A movie in
the making
By Jen Ellison
Orvgan f TO*)
Wluin Darryl Roberts finished writ
ing tin* s< ripl fnr his movie How l;
Like Me Now in 1089. ho walked into
a pawn shop, trying to sell his com
puter for the funds to produce the
film When the salesman asked hint
why he needed money. Roberts told
him nlHiut the film
"1 want to he an actor." the sales
man said
Roberts saw one of his characters in
the man.
"It was the way he said it." Rolmrts
said. “1 knew he'd be right for one of
my ports.”
A year later, after all the prepara
tions for the film were made, the
salesman gave Roberts $500,000 to
produce his entire movie Roberts
stayed within the budget
How H Like Me Now is a comical
in count of the romantic and profes
sional relationships between a group
of African-American friends in Chica
go. starring Darnell Williams, Salli
Richardson and Roberts.
Roberts' ideas for bis movie come
from watching the male/female rela
tionships around hint.
"A' the time I wrote the script I was
dating n lot." Roberts said I found
that women like to talk about men
Some of the experiences that
Roberts heard about and saw gave him
the idea for his script
"I realized that no one had ever
done a black comedy about
male/fernale relationships before."
Roberts said.
Set in Chicago’s South Side, the
film is about Valerie [Ru hardson). an
ambitious career woman who knows
what she wants from life. Only one
thing holds her ba< k — her boyfriend.
Thomas (Williams).
Thomas is unmotivated and happy
just where he is in life Ted up with
Thomas’ passivity, Valerie moves out
of their apartment and relationship
Coaxed by her hairdresser, Valerie
goes to a singles bar where she meets
an array of men including one that
matches her personality. He’s hand
some. successful, charming, educated
and ambitious. He’s also white.
How U /jke Me Now is original with
it’s protagonists. The African-Ameri
can bad guys don’t sell or use drugs,
shoot anyone or got shot at
Originality is also prevalent in
Roberts’ ability to stay within the bud*
get.
CourtPnoto
Darryl Roberts (right), writer, director, producer end co-atar, directs Spoony
(Daniel Gardner) and Thomaa (Darnell Williams) lor How U llko Mo Now.
7 realized that no one
had ever done
a black comedy
about male/female
relationships before
Darryl Roberts
Director
"I sought out some of the best non
union techs in Chicago and told them
what the budget was,” Roberts said.
"They really liked the script and
agreed to do it.”
Roberts also payed all the actors,
with the exception of Williams, the
Screen Actor s Guild minimum of
$400 a day. and all his locations were
donated without cost.
Darryl Robarta
The movie was released in 20 cities
around the nation between January
and April. The videocassette will be
released July 2H, 1993, from
MCA/Universal Home Video.
Anthems of empowerment
Canadian Singer and songwriter Jen
nifer Berezan is touring the Northwest
in celebration of the release of her
album Borderline* and will play in
Eugene at the WOW Hall Friday, June
11.
Combining a lyrical style with a
poignant politic al bite with a blend of
folk, rock and urban country, Berezan's
music creates a new genre of inspiring
and spirited progressive folk.
The album, released on the Chicago
based folk recording label Flying Fish,
features an all-star cast of San Francisco
Bay area musicians and was produced
by Windham Hill recording urtist Mike
Marshal).
Raised m Alberta. Canada. Berezan
started playing guitar in second grade
and formed an all-girls rot k band in
sixth grade. After graduating from the
University of Calgary with a degree in
comparative religion in 1985. she
moved to the San Francisco Ray area
and earned a master's degree in earth
based spirituality at the Institute in Cul
ture and Creation Spirituality She also
studied with Starhawk.
Berezan's interest in spirituality,
social awareness and political activism
drives her music. A harsh critic of
much that passes for the American way.
Top Ten Artists and Albums on KWVA,
campus radio, from May 26 to May 29
ALBUM
ARTIST
1. Porno for Pyros
2. Primus
3. Monie Love
4. Midnight Oil
5. Sacred Reich
6. Frank Black
7. Arcade
8. Who's The Man?
9. Pond
10. Fishbone
Porno for Pyros
Pork Soda
In A Word Or 2
Earth and Sun and Moon
Independent
Frank Black
Arcade
Soundtrack
Pond
Give A Monkey A Brain...
Frank Black
Getting to
know the
grungies
Editor's Note Associated Press newsman luiis Cabrera is
lead singer, sometime rhythm guitarist and primary hyp
notherapist for a working Seattle rock hand
SEATTLE (AT) — So who are those "grunge" rockers
jumping around onstage, wailing and mercilessly pounding
their instruments?
Are they mild-mannered slot khrokers who trade in their
briefcases and business attire for flannel and boots at the
end of the day?
Are they disgruntled rich kids with nothing better to do
than pierce assorted body parts and design their next tattoos
until it's time to mount the mosh pit?
Possibly. But most grungesters are workaday twenty
somethings struggling to realize the common dream of cre
ating music and bringing it to people
Take the guys in Bathtub Gin.
They've been playing Seattle and beyond for the past
three years or so, and they've begun to attract a sizeable fol
lowing A cut from their demo tape, Mash, is getting steady
airplay on one of the Seattle FM rook stations, they've got
some fairly high powered San Francisco management
behind them and they're beginning to he recognized on the
street.
They’ve even started to see some money coming in from
shows and merchandise sales, and have been making con
tract talk with several labels, some of them majors.
That doesn’t mean they're on grunge's easy street, howev
er.
As guitarist and founding member Brian Martinez ex
plained. "We put all our money back into the band. We
don't split it up or anything ."
Martinez still details cars for a living. Singer and harp
man (ohn Reidt does landscape work. Guitarist Jeff Hiatt
works as a cook at Julia's on 45th, on the deadly 6 a m. shift
Bassist und background vocalist Troy Hewitt is a bricklay
er's assistant and drummer John Cutler "doesn't do a
damned thing. He refuses to work for a living,'' Martinez
said.
The response they're getting now is gratifying, though
"you always anticipate for things to go quicker." Martinez
said.
The band plays a brand of up-tempo blues that's heavy
on distortion and the chunky, twoguitar Seattle feel. It's a hit
with the crowds that like the harder edge.
Turn to GRUNGIES, Page 10
Btraun'i songs deal with tin* histori
cal legacy of the women'* movement,
sexism, homophobia, homelessness
and other topics that make her songs
anthems of empowerment for the dis
possessed of our society
"She filters these concerns through
personal experience." according to
reviewer Robert Reid, with "a strong,
crystalline voice softened with a sultry
edge that, if anything, is even more
impressive in concert than her record
ings might suggest '
Tickets are S' in adenin e or $H at the
door Showtime is ft .10
jSl
JlA
nurt#M Mtv+o
Jennlfar Banezan comas to tha WOW Hall as part ol har Northwest tour.
Chain Art Project crosses
international boundaries
What began for computer .irt <st
Bonnie Mitchell ns two pages of
hastily scribbled ideas has blos
somed into an art project that
crosses electronic and internation
al boundaries
Mitchell, a visiting assistant pro
fessor of fine arts at the University,
said the International Internet
Chain Art Project involves receiv
ing. manipulating and sending
images over Internet, an interna
tional computer network linking
universities, businesses and indi
viduals electronically with each
other
Captured Internet images will tie
on display until June 5 in the
Wilcox Hearth of Lawrence Hall
on campus.
Computer chain art starts with a
computer-generated image that the
creator sends to another person,
who manipulates it and sends it
back. The collaborative process
repeats itself until both parties are
satisfied with the result
The University chain art project
began April 5 and continued
through May 2H More than 120
people from 10 different countries
were involved
"The project raises a number of
issues.” Mitchell said. "Who is the
.irttst or owner of the piece' Is
identity necessary for collabora
tion? These questions begin to
look beyond the novelty of trails
ferring files elet Ironically around
the world to the potential for
worldwide collaboration and visu
al communication."
Fvervthing began when she
asked six people she knew and six
people she didn’t know to partici
pate Within a week, she had
received hundreds of responses
Participants range from proles
snmal art directors to interested
computer buffs
Students enrolled in the Com
puters in Art course in the Depart
ment of Fine and Applied Arts
were enlisted as group coordina
tors to maintain communiiation
between group members and
download and print images The
University's Computer Center
donated the use of its Sun work
station for the project
‘The project raises
a number of issues'
Bonnie Mitchell
Protect coordinator
Ptvrjfea Oy Arfhany fitftWy
Several frames of a progressiva com
puter art sequence coordinated by
Kelli Noelanl Ooss.
Summer
Duck Call
is on now!
Register for
summer classes
today. All students
pay in-state tuition
in summer. For a
free summer
bulletin stop by 333
Oregon Hall.
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"Marvelous And Sensual!
A touching epic of forbidden
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ARMY"/
"A MASTERPIECE'"
Cooking With A Social Conscience
Nurturing your health while supporting the earth
•Jan's Salsa
•Marinara Sauce
•3 Bean, Black
Bean & Chili Dip
All made with organically
grown tomatoes & beans
1% tales lot Ecology ft Hungor Protects
AVAILABLE IN THE EMU
NORTHWEST
FILM CENTER
A Media Arts Summer Quiz
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If you haven't a due...
...Call now to register - Classes begin June 21
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PORTLAND, OR 97205
503 221-1 156
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Quality ‘Writing Instruments
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