Paul Walker, Star of ‘Fast and Furious’ Series, Passes Away in Tragic Accident

Paul Walker, the lead of the famous Fast and Furious series, died Saturday along with his friend Roger Rodas after the Porsche Rodas was driving in struck a light pole in Valencia, California.

Universal Pictures, the studio behind the franchise, joined actors, directors, and other industry figures in lamenting Walker and Rodas’ deaths over press statements and social media. The studio’s remarks, as reported by Variety, included the following:

“All of us at Universal are heartbroken…Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the ‘Fast and Furious’ films, and to countless fans.”

Walker’s Facebook page confirmed that actor’s passing and included details about what transpired. Apparently, he was the passenger in a car driven by Rodas, his friend and financial advisor, after an event for Reach Out Worldwide, a charity founded by Walker. It has been reported that authorities responded to the crash at about 3:30 p.m. PT and found the car engulfed in flames. Both Walker and Rodas were pronounced dead at the scene. Additionally, the vehicle’s speed was factor in the accident.

Walker was born in Glendale, California on September 12, 1973. He started his acting career early in his life, appearing in commercials and 1980’s TV shows such as Who’s The Boss and Charles in Charge. His roles in Pleasantville and Varsity Blues provided him with notoriety and praise, but his performance 2001’s The Fast and Furious elevated him to stardom. Walker reprised the role of Brian O’Conner in all but one of the Fast and Furious films. Before his death, the actor was scheduled to appear in several films, including the seventh entry in the Fast and Furious franchise, which will now likely be delayed. He was 40.

All of us here at One of Us would like to express our condolences to Walker and Rodas’ families. It is especially tragic that both men died returning from an event for charity. However, that is a testament to who these men were. Walker founded Reach Out Worldwide after serving as a relief volunteer helping Haitian citizens affected by the devastating 2010 earthquake. After witnessing deficiencies in resource-distribution systems firsthand, the actor decided to be proactive and started a non-profit dedicating to increasing efficiency in relief services in post-disaster areas. Rodas’ involvement with the organization demonstrates that this was also a priority to him as well. The world can scarce afford to lose the few truly good people it has and sadly, two of them are now gone.

Rest in peace, gentlemen.

 

 

 

‘The Last Of Us’ Movie Adaptation Forthcoming From Sony?

One of the year’s most cinematic games now has some minor movement towards the big screen. Sony has taken steps to secure two The Last of Us web domains, suggesting that there could be some serious interest in getting a movie based on the hit game, or that they just want to stay one step ahead of the game and grab the internet space while they still can.

The two domains that were registered were TheLastOfUs-Movie.com and TheLastOfUsMovie.net. Make no mistake this is by no means a confirmation that the wheels are actually turning on this, but it also doesn’t mean that it’s stuck in limbo either. Based on the popularity of Naughty Dog’s survivalist horror game it isn’t going to shock anyone if they do move forward on this.

I wish I could have more excitement or hatred for the news of a ‘possible’ big screen adaptation, but unfortunately my PS3 took a dive on me a few weeks after I got the game. I’m not a hardcore gamer by any means so I was only a short distance into the story and am both too lazy and cheap to either fix my system or replace it. I’m not shocked by this at all though because the little bit I played of this seemed so cinematic to begin with that it was obvious Hollywood would find a way to get in and take advantage.

I’m willing to bet that most gamers in this case will be on the side of those not wanting a studio to jump in and possibly ruin a story that stands well enough on its own – at least that seems to be the consensus. I have to say that I don’t play many games outside of the latest MLB The Show, but the the little bit of time I did spend with The Last of Us I always had a hard time putting it down to take care of my other boring adult responsibilities. In a short time I was hooked to the story, connected with the characters and utterly thrilled with the gameplay.

The Last of Us had moments that were heart-wrenching, chilling and outright scary while being absolutely beautiful to look at – so obviously a studio has to intervene and possibly sully its reputation. We can hope that if this does come to be, Sony pulls out all the stops to make this amazing, but if history has taught us anything it’s not all that likely.

Would you like to see a The Last of Us adaptation? Does this news excite you? What are your spoiler free thoughts on the game? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Via: IGN

 

IV1

‘Introduction to Actor Training’ – week 4

“If I am playing Oedipus, I’ve never killed my father nor had sex with my mother, so do I need to do that to be truthful in the scene? Probably not.”

This week, we focused on the outside in method of creating a character. Our first task was certainly illusive. Choose a random object in the room which can be placed on a table – a reasonably simple task. My Object? A glue stick. We had nine objects and were required to lose four. It was extremely interesting how we began to infer meaning to objects with no original relationship with each other. A mystery we would come back to later.

Objects remained the focus of the next task only this time it was an object that was important, on a personal level to us as individuals. We were posed several questions relating to the object

-What do you see when you look at your object, do you see people, places, or colours.
-How do you feel about it? Your relationship with object, what memories does it give you, Is the object soft or hard?
-Different parts, touching it how that make you feel?
-What’s the story behind object.

The objects were varied but all equally as interesting and personal;

Rowan – Necklace
Chris – Headphones
Sanjay – Hindu Coin
Michael – Car Keys
Pete – Wristband
Suzanne – Ring
Pille – Purse
Alison – Watch
Kirsty – iPod

We shared that personal information with the group. But the information wasn’t coming from the object, it was coming from our experience with the object. It is very interesting how much memory and emotion we can draw from a singular object. How much that object defines who we are as people. We made the story real and honest. But how do we do find that truth in characters that have the same memories and experience that we don’t share? If I am playing Oedipus I’ve never killed my father nor had sex with my mother, so do I need to do that to be truthful in the scene? Probably not.

We got to do something that worried some members of the group – go out, into the real streets (of Glasgow) and observe an individual, discreetly. Taking note of his outer tempo, his carriage, his interactions with others, his actions, everything we can absorb through a small period of time.

After lunch we did a stretching exercise (picking potatoes and apples). I found this irritatingly difficult to maintain co-ordination but the exercise certainly stretched the muscles.

Next, we sat on chairs across the room and began to embody those individuals that we had been following. We became them physically, created the same rhythm and tempo. Without knowing that individual or their circumstances we can begin to draw emotion, feeling and history from these things demonstrated in a coffee shop and hospital scenario. Then came our mystery items once more, as the character we had became, we (instinctively) decided what the story was behind them for me as an individual.

I learned this technique can be fallible in creating a character and can only go so far, but it can help when exploring archetypes.

This demonstrated the outside in approach and it was the inside out approach’s turn for some exploration. We were presented a number of questions relating to our character;

Who are you? Name
Where are you? Town etc
Greatest want in world?
Greatest fear?
Habitat?
Family?
What doing?
When?
Most important being?
Secret?
Job?

Through this, we created a fairly extensive background on the character and created a window into how that character acts. Acting is about doing and it’s important to identify what works for you using these techniques and finding a balance. The ultimate goal is to find truth within the character. The audience may never know much of this information, but if I know it, the character will be more honest.

Further Reading: Philip Ridley

Interesting in Studying acting? Already studying? Enjoying a totally alien subject? Comment below.

The Pre-Weekend Recap: November 29, 2013

Welcome, one and all, to the Pre-Weekend Recap for the week of November 29, 2013! I certainly hope you spent your Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by family, friends, and food. If you’re anything like me, you’re still full from yesterday’s meals. Or perhaps you’re just getting back from contributing to the hyper-capitalist scourge known as  Black Friday shopping (no judgment here, I scored a great deal on a 3DS XL around midnight). The point is, you’re far too exhausted to do much of anything useful or productive, so the best way to spend today and the rest of the weekend is kicking back and gorging yourself on One of Us content. Thankfully, there was a veritable cornucopia of fun features this week. Here’s a few of them to get the weekend started right!

Empty Space

Write A Movie With Us: Week 5

write

Write a Movie with Us’ fifth week is another huge one, because it is time to start writing! Now that there’s a plot, a suitably spooky environment, and characters to populate your world, you and your cohort of collaborators will be drafting the first act of your horror film. Of course, Chris Harrison is on call, setting up guidelines and helping you shape your ideas, but you’re the real agent of creation here! You can be as formal or informal as you like, the important thing is to get in the writers’ room to help lift Act One of the ground!

 

Inside the Locker: The Gravy Bowl!

This edition of ITL is a family affair! Brian’s father, the great James Salisbury, is on mic with your favorite sports nerds to share his insight and join in on the Crossover! Eat, drink, and drink some more along with the gang as they discuss the latest sports headlines, hand out prestigious awards, and tell us what aspects of sports they’re thankful for this year!

 

Ash & Fern: Hair’s to Effie: A Follicle-Themed Tribute to Catching Fire

Ash and Fern are back to talk about the best wigs in cinema as a “tribute” to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. While Effie Trinkett is in a league of her own when it comes to hairdos, there have been some other incredible styles in media over the years. Who makes the (hair)cut on the ladies’ list? Do you have any suggestions of your own to add to theirs? Check out the post and let your thoughts known in the comment section!

 

6 Films to Describe Your Sex Life

After a particularly contrived accident, the INTERN-Net’s own Angelo Elauria has found his mind firmly in the gutter. While he was waiting for assistance, he took advantage of his unique perspective and wrote a list of six films that could adequately describe an adventurous and incredible sex life. The choices are certainly diverse, so give it a look and let us know if you have any other titles to add to the list! I wonder if anyone ever helped poor Angelo get back on solid ground…

 

The Die Cast: Your Own Personal Westeros

Our resident Dungeon Master, Mr. Jacob Hall, has returned with a merry band of adventurers to talk about A Game of Thrones: The Board Game. If Jacob is to be believed, this game is not for the faint of heart or the easily-distracted. He also considers it one of the best board games out there. Are you’re a hardcore tabletop gamer who thrives in an environment of deception, cunning, and deep strategy? Then this is the episode for you!

 

10 (or more) Alternate Batman vs. Superman Titles WB Should Use

When some of the proposed titles for the Man of Steel sequel were revealed, a lot of us here at One of Us were less than impressed. One in our number, Mr. Mason Daniel, took it upon himself to help WB out with its naming problem. Turns out all they needed was a healthy doses of stark and sarcasm to vastly improve their suggestions. Give Mason’s titles a gander and add your own in the comments!

 

That’s a great start to a great weekend, so I’m going to sign off. Still, this season is all about sharing, so don’t hoard all the One of Us goodness to yourself! Be sure to recommend all of our content to any other geeks out there and help them become Us! So long!

 

IV1

Jurassic World: New details emerge.

Since the reveal of the fourth instalment of ‘Jurassic Park’, entitled ‘Jurassic World’ very little else has been revealed about the film itself. We’ve seen a number of concept stage dinosaurs which were rumoured to be from the film but ultimately turned out to be concept art for a game that never saw development.

Rumors have circulated for a while that the film may be about the park some time later as it is officially open to the public, but the studio have not confirmed this rumour. Nor the question of the film being a sequel or a reboot of the franchise.

Director Colin Trevorrow has now addressed this directly to his followers on twitter.

“Reboot is a strong word,” he said. “This is a new sci-fi terror adventure set 22 years after the horrific events of Jurassic Park.”

The fact that it is set 22 years after the first film, it could mean the theme park rumours are indeed correct.

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson and Irrfan Khan will star in the film with Steven Spielberg returning to produce. Trevorrow directs the Dino-Sequel from a draft of the screenplay he wrote with Derek Connolly.

Source: Twitter

Are you excited about a new Jurassic Movie? Or should the series remain extinct? Comment below.

 

Inside The Locker: The Gravy Bowl!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Happy Thanksgiving, sports nerds!

This week’s Inside the Locker is very festive indeed. There is drinking, laughter, arguments, drinking, inappropriate jokes, drinking, and even visiting family members.

That’s right, Brian’s dad sits in with us to offer his own sports/geek wisdom and even participates in The Crossover.

The guys discuss headlines, give out their awards, drink a lot, and talk about what they are thankful for this year in terms of sports.

Download, listen, and peek inside the locker. Listening burns calories…according to science.

Show Breakdown…

The Crossover (2:24)

 

Brian’s dad, the esteemed Mr. James Salisbury, is this week’s contestant, competing for a prize on behalf of long-time show fan Chaos Bulldog. Will he have what it takes to make our listener’s season a little brighter?

Topics Discussed: Kobe Bryant’s new deal, Derrick Rose’s season is over…again, Magneto kills Kennedy, A-Rod’s antics, How to win a car in Alabama, Roadhouse remake, Daniel Day-Lewis’ son drops dope rhymes.

 

Awards! (40:18)

 

The boys hand out their awards for Game of the Week, Frittata of the Week, PWN Zone, and Too Old For This Shit.

 

They also watch this happen several times while on the air and laugh uproariously…

 

 

This of course all leads into the most signature of signature awards…

He Might Be a Cyborg: Tom Brady (89:22)

As much as some of us (Brian) really hate the guy, it can’t be denied that his insane comeback from a 24-0 halftime deficit to the Broncos last week is robo-worthy.

Favorite Sports Movie? (94:22)

 

Brian randomly inquires as to the crews’ favorite sports movies. We’ll probably watch one (or all) after the football games end today.

Weekly Fantasy Football Report  (96:15)

 

Could Brian actually make the playoffs? Will J.C. maintain his composure with his own league rival, James, in the studio? (Spoiler Alert to that last one: yes). Who were the guys’ Rudys and Fredos this week? You certainly do ask a lot of questions.

What We’re Thankful For in 2013 Sports (103:14)

 

A special topic in honor of the holiday. It could be specific games, favorite players on the rise, or just particular sports stories that entered our consciousness this year. It’s a very sweet and heartfelt segment…so if nothing else it should assist you in throwing up if you need to purge some turkey.

The ITL Pensieve (124:14)

 

Brian continues to circle the drain as Elliott has another spectacular week. In the spirit of the holidays, we won’t insinuate that this is due to the universe being in such an alignment as to awaken some ancient dormant evil.

Current Pensieve Standings…

J.C.–104-60
Adam & Elliott–96-67
Brian–94-68

 

Make sure to follow us all on Twitter!! Do so and you’ll at least be as cool as this guy…

 

 

The Show Account–@ITLCast
Brian–@BriguySalisbury
J.C.–@jcdeleon1
Elliott–@ITLElliott
Adam–@the_beef

‘Write a Movie With Us’ – Week 5

This week is the first week we really get to start writing content. We’ve decided on our plot and discussed the world that our characters inhabit along with our characters themselves. Last weeks page will remain a source of discussion I feel as we refine the imagery of that world and how it feels, so feel free to continue adding ideas and thoughts to it this week right here. Check out this weeks introduction video for more details.

 

Now, I think there’s nothing else to do but begin to understand the basic structure of a three act script and start to map our own story. So, for the next three weeks we will focus on each act of the film beginning with act 1.

I have used The Script labs breakdown of acts to help us construct our script, but it is in way bible. So, Act 1;

SEQUENCE ONE – Status Quo &  Inciting Incident Establishes the central character, his/her life, and the status quo and the world of the story. It usually ends with the POINT OF ATTACK or INCITING INCIDENT, but this plot point can sometimes appear earlier in the first few minutes of the film.

SEQUENCE TWO – Predicament & Lock In Sets up the predicament that will be central to the story, with first intimations of possible obstacles. The main tension will be established at the end of the act. The sequence ends when the main character is LOCKED IN the predicament, propelling him/her into a new direction to obtain his/her goal.

So this gives us an idea of what we are setting up in the first act and what we will be building to in the subsequent acts.

Now it’s over to you fellow writers, start writing Act 1. You can write paragraphs, bullet points, fully formatted script pages, whatever you want. It’s not the format that matters right now it is the content. Also, don’t feel you need to include things like camera angles or any technical aspects – though if you feel it is suitable then feel free also. Remember to keep coming back and keep contributing, share the creative process with anyone you think would be interested. The more in the writers room the better.

fade in    

Tarantino reveals genre of next film

Tarantino and his films are a little bit like marmalade – you either love them or hate them. Truth be told, I don’t like Marmalade and I’m not particularly keen on Tarantino’s films either. Especially his more recent work. He very openly likes to create his own versions of the B-Movie genres he grew up with. And it’s these films (‘Django’, ‘Inglorious Bastards’ for example) that I am particularly not so hot for.

However, Tarantino has been known for his secrecy relating to his own projects so any hints to his next film are a bit of a big deal. Recently, on the Tonight Show after questioning he revealed the genre of his next project explaining;

I haven’t told anyone this publicly, but I will say the genre: It’s a western. I had so much fun doing Django, and I love westerns so much that after I taught myself how to make one, it’s like ‘OK! Let me make another one now that I know what I’m doing.

He also made sure to clarify that it would not be a sequel to ‘Django Unchained’, but rather an original story.

Source: The Tonight Show

Are you excited to see Tarantino’s next foray into westerns or were you hoping for something a bit different? Or maybe, like that tub of Marmalade hoping it would stay in the cupboard away from sight. Comment Below.

Inside the TARDIS: Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Catchup

The past week we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who. No small feat indeed. Here at OneOfUs we were very pleased with the episode and you can read our review here.

But we had a lot of content that week in the celebration and in the vortex haze of excitement it was very easy to miss some of the equally great additional content that was provided as part of the celebration. So, here is a run down on everything in case you missed it or just want to watch it again.

An Adventure in Space and Time
An intimate portrayal of the origins of the series and how original Doctor brought the beloved Doctor to life. Check out our review of this extremely touching special here.

 

Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide
Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman celebrate the 50th anniversary of the space-travelling Time Lord and take an in-depth look at the history of the show including a look at each incarnation, villains, companions and more.

 

The Culture Show: Me, You and Doctor Who
Lifelong fan Matthew Sweet explores the cultural significance of the BBC’s longest running TV drama, arguing that it’s one of the most important cultural artefacts of modern Britain. Put simply, Doctor Who matters.

 

The Science of Doctor
Professor Brian Cox takes a trip in Time and Space Brian and reveals the science behind the spectacle and explains the physics that allows Doctor Who to travel through space and time. Fun, but filled with real science, it’s a special night for Who fans as well anyone with a thirst for understanding.

 

Doctor Who at the Proms
The Doctor always makes a splash when he is at the proms, and this is no different. Featuring music from the series including lots of classic inclusion this will definitely touch the heart strings and proves why the Doctor Who music is so good.

 

Who Made Who
Doctor Who took over the radio too and in this radio 4 special Tracy-Ann Oberman, comedy star and sometime Doctor Who enemy, celebrates the minds behind a Time Lord. Featuring The Reunion, Dance of the Daleks and Whatever Happened to Susan?

 

The Five(ish) Doctor’s Reboot
With the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who about to film, the ‘Classic’ Doctors are keen to be involved. But do they manage it?

 

The Light at The End
The Classic Doctor’s Reuninte in the Big Finish anniversary episode. You can read our review here!

lightattheend-standard_cover_medium 

Behind The Lens
A quick yet insightful look into the making of the fiftieth Anniversary!

  

This week Doctor Who was everywhere and there was more even than this including Matt Smith and David Tennant on the Graham Norton show, Jenna Coleman on blue peter and dozens of other interviews relating to the special episode.What was your favourite memories from the 50th Anniversary? comment below.

Paramount Set to Bring ‘Friday The 13th’ Back in 2015

There have been murmurs about if we would see another Friday the 13th film after the incredibly mixed to negative reaction to the 2009 remake. I am part of the group that doesn’t necessarily want a sequel to the remake nor do I wish to see them reboot it again altogether. Apparently, as I’m sure we all knew to begin with, our wants don’t mean diddly to the studios as Paramount and Platinum Dunes are bringing Jason back to life and will be doing so March 13, 2015…a Friday if you would believe it.

The news that a sequel was forthcoming isn’t the bombshell so much as the release date bringing it that much closer to a reality. It wasn’t more than a couple months ago that it was rumored the new sequel might even be of the found footage variety. So there you go, not only is there an ill received remake/sequel/reboot/prequel or whatever they are planning it to be, but it could conceivably be an ill received remake/sequel that uses a film format that audiences are getting very sick of.

Platinum Dunes already has a double shot of remakes featuring iconic horror slashers that failed miserably so seeing a new film on the horizon seems to simply be a desperation move on behalf of studios unwilling to just let the icons live their legacy in the past. Derek Mears is indeed great casting as Jason, but there’s no news that he will be returning nor is there any firm details about what exactly the new film will entail in general.

Marcus Nispel’s 2009 Friday the 13th I feel like opened with a bang with the nearly 15 minute opening before the title credits. Unfortunately, the remainder of the film failed catastrophically to maintain that intensity and the CW heavy cast was equally as damaging. With a carefully chosen director that is unafraid of taking the franchise to new heights and with minimal interference from the studio I think a new sequel or reboot could work, but neither of those two conditions are likely to come to fruition.

Once upon a time in the first year or so following the remake I remember rumblings about a sequel that would take place in the snow at Crystal Lake, which I actually thought could make for a pretty interesting setting- especially one that’s different from what we are used to from the franchise. Perhaps it might resemble too much the film Cold Prey, which is very Halloween/Friday the 13th-esque, but then again a modern Friday the 13th could do worse by resembling a very well done foreign slasher.

Are you excited for a new Friday the 13th? Who do you think should direct? Should they pursue the found footage format? Sound off below!

Via: Deadline and Bloody-Disgusting