Monthly Archives: October 2025

Skateboarder Danny Way Jumped the Great Wall of China

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Danny Way jumps the Great Wall of China with a skateboard. This article tells you how he did it.

Danny Way in front of the Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China Skateboard History

Most visitors seldom skateboard the ancient tourist attraction, let alone jump across it.

Let’s take a look at the Great Wall of China. It is unique as a structure and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For 4,500 miles, the ancient Wall meanders through the mountain ranges of China with more miles than the distance from New York to California. It is wide enough for two cars to drive on it – 25 feet tall and 25 – 30 feet wide.

The Ming Dynasty rebuilt the Great Wall from the many small walls that multiple Chinese emperors had constructed. The dynasty also developed elaborate battlements, cannons, and watchtowers to protect the people.

They used limestone, bricks, and tiles, and ancient records indicate that over 300,000 soldiers and 500,000 commoners worked on the Great Wall of China. They never saw the future or imagined a young, talented skateboarder would be gliding and careening down the center of the Wall.

“To a certain extent, I’m not trying to evolve out of this world of physical pain into a world of mental stress and anguish. But I do have a bit of the business bug. I’m aware I have to try to mediate it to a certain point so I don’t become soaked down to the point where it’s hard to escape.” Danny Way

The location of the Great Wall of China is outlined in red.
Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is wide enough for two cars to drive on it—25 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide.

Danny Way: Skater of the Year Twice

Daniel Way is from Portland, Oregon, and was born in 1974. He won Thrasher magazine’s “Skater of the Year” award twice.

He thinks outside the box when it comes to skateboarding stunts. Watching him skateboard is priceless. He is a talent worth watching to understand skateboarding.

“Obviously, it’s not in my nature to walk away from something, but there’s got to be a fine line of what is possible and what’s so . . . dangerous that you gotta go, ‘OK, that’s all that’s possible, here.” Danny Way

What is a Professional Skateboarder?

Being a pro skateboarder takes a strong soul to conquer the board —from frequenting local skate parks to winning regional competitions and, eventually, taking on national and international competitions, including product endorsements and wild video shots. Being on a skateboard means performing tricks like flip, daydream flip, plasma spin, sex change, gingersnap, and at least 100 other tricks.

Skateboarding Tricks and Stunts

I wrote a piece on the top skateboard movies, focusing on the intriguing grit and audacity as these brave souls perform on their boards.

Living on the Edge

Like Danny Way, a few others are bold and defy gravity, like the rock climber Alex Honnold, who climbed El Capitan at Yosemite without a rope, which became an Oscar-winning documentary. Or the inspirational story of the parachutist who broke the record in free-falling.

Waiting for Lightning follows skateboarder Danny Way, known for performing over-the-top feats, similarly with a parachute. Most skateboarders call him a visionary for his extraordinary achievements and performances throughout his career. Samuel Goldwyn Films released the film on Blu-ray, DVD, or online streaming.

Danny Way Skateboards Jumps Wall of China

Interviews with Top Skateboarders

The documentary explores the amount of abuse the body can sustain. It touches on how passionately one must accept challenges that defy survival. Danny Way has proven himself to be an incredibly talented skateboarder and the sport’s top innovator.

The documentary features incredible skateboarding tricks and stunts, along with interviews with the best in the sport. We hear from big players like Travis Pastrana, Laird Hamilton, Rodney Mullen, Mat Hoffman, Ken Block, and Tony Hawk, to name a few.

The story begins with an inspirational account of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, following the journey of a young boy from a broken home in Southern California. He has a deep passion for skateboarding, which has brought him fame and a lifetime of accomplishments.

“That was the scariest … thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m lucky I’m alive.” Danny White

China’s Great Wall Master by Inspiration

Way’s drive is an inspiration. He has no limits to what he can do. The documentary showcases his creations as they are captured on screen. To jump China’s Great Wall on a skateboard, we see the ramp of Herculean and dangerous proportions.

Overall, I highly recommend this documentary. The video below gives you a glimpse of someone who could pull off such feats.

Danny May is Skateboarder #5 with his Great Wall Jump

Jerry Lewis as the Nutty Professor

Jerry Lewis: The King of Comedy

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Jerry Lewis defines comedy as a style characterized by his madcap acting, which he began with Dean Martin in 1946.

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis’s comedic timing and performances are a class act, and few comedians mirror his impeccable timing. Many comedians have copied his style. Watch his movies, and you will notice several similarities among our contemporary funny guys. Kevin Hart, Eddie Murphy, the late Robin Williams, and Jim Carrey have learned from Lewis.

They followed Lewis’s madcap acting because it looked easy and divine. Lewis’s skill is a talent that most performers consider daunting to try. Lewis’s upbringing in a vaudevillian family gave him the courage to perform the madcap characters we’ve come to know. His father did a great impersonation of Al Jolson on stage.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Lewis starred in 61 movies. Some of those movies were produced and directed by him. He hooked up with Dean Martin after World War II, as Dean Martin was a vaudevillian at heart. It was almost a fluke that they ended up as “Martin and Lewis,” the best comedy duos ever.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
Source: Common

Stand-up Comedian

Alan King, a well-known actor and stand-up comedian, said, “I have been in the business for fifty-five years, and I have never to this day seen an act get more laughs than Martin and Lewis. They didn’t get laughs — it was pandemonium. People knocked over tables.”

“Artists and Models”

They made 17 movies together, as well as radio shows and nightclubs. The duo split up after ten years. Going their separate ways, and both succeed. One notable movie they starred in together before their split is Artists and Models.

The movie had a high budget of $1.5 million and starred Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone. Directed by Frank Tashlin, he later worked with Lewis on six of his solo films.

Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a 78% rating. The story follows Rick Todd, played by Martin, and his roommate, Eugene Fullstack, played by Lewis. Todd is a comic book artist. His publisher complains Rick needs to make his work gorier. Fullstack sleeps with elaborate comic-book dreams and gaudy-looking superheroes. These nightmares help Todd achieve success and fame. The men try to romance the gorgeous neighbors, played by Maclaine and Malone, throughout this period.

Tashlin got his feet wet directing Looney Tunes. He took on Artists and Models because Lewis’s character is a cartoonist. Tashlin added several gags that are still funny today.

Adult Themed Movies

Up until now, all Martin and Lewis movies were family-oriented. Artists and Models is an adult movie with all the sexual innuendos. Particular female characters wear revealing costumes. Malone is scantily clad in a towel that the studio allowed in one scene.

“I have been in the business for fifty-five years, and I have never to this day seen an act get more laughs than Martin and Lewis. They didn’t get laughs—it was pandemonium. People knocked over tables.” Alan King

Bucktooth Professor

The Nutty Professor is ingenious and nothing like the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Mr. Hyde’s theme, Dr. Jekyll, shines as a genuine comedy classic. Then, there is a love story, which makes it all the more adorably funny. The movie showcases Lewis’s mercurial comedic range. He plays a ridiculous bucktooth professor with exaggerated low self-confidence.

Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor

“I never tell an audience what they can expect. I never have, and I never will.” Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis, Good Looking Man

Stella Stevens plays one of his students and arouses his curiosity as Miss Purdy. The professor tackles his interest in Miss Purdy by stumbling on a potion. The potion changes him into a more than usually arrogant but good-looking man. He is no longer the sensitive professor that Miss Purdy so adores.

The Nutty Professor with Jerry Lewis

“Nothing can stop anyone who has a love and passion about their work.” Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis in his prime.

Fantastic and Hilarious Comedian

I enjoy watching DVDs occasionally and appreciate the amusing entertainment. It streams at various outlets and includes hilarious bloopers, deleted scenes, and other outtakes. The disc package also contains recordings of Jerry Lewis’s phone calls. It was a rare find that brought me to tears because I laughed so hard – bizarre and hilarious. The recordings on the CD are Lewis’s private prank calls, which he secretly recorded.

Stella Stevens is Dynamite

A storyline with a wide range of comedic talent, Jerry Lewis is not only a goofy bucktooth professor, but he turns on the charm as an arrogant, handsome genetic afterthought. Stella Stevens is a dynamite actress, an innocent young lady, and holds her own with Lewis’s mercurial acting. One of his students, Miss Purdy, played by Stevens, draws his attention as she becomes interested in him. As the professor, he stumbles on a potion that can change his genetics into an overly arrogant-looking man who lacks the one thing that wins Purdy over.

“The greatest thing I can remember in my whole career was the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey clowns asking me to appear with them at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1965. “— Jerry Lewis

How to Fund Your Film With Product Placements

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After reading this article, you’ll become more aware of product placement in films and TV shows. You’ll also learn how to use product placement to help fund your next film.

“Stranger Things” scene with KFC. It’s finger-lickin’ good. Source: JokerMan

Examples of Product Placement in Movies

Product placement is an excellent resource to fund your movie and offset the negative costs of the production. Some say product placement can cover or replace 50-60% of a film’s budget. It’s a big business and a smart way to cover certain production costs. Yet, there are logistics to deal with and corporations and representatives that need to convince you that your film is worthy of its product placement.

Product placement involves props, vehicles, set dressing, and wardrobe donated or loaned to production for on-air use. For example, it could be as simple as a shot of a familiar airline logo. Even when an airline jet takes off, or a billboard or banner promotes a brand-name product, the effect can be pretty noticeable. You might have spotted a box of Cheerios at a breakfast scene—When Harry Met Sally, where Sally microwaves Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Stranger Things nabbed $27 million in product placements, from KFC to Cola to Eggo Waffles to Gap.

Product Placement in Film: A Huge Business

The process seems easy for a brand to pay for, loan to, or even donate to a film production. That is not the case. It is a huge business. What the manufacturers decide to pay, loan, or donate for valuable exposure is determined when they or their representatives evaluate the script, cast, and director of the project. It takes just as much, if not more, work as procuring funding for a film. Still, it gets done and is worth the effort and time. A filmmaker can cover transportation or meal costs by agreeing to product placement.

The late Paul Newman is ready to race in one of the many Budweiser cars he raced. Source: Lola

Paul Newman and Tom Cruise

Anyone can think of the last film they saw and notice the product placement in that movie. The late Paul Newman was known for drinking Budweiser beer in his films. Budweiser also supported his car racing. The Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One film was all too obvious, with the chase involving a tiny yellow Fiat car in Rome. But who didn’t want a cute Fiat after that scene? The James Bond franchise has fancy cars, designer clothes, and Heineken sipping. The list of product placements is long, dating back to 1910.

Product Integration in Film

Product integration is another term used around the industry for product placement. The term denotes products and services incorporated into the film and used, consumed, worn or mentioned by the main characters. The Barbie movie is an obvious example of product integration. The film’s focus is the Barbie doll, which is mentioned in press junket interviews and on social media.

Major studios and production companies have product placement departments. Producers can hire companies or promotional agencies to help manufacturers place their products in films. Filmmakers seeking funding or donations should find companies and agencies, do research and be prepared to negotiate.

Once a product placement is assigned to a film project, a wise filmmaker assigns an individual to coordinate and supervise the entire process, ensuring the brand is correctly represented in the film.

Brands or Companies Get Exposure

It is impressive what these product placement agencies can do. They include online services that partner with products and productions. They even specialize in helping new brands or companies get their first exposure secured in films. As a filmmaker, it is your job to use your imagination and ingenuity to choose the types of brands or products you can place in your movie. That requires a scene breakdown of where each scene takes place and which brands or products appear in it. For example, the kitchen scene means food, cooking ware, food products, etc.

For the most part, independent films with producers, property masters, transportation coordinators, department heads, and costume supervisors usually handle their own product placement. That way, they avoid having the overhead of paying a salary or fee to someone else. Still, the filmmaker and producer ensure they maintain their product placement agreements or contracts. The best way to hold and control product placement is to keep the number of people responsible on your crew to a minimum. The filmmaker must consult any agreement or contract for product and service placement with the production executive, producer, and production attorney.

Ethan Coen’s “Drive Away Dolls” is subtly featured in this barroom scene. Source: Kenna McHugh

Product Placement Regulations

Because product placement is so popular and widely used in the film industry, a filmmaker will discover more regulations regarding it than they ever imagined. It’s not just about placing a banner. Because of laws governing the financing of such commodities and the possibility of payola—bribing someone to use their influence or position to promote a specific product or interest—the film industry is more open to product placement than the television industry. The television industry must disclose its product placement at the end of the episode as a “promotional consideration.”

With that, a filmmaker needs to set their standards or policies on how they want to approach product placement for their movie. The filmmaker avoids outlandish bribes or unreasonable requests by having guidelines. The idea is to maintain a realistic storyline without jeopardizing the integrity of the film. Thus, avoid placing or accentuating products that appear to be advertising or sponsorship. Some standard rules of thumb are that production personnel, cast and so forth may not accept gifts from companies that want their products used in the film. Thus, no one associated with the production can endorse or refer that a specific talent will promote a brand or product in a movie.

Sample Letter Requesting Product Placement in a Short Film

When you have a product that stands out in the storyline, it’s best to write a letter for permission to use the product in the film. Source: Kenna McHugh

The Bottom Line

Again, the filmmaker needs to put on his thinking cap and consider his storyline and overall movie genre. Take a marketing perspective and imagine what products would do well in his film. There are companies out there that want to integrate their products into a variety of entertainment media. They will probably get involved if the movie is a high-profile project with some very talented and up-and-coming movie stars.

9 Best Drama Schools in the World

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This article examines the top drama schools where movie stars like Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Angela Bassett and Paul Newman attended.

1. David Geffen School of Drama at Yale

Meryl Streep graduated from Yale Drama School.

Yale School of Drama’s reputation claims that each graduate acquires an agent within one month. Another added benefit is that the school is now tuition-free, thanks to a grant from David Geffen. 

Cole Porter, Angela Bassett, Julie Harris, Thornton Wilder, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and Paul Giamatti are just a few well-known alumni.

Since its establishment in 1924, the school has offered programs in every theatre discipline.

Yale Drama School Free

Tuition and Expenses

The tuition is free, based on a remarkable gift from David Geffen. His generous donation ensures that full-time students in degree and certificate programs receive 100% tuition remission from each day forward. Rightly so, the school’s name changed to the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. Books and estimated living expenses come to $21,000, including Yale Health Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage.

2. The Juilliard School

The list of talent that graduated from The Juilliard School is endless.

In her memoir, Patti LuPone felt truly educated when she arrived at Juilliard. The drama school’s founder, John Houseman, instilled in her an unthinkable discipline, pushing her diction problem to the brink of strangulation if she did not overcome her plight.

The Juilliard School approaches the study of drama in the most creative way.

There are high success guarantees in a handful of disciplines: Oscar Isaac, Patti Lupone, Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain are a few reputable alumni.

An agent says students learn and understand the classics, turning young talent into classical masters of the technique.

Tuition and Expenses

Tuition is estimated at $39,720, with living expenses varying depending on whether students live on or off campus. The cost includes room and meals, which range from $14,790 to $18,460, depending on whether students live in a double or single room. Books and supplies are $3,440, so the total per year is $57,950 to $61,620.

Those who decide to live off-campus face much higher housing and food costs, including transportation costs of around $1,008. Potential students should note that there are also application fees.

3. Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama

Award winners attend CMU.

Holly Hunter and Ted Danson are among the famous alumni of CMU, including Stephen Schwartz, the creator of Wicked and Pippin, who is also a graduate. CMU graduates earned six Oscars, 31 Tonys and 99 Emmys. Carnegie holds the most graduates with awards of any other drama school.

Tuition and Expenses

Tuition for both resident and off-campus students is the same at $49,610. Other fees apply at $1,055, and room and board cost $14,972. Books and supplies cost an estimated $2,400. The university includes part-time tuition at $465 per unit.

4. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Here is one of the best actor training schools on the planet.

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art speaks to the history of theater. Playwright George Bernard Shaw asked RADA for a third of his royalties.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Anthony Hopkins are notable graduates. Sir Laurence Olivier taught at RADA and bestowed one-third of his royalties on it.

Tuition and Expenses

Tuition fees are in UK currency for local, island, and overseas students. They range from 9,000 pounds to 17,200 pounds. Students living in the UK and with low incomes can apply for scholarships.

5. San Francisco American Conservatory Theater

Actors train and perform.

San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater (ACT) is a hard act to follow. The school collaborates with one of the top regional theaters, and the drama program attracts undergrads.

They attend the school’s 15-week semester. Ed Davis, Annette Bening, and Denzel Washington are just a few well-known graduates.

Tuition and Expenses

Tuition and fees are estimated at $26,750 and total $48,131, including supplies and the cost of living. The school offers child care and other services for an additional fee.

6. Northwestern University School of Drama

Tour the school before deciding to enroll.

Northwestern University graduates include the talented Charlton Heston, Warren Beatty, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, and David Schwimmer, the founder of Lookingglass Theatre.

Tuition and Expenses

Financial aid is available for low-income families, and resident and out-of-state tuition does not appear to vary. The total for one year of schooling runs about $63,554. The cost includes miscellaneous fees, room and board, and books and supplies.

7. CalArts

Disney’s daughter founded CalArts.

CalArts’ Center for New Performance is part of a school established by Walt Disney. Don Cheadle, Alison Brie, and Ed Harris are a handful of graduates who graced the school. It is not considered a drama school, but a theatre school that allows students to work with the likes of Ron Cephas Jones in the production of Prometheus Bound at the Getty Villa.

Tuition and Expenses

Tuition for an academic year runs about $45,030 for full-time enrollment. Payment plans are available, and other fees may apply. Tuition includes instruction, facilities, and some materials used in regular programs. Students must be financially able to pay for other supplies required for most projects.

Christopher Pheiffer, CalArts School of Theater MFA

8. The Academy of Dramatic Arts

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The school is costly, so ensure you get your money’s worth.

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts of Los Angeles and New York (Manhattan) are private institutions that serve as a performing arts conservatory.

The students earn an associate degree and audition for an invitation to be in the third-year theater company. Most students transfer to another higher institution to earn a bachelor’s degree.

The academy is the oldest acting school globally and is an English-speaking school. Both schools have impressive alumni, including Lauren Bacall, Anne Bancroft, Danny DeVito, Paul Rudd, and Robert Redford.

Tuition and Expenses

The undergraduate tuition and fees at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles total $36,190. About thirty-seven percent of enrolled undergraduate students receive grants or scholarships, with the average amount being $8,835. The total tuition and fees at AADA Los Angeles are $42,940, including education, books, fees, living costs and supplies.

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts New York undergraduate tuition and fees for a full-time student are $59,219, regardless of their residency. This includes $34,410 for tuition, $19,555 for housing, $570 for supplies and books and $750 for miscellaneous fees.

9. USC School of Dramatic Arts

USC offers production opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience. Source: USC School of Dramatic Arts

Tuition and Expenses

The University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts, is inclusive and recruits for diversity. Faculty member Ahmed Best works to mentor black directors with the help of Lucasfilm.

All faculty members are working professionals who have collaborated with industry actors such as George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Connie Britton and Forest Whitaker.
The estimated cost of attendance for two semesters or 12 to 18 units is $66,640, though many scholarships are worth considering.

Other expenses, including fees, books, supplies, housing, meals, and incidentals like transportation, add up to $90,921 for two semesters. The tuition rate is the same for out-of-state and in-state residents. The first semester requires a $450.00 New Student Fee.