” she says. “I can still hear the sound of children, talking and giggling, echoing throughout the museum.” Her words are drenched in nostalgia. “Then, I saw these beautiful figures, landscapes and still life paintings, mostly done in earth tone colors. The sounds of children’s noises were gone. I heard nothing because my eyes were glued to the paintings. I knew right then and there that I wanted to be an artist.” Her art carries with it the freshness that only memory can bring to age-old artifacts. “One thing is for sure,” she says. “I love old, dilapidated buildings. Walls that have paint or wallpaper chipping off. Ruins, whether from Pomeii or the Middle East.” I asked her if anything else inspires her. “Conversations with people,” comes the reply. While best know for figures, she is currently working with numbers in her “data series.” Issa relocated from Manhattan to Houma over a decade ago, and now has a studio there, along with two in New Orleans. “To this day, I love Houma!” she says. “This is my adopted home state and I wouldn’t move back to New York City for all the money in the world!” The works of recovering New Yorker and artist Issa AbouIssa will be shown at Dixon Smith Interiors in Baton Rouge on September 16th. For more information, visit www.issa-abou-issa.com. S
Above: Issa Abou-Issa. Left and Right: Original artworks by Issa AbouIssa.
MORE SCENE EXTRAS 26 | September/October 2010
www.scenelouisiana.com | 27
SCENE | BROADWAY SOUTH
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ith Louisiana’s film and music industry on the rise, the stage refuses to be left out. With a robust tax incentive offering behind him, Philip Mann is working to change that. “As the Adam Riegler, Jackie Hoffman, Bebe Neuwirth, director of live performance Nathan Lane, Kevin Chamberlin, Krysta development for the State of Rodriguez and Zachary James in The Addams Family. photo by Joan Marcus Louisiana, I am focused on creating a thriving theatrical and concert industry statewide,” says Mann. For the first year and a half, Mann’s primary focus has been to rehabilitate the historically rich but physically dilapidated theaters in New Orleans. Now that the Mahalia Jackson Theater is functional, and the Saenger on the way, shows that first bowed on Broadway and are now “on the road” have begun stopping in New Orleans. And they’ve been selling out. But according to Mann, the goal is to get these shows to start their tour in New Orleans. “By encouraging touring companies to rehearse, tech and open in Louisiana, Louisiana Entertainment is fulfilling a core mission of creating jobs and fostering growth in the entertainment industry,” says Mann. “Local artists, technicians, stagehands and production personnel are benefitting greatly from the increased activity in Louisiana’s touring industry.” He also points out that the hotel and hospitality industries benefit greatly. Late last April, the producers of The Addams Family announced that their 2011 tour would launch out of New Orleans. It will be the first Broadway Tour ever to originate in Louisiana. S
28 | September/October 2010
THE LOSS OF A TEARDROP DIAMOND RELEASED ON DVD
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n June and July, Scene Magazine sponsored soldout screenings of Tennessee Williams’ The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport with director Jodie Markell in attendance. The film shot entirely in South Louisiana in the fall of 2007. “It was important to me to bring the film home to the South, where Bryce Dallas Howard I knew people would love it,” says Markell. “Tennessee Williams had a special connection with New Orleans and I believe he would have wanted the film to play here.” Teardrop stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Evans, with powerful performances by Ann-Margret and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn. The film’s gorgeous cinematography gracefully captures the beauty of local plantations such as Nottoway, Greenwood and the previously unfilmed St. Louis Plantation. The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond will be released on DVD this September 14. S
MORE SCENE EXTRAS
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SUSIE CASTILLO HAS SCHOOL PRIDE
Cameras capture the host ribbon cutting.
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photos by Lawles Bourque
chool Pride, a new NBC reality show, will soon feature Baton Rouge’s Lanier Elementary School. The show selects schools that are suffering from disrepair and rallies the community to help rejuvenate it. Scene Magazine spoke with host and interior designer Susie Castillo. While Castillo is by far the most beautiful addition to the show’s team of school-changers, the former Miss USA is more than a pretty face. “Something not many people know about is that I have a degree in interior architecture and design,” says Castillo.
“I think Lanier may be the best school yet, all the fun stuff we include and the design elements in the classrooms are just phenomenal.” The changes to the school are more than aesthetic. As a result of the improvements, Susie Castillo Cheryl Hines the students and parents interest is reignited, with grades and standardized test scores rising across the board. “The most important thing is the materials the kids have now. Kids now are texting and they have cell phones and laptops, and we need to teach the kids in their own language. As one of the teachers told me, they have six computers in her classroom, but none of them work. They can’t get them fixed.” In addition to hosting duties on School Pride, Castillo can also be heard on the radio, where she co-hosts the countdown show Randy Jackson’s Hit List with American Idol host and Baton Rouge native Randy Jackson. School Pride premieres on NBC on October 15th. Find out more about Susie Castillo on her website at www.susiecastillo.net. S
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SCENE | CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY AT LE PETIT THEATRE photos by Mark St. James
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t was a packed house at Le Petit Theatre for the one night show of Celebrity Autobiography this past July. An eclectic group of talented actors gathered on stage to perform their readings for a special cause. The cast included Bryan Batt, Mario Cantone, Jennifer Coolidge, John Goodman, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Ryan Reynolds and Jay Thomas. The Greater New Orleans Foundation helped the show raise money for the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund. Celebrity Autobiography, was created and developed by Eugene Pack and Dayle Reyfel. The show performs across the country and you can find out more at www.celebrityautobiography.com.
Gary Solomon Jr. and Eugene Pack
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Ryan Reynolds performs with Eugene Pack
John Goodman
Bryan Batt, Jennifer Coolidge and Mario Cantone
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MUSIC |
THE GLASS OF VISION by Micah Haley
Philip Glass
“M
usic has such a big impact on movies.” Quietly and without fanfare, Philip Glass arrived in Baton Rouge last spring. “There are some directors that are very, very good with music. I think that Woody Allen is good with music. Scorsese is excellent. Peter Weir is very good with music. And the people who are good with music will work with music in the editing process.” Few would have picked the seventy-three year old out of a lineup much less a crowd of college students. Few would have assumed he was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. “The reason I know opera is because I have the most control over it. Where do I have the least control? Oddly enough, the least control is in film. Everyone gets fired.” Glass spoke at length, offering advice on the business of music and artistic collaboration in various mediums. “In film, basically, you are talking about a marketplace, where the marketplace really decides what’s going to happen. The composer, because of his vulnerable place in the food chain, ends up being fired. Every film composer I know has been fired. It’s not like you don’t get another job, you just don’t finish that job.” The veteran composer, who estimated that he has scored over thirty films, makes a distinction between work on studio and independent films. “The virtue of independent films is that they don’t have enough money to fire anybody,” he says. “So they are kind of stuck with what they have, and then they make it work. It’s usually a pleasanter atmosphere to work in. Your job security’s a little better.” Glass often speaks of employment as if he were an underemployed dockhand. “It’s possible to do real collaborations in film, and that’s always the hope,” he says. “The ones that I felt were my best ones were The Hours, a film called Mishima, a film called Fog of War, which was a documentary film. In those films, I was able to use the music in a way 32 | September/October 2010
photo by Noel Nichols
that I felt it should be used. The music not only gives you the emotional point of view of the scene, but it also articulates the overall structure of the movie. The music is a defining element in the film.” In addition to his original scores for films such as The Illusionist, Candyman and Koyaanisqatsi, the music of Philip Glass has been frequently, and memorably, repurposed in other films, such as 2009’s Watchmen. “Peter does that all the time to me,” said Glass, referring to Australian director Peter Weir. “We were doing a piece called The Truman Show, and he took a lot of music I’d written and he began putting it in the movie, and I said, ‘Peter, what are you doing?’ He said, ‘Well, I can explain what I’m doing. The character, [a director named] Christov, loves Philip Glass’s music. And he has all of the CDs, and after he films, he goes home and plays the CDs over the film’s footage.’ Basically, that’s what Peter did!” Glass has assembled a company that, among other things, licenses most of his work. “I made an ideal workspace for myself, where all I really have to do is to write music. Then, I have people to help me make tapes and to sell it and license it.” Glass admits that it is difficult to hear his own work in contexts that it wasn’t intended for, but says, “It doesn’t matter what I think! Music exists way beyond my tastes and inclinations.” However, there are some pieces that he chooses not to publish. “Keep your publishing,” he says. “The piano music I’m playing tonight, most of it is not published. I don’t publish it because I play it myself. If anybody wants to hear it, they have to hire me to come play it.” A guest of the LSU School of Music, Glass took to the stage that warm weeknight to a house packed to the newly renovated roof at LSU’s Shaver Theatre. Glass’s solo piano play was masterful, picking selections from throughout a career that spans more than half a century. S
MUSIC |
VOODOO 2010 WORSHIP THE MUSIC
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very year, the Voodoo Music Experience draws some of the best artists in the world to New Orleans, while also showcasing our leading local talent. Presented on multiple stages inside New Orleans’ beautiful City Park, the three-day concert and music event has gained worldwide acclaim. Again this year on Halloween weekend, Voodoo prepares to haunt your head and make you worship the music of Muse, Ozzy Osbourne, My Morning Jacket, Weezer, MGMT, Drake, Florence and the Machine, Interpol, Hot Chip, Paul Van Dyk, Metric and many more. Each night as the gates at City Park close, the electricity of the Voodoo Experience continues as the spirits of New Orleans mingle with the living in a nonstop celebration along Frenchmen Street, the French Quarter, Uptown, the Warehouse District and all points in between. The best local musicians and many Voodoo artists will take the stages of legendary venues like Tipitina’s, the Howlin Wolf, One Eyed Jack’s, d.b.a, Republic, House of Blues and more. Known as Voodoo After Dark or Voodoo 24/7, there is no shortage of live music and sweaty dancing as each night’s celebration will surely extend past sunrise. Don’t forget to look for the Scene Magazine tent at this year’s Voodoo Music Experience. As we bring you on the Scene, you may run into your favorite music artist and catch a glimpse of our exclusive interviews. To find out more about Voodoo and to purchase tickets, visit www.thevoodooexperience.com. S
34 | September/October 2010
Weezer
MGMT
Ozzy
Cage the Elephant
Muse
Drake
MUSIC |
SOUND BUSINESS PART 2
by Micah Haley
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ouisiana’s roster of music royalty is filled with artists who recorded their biggest hits out of state. While some of the best music in the world could be heard live in New Orleans or over the Louisiana Hayride radio show in Shreveport, the South’s best and brightest left for Tennessee or New York to record their music for mass consumption. Ferriday native Jerry Lee Lewis left for Memphis to record hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire” in 1957. Even the Crescent City’s favorite son Louis Armstrong recorded 1967’s “What a Wonderful World” in New York. While these examples are decades old, the reality is well known to the next generation of music legends. The simple fact is that the business of music has been stronger elsewhere. “That’s why I chose Nashville,” says singer/songwriter Brooke Waggoner. “There is industry present. Same reason I didn’t choose Austin.” A Louisiana native, Waggoner left to start her career in 2006 after graduating from LSU. “New Orleans is cool for jazz and all kinds of interesting music but didn’t seem to have a strong scene for the kind of music I was going for.” Within a year of moving to Nashville, Waggoner was able to record the EP that landed her a management team. She has since recorded two albums, toured, and her music has been used on television shows such as One Tree Hill and Pretty Little Liars. The concern for many young musicians is that building a career can simply be done easier, faster elsewhere. Some have yet to click their heels and come home, but Baton Rouge native Kristin Diable has recently moved back. After spending five years in New York, the singer/songwriter came to New Orleans on vacation in early 2009. “I wanted to take a writing sabbatical to just kind of re-center creatively,” she says. “New York was just so overwhelming.” After two months, Diable decided to stay, due in part to the relatively low standard of living. “It’s a huge incentive,” she says. “Not only the cost of living, but the quality of life you can have making a modest income. In New York, you spend a lot of time making extra income, and don’t have time to go out and be inspired by all of the amazing things that are going on.” Extra time and money facilitate faster career growth. But are Louisiana’s artists growing toward a ceiling? While Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is a few years younger than Diable and Waggoner, he has been playing music since the age of four. Trombone Shorty earned his artist’s keep on the streets of the French Quarter. He has also toured the world as a part of Lenny Kravitz’s band. In regards to Louisiana holding musicians back, he says, “I get that all the time, ‘Your 36 | September/October 2010
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews.
photo by Ashley Merlin
“This is the place to be.... I’m not leavin’. We got to represent.” not going to make it unless you move away from here.’ I don’t agree with that. That’s like twenty years ago. Sometimes we hear about musicians who are from here and have moved away, and we think that because they are there and not here, that they are actually doing great, when it’s really not the case.” In April, Verve Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, announced it would release Backatown, Trombone Shorty’s first album with a major label. Trombone Shorty is twenty-four years old. “This is a new day and age and I want to have musicians saying, ‘We need to get down to New Orleans. This is the place to be.’ It’s like a kid being in Toys-R-Us. I’m not leavin’. We got to represent.” This is Part 2 in a series. For Part 1, visit www.scenelouisiana.com. S
FASHION |
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ARISTOCRACY FASHION SHOW PHOTOS: VIRAL IMAGE PRODUCTIONS
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he finest in both men’s and women’s fall fashion was shown at the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Fall Runway Event, hosted by Aristocracy and Baton Rouge hotspot The Office Bar this past August. Premier boutiques Aristocracy, Angelique, Brooklynn’s and Love featured their hottest in name brand apparel for fall. Bella Posa Collections and Renu Jewelry provided accessories. The event was put on by Leah Gray and Matt Melancon and was the first to show Baton Rouge a preview of
38 | September/October 2010
fall fashion for 2010, all while raise money for muscular dystrophy. MDA provides clinics, support groups, summer camp, equipment repairs, and many other services to families served in the Greater Baton Rouge area.
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s Scene Magazine approaches its one-year anniversary, the September issue seemed the perfect opportunity to showcase the future of the Fashion Scene. Our goal was simply to unify film, music and fashion. We enlisted designer John Delgadillo, along with fashion writers Katherine Bosio and Alisha Andrepont, to craft five photoshoots exemplifying the best in fall fashion. We carefully selected five of Louisiana’s top models, hired photographer Jason Kruppa, and began selecting looks from boutiques around New Orleans. For our backdrops, we’ve chosen two pivotal locations in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. A neighborhood that saw many homes and businesses shuttered after Katrina, the Lower Garden District now rises with great bravura. Built inside of historic brick warehouses on Richards Street, Second Line Stages is New Orleans first builtfor-purpose soundstage facility. A worldclass, LEED-certified green facility, Second Line was instrumental in luring Warner Bros superhero epic Green Lantern to New Orleans from Australia. The comic book movie has called Second Line home for most of 2010. Just a stone’s throw away is the Music Shed. The welcoming recording studio is quietly tucked away on Euterpe Street, and boasts a client list that includes R.E.M., Norah Jones, Robert Plant and New Orleans staples such as Dr. John and Kermit Ruffins. The Music Shed also serves as a resource to the film industry. Together, these businesses form the cornerstone upon which an entertainment corridor is being built. And they are doing it at the center of a city that is being rebuilt.
photos: Jason Kruppa make up: Natalie Chosa for Glamour Therapy hair: Malissa Mayer models: Lauren Siegel, Luis Flores, Rachael Red, Katherine Bosio, Evan Magers 40 | September/October 2010
THE
FASHION SCENE
Three drop earrings: BEJE DESIGNS, $395. Vintage charm bracelet: BEJE DESIGNS, $9000. Multi color draped gown: BCBG, $338
THE FASHION SCENE
Dress Shirt: Ralph Lauren Black Label, $250. Tie: Robert Talbot, $45. Slim Suit: Ralph Lauren Black Label, $1795. RUBENSTEINS.
www.scenelouisiana.com | 41
THE FASHION SCENE
The Starlet Black pearl/Diamond earrings: BEJE DESIGNS,$2000. Black pearl necklace : BEJE DESIGNS, $39 per strand. Black pearl/ Diamond ring: BEJE DESIGNS, $4200. YERMAN Diamond bracelet: Beje Designs, $1500. Rhinestone shoe: CANNON SHOES Westside Shopping Center/Lasonia, $39.99. Black lace gown: BCBG silver beaded hand bag from Cannon Shoes Westside Shopping Center, $18.99.
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THE FASHION SCENE
The Director
Earrings: BEJE Designs, $1800. Suede wedge boots: BED STU, $300. Belt: BED STU, $85. Bag: BED STU, $90. White shirt: BCBG, $188. Green Doublebreasted sweater: Angelique/Diane van Furstenberg, $395. Knee trouser: DUO, $48. www.scenelouisiana.com | 43
THE FASHION SCENE
The Rock Star
Two tone diamond earrings: BEJE DESIGNS, $2000. Bracelets and necklaces: WISH. Black ruffled heel: CANNON SHOES, Westside Shopping Center, $29.99. Army green under top: WISH. Black knit sweater: Angelique. Micro black pleated skirt: Wicked Orleans, $48. 44 | September/October 2010
THE FASHION SCENE
THE LEADING MAN
Undershirt: Agave, $85. Button-up Shirt: Ross Graison, $170. Jacket: Jack Victor, $595. Jeans: Cult of Individuality, $185. RUBENSTEINS. www.scenelouisiana.com | 45
THE FASHION SCENE
More from these photo shoots at www.scenelouisiana.com
FULL PAGE: Black pearl/Diamond earrings: BEJE DESIGNS, $2000. Black pearl necklace : BEJE DESIGNS, $39 per strand. Black pearl/Diamond ring: BEJE DESIGNS, $4200. YERMAN Diamond bracelet: Beje Designs, $1500. Rhinestone shoe: CANNON SHOES Westside Shopping Center/Lasonia, $39.99. Black lace gown: BCBG silver beaded hand bag from Cannon Shoes Westside Shopping Center, $18.99. TOP: Bracelets: BEJE DESIGNS and WISH. Necklaces: WISH and DUO. Plaid buckle dress: WICKED ORLEANS, $72. Black sequin and faux fur vest: Angelique. MIDDLE: Ring: BEJE DESIGNS, $350. Earrings: BEJE DESIGNS, $1800.Shark tooth pendant and necklace: DEJE DESIGNS, $750. Suede wedge boot: Bed Stu, $300. White button up shirt: BCBG, $138. Black wash denim: BCBG, $128. Black leather jacket: Angelique/ Diane van Furstenberg, $875. BOTTOM: Sweater: Polo Ralph Lauren, $125. Pants: Polo Ralph Lauren, $225. RUBENSTEINS
46 | September/October 2010
IN THE MIX
5 REASONS WHY THE IPHONE 4 IS WORTH THE UPGRADE (AND 5 REASONS WHY IT’S NOT) by Greg Milneck
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he fervor surrounding the release of Apple’s iPhone 4 has been inescapable. With over three million devices sold by mid-July, the demand for the device is clear. But while the phones are flying off the shelves, the phenomenon known as “Antenna-gate” has kept more than a few from upgrading. So, should you join the masses of FaceTimers? Or is there a better option on the market? We offer five reasons to go for it and five reasons to keep your Blackberry and buy an iPad instead.
5 REASONS TO UPGRADE: 1. HD Video - Okay, it’s not 1080p, but at 720p it’s still pretty darn good. More than good enough to replace your FLIP camera or other handheld video device. I have access to all the latest digital technology, and I promise the iPhone video is more than capable of addressing everyday video needs. And since you always have your phone with you, you’ll always have an HD video camera with you, too. 2. The Camera - If you ever tried to use your original iPhone or 3GS camera for anything other than Facebook, you surely found yourself disappointed. Earlier iPhone cameras were outright embarrassments. The iPhone 4 camera is anything but, boasting a five megapixel camera with an LED flash. In real world testing, the photos come out good enough to frame. And, its advanced sensor makes even low-light images palatable. Without a doubt, the camera is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, reason to upgrade. 3. Forward-Facing Camera & FaceTime - It’s true, FaceTime is pretty much a novelty at this point: both parties must have iPhone 4s and be on Wi-Fi. It’s not perfect, but the possibilities are spectacular. Already, app developers are coming out with applications taking full advantage of the forward-facing camera, even one which allows use on 3G networks. But, even without those forthcoming applications, the technology is just plain cool. The first day I got my iPhone 4, I called a client using FaceTime. He wanted to see the progress of an ad we are working on for him but couldn’t make it in. FaceTime allowed him to see and discuss his project with one of our editors. Very cool. 4. The Screen - The “retina” display is the most stunning screen ever made for any hand-held device. The resolution and clarity is truly unmatched. To illustrate the point, consider this: the iPhone 4 displays 326 pixels per inch. That means that reading text on an iPhone is the same or better than reading this text in Scene Magazine. Combine the screen with the camera’s high-resolution photographs, HD video and iMovie for the iPhone, and you’ve got a mini production studio in your hands. 48 | September/October 2010
5. Overall Look And Feel - While I loved my previous iPhones, I’d be the first to admit that the physical design was a little too cute. Take your old iPhone into a meeting full of blackberries and you are likely to get comments like, “Is that an iPhone? Yeah, my sixteen year old daughter loves hers.” The point is the phone didn’t look like a serious, business-friendly device. The iPhone doesn’t look like a toy anymore. Its industrial design and sleek dimensions are appropriate for even the most conservative suit-wearing business type. Gone is the plastic feel and spongy buttons.
5 REASONS WHY IT MAY NOT BE WORTH IT: 1. iOS4 - The biggest improvement in the iPhone lineup is without a doubt, the new operating system. It’s got multitasking, folders, threaded email, grouped email boxes and loads of userfriendly features. But you don’t need an iPhone 4 to get iOS4. It will work just fine on your 3GS. So the biggest improvement in the phone itself doesn’t even require you to buy new hardware. 2. It’s Not That Much Faster - Lots has been made about the iPhone 4’s improved memory and processing speed. But the truth is it’s not all that noticeable. Sure, there are a few instances where the speed counts (particularly when switching between apps) but it’s really not that much faster than a 3GS. But if you’re still on a 3G or, heaven forbid, the original iPhone, then yes, it’s noticeable. Very noticeable. 3. Problems, Problems The iPhone 4 is a new device. So, not surprisingly there are problems. You’ve no doubt heard about “Antenna-gate”, the receptions issues when holding the phone in your palm. If you happen to cover the small gap on the bottom side of the steel band around the phone, you’ll notice the bars dropping off one by one. There are other problems, but basically if you’re an early adopter of anything, you’re also a guinea pig. 4. AT&T - Let me first say this: any carrier in the U.S. would struggle with the demands of the iPhone. The data stress on their network is staggering. Having said that, they asked for it and AT&T’s service honestly stinks. The company stays among the top three carriers in large part because of iPhone exclusivity, so it’s not a lot to ask that they invest in their network. 5. DROID - At the risk of being kicked out of Appleland, I have to admit that the Android operating system is pretty cool. It’s the only real competitor to the iPhone and has actually beaten the iPhone in many head-to-head tests. And, you don’t have to limit yourself to one carrier with Droid phones. That is, you don’t have to deal with AT&T. Conclusion: While the iPhone 4 may not be the revolutionary device the original iPhone was, it is still a major step in the quest for the perfect smart phone. It’s not perfect, of course, but just try to pry my iPhone 4 out of my hands. S
ON THE SCENE
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50 | September/October 2010
IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON’T RISE PREMIERE
photo by Ashley Merlin
THE EXPENDABLES PREMIERE
photos by Ashley Merlin
FRAMES PER SECOND FRAMES PER SECOND
BY JAMES SHEPPARD | fpscomics@gmail.com
THE UNSCENE Poster Children Louisiana has a history of producing national headlines that are more likely to sadden than inspire, and the last decade has done more to bolster that reputation that any Jackson Square soothsayer could have foretold. A reputation for corruption has been overshadowed only by an apparent penchant for catastrophic disasters, both natural and man-made. Yet, in the fog of a publicist’s nightmare, a bright-shining lighthouse of positive press has been lit. In addition to dumping cash into our local economy, entertainment is a publicist’s dream. After the film is shot and the dollars are spent in state, a distributor comes along to pump millions of their own dollars into marketing and publicity, an advertising budget that state and city agencies can only dream about. Obvious examples of such promotion include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and HBO’s New Orleans-set drama Treme. Such artistic works are effective in a way that cream-puff publicity can’t be. They create emotional interest. They stir desire. The desire to be here. The next time you buy popcorn and candy, pay attention to the posters on the wall. The odds are good that nearly half were physically made here in Louisiana with the help of our sons and daughters. The entertainment industry is doing more to keep the best and brightest in state than any other. While national unemployment continues to make headlines, high-paying and high profile jobs are drawing young talent from across the country. Talking heads may smirk about how we’re near the bottom of every list, but those lists are undergoing major rewrites. - The UnScene Writer
52 | September/October 2010