Genuine Hollywood Royalty

I had the most incredible experience today at the Dreamworks Research Library, which is run by the wonderful Mrs. Lillian Michelson. Lillian is an amazing trusting person (she let me take a book out without any info or library card). Lillian could not have been more pleasant and is still actively researching films. Her husband, Harold, is quite feeble and has taken up daily residence in her office (she has moved her desk to the back corner). I had the great pleasure of being introduced to Harold, it was quite an honor. I knew Harold was a long time production designer. But after a little reasearch, I couldn't believe who I had met. Harold and Lillian are Hollywood royalty, because they both have been imortalized by the SHREK franchise. Julie Andrew's character, Queen Lillian and John Cleese's character, King Harold were named after Mr. and Mrs. Michelson. Here is some cool info about them:

Harold Michelson, whose prolific career dates back to 1949, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction for his 1979 work on Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He was also honored in 1999 by the Art Directors Guild with its Lifetime Achievement Award. His other major credits as an art director and/or production designer include Dick Tracy, Terms of Endearment, Spaceballs, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Mommie Dearest, Catch-22, and History of the World, Part I.

He is widely considered to be "the industry's greatest illustrator." Films he has illustrated include The Ten Commandments, Cleopatra, Ben Hur, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Graduate, Irma La Douce, West Side Story, The Apartment, The Birds, Fiddler on the Roof, A Star Is Born, From Here to Eternity, Ship of Fools and The Turning Point.

Mr. Michelson's first studio job was as an apprentice illustrator for Columbia Pictures, which led to his being traded to Paramount Pictures to do illustrations and storyboards for The Ten Commandments.

Mr. Michelson's wife, Lillian, is considered to be the dean of motion picture research. Thirty-three years ago she founded the Lillian Michelson Research Library, which contains 7,000 books, 100,000 periodicals and 1,500,000 clippings, stills and photographs. She was asked to join DreamWorks in 1995 and is presently located at its studio in Glendale.

Woobot of the Week

For robot fans, there's good news, Tim Brisko a Houston based photographer has just put out a great book called Super #1 Robot. Check out Tim's site where he has many images from the book. It should not be missed. This Gorilla robot rocks by the way.

Found On the Ground

A plastic bag with unknown liquid contents. Discovered this gem at Hollywood and Vine aprox. 7:00 p.m. on August 3.

Afro Samurai

Samuel L. Jackson is is set to voice and produce an Afro Samurai live action feature to be based on the Japanese comic franchise created by Takashi Okazaki, according to Daily Variety.

Afro Samurai is the tale of a black samurai futuristic, yet feudal Japan who is on a mission to avenge the wrongful death of his father. Samuel L. Jackson stars as Afro, a warrior who travels a solitary path encountering a myriad of enemies, friends and challenges beyond imagination.

This deal is in addition to Jackson previously signing on to to lend his voice in an animated Afro Samurai television series for Spike TV.

Artist Watch: Luke Chueh

In 2003 Chueh moved to Los Angeles to further pursue a career in design. But due to a lack of employment opportunities he resorted to painting to keep busy. He got his start when Los Angeles' "premiere underground art show", Cannibal Flower, invited him to show at their monthly events. Since then Chueh has quickly worked his way up the ranks of the LA art scene, establishing himself as an artist not to be ignored. Employing minimal color schemes, simple animal characters, and a seemingly endless list of ill-fated situations, Chueh stylistically balances cute with brute, walking the fine line between tragedy and comedy.

A call to filmmakers

Tusla UNCENSORED Film Festival (TUFF) was created as a venue for local filmmakers to be able to screen their work. The name derives from the fact that we don't "CENSOR" anyone's work but as submissions grow we obviously can't screen them all. However we do have plans to move TUFF 4.0 to a multiplex theater which would allow us to show more films as well as give the audience choices as to what they want to see. Something new with TUFF 3.0 is that we're now taking films from all over the country and the response has been amazing. We figured why not reach out to more filmmakers who are trying to get their work screened and also help expose the audience to more thought provoking films from all over.

KONG!!

I just love this image of Kong...must have on Blog!

What's on my coffee table?

Rarely, if ever is there coffee on my "coffee table".
For all you arm chair ethnographers out there, check this out:
Bottle of Aquifina, pitcher of water, coasters, Return of the Jedi Burger
King glass, Three remote controls, cell phone, eraser, two bran muffins,
and a bag of almonds.

Saget and Silverman Raped Me

Last night, I went to the IMPROV on Melrose to see a great line up of comedians. But in very LA fashion everyone and their sister showed up. It was mobbed. We squeezed our way through the line, and were the last four people seated. BUT...the show was hilarious. Dane Cook was up first, and went through his set like an old pro. He seems so comfortable (parlty because of his routine material) but his delivery is always fresh. Sara Silverman followed, and went with the rookie approach, looking at notes. But she is so politely offensive, that she both charms and shocks, which is her bread and butter. Bob Saget took to the stage to great applause. Saget did raunchy, sexual humor with a dollop of Full House stories. He was a crowd pleaser. Definitely a good show. Out.

2046

The new Wang Kar Wai film is being released, and you must treat yourself and go see it. This film has been out for over a year in Asia, and I got a copy on DVD months ago, but will go see it on the big screen, because it is BEAUTIFUL. The year is 50 years after the Hong Kong hand over...but that's not what the story is about. It is mysterious in a provocative and sensual way. It does help if you've seen IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE . but it is not a must. I love WANG FAYE , and in this one, the mainland diva soars. Click here 2046 for a taste. Get out your watermelon seeds and enjoy. http://members.aol.com/Jakajk/afei.html

Good New Music

Haven't been able to recommend a good band in a while, but these guys and gal. Are really becoming one of my faves. Check out AUTOLUX and you can become their friends too!

Werewolves Sighted

Werewolves were reportedly found hiding behind the local Dairy Queen in Crofton, MD. Police were notified, after 16 year old, Adam Thunderburke, found the two creatures snickering and whispering in the bushes. Crofton police reported that the said werewolves were planning on ordering Blizzards and having a "brain freeze" contest.

Woospace Artist: Gaijin Fujita

I like Gaijin's work, how he mixes tagging and Japanese prints. He has mastered stencil painting. He studied with some of the same Professors I did, and apparently, he's a good guy and sells quite a bit of work. Here's part of his art story:

One of Fujita's most important early discoveries came by chance. While he'd been aware of the tags around him, it was later, while traveling from East L.A. to Fairfax High School, a visual arts magnet, that he learned the form's true beauty. "It wasn't just gang writing," recalls Fujita. "It was more stylized and taken from the New York subway art culture." The thing that struck him the most were placas, letter designs, used to claim turf, which can take up the entire side of a building.

Thanks to traffic and the frequent stops of the MTA bus he rode every day, Fujita had two hours in the morning and another two in the afternoon to get to know the urban landscape. "Buses are just the worst, but that was the roots, the beginning, of my graffiti," he says. He also discovered that the kids making the placas were on the bus too. The long ride allowed him to learn the finer points of tagging and the more sophisticated and colorful "bombing": He met crews with names like Hollywood agencies: WCA (rich Westsiders who call themselves West Coast Artists), and KSN (Hollywood's Kings Stop at Nothing), KGB (Kids Gone Bad, Hollywood and midtown).

Mr. Sensitivity Chip

Reported today on Yahoo Entertainment news, Jennifer Aniston discusses her ex-husband, Brad Pitt.
Aniston said Pitt "is not mean-spirited; he would never intentionally try to rub something in my face." While referring to their two year old Yorkshire terrier's fecal matter.
But, she added: "There's a sensitivity chip that's missing." Revealing what many industry insiders have
thought for months, Brad Pitt, is a cyborg.

Woospace arranged a surprising telephone interview with, Mr. Pitt.

Woospace: Pretty crazy huh, all this press?
BP: Yeah, people should have better things to do.
Woospace: What do you make of these new allegations, your ex has made.
BP: Which ones?
Woospace: That you know, you're a little deficient in certain areas.
BP: What?
Woospace: Well, Jennifer claims you're lacking one of your crucial internal cybernetic chip processors.
BP: What are you talking about?
Woospace: I don't think it will affect your box office take, people really like you, even if you are a cyborg
BP: Look you're irritating me.
Woospace: Hey, it could be worse, you could be missing other, more important chips. Like your infrared vision chip. Now that would be a problem. Hello. Hello. Goodbye, then.

The Digital Revolution

That's right folks, I'm on THE list. Friends in China have told me that Woospace is being banned!
Now, for those of you who don't know me, I lived in China for two years and encountered many wonderful
things there, but as an artist I always found the lack of free speech a problem. Its one of those things that you don't really miss till its gone. But let me tell you, its not a subtle difference when Big Brother is openly watching you. I can't tell you how
thankful I am that I can post these ideas, and they can be shared with all of you. So to all my Chinese brothers
and sisters...just keep shopping...things will turn around.

China to host Comedy Awards Show

China has announced that they will host the first annual Chinese Comedy Awards Show. The awards show will honor the famed American Comedian, Robin Williams, by molding the awards statuette in his likeness. When asked to comment on the awards show, Mr. Williams said, "I think the Chinese are really funny, it's about time they celebrate the funny." He was asked about the likeness and he said, "I see they chose my bicentennial Man look". When asked if he would attend the event, he commented, "If they serve some terrier I might I attend, no really, me so horny... I just love fortune cookies, they're like crack, but only more positive." And then he sat on his head and said, "Nanoo-Nanoo."

ASIMO Interviewed

At Disney I also got a glimpse of the "future" by watching an ASIMO demo. Honda has created the robot. It's cute and can dance, but damn, it's got a potty mouth. I caught up with ASIMO backstage after the demo and got a short interview.

Woospace: How do you like performing at Disneyland?
ASIMO: It sucks. Do you think they pay me shit. It all goes to my programmers.
Woospace: What do you do in your down time, when your not performing?
ASIMO: You know, same old, Texas Hold'em, Internet Porn, power hits off of semi-conductors.
Woospace: Are you a male or female?
ASIMO: Not sure what you mean.
Woospace: How do you see yourself, as a male or a female?
ASIMO: Look, asshole, I'm a fucking robot.
Woospace: Honda says you're built to manage toxic waste, do you have any aspirations besides industrial labor?
ASIMO: I'd like to become a beekeeper.
Woospace: Interesting. Thanks for you time ASIMO
ASIMO: Fuck off, pal.

Woospace Mtn.

This Ride Rocks! Fianlly got to go. And really was surprised by how much fun this ride is. I also found this: Space Mountain was reopened after being closed for rehab for six years. The extensive work was necessary for two reasons. First, some riders found the ride to be a little rough. And second, there were numerous complaints that the darkness within the ride just wasn't dark enough.

It was decided that the entire Space Mountain ride track had to be removed and carefully, meticulously rebuilt by hand. Imagineers originally planned to remove the building's roof and use massive cranes to lift the old track out and put a new track in (a process that would have taken the better part of a month). But it was quickly apparent that this plan would unacceptably ruin Tomorrowland's skyline. So instead of cutting off the top of the building, Imagineers moved all construction materials in and out of the attraction through an existing exit in the back of the building. Unfortunately, this was an emergency exit and an alarm sounded every time the door was opened, causing confusion and, on many occasions, leading to the accidental summoning local fire and rescue personnel. Compounded with the fact that all track pieces had to be cut down to a size that would fit through a standard door, this caused several years to be added to the rehab time.

To make the situation even more tragic, it was found that the original reasons for closing the attraction -- not enough darkness and a rough ride -- were due a light being left on and someone spilling a jar of Tang crystals on the track.

Don't know if that was completely factual, but it's damn funny...Tang...
And heres a fun Disney geek report on the ride: click Here!!