Being a very brief discussion of why it’s so important to produce quality promo photos for one’s upcoming television series.

Figure 1. The Vampire Diaries

According to this promo still, this television show is about the sexy goings-on under the carport of the Paleolithic Botanical Gardens, starring that guy in your high school theatre who always played the old guys because he knew how to walk hunched over and had a slightly deeper voice than everyone else.

Sadly, it is still a better picture than this one.

Figure 2.Flash Forward

According to THIS promo still, in which Dominic Monaghan is not even identifiable, the photographer is attempting to cut short three young lives by forcing them to inhale sawdust until they get consumption. Dominic is totally punking out on his friends and bailing in the studio helicopter. See you, suckers!

Look, TV people, I understand you’re trying to create moods of mystery and romance and action. Just..this is the digital age. You can take more than one picture until you find a good one! You can see how they look before you pick a photo to send to major newsmagazines! You’re living in the world of tomorrow! (Unless you are in The Vampire Diaries, in which case you probably live in a carport.)

I wanted to do something really meaningful for International Blog Against Racism Week. Something wrenching, profound, well-written.

I thought about writing a heartfelt essay about people of color in movies. Then I thought about writing a well-organized essay about people of color in movies. Then I thought about creating a list of well-realized people of color in movies. Then I realized there’s no way to organize any aspect of this little Hollywood clusterfuck, so let’s play it fast and loose, okay? There’s just so many ways to be offensive, why stick to just one?

Welcome to A Night at the Movies!

Come in, sit down! Be exploited and stereotyped! It’s fun.
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We’re living in Strange Days! FINALLY.

Last night on the way home from the con, Nick and Justin and I got to see the Myvu ads plastered all over the 34th St station. The ads feature various smiling people with imaginary shows being beamed directly into the cortex. Someone had written “MIND CONTROL” over two of the ads, but there were dozens of ads, and I guess one Sharpie only goes so far.

The website, unfortunately, does not fully convey the effect of dozens of ads of people smiling blankly, their eyes hidden behind the lenses.

Oh, the future. You’re as creepy as I ever dreamed you could be.