Hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day!  Three day weekends are always a great way to start a four-day work week.  Here are some links from around the “creative world.”

“The American” won the weekend box office. “Machete” came in second.

AdvertisingAge: What Big Brand Are Spending on Google

Ever sat back and wondering, “Hmm…I wonder what are the top 10 viral ads of all time?”  Now you know.

AdAge: Israeli Teens Swipe Wristbands to Update Facebook Status

Joaquin Phoenix skipped his own world premiere of “I’m Still Here” at the Venice Beach Film Festival today.

CNNTech: Kanye West and how Twitter’s changed how we communicate

For old time’s sake: ImmaLetYouFinish.com

BrandFreak: ‘Machete’ spoofs imagine other films based on racial stereotypes

AdFreak: Fake girl plays in traffic to scare bad drivers

In case you are looking, here are 100+ upcoming social media and tech events

Joaquin Phoenix is still acting fairly wacky these days (the term industry insiders are not using). The reclusive, bearded, former-actor who shunned Hollywood has become the subject of his own documentary entitled, “I’m Still Here” (directed by Casey Affleck). However, he didn’t even show for the world premiere at the Venice Film Festival today. (No word on if it was in honor of Labor Day.)

That’s a pity, since Phoenix, the brooding, respected, totally serioso actor in Walk the Line and Gladiator, has been a gossip-writer’s dream subject for two years now — from Oct. 2008, when he announced he was renouncing movies to be a rap artist, through his infamous gig Feb. 11, 2009, on The Late Show With David Letterman, when the star showed up in his fat bearded-guy look and glazed, incoherent persona, cuing Letterman to ask, “What can you tell us about your days with the Unabomber?” and to cap the interview with “Joaquin. I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”

Still AWOL at the world premiere of his movie — which plays the Toronto Film Festival Friday, the same day it opens in Los Angeles, before a limited run in other cities — Phoenix left plenty of questions unanswered. Like: Is this movie for real? Many industry sages believe the whole thing is an elaborate hoax: pulling a Garbo at age 33, declaring he was going to excel in a new field he was unprepared for, sitting for a feature-length portrait, warts and all (in fact, nothing but warts), by Affleck, his sister Summer’s husband. Tired of having to interpret other people’s scripts when he possesses the soul of a creative artist, Phoenix says plaintively, “I don’t wanna play the character of Joaquin any more.” Yet he is fully aware of the paradox that an ex-actor is the subject of a movie: “My life is becoming a film about me not wanting to make a film.”

Truly unbelievable.  Even director Casey Affleck admits that audiences will be confused.  Huh?

Even director Casey Affleck admit that audiences will be confused.  What?

I said, even director Casey Affleck… Oh.

]]> http://11thr.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1280 0 http://11thr.com/blog/?p=1275 http://11thr.com/blog/?p=1275#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 01:23:21 +0000 BrianLaesch http://11thr.com/blog/?p=1275

This is, most likely, not the way you want to go into a job interview. Wait… This is definitely not the way you want to go into a job interview. That’s what I meant to say. In preparation for your interview with us, make sure you don’t do any of these things. However, with this guy’s resume, he wouldn’t have to worry about that step in the process anyway…

Enjoy your weekend!

Happy Friday, working people of Los Angeles (and by “working people,” I’m including those seeking employment–it’s a full-time job too). Hope you are all enjoying your morning, ready to have a productive Friday and a great weekend. If you’ve seen Caddyshack and Inception (heck, even the Inception trailer will do), then you should like this mash-up trailer from the good folks at TAUNTR.

“My enemy is an animal…”

Happy Friday, everybody.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger, posting on behalf of Marina Del Rey, California-based recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh Hour.

You’ve gotta give it up to GEICO and The Martin Agency.  They keep bringing simple, memorable, humorous spots to TV/Internet.  Between the Cavemen, the gecko, and these new animal-inspired ads, they know what they are doing when it comes to building a brand name and building up brand equity.

If you haven’t seen them, here are a few of these ads. Enjoy these while on break…

Woodchucks

Little Piggy

Octopus

Happy Friday the 13th.   Hope you have survived it so far without any bad luck.  Here are some links from around the “creative world,” courtesy of Marina Del Rey, California-based recruiting/staffing agency Eleventh  Hour.

• The Other Guys holds the top spot at the weekly box office heading into another weekend.
• Deadline: ‘Pinkberry’ Actor Miles Fisher Lands Movie
• “The Office” will be opening a new branch in China.
• ADWEEK: ‘Eat, Pray, Shop!’ Movie Tie-Ins Grow Up
• ADFREAK: Sydney airport helps you manage your rage
• Spirit Air decided to take advantage of the whole JetBlue/Steven Slater thing.
• Mashable: Facebook Launches a Live Video Channel
• BrandFreak: Foul-mouthed Kenny Powers already giving K-Swiss a nice boost

By now, you’ve probably heard about or seen news coverage of the JetBlue flight attendant, Steven Slater, who famously quit his job after a flight a profanity-laced tirade over the PA and an exit down the plane’s emergency slide and onto the airport tarmac.

But if you haven’t…as featured in today’s Rundown LA, here is a Taiwanese CGI version of the incident:

But it’s not all fun and games (be on the lookout for the Turtle from Entourage stand-in)…

Even though some are hailing Slater as a working class hero, there is no denying that he has created major problems for himself, both legally and professionally. Fame is fleeting. He’s soaking it up now, but his future may not be looking so bright. (However, there will no doubt be some sort of book deal and an interview circuit… So it goes.) Despite whatever stress he endured, no matter how unjust, this is no way to quit a job. We can all be entertained by it in the short-term, but in the long-term, no bueno.

Brian Laesch is an independent blogger posting for boutique recruiting and staffing firm Eleventh Hour.

For those of you who understand the draw of Shark Week (represented here in NSFW graphs), apparently it’s a big event for you and the Discovery Channel.  People seem to love it.  Here are the top-10 shark attacks posted on Discovery’s website.  Scary stuff.

Here’s a little taste (no pun intended…or maybe it was):

Sharks in San Diego?

The dog days of summer are upon us.  It’s hot. It’s a slow time in sports (although, go Dodgers). “The industry” is slow. It’s vacation time. But creativity never takes a break. In fact, vacations are usually very inspiring.  So before you take off, check out these links from around the “creative world,” courtesy of boutique recruiting/staffing agency, Eleventh Hour:

• THR: Fate of James Bond hangs in the balance
• Inception continues to dominate the box office.
• AdAge: How Much Old Spice Body Wash Has the Old Spice Guy Sold?
• AdAge: The Real Scoop on Ad Age in the ‘Mad Men’ Era
• ADWEEK’s Ad of the Day: Corona’s “Moonlight”
• Derek Jeter named baseball’s most marketable player in survey
• Jamba Juice has released their new cheeseburger smoothie… Not really.
• Mashable: The Internet Loves Walmart Moonwalker [Randomly Viral]

Have a good remainder of the summer, people!

Today’s Rundown LA features a guide on the right way to do next weekend’s Charlie Saikley 6-Man Volleyball Tournament on the south side of the Manhattan Beach Pier. For those of you who don’t understand how a volleyball tournament can be so much fun, this picture will offer 1,000 words, which is still not enough to describe the good time to be had…

If you are in the area, you should definitely consider participating in some manner.  And consider checking out The Rundown’s guide to maximize the potential of your day. And, also, tell everybody there about Eleventh Hour…but in the most professional way possible at a beach full of inebriation and sand volleyball.