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Vote for Rich in Spielberg Contest!

Date Created: Mar 10, 2007, 11:01 AM

My movie-making cohort Rich has a movie entered in Steven Spielberg's new filmmaker search contest that will be turned into a television reality show!
His movie is called "The Injectionist", and is a dark comedic piece about the life of one of the 'bad guys'. He made it specifically for this contest using his Mac, Final Cut, and Garage Band.

You will have to register to vote, but it takes a few minutes. This contest is based upon viewer votes so go an and check it out! Leave your feedback, too!

Visit the movie by clicking here: http://films.thelot.com/films/12215

Spinning the Web

Date Created: Feb 27, 2007, 11:02 PM

Those of you who found me thanks to the blog subscription who might want to see what else I've been up to on the web might enjoy visiting my home page.

http://web.mac.com/tonygonzalez

will lead you to the main page, updated regularly (aka monthly) - featuring a few photo galleries, more blogs, and other fun stuff. It will also link you to my podcasts.

My Star Wars related Podcast can be found above, OR at:

http://www.starwarsfanworks.com/echo3toecho7.html

That's my show! Now in it's second year!

You can also listen to me on ODEO. I've posted my latest homepage podcast below- just click to listen. But you can also visit me at:http://odeo.com/profile/Echo3

Here are the most recent shows I've done for my personal podcast. Watch for new ones VERY Soon!

My iLife So Far

Date Created: Feb 27, 2007, 10:48 PM

When Apple came out with iLife 'O6 a year ago, I had no idea how much it would affect my computing life - or iLife. Thanks to that great piece of software, I developed a brand new, great looking website (using iWeb) that I've been excited to update on a regular basis. I only wish the blogging part of it were as intuitive as the software I use to create THESE pages. (And conversely wish these pages were as easily customizable as THOSE Page). Anyway, iWeb was a welcome addition to the package, and allowed me to also create a new way for my friends and family to stay in touch via live comments and regular updates. It's been a blast. (Those pages, alas, are personal!).
GarageBand opened up my world in all sorts of ways -- first off by allowing me to podcast at the push of a button. For Six Months, I was creating a show with a total stranger I'd only met online! In addition, I was able to reestablish my longtime friendship with my old pal and preserve some interesting conversation about our hobby via our own podcast -- -which in turn got noticed by a fan site that invited us to join and which in turn got us nominated for some fan audio awards. How's that for a first year!? This year's been even more productive so far, with a third monthly show added for my personal home page. Fun, fun, fun.
iPhoto was never better than in '06. I was a bit weary at first because the '05 version took a few tries to be perfected. But last year's version was a dream - introducing PHOTOCAST - which enabled me to send links to my sister in Florida that could be updated regularly right into HER iPhoto. Amazing.
And even though I advanced beyond iMovie, last year's version got even better, and I found myself falling back on it more and more. Same with iDVD. I love this stuff.
While we are in the third month of the year and still (at this point) lacking a NEW version of iLife, it's going to be pretty hard for them to beat last year's version, which was a great, and life changing version indeed!

CARS on iTunes: Are Digital Downloads Comparable to DVD?

Date Created: Nov 17, 2006, 11:52 PM

I didn't get to catch CARS during its theatrical run last summer, but I had expected to buy the DVD when it arrived. In between, iTunes announced that it would be offering CARS for download on the day the DVD came out, for 12.99 (preorder and 1st two weeks only), and that got me thinking:
( As usual, got a story for ya;)

I recently started putting away a lot of my videos into binders rather than storing them on shelves -- aside from sometimes cringing at the huge collection of classic Disney movies on the shelf when there aren't any kids about - I recently decided it was time to try to cut down on clutter. The idea of digital downloads sounded like a great solution - buy the movie via my computer and watch it either on the computer or via the iPod or with the iPod attached to the TV.
No more discs. No more boxes. No more clutter.

I hemmed and hawed about this for a while, but then decided that I'd been dying to try downloading a movie from iTunes, and this one was probably the pick of the bunch. (For those who may not know - the only movies available for purchase on iTunes right now are Disney Company movies). I realized that if I'd gone to see this in the movies, the price would have been exactly the same (okay, maybe 50 cents cheaper). If I didn't like the download, I could always buy the DVD and still feel as if I came in ahead.

Now in the meantime - I'd recently received a great service award from my company -- a 20" flat/DVD TV! It arrived the night I was leaving on my trip to Puerto Rico last week. A nice free gift (though I only wish it were an HD-LCD, but hey, it was a PRESENT!). I could'nt wait to use it, but the trip took precedence! (Had a blast, btw).

So once I got back from vacation, and settled in, I set up the TV (which I intend to use only for viewing DVD and digital movies), and thought -"Hey, ya know? What about buying that CARS movie to try it out? It's only 12.99 online."

So I did this (the movie downloaded in about an hour) and then proceed to get so busy (as usual) that I didn't get a chance all week to watch it. When things finally settled down tonight, I plugged my iPod into my new set and was totally blown away by the crystal clarity of this new digital format. The movie looked fantastic, sounded fantastic, and sufficed to say, I'm definitely going to weigh the options between buying a movie online and buying an actual DVD from now on. Not only can I always carry it with me, I could also plug it into any tv anywhere and watch it there! I love when technology actually does something I always needed!

Now back to the movie---

I was taken aback by the Heart Warming storyline of this movie. And the generous supply of humor. I was laughing out loud several times tonight - I really can't remember the last time a video elicited that reaction in years. I didn't get ALL of the references, though. Unfortunately, *some* of us here in the N/E have no idea what the true appeal of racing is-(sure looks pretty amazing!)- so some jokes were totally lost on me. But this movie sure looked gorgeous! Sounded incredible. And I also got a small whisp of longing for what it must be like to come from a small town. I've driven on Route 66 and thought it was an apt depiction of the road. But most, I enjoyed the microcosm presented in the town. A little bit of everybody from everywhere, thrown in the middle of nowhere. I liked the lessons learned by the brash McQuade, who was all flash and no substance until he met the small-town wrecks. I also enjoyed the ideas put forth about respecting Elders and learning from them. Really touching stuff. While watching the film, I wanted to own a Matchbox car of the characters- I'm sorry I missed out on that. They were adorable. It also reminded me of the days of my youth spent putting together plastic car models. Really nifty visuals.

I was less impressed with the "love" story, though. It seemed to have --er --- gone flat-- once McQuade gets on his --er--wheels again. I also didn't really like the music or use of incidental music, either. The only song I enjoyed was the one sung by James Taylor. I think this movie needed more of that sort of thing. But on the whole, this was a four-star movie, definitely worth the time, and definitely worth the download or the dvd. I loved the Pixar references during the end credits.

The next big release I'm considering is PIRATES 2. This one I saw (as did everyone else in the world) in the movies. It will also be available for 12.99 for a short time. Not sure if I want the DVD extras or not, yet. We'll see what happens with that. For CARS, Disney had created a thorough podcast covering all facets of production (this is still available for free on iTunes).

But for those of you who are considering whether or not digital downloads are worth it -- I say they are -- Think of it this way -- your kids won't be able to damage the disk! No peanut brittle on the DVD. No need to worry about wearing the movie out. There isn't one to damage. (Of course I'll have to figure out the best place to back this file up to and preserve it, but that's beside the point). With CARS on iTunes, I feel the future has indeed arrived!

Fun movie.

Happy Mac-iversary to Me!

Date Created: Jul 28, 2006, 12:57 AM

Ten Years ago today, I became a Mac User.
On the 10th Anniversary of working at my company, I decided it was time to branch out into new territory and buy a computer.
I sat at my desk, writing "Yes" and "No" on pieces of paper, placing them into a free company cap we'd been given, and asking the questions: "Is this something I should do?"
"YES"
"Should I get it today?"
"YES"
"Should I wait for another time?"
"NO"
"Should I buy an Apple? (I'd been longing for one since I had the chance to sit down for one minute at my nephew's Macintosh a month earlier).
"YES"
"Should I buy a Dell?" (I ask silly questions sometimes. DELL was what we used at work.
"NO".
During my lunch break, I stopped by a magazine shop and noticed a bunch of computer magazines, and among them something called "Macaddict", which was at Issue No. 1. The cover read something like, "Why Apple's Future is Bright!" I decided it was time to buy my Macintosh.

So, with that, I drove to NOBODY BEATS THE WIZ, an electonic outlets store we used to have in NY. I drove all the way out to Westbury Long Island that evening, no less. I did a bit of homework on the model I wanted. It had to have video capability. I'd wanted to work on videos. More than anything else, I wanted to rekindle my old hobby.
I saw the model I wanted - An Apple Performa 6200.

Buying an Apple computer at that time was a risky venture. The company had lost its initial luster, which was being reaped upon by Microsoft Windows 3.1 Everybody who was buying a computer in 1996 was buying a Windows PC. Heck, that was what we used at work. It didn't make sense to go against the grain. Why spend all that money on something that might be obsolet in a day? An hour? A Minute? But then again, I was always different.

I had always noticed that whenever they used computers in movies, or in special effects, it was always a Mac. Star Trek IV, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Forest Gump, Independence Day, are all examples of movies that featured Apple Computers in them. If Hollywood was using them, why shouldn't I?

The salesman was a guy my own age, who didn't try to distract me from buying the machine, though there were more Windows objects in the store than anything else. There was no Mac software. No games anywhere. Not even any attachments. But I still wanted that machine. I needed that machine. I had to have that machine. Besides, based upon what I saw on Rich's Mac, they came with everything I needed.

I got it home, completely worried about how to put it all together, how to set it up, how to get it all rolling. But within minutes, I was up, running, and working on stuff. And from that moment on, I became addicted. Finally, here was a tool that I could use to do all the things I'd always imagined- writing a script, doing stories, creating artwork, working with photos. And oh, yeah- some rudimentary videos. Within months, I had figure the thing out, reading all sorts of books and things about how it runs, how to use it, etc. I even learned how to type with two hands (by using a program).

That Mac changed my life in more ways than I can possibly explain, without sounding too geeky or preachy. It was the catalyst for a million and one creative endeavors that have been possible on it and its successors. Yes, in a decade I've perhaps gone through more of them than people have gone through cars, but at least I got the mileage out of them. And my life has never, ever been the same.

Mr. Movie News!

Date Created: Jun 06, 2006, 06:16 PM

If you're wondering whatever happened to my frequent updates and information - wonder no more. I'm here. These have been busy weeks, mostly due to my newest projects- namely two Podcasts that are frequently updated.

The first, you've heard about - ECHO 3 To ECHO 7 -the Star Wars Memories Podcast. But the other I haven't spoken of here before--

MR. MOVIE NEWS - is a free, weekly podcast dedicated to the latest news, rumors and ruminations about your favorite genre movies! Come on over and have a listen. I produce the show and sometimes co-host it with Scott, the content creator.

What's cool about this show is Scott gathers the latest movie news and information and records them onto his PC, sends them to me and then I edit them and produce the show with Garageband on my Mac! Neat, huh?

New Podcast Episode:Rambling With Rich

Date Created: Jan 24, 2006, 12:36 AM

New Podcast Added to my revamped site. Click below to listen, or check your iTunes subscription for my show:

RAMBLING WITH RICH (featuring special guest, Rich C.).

Ok, it might seem that all I'm doing is this computer fluff stuff, but really, I'm squeezing it all in between a busy schedule. It's hard to find free time for this stuff, but I actually got a chance to put together a new movie, site, and Podcast within the past week. Not too shabby. Though I probably need some sleep badly!

Still haven't decided as to whether to keep this particular page open still, or not. In case you haven't noticed, I have a new blog page that is incorporated into the new website. But in the meantime, I will post different notes, such as this one, here.

You'll notice (hopefully) a more streamlined version of the show. I've decided to give each of the subjects their own "mini-podcast", rather than one long one. I noticed during the Star Wars one that it went on a bit long, so I will try to make all shows fall within the 5-15 minute area. That will enable those of you with slower connections to get it sooner, and will also enable me to have more content to put up!

Though they are still far from slick and professional, I'm enjoying doing the show, as it's something I've always wanted to try. Unfortunately, I only get a few hours a week to make the most of it, so hopefully you'll enjoy my efforts. Speaking of hours, I've gone way past my bedtime again!

Go have a listen to the latest show. And PLEASE drop me a line. I'd love to here about what you thought!

New Podcast Site Up and Testing

Date Created: Jan 18, 2006, 12:44 AM

OK, thanks to iLife, I really haven't gotten enough sleep on the nights I've been home. I've now created two different podcast shows and they have been uploaded and ready for subscribing in iTunes. I also have revamped my personal homepage, so I'm not sure if this portion of the blog will be updated much on these pages, anymore. They have so much information on them that I hate to let them go. We'll see.

In the meantime, I'd love for you to head on over to my new Podcasts and give a listen. The first one, THE MYNAHWORKS HOMEPAGE PODCAST is the same one you heard here, now in it's new home.

The new one, thought, is a STAR WARS PODCAST called "Echo 3 To Echo 7", and is located in a new site within my webpage. You can't access it directly from Mynahworks as of yet - you have to follow a link. I still have to listen to the first episode to see how it sounds uploaded, but I'll provide the link for you now, to save time.

It took me a day to do - mostly because I needed a few hours to edit it and a few hours to upload it due to a weird upload problem. I wish it were a tad easier.

Anyway, go on and listen, and please provide feedback to my new email feedback address: mynahworks@gmail.com

Here's the link to the new Podcast! I'd like to thank my buddy Mark for joining me on this exciting new show.

New Podcast Posted

Date Created: Jan 11, 2006, 12:27 AM

The latest episode of the Mynahworks Homepage Podcast is now available. It's a bit longer than last week, since I covered a bit more subjects in depth. This week's episode features a look at what to expect from the podcast, some insight on where it got its name from, a salute to the longest running show in Broadway history,as well as a look back at the beginnings of it, a peek at some new announcements from Apple, and my feelings about Satellite Radio. Whew! No wonder I'm still up on a work night.
It's been an exhausting week, so I probably sound a little worn and the show might not yet flow as perfectly as I wish - but that's the beauty of the podcast -it's about the moment and capturing it as it happens, so here you go, the good and the bad.
Hope you enjoy the yapfest.
I am looking forward to doing a show soon in which it's not just me talking.
(Note- I will always strive to provide original music for my podcasts. However, this week, I am reporting on a special event and have used excerpts of music from purchased cds. If you would like to purchase the music from iTunes or amazon.com, please write me for details. The music, logo and associated are all copyright Really Useful Group and is used solely for non-commercial fan-reporting endorsement).

Podcast Show Ideas

Date Created: Jan 08, 2006, 10:49 PM

Thanks to all who have taken a listen to the test podcast. I'm always amazed at how many people there are out there who are actually taking a minute or two of their time to read, view, and listen in, so I thank each of you so much for making this feel like a worthwhile effort.
As I've said before, I'd love to hear more about you folks out there. Who are you? And how did you come upon my show, the site, etc. Any suggestions/ideas for improvement?
The next episode of the Podcast is in pre-production. I got a few interesting responses that might help shape the show into something really fun, so hang in there. I hope to post it later this week.
I also have have a new email address for the site, to make sure I don't miss a letter. I have a feeling I've missed tons of email due to my spam catcher. If you've written to me and I haven't responded, it usually means I haven't seen your letter.

Please write to me (regarding site-related things only) at mynahworks@gmail.com.

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