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Friday, November 29, 2024
12 Days: Ser'Darius Blain in Christmas On Call
'In the lead-up to Christmas, emergency room doctor Hannah Michaels juggles her demanding job and a budding romance with EMT Wes Sullivan in Philadelphia.'
Since turning off cable news after the election, Hallmark Christmas movies have been my go source of mindless entertainment. I oddly rarely ever watch one during the evening, but working part-time at home means for me, having the television on low as background. Usually I only half pay attention, and many of the film are forgettable, but once in awhile, you're surprised with a good one.
I didn't have high expectations when I turned on Christmas On Call the other day. I didn't know any of the cast members, and the description on the guide didn't really scream unique. Christmas On Call however, was really good. Usually in Hallmark movies, the secondary stories and characters are mostly just 'filler.' In Christmas On Call, the writer and director did a great job of making them meaningful, helped greatly by the perfect casting.
As for the main story, the love story between ER doctor Hannah, (Sara Canning) and EMT Wes, (Ser'Darius Blain) I was hooked from the first scene. As I said, I'd never heard of any of the cast, so don't think I'd ever seen Blain in any of previous roles. He's been acting professionally for over 15 years though, so I may have, but nothing that I could remember.
As Wes however, he was more than memorable. Blain was incredibly sweet and sexy as Wes, and I can't imagine anyone not instantly falling for his charm, caring and beautiful smile. With this role and film as my introduction, I'll definitely be keeping a close eye for his future projects.
Charmed (2018)
Better Man
Fame makes monkeys of us all
I really don't know much about singer Robbie Williams, or his time as an original member of the English pop group Take that. What I do know, I learned after starting FH. I quickly learned of Williams love of mooning, and have featured many images of his butt over the years. I also learned about the groups hit Do What You Like, and enjoyed the video, (HERE:) especially the ending with five band mates wet and naked, rolling on the floor.
Boy bands have always fascinated me though, young guys, hitting huge fame in their mid to late teens, with a whirlwind career, usually spanning a average of three to five years. It's hard to imagine having that sliver of stardom, where money is thrown at you, and both men and women want to have sex with you, and in addition to fame, alcohol, drugs and drama often follows. For many, it doesn't always end well.
I recently saw the trailer for Better Man, a film called, billed as a singular profile of British pop superstar Robbie Williams. Even though I didn't know much about Williams, I was really blown away by the powerful trailer. As you can see, Robbie isn't played by an actor, but instead a CGI created chimpanzee. What might have a silly concept, seems really ingenious, at least in the trailer. Between the music and the clips shown, I really am looking forward to seeing the film.
After seeing the trailer, I did a bit of research and learned that Robbie 'quit' the group in 1995, five years it's formation. The little I read indicates he was pushed out due to drug use and his unprofessional behavior Reportedly he almost overdosed in 1994, the night before Take That was due to perform on the MTV video awards.
Williams seemed to want more from music than a boy band could offer and went to what appears to be a relatively successful solo career. He did 'sort of' return to the group in 2010, but his appearances with them remained inconsistent. Hoping Better Man hits the theatre in my little town soon.
Uninterrupted Light: Mark B by Immortal Form
'For this shoot, we used a parking garage that I love. It gets uninterrupted light from the sun all afternoon, and there are cut-outs, columns and so many great places for models to pose.'
Having worked on FH for so long, I've always got an eye on new. Not just new artists and models, but new locations I haven't featured before. In addition to shooting the male form in studio, or at the beach, so many of the shoots I've featured have visually taken me all over the world. Not just to different cities and countries, but to locations most people simply ignore. There are spaces, that I would have never seen or experienced, except that one artist, saw it's unique beauty and potential.
I think that Dave from Immortal Form is the only artist I've every featured who has used a parking garage as a makeshift studio. Most of us don't think of car parks as more than a functional necessity, and few of us see their beauty. Usually, they're the source of frustration. We're either driving in circles, looking for a free space when we arrive, or trying to remember where we parked, when it's time to leave. Dave however, saw the locations potential, and has used the location since he began shooting the male form.
'I've used the parking garage for so many years now. There used to be train cars there as well, but sadly they were removed a few years ago. The concrete has a great texture too. I love working with natural light and it's great for that.'
I've been featuring Dave's work for close to five years and am always inspired by his imagery and stories. Dave has an incredibly busy work life, and photography is his creative passion. With limited time, Dave is deliberate with his creative choices, and both who and what he wants devote his free time to. One of the models Dave always loves working with is Mark B. FH viewers might remember Mark's first appearance on the site featuring his Canada Day themed shoot Dave. (HERE:)
With location shoots, I think my favorite images have either a contrast, or a balance between the model and the space. There's certainly a unique balance between Mark and the parking garage. His sexy, rugged look, and his incredible body, certainly matches the architectural strength of his surroundings. Dave shares that he and Mark shot there a few years ago, and wanted to go back, this time, incorporating Mark's jeep.
The area where Mark's jeep was parked was a little dark, so Dave got creative, and used the headlights to brighten things up. After they finished in that location, thy moved to a more brightly lit area. As for the fashion, Mark brought his own clothing, choosing sporty pieces to go with the location. Dave also had some fashion ideas, especially when Mark was posing in front of his jeep.
'Working with Dave is always a pleasure and he has such a great eye for a shot. But I have to say that he's a magician with photography natural in natural light. The results of these photos speak for themselves... amazing lighting, great shadowing and he has a knack for putting a model at ease so he can capture such great moments. We love this location because it's rare to see other cars or be interrupted which made it easy for me to change in public. ;)'
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