From a Deviant Mind

Movin' on...

2006-07-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

Its been absolute ages since my last post. Been quite busy sometimes, and plain lazy at other times. Kids (yes, I got two of em now) Illyssa Hrdaa is a fine young lady of two and Tvisha Shoshanna is just 7 months young. They are growing up fine and dandy, being quite a handful for dear mom. God has blessed me with two beautiful, intelligent, totally wonderful daughters... and a man like me can't ask for more.

Anyways, I'll be moving to an agency in another country which is affiliated to TBWA. I am going to get some international exposure, which is essential in my line of work.

Just got back from a reception in Nuwara Eliaya (which is about 200km away from Colombo) Getting there took 5 hours... luckily we hired a comfortable van to take us there. The weather was looking kinda gloomy. It was wierd to go from the hot, dusty streets of Colombo to the misty, wet climate of Nuwara Eliya, in just like five hours. It was cold, trust me... I am not much of a 'cold-climate' person, but my kids loved it. I was so happy that it was so nice for them. The entire house was so packed full of relatives... lots of women and children in the house. My two kids, my cousins brought their's along too... wow that house was loud.

Friday evening came around and me and the guys got together for a little drink at the Grand Hotel. Five of us with a bottle of Johnny Walker Red, Black and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Yes, it was kinda much... but what the hell, it was great. Then went for the the reception on Saturday morning... had lunch, saw the rest of the tribe from my wife's side... wished the newly married couple and then got the hell out. Saturday evening was the same story. Except the location where the drinking was done. It was done in my uncle's store in Kandapola town. We had at our fingertips an entire general store. All the Coca Cola, Soda, and Bottle Water we wanted, plus access to the confectionery cupboards. Sunday came back to Colombo... and boy was it a round trip. Kandapola --> Ragala --> Digana --> Kandy --> Colombo. Total of 8 hours on the road.

Yep, still recovering.

Next post will be from another country. Take care people.

Red Bull Run...

2005-11-09T23:19:00.000-08:00

48 hours work... 7 hours sleep... lots of Red Bull... countless cigerettes, chinese food and Necto. Ah the life of a creative team working on a winning proposal. It seems that Liquidmedia is bidding for the Red Bull account to handle all the events and/or advertising for the year 2006. So wish us luck. I'll post the presentation (or slides at least) after we make it to them, as we want to keep it very very hush hush. This has been one l-o-n-g ass day and I am going to keep this short. Will be back with more.

Singapore

2005-10-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a three-day visit to Singapore... that little dot of a country in Asia. Wow, what a grand place it is. Its so clean and neat, and the people are so used to following the rules. Its true that you can walk from one end of Singapore to the other in about a day... and that once you see it, you've seen it all... but I found it neat and orderly... I tell you I come from a country that is chaotic at the best of times, and sometimes it can be absolute madness.

We went for a couple of things, one was to get a understanding of how branding works in a country where shopping is the second pastime, behind eating of course. And the branding is amazing. Every post pillar and wall is taken up by branding... street corners, side of the shopping centres, even branding is done at construction sites... We visited all the malls and department stores, from Centrepoint to Raffles City... from Sim Lim Plaza to Lucky Plaza and the Paragon... that was brilliant.

The second was to visit the Singapore JewelFest 2005... to understand how the showy side of jewellery marketing works... and boy it was fun. Was also able to catch the jewellery fashion show at the Parkway Parade... and then it was time to hit the stores again.

The third thing we wanted to do was pick up a camera... and boy did we pick a camera up. People, say hello to my (actually it was brought for the company) Canon EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT) 8 megapixel with the newest CMOS and DiG!C II processor coupled with a 1GB CF card and a 100mm Macro lens (see more here [link]). All for the price of... US$ 1480.00! yes mates, Mr Muller has a new toy... and something to do some brilliant photography on.

After the shoppoing, it was taking in the nightlife. As three men went on the trip, we hung out at the usual places with the usual suspects. Gaylang was a destination, so was Boat Quay and Orchard Plaza... and the other place I can quite remember as I was quite drunk when I went there... The food is so good (and safe mind you) and the variety available... you wouldnt believe. Plus there are someplaces (like the Kopitam in front of my hotel) thats open 24/7. Can you imagine getting a meal at 4 am here in Sri Lanka? And that food being cheap AND safe?

To be honest, I fell in love with the place. its so clean and controlled and so neat and the roads are so orderly. Lot of people tell me that i'd be bored outta my mind in less than a month.. because you can see it all in a month in that city state... but with the chaos I have put up here, I don't actually care. Lets see what happens, I might even go there again...

Another Movie Marathon

2005-08-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

Well, all the work for the FOSS WEEK 2005 is running along smoothly. Liquidmedia is expanding more, taking in more people to handle the workload. But I am wondering if we will really need them after this is over? We are trying to cater to our other clients as well, and its tricky balancing all of them.

Anyways I managed to watch some movies over the weekend, well it seems that they are limited to the weekend now anyways... so much work to do now it seems. But now I learnt the fine art of delegating it.

Back to the movies, first on the list was Stealth... Jamie Foxx did THAT? You gotta be kidding. Ok... how many time have we seen a AI machine becoming self-aware and trying to atomise the world? Anybody? A Million times in a million languages? Its supposed to be a supa-fly supa-fast no-human-pilot UAV.... you really want to let those things loose in the sky? With high-explosive, or maybe nuclear/biological weapons attached to them? Are you freaking mad? Ok, I agree, this was supposed to be a summer blockbuster/cash-cow, but people, at least make the movie a little believable, not like it was a comic-book/strip made into a movie now was it?

Well, the acting could have been way better... I personally think that this could have put Jamie Foxx on the action-smart-mouth-black-hero bracket... but like the UAV, it was blown outta the sky. The action was cool, the FX was ok, the areial combat was ok... but the rest just sucked.

Batman Begins was a good movie... it was dark, brooding, just like Batman himself. What do you expect the movie to be? Bright and sunny? Here is a man, who havent gotten over the fact that his parents got popped in front of him, cant have an open relationship with anyone, likes to spend time in far-flung prison camps, has a love/hate relationship with bats and likes caves... hello!

but all in all, it was a well crafted movie. the characters were pretty well-chosen... only I think that Michale Caine was ill-chosen as Alfred, and why was Katie Holmes even in the movie? Alfred's character should have been a more stiff-upper-lip English-to-the core butler (and he looked the same age right throughout)... and Katie's character should have been given to Uma Thurman... I know she did the Poison Ivy bit.... but she looks so strong and gritty for that character. She also looks good as the damsel in distress bit.

This was meant to be a dark movie, and it was a dark movie. And thank goodness there were no boy-wonders... I couldn't have handled that. We were introduced to some more sinister characters, like the Scarecrow... I think this is the beginning of a whole series... and I hope it continues in the same vein.

Kingdom of Heaven was an excellent movie. The setting, the premise, the characters... the whole kit n caboodle. The good guys were saints... the bad guys were bad motherf**kers.

Set during the crusades (try Wikipedia if you dont know) it was Christiandom's fight against the heathen mohamaddians. It shows the Christians as blood-thirsty land grabbers (true) wanting to dominate the Holy Land for their own benefit... and the Mohamaddians under Salahadin as good people and great warriors (also true) The battle scenes were great and the choice of characters were great. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

The storytelling had a flow to it... the character's relationships with each other was balanced.... and that made it a good movie. the characters had time to blossom... from blacksmith to warrior to savior, from princess to queen to commoner... am expecting to buy the Director's Cut Extended DVD set the moment its out. Will make a great addition alongside Gladiator, Quo Vadis, and other historical epics.

The Island. Wow, men/women cloned to be spare-parts for their orginals, so they can live forever!! What a synopsis for a movie... quite original... in quite a while. Not ripped from a comic book (Fantastic Four) or rehased from an old radio-serial (The War of the Worlds) something totally original... I dont give two hoots what movie critics say... or even the jaded movie buff says... all I am saying is that the plot is an original...

Ok maybe the acting is not that great... maybe the actors chosen for this is not great... and maybe the director was not great... but hey, it was a great plot (ok it was smashed into oblivion, but who care) This is a thriller/action/think about our future which is bad/cloning is bad kinda movie. But hey... at least the plot rocks.

Well thats it for my meanderings on what movies I watched. Waiting for the new releases to get going so I can start watching them and writing more movie reviews.

Oh yes i'll be getting my hands on Alias: Season 4. watched it from Season 1 till 3... on local TV... they stopped... so I thought what the hell, shell out the $20 for the 8-disc set and watch them at my leisure, without waiting for that day of the week or having to put up with the f**king ads. More about Alias here

Stop.

FOSSED OUT!

2005-08-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

Liquidmedia has the pleasure of organizing the National Free and Open Source Software week. I am a fossed out. The creatives for the national-level event, comprising the FOSSSL (Free and Open Source Software) 2005, The CxO Conference, and the Asia Open Source Software Conference... all in the course of 6 days. Its been a week filled with shouting matches, late-late nights and 48-hour work days. This is the second major event, first being the launch of Red Hat in Sri Lanka, which we handled for the regional office in India. Wish me and my team luck, this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Turmoil at DeviantART

2005-08-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Truth about the Alien

It seems that strife has finally come the the place that I loved. The place I could escape and share my work with other artists around the world. Well. It hurts man.... it really hurts.

Movie Mania at the Muller Mansion!

2005-08-01T00:50:00.000-07:00

It was a great weekend at my place. The weekend was filled with spending time with my family, then did a bit of reading... and watched a whole load of movies.

I started with Sin City... and man that was brilliant movie. The storylines, the action, the violence, the gore, the characters... it was really really great. My wife thought it was too violent... and she didnt join me to watch it. She's pregnent with my second, so last thing I wanted her to do was watch that movie.

I loved it from beginning to end... the final end when Hartigan (blank*) to protect Nancy. This movie features some of the best actors around today... Bruce Willis, Benecio del Toro, Micky Rourke... Jessica Alba... Elijah Wood. This is a must see movie for all those comic-to-movie buff. This was way better than The Punisher (that sucked) and not even close to the X-Men (which was ok) and Spiderman (not enought darkness and pain in that one) I suggest you catch this movie when it hits the theater or your local rental store.

* I left it blank so I didnt want to give everything away.

Then it was Fantastic Four. Another comic book-turned-in-to-a- movie. It also stars the soopa-fly Jessica Alba (my Dark Angel) It was a good movie, but as usual it could have been better. Dr Doom should have had more screen time... but too much time was spent on showing the four 'heros' well three at least trying to get to grips with who they were. In Spiderman it was very fast. Peter Parker finds out he can climb walls, shoot webs outta his wrists... wheeee! lets get it on! Done deal.

Finally it was War of the Worlds... good... but not good enough. expected more from Mr Steven Spielberg... the action scenes were tight... but some parts were way too long. I think the final action scene, when they are caught up in the machine, and Mr I-Like-Women-Half-My-Age Cruise is grabbed to be turned into fertiliser... that should have been longer. Buying that VCD was a waste. Glad I saw that before I busted my money on the DVD.

Movies I want to watch.... and that are coming to a theater near you (and a pirate DVD store near me) are The Great Raid... a WWII movie set in the Asian Theater of the war. When the 6th Ranger Battalion goes 30 miles behind enemy lines to liberate 500 POWs held in a camp in the Philippines. Nothing like a good kick-ass war movie to brighten up an easy sunday morning.

Another movie I cant wait for is Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo... Rob Schineder is a funny man. He has to go to Europe to rescue his former pimp who's framed for the murder of some top European gigaolos. He also has to date a few women, with a few kinks... and a lotta laughs. I enjoyed the first one.. that was hilarious.

I can wait to watch Mr&Mrs Smith at the local theater, and the next attraction is The Kindom of Heaven with Mr. Orlando Bloom. Then they be showing War of the Worlds. Ah... isnt life grand.

have fun people. Stop.

Illyssa in a bucket..

2005-07-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

My darling baby girl taking a bath... and yes, she still fits inside a large bucket. I am yet to give her a bath meself... I want to, but I am so scared, and a little apprehensive about bathing her. But usually I get to wipe her down and then apply the powder and the cream and then finally put the diaper on her.

She finally has her mother 24/7 with her. Shiv had to work three months after Illy was born, but now I can finally afford for my wife to stay at home and be a full-time mom.

Illy has to have a two hour walk session for her to get any rest. She just walks and walks... round the house, till she's pooped and then wants to be put to bed for her nap.

She's also going to get a little brother or sister very soon (my wife is re-pregnent, and I know I am a cad) and very soon will be giving birth to a sibling for my darling Illy.

I shall stop now.

Red Hats and Sexy Dances

2005-07-21T23:35:00.000-07:00

Liquidmedia had the pleasure of being the Event Manager for the launch of Red Hat in Sri Lanka. The event was attended by a host of people from the service and IT sectors. Its was hugely successful. The event was graced by the minister of science & technology and a few other dignitaries... and it was the first event that Liquidmedia organized since it started. And to be honest, it went quite well... no major hiccups or minor ones for that fact. It was a brilliant team effort.

Everybody at Liquidmedia worked on it and it was carried off successfully. Saumi (our Events and Marketing Director) did a magnificient job. So did Reza (our MD) Dasty (Director) Malinga (Creative Specialist) Wyomi (Creative Writer) Germaine (Client Services) Shehara (Secretary and Co-ordinator) and Bandara (Driver) all worked together and brought about a brilliant event. Kudos to everyone else who helped us out too.

The only thing that happened was that the dance routine (its like a break between the speeches) was a little too sexy for the Indians (reps from Red Hat India) and because they thought that we shouldn't go on with the balance two dances, we had to can that. But the audience warmed up to them in a flash. Will post full pictures when I get them.

After the main event, we had cocktails. That was a huge success. A lot of contacts were made and so was a lot of deals. Johnnie Walker Black Label and Beefeater Gin and Bacardi White flowed a lot... the food was excellent.

Then we headed on back to our room (Reza, Dasty, Saumi, Malinga and I) and then the real partying started. We had some guests (about 4 of them) and between us we managed to finish two bottles of Black and a bottle of gin. Was up till 3 am. Went to sleep and woke up at about 8 am. then watched Die Hard 2 on cable. Left the hotel at about 12 noon... had some chinese and then finished up an ad in office and then went home. Another 48 hour stretch.

-------------------------------------- END TRASMISSION -----------------------------------

Visit my DeviantART Gallery | Visit Red Hat | Visit Sri Lanka

Illyssa Hrdaa Chaitanya

2005-07-14T03:31:00.000-07:00

Illy
Originally uploaded by cyrusmuller.

Yep, this is my darling daughter. Taken in Nuwara Eliya when we went for the April holidays. She's now passed her 1st year.

2005-07-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

this is me... now. Yeah... I have no idea what made me post this particular picture... well its here now... live with it. This is me... agh!

Thought Balloons: 12/01/2004 - 12/31/2004

2005-07-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

Thought Balloons: 12/01/2004 - 12/31/2004

Revenge of the Sith...

2005-07-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

I can picture you all cringing at the thought of another blogger going to talk about the latest Star Wars episode... well you are right, I am going to talk about it.

Weekends are filled with hours and hours of movies at my house. I hardly leave the bedroom... and watch countless movies over the weekend. Since saturday was a workday for me, I decided that Sunday was going to be a marathon session of movies.

So I started with Coach Carter, a story based on the coach who benched his entire award-winning basketball team for poor academic performance. A man who wanted his boys to be skilled on and off the court. Wish we had more people like him in our schools.

Then it was to experiece Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo starring the most underused comedian of our time, Mr Rob Schnieder. I have been trying to get my hands on this movie for a long long time. Try asking the morons at the place where I get my DVDs, "Hey man, do you have Deuce Bigalow?" and the look at me like I am some sort mentally-challenged individual. That was a funny movie. Can't wait to get my hands on Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo out in 2006, and I probably will be getting my hands on it in 2010... that should be hilarious. Some of his other movies are quite funny. The Animal... Hot Chick... go watch em if you can.

Then it was The Longest Yard starring Adam Sandler... Chris Rock... Nelly (the male rapper, not the female popster) and Burt Reynolds. It was a remake of a classic movie starring Burt Reylonds. The entire family enjoyed it thoroughly... especially the sadistic guards and evil warden getting what they really deserved. Oh yeah, Rob Schneider was in it too.

Then Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith as the finale of the movie marathon. It was brilliant. I am a big fan of the entire Star Wars saga... even if Jar Jar Binks was annoying... It was a dark movie, full of menace and intrigue. I'll have the entire collection to show my kids when they grow up. Because these movies opened an entire galaxy for me. Made me dream of fighting with light sabers... piloting the brilliant x-wings... keeping one step ahead of the bounty hunters. But it never got me to the state of dressing like Han Solo or talking on the phone like Darth Vader, obsessed I am not.. I love the movies... for a 7-year old in Asia... those movies rocked! To George Lucas, thank you sir... I am grateful to you for doing what you did, and thats giving the world Star Wars.

I think I went to sleep after that. Maybe next weekend I can watch the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy in one go. Its going to be a long long weekend. And my DVD player is going to have burn marks.

Look up the movies at Yahoo! Movies and see if you can rent/buy them somewhere.

And you know what I just realized? Coach Carter stars Samuel L Jackson as Coach Ken Carter, and he plays Mace Windu in Star Wars III. Rob Schneider stars in Deuce Bigalow... and in Longest Yard. Is that wierd or is that wierd?

Work in progress

2005-07-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

office... work in progress

One Shot One and other stories...

2005-07-07T23:35:00.000-07:00

my office mates and I went to see One Shot One the movie directed by (and written by, produced by, and starring) Ranjan Ramanayake (a local actor who's trying to be like Salman Khan, who is an Indian Actor trying to be like The Arnold) and this dude has a serious Jesus-complex and has never really gotten over the fact that his relative, Vijaya Kumaratunga (a very popular actor and the late husband of our current President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga) got shot by some very nasty politicians.

Anyways, the film was bad. It was hilarious... windscreens breaking before the bad guy hits it... flies hanging on to the cranberry jam-looking 'wound' and the main heroine rinding around in a Merc with the number plate starting with 'HO-XXXX' (was it just me who noticed that?) Full of bad jokes and even worse preaching about bad politicians (like we dont know)

Well... what I am getting is that.. this is the highest grossing movie of the local circuit. Almost 50 days and 40+ million in revenue... This is what the masses want... crass, badly-done, downright offensive movie to laugh their asses off. Sri Lanka has produced some brilliant directors, and some brilliant movies... but all of them went way.. in one shot!

Go see it (if you are Sri Lankan or at least visiting - sorry no subtitles) and see where Sri Lankan cinema is heading.

Like the man said, 'nuff said!'

I just lost my virginity...

2005-07-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

...at least on blogging. Guess this phenomenon thats been around for quite a while. I can just hear the multitudes of you going, "oh no, another newbie blogger... agh! Saying the same ole blah blah" But wait... I can be here. I can be a 'noob' (weren't all of you at one time, a noob to blogging?)

Be nice....

Another day....

Visit me sometimes at my DeviantART gallery where I spend most of my awake time.