CROSSING THE FINISH: ATHLETE Director Dave's Blog

HAPPY FOURTH

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:27:05 -0500

DLM
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QUANTUM TEASER

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:19:34 -0500

The teaser to another must-see film, Quantum of Solace, has hit the web. The new 007 flick features Mathieu Amalric of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly as the villain.

DLM
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ROCK + ROLL WEDDING

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:49:38 -0500

Earlier this year I vowed I would not film another wedding. Never say not. My friend Holly made me an offer I couldn't refuse -- her sister was getting married in a wedding/concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn (I've always wanted to film a live music event and the place is nearly identical to the Bowery Ballroom; same owners). What can I say. It rocked.

A great James Brown impersonator kicked things off.

Singer-songwriter Zack Weber.

Killer cover rock band Joe Dirt and the Dirty Boys closed things out.

Taking a breather backstage.

The lucky couple was also featured in Sunday's New York Times in a write-up and video about their wedding.

Holly you rock. Again congrats Carey and Chris.

DLM
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ALL-STAR MARKETING

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:45:19 -0500

You gotta give it to Major League Baseball. Their current marketing campaign for next month's All-Star game in NYC is pure genius. To raise awareness for the event, MLB has placed 42 Statues of Liberty painted in bright team colors and All-Star branding throughout the city.

I haven't followed baseball since the Giants lost to the Angels in the 2002 World Series (still bitter), but I've been obsessed with these statues since returning from Chicago (and just might tune in on July 15).

Featuring large, colorful public works of art in major cities is nothing new. There have been cows in Chicago, bears in Berlin, and apples in NYC. But the idea of taking something as iconic as Lady Liberty and reimagining it as a series of bright, bold statues to market a sporting event is brilliant.

Standing 8 1/2 feet tall, "The Statues on Parade" (and the miniature collectible versions on sale) were created by Forever Collectibles, a company that manufactures bobblehead dolls and other sports merchandise for MLB.

The statues can be found in popular tourist spots and inside or in front of select retail stores selling All-Star merchandise (again brilliant). A map with all 42 locations can be downloaded from mlb.com (typo with the locations of statues 42 and 10).

Yes, there is even a Boston Red Sox statue (wisely placed inside the new Sports Museum of America).

DLM
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DESK TOY: RARE LOBSTER

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:30:43 -0500

Name: Lobster Rider
Designer / Manufacturer: Sunco Products
Origin: Made in China
Acquired From: Museum of Contemporary Art Store, Chicago
Fun Factor: Low (unless you're in a pool)
Comments: The story behind this is pretty interesting. For those who are familiar with Jeff Koons' art work, you'll recognize the lobster, which has been featured in many of his paintings and sculptures in the Popeye series.

So while checking out his exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago, I purchased an inflatable version of the lobster from the museum store. I assumed it was officially licensed merchandise, like the other Koons-branded items -- magnets, postcards, and t-shirts -- I came across in the store.

But surprisingly, the lobster I purchased is an actual pool toy from the 90's, manufactured by a company called Sunco Products (which is no longer in business) and served as an inspiration for Koons' Popeye series.

According to museum staff, the MCA searched long and hard, across the country to locate and purchase all remaining inventory of the "Lobster Rider". So the only two places you can find this rare lobster, is at the MCA store (limited quantities) and on eBay, where they've been selling for upwards of $1,000 each (original price? $14.99).

Isn't that something? A little piece of art history in the office. Amazing.

DLM
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CHI-TOWN

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:42:02 -0500

Had the chance to visit one of my favorite cities, Chicago, recently. Haven't been back since 2005 when I ran my fourth marathon there. Even then, with all of the butterflies, pain, and suffering, I had a great time in the Windy City. Thankfully on this trip I didn't have to run 26.2 miles and got to check out a whole lot more of the city.

NYC might be the mecca of art and design, but for me, Chicago has a better collection of contemporary works on display.

There's Indian artist Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture (aka, "The Bean") in Millennium Park.

Architect Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

And of course, the popular Crown Fountain by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa, also in Millennium Park.

The current Jeff Koons exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art is the best art exhibit I've seen to date. I usually speed through museums and only find one or two works that I like (much like an album). Not this one.

It was the first time I've seen his paintings up close. The details are amazing. Pretty awe-inspiring stuff.

You can even find art at O'Hare.

The Jordan statue at the United Center. Wow. It was like seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time. Got the chills.

The Marina City towers.

The complex also houses the House of Blues (cool venue).

The Foundation Room.

"These go to eleven."

"And now performing Air Supply's Making Love Out Of Nothing At All, Daaavid Laam!!"

DLM
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HARD TO CUT

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:28:15 -0500

It was time for a much-needed haircut (was venturing dangerously close into Steven Seagal territory).

(One of the best films of the 90's)

Thanks again Sarah and Sangi.

DLM
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LIZ ON FOX BIZ

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:31:58 -0500

If you've already seen the Liz Claiborne Inc. film Runway of Opportunity, then check out this interview with the company's CEO Bill McComb, who appeared on FOX Business today. You'll see how the film's message and story really fit well into his overall strategy for the company and its brands.

DLM
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OH YEAH

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:56:26 -0500

Director David Fincher's next film is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which is based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story about a man who ages backwards. It opens this Christmas. I. Can't. Wait.

The English-language trailer has finally hit the Web (it premiered in theatres before screenings of Indiana Jones a month ago and until now, only a Spanish version existed online). Highly recommend you check out the HD version at Apple's Quicktime trailer site. Stunning.

DLM
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RUNWAY OF OPPORTUNITY

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:39:08 -0500

Last November, I started work on a short film called Runway of Opportunity for fashion client Liz Claiborne Inc. (LCI). The task was to help create an engaging and entertaining piece that would showcase the company's many great brands and diverse talent pool.

What many people may not be aware of is that LCI is the parent of such companies as Kate Spade, Juicy Couture, and Lucky Brand Jeans. I didn't know that going in. In fact, I didn't know much about the fashion industry when I took on this project. Fashion to me was a cool track jacket, a nice pair of sneakers, and the occasional suit and tie.

So to prepare for the shoot, I spent months watching clips and studying photos of fashion shows. I wanted to accurately recreate that environment and space for the film (in Runway, we use a mock fashion show to introduce each of the featured subjects/employees).

Working on Runway gave me an inside look at the fashion industry and a new-found appreciation for what goes into making that "cool track jacket" or nifty pair of sneakers -- a lot of great talent. And not just in the obvious areas of design, merchandising and sales, but in all areas ranging from finance to technology to human resources and beyond.

I had a blast working on Runway. Really, a great collaboration. Thanks to Helene, Stacey, Tim and everyone at LCI. And of course Melissa, Mike, Nolan, Erin and everyone at Yahoo!

And without further adieu, I give you Runway of Opportunity. Enjoy.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos on the making of Runway...

We storyboarded our ideas during pre-production.

Day one of filming at a Juicy Couture store in NYC.

At the Kate Spade offices.

At Lucky Jeans.

With Helene Richter (Director of Talent Acquisition and Co-Producer of Runway) and Tim Gunn (Chief Creative Officer).

As always, big thanks to Melissa Ferrara for the pics.

To learn more about a career at Liz Claiborne Inc., visit runwayofopportunity.com.

DLM
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ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:58:40 -0500

It's only June, but for me, the album of the year is The Age of the Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets (lead singer of Arctic Monkeys + lead singer of The Rascals). Been listening to it non-stop since it came out in May. Not one bad track on this album, which is a rarity these days.

Listen on MySpace.

DLM
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:05:04 -0500

It was athlete Jenny's birthday party the other night. It's been a while since I've seen so many triathletes in one place. Highlight of the night -- vodka/oj and a slice of birthday cake (these guys train hard and party hard). Thanks Jen for the buzz and the sugar rush. Good times.

DLM
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DESK TOY: PINK ELEPHANT

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:17:02 -0500

Name: Animal Object (Pink Elephant)
Designer / Manufacturer: Erect
Origin: Designed in Japan / Made in China
Acquired From: MoMA Store, NYC
Fun Factor: Low
Comments: Not fun to play with but fun to look at.

(Yes, that's a scene from ATHLETE in the background).

DLM
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CONSTRUCTION ART

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:04:48 -0500

While in SoHo tonight I came across a series of chain-link fences with colorful pixel patterns in the intersection of Broadway and Houston.

What is it? Elaborate ad campaign? Modern piece of construction? Abstract art? All of the above (sort of).

It's an art installation called the "Houston Fence", created by architects Carlos J. Gómez de Llarena, Carolina Cisneros and Mateo Pintó. The same team behind the "Fulton Fence" in Lower Manhattan, which was part of the larger "Re:Construction" project designed to "turn Downtown New York construction zones into sites for unexpected and engaging public-art and architecture projects."

As innovative and cool as the "Houston Fence" is, I was really surprised to learn that it is not the first of its kind. Turns out a company in Fort Worth, Texas called Put-In-Cups produces these colorful plastic, diamond-shaped cups that snap onto chain-link fences. Their site features endless samples of Put-In-Cups being used to create signs, logos, and art work on chain-link fences at schools, businesses, and homes.

Am I the only one who's never heard of Put-In-Cups? I really need to get out of the city more often.

DLM
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WORDS OF WISDOM: DESIGN

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:49:20 -0500

"Art is a worthy pursuit, but I think 'design' is an even higher form of creativity. Design 'fuses' art and science, or art and problem solving, or art and usefulness, sometimes all the above in the same project." -- Tinker Hatfield, Nike's VP of Innovation Design in an email to Kanye West after seeing him perform.

More on Tinker Hatfield's career as athlete, architect and prolific shoe designer for Nike in an interview from USA Today.

DLM
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