fourONEsixSTYLE

Though the causes of autism cannot be definitively pinpointed, it has become apparent that cases of autism have increased dramatically since the 1980’s. It wasn’t until a couple of summer’s ago that I’d met someone with this brain development condition. At first he seemed odd, sociable, but unable to make eye contact. Then, his fixations with unusual things like highway rumble strips and recording everything from voices to generator noises, made him more curious to me and my friends who interacted with him. Now, what defines him most is his fascination with the play Evil Dead: The Musical. He’ll ask everyone he meets whether they’ve seen it and what they think of it. He’s gone so far as to get some of the cast members’ t-shirts, covered in fake blood, and wear them out to parties. No doubt dressing up for Halloween is his favorite time of year.

Since I really know very little about people with Autism, I’m hoping that this week’s Doc Soup screening “Autism: The Musical” will shed some light on the associated personality traits, not only the repetitive and extremely intelligent aspects of the neurological encumbrance we’ve come to know from Rain Man, but also how a focus on creative expression can help those with Autism. It’s fascinating, when you know that most of us only use 5% of our brain’s capacity, that there may be a key there in understanding this different wiring that might help us all evolve a little further.

Screenings are at 6:30 and 9:15 this Wednesday the 5th. Tickets are currently available online for the later show. You’ll have to take your chances to get into the early one.

Friend Mark McKay was asked to make one of his ranty vids on the subject of cars in the GTA for MTV Canada. The facts on the dangers of driving aren’t new but it’s worth a look to see Mark’s take on the subject and his great cutting style. (I love watching him poke out from behind interviewees like Cam Woolley). First time I watched it I felt like the big bad driver that I am. Now, a couple weeks after a stupid license suspension, I can say I’m a weathered TTC rider and poo-poo all the drivers out there too!

It wasn’t long ago blogTV.ca (no relation) announced its TV portal of the future by cruising the city in obnoxious Hummers screaming out for attention, and ‘viewers’. Initially business was good for the social networking slash video site, owned and operated by Alliance Atlantis. However, since the launch in March, traffic had dropped steadily and sales never really got off the ground. Today, a memo explaining this and declaring that the end is in sight was circulated to employees in the interactive department. There’s no future for these kids. Playback speculates several execs may go down with the ship too.

I can’t say I’m upset about this. My first experience with the site was one of disgust. I’d attended Ron Jeremy’s book launch at The Gladstone and suffered some audio issues with my camera. I needed some video fast. Since I knew the crew from blogTV had been there I scoped their site for some video of the event. The first I came across was a pre-Jeremy interview with two lovely ladies in the back of the blogTV limo, er, Hummer. The backseat sleazeball from the site kept zooming in on the girl’s boobs then began asking them to take their tops off for the camera. It didn’t seem like these girls had expected the ‘interview’ to take this direction. They politely declined, and then it just got gross. The ‘interviewer’ was fixated on getting his money shot and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He kept repeating his proposal. They held firm, surely hoping Jeremy would soon arrive and break-up the routine. It was uncomfortable for me, so I can only imagine how these ladies felt. Next time I saw the blogTV Hummer parked on College Street I made a point of telling them how horrible I thought they were and never visited their site again. Adios sleazeballs.

According to the memo the site will cease operating on the 28th. As of yet no plans are in place to maintain or move user-generated content. Read what people think about the demise of blogTV on blogTO.

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Originally uploaded by nsbkim

Yesterday the Toronto International Film Festival prepared itself for the next wave of filmsters, opening up single ticket sales. I was impressed with the addition of a relatively quiet stand at Roy Thompson Hall to take the burden off the continually busy box offices at Manulife and College Park. However, I wasn’t so impressed when I walked down to RTH only to find the film I wanted to see had already sold out. Though I might be able to RUSH This Beautiful City, a film about the gentrification and friction between classes in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood, I’m doing my best to work facebook and craigslist angles to see what pops up first.

The festival starts today!

It’s the first time in the history of the Cannes Lions Prize that an ad has taken home awards for both the Cyber and Film categories furthering convergence of these two mediums. I first saw Dove’s Evolution ad on YouTube last fall and immediately added it to my favorites list, it’s brilliant. Since it was uploaded it’s been viewed over 3.5 million times, that’s a huge audience that sought out the ad and gave it their 1 minute and 15 seconds.

The ad, produced by the Toronto office of advertising empire Ogilvy & Mather, continues to demonstrate the ideal of authenticity that the Dove brand is known for. I’m continually impressed at their use of media. Two summers ago Dove presented a photo exhibit featuring real and diverse women taken by well-known female photographers (Lieibovitz for example). In tandem they were working on a documentary with Toronto prodco Telefactory and broadcaster W Network called Beauty Quest. The documentary followed a female fashion photographer in Toronto as she confronted her own ideals of beauty.

At the end of the day we all want to feel good about ourselves and know there’s more to it than buying the perfect product.

Friday night’s Brassaii party kicked off the Contact Photography Festival exhibiting across Toronto until May 31st. Photographers Alex vs Alex set up a photo booth to get stills of the crowd as they entered, setting a bit of a red carpet vibe. Meanwhile Toronto’s most loved photobloggers were in full swing getting their snaps of the jumping crowd inside while others milled though large prints of Toronto strewn across Brassaii’s glossy white walls. CBC’s report on Contact finds fellow blogTO writer Jerrold Litwinenko inside before the show.

It’s not often Toronto’s Terminal One at Pearson inspires me to break into song and dance. That might be different after watching Feist’s new video My Moon My Man. Next time I find myself strolling down the moving sidewalks looking at our sparkling city under a full moon I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back. I just hope there’ll be a few others that join in.

The jetsetting Canadian singer songwriter has been away for awhile. I’m happy to hear she’s just moved back to Toronto where she’s filmed a few videos for her upcoming album The Reminder, scheduled for release in Canada and the US today. For now Feist is working solo but her past musical collaborations led her to work with with Broken Social Scene and former Toronto roommate Peaches.

My man Craig Williams, Location Manager on Feist’s recent videos which were shot over several nights at the airport, said they were ton of fun to work on. It’s a catchy song too. See what people are saying about the video on blogTO.

Last year my friend, actor and indie filmmaker Brett Reason, shot and cut a short video which followed four car junkies (including himself) getting wasted and heading to the auto show. Their goal? See how long they could sit in the Mercedes S550 before someone kicked them out. After he showed me the piece, we debated what the name of it should be. He thought Loaded at the Auto Show would be good, I figured Fully Loaded would be more slick. It was his bit, so he won.

Brett called a couple days ago to tell me what the slogan is for this year’s show - it’s Fully Loaded. I’m not sure if he was more excited that we nailed their ad slogan before they did or just because the show would be starting this week, either way he got me hyped to go and I’m no car buff.

While him and his buddies cruise the fast car corner I might see what’s new in hybrids. If you’re still driving an old jalopy maybe you should check it out too - Metro recently reported that the biggest emissions (up to 37 times the normal amount) can come from cars 20 years old and up.

Scrap watching the auto show’s promotional vid on their site, there’s nothing innovative about it. Instead, amuse yourself with a little dark humour at theigloo, where you too can get Fully Loaded at the Auto Show.

photo: Richard Tamayo