Friday's with Blinky: Blue Beetle PSA

  This week is a quickie.  This weeks has been busy at work and I'm dealing with health stuff but this year my goal is to not miss a feature or at least miss as few as possible.  So this week is the result of a compromise, I picked something short.

  But, just like I say to the ladies, don't let it's length fool you, it's just as good as something longer and will still leave you satisfied.

  This week I picked something from Blinky500 to show support for the Deadpool Webseries as well as the Save One to Save Many campaign.  So we get one of my most favorite teams ever in Blue and Gold (Blue Beetle and Booster Gold) giving a PSA about smoking.  I can't really find who's playing Booster but Beetle is played by Chris .R. Notarile and they both do a great job.  Even though it's just over a minute long they have great back and forth, the script is good and you get a couple of great character moments.  Even the kids do a pretty decent job with their thick Jersey accents.  I don't have much to say about this because it is so short other than this is why we need fan films.  This is made by a person who is passionate about the characters, comics and film making and that is obvious in everything done by Blinky.  This takes characters that will never see the light of day in pretty much anything other than the comics and puts them on a bigger stage and does it very well in the process.

Friday's with Blinky: Joker

  This week we take a look at the final Joker short film. Next week we'll round up the miscellaneous Blinky Joker stuff to continue with the Endless Knight theme. Then we might start with the Catwoman stuff.

  Made in 2006, before Dark Knight introduced a different kind of Joker this short brings us Bryan Bockbrader as Joker.  And let me tell you he is a hell of a Joker.  He's a little Ceasar Romero, a little Jim Carey and a little Jack Nicholson.  He's got a great laugh, delivers his lines with a pitch perfect craziness and has presence in his character.  I love the wardrobe on this as well, the Joker in his untucked dress shirt and loosened tie.  Anytime I look at a Joker character I looked for influences from comedians so when I see something I instantly associate it with a comic.  The look of this Joker is very 'late night comedian'.  He looks like he just finished a set at the Chuckle Hut, maybe he bombed, maybe he didn't, maybe he bombed but didn't think he did, anyway that's what he looks like.  Like a deformed psycho who just did 15 minutes on a mic in front of a brick wall.  Perfect.  It's hard to chose a favorite between Bryan and Chris' Joker performances, they're both very different so there isn't a lot of comparison.  It depends on what you like but there's time and room enough for both.

  Joker's the star so he's really the only character who get's time enough to shine.  Deanna Miller is there as Harley.  She's good, what few lines she has she delivers well.  The voice is really good, very close to the source material, which is nice.  She doesn't really get much screen time but she's not a distraction or a detriment, she does her part to carry the short.  Her costume could have been made a little more real however, Joker looks part of the real world but Harley's costume is straight from the animated series so she looks a little out of place.

  You can kind of tell this is early on.  The things Chris would get really really good at in the later short movies are present in this but just a little rough.  The soundtrack dates it a little but fits in with the tone and is thematically appropriate.  The camera work is good with it's low angle shots up at Joker, occasionally at a slight angle to make Joker both intimidating as well as depicting him as twisted.  It's well done and worth checking out.

Friday's with Blinky: Die Laughing

  Die Laughing is the last of Chris .R. Notarile's performances as the Joker and as such he decides to completely own the role.  There are bits of the Ledger Joker still in there, mostly in tone and make-up but Chris does a good job bringing most of his own spin on it.  He always did but as he played the character more and more it became his more and more.  Maybe that was intentional maybe not.  I think, if it was, it was a good idea.  Starting out people would respond better to less interpretation but as they got used to the person in the role then more originality would be appreciated with less backlash.

  The short is about Joker going to Metropolis and meeting Superman.  In a nutshell that's all it is.  This is definitely Joker's story more than Superman's as the focus stays on Joker.  It's a character piece and works really well.  Using the same techniques he did on Batman, Joker tries to poke around Superman's head only to decide Superman is to boring.

  When Joker turns himself in is great as is him taunting Superman.  When he says "That's a yes." it's perfect and an awesome moment.  Superman is played by our favorite Daredevil: Nick Grock, Johanna Telander returns for a brief cameo as an unmasked Harley Quinn and we get a brief appearance by Choice star and favorite Kerri Miller.

  Check it out, it's good.  I don't know how many times I have to tell you that.  Every one of these is worth checking out.  But this is awesome, it's got Joker and Superman and Harley and Kerri Miller so take the time.

Die Laughing IMDB

Friday's with Blinky: Sincerely Mr. J

  Here we have the fourth and final installment of the Mr. J series.  Well at least the Mr. J series proper, there is one more short starring Chris as Joker but it involves Superman and we'll be taking a look at that next week.

Choice Feature: Mandy Evans interview

  Hey look what I found! It's an interview with the lovely and talented Mandy Evans. I mean I just found it, out there, you know, at the cool places I go. Where all the cool people hang out? There it was and it was totally relevant to the feature. It's like I actually asked her questions and she was nice enough to take the time and respond back. I think you should read it! And enjoy it! You're not enjoying it enough! Enjoy harder!

Fancy Deadpool: First off introduce yourself, tell the people a little about yourself and your background.

Mandy Evans: My name is Mandy Evans. I am a NJ/NY based actress and dancer. I've been working professionally for ten years now in theater, musical theater, film, TV and commercials. My most recognizable achievements include a Radio City Rockette, One Life To Live, Trojan Commercial and my own version of Catwoman. I am a fitness fanatic and big animal lover.

FDP: In Choice you play a personification instead of a person. Did this change how you approached the character? How did you decide on Choice's personality?

ME: Choice was a person to me. She was someone who made a bad choice and ended up where she is now as a result. I borrowed some stylized movements by watching the Cheshire cat, which was recommended by Chris. The personality of Choice came from the feelings of people who are cold, sarcastic and brutal but with a touch of sensitivity that came in towards the end of the film. I decided that Choice was the person who was gonna tell you the truth in the most brutal way possible to make you wake up because she doesn't want to see you end up like her.

FDP: In a two person feature like this it seems that both people are equally important. How was it working with Kerri (Kerri Miller, co-star of Choice) and was it a collaborative process?

ME: Kerri is by far my favorite actress that I have worked with. We both have similar training backgrounds so we know what it means to put your attention on the other person. She really listens, which is the most important thing for an actor to do. I think we make a good team and yes, it was a collaborative effort.

FDP: In Chris Notarile's comments about this short he mentions long talks about the characters that are the focus of the film, what was discussed in these talks and were they helpful? Does it help to talk about the character or do you feel it's better to go in cold?

ME: I think it helps to talk about the character a little bit. I would never be able to go in completely cold, especially for something like this. It was a little bit of a struggle at first to figure out how to get what he wanted from the character and how I saw her. It was a layering process. One of the first things he told me is that he saw her as a game show host. My first initial feeling was that I wasn't capable of doing that without it being phony. Once I found a strong foundation and found the truth of the character, I was able to make that kind of choice.

FDP: Are 3 options just silly? A third does seem kind of unnecessary but on the other hand why can't there just be dozens of options?

ME: Of course, there are always many choices, but that's the problem. If you give yourself less options, you are more likely to be definitive in what you do with your life. You know the phrase, "jack of all trades, master of none"? I really believe that's true. This is why Choice says that because if you give yourself many options, you get nowhere.

FDP: You've worked with Chris (Chris Notarile, director) multiple times (Choice, Daredevil '83 and the upcoming Stand Off to name a few examples) What keeps bringing you back?

ME: Chris is a very passionate filmmaker who has been able to impress people with his limited resources. This industry is all about type casting. Normally I get cast as the provocative leading lady, which is great, but ultimately I want to be a physical character actress. His roles have given me the opportunity to stretch; If I haven't always nailed every one of them, I've acquired skills and have grown a lot since we have worked together. I believe we've helped each other to grow a lot as artists, proven with the outcome of Choice. You can't wait for someone to offer you the perfect opportunity. Sometimes you just have to do it anyway you can and build your skills so that when a great opportunity comes along for it, you're ready for it.

FDP: Were you aware of the Typhoid Mary character before accepting the role in Daredevil '83? Did you do in any research or did you wing it?

ME: I was somewhat familiar with the character, Typhoid Mary. I read the comic book and did some research online.

FDP: Was the dance scene in Daredevil '83 planned or was it added because of your dance background?

ME: The dance scene was planned because of my background.

  FDP: Follow up, how awesome is Flashdance?

  ME: Of course I love Flashdance!

FDP: It's obvious by the fight scene that you've had some physical training. Does your dance background help with the more physical roles?

ME: Yes, I have been told that my physicality is my key strength as an actress. Being a dancer absolutely helps not just for the sake of stamina and strength, but the emotions come from the body. Body language says so much more than words.

FDP: Fosse seems like a pretty demanding style, if not high impact then for it's precision, it also seems more accepting of individual expression. The Rockettes style seems more high impact and synchronized. Was it hard to make the transition from Fosse to The Rockettes? Are they more similar than they appear? Did Fosse help prepare you for being a Rockette? It's a lot of kicking, what are you're thoughts on kicking?

ME: Yes, you are right. Both styles are very precise and demanding but in a different way. Both require years of practice to get it. Fosse is more sensual and has the "less is more" feel to it.

I don't think anything can really prepare you for being a Rockette. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. Kicking and precision style dance is what the Rockettes are known for, but it's much more about learning how to work as a unit, it's never about one person. The expression of a Rockette has to be all in the eyes and heart. It's really about learning how to focus the energy. You can't just flail your body all over the place or be a soloist as you can with other styles.

FDP: Why did you decide to pursue acting in addition to dance?

ME: I was on tour in Europe doing a production of the Who's Tommy. Each scene in the show was in a different time periods so I discovered ways of approaching all these different characters. The thing that changed everything was when I was given a dance solo in one of the scenes. The director encouraged me to be spontaneous with it, so that is what I did every performance for five months. After this tour is when I decided to get serious about being an actor and signed up for a rigorous program at the Ward Studio in NYC. My first motivation to learn to act was just to make me a better dancer, but after the tour and the studying that I did, I found that I really loved acting as much as dancing.

FDP: In Choice it's stated that people don't care about talent anymore, they care about drama. Do people care about talent anymore?

ME: It depends on who you ask. The whole point of Choice saying that was to make her think about why she was an artist in the first place. If her real reason was a desperation to be famous, she better get out now. It's so much more than talent anyway, we all know that. Then again, some people do take a chance on talent alone, which is what happened with the play I recently performed in. So, yes sometimes people do care about talent, but sadly more often people have a tendency to choose what they know, what's "safer". I think as artists you just have to show up, do the work, be professional and the talent will eventually be recognized. You just can't give a damn who acknowledges it. 

FDP: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to promote? It looks like you'll be reappearing with your Choice co-star in the upcoming Stand Off, going by the preview it promises to be good. Other than your website are there any other places online people can go to find you and keep up to date on what you're working on? Feel free to shill whatever you'd like, there's no shame in it, if there is it's never stopped me.

ME: I am currently focusing on theater and getting my skills sharp for the upcoming fall TV casting season. Most recently, I finished a production of Savage in Limbo.

I have a feature film that is currently in the fundraising phase and planning to film in early 2013. Saved By Zoey is a romantic dramedy/thriller with a girl meets boy, girl saves boy type of theme. I play the title role of Zoey.

www.indiegogo.com/savedbyzoey

I can be followed on twitter at
mandyevansbrown

Thank you for your time and putting up with me.

Thank you so much!

Friday's with Blinky: Well Done Mr. J

  Well Done Mr. J marks the 3rd chapter in the Dark Knight spin off.  Every one of these shorts Chris .R. Notarile and Johanna Telander seem to get more and more comfortable in their roles as they make them their own.  The characters have a clear evolution in how they're portrayed from the first one to this one.

  We open with our duo entering a costume shop as an instrumental of Zydrate Anatomy plays in the background.  The song giving a hard rhythm to the mostly dialog free sequence of the the two of them finding their costumes.  The highlight of this being the nurse costume Joker comes across and dismisses as having "done that".  The sequence provides a good character moment as they find their new identities and the final reveal of the two of them in full regalia is quite impressive.  Chris looks bad ass in the purple as Joker and Johanna is smoking hot as Harley Quinn.  We get a little set up as to what's in store next for newly freed and freshly dressed with a great moment of Joker displaying his selfish attitude towards Batman (only he can destroy Batman or his reputation).  At the end we get a big reveal as they walk into a room with Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy suggesting a greater team up.

  Now when it comes to these I try really hard to not pick apart things like locations because, honestly, these people are shooting under the radar without permits trying to get stuff done and deliver the best product they can.  That being said, the singular problem I have with this short, and for some reason I just can't shake it or get over it, is the idea of a place somewhere that has a huge costume shop in the upper floors and a convention center on the bottom floor.  Maybe a place like that does exist, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it's not this place because it sure looks like they enter the costume shop from the street.  I don't know why it bugs me.  I have no idea why.  I should really just get over it because other than that it's a really good short.

  Kim Santiago steps behind the camera again and does a pretty good job, again.  The shots are good, the angles are intriguing and it all serves to keep the short interesting.  What little we see of the other rouges gallery is a little underwhelming but they play a larger role in the next short.  This is a good little bridge from the character heavy first two shorts and the action heavy following short.  Definitely worth checking out.

Friday's With Blinky: Anything You Say Mr. J

  The follow up to Call Me Mr. J with the same main characters in Chris .R. Notarile as Joker and Johanna Telander as Harley Quinn.

  This time we pick up after the last session with Joker in the the chaos of murder that follows during his escape.  We open with a doctor tied to a chair, Joker covered in blood and Harley Quinn looking a little worse for wear.  The short follows Harley's letting the last of herself go before truly embracing the Harley Quinn persona.

  There really isn't much more to say about this one.  It's a good little character piece.  Chris seems more comfortable as Joker and Johanna does a good job making the transition from 'normie' to psycho.  The setting is dark and disturbing, this little out of the way, perhaps under construction or possibly forgotten area of Arkham with a doctor that Joker blames for his recent trouble.  It's a good portrayal of the Heath Ledger style Joker as more of a homage than direct impression which, I think, makes it better.  So many people now, especially on YouTube, try to directly ape the Ledger style Joker thinking that the closer you get to a direct impression the better.  But the thing is only one person could do that Joker and he (meaning Heath Ledger) did it.  It's an interesting take on Joker and there's no reason to not add elements of it to a portrayal of the Joker but Chris' performance isn't just him doing a Heath Ledger impression.  He takes that base and builds on it.  The awkwardness in the acting in the first one may come from trying to do a more direct impression but this time around you don't get that feeling, it's similar but different, which makes it infinitely more watchable than something like "The Joker Blogs".

  Kim Santiago does a good job in the director seat again.  We get a good atmospheric soundtrack with the occasional rock exclamation points and a good ending theme.  The camera angles are a bit more run of the mill but we see a lot more of the Joker next to Harley with the same low angle shots to establish them as more on the same level.  Well done all around.

  It's a good ramp up for what's coming up next so I recommend checking it out.

Friday's with Blinky: Call Me Mr. J

  This week, to go with the Endless Knight theme that this blog will have for the indeterminate future, we take a look at Call Me Mr. J, the first in a series of four short films starring Chris .R. Notarile as the Joker and Johanna Telander as Harley Quinn.

Friday's with Blinky: some Choice pictures

Some pictures kindly provided by Chris' Facebook.

An actress and her Choice

Poster for Choice

More after the jump.  Also after the jump?  Choice puns.  Enjoy!

Friday's with Blinky: Choice (in Chris' own words)

A WORD FROM CHRIS

  This film drew its inspiration from a thought I had back in 2008 upon hearing about the deaths of Brad Renfro and Heath Ledger, who died less than a week a part from each other. I was on IMDB at the time and noticed that Mr. Renfro, immediately upon the news of his demise, had shot to the number one spot on the IMDB Star meter. It was mentioned that he was depressed though his death was ruled accidental. Then not but a day or two later, several of his movies were on TV and there were memorial articles being written about him. Now as usual when a celebrity dies, the Hollywood machine capitalizes on the fallen and milks their names for all it's worth.

  But the kicker, happened literally seven days later when Heath Ledger died. His death shocked the world and completely overshadowed Mr. Renfro's death ten fold. He was yesterday's news before he was even allowed to be mourned. This is where the concept of "Choice" began. Hollywood's superficiality of mourning the dead, was exposed, to me at least. Suddenly all of the complaints about Ledger's Joker performance or look, took an immediate backseat to the epic larger than life icon he was becoming. He was the new Brandon Lee. And Brad Renfro's memorial was left in the hands of only his core fans, friends and family.

  I am indifferent to Brad Renfro's career. I have no preference either way about him, but I was very shocked at how quickly he was forgotten in the wake of Heath Ledger's death. I felt it was rude.

  Then I began wondering about how the "idea of suicide". We all get depressed, but at what point does suicide actually seem like a good option, especially to someone who might be a celebrity. I do not care how depressed anyone is, if you are financially well to do, there are plenty of ways to make your life more fulfilling. Drugs and alcohol are never an answer.

  As I began thinking about what happened to Mr. Renfro, I read up on Jonathan Brandis who hung himself back in 2003, sighting how he didn't think he would ever "make it" as an adult actor. It was on this concept that "Choice" was born. I began researching fallen actors and noted how their deaths affected their careers. I began to see a pattern in behavior, both by the victims and by the public. Critics really never had anything bad to say about the dead. It truly is in poor taste. And I thought to myself, "its a friggin' loophole." And more so, what if the fallen had this option presented to them? What if the thought of suicide was a glorious choice? Where they will forever be honored and remembered as icons, legends etc? To a weak minded person, this could seem incredibly appealing. Within moments of this realization, I began scripting a story about a suicidal actor who is presented with that very option. I called it "Choice".

  The script originally was set to feature a male actor and a male Choice. Since I was inspired by the demise of male actors, I felt it befitting. But due to scheduling conflicts, I was forced to put the project on hold and literally could not properly cast it for three years. I tried everything from holding auditions for replacement actors, to even casting twins. No one could handle the part. It wasn't until 2011, while knee deep in filming "Stand Off" that I said, "holy shit, I should cast Mandy as Choice and Kerri as the actress".

  Long story short, after rigorous rehearsing, scene blocking and just hours upon hours of character discussion, Mandy, Kerri and I finally made "Choice". And I have never been more proud of a project as I am with this one. These women brought their "A" game and did not quit. They went all out for their parts. Well beyond their individual comfort zones and it shows.

Friday's with Blinky: Choice (the whole shebangabang)

  Choice opens on an unnamed actress (Kerri Miller) clearly at the end of her rope.  As she get's more and more desperate it's revealed that she's trying to break away from her previous "hot babe" roles and get some more serious roles.  Phone call after phone call she get's rejected or, seemingly, out right ignored.  She drinks and she cries and she gets more and more upset until finally she's confronted with embodiment of Choice (Mandy Evans).  Her and Choice begin an exchange where it is revealed that she must choose between being dead and famous or living and poor.



Check out Blinky Productions for more awesome films

Choice IMDB

The rest of the review, a Word from Chris and PICTURES!?! Are you freaking kidding me!  That's like a whole fancy feature and shit!  And it's all after the jump?  Well get out of my way!

Choice Feature: Chris R. Notarile interview

  I was somehow able to con Chris R. Notarile into answering some questions about his excellent short Choice.  What you are about to read is the result of a 10 hour stand off and the exchange of multiple hostages, so YOU BETTER APPRECIATE THE LENGTHS I GO TO FOR YOU!

  Fancy Deadpool:  First off introduce yourself to the people and give a little bit of background, who you are and what you do.

  Chris. R. Notarile: My name is Chris .R. Notarile of Blinky Productions Inc. I am a filmmaker. I make movies for a living and have been doing so for almost a decade.

  FDP:  The environment on the shoot seemed very emotional and intense. Did this change how you directed? I would have been afraid to break the mood with a cut or a retake or to offer suggestions. Did you direct as you normally would or did you rely more on your actresses and let it happen?

  CRN:  I directed as I always do. We shoot until someone screws up. Then we take it back and do it again. The takes are actually pretty long in some parts of the film. I just let Mandy and Kerri go at it and give them notes accordingly. Then I shoot them from alternate angles until I had enough coverage. They were off book which is wonderful when shooting a film like this. You need to treat it like a play. You need to be rehearsed..... and they were. It was great.

  FDP:  Do you think using actresses instead of actors changes the tone or the message of the film?

  CRN:  Yes. 100%. The script was originally meant for two men, but I realized that the film would be more broad in its message if I had women doing the parts. It would also give it a better sense of reality. It's unfortunately common for actresses to be typecast in "hot babe" roles and that can really burden many women when they are trying to get taken seriously. As for Choice being female, well that was elementary. If the actress was female, Choice had to be as well to balance it out. Though, I feel that the look of Choice as a female was waaaay more eye catching than what I originally had for the male version. So I guess it all worked out.

  FDP:  Due to Hollywood's obsession with death, untimely death in particular, do you think the choice presented in this film is one that a lot of young actors and actresses struggle with?

  CRN:  Absolutely. I think a lot of saddened people view death as an easy way out. The trick is to keep going no matter how bad things may seem. And that's what the film is about too, seeing through the black and white into a shade of gray. The gray being the unknown where anything is possible.

  FDP:  You said you had trouble casting the actresses for this film. What stood out about Mandy Evans and Kerri Miller? Was it instant or was it after working with them on other projects?

  CRN:  Well I wrote the script back in 2008 long before I started working with either of them. When I decided to change the genders of the characters, I had an idea to cast twins. Unfortunately I could not find a set of female twins that could act. Then when I began working with Mandy, I cast her initially as the actress, but then felt her better as Choice. It was Mandy who subsequently recommended Kerri and I thought to myself "DUH! Of course!"

  FDP:  Do people care about talent anymore?

  CRN:  Choice was rejected from the Tribeca Film Festival while another movie entitled Ticked Off Trannies With Knives got accepted. So you tell me.

(on a side note I could write a whole article about this but I'll shorten it by simply saying "I blame Grindhouse.")

  FDP:  The final message is rather positive, does this reflect your personal viewpoint? Is it important to remain sort of the eternal optimist when working in the film industry?

  CRN:  Yes that is definitely my personal outlook not only on the film industry, but on life. What's the point in being pessimistic? It gets you no where and just makes you more depressed. Some hide behind the phrase "realist" which I think is utter bullshit. If you have a negative outlook or think that you are not going to achieve your dreams if you try, then you're a pessimist. People need to keep trying despite the odds. Even if you fail miserably, at least you can say you tried. And I'd rather die a poor unknown, struggling filmmaker than live a long mundane life working a 9-5 job that I never wanted. You only get one shot at living, you might as well make the most of it.

  FDP:  Do you have anything upcoming that you'd like to promote? I noticed on your site that you have an upcoming feature called Stand Off that looks pretty promising (and reunites you with the 2 actresses of Choice). Beyond that it looks like you have a feature titled Perfect. Any comments on either of these projects? I've linked to your website many times, is there anywhere else people can go to keep updated on what you're working on? Feel free to shill whatever you want as hard as you want, you won't embarrass me. That's impossible after the Central Park incident.

  CRN:  Well Stand Off was actually filmed before we did Choice. Choice WAS the reuniting. But yes, Stand Off will be coming to DVD later this year or next year. I cannot say for sure as I am still working on a distribution deal. As for Perfect, that is my third feature, that will star Mandy Evans, Roberto Lombardi and a lot of my usual suspects. You can learn more about them via my website- www.Blinky-Productions.com

New Feature! Fridays with Blinky

  Well I've been talking with Chris. R. Notarile and somehow he's agreed to let me feature his short films right here.  So Fridays will now be spent with Blinky.  It's like Tuesday's With Morrie but cooler and with way more awesome.  Mostly I'll start posting his superhero stuff with a vengeance now but once a month I'm going to try and go all out and feature just one of his films.  Any one, regardless of what theme I may be working through at that given time.  I'm going to sit down and do a super serial analysis and review, which may be interesting (mostly due to my ability to analyze and review anything seriously) .  I'll try to get interviews, insight, behind the scenes stuff, whatever I can threaten, cajole, con or swindle from THE MAN himself.  Stay tuned, if for no other reason than to see this blow up in my face!

p.s. I don't think this will blow up in my face.