William Mapother

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And Heeeeeerrrrrrr’sss….Slated

Posted on: September 22nd, 2010 by wmapother 5 Comments

So I haven’t mentioned it before, but last year some friends and I started Slated, a company in the tech and film area.  Then, earlier this year, we bought B-Side, an Austin, Texas company.  Their product, Festival Genius, runs the online film guides for film festivals (200+ last year).

Most festivals’ sites are a bit of a mess, frankly.  The organizers rightly put their time and energy into finding the films and running the festival.  (And as a festival co-founder, I know just how demanding that can be.)  But it’s another huge task to tell attendees about the films, when/where they’re playing, how to buy tickets, etc.

So Festival Genius handles all that and more.  Among many other things, FG makes a festival’s films easy to find, read about and rate, and it even creates a conflict-free viewing schedule for you (just what every festival attendee has been hoping for).

Tomorrow until Sept 30, the Fantastic Fest is running in Austin, TX, and their site is using Festival Genius. The festival home page is here, and the Festival Genius part of their site is here.

Even better, Fantastic Fest hired us to create a free iPhone app for them.  No need to carry about the paper schedule–it can all be on your phone.  To the right is the app’s splash page, and below that is a sample screen, showing part of the festival’s schedule.  An intro to the app is here, and the iTunes link to download it is here.

It’s a terrific boon for festival goers, so if you know anyone near Austin, give them a shout about it.  They’ll thank you.  Maybe not with an expensive car, but they’ll thank you nonetheless.

Posted in Film, Film Festival, Slated, Tech | 5 Comments »

Agony and Ecstasy and Agony..

Posted on: September 20th, 2010 by wmapother 4 Comments

Please note the photo to your right.  It shows only several of the many TV screens at a local sports bar, and even more specifically, it shows several college football games in progress.  If you recognize what this was right off the bat (or ball), please consult your doctor.  You may have a serious case of masochism.

Treatments are uncertain and not promising, especially if you’re a fan of Notre Dame.  In this case, each passing year seems to bring only less wisdom, not more.  Only less hope, not more.  Only more pain, not less.  And yet one seems unable to stop hoping.  This is a s-i-c-k-n-e-s-s.

Case in point:  Last evening the Irish lost in overtime to Michigan State, which pulled a gutsy fake field goal to win the game.  Hooray for them.  So excited.  Couldn’t be happier for the Sparkies.  Go green.  Yay yay yeah yeah whatever.

Only problem:  Please note the :00 in the red at the bottom.  That’s correct.  Time had expired.  The clock had run out/down/off before the play even started.  The Big East’s explanation?  Basically, “we’re only human.”  Sigh.

Posted in Notre Dame, Random | 4 Comments »

Me and my Halo

Posted on: September 14th, 2010 by wmapother 8 Comments
The big news today: the long-awaited arrival of Bungie’s Halo: Reach, the newest incarnation of the stupendously popular videogame for the Xbox 360.  The reviews have been tremendous, and the sales will likely be great enough to start a new mid-sized European nation.  
So I’m happy to report that, thanks to the awesome folks at games-casting superhouse Blindlight Media, somewhere amidst the explosions, crashing, yelling and general mayhem, the unmistakable squawk of yours truly can be heard as the voice of Air Control/Dispatch.  If you need my character, he’s out on a coffee break.

 

I’ve worked on videogames before (see my posts on Fallout: New Vegas and Secret World), but this is the first one to be released (games generally have very long gestations).  I was able to give Halo: Reach a test run a few months ago at a sort of coming-out party, and I’m happy to report that it’s an absolute blast:  stunning graphics, super-smooth maneuverability, engaging story and characters, and of course, lots of blowing s__t up.  


If avoiding the maniacs on your city’s freeways has become routine and boring, this game is for you.  And if it’s not, at least now you can answer the question, It’s three in the morning, do you know where the man in your life is?
Posted in Videogame | 8 Comments »

My Candidacy for the SAG Board

Posted on: August 26th, 2010 by wmapother 4 Comments

My three-year term on Board of the Screen Actors Guild is ending, and I’m running again (for the eggs, of course).  SAG members should receive their ballots today — I’m at #43.

I’m running on the slate of Membership First.  Our primary goal:  Merge all of SAG & AFTRA actors into one union.
Below is a bit more information on Membership First.
If you’re a SAG member, please vote.  It’s your union.  Exercise your voice.




Imagine the benefits of merging all actors into one union:
    • Hassle-free qualifying for just one Health & Pension
          plan.
    • Simplicity of a single dues payment.
    • Unified membership focused on actors’ financial
          security.
Sound pretty good?  We think so, too.  
Join us in supporting a SAG-AFTRA merger of All Actors into One Union.  
One purpose.  One voice.  
Q: What kind of SAG-AFTRA merger does Membership First support?
A: One which brings all actors — and only actors — into
       one union.
Q: Who does Membership First mean by ‘actors’ in an all-actors union?
A: Principal and background actors, stunt performers &
       pilots, dancers, singers, puppeteers.
Q: Why not also merge with AFTRA’s non-actors (broadcasters, journalists, DJ’s, etc.)?  Isn’t more better?
A: Not in this case.  They could vote on our contracts —
       but they have no experience with actors’ concerns.
       In fact, they have conflicting interests which could
       make them vote against actors’ concerns.  Also, they
       don’t increase our leverage because legally, they can’t
       walk out with us.  Merging with them threatens the
       very strength we need this merger to achieve.
Membership First’s Balanced Approach to Merger:
• Merge all of SAG & AFTRA actors into one union.
• Hire an outside merger consultant.  Merging unions is
     highly complex and costly.  It requires innovation and
     specialists.  It’s too important to be created by Board
     members/SAG staff alone.
• Include the members:  Conduct town hall meetings,
     caucuses and surveys.
• Preserve the financial security of SAG’s Pension & Health
    Plans.  The problems of combining SAG’s & AFTRA’s
    plans have not been resolved. Membership First would
    do so before merger.
• Protect every SAG member’s right to vote.  All members
    could vote on this merger.
MEMBERSHIP FIRST:  A VOTE
FOR A MERGED, 
ALL-ACTOR UNION
Membership First Candidates 
(as listed on your ballot):

For more info, please see www.membershipfirst.blogspot.com           


Membership First endorses these independent candidates:
#3   John Tremaine   #4  Mobin Khan       
#17 Leigh French      #48 Rico Bueno

*Not paid for with SAG funds*


Tags:
Posted in Acting Tips & Info | 4 Comments »

The Lost monster arrives

Posted on: August 25th, 2010 by wmapother 5 Comments

The entire Lost collection is now available on DVD, both regular and in Blu-ray.  It’s on Amazon here and here (Blu-ray).

Thirty-eight discs, 30 bonus hours, and a full-size replica of the fuselage.  OMG:  There goes autumn.

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Posted in Acting Projects, Video (Online & Home) | 5 Comments »