Actually, I just remembered that we also interviewed these guys for The Documentary Blog podcast. So, check that conversation out here. Buy the DVD here and spread the word!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
RECOMMENDATION: Sons of Perdition DVD
Joshua Ligairi » 11.29.11 »
New today on DVD: SONS OF PERDITION, a fascinating look into the lives of boys exiled from Warren Jeffs' polygamous compound. The film is directed by Jennilynn Merten and my friend Tyler Measom. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, it was distributed by the Oprah Winfrey Network, and it informed the Texas Attorney Generals as they built a case against Warren Jeffs. Interesting movie and a portion of DVD proceeds go to victims of polygamy. Win, win.
Actually, I just remembered that we also interviewed these guys for The Documentary Blog podcast. So, check that conversation out here. Buy the DVD here and spread the word!
Actually, I just remembered that we also interviewed these guys for The Documentary Blog podcast. So, check that conversation out here. Buy the DVD here and spread the word!
PRESS: City Weekly interviews Tyler Measom
So, this is not actually press from one of our films, but I'm posting this interview for a couple reasons. First, because I love the film it is advertising and the filmmakers who made that film. Second, because they were kind enough to give us a shout-out toward the end of the interview. I highly recommend checking out Sons of Perdition, which is out on DVD as of today.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
RECOMMENDATION: Mariachi El Bronx
Joshua Ligairi » 11.26.11 »
What do you mean? It's a mariachi side project of a popular hardcore band, of course. Duh.
I was WAY late to the game on this incredible mariachi band formed from hardcore group The Bronx. Which surprised me because I was already a fan of The Bronx. Thought I'd have heard of this earlier. Thanks to David Nibley of Seattle Street Soccer for turning me on to it. This is one of my favorite songs by the band.
I'd also recommend checking out the songs "48 Roses" "Cell Mates" and "Revolution Girls" before forming an opinion. Hope you enjoy.
What do you mean? It's a mariachi side project of a popular hardcore band, of course. Duh.
I was WAY late to the game on this incredible mariachi band formed from hardcore group The Bronx. Which surprised me because I was already a fan of The Bronx. Thought I'd have heard of this earlier. Thanks to David Nibley of Seattle Street Soccer for turning me on to it. This is one of my favorite songs by the band.
I'd also recommend checking out the songs "48 Roses" "Cell Mates" and "Revolution Girls" before forming an opinion. Hope you enjoy.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
LIST: The Best Thanksgiving movies
Joshua Ligairi » 11.23.11 »
Despite all of the obvious reasons to dislike Thanksgiving, I happen to enjoy the holiday. Mostly because I like eating large portions of mashed potatoes and gravy, but also because I love the coziness of the holiday and the opportunity to spend time with family. There is a Dutch word for that feeling. It's "gezelligheid." And boy are my family gatherings gezellig.
Another thing I like doing around this time of year is watch movies. Occassionally I'll be tempted off to a theater with a friend, but because I "spare the turkey," my food coma often subsides a little sooner than those of my friends and family and that makes for a perfect time to stretch out on my grandparents couch and watch a movie. But, what to watch? As you may remember from earlier posts, I tend to be very specific about my thematic movie watching. Problem is, there aren't many Thanksgiving films to choose from. In fact, the only two I can even really think of are A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (which doesn't hold a candle to the Halloween or Christmas specials) and Home for the Holidays (which I can't remember anything about).
So, until Eli Roth gets off his lazy butt and finishes his completely inappropriate horror romp, I'm stuck with my "Top 7 Not-Quite-Thanksgiving Films" that still manage to put me in the desired mood. Sorry, 7 was all I could come up with, and I was even stretching it with some of those. Though these films may or may not actually have anything to do with Thanksgiving, most of these take place in that wonderful transitional period between Autumn and Winter, have a strong nostalgic value around family and friendship, or are just plain good movies.
7. Indian Summer
6. Dutch
5. Grumpy Old Men
4. Hannah and Her Sisters
3. Dan in Real Life
2. The New World
1. Planes Trains & Automobiles
Any surprises? Certainly not with the number one. And isn't that a sad commentary on the state of Thanksgiving movies? Maybe, as mentioned before, Thanksgiving just isn't a very inspiring holiday. I mean, they made a better film out of Groundhog Day for crying out loud!
But let's consider this a challenge to young, Thanksgiving-loving filmmakers everywhere. The competition is almost non-existent. This is your chance to break into the American collective consciousness. But what's the story? Maybe a "Black Friday" Thanksgiving campout movie? No, that would suck. What I'd really like to see is an honest historical depiction of the first Thanksgiving. Something like The New World, but focused on the lead up to the initial celebration could be really cool.
Anyway, here are some honorable mentions: Son In Law (if you prefer weasels to turkeys), Leatherheads (if you are watching with your Grandparents), and maybe One Good Man (if your family happens to be both cheesy and Mormon like mine).
By the way, don't even think about giving me a hard time about omitting from my list films such as Pieces of April, House of Yes, Tadpole, The Ice Storm. Despite varied cult status and critical acclaim, these are not, IMHO, great movies and are certainly not great Thanksgiving movies. Also, please don't show your children that terrible Disney version of Pocahontas. The New World is far less sexist and racist and a much better all-around film.
Now, off to prep some homemade cranberry sauce. Which reminds me of another Dutch phrase I like to use this time of year: "Eets makkelijk!"
Despite all of the obvious reasons to dislike Thanksgiving, I happen to enjoy the holiday. Mostly because I like eating large portions of mashed potatoes and gravy, but also because I love the coziness of the holiday and the opportunity to spend time with family. There is a Dutch word for that feeling. It's "gezelligheid." And boy are my family gatherings gezellig.
So, until Eli Roth gets off his lazy butt and finishes his completely inappropriate horror romp, I'm stuck with my "Top 7 Not-Quite-Thanksgiving Films" that still manage to put me in the desired mood. Sorry, 7 was all I could come up with, and I was even stretching it with some of those. Though these films may or may not actually have anything to do with Thanksgiving, most of these take place in that wonderful transitional period between Autumn and Winter, have a strong nostalgic value around family and friendship, or are just plain good movies.
7. Indian Summer
6. Dutch
5. Grumpy Old Men
4. Hannah and Her Sisters
3. Dan in Real Life
2. The New World
1. Planes Trains & Automobiles
Any surprises? Certainly not with the number one. And isn't that a sad commentary on the state of Thanksgiving movies? Maybe, as mentioned before, Thanksgiving just isn't a very inspiring holiday. I mean, they made a better film out of Groundhog Day for crying out loud!
But let's consider this a challenge to young, Thanksgiving-loving filmmakers everywhere. The competition is almost non-existent. This is your chance to break into the American collective consciousness. But what's the story? Maybe a "Black Friday" Thanksgiving campout movie? No, that would suck. What I'd really like to see is an honest historical depiction of the first Thanksgiving. Something like The New World, but focused on the lead up to the initial celebration could be really cool.
By the way, don't even think about giving me a hard time about omitting from my list films such as Pieces of April, House of Yes, Tadpole, The Ice Storm. Despite varied cult status and critical acclaim, these are not, IMHO, great movies and are certainly not great Thanksgiving movies. Also, please don't show your children that terrible Disney version of Pocahontas. The New World is far less sexist and racist and a much better all-around film.
Now, off to prep some homemade cranberry sauce. Which reminds me of another Dutch phrase I like to use this time of year: "Eets makkelijk!"
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
BLOG: Prime time
Joshua Ligairi » 11.22.11 »
Knights' ratings were what I'd call "pretty okay" last week. Yeah, not mind-blowing, but good enough. See, there was some concern on our part because Fox Execs came into National Geographic and completely cleaned house right after they picked up our show. Luckily, the new Fox Execs seemed to love Knights of Mayhem, but they are also notorious for canceling shows before they get a chance to prove themselves. Tons of ads had gone up for the show:
We had great preview press coverage.
We constantly had promos all over television.
We had posters in the New York subways.
We even had an ad behind home plate during the World Series.
Pretty crazy.
On my end, I was getting a little nervous because, you know, I'm mildly neurotic. But, honestly, I just hoped we could justify all this advertising. Coming from the grassroots, indie world, it was almost terrifying to imagine the amount of money we had behind this project. It's still just insane for me to even think about.
And as the premiere date drew closer, nerves only increased.
We weren't too happy with the sport segments of the pilot (or those of episode 2 which aired immediately after), but picture was locked. Also, as I began to tell friends and family about the show, a lot of people told me that they don't even get National Geographic Channel. It hadn't occurred to me that it was a premium channel in many areas. Hopefully, this had occurred to the Fox Execs.
But then, it just happened. The show premiered. Our stars live-Tweeted from a San Diego sports bar (they were driven to in limousines) and their fan feedback was blowing up. I started getting personal texts and Facebook messages too. People were watching. It was exciting to just sit there with the rest of America and watch.
When all was said and done, the show did "average" traffic for National Geographic Channel. The twist was that half of those viewers were new to National Geographic and they were predominantly younger (13-25) demographics. So, that was actually great. Whether or not that justified the advertising blitz, it's hard to know, but things seem to be going well.
A review from France.
We're getting some great reviews (see the past few blog posts). I especially like the review from the New York Post. Minus the cheesy title, "Lancing with the Stars," it perfectly articulates and summates my own feelings about the show.
So, tonight, we'll get another glimpse into the impact of the show. Will people come back? There were plenty of online haters that think Charlie is too macho, too egotistical and too mean to be watchable. But isn't that the bread and butter of reality TV? People love to hate reality shows with rough, egotistical main characters like Paul Teutul on American Chopper, Gordon Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen, Donald Trump on The Apprentice, and Simon Cowell on American Idol. I'm thinking maybe Charlie and the Knights of Mayhem will be okay after-all.
By the way, if you are having trouble finding the show (I know that I did at first), "Locate TV" can help you find every episode! Also, if you've been wanting to tune in, but don't have cable, you can download the eps for a small fee from iTunes (although you could get NatGeo for a month for the same price it would cost to download these first three episodes).
Knights' ratings were what I'd call "pretty okay" last week. Yeah, not mind-blowing, but good enough. See, there was some concern on our part because Fox Execs came into National Geographic and completely cleaned house right after they picked up our show. Luckily, the new Fox Execs seemed to love Knights of Mayhem, but they are also notorious for canceling shows before they get a chance to prove themselves. Tons of ads had gone up for the show:
We had great preview press coverage.
We constantly had promos all over television.
We had posters in the New York subways.
Print ads in major magazines.
We even had an ad behind home plate during the World Series.
On my end, I was getting a little nervous because, you know, I'm mildly neurotic. But, honestly, I just hoped we could justify all this advertising. Coming from the grassroots, indie world, it was almost terrifying to imagine the amount of money we had behind this project. It's still just insane for me to even think about.
And as the premiere date drew closer, nerves only increased.
We weren't too happy with the sport segments of the pilot (or those of episode 2 which aired immediately after), but picture was locked. Also, as I began to tell friends and family about the show, a lot of people told me that they don't even get National Geographic Channel. It hadn't occurred to me that it was a premium channel in many areas. Hopefully, this had occurred to the Fox Execs.
But then, it just happened. The show premiered. Our stars live-Tweeted from a San Diego sports bar (they were driven to in limousines) and their fan feedback was blowing up. I started getting personal texts and Facebook messages too. People were watching. It was exciting to just sit there with the rest of America and watch.
When all was said and done, the show did "average" traffic for National Geographic Channel. The twist was that half of those viewers were new to National Geographic and they were predominantly younger (13-25) demographics. So, that was actually great. Whether or not that justified the advertising blitz, it's hard to know, but things seem to be going well.
A review from France.
We're getting some great reviews (see the past few blog posts). I especially like the review from the New York Post. Minus the cheesy title, "Lancing with the Stars," it perfectly articulates and summates my own feelings about the show.
So, tonight, we'll get another glimpse into the impact of the show. Will people come back? There were plenty of online haters that think Charlie is too macho, too egotistical and too mean to be watchable. But isn't that the bread and butter of reality TV? People love to hate reality shows with rough, egotistical main characters like Paul Teutul on American Chopper, Gordon Ramsey on Hell's Kitchen, Donald Trump on The Apprentice, and Simon Cowell on American Idol. I'm thinking maybe Charlie and the Knights of Mayhem will be okay after-all.
By the way, if you are having trouble finding the show (I know that I did at first), "Locate TV" can help you find every episode! Also, if you've been wanting to tune in, but don't have cable, you can download the eps for a small fee from iTunes (although you could get NatGeo for a month for the same price it would cost to download these first three episodes).
Thursday, November 17, 2011
PRESS: Chicago Tribune reviews Knights
Who needs the NBA when we've got 'Knights of Mayhem'?
Call me a naive little baby who'll believe just about anything if it involves medieval combat on TV, but I've got a feeling that somebody is going to die on National Geographic's new show, "Knights of Mayhem."
It is as inevitable as the decline of empire, with Americans increasingly more comfortable seeking mental refuge by looking backward in time rather than forward, into a bleak, debt-ridden future.
So a spear through the eye will penetrate the brain. A neck will snap after a fall from a charging horse. I don't want to see it. But I can't stop watching.
The show features men the size of offensive linemen bellowing like pro wrestlers. Add tattoos, a heavy-metal soundtrack, full plate armor, heavy-hooved horses, spears, high impact and fear.
Who needs the NBA?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
PRESS: New York Post reviews Knights
Linda Stasi » 11.13.11 »
‘This ain’t no Medieval Times dinner show,” Charlie Andrews, reigning world jousting champion, says just before the finals where he nearly takes someone’s head off.
Yes, I did say jousting, and no, “Knights of Mayhem,” Nat Geo’s new reality show about modern-day jousting ain’t no show where ladies faire and courtiers in giant pantaloons dance around to the amusement of fat tourists glomming down chili dogs.
Extreme Jousting, (is there any other kind?), is suddenly and not quietly making a comeback after only 500 years!
And much of the rise of the sport in the USA is due to Andrews, a mean, not-lean wild man who has lost his wife, his life savings and everything else a wild man might hold dear in order to pursue this deadly sport and make it the next big thing.
Never doubt a 240-pound man in 150 pounds of armor charging at you on a 2,000- pound steed in the heart of Texas.
On tomorrow night’s premiere, we follow Andrews, a tremendously unlikeable, but very competent jouster as he sets up his training camp and then risks his life as often as he can to charge at other “knights” at top speed with a giant lance.
And I was riveted.
His chief rival is the quietly lethal Black Knight, Patrick Lambke, who is everything you imagine someone with that moniker would be. Lambke got into jousting when he was fresh out of the army in the 1990s. He worked one joust as a stunt photographer and was hooked.
In fact, Lambke taught Charlie everything he knows about jousting and now Charlie has overtaken him as world champ.
It is Charlie’s dream to get full-contact jousting into arenas and out of the Renaissance Fair circuit. To do that he needs rookies -- athletes willing to risk everything including their lives -- in order to make this a giant professional sport.
And with this reality series, he might succeed. What you’re watching, with your heart in your mouth, is the birth of a sport before it gets controlled by corporations, sponsors, advertisers, agents and networks.
It’s raw, it’s got heart and the enemies are really enemies -- unlike the theatrics of wrestling.
When Charlie says, “Even though Patrick is my ‘brother,’ I will cut his head off with a chain saw and leave it on the side of the road,” he means it. And then he almost does it with a lance.
There are the rivalries, the scared rookies and the daily risk of death for an insane sport these guys love. And best, there are the weekly jousts themselves.
“It’s the new extreme sport that’s also the oldest extreme sport,” Andrews growls between expletives.
Not for nuthin’ but these knights are enough to make those maidens faire who work at Medieval Times rip their bodices right off.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
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