Monday, June 30, 2014

Not pulling any punches

To: Southpaw production

From: Management

Re: Boxing Idioms to avoid

It has come to our attention that several boxing idioms could used in  certain "discussions" about our client.  Please avoid as much as possible.

Throw in the towel

Take the belt

Give him "the old one-two"

Out for the count

Below the belt

Blow-by-blow

Take it on the chin

A low blow

Come out swinging


And saved by the bell.  (Not for the obvious reasons, but just because we don't want a Screech connection)


Sunday, June 29, 2014

Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is an American artist associated with the pop art movement. He is best known as the creator of the LOVE series of paintings and sculptures, is an openly gay American artist who has incorporated autobiographical and gay themes within his work. Today's Out Spotlight is Robert Indiana.

Robert Indiana, also known as Robert Clark was born on September 13, 1928 in New Castle, Indiana. He was adopted as an infant by oil company manager Earl Clark and homemaker Carmen Watters. He was their only child.

He spent the first 17 years of his life living in Indiana moving frequently between cities and eventually lived in 21 different homes. After his parents divorced, he relocated to Indianapolis to live with his father so he could attend Arsenal Technical High School (1942–46). After high school he attended Syracuse University to study Russian.

Clark went on to serve for three years in the United States Army Air Forces. Completing his tour of duty, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago (1949–53) on the GI Bill. He attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine (summer 1953) after he received his degree of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, from the Art Institute. Clark won a scholarship to Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art (1953–54) where he received a Master's of Fine Arts. He returned to America in 1954 and settled in New York City. There he began making art with his distinctive "hard edge" style.

In New York rented a loft in an old warehouse on Coenties Slip, a since-demolished industrial area at the southernmost tip of Manhattan that became an artistic center because of its cheap rents. There he became part of a group of young artists including Agnes Martin, Lenore Tawney, Jack Youngerman, and Ellsworth Kelly. For a time, he and Kelly were lovers.

Clark changed his surname to Indiana in 1958 to reflect better the American focus of his work. He first attracted notice in 1959 with unpainted assemblages, stenciled with short words and constructed from scavenged wood, pieces of iron, and wheels.

Indiana is part of the pop art movement, though he deprecatingly refers to himself as a "sign painter." Like other pop artists he invests commonplace objects and familiar images with new meaning. However, his works occasionally deviate from the pop art norm by evincing intense personal and political engagement. They express concern over social issues and make pointed political statements. His painting Yield Brother (1962), for example, focuses on the peace movement while his Confederacy series (1965-66), created during the Civil Rights movement, attacks racism in four southern states.

In addition, Indiana tends to be more autobiographical than other pop artists. For example, his EAT/DIE (1962) diptych focuses on the last word, "eat," spoken to him by his mother on her deathbed. The painting also evokes the diner his mother managed, which had the familiar "EAT" sign looming overhead. Indiana also collaborated with gay pop artist Andy Warhol on the 1962 short film Eat.

Indiana has also been influenced by the great American queer writers Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, and Hart Crane. His Melville Tryptich (1961) is considered one of his classic images, and several paintings have been inspired by Crane's poem of longing and gay affiliation, "The Bridge."

In 1964, he received a commission from the Museum of Modern Art for a Christmas card design. He created a picture that emphasized the words Love is God (1964). Typical of pop artists, Indiana serialized the image. In 1966, he exhibited a series of "love" paintings, including a definitive version featuring four red block letters completely filling the canvas against a blue and green background. Each letter fills a quarter of the picture, the L and a tilted O in the top quadrants, the V and E in the bottom quadrants. A few examples of the rare image, in bold blue and green with a red bottom announcing "Stable May 66" are known to exist. Twenty-five of these, without the red announcement, were signed and dated on the reverse by Indiana.

The LOVE image had an immediate impact, especially among the youth culture of the 1960s. As a painting, graphic design, and a sculpture, it has become one of the most pervasive and widely disseminated images of all time.

In 1973, the U.S. Postal Service commissioned Indiana to do a LOVE postage stamp. The resulting product became the most popular stamp ever issued by the U.S. government.

Sculptural versions of the image have been installed at numerous American and international locations. Sculptures of the image can be found at many places, including, The Original "Love" sculpture located in Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana;


 Sixth Avenue in New York City; Pratt Institute campus in Brooklyn, New York; John F. Kennedy Plaza in Philadelphia; Middlebury College campus, Vermont; University of Pennsylvania campus, Philadelphia; Pool area of the Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino in Las Vegas; Wichita State University campus in Wichita, Kansas; Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine; 96th Street Bay Harbor Islands, Florida and the Art Trail outside the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas

In 1977 he created a Hebrew version with the four letter word Ahava (אהבה "love" in Hebrew) using Cor-ten steel, for the Israel Museum Art Garden in Jerusalem, Israel. I


ndiana created sculptures showing "amor" is displayed at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden in Washington DC and a sculpture for love is displayed outside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on Piazza della Scala in Milan, Italy.

Internationally his "Love" sculpture can be see in Montreal and Vancouver Canada; Bilbao, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; London as well as
Chatsworth, Derbyshire, UK; The Republic of Georgia, Armenia; Switzerland; The Netherlands; Tokyo; Singapore; Bangkok, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jakarta; South Korea; and the Love Park in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

In 1995, Indiana created a "Heliotherapy Love" series of 300 silk screen prints signed and numbered by the artist, which surrounds the iconic love image in a bright yellow border. These prints are the largest official printed version of the Love image.

For Valentine's Day 2011, Indiana created a similar variation on LOVE for Google, which was displayed in place of the search engine site's normal logo.

In 1978, Indiana moved to Vinalhaven, Maine. Working with Vinalhaven Press, he has used the traditional printmaking media of etching and lithography to depict the solitude and isolation of his life in rural Maine.

In 2013, the Whitney Museum of American Art mounted a retrospective of his work entitled "Robert Indiana: Beyond LOVE"

Indiana's more recent works include biographical elements of gay lives, including his own.

Indiana continues create and accept commissions.

We know Austin's a fan.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Extras Extra

Jake's done movies that have needed hundred and thousands of extras (TDAT and PoP for example) and for Southpaw the call went out all over western Pennsylvania for extras, most to play the part of the crowds for the boxing matches.


So what is it like to play an extra?

Short story - lots of waiting, and long days.

For some making new friends,  and others getting picked out of obscurity.

"John Varescak, of Indiana,(PA) was so enthused about being an extra in the movie that’s being filmed partially in Indiana this month that he took two weeks off work so he would be available.

When he went to the casting call, he got more than he bargained for.
Varescak has been chosen to play a ringside boxing official.

 Varescak said a member of the casting department contacted him to ask if he owns a tuxedo. He does, so he was able to send a photo of himself and a brief biography, and he got the part. He said he was fitted recently for his costume — a burgundy blazer with a white dress shirt, black pants and a tie." - Indiana Gazette

Junk Chuck shared this:

"It was a lot of fun.  I met some cool people, and a lot of weird people–some the kind of weird you expect when folks are mass-hired for temporary, low-wage jobs.  Others just weird in the way that doesn’t necessarily show until we’re thrust together in close proximity, in a situation with lots of down time and a lot of external stimuli to react to.  You’re sitting shoulder to shoulder with people, waiting to watch millionaires play pretend, and it’s pretty natural to look to one side and say, “Hey.” Or “having fun?” Or “sandwiches again for lunch?” The next thing you know, you’ve got a fleeting friendship–you’ve got, um, maybe the best word for it is “buddies.” 

"The process–hundreds of us worked for a week to create what can’t end up being much more than 15 minutes of film, and even that feels long.  The costs are astounding.  Extras salaries alone, not counting overtime and the bounty of food they provided, cost somewhere around $60/minute for 14 hours or more a day (I worked 56 hours last week).  Scenes are filmed multiple times from multiple angles, with long waits for “reversals” when the cameras are flipped from one side of the shot to the other. "

He shared that he's playing  "a reporter at a boxing match. Never watched a movie filmed before–it’s pretty interesting, mostly fun, and super long hours (I’ve got 41.5 hours logged in 3 days). "

And told what he could about what was happening on set.  "Gyllenhaal is doing some serious acting–really impressive stuff. It’s going to be tough to wait a year or more to see how it works out. Not much else I can say, and sorry no pictures; we have to sign confidentiality agreements. They’re already thrown out a couple of people for taking cell pictures."

His week of work ended up being over 60 hours- talk about extra hours.

Friday, June 27, 2014

On Watch

We know that Austin has the hots for Brazilians

but he showed that he has lots of love for Team USA too, tweeting during the US - Germany game this week.

 USA USA USA USA USA USA !!!!!! - AUS10






Four years ago we found out how much of a World Cup watcher Austin  is, and this year is no exception. 

 No doubt his eyes will be peeled to the TV on Tuesday when the US meets Belgium.

While he saw more bite on the pitch than on the water, Austin was diligent in his watch  for a big set of teeth, proving  a watcher on his shark tracking expedition.  Nautica put up several photos on their Facebook page of Austin from their sponsored partnership  with Oceana.






Thursday, June 26, 2014

Punch Back

A little more Punch to Southpaw.

Page Six is reporting that 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) will play a promoter who’s part of the entourage of the cocky, aggressive, volatile boxing champion Billy Hope.


 Jake and 50 at the premiere of End of Watch.

Billy fully expects to ride out his career with his massive winnings, adoring fans, beloved wife, Maureen, and their 10-year-old daughter but when his temper triggers a fight and shootout that leaves his wife dead, Billy’s life spirals out of control. After he loses his house, money and daughter, he begins to find his way back to some kind of balance with the help of an amateur trainer (Forrest Whitaker).

Southpaw is still filming in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and will soon shift to Pittsburgh for the remainder of their summer filming.

and some Throwback (shirts optional)


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Double Up

 For those who didn't get a chance to check Jake doing a double play now's your chance.  Enemy is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.



In addition to the movie about Anthony and his doppelganger Adam, there is an additional special feature on the DVD.    “Lucid Dreams: The Making of Enemy”  is featurette of the making of the movie and it may include that "lost" interview with Jake about the movie that popped up online for all of a day and vanished.

Enemy created much discussion amongst those who saw it, and there is almost as many interpretations of what it all meant (especially the spiders ) as there were movie posters.







Spoiler Alert!

If you want to see what other people think it all means,  check out some of these interpretations of Denis' psychological thriller.




Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Stick it to Stop it

Austin  is the definitition of a water baby, on the water before he could walk,  an Aqua Man indeed.


Just like the biggest swimmer on the Justice League Austin's doing what he can for a good cause.

Austin continues sharing Oceana's mission and message:

AUS10:  Calling all #ocean lovers: Chip in & spread the message to #stopthenets w/our sticker:


Monday, June 23, 2014

Salute Your Shorts!

Austy don't worry we didn't forget you favorite shorty short wearer





We know,  he's just in a category all  he is own.