Movies (See "Z.D. Smith's Blurbs"), Music (I play guitar and am self-taught on piano/keyboard though I wouldn't say I'm great), Baseball (CUBS!!), NFL Football (COLTS!!), College Football (PURDUE!! & BSU!!), NBA Basketball (PACERS!!), Mens College Basketball (PURDUE!! & BSU!!), Self improvement, Personal Finance
Music
Beasties (all time favorite [within lifetime] though not a huge fan of their recent stuff since they've gone from fun-loving to bitchy), Beatles and Zeppelin (all-time favorite [prior to lifetime], Pantara (favorite in high school), Korn (favorite in college), White Stripes (favorite so far THIS decade), Guns 'n' Roses, Stones (circa 1974 and earlier), The Who, The Doors, AC/DC, Queen, U2 (to those of you that think Coldplay is the new U2: Coldplay = U2 if you take away Bono and Edge and their musical brilliance then replace them with a whiny piano guy; sorry, doesn't do it for me), Dylan (circa mid 60's), Early 70's Prog Rock (i.e. Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP), Music from 'Dazed and Confused', Frank Zappa, Primus, Jane's Addiction ('Nevermind' was a great alternative album, but 'Ritual de lo Habitual' kicks it's ass!), Nine Inch Nails (the 90's equivelent to Pink Floyd IMO. Downward Spiral=Dark Side and The Fragile=The Wall), Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Liz Phair (before she polished up and sounded like Avril Lavigne), Alanis, Aerosmith (until they made that damn Armageddon song and suddenly forgot how to rock!), Motley Crue (circa 80's), Def Leppard, Poison (hey, I was in 5th grade in 1989! Cut me some slack here!), Ratt, Ozzy (when Zakk Wylde was on guitar), 311, Chilli Peppers (circa 90's), Dream Theater, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, (all right, now let me pause and point out that I believe that people go to rock concerts to have some care-free fun watching their favorite bands perform their magic in person, NOT to hear political statements and think about who's fucking up in the world. So Billy...shut up and play! Same goes to Bono and Zack de la Rocha) Wu-Tang (including their solo efforts), Public Enemy, NWA (including their solo efforts), Missy Elliott, Outkast, Beck (90's equivelent to Dylan IMO), Limp Bizkit (yeah, I still dig their music, I just can't stand the 'singer', but who can), Big Dumb Face (Wes Borland from Limp's side project. Verrrrry weird but an addicting listen nonetheless. Zappa-ish if you dig that sort of thing), Marilyn Manson, Metallica, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Slipknot, Van Halen, Skid Row ("Slave to the Grind" IMO is right up there with the best that 'Guns' and 'Motley' ever did), Dandy Warhols, Extreme, Nirvana, ICP....I'm sure I'm forgeting a few, but you pretty much get the jist of you made it THIS far. I don't have many dislikes (though my LEAST favorite song is "Come On Eileen"), but I will say that any genre that is preceded by the word 'post' pretty much sucks (i.e. post-grunge, post-punk). You might as well say 'without the heart, soul and ambition of the original genre'. I don't like things too formulaic and all 'post' genres are are a bunch of bands that came around to capitalize on a proven formula. Nothing genuine about it. It's like "lets make 'angry' songs because 'angry' sells records." ...
Movies
I tend to be drawn to movies with characters that are really well fleshed out (no, I don't mean nude...though naked chicks are pretty good sometimes). Fast Times, Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction, Silence of the Lambs, American Beauty, Chasing Amy, Clerks, Monty Python Movies, Kids, Dazed and Confused, Office Space, Jerry McGuire, Shawshank, Fight Club, Napoleon Dynomite, Dude Where's My Car? (sorry, I happened to find it clever), Anchorman, Joe Dirt (great example of a good, bad movie. If it's so stupid it makes me laugh, it's all good with me!), Wedding Singer, Dumb and Dumber, Back to the Future, Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Animal House, Kentucky Fried Movie, Woody Allen movies from the 70's, Clueless, Rushmore, Goodfellas, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, Sixteen Candles, Forrest Gump, and for 'dirrrty' movies...the Diamond Collection series rocks! ;)...
Television
Don't watch a whole lot of TV but some favorites have been Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Jackass, Beavis and Butt-Head, South Park, Family Guy (although they suck at political humor. You can't do good satire if it's too one-sided. South Park at least stays in the center and flings mud at the extremists on both sides. Other then that, the show's hilarious!), Chappelle Show, The 'old' Tom Green Show, The Wonder Years, Married with Children, Daily Show, Showbiz Show with David Spade, The Soup, The Colbert Report, Leno, Conan, SNL, anything with sports highlights, any games involving my favorite sports teams, any kind of 'listing' show (top 25 whatever), VH1 "I Love the (time period)" shows, and any other kind of 'inside scoop' entertainment programs. Never got into reality TV (confession: I've never watched American Idol!), however, I am fascinated with VH1's CelebReality shows because I think it's intriguing to see famous people taken out of their element. That and they rerun them so much, I can't miss a beat!
Books
I read for information. Never got into novels or anything like that. Though, when I was pre-teen I was big on those scary short-story books (i.e. 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'). I'm a big advocate of the 'Rich Dad' books by Robert Kiyosaki. Do yourself a favor and read the first few chapters (including the intro) of the first one (Rich Dad Poor Dad) before you catch yourself saying "I wish I read that YEARS ago"! Other than that, I'm a sucker for anything to do with the sports and entertainment industry. I love coffee-table books on those subjects. I know that's not exactly reading but I can kill time very easily in that section of Borders or Barnes. Favorite classic story: Alice in Wonderland.
Heroes
Still up for grabs. I'll know more clearly when I catch my big break! For now I'll stick with anyone who inspires me to better myself (even if it was after they did something bad to me). And of course my family who, though often times are frustrated with my 'over-ambitiousness', have managed to keep me afloat through some testy times.
Ball State University
Muncie,Indiana
Graduated: 2000
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Telecommunications (Production)
Minor: Various
Clubs: Various television programs. Honorary SAE (just for the parties!)
1996 to 2000
Mccutcheon High School
Lafayette,Indiana
Graduated: 1996
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Clubs: Baseball, Intramurals, Honor Society
About me: By day, I manage at FedEx Ground in the Chicago Suburbs. By night, I work on movies. I do some acting and plan on making (producing AND directing) a few movies of my own someday. See 'Smittles Networking' below or my imdb.com page on which you can see I'm Z.D. Smith (much better than being Matt Smith #25). Anything else about me can pretty much be summed up in the 'Interests' section and the blurbs and blogs.
Since the spring of 2005, I've played roles in a couple short and feature films. Since the summer of 2007, I've been involved as a producing partner of producer/actor James Vallo. On the acting side of things, I've played a wannabe gangsta's best friend in a short called "Intervention" directed by Jimmy Borto and a starring role in another short called "The Package" directed by Clayton Monical. I've also played an extra role in a Will Ferrell feature (Stranger Than Fiction) and a speaking role in an independent feature shot by John Norton called 'Michael Morlock's Supernatural World' which premiered May 19th, 2007 at the Arcada in St. Charles, IL and we filled that 300 seat theater up!. It's a spoof on Michael Moore and it IS very funny! Since it's premiere it's been accepted into the Illinois International Film Festival (10/23/09) and the Indy Horror Film Festival coming in May 2010. See the trailer below my top friends!
In May '07 I also began working on another feature with John Norton and his company Boomstick Films. This one is called 'Not Another B Movie' (previously called 'Working Title') and it's world premiere was March 15th in Woodridge, IL. Tickets were presale only and we were the first EVER to sellout that theater's largest room on presales (we almost filled the 2nd room too)! Check out a quick video recap of the event (you may see yourself in it if you were there!)
Part 1
Part 2
It was produced by Boomstick in association with Vallo's company West Bridge Entertainment. It was my first movie in a producing role (Co-Executive Producer) and I also played a bit part in it. My character gets strangled by Larry Thomas ("Seinfeld's" Soup Nazi) and that's pretty much it. The trailer for this one is below which I'm in for a couple seconds. Just look for a guy in a green shirt getting strangled!
Working Title Trailer
Also check out some behind the scenes extras!
So far in '08 I am attached to three more feature projects (one with Boomstick and two with West Bridge). I will be acting in all three and helping produce the two West Bridge ones. The first one is called "Sister Mary" and is an over the top dark comedy which its creators are calling "Reno 911 meets Will & Grace". I am producing the movie with James Vallo and Scott Grenke is writing and directing. The movie features comedians ANT, Judy Tenuta, and Bruce Vilanch! The movie also already has a distribution deal on the table with Ariztical Entertainment (a feat unheard of for an indie project 'in development')! We are now in post-production with it and KC & The Sunshine Band's producer/arranger/bassist Rick Finch is on board to do the original score!
The movie with Boomstick is called "Reality Star". I'm excited about this particular role not only because it's a prominately featured role but it's also mostly improved. I play a perpetually stoned wannabe rapper and it's my first real chance to play an eccentric character that's well outside of my natural personality and I'm anxious to see the final result!
I am also Executive Producer of a feature length documentary called "POV: An Actor's Insight" which is currently in the works. A promo can be seen here!
I also make an appearance in a music video for Kato Blue called 'Circumstances'. CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY FOR MORE UPDATES!!
Who I'd like to meet: People who appreciate the same things I do and really anyone who can help me to become the person that I desire to be!
Hey ZD. It's Mr. Boston. Anyhow, if you like dirty humor make sure to check out my twitter page for all my funniest one liners. But don't go if easily offended!
Hey, What's up? Have you set plans for NYE yet? We are having our 9th Annual New Year's Eve Party at the W Hotel City Center in Downtown Chicago! We are just about out of VIP Tables and Hotel Rooms are running slim as well. Ticket prices go up too! So get in now if you are down! Check out WWW.SURREALNYE.COM for more details!
hey ZD Smith. It's Mr Boston. If you like Dirty Humor, make sure to read my twitter. WARNING: Don't go if you're easily offended. Let me know what you think
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