#good quality performance pics of frank

[the-red-ones-fly]

Frank & Pansy except like all of these pics were taken on a fucking microwave or something

[hellomasee]

I’m at peace with the fact that Frank will be coaching Mason now because he has coached him at Derby too and knows Mason’s qualities. Everyone will get a fresh start and Frank being there will give everyone such a boost to perform good

so happy 🩷 waiting for training pics now 🤩

[livingcorner]

The Secret Garden

An orphaned girl changes the lives of those she encounters at a remote estate.

Film Details

You're reading: The Secret Garden

Sep 1949

World premiere in Boston: 30 Apr 1949

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Loew’s Inc.

United States

Based on the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (New York, 1909).

Technical Specs

1h 32m

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Black and White, Color (Technicolor)

1.37 : 1

Read more: Hardiness Zones in Australia

Synopsis

Mary Lennox, a spoiled young English girl living in India at the turn of the century, is orphaned when her parents die of cholera, and is sent to Yorkshire to live with her wealthy uncle, Archibald Craven. Mrs. Medlock, Craven’s cruel and ill-tempered housekeeper, meets Mary at the port and escorts her to her uncle’s eerie mansion. Craven refuses to meet Mary, and Mrs. Medlock warns her against snooping around the darkened house. When Mary asks about the screams she hears from another part of the house, Mrs. Medlock locks in her room for the rest of the night. The next morning, Mary meets Martha, a maid who laughs incessantly and who refuses to obey her commands. Mary later befriends Martha’s young brother Dickon, who tells her that there is a secret, locked garden on the estate, and that Craven buried the key to it. Mary finally meets Craven just before he sets out on a trip to London, and during her brief meeting with him, she learns that his wife was crushed to death by a tree limb ten years earlier. Soon after Craven leaves, Mary sees a raven digging for worms outside the house and notices that the bird has unearthed the buried key to the secret garden. Late that night, while investigating the source of the mysterious screams in the house, Mary discovers Craven’s young son Colin. Colin, who is bedridden and is being treated by a doctor for paralysis, admits to the tantrums and demands that Mary obey his orders. Mary, however, refuses to indulge Colin and eventually wins his respect and friendship. The following day, Mary and Dickon discover the entrance to the garden behind some bushes, and use the key to open the gate. Once inside, Mary and Dickon find a neglected garden containing a variety of pretty flowers. They also find a fallen tree limb on a chair next to a table that was once set for tea, and realize that they have discovered the place where Craven’s wife was accidentally killed. Later, Mary introduces Colin to Dickon, and tells him stories about their visits to the secret garden. One day, a new doctor, Dr. Fortescue, examines Colin and determines that he is suffering from nothing more than fear, and suggests that the irons placed on his legs by the previous doctor be removed. Dickon and Mary later take Colin in a wheelchair to the secret garden and show him all the flowers they have been growing. Excited, Colin attempts to stand up on his own but falls. Later, when Craven returns from London, Fortescue accuses him of wallowing in his grief and transferring his longing to die to his son, thus causing Colin’s physical deterioration. Craven angrily rejects Fortescue’s accusation, and announces that he will be selling the estate and moving to Italy with Colin. Craven later has a change of heart, however, when he enters the garden and sees Colin rise from his wheelchair to walk toward him. Astounded at Colin’s sudden ability to walk, Craven embraces his son and decides to remain at the house.

Film Details

Sep 1949

World premiere in Boston: 30 Apr 1949

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Loew’s Inc.

United States

Based on the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (New York, 1909).

Technical Specs

1h 32m

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Black and White, Color (Technicolor)

1.37 : 1

Articles

Read more: Community gardens | Soil Science Society of America

The Secret Garden (1949)

The Secret Garden (1949) is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 children’s classic, set in Yorkshire, about a lonely orphan and her invalid cousin whose spirits are revived when they revive the neglected garden of the title. There was a silent film version of the story, and several later screen and television versions, but this was the only one featuring a major child star in the leading role of Mary Lennox.

Margaret O’Brien shot to stardom at MGM in Journey for Margaret (1942), at the tender age of five, brilliantly playing a traumatized British war orphan. Among her fans was Lionel Barrymore, who co-starred with O’Brien in Dr. Gillespie’s Criminal Case (1943), and declared that she was the only actress other than his sister Ethel to move him to tears. O’Brien’s best performance was as the youngest sister in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), which earned her a special Academy Award, and praise from critic and novelist James Agee, who called her “incredibly vivid and eloquent – almost as hypnotizing as Garbo.”

By the late 1940s, however, the quality of O’Brien’s films had declined, or she was miscast, as in the studio’s all-star Little Women (1949), in which she played Beth. She was also getting older, and wasn’t quite as adorable. However, she was perfectly cast as the melancholy orphan in The Secret Garden.

Her co-star, Dean Stockwell, was also excellent as the traumatized, temperamental cousin. Just a year older than O’Brien, Stockwell hadn’t been acting as long as she had, but he’d also worked with some impressive co-stars, including Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in his second film, Anchors Aweigh (1945). He’d played Myrna Loy and William Powell’s son in Song of the Thin Man (1947), Gregory Peck’s son in Gentleman’s Agreement (1947), and the title character in the cult film, The Boy with Green Hair (1948). Yorkshire-born Brian Roper played Dickon, the neighbor boy who introduces Mary to the garden. (Roper would reprise the role in a 1952 British television miniseries of The Secret Garden.) A strong cast of mostly British character actors ably supported the young stars.

Producer-director Clarence Brown had directed two of MGM’s best family films, National Velvet (1944) and The Yearling (1946). He only produced The Secret Garden, turning the directing chores over to Fred M. Wilcox, who also had experience with family films – he had directed Lassie Come Home(1943), and two Lassie sequels. Together, they created a richly atmospheric production for The Secret Garden, from the moody, spooky Victorian mansion where the family lives, to the scenes in the lush restored garden, which are the only portions of the movie filmed in color – much in the same way as the Oz sequences in The Wizard of Oz (1939) were in color, and the Kansas scenes in black and white. Strangely, even though Oz had set the precedent, some critics appeared confused by the use of color in The Secret Garden. And they felt, as did the Variety critic, that “the allegorical and psychological implications that have been carried over from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book are clearly for the grown-up trade. Not only that, but a good bit of the production is designed to create eerie terror that may discourage parents from letting moppets see the pic.” In this era when even the youngest “moppets” take Harry Potter in stride, however, such criticism seems quaint, and The Secret Garden seems ahead of its time.

The Secret Garden turned out to be Margaret O’Brien’s final MGM film. She made one film at Columbia in 1951 before retiring from the screen. A few years later, she made an unsuccessful comeback, and worked occasionally in summer stock and television. Dean Stockwell also retired from the screen several times, but made two very successful comebacks — first as a young adult in such films as Compulsion (1959) and Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962), and in middle age, playing eccentric characters (Dr. Yueh in Dune (1984), Ben in Blue Velvet, 1986). He still works regularly in films and television.

Director: Fred M. Wilcox Producer: Clarence Brown Screenplay: Robert Ardrey, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett Cinematography: Ray June Editor: Robert J. Kern Costume Design: Walter Plunkett Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary Music: Bronislau Kaper Principal Cast: Margaret O’Brien (Mary Lennox), Herbert Marshall (Archibald Craven), Dean Stockwell (Colin Craven), Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Medlock), Elsa Lanchester (Martha), Brian Roper (Dickon), Reginald Owen (Ben Weatherstaff). BW&C-92m. Closed captioning. Descriptive Video.

by Margarita Landazuri

The Secret Garden (1949)

The Secret Garden (1949) is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 children’s classic, set in Yorkshire, about a lonely orphan and her invalid cousin whose spirits are revived when they revive the neglected garden of the title. There was a silent film version of the story, and several later screen and television versions, but this was the only one featuring a major child star in the leading role of Mary Lennox. Margaret O’Brien shot to stardom at MGM in Journey for Margaret (1942), at the tender age of five, brilliantly playing a traumatized British war orphan. Among her fans was Lionel Barrymore, who co-starred with O’Brien in Dr. Gillespie’s Criminal Case (1943), and declared that she was the only actress other than his sister Ethel to move him to tears. O’Brien’s best performance was as the youngest sister in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), which earned her a special Academy Award, and praise from critic and novelist James Agee, who called her “incredibly vivid and eloquent – almost as hypnotizing as Garbo.” By the late 1940s, however, the quality of O’Brien’s films had declined, or she was miscast, as in the studio’s all-star Little Women (1949), in which she played Beth. She was also getting older, and wasn’t quite as adorable. However, she was perfectly cast as the melancholy orphan in The Secret Garden. Her co-star, Dean Stockwell, was also excellent as the traumatized, temperamental cousin. Just a year older than O’Brien, Stockwell hadn’t been acting as long as she had, but he’d also worked with some impressive co-stars, including Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in his second film, Anchors Aweigh (1945). He’d played Myrna Loy and William Powell’s son in Song of the Thin Man (1947), Gregory Peck’s son in Gentleman’s Agreement (1947), and the title character in the cult film, The Boy with Green Hair (1948). Yorkshire-born Brian Roper played Dickon, the neighbor boy who introduces Mary to the garden. (Roper would reprise the role in a 1952 British television miniseries of The Secret Garden.) A strong cast of mostly British character actors ably supported the young stars. Producer-director Clarence Brown had directed two of MGM’s best family films, National Velvet (1944) and The Yearling (1946). He only produced The Secret Garden, turning the directing chores over to Fred M. Wilcox, who also had experience with family films – he had directed Lassie Come Home(1943), and two Lassie sequels. Together, they created a richly atmospheric production for The Secret Garden, from the moody, spooky Victorian mansion where the family lives, to the scenes in the lush restored garden, which are the only portions of the movie filmed in color – much in the same way as the Oz sequences in The Wizard of Oz (1939) were in color, and the Kansas scenes in black and white. Strangely, even though Oz had set the precedent, some critics appeared confused by the use of color in The Secret Garden. And they felt, as did the Variety critic, that “the allegorical and psychological implications that have been carried over from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book are clearly for the grown-up trade. Not only that, but a good bit of the production is designed to create eerie terror that may discourage parents from letting moppets see the pic.” In this era when even the youngest “moppets” take Harry Potter in stride, however, such criticism seems quaint, and The Secret Garden seems ahead of its time. The Secret Garden turned out to be Margaret O’Brien’s final MGM film. She made one film at Columbia in 1951 before retiring from the screen. A few years later, she made an unsuccessful comeback, and worked occasionally in summer stock and television. Dean Stockwell also retired from the screen several times, but made two very successful comebacks — first as a young adult in such films as Compulsion (1959) and Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962), and in middle age, playing eccentric characters (Dr. Yueh in Dune (1984), Ben in Blue Velvet, 1986). He still works regularly in films and television. Director: Fred M. Wilcox Producer: Clarence Brown Screenplay: Robert Ardrey, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett Cinematography: Ray June Editor: Robert J. Kern Costume Design: Walter Plunkett Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary Music: Bronislau Kaper Principal Cast: Margaret O’Brien (Mary Lennox), Herbert Marshall (Archibald Craven), Dean Stockwell (Colin Craven), Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Medlock), Elsa Lanchester (Martha), Brian Roper (Dickon), Reginald Owen (Ben Weatherstaff). BW&C-92m. Closed captioning. Descriptive Video. by Margarita Landazuri

Notes

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel was serialized in The American Magazine between 1910 and 1911. Matthew Boulton’s name is misspelled “Mathew” in the onscreen credits. A December 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item indicates that Claude Jarman, Jr. was orignally slated for the part played by Dean Stockwell. A Hollywood Reporter news item on April 7, 1947 indicated that M-G-M had planned to shoot the film in England on a “newly erected studio,” but the film was eventually shot on the M-G-M lot in Culver City, CA. The film’s Technicolor sequences were those that took place in the garden. Modern sources credit Marni Nixon with dubbing Margaret O’Brien’s singing voice. Other film adaptations of Burnett’s novel are The Secret Garden, a 1919 Famous Players-Lasky Corp. production, directed by G. Butler Clonebough (a pseudonym of Gustav von Seyffertitz) and starring Lila Lee and Spottiswoode Aitken (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20; F1.3908); a 1984 BBC production, also entitled The Secret Garden, directed by Katrina Murray and starring Sarah Hollis and David Patterson; and a 1993 Warner Bros./American Zoetrope production, The Secret Garden, directed by Agnieszka Holland and starring Maggie Smith and Kate Maberly.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/the-secret-garden-2/

[aryanarecords]

INTERVIEW WITH RYAN WISE

I have absolutely no idea where to start with this.  I have been thinking about how I would start this article for months, and now that the moment is here I still don’t know.  Not in a bad way at all, it’s just that the person I interviewed has changed the way I view the world, a lot.  There aren’t many words to describe it.  I guess I’ll start with how we met, which is also kind of hazy.  Bear with me. I was in the common area at the NYU hall I stayed at for two weeks over the summer.  I was trying to play pool when I saw two guys dressed in really cool clothes.  One had grey overalls with an orange polo shirt and yellow sweatband on.  The other one had a black tee, Comme Des Garcons sneakers, and a bandana with flames.  I guess it was the vibes they were giving off, but I somehow managed to approach them.  I learned their names were Justin Miller and Ryan Wise.  You’re probably thinking Justin Miller sounds really familiar. It’s because I interviewed him! You can read it HERE. (By the way, Justin was wearing the overalls and Ryan was wearing the bandana with flames.)  I don’t remember what we talked about, or how I even approached them, but I told them how a bunch of us jam out every night in the basement and they should come.  They did end up coming, and it was probably the best jam sesh we had.  We even ended up writing a song all together.   On my last night at NYU, I don’t really know how Ryan and I found each other, but I feel like that’s how we grew closer.  We ended up in the jam room together and he started talking about his experience at NYU and ended up showing me a song he wrote.  I fell so in love with it and I promised to share his music on here when it’s finally out.  When I went back home, I had some stupid drama going on and he was always there to listen.  In fact, he would share his problems with me too, which would become the basis for his EP.  I specifically remember talking about how NYU sick we were, and how we felt so at home there.  We felt like we belonged.  I don’t think my NYU experience would have been the same if I hadn’t met THE Ryan Wise himself.  This was honestly all over the place, but without further ado (can’t believe I just said that, OK), here is my favorite interview to date! 

Give us some basic facts about yourself!

Name: Ryan Alexander Wise Born Day: 9/13/2000 Sign: Virgo Favorite Food: Rice Favorite Color: Black Base: Central Ohio Nicknames: Whatever you want, but don't call me RyRy or nigga if you ain't black.

How and when did you start making music?

I wrote my first song when I was a toddler and my dad recorded me singing it and like put music behind and it and everything. It was hella extra. I've come up with songs for as long as I can remember, but I guess the turning point was when I was 11 and I got my grandma's old iPad. I downloaded GarageBand on there and started producing and have been going ever since.

Who are some of your musical influences?

I wouldn't be doing any of this if it wasn't for Michael Jackson. When he died I looked him up to see what all the fuss was about, and was literally obsessed with his discography for 18 months straight. My current favorite artists are Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Childish Gambino, so I'm sure they have a big influence on me. However, whatever influences my art is really what I'm listening to while I'm creating it.

What have you been listening to lately?

I've been trying to broaden my scope and get away from hip hop a little more since that's been all I’ve listened to for like 6 years now. Willow Smith and Tyler Cole came out with amazing albums this year, especially for how young they both are. Hella inspiring. Speaking of the Smith family, “SYRE” by Jaden Smith has been in rotation since its debut. “Chamber of Reflection” by Mac DeMarco, “Lone Wolf” and “Cub” by Thundercat, and “Swell” by Archy Marshall are favorites now too.

What was your inspiration for your new EP, Room & Bored?

My time at NYU this summer. I was working on a different project going into my month long stay there, but I ended up writing some new stuff while there and as a reflection of my time there when I got back. I looked at what I wrote (R&B’s three songs in particular) and realized that I had something there. I dropped everything else and started making those, because I felt an urgency to get that out there. Through the help of people at NYU, like you Aryana, I finally had enough confidence to release a body of work. NYU influenced what I wrote about, how it sounded, its title, aesthetic, everything.

This is a picture I took of Ryan in the jam room on the last night.  He was performing one of the songs he wrote during his stay at NYU.  Bad pic, but high quality sentiment.

How long did it take you to write and produce R&B?

I wrote 227 in a couple minutes one day at the beginning of my stay in New York. Same with 908 but like two weeks later. 197 amassed itself over a couple of days after I got back and was eventually trimmed down from 9 minutes to 5. I then produced the bulk of it through August and kind of sat on it, making tweaks until I told myself I had to put it out and tweeted “november 1st” to hold myself to releasing it on that date. So all together a little over 3 months.

How did you think of the title, Room & Bored?

I'm still kinda iffy on the title. I like it, a lot, but not sure that it really connects with the story of the project much. It’s playing on Room and Board obviously, and I think it’s clever and fits within my aesthetic, but the EP doesn't really convey a sense of boredom. Maybe 227, since it’s about suggesting that fun should be had rather than describing the fun. I don't know. But since it was based on my experience at a college, I wanted that to be incorporated into the title. I wanted this to be a project where different people can experience it differently based on their relation to me. So if you just happen to find this on SoundCloud, you might think I'm a college student. If you know me, you probably know that I was at NYU for a part of my summer and will get that it’s a reference to that. If you were at NYU and were good friends with me, you might get more things: who the songs about, the events that inspired the songs, the room numbers’ significance, and the title plays into that.

Each song title is a number, what do those mean?

Each is a reference to a room that was significant to the circumstances that inspired the songs. 227 was my friend Anthony's room, and that's where we would hang out and party most of the time. Since that song deals with themes of not necessarily fitting in at the party, but wanting to because “she” does, I named it after the room where I felt that. 908 was another friend of mine’s room, where an interaction happened between me and someone else. To fully feel and release the emotions that were ignited as a result of that interaction, I wrote 908. I also learned that it was the room number of my other friend, on the opposite wing of the dorm, and coincidentally it applies to things that happened there too (coincidence = the universe stunting on you with Jay-Z double entendres). 197 has to do with where I live. Since I wrote it after returning home from New York and it was a reflection on my experience there, I named it after where I was at the time.

What’s your dream venue to perform at?

I'd love to say like Madison Square Garden, but that seems hella overwhelming. Maybe like the Roxy, because I'd love to be in a more intimate setting with people that know my music better than I do. I’d take a ton of those over one MSG performance where 60% of the people there only know that one song that charted.

What genre would you define your music as?

I'd love to say Alternative, which to me just means the industry doesn't know what to call this, but right now I'd say hip hop or alt hip hop. I'm still very much in that state of mind. My ear is farther along than my voice, if you pick up what I'm putting down.

What was the first record or CD you bought?

I don't remember the first song or album I spent money on (it was probably trash and definitely on iTunes), but the first physical album I bought was Jay-Z’s “Black Album” on vinyl. Didn't have a record player yet. Hadn't even heard the album in full. I just saw it and impulse bought it because I felt like it. Listened to it later, and fortunately, it’s amazing.

Who would you want to open for?

Opening for Kanye would be dope but I'd probably be crying too hard to perform. Opening for Frank Ocean would be dope but I know everyone would forget about it as soon as Frank walked on stage. Maybe Kevin Abstract. Yeah, that would be dope. But opening for any of them would be a privilege and I would be so geeked to do so.

Any advice you have for young/ local/ up and coming artists?

Keep grinding. Don't let people discourage you. Yeah, not everyone gets to be a star, but you'll never be one if you let that get in your way. Don't aim for fame, aim for happiness. At least that's what I'm doing, and I hope it works out. Making connections with other, artistic peers can be very helpful. I wouldn't have R&B if it wasn't for people like Aryana and Justin (JUM The Lover) and others that I've become close to. They’ll help inspire you, make you feel at home if you're in a place where people don't tend to think like you, and will hook you up if you can't think of another verse and need a feature.

Can we expect more music from you? Is yes, when!!??!

Of course you can, but I don't want to give a date that I most likely won't keep. When it comes, it will probably be another EP, but longer this time. I'm not ready to come out with a full album yet. I don't know why. I have enough material, but need a concept or theme to tie it all together. If everything goes as planned, my next EP will be called COVER and you should look out for it.

Is there anything else you want to add?

If you've listened to R&B thank you so much. Even if you hated it, at least you tried. If you haven't, please give it a shot. The whole thing isn't even 10 minutes long. Support young artists. Retweet, reblog, repost, share, like, favorite everything by the young artists you know. Even if it’s not that great to you, it might be to someone else who’s in your sphere and wouldn't come across it otherwise. Listen to Room & Bored, or don't, it’s your prerogative, and why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you can just be quiet?

You can listen to Ryan’s debut EP Room&Bored HERE

Rock On,

Aryana

[kunalkarankapoor]

The irresistible magician - Kunal Karan Kapoor

HReams and reams of articles have been written about this versatile actor  by his adoring fans. I wonder what should I add more? Making an attempt to pen down my thoughts about this actor who has swept me off my feet.  Making me a die hard fan of his.

It was in the year 2004 that I was introduced to Kunal Karan Kapoor  as  'Varun' in remix. At that time I was so besotted by a chocolate faced hero. Despite of my loyalty to that actor I  saw the spark in Kunal.  And realised he was  a good actor.  Remix wrapped up. And I forgot him.

But destiny  brought him back in my life again. This time as 'Cadet Yadhuvansh Sahni' aka 'Yudi' in the serial 'Left Right Left' aired on Sab TV. The  sole reason for me to start watching the serial was the catchy title track. And  Rajeev Khandelwal's presence. But slowly and surely   I fell in love with all the other characters. And again had a soft corner  for Kunal. Again there was a feeling that he is inordinately gifted and waiting to explode.  There have been many memorable scenes from the serial. But time and again I go back to YouTube and watch Yudi's suicide  attempt. The scene screamed for an encore and left me shaken.

Kunal's performance left me in awe.  Still get goose bumps.

After LRL I became engrossed  and busy completing my Masters. I had no time for TV.  Though Kunal had made an impact on me.. As time passed by  he kind of disappeared from my memory.

Professional commitments   took me to Chennai and Delhi respectively. I deliberately didn't have access to television. Nothing worthwhile to watch. And all the serials were depressing and regressive.

July 2011 I was back in Mumbai. I settled down in my mundane boring life. Nothing exciting. Nothing to look forward to.

December 2011 was a turning point in my life. Going through the most troubled and emotional turmoil phase on my life.  But someone up there had decided that he would be sending some one to me who would be a soothing balm to my troubled soul. And would bring back the smile, cheerfulness, happiness and zing back into my life.

Circa January 2012. I am lolling on the sofa. And there comes a trailer of a new serial 'Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha' that was going to turn my life upside down for ever. What caught my eye was the refreshing trailer( it didn't look like the regular run of a mill story.) The two adorable moppets caught my attention. The heroine didn't look like a overdressed Christmas tree. And there was the hero who looked like the regular boy next door.  He looked familiar. I racked my brains trying to remember why did he look so familiar and pulled my heartstrings. And then  it hit me that this is Yudi. And he was going to play the lead for the first time. And this is when my love, adoration, pagalpanti for this charismatic actor started.

NBTNMKK was on my agenda. I had made up my mind that I  was going to watch it. Come what may. Episode one.. And Mr. Kunal Karan Kapoor vroomed into my life again. This time it was an adoration that would  last for lifelong.. He was going to stay in my life for eternity. And I was to fall hopelessly  in love with Kunal Karan Kapoor/ Mohan Bhatnagar..

What do I say about his talent.  Words don't suffice. And I fall short of adjectives and expressions to praise him. You just need to watch him on screen to fall for his spell. And to be charmed by him.  To understand why he is called 'King of expressions', 'Second to none', ' an actor  in the truest sense'. Why do teens love him? Why do  working professionals go insane for him? Why are tv viewers in their 40s and 50s  completely smitten by him.?

A charming, most adorable face.. Eyes which speak thousand words.. and I am hopelessly drawn to them.. Go weak in my knees and become a gawky teenager whenever he is on screen.   Detractors can say that I am smitten only by his looks. But good looks cannot hold viewers attention for a long time. Atleast not for me and for all Kunalian's.  We were hungry to see  a quality actor and Kunal was manna from heaven to us.

Devoid of model looks, 6 pack abs .. for me he is the sexiest man on planet earth. He makes me laugh, and cry. He brings loads of happiness in my life. My day starts with him and ends with him.

An actor extraordinaire  and a humble human being.  A deadly combo. So down to earth, no starry attitude, frank opinion, vulnerable, genuine love and affection for all his fans. How many actors can claim that they genuinely care for their fans? I cannot think of any. Kunal is truly an exception. A smile of his and my day/life is lit up.

8 months have elapsed since NBTNMKK winded up. But his popularity is spiralling through the roof. Fans are increasing in thousands. And everyone is screaming for his presence back on our TV screen.  We are dead sure he will be back with a bang. With a role that will become more iconic then 'Mohan Bhatnagar'.

Just wanted to let you know Kunal that I love you a lot. You are truly special for me. I will remember you throughout my life. I want nothing but the best for you   my rockstar. May God bestow all his blessings on you. May all your desires get fulfilled. You reach the pinnacle of success. And blessed with loads of happiness.

I am content watching your pics, edits, reruns of NBT/Pratigya.  Please  come back soon. No one has been able to fill the void in my life after you taking a break. Miss you lots, Waiting for you.

Anvita Shety 

Thursday, 15 May 2014

Aditi Bhattacherjee: “its so true....kunal has this magical effect on me...his eyes, his expressions speak volumes...2 Sharmila Gupta Sen: “Absolutely...Kunal has blurred the line btwn Kunal n Mohan..they r inseparable... Thanks to Sonal Ganatra...for creating a character like Mohan... and also to Subrat Sinhaji for those mind blowing dialogues...and Kunal breathed in life to Mohan in such a way that Mohan is not a reel character any more..he's a real human being who's very very close to us... and I think...KKK is the biggest reason for NBT's Success. For 2nd Ssn..he's shouldering it almost alone..”

My 10 reasons for loving "The Kunal Karan Kapoor" : 1. The Rising : Looking back at his first role as Cadet Yaduvansh Sahni in Left Right Left, I can realize how far he has come. No doubt, he has portrayed every character with total dedication, but when I see today's Kunal - I feel he probably has had re-incarnation !! 2. Not just an actor : He defines himself as someone who dabbles at almost everything ( okay maybe, but for me you almost excel in everythng). And therefore it shows how well he 'uses' his urge to explore every side of himself. No constraints whatsoever. 3. Honesty : Give him a minute to define himself, he might just do it within seconds, or may end up saying nothing at all for minutes ! His honesty about himself is something to die for <3 4. Inspires millions : Call it a mere co-incidence or the influence of his own virtues to the role of Mohan Bhatnagar, but he has ended up being an inspiration ON-SCREEN as well as OFF-SCREEN for many many viewers. Whether Mohan influenced Kunal or Kunal influenced Mohan, its difficult to say. But whichever way it was - it TOUCHED LIVES :) 5. Make a wish! : Well, this is the message which this guy gives to me every second. I learnt it from Mohan (and ofcourse Kunal). Make a wish for yourself, and if intentions and dedication stand clean - you will definitely get it ! Such is the power of will. 6. His "Who cares" Attitude : His recognition as an actor happened very late looking at the number of roles he played before NBTNMKK. But he never cared because somewhere inside he believed in satisfying himself rather than others. He waited for the right opportunity to prove himself and here is the result - fans like me and thousand others love to write about him and capture his journey into success :) 7. Never Say Never - He might not be among those who shot to success right from the word GO! And personally speaking I was an ardent LRL viewer for a couple of months - but simply never cared to observe his role seriously. Reasons unknown. But he came back,,,back with an urge to impress me, you and who not ! 8. Dedication to work : Ok, I read that he fainted a couple of times on the sets during last days of NBT while he was ill. Well, this might not be really surprising for his fans. What inputs he gives to his role - like crying red-eyed with real emotions, shouting on top of his voice for aggressive scenes, shooting for whole day n night to complete schedules, and then finding time for interviews late in the night and interacting with fans on FB/ twitter for feedback....he does it all ! And if he can do it constantly for nine long months - then why discuss his fainting-on-the-set s occasions to prove his dedication ! 9. Student forever : He might be a teacher, an idol, an inspiration for many - but Kunal continues to be a learner forever. His every scene is one step ahead of the previous one. He strikes the chord of perfection virtually in every scene. But then again, he proves you wrong and brings up with a better stuff in the very next scene!!! 10. An Actor Arrives : I remember somebody wrote a wonderful atricle on Kunal with this same title. It described his acting self in a magical way. But for me - the journey of loving the actor in Kunal started weirdly from Detesting to Ignoring to Liking to Appreciating to Loving to Adoring like hell !!:)) During LRL, I felt that I would never see an actor in him. Well, that line still holds good - since I cant see just an actor in him. He is much more than that !! He will prove you wrong the very moment you define his limits as an actor. He is flawlessly flawless. He is indefinitely indefinite. He is THE KuNaL KaRaN KaPOoR ♥ - Written By Nidhi (an ardent fan of Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha ♥ ) Oct 10 2012

Yes!  Kunal Karan Kapoor is indeed the epitome of PERFECTION ! This guy is simply the best in whatever he does ! His perfection reaching new heights with each n every scene he performs...he just sparks the screen on fire n leave us all speechless.....though he never lacks behind in winning our hearts with his mindblowing performance in each scene But today he gave us one more even a much huge n special reason to go just gaga over him... I never open any threads here...only reads others' n comments sometimes....its hardly 2 threads i have opened here... n that too because KKK/MB always forces me with his brilliant performances that I just couldn't resist myself.....n today again I'm here to do the same...weaken by my heart n soul...!! KKK was at the peak of brilliance in today's episode....!!! I just get amazed n amazed... impressed n impressed...n just impressed with this guy with every passing moment.. ! Goshhh... he's totally a rockstar... a born star...a super natural STAR ! Natural expressions... Fabbb acting...Awesome dialogue delivery... Perfect use of gestures... Aaah! this man is par excellence......!!! Just too good for words ! Right from the beginning of the epi... till the end...it was him n only him that my eyes were upon... my ears just wanting to listen him... heart n soul connected to him... i was neither listening nor watching any other character/actor properly.....!! The acting of being drunken...yet so shattered...n broken... in immense pain... yet so determined to prove his love... n ultimately win his lady love...he has done it so naturally n fabulously...that i was biting my nails in the whole epi... was numb... n amazed that how can be sooo PERFECT..., like no other word can describe him...! No dictionary is good enough to provide words that can praise him to his level... he has just crossed all the limits of EXCELLENCE ! Yeh banda toh pakka humein maar ke hi chodega..*sigh*....! KKK just knows how to capture the hearts of his audience...!!  He strikes the perfect chord n knows exactly where to attack! The instant connection he makes..n the emotional quotient he shares with us... no one ever can.....!!! Its because of him... that we tolerated many stupid tracks...unnecessary MU's...n still hooked to the show... just in hope that our MOHAN BHATNAGAR's love life will shine one day ! But until... its KKK/MB whose the real saviour of the show ! The way he potrays MB's character... whether he's happy... angry... sad... intense... a loverboy image... the star reporter...or in immense pain...as we are getting to see now... we feel attached to him... He affects us the most... its he... for whom we make plenty of posts everyday... fight...love... discuss... criticize...drool... or whatever we do on this forum... KKK in MB's form... is present directly or indirectly everywhere...in every thread..in every comment...!!! This what reflects that he's just the star... no doubt.. n will always remain......!!! KKK'/MB's shining!.... n may this shine be always blessed upon us n the show ! PS : Guys..n girls... sorry for such a long post n pakao-ing you all... actually I really dont know how to write threads n stuff... but aaj bas seeing my KKK... i couldn't resist... dil ne kaha aaj jo bhi mann hai likh du... n when i was writing... toh thought came to my mind to share it with you guys too... ..since you all are my second family...my most of the day goes here only... so i gotta share my feelings n happiness with u all too...!!! Hope u dont mind! There's lot more to say n write about KKK n MB... since when it comes to him.. i couldnt stop... n go just Awe at him.... but abhi I'm still very much lost in him.... so will share more later! Love ya.. Varsha!

Hit.It.Miss: “ Kunal reminds me so much of Aamir khan with each and every expression of his. Kunal is fab, no words to describe his talent. His superb acting skills, emoting, reminds me of all  my fav actors of yesteryear, watching whom I grew up. I admire him for his acting He's ANMOL HEERA” 

[aritamirablr]

Primavera Sound tour by Dr. Stings

Day 1

Curiously, as I am starting to write this little ‘article’, Frank Ocean is playing on my Spotify. And to imagine that I almost gave up going because he bailed on us, festival fools. Barcelona was pretty much the same way as I had left it two weeks ago, hot and beautiful! Going to Parc del Fórum wasn’t the most amusing part of it. Although being a little far was inconvenient at times, I was blessed with this wonderful terrace where I could soak up the sun. Truly blessed, if it had had a swimming pool too!

First band, Kevin Morby. After walking what seemed like one km, which made me miss Porto’s grassy lane. The best of it comparatively. And after came Miguel, and oh boy what a blast that was. This guy is so talented and funny, truly impressing. He said ‘make some noise if you don't need any help to have a fucking good time’. And being a single girl at a festival on a different country I felt reassured by my decision to go solo (soloooo, solooo, by myself!). Broken Social Scene was a miss, these Canadian guys are really something. Hope I can catch them sometime later.

Anyway, that night was really about seeing Ms. Solange. What a fierceful woman. To be able to show vulnerability and strength at the same time is the quality that I most admire in people. And most of us can’t do it.  I’ve seen the whiners (like myself), I’ve met the strong, but rude, and then I’ve met the strong with kindness. I can count them on one hand. ‘It’s like cranes in the sky, sometimes I don’t wanna feel those metal clouds’. We had serious, we had funky, she even sang a Blood Oraange song, and had her choosing first liners to sing for. God.  

I then betrayed Bon Iver to see BadbadNotGood and couldn’t have been more happy about it. Their jazzy contemporary vibes are so incredible, apart from the amazing interaction with the public: 'No judgement here. Let's have fun, let's flow, let's be one together'.

Coca-cola sofas were as comfy as ever (they even made miss some concerts, how come?!). At some point I started talking to this glittery boy, who came with his gang from London. 'So, where's your gang? I'm here by myself. You are? Huge respect! I can't even go to the movies by myself!'.

Aphex Twin, helping me with my noisy brazilian neighbours and when I need to feel less anxious about work. Of course, none of the songs I usually listen to were played. Of course he wasn’t going to play Avril14th! As I was about to leave for my bus ride (btw Kaytranada should’ve been in this line-up), I listened to this amazing sound and checked the primavera’s app for a photographer/designer turned musician called Tycho. And that was it, for the first day.

Day 2

Resolution for day 2 was arriving earlier. And obviously that did not happen, so unpredictable! Nothing to do with the festival but I need to talk about my cooking skills during a sleep deprived hangover festival state. Brilliant! At the hostel I met these portuguese girls: Joana, Sara and Carolina, who were putting make-up with their XX t-shirts on. The XX gang!

Sinkane was playing when I got in. But all I really cared about was going to the Ray-Ban stage and wait for Sampha. Met this couple at the front and the guy was wearing a Flying Lotus you're dead album cover t-shirt and had met Sampha among the crowd and hugged him. Wish I had a huge hug from Sampha! What a soulful boy. If heartache, pain and loss can be interpreted beautifully, he is the person to do it. ‘If heaven is a prison, then I’m your prisoner, yes I am your prisoner’. After what was the most special moment of the festival for me, I bailed on Mac De Marco to rest at the Mango spot, a glass of wine on one hand and an orange juice on the other. Time could pass me by and I didn’t care. I didn’t care to run to the next performer as if my life depended on it. And that feeling was kind of cool. I’m either getting wiser, older, or both.

The XX, I dare you not to feel touched by them. ‘I can hear it now like I heard it then’. At some Romy said ‘Do you know what, I'm so nervous. Do you know why? Because I care’. That was reaching out, that was showing vulnerability in the right way. VCR was a classic. I ran around all over the place cause I couldn’t stand still. And then Oliver says ‘I wanna dedicate this next song to all the singles’. ‘Lips’ of course! Followed by Loud Places, Angels and Perfomance (hugging Anna at this point).‘I’ll put on performance, I’ll put on a show, it is a performance’. Last but not least they say ‘Take care of each other’. Do we?

After came Jamie XX and while I admire his DJ skills I just wish he had stick to the best album of 2015, In colour. But thanks for playing Mall Grab’s Alicia Keys song cover. Best ironic award of Primavera Barcelona goes out to Jamie for mixing his Gosh with Frank Ocean’s Nikes. I am your replacement but I’ll fit you in. Cleeeever. Ok, so what’s up with this dude from Flying fkin’ Lotus? Did he came from outer space? Celestial, esoteric, groovy and funky all together. Home. Before what seemed an endless bus ride.

Day 3

Last day and I manage to arrive even later. Yeiii! Not just because I am always taking a stupid amount of pictures, of course. I went to see Pond, which last song was beautifully played and it was golden hour, so it couldn’t have been more special. Then I came back to walk another 800m to see Miss Angie Olsen playing. This year’s big sensation. She started with my favourite ‘Shut up, kiss me, hold me tight’. Then back to Mango stage to see Metronomy and I feel like I’m running the marathon. Oh, after Pond I passed by this Fujifilm stand that was taking instant pics and got my souvenir, to feeding my instagram obsession. Let’s see, Metronomy. It has been my favourite band since like, I started hearing them, but their shows don’t quite grasp it. Fun, but they could do so much better. Of course I danced, I screemed, and had a musical orgasm when they played Radio Ladio. Grace Jones, not my thing, but I can definitely recognize this ladycat’s talents! So then Arcade Fire starts and I’ve missed their surprise concert (like 2km away from this stage), but I had to go see Mr. Archie Marshall. What an amazing voice. 

After ginger power was over I started feeling the effects of four days in Barcelona waking up to my enthusiastic ‘let’s get up at 8 to get to know all the city’ roommates. So, coca-cola stand again! For like too hours. Met some other tired folks, charged my phone, untiiil I start hearing not very far from there: HAIM. Coolest girls ever!!! Just when I was about to call it a night I had my new friends from London convincing me to go to Chk Chk Chk, and ended up staying until the morning with the company of nothing less buut Dj Coco. So much from being exhausted.  Going to festivals is the most tiresome and revigorating activity I’ve ever done in my life. Curious right? 😊 And none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for Frank Ocean!

P.S: I am the little kid playing in the park downtown (only for KOC fans).

© aritamira

[pass-the-bechdel]

LOST s04e05 ‘The Constant’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test?

Yes, once.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?

Three (21.42% of cast).

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Eleven.

Positive Content Rating:

Three.

General Episode Quality:

Arguably the absolute best of the entire series.

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel:

Charlotte and Juliet butt heads.

Female characters:

Charlotte Lewis.

Juliet Burke.

Penny Widmore.

Male characters:

Desmond Hume.

Sayid Jarrah.

Frank Lapidus.

Jack Shephard.

Daniel Faraday.

Martin Keamy.

Omar Idris.

Billy.

George Minkowski.

Ray.

Charles Widmore.

OTHER NOTES:

Those are some weak crunches, lads. 

Let the record show that I love Kevin Durand.

My man Sayid, bein’ all practical again and not wasting time asking for unimportant details when he knows he can just pick it up later when they’re not in mid-crisis. 

Due to time differences, Desmond, it might not actually be Christmas Eve when you call. Then again, Keamy and Omar did give you an idea of what area you’re in currently, so maybe you already factored it in, between flashes. Nice work, man, I can hardly keep track of the single hour difference that happens with daylight savings time.

God damn it, that phone call. My heart grew three sizes.

This episode is widely regarded as the best LOST ever did, and I gotta pretty much agree with that assessment, to be honest (I rank it as second best myself - my #1 is a little later this season). I tend to be pretty wary of time travel stories, because as fun and interesting as they can be they are also at extremely high risk of being majorly plot-holed and infuriatingly convenient, and a lot of shows are just interested in the gimmick of time travel and have no regard for the implications of its inclusion in their story. This, however, is exquisitely balanced; the limitations imposed by having ones consciousness ‘unstuck in time’ keep it from running wild, the concept is both simple enough to accept quickly and intriguingly unusual enough to keep the cynical viewer from rolling their eyes at having seen this idea a million times before, and the romance as a backdrop plays as a catharsis more than a cliche. We’re unlocking a heady concept here, but it’s wisely delivered through a self-contained character journey that makes it poignant and easy to follow instead of coming off as pretentious self-indulgence on behalf of the writers (and damn it, nobody needs writers who are busy ego-tripping on how much smarter they think they are than the audience). That’s another of the episode’s virtues, really: not only is it not trying to be too clever for its own good, but its easily-followed concept is not dumbed down to the point of being insulting, suggesting a level of trust in the audience’s intelligence which a lot of media is sadly lacking. Add in a compelling performance from the lovely Henry Ian Cusick and some gorgeous editing work for the production nerds to lap up, and you’ve got yourself a real winner.

P.s. my disc drive and I are having a disagreement, so I’m having to source my screencaps from the internet instead of capping my own. I could scour the web for exactly the pics I want, but I’ve chosen to live my life instead, so I apologise for any and all occasions (as per Penny above) when I fail to provide appropriate images. It’s the computer’s fault.

[enilet]

List

I’ve noticed I’ve found comfort in making lists, so here’s one. This one’s theme is: the past year and my feelings about it! *sparkle sparkle, glitter glitter, ethereal music descends, if this list were personified, think of Sailor Moon doin’ her transformation twirl* This isn’t so much a list of good or bad, it’s more of just a list of things that I thought resonated with me the most. I’m trying to hash out or at least be more conscious of the amount of absolutes I use, so I guess I can start cutting from the bottom bottom of the shit I put out: personal blog posts. I like reading personal pieces I write. They capture how I feel in some moment, maybe not precisely, but pretty closely. I always come back to them. “They” as in records of my personal experiences. The medium in which they take form varies incredibly. Shelves of filled and unfilled journals, ranging from a key and lock hardshell diary that says “Princess” or leather bound Moleskins, private blogs under Tumblr, Listography, Blogspot, password protected documents on my hard drive, and recently, in a more mico-dosed manner, Instagram. Some mediums are honeymoon length, others are year long commitments. Whatever the medium may be, the meaning is still the same. And the meaning of it, really, is for me to read these mediums sometime in the future, maybe minutes after, maybe years after. That’s how I pinpoint my maturity (or immaturity). 

Now this seems like I’m preparing to prelude this list as some sort of work of art, but remember I called this the bottom bottom of the shit I put out. (Reference paragraph 1.) I feel as if this is the bottom because this is the least-filtered version of myself, tier one. If I can cut out something, in this case cutting down the use of absolutes, it’ll be easier for me to use less of that something in higher tiers like my daily lexicon that affects other people besides myself. I’m not that philanthropic. I eat meat and know that the majority of my apparel comes from sweatshops. I actively support like, one union, and the IWW, in a very tiny way. (I do banner drops through my school’s anarchist club.)  But fixing parts of myself from this level might do something in the fix-yourself-before-you-fix-others kind of way. Anyway, to humble myself, I’ve got to be aware of how I present myself to myself before I present myself to others. This medium is a bottom feeder of mediums. 

That was a lengthy, kind of hazy explanation for why I’m not using too many absolutes in this list.

So here’s a list of experiences in 2016 that are worth bumpin’!

~ I applied to college and finished high school. I got into one of my top choices and waitlisted for the others, but now I attend a decent institution where I think I’m happier than I’ve ever been (consistently!). Fuck you Canyon lmao

~ My mom started a restaurant with 0 experience in the food world, which is climbing its way up. Peep us on Yelp! Honestly, no one thought she could do it but foodies like it and we finally have a steady staff. Reason #28495789572389 why my mother is a badass, besides escaping the Vietnam War as a refugee.

~ I worked at a Latin Asian fusion restaurant for six months and didn’t get fired. Sure, I smelled like salsa most nights and might have broken up a family in the process, but it was an experience I wouldn’t take back. 

~ I realized I get really bad social anxiety which I try to cover up by making myself an elusive, independent character, which I’d say is not much of a strength as it is also a flaw. I think I have gotten better at embracing that elusive, independent character by integrating her as a true part of myself, and set times to abandon her by being confrontational and friendly when I should be. Not sure if this is me mastering my parts of my personality or a sign of being a psychopath. 

~ Relating to things that make me anxious, I got a tiny bit better at dancing in public, talking to strangers, and making friends. 

~ Found some happy places:

-Joshua Tree National Park 

-Olomana Three Peak Trail

-Table Rock Beach 

-Hạ Long Bay

 -Coos Bay 

~ Toxic section: Tried a lot of drugs, all for free cause I’m a fucking snake. Favorite is still acid. I love acid. Started and stopped smoking cigarettes. I like menthols and Parliaments.

~Did a few friend-vacations:

-Santa Barbara with three wholesome humans

- Palm Springs with JJKRT (+ Jenny Jeh) 

- Mountains with my bad influence, older pals

~ Became more comfortable with the idea of gaining weight as a part of becoming more healthy. I’m still working on it, but at least I notice it. 

~ Connected with family that had been shut out my entire life in Vietnam. Being in Vietnam kind of makes me feel a way that is indescribable. I think I might need to spend more time there to grasp what it is. I want to spend a long period of time there... Just not sure what period in my life will open up for that to happen. 

~ I was in and got out of a not-optimal relationship, making me realize that I seek partners who are transparent with their emotions and that I need to be more transparent with mine as well. Also, vanilla sex is boring.

~ I got into a very-optimal relationship, and he’s cool as fuck. Look at him.

~ Realized 👏  That 👏 I 👏  Have 👏 Fucking 👏  QUALITY 👏  Friends who serve as good memes (Some examples include but are not limited to: Harrison Fish Pic, Johanna In Every Pic) and emotional support but mostly memes 

~The following section in this list was inspired by Scott Somers. If you do not care about Scott Somers, things that Teline enjoys, or any variation of the two, Please scroll past this section. 

~ INDULGED IN SO MUCH ART HERE ARE JUSSA FEW: 

-Music (albums  of 2016 I cherish): Noname’s Telefone, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, of Montreal’s Innocence Reaches, Jamila Woods’ HEAVN, Princess Nokia’s 1992

-Music (I seen in da flesh!!!): Wiki, Dinosaur Jr., Kool A.D., Patti Smith, Tomorrows Tulips, King Krule, Bon Iver, James Blake

-Podcasts: Serial, The Ex-Worker, Alan Watts

-Literature: Flowers from Hell by Nguyễn Chí Thiện, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Reconstructed Lives by Haleh Esfandiari, The Orestia by Aeschylus, Naked by David Sedaris, Pesepolis 1&2 by Marjane Setrapi, Paper Girls Bryan K. Vaughan, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, Suburban Warriors by Lisa McGirr, The Book of Job maybe by Moses, Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, Snotgirl by Brian Lee O’Malley, The Ego and His Own by Max Stirner (may or may not do a review of these later)

-Movies/TV: Way too much because these are the easiest to consume, yet I’m not as attached to film as I am to music and literature so I’m going to think less about this, whoops sorry. But I Will Say: I liked Rogue One much more than the Force Awakens and The Skin I Live In fucked me up in a good way because it forced me to think about how fake gender is. Anime is always good. Stranger Things left a soft spark in my normie nerd-core self. Everyone should take some time to watch a documentary about the Situationists. 

-Visual and Performative Art: So much art at random warehouses, office spaces, cafés, online, in print, and in more official places like The Portland Art Museum, The Getty, The Broad, & LACMA that left me shook but also empty inside. Also saw some whack performance art/poetry hybrid of Dao Strom on my campus. I have no words for that experience. PLUS I SAW ALEYSHA WISE AND NEIL HILBORN ALONE IN LA BUT IT WAS A LOVELY SLAM POETRY EXPERIENCE ILOVE THEFDSKALJFKS

~ I got a job at the local middle school where I get paid to make art with low-ses, ESL middle schoolers and talk to the teacher, Zoralie, who grew up in Venice Beach and always has a story to tell. 

~ Made friends in college and two of them are coming to road trip up to Portland with me. Shoutout to Annie, Jake, Hayley, Kavi, Ema, Coriander, Alex, Noah, Lucas, Ben, Thomas, Kate... They may not be the closest to me, but I’m glad that I found a place. 

~ This is my (cw: absolute) best friend.

~ And lastly, I think I became aware of the modes of oppression that rule my everyday lifestyle and I want to devote my existence to dismantling them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZg9i8zYFKk

Ta-ta!

[ulyssessklein]

This is how musicians should use Facebook Live to get results! (Part 2)

If you haven’t read the first part of this two-part article, please do so by going HERE.

Now it’s time to get into what happened the night of the show…both the great and the not-so-great.

I was driving to the venue in Ohio and had just pulled off an exit when it began snowing…HARD. I immediately began worrying about the weather impacting attendance but held out hope knowing that the band had played the venue two times previously and had packed in a large crowd both times.

And then it started snowing even harder. Fortunately I pulled into the venue’s parking lot and saw quite a few vehicles there. It wasn’t as many as I hoped to see but at least it wasn’t a ghost town and we still had about an hour to go before the band would take the stage.

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS

This is something that warrants a bit of discussion. I have a very low tolerance when it comes to how some music artists dress and present themselves during shows. I’ve had to lay into several clients over the years because of the lack of effort put into looking great on stage.

And, yes, it is a discussion I had with Amanda at one point after watching videos of some of their performances before I was brought in to help with their shows. They didn’t look BAD in those previous shows…they simply looked too casual. I always tell artists that there is a visual expectation that most fans carry into a show (whether they are conscious of it or not).

So it goes without saying that I was extremely excited when I walked into the room where the band was preparing and saw everybody was dressed to kill and the ladies’ hair and make-up were totally on point. They looked fantastic, the best I had ever seen from them…and I made it a point to yell as such upon seeing them.

Seriously.

You never know who is watching you perform at any given time and what it might do for you down the road (as you will see was the case for the band at the end of this article).

SHOWTIME

The band took the stage at 9:00 pm and the plan was to do the three-song Facebook Live broadcast at the tail end of the first set, which was expected to be around 10:00 pm.

The band hired a professional AV company to come in and set up a rear projection video screen on which we could show the FB Live broadcast to the crowd in the venue. That was set up to the side of the stage because the layout of the venue did not allow us to place the screen over the stage (which would have been optimal for what we were doing).

People were continuing to trickle in and the crowd was growing but it still wasn’t where we were all hoping it would be at the start of the first set. Making matters even more difficult was that a lot of the audience members who were there seemed a bit allergic to the dance floor and the area directly in front of the stage. And all of that seemed to be sapping some of the band’s energy as well. I had dinner with Amanda and Michael a week or two after the show and Michael admitted that the unexpectedly lower attendance was deflating when they first walked out on stage.

But they did exactly what they needed to do: they continued to perform with energy…something that would pay off as we got further into the night.

This is when things became interesting.

I was sitting with Alyce (the young lady tasked with operating the camera during the broadcast) and we were keeping an eye on where the band was in the set list. It wasn’t long before I realized we were running behind schedule. Even though the band promoted the Facebook Live broadcast as starting around ten, it looked more like that spot in the set list wouldn’t come up until closer to 10:30.

They realized the time issue as well because there was a sudden jump in the set list and the band skipped several songs to get us closer to where we needed to be prior to the start of the broadcast.

Which created another problem that required quick thinking.

As you will see from the broadcast video below, the FB Live broadcast started with Jones Family Reunion, a song that kicks off with a female audience member being brought up on stage to take part in a fake marriage proposal from Nathan. When the band skipped several songs, they went straight to the song in the set list that was directly before the start of the broadcast. And one of the songs that was skipped was an acoustic piece that allowed Nathan to leave the stage long enough to find an audience member for the proposal at the beginning of Jones Family Reunion.

That is when Alyce said “uh-oh” and asked me what we should do. My response: We grab the first female who walks by our table to ask her to help out.

That is exactly what we did. We had to work quickly because not only did we have to get a fan on board with going up on stage in front of everybody, we needed to hurry and have her sign release forms due to the fact that the images and video of her on stage would be used for the broadcast and various marketing for the band.

So I had to ask the young lady to help out, explain to her what we needed her to do on stage, talk her through everything on the release form, have her sign it, flag down Nathan while he was performing and point to the volunteer so he knew he didn’t have to worry about finding somebody, signal to him that I was taking her back stage, and then rush her to the back stage area all in the time that the band performed that three-and-a-half minute song.

And then we ran into another hiccup. As the last song before the broadcast was wrapping up, I was standing back stage with the volunteer and Alyce, who was suddenly having a difficult time maintaining a strong Internet signal on the phone that would be used for the FB Live broadcast.

Where the venue was located, 4G access was spotty due to it being in a rural area. The venue did have open wi-fi, which had sufficient strength earlier in the evening, but the signal strength began going up and down as we were getting ready for the show to begin. The phone we were using belonged to Brittany (Amanda’s sister and the band’s keyboard player) so I made the decision to attempt the broadcast using 3G and instructed Alyce to run up on stage to have Brittany make a few adjustments on the phone.

Here is something you need to keep in mind when attempting any FB Live broadcast from a venue. A lot of artists don’t have unlimited data and FB Live broadcasts are demanding since you are live streaming both video and audio. So those artists have a tendency to use the venue’s open wi-fi. In many situations that isn’t a bad approach but you have to take into consideration that a large crowd also attempting to access that open wi-fi at the time you are doing your broadcast can slow down the signal and it could potentially impact the quality of your broadcast. Even worse, you might find yourself being booted from the signal in the middle of it.

The problem can become even more severe if patrons of neighboring businesses are also attempting to access the venue’s wi-fi, something that is quite common. I remember staying in a hotel room in Nashville for CMA Fest and the hotel’s wi-fi signal was horrible on our side of the building so I had to utilize the wi-fi from the Taco Bell location next door for the entirety of my stay. Sometimes you just have to plan for the data usage that comes with a big Facebook Live broadcast and suck it up.

Back to the show.

Amanda instructed the audience prior to the start of the broadcast while Alyce set up the phone with Brittany and we shuffled the volunteer on stage. As soon as we went live on FB, the folks from the AV company projected the broadcast onto the big screen set up next to the stage and we were good to go.

THE BROADCAST

For as much energy as the band showed despite a lower than expected turnout, the start of the Facebook Live broadcast was like a switched had been flipped. Their energy instantly went to another level. People in the crowd who had been sitting down looking at their phones began looking up at the stage. They became more vocal over the course of those three songs and they slowly began making their way to the dance floor. Additionally, all of that momentum carried over into the last two hours of the show and totally changed the dynamics of the audience’s engagement with the band.

One of my favorite things about the broadcast came in the form of a comment a fan left on the Facebook Live feed, when she proclaimed the show the best she had ever seen at that venue. People had their phones out taking pics and video of the show and posting them on social media. They were doing exactly what we wanted them to do.

Here is the entire video of the FB Live feed…

In addition to the Facebook Live video, I also shot video of the performance from in front of the stage. I missed the first minute of the first song because I had to escort the volunteer for the proposal from the back stage area and, for some reason, my phone cut off at the tail end of the final song but much of this video will be repurposed for the band to use in a sizzle reel when attempting to get booked for other shows.

For any of you who are interested, the Facebook Live broadcast was captured on Brittany’s phone, which was an iPhone 6. The video I shot from the front of the stage was done on my phone, which is a Samsung Galaxy S5.

And for those of you who remember the picture of Amanda on Nathan’s shoulders during rehearsal (it was included in Part 1 of this case study), here is the same shot during the actual show.

SOME THINGS ABOUT THE SHOW

One of the first things you will probably notice is that we did NOT throw the beer mug through the section of the drum shield in front of Frank’s kit. Michael contacted a company in California that manufactures the stunt glass that we wanted to use but it was going to take too long to ship it to Ohio and still have time for the glass to be cut down to the size we needed. So while we had to shelve that specific moment in the show for the Facebook Live broadcast, it is something we will look to implement in a show later this year. It is too good of a card to have up our sleeves to go unused.

There are some things I would like to see us do a bit differently next time:

For the next broadcast, I would like to see us utilize a three-axis stabilizer for the phone and camera. If you don’t know what that is, it is a device that holds the phone in a manner that completely eliminates any bouncing. The user holds onto a handle bar and can move their arm all over the place and the device revolves around the phone keeping it in one spot. You can get them on Amazon with some of the better quality ones costing between $100 and $200. There are some cheaper alternatives but many of them don’t use multiple axis points for keeping the phone steady. I’ve heard many people say that using them efficiently requires a little bit of practice so don’t chance busting it out of the box ten minutes before a show and trying to use it if that broadcast is an important one.

Another slight change I would make when doing something like this again is make sure we hold the camera on each musician for just a bit longer before moving to the next person. Alyce did a fantastic job operating the camera, mostly considering it was her first time doing it and we had limited time to rehearse it.

The engagement between the band and the camera went much better than even I anticipated. It totally changes the dynamic of doing a Facebook Live broadcast from a live show. Viewers are no longer observing from a vantage point off to the side. With this approach they feel much more wrapped up and invested in the performance.

While the band struggled to get people out on the dance floor during the early part of their first one-hour set, doing the broadcast from the stage caused a radical shift in the crowd that carried on through the entire show that night. And the band even got caught up in it all, with Michael at one point getting down on his knees and playing guitar while people in the crowd threw popcorn up so he could catch it in his mouth. Below is a pic the band took during a guy/girl sing off…

And when I left the venue not long after the broadcast, I snapped this picture of the crowd dancing…

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Remember earlier in this piece when I said you never know who might be watching your show and to what it could lead? Prior to this show, Michael had spent the last two or three years attempting to get booked for two big shows that he had been targeting. One was at an important venue at Geneva On The Lake (a tourist hot spot on Lake Erie) and the other at a major festival near Mentor, Ohio. He couldn’t even get them to return his calls.

The night we did this show, an individual with ties to both the aforementioned venue and festival was in attendance. He was blown away by what he saw. Within 24 hours of this show taking place, both the venue and the festival had contacted the band. One of them booked them immediately and the other is working with the band to find an agreeable date for them to perform there. Two to three years of frustration trying to get on those people’s radars was erased just like that.

This was within 24 hours of the show!

Now the band is working to take the video we captured from both the broadcast and from what I shot in front of the stage to create a short sizzle reel. That will be used when they attend trade shows attempting to get booked at festivals and college campuses. The video WILL get them a lot of shows. We also plan to add that video to the band’s website and electronic press kit and find ways to use it on social media. Keep in mind that while the audio in the videos isn’t the greatest quality, the live audio will NOT appear in the sizzle reel as it will be replaced with one of their songs playing in the background.

Compared to the number of views many of the band’s previous Facebook Live videos generated, the broadcast of the three-song set had nearly 300% more views! BOOM!

We have several big shows to prepare for that will be coming up over the next few months and we have to keep the live show fresh with new elements. The first big show is scheduled for May and that will be the band’s first experience with including pyrotechnics as part of the show. I’ve also told Amanda to prepare for the intensity of the shows to become far more physically demanding. We are even making plans for her to perform on top of a large truss 40 feet in the air. We are also working on a bunch of ways to implement video into the show.

All of this came from a simple 12-minute, three song set created specifically for a Facebook Live broadcast. We went outside the box in what we wanted to present, did something a bit different from the norm, planned it out and rehearsed it, and then executed it in spectacular fashion.

The band has even captured the attention of an independent label based in Nashville, one that is made up of an incredible team of people with considerable experience in both the music and radio industries. The label even invited them to do an acoustic showcase during Country Radio Seminar in Nashville (that performance is taking place the same night I am writing this).

For Amanda Jones & The Family Band, 2017 is going to be an extremely pivotal year.

The post This is how musicians should use Facebook Live to get results! (Part 2) appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.