Projector Error (16mm B/W Short) from David Gwaltney on Vimeo.
Sophomore year film: Shot on 16mm B/W, cut by hand.
‘On the edge of the wilderness, the clouds slip open like curtains.’
Pen/Colored Pencil
Right click and save here for a sampling of my music. These are the demos to the upcoming EP ‘turn on.’
Loves Me Not from David Gwaltney on Vimeo.
Shot on 16mm, B/W, cut by hand.
‘Unfortunately, for the Budding Superhero,’
Despite the warmth that the Snuggie™ cape provided, the complimentary booklight and matching set were not worth the life lost that day.
If you were unable to catch the Oscars this weekend or the subsequent coverage on Animal Planet, I’ll keep it short:
BOLT won: an upset for many, a triumph for others. Such are the Oscars.
Accepting the award for the computer-animated canine were John Travolta and Keya, the White German Shepherd Bolt was modeled after.
Struggling through tears, Travolta (in a tasteful 2-button Armani tux) thanked the Academy. Anne Hathaway cried. Keya sat.
The speech and post-speech can be seen here: Oscars Official Website.
Last week’s post got a lot of net attention (particularly in the lonely single women [age 30-45] demographic ). So much so that this is what I found today on Entertainment Weekly’s blog:
POOCH PLAY ERS PREDICTIONS!
by Brian B. Ross
David Gwaltney’s Pooch Players Nominations, with its wacky irreverence and witty satire, have taken the web by storm, DOGGY STYLE!
Dog web forums have been a-barkin’ with speculation as to who will win the coveted prize. The majority are sniffing out Jonah as the winner for his hilarious and touching portrayal of Marley, a misbehaving lab, but others are quick to defend the other contenders.
What is needed is an expert opinion, one that I got from George Masters, Academy Award Nominated make-up designer for Tootsie and active Academy member since 1978. These are his views on this year’s nominees:
“Bolt is most definitely an underdog in this. Not just is he the only CGI-dog in the lot, but he’s the youngest, a big drawback for voters. On the other hand, a small majority of the industry is banking on the fact that John Travolta, the voice of Bolt, is going to receive the sympathy vote due to his recent tragedy. Don’t put this pup in the dog house just yet!”
“In my opinion, Clyde (’Senior Marley’ in Marley and Me) is pretty much a shoe-in. Although his role in the film is relatively small, he carries the dramatic weight of this film. Also, being one of the oldest dogs in the industry, voters are likely to give him the ‘respect’ vote, not really voting for his nominated film, but his entire, impressive body of work. Get your acceptance bark ready!”
“Jonah (Marley) is the audience favorite. He tore this film-pillow into a record high gross of feathers. The nay-sayers say his comedic background distracts from the film; however, 99.9% of this world think he ain’t no SLUMDOG! This dog bowl is half-full.”
“Although some people think Lucy will get the female vote, let’s face it: No one has seen Wendy and Lucy, let alone know it’s about a dog. Give this dog a bone.”
“Rusco’s portrayal of Papi, the impoverished Chihuahua of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, is getting some real heat in inner-Hollywood circles. If Rusco were to win, he’d be the first dog of minority descent to win the prize. This might work for him or against him. No one’s quite sure yet, but if he does win, let’s just hope he can break the minority Oscar curse and not make another Catwoman.”
So there you have it. Just remember to tune in tomorrow night (ABC 8PM) for the festivies and the unveiling of the winner of the First Annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ ‘Pooch Player.’
It’s been a little over two weeks since the Oscar nominations, and I feel I have held my tongue for far too long.
Okay, yes. It’s a shame that Springsteen wasn’t acknowledged for his Wrestler contribution or The Dark Knight missed its chance at Best Picture, but what I don’t get:
Why did the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences neglect the real star of this past year: the dog?
2008 was a victory for canines.
Obama brought national attention to the species with his high-profile promise that, if he were to win the presidency, he would buy his daughters a dog (now choosing between a Portuguese Water Hound or Labradoodle).
Dogs did huge business at the box office, with Beverly Hills Chihuahua defying critical opinion, going on to make nearly $100 million, and Marley and Me breaking box office records (currently at $160 million).
Dog-centric film productions continued to increase during 2008, meaning Hotel for Dogs and Space Buddies are only the beginning of a great year.
This being said, did the Academy not ‘heel the love?’
There is a famous saying in Hollywood: “Never work with children or animals.” If thus is the case, why then does the Academy not recognize the industry’s talented canine thespians and the directors that dared to hire them?
This is exactly what I argued to Sid Ganis, the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in a series of e-mails, resulting in this announcement:
I, in association with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, proudly present the nominee list for the first annual ‘Pooch Players’:
Performance by a Canine in a Motion Picture:
Over the next few weeks, as we continue down the road to the Oscars, I will examine the nominees, presenting you with industry speculation, mainstream opinion, and, ultimately, the winner of the First Annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ ‘Pooch Player.’
Stay tuned.
(Above: Google’s idea of the most ‘adorable dogs’)
Fair Enough.
*If you have opinions on any of the nominees, please feel free to comment and let us know!
America owes a lot to the Titanic disaster.
The tragedy has spawned award-winning Broadway plays, X-billion-dollar-grossing feature films, perfectly average novels, and macabre enjoyment rides (”We’re dying, Dad!” they scream in excitement. The father, sticking his polo-ed chest out proud, chuckles, “That’s great, sons.”).
If that isn’t enough, people simply won’t stop talking about it. Case in point:
According to a recent study by a group of Australian and Swiss researchers, the Britons aboard the Titanic were ten percent less likely to survive than any other nationality. Compare that to the fact that Americans were the most likely to survive and the question arises: what’s up with that?
The researchers attribute this phenomenon to what they label “noblesse oblige ” or, simply, good manners. So if there is anything left to be taken from the Titanic sinking, it is this:
Chivalry might not be dead, but it is, at the least, dying by means of natural selection.
Lesson Learned.
Fair Enough.
(If you are an American, as well as a direct descendent of a Titanic disaster survivor, you might run the risk of being a carrier of the “rude gene.” Please click here for more information.)
