Tuesday, November 01, 2011

VESPER CHRISTMAS COMEDY TOUR 2011

Hey everybody! I'll be hitting the road with some very talented people to spread holiday comedy cheer this Christmas season. Below is the schedule for the upcoming holiday sketch comedy tour I'm in. Please spread the word if you live in any of the listed cities and come see us perform! (Contact the venues for tickets/pricing). The show is an hour-long SNL-style comedy show with a holiday theme woven throughout. Fun for all ages!

1. Nov 26 - Ekklesia School / Kansas City, MO
2. Nov 27 - Los Angeles Baptist Academy / Los Angeles, CA
3. Nov 29 - Calvary Academy / Shreveport, LA
4. Dec 30 - Geyer Springs Bap / Little Rock, AR
5. Dec 1 - Auburn Church of the Highlands / Auburn, AL
6. Dec 2 - The Bridge Fellowship / Houston, TX
7. Dec 3 - Grace Bible Church (Steven F. Austin Univ) / Nacogdoches, TX
8. Dec 4 - Bay Community Church / Fairhope, AL
9. Dec 5 - Cove United Methodist / Huntsville, AL / TENTATIVE
10. Dec 6 - McGill Toolen HS / Mobile, AL
11. Dec 7 - Taylor Road Baptist Church / Montgomery, AL
12. Dec 8 - The Church at Cahaba Bend / Bham, AL
13. Dec 9 - Mountain Brook High School / Bham, AL
14. Dec 10 - Landmark Church of Christ / Montgomery, AL / TENTATIVE
15. Dec 11 - Family Church / Lafayette, LA
16. Dec 12 - The Underground / Cincinnati, OH
17. Dec 13 - Lincoln Village Church / Huntsville, AL
18. Dec 14 - St. Luke-Simpson UMC / Lake Charles, LA
19. Dec 15 - Christ UMC / Mobile, AL
20. Dec 16 - FBC Covington / Covington, LA
21. Dec 17 - Clanton UMC / Clanton, AL
22. Dec 18 - Central Community Church / Las Vegas, NV / TENTATIVE
23. Dec 28 - Harvester FBC / St. Louis, MO / TENTATIVE
24. Dec 30 - The Church at Rocky Peak / Los Angeles, CA / TENTATIVE
25. Dec 31 - Idyllwild Pines (NY Eve) / Idyllwild Pines, CA /

PRODIGAL Behind-the-Scenes

Here is a sneak peek behind the scenes of my friend Ben's short film PRODIGAL. I shot and edited all of these videos, yo! Enjoy.

Monday, April 25, 2011

The PRODIGAL production team





I'm working on a new short film with one of my best friends, Benjamin Grayson, directing. Here's the rest of the core team. I'll be doing graphic design and behind-the-scenes/promo videos. Very excited for this project!

Thursday, June 05, 2008

fave shows on TV (past and present)

ok, so as the new summer/fall tv season is fast approaching, i wanted to take some time to reflect on some on my fave shows of the small screen. now, i'm going to go ahead and say that my real "list" is much, much longer. but, for the purposes of this blog, here's what i got (as of june 2008!) ps - these are in no particular order...

1) the x-files :: hands down, my favorite show of all time. not only are the performances outstanding (highlighted by leads david duchovny and gillian anderson), but each episode is brilliantly written and crafted. the episodes feel more like mini-movies than anything else. the series explores the possibility of a government conspiracy to hide the existence of extra-terrestrial beings and one mans quest to find the truth. WATCH IT NOW.


2) battlestar galactica :: a quick rise to my #2 spot, battlestar galactica, as its creator ron moore states, is a drama first-and-foremost that just happens to be set in space. the acting, writing, and stylistic cinematography of this show put it in a league all its own. the show explores deep religious and spiritual issues as well as provides both riveting relational drama and nail-biting action sequences. you DON'T have to be a sci-fi fan to fall in love with this show. just watch the miniseries and you'll be hooked!


3) the office :: based off of the british show of the same name, the americanized "office" drowns in awkward comedy. steve carrell shines as uber bossman michael scott. he's both endearing and uncomfortable all at that same time. he means well but his inability to be pc or to filter his thoughts often gets him into some trouble. the "fringe" characters are just a delicious. this show is truly an "ensemble show" in every sense of the word. dunder-mifflen can sell me paper any day of the week...and i'm buyin!


4) lost :: you can check out my LOST blog below, but just a bit here, too. i never actually watched this show when it started. (college was hell). i finally got the first two seasons on DVD and blazed threw them. they were like a drug. jj abrahams and damon lindeloff are truly creating something special on television. gillians island meets the twilight zone meets awesome. if you're a skeptic of this show, just watch the "special features" on the first season. even the way this show came together saw somehow a divine process. exploring questions of identity and faith, you'll certainly end up trapped on this deserted island...and won't want to leave.


5) veronica mars :: sadly off the air, this was one of the best "high school" shows i've ever seen. creater rob thomas wrote one of the most interesting (and smart, witty, sassy, and mature) female teens ever on television. the show revolves around veronica mars, a teen sleuth whose father (the former sheriff) is a private detective. in between football games and finals, veronica finds time to do a little detective work herself. it's sad that this show only lasted 3 seasons but the first two seasons are definitely better than the last. in season 3, veronica goes to college and the "feel" of the show isn't quite the same. the other great thing about this show are the other cast members. all interesting and great actors.


6) sex and the city :: ah yes, 6 seasons of extreme estrogen. in addition to the brilliant writing, i think the thing that makes this show show relatable are the distant women. each one of the 4 friends (carrie, charlotte, samantha, and miranda) is so unique and goes on their own separate journeys, making it easy for women everywhere to choose which girl they are! and despite their differences, you really buy that they are all close friends. the laugh, the cry, they talk about sex. another thing that i think fans find refreshing is that they are over 30. it's really nice to see women searching for love and still learning who they are outside of their 20s.


7) seinfeld :: the show about nothing and, thus, the show about EVERYTHING. this show is legendary. the brilliance of this show lies in finding comedy in awkward situations and everyday things. just watch it. please.


8) so you think you can dance :: WAY better than American Idol, SYTYCD is the best "talent" search show on TV. unlike AI (who puts people like Sanjaya and that rocker chick from the 2008 season through to the top 12) SYTYCD has FAR more talented people in their top tier. not only that, but the judges are smart, give constructive criticism, and really give the show a feel of legitimacy. i feel like the judges on AI are just there to be part of the "entertainment." from randy's "dog" catch phrase to paula's looney tunes outbursts, sometimes the AI judges undermine their own "expertise" by just being cra-cra. the dancers on SYTYCD are uber talented and their performances will really make you FEEL the emotion.


9) arrested development :: HEY BROTHER...after only 3 seasons, this critically acclaimed show went off the air but not out of our hearts and minds. from tobias' secert life as a "never nude" to the frozen banana stand, to GOB's magic shows, AD is pure comedy gold. the show centers around an eccentric family whose patriarc is arrested for shady business in real estate development. the family must come together in the "time of crisis" and figure out how to get POP-POP out of the slammer. the brilliance behind this show revolves around the ensemble cast of seeming charicatures that morph into characters thanks to glimpses of heart and humanity, and the docu-style shooting of the show. this show is the ultimate QUIRK fest but it serves up more one-liners than a Sonic server on roller skates.


10) charlie's angels (original series from the 70s) :: this is just good ole fashioned tv. charlie's angels was aaron spelling's creation that literally put the phrase "boob tube" on the map. it's got the girl power of the 90s spice girls mixed with a sprinkle of macgyver's toothpick bomb device and a hint of hillstreet blues meets sex and the city. each episode has the angels off on a new crime, sometimes in exotic locale, always following the deep voice of the unseen charlie. one of more of the angels is always put in harms way but the girls always have each other's backs. there are also nice personal storylines weaved in throughout the series that give each girl an arc of her own.


11) i love lucy :: does this really need any explanation? two words: lucielle ball. she was a PIONEER in comedy, especially for women. her broad phyiscal comedy antics, coupled with her timing made her unresistable to watch. the supporting cast also offers up tons of laughs on this show. but what made this show WORK was having LUCY be the one to put herself in the middle of impossible situations. much like larry david does in the more recent "curb your enthusiasm." we root for her, but laugh the whole time.


12) beverly hills 90210 :: my pre-pubescent years in a box set! brandon's hair that never changed, donna's hair that ALWAYS changed, steve's shirts that buttoned all the way to the top, kelly's romances with the leading men, andrea's 40-year-old high schooler style, dylan's bad boy sex appeal...the list goes on and on. you know a show has affected your life when you cry at the last episode. i remember vividly the day 90210 went off the air for good. i felt like a little part of me died. but, thanks to DVDs, all my peeps are back! i learned so much from this show: how to shoot heroine, what to do if i'm ever raped, how to hide bruises from a boyfriend who pushes me down the stairs, oh the life skills! this show will always hold a special place in my heart. i just hope this new 90210 show doesn't blow. come on CW!


13) the ellen degeneres show :: of all the "talk shows" and "late night shows" around, ellen is hands down my favorite tv host. she's hilarious, has a huge heart, killer dance moves, and really talks WITH the guests. the vibe of her show is fun, fresh, and funky. i hope she keeps on keepin on.

14) saved by the bell :: i can honestly say that i've probably seen every episodes at least twice. and that includes saved by the bell: the college years and excludes the new class (that version sucked). the thing that blows my mind about this show is that it is STILL being played on television today, introducing new generations to the original "friends" cast: zack, kelly, slater, jessie, screech, and lisa turtle. it's fun to see most of these actors still working in the biz, including each time i see dennis haskins (aka mr. belding) waxing his pipes @ dimple's karaoke in burbank every weekend. talk about a show that i equate to my childhood. i watched this show every single day. i wanted to be kelly and i wanted to makeout with zack. when they said there's "no hope with dope," i was there. when jessie took caffiene pills and was "so...so...scared," i was there. when lisa broke her ankle and created the dance craze "the sprain," i was there. i was there for all of that and more. thanks for the memories, old friends!


15) the cosby show :: where's claire huxtable? where's rudy? vanessa? theo? that other sister? (denise?) i LOVED this show. and now, looking back on it, i love it even more for the way it portrayed an affluent african american family at a time when that had never been done on television. bill cosby was the ultimate DAD (an an awesome doctor!). i yearned to be a part of their family. the love was so real, the way the spoke to one another was so honest, and the way the laughed together was so infectious. what i also loved was that the show revolved around the WHOLE family (cousins, parents, grandparents, siblings). it's funny - when i close my eyes i can see the entire layout of that house. the couch right in the center of the room, chairs on each side, the staircase cascading down behind it. the swinging "kitchen door" off to the left, the doc's office in the back right. i just talked myself into buying this show on DVD if it's out. DONE.

**the leftovers: damages, rome, the sopranos, fresh prince of bel air, iconoclasts, man vs wild/survivorman, nip/tuck, weeds

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Friday, March 28, 2008

x-files @ the paley fest

on march 26, the paley fest at the museum of television and radio did a night dedicated to THE X-FILES. anyone who's known me for more than, like, a day knows this is my favorite show of all time.

below is a clip (yes, recorded from someone's cell or camera but still good nonetheless) of a recap of the series. an x-files "retrospect" if you will.

this show was and is simply amazing.


(*ps - note all the commentary (ooos and ahhs) from the audience...classic!)

OMG - Ja'mie, I heart you!

i love comedy. this comes as no surprise. i am especially fond of the "mockumentary" genre, a style that can best be described as "faux realism." waiting for guffman and the office are two examples of this form of hilarity.

about a year ago, when i was working in comedy development, i was introduced to an australian comedy that capitalized on the mockumentary style and also gave it a new "twist." this twist came in the form of writer/director/performer chris lilley who played ALL 5 main characters himself (both men and women of various ages and backgrounds).

the show was called we can be heroes and followed around 5 "regular" people who were all nominated for the prestigious "australian of the year award." the show explored who they were, why they were nominated, and how they lived their daily lives. pure genius. one of the nominees was a 16-year old girl named Ja'mie (pronounced JA-MAY) who was spotlighted for her charity work and focus on world issues (in one such episode Ja'mie receives a letter and photo from the starving ethiopian girl she's helping and she exclaims to her friends..."oh my god, she looks like Beyonce in this picture...").


Intro of Ja'mie on we can be heroes:



following we can be heroes lilley took the character of Ja'mie and did a spin-off, giving her life beyond the competition and creating even more characters that he himself potrays. this new series, called summer heights high brings Ja'mie to life in a new way, at a new school. and it's JUST as brilliant. not only is Ja'mie just as bitchy and self-absorbed as usual, but we are also introduced to an eccentric drama teacher at the school named Mr. G who uses many "unorthodox" techniques to get his students to experience true drama as well as a troubled youth named Jonah whose harsh language and angsty rebellious attitude make him a riot to watch.


summer heights high TRAILER:


i learned yesterday that summer heights high was recently bought by HBO and added to their 2008 comedy lineup. bold move for HBO but one that could really pay off big if people are able to realize the talent that lilley possesses as a true triple-threat. sure these shows are a bit off-color and not what i'd call "PC" but they accomplish what comedy is designed to do: allow us to laugh at things the world might deem "too serious"...even if only for 30 minutes. laughter as medicine. prescription filled here.
please start watching this.
and quoting this.
and LOVING THIS.
Official sites -->

Monday, March 24, 2008

once was LOST but now i'm found...

let me preface this blog by saying i'm behind. years behind. but i'm catching up fast. what am i referring to, you may ask? LOST: the television zeitgeist of the now.


when LOST first premiered, i was still in college. i was in the first semester of a hellish senior year (thanks to taking a year off my junior year to try pre-med!) and didn't have time (nor TiVo) to watch what some were calling "the BEST show on television in a long time." who exactly quoted that? i don't know. but i'm sure someone said it at some point. being the huge sci-fi fan that i am, i knew that i'd probably love the show, but as time passed, i had less and less desire to see what i had missed. the hype was SO big that i almost expected it NOT to live up to any of it. (plus, i had the safety of all 9 seasons of THE X-FILES on dvd to keep me company so i wasn't really jones-ing for a new mysterious drama to fill my time in between study sessions).

once i moved out to LA (it now being august of 2005), i was thrust into the hectic world of television development. not only was it my first "real" job, but it was VERY busy. i was working very long hours and, in my spare time, making sure that i was prepared for the next day. my first months out in LA were much like school...and then i got hit upside the head with a little something called "pilot season." pilot season is like a worm hole that you enter if you work in the television industry and don't come out of until may. you seriously disappear from life for about 4 months. worm holes don't have cable or TiVo either.

my buddies reid and dairek and i started writing a pilot of our own some time in 2006 that furthered my curiosity of the show. reid and dairek were HUGE fans and our show was shaping up similarly to LOST in some of the storytelling devices we wanted to employ. i started watching episodes here and there (more for social reasons than that of a true fan) and was very entertained by what i saw. still, i was stubborn. i didn't want to get into the show without starting from square one. back story is everything, especially in a show that's entirely serialized like LOST. there are no real "stand alone" episodes in this series. everything means something.

cut to the here and the now, 2008. a time when i'm finally READY to tackle the beast that is LOST. i was able to borrow the first 2 seasons from a friend and this weekend i attacked season one with voracity. and it was AWESOME. i can truly say that i am now hooked. i was never a snob about the show, deep down not wanting to like it or something just because everyone else did. but i'm glad i'm able to start from the beginning and form my own opinions. that's the way it should be.

what impressed me more about season one than the actual episodes was the genesis of the show. a show that was PICKED UP to series based on nothing but an OUTLINE. a show that was casting without a script, characters being created FOR actors simply because the creators wanted them to be a part of the project. a show that was originally pitched in a one-liner as "Castaway: The Series." a show that started shooting without even knowing if some of the cast had visas. a show with so many crazy variables that it could NOT have been anything but divine intervention.

watching the genesis of the show and the "fairy dust" that was sprinkled on this show in order to make EVERYTHING come together just so made me really emotional. it made me jealous. not jealous of LOST, per se, but hopeful that i, too, may be a part of something so big, so magical, so special, so well-liked, so influential, and so entertaining. it really fueled me to get working on my own projects again. as i look to turning another year older, i realize that i just have to prepare myself for the Lord to swoop in a sprinkle fairy dust on me. the Lord can make ANYTHING happen when the timing's right for HIM. i just have to be ready and willing to fly.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

the best film i've seen in a long time

wow. that's really the only word that comes to mind, as arcane and simple as it may seen. it's very rare that a movie effects me so much so that I literally can't stop talking about it. "no country for old men" is one of the most intriguing, edge-of-your-seat rides i've had in a long time. not only is the acting top-notch, the cinemtography breathtaking, and the action intense, but the writing is strange, fresh, and rough around the edges.
javier bardem as our bad guy scared me from the first time he appeared on screen. his intensity was there from moment one and never waivered. josh brolin as the cool, calculated, and curious llewelyn moss was equally interesting to watch. other performaces of note were tommy lee jones (who was made to play this role and who delivers a killer final monologue), garrett dillahunt as the sincere, comedically oblivious deputy wendall, and kelly macdonald as carla jean moss, the simple-spoken southern wife.

most commendable, however, were writer/directors joel and ethan coen. there western take on a "chase film" was riveting to experience. one thing that i really liked was the lack of exposition and explanation. the writing and characters in their present circumstances were enough to sustain us through the film. the characters had no dialogue that "spoon-fed" the audience nor did the dialogue follow conventional theatrically written moments. this dialogue was unique, off-beat, and, often times, too real.

it really says a lot for a film when you leave realizing that there was not ONE SINGLE NOTE OF MUSIC in the entire film. yet, you were just as emotionally connected as ever. i was squinting through open palms at every turn and the long moments of silence only added to the tension. my heart was racing and i was genuinely nervous waiting to see what would happen next. that's a great way to see a film, not just to see it but to fully experience it.

i need to see this again. it's just THAT good.


side note: did you know that the coen brothers also edit most of their own films? the use an alias: Roderick Jaynes