Movie Sets and Writing Contests

[alanajoli]

Yesterday afternoon, my husband and I took a stroll through the 1950s. A whole block of New Haven has been redecorated for the upcoming Indiana Jones 4 movie that begins filming there today. In the shop windows are 1950s style clothing, vintage cameras in the "pawn shop," completely politically incorrect "gag" gifts from that era, and vintage novels. Lining the streets outside are gumball machines and nickel pony rides. The only problem we noticed was that all of the vintage materials look, well, old. They're tarnished, or tattered. But as the street is apparently being used mostly for a chase scene, the period look is all that counts.

The very best redecoration has to be the new Irish pub on the corner. On the window is painted "Drafts 5 cents." Below it, proclaiming the shop's actual identity, is a laminated sign that reads "Starbucks Coffee." I can't imagine getting anything at Starbucks for five cents, so I'm tickled by the anachronism.

I meant to take pictures and forgot the camera, so alas, description is all I have.

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I just learned today from yuki_onna's blog that a magazine called storySouth runs what they call the "Million Writers Award," which is open to the public for voting. They've selected ten short stories, all available to be read online, as competitors for a three hundred dollar prize. Voting takes place here. (yuki_onna is also known as Catherynne M. Valente, and she'd appreciate your votes. I think she's amazing, but am going to be an educated voter before I vote, as I can read everything first.) Voting ends Saturday.

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Final note:

Mingle² - Online Dating

Just in case you were wondering.

Comments

[dmoonfire.livejournal.com]

We had some period decorations near where I live for a movie recently. It is kind of cool how they come up with a rather romantic view of the times. Plus, the streets were way too clean for when they did the movie.

The Mingle2 is cool, but I don't use it because when I tried last week, I was rated NC-17 and this week, I've been downgraded to PG-13. Apparently, my submissions to Machine of Death set me as an inappropriate journal. :)

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

For some reason it seems to be using the word "death" as a ratings mechanism. Possibly too many occurences of that word make for "violence suitable for a mature audience"?

[dmoonfire.livejournal.com]

death (x2) pain is PC-13.
death (x4) pain (x2) is NC-17.

It came from my posting of the short story, The New Girl.