Technology | At Home with Tech

November 14, 2021

Trapped by the Radio City Rockettes

What do you do if the Rockettes magically appear in front of you outside of Radio City Music Hall? Be ready to capture the moment. Here’s what I saw…

I was hoofing it to work in midtown Manhattan when I almost walked into a man wearing a black shirt and headset. (He had that stagehand look.) He put up his hand and politely asked me to cross over to the opposite sidewalk.

I didn’t think twice as there are any number of reasons to temporarily close off a street in New York City. As I crossed, I realized that I was near Radio City Music Hall. Maybe I’d see a movie or TV show being shot.

Of course, I peered up the street to try to figure out what was going on. I spotted several photographers standing about. Suddenly a door swung open, and the Radio City Rockettes began pouring out.

Photo Opportunity in Front of Radio City Music Hall
In a bit of organized confusion, the dancers in full costume were quickly ushered across the street by security. Within seconds, all were congregating on the sidewalk fifty feet in front of me.

What was going on?

I slowed down as my path forward was blocked by the famous dancers. I couldn’t really reverse course as I found myself boxed in by the photographers and what appeared to be a dozen hand-picked members of the public. Perhaps they were contest winners to celebrate the opening of Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular show?

Then, the Rockettes effortlessly morphed into three rows and took the perfect pose. Cameras began to click away. Of course, I inched forward and took out my own camera to join the moment.

Then, the sparkling group broke apart to take multiple selfies with their fans. Finally, the Rockettes began taking their own selfies using the same fan smartphones.

Three minutes later it was all over, and the Rockettes vanished through another door. I put my camera away and continued my trek to work.

As I walked, I tried to process my surreal experience. No, I wasn’t supposed to be a part of that little fantasy. But I had, in fact, been inadvertently directly to that exact spot. And nobody seemed to mind. It was definitely a New York moment.

Don’t Drop the Camera!
So I didn’t take my pictures with my iPhone. Instead, I used my compact Panasonic Lumix LX-10, which I happened to have in my jacket pocket.

Not that I couldn’t have relied on my iPhone. But using my Lumix’s better grip and wrist strap, allowed me to safely stretch my arm high to frame some of my shots. (You don’t want to drop your delicate smartphone onto a New York City sidewalk no matter what kind of case is protecting it!)

Always be Ready for Street Photography
And why did I conveniently have my Lumix in my side pocket? Recently, I’ve been packing it with the plan of walking a tad slower during my commute so I can pay more attention to my surroundings. And if I spotted a picture-worthy moment, I’d be ready.

I love it when a plan comes together.

You never know what you’re going to see on the streets of New York.

November 7, 2021

Slowing Down in New York City on a Sunday

Moving through Manhattan doesn’t always have to be a huge rush. If you take a moment to slow down while you walk the streets, you can actually take in some relaxed weekend energies. Here are a few New York moments I spotted.

When I visit my father on a Sunday afternoon for lunch, I’ve gotten used to walking from Grand Central Terminal to the Upper East Side. Of course, taking the Lexington Avenue subway is faster, but during the pandemic I’ve preferred outdoor spaces. I usually do a power walk to minimize the extra time required for my two-mile trek. But more recently, I’ve tried something new…

I just don’t walk so fast, and I pay more attention to my immediate surroundings. And I keep my Panasonic Lumix LX-10 camera in my right hand as I go.

Don’t Look Away
I know it’s not a revolutionary idea, but having grown up in Manhattan and spent many adult years walking its streets as part of my commute, I’ve learned to tune out much of the dynamic and sometimes chaotic environment.

But on a Sunday, life on the streets of New York is a bit less intense. And there’s more of an opportunity to enjoy the moment. Everyone seems to have slowed down, if just a bit.

So, I recently traded in my speed-walking strategy for the opportunity to stroll to the Upper East Side and look around for moments that might be interesting to photograph.

Here are a few that I spotted.

Sunday Joy
Beyond my little photographic exercise, I think some might say that I was also being more ‘present’ in my surroundings. It felt good.

Plus, add in a nice lunch with my 88-year-old father, and I’d call that a really good Sunday in New York City!

October 31, 2021

Why Movies are Ignoring Old Boundaries of Storytelling

Upcoming films are betting that the legacy of iconic characters will successfully transport to new stories and even into the next chapter of a different movie franchise.

I stumbled upon the teaser trailer of Pixar’s upcoming “Lightyear” quite by accident last week. I didn’t know the 2022 animated flick was in production. So when I watched the spot on YouTube, my experience was similar to how we viewed movie trailers in the old days.

And I was delighted.

I especially enjoyed the opening sequence of the spaceship launch. It was visceral. Pixar’s animators keep upping their game.

But my immediate interest in the movie was based on more than a great trailer. That’s because “Lightyear” is connected to an existing franchise. (This flick is apparently the origin story of Buzz Lightyear who the “Toy Story” character is based on.)

But this hero is someone else. So this movie is really a blank slate as storytelling goes.

Clever.

A Prequel or Sequel?
Yes, you’ve got immediate brand recognition. But as a ‘prequel’ of sorts, the writers are not limited by the audience’s knowledge of a character’s future (something like what J.J. Abrams did by creating “Star Trek’s” Kelvin timeline).

But whether a movie is a prequel or sequel, there should always be a good reason to excite the audience beyond familiarity.

And a good movie trailer is usually the way to do that.

The Matrix Resurrections
I enjoyed “The Matrix” trilogy, but you can’t really say the last one ended on an especially happy note. Not that movies must always have a happy ending, but I usually appreciate it when they do. And if you’re committing your time to multiple sequels, I feel it really stinks if the ending is a bummer.

Almost 18 years have passed, and now they’re making a fourth and seemingly rewriting history.

I did know that “The Matrix Resurrections” is due in December, and I was eager to catch the first trailer. It did not disappoint, though it didn’t offer anything dramatically new.

I think the key draw is bringing Neo and Trinity back together. The trailer teases the opportunity to rewrite their tragic story. Or perhaps, tell it again, but differently.

How to Bend the Past to Fit with the Present
The idea of rewriting history in established movie storylines is definitely in vogue now. Both the MCU and DC’s “The Flash” are exploring the ‘multiverse.’ As a storytelling device, you can redo a story infinitely in different, but parallel universes, as the Disney+ series “What If?” demonstrates.

Or we can use the multiverse as a unifying theme to incorporate every iteration of a movie franchise ever made with different actors. Then you can cement it all into one accepted multiverse movie canon.

Whoa.

Upcoming examples are Michael Keaton’s Batman from 1989 and 1992 showing up in next year’s “The Flash” and Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of Spider-Man reportedly coexisting with Tom Holland in the upcoming “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

Really clever.

Plus, it taps into our sense of nostalgia for these earlier movie franchises. I think “Lightyear” and “The Matrix Resurrections” also appeal to the same feeling.

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and I think it’s plenty enough to get you into a movie theater (or in front of your TV and pay channel).

Back to the Future
If this all this sounds like Hollywood is focused on reaching way back to help jump start its future, it sure seems that way.

“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” in a few weeks
“Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022
The next Indiana Jones movie in 2023

And if the writers also want to stretch reality and break a few laws of this universe to bring a few iconic movie heroes back into the fold, I’m game.

First give me a good trailer with characters I want to root for. Then surprise me with a new multiverse twist.

That’s a recipe for success.

Category: Technology

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