Long time, no see...

It's been two weeks since my last post. That's kind of long, don't you think? Well... I was in the country for some time, helping my grandparents with the work and having my deserved rest from all the computers and communications. No refreshing e-mails and forums, just REFRESHING!
Then I was again on the move, working on our script, "Bran" - keeping in touch with artists, mailing people and searching for opportunities.

I had one great unforgettable unique day last Saturday, when I went to Sofia to meet Vesela Kazakova. She's truly amazing! We both had a great time and talked all day long about our projects and ideas. She liked the "Bran" idea a lot and encouraged me so much!

Today I just got back from another trip, I spent some time in Pavel Banja with some international guests - family friends from Poland and Germany.
And now, as soon as I'm back to my PC - work again! I updated www.branthemovie.com with some news and concept art drawings. We announced the prizes for our concept art competition.
This friday I'm going to Sofia again, this time to meet Orlin who will be in Bulgaria for a couple of days. And maybe we'll manage to meet also Petar, the June winner in the concept art contest.

And my exams are closing in... I'll have to prepare my papers and apply and then in September - wish me luck and keep your finegrs crossed!
It's going to be a busy month, August...

Movies #8

Today I'm going present you one of my favourite actors. I like him since I saw Star Wars for the first time at the age of 7. If I have to describe him with one sentence only I;ll probably use one of his cult lines from Star Wars - "Charming to the last". Years later I watched him in "Horror Express" together with Christopher Lee. I think this was the movie which introduced the Hammer Horrors to me. So when I had to present a homework in the Uni on British Culture I decided to talk about Peter Cushing and his movies. The text bellow is gathered from various sources on the net.

Visit:
http://www.petercushing.com/
http://www.petercushing.co.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cushing

Peter Cushing

Peter Wilton Cushing was born on 27 May 1913 in Kenley, Surrey, in England. He and his older brother David were raised first in Dulwich Village, a south London suburb, and then later back in Surrey by his mother Nellie Marie and father George Edward, who was a quantity surveyor. At an early age Cushing was attracted to acting, inspired by his favorite aunt, who was a stage actress. While at school Cushing pursued his interest in acting and also in drawing - He was an artist, skilled in drawing and painting; as a young struggling actor, he supplemented his income by selling scarves that he hand-painted and later, as an established actor, had showings of his water colors. His sketch of Sherlock Holmes became the official logo for the Northern Musgraves, a British Sherlock Holmes society. At this time he also dabbled in local amateur theater until moving to London to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on scholarship. He then performed in repertory theater, deciding in 1939 to head for Hollywood, where he made his film debut in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) directed by James Whale, a classic filmmaker of the Black and White age of the cinema, who shot masterpieces like Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man. Other Hollywood films included A Chump at Oxford (1940) with the famous comic duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Vigil in the Night (1940) and They Dare Not Love (1941). However, after a short stay, Cushing returned to England by way of New York (making brief appearances on Broadway) and Canada. Back in his homeland he contributed to the war effort during World War II - Turned down for military service on health grounds, he instead joined a theatre company that performed at military bases.

Cushing came to work with actress Helen Beck, and the two fell deeply in love. They married in 1943. After the war he performed in the West End and had his big break appearing with Laurence Olivier in the film Hamlet (1948), in which Cushing's future partner-in-horror Christopher Lee also had a bit part. Both actors also appeared in Moulin Rouge (1952) but didn't meet until their later horror films. During the 1950s Cushing became a familiar face on British television, appearing in numerous teleplays, such as 1984 (1954), as Winston Smith in the movie based on George Orwell’s novel. At the end of the decade he began his legendary association with Hammer Film Productions in its remakes of the 1930s Universal horror classics. His first Hammer roles included Dr. Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dr. Van Helsing in Dracula (1958) and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). Years later he appears on screen as the renowned detective in the classic TV series based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories and once again in “Sherlock Holes and the Mask of Death” in 1984.

Cushing continued playing the roles of Drs. Frankenstein and Van Helsing, as well as taking on other horror characters, in Hammer films over the next 20 years. His film career had taken off establishing him at once as a cult hero of the horror film aficionados, with Christopher Lee as the monster. These two, along with director Terence Fisher and writer Jimmy Sangster, claimed the next ten years of horror movie making as British. Hammer was to become the most successful british film company of all time and Cushing played an integral role. He also appeared in films for the other major horror producer of the time, Amicus Productions, including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and its later horror anthologies, a couple of Dr. Who films (1965, 1966), I, Monster (1971), and others. By the mid-1970s these companies had stopped production, but Cushing, firmly established as a horror star, continued in the genre for some time thereafter. When once asked about his favorite horror movie Cushing said: "Strangely enough, I don't like horror pictures at all. I love to make them because they give pleasure to people, but my favourite types of films are much more subtle than horror. I like to watch films like Bridge Over the River Kawi, The Apartment or lovely musicals." He also said: "Who wants to see me as 'Hamlet'? Very few. But millions want to see me as Frankenstein so that's the one I do. If I played Hamlet, they'd call it a horror film. People look at me as if I were some sort of monster, but I can't think why. In my macabre pictures, I have either been a monster-maker or a monster-destroyer, but never a monster. Actually, I'm a gentle fellow. Never harmed a fly. I love animals, and when I'm in the country I'm a keen bird-watcher."

In 1971, Peters beloved wife Helen died after a prolonged illness. It was a loss from which he never fully recovered. He threw himself into his work, but spent most private hours dreaming of when he and Helen would be reunited in Heaven. Peter Cushing was a deeply Christian man and attended St. Alphege Church in Whitstable, he also did extensive charity work and never failed to sign his cards and photos

Perhaps his best-known appearance outside of horror films was as Grand Moff Tarkin in George Lucas' phenomenally successful science fiction film Star Wars (1977). Prior to being cast as Tarkin in Star Wars (1977), George Lucas considered using him as Obi-Wan Kenobi (which ultimately went to Alec Guinness). Carrie Fisher said in an interview that doing her scenes with him in the Star Wars (1977) were difficult for two reasons: she thought the lines were ridiculous and she found Peter to be so polite and charming off camera that it was hard to project the sense of disdain that her character, Princess Leia, held for his character, Tarkin.

Cushing himself says about his role in Star Wars: "My criterion for accepting a role isn't based on what I would like to do. I try to consider what the audience would like to see me do and I thought kids would adore Star Wars."

Biggles (1986) (aka "Biggles: Adventures in Time") was Cushing's last film before his retirement, during which he made a few television appearances, wrote two autobiographies and pursued his hobbies of bird watching and painting.

In 1989 he was made an Officer of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the acting profession in Britain and worldwide.

Towards the end of his life - he showed no regret or remorse about the things he had or hadn't done. His only regret was losing his wife and living for over twenty years without her. So he looking on death with a faith in God and reunification with Helen in Heaven.Peter Cushing died on 11 August 1994 in Canterbury, Kent, England, UK at the age of 81 with more than 130 movies in his filmography.

After he died, his colleague and close friend Christopher Lee said in an interview that he never felt closer and more open to any of his other friends than he felt to Peter.

Peter Cushing was one of those actors who took great pride in the work he did and it shows with each performance. His mere presence in a film was enough to guarantee it being an enjoyable experience.

Quotes #11

"I see Earth! It is so beautiful!"

Yuri Gagarin

www.branthemovie.com

Hey, hey! Wha'd'ya know! We launch the official web-site!

http://branthemovie.com

So now you can download and read a preview of our script (the first 18 of 122 pages), read the synopsis of the story, view the gallery with the few concept art drawings and wallpapers, visit our forum, contact us and take part in our Concept Art Contest :)

Taglines:
The one who knows the future has the power to change it
The battle for the Future begins today
A BRAN new hero

Logline:
In the future the all-powerful Corporation hides a dark secret behind its facade and now the only one who has the chance to set things right is trapped back in our time, separated from his son... and maybe reunited with his long lost love.

Synopsis:
It is the year 2270. Spaceship pilot Daniel Scott works for an almighty business establishment known as the Corporation. His job – to discover new worlds. Worlds with no life, but rich of natural resources and energy. After his last mission Daniel is infected with unknown alien virus. He must be frozen for several years until a cure is discovered. Daniel leaves his crippled son Harry and his brother Michael, who also works for the corporation as a highly trained security officer.
Daniel boards a medical freighter which will transport him to a corporate clinic on a distant planet, but during the flight the freighter encounters a hostile alien spaceship. After dazzling series of events the freighter is blasted and Daniel finds himself more than two centuries back in time with Klyona – an alien princess, who looks exactly as his dead wife. With her help Daniel discovers a dark secret about the true nature of the Corporation, responsible for the destruction of her world. Trapped in our time Daniel and Klyona see their new situation as a chance to erase every possibility that could lead to the birth of the Corporation in the future. With the help of his advanced technology from the future and his new friend Matthew – a young comic book artist (and teenage slacker), Daniel turns into a masked hero. He becomes an urban legend, a street myth and his friend starts a comic book series describing his adventures. Daniel still hopes he will find a way to return to his time and reunite with his son.
In the future everyone thinks Daniel has perished in the explosion of the medical freighter. Michael wants to take the case of his brother's death. An enigmatic one-eyed man, highly ranked corporate employee directs him towards the Resistance – a rumoured underground society. Michael discovers an extraordinary link between reality and old comic book series, which leads to them. Without knowing that the Resistance are not terrorists who work for the aliens, but the only people who know what lies behind the Corporation's facade, Michael is determined to bring down their organization.
Harry is visited by a mysterious old man, who helps him to find out the truth about his father's destiny. Maybe someday it will be up to the boy to take on Daniel's legacy and to continue his fight.

BRAN is registered!

Writers Guild of America, west
www.wgawregistry.org

Registered Item Information:
Material Type: SCREENPLAY
Intended Medium: SCREEN
Item Title: BRAN
Filename: Bran.pdf
Submission Date: 30/06/2006 5:58:18 pm

Officially!
Our script is registered!!!

Movies #7

Here's another review I frote for the "Fumetsu" e-zine. Takeshi Kitano's "Dolls". In Bulgarian.


Оптимус проследи крайните надписи със замислен поглед. Спря DVD-то и прибра диска сред останалите в шкафчето. Мисълта му все още се рееше на някъде. Почти машинално седна пред монитора и кликна shortcut-a на Word-а. Но все още не беше готов да пише. Нужно бе известно време, да улегне филма в съзнанието му... пък и да прочете първо това-онова в нета.

Да започнем с няколко думи за Такеши Китано. Роден на 18 януяри 1947 в Токио, Китано учи инжинерство в престижния университет Мейджи. Не след дълго той прекъсва следването си и започва работа като... оператор на асансьор в луксозен нощен клуб. Клубната програма включвала (освен стриптийз) комедийни скечове и имено от там започва и кариерата на Такеши Китано (от скечовете, не от стриптийза). Първите уроци идват от комика Сензабуро Фуками, който научава Такеши на доста неща за бизнеса. Един от редовните комици на клуба се разболява и познайте кой взел че го заместил?
През 1970 Такеши Китано основава заедно с приятеля си Кийоши Канеко комедийното дуо Two Beat. Именно от там идва Beat Takeshi – прякорът с който Китано става известен през 1976, когато дуото се появява по телевизионните екрани в Япония. Шоуто се радва на небивал успех и Китано се превръща в един от най-популярните японски комици на 80-те години. Шегите в manzai шоуто “The Two Beats” (manzai е японският еквивалент на stand-up comedy монолозите) се харесвали заради острия тон и хапливия език, но след оплаквания от възмутени зрители цензурата свалила Такеши от екрана.
Дуото се разпада и Китано започнва солова кариера в киното. След няколко предимно комедийни роли Такеши е сред актьорския състав на “Violent Cop” – история за твърдоглав детектив, чиято сестра е отвлечена от Якудза. Героят взима закона в свои ръце и се изживява като японския Dirty Harry. Късметът се усмихва отново на Такеши – режисьорът Кинджи Фукасаки (“Tora! Tora! Tora!”, “Battle Royale”) се разболява... Кой ли да го замести? Китано пренаписва сценария и е едновремено на режисьорския стол и пред камерата в главната роля. Успехът (и приходите) от “Violent Cop” поставят началото на режисьорската му кариера. Повечето от филмите му са, както вече писах в предишния брой, драматични истории за полицаи и японската мафия. У нас Такеши Китано е известен най-вече със “Затоичи” (най-големият му финансов успех до момента), а наскоро последният му филм “Takeshi’s” мина по родните екрани като част от програмата на десетия София Филм Фест. През 2004 университетът Мейджи го награждава с почетна бакалавърска степен по инжинерство, 4 години след като е прекъснал обучението си.
“Dolls” (така де, да си дойдем на думата) е смятан от много критици за най-добрия филм на Такеши Китано като режисьор и сценарист. И вероятно има защо.
На зрителя (сиреч на мене) му е нужно известно време да се ориентира в историята. Всъщност – в историите. Филмът започва с представление на Бунраку, традиционния японски куклен театър. На сцената се развива трагична любовна история. Камерата приближава белите лица на нещастните кукли и... (внимание, следват някои леки спойлери)
Пренасяме се в първата сюжетна линия. Младият Матсумото е развалил годежа си със Савако по настояване на родителите си, които искат за него бъдеще изпълнено с перспективи. В деня на сватбата му с дъщерята на директора на корпорацията, в която той работи Матсумото научава, че съсипана от мъка Савако е опитала да се самоубие. Момичето е оживяло, но е изгубило разсъдъка си и не помни нищо и никой. Матсумото я измъква от клиниката. Смазан от мъка и вина, той изоставя работата си, семейството си и досегашния си живот и започва да се грижи за Савако. След няколко инцидента Матсумото я връзва с единия край на червено въже, а другия край завързва около себе си. Така свързани двамата поемат на дълго пътуване през места от техните мигове заедно. Спомените измъчват съвестта на Матсумото, а Савако е до него е все така тиха и безмълвна. Дали ще се излекува някога? Дали ще си спомни?
Втората история е за стар якудза на име Хиро. Издигнал се е и е успял, точно както е искал, но въпреки всичко не е щастлив. Хиро си спомня деня, в който е напуснал жената, която го обича, за да преследва амбициите си. Те са на пейка в парка, тя е донесла обяд, и вече планува как следващата събота ще са отново на пейката с кутийка храна, отново двамата, оново заедно. Свел поглед, той й казва, че напуска работата си във фабриката и ще тръгне да търси нещо различно. Момичето плаче, а Хиро става и бавно тръгва по пътя си. Със сълзи в очите тя вика след него, ще го чака всяка събота на тази пейка с кутийка храна за обед, да се върне... Една събота след толкова много години Хиро се връща на пейката в парка. Там чака млада жена, която чака любимия си за да обядват заедно. Възможно ли е това да е тя? Дали човек получава втори шанс?
Третата история разказва за Нукуи, мъж обсебен от любимата си певица, поп-звездата Харуна. Когато се прибере вечер нейният лик го гледа от плакатите на стената, нейният глас го приветства от слушалките на уокмена. Един ден Харуна претърпява автомобилна катастрофа. След инцидента тя отказва да се появява в медиите и да се среща с феновете си, защото не иска никой да вижда белязаното й лице. Съкрушен Нукуи поглежда за последен път снимката на Харуна в едно от списанията си и това е последното нещо, което вижда. Той се отива при Харуна на морския бряг, единственият с който тя се съгласява да се срещне, единственият който няма да види превръзката на красивото й лице...защото е ослепен. Дали си е заслужавало Нукуи да пожертва зрението си за този кратък момент на щастие? Дали любовта му ще е споделена?
“Dolls” е като сборник от тези три драматични любвни истории. С течение на времето филмът преминава все по-често от един разказ към друг, редуват се спомени и настояще. Нищо чудно да се объркате и в даден момент да изпуснете хронологията. Но след края успявате да проследите нишката и да подредите всичко. С изключение на няколко момента, които лично аз намирам нелогични, без особена връзка или значение за историята (визирам предимно убийствата в асансьора, предполагам че Китано просто не се е стърпял да не намеси любимата си якудза по-стабилно, както и уродливия племенник на Хиро). И ако сценарият е леко объркващ и разпокъсан то сцените са бавни и спокойни, а камерата е почти статична. Специално внимание обръщам на няколко момента във филма, в който се наслагват две картини една върху друга – куклите върху дрехите, които Матсумото и Савако обличат към края и лицето на Нукуи върху асфалта, когато мият пътя от... (който не е гледал, да гледа, няма да издавам... а който е гледал ще се сети). Не липсват и традиционните разцъфнали дървета, падащи есенни листа, мроския бряг, залез... И разбира се невинната нежна красота на Савако (в ролята Михо Кано). Човек сякаш се губи в топлите й кротки очи. Във филма няма някаква граничеща с неестественост красота и поетични кадри, каквито има в доста азиатски филми (“Герой”, “Летящи кинжали” и др.), няма дигитален привкус, всичко е истинско и живо. Финалът е силен и красив. А преди крайните надписи пред вас ще се появят отново белите лица на куклите.

Оптимус кликна Save и скролна набързо през статията. Е, дано ви хареса! До следващия брой!

Music #13

I heardthis song for the first time in the end titles of the TV movie "The Jack Bull", starring John Cusack, John Goodman and Miranda Otto, an inspiring western about a man seeking justice and defending his honor. I wanted to post something wild-west-style after the photo below, so here are the lyrics the song...

RING THEM BELLS
(Words and Music by Bob Dylan)

Ring them bells, ye heathen
From the city that dreams,
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
Cross the valleys and streams,
For they're deep and they're wide
And the world's on its side
And time is running backwards
And so is the bride.

Ring them bells St. Peter
Where the four winds blow,
Ring them bells with an iron hand
So the people will know.
Oh it's rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow.

Ring them bells Sweet Martha,
For the poor man's son,
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one.
Oh the shepherd is asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains are filled
With lost sheep.

Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf,
Ring them bells for all of us who are left,
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through.
Ring them bells, for the time that flies,
For the child that cries
When innocence dies.

Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom.
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong.

WANTED Dead or Alive

This is a photo I made last year at the sea side, Sunny Beach. I bought the cowboy hat I wanted so much and this is my awesome shadow on the sand :)

First steps

As you've probably noticed I don't post much about my everyday life and stuff. That's becasuse most of the time it's just a routine and there's nothing really important. But today there is!

Today I got my very first real income in my film career! No kiddin'! Some days ago, Orlin, a dear friend of mine and a co-autor of the script I'm working on told me that a publishing house in London was interested in our story. So Amber Books Ltd. London paid us 40 punds for the right to read the script as soon it is copyrighted. This means that as soon as we register our script we'll send them a copy to read. The script is nearly ready, there are just a few edits and clean-ups to be done. The story is complete, all the scenes are there, we just need to check for technical errors and add some information in the scene descriptions and headings - like DAY/NIGHT, interior/exterior and such.

So keep an eye on the blog and be ready for THE SCRIP!!!

Today I went to the bank to get the money, 28.10 euro. The first 5 euro I will never spend, I'll keep them for luck and as a memory from my first steps :)

The rest of the money I changed in leva, then I got my scholarship for this month and went to some book shops. I got Star Wars TALES TPB volumes 3,4 and 6 and also the new DVD edition of "Iron Giant". Yeah, I feel so great! So so great! :)

The Web #11

And taling about Monkey Island here's the ultimate source:

Games #4

Sure you've heard of Monkey Island, right? Yeah! And what about Blood Island? Well, that's one of the islands around. And now it looks like a new adventure is going to take place there. But not an official one, created by LucasArts, but a fan-made one.

So here it goes: Goblin's Blood Island El Grande

I hope someday in the near future we'll be able to check it out and play it :)

Animation #10

Gabelins is a french school of visual arts, animation, graphic an web design. On their site you can watch the short animations of the students. Currently there are 32 animated shorts. Capturing, artistic and original, both classic animation and 3D/cell shading, great variety of styles. Strongly recommended!

http://www.gobelins.fr/galerie/animation

In A Galaxy Far Away...

I suddenly got inspired tonight, and I wrote this poem. I hope you like it.

In A Galaxy Far Away...
by Nenko Genov

The binary sunset
is reflecting in my eye
Just another busy day
fighting the Dark Side

It's time to leave this planet,
it's time to leave this place
Turn on the nav-computer
and jump to hyperspace

Each time I fly away
I set a different course
On my endless journey
guided by the Force

An R2 droid for companion
and a rusty ship for home
In chase of dream from childhood,
across the stars I roam

Quotes #10

Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy. And be happy.

Let us be thankful we have an occupation to fill. Work hard, increase production, prevent accidents and be happy.

Thou art a subject of the divine, created in the image of man, by the masses, for the masses.

Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses.

OMM - THX 1138 (1971)

Holocron

Bulgarian Jedi Order proudly presents:
"HOLOCRON"
Star Wars dedicated fan-made online magazine.

Issue 1 is here, so you can visit the link below and download the zipped PDF file.

http://ezine.starwarsbg.org/

The magazine is in Bulgarian, but even if you don't speak the langueage there are still some stuff for you, like the incredible fan-art from Darth_Thyn.

The Web #10

Just follow this link...
http://sonic200.com/others/tuongphan.htm

Happy Children's Day!!!

I know I'm a little bit late, since the Children's Day is 1st June... I guess I've been too busy to celebrate! :) I spent the afternoon watching cartoons, drinking milk and eating chocolate cookies.
Anyway, better late than never, right? :)
HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!!!
Keep the child within you forever.