The Association of Music Producers (AMP) hosted a West Coast Battle of the Ad Bands on Nov. 19 at the Mint in Los Angeles. While the mood was festive as ad agency folk who are members of different bands strutted their musical stuff–to reviews by a panel of AMP judges loosely reminiscent of the American Idol m.o.–there was a serious purpose to the event, continuing an AMP tradition of raising money for Mr. Holland’s Opus, a foundation that supports music education and its many benefits through the donation and repair of musical instruments, which go to under-served schools, community music programs and individual students nationwide.
Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation was inspired by the critically acclaimed motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story about the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. The film’s composer, Michael Kamen, founded Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation in 1996 as part of his commitment to the future of music education. Kamen passed away in ’03, but the legacy he left behind includes not only his amazing body of work, but also the foundation.
The organization was started to address the fact that across the nation, school and community music programs have been discontinued or severely diminished due to budget cuts. The positive effects of music education on children’s emotional and intellectual growth have been proven in numerous case studies.
This mark “Opus No. 4” in AMP fundraising efforts for The Opus Foundation. It all began in April 2004 with the then AMP Mixer Awards. That evening there were a couple of prime highlights besides the awards themselves: a silent charity auction which generated money for Mr. Holland’s Opus; and a live performance by Drake Price, a talented jazz cellist who at the time was 18 years old.
Price represented the good work of the Opus Foundation. He applied to the foundation in ’98 for a cello. He was at a place in his studies where he needed a better instrument to progress in his pursuit of music, but his family could not afford a cello for him. Price received a cello from the Opus Foundation and went on to win assorted scholarships and awards.
Again in ’05, a portion of the proceeds generated by the AMP Awards was donated to Mr. Holland’s Opus. And in late ’06/early ’07, sans the AMP competition, the tradition still continued, albeit online as AMP auctioned off an ebony Les Paul guitar bearing the signatures of superstar band Gnarls Barkley and television and radio personality Adam Carolla. The instrument sold for $1,310 on eBay, with the money going to the Opus Foundation.
This was the second time the guitar was auctioned. The first time was at AMP’d UP!, the opening night music bash of Advertising Week ’06 in Manhattan last fall, but the highest bidder never showed up to claim the guitar. So AMP turned to eBay to stay true to its commitment to the Opus Foundation.
For further info, log onto http://www.mhopus.org/
“Se7en” Turns 30, Gets A Special Restoration From David Fincher For Its Re-Release
For David Fincher, seeing “Se7en” in 4K was an experience he can only describe as harrowing. That or a high school reunion.
“There are definitely moments that you go, ‘What was I thinking?’ Or ‘Why did I let this person have that hairdo’?” Fincher said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
He’s OK with the film being a product of its time in most respects. But some things just could not stand in high-definition resolution.
“It was a little decrepit, to be honest,” said Fincher. “We needed to resuscitate it. There are things you can see in 4K HDR that you cannot see on a film print.”
Ever the perfectionist, he and a team got to work on a new restoration of the film for its 30th anniversary re-release. This weekend the restored “Se7en” will play on IMAX screens for the first time in the U.S. and Canada, and on Jan. 7, the 4K UHD home video version will be available as well.
The dark crime thriller written by Andrew Kevin Walker and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as a pair of detectives looking for a serial killer was somewhat of a career-reviver for Fincher, whose directorial debut “Alien 3” had not gone well. “Se7en” was not a sure thing: It was made for only $34 million (and only got that when Fincher managed to persuade studio execs to give up $3 million more). But it went on to earn more than $327 million, not accounting for inflation, and continues to influence the genre.
Fincher has over the years overseen several restorations of the film (including one for laser disc) but decided this needed to be the last. It’s why he insisted on an 8K scan that they could derive the 4K from. He wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t have to be repeated when screens get more... Read More