For Art or Money?

When it comes to movies I have always been perplexed by how this industry operates. On the one hand it seems like it’s all about making money, but on the other hand it seems like it’s all about artistic expression.

From an economic standpoint, I don’t understand why the movie makers are so resistant to edited versions of their films. Companies like Clean Flicks, that would buy the original versions of movies and edit out the offensive content, were shut down for successfully filling a niche in the market that wasn’t being filled. There is clearly a market for edited versions, so why aren’t the production companies releasing edited versions on their own? They will release “un-cut” versions with extra content, so why not work in reverse? And how does buying a movie at full price and taking out what you don’t want differ from buying a Vera Wang wedding dress and having it altered to suit your taste? “I love this dress, if only I could shorten it and take off some of these beads…”

One argument is that it would be confusing for consumers. We manage to choose between widescreen or full screen DVD options, and I bet we could manage a choice between the PG-13 (or even PG) and R version of a film. This would only increase the size of their market- R fans could still buy R, and those who would have passed on the movie will now buy the edited version. We see other industries do this: Gap has it’s more affordable version in Old Navy. Pace sells salsa in both hot and mild. A Honda Civic is made in different models: DX, LX, EX, and consumers pick the model that best suits their preferences.

CBS recently reported that PG movies with little to no cursing make a lot more money than those that have a higher level of cursing:

“The reality is that profanity, within PG, is the big demarcation between box office winner and box office loser,” research and marketing director Dan O’Toole said at ShoWest, a conference where studios unveil upcoming movie lineups.

“Parents are choosing PG films for their kids that have very, very low levels of profanity. We’re talking one-third the level of the average PG film,” he said.

In spite of this information, we see very few PG movies without some form of crass content. So if money isn’t the motivator, is movie making all about artistic expression? Although I enjoy movies like Oceans 11, 12, and 13, they were obviously made for profit more than anything else.

You Can Pick Your Friends…

You can pick your friends,

And you can pick your nose,

But you can’t can pick your friend’s nose.

I’ve got a ton of new pictures in the gallery, so take a look to see what else we’ve been up to.

Brite Music Review

When I was young we loved to listen to the Safety Kids on tape. I think there was only one in the series back then, and now it’s known as Personal Safety. The tape started with a club meeting of some kids and they discuss the importance of learning your phone number, staying safe from strangers and people who try to invade your privacy, and never going out alone. The topic is a fairly common one when discussing safety with kids, but by having the lessons taught by children and through songs, I was more easily sucked into the topic and able to remember the songs that went along with them.

My mom came across the tape when Hunter and Emma were toddlers and gave it to me. They loved it just as much as I did. We played the tape over and over until it started to sound weird and distorted. Several months ago I ordered Personal Safety on CD and discovered that there are also two more in the series, Stay Safe From Drugs, and Protect Their Minds. We have loved all three CDs and know all of the songs by heart. I have already heard the kids talking about why drugs are bad at times when we’re nowhere near the CD, and I had to laugh when someone brought up the evils of pornography in church and Emma looked up at me bright eyed and said, “pornography!” She was excited to know what the word meant now. We also have another CD called Show a Little Love that has some really good songs. Here are some clips of our favorite songs:

Personal Safety: Yell and Scream, The Telephone Song

Stay Safe From Drugs: All You Gotta Say is No, Go For a Natural High

Protect Their Minds: I Want to Have Clean Thoughts, See No Evil –the link is broken on this one 🙁

Show A Little Love: Show A Little Love, Never Tell A Lie

I Get Paid for Blogging

You may have noticed a new addition to my blog. The big ad banner on the right… Yes, I am now a member of BlogHer, a directory and community of bloggers with an emphasis on blogs written for and by women. I earn a sort of commission based on the number of page views and clicks my blog receives. Rob has been helping me with getting the ad situated. Let me know if things look crazy on your computer. We’re trying to get it so that it sits to the right and doesn’t interfere with the links and things in the column next to it.

Happiness At Harvard

At Harvard University one of the most popular classes on campus is one called “Positive Psychology.” Taught by Tal Ben-Shahar, it focuses on what makes people happy. These are six of his tips for happiness that I found in an NPR article by Tovia Smith.I think it is fascinating that people (me included) are so interested in figuring out the key to happiness. As if there were some magic recipe that if we all follow it exactly then ta-da! we are living in bliss. It seems like a lot of common sense and the thing that I notice is that it requires an effort and conscious decision on our part. There is no sitting back and waiting for happiness to arrive. We decide if we are going to track happiness down and invite it into our lives.

1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.

3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on… and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?

4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.

5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don’t do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.

Homeschooling Controversy

After mulling over the idea of homeschooling for some time now, another obstacle has jumped in my way. A judge has ruled that children in California must be taught by a credentialed teacher, and that includes homeschooling parents. The ruling is in connection with a case of child abuse where the parents claimed to be homeschooling their kids. I can see requiring registration with the state, or using approved curriculum, or having your curriculum approved by the state, but to deny parents the right to choose how their children are educated is crazy. To me this is what parenting is all about—choosing what your children will learn and how they will learn it. What do you think?