The Sequence – by Aaron Moles

Want to learn how to make a badass web series like The Sequence?  (Did you watch that vid yet?  Isn’t it badass?)

This Tuesday, August 30th on Scriptcast: Matt and Script Doctor Eric are joined in the UCLA Radio studios by writer/director Aaron Moles to chat about what it takes to write, shoot, and edit a good web series.

Moles is well known in the Channel 101 community – and across the internets – for his clever, quirky, special-effects laden projects, such as Return to Supermans and The Sequence (above).

Listen live to Scriptcast (A Screenwriting Podcast) by clicking the “Listen Live” headphones this Tuesday, from 4pm-6pm.  If you miss the live show, you can now Subscribe to Scriptcast on iTunes.  Woo woo.

Want to ask Aaron a question?  Tweet it to @scriptdreric any time before, or during the show.

That’s it.  See ya Tuesday!

Yes, I realize it’s Thursday and yes, I realize that means Outside Lands has been over for a while. But even UCLARadio DJs have lives and when you spend your whole weekend being blown away by music in Golden Gate Park, responsibilities build up. But here I am, one last time, to give you the best-of everything of Outside Lands 2011. Here goes.

Best Act: Muse

I said in my initial analysis that you would be hearing about this show for a while. Allow me to prove myself right by telling you about it right now. I would try to describe how good Muse was, but English-speaking people haven’t invented a word yet that could possibly capture the perfection that was on the main stage Saturday night. Every piece of Muse’s sound is crafted by an incredibly talented musician who goes beyond being merely a performer and becomes an innovator. Matthew Bellamy’s operatic singing style is absolutely perfect. I remember before the first time I saw them live I was worried about his vocals, because they are so difficult yet perfect on Muse’s albums and I knew there was no way he would be able to execute them live. Of course, I was completely wrong. If anything his vocal performance is better live because he spends a great deal more energy emoting, assisting the already epic nature of Muse’s tunes with extremely expressive vocals.

Moral of the story: if you haven’t seen Muse before, GO! It’s probably gonna be expensive. But can you really put a price on having your brain melted? Just sayin…

Best Food: Maverick Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Melt in your mouth meat goop between two pieces of bread. I could try to describe these unbelievably tasty sandwiches more eloquently but a soul food like pulled pork deserves a down-to-Earth writing style. Check out their website here. It’s great that Outside Lands endeavors to bring in some really high-class eateries to cook food that is both affordable and extremely tasty for the masses of music-fiends venturing to Golden Gate Park for a weekend of fun.

Best Business Installation: StubHub Sports Tent

Getting to the festival early every day left me with a lot of time to kill. Even after visiting every booth there was still enough time in the day that I found myself needing to spend a few hours doing free stuff while waiting for acts to start. There was no better place to do this than the StubHub sports tent, where visitors can play a number of games for free. I played pool, ping-pong, virtual golf, tabletop shuffleboard, and Pop-a-Shot. If you performed well enough in these games there were giveaways every hour in which top scorers would win Giants merchandise. Here’s me on the leaderboard for that competition. I didn’t win. It’s alright though, still got to see my name in chalk.

Best Costume: This Guy

Pink bunny suit wins. Plus he was a good sport when it came to having his picture taken

Honorable mention to This Guy

The bear suit from Workaholics! “Bitch better have mah honey!” Check out Workaholics. You’ll like it.

Surprise Act: !!!

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) is definitely alternative, but with a massive amount of integration of funk and electronic music. Basically it’s just all-around great dance music. The whole crowd was rocking out for their entire set. They also get the award for best front-man of the weekend. That guy’s got some seriously awesome dance moves and he knows how to please a crowd for sure. (more…)

UCLA Radio is giving you a chance to see the new film, Seven Days in Utopia, before everyone else! The advanced screening of

the film, starring Robert Duvall, Lucas Black and Melissa Leo, is taking place Monday, August 29th, 2011 at the AMC Burbank 16 at 7:30PM.

The sun came out on Outside Lands!

After a bone-chilling, muddy Friday I’m sure the 60,000+ people were all glad for a beautiful day in Golden Gate Park. It seemed like nobody was expecting it though, I saw a lot of jackets being held and carried rather than worn. Including my own.

But that’s as much time as I’ll take talking about the weather as there was SO MUCH incredible music going on throughout Saturday. Once again I arrived at the festival early in search of all the free stuff I could find, which allowed me to catch Macklemore on the main stage to start off my day. I’d never listened to his music before, but they guy was laying down some really solid beats that myself and the rest of the crowd was really getting into.

(more…)

Whew. What a Friday.

So the first thing you should know about Outside Lands’ Friday was that if you were at the mainstage anytime after 6, you were seeing Phish. Phish Phish Phish. 4 HOURS of Phish. By the end of the day, it was definitely the running joke among the crowd. It seemed like you were either at the festival only to see Phish or you were making fun of them every chance you got. On my way to see the Shins I even heard Best Coast making fun of them (”I don’t even know what Phish sounds like…”) Gotta love the Outside Lands crowd for having a musically-driven sense of humor.

I made sure to get to the festival early because Outside Lands has a bunch of installations by local businesses where you can go do a bunch of activities fo’ free. At the end of the weekend I’ll be sure to post more in-depth about the best there was, but today I was enjoying myself in the StubHub sports tent playing basketball and golf for a chance to win free stuff. I was top scorer in Pop-A-aShot for about 5 minutes. Go me.

(more…)

So it’s 2 AM on Friday which means in 10 hours 60,000 people will begin flooding into Golden Gate Park for a weekend days of music, food, wine, and art. Outside Lands is northern California’s biggest music festival annually and it has expanded this year to three days.

I will be one of those 60,000 people. And I’m not going to tell you the best bands going tomorrow. What I WILL tell you is where I’ll be. And if you’re interested in following along, I’ll be doing some live Twitter coverage and daily reviews here throughout the weekend.

So here it is. My Friday schedule.

1:10 PM- Joy Formidable

I’d call the Joy Formidable the perfect early-day band. Critically acclaimed, but for the most part still relatively unkown. Their lead singer (aside from being pretty foxy) is a great lyricist and their brand of alternative rock was meant to be enjoyed while sitting on the grass in Golden Gate Park.

2:25 PM- Phantogram

Oh man. This is one of the acts that I’m truly excited for. This 2-piece electronic rock group has a distinct style that accomplishes a gritty sound without becoming Lo-Fi. Picture hip-hop beats mixed with Aphex Twin. Intriguing, I know They perform their stuff live, and I’m sure the show will be worth it just for When I’m Small.

2:50 PM- The Meters

I wish I could just say “Cissy Strut” and leave it at that, but 95% of college students probably wouldn’t know what I was talking about. You should look it up though. Yeah, it’s that funk jam. Live funk is always worth it, and the Meters were a powerhouse in their time. It’s like a little piece of music history in the middle of a major festival. Love it.

3:40- Foster the People

I missed them at Coachella and I still regret it. Thank you, Outside Lands, for giving me a second chance. Pumped Up Kicks is all over the place right now. Everybody knows it, and I’d go so far as to say it’s probably the song of the summer. That whole album is great, Houdini is even better in my opinion. I’ll call this one a must see

4:35- MGMT

I’m only so-so on MGMT. It’s one of those bands I loved at first but had them get old really quick. And now I hear Electric Feel everywhere. Where was everybody 3 years ago? On the other hand, MGMT is one of those bands that you just have to go see if they’re on the lineup. Especially if you’re like me and you’ve never seen them live.

6:20- Big Boi

Another must see. Sir Lucious Left Foot is a GREAT hip-hop album. Watch the Throne? Garbage compared to Big Boi’s work. Just go get it. Right now.

7:50- Erykah Badu

Another band I missed at Coachella, and all I heard about her performance there was that she can throw it down. When people who know more about music than ME tell me that a show was great, I listen. I’m not terribly familiar with her music, but I’m always in for da fonk.

8:40- The Shins

It came completely out of left field for me when Outside Lands added the Shins to the lineup late. But add them they did and I’m suuuuper down to see them again. I saw them in 2007 and they entranced the crowd in a way that few bands can. Maybe an album too, Shins? We’re waiting.

Sad to Miss:

Lotus, the Limousines, Toro Y Moi

Other people will like:

Ellie Goulding, Phish, Collie Buddz, Best Coast, Big Audio Dynamite

If you don’t already, be sure to follow @UCLARadio on Twitter for live coverage of Outside Lands courtesy of UCLARadio’s very own PBJ!

The Glitch Mob is the combined creative genius of Ed Ma, Justin Boreta and Josh Mayer (better known as edIT, Boreta, and Ooah) born out of LA’s bourgeoning bass-driven beat music scene.  Already widely known as one of the foremost “glitch” artists for their live performances that prove the musical potential of technology such as laptops and MIDI controllers, the Glitch Mob just dropped their first full-length album “Drink the Sea” late-May. The album includes the ground-breaking single “Drive It Like You Stole It” from their 2010 EP, as well as new tracks that sandwich synthpop harmonies between hip-hop vocals and bass-heavy beats. Catch the Glitch Mob at Club Nokia on August 19th, along with RJD2 and Photek. Even better, win FREE tickets by tuning in to UCLA Radio!

We will be giving away tickets both on-air and online. Make sure you like us on Facebook where you can check out our Giveaway Calendar and  follow us on Twitter to find out when we’ll be giving these tickets away!

You can also purchase tickets: here.

On August 2^nd, the Naked and Famous performed a sold out show at the Music Box in downtown Los Angeles. The Naked and Famous are an up and coming New Zealand band, where their debut album, “Passive Me, Aggressive You” instantly peaked at number 1 in the charts.

The Naked and Famous pleased the audience with a full, high-energy performance that got the crowd dancing and air-punching. Most impressing, however, is how the two singers, Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers, are able to harmonize their voices, having them melt together similar to the styles of Romy and Jamie of the English duo the XX.

Crowd favorites included the singles Punching in a Dream and closer Young Blood, which can be found on the popular television shows Degrassi and Gossip Girl. Fans of the band that missed out this round can find The Naked and Famous returning to The Music Box again in October, so be sure to keep checking their website, found below, for more ticket details.

Band Site: http://www.thenakedandfamous.com/

August is here, and for California music festival-goers that means Outside Lands is finally just around the corner. San Francisco’s premiere music festival brings to the table an experience that your average festival cannot. Not only does it bring forth a variety of artists difficult to find elsewhere, Outside Lands prides itself on its ability to showcase local food, wine, art, and businesses in a wholly San Francisco style.

Music:
Outside Lands’ lineup reflects San Francisco’s diverse music tastes. Few festivals are able to list headliners that include Phish right next to Deadmau5. The three-day lineup includes classic rock, hip-hop, alternative, funk, EDM, and everything in between.

Friday highlights:
Phish, MGMT, The Shins, The Original Meters, Erykah Badu, Big Boi, Foster the People

Saturday highlights:
Muse, the Black Keys, the Roots, Arctic Monkeys, STRFKR, Girl Talk

Sunday highlights:
Arcade Fire, Deadmau5, Major Lazer, Latyrx, tUnE-YarDs, the Decemberists, STS9, John Fogerty

Food:
Outside Lands calls its food lineup “A Taste of the Bay Area”. As a San Francisco native, I can tell you that they do a great job getting some of the most popular food vendors to come out for the festival.

Highlights:
-Gordo Taqueria
San Franciscans will always debate about the best burrito in the city, and Gordo will always be among the places listed. With 3 locations throughout San Francisco, Gordo is without question one of the most popular burrito places in the bay area

-Maverick/ Memphis Minnie’s:
BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches are one of the few real American contributions to cuisine. Memphis Minnies’ supplies the Tennessee fire, while Maverick’s barbecue is Cincinnati-style. You really can’t go wrong either way

-The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen:
Gourmet grilled cheese? Not an oxymoron. These guys bring the heat with some incredible grilled cheese creations, as well as gourmet mac N cheese. Bacon Turkey Mac N Cheese. ‘Nuff Said.

-Mission Minis/ Kara’s Cupcakes:
LA showed the world that cupcakes could be brought to a new level with Sprinkles. San Francisco has seen an influx of cupcake-centered restaurants over the past few years, and Outside Lands is bringing two of the best. Between Kara’s full-sized delights and Mission Minis’ smaller fare, you’ll be able to find any combination of cake and frosting you want.

-Bonus: Spicy Pie
Spicy Pie is by no means bay area fare, but a must-have at any festival. Great pies and usually the cheapest hearty option wherever you see it.

Stay tuned for more updates and previews as the festival draws closer

Join Matt and Eric this Tuesday on Scriptcast – A Screenwriting Podcast as they chat with writer-producer Adam Strange live in studio about the pros and cons of writers groups.  (Mostly the pros.)

Adam is the founder of Deadline Junkies, a professional writers group here in Los Angeles comprised of a number of produced screenwriters and SAG actors.

Listen live by clicking on the cleverly titled “Listen Live” headphones (above) at 4pm on Tuesday.

Want to ask Adam, Matt, or Eric a question?  Join the discussion by tweeting Eric (@scriptdreric) before or during the show.

See ya Tuesday!

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Are you a screenwriter or at least interested in screenwriting?  Then you should be listening live to Scriptcast with Script Doctor Eric every Tuesday from 4-6pm.  Seriously.