Monday, Monday

I am lazy and bored today. Need to get that out there before anything else. I am actually doing a little work, should be doing much more. Today's list of Should Haves:

-Grocery shopping
-Novel revising
-Food eating
-A bit of reading
-Dish cleaning

Plus work of course. The work part I'm getting to. The rest of it, I'm looking at and thinking about but not actually doing. I'd blame my laziness on a busy weekend but really, my weekend wasn't that busy. I'm just lazy!

I will stop that though. I'm going to get some work done. Then I'm going to go the store and buy food because it's good to have things to eat. Then I am going to go to my first of two writing classes that start this week. And then I'm going to come home and go to sleep at a time that reasonable people go to sleep and then tomorrow I will wake up at time that is also reasonable.

And while I'm doing all of that (and continuing to be mostly lazy), you should go look at these things.

Listen to my friend Cherie talk about filmmaking and kickstarter and editing over on this Coffee and Celluloid podcast.

Then if you want, enter to win stuff from Film School Rejects. There are flashlights involved apparently.

Finally, since you'll be hungry from all that, check out this contest that Eco-Vegan girl is running. You could get a book! Or a dinner at Seed. Which looks super tasty. I've been dying to try it. I should probably get on that.

Okay, I'm done being lazy and boring for the moment. Off to be productive for a few seconds. Woo!

I'm on the Internets

I really have been kind of MIA lately. On the internet sure but also in real life. It's amazing how quickly time can go by when life things are happening. Is it really the last night of Hanukkah? Only a week til Christmas? When did that happen?

Well, you'll be happy to know that the roommate search has ended, we've found the lucky person who will soon become the latest edition to Bonaparte House. She's a friend which is a HUGE relief and K and I are both confident she's going to fit right in with our crazy. Plus, bonus, she comes with a pup! How excited are we? K and I have both missed having a dog around. It's going to be wonderful.

Of course we're still sad to see J go. We'll keep in touch though and there are nefarious plans in the work for an adventure of epic proportions. That may turn into a movie. I dunno. Anything can happen. Be sure I will tell you more as this THING develops.

Speaking of movies and making them and being a woman who plans to make them... The New York Times ran this article about women in the film industry last week. It's a topic I keep alluding to and yet never get around to actually writing about. Seriously though, it's hard being a woman in this industry! There are opportunities for sure but honestly not as many as you'd think. Especially when your goal is to become a director. Female producers? I have known plenty. Most of them are batshit crazy (it all relates I think) but they do exist. When have I worked with a female director? Um. Twice. Once was a super low budget indie film that shot in Ft. Myers, Florida. The other was a super low budget indie film in San Francisco. And have you heard of these women? Not yet. Hopefully you will someday but yeah. Not yet. Anyway, read the article. It's good.

In other places, I'm on the internet! Go check me out. I'm silly. I really, really am.

Video Overload

Lots of videos to share tonight. There are some cool things to be found on the internet.

I probably don't really need to share this is one as it's all ready all over the place. That's right, Jed Whedon's Guild music video Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? Featuring Felicia Day and the rest of The Guild cast members in all their Avatar-y glory. You can watch it for free on YouTube but the single is also available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes. If you buy it you're supporting The Guild and all things geeky. Why not?



Season 3 of The Guild premiers September 1st.

District 9 is another big thing of the moment. It rocked the box office this weekend and everyone I know who has seen it loved it. I haven't gotten to it yet but I'm hoping to check it out maybe Thursday evening with my mom. In the meantime, I have watched Neill Blomkamp's original short film that District 9 is based on, Alive in Joburg. You can find it here on the Spy Films website.



Going an entirely different direction is this Episode 1 of Creature Cast. Guys, it's about squid! It's very cool and even a bit educational.

CreatureCast Episode 1 from Casey Dunn on Vimeo.

In other news, I've been watching True Blood and Eric is hot. Er, well, I guess that's not really news. That's just stating the obvious.

In other news (for real this time), a friend of mine is making a movie! My friend Cherie is getting set to shoot this fall in Northern Florida. Check out the website and throw some love, and maybe even a little cash, her way.

No Matter What

That's all I've got at the moment. Look for another post tomorrow detailing what I do when I'm unemployed and bored (beyond trolling the interwebs for videos). It shall involve bad art and a recipe for baked eggs.

Thoughts: I'm a Writer?

I’m doing this thing that I’ve mentioned on occasion called Writing. Right. Write. Really. I know that’s a weird thing to say, of course I’m writing. I write all the damn time. Sometimes I write in this blog. Daily I write in my journal. Hourly I put words on Twitter.

I’m obsessive with writing. It’s this weird thing I’ve been doing ever since I learned that putting letters on paper in a certain order made words. Frequently they were the wrong letters in a bizarre order. But still, words! Sentences! Paragraphs! Thoughts! Ideas! Stories? I started keeping my first diary when I moved to Florida in 3rd grade and while there have been periods of quiet I’ve never stopped.

I have notebooks full of stuff. I have notebooks half full of stuff. I have notebooks with a page full of stuff. I have a quote book that I’ve inflicted upon my friends (and filled with our nonsense). I have a self-inflicted rule that I’m not allowed to buy any more notebooks until I use more of the ones I all ready own. I frequently break that rule, but I try.

However, in all of this writing and babbling I never actually believed that I could write anything of any real length. Sure, I’ve written a few short stories, some really bad poetry, a short screenplay or two. A novel though? Not bloody likely! What about a feature? I don’t have the patience or the focus for a feature!

Yeah. Belief. What a funny thing.

I know I've all ready talked about it but I'm saying it again. Guys, I’m writing a feature. For real here. I know, I’m probably jinxing myself talking about it as it’s happening. I’m not allowed to keep a running page count anywhere (I’m on page 87). I shouldn’t be so giddy when it’s not even done.

I am though! Giddy that is. I’m giddy and surprised and pleased. I honestly don’t really think it’s very good, yet at least, but the fact that I’m actually writing this thing. I’ve been working on it for a solid two months now, after leaving the idea alone for two years, and it feels so real.

And please don't ask what it's about or if you can read it or anything like that. We'll get to that but we're not there yet. Yeah, I shouldn't talk about it if I don't want to TALK about it. I do a lot of things I shouldn't do.

This writing thing is such a strange development. It’s my work. I’m unemployed sure, but I’m still working. Every day I write something. Sometimes it’s just notes in one of my many notebooks. Sometimes it’s five whole pages. Sometimes it’s not even one. Some days I write for twenty minutes. Yesterday I wrote for over four hours.

I think what’s most exciting about this for me (other than the fact that I’ve written 87 freakin pages) is that I’m discovering things about myself. I’m learning what works for me. I’m realizing that I actually have a process. A process! My very own!

I’m putting together words that are forming sentences that are telling a story.

I don’t think of myself as a writer. I don’t think of myself as a director. I only vaguely think of myself as a filmmaker. I feel like these are all titles that I need to earn. How can I be a writer if I’ve never really finished anything that feels substantial? How can I be a director when I’ve only directed one short film? I work in the film industry so I guess I can sort of get away with the filmmaker thing. Even that I’m not so sure of yet.

I don’t know. When do I get to call myself these things? These are the things I aspire to. I suppose I’ll get there eventually.

For now, it’s just one word in front of another.

****

In the meantime, other things!

Movies!
There are good movies out right now that people should see. I highly recommend Hurt Locker and (500) Days of Summer. I also really enjoyed Harry Potter. Transformers 2 I skipped but I have to admit that I kind of really want to see The Ugly Truth. Funny People looks possibly worthwhile and Humpday I cannot wait to see.

Photos!
I gave in and made my Flickr Pro. I'm very pleased. The photo posting will not be stopped. My Photostream

Crafts!
I love crafts. I love people who make cool, original things. Sometimes I buy them. Some recent cool discoveries from the Renegade Craft fair:

Vital Industries: They make cool shirts with bikes. I love all things bicycle related.


Supermaggie: More fun t-shirts. And notebooks! I adore the little notebook I got.



And finally, Ex Libris Anonymous: Not only do they make super cool notebooks, they are SUPER cool people.



(This is the part where I fail at not buying more notebooks. So worth it though.)

That's where life has me right now. Broke, unemployed, writing. It's certainly been an interesting year so far. What's the rest of '09 got in store?

Links: M4M in LA

Medicine For Melancholy at the Laemmle Sunset 5

What Justin says:

Come see the little movie that could starting this weekend at the Sunset 5! Wyatt, Tracey and Barry will be there for Q&A's after the 8 & 10pm screenings.

ALSO! Watch us lose to Charlie Kaufman at The Independent Spirit Awards this Saturday on IFC Channel or AMC (www.spiritawards.com)

Also, be sure to watch the Spirit Awards this weekend! I'm out of town but I definitely have my DVR set. Steve Coogan is hosting and it promises to be a good show. Support independent film!

Links: Book of Caleb and Colbert Report

As if I didn't all ready love HULU enough.



The Book of Caleb, that little ol' movie I worked on out in Bucks County way back in the day, is now available on HULU for your watching pleasure. I love how the internet is giving us all of these fabulous new ways to see indie film.

Watch away!

AND!

I really have to share tonight's Colbert Report. Mostly for the bit about Neil Gaiman and his NEWBERY AWARD winning The Graveyard Book. But that stuff with Steve Martin was pretty good too. Yeah.

What was that about?

ALSO:

In actual life stuff, I have an interview for a job as an APOC on a pilot tomorrow. Wish me luck friends!

And Coraline opens this weekend (speaking of Neil Gaiman love). It's only in 3D for a few weeks apparently so you should go this weekend! If, you know, you like 3D and all that. I know I do.

Links: Medicine in Filmmaker

My second Medicine for Melancholy post of the day, but seriously this movie is worth it.

Cover of Filmmaker Magazine.

Go check out the link and then GO WATCH THE FILM.

It's really phenomenal and more than worth seeing. Go! Now!

Links: Medicine for Melancholy playing in NYC

Check it:

Links: MUTO: An Ambiguous Animation Painted on Public Walls

A short film that a friend of mine linked me to a while back. It's a very cool little work of art definitely worth checking out. Inspiring, vaguely disturbing, very worth the seven minute running time. Take a look:

MUTO BY BLU

Thoughts: Film Independent's Spirit Awards and M4M

Film Independent announced the Spirit Award Nominees today. You can see the full list at their website. The Awards will be held on February 21st and be broadcast on IFC.

M4M has been nominated for Best First Feature (Barry Jenkins, Justin Barber), Best Cinematography (James Laxton), and the Acura Someone to Watch Award (Barry Jenkins).

Congratulations to Medicine for Melancholy, Justin, Barry, James, and everyone else for their nominations!

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 12/1

Hi! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I drove out to Phoenix for the holiday to spend some time with my family. It was nice minus the six hour return drive that took nine hours. There was food, I cooked, my grandmother was in town from Florida, I didn't have to work, I slept. The family drove up to Sedona for an afternoon and I enjoyed the lovely scenery. Of course I forgot my camera and failed to take pictures. Oops. The drive was tiring but it's always nice to be with family on the holidays.

My brain is a bit sluggish at the moment, still slow from the Holiday or something. Bear with me.

Thursday:

After delicious food (turkey for the family, homemade veggie pot pie for myself), wine, and pie, we all settled on the couch and chilled out while we digested.



Fox Movie Channel was running a Planet of the Apes marathon and we ended up watching the original Planet of the Apes.

It's really been a while since I've seen it. In fact, I think Tim Burton's version was actually the last Ape movie I'd seen (I am NOT a fan). I do still enjoy the original. They take themselves so seriously. And of course I remember the first time I saw the ending, and how I really was shocked. I actually watched the movie before I was old enough to have had the ending spoiled for me. So I had no idea that the twist was coming.

One thing about watching movies like this with my family though. Especially with my dad. He never "remembers" anything (which is just silly, he remembers plenty but likes to play like he's forgotten). So of course we're sitting there watching, he wanders off for the last five minutes and then comes back and asks "What happened? Where are they?" My mom says "Come on, you remember Planet of the Apes!" Which of course he does. "Oh yeah, that's what happened, right?" as he lists off all of the major plot points of the last half hour.

Yes dad, yes it was.

Normal banter in my house. Oh family.

Friday PM:

I guess I must be insane because I actually agreed to go to the mall on Friday. It was kind of terrifying. I'm excited that I once again own pants that fit me (I have an issue with that. All of my pants seem to have gotten to be too large for me in the last year). I also finally bought a new pair of sneakers. I should perhaps try and do that more frequently than once every two years.

I did manage to survive the rabid hordes and eventually made it home to the safety of my living room. After Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and time reading Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, everyone kind of wandered off and I had the TV to myself. Ovation TV was running Andy Warhol themed programming all weekend and I decided to watch I Shot Andy Warhol.



I haven't watched the film since college (I watched it as part of a Women In Film retrospective type thing). I remembered liking Lili Taylor in it a lot, being somewhat shocked by certain parts of it, and just enjoying it as it fed into my fascination with Andy Warhol and that period in NYC.

I still find that scene intriguing. The people and personalities involved, the art and music and film, the lifestyle. I wish I could have seen The Factory, been a part of that at least peripherally. Or maybe not The Factory exactly. But that sort of creative scene.

Anyway. I Shot Andy Warhol is cool.

Saturday PM:

Australia. I had to see it. I'm a fan of Baz Luhrmann, I like romance and daring and adventure, I think Australia is a pretty neat looking place.



Watching the film, I couldn't help but be reminded of many, many other movies. Walkabout comes to mind almost immediately (for reasons beyond the obvious shared location) but it's not the only one. Throughout Lurhmann reminds us of old Hollywood, the Westerns, the War Epics, the Love Affairs. I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

The reviews on this one seem to be split and I feel like it's definitely one of those love it or hate it films. I loved it.

Doesn't hurt that Hugh Jackman looks AMAZING. I finally understand his being named Sexiest Man of the Year. Indeed. Also, that kiss between

What really stood out for me though was Brandon Walters. Walters plays Nullah, the half white, half aboriginal child whose fate much of the plot revolves around. Walters is incredible. His performance is definitely something special.

Sunday:

Before embarking on what would turn out to be one of the worst drives ever, I ate delicious apple pancakes. And then I watched Joe Wright's adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. Wright also directed last year's Atonement and the upcoming (eventually) The Soloist.



Atonement is ok, it's one of those movies that I liked less the more I thought about it, but I still really enjoy Pride & Prejudice. I like Keira Knightly as Lizzie Bennett (and everyone else as the rest of the Bennetts). Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books, it's such a great story with fabulous characters, and I enjoy the different adaptations of it. It's true though that Matthew Macfadyen is no Colin Firth. I still think Firth's Mr. Darcy is better.

I also wish Wickham had had a bigger role in this film. I felt like that subplot wasn't given enough time to develop. However, considering the film is all ready hitting two hours as it is, I suppose something had to be cut.

That's the hard thing about seeing a book you love adapted into a film. Something usually has to go but as a reader you're loathe to give anything up. It's always an interesting question, is the movie a good film or a good adaptation? Sometimes it's one, sometimes the other, and every once in a while it actually manages to be both.

Pride & Prejudice is a good movie, a decent adaptation, and a fair amount of fun.

On The Slate:

Friday Night Lights. The TV show. Seasons 1 & 2. I'm excited.

Play Misty For Me and Day for Night, both in from Netflix.

And maybe some James Bond although at this point I'm beginning to lose hope. So sad!

Thoughts: News Worth Sharing

Two little bits I found whilst perusing Hollywood Reporter's website.

The first is that L.A. Confidential will be getting a special edition DVD come September. While I normally am less than excited by so-called "Special Editions" this one actually sounds like it could be pretty cool.

Hollywood Reporter Article.

The features sound interesting and I'm tickled by the idea of a commentary by critic Andrew Sarris. I have a feeling I'll probably end up purchasing this one.

The other news is bigger and even more exciting.

I get to mention once again Medicine For Melancholy. I heard the news last night thanks to a Myspace bulletin but it's still really cool to see it making actual Hollywood Reporter news.

M4M has been picked up by IFC!

I'm completely psyched for Justin and Cherie and everyone else. I have a damn good idea of how much work they all put into this film. It's just great to see their commitment and dedication rewarded.

If you're in LA you should definitely venture out to the LA Film Fest this weekend and check it out! I can't wait to see it tomorrow.

IFC Films picks up 'Melancholy'

The LA Film Festival

And that's what I've got for now. Back to work!

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 6/16

I feel like I have a lot of updating to do. I watched more movies this weekend than I have the last few weeks. I've also been so busy with work that I have a backlog of things I want to write about. I won't say exactly what though since I don't know how much time I'll have to get to it all and I don't want to disappoint anyone when something gets left out.

Before I talk about my weekend I do want to share these to interviews though. The first is an absolutely fantastic one with Andrew Stanton, the writer and director of Pixar's Wall-E. I have told you guys I'm extremely excited about this movie, haven't I? Anyway, you can find the interview here. It pretty much just reaffirms all of the reasons I love Pixar.

The second interview is with director M. Night Shyamalan. Okay, so I may be the only person ever to actually like The Happening. Really the only movie of his that I can straight up say I don't like is Signs. I'm a fan and if nothing else I have to respect his love of movie making. Say what you will about this guy, his love of film seems genuine and that right there makes him a lot more respectable than a lot of directors out there. He does what he does and leaves it up to you to decide if you like. Either way he doesn't compromise his vision, even if that vision may be highly flawed.

Anyway, I'll talk a bit more about The Happening in a minute. You can find his interview here.

Now that that stuff is out of the way let's move on to my weekend shall we?

Friday PM:

A picture from the set of my short "Tomorrow's Party"

Rather than watching other people's work, I actually made a bit of progress on my own. I spent the night working with the guy who is potentially going to be providing me with music for my short. I'm now way past my April goal of finishing but I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised. The picture editing I finished more or less when I hoped to. I just completely underestimated how much time the music was going to take me.

One thing about me: I'm a complete perfectionist. Especially when it comes to anything remotely creative. When I was younger I used to do this thing where if I didn't think I could get something as perfect as I wanted it, I just wouldn't do it. A fear of failure or some such thing. I've grown past that bit but sometimes it can take me a really, really long time to finish something.

In this case, I could have settled on a couple of music options earlier. They just weren't quite right for my film. And if I settle on less than perfect music, well, what was the point of putting all of this time and energy into something that I'm just going to give up on in the final act? Instead, the process has dragged out two months longer than I hoped it would. I think the time will be worth it though. From the progress made Friday night I feel like what I'll be getting is music that fits the story and the emotions that I'm attempting to convey. Every little detail is so important; the more details I get right the better my final film will be. This film means so much. I want it to be as close to perfection as it humanely possible to get.

It's also been a huge learning process. I can add this music experience to the list of other things I now know. It's all to make the next one that much easier to do ;)

Saturday Afternoon:

I was so incredibly lazy all weekend. Saturday started with breakfast (huevos rancheros from a little Mexican joint nearby. Delicious!), moved on to hanging out in my front yard, and finally made its way to film. That wonderful marine layer we're all so used to out of the westside maybe Saturday a bit chilly. A slightly overcast, chilly Saturday? Perfect time to go to a movie!



So here's where I'll talk more about The Happening. See, the thing is, I really enjoyed it. Yes, it's flawed. Yes, there's a lot wrong with it. The acting is stiff, the dialog can be absolutely atrocious, stylistically I don't think it's as strong as M. Night's other films. However, emotionally it hit all of the right notes for me and while I can't really argue that it's a good film I can confidently say that it is an enjoyable one. If you're a fan of his previous works then I definitely recommend you go see The Happening. If you're not? Then you may want to wait for video. I don't regret seeing it in the theater (especially since I went to a cheaper matinee show) but it's not necessarily something that absolutely has to be seen on the big screen.

I also have to mention that I really do appreciate the restraint they showed in releasing a film that runs only about an hour and half long. When there are so many films with ridiculously inflated running times, it is so incredibly nice to get a film that doesn't run too long. Hollywood just doesn't seem to know when to say "Stop, it's time to CUT now" anymore. A movie doesn't have to be over two hours long in order to be good. In fact, a too long running time has frequently been my biggest complaint about a lot of films in the recent past. Shorter can most definitely be better.

I'm really hoping to write a full review on The Happening in the next couple of days so I won't write anymore now. I think I've really said enough at this point anyway.

Saturday PM:

After going to the local park with a few people and throwing a baseball around until it was too dark to see, we came home and just kind of hung out for a while. There was a bit of channel surfing going on that I didn't pay much attention to.

Finally the channels stopped changing and we were left watching 2003's Ben Affleck vehicle Paycheck.



I never actually saw Paycheck when it came out. At the time I was working part time at a video store and even the free rental didn't convince me that watching Paycheck was a good idea. I mean, John Woo is a cool director, he's made some awesome films. However he's not exactly someone I would pick to direct an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick story. (Honestly the only Philip K. Dick adaptation I've ever liked is Ridley Scott's Bladerunner. Possibly a "duh" statement. And even that departs quite a bit from the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.)

Ben Affleck? Yeah, I'm not really a fan. So Paycheck I skipped.

Finally watching it this weekend what I have to say is this: It's not a good movie. But. It's an ALMOST good movie. It has a lot going for it and it certainly keeps my interest. In the end it doesn't quite work as well as I would have liked but it's fun. I'm sticking with my original opinion of John Woo being the wrong choice for this film though. The focus is too much on making it a standard action flick rather than taking advantage of all of the cool things the story offers.

Again, I'm kind of hoping to be able to write a full review so I'm going to move on to the next one now. Don't want to blow my load to early now, do I? Er, is that I bad phrase to use? I think maybe it is...

On to Sunday!

Sunday PM:

One of my favorite animated films ever was on Sunday night. Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. I've talked about my love of Miyazaki in my reviews of Kiki's Delivery Service and Howl's Moving Castle.



Spirited Away is possibly his best film. Character design, story, writing, animation, I can not think of one thing I wish was better. I love it all. So much time and care obviously goes into his films. The results are beautifully crafted films that far surpass most of what we see America producing. His films are always kid friendly and yet challenging for the adult viewer as well. There is always a strong moral center but his themes never come across as preachy.

I love this movie so much. I highly recommend you all watch it. There's a good chance you'll fall in love as well.

After Spirited Away, K and I managed to once again leave to couch and get out of the house. We had somewhere we needed to be. After all, The Incredible Hulk opened this week.



I've gotta say, the rumors are true. Marvel managed to deliver us TWO excellent comic book movies this summer. It gives me hope for their future adaptation plans. I'm not sure I liked the Hulk more than Iron Man but I enjoyed it at least as much. It's really well done. Edward Norton continues to earn my love. He and Liv Tyler are also great together. She's not always my favorite actress but I've liked her more than I haven't. I guess I can't completely blame her for Armageddon. She's not the worst part of that movie. (I'm looking at you animal crackers! Worst. Scene. Ever.)

She's good in The Incredible Hulk though. As is the rest of the cast. And the CGI. Sure the Hulk still looks like CGI. But dude, he's a giant green guy. How realistic are we really expecting him to look? The action is one thing that I would say Hulk does better than Iron Man. Where the final fight in Iron Man leaves me wanting more, it's a bit anti-climactic, all of the action in Hulk is great. It's well paced, it's explosive, and all of the build up comes together in one kick ass finale.

And thank you Marvel. First Robert Downey Jr. and now Ed Norton in all of their male shirtless glory. I am one happy lady right now. Damn but do they both look good. I've never been one to put up pictures of celebrities on my walls. But these movies are really making me reconsider that decorating decision. There are worse things to stare at than Ed Norton in torn up jeans. Mmmm... I would tear those pants up myself, I tell you what!

Is it just me or is this post getting increasingly inappropriate?

Again. Moving on.

On the Slate:

Lifeforce - In from Netflix. Hopefully I'll have time to give it a go.

The Tripletts of Bellville - It's been a while since I've watched this one. I'm all in the mood for it so maybe I'll make that happen this week.

Mongol - I really need to see it!

Medicine For Melancholy - Playing as part of the LA Film Festival I'm planning on going to the Friday PM showing. For more info check out the LA Film Fest's website.

Production: Medicine for Melancholy at the LA Film Festival

To give these guys another mention, Barry Jenkins's film Medicine For Melancholy will be playing at the LA Film Festival in June. The fest runs from June 19-29. The opening and closing films this year will be Wanted and Hellboy II, respectively. It promises to be a good time and if you're in LA you should check out M4M along with all of the other films being showcased.

For more info: http://lafilmfest.com/films.php

Production: The Book of Caleb

Way back in the fall of 2005 I left the comforts of my parents house in warm, sunny south Florida to spend the winter in the cold of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I drove over twenty hours in order to work on my very first feature film. I was to be the script supervisor on the ultra low budget indie The Book Of Caleb. Written and directed by FSU alum Matt Manahan, The Book of Caleb was a production unlike any I've seen or been a part of since.

It was run incredibly professionally, crewed with immense talent, fueled by passion. And done on a tiny budget that shouldn't have allowed most of the things we accomplished to occur.

Now, after a long wait and much anticipation, The Book of Caleb is finished. I'm incredibly excited for Matt and everyone else who has spent countless hours putting this thing together. And I just wanted to share my excitement and spread the love.

So go visit them at their website. And if you want to see it, check them out at From Here To Awesome. Or even at YouTube.

For your viewing pleasure, a taste:

Trailers: Medicine for Melancholy @ SXSW

I've talked in this blog a little about indie film and DIY film making. Mostly in regards to the small film several of my friends were making in San Francisco last fall. Well, now they have a trailer and their film will be premiering at the South By Southwest Film Festival this spring. I'm excited for them and proud and I just wanted to share the news here.



Check out the trailer. And if you want to know more about SXSW, check out their website here: SXSW

Production: Introducing Tomorrow's Party

Considering the fact that this is a blog about film and filmmaking, you would think that I would talk about my projects. I'm not really sure why haven't. But yes, I have my own project. And I'm going to talk about it.

Currently I am working on putting together a five minute short film called "Tomorrow's Party". My roommate and drunken cohort Katie is helping me produce it. If I haven't driven her crazy yet... I have a feeling she may hate me by the end of it. Haha... I'm kidding... I think...

About Tomorrow's Party.

It's a screenplay that I wrote, will be directing, and am producing. When you're working on something this small you end up doing a lot of it yourself. The rest of it... I'm calling in a lot of favors. A friend from college is coming in from New York to be my DP. Various other friends are filling other crew positions. As I've mentioned all ready, my roommate is my producer. So far the only people enlisted who I didn't know previously are my actors.

It's a lot of work. It fills most of my free time. There are locations to be scouted, actors to talk to, insurance to arrange. And that was just the last three days. There's a laundry list of things to accomplish before Thanksgiving. This week.

When I stop thinking about how much I have to do, I start thinking about how I'm going to be able to afford this. By the skin of my teeth. It's incredibly stressful but I try and not let that freak me out. Because I know people who have done more than I'm doing with relatively less resources. I may be putting everything I have into this film, but I think I have enough. I think. I hope.

But that's an inescapable part of indie filmmaking. We do what we can with what we have. We may have to make sacrifices but in the end it's worth it. We've made a film. It's ours.

I'm not working in independent film at the moment but that is the world that I come from. The experiences have been frustrating, they've been painful, they've been frustratingly painful. And yet, this is the world that I come back to for my own work. Because real independent filmmaking, at it's best, is soulful. The people love what they're doing, we're passionate, and in the end our projects mean something.

Again. This is at it's best. At it's worst it can be soul sucking working. People will take advantage of you. Projects can be worthless crap. You may get nothing out of it.

Tomorrow's Party will be indie at it's best. I can say that with confidence. Because it is my project, I believe in it, and I truly appreciate everything that everyone is doing for me. I may not be able to afford to pay my cast and crew, but I do respect them. I will take care of them as best I can. I want to make this film worth it for everyone.

It's my first post-college project. My first real film. Yes, it's super short. But it's a learning experience. It's also a story I care about. Sometimes five minutes is all you need.

Tomorrow's Party is where my energy will be spent for the next three weeks (Wait, I really only have three weeks left? Now THAT is a terrifying thought). And my time. And all of my money that's not all ready going to rent or bills. But that's okay. Because we're getting this done. We're making a movie.

I'll try and keep posting updates. I can't promise anything but I'm sure there will be lots to talk about. Right now most of what I've got is stress and exhaustion. Oh yeah, and a conversation with a 75-year-old ex-rock band manager Holocaust survivor from Germany. I guess there is always that.

Production: DIY Filmmaking, Strike Anywhere, And Exhaustion

DIY - Do It Yourself. Low budget, guerrilla, all about the art. At least, that's the ideal. DIY
is a movement, sort of, of indie filmmakers who are bypassing the traditional Hollywood system, taking advantage of affordable technologies, and just getting their movies made. In the best examples it's honest, real, uncompromised, art. In the worst examples, it's a bunch of hacks taking advantage of their friends. For the most part, it's amazing.

Strike Anywhere Films - An indie production company specializing in ultra low budget DIY
productions. I worked with them last fall (they happen to be personal friends of mine) on a feature in San Francisco. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I would do anything to help these guys out and that's what makes it work. For Strike Anywhere, it's not about the
profit, it's about bringing the unique visions of their filmmakers to life. I worked with them on City On A Hill, Amy Seimetz's original story of love and revolution. Currently, they are working on a feature directed by Barry Jenkins (who I've heard much about but have yet to
meet) called Medicine For Melancholy. If that title sounds familiar, you might just be a fan of Ray Bradbury.

Either way, you should really check these guys out. They can be found at Strike Anywhere
Films. And if you like what you see, you should help them out with their DIY odyssey and buy a shirt.

Exhaustion - My current state. And it's only the second day of shooting. Oi. While today was long, it was actually fairly uneventful for me. A couple of little runs, some sides making, locking the door at the end of the night. That was more or less it. We have three more shooting days and then a week of wrap and then we're done. Pilots really are fast.

Of course, since this is such a fast show, I now have to look for more work. Again. Have I mentioned that this is the worst part of working in this industry? The constant job searching. I enjoy the randomness but a little security and stabilitly would be nice every once in a while. Knowing that I'll be able to pay all my bills... Ya know.

For now though, I'm just going to finish this post and grab some sleep. While my morning isn't as early as most of the crew's (I have the late shift in the office) it's still pretty early. And my days are just as long as everyone else's.

Review: Driving Lessons

Originally posted at Epinions



When considering Driving Lessons, two questions come immediately to mind. First, will Rupert Grint be able to escape the world of Potter? Second, do I really need another indie coming of age story?

The answers: Yes. And No.

Driving Lessons is writer Jeremy Brock’s (The Last King of Scotland; Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown) first directorial effort. Supposedly inspired by events and memories of his childhood, Brock tells the story of Ben Marshall. Marshall is the seventeen and a half year old son of a preacher and an evangelical. His father is frustrated, his mother is insane. After she decides to take in the troubled Mr. Fincham, Ben is tasked with finding a job to help pay for Mr. Fincham’s recovery. All in the name of being a good Christian. The job Ben finds is an assistant position with the aging actress Dame Evie Walton. Through his experiences with Dame Evie, Ben discovers a bit about the world and more about himself.

It’s incredibly easy to compare this movie to many others (Harold and Maude for a start) and it never does venture far into the world of originality. It also follows closely the conventions of “Independent Cinema”. It falls comfortably into a group of films including such recent examples as Garden State and Squid and the Whale. All coming of age dramas about male protagonists with complicated family lives. And that’s not to say that any of these are bad films or that there is something wrong with fitting into this category. That’s just what it is. Personally, I like a little more spice in my diet.

Driving Lessons does step away somewhat in that it is never completely over run by the cynicism that other films affect. There is always an air of innocence and repeatedly I found myself thinking of the movie as being “sweet.” A large part of that is a credit to Rupert Grint.

Grint’s Ben and Julie Walters’ Evie are two characters who are meant to be together. While the relationship occasionally flirts with the idea of romance, for the most part it sits solidly in the realm of friendship. Evie is outlandish and Ben is stoic. Their personalities clash but compliment at the same time. One of my favorite scenes is one between the two of them in Evie’s garden. They recite Shakespeare and Ben moves from reluctant partner to enthusiastic participant. Again, it’s “sweet” but it’s also engaging and Grint is given a moment to really perform.

It’s another trap of the “indie” film that Brock falls into with his directing. For some reason, it seems a prerequisite to include a lot of shots of the protagonist staring blankly ahead. I think it’s supposed to convey a sense of frustration? Disillusionment? Disenchantment? Disappointment? Depression? More words beginning with a “D”? Impotence? Yes, I’m sure that staring straight ahead requires a vast amount of acting skill. Lets see that shot again please. Thank you.

Grint does manage to show promise as a young actor, he has some truly fine moments, but over all I don’t think that Driving Lessons ever fully takes advantage of whatever talent may be lurking behind his quiet exterior.

And while the directing in Driving Lessons is never bad, it’s nothing incredibly fantastic either. Technically, it’s a well done film. There are some excellent compositions, the editing is solid, the story’s pacing worked for me, there are good performances. It just never moves beyond competent.

It’s not a bad choice for a rainy afternoon, if you have nothing else you particularly wanting to see, or if, like me, you’re curious to see what Harry Potter’s young stars can do in a different venue. Just don’t expect the film of the year.

In addition to Grint and Walters, the cast is rounded out with Laura Linney as Ben’s mother, Nicholas Farrell as Ben’s father, Jim Norton as Mr. Finch, and Michelle Duncan as the cute and seductive Bryony.

Production: A Short and A Nomad

A pier we shot on in Ft Myers, Fl

I really have been terrible about updating this blog. The Ft Myers film I was scripty for back in May went really well. I possibly would have posted if I had actually had access to the internet. As it was, I was offline for the month. June I spent in New York. I had a day working for the Ft. Myers film and then two weeks as an AC for a short a couple of friends were shooting. Both of those also went well. I was in New York through the 4th of July and got back to Florida last Monday.

And on to current things.

This weekend I'm scripty for a short filming in Ft. Lauderdale. It's only for today and tomorrow but it's something fun to fill the time with. The crew is pretty cool and I was happy to find that I had worked with a couple of the kids previously. The gaffer and the girl doing make-up were both in Ft Myers and I'm glad to be working with them again. They're very cool kids. I also know a couple of the guys helping out as grips. So good times there.

Coming up in August I'll be script once again for some friends on a film out in San Fransisco. I can't wait to get out there and the idea of working in San Fran is hugely exciting. I'm also just looking forward to working with these guys again. It's a film being produced by the 2nd AC and 2nd/1st AD from the film I did last fall. A few other people from that film will be on this one as well so I'll be getting to work with a lot of people that I just really like.

Ha, now if I could only find a few more jobs that paid a bit more my life would be perfect. I'm also excited about getting a decent number of scripty jobs, I'm just looking forward to getting more camera jobs as well. Hopefully that will start happening more as well.

But yes. Speaking of jobs and work and whatnot. I should get my things ready for tomorrow and get some sleep. It's a nice and early call.