Promos for Guitar Hero 5/Nintendo/Wii Produced /Directed by Dennis Gelbaum

Dennis produced/directed 4 promos for Guitar Hero 5 (Vicarious Visions, Nintendo/Wii)...and they go live 9.14 on the Nintendo Channel. Check 'em out!

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Dennis Gelbaum

Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Dennis Gelbaum questions the validity of DNA. Here is an interesting article worth sharing: Report: Israeli scientists discover way to counterfeit DNA

By Haaretz Service Israeli scientists have shown it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, according to an article published in the New York Times on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009. The findings could possibly call into question the credibility of DNA as evidence in criminal cases. In their tests, the scientists fabricated blood and saliva samples that contained DNA taking from a different person, the New York Times reported. The article states that the scientists also could take a DNA profile in a database and use it to make a DNA sample to match the profile without needing any tissue from the person. The article quotes the lead author of the scientific paper, Dr. Dan Frumkin as saying that the study shows "you can just engineer a crime scene" adding "any biology undergraduate could perform this." Frumkin is one of the founders of Nucleix, a Tel Aviv-based company that developed a test to distinguish real DNA samples from fake ones. According to the New York Times, the firm is looking to sell the test to forensics laboratories. Legal and civil rights experts quoted in the article say the test is troubling, in that it could mean more cases of fabricated DNA being used as evidence at crime scenes. The article quotes Tania Simoncelli, a science adviser to the American Civil Liberties Union, who finds the test "worrisome." "DNA is a lot easier to plant at a crime scene than fingerprints," Simoncelli said. ?We?re creating a criminal justice system that is increasingly relying on this technology."

Rick Barry's 24 Most Incredible Celebrity Sports Adventures

Rick Barry's 24 Most Incredible Celebrity Sports Adventures

A 30 minute broadcast series with content re-purposed for web and mobile - starring Rick Barry - fantastic locations, once in a lifetime experiences and celebrity guests.
Created and Produced be Dennis Gelbaum and Rick Barry

Hall of Fame forward Rick Barry, (born March 28, 1944, in Elizabeth, New Jersey), is the only player ever to lead the NCAA, NBA, and ABA in scoring. His name appears near the top of every all-time offensive list. He scored more than 25,000 points in his professional career and in four different seasons averaged more than 30 points. He was named to 12 All-Star teams, four All-NBA First Teams, and five All-ABA First Teams. In 1966, Rick Barry was named by the NBA as one of the 50 Greatest Players in history.

'Rick Barry's 24 Most Incredible Celebrity Sports Adventures' is one part adventure and one part celebrity - a great recipe for success! Each episode will feature Rick and a celebrity participating in a sport/adventure at an incredible location/resort. Rick plays golf with Donald Trump, and then, together, they go up in a hot air balloon. Rick plays tennis with Jimmy Connors, maybe a quick game of ping-pong overlooking the Pacific and then they are off - fly-fishing in Alaska. Rick rides a horse with Billy Crystal - then they take off on ATV's through the desert. (Can't you see it - Rick and Billy taking a Yoga Class and indulging in a massage?) The idea is to take each celebrity out of their element and put them into an adventure they will remember for a lifetime. What happens will be unexpected, (and completely unscripted), engaging, fun and very entertaining. Each show is about the sport, the location, food and drink (yes they will eat and drink), friendship and adventure.

'Rick Barry's 24 Most Incredible Celebrity Sports Adventures' will be honest, simple and more about spending time with friends and going to exciting and beautiful places…than it is about learning the techniques of catching fish. The real success of the show will come from Rick Barry's presence and the way the series is shot (we will be shooting in HD) and edited. The pacing will be pleasant, relaxed (but not slow) and flawless and sometimes even a bit hectic. Interviews will be staged in interesting places and will appear to be very natural - as if the viewer is there, eavesdropping on the 'guys'. We'll never know what (or whom) they will be talking about.

'Rick Barry's 24 Most Incredible Celebrity Sports Adventures' is a countdown of epic hikes, killer climbs, backcountry rides, roller-coaster raft runs and much more. Adventures might include rafting, (Colorado River), dog sledding, (Brooks Range, Alaska), hiking, (Zion National Park, Utah), skiing, (Jackson Hole, WY), climbing, (Yosemite National Park), horseback riding, (Monument Valley, Arizona), road cycling, (North Carolina), fishing, (Salmon River, Idaho), mountain lion tracking, (Pocatello, Idaho), motorcycling up Highway 1, (CA), windsurfing, (Oregon and Washington), sailing (SF Bay), racing in the Birkebeiner, (Wisconsin) and more.

When we have a guest 'guide', they will be exceptional, smart, clever and very patient. The interaction with the guys' and nature will be pure magic. The 'guys' really appreciate where they are and viewers will be able to feel 'it' in each and every episode. Viewers don’t just watch this show - they experience it. They participate in it.

And throughout the season, viewers will learn how they can join Rick and a special celebrity guest on an adventure of a lifetime. It will be an online sweepstakes with winners chosen from a select group of viewers who answer questions correctly about show content. It will be fun and interactive.

Some of the celebrities we would be inviting to join Rick are: (and the list is not even close to being complete…there are unlimited opportunities but those listed have personal relationships with Rick…)
Tennis: Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras
Boxing: Roy Jones Jr., Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Carlos Palomino
Golf: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriquez, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman
Auto Racing: Richard Petty, A. J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Tom Sneva
Entertainment - Donald Trump, Billy Crystal, Jack Nicholson, James Woods, Dennis Haysbert, Jimmy Smits, Huey Lewis, Bruce Hornsby, Alice Cooper, Rob Schneider, Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson, Hulk Hogan, Bill Cosby, Jet Li, Lance Armstrong, Boz Skaggs - musician

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea'

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea'
Executive Producers, Dennis Gelbaum. Michel Pons and Steven Sidebotham

A broadcast 6x30 series, web based series of 3-minute updates and highlights, a 24/7 live 'webcast' from our liveaboard and a feature length documentary revealing a never-seen part of classical history - the ancient ports, anchorages and shipwrecks of the Pharaos - especially from the Ptolemaic, Roman and early Byzantine periods.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' is an archeological reconstitution of a portion of the antique sea trade route, with anticipated discoveries of ancient ports, anchorages and shipwrecks and antique settlements/cities. Our expedition will include both land and underwater investigations at stops along the ancient maritime routes linking the northern Red Sea with the Indian Ocean, in the countries of Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' will be focused on a number of sites which may be associated with the ancient ports of Kleopatra’s harbor, Ptolemais Theron (also named Ptolemais of the Hunt, built by Philadelfus in 254BC and served as a hunting ground for the capture and the shipping of elephants to be used in Alexander’s army as war-tanks and the place where the circumference of the earth was discovered), Panchrisos, Berenice near Saba, The Altars of Konôn, the Grove of Eumedes and other ancient coastal cities along the African coast.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' will scientifically identify and date the occupation of the sites visited before, discover what the coastal ruins, spotted on satellite imagery, exactly are to confirm the locations of the Ptolemaic-Roman settlements known only through literature, and the two oldest fish-farm complexes from Pharaonic time.

Such a project has never before been undertaken.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' - is a four week adventure in the Red Sea - navigating as the Ancients did - searching for classical looking architecture, ruined ‘houses’, water management systems, underground cisterns and more… The danger to sail inside the reefs is real. The depth on charts is only approximate and on several occasions we are sure to experience zero depth below the keel.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' multi-media project provides us with a unique opportunity to educate and exchange cultural, historical and geographical knowledge one can’t read about in books or experience in a traditional classroom. 'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' will help define, give credibility to and/or rewrite the world's history and geoheritage - and Sudan's patrimony.

Arriving at Port Sudan, the Republic of Sudan's main port city, we board 'My Cuba Libre", a liveaboard powered catamaran captained by Ricardo and start our four week adventure - recreating conditions of ancient merchant ships in coastal navigation and facilitate access to many remote locations that would be difficult to approach from land. We will search for artifacts at natural moorings, identify underwater piers and classical looking ruins on land, and near obstacles to navigation.

Our adventure takes us between Port Sudan, Eritrea and fish farms near the border.

'Ptolemais and the Red Sea' expedition will help define the significance of Berenike, port of the Ptolemaist and reveal two, possibly three additional ports. These findings will demonstrate that global trading between Europe-Africa-India-China-started in these ports - in about 254 BC by Greek Pharao Philadelphus controlling ports down to Djibuti - and that the Roman Empire extended to the south along the coast and islands of the Red Sea, taking over the Ptolemaic places and constructing new buildings, cisterns and piers for boats.

By compiling and studying detailed satellite imagery and combining this with reading the ancient literary sources, Nautical charts, and sparse archeological literature published on this part of the Red sea, we will be able to select among the GPS positions of coastal remains that we believe are the most likely ancient settlements linked with the maritime trade route and that have not been previously published.

We will anchor the boat at moorings near the three sites that we previously visited and will try to date the occupation and identify them by collecting artifacts and ceramics. We will visit the three other sites (with GPS positions) that we propose to identify and consult with local residents and fishermen to locate other ancient remains. The discoveries will be documented precisely using GPS positioning, photography and, where feasible, the drawing of more detailed measured architectural plans. This data will form the basis for the publication of a gazetteer that can be used in more detailed possible follow-up investigations and excavations.

Cruisin to Alaska with Dennis and Valerie

Check out the movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqx_kAd_TQ
We recently cruised Alaska. If you have the chance - don't miss this life changing experience.

Jeremy Graduated From UC Santa Barbara

On June 14th at 1PM, my son, Jeremy, graduated from UC Santa Barbara. It was a perfect day and an incredible ending to a vacation that included visiting Alaska.

Interview of Dennis Gelbaum

There is an author out there just like me – maybe it's you? Wanna know what writers really go through and what drives them to keep going and going and going? Read my interview!

Author: Dennis Gelbaum
Book: ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ and “Something About Going Home’
www.beyondreasonabledoubtbook.com
See the book trailer at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ7zNzHJsDI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGm-Y0s1lQM

Bio:
Dennis Gelbaum
Quote to live by:
“When You Have The Chance – Dance.”

Dennis Gelbaum is an International award winning Creative Director, Writer, Producer and Director and is The Managing Director, Partner of TRIBE Pictures, Chatham, NJ. He has worked with clients all over the world, directing hundreds of commercials, music videos, live multi-media events and concert productions, multi-media interactive presentations, in-store promotions and museum exhibits, corporate films and hours of long/short form programming for broadcast and web based/mobile/podcast content.

Dennis’ most recent projects include directing a promo introducing ‘Mixed Messages’ for the new Nintendo DSI, directing promos for Nintendo’s ‘Animal Crossing’, producing a fundraising film for Worldfund, writing and directing a multi-media campaign for Special Olympics Texas to “erase the ‘r’ word” and creating and co-directing a web based series, “Get Fit With Alyson”, starring Alyson Stoner (‘Cheaper By The Dozen’ and Disney’s ‘Camp Rock’) and sponsored by Nintendo. The series encourages kids to exercise and make choices to live a healthier lifestyle.

Dennis is a published author, (“Something About Going Home” and ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’) and an inventor of the Buddy Light Illuminated Safety Leash, featured at The Sharper Image and many retail/specialty outlets. Dennis received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from American University and established the NAVARAC Scholarship...an annual contribution providing funds, services and resources to students to complete film/video/multi-media projects.

INTERVIEW:

Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published? Can you give us the title (s) of your book (s)?
I have published – self-published – two books. In 2006, I published a book of poetry with illustrations by Christina Qualiana. In December 2008, I published my first novel, ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ - a story with more twists and turns than a double helix.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
My first book was a collection of short stories ‘In The Lion’s Den’. I started writing when I was about ten years old and continued to add to the collection until I was seventeen – when my father died. I never thought about publishing the stories. The writing process, although I didn’t know it at the time actually helped me get through a lot when I was growing up. So, I didn’t need to get it published. It was way too private and personal. I was also writing poetry at the time and continued to write poetry into my forties - until my best friend John died. (You can’t make this stuff up – really you can’t.) That poetry turned into ‘Something About Going Home’. I published the book when I connected with Christina Qualiana. She read each poem once and created an original illustration for each - that helped bring my poetry to life. It was an incredible experience.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
For ‘Something About Going Home’ everyone told me it was almost impossible to get a book of poetry published. I sent out hundreds of letters and samples of the illustrations. I could not believe that I could not hook up with one publisher who saw the merit of the work. Even if the poetry wasn’t the greatest – and I never claimed it was – the combination of Christina’s artwork and the poetry made for an incredible, engaging experience. I decided after receiving my one-hundredth rejection (I have kept everyone…) to self publish. It was the best decision I ever made. I wanted this book published in the worst way – and self-publishing was my only option at the time. My plan is to turn each poem into a short film and create a unique multi-media experience.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
Rejections suck! How does it feel? It feels horrible. It feels like someone has determined that you are not worthy…that your work is not worthy. That your work isn’t worthy of being published and that no one would be willing to buy it and/or read it. OK, that’s a bit out there. But it is true. Being rejected hurts. But you have to take the personal stuff and put it away. There are so many reasons why your book isn’t published. I get that. I get how important it is to find the right publisher, the right agent to get it to the right publisher. Publishers are looking for something specific. And unless you have exactly what they are looking for at exactly that moment that they are reading your query letter or looking at your materials, the ‘right’ connection is never made. I did an incredible amount of research to find the right publisher and the right agent. I’m smart. I figured that the process could not be that difficult. I was so wrong. But I did not give up. I decided to sell publish ‘Something About Going Home’ because I wanted to see it published. Did I overcome the blows? No. It still hurts. But I have learned to deal with it and I get some satisfaction every time someone purchases my book and writes me to tell me how I touched them, how I made them feel, how they connected with me and the poetry and the
Illustrations.

With ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt” I followed the same path – researching agents and publishers. The emotional approach was a bit different because I wrote the book first as a screenplay – and then I decided to convert the script into a novel – because I thought it would be easier to sell a script if it was based on a published novel. I gave myself thirty days to get connected and when that didn’t happen, I decided to self-publish. I am very proud of the book. It’s character driven with lots of twists and turns. It’s so real many readers have asked me if the book is based on a true story or not. I have packed the book with a lot of ‘real’ details and information - articles to support my theories. It challenges the reader to make a lot of decisions for themselves about what’s real or not real, what’s true or not true.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
In both cases, I connected with Booksurge. I did considerable research and decided that going the Print On Demand (POD) route was a good one and made sense. Booksure is also connected to Amazon, so I know I would get some good coverage. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the experience. There were times when my expectations were not met. I wanted my hand held a bit more. Mistakes were made that could have been avoided. A few times I felt like I was dealing with an auto salesman – they wanted to sell me more and more options. I wanted to publish my book. They wanted to sell me rust proofing and an extended warranty.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I felt great when I received a box with 20 copies of my first book. It was delivered to my front door. I brought the box into my den and looked at it for a few minutes. I had seen the Author’s Proof, so I knew what the book was going to look like. I took a deep breath and gently opened the box. I removed one of the books, held it in my hands, opened the cover and read the dedication page. Seconds later I reached for a tissue to wipe the tears from eyes. I had seen a dream come true. It felt amazing. At that moment in time it didn’t matter to me if no one was ever going to buy the book or read the book. It really didn’t matter at the time. Whenever I see the book on my shelf, I still have to touch it and look at it and open the pages. I love seeing it in print. I enjoyed a nice dinner at home with Valerie, my wife to celebrate the arrival of my first book.

The feelings I get for ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ are a bit different. I loved seeing the book printed. I designed the cover and it came out exactly how I wanted it to. The book feels like a book. It reads like a book. It is a book. 526 pages long! And it will make for a great movie. I look at it often and open it up and reach a few pages. I am, for the most part, happy with it. I have taken one copy and written notes on many pages – things I might have written differently. I tell the story often to friends and family – and each time I do, I realize I left something out of the book and wish I could go back and add some more stuff. That’s why I am now writing the sequel. Val and I went out for a dinner to celebrate. But I tend to celebrate internally. It wasn’t so much about getting my books published as it was about finishing them. Do I want to be a best selling author - sure I do. Do I wish I had my books published by a ‘real’ publisher – yeah, OK – maybe that gives an author some credibility that you don’t get when you self-publish.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
I started a website for each book, set up blogs, sent out press releases, got interviewed, connected with friends and family, just got the word out any way I could. I spend an hour a day looking for additional ways to get my book in front of readers and publishers. The effort never stops.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
I don’t know what else I could have done differently to get the attention of publishers and/or literary agents. It is very competitive out there and the risks are high for a publisher to work with an unpublished author. But when you look at the success of many authors, and they all started out unpublished, you have to wonder how did they do it? Why were they lucky and I wasn’t? Are they better writers? Maybe. But I’m not sure.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
I grow as an author every day. I think about my next book, the sequel to ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ and ‘Dolphin Boy, a children’s book and interactive multi-media experience I am developing. I love to write. I love to talk about my writing to others. When I talk about my writing my passion is contagious. People connect with my stories. I like that feeling. I like seeing that connection in their eyes and hearing it their voices.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
I don’t now what I could have done to speed things up. I did the research. I really did. I spent hundreds of hours writing letters, making telephone calls, and trying to connect with the people I thought I could connect with. But it was not my fulltime job so I never gave it one hundred percent. It was a passion, a hobby. And maybe that is what I would have done differently. I always thought I could juggle and multi-task with the best of ‘em. But in this case, maybe if I had given it my all, 100 percent of the time, stayed focused and determined and a bit relentless in my pursuit, it might have been different. I am really not sure. As far as making mistakes, except for being impatient, I’m not sure I made too many mistakes. But then I never do.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
Receiving my first royalty check and not cashing it. It’s still sitting on my desk. That was not easy. But seriously, being published, even self-published was a great accomplishment. Finishing my books, getting them published made me whole. Giving the books to my wife, my kids and my Mom, seeing their reactions, made me complete.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
I am doing exactly what I always wanted to do.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
I have combined all my worlds to be the person I am. I have great accomplishments behind me and a fantastic journey ahead of me.

How do you see yourself in ten years?
Older, by ten years!

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
Write. Write. Write.