The New Frontier: Mass Animation

"Planet Earth" documented several years of videography and photojournalism revealing secrets never before seen of our planet. Amazing! In the last few decades, we've seen the Internet, Skype, and Facebook that have brought us a whole lot closer to one another. Now, there's a new medium for artists and dreamers. Welcome, Mass Animation!

A staggering 58,000 participants spanning 101 countries took part in this mind-blowing experiment. I can't collaborate on a press release with more than 2 people, let alone develop a robustly featured, digital, musical piece of futuristic art. "Live Music," the first mass animation project, will open as a 5-minute short before moviegoers watch the new animated full-length feature, "Planet 51". I had not planned to see "Planet 51," a movie about a human astronaut who lands on an alien planet and all of the zany fun that ensues as deal with the shock of discovering one another. To be honest, I would go see the movie just to see "Live Music" on the big screen!

The animated short "Live Music" opens wide the possibilities for artistic collaboration: no more laborious, time consuming travel to and from locations. Artists can work together, from concept to completion, at very great distances during the times that are most creative for them, say 2:00 am Eastern GMT for me (and that's not an exaggeration).

I applaud the completion of the first short film in what I hope to be a long list of such pieces! Check out Mass Animation at www.facebook.com/massanimation.

Why Is “Nerd Love” Successful?

I’ve seen jocks in love (“Love & Basketball), hot celebs in love—onscreen and off—a la (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith). To be fair, I have watched love stories that swept different ethnicities, eras and languages: “Indochine,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Like Water for Chocolate.” I’ve been subjected to wannabe dorks in love with really hot girls (“Along Came Polly” or “Anger Management”). I scratched my head when, once again, Adam Sandler got yet another hot babe in “Click”. I guess money talks.

But, this season, I am totally smitten by true nerd love in “The Big Bang Theory”. Leonard’s Romeo to Penny’s Juliet is sincere, romantic and absolutely authentic. Leonard is so sweet, yet hapless that I, a bona fide lover of all things hunky and macho, would fall for him. I didn’t see it coming: Penny giving in and handing him her heart. I did not think Leonard would find the guts to keep pursuing her. And once they finally did hook up, I thought surely it wouldn’t last. But, last it has and I know it will be a total train wreck when they split up, but I’ll keep watching until that day comes. Something like a Greek tragedy or the Sam and Diane days of “Cheers”.

Nerd love is the real deal because nowadays, most of us are nerds. I watch documentaries on Stephen Hawking and Black Holes. Star Trek and Star Wars?! Totally! String theory v. Chaos theory? I dabble. Don’t ask me if I could generate the next “Theory of Everything” because I couldn’t—and who would want me to anyway?! Yet, we all have an inner nerd whether we spend way too much time on Facebook, get into Halo, or have an incessant fascination with technology in general. Chuck Lorre, the show’s creator, makes us get up and cheer for these book smart, but socially inept heroes. All I can say is, Go, nerds, go! Go forth and multiply!

P.S. If you haven’t been reading the “Vanity Cards” at the end of each episode, then go to Chuck Lorre’s website. They’re hilarious!

Mockumentary - ABCs "Modern Family"

An independently wealthy geezer married to a hot Latina. Gay new parents fearful of becoming social pariahs. Forty-something suburban parents with a "wanna-be-OG" complex. How can ABC go wrong with this mixture?!

The answer is: they can't! The ensemble cast (starring Ed O'Neill of "Married, with Children" fame) is terrific! Even the child actors have some serious comedic chops. From the quintessential self-focused teenage daughter to the smarter-than-he-appears son of the geezer's second wife, the kids are by no means overshadowed by the veteran adult actors. It all works and they all work well together.

Oh, and the guest stars who stop by for a visit add to the asylum-like feel of this eclectic sitcom. Shelley Long as the neurotic, slightly violent ex-wife is superb! I can't wait to see who'll pop in next!