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L.A. entertainment scene starting to look like Manila!

(Monday, 24 May 2010) Written by Hernando Planells

Richard F Lo from the Pilippine Star wrote a nice blurb about my work on "Just Wright". Bernardo Bernardo a fantastic comedian in Southern California sent Richard the information and made it all happen! Click here to view the Philippine Star! . . . :

Sports Production

(Wednesday, 14 April 2010) Written by Hernando Planells

In the last year I have been very fortunate to have worked on sports projects on movies, tv and print. Click here to view the new sports portfolio! images/file/HP_Prodportfolio(1).pdf For more information contact hernando@hernandoplanells.com or 213-453-5903 . images/file/HP_newresume_10(1).pdf

Cary Magazine article PDF

(Monday, 29 March 2010) Written by Hernando Planells

Some of my work was featured in the March/April edition of the Cary Magazine! Click on the link for the PDF version of the article. Been very blessed and hope to reach out to more people! Hernando Planells - Cary Magazine   .

Newest Play of the day!

(Monday, 01 February 2010) Written by Hernando Planells

Have been working with former NBA coach Don Casey on basketball related projects. Our newest feature is our "Play of the Day" which are animated sets from coaches all around the country. This is our newest one in our series... dont foget to visit Coach Caseys blog at http://templeofzones.blogspot.com

Sports Production

(Thursday, 03 December 2009) Written by Hernando Planells

Sports Production

Its been too long...

(Monday, 16 February 2009) Written by Hernando Planells

I have been receiving emails on when am I going to update what has been going on and I have to admit besides being busy I have procrastinated a little... Just to give you a quick update, I am in North Carolina teaching at a school in Cary called Hopewell Academy . Hopewell is a very small school that is growing and really assists the students in reaching their academic potential. Besides teaching I am also the schools Athletic Director and it has been a year of learning and experiencing new things at the school. VYPE magazine, a publication devoted to covering prep athletes from around the country was kind enough to ask my self and some other coaches some questions - here is the link Still doing some scouting work for Marty and Ryan Blake whom most of you know have worked as the Directors of Scouting for the NBA. Being in the heart of ACC country, I have seen some tremendous games. UNC, North Carolina State and Duke all battle it out for air time on radio and TV and the rivalries are real! Being from California I didn’t know what to expect. We have USC/UCLA but that doesn’t come close to the passion of the fans out here. Been also able to watch games in the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) where schools include Bowie State ( Maryland ), Shaw University ( Raleigh ) and others. This conference is absolutely exciting and doesn’t get enough publicity. The athletes are strong and athletic and the schools traditionally get a lot of "bounce backs" from Div 1. People forget that current Atlanta Hawk guard Ronald "Flip" Murray finished his career at Shaw and is now one of the best scoring guards per minute in the NBA. Besides teaching and scouting I am still involved with sports choreography on movies and TV... many of you knew I did the WNBA commercial last July and am now working on another project that may turn out to be very nice... so stay tuned! Keep your emails coming! I try to get to everyones questions in a timely manner. Talk soon! H

WNBA Commercial

(Saturday, 04 October 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

http://www.youtube.com/v/lLZnyoAtpDg&hl=en&fs=1">

Catching up...

(Monday, 11 August 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

Its been close to 3 months since we last touched base...  As many of you know I left Japan to come back to the States to coach Slamball...  Slamball was the hybrid version o full contact basketball that was played on trampolines...  in 2002 and 2003 Slamball gave the world a view of a live action video game type sport that had people buzzing but finding the right TV deal and dealing with issues I'm not familiar with left slamball dormant for 5 years till now.  I spent 6 weeks at the IMG Academy conducting workouts and training the athletes for the season which was all shot in one week at Universal Studios Hollywood... As I write this I am now in Raleigh, NC...  I will be here for a while scouting again for Marty Blake, the Director of Scouting for the NBA...  I will also be able to continue my training program which became successful when I was in Los Angeles....  before I left LA I was fortunate enough to choreograph a commercial for the WNBA playoffs which will begin showing in a week or so...  ill keep you updated... Ill update more frequently once I get settled in NC... in the meantime, keep the emails coming and talk to you soon...

Watching workouts...

(Sunday, 18 May 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

Part of my stay includes watching basketball workouts of players who will have put their name in the NBA draft.  A good friend of mine Dan Barto is one of the coaches at IMG Academy and they do a very good job in getting the athletes prepared.  The reality is that there is nothing special that goes into an NBA pre-draft workout.  The difference is that the workouts are more complete, the players go through basketball skills, conditioning, strength program and speed and agility training.  People ask me all the time - what do you look for when evaluating a player?  Personally I look at footwork, body control, shooting and hands.  Usually a player is very good at all of those things in a drill setting but when they start playing I watch to see if they are equally as comfortable.  I won't divulge information on which players are here but I will say that at least 3 or 4 will be drafted in this years NBA draft. I will say this - the bottom line in evaluating talent is this - can he/she play or can't they...

Barry Manilow in Taipei

(Friday, 25 April 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

So I'm sitting at a food court at the Taipei International Airport which is located on the small island of Taiwan and I’m typing away on my computer when I notice that im doing my own karaoke version of Mandy by Barry Manilow.  Once I came to my senses I realized that I was just singing along with what was playing throughout the airport.  I know that most of you find it disturbing that I was singing a Manilow song, so to you I extend thousands of apologies... Which brings me to my next point/question - By singing a Manilow song, am I getting old (but Manilow was big before I could even talk!) or am I subconsciously a Barry Manilow fan.  Both points are scary yet very, very possible... Most of you are wondering why I'm sitting in a Taiwan airport...  long story, ill tell you all about it very soon...  anyways I'm off to sunny Florida but getting there will be a field trip on its own... I left Okinawa to fly west to Taiwan, from Taiwan I will fly east to LAX after a 2 hour lay over I will be off to Houston and then I will finally get to fla...  I still don't understand how this happened all I know is that I left Japan at 7:30 pm local time on April 25th and will be arriving in Tampa at 1am  on April 27th (still Japan time)...  oh well - I may be traveling like a mad man but as long as I have Manilow, Ill be alright...

Some thoughts...

(Wednesday, 20 February 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

So we are 5 games out of the last playoff spot, but we face the league's best team, Osaka , at home this weekend. For our young team this time of year is a great lesson in resilience and pushing thru. I've always said we have the talent and the pieces we just have to play consistently for 4 quarters. This has been one of the more rewarding yet frustrating seasons I have ever had in basketball - and I know that there are coaches out there knows what I'm talking about... rewarding because the players are improving and giving their all on the court - frustrating because you want them to improve faster to get over the hump. This season has also been one of the greatest learning experiences ever. Combining two different cultures, on and off the court, is an experience that cannot be explained. One thing that can be shared is the need of openness between the two has to be wide open. Accepting each other is the first goal that should be presented when coaching any team. For us I think we (coaching staff) have done a fairly decent job but we can always do better. I've been blessed to have this fantastic opportunity, everyday is unique and every moment is special... always be thankful for what you have because more than likely you have more than some other people... Till next time... H

Happy be-lated New Years!

(Wednesday, 06 February 2008) Written by Hernando Planells

Almost 2 months has past since my last entry... since that time Christmas, New Years, the Super Bowl and Super Tuesday has passed. I may have mentioned this before but x-mas in Okinawa is very different than in the States... here in OKinawa x-mas is considered a date night, a young man picks up his girlfriend for a evening out in the town but before they hit the clubs they stop by the local KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) to enjoy a dinner of 2 chicken strips and corn. KFC is HUGE here for x-mas, in each of their parking lots are two parking attendants waiting for the evening rush - they may have the right idea, why slave over an oven waiting for a turkey and stuffing to be ready when you can go to KFC and enjoy a 10 piece bucket and all the fixin's... New Years was different - we celebrated the New Years a full 14 hours ahead of California which was odd but it was also great because we were able to celebrate New Years twice... This years Super Bowl was one of my favorites - for us it started at 8 in the morning and ended by noon - personally I wanted the Giants to win, I didn't expect it but they pulled it out in the end... The composure of Eli throughout the season has been impressive he has had to deal with the back handed comments from his former teammate Tiki Barber, to him having to get victories on the road for the majority of the playoffs. His composure helped build that championship attitude and drive that was so obvious during their playoff run. I have never been one into politics but since being in Okinawa I have found myself watching more political tv and message boards... Super Tuesday saw 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats fight for delegates - both parties are split that the only pure frontrunner in either party is John McCain - don't know if that's good or bad but at least its a start... McCain is fighting against Romney who I believe acts too wealthy for the country and Huckabee who is hoping for a miracle... On the Democrat side Clinton and Obama are in a heated race.. Does America really want another Clinton in the White House? Granted her husband did a great job when he was in there, but if she goes in there that would mean that a Bush or Clinton has controlled the White House for 24 years! Don't know how much change they really want. Obama has his moments and preaches change - which gives hope and fear into the American people... Now onto the Kings - we have been improving but so have the other teams - we have had our ups and downs and we are still 5 games out from the last playoff spot. We have the talent and the drive we have to put it together... I still believe we will do it - just watch and see!!! Well I gotta go... I have practice later on today and then I will be picking up some KFC so that I can enjoy a nice romantic evening... till next time

Whats happening...

(Wednesday, 12 December 2007) Written by Hernando Planells

Well Christmas is right around the corner and the first question I get from people back in the states is "do they celebrate Christmas in Japan?" The answer is yes! The local store Jusco (which is a Okinawan version of Wal-mart) sells Christmas trees, lights and decorations. Christmas here is more of the general version than the more religious based one in the states. Well as a team our record doesn't look great but in terms of players improving I think we are doing a pretty good job. We are getting great production from our Japanese players; I actually believe we are getting more than other teams are. We feature more of a balanced attack instead of a star system - it suits are personnel much better. In our first five we start three Japanese players - Our pg leads the league in assists and steals, our shooting guard is a rookie who is not only learning how to be a professional but also how to play sg which he has never played before. He is getting a strong following here in Okinawa because of his slashing style and reverse lay-ups. Our small forward has been in the league for 2 years averaging about 10 minutes a game for another team. This year he is shooting close to 50% on three pointers and is considered one of the best shooters in the league. The rest of our Japanese players are rookies who are learning and improving everyday - they give me great effort everyday and I am so proud of their progress and resilience. We head to Oita this weekend - a team that we have played 4 times already during this young season - its cold there, in fact its cold everywhere in Japan except here in Okinawa... its already the middle of December and its still about 75 degrees here... but back to Oita - they are a good team, they have been together for two years and have built very good chemistry... that's something we are trying to build here in Okinawa... it takes time... but we have the players who want to improve and that's all a coach can ask for... talk to you guys soon...

Thanksgiving and more...

(Friday, 30 November 2007) Written by Hernando Planells

Well, it's been a few weeks since my last entry and a lot has happened… We celebrated a team Thanksgiving on the 17 th … I know, I know it’s a bit early but we were traveling to Fukuoka for games on the actual Thanksgiving day…So we had Thanksgiving with the players at the Awase Meadows restaurant which was a great experience for the team. Our Japanese players were able to experience the tastes of turkey, mash potatoes and gravy, stuffing and of course pumpkin pie! For many of them this was their first Thanksgiving and for them to partake in this small celebration was fantastic. It was also a great way for us as a team to get together and continue to bond and build chemistry. Our Fukuoka games didn’t go the way I planned… but more on the games on the front page. Fukuoka is a beautiful city, I believe it is the third largest city in Japan and it is known for their stunning architecture, beautiful high rises and…. massage parlors (what a combination!) The weather is vastly different than in Okinawa, it was cold, windy and everyone had scarves and jackets. I on the other hand was in shorts and a sweatshirt, and was getting interesting looks from the locals who could definitely tell that I was only visiting. The food was very good in Fukuoka – I enjoyed a pizza, a frapia which consists of rice, melted cheese, potatoes and chicken and these hand made pastries that were absolutely spectacular… but my most enjoyable meal that typifies Japan was the ramen soup that I had at the little man-made shack. Every night for the last five years the tandem partner of Fujihara and “Henry” builds a shack at 6pm and takes it down at midnight. These two highly successful restaraunteers serves ramen that is considered the best in the prefecture. Now for the common foreigner who inspects the conditions and are used to seeing an A, B, or C on the window – forget about it – all you will see is a curtain that once entered you will find hand made noodles with a very tasty broth, odong (vegetables simmering in a stew) and chicken, beef or fish made to order. It’s always hard to enjoy life much less a meal after a tough loss but for 30 minutes I enjoyed my company (my two assistants Mu and Ken)... and I enjoyed my surroundings.

My first blog...

(Monday, 12 November 2007) Written by Hernando Planells

So this is my first time writing a blog and to be honest it’s a little nerve-racking... I've been putting it off for sometime now... I've never been a good writer, my grammars bad my spelling even worse but I'm giving it a try... My team is 2-2 which is a lot better than 0-4... We will get better, we are so young but loaded with potential we just have to keep working hard in order to achieve more success... the game atmosphere has been great for the fans... the lights get turned off when announcing the teams, our MC is great on the mic and the crowd really gets into the game... We've been in Okinawa since July and so far it’s been a tremendous experience for my family and me. We have gone to the castle ruins of Ryukyu (Ryukyu is what Okinawa used to be called) seen the worlds largest aquarium and have driven all over this Island that from North to South is a total of 72 miles! You would have never thought that there was so much to do in such little square mileage... The food in Okinawa is different, many of their foods are based on rice and noodles - they have something here called Soba which is a hearty noodle soup that is very tasty... I've had the pleasure or displeasure of partaking in pig’s ear... I will say this - it was chewy, somewhat tasty and definitely an experience! I am very proud to announce that Okinawa has tremendous Mexican food - personally I am very happy about that since I am a big Mexican food fan... when I first heard that Okinawa had good Mex food I simply laughed not believing what my tour guide was telling me... The next day I wanted to see what he was talking about and I ended up going into one of the local establishments where I had a loaded quesadilla.... all I can say about that is WOW - the beef was soft, the cheese was fresh and the margaritas were amazing... Coaching is coaching, doesn’t matter what you coach or where you do it... I will say that my coaching experience here in Japan has been very different than in the states... We have practiced in almost every gym on this island and they don't have air conditioning... earlier in the summer the humidity was so bad that the floor became the ice capades, my players were slipping and sliding everywhere... but I was very impressed that the guys got up wiped the floor down and continued playing. The one thing that I absolutely admire about my Japanese players is their discipline and work ethic... I’ve never been around a group of players who do everything I ask and more for the success of our team. One final note about Okinawa ... the sunsets here are beautiful... take a look... I’m going to wrap up my very first blog - don't know if it was good or bad - all I know is that I finally stopped procrastinating and I did it... till next time...