Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Retirement Gifts for Men

When a guy decides to hang up his boots with a good few decades under his belt, is seems only right that he should get to enjoy a retirement gift or three. So if you're on the lookout for retirement gifts for men, but you can't be doing with trawling around the shops to find something original, you might want to think about going down the personalised route...
Gourmet Food Hampers
With four sets to choose from, gourmet food hampers give your retiree a lot to get stuck into. All include a bottle of red, white or rosé wine, while the luxury version can be bought with a bottle of champagne instead. Every bottle can then be personalised with your chosen name and a message. As for the food, the standard hamper includes loads of sweet goodies, the large has all this plus some extra treats, and the luxury version has all of these, in addition to a few more tasty treats.
Something Engraved
If there was an award for the classic retirement gift, the prize would have to go to the array of engraved gifts currently on the market. On the one hand you've got glasses and tumblers, all of which can be engraved with your retiree's name and a brief message. On the other, you've got fob watches, hip flasks, jewellery and stuff like that. The same rule applies to these - your chosen name and in many cases a message as well.
Personalised Wine, Whisky and Champagne
There are two great things about buying your retiree a personalised bottle of wine, whisky or champagne. The first is that they all taste properly nice, with the wines available in three colours and three qualities, and the whisky available as either a blend or single malt. Best of all, though, is the fact you can choose your label design, before personalising it with your chosen name and a message.
Gift Experience Days
There's no end of experience days available, many of which would make an awesome retirement gift. Pampering days are one of the biggest hitters, with everything from health club day passes and full-body massages, to makeover photo shoots. But for something completely different, you'll also find loads in the way of culture. Dinner-and-theatre trips are always popular, while stuff like afternoon tea at Harrods also sells like the proverbial hotcake. It's really just a case of 'take your pick'.
To have a look at these and other retirement gifts for men, your best bet is to check out GoneDigging. Here you'll find all sorts of possibilities, in addition to loads of other presents for all sorts of occasions and recipients.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7186898

Great Gift Ideas for Men - 7 Gifts With Lasting Impact

Father's Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Birthdays. These are just a few of the year-round occasions when you're racking your brain trying to come up with some great gift ideas for men! Why is it that there are so many choices for women and so few great gift ideas for men?
For her, there's jewelry, perfume, handbags, clothing, and the list goes on. And with each of these gift ideas, women can never have too many. But for the few gift ideas for men - shirt, tie, wallet - men generally need only one (if any) and that one will last a lifetime.
So what to do when that occasion rolls around? Here are 7 great gift ideas for men and why he will love them all.
1. The Man Bag - As long as men have worn pants (since 1760 to be exact) they have put their belongings in their pockets. But did you know the original "pocket" was actually a mini purse or pouch that hung from the belt? Truth be told, men hate bulky pockets as much as women do. Factor in today's use of mobile devices, reading glasses, sunglasses, flash drives, etc. in addition to money, IDs and credit cards, and pockets are just no longer sufficient for holding all of his stuff! There are many great stylish, manly bags on the market, in various shapes and sizes, and although he may never ask for one, if he gets one, he will love it, brag to his friends about it, and never leave home without it.
2. Personal valet/organizer - With all of the stuff he carries around in his man bag, he also needs a place to store it when he's at home. These handy dresser top organizers hold everything from his mobile phone to his cuff links. A great way to keep everything in one place so it's not lost or strewn around the kitchen counter.
3. Bath and body products for men - It's the new age of soap on a rope! You may not know this, ladies, but he is secretly, extremely jealous of your bath shelf full of products. He may not seek out specialty shave cream, or pay a premium for skin lotion, but once he tries it, he'll be hooked (and so will you).
4. Candles - Men may relish in memories of their college dorm life, but now that they are professionals with homes and stylish apartments, they enjoy the scent if a clean, natural home fragrance. Candles come in so many masculine fragrances. Something spicy or musky is great for winter; a light, natural scent is perfect for summer.
5. Something that inspires him - Whether selected for his home or office, a framed inspirational quote or picture will keep him reminded of the important things in life. Find something that moves him - inspiring words or a grand feat of nature to lift his spirit.
6. Hobby-related gifts - Whether he's a world traveler, an outdoor enthusiast, or an animal lover, look for items related to his passion. A coffee table book about dogs, a DVD series on the wonders of nature, an unusual styled map or globe. Whether it's something decorative or functional, look for something unusual to add to the element of surprise and delight.
7. Food - Whether he's a gourmet or basic burger guy, ask him for a few of his favorite foods and make him a special dinner. If you're not a cook, get take-out and set it up to look like a home cooked meal! Prepare the table for a special occasion with a table cloth or elegant placemats. Use cloth napkins with napkin rings to dress it up. He'll appreciate the details and the extra effort. And don't forget candles and flowers. Men secretly love flowers too. Choose a mix of whites, purples and greens for a masculine look.
Whatever gift you choose, wrap it with care and a big, fat bow. It's the details that he'll remember long after the occasion has passed.
Mary Babiez is the owner of Thoughtful Presence, an online gift shop specializing in decorative and functional gift baskets and gift collections for men, women and children. Mary hand designs all gift collections and will customize for personal occasions and interests. Visit http://www.thoughtfulpresence.com to learn more.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7189424

Retirement Gifts for Men

When a guy decides to hang up his boots with a good few decades under his belt, is seems only right that he should get to enjoy a retirement gift or three. So if you're on the lookout for retirement gifts for men, but you can't be doing with trawling around the shops to find something original, you might want to think about going down the personalised route...
Gourmet Food Hampers
With four sets to choose from, gourmet food hampers give your retiree a lot to get stuck into. All include a bottle of red, white or rosé wine, while the luxury version can be bought with a bottle of champagne instead. Every bottle can then be personalised with your chosen name and a message. As for the food, the standard hamper includes loads of sweet goodies, the large has all this plus some extra treats, and the luxury version has all of these, in addition to a few more tasty treats.
Something Engraved
If there was an award for the classic retirement gift, the prize would have to go to the array of engraved gifts currently on the market. On the one hand you've got glasses and tumblers, all of which can be engraved with your retiree's name and a brief message. On the other, you've got fob watches, hip flasks, jewellery and stuff like that. The same rule applies to these - your chosen name and in many cases a message as well.
Personalised Wine, Whisky and Champagne
There are two great things about buying your retiree a personalised bottle of wine, whisky or champagne. The first is that they all taste properly nice, with the wines available in three colours and three qualities, and the whisky available as either a blend or single malt. Best of all, though, is the fact you can choose your label design, before personalising it with your chosen name and a message.
Gift Experience Days
There's no end of experience days available, many of which would make an awesome retirement gift. Pampering days are one of the biggest hitters, with everything from health club day passes and full-body massages, to makeover photo shoots. But for something completely different, you'll also find loads in the way of culture. Dinner-and-theatre trips are always popular, while stuff like afternoon tea at Harrods also sells like the proverbial hotcake. It's really just a case of 'take your pick'.
To have a look at these and other retirement gifts for men, your best bet is to check out GoneDigging. Here you'll find all sorts of possibilities, in addition to loads of other presents for all sorts of occasions and recipients.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7186898

Great Gift Ideas for Men - 7 Gifts With Lasting Impact

Father's Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Birthdays. These are just a few of the year-round occasions when you're racking your brain trying to come up with some great gift ideas for men! Why is it that there are so many choices for women and so few great gift ideas for men?
For her, there's jewelry, perfume, handbags, clothing, and the list goes on. And with each of these gift ideas, women can never have too many. But for the few gift ideas for men - shirt, tie, wallet - men generally need only one (if any) and that one will last a lifetime.
So what to do when that occasion rolls around? Here are 7 great gift ideas for men and why he will love them all.
1. The Man Bag - As long as men have worn pants (since 1760 to be exact) they have put their belongings in their pockets. But did you know the original "pocket" was actually a mini purse or pouch that hung from the belt? Truth be told, men hate bulky pockets as much as women do. Factor in today's use of mobile devices, reading glasses, sunglasses, flash drives, etc. in addition to money, IDs and credit cards, and pockets are just no longer sufficient for holding all of his stuff! There are many great stylish, manly bags on the market, in various shapes and sizes, and although he may never ask for one, if he gets one, he will love it, brag to his friends about it, and never leave home without it.
2. Personal valet/organizer - With all of the stuff he carries around in his man bag, he also needs a place to store it when he's at home. These handy dresser top organizers hold everything from his mobile phone to his cuff links. A great way to keep everything in one place so it's not lost or strewn around the kitchen counter.
3. Bath and body products for men - It's the new age of soap on a rope! You may not know this, ladies, but he is secretly, extremely jealous of your bath shelf full of products. He may not seek out specialty shave cream, or pay a premium for skin lotion, but once he tries it, he'll be hooked (and so will you).
4. Candles - Men may relish in memories of their college dorm life, but now that they are professionals with homes and stylish apartments, they enjoy the scent if a clean, natural home fragrance. Candles come in so many masculine fragrances. Something spicy or musky is great for winter; a light, natural scent is perfect for summer.
5. Something that inspires him - Whether selected for his home or office, a framed inspirational quote or picture will keep him reminded of the important things in life. Find something that moves him - inspiring words or a grand feat of nature to lift his spirit.
6. Hobby-related gifts - Whether he's a world traveler, an outdoor enthusiast, or an animal lover, look for items related to his passion. A coffee table book about dogs, a DVD series on the wonders of nature, an unusual styled map or globe. Whether it's something decorative or functional, look for something unusual to add to the element of surprise and delight.
7. Food - Whether he's a gourmet or basic burger guy, ask him for a few of his favorite foods and make him a special dinner. If you're not a cook, get take-out and set it up to look like a home cooked meal! Prepare the table for a special occasion with a table cloth or elegant placemats. Use cloth napkins with napkin rings to dress it up. He'll appreciate the details and the extra effort. And don't forget candles and flowers. Men secretly love flowers too. Choose a mix of whites, purples and greens for a masculine look.
Whatever gift you choose, wrap it with care and a big, fat bow. It's the details that he'll remember long after the occasion has passed.
Mary Babiez is the owner of Thoughtful Presence, an online gift shop specializing in decorative and functional gift baskets and gift collections for men, women and children. Mary hand designs all gift collections and will customize for personal occasions and interests. Visit http://www.thoughtfulpresence.com to learn more.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7189424

The Basics of Business Health Insurance

Business health insurance is taken out to give private organisations' employees medical care when they most need it. You will gain private treatment by qualified doctors, ensuring that your employees are back and fit for work as soon as possible. Insurers will typically offer a range of over 250 hospitals spread across the nation, so there will always be a centre that you can get an employee to in a situation that requires it.
Health insurance is one of the benefits that is most sought-after by employees, meaning that your business will stand out amongst the crowd as championing the health of their employees. In the 21st century, healthiness is extremely valued by everyone, and having private insurance has been linked to helping to increase the productivity of workers.
Although still relatively underutilised in the UK, health insurance has been around for a significant number of years. The growth in businesses that purchase private insurance has led to an increase in optional additions to policies, such as having a private health advice phone number and even cancer support and gym membership.
The cover that you get as standard, will change depending on which insurer you go with, and the price that you pay for the insurance. You can expect in-patient and out-patient care as standard, where the company will pay for accommodation and medical fees, as well as diagnosis tests and x-rays. You may find that policies on the lower end of the spectrum limit the amount they will pay for out-patient care, but higher-end policies will usually pay in full.
Support for employees that have been diagnosed with cancer will be an attractive benefit of some insurers, as it is the time in an employee's life that they are most vulnerable. Most insurers have specialist teams that deal with cancer patients, but you will need to check whether cancer care is included in your policy. You may also wish to see if there are other benefits, such as long-term psychiatric care.
Premiums work in the same way with business health insurance as they do in other types of insurance. An excess will keep the cost of the insurance low, but the individual will be required to pay an excess for every claim that they make; excesses can be very high and even unaffordable for some employees (up to £500), so you should make sure that you know how large the excess is.
The reason for most companies purchasing private health cover is to make sure that their employees are back to work as fast as possible. The way that most insurers work is to compare the time that they can treat the patient in compared to the NHS - if the NHS waiting list for treatment is longer than a six week period, private cover will be paid for instead.
In the UK, health insurance works in conjunction with the NHS. GP services and emergencies are typically not covered by insurers, so employees should not expect to never use the NHS again.
UK Business health insurance can be purchased at Specialistrisks


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7178144

The Basics of Business Health Insurance

Business health insurance is taken out to give private organisations' employees medical care when they most need it. You will gain private treatment by qualified doctors, ensuring that your employees are back and fit for work as soon as possible. Insurers will typically offer a range of over 250 hospitals spread across the nation, so there will always be a centre that you can get an employee to in a situation that requires it.
Health insurance is one of the benefits that is most sought-after by employees, meaning that your business will stand out amongst the crowd as championing the health of their employees. In the 21st century, healthiness is extremely valued by everyone, and having private insurance has been linked to helping to increase the productivity of workers.
Although still relatively underutilised in the UK, health insurance has been around for a significant number of years. The growth in businesses that purchase private insurance has led to an increase in optional additions to policies, such as having a private health advice phone number and even cancer support and gym membership.
The cover that you get as standard, will change depending on which insurer you go with, and the price that you pay for the insurance. You can expect in-patient and out-patient care as standard, where the company will pay for accommodation and medical fees, as well as diagnosis tests and x-rays. You may find that policies on the lower end of the spectrum limit the amount they will pay for out-patient care, but higher-end policies will usually pay in full.
Support for employees that have been diagnosed with cancer will be an attractive benefit of some insurers, as it is the time in an employee's life that they are most vulnerable. Most insurers have specialist teams that deal with cancer patients, but you will need to check whether cancer care is included in your policy. You may also wish to see if there are other benefits, such as long-term psychiatric care.
Premiums work in the same way with business health insurance as they do in other types of insurance. An excess will keep the cost of the insurance low, but the individual will be required to pay an excess for every claim that they make; excesses can be very high and even unaffordable for some employees (up to £500), so you should make sure that you know how large the excess is.
The reason for most companies purchasing private health cover is to make sure that their employees are back to work as fast as possible. The way that most insurers work is to compare the time that they can treat the patient in compared to the NHS - if the NHS waiting list for treatment is longer than a six week period, private cover will be paid for instead.
In the UK, health insurance works in conjunction with the NHS. GP services and emergencies are typically not covered by insurers, so employees should not expect to never use the NHS again.
UK Business health insurance can be purchased at Specialistrisks


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7178144

Setting Your Stall Out and Protecting It With Market Traders Insurance

Running a market stall is an excellent way to be your own boss and have your own business. Let's not say it is easy though. It can be very hard work. You have to get up early to pack up your van, get to the market and set your stall up before your first customers of the day. In some places your market may not be a permanent fixture and you may even have to erect your stall. If your stock in trade is fresh and perishable in nature, there is further onus on getting stock, sometimes in the wee small hours, and then hygienic disposal of any unsold stock.
With all this going on, it is still important to make time for sorting out insurance. Insurance for market traders is designed specifically to protect businesses in this sector, including market traders, street traders and stall operators. There are various type of suitable insurance available, some mandatory, others discretionary.
One of the most important is public liability insurance for market traders. Although not obligatory, is it considered necessary because as a trader, you are in constant contact with members of the public. Also, some markets may require evidence that you have the insurance before allowing you to have a stall. Public liability insurance for market traders provides cover for any liability that may arise if a third party is injured or suffers damage and it is deemed to be due to your negligence. So, for example, if your stall collapses or someone is injured tripping over one of your cables, you are not forced to find compensation from your personal funds.
The one mandatory insurance for market traders is employers' liability insurance. If you have staff working for you, in the UK, you must, by law, have insurance as duty of care. There are some exceptions if you are a family run business, and your staff are all family members but the distinction is fine, so it is best to check. If your market stall is an offshoot of your main business, and you have your main place of work protected with employers' liability insurance, the policy may cover the workers on the stall. Best check.
So, you've protected yourself against claims from third parties, and you've provided cover for your staff, what other insurance does a market trader need to consider? The other types of insurance are about protecting elements of the business itself.
Property insurance protects your stall in the same way as building insurance provides cover for a factory, a shop, or even your home. Your goods and stall are protected against fire and flood damage. Due to the 'open' nature of your trading, it is unlikely that you will be covered for loss through theft of either stock and/or cash, although some policies may provide cover under certain security restrictions.
As you transport goods to and from market, it is sensible to have them covered by commercial vehicle/goods in transit insurance, and the last type of insurance a market trader should consider is product liability. Like employers' and public liability insurance for market traders, this is your protection against claims should any of what you sell cause injury or damage. Product liability insurance is especially significant if you sell home-made food and drinks. You need to be covered for any claims that could arise from food poisoning. You may find that you will require a special licence for this type of market stall, and your local authority requires you to have the insurance before they will issue one.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7173443

Setting Your Stall Out and Protecting It With Market Traders Insurance

Running a market stall is an excellent way to be your own boss and have your own business. Let's not say it is easy though. It can be very hard work. You have to get up early to pack up your van, get to the market and set your stall up before your first customers of the day. In some places your market may not be a permanent fixture and you may even have to erect your stall. If your stock in trade is fresh and perishable in nature, there is further onus on getting stock, sometimes in the wee small hours, and then hygienic disposal of any unsold stock.
With all this going on, it is still important to make time for sorting out insurance. Insurance for market traders is designed specifically to protect businesses in this sector, including market traders, street traders and stall operators. There are various type of suitable insurance available, some mandatory, others discretionary.
One of the most important is public liability insurance for market traders. Although not obligatory, is it considered necessary because as a trader, you are in constant contact with members of the public. Also, some markets may require evidence that you have the insurance before allowing you to have a stall. Public liability insurance for market traders provides cover for any liability that may arise if a third party is injured or suffers damage and it is deemed to be due to your negligence. So, for example, if your stall collapses or someone is injured tripping over one of your cables, you are not forced to find compensation from your personal funds.
The one mandatory insurance for market traders is employers' liability insurance. If you have staff working for you, in the UK, you must, by law, have insurance as duty of care. There are some exceptions if you are a family run business, and your staff are all family members but the distinction is fine, so it is best to check. If your market stall is an offshoot of your main business, and you have your main place of work protected with employers' liability insurance, the policy may cover the workers on the stall. Best check.
So, you've protected yourself against claims from third parties, and you've provided cover for your staff, what other insurance does a market trader need to consider? The other types of insurance are about protecting elements of the business itself.
Property insurance protects your stall in the same way as building insurance provides cover for a factory, a shop, or even your home. Your goods and stall are protected against fire and flood damage. Due to the 'open' nature of your trading, it is unlikely that you will be covered for loss through theft of either stock and/or cash, although some policies may provide cover under certain security restrictions.
As you transport goods to and from market, it is sensible to have them covered by commercial vehicle/goods in transit insurance, and the last type of insurance a market trader should consider is product liability. Like employers' and public liability insurance for market traders, this is your protection against claims should any of what you sell cause injury or damage. Product liability insurance is especially significant if you sell home-made food and drinks. You need to be covered for any claims that could arise from food poisoning. You may find that you will require a special licence for this type of market stall, and your local authority requires you to have the insurance before they will issue one.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7173443

Give Your Company Peace Of Mind

The stereotypical man is notoriously reluctant to visit the doctor, as if hoping for the best can stave off the most dangerous health problems. Many small companies take a similar approach to risk. They recognize it but only do what is absolutely necessary for them to do to get by.
Assessing Risk
Simply hoping for the best is how many companies get themselves into trouble. In order to get your company peace of mind, it is crucial to understand the industry-wide risks as well as the dangers that are specific to the company. Small companies usually do not have the risk assessment personnel necessary to perform this analysis and keep it current.
Know the Statistics
For small companies, the statistics are stacked against them from the day that they open their doors. Statistics can be a brutal assessment of the truth, but in the right hands, statistics are also an invaluable tool. Think of it in terms of poker. If you play the odds, then you are going to come out on top over the long run.
Peace of Mind Equals Risk plus Statistics
This knowledge is the path to get your company peace of mind. When a company knows the market risk, the individual risk, the exceptions, and the full extent of legal obligations, they can prepare for it. When they prepare for it, then they have coverage that can weather any storm.
Umbrella Coverage
Another important aspect of peace of mind is umbrella coverage. The reality of risk is that there will always be unforeseen risk lurking around corners, regardless of how thorough the company is. Umbrella coverage is a special aspect of a policy that the policyholder puts in to protect the business against those unforeseen dangers.
Hire a Professional
A common mistake that small businesses make is that they rely solely on the insurance company, which can be a risky proposition, especially when dealing with a company for the first time. Large companies have risk assessors. There is no reason that the small company cannot have a similar tool by hiring a third-party consultant.
Hiring the Right Policyholder
After the consultant has laid out the plan for the business, it is time for the business to go out and find the right policyholder. Keep in mind that the company is shopping for a long-term relationship that is very important to them and very lucrative to the partner.
Conclusion
Getting peace of mind for your company is about being thorough. If you prepare properly, then you will conclude the process with confidence and peace of mind. The information is out there for the taking. In this day and age, there is no good reason for a company to fly blind.
Get your company peace of mind. The information is out there for the taking. In this day and age, there is no good reason for a company to fly blind.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7173046

Give Your Company Peace Of Mind

The stereotypical man is notoriously reluctant to visit the doctor, as if hoping for the best can stave off the most dangerous health problems. Many small companies take a similar approach to risk. They recognize it but only do what is absolutely necessary for them to do to get by.
Assessing Risk
Simply hoping for the best is how many companies get themselves into trouble. In order to get your company peace of mind, it is crucial to understand the industry-wide risks as well as the dangers that are specific to the company. Small companies usually do not have the risk assessment personnel necessary to perform this analysis and keep it current.
Know the Statistics
For small companies, the statistics are stacked against them from the day that they open their doors. Statistics can be a brutal assessment of the truth, but in the right hands, statistics are also an invaluable tool. Think of it in terms of poker. If you play the odds, then you are going to come out on top over the long run.
Peace of Mind Equals Risk plus Statistics
This knowledge is the path to get your company peace of mind. When a company knows the market risk, the individual risk, the exceptions, and the full extent of legal obligations, they can prepare for it. When they prepare for it, then they have coverage that can weather any storm.
Umbrella Coverage
Another important aspect of peace of mind is umbrella coverage. The reality of risk is that there will always be unforeseen risk lurking around corners, regardless of how thorough the company is. Umbrella coverage is a special aspect of a policy that the policyholder puts in to protect the business against those unforeseen dangers.
Hire a Professional
A common mistake that small businesses make is that they rely solely on the insurance company, which can be a risky proposition, especially when dealing with a company for the first time. Large companies have risk assessors. There is no reason that the small company cannot have a similar tool by hiring a third-party consultant.
Hiring the Right Policyholder
After the consultant has laid out the plan for the business, it is time for the business to go out and find the right policyholder. Keep in mind that the company is shopping for a long-term relationship that is very important to them and very lucrative to the partner.
Conclusion
Getting peace of mind for your company is about being thorough. If you prepare properly, then you will conclude the process with confidence and peace of mind. The information is out there for the taking. In this day and age, there is no good reason for a company to fly blind.
Get your company peace of mind. The information is out there for the taking. In this day and age, there is no good reason for a company to fly blind.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7173046

Advantages of Joining a Film School

The film industry perhaps has the stiffest competitions that any industry can provide. You can have talent, contacts and the resources to get into the inner circles of the industry and still not make it. None of this work well alone and they don't even work well together if the most important thing is missing - discipline. If you think you have enough talent to sail through, think again. There are numerous facets to the industry that you may remain ignorant about till you join a film school.
Leading film schools offer multi-disciplinary courses which would give you a wide range of options to choose from. From acting, editing, cinematography to directing you have the whole wide world of entertainment to specialize in. Some schools offer select courses and focus on either one or a few disciplines. While others have an umbrella approach where they start from basics like film history and film theory and go to advanced courses where you can specialize in a particular branch like production or acting.
Advantages of Joining a Film School
Courses - Film courses range from acting, directing to even writing. In a film school you will get a disciplined approach to each field and graduate from the basics to the advanced courses giving you an in-depth knowledge for future.
Network - The entertainment industry is very closely interlinked. Everyone knows everyone here. Most schools create opportunities for their students to meet eminent personalities and the key people behind them. This will be your first stepping stone to creating your own contacts.
Internships - At the end of the courses, the schools put you onto paying internships in the film or TV industry where you learn the ropes from rung one. Your creativity can then find fruition in multiple areas and help you get into various careers with animation studios, film studios and production companies, television channels as well as advertising agencies.
Career Options
Film making - Film school training will help to get easy entry into a career of film making. You will learn all aspects of making a movie from shooting and development, physical production to post-production. It will also include training in financing, distribution and film marketing.
Acting - A focused course in acting is aimed at bringing out the natural talent and blends it with discipline, professionalism and creativity. Many seasoned actors have found their first footing into the industry after their film school training. Many television production houses directly recruit from films schools to get fresh faces for their shows.
Television technology - With the onslaught of television channels there is no dearth of programs to create and manage. You can get training in all aspects of broadcasting technologies, television production and marketing.
Animation and gaming - Animation and game design are the newest big things in cinema and entertainment. With a film school training you can learn the latest digital techniques to create animated films or games in 3D or 4D. These courses usually start with cel animation and then go on to digital courses giving you all-round training.
Technical courses - These include a wide range of disciplines from visual art and design, cinematography, editing, sound and audio engineering.
Writing - Creative writing courses in the film industry can lead to several career options - screen writing, film criticism, film journalism and writing film and television reviews.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7164972

Neo-Realism in World Cinema

Neo-Realism, a movement in Italian cinema that emerged in the 1940s, its desire being to recover coherence between images, narrative, and reality. Despite differences in the styles of individual writers and directors, it is possible to extract certain common elements, for example the abandoning of fantastical narratives, the preference given to outdoor locations rather than shooting in studios, the use of non-professional actors, and the attempt to present a less varnished view of the political and social issues of a country in a period of great change.
It is thought that the term "Neo-Realism" was first used in 1943 by the editor Mario Serandrei in reference to Ossessione (1943), the first film by Luchino Visconti. The director, who based his film loosely on the novel The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain (brought to the screen again under its original title in 1946 by Tay Garnett and again in 1981 by Bob Rafelson) set the film not in the United States but in the valley of the River Po, and by abandoning the studio and shooting in an expressive, black-and-white, documentary style he obtained an authenticity that contrasted radically with the sophisticated artificiality of studio-bound Cinecittà productions of the late 1930s-the so-called "white telephone" films, named after the distinctive props of their glamorous sets.
In 1943 Vittorio De Sica filmed I Bambini ci Guardano (The Children are Watching Us), but "l'école italienne de la libération", as the French define Neo-Realism (emphasizing the connection between its rise and the end of fascist rule), did not truly emerge until two years later with the making of Roma, Città Aperta (1945; Rome, Open City, directed by Roberto Rossellini), now the symbol of the rebirth of Italian cinema. The film was shot in the streets of Rome during the last days of the German occupation, with material often recovered from discarded propaganda films in which Rossellini himself had been forced to collaborate in the preceding years.
After Roma, Città Aperta (which alongside amateur actors presented two actors who became icons of Italian cinema, Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi), there followed a boom that in the space of just a few years produced some of the greatest works of post-war Italian cinema: Paisà (1946) and Germania, Anno Zero (1947; Germany, Year Zero), also by Rossellini; La Terra Trema (1948; The Earth Trembles, adapted from the classic novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga) and Bellissima (1951) by Visconti; Sciuscià (1946; Shoeshine), Ladri di Biciclette (1949; Bicycle Thieves), and Miracolo a Milano (1951) by De Sica.collaborating with Cesare Zavattini; and Riso Amaro (1948; Bitter Rice, a social melodrama set in northern Italy that launched the careers of Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman) and In Nome della Legge (1949; In the Name of the Law, a Sicilian-style Western) by Pietro germi.
The heyday of Neo-Realism ended in the early 1950s. Rossellini continued to make a few films of merit: Il Miracolo (1948; the first part of a diptych called L'Amore, Marcello Pagliero directing the second part, Una Voce Umana), with Anna Magnani and a very young Federico Fellini in an acting role; Stromboli, Terra di Dio (1949; Stromboli); Francesco, Giullare di Dio (1950; Francis, God's Jester), scenes from the life of St Francis; Europa '51 (1951); and Viaggio in Italia (1954; Journey to Italy, starring Ingrid Bergman, who was married to Rossellini at the time)-after which Rossellini abandoned fictional films to concentrate on documentaries and work for television.
Visconti directed Senso (1953; The Wanton Countess), a film that signalled his passage from Neo-Realism to Realism, from the so-called "poetica del pedinamento" (poetics of everyday life and the normal man) to the resumption of the romantic tradition of the 19th-century novel, transposing the environment and psychology of characters to the medium of cinema. However, his later classic Rocco e i Suoi Fratelli (1960; Rocco and his Brothers), while eschewing Neo-Realist production, editing, and narrative techniques, still dealt with themes and situations of poverty and struggle that make its descent from the Neo-Realist tradition clear.
With Umberto D (1952), a great Neo-Realistic work and perhaps his most accomplished after L'Oro di Napoli (1954; The Gold of Naples), Vittorio De Sica paved the way for a more marketable cinema and a less dramatic Realism, without sacrificing quality of production. According to historical convention, the period of Neo-Realism that began with Ossessione ended with Umberto D.
In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.
In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.
In comedy, the heredity of Neo-Realism is noticeable, for example, in the series of films adapted from the stories of Giovanni Guareschi based on the character Don Camillo. The Don Camillo series, starring Fernandel as the priest Camillo and his love-hate relationship with the Communist mayor Peppone, played by Gino Cervi, were filmed by directors such as Julien Duvivier, achieving record takings in Italy throughout the 1950s.
The legacy of Neo-Realism was not limited only to the genre of the heart-rending, comic, sentimental films. Confirmation of this lies in the fact that, beyond differences in style, the movement created a true "school" where the structure of reality and the way in which to present it were investigated, and it was under this influence that a new generation of directors emerged who would constitute the nucleus of Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, among them Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni is regarded as one of the best known directors of Italian films. After starting off in the Neo-Realist style, he developed his own characteristic style, which includes fantasy elements. His films include Blow-Up (1966) and Zabriskie Point (1969).
What is Neo Realism... What does it mean... how it has influenced world cinema


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7096025

Advantages of Joining a Film School

The film industry perhaps has the stiffest competitions that any industry can provide. You can have talent, contacts and the resources to get into the inner circles of the industry and still not make it. None of this work well alone and they don't even work well together if the most important thing is missing - discipline. If you think you have enough talent to sail through, think again. There are numerous facets to the industry that you may remain ignorant about till you join a film school.
Leading film schools offer multi-disciplinary courses which would give you a wide range of options to choose from. From acting, editing, cinematography to directing you have the whole wide world of entertainment to specialize in. Some schools offer select courses and focus on either one or a few disciplines. While others have an umbrella approach where they start from basics like film history and film theory and go to advanced courses where you can specialize in a particular branch like production or acting.
Advantages of Joining a Film School
Courses - Film courses range from acting, directing to even writing. In a film school you will get a disciplined approach to each field and graduate from the basics to the advanced courses giving you an in-depth knowledge for future.
Network - The entertainment industry is very closely interlinked. Everyone knows everyone here. Most schools create opportunities for their students to meet eminent personalities and the key people behind them. This will be your first stepping stone to creating your own contacts.
Internships - At the end of the courses, the schools put you onto paying internships in the film or TV industry where you learn the ropes from rung one. Your creativity can then find fruition in multiple areas and help you get into various careers with animation studios, film studios and production companies, television channels as well as advertising agencies.
Career Options
Film making - Film school training will help to get easy entry into a career of film making. You will learn all aspects of making a movie from shooting and development, physical production to post-production. It will also include training in financing, distribution and film marketing.
Acting - A focused course in acting is aimed at bringing out the natural talent and blends it with discipline, professionalism and creativity. Many seasoned actors have found their first footing into the industry after their film school training. Many television production houses directly recruit from films schools to get fresh faces for their shows.
Television technology - With the onslaught of television channels there is no dearth of programs to create and manage. You can get training in all aspects of broadcasting technologies, television production and marketing.
Animation and gaming - Animation and game design are the newest big things in cinema and entertainment. With a film school training you can learn the latest digital techniques to create animated films or games in 3D or 4D. These courses usually start with cel animation and then go on to digital courses giving you all-round training.
Technical courses - These include a wide range of disciplines from visual art and design, cinematography, editing, sound and audio engineering.
Writing - Creative writing courses in the film industry can lead to several career options - screen writing, film criticism, film journalism and writing film and television reviews.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7164972

Neo-Realism in World Cinema

Neo-Realism, a movement in Italian cinema that emerged in the 1940s, its desire being to recover coherence between images, narrative, and reality. Despite differences in the styles of individual writers and directors, it is possible to extract certain common elements, for example the abandoning of fantastical narratives, the preference given to outdoor locations rather than shooting in studios, the use of non-professional actors, and the attempt to present a less varnished view of the political and social issues of a country in a period of great change.
It is thought that the term "Neo-Realism" was first used in 1943 by the editor Mario Serandrei in reference to Ossessione (1943), the first film by Luchino Visconti. The director, who based his film loosely on the novel The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain (brought to the screen again under its original title in 1946 by Tay Garnett and again in 1981 by Bob Rafelson) set the film not in the United States but in the valley of the River Po, and by abandoning the studio and shooting in an expressive, black-and-white, documentary style he obtained an authenticity that contrasted radically with the sophisticated artificiality of studio-bound Cinecittà productions of the late 1930s-the so-called "white telephone" films, named after the distinctive props of their glamorous sets.
In 1943 Vittorio De Sica filmed I Bambini ci Guardano (The Children are Watching Us), but "l'école italienne de la libération", as the French define Neo-Realism (emphasizing the connection between its rise and the end of fascist rule), did not truly emerge until two years later with the making of Roma, Città Aperta (1945; Rome, Open City, directed by Roberto Rossellini), now the symbol of the rebirth of Italian cinema. The film was shot in the streets of Rome during the last days of the German occupation, with material often recovered from discarded propaganda films in which Rossellini himself had been forced to collaborate in the preceding years.
After Roma, Città Aperta (which alongside amateur actors presented two actors who became icons of Italian cinema, Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi), there followed a boom that in the space of just a few years produced some of the greatest works of post-war Italian cinema: Paisà (1946) and Germania, Anno Zero (1947; Germany, Year Zero), also by Rossellini; La Terra Trema (1948; The Earth Trembles, adapted from the classic novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga) and Bellissima (1951) by Visconti; Sciuscià (1946; Shoeshine), Ladri di Biciclette (1949; Bicycle Thieves), and Miracolo a Milano (1951) by De Sica.collaborating with Cesare Zavattini; and Riso Amaro (1948; Bitter Rice, a social melodrama set in northern Italy that launched the careers of Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman) and In Nome della Legge (1949; In the Name of the Law, a Sicilian-style Western) by Pietro germi.
The heyday of Neo-Realism ended in the early 1950s. Rossellini continued to make a few films of merit: Il Miracolo (1948; the first part of a diptych called L'Amore, Marcello Pagliero directing the second part, Una Voce Umana), with Anna Magnani and a very young Federico Fellini in an acting role; Stromboli, Terra di Dio (1949; Stromboli); Francesco, Giullare di Dio (1950; Francis, God's Jester), scenes from the life of St Francis; Europa '51 (1951); and Viaggio in Italia (1954; Journey to Italy, starring Ingrid Bergman, who was married to Rossellini at the time)-after which Rossellini abandoned fictional films to concentrate on documentaries and work for television.
Visconti directed Senso (1953; The Wanton Countess), a film that signalled his passage from Neo-Realism to Realism, from the so-called "poetica del pedinamento" (poetics of everyday life and the normal man) to the resumption of the romantic tradition of the 19th-century novel, transposing the environment and psychology of characters to the medium of cinema. However, his later classic Rocco e i Suoi Fratelli (1960; Rocco and his Brothers), while eschewing Neo-Realist production, editing, and narrative techniques, still dealt with themes and situations of poverty and struggle that make its descent from the Neo-Realist tradition clear.
With Umberto D (1952), a great Neo-Realistic work and perhaps his most accomplished after L'Oro di Napoli (1954; The Gold of Naples), Vittorio De Sica paved the way for a more marketable cinema and a less dramatic Realism, without sacrificing quality of production. According to historical convention, the period of Neo-Realism that began with Ossessione ended with Umberto D.
In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.
In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.
In comedy, the heredity of Neo-Realism is noticeable, for example, in the series of films adapted from the stories of Giovanni Guareschi based on the character Don Camillo. The Don Camillo series, starring Fernandel as the priest Camillo and his love-hate relationship with the Communist mayor Peppone, played by Gino Cervi, were filmed by directors such as Julien Duvivier, achieving record takings in Italy throughout the 1950s.
The legacy of Neo-Realism was not limited only to the genre of the heart-rending, comic, sentimental films. Confirmation of this lies in the fact that, beyond differences in style, the movement created a true "school" where the structure of reality and the way in which to present it were investigated, and it was under this influence that a new generation of directors emerged who would constitute the nucleus of Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, among them Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni is regarded as one of the best known directors of Italian films. After starting off in the Neo-Realist style, he developed his own characteristic style, which includes fantasy elements. His films include Blow-Up (1966) and Zabriskie Point (1969).
What is Neo Realism... What does it mean... how it has influenced world cinema


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7096025

Future of Global Movie Industry

Creating a non-superficial global cinema will require
finally figuring out truly universal values of a planetary culture. These values derive from human biology.
Capturing and holding audiences from all the continents isn't easy. Many have tried.
Modern mass entertainment often serves as a deeper and more important global language than English. That is because present day Hollywood industry inadvertently created a process that increasingly touches upon basic physiological human needs and aspirations. Profit driven use of visuals, characters, and themes (that were scientifically researched to be as marketable and appealing to widest possible multi-ethnic audience) is steadily pushing towards a universal formula. Although we're still at a point where the appealing "supranational" characteristics of mainstream Hollywood involve the usual (explosions, special effects, sex appeal, mental escape through hyperindividualistic protagonists, etc), we will begin to see deeper basic cinematic themes emerge that cut across all cultures in the near future. The basic reasons will be:
1) Same corporate profit motive that gave us the rise of neuromarketing will push for figuring out physiological substrata that makes simultaneous global release movies more emotionally appealing. Digital piracy will make physical movie spaces ever more important for revenue generation. Conversion of movie theaters into expensive 3D/concert/theater type spectacles will need research to be successful. You WILL be satisfied with the global release whether you're in Nigeria, Japan, Ecuador, Texas, etc.
2) Emerging Internet culture finding its way to the mainstream as globe trotting generation Y takes charge of the industry.
3) Dawning realization by Western elites that globalization has stalled. Their scramble to rethink and proactively improve globalization and its integrative forces. Goal of preventing a major and rapid slide into mercantilist (potentially even hostile!) continental economic blocks will see elite efforts to create stronger intercontinental "glue". Efforts towards discovery of media/art/Internet driven truly global culture should be part of the effort. Most states currently subsidize their movie industries behind the scenes as national propaganda PR moves. This practice can be turned on its head if applied towards supranational themes and purposes.
The spread of this Hollywood lingua franca is a microcosm of globalization itself. When analyzing integrative processes of globalization, special attention should be given to the film industry in particular.
Until relatively recently, Hollywood released its mega movies domestically first and abroad only months later. Then, to combat immediate digital piracy from places like China it became a more common practice to have simultaneous global openings for very big budget titles. The preparation and logistical coordination of this represented stage three in the emergence of a truly globalized film industry.
Lets briefly go through the stages:
1) 1950s-1980s: Mass cultural exports of the post-war period. Influx of Hollywood products into occupied territories and satellite states. Increasing cooperation between West European studios/agencies and Hollywood resulting in an international entertainment business sphere. Some partial work done on "universal" values within the ideological framing context of the cold war. Both Western and Soviet intelligence have a heavy role in informational shaping of entertainment to influence perceptions of the present world and prime expectations of how the world's future will develop (the dystopian-utopian spectrum of how the 21st century was popularly portrayed in movies is an interesting example of this). Genuine attempt at discovering universal values is hidden and distorted by individual private and corporate interests behind the militaries of the NATO pact.
2) 1980s-1990s: Hollywood studios rapidly expand beyond NATO's sphere of influence and become truly global as most markets are now accessible. Majority of key studio revenue now comes from abroad. Consolidation in number of transnational media corporations that own the studios. Streamlining of their operations along lines of fellow tangible good producing transnational companies. Rapid horizontal creation of international links to reduce costs and create an immediate global reservoir of cheaper talent, locations, and equipment. Actors and actresses become supranational super celebrities recognized anywhere. Global businesses are increasingly synchronized in space and time.
3) 2000- present: Merging of dozens of national and regional markets into one planetary market that allows rapid global penetration and hype generation (via local auxiliaries). Simultaneous global cinema and disc openings. "Epic" large cash infusion Hollywood movie making style is rapidly emulated by other players like Beijing and Moscow. Besides profit, this is partially done to increase their soft power and control domestically. For non-Western (particularly BRIC) powers to be successful with their mass media projects, they need to absorb/buy Hollywood's cutting edge technical, CGI, and art talent. That is already happening and is currently causing peripheral cooperation/merging between movie studios of all key regional political powers on earth.
Stage 2 saw the serious streamlining ("dumbing down") of plots and character backgrounds of biggest budget Hollywood pieces so not too much appeal is lost in the translation for foreigners. Reliance on cartoony cardboard cut out Americana archetypes for characters still continues (with other ethnic archetypes increasingly playing a bigger and bigger role).
Stage 4 will be the most interesting one yet.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7177277

Future of Global Movie Industry

Creating a non-superficial global cinema will require
finally figuring out truly universal values of a planetary culture. These values derive from human biology.
Capturing and holding audiences from all the continents isn't easy. Many have tried.
Modern mass entertainment often serves as a deeper and more important global language than English. That is because present day Hollywood industry inadvertently created a process that increasingly touches upon basic physiological human needs and aspirations. Profit driven use of visuals, characters, and themes (that were scientifically researched to be as marketable and appealing to widest possible multi-ethnic audience) is steadily pushing towards a universal formula. Although we're still at a point where the appealing "supranational" characteristics of mainstream Hollywood involve the usual (explosions, special effects, sex appeal, mental escape through hyperindividualistic protagonists, etc), we will begin to see deeper basic cinematic themes emerge that cut across all cultures in the near future. The basic reasons will be:
1) Same corporate profit motive that gave us the rise of neuromarketing will push for figuring out physiological substrata that makes simultaneous global release movies more emotionally appealing. Digital piracy will make physical movie spaces ever more important for revenue generation. Conversion of movie theaters into expensive 3D/concert/theater type spectacles will need research to be successful. You WILL be satisfied with the global release whether you're in Nigeria, Japan, Ecuador, Texas, etc.
2) Emerging Internet culture finding its way to the mainstream as globe trotting generation Y takes charge of the industry.
3) Dawning realization by Western elites that globalization has stalled. Their scramble to rethink and proactively improve globalization and its integrative forces. Goal of preventing a major and rapid slide into mercantilist (potentially even hostile!) continental economic blocks will see elite efforts to create stronger intercontinental "glue". Efforts towards discovery of media/art/Internet driven truly global culture should be part of the effort. Most states currently subsidize their movie industries behind the scenes as national propaganda PR moves. This practice can be turned on its head if applied towards supranational themes and purposes.
The spread of this Hollywood lingua franca is a microcosm of globalization itself. When analyzing integrative processes of globalization, special attention should be given to the film industry in particular.
Until relatively recently, Hollywood released its mega movies domestically first and abroad only months later. Then, to combat immediate digital piracy from places like China it became a more common practice to have simultaneous global openings for very big budget titles. The preparation and logistical coordination of this represented stage three in the emergence of a truly globalized film industry.
Lets briefly go through the stages:
1) 1950s-1980s: Mass cultural exports of the post-war period. Influx of Hollywood products into occupied territories and satellite states. Increasing cooperation between West European studios/agencies and Hollywood resulting in an international entertainment business sphere. Some partial work done on "universal" values within the ideological framing context of the cold war. Both Western and Soviet intelligence have a heavy role in informational shaping of entertainment to influence perceptions of the present world and prime expectations of how the world's future will develop (the dystopian-utopian spectrum of how the 21st century was popularly portrayed in movies is an interesting example of this). Genuine attempt at discovering universal values is hidden and distorted by individual private and corporate interests behind the militaries of the NATO pact.
2) 1980s-1990s: Hollywood studios rapidly expand beyond NATO's sphere of influence and become truly global as most markets are now accessible. Majority of key studio revenue now comes from abroad. Consolidation in number of transnational media corporations that own the studios. Streamlining of their operations along lines of fellow tangible good producing transnational companies. Rapid horizontal creation of international links to reduce costs and create an immediate global reservoir of cheaper talent, locations, and equipment. Actors and actresses become supranational super celebrities recognized anywhere. Global businesses are increasingly synchronized in space and time.
3) 2000- present: Merging of dozens of national and regional markets into one planetary market that allows rapid global penetration and hype generation (via local auxiliaries). Simultaneous global cinema and disc openings. "Epic" large cash infusion Hollywood movie making style is rapidly emulated by other players like Beijing and Moscow. Besides profit, this is partially done to increase their soft power and control domestically. For non-Western (particularly BRIC) powers to be successful with their mass media projects, they need to absorb/buy Hollywood's cutting edge technical, CGI, and art talent. That is already happening and is currently causing peripheral cooperation/merging between movie studios of all key regional political powers on earth.
Stage 2 saw the serious streamlining ("dumbing down") of plots and character backgrounds of biggest budget Hollywood pieces so not too much appeal is lost in the translation for foreigners. Reliance on cartoony cardboard cut out Americana archetypes for characters still continues (with other ethnic archetypes increasingly playing a bigger and bigger role).
Stage 4 will be the most interesting one yet.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7177277

Central America Through the Eyes of Oliver

The CIA is all if nothing an organization about disinformation. For this reason you can understand why Oliver Stone is CIA. His films take the viewer through a lexicon of concealment.
Lets take a look at this masterpiece:
Salvador (1986)
Most would see this film as Oliver Stone being a leftist apologist for right wing intervention in a banana republic. We feel the shame of our inability to bring our form of justice, truth and honor to the poorest of the poor in our hemisphere. Lets look a little closer at our cast of characters before deciding.
Rick Boyle (James Woods)is the" has never been" rebel journalist who plays the good guy. We are supposed to feel for him because he is unemployed and his wife has finally left him. After getting bailed out of jail, he heads to the closest war to make freedom for the little people, Ce' Senor! Then there is Doctor Rock (James Belushi) the loose canon Videographer who's going to do his best to get them both killed. Just a couple of misunderstood liberals, or are they what the US backed militia believes? Commie bastards! We are left to decipher that one. What this movie shows as so much with Mr. Stone, is the freedom fighters and antagonists of the revolution are always some how damaged. Casts off from society who are lucky if they make it out alive and of course never having changed the political balance. Got it? Stay home and behave. You're nothing but a loser when you interfere. Only drunks and misfits challenge the American Way. We will get to more of that later in "Born on the 4th of July".
When you look for dis-information its best to imagine looking at the truth through a mirror. What you see is a reflection of the truth or a reflection of the lie. A positive spin on the negative or vice versa, a negative spin on the positive. The latter is what The Mighty Mouthpiece does so well. Always identifying with the person we wished we new but are glad we are not they. In this case they are the downtrodden, the misfit, the car is out of gas guy who won't save the girl. Ah, the heroes of Oliver Stone. Ready to take on the bad guys even knowing they are mere puppets carrying out the killings. Teach us to behave Ollie and Mr. Oz will keep us safe.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7174981

In Film Making Believability Is Often Wiser Than Accuracy and Unfortunately - Let's Talk

Sometimes I am blown away by the political correctness of the socialist elite in Hollywood. They tell us that we shouldn't stereotype, that we should live and let live, and that everyone is equal, and not to pick on any group or segment of our population. For that, I do concur, however I am upset because I see so much hypocrisy going on in Hollywood. Specifically, in the filmmaking industry, so let me explain, because this is not only a critique of the folks in Hollywood, but more so our entire population, as so many are unable to see through the fog of society's entertainment.
It seems that all too often to make a film believable, these movies have token stereotypes which fit the general overall perception of our public. One might ask if we are not perpetuating the stereotypes in doing so, and then condemning people for adopting those stereotypes into their belief systems. I was discussing this not long ago with a gentleman who was getting his degree in filmmaking, and we got into a lively debate, although we were pretty much on the same wavelength. He told me it was funny, because while you need artistic creativity, you also have to appeal to the audience's beliefs.
If you don't, they won't like the movie, and they won't tell their friends to go see it, and therefore it will be a bomb or a bust. I explained to him that accuracy is quite important as well, and while he agreed, he also explained that if the movie doesn't make money, those screenplay writers, directors, and movie producers won't be able to produce anything else in the future. He explained that the movie industry is quite harsh in many regards.
He explained to me that the trick was to put in the various stereotypes, but have a storyline which went behind the scenes, and told of the differences behind the stereotype, in other words on the surface the stereotype was there true enough, but behind the scenes was a real person, albeit a character in the film, which wasn't like the stereotype that all. He said that was hard to do, but he had those sorts of scenarios in each and every film that he had ever produced while working with his friends on projects at the film school. In fact, they have one which should be ready for the next Palm Springs Film Festival coming up.
You see, it's hard to change people's minds and belief systems, and you have to make your film believable, which is actually more important to its success than accuracy. Therein lies the rub, and the challenge for all good filmmakers. It was so great to talk to him and get his perspective, because now I understand what they are dealing with, and how much impact the art of filmmaking has on our population. Please consider all this and think on it.
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Creativity and Innovation in America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7188491