Well - I keep getting teased by Lance that I've become obsessed with my fitness, so thought I would cover that in this post. The truth is that I might be slightly obsessed now - the fact is that I want to be healthy and fit 20-30 years from now. A fit body is the key to a fit mind in a lot of ways. It's been roughly 6 weeks since I've started going to the gym regularly and there have been small improvements through out. I took a fitness test today and my resting heart rate has come down to 65bpm {from 71 bpm}; my weight has gone up from 66.9 KG to 68.2 KG but my fat content has gone from 20.8% to 19.5% which means that the extra weight I've gained is muscle; my cardio levels have improved and lie half way between average and good with a scale rating of 47.5 [a significant improvement over the last time];and finally my blood pressure is within normal range. So there have been small improvements all around because of the regular exercise. No time to bask in the glory of these improvements because my aim for the year is to get my resting heart rate down to low60- mid50 range and try and decrease the fat content to maybe 15-17% of body weight.
Things are picking up momentum with the 'freedom' project and we will be shooting the first scene later this week with Liz and Drew. Lance and Benji will be shooting the scenes and we had our technical meeting last night. Add to it I've just kick started the process of developing the scenario with Claire for the scene that we will be putting on for the project.
The script development process for the scripts I want to take to India are going at their own pace and Angelique has taken my suggestions on board for the script she is writing while Simon is coming up with some nice stuff to enhance 'Rejected'.
I've finished reading 'The Forever War' by Dexter Filkins and I can't recommend it highly enough. It is such a hard read because of the emotional punch it packs through it's simple but profound observations that you feel for the author. By the same token it highlights human nature in it's stark nakedness.
We have new flatmates and they are a pretty chilled out couple who are into sports and stuff and do normal hours and don't have any crazy hidden agendas like doing band practises or anything like that. We had a BBQ to mark end of summer, mini flat warming for them and it turned out to be a chilled out event and got to catch up with old friends.
I am now eagerly waiting for the daylight savings to end because it sucks waking up in the morning {according to the clock} and still finding it pitch black outside. On a different note - tax cuts kick in from tomorrow, so will have a very small additional amount to spend/save.
Anyway as you can tell I am pretty fragmented right now and waiting to catch up on my sleep.
Till later,
Amit
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Battlestar
Battlestar Galactica came to an end this week - finishing off it's run in a philosophical but controversial way. It was an exciting journey overall - exhilarating, unpredictable (at points predictable), engaging, flawed, challenging but entertaining all the same. It definitely marks the first time I've seen a TV series run through to it's proper end and I am glad that they did end the series even though most of the 4th season was rushed through at various points so that it could come to an end.
Here is to a successfully concluded sci-fi series which rose above it's genre to create some compelling television.
Later,
Amit
Here is to a successfully concluded sci-fi series which rose above it's genre to create some compelling television.
Later,
Amit
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hovercraft
'Hovercraft' - the music video that I was heading for Sora Shima is complete and you can watch it down below
You need to click the HD button - it takes slightly longer to loan up but it is worth it because of the nice quality image.
A big thank you to Benji and Claire for collaborating on this project. One major thing of my 'to do' list is now gone and now onto the next item on the list.
Comments, praise or feedback highly appreciated.
Cheers,
Amit
You need to click the HD button - it takes slightly longer to loan up but it is worth it because of the nice quality image.
A big thank you to Benji and Claire for collaborating on this project. One major thing of my 'to do' list is now gone and now onto the next item on the list.
Comments, praise or feedback highly appreciated.
Cheers,
Amit
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Finito
Last night was my last Meisner acting class and I've somehow survived the 80 week course {which took 2 years to complete because of all the public holidays and breaks in between}. It was a highly emotionally charged affair with lots of tears and lots of laughter. I am glad that I now have my monday evenings free and I've got time to go full speed on my feature film projects but at the same time I'll miss my friends from the acting class.
Everyone performed their final pieces and some were hilarious while others were very insightful. One of the insightful one's was a monologue read through by Sarah. The monologue is called 'Everybody is Free' (also called the Sunscreen Speech) and the monologue goes like this:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ‘97, Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis or reliable then my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice….now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind, you won’t understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded, but trust me in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind: the kind that blind sides you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts; don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. (if you succeed in doing this, tell me how).
Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of Calcium.
Be kind to your knees — you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40; maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body: use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it; it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
Dance…even if you have no where to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions (even if you don’t follow them).
Do not read beauty magazines; they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents; you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings: they’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but what a precious few should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps and geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old; and when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse,but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you are 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia;dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal–wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
For my final piece, I collaborated with Monika and we worked off her idea to do a mini rip-off of 'Slumdog Millionaire' and we put on a small scene called 'Slumdog Meisneraire'. It was heaps of fun - especially trying to answer the questions with a straight face while looking at Monika's fake beard and moustache which kept trying to fall off. The other highlight of last night was Caren turning up to class - she had a brain surgery a few weeks back and she somehow postponed her MRI scan meant for that evening in order to attend the last class. It was an incredible moment when she turned up for the class.
From each batch Mike picks graduates with further potential for 'Masterclass' where they get to hone their skills even further. I will be going into the masterclass on and off - not as an actor but as a director - more so because I am already working with a fair few master class students on my experimental project. But that is a whole another journey.
That's that for now.
Till later,
Amit
Everyone performed their final pieces and some were hilarious while others were very insightful. One of the insightful one's was a monologue read through by Sarah. The monologue is called 'Everybody is Free' (also called the Sunscreen Speech) and the monologue goes like this:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ‘97, Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis or reliable then my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice….now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind, you won’t understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded, but trust me in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind: the kind that blind sides you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts; don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.Floss.
Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. (if you succeed in doing this, tell me how).
Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of Calcium.
Be kind to your knees — you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40; maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body: use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it; it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
Dance…even if you have no where to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions (even if you don’t follow them).
Do not read beauty magazines; they will only make you feel ugly.Get to know your parents; you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings: they’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but what a precious few should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps and geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old; and when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse,but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you are 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia;dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal–wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
For my final piece, I collaborated with Monika and we worked off her idea to do a mini rip-off of 'Slumdog Millionaire' and we put on a small scene called 'Slumdog Meisneraire'. It was heaps of fun - especially trying to answer the questions with a straight face while looking at Monika's fake beard and moustache which kept trying to fall off. The other highlight of last night was Caren turning up to class - she had a brain surgery a few weeks back and she somehow postponed her MRI scan meant for that evening in order to attend the last class. It was an incredible moment when she turned up for the class.
From each batch Mike picks graduates with further potential for 'Masterclass' where they get to hone their skills even further. I will be going into the masterclass on and off - not as an actor but as a director - more so because I am already working with a fair few master class students on my experimental project. But that is a whole another journey.
That's that for now.
Till later,
Amit
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Phew
It was nice to have a couple of days doing nothing. It is good to recharge the cells every now and then. I did nothing for most of the weekend. On Saturday I caught up with Benji in the evening to finalize the changes to the music video in order to finish it by middle of next week. We walked down to the city to grab some dinner and I was annoyed at the fact that in NZ they close all the main shops by 6in the evening. Surely on the weekend it makes more business sense to have the shops open later so you can attract more business but strange are the ways of the world.
As we kept walking I was pleasantly surprised to i that they had blocked off Upper Queen Street for a free concert as part of Auckland Fringe Festival and there were food stalls and all. It was nice seeing stuff happening in the city. They need more of that happening to create a sense of fun and culture in the city. I had some Jamaican food which was tasty and now I am just sitting down to finish reading a script that Angelique {an old friend of mine} had written as part of the package to take with me to India.
I bought 'Planet Earth' - the award winning TV series and I plan on watching it sometime over the next few weeks.
I'll leave you with some pics from the fest downtown.
Enjoy,
Amit
Secret little hideaway for the kids
Not so secret I guess. :-)
The Jamaican food stall
Auckland City Hall on the left
Performances on stage - in the background the Imax theatre
As we kept walking I was pleasantly surprised to i that they had blocked off Upper Queen Street for a free concert as part of Auckland Fringe Festival and there were food stalls and all. It was nice seeing stuff happening in the city. They need more of that happening to create a sense of fun and culture in the city. I had some Jamaican food which was tasty and now I am just sitting down to finish reading a script that Angelique {an old friend of mine} had written as part of the package to take with me to India.
I bought 'Planet Earth' - the award winning TV series and I plan on watching it sometime over the next few weeks.
I'll leave you with some pics from the fest downtown.
Enjoy,
Amit
Secret little hideaway for the kids
Not so secret I guess. :-)
The Jamaican food stall
Auckland City Hall on the left
Performances on stage - in the background the Imax theatreThursday, March 05, 2009
Watchmen
It's been a busy couple of weeks and can't think of listing all the things that have transpired but will try and list the main important ones. The music video is finally coming to a conclusion - the rough cut is good and hopefully it will be even more better after the fine tuning. Hats off to Benji for putting all the hard yards in.
The new couple are moving out of the flat because of various things that didn't quite synch up like the guy having his band practise in the house [he hadn't even mentioned that he was in a band when they were first looking for the place]. So flatmate search is on and we should have a new couple in another week's time.
The TVC I was in is now online and you can watch it HERE.
Major things going on at TVNZ that has become national news - like the company trying to shave off $25 million of the operating cost to turn in a profit during this tough economic times. Everything is up in the air at the moment and will get to know exactly what's happening in 15 -20 days time.
Another 2 weeks and it will be the sweet end to the acting classes.
I bought a whole bunch of books and surprisingly all of them are by indian authors. I am currently reading 'The Forever War' by Dexter Filkins.
'Watchmen' is a good movie if you get past the first 20 minutes and then ignore the last 5 minutes.
I think that's me for now.
Later,
Amit
The new couple are moving out of the flat because of various things that didn't quite synch up like the guy having his band practise in the house [he hadn't even mentioned that he was in a band when they were first looking for the place]. So flatmate search is on and we should have a new couple in another week's time.
The TVC I was in is now online and you can watch it HERE.
Major things going on at TVNZ that has become national news - like the company trying to shave off $25 million of the operating cost to turn in a profit during this tough economic times. Everything is up in the air at the moment and will get to know exactly what's happening in 15 -20 days time.
Another 2 weeks and it will be the sweet end to the acting classes.
I bought a whole bunch of books and surprisingly all of them are by indian authors. I am currently reading 'The Forever War' by Dexter Filkins.
'Watchmen' is a good movie if you get past the first 20 minutes and then ignore the last 5 minutes.
I think that's me for now.
Later,
Amit
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