Ari Folman animates Robin Wright in 'The Congress'

CANNES, France (AP) ? Hollywood is hell.

That's an idea to set tongues wagging at the Cannes Film Festival, and it's the distinct impression left by Israeli director Ari Folman's head-spinning part-animated feature "The Congress."

Fittingly, Cannes provided the inspiration for the director's dystopian vision of the entertainment business, which stars actress Robin Wright as, well, actress Robin Wright ? a 40something performer whose career is on the slide.

Folman conceived the kernel of the film when he came to the festival in 2008 with "Waltz With Bashir," his Academy Award-nominated animated film about his experiences as a young Israeli soldier in Lebanon in the 1980s.

The director said he was walking through the bustling movie marketplace at Cannes when he saw an elderly woman.

"And my sales agent asked me, do you recognize this lady? And I said no," Folman said. "And he told me her name and I was shocked, because she was this goddess American actress from the 70s. She was in her 70s, and no one recognized her. And this is Mecca for cinema, this place!

"And I thought, she's got in front of her, everywhere, the image of her young, stolen forever in the movies. And here she is and she has to live with her image forever young, but she's getting old."

Folman diplomatically declined to name the actress. But he said the episode gave him a way to realize a long-held dream of adapting "The Futurological Congress," a satirical sci-fi novel by Polish writer Stanislaw Lem in which pharmaceutical overlords keep the population hooked on hallucinogenic drugs.

In the movie, Wright agrees to become a "scanned actor," a digital avatar owned by her studio. The digital Wright can be endlessly, agelessly used in new movies ? the studio makes her "Agent Robin" in a sci-fi action series ? while the flesh-and-blood person grows old in obscurity.

The film's live-action first half is an entertainingly bleak depiction of Hollywood, with an on-the-ropes Wright berated by her agent (a delicious Harvey Keitel) and bullied by her studio boss (a malevolent Danny Huston).

Wright has been called brave for taking on issues of aging and image so directly. But Folman said he didn't see it that way when he offered the role to the actress after sitting across from her at an awards ceremony and thinking she looked sad.

"I think it's a great role," he said. "She is Robin Wright, she is Agent Robin in the movie, she's an animated character, she's an old Robin at the very end, she sings two songs ? it's a great role.

"Although Harvey Keitel told me one day on the set, 'Man, she is so brave. You could have offered me the world, I would never do what she does in this movie.'"

Wright has said she doesn't think she is playing herself, even though she and her screen character share a name and many biographical details, including roles in "The Princess Bride" and "Forrest Gump."

Once Wright has been digitally scanned, the movie switches to animation as the character visits a conference at a luxury hotel ? where her films screen endlessly and she goes unrecognized ? and learns of a sinister plot to make the power of celebrity even more addictive.

The movie's audacious shifts of tone, and its swirling, psychedelically tinged animation, have elicited diverse reactions at Cannes, where "The Congress" opened the Director's Fortnight competition.

Many saw it as original but uneven. It's inarguably a strikingly original work by a director who is both amused and despairing about the modern entertainment business.

Folman, a genial, bearded 50-year-old sporting a gold medallion and an earring, says he fears the sort of movies that inspired him ? the director-driven American cinema of the 1970s ? is dying, soon to be found only in cinema museums.

And don't get him started on 3-D, CGI and the other digital tricks that, Folman thinks, are ruining movies.

"The role of the director is completely different (today)," he said. "Until recently the urgency on the set to make a movie was huge. Today, it's only part of the job, because you can fix everything afterwards. The set is blue screens, and then you build it and you can fix it. And sometimes it's for the good, but I can give you examples where it's terrible.

"My favorite sci-fi movie ever is 'Blade Runner.' This film was done with hand-made crafts."

For the movie, director Ridley Scott "built the sets ? it's wood and paper and plastic and aluminum. I see this movie every few months on a big screen at home and it will live forever.

"Same guy did 'Prometheus' last year. Who saw it?"

Folman is keeping the flame burning for an older form of cinema ? but it's a slow and laborious process. "The Congress" took five years to make, and slightly under an hour of animation required two years of work by animators in nine countries.

"I try not to look at myself as this nostalgic (person)," Folman added, pausing a second before adding: "But."

"I don't say we will have scanned actors. I think the human side will win. I am a true believer in that.

"But if I look at my kids and the way they use everything ? iPads and electronics and everything ? I have to be honest with myself and say, if my kids, in 15 years' time, see a movie with scanned characters, they won't give a damn."

___

Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ari-folman-animates-robin-wright-congress-120523130.html

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How To Overcome The Fear Of Public Speaking - Coaching And ...

Yesterday I got to watch Diversity leader Ashley Banjo?s Secret Street Crew program, where he teaches some of the most unlikely people to dance.

Dinner ladies, teachers, firemen, dart players? have got from practically zero dance skills to performing rather difficult routines in front of unexpectant big audiences.

With a bit of help from the expert, they get to learn 2 key elements ?great dancers display:

?

1. Technique

2. Performance

?

Interestingly, the same 2 elements I teach my clients when they come to me for help with public speaking fears.

It?s a common fear I?ve personally overcome.

A lot of people dread speaking in front of an audience. Some people are OK with a couple of people, but more than that and they freeze. Some have jobs that require giving presentations. Some even dread work meetings where the attention is on them. I?ve even worked with people who were lonely because they couldn?t bring themselves to meet new people.

This can be a very debilitating fear that can result in a range of symptoms, from sweaty hands, jelly legs, red hot faces, trembling hands, shortness of breath, and even going completely blank. If you?ve ever experienced any of these you know it?s not fun at all.

In the past I used to feel physically ill just thinking about having to speak in from of a bunch of people. It?s kind of funny because at age 17 I was the front singer in a rock band and seemed to have no problem singing and dancing like a lunatic at concerts!

My public speaking fears arose when I got a little older and started to second guess myself and focus on all the wrong things for all the wrong reasons.

Thankfully I realized this. I got help, and with time and practice I got to not only conquer my fears, but now I teach seminars and workshops all the time, and speak with the media no problem at all, in fact I really enjoy it!

I love helping people overcome their fear of public speaking. It?s one of my favorite things to do because results often happen very quickly, so it?s extremely rewarding for my clients, and for me too.

Whether you?ve trouble approaching people, speaking in groups, or giving presentations, here are 3 top tips to help you overcome your fears and become a more confident speaker:

1#? PIMP YOUR ATTITUDE

Remind yourself that public speaking is a skill you can learn and get better at, just like all the other skills you?ve mastered in your life: smiling, walking, reading, writing? what will help is when you consciously switch from focusing on the problem to focusing on the solution. Ask yourself: how can I solve this?

You can improve how you dress to feel more confident, you can improve your posture, the way you carry yourself, the way you walk and move? you can also change the way you speak to yourself and to others, you can learn to be more composed and impactful with your tone, pitch, pace and choice of language? all of this you can learn and get better at, as long as you begin to focus on the solution.

2# DON?T GO COMPARE

We can always learn by watching other accomplished speakers in action, but avoid comparing yourself to them. Comparisons often lead to disappointment and bad feelings. Great speakers compare themselves to themselves. Like I said before, public speaking is a skill you can and will get better at when you focus on what matters. The more you practice the better you?ll get, as long as you keep asking yourself: how much better am I getting?

3#? FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS

When you think about yourself speaking in public, change how you see yourself in your mind, so you see what you want to see, i.e. a composed, confident and commanding you. What would you look like if you were at your very best? Also, change how you talk to yourself inside your head so you get to feel better. If you want to feel confident and at ease, speak to yourself in a confident and calm tone. When you feel more at ease, now you can change your focus from your stomach to the people in front ofyou.

And remember that no matter who you?re talking to, or what you?re talking about, when you concentrate on making people feel good around you, straight away they get to like you more.

Want to conquer your fear of public speaking? Ask me about my ConfidenceSquared program at anna@delite.ie

Source: http://dublinnlplifecoach.com/4603/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-public-speaking/

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Economists predict increase in consumer spending

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Consumer spending is likely to pick up this year, while government spending declines at a faster rate, according to a survey of business economists.

The economists predict that the U.S. economy will grow 2.4 percent this year and 3 percent next year. That's unchanged from their forecast in February.

But they are more bullish on consumer spending and housing than they were three months ago, in part because of a more positive view about unemployment.

The survey was released Monday by the National Association for Business Economics, which periodically surveys economists for banks, manufacturers and universities.

The 49 economists who were questioned between April 16 and April 30 predicted that consumer spending will rise 2.3 percent this year, up from a forecast of 1.9 percent in February. They were also more upbeat about auto sales, predicting 15.4 million vehicles sales, an increase of 1 million over 2012.

Nayantara Hensel, chair of the NABE survey and a business professor at National Defense University, said consumer spending will get a boost from gains in the stock market, home values and lower unemployment.

"Home prices are going up, and with also the improvement in the unemployment rate, people will be more willing to buy," Hensel said in an interview.

The economists predicted that home prices will rise 4.4 percent this year and 4 percent next year. Boosted by new construction, they predict a 15 percent jump in residential housing investment this year.

Housing starts hit a 5-year peak in March then fell in April, with most of the decline due to less apartment construction, which can swing wildly from month to month.

Applications for building permits hit a 5-year high in April, suggesting that the housing market will continue to recover from the recession. A recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders found continued optimism among builders.

The NABE economists, who were surveyed before April unemployment was reported at 7.5 percent, predicted that the rate will decline to 7.4 percent in the fourth quarter and 6.8 percent in late 2014.

Corporate profits after taxes are expected to rise 5.3 percent in 2013 and 7.5 percent next year. Both of those are more bullish forecasts than the economists offered in February.

While consumers might spend more, the government sector is expected to shrink 2.3 percent this year ? sharper than the 1 percent cut that the economists predicted in February, before a series of automatic federal spending cuts kicked in when Congress and the White House failed to reach a deal to avoid them. The economists expect government spending to decline a more modest 0.9 percent in 2014, but Hensel said the forecast could change to a bigger decline if it looks like the automatic cuts will continue into the next fiscal year.

Lower government spending, especially by the military, "has already had a sharp effect on GDP growth," she said. GDP, or gross domestic product, is the measure of the economy's total output of goods and services.

The NABE survey found little alarm about potential inflation. The economists expect the Consumer Price Index to rise 1.9 percent this year and 2.1 percent in 2014.

On Friday, the Conference Board reported that its index of leading economic indicators rose in April after dipping in March. A board economist said the economy was getting a lift from steady job gains and the housing market, offsetting government spending cuts.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-05-20-US-Business-Economists-Survey/id-2053c06eb581427097978ec3a83d508f

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Toots Hibbert injured by bottle thrown at concert

Celebs

Randee Dawn TODAY contributor

7 hours ago

Getty Images

Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals.

A Richmond, Va. area man was charged on Sunday with aggravated assault and public intoxication after throwing a bottle at reggae singer Frederick "Toots" Hibbert during a concert Saturday, reported The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Toots, who fronts Toots and the Maytals, were performing at the Dominion Riverrock Outdoor Sports and Music Festival when William C. Lewis, 19, reportedly threw a glass vodka bottle from the crowd. The set ended early.

"I was on stage at the sound monitor desk when a clear glass liquor bottle struck Toots Hibbert in the head," said John O'Donnell, who works for Soundworks, which co-produced the event. "Blood was flowing heavily from his head."

A guitarist told the crowd that Hibbert was "going to the hospital with a busted head."

Workers discovered that a vodka bottle had disappeared from a bar, said Jack Berry, executive director of Venture Richmond, which co-produced the event.

Hibbert, 67, was treated at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, then released early on Sunday morning, and appears to hold no grudge against the area, according to festival manager Stephen Lecky.

"He was in good spirits and was very appreciative of Richmond," he said. "He said he wanted to come back, and he understood this was just one bad apple, basically."

Added Lecky, "He was one of the nicest men I ever met."

The band's Facebook page featured a post late on Sunday which read: "Toots would like to thank all his friends, fans and family who have reached out to him since the bottle throwing incident in Richmond Saturday Night. After 7 seven stitches and a little rest he was able to perform a wonderful show in Westhampton NY tonite as the 1st show of his acoustic tour. The youth who threw the bottle for no apparent reason is in custody and being charged. Being the soldier he is he will hopefully be able to continue the tour."

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/toots-hibbert-injured-bottle-thrown-concert-6C9995714

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IRS Scandal: Celia Roady Planted Question - Business Insider

Washington tax lawyer Celia Roady acknowledged that at the behest of the IRS, she asked a question at a May 10 conference that would ignite the controversy over inappropriate targeting of conservative groups.

Four days before a damning Inspector General's report was due to be released, the IRS wanted to get out ahead and potentially defuse some of the backlash.?

Roady serves on the IRS Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt and Government Entities. She?asked the planted question to Lois Lerner, the IRS' director of the tax-exempt division. Within minutes, it sparked shock and a firestorm that the IRS had revealed it inappropriately targeted certain groups, particularly with the words "Tea Party" and "patriot" in their title.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, the firm that employs Roady, released a statement on her behalf explaining her role in asking the question:

?On May 9, I received a call from Lois Lerner, who told me that she wanted to address an issue after her prepared remarks at the ABA Tax Section?s Exempt Organizations Committee Meeting, and asked if I would pose a question to her after her remarks.? I agreed to do so, and she then gave me the question that I asked at the meeting the next day. We had no discussion thereafter on the topic of the question, nor had we spoken about any of this before I received her call. She did not tell me, and I did not know, how she would answer the question.?

Outgoing Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller confirmed during testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday that the question had been planted.

That led to intense questioning from members of Congress, who wondered why Lerner did not reveal the news during testimony before the committee on May 8, two days before the conference.?

Miller said that the plan had been to simultaneously notify Congress after Lerner's public admission, but acknowledged that "didn't happen."

"She has been directly involved in this matter," Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) said on Friday. "She failed to disclose what she knew to this committee, choosing instead to do so at an ABA conference two days later.

"This is wholly unacceptable."

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/irs-scandal-celia-roady-planted-question-tea-party-conservatives-obama-2013-5

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Ex-NBA player stabbed, seriously injured in fight

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) ? Serbian police say Predrag Danilovic, who played for the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, is seriously injured after being stabbed in a fight.

Police say Danilovic was hurt during a brawl early Saturday in a cafe in a residential part of the capital, Belgrade. Doctors say Danilovic underwent an operation to treat injuries to his abdomen, head and arms.

The reason for the brawl was not immediately known.

Danilovic is currently the general manager of Serbian basketball club Partizan Belgrade.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-nba-player-stabbed-seriously-injured-fight-120326654.html

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Denmark favorite to win Eurovision Song Contest

Emmelie de Forest of Denmark performs her song "Only Teardrops" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Emmelie de Forest of Denmark performs her song "Only Teardrops" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Bonnie Tyler of Britain performs her song "Believe in Me" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Cezar of Romania performs the song "It's My Life" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Cezar of Romania performs the song "It's My Life" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Anouk of the Netherlands performs her song "Birds" during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 17, 2013. The contest is run by European television broadcasters with the event being held in Sweden as they won the competition in 2012, the final will be held in Malmo on May 18. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

MALMO, Sweden (AP) ? An ethno-inspired flute and drum tune from Denmark is the bookmakers' favorite to win this year's Eurovision Song Contest, which also features a bizarre opera pop number from Romania and an Armenian rock song written by the guitarist of Black Sabbath.

Yes, it's that time of the year again.

The televised pan-European extravaganza, known for its kitschy shows, bad taste and bizarre offerings, is still expected to be seen by about 125 million television viewers worldwide Saturday.

This year's contest is being hosted in Malmo, southern Sweden, following the victory of the Nordic country's contestant Loreen last year.

According to bookmakers, the hippie-chic Emmelie De Forest of Denmark is the favorite to win, driving the song "Only Teardrops" with her deep, Shakira-like voice. Her main challenge comes from the clean-cut techno pop tune "I Feed You My Love" by Norway's Margaret Berger, who rose to fame at home after becoming the runner-up in Norway's version of Pop Idol in 2004.

"I will be nervous before going on stage," De Forest said Friday. "I think we have a really good song that can take us far, but let's see, anything can happen."

Finland's Krista Siegfrid provided this year's controversy, ending her bouncy bubble-gum pop number "Marry Me" with a girl-on-girl kiss that some have interpreted as a stance promoting gay marriage. While the show will not raise eyebrows in most parts of Western Europe ? where Eurovision has long been a bastion of gay culture ? the act may jar sensitivies in parts of eastern and southern Europe.

"The fact is that Finland is the only country in the Nordic countries where gay marriage is not allowed, and I think that's wrong," Siegfrid told The Associated Press. "It's 2013 now and ... I can kiss anyone I want to. It shouldn't be a problem."

This year's competition also sees the return to the international stage of two seasoned European stars. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" singer Bonnie Tyler is representing Britain with "Believe In Me" while Anouk, whose song "Nobody's Wife" was a big hit in Europe in the 1990s, is singing the song "Birds" for The Netherlands.

Among the more notable performances is the Ukraine's Zlata Ognevich with her song "Gravity." Ognevich is carried onto the stage by the tallest man in the U.S. ? Ukrainian-born Igor Vovkovinskiy. Vovkovinskiy ? who stands 7 feet 8 inches (234 cms) ?wobbles onstage in a fur and feathers, placing the fairy-like Ognevich on a rock where she stands for the rest of the performance.

There is also Armenian rock group Dorians, whose gloomy song "Lonely Planet" has been written by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.

Romania's Cezar, who resembles a Dracula reborn as a high-pitched vocalist, is apparently a reputable opera singer, but is attempting a crossover opera pop number with techno beats and pyrotechnics. Three muscular male dancers in red body paint are delivered out of a large red cape.

Two semifinals this week have whittled down the contestants from 40 to 26. The winner is picked by juries and television viewers across the continent, and the winning nation will stage next year's event.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-05-18-Sweden-Eurovision/id-76cb6cb4a1804816a0d328728857df4f

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