Blog Action Day 2009: Does Visual Effects Ruin our Environment?

Climate Change, the chosen cause for this year's Blog Action Day helped me realize how much we as human beings are using up our natural resources. Too many of us in the United States and abroad have taken natural resources for granted. Everyone is responsible for the negative effects that are taking place on our environment, including those of us in the entertainment industry. For every movie that Hollywood makes each year, there are probably thousands of independent films produced around the country that can be more energy efficient. There is one area in particular that many film producers are neglecting when taking climate change into consideration.

The sections on efficiency and unplugging electronics in 10 Solutions for Climate Change are two subjects that movie producers consider make environmentally friendly decisions during post-production. According to the 10 Solutions piece, electronic devices cost us more money when they are turned off than on because they use more energy during this downtime. Unplugging electronic items, a practice that movie producers film editors should adopt can not only save us money but energy as well. Star Trek and X-Men Origins: Wolverine are not even the tip of the iceberg when calculating the number of movies released just this year that included visual effects (or special effects). The movie 2012 even has a special video on how detailed the visual effects process was to create tidal waves for this film.

With all of the visual effects needed to create blockbuster hits at your local movie theater, that is a lot of computers, TV monitors, video cameras, tape decks and other electronic devices that can easily reserve our energy by simply being unplugged. If Hollywood movies are using up this much energy, how many independent films are adding to the problem of climate change? Broken, Alex Ferrari's entertaining short film was praised for it's elaborate special effects but that's just one film. There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of horror, action and Sci-Fi movies that are produced independently and come loaded with visual effects. This includes hours of work in addition to the time it takes to edit a rough cut of these movies.

The Sundance Film Festival alone claims to receive over 9,000 submissions each year. I wonder how many of those submissions have contributed to global warming by heavy use of special effects equipment. The lighting in post-production facilities may also affect climate change if standard incandescent light bulbs are being used instead of more energy efficient products such as compact fluorescent lights. Sure, the work area of special effects editors need to be illuminated for them to be able to locate the proper tools to do their job. There is still a way to reduce climate change during the movie production process by getting rid of lights that produce carbon dioxide emissions.

While unplugging special effects equipment and using energy efficient light bulbs is one way to reduce the potential for drastic changes to our earth, efficiency during production is another way to bring positive adjustments to climate change. As independent producers, we would be more efficient by shooting on location, reducing the energy use of special effects teams that we have depended on to make our movies more extravagant in post-production. This could mean the loss of many jobs in the post-production sector that specializes in effects, which is another subject in and of itself but our mere existence and survival is more important today than tomorrow. Special Effects teams could adapt their skills to be put to use on location rather than in editing rooms equipped with computers, monitors and other forms of technology that uses lots of energy on a constant basis.

While indie film producers are trying to land distribution deals and compete with major Hollywood studios, keeping the importance of climate change in mind can help to reduce major environmental disruptions in the coming years. I know some of you reading this may be thinking "Climate Change? Global Warming?...who cares?!!!" and yes, I thought the same thing too over the last two years until now. It's not as boring or insignificant as we may think because climate change affects the earth on many levels that we rely on everyday including our water supply, air supply and cooling systems.

How do you think movies are adding to Climate Change?
Leave your comments below!

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Interview with Authors of The Truth about being Single

The Truth about being Single is a newly published book about learning how to get past the lies single women have been told and find true happiness in wanting to be married. I recently got a chance to interview Lakeshia S. Rivers and Neva A. Lockhart, the authors of The Truth about being Single. Here is what they had to say about finding Mr. Right, living single, how Will & Grace and Sex and the City: The Movie plays a role in the perspectives of single women and more:

Madlab Post: Are relationship experts and psychological gurus on TV shows doing more harm than good to the mentality of single women who desire marriage?

Authors of The Truth about being Single: Yes, we believe they are. Women are being told to accept the lies promoted by these “experts.” The lie that you are supposed to love being single. The lie that if you do not love being single, you do not love yourself. We wrote our book The Truth About Being Single to be a liberating voice of truth to say: It is okay that you would rather be married than single. It is okay that being single is not how you thought your life would be.

It is okay that you do not want to have to do it all, all alone, all the time. It is okay to feel that you would be happier in a loving, nurturing marriage. To deny women acknowledgment of these simple facts is a disservice to them.

In chapter 3, you discuss a season 4 episode of Will & Grace where Grace (played by Debra Messing) gets carried away when planning someone else’s wedding. The bridal shop scene on Will & Grace gets serious when Grace breaks down after realizing that this upcoming event may never happen for her and says she needs to hear a lie from Will like “Of course, you will definitely get married one day.”

The Truth about being Single described this Will & Grace Episode as honest because “most of us have wondered at one time or another if we will ever have a wedding day”. Can you explain how single women have lost the right to feel sorrowful about being alone?

We strongly feel that women “lost the right to feel sorrowful about being alone” some time in the 70’s, post the women’s rights movement. The same movement that liberated modern women from limiting beliefs and roles and helped them achieve remarkable success in government, business and education; simultaneously eroded their right to simply be, and relish in, all things feminine. Women could now be completely independent and self-sufficient and did not need men for many of the reasons women in preceding generations traditionally did, such as financial support, property ownership, etc.

Unfortunately, the trade-off has not been fair. Being sorrowful about being alone is generally not accepted as being just that. A woman who is sorrowful about being alone is often made to feel that she must have low self-esteem or is a desperate loser. Society dictates that what women have now is EVERYTHING, including independence and success, and if that is not enough, something must be wrong with them.

Do all single women want to be married, even if some claim they do not?

No. Though they are in the minority, there are some women who choose not to marry for their own personal reasons.

In The Truth about being Single, the wedding of a 37 year-old woman and 42 year-old man who was getting married for the first time was described as a very encouraging event. Many of us (women) are taught that it’s best to have children at a young age. Based on these teachings, would you agree that waiting for that “Mr. Right” at age 37 is waiting a little too long?

No. And there are two issues posed in your question.

First, of course, our biological clocks are ticking away and with time, the quality of our eggs diminish. That is a fact. However, we find that older moms have many positives to offer their children, such as the wisdom that comes with age and maturity; more actual time; and patience.

Second, you can never wait for Mr. Right for “too long.” Mr. Right at age 37, 47, 57 or 67 is much better than Mr. Wrong at any age. The magnitude of problems associated with having children with Mr. Wrong are simply enormous and a bad experience for everyone involved, especially the child. Remember, Mr. Wrong does not love you. Mr. Wrong will not be the partner or father you and your child deserve because he will not be around. And Mr. Wrong will never bring out the best in you because he is not your complement.

What advice do you have for women who can relate to that “Nick of Time” song by Bonnie Rait or even that “Wedding Balls” episode of Will & Grace from Season 4 and would rather not have to wait 10 or so years to find a mate?

Finding Mr. Right takes as long as it takes. You find love when love finds you. Focus your energies on being ready for marriage. Determine what you require in a potential spouse and what he should bring to your life. Start thinking of yourself now as the wife you would like to become. Give thought to the qualities you possess now that you will bring to a marriage, and the qualities you should be developing that will make you a great wife.

Put yourself in the type of environments where you can meet the kind of men you find appealing. Become completely comfortable with who you are as a person. To quote Dolly Parton: “Become a professional you. Know what you can and cannot do. Know what you will and will not do.”

I was once told that “women are supposed to have children”, so are we also designed to be married or is this type of union shoved onto us by cultural habits or societal beliefs?

Again, we will respond in two parts.

First, it is a biological fact that “women are supposed to have children,” not hearsay. Simply put, the monthly menstrual cycle evidences that fact. However, there are many reasons some women are unable to conceive or choose not to conceive.

Second, we find the mischaracterizations that exist around the word “marriage” very interesting. Merriam-Webster defines marriage as “the state of being united to a person . . . ; an intimate or close union.” There is nothing wrong with marriage! The notion that “this type of union shoved onto us by cultural habits or societal beliefs” is unfortunately negative. In fact, since the beginning of time, every society and culture on earth has regarded marriage as an elevated and honorable institution, crucial to stability and posterity.

When individuals enter a marriage with a person who does not truly love them and is not their complement, i.e., the “wrong” person, then their being united together becomes the problem. The problem is not marriage. The problem is the persons who marry.

Is it possible for some women to be happy with living single without ever getting married?

Yes. Absolutely. In fact, our book stresses the importance of being happy while you are single. The fact is, like attracts like. Miserable people attract miserable people and happy people attract happy people, even in the form of friends and family. Life itself has so many wonderful things to offer! Everyone should enjoy their life to the fullest.

The Truth about being Single included over one dozen short questionnaires answered by different groups of single women. Based on your survey findings and book signings, have you met or spoken with any women who felt like they were being pressured by friends or family into wanting marriage?

Yes, especially those from foreign backgrounds, and not only pressure to marry, but to have children as well.

In Sex and The City: The Movie, Carrie’s Vogue magazine editor Enid mentions “Forty is the last age a woman can be photographed in a wedding dress without the unintended Diane Arbus subtext”.

Not knowing who Diane Arbus is (or was), Enid’s statement made me wonder about its significance to the movie until I came across an online Q&A website explanation. It seems Enid meant women older than 40 years of age will look odd wearing a wedding dress. Would you agree that there is some truth to this Sex and the City: The Movie quote even though older brides have become accepted in our modern day culture?

Everyone should dress appropriately for their size, shape and age. And the wedding day is no exception as it is the bride’s time to shine. That said, if we saw a 75-year-old bride in a puffy sleeved, white beaded wedding gown crowned with a rhinestone studded tiara, we would smile wide and say “more power to you sista”!!! It does not matter that she might look “odd” to others. She should manifest her own vision of her wedding day.

In The Truth about being Single, women are encouraged to not settle for “Mr. Right Now” in their quest for being married. You mention that single women should spend their time finding that one “Mr. Right” who completes us. The hook for one Luther Vandross song goes “...if you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with”, a different concept that some women may find more feasible than waiting for as long as it takes to find their number one man. Is it possible that “Mr. Right Now” can become “Mr. Right for You” as the relationship develops?

No. And, Luther is not singing about a relationship or growing to a relationship. If the one you are with does not love you and you do not love him, you are at a minimum wasting precious time and worst case scenario wreaking havoc on your body and your mind. The time would be better spent on personal growth and development such as: traveling and experiencing the world; visiting museums and art galleries; taking an interesting class or volunteering for something you are passionate about.

The point is this: broaden your horizons, and you will most assuredly broaden yourself. You will become more interesting. As an added benefit, you will meet new people (MEN) with interests similar to yours, and maybe one of those persons will be the Mr. Right you marry.

Now that The Truth about being Single is published, what do you want women to take away from reading this book?

We want to stop the confusion by acknowledging the simple truth that we are inclined to be mated. It is in our biology. We want our readers to know that it is perfectly okay and completely normal to want to be married and share their lives with someone. We want them to become the best person they can be now so that they can choose the best possible mate for themselves and experience the joy of loving their ultimate complement. We want them to refuse to settle or sell themselves short, but to wait self-assuredly and patiently until their Mr. Right shows up.

Thanks to Lakeshia S. Rivers and Neva A. Lockhart for shedding some light on The Truth about being Single!

What are YOUR thoughts on being Single or Married?
Leave your comments below!

Read my Book Review on The Truth about being Single.

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The Truth about being Single Book Review

I finished reading a new book, "The Truth about being Single" in July and came away from it with a further understanding of how many women in our modern society view marriage. Choosing to bypass this book would be easy if it weren't for the numerous messages in movies and TV shows that make dating one of the most important topics in communities across the country. TV shows including Sex and The City, The Bachelorette, Hitched or Ditched, Desperate Housewives and movies such as Waiting to Exhale and He's Just Not That Into You all place an emphasis on the fact that single women want (or "need" in some cases) a man to share their lives with.

Some movies and TV shows also display a sort of desperation among women when it comes to finding a longtime mate and getting married. Some TV fans and supporters of Sex and the City may argue that the HBO series helped to liberate women while showing that we don't need a man to be happy. However, this perception of Sex in the City is not exactly accurate because even the strong and cynical woman on this show (Miranda, for those who are not familiar) ended up getting married after she had a child out of wedlock and went on to buy a house and dog. Samantha settled down with her actor boyfriend and Carrie (who is supposed to be the voice of ALL single women, right?) still longed for a happy ending so much that she was willing to settle for a guy who was very much her senior and more interested in having her as a trophy girlfriend than anything else. To be a TV show that is supposed to display single women as "fabulous", the storylines and actions in Sex in the City moved toward the exact opposite....wanting a man...which is what some people in our society view as "desperate" or "ungrateful for other blessing's that life has to offer" and is what The Truth about being Single is all about.

There are lots of movies and TV shows such as Sex and the City that make it seem as though there is something wrong with single women who want to get married. Written by Lakeshia S. Rivers and Neva A. Lockhart, The Truth about being Single brings the most vital concerns of single women to the forefront in a very distinct manner without any extra fluff. It's a tell-it-like-it-is book that also dispels some myths about wanting to be married that many single women can find inspiring and useful. There is an entire chapter dedicated to responses from several women of different ages, races and backgrounds on what their views are toward being single and what their culture has taught them about being unmarried. The authors even mention their own experiences, which helps them relate to other single women who have concerns about finding a longtime mate.

One of the most funny (and oh, so true and also sad, maybe) aspects that I found while reading this book is an awkward situation that lots of single women go through when being invited to weddings or even being a part of the bridal party. There is a discussion about a single woman attending or being invited to multiple wedding engagements and/or baby showers in one year and wondering "will it ever be my turn?". In Waiting to Exhale, one of the main characters named Savannah (played by singer and actress, Whitney Houston) welcomes the idea of having a man but does not let it become the central purpose of her existence. There is a scene where she gets frustrated with her mother who is trying to convince her that the married man she is dating "is just in a bad situation" but "he's a GOOD man!". Savannah responds by saying "Mama, I tell you what, why don't you fucking marry him then". The Truth about being Single also covers this type of frustration where friends or family ask "why are you still single?" or try to console single women with the comforting "you'll find someone one day" behavior.

While The Truth about being Single is not one of those "How to Find a Man" books, there is a brief worksheet that can help single women clearly define what they will and will not accept in a potential mate. This worksheet is no more than two pages and can be very useful for women who may have lost themselves in a long string of bad relationships and want to start a new pathway for fresh opportunities and clear direction when trying to identify who their future husband will be. This book is small enough to fit in a purse, making it convenient for working women to read. I was surprised by the size of The Truth about being Single because my initial perception from reading about it online was that this book was going to be larger than it is. It was refreshing to realize that I could read this book while stationary or traveling so the size is fitting for a variety of lifestyles.

The Truth about being Single is geared toward women who want to be married, or at least, that has become my perception after reading this book. Single women who are content with their singlehood (like Savannah in Waiting to Exhale) may not find this book useful. Still, all women may enjoy The Truth about being Single as a quick and positive piece of reading material that reassures us that it's ok to desire marriage....even for those of us who are satisfied with being without a mate.

Stay tuned for an interview with the authors on the truth, myths and perceptions about being single!

For more information and to order the book, visit www.thetruthaboutbeingsingle.com

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