Sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time!
I got to meet Jackie Chan during his new production, Chinese Zodiac or in
Chinese the name is 《十二生肖》。 According to sources, the movie will be filmed in Vienna, Kazakhstan, Beijing, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Paris!
Jackie Chan
Beijing rapper, Shuangzi’s new music video is finally online.
This was my first time directing a music video. The MV has all the elements needed to be a hit: beautiful bikini models from Brazil, Ukraine, and China, a horrible villain boxer, scenes of the harsh reality of modern Chinese society, and Shuangzi, the best rapper in Mainland China! The video coincides with the bands new album “Power of the Powerless” 《无能为力》Check it out!
Shuangzi’s Chinese rap video:
On a long side note, in the process of understanding the song to come up with a video concept, I learned alot of local Beijing slang. For those interested, I’ve attached an unofficial personal rough translation of the lyrics to “Don’t Lie Down” below.
别趴下
Don’t Lie Down
站直了 别趴下 尽管生活的现实是无情的
Stand up straight. Don’t lie down, the realities of life are merciless.
我们失去了那么多 放弃了那么多 但必须这样因为这是我的选择
We’ve lost so much and given up so much. But it must be this way because this is my choice.
突然手机响了妈妈打来电话 说她身体难受问我什么时候回家
Suddenly my phone rings. Moms calling to tell me she doesn’t feel well, when will I come home.
挂掉电话 乐队继续排练 从白天一直到深夜
I hang up the phone. The band keeps rehearsing from early morning to middle of the night.
为了这个梦想开始不择手段 开始说谎甚至开始变坏
For this dream I’ve started to use whatever means necessary, started lying, even turning bad.
为的不是要变得那么辉煌 只是想给付出一个交代
But its not because I want things to be perfect its just I want try my hardest.
我最爱的人说我变的无情 变的冷漠什么都不关心
The person I love the most says I’ve become hard and cold and don’t care about anything.
最爱我的人我再也看不见 每天都再忙到最后完全忽略
The person who loves me the most I never see. In the end I’m so busy I totally neglect.
朋友再次感叹 说我疯了
Friends sigh and say I’m crazy
有些仕途 不顾一切拼着
Some careers you have to struggle regardless of everything.
到底想要什么到底为了什么 也许什么都不为就因为我是爽子
Whats is it that I really want? What is it for ? Maybe it’s all for nothing, just because I’m Shuangzi
回到家里听着自己呼吸 不想说话自己看着自己
I go back home and listen to myself breathe. Don’t want to talk , just look at myself.
好像一切对我都不重要 服下安眠药我也还是睡不着
It’s like nothing is important to me. Take my sleeping pills but I still cant sleep.
自己给的压力换来的仇恨 让我有时麻木有时变的兴奋
The pressure I give myself turns into hate. Sometimes apathetic, sometimes excited.
心像天一样有时觉得冷 那完不成的梦又多了一些痛
My heart is like the sky, sometimes cold. The dream I can’t achieve causes more pain.
别趴下向前走 现实是无情得
Don’t lie down, keep moving forward, reality is cruel
自己点的火它终究还会熄灭 无法抱怨这是我选择的一切
I light up and in the end it will burn out. No reason to complain this is all my choice.
看那掌声潮水般在耳边响 最后失去一个家我又能怎么样
Look at the sound of the applause like a boat in the tide, in the end I lost a family what can i do?
回忆茫茫如梦醒 为了生活我战斗不停
Remember the boundless like waking from a dream. For survival I’ll fight and never stop.
每一次面对周围冷嘲热讽 再一次坚定对未来的忠诚
Everytime I deal with the surrounding irony, I once again reconfirm my promise for the future.
不说再见相信就不会有分离 这个世界容不得你愿不愿意
Not gunna say goodbye I believe it wont be separated. This world doesn’t care if you’re willing or not.
每条路都走过所以看的清 每一步都艰难因为不是那么干净
Every road I’ve taken I see clearly, every step is difficult because its not that clean.
妈妈你听的见吗 我不想回家是我不想再假装的笑了
Are you listening mom? I don’t want to go home because I don’t want to keep pretending to smile.
爸爸你看的见吗 这生活有多残酷我也无法转身离开
Dad, can you see this? This life is cruel but I cant turn away and leave.
别趴下向前走 现实是无情得
Don’t lie down, keep moving forward, reality is cruel
别趴下向前走 现实是无情得
Don’t lie down, keep moving forward, reality is cruel
Shuang 爽, The first character in Beijing rapper Shuangzi’s name 爽子 means pleasure. A word that can be used to describe the feeling when enjoying food, sex, or any kind of pleasure. However, Shuangzi doesn’t have the suave appearance of Usher or LL Cool J that his name might imply. He looks more like a Yakuza gangster or a low rider bicycle thug with a shaved head, inked from head to toe that you would expect to see on the weekends at Venice Beach! Enough about name and appearance. Shuangzi has a loyal underground following in Beijing as one of the city’s most well loved rappers. His honest lyrics are rooted in his experience growing up in Beijing and pursuing his love of hip hop music despite all odds. Below is a photo from the album cover shoot we shot this summer. His new album titled Power of the Powerless 无能为力 will launch at his album release concert on October 15th in Beijing. Click on the right arrow in the link to preview the new track “Be Free”, “自由的飞“
Chinese Rapper Shuangzi with Photographer Carl McLarty in Beijing China
I just had a great experience working with Chinese American director Anna Chi on her new movie Cicada Summer 《知了的夏天》. The coming-of-age love story was filmed beautifully by hollywood DP, Director of Photography, Shawn Maurer in Beijing China. I shot the unit photography for the production, made lots of new friends, and ate way too many box lunches! The two lead actors were, Fu Shiqi 傅诗淇，and Wenxin 温心. A small note, the prop guys were daily climbing up trees catching these wierd creatures cicadas.
Unit Photographer Carl McLarty with Chinese Actors Fu Shiqi and Wen Xin
I was amazed by the Indian film Raavanan. It must have been one of the most action packed yet moving films shown at the 2011 Shanghai film festival. The movie opens with multiple explosions, police executions, and the stunning beauty Aishwarya’s boat crash. That was all in the first five minutes!
Here’s a look at beautiful Shanghai during last weeks torrential rainfall!
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I just finished up a work trip to LA to help interview filmmakers in Hollywood with CCTV celebrity host Cui Yongyuan 崔永元 and a TV production team for a show called “Story of Movies” or 《新电影传奇》in Chinese. I’ll be back in China in about a week. Stay tuned for more trip photos. Too all my friends in China, See you soon!
Cui in LA
Heres a look at a recent photo shoot with Chinese actress Sun Lu. Beijing weather has been beautiful lately with clear blue skies.
Chinese Actress Sunlu
Here is the latest cooking video featuring award winning restaurant Modo’s owner/chef Daniel Urdaneta and Kongyiji’s Michael Chen. The two experiment with ways of making asparagus soup.
Daniel creates a blended green asparagus soup while Michael constructs a layered soup with asparagus and bamboo pith. For this webisode, we invited food writer Eileen Wen Mooney, author of “Beijing Eats” to be host and judge.
I had the pleasure of seeing Elyse’s Cheeky Monkey improv show at the D-22 punk rock bar in Beijing last night. Cheeky Monkey Theater Improv
I’ve got to say the tall Chinese actor made me laugh the hardest. That guy is hilarious! Good fun all around and it looked like CCTV had a camera following around
Miss Beijing, Elyse Ribbons. Cheeky Monky performance schedule can be found on their website www.cheekymonkeytheater.com
