Will Hines Dot Net

The estate of Joseph Siegel, the writer who co-created Superman with Joe Shuster, has won its share of the copyright of Superman. This somehow causes me great relief — I couldn’t stand the thought that the man who created what is arguable the most successful story in the 20th century got paid $200 for it. Now I can maybe finish Kavalier and Klay.

UPDATE: I guess the ruling applies only to Action Comics #1 — but that’s a lot: Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Daily Planet. I don’t understand law. But this is big.

Rocco and I are in Orlando airport. Airports feel like the future, but the future that they imagined sometime around 1975. Above is a screenshot from the 1976 sc-fi movie Logan’s Run. Doesn’t it look like an airport? You see what I’m getting at here.

Lots of my friends shoot commercials. None of them put photos of it on their blogs. Why is that? Isn’t a blog where you’re supposed to put self-indulgent things like pictures of things you did? Here are some quickly-taken pictures of Rocco and I on the set for a commercial shoot we finished today.

We had a really good time. The director Tom Schiller was very fun. The whole crew was a good-natured, well-organized group and we enjoyed it. I should have better stories.

Rocco and I are in Orlando. Shooting day 1 of 3 is tomorrow. We’re doing a series of spots for a phone/cable/internet company in Florida. Besides the fun of being flown down here for a commercial is that our director for these spots is Tom Schiller, who directed many of the early SNL shorts, including the famous John Belushi one “Don’t Look Back In Anger” (where Belushi is an old man dancing on the graves of the other cast members). That’s fun.  The spots are vaguely inspired by Mythbusters — except instead of a guy in a beret and a guy with a red goatee it’s me and Rocco, both in similar glasses. And we’re testing phone networks.

I booked a commercial along with monkey-friend Andy Rocco, so early Monday morning we will be flying down to Florida for three days of shooting. Famous, right Brian? This is the second time I’ve been flown somewhere. The first time was in 2000 when I was flown on a shuttle to Boston for a workshop in a Java enterprise solution which I never used. Anyway, I feel like a big shot.

In packing, I see that I am too attached to electronics. In my suitcase I have: a laptop, a still camera, digital camera, ipod and battery charger. Also a pair of pants and a single dress shirt.

Other news: I picked UConn’s basketball team to win the entire March Madness tourney. They lost in game number one. I’m still counting on Calhoun to figure a way back into it.

Tell me now of the best trip you’ve taken.

If you using Final Cut 6 on your new iMac G5 (intel chip) to import footage and having trouble with log and capture — try disconnecting all external drives. Use only one firewire port and that’s for your camera. It seems to help.

Jaime Hernandez interview (thx Dyna).

What the frak has happened on Battlestar Galactica? (8 minute seasons 1-3 wrapup) (thx Mike Still)

MC Frontalot raps about text advenutures. (thx Tony)

For the past week or so, I’ve bought a copy of The Daily News in the morning to read on the subway. Twelve years here, and I’m finally starting to feel like a real New Yorker.

If celebrities moved to Oklahoma.

(thx Joe Spellman)

Finished the Wire, as did America! I watched episodes 5, 6 and 7 on Saturday — then 8, 9 and the finale on Sunday. Loved it. Ptolemy’s scene was great I thought — a really tough part to play, and he nailed it. Strongers performed last night also, so I did improv with him while the episode was playing, then went home and watched it on DVR. Surreal and fun.

It’s a strange mixture of “reality” (or what feels like reality — hard for a white honors student from Danbury Connecticut to know) and heightened moments of drama. They pull it off, though I wonder how they found a balance.

Edited to add: I am predictable.

I enjoyed the finale as an episode, a season finale and series finale. Definitely the best ending to a narrative show that I’ve ever seen. (I’ll take Newhart for the best ending to a comedy show). Any better?

Maude Night is tonight at UCBT. Four shows by the four “house sketch teams.” I’m directing Mix Tape ‘98 (second half of the 8pm slot). Do come out if you’re available. I’m watching all four. Collect them all!