Happy Birthday Jill St. John!!!

I find it so hard to believe actress Jill St. John is 70 today!


But I'd better, since she is only two years younger than my own mother, and was a child actress in the late 1940s.


Born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in Los Angeles on 19 August 1940, she made an impact on me on 12-13 January 1966, when I first saw her in the pilot episode of Batman.  I was 6½ years old at the time, but the episode was a powerful one for me.

Jill St. John, circa 1958

Somehow, I ended up with a love affair that rivals that of mine with the City of Albany, NY (and that dates back to at least 1964)!  By the time I got interested in her again in 1981, she had done Diamonds Are Forever, and I was a student at Syracuse University.  I did research on her at Bird Library at the university, and learned a lot in the process, including the process of researching.


I do not have pictures of her posted all over the place.  Indeed, she has her own life, out West, while I reside in New York.  But the "pretty lady" is a real creative inspiration for me, and thinking of her has helped me through hard times, both in the 1980s and again in the early 2000s.  She has her own section in my Catwoman fan site as well.  And she is the inspiration for the Carrie Kelley Robin who is the focus of the planned fan series as well!!


Happy Birthday, Ms. St. John!!!  May you have many more!

Off to the Capital District again

Next week I go off to the Capital District of New York to begin my job campaign. This might seem trivial, but it has a direct impact on the fan series, since I plan to film it there (as well as in Canada).


And it also matters, because there is a stronger economy there than there is in the Binghamton, NY area, where I currently reside.


Normally, I am off on Sundays and Mondays, but I have to work on 15-16 August at the store I work at.  While I prefer attending church, this is an opportunity to begin the process of looking for decent employment.


While I am on the topic of religion, I may as well have a few words about the topic.  As a comic book fan, I am only too well aware of the concern over idolatry.  I had that concern even as a child, when I was watching Batman on television.  It is safe to say that I grew up with an understanding that Sunday was a sacred time, and that I had to keep things in perspective.


As I get older, I find that churches that "entertain" are a turn off.  I have preferred churches with ritual, since I grew up as a Roman Catholic, and then turned Eastern Orthodox.  As I am involved in the entertainment field myself, I find it a relief to go to church on Sunday and to get spiritual enlightenment, since I am a spiritual person.


Not that it is an easy process.


It's not.


I recently had a conflict with a bishop over whether or not I could remarry with the blessing of my church.  He said I could not, which means I would have to have a public official such as Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings performer the ceremony.  While this is a cause of some concern, it also means I have more options over whom I can marry.


It's not easy.  And I understand why atheism is gaining ground in the US.  It is a reaction to churches getting involved with politics, and to the Religious Right, which emerged 30 years ago.  Still, there are reasons I remain involved, and I will have a lot to chat about with my current priest tonight.

Cat Blog 2—Outtakes from Batman 1969 (9 August 2010)

Making headway on Batman 1969

Much to my delight, I have been able to do some editing on Batman 1969.  Regrettably, I have had to contend with fatigue, as well as employment that is frustrating to deal with.


I confess that there is frustration.  I want to purchase a second LCD monitor for the video editing.  Better yet, I would like to get a 15-inch or so LCD television.  The benefits would be many: I currently do not own a TV, and I could use this as an external monitor for my video camera.  I saw one today at Radio Shack for $135.

However, I have other needs to contend with, such as new rear tires and eyeglasses.  The tires are necessary for state inspection, scheduled for October.  And I need glasses.  And then there are other things, such as getting a new car stereo, since my current unit has not worked properly for some time.


I should not complain, since there are indeed so many people out of work.  But if I can get these aids for editing the film, so much the better.   This is a complex film to edit.  Yes, some may think this is a bad thing I did, but this is my film, and my story.


And Batman 1969 does matter.  It is a precursor to Carrie's World; the infrastructure obtained for the making of the fan film can be used for the fan series.


I hope to have the Prologue, Act 1 and Act 2 completed by next Monday (2 August), with the remainder of the film edited by (I hope) the end of August or so.

Surviving the heat

This has not been an easy summer. For me, it has been one of the harshest in recent years, in large part to the humidity.  It has a direct effect on filming, because it is not such a good idea to film costumed heroes who might wilt, to say the least.


Or worse.

On a more positive note, editing of Batman 1969 remains under way.  I hope to land a second LCD monitor so that I can work with the individual film shots more effectively.  Last night, I could barely sleep, and I have been awake for at least 21 hours.  Hopefully, with tonight's storm, we can all sleep a little better.

Onward …

I am in the midst of finishing up a paid video gig, and if all goes well, I shall be able to purchase a video card AND a second monitor for video editing. This is vitally important, because it enables better editing of Batman 1969 and of the planned Carrie Kelley fan series.


That said, SONY Vegas has already proven to be a powerful editing tool!  Now, onward to find the lead actresses …

As I approach my 51st Birthday …

It has been a while since I last wrote in this blog.  In fact, I am writing this from Corinth, NY, where I filmed some scenes from Batman 1969.  Tomorrow, I turn 51 years old.  Hard to believe!

And there has been plenty accomplished as well!  I got caught up on my child support, paid off my student loan and acquired the latest version of SONY Vegas.  Oh, and Batman 1969 has completed filming, and is in post-production.

That said, I have specific goals in mind.  This past Sunday, I attended church services in Albany, NY, at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, making this the second time I was in the region in May 2010.  The first time was for Free Comic Book Day, when I was at the Comic Depot LLC and then to Earthworld Comics.

I clearly need to be in this region!

The Albany region has had that special “je ne sais quois” since Batman aired on ABC in 1966.  Back then, the local affiliate was at channel 13, then called WAST, located just blocks from my grandmother’s apartment at 637 North Pearl Street, near Menands.  In 1966, Albany was an Art Deco city, especially with its stoplights and cobblestone streets, but it also had Jet Age cars, such as the 1965 Ford Galaxie.

Over the past 45 years, the city and region have changed greatly.  And so has my perspective as well.  I now look at the entire region, not just the city of Albany.  And in 2010, the need to move here has never been greater.  Both at the Albany Comic Con on 25 April, and at Free Comic Book Day, I saw that the region has a very active comic book scene, with many cosplayers.  And some of them are involved with Carrie’s World.

There remains work to be done.  The economy is in rough shape in the region, as it is elsewhere.  And Batman 1969 needs to be completed.  The commitment remains, though, and we hope to be shooting soon!!!  Here’s to another great year ahead!!!