Movie Magic...Well Sort Of.

Well, I think I am back in the blogging mood.....for now

My time off from the site has been due to the overwhelming stress of school. Writing papers, making presentations and preparing for my inevitable graduation this December.

Over the course of this semester I have done some amazing things but one that I am very proud of is the short film that I created. You all might remember the post I wrote about the storytelling process (if not scroll down...you'll see it) well in that post I talked about what I do to write my own material and luckily for me, I got to create some new scripts and film and edit one into a short film. 

Myself and Kimberly Bradford, filming  photo by Ryan Richard

The process was entirely exhilarating and honestly I learned so much about myself in the process. I broke down a few times but most of the time I soared through the work day. We had a great cast and crew and I think the film came out better than what I expected. 

So here is a little bit about how I made my first film.

The Challenge

When faced with a huge project of this scale, it is best to plan ahead. I started out with a simple idea that soon blossomed into a fantastic story. I wrote a script, got actors set for the parts, but then, it all fell apart.

To explain what i mean, filming anywhere is a very hard thing to do, especially if you are going to need to use locations that don't belong to you. We had a problem like that and because i didn't have insurance to cover any damages, I couldn't use any city property. I had to rethink everything.

The Story

Instead of reworking everything, I decided to use the name of the main character from my first screenplay. From there, I deciphered the name and came up with a story all its own. In my attempts to get a story out and to start filming, I wrote tirelessly for a week and came up with a twelve page script that honestly made me cry tears of joy.

For anyone looking to write a script, I say just write what you feel, It will make all the difference when you actually begin filming.

Once finished I created a story board. This element is not necessary but it does help with visualization and I highly recommend it. If you aren't an artist, you can get someone else to draw up your concepts or just go crazy with the stick-figures. Its your choice. Writing a shot list is also a good idea that way you know exactly what you want to see.

The Filming

Here is where that storyboard and shot list come in handy. Have all your equipment ready and start filming

•   Camera
• Tripod
• Light Kit
• Reflectors
• Boom mic

These are what I used but I didnt have a budget and I rented them from my university for free. If you cant do that then just see where you can rent equipment. Remember that the equipment you use will reflect the quality of the film.

The Editing

I am doing a whole lot of editing at the moment. I would say for a ten minute film, it has taken about 2 weeks worth of my time. the most i can say here is to understand what you have and the story you are going to tell. Work with everything you can and make a statement. Add your music and don't forget to credit everyone who helped. 

This is what i did while i was gone and how to film according to B

Food Facts--Honey is For the Bees

I had the chance recently to learn about taking care of honeybee hives. Yes, that does mean that I put on all the gear and got to smoke the bees. It was so cool, it is like nothing you have ever experienced, especially because these bees were wild. The best part is that the beekeepers gave us a taste of the raw natural honey and by whatever deity you believe in, it was so good!

So in honor of that experience, lets learn about honey.

The Sticky Truth

Honey is basically the regurgitated nectar that bees put into their honeycombed hives and seal with wax. Yes, it sounds gross but through evaporation, the nectar becomes thick and sweet, frankly if it tastes good, who care what kind of little insect barfed it up. The honey's sweetness is from mono saccharides and glucose and has the same sweetness as regular sugar. It actually is a bit higher in calories than sugar, but obviously it is better for you. The use of honey as a sweetener has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians even stored it in tombs with the dead. On a side note, this honey that was like thousands of years old is still good to eat. The reason is because bacteria cannot live in the honey because of its low water content so it doesn't really break down which is weird because its sugar and bacteria loves sugar, I mean have you smelled your bread lately, ugh. Of course we all know that young children under 2 years old should  not eat honey but why? Well the answer is that honey sometimes does have a few things living in it. In this case, they are called endospores. They belong to a certain bacterium that creates toxins in the intestines of the infants causing severe illness and in some cases death.

Please don't feed your infants honey....just don't.

Yeah this Stuff is Like Magic.....Right?

Just a little fun fact, honey actually has electrolytes which means that it can conduct some electric currents but don't try to light a light-bulb, its not that good at conducting.

The health factors of honey are numerous but some are a little bit skewed. Some people use it for just about everything: cough suppressant, fungal remover, burns, etc. There is some evidence of honey working on the skin to aid in burns and cuts but there is still not enough evidence for more serious applications like stomach ulcers or cancer.  The truth with honey is that you have to know what you are using. The content of honey is mainly sugar so the best it probably can do is kick start your metabolism. Some types of honey may have better medicinal properties based on the nectar of the plant the honey is made from, but of course there could be little affect on your body unless you want to down several gallons worth of the sweet stuff. Also, if you are immune deficient, I would advise you not to ingest honey because it can lead to bacterial infections just like with infants.

As a safety measure, don't use honey to heal yourself unless you are trapped in the wilderness. Just don't. Go see a doctor instead.

It's Like Gold!

Honey comes in three grades A, B, and C. A is, of course, the best to buy. The grade means it has a normal flavor and its smell is like that of the plant the nectar was taken from. the other grades just get lower from that point B being okay tasting and smelling and C being fairly good.

Honey also comes in different stages of processing. I got to try raw honey for the first time and it is very good. All raw means is that it is straight from the hive with very little processing or none at all. Pasteurizing just heats up the honey to get rid of any yeast living in it, it also make the honey darker, pulling out some of the flavor in the process.

This stuff really is like gold, sometimes the price is quite high but I am sure it is because honey takes about 50,000 bees to create  500 pounds of honey each year.

The Bees

Some interesting facts about bees that I learned while working at the hives.

• The smoker device is not used to get bees high on smoke but to simulate a forest fire. The bees will think their hive is in danger and become preoccupied with saving their honey.
• Several queens may be incubating at the same time but when the first one hatches, the others are destroyed
• Drone bees are the males and are out-numbered by the females. Each winter the drones are rejected from the hive and left to die.
• Bees will work themselves to death...oh yeah. Sometimes bees are seen struggling on the ground around the hive, trying to fly but are so exhausted that they eventually die of starvation. 
• Bees will search out a new home if theirs gets too small. Scouts will fly out and select a new location then the queen will be moves and the bees will gather around her protecting her.
• At beekeeping sites, each stacked box structure is a different hive with a different queen. Like neighboring kingdoms, if one bee mistakes a colony for their own, they will be killed immediately. 
• If you come in contact with an angry bee, cover your face. They will always attack there first.
• Once stung, a bee dies shortly after because their stingers and most of their lower halves fall out of their bodies.

And that is honey and bees According to B.

What do you think of honey and the process it takes to make it? Do you use it for anything specific? What about recipes? Tell me in the comments below.

Wednesday Writing--My Take on the Story Telling Process

A story can bring a listener or reader into a world that can  sometimes not be experienced. It can also create a beautifully detailed account of real life. No matter what story you choose to read, there is always a reason behind them. The author is the master and the lord of the land that he/she has crafted into reality. I know just a little bit about this process because I currently writing a bit myself.

Photo by: Brian Richard (2013)

Now I am not the best creative writer, but I am definitely learning. I started about two years ago with an idea for a novel which i planned to pursue. Unfortunately, I was distracted by schooling which seems to happen a lot and I ended up with about 32 pages of a story and no more interest. I found that I was continuously writing action scenes and leaving out plot development and character arcs. This was not the story I had planned on.

I then changed my mind and decided to create a spec pilot script of this story but change the setting and the characters and make it a bit darker. It is what i am currently working on now and i have to say, I like it. Just to mention, I am only finished with the pilot draft and started on the second episode draft. This process has been going for about a year. It is a lot of work but I want to share that work with you.

The Idea

When I first began to come up with a series, I started with an already workable story line. If you don't have any ideas about where you are going, just look around you. Ideas will come from the strangest of places. The one thing to remember is to write what you would want to read or see. 

For example, walk around your neighborhood and find an interesting place. It can be and old ornate house, a giant tree, even a stop sign. Nothing has to be overly specific because once you see something that interests you all you have to do is make up a story around it.

Lets use the ideas above and create something.

• Maybe the old house you spot is so quirky looking that it could be the home of a retired private investigator who now writes murder mysteries. 
• That tree could have been the scene of a beautiful wedding between two people 
• The stop sign on the corner might be where a tragic accident took place.

These are simple ideas and writing them out can help you determine what you might want to write about. I actually like the first one so lets put something together. I am going to make a few changes though.

• A murder mystery writer is plunged into real police investigations when she realizes, after reading of an incident that seems familiar to her, that her books are being used to used to commit very real crimes. 

Now i know that sounds like Murder She wrote or Castle. Both are great shows and it is okay  use them as examples to create your own version with a unique style. Remember that all series are simply variations of another series. Keep writing and thinking and this could be a great one.

Characters

Now as for characters, this takes quite a long time for me to create. I start out with just simple gender ideas. If I want a woman character I call her lead female and then place her in the plot of the story. In this case, female lead is the murder mystery writer. I would then create a table that has their wants and fears. Knowing your characters will help you write for them. 

As a writer you also have to make sure that characters do not have the same style of voice. If everyone talks the same way, how will anyone connect with them. They have to be real and real people are all unique. 

Another thing to consider is diversity. Yes, the white character seems like the choice to make but I am sick of those leads. Think outside the box. Some shows like Scandal on ABC is an example of a show with a great diverse lead. Maybe give your character African, Asian, Middle Eastern or Indian heritage. Get the audience to fall in love with their personality and their struggle and you will have a great show on your hands.

Episodes

So for this area, i just simply write and write and write. There is nothing really I can say but write. I start with full drafts that are about 15-25 pages long then i take those drafts and forget about them. Come back to them later after you have moved on to the next episode draft. Once you look at it again, some ideas that you wrote will work and some will not. Don't be afraid to make changes. You will also see arcs start to come together and connections come full circle. Remember to get others to read your work because if they don't like it, no one else will. 

I am still working on the whole script writing process myself so i will recommend these books The Screenwriter's Handbook by Syd Field and Inside the Room: Writing Television with the Pros at UCLA Extension Writers' Program edited by Linda Davis

So I don't Bore you anymore that is Story telling According to B.

Hope that you can use some of this to help you write and definitely check out those books. They are a big help for me.

Tech Science Tuesday--NASA Says Life is Probable Out There

According to an article I read  in the Los Angeles Times(2014), NASA is sure that there is at least one planet rotating around every star in our galaxy. So basing that on some rough estimations I made, I am pretty sure it is possible that there are at least 300 to 600 billion planets out there for life to be sustained on.

With this vast number of planets out there, it should be quite simple to find one that harbors life but that is where scientist are still a bit behind. Currently NASA, according to the LA Times article (2014) is working on a telescope lens that will filter out star light that could be blocking these planets from our view.

Caption: August 2013 James Webb Space Telescope mural image. Artist's impression.

Credit: Northrop Grumman jwst.nasa.gov

The telescope in question is called the James Webb Space Telescope or WJST, named after a former NASA administrator of the same name.

According to the NASA James Webb Space Telescope site, this new piece of science equipment will be able help astronomers and scientists unravel the mysteries of our planet and the universe around us.

 "The Webb will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System." (NASA)

 This is really exciting news and it looks like the implementation for this telescope is not far off. The NASA site says that the telescope should be ready by 2018.

As far as the recent news, the LA Times (2014) quoted Sara Seager, a planetary scientist at MIT as saying, "We believe we are very close in terms of science and technology to finding another Earth, and signs of life on another world."

In other words, if we find life out there, it is surely to be a whole lot sooner than we could expect and maybe not so far away.

And That is Tech/Science Tuesday According to B

You can check out the LA Times article HERE or head on over to the JWST site and get the details on what other cool things this telescope can do HERE

What do you think of this info? What might we expect to find out in the vast regions of Space? Share in the comments below.

July 14th--Bastille Day at Last

So I am American, but I am also French. I say that I am French because I live in South Louisiana and my name proves that I am. The culture that has reared me is not unlike the culture that is found in the bustling city of Paris and the exquisite countryside of Languedoc. The French heritage that dwells within me is diverse and every bit as authentic as it should be. So I am happy to take a moment to recognize and remember a very important French National Holiday.

July 14

(AP Photo/Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool)

Bastille Day is the commemoration of the storming of the Bastille on July 14th of 1789. This day was the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison structure that was filled with ammunition and used to hold prisoners who had spoken objectively of the French government. The attack was in an effort to keep the people's representatives safe from the royal army as they worked to create an unified constitution. The people of France stormed the building and in doing so, showed that they would take the power over their government. It was now the People's turn to govern themselves.

That is just a short little bit about the history of the day. If you want to learn more check out this article on about.com.

The Celebrations

To celebrate the day, the French hold a national parade that travels down the Champs-Elysee from the Arch de Triomphe to the Palace de la Concorde. Its is not only a French celebration as many places in America are also celebrating the day including French populated New Orleans. My current city of Lafayette La, held a small event on the 13th.

I will be celebrating a little later today in honor of my Ancestors who were alive and fighting during the French revolution, but also to all the French citizens who love their country and wanted the freedom criticize and change it for the better.

Photo: Pierre René-Worms RFI/France 24

Vive La France et Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité!

Where I want to be Right Now--Summer Travel

So its almost the middle of July which to me means the peak of the summer vacation season. Like most of the young people out there, vacation time is all about the beach or the amusement park. Unfortunately, I am a college senior now and summer school is in full swing so it looks like I won't be going anywhere just yet. (hopefully I can save up some money)

For those of you more fortunate than I, here is the place that i think you should travel to this summer, hands down. Wait in the lines, sweat your derriere off (you might look better) and drown in the pure magic that is

Photo by: Brian Richard (2011)

Universal Studios Orlando. 

Plus Islands of Adventure......go there too! 

This place is great. I went about four years ago after the Harry Potter Hogsmead section opened in Islands of Adventure. I won't deny that the lines were long and the heat was hot, but this place really did live up to my expectations. Currently I am planning a trip back to, of course, see the new London and Diagon Alley attractions but it may take a while before anything happens. 

For starters, lets talk price. Along with my parents and two other siblings (all adults), this place would equal out to about $975.00. A season pass with park to park access is only 1,074 dollars for 5 adults. Frankly, that is a great price. The same options for Orlando's flagship Theme Park (not naming any names....*Mickey*) would come out to $1,938.30 for the base tickets with the park-hopping option. The season passes would total $3,170. While I would love to venture back to the happiest place on Earth, I haven't been there in 15 years, I don't want anyone to spend their life savings just to ride some rides and see some characters. If you plan on going there, I say go, it's your money (bring me back a souvenir!)

 If your wondering, the season passes for Universal range from $214 at the lowest and $434 at the highest per person.

When I traveled to Universal which was about four years ago, I was only able to go for two days. I know 2 days, what kind of vacation is that? It wasn't a vacation, it was work. I still had fun though, and here is why.

Photo by: Brian Richard (2011)

Upon entering the park, I felt immersed in the experience. They do a really fantastic job with scenery and building design. Every part of the park has the feel of a new place with a new story and it surely doesn't disappoint. Universal studios has a back lot design feel to it. It is like walking through sets of a movie and the rides are diverse but extremely fun. 

Photo by: Brian Richard (2011)

I loved the Men in Black Alien Attack ride and the Revenge of the Mummy Indoor coaster was out of this world. Rip ride Rocket, I was told is fantastic, but unfortunately for me it was closed for repairs.  Don't forget to also take in the oldies like the ever cute and extraterrestrial ET Adventure ride. Since my time there, They have changed the Simpsons area to encompass more eating areas and I believe just a minor update to the Simpson's ride. They have also added a Transformers indoor ride and the new Harry Potter Diagon Alley attraction which opened early this July. That place is a whole story in itself. If you want to take a look at what it has to offer, watch  some videos on TheTimeTraker's youtube page. He has a whole lot of videos on Universal including the rides; they are fantastic.

Photo by: Brian Richard (2011)

Islands of Adventure was extremely crowed when I was there, but traveling through Hogsmead was so fantastic. The details are amazing and I even got a wand for myself according to my birthday but (watch out, they cost about 30 bucks). Journey through Hogwarts was simply amazing but I few of my travelling partners got a bit sick on the ride. I have to say that the Queue lines for the rides are wonderfully done. Universal from what I hear is really becoming a challenger to the guy with the ears down the road. Make sure to spend some time on the originals: Jurassic Park River adventure and Bilge Rat Barges while you are there. 

Food and drink like any park is a bit on the pricey side but I was not completely broke by the end of the two days. Your best option is to choose wisely when eating at a park. The stands that serve food are very quick and usually cost less while sit down areas are a bit more expensive. If you really aren't willing to give up your money at the parks, i suggest bringing a pack with snacks that will not spoil as you walk in the Florida sun. Purchase water at the entrance of the park, I have heard its cheaper (don't quote me) and heed the park attendants warnings. They are not just trying to up-charge you on a drink. Its hot, you don't realize how little fluids you've had, buy the electrolyte-replenishing beverage.

Photo by: Brian Richard (2011)

As far as where to eat in the park, why not try the award winning Mythos restaurant in islands of adventure or maybe Falls Terrace for the kids. Three Broomsticks is another wonderful place for a meal, although it may be a bit crowed for some. Richter's Burger Co. was my favorite in Universal Studios. It had a veggie burger that was perfect for something light in the heat and the atmosphere there was very cool.

Overall, Universal and Islands of Adventure is a great summer Theme Park. The rides are being updated and new attractions are always in the works. I haven't been in 4 years and just seeing what is out there right now makes me so jealous. Trust me, I have not even scratched the surface of what these parks have to offer. 

Photo by: Gabrielle Dinger (2011)

When planning your vacation, remember to bring everything necessary to make your trip fun. That includes comfortable clothes and shoes, bathroom items, loads of sunscreen, and I prefer to carry cash so bring about 500 dollars worth of it. They don't need your credit card information any more and neither does any random person visiting the parks. Remember to stay safe and always have fun.

That's Universal Studios Florida According to B!

What is Universal According to You? Tell me in the comments. 

My Saturday Mornings--Let's Make it a Thing

Saturday is a day to relax for me, and by relax, of course I mean "get up early and make breakfast"
 This day has always been about watching cooking shows, eating whatever was made by my mother, and drinking a cup of coffee.
 So lets pause it right now and talk about some coffee that you need to try no matter where you live.

This is how I drink my coffee
Cream and sugar, sweet but still bitter.
This is a dark roast blend

Louisiana is know for some great food items and it seems that we have "best of's" in every category of the food and beverage world. As far as coffee is concerned, you have to try Community Coffee.

image source CommunityCoffee.com

This stuff is everywhere in the South of Louisiana and it even has its own Starbucks like following.Just look at the label, can't you tell that it is going to be delicious? I don't think I have ever walked into a house and not seen community coffee, it's a way of life here.

The flavor is the most amazing that i have ever had whether you like it black or with sugar and cream like i do. I cannot describe it to you simply because their are not words. you have to taste it and see for yourself. Which you can do by ordering it online.

If you live in Louisiana, you can get at the supermarket but anywhere's else.....Forget It.

So today, since I am French, I decided to make crepes for breakfast. They are like really thin pancakes except with a more savory flavor. I filled mine with  les fraises which are just cut strawberries with a bit of sugar (so good). You can choose the filling you like. Ham is really good and in real street vendor style, go for a hazelnut spread.

Here is the recipe for the crepes:

•  1 cup flour
•  1 1/2 cups milk
•  2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Combine flour, milk, eggs, and oil.
2. Add salt.
3. Heat a lightly greased 6 inch skillet (cooking spray is fine) remove from heat.
4. Spoon in 2 Tbsp batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread evenly.
5. Return to heat; brown on one side only.
6. To remove, I use a chopstick to invert them over paper toweling.
7. Repeat the steps above with the remaining batter.

The crepes will be a bit rubbery in texture but oh so delicious with any filling you add.

C'est Magnifique et delicieux. J'aime le petit dejeuner. Bon appétit!!

Every Saturday seems like a breakfast day to me, let's make it a tradition. So that is Saturday morning According to B.

What are Saturday Mornings According to you? Leave a comment below.

Let's Go With the News

Okay, so I am indeed what most people like to call a newshound. Some may not believe me and since i have some footage, take a look and make fun of me all you want. To the below I have my very first package report as an intern at a local news station and a simple tease I have done for another story.

Sorry about what I am going to write below, I just want people to know about the work that I will be doing in the future.

My Rant

I have only been working as a reporting intern for at least two months and its been fun but very stressful. The reason I am sharing this with you is because most people don't treat reporters like real people or have some notion that they should be treated less because it is their job to bother people. We are no different than any other person, just talk to us and find out.

The truth is that we make mistakes....quite a lot of mistakes. Now, I am not saying that reporters are stupid because that is far from the truth. On the contrary, we are highly skilled and educated in news writing and editing skills. The problem with our job is that the public expects an intense level of expertise and precision but only on the news that they want to hear. If you have ever worked in the news, you will know that people are hard to please. Either there is too much violence on the news and not enough love to go around. The other side says that there is not enough hard news and that the fluff should never be covered.

Ughh! Honestly, people need to understand the fact that news has many subcategories. We cover everything because that is what it takes to run a successful news station. We also do all this work for the public for very little money and sometimes in places that are so far away from our homes. We get crazy amounts of information and sometimes it is information that makes no sense, but we still create a clear and entertaining story.

So what I guess I want to get out to everyone is that we should all be nice to our reporters and new stations. They are hard workers who get up for work at strange hours everyday in service to the public. Oh and by the way, from my experience thus far I can conclude we are not agenda setters. Ordinary local people and businesses call in with information for us to share with you.

That is the news According to B.

What is the news according to You? Let me know in the comments below.

The Celebratory First Post

Hello there all you internet click through-ers (yep! I made that up) and welcome to my celebratory first post. In honor of this first post I have decided to talk about what i want to see out of this blog.

Hopefully you have not yet lived up to your name and clicked through to someone more interesting. Hear me out, I am interesting and I guarantee that there will be more entertaining content coming soon.

So, lets get to this!

As the title says my name is B. Of course it is short for Brian as you might see on my site. At this very moment in time, I am a college broadcast journalism major just hoping to get a job and make a difference in this world. I am a Native Louisianian and yes I am Cajun. I also speak French at a satisfactory level, but I do plan to learn fluently. For a long time I have wanted to create a blog but my expertise in any certain area has been very lacking....sorry I know that is disappointing. The creation of this blog is merely me succumbing to the hopes that I can share a part of my life and my brain with the rest of the world before a full time reporting career takes over my life.

I plan to cover just about every aspect of life and the world and give my readers (hey! that's you!) a taste of my take on everything. I want to write about Travel and Cities but unfortunately, I don't have much money to go anywhere. That being said, I think the connection thing could be a great way for me to learn about other cultures by people getting in touch with me. Health is another part of life that everyone needs to take  a look at and i definitely have some ideas for posts and hey do not worry, as a reporter, I will do my research. I also want to cover Food and Science. I love educating people on just about everything and being on top of what is new and cool hopefully appeal to you. And, if you like Movies, Television, and Books, I will cover that too.

If you made it though that, then you know what this site is about and what i want to see come from this. Just remember I cannot do this without you!

Stop by often and see the world according to B. You can also keep up with me on twitter @BrianR2

What is the world according to you, let me know below.