I will try to write a tribute or an essay of some kind. But for now, I will save his one-of-a-kind 2011 TED Talk. To hear him “speak” of saying his last words and not realizing it was his last spoken words, is heartbreaking.

Right after I got there, I was staying in the Beverly Hills Hotel. I saw John Wayne in the lobby, and I was gawking at him. He said, “What’s your name?” He’d just seen Alfie. Wayne became a friend. He gave me advice, like: “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too fucking much,” and “Never wear suede shoes, because one day, Michael, you’ll be taking a piss, and the guy next to you will recognize you, and he’ll turn toward you and say, ‘Michael Caine!’ and piss all over your shoes.” I couldn’t make this shit up.

James Haspiel (From CulturePOP)

Dean Haspiel is a great writer and artist. I have thought that for years. But the foundation of this great storytelling partially lies his mother and father, as revealed back in January via interviews and articles recently posted at Trip City.

First up, Barbara Haspiel, in her own words.

Then, photojournalist Seth Kushner documented James Haspiel in an installment of CulturePOP.

Finally, Dean interviewed his father in this TripCity podcast.

Mr. Surtees, who lived in Carmel, was also the cinematographer for “White Dog,” Samuel Fuller’s controversial film about a dog trained to attack black people. Made in 1982, it was not officially released — on DVD — until 2008 because of the studio’s fears that it was inflammatory. (The film, which stars Kristy McNichol, Paul Winfield and Burl Ives, is ardently anti-racist.)

And yeah, I am not going to lie–I am utterly fascinated in a pop culture sense that McNichol and Ives made a film together.

Terence Bernie Hines

The next two months are going to be quite busy for actor Terence Bernie Hines. First up, on March 9, A Thousand Words, a comedy-drama Eddie Murphy film will open, featuring Hines among the supporting cast. Then, in April, Rushlights, a murder-mystery movie with a cast featuring Beau Bridges–and including Hines as well–will be released. In anticipation of these two new films, Hines was kind enough to entertain a series of questions in an email interview about the creative process in both projects.

In your next film, A Thousand Words, you are part of a cast that includes Eddie Murphy, Allison Janney, and Jack McBrayer. How did you land the role–and who are most of your scenes with?

I auditioned for the part and was initially cast in a different role; but when I met with the director Brian Robbins on set, he felt I would better fit the role as a friend of Eddie’s in his office. So everything I do is with Eddie – and we definitely had fun!

What were some of the benefits of getting to work with a director like Brian Robbins?

Brian has been in the business since he was a kid and has done literally hundreds of shows as an actor, producer or director, so he has a great sensibility for working with actors. And when he sees something that works, he just lets you go with it, which is always nice.

What appealed to you about working on A Thousand Words? Were there certain aspects of the role or your scenes that proved challenging?

I pride myself on being able to hold my own with anyone I work with – and I’ve worked with Academy Award-winning actors. I’ve followed Eddie’s career from way back when he was on SNL, before breaking big time in Hollywood. Yeah, he’s had some downs like everybody, but at the same time he’s made some of the funniest movies ever. Bottom line: Dude is funny! So for me, the challenge was to keep up with him and his improv and not let anything fall flat. And we wound up hitting it off really well and loved working together.

Not many folks can say they worked in a film with one of the legendary Bridges brothers. Did you have many scenes with Beau in Rushlights?

This is murder-mystery drama where I play the owner and cook of a small-town diner who knows everyone. I only had one scene with Beau, but it’s a pivotal one in the movie. I loved working with him. He really is a great guy, personally as well as professionally. Very easy to work with and just as easy going as anybody. What’s really cool about this movie is his son Jordan – a great actor in his own right – also plays a lead in the film. We all got along great, and I got a kick out of seeing how tight they were off set. I try to learn something from everyone that I work with, and spending time with them on breaks was like sitting around a campfire listening to great stories. And he had a ton of them about his experiences growing up in Hollywood as the son of an iconic actor, going to acting school, and as an actor himself. I would jump at the chance of working with Beau again.

What kind of a creative dynamic did Rushlights director Antoni Stutz foster?

I had worked on a black comedy called Expired, with Samantha Morton and Jason Patric, that Antoni was the Executive Producer on. But this movie is most definitely a drama, and he was at first a bit leery that I would be too funny in the film; but I convinced him that I could be great in any genre. Antoni has a very strong sense of atmosphere and mystery and goes out of his way to convey that on film.

Typically with feature films, there’s a great deal of lagtime between when you film your scenes and when the film is finally released. How much patience does it take, patiently waiting for a film to be released–given that understandably you want people to see your work that you are proud of, of course?

You know, sometimes I hate that! Don’t they know every film we do is really about “us” and getting our work out there to the fans?! I mean really! All kidding aside, it really can be frustrating. And the reasons a film gets delayed can be so varied (not enough money to release and promote it properly, a big star with power didn’t like the director and demanded his role be re-cast and re-shot after principle photography was completed, sometimes a great independent movie can take a while to get a distributor). On the other hand, sometimes it works in your favor and several movies you’ve done in the past all come out within months of each other and you appear to be much busier than you are!

How many scripts/roles do you consider in a given year? I’m always auditioning or having meetings.

I usually do one to two features per year. I also do TV and have done some classic short films as well, such as Jedi Gym and a short called The Handkerchief, which won the LA film festival a few years ago.

What’s the biggest challenge to staying a successful actor in the highly competitive film market?

For me it’s finding the right opportunities, being prepared, and then taking advantage of them. Being a great actor is never enough in this business; there are plenty of excellent actors that don’t work for way too many reasons to mention. I’ve been very fortunate to have worked in films with the likes of Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, Harrison Ford – among other great actors. I constantly watch and never stop learning. That and really believing in your talent – and getting important people in the business to agree with you by any means necessary!

A couple of months back, I interviewed writer/director Jairaj Walia about Pendejo, his romantic comedy starring Danny Trejo, Raja Fenske and Fernanda Romero, while the film was in post-production. More recently, the Pendejo team granted Technorati the exclusive premiere of the film’s official trailer (featured above) along with brief interviews of Fenske and Romero. My thanks to Fenske and Romero for their time. Current plans are for Pendejo to be released in 2012.

Five Questions with Raja Fenske

Were you nervous the first day on the set, or are you too experienced to get nervous any longer?

Not so much nervous. More anxious and excited to take on the role and begin shooting. It was my first experience being the lead in a film and I loved the idea that I would be in a position to carry a film.

Which attracted you more to working on the project, the director or the script?

Initially the script drew me in. It was witty and smart. It was one of those projects that you relish the chance to be a part of. Once we began filming, I quickly became very close friends with the director Jairaj Walia.

What was it like working with Danny Trejo?

An absolute pleasure and honor. Mr. Trejo is well known for his tough exterior and the badass characters he portrays. But I was lucky enough to see a rare side of him. He’s one hell of a comedic actor with a great sense of humor. I hope we’re lucky enough to collaborate again in the future.

Can you single out a favorite scene or moment in the film?

Wow, there’s so many brilliant scenes – and I had fun with every moment – but if I had to narrow it down to only one, I’d have to say the Haunted House scene was one of my favorites to shoot. Everyone on set had such a great time making that scene happen.

What is the most challenging aspect of doing a comedy?

Doing justice to the script and story Jai created. When I read the script, it was laugh-out-loud funny. My biggest concern was making sure that when the scenes came off the page they were as funny seeing them as they were if you had read them.

Five Questions with Fernanda Romero

How quickly were you able to establish a rapport with your co-star Raja?

It was pretty easy. We had instant good energy, which made it very easy and fun.

What interested you in working on the movie?

The script and the humor in it! I really liked the story.

What was it like working with the cast?

It was drama-free and quite fun on set.

Was it hard to decide how you wanted to approach playing your character?

Not at all. When I read it, I pictured her immediately! I saw her as savvy, fun, and a little bit of a joker – but never mean.

What did you enjoy most about working with director Jairaj Walia?

Jai really listens to you and is very happy to hear your feedback. At the end of the day we are a team. And having great communication with your director is a must.

I respect the fact that TCM tries to update the clips for people who die late in the year, also. Thanks to Bill Brioux’s TV Feeds My Family for the tip.

The Life and Writings of Paul Nelson

From the 1960s to the early 1980s, Paul Nelson was known for writing passionate, insightful criticism of folk and rock music that showed a partiality for singer-songwriters. He, and his record collection, was of great importance to Bob Dylan early in his career. As an editor at Rolling Stone, he influenced many great critics, such as Charles M. Young and Mikal Gilmore. But suddenly, in the early 1980s, when editorial decisions at Rolling Stone ran contrary to his thinking, Nelson walked away from music criticism. In fact, he dropped out of criticism entirely, choosing to spend his remaining years in relative obscurity, working at a video rental store. He died in 2006, but not before writer Kevin Avery contacted him about a potential biography. After Nelson’s death, Avery was tapped to compile this new Fantagraphics book, Everything Is An Afterthought: The Life And Writings Of Paul Nelson, in which Avery documented Nelson’s career as well as collecting his writing. In addition to discussing this book, Avery also discussed his other Nelson-related book that he edited, Conversations with Clint: Paul Nelson’s Lost Interviews with Clint Eastwood, 1979-1983 (Continuum Books). To mark the release of both books, Avery recently allowed me to interview him via email.

Not to toss a large question your way, but how did Paul Nelson help to shape present day rock criticism?

I’m probably the wrong person to ask. As a result of immersing myself in the music and criticism of the Seventies and Eighties, I really don’t follow rock criticism much anymore, but what I do read bears very little resemblance to the kind of writing that Paul did. Paul’s writing was more contemplative and expansive—in contrast to some of what I read today, which is dictated by time and space constraints (some of the very things that brought Paul’s tenure at Rolling Stone to an end in 1982).

In gathering this book, were there certain key parts to the collection that proved harder to track down then others?

Everything Is an Afterthought: The Life and Writings of Paul Nelson is actually divided into two books: Book One, which is Paul’s biography and sets up Book Two, which, while continuing to tell Paul’s story, presents an anthology of some of his best writing. Tracking down the various writings that I wanted to include in the book wasn’t that difficult—the challenge was documenting the last twenty or so years of his life, after he left Rolling Stone and “began to erase himself from the world” (as Anthony DeCurtis recently chillingly wrote). He closed the door on most of his many friends and colleagues and began leading an increasingly private life (which was hermetic to begin with).

What were the biggest logistical challenges to developing this book?

Selecting those writings of Paul’s that would not only demonstrate what a fine writer he was but would also serve to tell his story. Paul was a very autobiographical writer, although not overtly so. Sometimes, as with the Rolling Stone cover story about Warren Zevon’s battle with alcoholism, he was a reluctant participant in the story. But in Paul’s other work, I think even the casual reader could sense his presence lurking between the lines.

What I wanted to do was structure the book so that, after reading the first half of the book, Paul’s writing, in the second half, revealed just how much he had almost surreptitiously been telling his own story all along—in record reviews as well as articles.

In terms of Nelson’s peers and associates, were there a few that proved to be a critical path in terms of giving you the proper frame of mind on the body of Nelson’s work?

At the risk of failing to mention several people who undoubtedly contributed on this front—and there were many (the usual suspects jump to mind: Robert Christgau, Dave Marsh, Greil Marcus, and Kit Rachlis—I’d have to say that Paul’s good friend Jay Cocks, a fine critic in his own right who went on to forge a very successful career as a screenwriter, provided me with the best insight to not only the work Paul had done but also placing it in perspective with rock music and rock writing as a whole. And not just the rock music and criticism of the Seventies of the Eighties, but where it had come from and where it ended up going.

How much fun was it to appear on Kick Out the Jams with Dave Marsh, discussing Nelson’s work?

Lots of fun. Speaking as someone who as a teenager used to sit cross-legged on my bed reading these guys’ work—guys like Dave, Christgau, Greil, Jay, and of course Paul—anticipating reading what they had to say about notable new albums as much as I anticipated the albums themselves—on that level this project was a dream come true.

Before embarking on this project had you known that Bob Dylan had stolen folk records from Nelson at one point early in his career?

Yes, thanks to Martin Scorsese’s Dylan documentary No Direction Home, where Paul himself tells the story. Though, as I point out in the book, Paul always claimed that the records actually belonged to his best friend at the time, and cofounder of The Little Sandy Review, Jon Pankake. On the other hand, Jon said they were Paul’s. Regardless of their ownership, Dylan took them.

After researching the book, did you find that your view of Nelson changed (for the better or whatever) as you learned more about him?

I certainly understood him better and, as a result, now appreciate his writing even more. While I was writing the book, I experienced the same thing that I think many people have expressed after reading it: an immense sadness. Paul’s story is a tragedy that, by and large, took place behind closed doors in small illegal sublets scattered throughout New York City. There’s an inevitability to what happened to him, but he did the best he could with what he had to work with.

But that sadness passed. It was replaced by a genuine appreciation of the man and the great writing he left behind.

Would punk music have flourished as much without Nelson’s advocacy for it?

What Paul did, especially by way of his amazing Rolling Stone review of the Sex Pistols’ debut album, was help introduce punk to the mainstream. Because he was a critic of some gravitas, famous for writing about singer-songwriters like Dylan, Jackson Browne, Leonard Cohen, and Neil Young, I think he undoubtedly engaged some people who otherwise would’ve never considered giving punk a listen. And certainly, when he was editor of the record-review section at Rolling Stone, he encouraged writers like Charles M. Young and Mikal Gilmore to write about bands like the Dead Boys, Joy Division, and Public Image Ltd.

Conversations with Clint

Care to talk a little bit about your Clint Eastwood book?

Absolutely. It’s called Conversations with Clint: Paul Nelson’s Lost Interviews with Clint Eastwood, 1979–1983. Even though it came out first, a few weeks before Everything Is an Afterthought, it’s actually my second book.

I’d always remembered, since reading the aforementioned Zevon cover story in Rolling Stone, that Paul had interviewed Clint Eastwood. In the piece, Paul mentions that he’s interviewing Eastwood for a story. But such a story never materialized anywhere. I hadn’t thought about those interviews with Eastwood in years, but then Dave Marsh mentioned them in a remembrance he wrote about Paul in 2006. Over the next few months, as I began researching the book and conducting interviews, several people asked me if I knew the whereabouts of Paul’s Eastwood tapes. Ultimately, they were found in Paul’s apartment after the medical examiner unsealed it.

The interviews, over seventeen hours’ worth, range from 1979 to 1983, and were intended for a Rolling Stone cover story that Paul, for various reasons, was never able to write it. What struck me while I listened to the tapes for the first time was the obvious friendship that quickly developed between these two men. They clearly enjoyed one another’s company. As a result, Eastwood is much more open and revealing—about his career and his aspirations, about his influences—than the Eastwood we’re used to reading about. Paul had correctly predicted, as far back as 1971, that Eastwood would become a “major force” as an actor and director.

Conversations with Clint presents these interviews as an occasional but ongoing four-year conversation between two friends.

MoPix

I’ll be the first to admit, I know next to nothing about film distribution. But when I caught wind of the plans for MoPix, a film and video distribution platform set to launch in January 2012, I wanted to find out more about it. A few emails later, I was in contact with MoPix founder, Ryan Stoner, who was more than willing to educate me in the ways of digital distribution and technology. My thanks to Stoner for his time.

Tim O’Shea: When and how did MoPix initially get conceived?

Ryan Stoner: MoPix was conceived in late 2010. We were developing entertainment apps for the likes of Warner Brothers, Disney and entertainment moguls like Anthony Zuicker the creator of CSI. We had just finished building the Dark Prophecy app, and were exploring creating an ePub authoring solution for publishers looking to enhance their books with a layer of context aware content, transforming an ordinary ebook into a full sensory experience, complete with audio, visuals, discoverable content, special effects, and other content to enhance the reading experience. We quickly realized the pitfalls of transmedia content rights for back catalogues and shifted our focus to the film work. We saw an opportunity to replace the income lost from traditional distribution outlets by creating a platform for filmmakers to release their work. We also saw it as an opportunity to enable users to experience more than just the film, such as, photo galleries, behind the scenes, and any second story content created around the film.

O’Shea: Is MoPix ideal for iPads or tablets or a mixture of both?

Stoner: The iPad is our primary device because it represents a majority of all tablet sales and is the fastest growing device, but we plan on expanding to the Android, Kindle and future tablet devices as well. We are bullish (about) tablets. I also believe it is not just about the size of the tablet, but also the possible connectivity of the tablet to other devices

O’Shea: How much help have filmmakers like Enzo Tedeschi been to beta testing MoPix?

Stoner: All our initial filmmakers are instrumental to helping us define the product. We are building focus for the content creators who want to have a better creative outlet to engage with their fans. We love receiving feedback and suggestions from all our core users as that is what helps us evolve the platform. We have spent a lot of our energy working closely with filmmakers like Enzo who understand the limitations of the DVD and what is possible with a touch based tablet experience.

O’Shea: Has MoPix changed drastically while in beta mode, or have there just been minor tweaks?

Stoner: We believe our launch platform is a game changer and will set the bar for what is possible with tablet distribution. When we began our beta we were building apps around existing content. When we launch we are focused on setting the bar for what is possible if a filmmaker goes into product with us in mind. It is a drastic difference to say the least and we are super excited to share it with the world in early 2012.

O’Shea: In terms of getting the word out about MoPix, how beneficial was it to be one of 20 companies presenting at the Launch ‘Pad Tablet event?

Stoner: The Tablet Conference was a great opportunity to expose MoPix to the tech world. We live at the intersection of entertainment and technology so we are constantly trying to find our place in both worlds, navigating the world of film rights, while building an end-product that has mass consumer adoption potential.

O’Shea: MoPix was a sponsor at the recent Northwest Filmmakers Festival, given that festivals are populated with filmmakers looking to garner distribution, did you find folks were quite eager to find out more about MoPix?

Stoner: Film Festivals are under exposed events. I wish more people would support local film festivals. Over 5000 films are premiered a year at film festivals, but very few get picked up. We are very much in support of those amazing films that need help finding their niche audience. We are excited about sponsoring several other film festivals as well and releasing more apps like the Cine City App, that we did for the Brighton Film Festival.

Personally I love to see filmmakers take chances and eager to control distribution. No one knows how to market a film better than the creator and filmmakers need to shift their mindset to wanting to control their destiny. They might not make the millions they dreamed, but they can make their money back, build a brand for themselves and have an audience who is craving for their next film.

O’Shea: As noted in this recent article, there are at least 27 platforms for digital distribution. When the distribution landscape shakes out, will the number of viable ones narrow down to five–or even less?

Stoner: It is about being were your audience is. There is no one-stop shop anymore, but there is also no need to be everywhere. I urge all filmmakers to research where their audience is before signing any deals. We will see some films getting 100% of their sales from PlayStation, while others succeed on Amazon. Know thy audience. VOD is here to stay, physical medium will always exist and digital download ownership will continue to grow.

Personally I am bullish on tablets. With Apple Airplay film apps are not only viewable on the iPad, but you could stream the film to your TV or even your car if you have apple TV inside. The opportunities are endless. The Format and the Content is combined into one device for a fraction of the price of what it costs to produce a Blu-Ray.

O’Shea: How important is effective social media to the success of MoPix?

Stoner: Relationships are important to MoPix. Our goal is to build a brand that is honest, trustworthy and personal. Part of that is being engaged with filmmakers and our audience. MoPix goes beyond our needs to help others. If you want advice on how to negotiate the best deal or go direct to VOD we are always eager to have that conversation. Social Media is just an amplification of that support. Our social media strategy is geared around conversations. As more people become engaged with MoPix we can collectively help more of the films and filmmakers who use our platform.

O’Shea: When Netflix goes and shoots itself in the foot and loses market share, is that an opportunity for digital distribution apps to gain market share?

Stoner: Hollywood is divided over VOD. Consumers don’t understand the business economics, but the loss of income with VOD has been a shot to the head for the studios. The margins on a DVD purchase= about 9 Netflix rentals and how many consumers watch a film on Netflix 9 times? You are going to see a big push towards digital downloads and formats that allow for those higher margins. I think consumers will pay for premium content, which is why we are trying to create the best experience possible on the iPad.

O’Shea: What’s on the horizon for MoPix?

Stoner: While we have done a lot we are still pre-launch. Our launch will be at the end of January and we are excited to showcase what is possible on tablet devices. Sign up for the beta on our website.

“The idea of handcuffing yourself to a genre is … pretty absurd.” is a great core approach, and one that can be applied to non-film creative pursuits as well.