The upcoming JET Progress production of OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”) is an exploration of the other side of the universe and one particular form it might take. When Commander Michael Mylo (played by Daniel S. Janik), his Astership Twilon and crew abruptly disappear on THIS side of the universe, they find, on the other side, innumerable planets with technologies far beyond anything imaginable on his side. Upon return, he must convince his...

The JET Progress production of the film WINNOWING has just received semi-finalist recognition and an award in Iceland’s 2024 YETI FilmFest for Best Queer (LGBTQ) film — https://yetifilmfest.com/2024-semi-finalists. This follows a previous nomination by Brooklyn’s 2024 Nocturna Online Film Festival for Best Queer Film — https://nocturnafilmfest.com/2024-spring-results.

WINNOWING is a human drama about human perseverance in which an actor and actress are asked to do a final audition fo...

Japanese-born American actress Sakura Kai (aka Setsuko Tsuchiya), co-starring in OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”), received her FIFTH “Best Actress” award for her multiple roles as lead actress in the JET Progress production of the film, WINNOWING. She has been awarded “Best Actress” by the Stockholm Short Fest, International Film Festival of Saudi Arabia, Keezhadi International Film Festival, Washington Film Awards and Seattle Filmm...

WHAT’S better than one movie poster? Two, especially if the second one is even better! OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”) now has two posters, the second replacing the first as the official first poster. Yep, it’s that good, or I should say better. But, hey, I still like the original first as it has my picture on it in my roles as Imperax Commander Michael Mylo AND that of his son, Captain-Major Brit Mylo; Sakura Kai as his wife, Carol Myl...

THE international-multi-award-winning actress, Sakura Kai (aka Setsuko Tsuchiya) will play Carol Mylo, wife of traitorous Michael Mylo, mother to Brit Mylo, and Dominie-in-Grey to the Imperax Galactic. Sakura appeared as Edna in the movie STATIC (2021). In WINNOWING she played a complex dual role as Sakura Kai and Aika Abiko, appearing in additional roles as Army Weiss, Chiaki Svengaard, Mam Moog, Dai Johnson, Kiko Wright and Masako Pence. Sakura Kai appears in the television series and movie...

OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”), a “new genre” Sci-Fu film about what happens to the human soul when Commander Michael Mylo, played by award-winning actor, Daniel S. Janik, accidentally discovers what’s at the other end of our universe. OTOSOTU now has its official first film poster! Co-starring 5-times awarded “best actress” Sakura Kai (aka Setsuko Tsuchiya) and internationally renown author, awarded screenwriter and actor Willia...

IN my fervor to share the progress of OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”), I’ve neglected sharing the continued success of JET Progress’ recently released drama, WINNOWING at https://winnowing.yolasite.com or, for the making of the movie check out https://janik.yolasite.com/winnowing.php or, for memorabilia the JET Progress Productions’ Cinematic Memorabilia, Gift and Collectables Shop at https://jet-progress.square.site.

WINNOWING, star...

EVER wondered what actors/actresses do between films? I’m currently “between” OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe” – https://janik.yolasite.com/otosotu.php), which is now in the second stage of post-production (namely editing) and “the next film.”

So, to keep food on the table and the hearth warm, I’m doing as much background acting as possible. I’m currently working NCIS: Hawaii (S3) while scouring the landscape for modeling and...

AH, have you heard about OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for the JET Progress movie “On The Other Side Of The Universe”)? OTOSOTU is unusual right from the beginning, being a sci-fu film about the nature of the human soul. Filming finished in late February, and the work is now in post production, with an anticipated release in late 2024. In the prior post, I described some of what goes on during the mysterious “post-production” period.

As of today, the over 600 scenes, filmed...

IN my haste to post yesterday about the OTOSOTU “Dragon Egg,” I fueled speculation that the film, a sci-fu (science plausible, rather than fiction or fantasy) work, delving the nature of the human soul, was proceeding so well in post-production that it was possible it might be released in 2023. Sorry, NOT. Admittedly it would add substantially to science fantasy, that is, having a film released before it’s edited, polished and pre-screened. But, no, doesn’t work with sci-fu. What I sh...

THAT’S where JET Progress is currently in the production (filming) state of OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for “On The Other Side Of The Universe, a Science Futuring drama about the human soul).

Science Futuring? There lots of science fiction and fantasy out there, so what’s science futuring? First it’s about science, which, by definition, is about anything repeatable. Second it’s about futuring; that is, plausibility, typically, future technologies or situations based on ...

JET Progress, an independent film production company in Hawaii, currently offers two multi-award-winning films: CLEAN WATER, COMMON GROUND, winner of two-Telly awards, The Indian Independent Film Festival, and Saudi Arabia International Film Festival, and WINNOWING, winner of 30+ international film awards and semi-finalist in the Hawaii International and Washington Film Awards — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com. CLEAN WATER, COMMON GROUND is a documentary on water quality, and WINNOWING is...

THERE are countless New Year traditions, but as I, actor Daniel S. Janik (aka author Raymond Gaynor) and my partner, actress Sakura Kai (aka author Setsuko Tsuchiya) represent a melding of Western and Asian cultures, one of our favorite New Year traditions is making mochi.

The “recipe” is quite simple: Make some rice, specifically mochigome (糯米), a short-grain glutinous rice. In general, the better the “quality” of the rice, the better the mochi. But that’s only half of what make...

MOVIES are a lot like families: They begin with the birth of something new, require lots of coddling throughout infancy, tolerance during toddlership, and frank but kind, constructive criticism during adolescence. OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” for On The Other Side Of The Universe – https://otosotu.yolasite.com) has now reached young adulthood, entering pre-production with intriguing, meaningful and mature character-and-scene concepts. During the December, the JET Progress product...

HAVING just recently spent 5 weeks in Japan, I have to mention my delight in discovering hoshigaki. I came across them my first day and almost every day afterwards, tied together in long strings hung from porch roofs throughout the main island, Honshuu. Looking like beaded curtains of brilliant orange, they are the start of dried Japanese persimmons, which herald December and the pending New Year. 

While Christmas is celebrated by many Japanese families, it's New Year celebration that is the...

READERS sometimes email me at drjanik@gmail.com asking me if, with my wife and I being actors, we regularly take a limo to go somewhere. Well, yes, it’s true Sakura Kai (aka Setsuko Tsuchiya – https://setsukotsuchiya.com) and I, Daniel S. Janik (https://janik.yolasite.com/actor.php) are actors as well as authors, but, ummm, sad to burst the limo bubble, but we walk together to work whenever possible, which is most of the time.

First, weight and body tone always come before luxury. The ca...

DANIEL S. JANIK here, director and lead actor of OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two” which is the acronym for ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNIVERSE). I was recently asked what I thought would be the biggest challenge in filming OTOSOTU. Remember that OTOSOTU is a production of JET Progress, a small, independent production company in Hawaii — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com.

Well, the final scene will be one in which Michael Mylo will appear inside a spaceship with Brit Mylo, both roles w...

WITH the screenplay by WILLIAM MALTESE finally approved, JET Progress studios has begun preparing for production with the development of a second studio to film off-world scenes, and a new boom-based sound system for better clarity and noise suppression. Script read-throughs are anticipated to begin within the next 10 days.

“OTOSOTU presents several new challenges to us at JET Progress,” says Daniel S. Janik, director and lead actor. “We’re a micro-budget, small film production compa...

YEP! One needn’t look any farther than this High Definition DVD or better yet, a loaded Blu-Ray, of the classic film WINNOWING, winner of 30+ international awards. https://winnowing.yolasite.com. At under $US 25, with no country code, and no gratuitous violence, A “real” holiday gift! Starring Sakura Kai (Setsuko Tsuchiya) and co-starring Daniel S. Janik, this film about persistence is unusual from the start in that Sakura and I play not one, but two different roles and read six differe...

YES, you heard right. Now that the SAG/AFTRA strike is, well, almost officially over, meaning that I’m still awaiting the results of the ratification vote by my fellow actors and actresses, JET Progress has contracted with SAG to produce OTOSOTU (“Oh-Toe-So-Two” – ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UNIVERSE), with filming scheduled to begin on 1 January 2024. In the meantime, preparations have already begun with the focus on addressing several technical issues associated with an “in space” ...

TWO posts ago, JET Progress introduced Daniel S. Janik, the star of it’s third film, OTOSOTU (pronounced “Oh-Toe-So-Two,” an acronym for “On The Other Side Of The Universe”), a Sci-Fu* mystery-drama about the human soul. In it, Janik, a veteran of WINNOWING (2023), THE PERFECT ILLUSION (2022), THE MALTESE COLLECTION (2022) and STATIC (2021), will play Imperax Commander Michael Mylo. *Science (meaning “repeatable phenomena”) and futuring (meaning “plausible in the future to the...

BEING both a movie actor and director, as well as a movie affectionado, I'm well aware of the part that a good soundtrack plays in any and every movie, right down to the ability of "the right" music being able to, almost on its own, invoke viewer emotional attachment and garner views/sales. But I've often wondered exactly how much music also masks the acting and story. So, when world class author and scriptwriter, William Maltese, sent me a script for WINNOWING, I determined to make it an exp...

YES! I do, like most, have moments of spare time that glare into my eyes, taunting me to do something — anything! — rather than loll away my time here in Hawaii (aka “paradise”), stretched out on a hammock between two palm trees, Mai Tai in hand, languidly watching the tropical sunset.

Yes, well, having experienced just such a month ago in response to the beginning of the SAG/AFTRA strike (which, BTW, has yet to resolve), I decided if I can’t act, perhaps I can at least model. So, ...

THAT’S right! As of today, the JET Progress production of the film WINNOWING has accumulated 30 international film awards including Best Concept, Best International Short Film, Best Experimental Short Film, Best Writer, Best Producer(s), Best Director, Best Sound Design, Best Original Score, Best Editor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Debut Filmmaker, winning four festivals! Now an internationally acclaimed movie, WINNOWING, is available on DVD, BluRay and fee-per-view streami...

CONSIDER producer/director Elias Perez’s 2-Liters Shady Films production, MOCOS in which Setsuko Tsuchiya (aka Sakura Kai) and I play supporting roles in our first real horror film. MOCOS, currently in post-production, is about an extra-terrestrial “COVID”-like plague, that sweeps across the world like a sirocco carrying everyone in its tsunami wake. As you might expect, the “meaning” of the disease is interpreted by different people in different ways, from a blessing in disguise to...

WHY watch the multi-award-winning JET Progress production of the movie WINNOWING on a phone or computer when you can watch on your big screen TV? If your TV has YouTube (not necessarily YouTube Channel, just YouTube.com) search for “Winnowing Tsuchiya” or “Winnowing Janik” and you can watch the Standard Definition (SD) version of the movie for free in all its big screen glory. Get ready to enter a movie “time capsule” and return to the 1940’s B&W noir, or if you’d prefer a HD ...

IT’S my pleasure as director of the JET Production of WINNOWING -- https://winnowing.yolasite.com -- to announce the creation of a director’s cut. This novel “soft” neo-noir film features Setsuko Tsuchiya in her debut lead actress role with actor-companion Daniel S. Janik, together playing eight roles each from a screenplay by the incomparable author/screenwriter William Maltese. Incorporating storylines from six Maltese books, WINNOWING brings diversity to a new level and, I believe,...

FIRST, let me explain that living in Hawaii, we’re always alert to tropical hurricanes, like Calvin, that like to visit our islands this time of year through Christmas. Calvin is about halfway here and so far has been growing in intensity achieving Category Two status yesterday.

WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — on the other hand is a JET Progress film production, currently in post-production. What they have in common is that as WINNOWING progresses through the film festival...

WINNOWING, a JET Progress production based on the screenplay of the same name by William Maltese, is a vignette of short scripts from previously published William Maltese books, which two actors must persevere reading as part of a final audition for a “Really Big Film.” A mystery-drama, the six scripts include:

“House of the Brave Bulls” in which prize bulls raised and trained for the bullfights in Madrid suddenly go missing.

“Assignment: Grey Area” in which a private investigato...

I recently posted regarding the film WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — which I’m debut-directing, and which I’m hoping will become a classic in what I’m calling the post-modern “Soft” Neo-Noir movie genre. Never heard of it? That’s likely because it’s, I believe, unique to contemporary motion pictures.

One of the great challenges to creating a new film genre is the musical accompaniment. The big question at JET Progress — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com — r...

CALL me weird, but working on adding captions to the JET Progress production of WINNOWING -- https://winnowing.yolasite.com, currently in post-production with an anticipated late 2023/early2024 release, a mental picture actually did pop into my mind of living one's life with closed captions floating just above or below each person's image. Shades of Jim Carrey in THE TRUMAN SHOW! 

Actually, working on captioning for WINNOWING has been another education: First, I've often wondered watching mo...

WINNOWING is a JET Progress production about an actress – Sakura Kai played by Setsuko Tsuchiya – and actor – Richard Andrews played by Daniel S. Janik – persevering together through a final audition for a part in an undisclosed “really big film,” currently in post-production with an anticipated release in later 2023 or early 2024. Based on a screenplay by pre-eminent author and screenwriter William Maltese, WINNOWING requires reading excerpts from six published Maltese works, inc...

WHAT, I’m not so sure though. Just kidding. I can say from personal experience that doing anything all yourself is more challenging, constructive and instructive. For example, I’ve recently taken up acting, and having starred in STATIC — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie — supported by an outstandingly professional team of cast and crew, movie making seemed amazingly easy. That’s what you get when working with a great team.

More recently, I decided to try my hand at movi...

OKAY, let’s start at the beginning. “Noir” (masculine) or “Noire” (feminine) simply means “black.” According to a popular online thesaurus, it can be used in a variety of shades of meaning such as dark, absence of light or illumination, obscure, cynical, fatalistic, edgy, bleak, to which I would add in contemporary terms minimalistic. According to Filmlifestyle.com, “During the 40s and 50s, film noir was at its height. The world had just come out of a brutal war and there was ...

I'M pleased to announce the official trailer for the JET Progress production of the film WINNOWING:

https://youtu.be/fzrMFnQgmNU

That's all for now and is quite enough, don't you think?

#DanielSJanik #SetsukoTsuchiya #movie #film #Winnowing #actor #actress #audition #perseverence #trailer

JET Progress, an independent Hawaii film production company, is pleased to announce the release of two official movie posters and an official trailer for its upcoming film WINNOWING, currently in post-production with an anticipated “late 2023/early 2024” film release date.

The JET Progress production of the movie drama, WINNOWING is a film about human perseverance, following two actors through a difficult final audition for roles in an unnamed “Really Big Film.” 

MANY ARE CALLED; FE...

WE’VE long known that much of human behavior comes from the old adage, “Monkey see, monkey do,” but if this is true then the entertainment industry has done little to curb the escalating impulsivity and violence being experienced today. And yet, it affect billions of viewers and readers worldwide. In the past, as the owner of Savant Books and Publications, I vowed to produce books that uplifted the human condition without gratuitous sex or violence. That policy made Savant the powerhous...

BEING an actor, author and the owner of JET Progress studios, I’m often challenged to define what constitutes entertainment in the contemporary world. It sounds like truism, but, in fact, defining entertainment, especially “healthy” entertainment is neither intuitive nor obvious as is often offered. Entertainment for one can be the abject opposite for another.

Thinking of mass entertainment, I catch myself falling on the Roman sword, so to speak: the “political” entertainment conce...

WHEN acclaimed author William Maltese approached me regarding “Winnowing,” a screenplay he’d written specifically for Sakura Kai (aka actress/author Setsuko Tsuchiya) and myself, Daniel S. Janik (aka actor/author Raymond Gaynor), I was immediately sold on it. Not only was it a dramatic work with clever plot and plenty of challenging subplots, it was a work that relied principally on human drama, rather than gratuitous sex, violence and special effects! It’s rare these days, in my expe...

GOT your attention? And, no, it’s not a misspelling. By the Julian calendar it’s Friday, but, given my and my partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya’s actor work schedules, today is our day off this week, and it’s a promised day dedicated to Setsuko, aka Sakura Kai in the upcoming JET Progress production of WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com or for more behind-the-scenes gems https://janik.yolasite.com/winnowing.php.

WINNOWING, from the screenplay of the same name by renown author/actor W...

WELL, first off again, who’s Sakura Kai? Sakura Kai is a character in the JET Progress production of WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com, a new film, currently in post-production, scheduled for release in early 2024. Sakura Kai is an actor auditioning for “The Really Big One,” a movie that will singlehandedly make her career. But this is no typical audition. Sakura Kai must read, live, not one, but six audition scripts alongside movie character Robert Andrews. Only by reading a...

WELL, first off, who’s Richard Andrews? Richard Andrews is a character in the JET Progress production of WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com, a new film, currently in post-production, scheduled for release in early 2024. Richard Andrews is an actor auditioning for “The Really Big One,” a movie that will singlehandedly make his career. But this is no typical audition. Richard must read, live, no one, but six audition scripts with actress Sakura Kai. Only by reading and acting to...

CHEATING can have different meanings in different contexts. Cheating at cards, on taxes or on a partner isn’t what I’m addressing here. I’m writing about the technique of “cheating” in film-making.

The JET Progress production of WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — was filmed almost entirely in a small indoor studio, the only backdrop being a black curtain (representing a curtained-in area inside an urban studio close to a major airport conveniently designed and located f...

The JET Progress production of the movie WINNOWING, about human perseverance, hope and accomplishment has just exited filming and entered post-production with an anticipated early 2024 release.

Filming for WINNOWING, a film by independent film production company JET Progress — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com — located in rapidly growing “Hawaii-wood” (Hawaii, USA ), has recently entered post-production with an anticipated early 2024 release. Based on internationally acclaimed autho...

JET Progress is currently seeking product placements for its film short, WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — now in post production in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. A film about human perseverance and hope, WINNOWING features actor Daniel S. Janik and actress Setsuko Tsuchiya of STATIC — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie — fame in a film about two actors, stretching their acting abilities to persevere through multiple live, screening auditions for possible lead roles in a...

IT’S always a moment for celebration when a film reaches the point where it is ready to be listed on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) — IMDb is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online, including cast, production crew and personal biographies, plot summaries, trivia, ratings, and fan and critical reviews. [Sounds of Celebration in Background!] I’m pleased to announce that the JET Progress pr...

WHEN JET Progress agreed to produce William Maltese's screenplay, WINNOWING, I was pleased to be offered not one, but TWO Lead roles, those of Jeff Candleston, Draqual Media's Casting Director, and Richard Andrews, auditioning actor. I'd never played two roles, much less two lead roles, in a movie. Still, one of my personal favorite actors, Peter Sellers, was known for such, so I immediately felt a sense of excitement in the challenge, and, now that WINNOWING is almost finished filming, accom...

JET Progress is pleased to announce the immanent transition of the film WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — from production into post-production. This short, dramatic mystery about two actors stretching their acting abilities to persevere through multiple, live screening auditions for possible lead roles in an otherwise undisclosed “Really Big Film,” stars Daniel S. Janik and Setsuko Tsuchiya, each playing two different characters.

The Ultimate Audition: Two Actors; One Drea...

FIRST, I must profess that I’m anything but lonely for conversation. Between domestic life, my many friends and acquaintances, the social internet and my garden, lonely for conversation is more like begging for quiet. Still, being a former university educator, I couldn’t ignore an article in the newest edition of Science News entitled “Homework HELP? ChatGPT and other AI tools are poised to disrupt education” by Kathryn Hulick. After a somewhat obtuse read about how AI may or may not ...

THE over 240 indoor scenes in the drama-mystery film WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — by JET Progress — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com — were completed yesterday, and the filming of the remaining 10 outdoor scenes are scheduled for next weekend, meaning production is nearly ended. Based on the screenplay of the same name by eminent author/playwright William Maltese, WINNOWING is a film about two actors stretching their acting abilities to persevere through multiple live...

PROGRESS on the filming of the JET Progress production of the film WINNOWING continues this weekend with the concurrent release of an official press release — https://www.prlog.org/12960168 — and the release of the first official poster — https://i.postimg.cc/T1z7BbvJ/Poster1.png.

Filming of the remainder of the indoor studio scenes is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 14 April 2023, with a backup day on Sunday, 15 April 2023 if necessary. After completion of the indoor studio scenes, f...

ASSUMING you had the opportunity of reading the previous post (if you haven’t now would be a good time to do so), you’ll already know that actor/author Daniel S. Janik (https://janik.yolasite.com) and actress/author Setsuko Tsuchiya (https://setsukotsuchiya.com) are busy, busy, busy this weekend, all involving filming. But first, regarding authoring, I’m continuing to work towards completion of the sequel, PROPHECY, to my Amazon-genre-bestseller book, THE EDGE OF MADNESS — https://www...

THE catchphrase in the movie, THE PERFECT ILLUSION, that just yesterday was released on Amazon Prime — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYSR2TBB — and in which both Daniel S. Janik and Setsuko Tsuchiya appear, Daniel as a featured party-goer, political agitator and the ethically challenged Dr. Stephenson, Setsuko as a background gala dancer and party goer. A suicidal man finds a new reason to live after he stumbles upon a curio shop that transports him into the future. Soon he finds himself ri...

FOR those following the filming of the JET Progress — https://jet-progress.yolasite.com — production of the film WINNOWING — https://winnowing.yolasite.com — co-produced by Daniel S. Janik, Setsuko Tsuchiya and William Maltese, and directed by Daniel S. Janik, this fourth day of filming will focus on characters Richard Andrews (played by Daniel S. Janik) and Sakura Kai (played by Setsuko Tsuchiya, of STATIC — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie — fame. In WINNOWING, Richa...

HAVING last week finished filming 1/8 of the JET Progress Production of WINNOWING -- https://winnowing.yolasite.com, this weekend was scheduled to complete another 1/8. HOWEVER, actors Daniel S. Janik and Setsuko Tsuchiya, playing Richard Andrews and Sakura Kai, were on a roll, and so far, today, ended up finishing 2/8 more with tomorrow, Sunday, heralding another 2/8. Should we continue tomorrow as today, we’re anticipating completing 5/8 of the film this weekend!

5/8 may not sound like a...

OFFICIALLY, in the West, the new year begins on 1 January. Always does. Always has, at least as long as I can remember. True, there’s their lunar new year typically somewhat later, but still according in the middle of winter, which, to me, doesn’t seem like a great time to start a new year. So, for the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to “tune in” to the actual seasons and see if there might not be a more sensually sensible time for a new year to begin.

Anti it’s the first ...

AS many of you reading this know, Raymond Gaynor is the pen name of actor Daniel S. Janik. It all depends on which muse grabs my shoulder and holds onto it most tightly for the moment. In terms of acting, I’ve been doing less background acting these days, my acting interests focusing on the immanent release of THE PERFECT ILLUSION — https://janik.yolasite.com/theperfectillusion.php — and moving from pre-production to filming of WINNOWING — https://janik.yolasite.com/winnowing.php.

Th...

AS Actor Daniel S. Janik of STATIC — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie — fame (that’s author Raymond Gaynor of THE EDGE OF MADNESS — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859 — fame to my reader fans), I was elated to receive a “gift” from my author/screenwriter//actor colleague William Maltese of a wonderful script. Called Winnowing, it was written for myself and my author/actress partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya, also of STATIC fame. Winnowing is a short script for two actors, ...

HAVING had my moment on the big screen as lead actor in the multi-award-winning movie STATIC, I was gifted by author, screenwriter, author-and-actor colleague and friend, William Maltese, with an intriguing movie script, WINNOWING, written specifically for myself, Daniel S. Janik, and actress and life partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya. Thank you, William! In it Setsuko and I play not one but TWO lead roles in this story about an actor and actress auditioning for the “big” one, before two, hardene...

SEVERAL months ago, consummate author and screenwriter William Maltese offered author/actor Daniel S. Janik and author/actress Setsuko Tsuchiya a written-exclusively-for-them screenplay about auditioning for the “Big One.” To quote the Bard, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely Players…” What could be more central to contemporary life than the constant auditioning/interviewing/screening to which we are endlessly subject? WINNOWING — https://janik.yolasite.c...

Received notice yesterday that my part in the filming of the K. Simmons Production of the 6-part, made-for-television series FINDING KATE — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/finding-kate — will begin tomorrow WITH A FUNERAL. Go Figure! I’ll be playing myself as the star who played Will Gardner in the K. Simmons Production of the multi-award-winning movie, STATIC — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie. Based on the multi-award-winning book — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997247215 —...

CAN I got to see all the Daniel S. Janik films like STATIC (2021) — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie; THE MALTESE COLLECTION — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/maltese-collection; and THE PERFECT ILLUSION — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18690318/ — that are supposed to be available in 2023? And what about viewing those Daniel S. Janik films that are still in preproduction or production like FINDING KATE — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/finding-kate; MOCOS — https://www.instagra...

AS I sit, by the fire…and work on the sequel to THE EDGE OF MADNESS by Raymond Gaynor — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859 — aptly named PROPHECY and rapidly approaching the finish line during these sometimes madcap, sometimes boring holidays. What could be better than a good new book to while away 2023? Prophecy has the same characters as in THE EDGE OF MADNESS plus one who stirs the pot in a most unusual way. If THE EDGE OF MADNESS is all about the beginnings of life, PROPHECY is ab...

WHICH one would YOU choose if you could be granted only one?

Health would promise a longer, quality life, which, if you live in the USA, could be a boon. If you live elsewhere that might or might not be a boon. Still, if one has health, wealth and happiness can, if desired, follow.

Wealth wold promise a more varied life, though, without health it might be either tempered, or very short. Then there’s the issue of whether wealth (or it’s one step up cousin, power) ever really brings happi...

HAVING left San Francisco for the paradisiacal climes of the Hawaiian Islands, I suddenly find myself hunkering down today and supposedly tomorrow for a tropical storm alert replete with 60 mph wind gusts, intermittent 45 degree pelting rain, thunder, lightening and hail. Yes, hail! Can you believe it? Well don’t. It may be coming our way, but it hasn’t arrived en mass, yet. The operative word being “yet.” In the meantime I busier than I’ve ever been with acting and authoring.

I’...

THINKING about a really heartfelt holiday gift? Consider purchasing a HD DVD copy of the multi-award-winning movie, the K. Simmons Production of STATIC (2021) — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie. An irascible veteran who, having successfully conquered everything life’s thrown him, suddenly faces a new challenge that he can’t win: Alzheimer’s Disease. Yet, through the intervention of a radio that plays only static, and with the loving and sagacious advice from his long depar...

I wonder what that singular word invokes for you? For me, it means sharing the spotlight with others, including my sister’s cat, “Bugs,” who just recently became a celebrity showcasing a new kind of cat food dish that she apparently endorses whole heartedly. Okay, okay. I always make it a point to share the spotlight with my dance partner and actress, Setsuko Tsuchiya, who, BTW should be back on the set with me, filming a featured “honor dance” for FINDING KATE. In the first of an a...

INVARIABLY, when the Holidays approach, I become clumsy. Why, I’ve no idea, but it’s like a holiday ritual; something, I can count on, like taxes in January, but much more pleasant. Not that I resent paying my fair share to keep the USA, well, American, and my neighborhood worth living. No, I don’t resent taxes or the Holiday clumsies (by March and tax payment, I’m no longer clumsy). They’re just little hooks upon which I can hang my Christmas and New Year’s feelings on, while I g...

SHOULDN’T that read, “The ages of man?” Nope. Several weeks ago, I was given the opportunity of appearing on a TV series as a photo double of a major actor. After accepting, having never done such before, I traveled to the set to find that the fellow I was photo-doubling for had VERY short, salt-and-pepper hair and no mustache. Awe! After receiving my military style hair cut, having what little hair was left spray painted, and my beloved mustache shaved completely off, I left makeup in ...

AS our opportunity to film Daniel S. Janik and Setsuko Tsuchiya doing an honor dance in the K. Simmons Production of FINDING KATE — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/finding-kate — approaches, we’re working hard on the presentation with champion professional choreographer and coach, Mr. Albert Franz, to original music by Hawaii’s Ambassadors of Aloha, Leon and Malia. It should all be coming together soon ready for filming on a Hawaiiwood post-production party set. Go ahead: Ask me if I’m ...

While I was away at the Chicago International Indie Film Festival, walking the red carpet as Daniel S. Janik (“Will Gardner” in the STATIC movie — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie) with Eriko Okada (“Susan”) and Setsuko Tsuchiya (“Edna”), along with Executive Producer/Producer/Director/Screenwriter Kenny Simmons and Co-Executive Producer Lisa Simmons and screenwriter Richard Rose and wife Kay, a lot has happened in the world, not the least being the beginning of the ...

Actor Daniel S. Janik (aka author Raymond Gaynor/Gary Marine) here, nose to screen, typing at my computer on a fantastic sunny but pleasantly cool day. Posting about what? Film, of course.

Setsuko Tsuchiya and I have been filming scenes for Elias Perez’ 2-Liters Shady Films’ production of MOCOS, our first horror film, an especially notable film in that all is done by the actors and actresses (aliens, too?) use Elias’ script, and send their parts in to him for collating and editing. I w...

Actor Daniel S. Janik here (aka author Raymond Gaynor/Gary Martine) Back from Chicago and the Chicago International Indie Film Festival (https://chicagoiiff.org) where, on 5 November 2022, Eriko Okada (“Susan”), Setsuko Tsuchiya (“Edna”) and I (“Will Gardner”) walked the red carpet along with Director Kenny Simmons and co-Executive Producer Lisa Simmons, writer Richard and wife Kay Rose in celebration of the STATIC movie winning the Jury Special Mention Award for Feature Length Fi...

LET'S GET RIGHT TO THE HEART of today's post: 

First, I'm heading off tomorrow to the Chicago International Indie Film Festival -- https://chicagoiiff.org -- along with co-star Eriko Okada (who played "Susan") and Setsuko Tsuchiya (who played "Edna") in the K. Simmons Production of STATIC (2021) (aka "The STATIC Movie") -- https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie. Together with the the director, Kenny Simmons, Executive Producer Lisa Simmons and screenwriter Richard Rose and his wife Kay,...

DESPITE feeling much like the White Rabbit in in Disney’s version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND in so many aspects of my current life, Eriko Okada, Setsuko Tsuchiya and I are all preparing for our visit to the Chicago International Indy Festival (CIIFF) next week to walk the red carpet for STATIC (2021) — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/the-static-movie — which was “selected” as a finalist. Being no stranger to Chi-ChiLand, I look forward to visiting with the writer, Richard Rose, and the prod...

SORRY if it’s been awhile since everyone last heard from me, author/actor/dancer Daniel S. Janik, and my author/actress/dancer partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya, more properly Dr. Setsuko Tsuchiya PhD, since around 10 October 2022 when she received her, as far as we know, first-in-the-world terminal degree in Ballroom and Latin Dance Performance! Way to go, Setsuko! An instant Amazon genre bestseller when her dissertation entitled “The Power of Partnered Ballroom Dance” edited and published for...

AS two of the Executive Producers of the K. Simmons’ Production of THE MALTESE COLLECTION, Setsuko Tsuchiya and I are pleased to hear it is exiting editing and will soon begin screenings. THE MALTESE COLLECTION — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/maltese-collection — is a bio-documentary reprise to multi-award-winning author and screenwriter William Maltese, and his many inspirations, achievements. Pushing the edge in literature and now film, Maltese is a pioneer in his lifelong support of er...

WAIT! Wait! Wait! No need for panic. This isn’t about actor Daniel S. Janik or actress Setsuko Tsuchiya and sudden ill health. It IS about Setsuko Tsuchiya just finishing here PhD in Ballroom and Latin Dance Performance, and the release of the more literary form of her dissertation as a book. THE POWER OF DANCE: Partner Dance From Ballroom to Olympic Sport (Savant 2022) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737643162. Our household is a Dr. Dr. one now.

But more important than the degree, is, as ...

MOST people who are operatically inclined enjoy the storyline, performance, color, dressing up and an opera brunch afterwards with pastries and coffee. Me, too. Mostly. Tomorrow Setsuko and I go to the opera as background actors for a scene for an upcoming TV series, NCIS: Hawaii Season Two.

All we know is that there will be lots of opera-goer-actors-and-actresses, theater-service-personnel-actors-and-actresses, a bunch of police/FBI/NCIS-actors-and-actresses, and pirates. The later would ha...

IT’S my distinct pleasure to be the first to announce the ascension of a new authority in the world of dance, acting and authoring, Dr. Setsuko Tsuchiya — https://www.setsukotsuchiya.com — having recently reached the end of her multi-year foray into academia with the final acceptance of her dissertation and completion of her PhD in Performing Arts in Ballroom and Latin Dance Performance. As her dance, acting and life partner, I can personally vouch for the difficulties she overcame in h...

WINNOWING, a 15 to 20-minute screenplay written by world-renown author and playwright, William Maltese — https://www.facebook.com/williammaltese, for me, actor Daniel S. Janik — https://janik.yolasite.com/actor.php — and my partner and actress Setsuko Tsuchiya — https://setsukotsuchiya.com — is (hooray!) currently in planning, thank you, William Maltese! This discrete, four-character screenplay, in my mind, is perfectly designed for actor/studio publicity purposes as an entertainmen...

BEING an actor quite busy this time of year, I decided it’s time for the new COVID-19 Omicron/BA.5 immunization, and, hey, why not, also flu. So yesterday I went to the local pharmacy for both. Bang! Bang!

I was, as usual, fine until about 2 hours later, when I spend the evening and night tossing and turning dealing with aches and pains. Ugh. Not bad like the real flu, but enough to recognize it as such. Trading a very mild flu for the big cachunka when it comes around later this year. As ...

IN both the authoring and acting worlds, there are important moments to anticipate and thoroughly enjoy if and when they happen. For an author, one is the acceptance of a manuscript by a publisher. Another is seeing and feeling the book in hand. Yet another is that first positive review. And don’t forget that first moment of public recognition.

For an actor, the first is getting before the camera and seeing oneself on the screen. Any screen. Another is getting a role, any role, in a film, ...

HAVEN’T seen the movie STATIC (2021)? There will be an international reshowing of the movie STATIC (2021) on 25 Sept 2022 at 7 PM Hawaii Standard Time on KHON2, KHII and Hawaii CW. Starring Daniel S. Janik as Will Gardner, Jeri Lynn Endo as Ginny Gardner, eriko Okada as Susan Blakely, Benjamin Wilkison as Donald Blakley Shane Chisum as Mike, and Setsuko Tsuchiya as Edna with Yuriko Asakawa and Helen R. Davis. Based off the teleplay “Static” written by Richard Rose. Produced, Directed an...

CALL it a paradigm shift, a wisdom transformation or weltanschauung crisis, I was thinking this morning that our species has evolutionarily experienced several major shifts in point-of-view, one of the more interesting for me being the shift from a “horizontal” to a “vertical” viewpoint.

We are, after all, descended from the oceans, with it’s particular, salty, “horizontal-axis” orientation, experiencing a major shift to airy, “vertical” bipedal orientation when our ancesto...

THINK Andy Warhol’s “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” quote. With our part in the filming of the K. Simmons Production of FINDING KATE — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/finding-kate — slowly approaching, Setsuko and I have been busy working with our professional choreographer, North American 10-Dance Champion and World DanceSport adjudicator, Mr. Albert Franz, on our part in the “honor-dance-at-the-studio-party” scene and our supporting actor/actress line...

I DID IT! Having suffered with astigmatism for most of my life, last week I visited my eye doctor to see if I would benefit from lens replacement. Nope. But I could replace my glasses with contacts, which would greatly benefit my acting career. The “problem” is that there is no contact lens the would fully correct both eyes. The “solution” (ingenious really) was to have one eye corrected for near vision and the other for far vision. That is, one eye to read cue cards and the other to ...

AFTER 20 years of dancing, it all up to hold, frame and posture. I know how to dance. I have gotten to the point where I can experience the sheer joy of moving with my partner through time and space. I’ve done performances and competition as I know my strengths and weaknesses. Now it’s all about replacing tine details with ones that better project our dancing so I can share my joy with onlookers.

I say “my,” but, of course, if it weren’t for my partner in International-style Ballro...

AS Daniel S. Janik, former owner of Savant Books and Publications, which was sold on 31 December 2021 to KS Media Group Inc — https://ksmediagroupinc.com — I’m now book production manager while the work of melding the two companies proceeds. Kenny Simmons of KS Media Group Inc and K. Simmons Productions, a “Hawaiiwood” film studio, in the meantime with Executive Producer assistance from me, Setsuko Tsuchiya and Savant Director of Publicity and Marketing, Dr. Michael Davis, is produc...

TODAY is the day after Hurricane Darby bounced off of Big Island, headed south and died. Not that I’m disappointed. Hurricane’s aren’t my thing. It did affect my acting, however, as filming stopped while Darby danced by. And I just noticed what looks like a new hurricane building off Baja California, the birthplace of so many Hawaiian hurricanes. Quick! Time to film everything possible before another hurricane passes by, hopefully without incident.

Setsuko Tsuchiya and I are continuing...

ADMITTEDLY, The Lone Ranger was one of my chiildhood favorite early morning television shows, and THE LONE RANGER with Johnny Depp will remain one of my adulthood favorites for all time. But, hey, I’m talking the lone masked man these days. Oddly, most of my acquaintances are either (1) sans mask, distancing and cares; or (2) either huffing and puffing with long COVID or even departed. Odder still the yet again polarization with few folk like myself, Daniel S. Janik, in the middle, distanci...

IN previous posts, I presented two of three reasons why Setsuko Tsuchiya and I, Daniel S. Janik, were intrigued from the start over Elias Perez’ 2-Liter’s Shady Film Production of MOCOS, the Movie — https://www.auditionsfree.com/2021/actors-and-extras-in-nyc-or-to-film-remotely-for-indie-film/. We both support experimental filmmaking, especially when it leads to a new venue resistant to epidemics and pandemics. I see MOCOS as the forerunner of distance-filmed, interactive, holographic m...

YESTERDAY I posted about a new film that Setsuko Tsuchiya and I will be appearing in entitled MOCOS. One of three reasons why this debut film by Elias Perez’ 2-Liter’s Shady Films Productions was that it was an experimental film. In this day when businesses are struggling to return to the old days, Perez has taken a new “distance” approach to filming, which I find intriguing. It is innovative filming venues like this one that will, I believe, end up charting the future of the industry...

SETSUKO Tsuchiya and I recently auditioned for a new film, MOCOS (pronounced “locos”) a horror film by Elias Perez’ 2-Liters Shady Films. I was pleased to be selected for the role of Dr. Gregory Grant, MD, a public health specialist, and Setsuko for the role of Ms. Akari Koko-Grant, wife of Dr. Grant and reporter for the Pacific World News.

What initially caught my interest was that this would be an experimental “distance” filming project, whereby each actor/actress would DIY film ...

It’s Vaudeville I’m talking about. How about you? Vaudeville was where tomorrow’s stars teethed. Wikipedia says it’s “a mixture of specialty acts such as burlesque comedy and song and dance” to which I’ll add, mostly on a live stage. What better way to hone one’s skills than playing every different weekend at a different town. A hard life no doubt, but one that I’ve always wanted to experience. Nowadays, it is no film rather than the live stage, and storytelling with “spec...

YESTERDAY, I received some exciting good news! I’m posting today as Daniel S. Janik, the actor, rather than my usual Raymond Gaynor, author, though we’re one and the same. I’m looking forward to appearing in the upcoming K. Simmons Production, six-part, made-for-television series FINDING KATE. I’ll be appearing in Episode One as myself with a possible short speaking role in a later episode. But what’s particularly exciting for me is that Setsuko Tsuchiya, my performance and competit...

EVER wonder what it would be like to always win? It might take a while, but my personal take is that it would quickly become “boring.” It’s always fun to win, but it’s in the losing that one learns and grows. Still, it IS fun to win, especially once in a while.

As an actor and author, I make it a point to celebrate “wins.” Big or small. Wins are like positive signposts along the highway of life. Right now, I’m celebrating a number of things. First, I’m celebrating the Amazon-...

Many know me as Raymond Gaynor, award-winning co-author with A. G. Hayes, of QUANTUM DEATH (Savant 2016) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996325530, the sequel to A. G. Hayes’ FINDING KATE (Savant 2016) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997247215, purchased by KS Media Group and currently in filming by K. Simmons Productions as a six-part series of the same name — https://ksmediagroupinc.com/finding-kate.

Many may also know me as Raymond Gaynor, co-author with William Maltese of TOTAL MELTDOW...

IT’S been my distinct pleasure to be Daniel S. Janik, actor, with Setsuko Tsuchiya, actress, in “The Rainbow State” of Hawaii. Our acting opportunities have been and remain highly varied. Part of that, I believe, is a consequence of living in Hawaii with its multi-culturality. Being European by descent and my partner Japanese, Hawaii offers us a multitude of cultural experiences both in terms of our professions and our daily life.

For example, we’ve played in Hawaiiwood’s K. Simmon...

YEP! The Call of the Wild (actually the call of anything and everything outside of home) is weighing increasingly heavy these freakishly undecided days, what with prices rising, a growing war underway, another wave of COVID beginning, and tons of questionable news, advertisements and social posts of dubious truthfulness being slung about. Who to believe? Who to trust? I’ve posted about my own perception regarding diminishing customer service and increasing “Fast Eddie” sales to the poin...

REALLY — When’s the last time you had some fun. Real fun! Wild, unconstrained, giggly FUN and I don’t mean a day without news spent entirely in Meta’s cyberspace. I mean real, human-to-human fun.

Given the pandemic has challenged us to rise to a new style and level of interaction, and that we’ve completely failed to take advantage of the COVID-shot-across-the-bow to update our future infrastructure (or almost any infrastructure at all), instead returning to the state of things that...

TRUE, there’s more and more static appearing in every facet of life, be it relationships, culture, politics, finances and consumer information – you name it. But there’s also some good news about some of that static: namely the K. Simmons Production STATIC movie that premiered in 2021. A family friendly, science fiction/drama, Susan’s struggle to find balance in her life as she deals with her practical husband Donald and her father Will who’s showing symptoms of early onset Alzheime...

WITH the K. Simmons Production of FINDING KATE — https://kspllc.media/finding-kate — about to enter production, the question remains, who will play lead actress in the role of Kate Keenan and where in the world is she? Long-ignored computer genius Kate Keenan has designed a computer program that will put Hollywood and Bollywood out of business overnight. Suddenly everyone wants her…and her program. To stay alive, Kate goes into hiding, barely keeping ahead of a lethal hoard of pursuers....

ADMITTEDLY, a play on FINDING KATE, the recently begun filming K. Simmons Production based on the award-winning novel of the same name — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY5WYTE. Written by multi-award-winning author A. G. Hayes, FINDING KATE is the fifth in the popular seven-book “Koski and Falk Secret Agent” and first in the three-book “Kate Keenan Special Assignment” series. In the book, long-ignored computer genius Kate Keenan has designed a computer program that will put Hollywood ...

I’M pleased to announce that production (filming) of the 6-part action/adventure film, “Finding Kate,” has begun — https://kspllc.media/finding-kate or follow me at https://janik.yolasite.com/findingkate.php. Finding Kate is based on the award-winning book by A. G. Hayes of the same name at a celebratory 15% off the Suggested Retail Price (using “ONLINE” discount code at checkout) with free shipping within the USA from Savant Bookstore Honolulu — https://savant-bookstore-honolul...

HAVING finished filming my and Setsuko Tsuchiya’s parts in the upcoming movie THE PERFECT ILLUSION, I couldn’t help but add to my author/actor’s website a recently completed special flying scene (in-which-I-am-not-but-truly-wish-I-were) — https://janik.yolasite.com/theperfectillusion.php. Have you ever dreamed as a child of flying through the air like Superman or Supergirl? This scene simply tugged at my inner child’s heart and begged to be shared.

From where does that seemingly pr...

WHEN was the last time you picked a tomato, cucumber, carrot or peach right off the plant and thanked the plant for sharing its bounty? During my last trip to Japan, just before COVID set in, I visited the apple orchards of Iida, Nagano Prefecture, and walking a field with the farmer, heard him thank the tree after picking an apple for me to sample. And what an apple it was. Large, ripe, succulent and sweet. When I asked him his secret to success, he said it was because he always thanked the ...

YESTERDAY, the casting call went out — https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=7566417556709217 — for the K. Simmons Production of “Finding Kate,” a six-part action-thriller series about “long-ignored computer genius Kate Keenan who has designed a computer program that will put Hollywood and Bollywood out of business overnight. Suddenly everyone wants her…and her program. To stay alive, Kate goes into hiding, barely keeping ahead of a lethal hoard of pursuers" -- https://kspllc.media...

AND I’m not talking broccoli here (actually I LOVE broccoli, ha, ha). I’m talking the currently very negative millieu. Between Putin’s War, daily death and misery in the Ukraine, the world preparing for war, the “new politics,” business gone amok, COVID’s possible return, the slow demise of gasoline cars, the quick demise of the global environment — hey, need I go on? I for one, could sure enjoy some positive news. So here’s some positive news:

I’ve finished filming my scen...

AH! Are you thinking Tolkien? Elvis? Putin? NOPE! I’m thinking Mr. William Maltese, the king of M/M erotica back from his publicity trip to LA-LA Land to promote his newest BlueBoy book, his CC Money Magazine magazine articles, the audiobook version of DARE TO LOVE IN OZ (Savant 2009 — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VVK7LN2), his future contributions to Contessa’s Court, or his new bio-documentary movie “THE MALTESE COLLECTION” (K. Simmons Productions — https://kspllc.media/maltese-...

IN this particularly challenging world of seemingly constant war and rumors of war, pandemics coming and going and coming again, financial instability and distrust, there’s simply no party like another day of life. Partying, like “enjoying oneself at a…lively gathering, typically with drinking and music…and entertainment;” definitely NOT “a formally constituted political group, typically operating on a national basis, that contests elections and attempts to form or take part in a ...

WHAT’S not to write about it, given such an occasion! Actually it was a “Gala Party” scene in the upcoming Kurt Ken Kaminaka Production of “The Perfect Illusion.” And it was, indeed, a Gala Party, replete with aerialist, magician, stilt walker, band and some of the wildest party-goers I’ve ever seen. AND, it’s the first party Setsuko and I have had the pleasure of attending after over two years in deference to COVID. Even if it was a film scene.

There aren’t words for how muc...

MY dance partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya, and I will be off all day tomorrow dancing in the filming the “Gala Party” dance scene for Kurt Ken Kaminaka’s (KKK) production of “The Perfect Illusion” — https://www.totck.com/tpi-actors-crew. An “all day” shooting, we’re looking forward to doing a lot of wild dancing in what we surmise will be a scene not unlike that of the dance scene in KKK’s production of “Tales of the Circle Keys” — https://youtu.be/aI5e7m3n_Nw?t=38.

Compet...

AS you probably know, I’m an inveterate social, performance and competition dancer in the International-style ballroom and Latin American alongside my lifelong dance partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya — https://youtu.be/ync4vCUxEoc. But also being a former U.S. NAS/NRC Senior water reclamation research scientist assigned to NASA-Johnson Space Center and later NASA-Ames Research Center, I’m particularly enticed whenever I find an example of the marriage of the humanities and sciences, especially ...

IT’S my pleasure to announce that the K. Simmons Production of the STATIC movie will be airing on Hawaii’s OLELO Community Television (OLELO53):

Monday, Valentine’s Day 14 February 2022 at 6:30 PM

Tuesday, 15 February 2022 at 2:00 PM

Wednesday, 16 February 2022 at 10:00 PM, and

Sunday, 20 February 2022 at 8:00 AM

Won’t you join me in watching STATIC, a family friendly, science fiction/drama in which Susan struggles to find balance in her life as she deals with her practical husba...

I was recently contracted with Kurt Ken Kaminaka’s independent film studio for the role of Dr. Stevenson in the upcoming film, “The Perfect Illusion” — https://www.totck.com/the-perfect-illusion –. Interestingly, the audition required me to guess how Dr. Stevenson should sound and look while reading the audition script. All I knew for certain was that he is a physician in Hawaii who is credible enough to be tending a comatose patient, has a malpractice case lingering somewhere in hi...

HAVING been asked countless times what my favorite movie is (other than “Static” — https://kspllc.media/the-static-movie — in which I was lead actor under the name of “Daniel S. Janik”), I feel it time to stick my new “celebrity” neck out and say conclusively, that, yes, I DO have a favorite movie, and, yes, I am willing to share the name of it publicly. Having said all that you’re probably wondering, why doesn’t he just SAY its name?

It’s all about qualifications. As I...

AS the lead actor in the K. Simmons Production of “Static (2021)” — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15420946 — since the world premiere in September, I’ve been anxiously awaiting it’s release as on DVD/Blu-Ray. I’m happy to say that the long wait is about to end. K. Simmons Productions is said to be awaiting the final proofs before releasing “Static” to the public for the holidays. And what better gift than a good human drama? Static is baed on the teleplay of the same name wri...

AH, but what KIND of space are we talking here? The cold, dark void beyond Earth? The moments before or in front of the camera? Or just the extreme “hurry up and wait!” that all actors and actresses experience in the filming process? Or, in a different context, everything cut during editing? Or the distance that sometimes wells up between how well one portrayed a character, and watching oneself on the big silver screen? Well, kinda all of them. Except the first. For now, forget the cold, ...

SINCE my acting debut in the K. Simmons Production of “Static” (2021), and before accepting a role in K. Simmons Productions’ upcoming full-length action adventure movie, “Finding Kate,” I’ve been quite busy promoting my Amazon genre bestseller, THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos 2020) by Raymond Gaynor (aka actor Daniel S. Janik) now available in printed, eBook and audiobook formats at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859. Including my new promotional giveaway contest:

FIVE GRAND PRIZE...

I’M often asked how I as an author (Daniel S. Janik aka Raymond Gaynor/Gary Martine) and publisher (Savant Books and Publications at https://www.savantbooksandpublications.com) how I come up with titles for books, and if the title is really that important. My opin: It’s second only to a book’s cover image. Think of the cover image as a “first look” at someone you’ve never met before, and the title as that person’s name. First, it has to be memorable. Second, it has to be just un...

WITH only 5 days left before the international premiere of “The STATIC Movie” starring Daniel S. Janik (aka Raymond Gaynor of THE EDGE OF MADNESS fame), here’s a peek what Hawaiians are seeing on TV twenty to fifty times a day as we count down:

https://youtu.be/WldkGWF3sGo

And now YOU’VE seen it, too!

The HAWAII Premiere on 25 Sept 2021 at 7 PM Hawaii Time on KHON2, KHII and Hawaii’s CW

The INTERNATIONAL Premiere on 25 Sept 2021 at 7 PM Hawaii Time AND 26 Sept 2021 at 7 PM Easte...

IN the words of Edna, played by Setsuko Tsuchiya, award-winning Savant author of IN SEARCH OF SOMATIC THERAPY (Savant 2017) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997247231) in The STATIC Movie, “I won, I won, I won!” Everyone who has ever heard the saying, “Don’t blame the player, blame the game!” wins watching the international premiere of the K. Simmons Production of “The STATIC Movie” on 25 Sept 2021 at 7 PM Hawaii time and 26 Sept 2021 at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time live-streamed on...

THE STATIC MOVIE IS ON ITS WAY TO VIEWERS!

With less than 10 days before the international premiere of “The STATIC Movie” (Google “Static Movie Hawaii” or visit https://kspllc.media/the-static-movie) on Saturday, 25 Sept 2021. Here’s the latest on viewing it OUTSIDE of Hawaii or via internet streaming:

First, do a Google search: “What time is it in XXXX at 7 PM in Honolulu” where XXXX is your city, state, nation). 

1. That’s the time you can watch via streaming the premiere...

YESTERDAY I sent out the seventh of ten publicity clips for THE STATIC MOVIE (Google “The Static Movie Hawaii”) by lead actor, Daniel S. Janik, aka author Raymond Gaynor of Amazon Genre Bestseller THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos 2020) — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859. What I didn’t mention was that my partner, Setsuko Tsuchiya (who plays “Edna” in The STATIC Movie) and I are Executive Producing the K. Simmons Production of multi-award-winning author A. G. Hayes’ FINDING KATE (...

AS an author and, more recently, publisher of Savant Books and Publications/Aignos Publishing fame (https://www.savantbooksandpublications.com), it’s been my pleasure to introduce to the literary world over 140 compelling books by 60 outstanding authors and poets.

Several years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Kendrick Simmons of K. Simmons Productions, a “Hawaii-wood” based producer of cinematic works (https://kspllc.media). What resulted was Savant/Aignos and K. Simmons Pro...

OKAY, so this last weekend, 31 July to 1 August 2021 was our last on-location film shooting. So, as they say, "It's a WRAP!" Check out the unofficial photo/video montage at https://youtu.be/ZUpRpzOAKDw or all eleven at https://janik.yolasite.com/actor.php.

With the filming for The STATIC Movie Honolulu now complete, the project moves from production to post-production, with editing, scoring, special effects, closed captioning and opening and closing credits to be added. With less than 54 day...

TODAY is the outdoor on-location filming for the K. Simmons Productions’ The STATIC Movie Honolulu (https://kspllc.media/the-static-movie) at Lunalilo [Rest] Home. An anticipated nine hours with the possibility of even more depending on the weather, which currently looks like it’s planning to cooperate. Nonetheless, eighty-six degrees in the hot Hawaiian sun with only a smidgeon of trade wind. I’ll be bringing hat, sunglasses, umbrella (for sun not for rain) and hand-fan. For me, playin...

Authoring, in general, and THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos 2020) by Raymond Gaynor (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859), specifically aside for a moment, the cast of K. Simmons Production of The STATIC Movie Honolulu (https://kspllc.media/the-static-movie) did our first script read-though for this weekend’s filming on location at Lunalilo Home. It’s the last of the “big” (meaning many lines to deliver) scenes after which there will be two more short, but emotionally intense “on street...

TODAY is the famous “day of rest” before cast and crew of the STATIC movie (https://kspllc.media/the-static-movie) appear on set to film the “bar” scene. While the crew is frantically gathering all the necessary materials, cameras, sound booms, lights, I’m relaxing at the famous Northshore of Oahu island. No whales. They’ve gone north for the summer to feed and party. Just warm sun, cool, frangipani-scented trade winds and magnificent mother ocean gently stroking the course of the...