Private greed and the economic crisis--part 1

Private greed has certainly played its part in the crisis.  I know more about private greed in the United States than in Spain, so I'll turn to that country for my examples.

And for a start, I'll write about the private greed of mega corporations and the over-rich.  Yes, in addition to private greed on the part of the big and powerful, there is private greed on the part of the little man.  But in my opinion, private greed by the big and powerful has the capacity and the reality of doing much more harm.  It's a question of scale.

An emblematic skyscraper of a multinational..

I do not believe that all large private enterprises are bad.  I do not believe all banks are bad.  I do not believe all rich people are bad.  But when one or all of these allows itself to be motivated by greed, then great harm comes to an awful lot of people.

Take the housing crisis.  In addition to individuals who asked for an obtained loans which they were really not in a position to repay, there are the banks, savings and loans, home mortgage insurers, and all the rest that crafted the loans, that actively promoted the loans, that gave bonuses to employees who signed more loan contracts.  And these loans were in large part the result of the deregulation of the Bush administration (although I understand that it started earlier, under Clinton).

These buildings project-intentionally, I believe-an image of power, might, and money.

But I digress.

THE NEXT BLOG WILL BE ABOUT private greed--specific examples of "unfair" loans

The actors, part 2B-supporting actor Javier Padilla

This is the second and final part of our interview with actor Javier Padilla, who plays Manolo and also the drunk in "Domino."

Interviewer (Eve A. Ma-EM):  What is your experience acting in film and video?  And what are some of your favorite movies?

Javier Padilla:   I began my career in acting at a later age than is usual.  With that in mind, I've been in a handfull of shorts including one called "Curso d"Andalu" [that appeared on Canal Sur in Andalucia].  I was also in a commercial--an experience I'd rather forget.  Finally, I had a part in a film called La mano negra (The Black Hand).  At the end of the movie, my character along with several others were executed.  [This movie is about an anti-fascist organization, or possible organization, in which several of those that Franco's government identified as plotters were arrested, imprisoned, tortured and executed.  ED]  Then in "Domino,"  I don't end up on the executioner's block, but I do have to fire my employees.  Sad endings.

There are lots and lots of movies that I like.  Of the many, three that stand out in particular are "El Verdugo" of Luis Garcia Berlanga, "The Night of the Hunter" of Charles Laughton and "City Lights" of Charlie Chaplin.  Most contemporary movies I find to be a bit spineless, but every once in a while I am pleasantly surprised.

Javier Padilla as Manolo in "Domino."

EM:  What did you like most about portraying Manolo in "Domino?"  and the drunk?

Javier Padilla:  It was very interesting for me to play the part of a business owner that had to turn down a friend who desperately needed work.  I'm accustomed, in my theater company, to be on the other side, meaning, on the side of the person looking for work.  Playing this role helped me emphathize a little with "the bad guys."

As for the drunk, that was really a simpler role, or at any rate, it wasn't as complicated for me.  To empathize with an occasional drunk is not very hard--even though I'm not a drinker. 

EM:  What was hardest for you?

Javier Padilla:  Nothing in particular.  As I already mentioned, these are roles that I encounter in everyday life, and that didn't require any profound study.  I didn't have to go to any meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous to capture the essence of the drunk, and if I'm familiar with brushing someone off, it's kind of like saying goodbye when you leave for a trip.

Javier Padilla showing off his theater company´s van.

EM:  What did you think of the script and the concept of "Domino?"

Javier Padilla:  I thought it was an interesting focus.  To dissect reality and show the crisis from the point of view of a "normal" person who finds himself in a situation very compromizing (but not uncommon), in my view can help people understand what's going on.  It would be wonderful if the audience responds by feeling solidarity withe the central character, and critical of what's going on.

NOTE:  Due to the blogger´s injury (almost but not quite healed), I may only be able to write one blog per week for the next few weeks.


THE NEXT BLOG will

The actors, part 2A--supporting actor Javier Padilla

Another of the supporting actors in our short independent film is Javier Padilla.

Javier Padilla is a composer and script writer as well as an actor and member of the theater company Tras el Trapo in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.  He has appeared in many video shorts, docudramas and commercials.  As an actor, he is self taught, turning to the theater and to acting in the late 1990s, adding his artistic interests to his degrees in psychology and his participation in different musical groups.  Currently (2011), among other productions he is working as director and actor in the theatrical presentation “Asignatura flamenco” (“Learning through flamenco”) of the group Soniquete. 

Javier Padilla playing the submarine captain in "Capitan Manovardas" (2004).

Some of the videos shorts in which he has appeared are part of the series "Curso DAndaluz" created by Juan del Castillo and much viewed on YouTube.  There are some six episodes in this series, and Javier Padilla appears in all of them, sometimes playing more than one role in the same episode.  In addition, he has been in ??? (docudrama), and has made commercials for companies as varied as ???.

Javier Padilla in the Associacion de Payasos Españoles in Madrid (2009).

His extremely prolific theater career includes writing, structured acting and improvisation.  He and fellow Tras el Trapo troupe members present comic theater,  serious dramas and works for children.  This author has seen several of his productions, of which the comedy "Y ese chico, Pupius" stands out as particularly delightful.  The version that I saw included only three actors (two men and one woman) playing a total of about 8 different roles.  (I say "about" because I lost count.)  Javier is the narrator, the father, the army sargent....  The comedy tells the story of the Roman child Pupius and his misadventures growing up.  It is very, very funny.  

NOTE:  Due to blogger´s injury (getting better but not yet totally healed) I will only be able to post blogs once a week for the next few weeks.

OUR NEXT BLOG will contain the interview portion of this look at Javier Padilla.

Blogger is still injured...

Blogger is still injured but getting better. We plan to resume on September 14th.