Author Archives: loiswhitmanhess

The Making Of “The Shape Of Water”

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Eliot and I had the good fortune of watching the “The Shape Of Water” at the Coral Gables Art Cinema Wednesday night. We are members and we love the vibe there. The founder and the artistic director of the theater usually introduce the movies with creative background stories.

We had a special bonus Wednesday night. The theater arranged for an after-movie interview with the screenwriter Vanessa Taylor via Skype. Taylor wrote the movie with director/producer Guillermo del Toro.

The interview turned out to be very interesting for anyone who loves movies, is interested in the making of, or wants to get into the business. Taylor’s candor spoke volumes about how movies are made and how much of the work is as routine as most of our jobs.

I taped the interview but not very well. I was sitting in the back of the theater and was blocked by rows of people in front of me. Then the Skype froze and we only had audio. I did the best I could. It’s the content that counts. I had a half hour’s worth but YouTube would only record 15 minutes worth.

The video should be seen by everyone who wants to get into the business. There are lessons to be learned.

The Shape of Water is a 2017 American fantasy drama film[4][3] directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. The film stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Set in Baltimore in 1962, the plot follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who befriends a captured amphibian creature.

Paranoia “Likes” Syndrome

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Steve and Lois

We thought it wouldn’t happen. We felt we were successful and confidant enough to handle the competition. We promised ourselves we would never get caught up in the social media groupie lifestyle.

We did. Steve Greenberg is a monthly Today Show contributor, and TV personality on 20-plus morning news shows around the country. I am, (Lois Whitman-Hess) the co-owner of HWH PR, and author of DigiDame.

The two of us often commiserate that we don’t get enough “likes” on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to show the rest of the world that we matter. We are both proud of our accomplishments, but not with the number of likes we get. We know we are not alone. Millions of people feel the same way.

We decided to explore this topic on Lying on the Beach, our podcast. After listening, please share your thoughts with us. We are looking for a rationalization as to why we are so addicted to social media.

Click here to hear our podcast.

Star Shower

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If you want to jazz up your party, or any festive environment, I just discovered a very inexpensive solution that will put everyone in a celebration mood.

It’s called the Star Shower Slide Show and it projects all kinds of colors and shapes on the walls inside and outside of your house. You can even control the speed of the movement.

All you have to do is choose a slide, insert it into the unit, and watch your surroundings turn into a complete fantasyland. This is prefect for both young and old. Everyone loves a magical environment. This is a true party booster.

• Easy to use

• Water-resistant casing

• 12 holiday slides

• 3 speeds: slow, fast, and freeze

• Indoor base to use Slide Show™ inside

• Safe in snow and rain

• Replaces holiday décor for Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, July 4th, and Halloween

• Covers up to 3200 square feet

• Bright LED Lights

• Includes Star Shower® Slide Show™ (with 12 full-color slides, extra-long outdoors stake, indoor base, and Lifetime Guarantee)

The Star Shower is sold in all kinds of variety stores across the country for approximately $29.85.

The Forward Is Backward

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You would think in today’s #metoo world, women would be more supportive of each other. I was surprised to see the article by TV writer Susan Silver (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Maude”) in the Forward, a daily newspaper for American Jews, criticizing Amy Sherman-Palladino on her much recognized TV comedy “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Sherman-Palladino is also a TV writer and producer. She is known for the Gilmore Girls and the Bunheads.

I am particularly upset with the Forward for publishing Silver’s critique because she said “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” was anti-semitic and the TV show is problematic in tone, writing, directing and acting. Eliot and I just finished watching the Amazon series and we enjoyed every minute of it. A number of friends are recommending the show to each other, and are calling out specific parts because they love the dialog.

I am writing this piece because I want to criticize The Forward for publishing Silver’s article that clearly reeks from jealousy and insecurity. It’s one thing to have one TV writer review another, but it’s really upsetting when they allow someone to stir up anti-semitic accusations. Not once did I feel that the TV series was portraying the Jewish characters as unflattering stereotypes.

I asked my Irish girlfriend if she thought the TV Show was showing Jews in a bad light. She looked at me like I was crazy. While she knew that the TV family was Jewish, she said as far as she was concerned they could have been Italian or Irish, or WASP’s, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP). Silver is so jealous of Sherman-Palladino’s success that she is starting trouble where there is none.

I asked a Jewish girlfriend who watched the show if she thought Jews were mocked in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and her response was the most interesting. “Hell no,” she said. “Most Jews of that time were not wealthy and did not live in the upper west side in large apartments. Nor did they have wardrobes that equaled a fashionista.”

I hope you will watch the series soon and let me know your opinion. Meanwhile, this is how Wikipedia explains the show.

A MAD(Cap) Goodbye?

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I have only been working virtually (at home) for a few years, but I obviously forgot what it was like to be in an office environment surrounded by co-workers. It all came back to me when I recently saw a video of the closing of MAD magazine’s New York office. The 65-year old humor and satire publication is moving its headquarters to Burbank, CA.

My friend Dick De Bartolo has been writing and providing creative services for the publication close to 40 years. Dick has also been a tech broadcaster for ABC and his own podcast show for many years. He recently posted a video of many of the long-time New York workers at MAD magazine saying goodbye to each other. It gave me a good cry. It reminded me of all the good business friends I’ve had over the years, and how close we all were.

I loved watching Dick and his cohorts. It warmed my heart to see the emotions, the camaraderie, the commitment, the passion, and most of all, the celebration of their many years together. I just wanted to jump in the video and be a part of their group. It must have been so much fun working with them on a humor magazine.

After watching the video 10 times, it suddenly dawned on me that I was possibly duped. This was probably staged because MAD magazine is a humor periodical written by guys who would intentionally create a fun, fake farewell.. Truth or false, I enjoyed it.

Dick, thank you for sharing the memorable farewell video. I will never forget it.

Some of the Facebook posts Dick recently shared.

CarWink Is A New Way To Communicate In Your Car

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Every time we go for a drive, I am more and more convinced that half the people on the road should have their driving licenses revoked. I used to think the worse drivers were on Miami highways. Now I see the same insane driving moves in New York and Los Angeles.

I wish I could make citizen arrests. Someone has to do something. I know I have no power, but where are the traffic cops when cars are swaying in and out of lanes, and cutting cars off at high speeds. I want to let them know what a danger they are on the road.

Now there is a way for vehicles to talk to each other. Install CarWink on your windshield. Controlled by a companion app, this gadget has developed a wide variety of emojis for your windshield that can be seen by other cars when they pass you. CarWink if you want to say thank you, let those behind you know that there is an accident ahead, tell others they are driving too fast or getting too close.

Watch the video to see how it works. Don’t get angry, get CarWink the next time you are on the road.

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Remember This Name, “Magic Leap”

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Everyone thinks Florida is a place where people go to retire. That image is about to change forever. A company named Magic Leap, located in Plantation, FL, just announced that its new mixed reality headset is ready for public consumption. The company promises that they have reinvented the way people will interact with computers and reality.

Magic Leap says it will take augmented reality to a whole new level. Wikipedia explains augmented reality as a “live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are ‘augmented’ by computer-generated real-world sensory input such as sound, video, and graphics.” Watch the above video or click on the link below to see augmented reality in action.

Magic Leap gained notoriety in the tech industry because it managed to raise over $1.9 billion from investors such as Google and Alibaba. This was particular remarkable considering very few people in the industry ever saw the product as it was being developed.

Magic Leap’s augmented reality headset has been kept a secret for at least two years. Industry folks began to think the whole thing was a hoax but not any longer. Rony Abovitz is the CEO and creator of the AR company. The headset device is referred to as Lightwear and is attached to a pocket-sized computer called the Lightpack. Together, they inject life-like moving people, robots, spaceships into a person’s view of the real world

Southern Florida will never be the same. With a little effort, it will become the next Silicon Valley.

Here’s another chance to see Magic Leap in action.

Christmas Tree With Companion App

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If you don’t have a lot of time this holiday to decorate, this is an easy solution. Approximately $99.95.

Features

• Festive 105-light set that you can control with your smartphone • Allows you to play many colourful and animated effects • Can be extended with the Twinkly add-on set (available separately) • Suitable for indoor or outdoor use • Energy efficient long LED lifespan

If you want to get into the holiday spirit without the traditional tree, this is what is being featured on Instagram–your very own festive pineapple.

Once again, my girlfriend Barbara O’Connell, gave me some old photos to share.

The First Waffle House Circa 1900

Rural Mail Delivery Circa 1914

Pumping Gas, Circa 1925

The first ambulance: Bellevue Hospital Center, NY, 1869

4th Of July Parade, Front Street, Nome, Alaska

Old General Store, Circa 1917

This Scale Doesn’t Tell You How Much You Weigh

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One of the reasons why I don’t lose weight is because I constantly weigh myself. Some people weigh themselves once a week, I weigh myself a few times in a 24-hour period. If I lose a pound during the day, I eat more at dinner thinking I can afford the extra calories.

I know it makes no sense. I am probably better off not knowing my weight and worrying so much about it. At least I wouldn’t be eating all the time. A few days ago, I heard about a scale that doesn’t tell you how much you weigh. The scale, called Shapa, records your weight but doesn’t give you the number.

The philosophy behind no numbers is that this type of scale encourages you to lose weight. Instead of numbers, you get a color. Blue and green mean you’re losing weight, gray means you need to cut back your food intake.

Shapa works with an app. Every time you step on the scale, the app records your weight. The app also tells you when to step on the scale, and gives you goals. The artificial intelligence (AI) gives you smart tips, “Eat something green with every meal,” or “Eat dinner earlier.” AI customizes everything for you once the scale gets to know you better.

Let’s hope this scale works.

Shapa is about $100, with an $8.00 subscription plan.