It’s no secret. I’m a movie buff. I love the cinematic experience. If local theaters gave out Frequent Viewer Miles, I’d actually be taking those first-class flights and 5-day cruises instead of just wishing I could. As a cinemaphile and a filmmaker (and yes, I do think it’s possible to be one without being both), I appreciate a good story and all of the subtleties that go into telling it on screen. Not just the blockbuster eye candy, but the little camera movements and particular shot selections as well. It’s as much a study for me as it is entertainment.

 Enter the Saw franchise. What started out as an independent film venture by a risk-taking movie house has turned into a highly profitable franchise. Lions Gate has become a power player, yet hasn’t completely lost the love of the game. Saw 4 felt just as “indie” as its predecessors. No big-budget hoopla. Lean, mean and dark. There are those who see the Saw sequels much the same as they see most other sequels: a rehash of what worked the first time in an effort to turn a profit. While there are strong elements of similarity between the films and I can understand how one can easily arrive at that conclusion, the series strikes me as more than that.
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Please don’t mistake the title as any sort of reference to the “High School Musical” phenomenon currently afflicting our culture. While I appreciate those photos of Vanessa Hudgens, I think it’s just time to stop. Same with ABBA. Every time I passed by the cardboard standup for “Mamma Mia” or was unfortunate enough to sit through the trailer for it, I died a little inside.

No, the title refers to my projects of late. I am putting together some music for a podcast that my nephew and his friend are doing in New York. It’s been a lot of fun to experiment with different elements & produce something unlike what I’m accustomed to doing. And it’s been festive since it’s Halloween and the piece is dark and eerie. The podcast is just getting underway, so it hasn’t been added to the iTunes store yet. But in the meantime, you can check out the podcast & download the episodes right here.

The other musical piece I’m working on actually sprung from a conversation with a friend. An off-hand comment was made and we started running with it. It continues to evolve each time we talk about it. More on these developments later.

I am jazzed about getting to work on music again. I’ve always loved it, and I’ve wanted to get back into it so that I can score my own films and not have to bother with music licensing. Fall is in the air. The Titans are on top of their division. It’s a good day.

Footnote: Ever since I referenced “Mamma Mia”, I’ve had that damn tune stuck in my head. And I’ll bet you have, too. Damn the Swedes and their catchy pop tunes.