Curtis Andersen Super Blog!

Where have we been?!!?!? What have we been doing?!?!?!?

2012-02-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

To say that I have been a poor blogger of late would be an understatement and more than deserved.

Excuses aside, here are some of the things that have been taking up my time:

The new Wiggy VonSchtick website
My Entertainment 101 class - more on that later...
Producing a sizzle reel for a new young adult book series.
The Embedded Project.
The Cheerleader Project.
A new TV pilot called "AcceptSHUNS."
Oh, and some acting stuff too.

So, what's this all mean?

First off go check out the new Wiggy Web Site! We have a whole new interface and, even though there are still some features and pages being built, this is our new home and the interactive functionality is very exciting! The Wiggy Twitter Feed will be announce new updates and features.

For those of you new to the entertainment business, especially parents of child actors out there, I am doing a seminar aimed right at you! The Entertainment 101 class covers all the material you need to know to help navigate the business of show. We cover vocabulary, what to expect from auditions, how auditions work and how to get both auditions and agents! It's held the last Sunday of every month and our next class is going to be Sunday February 26th at 6pm being held at the IC Academy building in Lake Forest. The 2 hour class costs $100.00 and you can reserve your spot here: 949-273-8800. Also YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A PARENT OF AN IC STUDENT TO ATTEND! This class is open to everyone! Here's a video that explains a little bit more:

On the producing front we've been REALLY busy! We've been making all the stuff listed up top, and I'll have links to all of it in later blogs.

Also, my Diet Mt. Dew commercial comes out at the end of the month. Probably next week! When I have a link I'll pass it on.

Now I need to go scan some more documents and mail some other documents.

See you tomorrow!

Mobile Blog: Connecticut & "Libby"

2012-01-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Jenna Leigh Green & me. We shot a commercial together today and it is the first time she & I have seen each other for an extended period of time since our days together on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."

We had a lot of fun today. In addition to the normal duties that go along with shooting a commercial, we had a chance to catch up and just kinda' hang out & she has nearly convinced Rene & I that we need to move to New York.

This is the first commercial I've done in a LONG time & I have to admit that I have REALLY missed being on the talent side of a production. In comparison to what a producer has to do today was a dream!

As I write this I'm sitting in a hotel restaurant waiting for my blue cheese bacon burger with onion rings & garlic ranch horse radish. I'm really looking forward to it, especially since I need to hit the hay soon for a 4am wake-up call to make it back to IC Talent before 1pm.

Watch my tweets here to see how I do: http//:twitter.com/CurtisAndersen

Shout out to Joel Michaely for helping to set this up - I owe you dinner, man!

See you tomorrow!

SOPA & PIPA - Just Say No

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

The proposed bills in Congress known as SOPA and PIPA are a big deal and so are the issues they claim to deal with.

Piracy is a big deal, Wiggy VonSchtick has been a victim, but the internet isn't going anywhere and people's abilities to acquire whatever they want whenever they want is only going to get easier even if these bills pass.

Nanny laws only hurt people who follow the law, criminals just find a way around them.

These are complex problems that require big ideas, not censorship.

New, young entertainment business minds are already thinking of ways to curtail piracy and it's working. Look at Louis C.K. He managed to shoot and release a downloadable comedy show and made profits that he couldn't imagine.

Make no mistake, this is about money and how large studios make it - not about the viewer or the art of entertainment and all of that is fine! It's required to make the big kinds of movies that people love to go see, but these pieces of legislation are not the ways to make entertainment profitable in the future. I know that the big studios are using scare tactics to try and force creatives to their side, but these bills shoot a creative's future in the foot.

Please follow these links:

SOPA Explained

End Piracy, Not Liberty

More Ray?!? No WAY!

2012-01-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

The new Story time with Ray is up! And to keep with the family friendly theme that he's been on this week's discussion is all about toilet paper and pooping.

See you tomorrow!

PARTY FROG!

2012-01-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

I think this is an important message about how social norms are effected by groups, mob mentality and how easily they can be coerced through blind consumerism and socially acceptable hedonism.

Totally kidding, these animals are funny!

See you tomorrow!

This Post Powered by Pale Ale

2012-01-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

Normally I don't like to post when I drink unless I've had an awful lot to drink or I have really enjoyed what it is that I have drunk.

Tonight is the latter.

I stopped by Nieuport 17 tonight to visit the lovely wife Rene and I had Tustin Brewery's American Pale Ale.

It was really good!

It was nutty and golden and delicious and ended up being a really nice finish for the day.

After that I went home and felt like it was time to try another beer since we have a new selection in the fridge thanks to one of Rene's relatives: Blue Moon Pale Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale. It has more of a citrus hit than the APA, but drinks very well and tickles the tongue with light flavor.

Overall a very enjoyable beer night. I recommend both of these if you have a chance to try them.

See you tomorrow!

Frankie is The Flash

2012-01-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

Frankie loves getting his walks and loves playing with his toys.

Sometimes when he's particularly hyper he does a little move that Rene and I have dubbed the "Turbo-Scoot" where his back legs tuck under his body and act like a spring for his body and his front paws only make contact with the ground long enough to help him steer a bit. It makes him move REALLY FAST!

It's like Frankie is part kangaroo.

A really fast kangaroo.

Rene and I have been trying to capture this phenomenon on camera for years, but we have yet to manage it. Tonight I wish I had a camera just running all the time because I have never seen Frankie Turbo-Scoot so fast! The cat even seemed impressed with his speed.

Now he's exhausted and passed out on his bed.

Maybe I should put a camera on a motion sensor...?

See you tomorrow.

There may be something wrong with me because I enjoy watching Jersey Shore

2012-01-05T23:27:00.000-08:00

I don't even know what to write past that. Jersey Shore is on & I can't take my eyes off of it.

The 1-2 punch of Toddlers & Tiaras and Jersey Shore makes me a bad person probably.

'Cuz It's The Beginning Of The Year....

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

The nice thing about it being the beginning of the year is that I'm really motivated to be on top of things and make sure that all the schedules happen on time.

I think you'll notice that from the pattern visible in this blog: I always start off the year strong with posts and then, pffffff, it putters out.

In keeping with this pattern we are also keeping up with the wiggyWebs schedule - although that's mostly due to some changes that we're making to the number of videos we'll be posting a week...

...but I'll tell you about that when I have a video to post (probably Friday).

In the meantime here's a new Story time with Ray:

See you tomorrow!

WordPress: Yes or No?

2012-01-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

OK, this is going to seem like a weird thing to post on my Blogger blog, but I'm considering moving over to WordPress for this, my primary website/blog, and for the Wiggy website/blog. I have a few friends who are getting a great deal of value out of it and, even though the set-up process seems daunting (I was distracted when I was signing up and was caught off guard by how many pay options there are - I just want the free stuff, right?) I do think that it will allow me to expand and post content while still allowing me the flexibility of a regular website...

...but that's why I'm reaching out to you!

I want to hear from WordPress users out there who can toss me some tips and tricks! I really haven't had time to check out all the themes, options or even really set-up my profile and that's a big part of my problem - lack of time! I will find the time to to do the set-up, but I want to know what mistakes to avoid so that it takes as little time as possible.

Do I need to know HTML?

Please tell me your stories in the comments!

See you tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T22:44:00.001-08:00

Hey everybody!

I'm back!

I didn't actually go anywhere, but I haven't been posting here and so now I'm saying I'm back, but really if you have been checking out my Twitter feed or my Facebook Page you've still seen me - or at least heard from me electronically. In a social media kinda' way.

This, the first blog of 2012, is coming out dangerously close to January 3rd. In fact you're probably just now seeing it on January 3rd.

Anyhow, to help celebrate the new year I have the first 2012 State of Stuff for Wiggy VonSchtick Productions right here:

Now I have to go off and drink the little bit of The Stocks red wine that we have left and write some more for the new web series we'll be shooting this year.

See you tomorrow!

Videos!

2011-12-08T16:36:00.001-08:00

This is something cool and Japanese:

This is a political pundit demanding action and results:

See you tomorrow!

Late November Update - Released in December - About Toddlers & Tiaras - And Stuff

2011-12-08T01:03:00.000-08:00

I was going to do an update, be boring and awful mostly because the last few times I've sat down to write I've just been completely empty. I've had nothing. All my juice has been used working - and that's a VERY good thing! Things are really kickin' and I dig it.

And not just for me, but all the people around me too! Sometimes I think the good stuff gets lost in the shuffle, but it's all there, the signs of cool shit popping up everywhere and I think that this can all be illustrated by the new season of "Toddlers & Tiaras."

You heard me, "Toddlers & Tiaras."

Say what you will about the show, the parents on the show, whatever damage you believe the children will have but this is some serious quality television.

And by television I mean high end performance art where the artist is an editor and director and the subject is a focus of glamour that society strives to achieve against any kind of reason.

You might think I'm kidding or trying to be ironic or funny - but I'm dead serious. This show is a microcosm of a society that allows Kardashians to be celebrities and TMZ to be a syndicated hit.

Programmers and studio executives always want to know what's going to "sell" or "work" in middle America and the cynical of us kind of always knew that, when dealing in lowest common denominators, this is it. Keep it young, dress it up and cover it in so much paint it's unrecognizable and you have something that people are ready to watch.

As content creators I truly believe that most want to do the work that challenges an audience and is smart and effects people emotionally...

...but when you need a paycheck suddenly principle and creativity take a backseat to what you can sell and then the self-fulfilling prophesy takes hold and suddenly you are making the very content that just last week you were railing against in your blog.

That last line sounded really biographical but it wasn't. I was trying to make a point. I'm in a much more satisfying place creatively... which is probably why I'm broke.

All that aside I am looking forward to the rest of this T&T season.

Should we live tweet the next episode?

See you tomorrow!

I thought this was funny.

2011-11-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

How many time have you looked and felt like this?

See you tomorrow!

What's kept me busy.

2011-11-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

I said in the last post that I would mention in a separate post what I've been doing that has taken up all my time.

This is that post.

First off, "Earthlings Beware!" is a play that Rene and I are doing together at The Costa Mesa Playhouse. It plays Fridays through Sundays until November 20th. It is family friendly, funny and fun! It's a send-up of 50's Sci-Fi movies and does a great job of recreating that kitchy magic on a single stage. Rene and I made a video:

In video news Wiggy Webs has been posting regularly! Here are the videos you may have missed:

Also, movie stuff has been going forward at a hurried pace. Cheerleaders is casting and we are setting up meetings with talent. There's also a pretty significant change coming to the film that I can't technically announce yet, but I'll give you a hint - there's a reason we've only been referring to it by nicknames and as "Cheerleaders" for a while. There's a new website on it's way and some other new stuff. In the meantime go "Like" us on Facebook.

The documentary is wrapping up and with the workload growing on that it is very possible that there may be another drought of posts for a while - but I'm trying to manage that.

This may all seem like shameless self-promotion, and it kind of is, but this is truly all that I have been doing for the last few weeks.

Oh, and the cat needed surgery. Hurt his foot. Got worked on. He wears a cone now. The nightmare and hilarity that has been our cat in his cone of shame is documented better on Rene's Twitter Feed

OK, I think that it.

See you tomorrow!

Mobile Blog: Beard Dye - Before/After

2011-10-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

So, I know my blogging has been less than regular. It's enough to chase away an audience for sure, but the reasons why I haven't been blogging are good...

...and will be covered in another blog.

For today I am just focusing on the play that Rene & I are doing, Earthlings Beware, and the VanDyke that I grew for the part.

As I've mentioned in other blogs, my facial hair grows like that of a 4 year old's. It's taken weeks to get something that passes as real, adult facial hair. It's kinda' impressive for me, actually, but there is a minor problem - it is completely blond.

Now, my hair shifts between blond & red & when it chooses to be one or the other it REALLY chooses to be that color. Right now the beard has chosen blond which does not show up on stage as you can see in the before picture.

So I'm dying it!

You can see the finished product here, and see it on the face of Mr. Bissel, the science teacher of Mercury Mesa starting this weekend at The Costa Mesa Playhouse Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm & Sundays at 2am. Tickets are available here: http://www.costamesaplayhouse.org

Also, if you act fast, you can get two FREE TICKETS to the opening Gala Event this Saturday! Visit the fan page for details: http://www.Facebook.com/CurtisAndersenFanPage

See you tomorrow!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

3 Minutes with Curtis & Dean - The Avengers vs. The JLA

2011-10-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

OK comics fans, it's the battle royal! The subject of decades of debate! The reason for multiple super team ciphers at both DC and Marvel! The basis for at least one good mini-series!

THE AVENGERS VS. THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA!

We spent 3 minutes on it...

Comments on this are especially welcome because I KNOW we didn't cover it all.

See you tomorrow!

The Last Alphabet Edition of Story Time with Ray!

2011-10-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

After months of commentary on Dr. Seuss and his book about the alphabet we have reached the end - Y & Z has been released today and here it is:

I think you can tell that Ray is tired of doing the alphabet. It looks like viewers were too since we've seen a bit of a decline in views in the latter half of the alphabet. I can say that we have shot a series of new rants that are WONDERFUL! I'm really looking forward to posting those. If you are a fan of older men getting all cantankerous and grumpy then you're going to love the new episodes. And if you have stuck through the alphabet I think you're going to love the new stuff even more!

Now I need to go and study a script, write a script and make sure that funds are moving in my direction.

See you tomorrow!

Avengers Trailer

2011-10-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is it:

I was actually a little underwhelmed by it - but it DOES look like a good movie and VERY big in scope! I didn't walk away with goosebumps, but I am REALLY excited!

See you tomorrow!

Beard Watch 2011: First shave Edition

2011-10-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

This is the first shave.

Can you even see the growth?

I have to be careful, if Charlie licks my face to hard it might come off.

Also, a little sneak peak at the ad for "Earthlings Beware" that will be running in papers soon!

See you tomorrow!

Mobile Blog: At Rehearsal

2011-10-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

I'm chillin' after having been stabbed during rehearsal for "Earthlings Beware" which is going very well, stabbing & all!

Right now a tentacled mutant is wrestling a car while trying to crush our heroes. An alien is holding a space knife to the principled professor & the Commander of the Agarians is dying slowly.

Shit's hard-core.

We open October 28th!

See you tomorrow!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

The Drama of Facial Hair

2011-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I grow facial hair like a 3 year old.

It's sad really.

I shave about once a week and there are times when people don't even notice. Nice to have a baby face, but for "Earthlings Beware" Rene suggested a VanDyke for my science teacher character, and I agree with her. I end up on the wrong side of right in this play and I think an Evil Spock VanDyke is just the kind of facial hair that a man like that would sport.

And glasses. I want black horn-rimmed glasses as well.

But back to the facial hair - I want to grow out my own beard for this show so begins THE 2011 DON'T SHAVE-A-THON!

Actually I will be shaving, but in a way that encourages the growth of the VanDyke and nothing else.

Here is a picture of how I think I will look with the facial hair and glasses:

Pretty hot right?!

See you tomorrow!

Space on the Brain

2011-10-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's because of the new play or maybe it's just because they were the best episodes in my opinion, but "3 Minutes with Curtis & Dean" has been all space all the time the last three weeks! This week's episode is no different since we get into what could probably be considered our most serious discussion yet and it's all about BSG.

Here it is:

In other news I am handling the added responsibility of the show better than I thought I would - but I still didn't get that call into the insurance guys yesterday.

Should probably do that now...

See you tomorrow!

New Day, New Play & Story time with Ray!

2011-10-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

I may have taken on more than I can handle.

As it stands right now I already have very full days and very little unoccupied time, but Rene is the lead in a play, "Earthlings Beware," and someone had to back out leaving the production in a lurch - a lurch that has been surprisingly difficult to fill.

So I have been asked to come step in!

The play is a satire of the 50's Sci-Fi epics like It Came From Outer Space and Them so it's super cheesy (in a good way), lots of live special effects, and video projections. It looks like it's going to be a LOT of fun, but it dawned on me yesterday just how much I have on my plate now.

I actually need to follow up with my insurance company RIGHT NOW because I don't know if they've paid off my car yet or not. For more info on that see THIS BLOG.

And to finish off with a shameless plug today - here's the newest "Story Time with Ray" in case you missed it yesterday.

See you tomorrow!

Rene Nosferatu

2011-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

We were shooting new episodes of "Make-Up with The Wolf" yesterday that will play later this month. One of those episodes saw Rene turned into a horrible, terrible Buffy/Lost Boys style vampire!

This was her first experience with a full facial prosthetic and it turned out really cool!

I'll let you know when the video is up, but for now check out some pictures of Rene as a blood sucker!

This was prep - get the hair out of the way, prep the skin, etc.

Final!

Even trying to look friendly, she still looked menacing.

With Director Zeke.

With Make-Up Artist Myke.

Rene got in her wedding dress to do a series of Vampire Bride.

Eating the cat!

Snaggle tooth (one of the teeth fell out).

See you tomorrow!