THE NEW CUPIC SERIES!!!!

A new CUPIC series is now in the works. The program will be a series of webisodes that will consist of investigations of unexplained phenomenon by various CUPIC members. This series will be a sort of departure from the original series with a new creative twist and a different perspective on the organization. Our CUPIC website will reflect this new viewpoint. Stay tuned for dates and web showtimes. Click Here for more news and info...

ATTACK OF THE COTTONMOUTH VIPER

A routine laundry evening turns into a nightmare for one middle class family. What will happen when articles of clothing feel abandoned and neglected? This short was written by Jeremy Kirk. Directed By Rod Washington. See it on on YouTube!!!!

THE MESSENGER

Our short, THE MESSENGER, can be viewed on YouTube. The story involves Mike and Paige, a married couple on a well-deserved vacation at a Southern California resort. A few obstacles stand in the way of their quest for total bliss; one is Donna, a broken hearted friend, and the other is a sudden threat from nature. THE MESSENGER stars Mike Sliwa, Katrina Reyes, Kacey Richards, Alan Potts and April Espinoza. This story is based on a true event that actually happened to Mike. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XImhlVNVJ4 to see this short.

CLOUD 9

CLOUD 9
You can now view CLOUD 9 on our new website at LIVE VIDEO.com. We will be posting our videos there as well as our YouTube and Myspace sites. Visit the site at http://www.livevideo.com/Cactuspix

PERFECTION REFLECTION

As we enter a sort of new renaissance here at Cactus Pix and new projects are in production, I can’t help but reflect on how the choices that we make, no matter how small or how you think will effect only you, can change a whole entire timeline.

Back in 2004, we had a serious momentum going for us that created various opportunities; Cloud 9 entry into the Phoenix Film Festival, the acquisition of long awaited equipment and software upgrades, improvement in our production quality, and other shorts that reflect all that we have learned, including Attack of the Cottonmouth Viper and others. They say that you cannot go home again; this is a true statement. Nevertheless, that will not stop me from wondering how things might have been if I had not let life distract me and stayed the course.

I believe that we would have continued to produce the three to five minute shorts, further perfecting production savvy. Major shorts such as Fourth Kind and No Man’s Land would have been produced back in ’05. The CUPIC Documentary would have been produced a year earlier as well. Our productions were moving closer and closer to the technical perfection that we desired. We were actually building a solid infrastructure, possibly with our own distribution company. Our goal was always to diversify our company, hence the reason why we created Cactus Pix to begin with.

Right now, I am very happy that we are continuing to make films… and we are looking forward to learning as we take this journey. We have a ton of new ideas and new project that are under way. Sometimes it does not hurt to face the big what if, but continue to live and thrive today…

GENDER KNIGHT “THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OF THE SEXES”

“The fact is, women are in chains, and their servitude is all the more debasing because they do not realize it.” -Susan B. Anthony

Gender Knight will explore gender oppression. Our program will consist of teachers, students, alumni, community members, social justice facilitators, and activists presenting, discussing, and performing on topics that involve domestic violence, homophobia, gender privilege, high school relationships, eating disorders, gender roles, and abuse. Please join us for this historic event.

The Hosts of Gender Knight...The Bubble Gum Boys

The Bubble Gum Boys started simply as an act in a high school faculty follies show. Four years later, they are social justice advocates promoting peace and tolerance. Ending all oppression is the mission of BGB. Will you join us? You can start by attending GENDER KNIGHT this December.

The Event:
Gender Knight "The Ultimate Battle of the Sexes"
December 14, 2007 @ 6:00-9p.m
10850 W. Garden Lakes Parkway Avondale, AZ
West View High School Auditorium

"Nobody ever said it was simple to be a man. If it were, more guys would try it." Henry Miller

Visit: http://www.myspace.com/genderknight

SHOWCASING OUR PROJECTS

Okay, we have a new website on You Tube to showcase our short films. For a while we were looking for such a venue, there were also talks of bringing back Fiction Theater. The FT project was sidelined after our local Public Access TV station was discontinued and taken off the air. We worked on other projects, mothballing this venture.

I have to admit that in the early days of You Tube, I was skeptical of the direction that it would take. The videos that I saw where similar to those amateur videos that were spoofed on recent Geico commercials with the guy making faces in the camera, the other with a pair of puppet eyes on his chin, chewing celery, and the college dorm hallway mattress duel. Such videos are still there, but there are also real programs. It is the return of public access, but ten times better.

We have a few of shorts online right now; CLOUD 9, ATTACK OF THE COTTONMOUTH VIPER, and BRIGHT IDEAS. THE MESSENGER will be coming soon.

Visit our site @ http://www.youtube.com/RCWMediaWorks

We are also working on a new Cactus Pix MySpace page as companion to our RCW MediaWorks and Cactus Pix main pages… Visit http://myspace.com/cactuspix

Visit the new sites and we will keep you updated.

ANTI-VICTIM

I am about to make quite a few people angry… There two categories of people whom I have no respect for; victims, and the people who create them.

In this blog entry, I will concentrate on the victims…

Let me clarify what I mean when I say “victim.” People who wallow in negativity, or want you to feel sorry for them for the hand that society has dealt them. Do not confuse them with the people who were involved in an incident or accident that caused them to suffer physical or psychological damage. Mostly, this group does not want to be a victim, but rather have their life return to a sense of normalcy.

Let me further clarify my thoughts, we all have issues that we are dealing with, in some fashion and at some level, might not be a serious problem for some and may be for others. We all want to find others who have the same issue, to find a commonality with that group. It is better to suffer with some, than alone. Healing can begin.

As an African-American into his forties, I have observed a ton of life. I like to meet different groups of people, to learn and grow. In my childhood, I lived in both a mainly black and Hispanic neighborhood, then moved to a predominately white neighborhood, two extremes. It seemed like barely a year went by before that neighborhood became racially mixed and even at that young age, I knew that I was getting a new perspective on things. I had a new group of multi-racial friends.. My parents kept me well grounded, and taught me about their experiences growing up in the turbulent times of segregation. I am proud that I have a strong heritage, and proud of the cultural and social contribution to American society.

I admire those who strive to uplift and better themselves, to rise above the trials and tribulations that are put upon them, and then in turn, they give back to the community to help others strive.

However, my eyes are wide open. Self-victimization is damaging. I do believe that there is a portion of society cultivates this aspect by perpetuating stereotypes and false assumptions regarding race. There was a time, and in many aspects it still exists, where every time you would turn on the news and hear about a crime, they were looking for some black person. I can remember frequently hearing about the many diseases and ailments that are prevalent in the black race. But I did believe that the stats on high blood pressure and the black race were true…. “Continuously hearing how a group is supposedly more susceptible to certain diseases would stress anyone out.”

With all of the stereotyping and profiling, we should not allow ourselves to be put into a mindset that would allow self-victimization. We should not let any person to steal another’s joy and dreams. Example; When a young person says that he wants to be a doctor, do not tell him that he has to play for the NBA. I like the NBA, and if you have talent for it do it. You should not have to do it because society feels that you should. I cringe when I hear certain people say that they would not do a certain thing, "because I am being held back by society." Be a solution, do not add to the problem.... You are not a victim.

That’s one man's opinion…

CASTING ALERT!!!!

CASTING ALERT!!!!!!
CASTING CALL FOR CUPIC DOCUMENTARYProduction is moving along rather nicely on our long awaited CUPIC project. We are constantly looking for on-screen talent. We need the important role of Cynthia Young filled. Visit our CASTING CALL PAGE for details...The production of our latest feature, CUPIC: DIARY OF AN INVESTIGATOR is in mid-stride. We are taking a totally different approach to this project. We are looking for talent to use in a photo montage for a character profile. There may be possible dialog, but we mainly need talent for the photo montage over narration detailing biographic description.Cynthia Young: Ph.D. An African American woman, mid to late 30s, aeronautical engineer, professor at Pacific Tech. Los Angeles, California. Joined CUPIC in 1987, recommended by Doctor Harold Niven. Child prodigy.Talent will receive a copy of the project, credit and the opportunity to receive speaking role in future CUPIC projects...

Send us (via email) résumés, photos or link(s) to a website or web page to casting@cactuspix.com.

US postal service: mail all headshots and resumes to:

RCW MEDIAWORKS
Attn: Rod Washington
P.O. Box 55463
Phoenix, AZ 85078-5463

Thanks for your interest in Cactus Pix/ RCW MediaWorks projects

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!!!

Well, it is about time for me to rant once again… My observations as I work in the field of video production and at my part time job, both allow me to work with the public at large. Listening and watching people allows for great character development, and as a writer of literary short stories and screenplays, this is important.

I met quite a few people out there from different corners of the globe, and I have learned from my experience.

THE GOOD…

I like people who want to learn from you, which in turn, you want to learn from them. People, who have their own opinion about things and are not afraid to share them, yet do not alienate you for disagreeing with some or all aspects of these ideas and opinions.

I met a bunch of good, honest, open people, who have strong convictions and opinions and I believe that such diversity is a powerful thing.

THE BAD…

I was shooting a wedding a few months ago with Mike, my business partner, a beautiful affair at a local resort. A lovely brunch was served; we were seated with the photographer and two couples. It was hot that day and the ceremony was outdoors, it was extremely good to be finally indoors and sitting for a change. It was great until one of them started talking, sparking a table wide conversation.

First was the response from the photographer when I said that I have been here in Phoenix for nearly fifteen years, and I jokingly said that I was practically a native, and I got a stern… NO, YOU ARE NOT! Then I heard from one of the other geniuses at the table, “ I’M NOT A NATIVE BECAUSE I REFUSE TO WEAR THE FEATHERS! Wow! How prolific.

Then they went on rambling about how the freeway system in Phoenix are poorly designed and wondering why it took them thirty years to build it.

Then we moved into the next topic, light rail. Being a person that is really into trains and looking at everyone other than Mike at the table, I was not very confident with the outcome. Then I heard from the photographer, “Phil Gordon was a really genius pushing that waste of tax payer dollars.” In addition, wow! I heard more idiotic responses. “ Nobody wants it, only the homeless are going to ride it… The dufus who made the earlier feather comment talks about the short run test that they performed on the system back in the spring and that it only got up to 3 miles an hour, when I know for a fact that it went much faster… Then some of the proposals that from the group that seemed like it was directly from the Acme Book of Bad Ideas… like a monorail from Phoenix to Tucson… Why not build a Trekkie transporter to get you from point A to B; it would be just as pricey… talk about a waste of taxpayer dollars.

THE UGLY…

I watched the coarse of the conversation and new where it was going to lead, GLOBAL WARMING. The photographer did not believe in it. He remembers when it was thought that we would be an ice age. After the reception, I saw this person get into the biggest Hummer that they make. The only people who should drive a vehicle that big should have the first and middle initials of G and I, with the last name of Joe.

What a great day for making up fictional characters with extreme ideas…. Sadly, this was reality….

CUPIC DOC IS BACK IN PRODUCTION

Yes, you heard it right, the project is back on after a six month delay. The scope of the project has changed and will not be the elaborate feature project first envisioned, well not at first. The new production will be a short film that will be between twenty and thirty minutes.

The story will have the same concept as the original idea, introducing background material on the main characters. There will be fewer re-enactment scenes. It will be a challenge working the CUPIC background into this shorter project and keeping the style and flow that we want to convey to the audience, but we are up to it.