LOVE ANGELES

ANOTHER CAVALIA UPDATE, FEB 2

Last week we posted an update to the article on Cavalia we published (click here to read about it) which described an incident that was witnessed by one of our readers who was attending the show live in Burbank on January 25th. This week, we received an email from Cavalia's art director, Normand Latourelle bringing clarification to the mishap as well as assuring us that the treatment of the horses by the team is of the utmost importance.

In all fairness, we believe that it is our duty to share with you the information passed onto us by an official representative of Cavalia.

READ THE LETTER BELOW: 

"Dear Love Angeles, On behalf of the cast and crew of Cavalia, I am writing you about the performance one of your reader attended on January 25th.  We understand his or her concerns and would like to share some information about what happened. 

First and foremost, we want to let you and your readers know that the horses and performers are all fine. The two horses that slipped and fell during the Roman Riding segment were immediately walked out of the stage and were looked at by their trainer and one of Cavalia’s two full-time veterinary technicians. During the intermission which immediately followed, our technical crew worked on the slippery spot. In retrospect, they did not correct the problem properly. Thinking all was well, the second act started and the show continued. Another incident happened at the same location during the last part of the show, a Liberty act, where nine horses are running totally free with their trainer using only voice commands and hand signals to communicate. As you can imagine slowing down nine horses playing and running free on a  huge stage is not something that can be done instantly. Once the horses slowed down, she walked them on stage and ensured that they were all fine. She then made some adjustments, shortening the act and making sure the horses would not go back on the slippery spot. All and all, I believe Cavalia’s artists acted in the best interest of the horses, handling this unfortunate situation with calmness and good judgement. 

Right after the show, Cavalia’s technical crew began an immediate investigation of the stage and footing that lasted well into the night as well as the following day. Numerous tests were performed and an extensive evaluation took place, as our crew worked to get to the bottom of the problem. The water absorption rate of a substance used in the footing (obtained locally) proved to be the issue. Changes and adjustments were made so the problem won’t reoccur. I assure you that the well-being of our horses is our first priority whether it’s on the stage, in the stables, or on their vacation.  It is our main objective to keep our horses safe, healthy and happy and we put all possible efforts into fulfilling that goal."  

Normand Latourelle, Artistic Director

Dirk Simon and the Dragon (Video)

This morning I enjoyed a soy chai latte at the Urth Cafe on melrose with Dirk Simon the writer and director of the brilliant documentary, When the Dragon Followed the Sun. We discussed everything under the sun from theatre to consciousness, Bali to relationships, diving to homelessness. LA welcomes this brilliant and beautiful human being to our city... check out the clip of his most recent film below:  

An Evening with Guillermo del Toro Tonight!

Source: ZocaloPublicSquare - Guillermo del Toro knows his monsters, whether they’re vampires, ghosts, mythical beings, hell beasts or humans. His richly written creations are also visual marvels - from the grey-skinned ghost of  “The Devil’s Backbone” to the rickety, mossy faun of “Pan’s Labyrinth”. They occupy elaborately constructed fantasy worlds that, however gory and strange, have at their center sharply felt human emotion.

Del Toro, whose upcoming projects include a remake of “Frankenstein” and a three-part video game called inSANE, visits Zócalo to talk about his work, his vision, and why the monstrous and the human are so closely connected.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2011, 7:30 PM

ArcLight Hollywood 6360 W. Sunset Blvd.Los Angeles, CA, Between Vine and Ivar, with DeLongpre to the south. Parking $2 with validation.

Register for tonight's event for FREE here

Steve Bridges as Obama (Video)

On-location Filming Jumps 15% in 2010

Source: LA Times - "Los Angeles recorded significant gains in on-location filming activity in 2010, powered by economic recovery, a revival in television comedies and state tax credits that helped to lure new business.

But even with the increased activity, feature production remained less than half what it was in 1996, underscoring the long-term challenges L.A. faces as it struggles to keep movies and TV shows from leaving Southern California, according to data from FilmL.A. Inc., the nonprofit group that handles film permits for the city and many unincorporated areas of the county.

FilmL.A. recorded 43,646 total production days in 2010, up 15% from 2009. A production day is defined as a single crew’s permission to film a project at a single location in a 24-hour period. Overall activity rose 26% in the fourth quarter over the same period in 2009..."

Read more at LA Times

Richard Branson’s Son Wants To Be An Environmental Filmmaker

Source: Ecorazzi - Sam Branson may have a billionaire celebrity father, but he definitely does not fit the typical “entitled son/playboy” mold. By all accounts actually, he seems kind of normal — with a drive to make a name for himself and escape the shadow of his dad.

“I know there’s an automatic interest in me because of Dad, but what counts is what I do with it,” he tells the UK Daily Mail. “When I was a kid, being photographed at events, I felt like a fraud, thinking, ‘Why are they taking pictures of me? What have I done with my life?’ Now I know what I want to do.”

Much like his father, Sam is interested in making a difference for the planet. “I want to make documentaries about global issues like climate change in a young, funky and cool way so audiences can relate to them,” he says.
After three inspiring trips to the Arctic, Sam setup a production company in 2009 called Current Sponge — designed to “inspire people by delivering powerful messages via imaginative formats and concepts.”

“Going to the Arctic gave me self-belief and made me see the world in a new way,” he says. “I came back from that trip and believed I could do anything.”
While he’s only 25, it’s great to see someone with resources and passion out there looking to make a difference for the planet. In a way, he reminds me of David de Rothschild, another committed environmentalist with deep pockets and a desire to do good. The world could certainly use more of both.

Dudamel on Leno (Video)

Source: LA Times - No one is calling Gustavo Dudamel the "King of All Media" yet, a la Howard Stern. But on Tuesday night the telegenic young L.A. maestro demonstrated his growing celebrity wattage while sitting opposite Jay Leno and alongside a certain member of pop culture's certified royalty.

The Dude had proven he was ready for prime time even before he became music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and moved his family to the Hollywood Hills. He first made a splash on U.S. television with his kinetic appearances on CBS' "60 Minutes," which profiled the hirsute, dynamic young Venezuelan conductor. On Tuesday, Dudamel stepped into the even brighter lights of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," his first appearance on the late-night NBC chat-variety program.Joined on-stage by Leno's other principal guest, Queen Latifah, a formidable multi-media property in her own right, Dudamel praised his lately adopted part-time home of L.A., joked about his signature hair style, and put in a plug for this Sunday's premiere of the Phil's new initiative that will bring live simulcasts of some of its concerts to specially equipped movie theaters across the U.S. and Canada.

Looking relaxed and sounding confident -- he is accustomed to performing in front of thousands of people, after all -- Dudamel related some familiar tales with enthusiasm: of how he learned music at the knee of his father, a professional brass player; and how, as a boy, he used to line up his toys and pretend to conduct them.Responding to Leno's query about his wild and woolly tresses, Dudamel said that growing his hair had occurred more or less accidentally, albeit with his wife Eloisa's encouragement. Asked by Leno how he managed to fire up his orchestra mates, Dudamel modestly replied it was the music that deserved the credit.

Later, the Queen and the Dude watched the show's musical attraction, Alter Bridge, rock out with an intensity that even the Phil's leader would be hard-pressed to match.