“Wire” writer, David Mills dies at 48

David Mills, who won two Emmy awards for his HBO miniseries “The Corner”, died in New Orleans on Tuesday (March 30) where he was working on his upcoming HBO series “Treme.” Mills, who began his career as a features writer for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, and The Washington Post, wrote mostly for … Continue reading ““Wire” writer, David Mills dies at 48″

David Mills, who won two Emmy awards for his HBO miniseries “The Corner”, died in New Orleans on Tuesday (March 30) where he was working on his upcoming HBO series “Treme.”

Mills, who began his career as a features writer for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, and The Washington Post, wrote mostly for crime and police dramas including “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The Wire.” His latest project, “Treme,” is about New Orleans residents struggling to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Katrina.

Mills’ friend and collaborator David Simon is one of the creators of the series. He tells Washington Post that Mills’ death happened “very suddenly.” Mills, age 48, was sitting in a director’s chair, then slumped in the chair and “never regained consciousness.”

Simon remembers Mills as a “very good listener. He was great at dialogue because he listened to people. He was quite a shy person in a lot of ways.”

From Zap2It – From Inside the Box

The Wire DVD 2861 – 2883

Homicide Life on the Street DVD 2798 – 2801

The Corner DVD 3937

Treme teaser

Second Annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition – Finalists!!

The Second Annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition received 75 entries this year from all over the world. All submissions are now available for you to enjoy here, under the video responses heading, and the finalists have been included in this post. You can also find them on the Center’s website at www.environmentalfilm.org. Jordan Ballantine and Blathnaid … Continue reading “Second Annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition – Finalists!!”



The Second Annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition received 75 entries this year from all over the world. All submissions are now available for you to enjoy here, under the video responses heading, and the finalists have been included in this post. You can also find them on the Center’s website at www.environmentalfilm.org.

Jordan Ballantine and Blathnaid Giles got first place with their film, Green My House. Jordan and Blathnaid (both from Ireland) receive $1,000 from the Center for Environmental Filmmaking.

Here’s their video:

Green My House written and directed by Jordan Ballantine

The 2010 Finalists:

Funny Biker Video

Dude, It’s Not What You Think

Green My House

Recycle Today for a Better Tomorrow

Road Rage

How to Save the World

What Goes Around Comes Around

Beat the Meat

Information about the Third Annual Eco-Comedy Video Competition will be available on the Center’s website in the fall.

Center Director, Chris Palmer thanks EcoSense, the Environmental Protection Agency, Friends of the Earth, and Mill Reef Productions for making this competition possible through a partnership with SOC’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking at AU. They launched this competition as a way to encourage the use of humor in the fight for conservation.

Now if it was a Disney movie that was being ripped off…

You can bet a big dollar lawsuit would have been in the works, real quick. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4GR0DconsU&feature=player_embedded Kimba The White Lionvs. The Lion King

You can bet a big dollar lawsuit would have been in the works, real quick.

Media Services Recommends…Phil’s Hopefully-Not-Too-Depressing Phavorites

Network – HU DVD 26Apocalypse Now – HU DVD 27O Brother, Where Art Thou? – HU DVD 271This is Spinal Tap – HU DVD 538Fight Club – HU DVD 939The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – HU DVD 1001The Hudsucker Proxy – HU DVD 1054The Last Emperor – HU DVD 4098The Producers – HU … Continue reading “Media Services Recommends…Phil’s Hopefully-Not-Too-Depressing Phavorites”

Network – HU DVD 26
Apocalypse Now – HU DVD 27
O Brother, Where Art Thou? – HU DVD 271
This is Spinal Tap – HU DVD 538
Fight Club – HU DVD 939
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – HU DVD 1001
The Hudsucker Proxy – HU DVD 1054
The Last Emperor – HU DVD 4098
The Producers – HU DVD 5196
Burn After Reading – HU DVD 5377
Gran Torino – HU DVD 6110

Snag Films is loaded with great documentaries for instant viewing

At present there are a reported 850 films available. The list includes work from ITVS, PBS, National Geographic, and several notable independents including Icarus Films and Kartemquin Films. Titles that might be familiar include: The American Ruling Class, Biggie and Tupac, Cosmos, Father Roy: Inside the School of Assassins, The Life and Times of Allen … Continue reading “Snag Films is loaded with great documentaries for instant viewing”

At present there are a reported 850 films available. The list includes work from ITVS, PBS, National Geographic, and several notable independents including Icarus Films and Kartemquin Films. Titles that might be familiar include: The American Ruling Class, Biggie and Tupac, Cosmos, Father Roy: Inside the School of Assassins, The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg, The Times of Harvey Milk, Trembling Before G-D, and T-shirt Travels.

Even the lesser known titles such as Agile Mobile Hostile, a film about R & B legend Andre Williams, and loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies look cool.

If you know anyone planning to teach a distance ed class, this site should be given the once-over cause there’s a lot here that have been used in courses at AU and could really enrich an online course.

Snag Films link

Watch Logorama now – before it disappears

The 2010 Academy Award winner for animated short is kind of a mix of Pulp Fiction, Die Hard, and Dark Knight all animated with corporate logos. Brilliant but stay away if you would take offense at Big Boy, Ronald McDonald, and the Michelin Man cussing and shooting things up. Logorama at Vimeo

The 2010 Academy Award winner for animated short is kind of a mix of Pulp Fiction, Die Hard, and Dark Knight all animated with corporate logos. Brilliant but stay away if you would take offense at Big Boy, Ronald McDonald, and the Michelin Man cussing and shooting things up.

Logorama at Vimeo

A Contest for Multimedia Work at AU

Media Services’ Digital Media Studio and the New Media Center are jointly sponsoring a contest to promote multimedia work created in our labs. Submit your class assignments, win prizes and come to the festival screening May 1. Contest rules and application form.

Media Services’ Digital Media Studio and the New Media Center are jointly sponsoring a contest to promote multimedia work created in our labs. Submit your class assignments, win prizes and come to the festival screening May 1. Contest rules and application form.

TONIGHT – Tuesday, March 23 at 7pm – Nick Clooney Presents… Movies that Chnaged Us

Tuesday March 23 at 7pm in Ward 2The Movies that Changed Us Join Nick Clooney for an evening of clips from Birth of a Nation (1915), Love Me Tonight (1932), Triumph of the Will (1935), and the Best Years of Our Lives (1946). Discover how each of these films helped change the country’s political and … Continue reading “TONIGHT – Tuesday, March 23 at 7pm – Nick Clooney Presents… Movies that Chnaged Us”

Tuesday March 23 at 7pm in Ward 2
The Movies that Changed Us

Join Nick Clooney for an evening of clips from Birth of a Nation (1915), Love Me Tonight (1932), Triumph of the Will (1935), and the Best Years of Our Lives (1946). Discover how each of these films helped change the country’s political and social consciousness. Nick Clooney is Journalist in Residence at the School of Communication and host of SOC and Newseum’s Reel Journalism.

Selected New Home Use Titles

The Red Shoes – HU DVD 105The Front – HU DVD 343Our Daily Bread – HU DVD 478W.C. Fields: 6 Short Films – HU DVD 507My Life as a Dog – HU DVD 508Beat Street – HU DVD 662Faraw! – HU DVD 2328Haramuya – HU DVD 2329Ponyo – HU DVD 6937South Park (Seasons 1-4) – … Continue reading “Selected New Home Use Titles”

The Red Shoes – HU DVD 105
The Front – HU DVD 343
Our Daily Bread – HU DVD 478
W.C. Fields: 6 Short Films – HU DVD 507
My Life as a Dog – HU DVD 508
Beat Street – HU DVD 662
Faraw! – HU DVD 2328
Haramuya – HU DVD 2329
Ponyo – HU DVD 6937
South Park (Seasons 1-4) – HU DVD 6951-6962