Modern Advanced Radio

Well friends I have done something I really didn't think I had a need for.

I have done something I really didn't think I would use very much.

I have seen the future friends!
More precisely I have heard the future friends!

What is this miracle of modern science that has enthralled me like a moth to a flame, like a neanderthal to a club, or Michael Jackson to a child's birthday party at a Chuckie Cheese?

It is satellite radio! That's right!
Three geo-synchronous satellites are beaming delicious audio into my very place of work!

GONE are the static infested airwaves!
GONE are the commercial laden broadcasts which occasionally produce a song, like dreck dredged up to the bright sunshine only to be exposed as the dreck it is!
GONE are the playlists that feature so many predictable songs DAY IN AND DAY OUT!
GONE are the DJ's who rattle on and on but are censored by the terrestrially based FCC!

After a mere two days of satellite radio at work with everyone and their dog, cat, fish, in-laws, outlaws, and total strangers coming in to hear the crisp clear tones of musical purity! They have experienced and marveled at...YES...channel 23!!!

The Amazing Hair Nation channel!!!!

The glory that is 80's hair bands!!!!
Friends I can hear everything from Twisted Sister to TNT.
From Guns N Roses to Great White.
From Def Leppard to Dokken.
From Aerosmith to Zebra.

That's right, I have died and gone to metal maven heaven!

Now you may ask yourself, Why, yes WHY do you care so much about 80's metal bands?

Well my friends I'll tell you...
I have a THEORY!

My theory is very simple and yet complex.
On the surface it is simple, the music you grow up with is what imprints itself into your mind and that is the music that you associate to good times of youth, fun, revelry, and rebellion!

Now the complex part is this, for some of our seasoned citizens out there they probably get the same feelings from Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, and Glen Miller!

It just so happens that my day of discovery had bands around like The Scorpions, Metallica, Van Halen pre and post Sammy Hagar, the Mighty Motley Crue, and the brash, bold, and badass Guns-N-Roses!

A band that was capable of stellar heights and dismally low lows but what they put on vinyl was immortal! What they did with Appetite For Destruction and Lies scaled the highest mountains and used that as a launching pad and redefined the genre for years to come!

But I digress....Satellite Radio Rocks!

Poker Night With Friends

Well tonight was a poker night at a friend's house. It was great! It really showed me that my skills are improving.

I started with 40 bucks. Which was kind of a challenge to get. I went to a local grocery store and asked for 40 extra after making a purchase right? Well the cashier acted really put out and upset that I needed quarters and some ones instead of two 20's.

Ugh, what does it matter? It is the same amount, just count it differently please.

Anyway I arrive and so does everyone else and we start playing! there are six of us in a dime ante game where the basic bet is a quarter. I feel pretty good about it! After about two hours I'm up quite a bit and then one guy calls a game that builds the pot up to huge amounts. You have a high card and a low card and you bet to see if the next card delt is in the middle of the high and low card. The only way the game ends is if one person clears the pot.

It was towards the end of the deck and I am dealt a Q3, there is a lot of money in the pot. I'm talking over 50 dollars, I bet 15. The card is a Q which doubles the amount you have to pay....yeah, my nice stack takes a huge 30 dollar hit. Well by the time this game ends I'm down to about 5 dollars.

Here is the good thing though. By the time the game broke up around midnight I was at exactly $40.05!!!! I worked my stack back up again to even. Although I was ultimately down from the stack I had I was still very happy I didn't lose money after a big hit on my stack and was able to build it back up!!!

Yeah...it was a good night!

July 5th's Pictures Very Moving!

The spirit of the 4th of July was on display today in the local paper. After seeing the pictures it really hit me about all that is important in a modern 4th celebration and why.

Not the original 4th when our founders decided to take on many many hardships to overcome the British Empire to gain our freedom but what they foresaw the 4th could eventually be. The freedom to celebrate with family and friends. No, the only outdoor grilling then was probably rabbit on a spit over a open fire. There was no such thing as a fishing derby or a harmless fireworks display. The 4th had an entirely different meaning then and I'm proud that we continue to be the leader of the free world and a beacon of hope to others.

What my friend captured in those pictures is nothing short of beauty and majesty:
1. A child with a flag painted on his forehead.
2. Two fish on a bridge that crosses the park lake...er...pond.
3. A child with a sparkler.
4. A massive aerial fireworks display with the bridge in the lower third of the picture and reflections on the water.
5. A nine year old in a seed spitting contest.

What was captured in these pictures....well it is immortal. It is the spirit of the 4th made manifest and tangible. Anyone who knows me knows that I get choked up kind of easily when I get emotional and I had to really compose myself this morning when I saw these pictures.

Now what I can also tell you is what my friend will probably tell me after she reads this, "Why do you always like my worst shots?" She will then probably tell me about the technical aspects of them and how she could have made them much better after seeing them in the paper.

Well I can't argue that since still photography is something that is still kind of alien to me. I have no training in that and she is probably right in everything she will tell me about them...in a technical aspect.

I'll probably respond by saying, "No one since Norman Rockwell has captured that kind of feeling in me in still life, and I am grateful anyway. Thank you."

So The Choice Remains...

I am still pricing XL1s cameras via Ebay...however while I have been doing this I have also been saving money and now have nearly enough for a XL2.

So what do I do about that? I am more excited about a XL2 and the best set up would be to have two XL2s as I have said earlier. Since there is no project looming in the near term I believe I am going to save for the XL2s....unless I can get so much value by getting another XL1s at such a good price I couldn't pass it up.

My secret project is well underway and progressing and I will soon hold some meetings with the trusted circle that knows the details to flesh out the storyline and related arcs.

Since my first choice to edit Locker hasn't responded to me I have choice B on deck and will be contacting them tonight or tomorrow.

....Alas...

There was no happy Disney ending for my bird friend.

What Do I Do?

Alright here is the situation!
Last night I found a healthy bird in my pool under a plank I left in there so some kittens could crawl out.

Now this bird is full grown, doesn't appear to have a broken wing or broken leg or anything like that. The bird isn't favoring any thing or appear to be damaged in any way.

But it won't fly.

I kept it in a cage last night in the house and gave it some seeds and water...well not really seeds. I scraped some whole grains off the top of a loaf of bread but it is as close to getting it something to eat as I could.

I thought maybe the bird had been overcome with the heat from yesterday and just couldn't fly out of the relatively shallow empty pool for some reason. So I picked it up and brought it inside to cool it off. Now it is the next morning and he still won't fly away.

It will barely walk but he seems content to just sit there and look around. It is cool outside right now and there are a lot of birds in my yard so I'm going to leave it out there and hope it gets the idea and has the Disney ending and flys home!

Indie Film Conference Today....Sort Of

Well it had promise anyway.

There was a conference in a nearby city that three of us attended. I can say that I enjoyed the makeup guy they had and the actor they had who is a regular in CSI: Miami.

Everyone else seemed to either be in over their heads or were trailing my knowledge. The distribution guy was thrilled that he had gone to Tower Records and they had agreed to put a project on their shelves even though there really isn't a finished product yet....and so the day went.

I was happy about lunch though which was good. I had a honey BBQ'd sirloin steak with grilled peppers and mushrooms...with a side of fries and a desert.

The other highlight was seeing Land of the Dead. It also had promise but I found myself wondering why in this futuristic society with the DEAD ACTUALLY ROAMING THE STREETS that having a lot of money was a big deal?!?! I did like the idea of someone rebuilding a secure society inside a building and trying to make believe that everything was everything again. I found the concept very good in that weird ironic/sarcastic way.

I just wish that someone would decide to make a scary movie again instead of relying on gore effects as a crutch to make up for a weak story or to gloss over plot holes so big you could drive the Dead Reckoning though.

Here is the basic premise of nearly every scary movie I've attended lately....come up with promising plot. Spend too much on effects while forgetting to add any tension to get the audience involved and when you remember that the audience might be bored...WHAM! You throw some fake blood in their direction or have a cat jumping out of the closet scare...then tack on some stupid ending like in Hide and Seek.

Now for Locker news. I have contacted a local production company to finish it with me. To add the credits and get it into a format I can duplicate. They were going to have a meeting this past week and contact me when they could schedule me in...they have yet to contact me. So I'll attempt to call them next week and see if they want to work with me. If not it is onto yet another plan B.

Yes and I am writing a new project which will either be very innovative or fail so big that it might turn some heads! More on that in the coming months!

Irrational Fears

I probably have one of the most irrational fears of all time. At first it may not seem like it but after I explain my weird logic I think you might be able to understand a bit more.

My irrational fear is that after I die my body won't be discovered for a long time. Why is it irrational? Naturally because after you die, what do you care anymore? It's over and time to see what is next, on to bigger and better things!

Well here is my logic on the matter. I am more afraid of what it implies has happened to me before death. Think about it for a second, my irrational fear is that my body won't be discovered meaning that:
1. I have outlived everyone that cares about me or I care about. (I dread this one the second most)
2. Have ticked off all of the people I did know and care about to the point where they have left me.
3. Fade away and become so emotionally disconnected that everyone forgets I even existed. (I dread this one the most)

What does this exactly mean?

Does it mean that if you don't have someone around you that you don't exist?

Does it represent that no one is an island and everyone somewhere, somehow has a connection to someone, somehow?

That your actions now matter how small or mundane has a action or reaction that creates a connection to others?

So if any of those questions are affirmative in the least degree then to what point is everyone connected but not realize the effect they have on others? If someone disconnects themselves is that an act of self centeredness knowing they might play a role in helping someone else? Do you have a responsibility to your fellow human being?

Dying alone is something everyone faces no matter how many people are surrounding you and no matter how much they care about you. Being discovered afterwards or not is what really defines the kind of life you have lead.

A Sock In My Sleeve

So there I was, early morning and I felt pretty good! I was showered, dressed and out the door...things were going well!!!

I get to the quick shop where I get coffee and then a guy who works where I work comes up behind me and I feel a tugging on my shirt. Allow me to elaborate my confusion here...I usually wear two shirts, a t-shirt with a work shirt over the top of it so I can use the pockets. Well this guy is generally a cocky type of person and we might nod to each other in the halls and rarely talk. Which is fine, I don't bother anyone and I'd like the same to happen to me:)

So I feel this tugging and I turn around with a quizzical look and look at him in the eyes, not a intimidating look but a "What are you doing" look when he holds up a sock he had just pulled from between my shirts that was hanging out of my sleeve!

I know there is a metaphor here. Let me see if I can explain it as well. I try not to be a confrontational person anymore. Sometimes it is necessary but if I can talk I'm happier and I don't get that sick feeling inside after being physical with someone. That morning I was almost at that point for no reason.

I was clueless as to what was going on and someone was trying to help me. I was so wrapped up with something else that I didn't see the help that was being offered. Like when friends tell you something but it just never clicks for some reason. Something never connects in your mind and when it does and that light comes on you suddenly see things from a different angle and it makes sense!!!

Despite how foolish you might have been before and how wrapped up in something else you might have been and just couldn't see the beauty of the forrest because of all of those pesky trees, that is when you need to step back and evaluate your situation and see what your friends are telling you. I learned a pretty good lesson because someone was trying to help me when I thought he was....well I don't know what he was doing but that is kind of the point of turing around in the first place! hahaha!!!

Now on to the filmmaking parts! I am looking into hiring an editor to finish Locker.
More on that when I get an estimate to see if I'm going to do it or not!

Outbid Again!

But not to worry, we shall get our camera sooner or later!!
Again, time is on our side for this!!

Had a good conversation with Chris last night at a local coffee shop.
The best part is when we started to discuss the kind of movie we would like to see. I honestly want to create a good story that anyone can see. I immediately brought up The Straight Story as my template of what I would like to do.

A good story, no profanity, no violence, and touching characters that anyone can relate to. If I could either get a hold of that kind of script or if I could coax my fingers to type that kind of script!!! Wow!!!

Anyway, time to find another camera and place a bid!!!

A New Bid

I have placed a bid on a XL1s this morning. If I can get it for the price I bid, it will be a huge savings!! It is only a basic package but if this price holds up then there will be plenty of money left over to add whatever I wish to it!

It ends tomorrow so we shall see what happens!!!

This is some exciting stuff!!!

Now I also saw a movie that has everything I love about movies in it! It wasn't a GREAT movie but it was very solid and very entertaining! The Machinist.

To sum it up, a man has had insomnia for over a year. It is a mystery that starts when Trevor Reznik starts to see some strange things from his lack of sleep. Since I hate spoiling a movie for people that is about all I can say about it. There are several layers of mystery here that really pay off in the end:)

Very good!

NO Camera....Yet

I was out bid on the camera I was hoping to purchase...by 26 dollars!!!

Such is life, the other one I was eyeing was sold on a buy it now which was more than I really wanted to pay since it had little else than a camera with it.

I know there will be a great deal coming up and with nothing big planned right now other than some reshoots...time is on my side!!!

I have a budget planned out so that I'll be able to pay cash when the right camera deal comes up and if it doesn't before we are going to shoot our next big project...well I'll have some money to sink into the actual production!!!

It's a no lose situation!!!

How About A Film Update This Time???

Alright film fans, here is the latest! The editing is not done!!! Woohoooo!!!

Wait....that isn't exactly what I wanted to tell you all, I'm on the verge of purchasing another XL1s. I have a bid on one cam with another in the wings if this one fails.

A two camera set up will help SO MUCH with filming it is unreal!!! My shot selection problems of variety that I had in Locker will be long gone, we will have a back up of any shot we do, AND it will take about half the time to film something which will make things faster on us and our actors!!!

I have kicked it around quite a bit and have come to the conclusion that another camera is what us as a group really need to continue right now. Well other than a full time staff of script writers to give us the material to shoot.

Yes another camera is what is really needed to do a much higher quality of job!

And yes when I find the right deal we will have it!!!

A Baby Bird In The Pool Is As Good As...

Well not exactly the old saying but it did happen! For those of you who don't know, I have an inground pool in my back yard that has been empty (or nearly empty) for about three seasons.

Occasionally I have to help out a small animal who has jumped or fallen into mostly dry pool out. Last time it was a possum who had fallen in and couldn't get out. So I stepped down into the pool which only had a few inches of watery mud in the deep end but the dry, shallow end had a hissing and very upset creature in it....WITH ME!!!

So how do I get this possum three feet up and onto the ground? I put a long board that he can crawl up and prodded him along it so he was able to crawl out! Well other than a stray kitten who gets in there every once in a while it is no big deal but today I found a bird! Yeah...a bird who got caught up in the rain I guess and couldn't fly.

So I get down into the pool and get a skimmer net....well the bird takes off into the watery end....Sheesh.

I head him off with the net and coax him back to the end I'm on so that I can help him out. (I assume it is a "him" since he was stupid enough to get lost...in a pool...with a big open top) So I heard him back with the net and scoot the net under him and he hops up onto the net! So now the mission is 99% done! I'm happy! I help the onto dry land! Mission Accomplished! Well the bird sits there on the ground now...well there are a lot of stray cats around my neighborhood so the bird is now a sitting duck. So I prod him over under a tree near my fence and then all of a sudden I start to get dive bombed by the bird's family I guess?!?!?!

Well they apparently didn't see my gesture to the animal kingdom as helpful as I thought it was. So now that the bird is semi safe under the tree I leave to the delight of this bird's fine feathered friends.

Bunch of ingrateful birds....

One More Big Day Of Filming!

We left around 9:30 in the morning and started out for Fairview. It began a very large day of shooting. All in all we finished up and got back home around midnight.
I don't feel as bad as I did when I shot Locker.

A two camera set up would cut our shooting time way down. I believe this should probably be the next upgrade to our little group. Another XL1s. I thought about getting a XL2 however the footage would look a lot different and we would essentially be in the same boat. Just with two different nice cameras instead of two identical cameras that would mesh the footage together.

That felt like I had gone 12 rounds with Holyfield and then 12 rounds with Tyson. We used more tripod shots and handheld instead of the steadicam vest. I was horribly beat up after that shoot. Now I feel better and was able to sleep in till about 9:30!!! That was so amazing to me!!! I haven't been able to sleep in that late for a very long time! It felt good! I wish I was able to do it again!!!

There wasn't a lot of drama and things really relatively stayed on schedule. Had some very nice people host us for lunch and took our picture which the prevailing thought was we would wind up in someone's family album. "Who are those maniacs? I don't remember being related to them!" Yeah...

We got all of the shots we needed and I wish I had the room in the meat locker to have gotten the variety of shots we were able to get with this project. It would have made the editing so much easier for Locker. I know it is weak on shot variety and that is the weakness. I can live with it though, I know that I'm getting better and better at this and the next project will be better still!!!

I keep thinking I have to write more to get another project going. I have written a total of about 2 pages...at most. I have to get in gear!! Again...

Life Is Sweet!!!

What a contrast from the time I started this blog in November.

Today I'm meeting my partner for lunch to get the logistics down for tomorrow's all day shoot.

Locker is still in the editing stage and moving along.

Yes! It is sweet right now!

Sometimes Perfection!

Yessir!

Sometimes things fall just right and everything seems complete! Those are the times when you can actually sit back and smile a bit!

Tomorrow is payday!
My tax return is due early next week!
This is a three day weekend and I extended it by one day by taking off tomorrow!
Today I used my Coffee Card so it was a free coffee day!!!

Yep! Simple pleasures are the best!!!

OH....and the duck thinks he is a goat;)

Star Wars And You

Yes its a double post day here in Blogland!
I just returned from seeing Star Wars. What can I say? It was the best of the second trilogy. However it is not without flaws. IMHO that is. Afterall I only have a couple of films to my credit while Lucas owns the world.

That doesn't mean I don't know what makes a good movie though. As in most of George's films the dialogue is the weak part...well and the way they are plotted out. If you want a deep scifi movie with lots of metaphysical deep meaning see...The Matrix. If you want an over abundance of cgi action going on in every single square inch of the screen followed by mundane writing in scenes where you really don't care what is happening followed by more over blown action and then drift back to the mundane scenes again see Star Wars.

Allow me to expand upon this.

You start off with a action scene in space that has so much going on that you really don't know who to root for and then when you might catch a glimpse of what you are supposed to be seeing it is all gone in a blinding flash of...more action. Yes there is ships, lasers, motion...all of this and more with frenetic movement and exciting music which will almost make you yawn. It is like sensory overload and there is just too much happening too fast to make any kind of connection with what is happening.

However there is a ton happening! There is so much happening in the backgrounds that really nothing is happening! The cities are on what seem a planetary scale with amazing night scapes of the city lights with ships and people moving every single direction you can move. However keep in mind there is an intergalactic war going on and it seems that no one cares, not even when the massive Jedi Temple is attacked you might think with all of that technology there might be some kind of response of emergency workers or at least a brief moment of silence.

The rooms that people exist in are beautiful and massive but with all of this luxury to look at there is honestly very little there to look at. There is a huge illusion of activity with nothing behind it and no purpose for it. That can also be said for the intergalactic war, you don't know who to root for and it really makes no difference. The war is just a McGuffin to propel the story of Anakin's fall to the dark side.

There is a lot of good about this movie, the final duel is chilling and very well done. The extermination of the Jedi is very well done and Obi Wan riding the giant iguana is very cool!

For The Goats, A Duck...

For anyone who knows me and where I live they also have seen the house on my block with the pets in the yard. All of the pets.

It is very nice and unique.

There is a lady who loves animals. For the most part she will have a yard full of dogs, usually small dogs but sometimes a larger dog will be in her fence. At one time she had about 8 goats and a couple of dogs. That was a long time ago but now she has goats again!

Well as I was driving home the other day I slowed down a bit to watch what mischief the neighborhood goats were up do when I saw...A BABY DUCK!


The cutest little fuzzy duck waddling behind one of the goats!!!

It was a "AAaaa" moment.

Yes it is those little bits of happiness that make life much better and warmer for me:) Want another one? Sure!

Tuesday I had gone to get some groceries on the West side of town and was on one of the main streets called Owen K. Garriott well I hit Van Buren and the light was green, then I proceeded to hit every single intersection with a GREEN LIGHT!!!! It was GREAT!!! I was almost tap dancing in my seat!!! Well you know what I mean!!!

I'm Learning Things!

Yes I am, I have learned that my rough cut needs a new perspective right now. I'm still about 25 minutes into Locker and then I hit a wall.

I was stuck for some reason!

So a friend who loves working on stuff like this volunteered to give me a hand and digitize the footage and give it a shot to see if they enjoy editing or not.

Really not a lot too post today but that is the latest news on Locker!

Good Friday!

Hello all of you out there in blog land!!

Well I'm about ready to head over to Chris's to film some makeup tests and watch the rehearsals. It has been raining all day...which I love! Fast moving clouds that are low in the sky, huge rain drops, and nice cool weather!!!

To top that off I got new tires (which I really REALLY needed!!!), news that my day job will be secure for years to come, and it's payday Friday!!!

There are only a couple of things I could think of to make it a better day!!!

I have to get going now, I'm supposed to be there in about five minutes!!!

I hope you all out there have had a better day than I have and mine has been pretty good!!!

My Monday

Well I took off today to get my power steering fixed however for those of you who are familiar with me you have to know there is more to the story than a simple fix so here goes.

I scheduled this last Friday to get a bracket welded and have my Suburban serviced. It is a diesel so you have to be good about making sure the oil is changed and it will run forever.

So I'm at home and about ready to get going when I hear a VERY loud bang and my electricity goes out. A transformer has blown up close by and so now I was without power. So I decide to mow the lawn. A good way to pass the time and get things all cleaned up around the outside. I'm not that big on lawn care so it goes about two weeks between mowings. Well I also had some saplings around my foundation that needed to be cut down so I borrowed a chainsaw and got to cutting! Well I'm sure my arm will grow back soon, the blood wasn't that bad.

Just kidding. No injury at all. I did well, got things cut down and my lawn cut! I bought some Roundup and sprayed around the foundation and fence lines. So the lawn is going to look decent before long when the weeds die out.

Anyway I get to the repair shop to find out the guy who welds wasn't there today which is why I brought it in to begin with but no big deal. I get it serviced anyway and will just bring it back to get the bracket welded and the belt changed. So with an hour to kill I decide to go get some food and hope that my electricity is back on when I get back home. So I walk downtown and have plenty of places to choose from so I go to Callahan's, it is close by and they have good food. I get there about 11:30 and order a Chicken Ceasar Salad....with Thousand Island dressing (you should have seen the look from the waitress when I said that instead of the standard Ceasar dressing that comes on a Ceasar salad) but I got Thousand Island anyway and an ice tea.

My food comes and all is right with the world. I finish up and decide I still have plenty of time to go so I order a Tequila Sunrise. I get it and take the first drink and then unconsciously look at the clock and it is still before noon and I think, "This is the first time I have ever had a drink before noon!" And it was true, I've never had a drink before noon!!! Ever!!! So now that I have that out of the way I finished up and walked the few blocks back to the shop. It was just a couple of minutes from being finished! Great timing!

So since the owner isn't there my friend can't make a ticket so he tells me all is good and I can pay when I get the bracket welded up. So I drive away with the power steering still squealing but I can live with that until I get it welded this week. So I get home and to my surprise my electricity is BACK ON!!! Incredible!!!

So it has been a pretty nice morning so far and very productive!!!

I like days like this!!!!

I'd Like To Think

That I'm a minimalist. I'd like to be able to think that all I need is a small house, a fire to read by, and some running water.

I know that I'm not though. I know I need electricity, I know I need the net, I know I need so many of the modern conviences such as a refrigerator, soap, and a microwave.

Yes I would like to think that I could just be thrown into the wilderness with a tent, rifle, and a knife and be able to live just fine but I'm lying to myself.

I would like to think I'm a very simple person and in a few ways I am but the truth is I'm not. The truth is that I'd like to have a nice house and a reliable vehicle to transport my film equipment from shoot to shoot that I'm directing.

My fantasy is that I would like to be able to deal with any situation at any time in a fair way that makes everyone happy. The truth is that it isn't possible and when such a situation arrises more than likely I'm going to make someone pretty upset.

My fantasy is that I could live the rest of my life dependent upon only myself. The truth is that even I need human contact and to be surrounded by friends, even though I'm very comfortable in my own skin I accept the need and desire to have brilliant conversations and stimulating friendships. No it isn't a weakness at all, it is just the way I'm built as are most people. I freely admit to crying while watching Frank Capra films. Feel like laughing at me about it? That's fine, I'm who I am.

My fantasy is that Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man sums me up pretty well. The truth is that it simply doesn't.

My fantasy is that I'm as physicaly tough as I used to be. The truth is that I'm not. My hands aren't as quick, I don't hit as hard, and I get winded much faster than I used to.

My fantasy is that I could invent a time machine to travel back and correct my life's mistakes. The truth is that even if I could I don't know if I'd like who I am now without all of those bad decisions to give me the pain that defines my character and integrity.

My fantasy life and my reality life have vast differences. So the next time you see me you can just imagine what I'm thinking;)

Free Poker And Filmmaking....

Hello all:)

Well it has happened...there is a free poker league in this state now. Yes it is a good thing but it is also a bad thing.

Allow me to expand upon that.

The tournaments take place at local establishments such as a sports bar, a banquet room, etc. The chips are nearly worthless, you get a $100 chip for a coke, a $1000 chip for a meal. Why is that a bad thing? Well it means that when no one has anything invested people can't be pushed out of hands and the bluff is worthless. Bluffing is a big part of any poker game and it forces you to either play with a premium hand such as a high pocket pair or to get a great flop and pair up or hit a set.

It is great practice IF you play as you normally would in a real poker game. If you get in the moment and get bored and play every hand like your chips were free...then you will lose very very quickly in a real game.

I have not finished better than 4th in a game with 9 people in it. I play a tight solid game where I fold 98% of my hands. I will probably never be a chip leader at a table however I will be there at the end of a marathon game. That style just does not work in a game like this. People are in hands with a 82 off suit and Q3 off. I'm not joking, they are bluffing with hands where the bluff is useless because at least 3-4 people are going to stay in the hand!!!

I am enjoying this however. Despite its main drawback it is good practice provided you don't make a bad habit of staying on throwaway hands.

On the filmmaking front I'm going to a read through at 2pm today for the next project.

Anxiety Is GONE....Time To Get To Work!!!!

That's right my friends!

This morning at a early hour I started the editing process! I have about 15 minutes edited and done with much more footage already digitized!!!

The majority of the credit goes to my photographer friend who really inspired me to just get it started! We really didn't talk about this project but over the course of a few conversations over the past few days something really clicked and work has started!

No more excuses, she helped me realize that I am responsible for the fruitition of this project, the one I began and will complete. If I don't do it no one else will and finally the time has come to do what I started out to do.

I have no anxiety anymore over this project and feel that it will go very well now!
I don't know exactly what happened but the feelings that I have had that has held this project up...the internal feelings of doubt have vanished! I don't know if it was the conversations with my friend or if I was just sick of not getting something done or both but I'm over it and on my way forward!

I am looking forward to the stories from the film fest late tonight or tomorrow!

Report From Film Fest

I just called my friend who has taken a few people from the group to the Barebones Film Festival. He is having a good time and meeting lots of other filmmakers!

I can't wait to hear the stories when they return!

Editing Anxiety!

I've had a talk with someone about this who told me that I just needed to act like someone else shot the footage and cut it all together. I know this is great adivce since I respect and appreciate their opinion very much and they went through a similar situation.

Yes I'm ultimately responsible for the footage even though my mindset should be more objective. Yes I'm responsible for the dialogue and the footage since I wrote it and held the camera.

So what this is is a great learning experience on how to handle this kind of anxiety, no its not laziness. Far from it in fact. If I had someone else's footage I'd have been done with it by now for a project of similar length. In fact I might have finished it the first weekend I had possession of it! I have a good work ethic and go to great lengths to accomplish what I need to accomplish.

Yeah after 12-15 hours I tend to get tired, I admit it freely.

I do believe that if I decided to digitize my footage right this very moment that I could have probably one full quarter of Locker edited this very night.

So what am I scared of?

I'm scared that when someone sees it they will see me as a fraud. They will see me for everything I feel inside in my work. I really didn't anticipate this kind of emotion when beginning this process. I thought I had everything planned out very well and I did have some anxiety before I started to film which I wrote about.

This is different though, this is the finished product and this is what people will see...listen to me! I'm already thinking someone other than my fine actors, family, and friends will actually want to see this movie!!! HAHAHA!!!

What an ego I have!!!

AUDITIONS!!!!

YES the auditions for the next project are in a little under an hour away!!!!

This is exciting!!! We actually have some momentum now and are on the verge of doing some amazing things!!!

Hopefully there will about 20+ people today at the auditions...we shall see but I'm optimistic!

The Bare Bones film fest in Muskogee is this week. I am planning on attending with the group and leaving Thursday and coming back on Sunday after the awards ceremony. The last project The Secret of Ivy Headstone is up for a best actress award and best first picture or I believe. I'll get the exact nominations today and update this post if I'm wrong.

Anyway it is an exciting opportunity and I plan on talking about Locker when I'm there and doing some editing!

Footage Reviewed!

Yes I'm nearly done reviewing a lot of the footage. So honestly there just isn't a lot to report in the editing front other than I believe I'm going to upgrade my PC to do the bulk of the project.

Auditions for the group horror anthology project are this Saturday and I'm excited to be working again so soon! It is four seperate stories (Three with an interconnecting story) that will be a lot of fun!

I don't usually do this but you have to check this Star Wars III fake trailer out! It is hilarious!!!

http://www.sequentialpictures.com/moviestarwarsepisode3.html

A Nice Weekend!

This has been a very nice weekend!

The weather has been pretty sweet, I have looked over more footage and think it will go very well, I have had a couple of conversations with some friends which really made my weekend much better, and I have looked over a few of the pictures from the Locker shoot and am pretty happy with them!

(The photographer did an amazing job!)

They are going to make a pretty good press kit!

I have been encouraging the next project, those auditions are coming up this Saturday!
I think it will go pretty smoothly and plan on helping out and getting more experience with this project! I'm excited about it as well!!!

Although I don't have a stake in the next project other than probably shooting it, I think it will go well and is a promising project! I think it will be shot fairly quickly and with our collective experience going up and getting better, this could be the best project yet!

Footage!

Alright I have watched some of the footage and I think I have everything I really need to make this movie a real movie!

I think I am going to have two actors come back and redo my ending fight sequence, it wasn't bad but I think it can be better and a bit more brutal and disturbing. Besides that I think I have enough footage and enough takes to make a movie!

I plan on beginning to edit Saturday....maybe Friday night if I really get with it!!!

Finished!!!

That is correct ladies and gentlemen!!!

I shot the entire film almost as I had planned...in one day with a very tiny amount of light and in one very VERY cramped setting!!!

We were about four hours behind when I had originally thought we would be finished, I was planning on three o'clock and we wrapped up around 7:30.

I had every line shot, got every shot I had planned on, used up four tapes, bought 30 cheeseburgers, and had a great time!

I'm exhausted.

Not in a bad way but in a very good way but I am used up. I ate one time today and had a 16 ounce coke. I'm beat! I had on the steadicam rig most of the day and my back is hurting very badly, the muscles are just tired and worn out today!

Yes, it was a good day!

It's Time

Yes its time to go.

Extra Time For Preparation!

I've decided to take Friday off to get my supplies for tomorrow together. The best way to get over the anxiety I was having all week is to just prepare even more and get out and get my supplies together!

So I have compiled a list of stuff I need. I have taken my microphone cables and cleaned them and put four socks on my mic to get rid of a lot of the rustling ambient noise to focus on the actors instead of the noisy fans inside the locker.

I think that will be overkill however I want the dialogue to come across as loud and clear. I want the locker itself to be overlit so that I can get all of the detail I can to begin with and tone it down in post to darken it if I need to.

I'll keep the script with me inside the locker so I can keep track of what has been shot and I'll probably need some gloves as well.

The batteries are charging so I am going to be well prepared for that! I'll need two batteries for each shoot, one for my monitor and one for the camera.

I know I'm rambling a bit but I am just trying to go over every single thing that could happen that I am not prepared for and get prepared for it.

I have some very good people around me, some fine actors and good friends. My thanks to you all who have helped in the process!

My next step after tomorrow will be the post production (editing and duplication) and then the fun stuff of assembling the press pack and sending everything off to film fests and agencies! I'm especially blessed to have another fine addition to the team who has been taking pictures of the process so far for the press kit!

Anxiety!!!!!

Yeah I had some anxiety today. I admit it, I'm nervous.

I mean you work this hard on something and it has gone very smoothly so far. Can something go wrong? I hope not. I have planned this very carefully so far but what I can't account for is what is unexpected. How can you plan for that?

Anyway I'm calmer now...

Perhaps A Small Snag

But probably nothing we can't overcome!

When I was originally going to film the freezer was nearly empty, well now it is pretty full. I think we can move some of the wooden racks around so that we can film but it is going to be tight and packed!

There will be a very claustrophobic feeling! I think it could either add to the feeling to the movie or it is going to be extremely difficult to shoot. I'm kind of nervous about it but I do think it will work out!

Head Cold Blues

I've decided to stay home today and nurse a head cold. I had a very hard time sleeping last night, in fact sleeping wasn't involved much of the night, lots of tossing and turning were.

This is my yearly cold though so I guess it was expected at some point. No big deal, I just want to be healthy by April 2 for shooting! Shouldn't be a problem at all.

Spring Break!

Well sort of....I am in the middle of a two week break between my last rehearsal (that went very very well) and shooting!

How excited am I?
VERY! How is it not exciting to have your project coming together?!?! And come off without a hitch for the most part! Everything has gone well in retrospect with the exception of a couple of small problems which I documented.

Yesterday was very nice! The weather was amazing! Today is Palm Sunday as well as the first day of Spring!!! YYYEEEEAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

I have to go grocery shopping today....I'm nearly out of everything!

Progress.....Again!

Yes this is a post about progress in a few different areas. I have decided to actually follow through on a recent dream....other than filmmaking! I am going to play in the World Series of Poker in June!

Not the main event but one of the smaller tournaments surrounding the main event. I have been playing well for about a year now and feel that this is the next logical step! The entry fee is fairly small compared to the 10,000 for the main event but the rewards will be great!

I'm a smart person...although you wouldn't know it by some of my posts....but I'm smarter than your average bear and feel I have a good shot at not being the first loser!

On the film front, I have been toying with the idea of filming a alternate ending on the day of the shoot. Something only Chris and I know about....so keep it a secret;)

I'm watching Before Sunrise at this moment (while listening to Bobby Darin, Robert Plant, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Alabama 3)....did I mention how much I enjoy this film?

There is just something amazing about the filming of a perfect day! I can set mezmerized while something perfect unfolds. Now it doesn't have to be perfect to everyone...not at all. Just my interpertation of perfect. This movie shows what a perfect day is like on film. I've been honored to experience a perfect day...more than one time. Without getting into details I can say everyone should be as blessed as I was!

If you have never experienced a perfect day.....my heart breaks for you, it truly does. What you are missing is something my words would just destroy while describing it so I won't.

Seat Belts and Filmmaking

I hate the seat belt law.

I'm an adult. I am capable of making many decisions on a daily basis. Decisions that effect my life, job, and fortune.

I am capable of choosing to drink if I wish, smoke if I wish, but if I want to go to McDonalds then I gotta wear a seatbelt on my way to clog my arteries?!?!?!

I'm capable of making decisions on my film that effect my cast and crew (mainly me).

Lets call this what it truly is....a revenue source for the state and local governments.

I'm a believer in being responsible for your choices such as if I were to ride a motorcycle, I'd probably wear a helmet. If I want to drive to the store, I don't want to wear a seatbelt...and I usually don't.

It effects no one but me and I happen to believe that my days were numbered anyway and we have a limited amount of days to make the best of. When I was growing up people could stand up in the car seats, and usually jumped from the front seat to the back seat until we got in trouble. Now government feels that they can live your life better than you can and impose another limit on freedom. Now I am all for speed limits and such, however when you are capable of making a decision it should be just that....your decision. I choose to not wear a seatbelt 75% of the time. Not for any other reason now than to just contribute to the local economy....

What does this have to do with filmmaking? Well honestly not much but I just felt a rant....

Rewrite Finished!

I have finished the minor rewrite of changing one character from female to male. I think it sounds a bit better than I had thought it might.

I am pretty happy even though I hated to replace the actor who I cast as Dawn. She was amazing and had an incredible energy!!!

I hope my next project will help me make it up to her!!!

Replacement Time!

I believe I am going to have to replace an actor, which is a shame! She had so much enthusiasm during the auditions but she didn't show up to the rehearsals....either of them.

What do I do? I comtemplate my options.
1. Use an available actor and change the part from a female to a male.
2. Find another female actor in a limited amount of time even though the male actor is familiar with the part and stood in during the rehearsals as that part.

I am really leaning towards #1.

Smooth Rehearsals.....Can See Difficulty!!

The single light is going to be a problem. I thought that before however I DO think we can work with it and possibly a flashlight to stand in as the light camera. It is mainly going to be a problem with my end of the filming....trying to get the actors in the light at the same time I'm filming.

Which is what is going to set this movie apart from other movies, This is where I am going to really have to think through the shots. If it was well lighted then it would be much easier....but this is a challenge!!!

I am looking forward to this afternoon!!!

Everyday is going to be better than the previous day even though I had my 7th kidney stone this morning and second in about a month!!!!

Rehearsals Tonight!

Yes it is true, finally!!!

My first real rehearsals with real actors with real material to read for my first real project!!!

Excited isn't the word for it!!!

I have my script at Staples right now being COPIED, that's right! I am going to have real copies of my script that I'm going to get to my real actors to really read!!!

I went all the way with the copies too, I got the extra wire binding with a clear cover and black backing!! I got to pick my own color! I felt so good when I made my picks and almost danced out of the store!

Simple things, that is what really helps you get through the week. Yeah, like taking half a day off to get ready for an important step in your project. Like my coffee card and candles. Like potato chips and coke. Like a long walk. Like a sad song. So here's to good friends....Tonight's kinda special!!

Deja Vu

dé·jà vu
n.

1. Psychology. The illusion of having already experienced something actually being experienced for the first time.
2. 1. An impression of having seen or experienced something before: Old-timers watched the stock-market crash with a distinct sense of déjà vu.

Yeah that is what happened to me today. It has happened a few times the past few months but today was very very strong. One of the strongest Vu's I've ever experienced.

There I was working away when I FELT IT COMING!!!!

I was doing the same thing, seeing the same things, and thinking of the same thing...er....person when all of a sudden WHAM!!!!!

The most vivid deja vu I've ever experienced in years!!! I have felt it very vividly before but not this vivid in a long time. What does it mean? Well I can't say for certain but I can tell you that it was one of the most amazing things I've felt when I've not been dreaming.

Lately my dreams have been very interesting and very vivid....very happy dreams. This deja vu though made me very happy!

It was very surreal but in a very good way, my words can't even begin to describe it the way I felt it so I'll stop.

Not A Bad Weekend!

A decent werewolf movie, quality time with friends, the problem with a place for rehearsals resolved, and nice weather!

All of the ingrediants for a good weekend were at hand these past two days.

I wish everyone's weekend was as nice as mine was!!

Parts Accepted!

All parts have now been offered and accepted!
Rehearsals have been set for next Friday and Saturday and the following Friday and Saturday with filming set for March 19th!!!!

Looks like my CPA isn't going to get my taxes done before filming starts so I probably won't be able to get the camera I want for the shoot. However I will have enough to finance the travel for my out of town actors and feed my cast and crew!

It isn't much....right now but it is a start!

Things are going very well, thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers!!!!

SUCCESS!!!!

YES Success!!!!
I cast 9 out of 10 parts!!!!!
It was GREAT!!!!
I was very happy with the turn out and the results!!!!
For this area that just isnt' a hotbed of film activity I had about 15 people show up!!!!
I am on my way to a successful film!!!!!

Today Is The Day.....For Now

Yes, today is the day that will start the process of a successful movie or a not as successful movie.
Anyone who has read my modest script will tell you that it will be as successful as the actors portrayal of the characters.

It is very dependent upon the actors. There just isn't enough going on in the script that isn't dependent upon the actors so they will really carry this movie. There isn't much that I, the director, will be able to do if the characters aren't fully realized other than offer instruction and encouragement.

In this regard I am helpless and dependent upon the talent. I am both anxious and confident that the talent of those who will be cast tonight and this week will shine!

I'm thrilled and excited beyond words!

A Fine Response!

With the auditions on Monday I have had a fine resonse from the ad I placed and am anticipating between 20-50 people to show up!

I have had a wonderful experience with the board of directors from the Gaslight! They have been very accomodating and willing to go the extra mile with this production! I will include them as well as the incredible folks at Big Country Meat Market in the film credits somehow.

So now on to my week's DVD purchase: Donnie Darko the director's cut.
This was a very David Lynchian production. You aren't sure what you are watching until it is over with and then you really start to wonder what you saw.
An amazing and original movie that is quirky, tragic, tender, dramatic, and at a couple of times comedic.

This is a movie that should inspire indie filmmakers to pursue their concepts no matter how bizarre they could be.

Coffee Cards And Vanilla Candles

This morning I was one stamp closer to obtaining a free cup of coffee at the quick shop where I buy my morning coffee. I get excited when I get a free cup. I pay for five get the sixth free, not bad?!
On my way home I decided that I haven't had a vanilla candle in about three weeks so I got three of them!

I like it when my Hopperesque house smells of fine vanilla;)

What does this have to do with filmmaking and my auditions on Monday?
I thought about what my life would be like without a coffee card. It isn't just a mundane worry you know. Coffee and Tea are what gets me going in the morning. I used to drink a bottle of Coke and have a couple of bags of M&M's when I was younger and more bullet proof. However I'm not as bullet proof so I stick to coffee and tea now. I have found that it is easier to concentrate when the world isn't vibrating away during my sugary binges while I bounce off of the walls.

So now I have my coffee card to look forward to helping me get through the week. Monday I usually get my free cup after a whole week of looking forward to collecting that beautiful red stamp of a steaming cup of coffee on my little tan card. I keep my card just behind my ID and in front of my time card in a little plastic holder I wear around my neck at work. The free coffee day rotates ofcourse but it always seems to be the best when my week starts with the free cup.

So how could two mundane events be relevant to this blog? I just keep thinking that if a free cup of coffee and the amazing smell of vanilla candles are one of the things I really look forward to right now then I really need to do a great job with Locker.

Somedays I get up and dread going to work but I KNOW that there are some people where I work who can't wait to get there in the mornings. This is wonderful!! If everyone didn't love their jobs then nothing would ever get done. Vital social services would degrade and fall into ruin. However I don't think I'm cut out for this anymore.

I have found my passion and when you find your passion you only want a few things afterward.
1. To be able to experience your passion everyday. You can't wait to do it again when you finish up for the day!
2. Someone to share it with.
3. Friends and family around you to share in the joy of your passion.

So for now I am enjoying the incredible aroma of Glade French Vanilla candles and tomorrow I look forward to getting my fifth stamp on my coffee card.

APPROVED!

Yes!
The audition location site was approved last night for the Gaslight Theater!
My ad for auditions starts today in the paper!
I have already had several requests for scripts, times, and the location which I can now tell them exactly when and where to be!

I'm going to have to come up with a word for beyond excitement if it keeps going this well!

In other news, I received my copy of the first season of Deadwood yesterday. An amazing show with simply the best villain I have seen since Vic Mackey from The Shield. Yes Al Swearengen is much better than Tony Soprano, much better than Darth Vader, much better than Kyser Soze, well Al is simply the best bad guy in the biz right now!

A belated Happy V-Day and to all of you who received my ecards, yes you really do mean that much to me or more!

Ad in the Paper!

Yes my excitement knows no bounds!
I have placed my audition ad in the local paper today! It runs from Tuesday till next Monday which is the day of the auditions!!!!

Audition Call!!!

Yes I have begun advertising for auditions!

No my taxes haven't been done yet which I was counting on, however I am pressing on anyway and doing everything I can afford at the moment!

Excitement just isn't the word for what I am feeling!

Successful Meeting!

Yes last night was a very successful meeting! Much was accomplished as the priorites were laid out with auditions being up at the top of the list!

Yes I don't want a situation where we have the auditions and no one show up!
So now the auditions are scheduled right now for Monday the 21st.

My taxes are being figured and hopefully next week they will be filed so I can give a definitive answer as to what I am going to do with the refund!

They Don't Make Scary Movies Anymore, Do They?

Well hello film fans and welcome to my corner of the web this morning!
I take keyboard in hand this morning to fill you in on something I have found disturbing the past.....ten or twenty years or so.

They quit making scary movies.

Allow me to place this into context. When I was in high school a very good friend and I saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time. I remember in my childhood after 10 P.M. the tv trailers of this scared me to pieces!!! I never had the courage to actually watch it in fact!

So one day after running the paper route with my friend we decided to rent it at a local quick shop and watch it. It had such an effect on me that I haven't watched it since! It was raw, brutal, it was one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen. It had very little blood in it but the images were horrific and stuck with me!

Now fast forward to today's movies, in my case most recently Hide and Seek and Boogeyman. You can actually replace any contemporary horror film title in here, it really doesn't matter. They are a mix and match of cliches now. Take one person, add a messed up event in this person's life, add a goofy legend, twist, tradition, or idea hook mix, rinse, repeat until the body count is high enough.

Hide and Seek was just stupid, as I posted earlier. The person who cut that trailer should get a bonus for making that film the number one film of the week because that is what did it! Boogeyman? Well it was about as bad. I was impressed that there was only one foul word used in the past TWO (Hide and Seek and Boogeyman) movies. And that was in Hide and Seek, as I earlier posted, the "F" word was used by DeNiro. Again not that I'm against such language at all, I just know that a strong movie doesn't depend on language, gore, or CGI effects. If they would understand tension and how to create it they could have raised these movies to a much higher level instead of using cheap, stupid scares to get an audience to jump.

Somewhere someone decided to get away from creating true tension in a film and substitute sudden, jolting noises with fast movement on screen....or the "Cat in the Closet" scare. Where somehow the cat got into the dark scary closet and when the door is opened the cat jumps out in a cheap scare to get the audience to jump. Well it has been done too much and now the things that they think are truly scary on screen....fall flat.

To illustrate this point. I nearly predicted what would happen in almost every step with probably 75% accuracy to a friend who genuinely gets scared at these movies. I tried to calm her by telling her about the cliches that they use and when to see when they are going to be used. By the end of the movie she started to see that it was kind of funny and they were cheesy!
Honestly I don't think she will have a problem seeing most of today's scary movies now. I wouldn't recommend the original TCM, Jaws, or Alien but just about anything else done in the past 15 years is no problem and can be funny when you can see things coming!!!

Pre Production Meeting Scheduled!

7 p.m. at a local coffee shop!
Yes that is correct, the meeting that will lay the groudwork and responsibilities for everyone involved!

Vicariously excited?

Well I'll be excited for the both of us!!!!

My Blog My Short Story

Well since this is my blog and I wrote a very short story about a week ago I thought I would post it. I hope you like it but if you don't then feel free to tell me how stupid it is:) I really don't mind, but I hope you might be touched by a part of it or connect with one of the many metaphors. Enjoy it or hate it, its your choice and right to do either or both! We all have a choice.

He met her on a very sunny bright day. The park was nearly closed now and had fallen into disrepair but it was still a place she loved to go. She loved the chipped paint and the rusty metal that littered the place. Broken neon tubes were here and there and some of them might have worked if anyone had cared to turn them on at dusk. The workers, the ones that were left, passed their time by staring out of the gates and deserted booth and wondering how they came to this fate, almost waiting for the final death of the park so they could bury it and carry on with their empty shallow lives.
"Coffee?", she asked.
"Sure." he said. They started to walk towards the rusty metal gate.
"They have never seen the beauty in this place. I see this and can imagine what it used to be like, years ago, but I can see it." He turned to her, "Really? I kind of thought this had always been almost closed and falling apart."
"Not at all. I can see that at one time this park had a lot. Well before in more innocent times when it was fun to get a snow cone and ride a ferris wheel." It was her turn to look at him now. "I bet they used to have ponies to ride too."
"Why do you still come here?"
"Vestiges of my childhood," she started, "Some of my happier moments were spent around a place like this. It makes me sad to see the shape it is in but at least it exists, the one I know of was gone years ago."
"You have a thing for the past?" He looked sideways at her.
"Not really that so much but I like things that have a past to them, a history. I could live in a ghost town if the ghosts wouldn't mind."
"I used to know of a couple, when I was a kid I used to walk down a set of railroad tracks and they went through a place that used to be a town before the highway was moved five miles away and no one came through there anymore. The houses were all empty and they still had mostly dirt streets. The buildings had wood floors in them even. It was really nice to walk the streets. It was almost like someone was having a party and everyone in the town went to it and left the town for a few hours. It was just sitting there waiting for the people to come back and pick up their lives again." He smiled as the memory washed over him.
"I can almost see that if I close my eyes. It sounds nice. Would you take me?"
"I can't."
"Why? Is it because I just met you and you think I'm odd?"
"No, not at all,lightning burned it down. With no one around for miles the fire just burned everything, there isn't much left but a few foundations now. What makes you think you're odd?"
"Well if I had just started talking to me I'd think that, especially in a amusement park that has seen its better days."
"Ever been down route 66?"
"YES!"
"It is great to see some of those towns but can you guess what I like most about them?"
"Let me think for a second," she put her finger to her lips in concentration. "The old motels?"
"You are good, I love the signs, the big neon, rusted, broken signs that were in front of the motels."
"Why?"
"Same reason that you like broken amusement parks I guess, brings back memories. I like to think about what things used to be like in their prime. I can show you things like that if you'd like to see them."
"You know the way to a girl's heart don't you?"
"Not really but when you see the only person in a park like this you start to wonder if you have something in common with her."
"Do we?"
"Too early to tell but I think we might."
"My grandparents were like that. I don't think I ever heard one of them say "I love you"
"Really? That is sad."
"OH NO. They loved each other so much that they never had to, they just knew it. They felt it was an honor to be with each other. They just knew when they needed space, they knew when they needed each other, they knew just what the other one needed, sometimes before they knew it for themselves. It was incredible!"
"What does this have to do with abandoned parks and ghost towns?"
"A lot if you think about it for a second." She smiles like she knows something he doesn't know. "He was a few years older and worked at something every single day. After years and years it took its toll on his body and it was hard for him to physically take care of himself. So she took care of him and never uttered one word of complaint. She thought he was still the best thing that ever happened to her and insisted on doing all of the things he couldn't anymore, and he never complained about his increasing pain or disabilities. He could still work with his hands a bit and used to carve her figures from wood. She took the tenderest care of him and protected him and he would give her a wooden horse or a rose or whatever he had carved for her. She would always act surprised and act like it was the most precious thing she had ever gotten, and in a real way it was."
He wiped his eye a bit.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to make you sad."
"No! Oh no not at all, that is beautiful, but what about the park?"
"Taking care of him was very hard on her and after a few years she fell sick and died shortly after. He refused to eat much and kind of grieved himself to death a few weeks after. I was there to clean out the house and go through everything to take to the salvation army and see what the family wanted to keep. I found a lot of pictures from when they were young, about our age. They were so full of life! Young and vibrant! From when I knew from them growing up they were always older and I never thought of them as young like I was. But it was them, you could see the same eyes the desire they had for each other, it was still there when I knew them."
"I see what you are saying now, it taught you to appreciate the way things were at one time and not to see them like they are now and how good they could be maybe?"
"Yeah, sort of but that sums it up."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"You know."


The End

Two Movies Two Days!

Well it is now early Saturday evening and I just finished going to two different movies in two days with two different friends in two different cities!

Whewwww.......

Last night saw the horribly bad Hide and Seek. I have no clue as to who screwed up that movie but I bet that Robert DeNiro has to be ashamed to have been a part of that one!!! I can't describe how bad it really was but it was bad....I had to come home and take aspirin to counter that kind of pain!!!

However there was one amazing feat that Hide and Seek accomplished, despite its R rating there was only one foul word. DeNiro dropped the F word one time. Personally I don't use language like that however I don't mind it at all. I remember a quote I heard a long time ago that it was a lazy mind that had a hard time trying to express itself in any other creative way. That paraphrased quote had an effect on me that I just decided I didn't need to use it and when a time came up that I felt using it, it forced me to think of something else to say.

Today I saw The Woodsman. A Kevin Bacon movie that has some very dark and disturbing content. I was in awe at how they skillfully handled such a touchy subject and there were times I wanted to nearly scream NO! at the character on the screen! I just can't get into it here since I don't like spoilers so I won't but I can only think that if it wasn't for indie's out here that aren't in Hollywoodland powerful and shocking movies such as The Woodsman would never be made.

I mean how exactly do you pitch a movie with content like that to a major studio???

Audition Location Meeting

February 14th I will attend a meeting at the local theater group to secure the location for auditions!

This will give me time to conduct a preproduction meeting to clean up any loose ends that I might have not thought of. I know I've spent a lot of time trying to think of the things I haven't thought of but you never know what you have overlooked so you look to others to offer opinions on your production plans. If I have not thought of something then someone will bring it up and I can either answer it or change something.

Yes making a movie is very collaborative. I'm blessed to have some great creative minds around me to help!!!!

Location for Auditions Possibly Secured!!!

Things look to be falling into place faster and faster now!

I believe that I now have a location for auditions secured. I know I was planning on placing an ad today for the auditions and I knew I had a place locked up for that however I think I have a better place now!!!

If our schedules mesh then it will be a done deal!!!

I'm still excited, things really are going according to plan!
This should allow me to have a week of advertising time, a evening of auditions and about 2 weeks of rehearsals and then shooting!!!!

YES!!!

Location SECURED!

Yes you read correctly! It is time for the next step now which is placing ads for auditions!!!

Big Country meat market has generously allowed us to use their deep freeze. I offered to rent it and he declined saying it was no problem at all as long as the door was shut!!!

What a great guy and company!!!

Now on to Monday when I start placing ads!!!
Yes I'm excited!!!

In fact I'm so excited that in my zeal I called and woke up a friend from a nap....I hope she isn't too bothered and will excuse my enthusiasm and will laugh about it later:)

Locations Scouted!!!

Yes sweet progress has been done this day!
My partner and I traveled around town today and scouted four locations, one of them was very positive and one that I would love to shoot at! There were also suggestions for other places if the one I really want doesn't work out. I have a good feeling about this place, there is a large walk in deep freeze!

Yes it is perfect! There are now several options and I couldn't be more thrilled! The Film Commission still has not responded to Chris's request but I have a feeling that they will be very helpful even if they can't locate a locker to shoot in.

It will be difficult to sleep tonight, I'm very happy about this!

Numerology and You???

Alright, anyone who knows me knows that
1. I'm not superstitious.
2. I think paranormal stuff is interesting.
3. I think psychics are frauds.

So let me begin by saying that I listen to a radio show called Coast to Coast AM which deals with UFOs, ghosts, bigfoot, etc. Right? Ok.
Well there was a lady on there the other night who was a numerologist and she told people how to break down your name and birthday into your "lifepath"(My name is a 1, my birthday is a 9 and when combined 1+9=10 so you break that down to a single digit 1+0=1) which is supposed to be compatible with another number...or what numbers you are compatible with and what numbers are toxic to you and it just won't work out.

So skeptical me decided to break down my full name and my birthday and it comes to a 1 (as I just demonstrated) when both are put together. That means (according to her) that I am compatible (I get along with these more than any other number) with any 1, 5, or a 7. If I find out someone I know is a 1, 5, or a 7 then I'd like to examine how we interact to see exactly if we do get along....or if you are a 3, 6, or a 9 (incompatible with my 1 number) or a 2, 4, or a 6(compatible but not as strong as a 1, 5, 7)

What I suspect is this...that I know many people who break down in to all 9 numbers and I probably am friends with the veritable spectrum of said people. If I had never known what their full name and birthday reduced down to then I'd have never known NOT to be incompatible with them.....kind of a self fulfilling prophecy.

If I believed in such things;)

Alright....here is what is up.....It is late and I'm having a hard time getting to sleep!
I have scheduled Monday (with filmmaking partner Chris) to location scout 3 recommended places!!!!! Yes I'm excited!!!

Yes I know this is two posts in one day, I'm an over achiever....well according to my 1 number that is......

Progress!!!

Yes progress has been made in the way of actual filmmaking, which is the original intent of this blog.

I called a company called Advance Foods, well their freezers were way too big to help but gave me some names of other companies around town that would probably work! The state's film commission is working on finding a location as well which is really good!!! That would be a very good thing if they found a perfect place and would help both of us! (film commission and myself)

Yeah this is a short post but at the moment.....and after my vehicular adventures (really funny according to one friend and made her laugh quite a bit) I don't have a lot to write....especially at this early stage of the morning.

I am going to report that my vehicle has started this morning and it is not stuck at all and should move freely when the transmission is engaged in Reverse and Drive:)

Alright I'm Stupid....

Well....yeah, I'm home AGAIN today from work....here is the story.

Yesterday morning my brother's car was stolen (and later recovered) after he went out to warm it up...you might recall that mine wouldn't start at all until it warmed up a little bit.

So that started me thinking on two different problems!
1. Don't want my vehicle to get stolen.
2. Want my vehicle to start.

So I came up with the solution!!!!!
Move my vehicle around to the back of my house and let it run during the middle of the night. Since it is a diesel letting it run like that is fine and won't hurt it at all. So I let it run from about 6 till 10 p.m.

Problem solved right?
HA!

It turns out that the exhaust melted the ice and snow into a mushy, muddy mix and when I tried to back it out of the back yard.......I GOT STUCK!!!!!

So now I have a new problem but at least it will be simple to fix shortly!
I will get my brother to bring over his truck and pull it out so no big deal other than I'm using up my vacation from work at a record pace!!!! No big deal though, I'll recover it very quickly.

Saga of the 'Burban

Well a select few of you know that in the past three weeks I have had some mechanical problems with my 1985 Chevy Suburban. Well now that it was in the negative numbers temp wise it didn't want to start this morning even though I had the water heater plugged in to keep it warm.

So I'm home today and when the sun came out it started just fine with a shot of ether. Diesels will run forever but when it gets cold they just don't want to start. I will now take this time to detail the past couple of weeks in regards to my truck!

It all started the week of Christmas on Tuesday to be exact. I went out like normal to start it up and let it warm up and noticed it cranked very slow which to me is an indication that the alternator is bad (again) and it hasn't been charging the batteries. So the next two days I put three alternators on it. O'Reilly's is getting upset with me (I bought the lifetime warranty) so when I get a bad alternator or it stops working I take it back and get a new one.

Life throws a curve ball, I swing and miss!!!

Well after putting three on in two days they really didn't want to give me another one but they did anyway and suggested there was another problem and to take it to a mechanic. Well I know that it is a self contained charging system and that the alternator could really be the only problem if it isn't charging. But I needed a few minor things done anyway so since I was off because it still didn't want to charge (after alternator number three!!!) I took it to a mechanic and had them fix some fluid leaks and put front brakes on it.

Life is looking up!!!

I get it back early the next week, Thursday I believe is when I picked it up. They tell me that it is working fine but from the volt meter on the dash it is charging around 12 volts instead of 13.5 which is normal and what I'm comfortable with. But I chalk it up to the way the alternator is made and since it is a rebuilt one the volt meter on the dash might not be as accurate and undependable. Well I have a friend in a town about 100 miles from here and we decided I would come down and visit her so I drove down New Year's day to visit. I really didn't notice the dash meter but I probably should have....

Life is about ready to do some serious kicking!!!

The next day, yep, you guessed it!!!! The batteries were dead! So I ask my friend to help me by taking me to the local O'Reilly's so that I can get some jumper cables and I decide to just pick up another alternator.....well at this point because I COULD AND WAS FRUSTRATED!!!!! So I get one and replace it in about 8 minutes (I'm very fast at replacing them now) and hook up the jumper cables to her car and we get it started. I'm happy and not as frustrated now...

Life is looking up again!

I get on the interstate and run into a complete downpour!!! Look down to turn on my lights since it is very difficult to see, going 70 in a very bad rain storm and all....and see that the dash meter is around 12 again!!! AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Life fools me and kicks me in the testicles!!!!!

So I gun the motor to see if it effects the charging and it does...a little. So I get to a town along the way that happens to have an O'Reilly's and have them put the charger on it. It is charging but barely, the manager (Who was great and extremely helpful since it was very very cold out at that point) notices my alternator belt might be a bit too warn since it didn't look tight while running. He goes in to the store and gets a pry bar and we tighten up the alternator and then puts the meter back on it and 13.5 volts!!!!!!

Life is good!!!!

I turn off the engine and buy a new belt and get it on there in about 5 minutes, tighten up the alternator and YES!!!! 13.5 and charging!!! The batteries are good but needed charging!!!!

Life is still good!!!!

So now I have a reliable vehicle again!!!!!!

Life is indeed good;)

Progress Albeit Small

Baby Steps! Yep, that is what is happening right now despite bitter coldness! Yeah I'm happy!!!

I have Chris thinking of good locations. He found all of the locations of his last film, The Secret of Ivy Headstone, and was very creative in this process. So who better than he to get started thinking of location settings? I couldn't ask anyone better!

Cold, Freezing, and Wet!!!

Everything that is going on with our weather right now shouldn't halt any progress in this project! Well, provided the electricity stays on this time. In 2002 we had an ice storm that destroyed most of the power lines in the northwest part of my state and most people were out of power for a couple of weeks. I did alright though, I had full dependable power back in about 3 days. So when the weather clears a bit I can get to location scouting!

Yes I know I know, I had planned on doing this last week when I was off from my day job. But ya wanna know something? I had fun last week and was happier when I believed I was on vacation so that is what I decided to do! Just be on vacation. I needed a break....from a lot of things and it really helped me a lot!

I feel....refreshed and peaceful now. I feel good. I feel I can accomplish this project and with the help of those involved I believe this will work to the benefit of all!!!

After all is said and done I hope my friends will be proud of their effort and will propel other projects forward with a renewed vigor and enthusiasm!!!

Yes this isn't much of an update and for that I'm sorry....there isn't a lot to tell at the moment but I am preparing....still....and getting things in order. I want this to be a very serious effort on my part as I am thinking more and more of a future in film for me and my friends!!!!

New Year's Eve

I feel that I have already written my New Year's Eve blog update when I was feeling very reflective a few days ago. I usually do look back on the year but a lot of the time I find myself looking forward to what is ahead with excitement and optimism.

I haven't done much in the way of pre pre production this week but I have really enjoyed being off and on vacation. With that said I do plan on looking for a shooting location today. I really didn't shoot my test footage but I did light up a small dark room with the JVC cam and I believe it will be plenty of light! I am excited about that! I was afraid it might be a bit too dark but it is bright and will cast some eerie shadows!

Yeah, excitement and optimism! That is what 2005 is for me, a year where anything can and will happen! Some very unexpected things, some very very good things, some great things and I want my friends with me for all of them!

Yesterday Was Movie Day!

Was it ever!
I did the Lord of the Rings EE marathon and topped it off with a very very cool (Not that LOTR isn't by any means) small movie, Before Sunrise!

Sometimes I'm just late on the draw. I love it though when I come across these little gems of cinema! It all started when I was reading a filmmaking magazine and Richard Linklater was talking about Before Sunset and exploring these characters again. Well since I had never heard of Before Sunrise it didn't mean a lot to me, just another sequel. So I had forgotten about the article and a friend of mine mentioned Before Sunrise after she read a script of a short I wrote and how it was a really good movie. So after forgetting about it AGAIN I was browsing the aisles and came across a combo pack of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset for one low low price!

So I got them!

I'm happy I did! Very happy! I'm not a huge Ethan Hawke fan but he was pretty decent in this and Julie Delpy was AMAZING and reminded me of a friend in a lot of different ways!

If you ever get the chance to see these movies, do yourself a favor and do it!

Pre Pre Production Week

I now have a freebie week!
There are some things I'd like to get done this week as you have all read so far, such as secure a location, distribute the script to a few interested people, minor things like that.

If I don't get any of them done then I'm just fine, if I get a couple of them done I'm that much further ahead!

I am going to concentrate my efforts on the location however and possibly get an ad together for auditions.

I had planned on possibly shooting some test footage but that might not happen this week, we'll see. I believe that my cam light might be too bright, which might be hard to believe for a single light shoot in a very dark place but yeah, it is a possibility!

Just another minor thing to work out if it is too bright. It might be perfect and cast the amount of shadows I am hoping for and keep a couple of the expressions in shadows or exagerate them to scary proportions!

Merry Christmas!

To everyone out there in cyberland
To everyone who isn't with their friends or family
To everyone who has everyone around them
To everyone who doesn't have anyone else to share with this Christmas
To everyone who does
To everyone who is in pain
To everyone who is in joy
To everyone I call friend or family
To everyone who can't stand me
To everyone who calls it Chirstmas
To everyone who doesn't celebrate


Grace and Peace to you all!

Strange But Good Weekend!

This has been a good weekend but it has had a couple of strange moments. Not strange in a bad way but strange in a good way that I wasn't expecting. Everyone who has followed this blog knows that I've been winding down for the year until after the Christmas break to begin auditions and rehearsals next year. Well I am going to scout locations and get a few minor details in order between Christmas and New Year's day but nothing major compared to the audition process.

So I've been spending time with friends and kind of getting away from my project just a little bit. Well it started Friday night when a friend and I decided to attend our (nearly) weekend movie. We started at Chilie's and my friend showed up with a couple of other friends so we had a mobile party at that point! So we have a drink and head over across the street to the theater to be in time for the 9 p.m. showing. Well we got our tickets to Spanglish (very good movie) but they informed us that we still had nearly an hour to wait. So we walked across the street to Applebees this time for another quick drink and for a snack to kill some time.

Even though I feel I look older than 21 the staff didn't really think so, which I kind of took as a compliment and had to walk back across the street to get my ID. But there was some good that came of it and that is our bartender seemed interested that I was going to make a feature film and so I sent her a script via email. Perhaps she will audition! She seemed to have the innocence of one of the parts that I had written and kind of giggly as well.

So one lesson I have learned is this, try to get everyone around you to audition! You never know how many people will show up when they happen and you will probably need as many people as necessary!

So after the movie I headed home as it was nearly midnight and I was kind of tired. The next day I had a fantasy football league Texas Hold'em tournament to attend which I got second place and felt pretty good about that! I won 60 dollars! Then my friend had called and said a friend of his was having a poker night and asked if I would help him learn some basics and the rankings of the hands. So we headed over to a coffee shop and went over some basics. Then headed to the party and I did fairly well then too!

So yeah! It was a good weekend and I am looking forward to the week after this week to get some locations secured and some small stuff out of the way!

2004 Good or Bad?

Well here I am, sitting down to update my blog and the only thing that keeps rolling around in my mind are all of the bad personal drama things that have happened lately. So is 2004 the worst year of my life? No, not at all. It just seems that I have a hard time remembering all of the very good things that have happened this year.

I have had some AMAZING moments this year!!! Some perfect moments in fact! So why is it that when you think back over a year's worth of living you only tend to remember the bad parts?

I have met some and bonded with some other people this year that I know I will be involved with my entire life in one way or another.

I have written and rewritten a few different scripts, one is of course the subject of this blog. I have learned so much about film and the art of making one that I feel like I'm ready to make a feature film.

I have grown, lived, experienced, been hurt, been heartbroken, have nearly died laughing so hard, have had moments of (In my own mind ofcourse) brilliance and stupidity. I've done many things and haven't done a lot of things I had planned to do.

I've had more gray creep out of my scalp.

So in this philosophical state that I'm in right now of honesty I guess I can say for sure that this year has been good to me. I know I know, it probably sounds like I'm whining, especially after this next bit but I'm not, well at least I don't feel like I am.(could also be a moment of my own stupidity here)

I haven't experienced a profound tragedy as many people have this year.

I haven't been stricken by a disease as many other people have been this year.

I haven't been without shelter, job or food.

I haven't had my world completely crumble and fall apart even though it felt like it lately at times. I have still made it through so far.

So why after all of the things I have just mentioned do I still only recall the worst parts more than the others?

Is it natural? Are you sick of rants like this instead of my filmmaking experiences? Yeah me too.
Believe me as magical, tragicly beautiful, empty, full, joyous, and sad as 2004 was, 2005 will be all of that and much much more!!!!

I Love DVD Tuesdays!

DVD Tuesdays, yeah that is a great day of the week!
Well it is when something good is being released!
Today I picked up the extended edition of Return of the King, Collateral, and I, Robot.
I'll start with the movie that all of you will start to criticize me for first I, Robot.

I know I know, let me say that I had no desire at all when this one opened. The closest I came to seeing it was when American Chopper did the I,R bike. But I'm a fan of DVD and this one looks like it will make a good viewing experience despite the movie. A put your brain on pause while it plays type of movie. I need those every once in a while.

Collateral. Now that is nearly my type of movie. Yeah it had some flaws but its style was very very good. Dark, not only the lighting but the material was dark. The music was dark, the mood was dark. Two very desolate people who really don't connect to anything around them or anyone find each other one night in the city that has so many people in it that it would be hard to connect with anyone. How is that for irony? They do connect with each other but even though the circumstances are twisted. They see a bit in each other that they actually like even though that side of the relationship is behind what is being said. Now I know at least one person who might be reading this who is thinking that I just told them all about how I don't like it when people read things into a movie that really aren't there. I really do see a little bit of Vincent and Max liking each other even though their roles in life are very different, they are very much alike. Yeah I like this one!

Now for a movie that is more of an experience! Lord of the Rings: Return of the King!
One of the greatest epics ever committed to film in the history of film! Good vs. Evil, Black and White, no Gray. Truth is very simple and well defined. Evil must be defeated or the world will perish. The scope of this trilogy of films is something that might very well never be repeated in my lifetime. The Greater Good. Self Sacrifice. Dare I say, Love Your Neighbor? I think so. One of the scenes that really stands out in my mind that sums up this series is a very simple one towards the end. The four hobbits are sitting in a pub while everyone around them is celebrating. Not celebrating the victory of Good over Evil, they have no clue that there was even a conflict let alone that their world had nearly come to an end (Yeah I know about the scourging of the Shire, I'm talking movie not books here) if it weren't for the actions of two of the most unsuspecting of folk. The four hobbits are somberly drinking a mug of ale, the people around them have no idea the sights these four had seen, the experiences thay had experienced, the sacrifices they had sacrificed. They had grown in a way that the others around them could not connect with and they had a hard time connecting with their own friends and family again. The one place that they had fought for to keep safe and how they longed to return only to find that the battle of Good and Evil had nearly made them unable to return in a way.

Some movies are more than a movie, a select few redefine the art of cinema. I have a friend who is a photographer, I have an amazing feeling that they will do for photography what Peter Jackson has done for cinema with this amazing piece of artwork.

Now That I'm Done...

With the script in its current state I really don't have a lot to post about so what I think I'm going to do is encourage my friends who are writing scripts now to get them going and finished by the time that Locker is finished!

I have talked to my friends and they are very anxious to get a project going AFTER this one is wrapped up! Originally that is what I was hoping for after we wrapped up our last film....a year ago! But it just never happened. This time it is different, we are better prepared, we have a solid film idea to work with and at least two more on their way!

Our circle of filmmakers, I believe, is the genesis of a real film community in Oklahoma. I think Oklahoma can play a important part and become a place where indies want to come to film! Kind of the way Austin is now, which I personally believe isn't going to be all that for much longer. We have established a solid core of people here where we are at. We have the equipment (I'm currently saving for a XL2 as I type this), talent, ideas, and the drive to create something special right here!

I'm proud of my friends, we are a diverse group and everyone brings something different! Yeah, this is going to be a wild ride!

Done!

My final draft is now done! That doesn't mean that there won't be changes later on when I get the actors involved or the location secured. Physical location could dictate or an actor or crew (me) could come up with a better idea about something later on but for now, yeah, I'm happy with it!

So one milestone down a few more to go! This is going to be a wild adventure! Glad you are along for the ride!

Possible Final Rewrite To Start Tonight!

Alright I know I've been close to this before but I really really want to script to be right!
I know I know, how is it ever going to be right if you keep giving it to people for opinions and then making changes?! Right?

Well I just believe I'll know! When I read it and think to myself, "It's done!" yeah, then it will be!
I realize that in rehearsals things will chage a little bit but that is allowed, I want the script to be 99.9% perfect! I am allowing myself a margin of improvement when I get the actors involved but the script is what I am concentrating now, as you all know!

So that brings me to the whole point of this post, tonight I am starting what could very well be the final draft! After taking in lots of opinions from friends and new friends I have never met but offered to read and give me unbiased opinions! Again Thank You to everyone!

So now I'll quit posting and get to the other writing!!!

Positive Evening!

Last night was real productive in terms of meeting with my friends and getting some real good, positive input for my script. There are some lines I might be switching to other characters, some added dialogue, a few lines here and there to add or take away.

Most of all I believe that when it is cast and the actors put the emotion behind the lines it will change yet again. I think overall though it is 98% ready. The story is there. The lines are there for the most part. The plot holes are a minimum at best. Yeah, I think it is close! We get the Christmas Holidays out of the way and this project will roll!!!

I am going to suggest to my friends that we get busy writing a script so that we have a project waiting after this one is complete. I believe that we will have more momentum after this project than we had last time and we can carry that over into the next one!

Many Thanks!

To all of you who offered to give me your unbiased opinions on my script, I thank you!
It is great to know that not only are some people reading this but they are interested in helping out when they can!

You all have been very supportive and a heartfelt thanks to one and all!!!

Alright, I have taken some comments to heart and am doing a minor re write. I know not all of the opinions are in yet but this is some stuff that after reading it a few times made more sense to do differently. It isn't major at all but is making it better!

Weekend's 'a Coming!

A friend and I plan on seeing Alexander this weekend. He likes Oliver Stone and I really don't but Alexander sounds so bad I don't mind paying to see this debacle! It is sort of like paying to see Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Anyway there will be some serious script discussions going on as well as I start to gear up for full swing pre-production after the Holidays! Holidays? I hate PC stuff!!! After Christmas and New Year's Day!!! That sounds better than Holidays anyway. Anyone else remember when the NCAA Football Champ was crowned on New Year's Day? Yeah me too. Well now that I've gone very off topic with my own blog I'll get it back on track!

Well since I have a few loyal readers who might be concerned about my personal well being. I am doing much better. My rough patch is smoothing out and I feel that I'm on the leading edge of something wonderful with this project! In fact I have felt so good about things lately that I might even start a script for the next project. I am sort of handcuffed with the holi....er....Christmas season coming up and I am as organized as I can get at this time, so why not start throwing some ideas into the script software and see what happens?

Bad idea? Well at the moment time is on my side. You can burn me in effigy later on if this project falls apart because another project takes center stage. It won't, I'm so excited about this one that I would hold auditions tomorrow if I thought anyone would show up!

Good Reviews?

Well here is what is going on right now with my project, since that is the main focus of this blog.
I have let around 10 people read it and have had a very very positive set of responses.
Good?
Yeah it helps me think I did a good job however I have gotten very very few negative comments which leads me to two conclusions.

1. They are my friends and are being nice so they don't try and hurt my feelings.
2. It is good.

I am going to find a neutral party to read it over and see what happens then. I have told everyone not to be afraid of hurting my feelings because if something is bad and it needs to be fixed that I really want to know or explain why it is the way it is, in which case I may not be as clear as I thought I was.

So far I have received some good comments about making it longer which I think I am probably going to use. I have also received a few very good constructive comments about some minor things but none of that really addresses the story as a whole and wether it is good or bad.

I know I have a optimistic nature but when you have a piece of work that is going to be a big project for you then you just want to know where you stand with it.