FRAME by FRAME

New project in the works

2008-07-23T23:23:00.002-04:00

Well, it's actually an old project but after long discussions and debates we have decided to go for a new feature length film. We've bounced around several ideas the past year or so and all of them we like and aren't dead just put in the bin for a revisit at a later time. The reason was that we have long debated whether or not to try some shorts or webisodes and finally settled on just plowing ahead and shooting a feature. BONE CHINA is back. The script written several years ago and had already been in the early stages of pre-production is the script we plan on tackling. The story is very near and dear to my heart as it was a script Mat Raney wrote from a short film script I had written way back right after "12 Steps Nowhere" was in pre-production. The film will be a dark and gritty thriller with some great characters and story. I don't want to give out to many details but we are hard at work on the script and scheduling. A new website will be going up soon as well. We plan on using it in the early stages as a production journal site to keep up with productions, video journals, blogs, podcasts, early stills and much more! We are all very excited about the film and look forward to bringing everyone one along for the full production ride!

1st SCENE IN THE CAN!

2008-06-19T09:07:00.000-04:00

First shoot back after a long delay and it was AWESOME! We all worked very hard and long for a 3 minute scene and I probably over shot but we got some great footage! Graeme and Mat did a spectacular job acting this scene, Chad, great ideas and kept my overall vision for it on course, Cory always there when needed and happy to be there and Dave, as always, on top of his game!

This is the scene we are trying to develop into a feature length movie. The script is written but this scene is our investor piece. This scene stands alone and it isn't part of the feature but it was a great way to start shaping the look and feel of the movie. Too bad we had to kill Graeme off as "Anderson" because he was so good but Mat's "Vitali" could reappear in BONE CHINA.

All in all, this shoot got us back on track. We've been working all along, especially on, THIS MODERN LOVE. But we were more partners on that picture but this is all Twenty One. When we all get to work together it's always good, but when it's on our own project it's GREAT!

TEST SHOOT IS LIKE RED BULL!

2008-06-13T09:06:00.002-04:00

We've debated, talked, planned for months now. But the time is finally here! Saturday night we are doing a test shoot for a possible upcoming feature. I'm working on the storyboards right after I finish this post. Lately I have been doing a lot of shooting, directing and editing for news. That gets old REAL quick. It's steady work, but you can burn out fast. That's why this test shoot is like a Red Bull to my brain! Planning shots, breaking down the script, storyboards, it's like my creative director light has been turned on with a 5K bulb! I'll continue to post on the progress of this shoot and ultimately the progress of the movie it's preludes.

TIME TO GET TO WORK!

Lucky or Just a F***ing Idiot!

2008-05-19T22:51:00.003-04:00

Creativity. That is my life. Always has been. Art, music, film and everything in between. I pour my heart and soul into all these endeavors and inevitably that also draws critics and it's something I expect and deal with. Great critiques make you feel worthy and anything remotely negative can crush my spirit. I know I need thicker skin and most people are just trying to help and you can only get better because of it right? All true. It all comes with the creative realm. So why complain? I'm not, but I want to express, not excuse, my defensiveness in times of harsh critiques.

I am the king, the man, pound for pound the best, among men, as the "the jack of all trades and the master of none." I am not a particularly good singer or even a decent guitar player, my writing (all of it) is sloppy and grammatically incorrect on all levels. As an artist I have natural ability but very little schooling or training. So I am mediocre at best. As a matter of fact I have no college education. I took classes in college but never completed a degree. That's hard. That's one of the few regrets in my life. That's why I get touchy and sensitive when people correct me. Which, more often than not, is more than justified.

It happens all the time. Who doesn't have some sort of college degree today? I was in the infield at the Preakness last Saturday and I stopped to change a battery in my video camera. A concessions guy asked me about my camera and what I did. This guy was probably making barely minimum wage. And he asks me,"Did you go to school for this (video)?" I told him no. I never lie. I've never said I had a degree to anyone, ever. But it's not information I give up freely, until now. I digress. But at that very moment I felt ashamed I make the type of money I do when I felt this infield concession worker deserved much more than I have. I am fortunate, blessed and very, very lucky, but I always feel like at some point I am going to be exposed as a fraud. An uneducated hack. I'm not saying I havn't worked hard to get where I am but the fear of losing it all in a heartbeat is a very real for me. Simply because I feel as though everyone is smarter and more gifted than I could ever hope to be.

I've played music with some incredible musicians, made T.V. and film work with real pros, had my words read by real novelists and an Emmy award winner writer. So who the F*** could I possibly think I am? I'm a man in a mask, some (many) people know it others don't. I survive on those who actually think I know what I'm doing, when really I am just staying afloat waiting for someone to finally push me under the water.

Time is no longer on my side. Life is hard. It's hard for everyone, not just me. We all have our cross to bear. But the fear that lives within my soul should scare even the toughest S.O.B. Fraud, idiot, or just the luckiest truly unskilled person alive? Who knows? But as I do in all my creative endeavors I bare my soul and wear my heart on my sleeve and I am sure someone is gong to criticize me for it.

Losing a Loved ONE

2008-05-19T22:45:00.001-04:00

Now I'm not sure I should be writing this right now seeing as though I'm heavily sedated but here goes. Friday night 11:45 p.m. we lost another member of our family to cancer. This was the aunt of my first wife who died of the same type of cancer. She lived close, stayed close but struggled in the end, and I'm certain she was ready to go. I've seen it before. She wasn't quitting she was ready. She was peaceful and was surrounded by family and friends. Myself not included since I did not think I had the fortitude to handle it. I've been by the bed side when someone takes their last breath and that shit is burned in your memory 4 life!. Believe me. I'm sad, contemplative and melancholy. Or maybe I'm just a big pussy that has let a lot of feelings die inside at an early age. I hope not. I'm sensitive and there is a whole life out there to be lived. Does anyone read this crap I write anyway? I hope mother's day went well for many. But all in all today sucked for many close to me. Stay driven, stay alive, feel alive, do something you never thought you had the guts to do! Life ain't waiting on you!

"Above all endure!"

Scars & Souvenirs

2008-04-18T04:59:00.000-04:00

A buddy of mine commented on my last post referring to song titles from the Foo Fighters. Very appropriate indeed. So I use an album title for this post although I think I should revise it a bit. It should be called Scars are Souvenirs. It's been a while since I brought this up and I missed my annual post, February 21, this year due to my surgery recovery. But February 21 provided me with my 2nd big scar, emotionally. I didn't get my physical ones until years later. But with a beautiful spring day looming and me with nothing to do but enjoy it, I need to spend a moment reflecting. Spring is renewal and in my case in 1993 and 1996 never was the word "renewal" so severely redefined in my life. At the ripe old age of 25 my first wife Jill gave birth prematurely to our son, Aaron. He was born on Good Friday and he passed away on Easter Sunday, April 9. He was 3 months early and despite doctor's best efforts to fragile to survive. Scar 1. Then, February 21, 1993. Jill passed away from cancer only 6 months after being diagnosed, I had just turned 28, she had just turned 30. Scar 2. But on that fatefully day when I was there when Jill took her final breath "renewal" had begun. I can say that now since so much time has passed. I don't bring this up for sympathy but as a simple reminder. Now that I sit here nearly 12 years later my, life is renewed each day and it went it a direction I never could have imagined. A gorgeous spring day helps bring that to light many times. So my scars are my souvenirs. I don't wear them as crosses either. They are what they are. At a very early age in my life my scars were internal, hell at times I thought they would killed me. In the last 5 years my scars have been external from surgery and some I even did on purpose, such as my tattoo that grows larger and more colorful each time I go for new ink. Still a scar in my book. But if you let those scars heal and let them be a reminder of times in your life in which the pain would never seem to go away...know that it will. It'll just leave a souvenir. A reminder, not a reason to stop renewing and enjoying all the glory of a warm spring day!

MOVING FORWARD

2008-04-14T22:16:00.002-04:00

Due to my most recent and painful bout of medical issues it seems as though my life has taken a major detour. Now 2 months post-op I am feeling better and I believe that life is slowly but surely getting back on course. I still haven't had a mortality crisis but I do realize that everyday without pain, heartache, misery and loneliness is a good one.

Lots of projects to get back to and living life the best I can. Thanks to everyone who stuck by me, supported me and cared enough about my personal well being. Life is good and it can always get better! I look forward to the possibilities, I hope you do too!

HELP US WIN!

2008-04-06T20:21:00.001-04:00

Here is the second pitch in the contest we enter called "The Perfect Pitch." Both our pitches made it into the top 20! Watch and then visit the site and make it a favorite!

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

VOTE FOR US!

2008-03-31T14:43:00.001-04:00

Our boys Mat Raney and Chad Perkins have entered the AVID Perfect Pitch contest. We are in the top 40 but we need your help to get us into the top 20! VOTE NOW! VOTE OFTEN!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T21:56:00.001-04:00

Ever wonder what the Easter bunny does the other 364 days of the year? Watch this!

Hello Again

2008-03-10T13:50:00.002-04:00

I don't know how many times I can apologize for my blog not being updated on a regular basis. This is another attempt at redemption. Since the beginning of February I have had another bout with a health problem. I was hospitalized for more than a week, had surgery and am now just getting back on my feet. Hopefully within a week I will be back at my day job and Twenty One has a brand new project that should be getting underway very soon.

See ya' soon!

Video Gallery

2008-01-14T14:52:00.000-05:00

Check out our trailers video gallery!

Video Gallery powered by Vodpod

I Knew Them When...

2007-08-21T14:28:00.000-04:00

In a world where 24 hour news serves to saturate the public at large with bad news it's time for some good. Among the stories of Iraq, Michael Vick, NBA ref, Tim Donaghy, the trapped Utah miners and rescuers, toys with lead paint, heat waves, hurricanes, and the scariest of all...political debates, it's time for some happiness.

Not mine specifically. Tonight Fox airs the final episode of ON THE LOT. As I've blogged before, our friend and fellow filmmaker, Jason Epperson, is in the finals. I have no knowledge of the outcome but I have a hunch Jason will win it all and I hope that he does. At the absolute worst he comes in third and gets to be a working director. I'd take that...yesterday. Winning would be icing. He already has the cake. And good for him. Better to have known someone that becomes successful than not. Especially in a field I hope to make a living in. Not just work. I can and still do make movies. But I can't feed my family on them...yet.

For those of you out there who I haven't told yet, and that would be very few, I went to high school with Dave Grohl. Yes, THAT, Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame. I have the high school yearbooks to prove it. Now Dave and I weren't close but I knew him and I know several people who will claim they were Dave's best friend...now. I watched him and a few neighborhood guys practice with their band in the drummer's basement. He was a year behind me in school, he was freshman class president, and his mom taught English in our school. I remember Dave playing guitar and the band practicing, Ozzy Osbourne's, Crazy Train. He went on to play drums in a D.C. punk band called, Scream and next thing I knew he was on MTV with Nirvana.

I don't think much about it now but when I do it is strange to be able to say I went to school with a guy who became famous. Dare I say a rock icon in a world full of disposable stars. When I see him on T.V. or on the cover of magazines all I can think of is the guy that got dragged, kicking, into my sister's bathroom by 3 dudes where they proceeded to butcher his hair, during a party at my house the summer before my junior year!

In a time where we are all hoping for some good news, even if it doesn't directly effect you, this is mine and more than likely many others too. Jason is on the verge of Hollywood success and who knows he could be the next Spielberg. You could have never convinced me when I was in high school that Dave Grohl would grow up to be..."Dave Grohl." So I know, first hand (really second hand), that it's possible. What I'll remember most about Jason is when he came up and congratulated me at the screening of my first feature movie, The Midnight. I hope that I get the chance to hang out with Jason again if the opportunity ever presents itself. But if not, I can honestly say, "I knew him when."

Perspectives Part 2

2007-08-17T08:28:00.001-04:00

Life can be tough sometimes. It seems like my year, outside of the release of R.O.T.T., has been a very difficult one. News hit late last night that 3 rescue workers died and 6 more were hurt doing their job trying to save 6 miners who have been trapped for 2 weeks in the mine in Utah. I can't even image the horror of that situation even though it's shown minute by minute on cable news. Yeah I've had a fairly sucky year but my complaints pale in comparison to the pain and fear that all these people and their families are having to endure.

From all of us at Twenty One our thoughts and prayers are with the trapped miners, rescue workers, their families and all the people of Utah.

VOTE!

2007-08-14T16:13:00.000-04:00

I have had a few previous posts about the show ON THE LOT . Our friend and fellow filmmaker Jason Epperson did not only make it on to the show but is now in the FINALS of the competition! Everyone has been so supportive and now all of us who know Jason are trying to help make the final push for Jason to WIN! Nate Brown sent me some great info on Jason and a how-to to make sure he can get all the support we can give him. Read all the info below and please help! Vote! GOOD LUCK JASON!

(From Nate:)
Winchester resident Jason Epperson is in the final 3 contestants of FOX's
ON THE LOT. Tonight is the last night to vote and choose the winner of
the $1 million Dreamworks contract. Over the past 3 months, he has been
narrowed down from 20,000 submissions to the final 3 for this reality show
competition for Directors (much like American Idol or The Next Top
Whatever).

I'm sending this to those of you who have showed interest in helping with
Jason's success.

Great news! Because of the dedicated weekly voting of friends and fans
like us, my pal Jason has gone from 1 of 20,000 video submissions down to
only 3 directors left in this reality show competition,ON THE LOT
Tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8/14), at 8:00 EST, on FOX, we'll see a different
format for the show, but still be given 1 more chance to vote him through
to victory!

As you can tell, I'm pretty excited. But, for him to win this thing (a
$1 million job with Dreamworks pictures), he's gonna need a lot of voting
support from 9:00-11PM Tuesday night. This week is our last opportunity.

For those of you who don't plan to be near a TV Tuesday night, and who
prefer to watch the show later on-line, I'm going to make is easy for you
to help:

1. E-MAIL ME back now with just your home phone number.

2. I will watch the show tomorrow night, and I WILL CALL YOU between
8-9PM to tell you the toll-free number to call to vote for Jason.

3. When I call you, you WRITE DOWN THE NUMBER, and go ahead and dial it
into your phone.

4. Starting at 9:00, start hitting the REDIAL.

5. REPEAT step 4 for at least 15 minutes (please), up to 2 hours.

It takes approximately 10-seconds per call (land-lines seem to
pick up faster that cell phones). As soon as the call picks up and the
recorded voice says "Thank You," you can hang up and redial. After a
while, you'll figure out that you can multitask (do sit-ups, tell kids a
good-night story, brush teeth, etc.) If your fingers need a break, trade
off with your roommate or spouse.

If you want to go ahead before the show and see some of the best
of Jason's films from this competition, CLICK HERE.

Scroll down on this page and watch one of these: Sweet, Eternal
Waters, or Old Home Boyz.

Thank you for reading this, and to those who can commit to some repetitive
phone dialing, May God bless you, Jason, his wife Cindi, and their 2-year old, Isaiah, through your efforts.

Without A Trace....of anything good

2007-08-10T10:16:00.000-04:00

A heat wave is hanging over most of the country and I think it's finally fried my brain. Nothing was on the hundreds of channels on my cable box so for the very first time I watched the T.V. show, Without a Trace. The show has been on the air since 2002 and was created by Jerry Bruckheimer. It won an Emmy in 2003, won a Golden Globe in 2004 and it was nominated for Emmy's in 04 and 05. Now to be fair those wins and nominations were for acting and specific actors (2 for "guest starring" actors) and for art direction. So, I figured I give it a look.

My review: This show stinks! End of review.

I wasn't expecting it to blow me away but when the show first came out I never watched it simply because I had a hunch it would be a show I would not like. I've always been a big believer in don't criticize something you know nothing about. That's why I usually don't comment on shows or movies I've never seen. Like previously stated, I have my hunches about shows, and in this case I was right.

Now I know this is only one show and it may have been incredible during previous seasons, but based on what I saw I will never watch that show again for any reason. The characters were unsympathetic, uninteresting, the acting was flat and forced and the story was dull and formula laden. If I rolled my eyes one more time, during a scene, I was sure I was going to pass out! It looked good and shot well. But even that was pretty standard. But probably the best quality the show processes. I will give the show props for one thing. About halfway through they did an actual missing persons segment where they showed a real life missing little girl with a number to call if you have seen her. That was cool I thought and a great thing to do. Other than that. UGH!

The heat is stifling and unforgiving, but the T.V. shows even more oppressive. There is light at the end of the tunnel though. The first of 2 preseason football games were on.

Keep hope ALIVE!

The Power of 21

2007-07-31T20:29:00.000-04:00

With summer here and T.V. sucking beyond belief I have been doing a lot of catching up on my Netflix. Just recently I watched CASINO ROYALE. Now it's no secret that my favorite films tend to be small indie films. Lots of talking heads. I have never been a big James Bond fan and I think the last bond movie I remember watching was the one with "Jaws" in it, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. I was 9.

I had heard good things about the latest Bond movie after much debate and rage by 007 fans after Daniel Craig was announced as the new Bond. That alone made me want to see the movie. I thought the anger of fans about Craig playing the role was beyond stupid. It was out right lunacy. It's just a movie character for God's sake.

Reviews were solid and those same angry fans seem to take to Craig after the movie release so I added it to my Netflix queue. I was hoping the movie was good, yet I held out any true optimism for the simple fact 90% of the time with action movies and blockbusters I am ultimately disappointed.

Well I am happy to report I really enjoyed the movie. (I know you must be so happy for me right now.) It had it's "Bond" moments but, it had a lot of untraditional elements for a 007 movie too, and those I really liked! He finally gets in his Bond-mobile and destroys it 1 minute into the car chase! (I had to watch the crash twice it was so cool.) And the opening chase on foot was amazing and I am not over stating that either. Unbelievable! It's no surprise and the fact isn't lost on me that this just so happens to be the 21st Bond movie.

Dave and I have told story after story about the number 21 and how it filters through so much, literally everything, that we do. Superstitious? Coincidence? Luck? Maybe some but Dave and I strongly believe in the number 21. Calls us crazy but it has served us well. Just as the latest installment of Bond did. It restored my faith that big budget, formula-driven, over-the-top action movies can still be good in the eyes of this cynical and sometimes overly critical movie fan...sometimes.

In a year where I have actually gone to the theaters to watch summer tentpole movies and as previously stated, disappointed 9 times out of 10, the latest installment of James Bond made me wish I had see it in a theater and left, SPIDER-MAN 3 and TRANSFORMERS for my Netflix queue instead.

The Midnight

2007-07-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

We have a lot of "new" things going on here at Twenty One. One of the major new projects is a complete face lift redesign of our website. We are working on the next feature film. All kinds of "new."

However, last night I was perusing my DVD collection and I cam e across THE MIDNIGHT our first (well technically due to length) our second feature film. This was my and Twenty One's attempt at a comedy with heart. My Kevin Smith film. So I popped it in my computer and started watching a few scenes. It brought back so many memories that I finally took it to my room, threw it in the DVD player and watched the movie from the beginning. Now, I am not going to sit here and criticize or analyze the movie. All I want to say is how much fun I had watching it. It brought back such good memories. DeAnna Friend, who was a starring lead in the movie, is no longer with us, one guy who plays a stoner burn-out in the film just recently announced that he was going into the priesthood, another actor was on the reality show GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT and made it into the top 3 finalists, and there are so many other stories just like those. Everything was immortalized in this movie. A snapshot friends, family and great times!

Even though the story is marginal at best and some of the acting could barely be considered as such, it had it's strong moments as well. I was really happy with the writing and much of the acting in many of the dramatic scenes, David Cottingham had some terrific acting moments in those. Steve Tressler had a great knack for comedy and his improv stuff really makes you laugh out loud.

This is something we have talked about in the past and that was to do some re-writes and actually re-make a "new" THE MIDNIGHT. After last nights viewing it would be something I would love to tackle because there was much that I loved about that film. It's good to go back from time to time and see where we have come from and where it looks like we are going.

Hopefully someplace "new" although many of the faces may still be the same!

I Confess

2007-07-20T09:22:00.000-04:00

After my last post I was feeling pretty down considering how much T.V. sucks. However, last night my joy was restored. Not in the strength of T.V. but that it is possible that good things are still being made.

So in the spirit of a Friday. Here's some recommendations for the weekend.

Season 2 of EXTRAS the Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant show on HBO. To steal a term from the show "brilliant!" Show #1 with Orlando Bloom so full of himself and with so much hatred of Johnny Depp. Show #2 where David Bowie improvises a song dedicated to the "little fat man. Pug, pug, pug pug." The final episode on dic #1 with Daniel Radcliffe hitting on every woman on the set of his boy scout movie. Hilarious!

So after watch those 3 episodes it reminded me to show my wife the clip on YouTube of Ricky Gervais and a spot he did for Comic Relief 2007 with Stephen Merchant, Jamie Oliver, Sir Bob Geldof and Bono. It'll bring you to tears.

Finally my confession. I think Justin Timberlake is just the best! I know that you could throw right in front of that, "Do you know how I know you're gay?" the famous slamfest from THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, but you know what? Don't care.

Seriously I am not a big fan of Timberlake's music but the guy is great at comedy and acting. Much like I think of Ludicris being as fantastic as he is, I feel the same about Justin Timberlake. The "Dick in a Box" skit from SNL (I know old news) but still one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Plus the 2 times he has hosted SNL have been some of the best shows since Alec Baldwin hosted.

I just finished watching BLACK SNAKE MOAN, which I highly recommend, with JT in it and he was great. Timberlake's part was very small but he did a great job with it. The guy can be so self effacing that you can't help but like him and I defy anyone to prove me wrong!

So last night was a laugh fest! I seriously had to wind down before even thinking about going to bed my stomach hurt so bad. One more quick video tip (again probably old news) but watch the Natalie Portman SNL short. You quite possibly might s*** yourself! You can check out all these videos over on my favorites on my YouTube page HERE.

Final note. As much as I'm gushing over Ricky Gervais and Justin Timerlake...Christina Ricci in panties and a half tee for most of a movie. Priceless.

Summer T.V. Kills

2007-07-20T00:03:00.001-04:00

I don't usually catch much T.V. in the summer but, now thanks to DVR and an 11-year-old in the house, I have captured much of what the networks are trying to pass off as entertainment. Thanks to DVR I am able to watch these mindless pieces of crap at lightning speed and efficiency.

I have never been a fan of "reality" shows and after the summer fare that's on the airwaves my opinion has only gotten stronger. THE NEXT BEST THING, are you kidding me with this? A show to see who is the best celebrity impersonator...WHY? What are they going to do with such a useless talent if they do win? And Jeffery Ross...what up? You are the roast master and I see why they want you on...to slaughter idiots, but now you just look like one hosting such a crappy, irrelevant waste of airtime. Or DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS, not only do we have to listen to people sing poorly to bad songs but then put up with the standard "stall for time" dramatic moments and in multiple formats as well. NBC puts the exact same song on a day later. Come on isn't anyone laughing with me? They could do 5 to 6 reality contests in 30 minutes and be done with it. 6 weeks, 13 weeks? I can literally feel my brain cells jumping to their death in my skull.

Now on to my WORST offender. GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS. Now I would hope it is understood by now that reality shows that show celebrities and their family's in day to day situation is fixed to one degree or another. Much like the WWE. But Gene Simmons takes the cake. This is just a bad sitcom, poorly written "situations" and the greatest crime of all...bad acting. I haven't seen such bad direction and acting since 1978's, KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM of the PARK. I know that Simmons is a control freak to the nth degree in all matters involving him but this is a train wreck wrapped in a nightmare. It is so pathetic. But the worst part is that this is the future of reality T.V. Stars "acting" in "real and wacky" situations done in more than a few takes! Gene loves to say there's no bullshit about him and that he is an open book that's why tabloids leave him alone. I would venture to guess that his show stinks and that he is now an irrelevant "star" may be the real reason. There isn't one aspect of his life that's authentic or at least one that a camera would be allowed to record.

500 channels with nothing on, gets closer day by day. And now it's all displayed gorgeously in High-Def!

INTOLERANCE

2007-07-10T09:08:00.000-04:00

Over the same weekend that I went to the theater to watch TRANSFORMERS I also spend some time catching up on some of Netflix rentals. I had rented quite the array of films as of late and was very surprised by one particular selection. After getting through season 3 of ENTOURAGE, PAN'S LABYRINTH, THE FOUNTAIN and CHILDREN OF MEN, I watched a movie from 1916 called INTOLERANCE from director D.W. Griffith.

I have to give proper thanks to the guys over at the Hollywood Saloon podcast for pointing me in that direction. John and Andy have quite to hold on movie knowledge and history and have opened my eyes to some films that I have heard of but never watched and analyzed. INTOLERANCE was one of those movies. The longer I make movies the more I feel like I can't make history until I have witnessed it and understand what's come before me.

Now for those of you who grew up on STAR WARS, summer blockbusters and the magic that is green screen, I'll let you know upfront that watching a silent movie like INTOLERANCE is not an easy thing to do and I watched the shortest of 3 different versions out there in the public domain clocking in at 178 minutes. After finally finishing it I wasn't sure I understood it all either, but this is why I watch these types of movies to begin with, this is my film school.

One particular moment in the film made me sit up and take notice immediately. During the "Babylonian" scenes I recognized the massive set they used in the movie. The set piece, one of the largest set pieces created up to that time in history, has been recreated in Los Angeles in the open area shopping center next to the Kodak Theater. Designed by the architect as a tribute to INTOLERANCE and designed to scale so you could get a sense of the size of the original used in the movie.

To gain more clarity I went to the trusty internet and started my research. The movie cost 2 million dollars to make, the most expensive of the time, and used elaborate set pieces such as the Babylonian scenes and had a cast of over 6,000 extras. INTOLERANCE was also said to be a film that was a response to D.W. Griffith's previous film and one of the most controversial in history, A BIRTH OF A NATION.

D.W. Griffith has been credited with creating the language of film and many have said he gets too much credit. Either way, INTOLERANCE was quite the eye opening experience. Some of the shots in the film actually shocked me considering it was made in 1916 and gave me a new appreciation of the art of filmmaking. If you are interested in the history of film I suggest renting movies like this and then do some research about them. You'll gain some fascinating insights, like when Griffith screened the movie there were certain parts of film reels that needed to be played are varying speeds for dramatic effect and that and entire orchestra was needed to accompany each viewing which was a contributing factor to the movie ending up a box office flop.

There's a lot to be learned from a movie like INTOLERANCE especially the fact that even in the early 1900's that box office was as important then as it was to TRANSFORMERS last weekend.

Transformers, Less Than Meets The Eye

2007-07-09T22:49:00.000-04:00

I made a post, prior to its release, defending TRANSFORMERS and Michael Bay, however, I may have been off base in my defense. I went and saw TRANSFORMERS this weekend and my hopes were high. Again, not because I expected a highly dramatic and engaging story, but just giant robots fighting. I was excited and I was optmistic. I ended up excited but still a more than a little disappointed.

My review in a nutshell:
Robots fighting and special effects...COOL! 5 stars!
The rest of the story is equal to a two hour Disney channel sitcom with a $150 mil. budget. EVEN STEVENS, starring Shia LaBeouf, with robots.

I defended Bay as the guy who would be great at the action aspects of such a movie and as a storyteller he is not Spielberg but he wasn't a Uwe Boll either. Well in TRANSFORMERS he's not even trying. I expected plot holes but some of them were so big that Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots could have driven through them with room to spare. I can overlook A LOT of stuff in summer blockbusters, I know what I'm getting into when the lights go down, but this movie make me burst out loud with laughter at the absurdity of most of the scenes and I was prepared to suspend disbelief at an almost inhuman level before the movie even started.

On a purely story level I enjoyed ARMAGEDDON more and I hated ARMAGEDDON as a movie. Again much laughter at the absurdity of it. I would have been much happier with the film if it was just 2 hours of robots fighting because that's the only part of the movie I thought was actually very good and honestly the only part worth plunking your money down to see. As my buddy David pointed out if it were just robots fighting then there is no story. Might have made it better in my opinion. Because the attempt to create one had to have been developed by the Hasbro "suits," and not actual screenwriters. Seriously, if you had taken out the Autobots, this movie would have fit nicely between HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and a marathon of THAT'S SO RAVEN on "Disney!"

Now all that said, I give the movie a thumbs up for the robots and CGI alone. My only criticism of that is bring the Decepticons in earlier and get the robot fighting on. Not only do you have to suspend disbelief just throw it out the window before you go in the theater. You'll have more fun.

All kidding aside. The CGI in this movie was SO good, TRANSFORMERS, will most likely make it in to my DVD collection. I still have a copy of ROAD HOUSE. Just proves I can be as shallow as the next!

The Last Few Weeks in Review

2007-07-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

OK so my daily blog has been suffering from neglect the past few weeks or so. That's not to say there's not much going just that I am not the most consistent writer out there, and I am using the word writer very loosely. I am feeling the laziness of summer starting to take me over although that's not to say I haven't been busy.

Twenty One is just about to finish helping writer/director Jared Smith of Moon Tower Films complete principle photography on his latest movie tentatively titled THIS MODERN LOVE. I was out on several shoots and things were looking very good. I got to step in as an actor this time round and I had a lot of fun doing it, although I am fairly certain all my scenes will only be available on the deleted scenes section of the DVD. Check out Moon Tower Films HERE.

Twenty One is also in the early stages of trying to secure financing for our newest full length feature movie. No details on what the film will be since several proposals are on the table. I'm fairly certain the film will be of the suspense/thriller genre. Details will be made available as soon as we can release them.

Finally, RISE OF THE TROOPERS, has been doing GREAT! Thanks to everyone out there who's been watching and spreading the word. We are consistently on the top 5 of iFilm's "Most Popular" Star Wars fan film list and the views just keep growing. Again, thanks to everyone for their support!

Don't Worry...Be Happy

2007-06-22T09:16:00.001-04:00

I will try and keep this concise and brief as this is a topic in which I could write a novel and it really does come down to simple perspective. Sometimes, for me, it takes seeing great suffering and pain in others to recognize how truly lucky I am. Last night I watched 2 VH-1 rock docs on RATT and PANTERA. When I look back and reminisce about the late 80's and my adventures in L.A. as a struggling musician I connect with the hair metal story in ways that only a few can imagine. After seeing the downfall that became of RATT I feel lucky now that I didn't become a mega rock star, I know how stupid that may sound, but it's true. Had I been in a RATT or a GUNS N ROSES I would have fallen into and embraced excess in all it's forms and I think I might have been ultimately have been destroyed by it.

The PANTERA story hit me even harder. Here was a band that flew it's heavy metal flag in the face of everything and everybody without fear and without regret. While the band was torn apart from within the true tragedy is what became of "Dimebag" Darrell. What happened is a story, now 2 years old, and one of record and infamy and I won't rewrite it here. What struck me harder than anything was the pain in the eyes of those who loved and cared for him and for those who his music touched in one way or another. My heart goes out to all those people and I know how that pain and sorrow feels.

I have suffered greatly in my life. I don't think what I have experienced is unique or makes me someone to feel sorry for and the details, again, are not ones that I am going to rewrite here. But seeing that story and feeling the deep emotions and experiences makes me understand and put into perspective what I do have and the pure joy it does bring me.

I get to make movies, I get to play music in a band, I get to be creative on a daily basis. I have a beautiful, supportive wife and two great children that I love more than life itself. I get to do things that I love. I may not be rich financially, and I may not be a household name. Be neither of those two factors prevents me from loving what I do and who I am. I wave my flag of aspiration, passion, love and heavy metal proudly and without regret. If it was all gone in a blink of an eye, I will have lived one great life!

Creature Comforts

2007-06-10T00:18:00.000-04:00

The next few posts from me will be coming from Atlanta, GA. I'm out here for a design conference and I'm sure I'll have much more to report after I do the interactive studio tour.

Back to the reason for this post. I was watching a new summer show on Monday called CREATURE COMFORTS. I hadn't heard a lot of about this show or see it marketed at all. But I sat down and watched and I can say it was just about the funniest thing I have seen on broadcast TV in a long time! Literally my wife and I at one point had to pause the show and regain our composure which took a bit of time. I hadn't laughed that hard in forever! If this show was on after my surgery I would have busted major stitches! Now for those not in the know, CREATURE COMFORTS, is a half-hour, stop-motion animated series, excerpts are culled from real person interviews and placed in the mouths of a wide variety of animated animals to produce humorous, charming and insightful commentaries on everyday life.

The series grew from the Academy Award winning short film of Aardman Animations of Wallace and Gromit fame.

I don't know what struck me so funny about it but it just had me doubled over in laughter. The nuances of the claymation characters are fantastic. And some of the lines, knowing that these lines are not from actors but "joe average" is such a great combination to a formula that I hope stays on the air for more than one episode.

Critics love it and I love it, which means the show will bomb. I hope I get at least 3 more episodes before they pull it. Unfortunately in a world where "Git her done!" and ACCORDING TO JIM rule, I fear for the longevity of this show. But then again no one thought SEINFELD was funny when it began.

Now I am not claiming a higher plane of smart comedy that only I and a handful of people reside on. I think a lot of people will find it funny but they have to be willing to give it a chance, again much like with THE OFFICE. When it first hit all I heard was, "I don't get it. It's just not funny." Give it time. It'll take more thought and a little effort but man is it worth it. But as I fear after about 3 shows with crap ratings, week four with start off with back to back reruns of ACCORDING TO JIM, followed by a YES, DEAR reunion!

WATCH CREATURE COMFORTS! Jim Belushi might cause mass comedy suicides!

WKQQ

2007-06-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

David and I headed out to 100.1 WKQQ to be on the air with Dead Air Dennis, aka Dennis Darklighter in RISE OF THE TROOPERS. Head over to his page on their site. Our poster is prominently displayed and just blow our image is a video of Dennis in the studio with adult film star Gina Lynn! The Troopers couldn't be happier!

Viewings Climb

2007-06-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

RISE OF THE TROOPERS has been online for close to 2 weeks. So far so good. With the combination of iFilm and Heavy.com it's managed 770 views. Total so far across the web, well over 2,000.

One of the brightest spots is that the film was finally added to the Star Wars category on iFilm and right now remains a "most popular" selection, as does THE UNKNOWN DISCOVERY, which has a total views count of 36,780.

This is what iFilm posted about the movie:
This is yet another brilliant Star Wars spoof featuring Napoleon Dynamite, Office Space, and The World Poker Tour.

CHECK OUT THE iFilm LINK HERE!

Chad's Video Blog Pt. 2

2007-06-03T10:48:00.000-04:00

Part 2 of Chad's video blog covering Celebration IV and some footage of the guys handing out copies of the RISE OF THE TROOPERS DVD!

WATCH Part 2 NOW!

Chad's Video Blog

2007-06-01T23:29:00.000-04:00

Our 1st A.D. on RISE OF THE TROOPERS, Chad Perkins, produced a video blog of the guys trip out to L.A. to Celebration IV. It'll be posted in two parts and #1 is now online.

WATCH PART 1!

Dennis Darklighter

2007-05-31T20:59:00.000-04:00

The promo machine kicks off! We will be on our local radio station WKQQ 100.1 on Wednesday June 6th with none other than RISE OF THE TROOPERS own Dennis Darklighter, better known locally as Dead Air Dennis on Double Q. We will be on with Dennis and we'll have some free DVD's to give away. We will be on around 3:00 PM. TUNE IN! And if you are not in the local area you can stream the show on your computer!

VISIT WKQQ ONLINE!

CRISTO

2007-05-31T14:11:00.000-04:00

In the wake of the success of ON THE LOT contestant and local boy done good Jason Epperson, (still in the top 15!) I like to spread news on successes of other filmmakers as well. Justin R. Durban, (you can see him in the pictures below), has just finished a new short film called CRISTO. The film itself is not online for viewing since it is currently making the rounds on the festival tour and to keep from getting disqualified we'll just have to wait to see the final product on a wide scale.

However, I have seen the film and quite frankly it's some of Durb's best work. He assembled quite a good team of people and put together a well directed and produced short film. Like much of Durb's work it's high drama and tension. The script went through 9 re-writes, had to have some people pitch in at the 11th hour for some SFX but he pulled it off. We'll keep you posted on it's festival rounds and then when it's available for wide release. I enjoyed it very much and I think most people will as well.

Again congrats on a job well done!

Also, I would encourage everyone to head over to the ON THE LOT website and check out Jason Epperson's short comedy film that he short back here in town. The judges universally slammed it for it's portrayal of the lead character. I think they completely misconstrued the whole thing. I for one thought it was funny and well done and the majority of viewing agreed that it was one of the best films done.

CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Photos from Celebration IV

2007-05-30T07:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I promised images from the floor of the convention and here is just a few with many more to come. Chad Perkins who took all of these photos is putting together a video blog that we should have up in a few days. Until then enjoy!

From l-r: Chad Perkins, Justin R. Durban, David Cottingham and Mat Raney.

The speeder. And no this isn't the one we rented for Rise of the Troopers.

Some guy and a red Trooper.

Don't know who these people are but who doesn't dig a chick who can wield a lightsaber?

Mat encounters another trooper! Only thinking to himself,"Dude you must be so friggin' uncomfortable!

Photos by Chad Perkins

Off the Lot

2007-05-29T14:43:00.000-04:00

I speculated a few posts ago on what I thought would be a poor showing for the new FOX reality TV series On The Lot. Well, so far I was right but even I didn't think it would be this bad. In it's debut after a lead in by American Idol the show drew a 3.9, then it's 2nd episode airing 3 days later fell to a 2.1 and finally airing in it's regular time slot with no American Idol lead in it fell even further to a 1.3.

I said that I would be interested in the show primarily since I am a filmmaker but thought as a general viewing audience, people just wouldn't care. Being a filmmaker is not something everything thinks than can do but more specifically they don't dream of doing it. It's expensive, it's time consuming, all and all it is very hard! Anyone can go to a bar and sing karaoke or grab a hairbrush, prance in front of a mirror and sing along to their favorite music. No one grabs a fake movie camera and pretends to shoot, edit, direct and distribute a film. Only people like me, the 50 who made it on the reality show and the thousands that entered the competition do. I know that sounds like a lot and there are millions more who have the same dream as all aspiring filmmakers. So there are a lot of us out there but we are not the norm.

Look, I work in an office environment and for the same company for close to seven years. Everyone here knows I aspire to be the next Steven Spielberg but quite honestly no one cares and nor should they. Sure, many find it fascinating that I make movies but that's about it. No one wants to watch me do it and even fewer will actually take the time and effort to come see my movies once their finished. Even if I send them a link to a movie of mine on the web do they watch. If I give them free tickets to come to the premiere screening at the local movie theater I have rented for one showing of a finished movie do very many show up.

Initially, it is fascinating but quickly it deteriorates into, "Can it really be that good if he did this with local talent?, or I don't have the 7 minutes it takes to watch your film online," and mainly they find it cute that I make movies. "Good job!" "That's awesome!" "I'll watch it as soon as I get a chance." I'll even give them a free professionally packaged and produced DVD. Rarely do they actually watch it. Sounds like a lot of bellyaching from me I know but really it's not. It's OK, I get that and I expect it as well. The fact is, I may just be a terrible filmmaker.

The reality is that no matter how well produced, shot, edited and acted until you are Steven Speilberg no one really looks at you like a filmmaker or honestly even cares. They look at you as a hobbyist, a very enthusiastic movie lover and nothing more. You are not one of the "big boys" so how could you possibly make a movie that's as good as something I would see in the multiplex?

This is why On The Lot, has done so poorly. American loves the singer, the athlete and the movie star, everyone can envision themselves as one of them. However, they don't love the director, the producer or the editor. They don't even know who they are or what they do, so how can they relate? I have been on local TV several times, been in the paper, interviewed time and time again, but until I am the Kentuckian who is in front of the camera such as Ashley Judd, George Clooney, Johnny Depp or even Chuck Woolery, media coverage of my exploits as a filmmaker will always draw poor ratings and so will On The Lot.

Day 1 of Celebration IV

2007-05-27T11:54:00.000-04:00

I got a few calls from David Cottingham yesterday about what was happening at Celebration IV. Tons of visitors, lots of Stormtroopers, rumor has it that Raney even got a photo with a sexy female Stormtrooper. Dave said that there seemed to be a lack of bikini clad Leia's running around but given time I'm sure they'll be around. The guys should be sending me some photos today and I'll get them posted as soon as I do.

Later in the afternoon the guys grabbed the DVD's of RISE OF THE TROOPERS and hit the convention floor. They were a bit more selective than in previous years, searching out people in costume and 4 day passes to give DVD's to. They were trying to get them into hands that seem a bit more on the hardcore fan side to help spread the word about R.O.T.T.

Mat Raney did get a meeting with actor Brandon Molale. Molale is best known from his scene-stealing performance as Kevin Ward, the arrogant NY Jets quarterback in Mr. Deeds and as Blazer in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. He has appeared in over two dozen feature films: Mission: Impossible III, The Guardian, The Longest Yard and many many more.

Stayed tuned. Up next photos from the convention.

RISE OF THE TROOPERS NOW ONLINE

2007-05-26T21:49:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time coming but RISE OF THE TROOPERS is now online and available to view! We have posted it on several sites and we have even broken it up into formats so you can watch the whole movie as one file or for those with shorter viewing habits we have it posted in 3 separate chapters.

FOLLOW THE LINKS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE!

Watch movie in 3 part chapters on YouTube

Watch FULL LENGTH movie on IFILM

Watch FULL LENGTH movie on BRIGHTCOVE

Watch movie in 3 chapters on MYSPACE

Be Nice

2007-05-25T09:42:00.000-04:00

My last post I discussed my rebellious nature rearing it's head in a place that demands subservience. But today I get to pass along the rewards of playing nice. Our local newspaper The Lexington Herald-Leader and their entertainment columnist Rich Copely has quoted me in his blog Copious Notes. Rich has been a big supporter of local films and entertainment since his arrival at the paper. He interviewed me by phone when we released The Unknown Discovery 2 years ago and interviewed both Dave and I when he wrote a piece on the local film making community.

Now I know that at the very least he has seen my blog and even contacted me about the post I made about the FOX show On The Lot and our local filmmaker Jason Epperson who made the show and I am happy to report has made it to the 3rd round! Rich has sent me an email about the post and I described to him my opinion and assessment of the first show. Next thing you know I'm being quoted, credited and given a link to my blog for doing so. That doesn't really play much into my theme of playing nice because I am genuinely being nice to Rich. That's not hard to do he is a good guy and I'm not being phony in saying so.

However this does go to show how things can work out in a very competitive industry where every one is looking for a little buzz, a little press coverage and being nice and honest has payed off for me and Twenty One in more ways than one. Here's a little tip to all aspiring small town filmmakers who, like me, don't have the benefit of making it On The Lot. When you live in a relatively small town and there are only a handful of press people who can shine a spotlight on you every once in a while it is very beneficial to make those connections and keep them.

No it's not the N.Y. or L.A. Times, it's not the NBC nightly news and it's not even a big time radio interview but it is all we have and we are thrilled that they take even the smallest amount to time to give us a few lines of ink or a precious few moments of airtime. For small filmmakers like us that equates to being On The Lot. For most of us it may be closest we ever come to it.

In the immortal words of Dalton, in the classic 1989 film, Roadhouse: "All you have to do is follow three simple rules. One, never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected. Two, take it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it's absolutely necessary. AND THREE BE NICE. "

Breaking Rank

2007-05-23T22:03:00.000-04:00

I'm getting older. We all are. But sometimes you start to feel it and for me that's not a good thing. Film making is my passion and being independent is a very freeing feeling. I spent my younger days as a rock singer and lived in L.A. for a short while trying to make my rock and roll dream come true. When I turned 21 I was living it. I didn't have a day job. I partied every night, didn't have a care in the world, other than how to pay rent, eat, etc. But other than that I was doing something about my dream and although it was a struggle I was trying the only way I knew how and giving it everything I have.

Now I DO have a "day" job, a wife, 2 beautiful daughters and I follow the rules. Making films and designing all the art and graphics for our company and films is where I have total creative control. That's where I am free to be my own boss and follow my dream of film making the only way I know how. Giving it the best that I have.

Even though I separate those two aspects of my life, two separate worlds, something happened the other day at my responsible, paying the bills and supporting my family job that made me feel young again. Realizing that my independent and free form creative soul DOES run through every fiber of both my worlds and that they are not so separate after all.

My boss calls me into her office and has a sit down chat with me. Now I've never been a "corporate" guy but I didn't rattle my cage enough to concern anyone that I wasn't part of the team and that I could be counted on. I did make it to art director so I wasn't Brando that's for sure. However on this particular day my boss had a different tone and it was one of concern to be sure although she didn't make it obvious.

In recent weeks I have been given the task and freedom to work on some solo projects that would all play into the company's "big picture" in the long term. My boss had just returned from her meeting with her boss and said that my particular publication that I am art director of was off track. The design was getting sloppy and erratic. She said that her boss felt that she was mostly to blame. That she was letting things get out of hand. She explained that she was going to be more hands on the next few months to get reign things in. "You are still doing a great job and I trust you and your skills," she said and this was a management strategy that would ultimately make me a better art director and designer as well.

Long story short. The truth is that subscribers are not renewing and management is getting nervous. Where to start? Layout and design. Who's in charge? Me. Who's doing their own thing? Me. Who's not answering to anyone the way every other subordinate is? Me. Who's not justifying their actions and who do we need to reign in? Me.

I was upset at first and then I realized after some serious thought that my indie spirit was shining through. For the first time in a long time I wasn't following the rules but trying to blaze my own trail. For the first time in a long time I felt my creative and free form soul touching everything I do and connecting every area of my life. It made me realize that person had never left me and deep down I wasn't a fraud.

OK, it wasn't quite a magnificent rebel uprising but it felt like one to me, if even for the very briefest of moments.

I'll play nice. I'll do what I have to do so that management won't be keeping an eye on me. Hey, I need my job and so does my family. Compromise and compliance isn't the Achilles heal of an artist. Only failing to recognize that it's still lies within you is. Remember, you have to expose the wizard of Oz every now and again.

Heres to you Brando!

Break a Leg!

2007-05-22T13:33:00.000-04:00

Tonight FOX airs it's new reality series, ON THE LOT, and I for one am looking forward to it. A guy I know and David has known ever longer Jason Epperson is one of the semi-finalists on the show. Local boy done good! I sent in the trailer for 12 STEPS NOWHERE and obviously did not make the show. I will be puling for Jason though and I wish him all the luck in the world!

Now, I said I am looking forward to the show but I doubt America as a whole or a general TV audience is. PROJECT GREENLIGHT, the original reality show about film making, failed as did all the films that were a project of the show. I don't think this will fare much better in the long run.

Everyone dreams of being a music star, actor or sports star but people on a whole do not dream of making films. There are many who do but we are a niche not a generality. I mean aside from Steven Spielberg, Tarantino and maybe a dozen or so other famous film directors, you'll be hard pressed to find an average American who dreams of being a film maker rather than the next American Idol, the next Michael Jordan or the next Meryl Streep, Al Pacino or Johnny Depp or that can name 3 or more actual directors. I may be wrong but I am talking about the "average" viewer not even someone who enjoys movies on a more than just a cursory level.

That said I do hope that the show is successful. It's good for film makers in general if it does, more exposure on young indie filmmakers and hopefully more studios will be on the lookout for new talent. Even though I don't believe that this show will resonate with the general public viewing audience I know that competition is fierce in the world of film making and we could all use a little more help and exposure to the people who can make BIG things happen for small indie film makers.

So to all the semi-finalist on the show good luck and even more luck to the show itself. Everybody needs their first break!

That's a Wrap

2007-05-19T14:19:00.000-04:00

Mat and Josh out of the Trooper suits.

Last night we gathered with many of the cast and crew of Rise of the Troopers and had our first screening. The viewing went great and I always enjoy an opportunity to thank all those involved in making our movies.

From l to r: Mat Raney, Josh Bentley, Russell Johnson, David Cottingham and Harold Littrell.

Next week producer David Cottingham, writer/actor Mat Raney and Chad Perkins will be heading out to L.A. for Celebration IV. There they are going to distribute 500 DVD's of ROTT. I will be here posting on the events happening out at Celebration IV. We'll have plenty of photos and news about what's happening at the convention.

In the meantime we are planning some promotional events for the film's official release.

Bay...More Than Meets The Eye.

2007-05-18T12:59:00.000-04:00

While I can say that Michael Bay has never been my favorite director or even someone I aspire to be like as a director, I will say this, he knows action. And while that statement may, in and of itself be considered by many as to what the whole problem many people have with Michael Bay is, all action, no substance, all form, no function. You can't dispute the fact that action is HIS game, we are all merely spectators.

I didn't enjoy The Island as much as some people did. To me it was all about "the sweeping panoramic shot" and nothing more. The only thing I did enjoy about it was Scarlett Johansson. Wow, she looked good in that movie, no question (and seriously to Maxim magazine; Lindsey Lohan #1 ahead of SJ at #3, are out of your mind?) But beyond that I thought it spelled out what Michael Bay seems to be to many people. Now, rumor has it Bruce Willis openly has a problem with him as well. Read that HERE.

I digress. What I did like from Bay was The Rock and Bad Boys. Also, I haven't seen this but, apparently he directed a Playboy Video Centerfold of Kerri Kendall in 1990. I would watch it though and props to Michael on that gig! Again, I digress.

The reason I bring all this up, the love and mostly hate affair, the industry, many movie fans and online pundits seem to have with Bay is, I just watched the new Transformers trailer on Yahoo! and all I can say is; WOW, THAT LOOKED COOL AS SHIT! And for a movie like Transformers that's what it is and should be! Transformers is about gigantic fighting robots with human allies and enemies and by the looks of the trailer Bay will deliver. The story is simple and the action and CG is high. That's Bay's forte and because of it I think the movie will be huge. Steven Spielberg's credibility as executive producer doesn't hurt either.

Like him, love him or loathe him, he is what he is and he makes no apologies for it. Got to respect him for that at least. Transformers may be summer-movie-popcorn tentpole-CG-all action, no story-fluff but I for one am looking forward to a Michael Bay movie. Don't say that often but in this case it applies. So sue me. Bay maybe a robot himself constructed by the major movies studios to make these types of movies. It's possible. Maybe that's why Transformers looks so cool!

Too Long?

2007-05-17T16:25:00.000-04:00

Some of our hopes, and I same some now instead of most due to the results, were pinned on being part of the online competition for Star Wars fan films on atomfilms.com. Those hopes are now dashed. We did not make the cut. At all. We aren't even on list of total films on the site. Disappointing, yes but I still believe the film will do big things. With all the video sites out there we can at least cast a much broader net on the net. I was talking to David and we both agreed that our assumption on why we were not included was due to length. "Rise of the Troopers," runs a whopping 21 minutes. As most you you know that is an eternity on the web. However, due to the pacing of the film it is an especially brisk 21 minutes and I realize that with in a span of 2 sentences I have completely contradicted myself.

Such is the nature of the web. Attention spans are short, yet we thought and still do think the films views a lot faster than the final number of minutes suggests. We'll just have to trust that it will play that way. It may be a hurdle and my be something we look into as placing on the web in parts for more views.

I'm not sure how this is going to effect our coverage on Celebration IV but the guys will still be going and our hopes for ROTT will be to generate significant buzz while out there. Tomorrow night is the cast and crew premiere of the film and I'll be posting reactions and photos from that event. Hopefully it won't be too long...

A Model's Day Off

2007-05-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

This is a 60 second music video for "The Killers" Read My Mind,
contest on Brightcove.com. It was directed by longtime friend of Twenty One Jared Smith.

You can watch it here or head over to Brightcove.com.

Moon Tower Films

2007-05-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

Good news from those who have been a big part of Twenty One from the beginning. Jared Smith who has worked on several of our films and was my very first AD on The Midnight has announced the launch of Moon Tower Films.

This quote is directly from their web site:

Moontower Films was founded by Jared Smith and Brandon Waite as a vehicle for thier film projects.
Moontower has many projects coming down the pipeline. The short film "A Tale from Woodland Hills" is in the final stages of post production as well as the trailer for "The Ends and the Means." Moontower is also excited to announce pre-production has started on the feature film "Conditional Love" to be shot on location in scenic Lexington, Kentucky. Moontower Films will always strive to give writers, directors and actors a place and a platform for their craft and voice.
Remember you know where the party is....

So be sure to show some love and head over to their site and check out what they have going on. Jared is one of the genuine "good guys" in the business and I and all of us wish him and Brandon the very best!

FINALLY...The Finales!

2007-05-14T12:27:00.000-04:00

When LOST debuted almost 3 seasons ago I admit I watched very little TV. On most occasions I watched out of boredom more than anything else. Now since LOST I watch because I MUST and because I have DVR. Those 2 things, serialized dramas and DVR have hog tied me to my television set and I am looking very forward to the season finales. Quite frankly, I need a break, I need a hiatus. It's a lot of work and very time intensive with these shows. While I love most of them many are shows that I have so much time invested into I can't just walk away.

LOST started it all in my home. Now add 24, HEROES, SMALLVILLE (that one is a friend's fault), HOUSE, MY NAME IS EARL, THE OFFICE, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, DIRT, THE SHIELD and many other not so mentionable shows, not to say that DIRT is something I am proud of, that have become part of my TV watching addiction. Not to mention the plethora of reality TV shows my daughter adds to our limited space on the DVR. It's insane and I know it but I am an addict and I don't want help I just want my dealer to go away for a few months and leave me alone. In the meantime I can just go back to my NETFLIX addiction for the summer and welcome back the networks come fall.

My TV owns me and I know it might get worse. But I can quit anytime I want. Well as soon as I find out what happens on HEREOS and 24....and maybe LOST.

Seeing Red

2007-05-10T06:04:00.000-04:00

It's 6 am and I just got back from my morning walk with my dog Milli, not short for Millicent but Millimeter...film...Ha...Ha...no?

Coincidentally in the six plus years of film making I have never shot one frame of film stock. Which brings me to this. The Red Digital Cinema Camera!

The snail like transition from film to digital is about to switch gears to a blistering pace because of this camera and it's technology. I know I am not breaking any news by writing about this but with this camera and this technology it pretty much assures that I will never shoot on film stock and by the looks of this neither will even the die hard digital haters out there. I am by no means a techophile but this camera and it's technology is quite simply amazing!

Warning high tech content ahead!
This is directly from the Red Digital Cinema Camera's website. Which if interested I highly suggest you visit. LOTS of cool stuff to see there.

MYSTERIUM™: DATA TO BURN

4520 X 2540 pixels... DATA TO BURN. At the heart of RED lives the 12-megapixel Mysterium™ CMOS sensor, Super 35mm sized, with unparalleled fidelity and flexibility.
It combines low noise with superior charge capacity for dynamic range and color fidelity that allows you to finally have a no excuse option to 35mm film.

DIGITAL SUPER 35MM

Record 2540 progressive at up to 60 fps RAW. With 4520 X 2540 pixels, Mysterium™ puts pure digital Ultra-High Def in the palm of your hand.
Mysterium™ with RED ONE™ also supports on chip down-sampling all the way down to 1080p and 720p.
Field and selective focus as found in film cameras. Mysterium™ boasts a greater than 66db Signal to Noise Ratio thanks to its large 29 sq. micron pixels. And 12,065,000 pixels deliver resolution that can only be called Ultra High Definition.

The Future's So Bright....

2007-05-09T12:12:00.000-04:00

Dave and I did podcast #24 last night and we discussed the final review of "Rise of the Troopers," a little about the DVD, and some TV and film talk. One thing of great importance to me is to get this blog going again and to the best of my ability on a daily basis.

Which leads me to the future of my blog and indirectly the rest of our blogs. We have a lot of things going on at the end of this month and well into the summer. We are taking "Rise of the Troopers" out to L.A. and will be at Celebration IV. Since I can not go with the guys this time around I will be reporting on the events going on out there. The guys will give me regular updates, photos and so on and I will be posting them daily. I'll keep you updated on the release of the DVD, after parties with cast and crew and possibly some interviews, pics and more.

If the film does well, which we completely expect, more news will be posted here. So stick with me we have lots to talk about!

$151 Million Dollars!

2007-05-08T10:31:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I am a HUGE Spiderman fan! Since I can remember he has been MY superhero. I love superheroes in general and followed the majority of them in the mid to late 70's and even again I was very heavily involved in comics from the early 90's and tapered off to a mere above average fan not long after.

So Spidey 3 hits theaters and shatters box office numbers. Cool! I loved it but not as much as 2 and just slightly better than 1. But as a comic book franchise Spiderman has it locked up and really reinvented that genre of movie. I do have my criticisms of 3 but not because there wasn't enough action as some claim. If that's what you want go see Grindhouse. Spiderman is one of the few movie franchises that maintains a good balance of action, drama and comedy. Don't tell me Bruce Campbell isn't gold in all 3 pics!

No my problem was Sandman. That story line is A: not true to the comics at all and outside of Venom there was no "real" villian. I was even okay with the Harry Osbourne redemption story, but they should have really focused on Venom. The effects were fantastic on that but there is no explanation about the alien symbiote other than a few passing lines of dialogue between Peter and Professor Connors. Ultimately there was just too much going on. They need to get back to 1 bad guy or risk becoming "Batman and Robin" rubber nipples and all. Nobody wants that!

I am glad to see it set records and continue it's box office dominance! Again, I love Spiderman. Hopefully with the upcoming movies, Transfromers, Pirates, Harry Potter, Shrek, The Bourne Ultimatum and so on this will be a blistering summer movie season! Can't wait!

Rise of the Troopers!

2007-05-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

Last night I sat down with the gang and watched the "almost" finished version of "ROTT" and it was great! After viewing a completed movie it always reminds me what all the had work is for and worth. People were laughing so hard that you couldn't hear half the time. No matter. It is a movie that will need multiple viewings. It clocks in at roughly 21 minutes. By today's standards of short films, it's an eternity, but quite literally in numbers only. The movie is so dense and moves at such a blistering pace you would never guess it's that long.

So a few more polish tweaks and then we get the DVD ready for L.A. More on that next time and what will be packed onto the DVD when it's released!

Pointless "Art"

2006-04-24T20:22:00.000-04:00

I have been debating wether or not to even write this piece but as much as I struggle with it, something compels me to, so here goes.

Yesterday I was surfing the mighty web and I stumbled upon a band and their music video, I can only assume they produced, and after the first viewing I was disgusted. This was a music video for a black metal or death metal band. And I will not give away the name or where to find the video not because of cowardice but because I won't promote something that I find that appalling.

Now before you, dear reader, goes into a tizzy about my refusal to "name names" let em tell you this. First and foremost I am the biggest anti-censorship person on the planet. So, as far as this particular video is concerned I support the bands right to produce it and put it out there. That's not why I am writing this. For as much as I would never ask a band and or video makers to refrain from making such a video, I have just as much right to say what a steaming pile I think it is.

Secondly, if anyone thinks it's because I am against "death" metal you couldn't be more wrong. As well as being a filmmaker, I am also a musician. I have played in countless bands and I listen to everything. I don't discriminate when it comes to music. If I can bang my head or dance, or just friggin' air guitar to it, I like it. A good song is subjective, but I can run the gamut of musical genres and find something good in all of them. I've heard many death and black metal bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Satyricon and so on. Not just heard of them but listened to their actual music. I can't say I have liked any of it. Atreyu has a cool sound but I don't know if they would apply. The fact this music is around and people get money to play it is intriguing to me. But that pretty much goes for anything.

Lastly, if you think it's because I don't understand the "youth" or just don't like gore and horror. Wrong again. Just like music I love all types of movies. Horror included. My brother-in-law has a horror collection that would put most horror experts to shame. And I have seen my share. Bad Taste, Dead Alive, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Devils Rejects (a recent personal favorite), House of a Thousand Corpses, Zombie by Lucio Fulci, Re-Animator, Audition and many more. All full of gore, eviscerations, de-captiations, torture, and brutality. But what I saw on-line in this music video was nothing original, creative or scary. It was brutality and torture just for the sake of it. POINTLESS!

I can appreciate pretty much anything in the creative realm. Wether it be fine art, or horror. It all has it's place somewhere, even if I don't personally like it. But my dislike of this particular video had much less to do with the fact it was not to my own personal tastes, it was senseless. And maybe that was their point. If so, job well done. But I seriously doubt this was their intent. This is my own opinion and you know what they say about opinions. Just like assholes everyone has one. Well that may be but even my asshole hasn't created something as foul as this video. My shit is roses compared to this nonsense. I'll promote a lot of stuff, and things I don't particular enjoy myself, but in this humble writers opinion it has to have some merit. Any merit. Character development, meaning, originality, vision, a hot chick, something!

I will give you a bit of what this video entailed and I'm sure many have seen it and probably enjoy it, and I'm sure many more will stumble upon it such as I did. But basically, a guy, kidnaps a girl, tortures her and kills her. End of video. The video didn't even give me just a hint of why this guy is doing this. His childhood, his mental state, his hate for women and life in general. Given any of this to begin with I wouldn't have given this video a second thought. But this was pure voyeurism, and a celebration of torture, mutilation and death. Shit the only thing that really shocked me is that they didn't add rape into the mix. I didn't find this video necessary just as I didn't think the scene in the, Maria Bello, Vincent Cassel, movie "Irreversible" where the guy kills the other one with a fire extinguisher was necessary. Okay the scene itself was necessary but the graphic and explicit smashing of his head was not. And as I've written, maybe that's the point of this band and many others like them and I am not here to stop them. Just give my point of view.

Is it because I'm older? Maybe, but I doubt it. I still love metal, hardcore, rock, everything. That's not going to change. Is it because I'm a father? More likely, but not a real reason for me to hate this video. I can separate reality and fantasy. But I draw the line at some point. And maybe this video was it. But as an artist, of any kind, when you create, have a meaning and/or point to it all. It doesn't have to be a political, religious, morality or any "certain kind" of statement, just have one.

Hell, even Jason from Friday the 13th has a reason. Revenge. Freddy has a reason. Parents burned him alive and he seeks retribution through their children. (All this got lost in the string of sequels however.) Whatever, at least it's something. Zombies even have a reason. And dare I say it? Leatherface had a reason. None of them good, but reasons none the less.

I know this was pretty much just a rant, a rave and maybe just a little bit of soapboxing as well. But here's the thing.

I have a point.

Internet Overload

2006-04-12T12:34:00.000-04:00

Last night we did podcast #'s 7 and 8 and while it is fun we are still trying to get the hang of it. In another and in increasing ways we are trying to reach out to our fans and potential fans via new and old internet methods. The podcast being the latest and our forum being of the older variety, but still new to us.

The podcast is an interesting new tactic we are employing and truth be told we are having a good time recording the shows. Last night was the first attempt at a "full house" with Mat, myself and Dave diving in all at once. I thought the results were some of the best we have achieved in the ever evolving format of our show. We seem to have a good feel for not walking over each other during discussions and have the ability to compliment each other and keep the show moving. Although the shows are longer with all three of us, it doesn't bother me in the least. It's fun, we had fun and we feel the listener will as well. As Neil once said during our Star Wars Fan Film featurette, "enthusiasm and excitement for a project is infectious."

The odd thing about the podcast is that I find it difficult to track our listeners. I'm sure if we coughed up a few more dollars a month we could get a service to make the scope of our listenership crystal clear but I don't feel we are at that point in the show for that to be a necessity. We have recorded 8 shows, but we have only released 4. I feel that 20+ shows will be a better time to gauge who is listening. It seems to me by that stats I have been tracking, without any definite assurances that I am reading these things clearly, that to date we have lost more listeners than we have gained loyal ones. Maybe it's the subject, maybe it's us, maybe it's the language, who knows for sure. But as stated previously I think after 8 shows we are just starting to hit our stride and have a sense of the direction of the show's future.

That seems to be confirmed as reflected by the "numbers" I have been tracking for the last few days. When the show first aired the numbers spiked, then dropped dramatically. Now they are starting to level off. The numbers have only fluctuated by 1 or 2 listeners as of late. That's a good sign. I am very optimistic about the podcast and it's ability to grow the Twenty One brand to a much larger audience. I hope those who read the blog and visit the site will give the podcast a try.

Also, if you do like it PLEASE LET US KNOW! It's hard enough to track what people are responding to or not and we need you to tell us. I enjoy doing the show and I think I can speak for both Mat and Dave in that they enjoy doing it too. I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Now beyond that we have several new productions on the horizon. None are set in stone so I hesitate to go into details. But I can say that a couple of the productions are new territory for us and another is a re-visit to something that took us from one level to the next. It's going to be fun. And this is all happening before we get full-blown into "Bone China." Which reminds me of a quick note regarding the movie. Things are moving slow but not deliberately it's just the nature and size of the production. However, I can say that not only have the planets been realigning but lightning has struck more than once, it's weird, and I believe that something beyond my control is driving this movie in the right direction. Nuff said.

Back to the web. In the next few weeks possibly even days the Twenty One website will be getting a face lift. Not a complete re-design but with all the new internet resources and technologies we are utilizing as of late the site needed updating. I am hard at work on that and hope to reveal it soon. All in all the Twenty One camp is buzzing and we are staying busy. Stay on the lookout for new content on a regular basis. Check out all the ways at the right of this page to contact us and well as the numerous links to our ever expanding universe!

Finally, a new tag line (thanks to David and Neil): "Twenty One Productions, not your ordinary independent filmmakers."

Believe it!

MySpace: The Movie

2006-03-12T08:56:00.000-05:00

I found this over on iFilm and since everyone on the friggin' planet has a MySpace page, you might as well paint a big ass bullseye on it! The beginning and "The Angles" had me rolling!

ENJOY!

Watch "The Unknown Discovery"

2006-02-23T21:13:00.000-05:00

Febuary 21

2006-02-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

February. Valentines, snow and anticipation of spring around the corner. But for me February is always a weird month. I can't put my finger on the exact reactions I have during this month but without fail they hit me. This is always a difficult month to get through. February 21, 1996. The day my fist wife, Jill, passed away from cancer at the age of 30, 3 years after losing our first child to pre-term labor and 6 months after giving birth to our second.

Many know the story and I don't have to dredge up the details since the preceeding sentence sums up everything anyone needs or wants to know. Also, you can view my life at that time in our first movie "Closure," which is in the process of re-editing and a re-release in the near future. The "new" trailer will be on-line by the time this is posted. Rational thought makes me feel like those days were a lifetime ago. A blur, an out of body experience almost. I look back on it and it doesn't seem like I experienced it so much as I watched someone else go through that hell. So when the 21st of February rolls around each year subconsciously I think a switch is flipped in my brain and everything just feels...off. Rational thought tells me one thing, but reality shows me something else.

This day is now our production company's anniversary and is meant to replace all the negatives that it used to represent. We turned Twenty One into a positive, hence the name of our company. David and I share the same emotions of what the 21st started out as. He has his story, I have mine, but suffice it to say we both mourn someone close to us on that day, my wife and his mother. But we also celebrate their lives and our careers which were also born on that date.

Destiny...fate? I don't know. Maybe...probably. We've had some strange coincidences in the last 5 years and they have been just as unexplainable on why David and I met to begin with. When the realization that both his mother and my wife died on the exact same day, 3 years apart. We both had the same dreams of being filmmakers and telling our stories. I had been dabbling in filmmaking prior to meeting David and I really was just dabbling. My filmmaking career did not really begin until we started "Closure."

That film, shot 5 years ago, was my life. The dialogue are things I said, the things Jill said, or wrote down as it were. Unlike the character in the movie Jill could not speak because of the surgery she had to remove the cancer. It's still hard to watch today. Not only because it is deeply personal, and not to make light of a dark situation but also because the production values are so poor. That was our first movie. My first attempt at directing, camera operating, DPing, everything. David's as well. But we made it. And even with all the technical issues, the movie is powerful. The acting of the leads, Susi Gilliland and Patrick Drury, was fantastic! So for all it's flaws, there was still so much good about it and that came from it. That movie started us off down the road to where we are today and where we continue to travel.

February 21. A day of sadness, a day of joy. Time heals wounds but doesn't erase them. The sadness lessens and the joy grows with each passing year. Jill and Kay, David's mother, are remembered with every movie we complete. Their impact on us and others will last many lifetimes. It's just still so hard to believe that we came this far and are still going strong now.

The big question. "Where do you see yourself in five years." Honestly I can't answer that question. Had you asked me five years ago I would have never guessed where I am now. So, the next five is anyone's guess. I know what I hope, what I believe and wish I'll be in 2011, but you can never be certain. I can look ahead but I can't and wouldn't want to predict the future.

Today, I am happy. I'm healthy. I have a loving and supportive wife. I have two great kids and I'm living a life that I thought I had lost forever on February 21, 1996.

In many ways what was a decade ago, really was a lifetime ago.

My New Mantra

2006-02-14T18:22:00.000-05:00

I saw this in Issue #61(Winter 2006) of MovieMaker magazine from Wim Wenders, best known to me as, the director of the Buena Vista Social Club. In a list of his "Golden Rules" I found one that struck a chord with me. Out of 50, #31 is my favorite.

Wim Wenders Golden Rules #31:
The more you know about moviemaking, the tougher it gets to leave that knowledge behind. As soon as you do things "because you know how to do them," your fucked.

Wait...let it sink in...wait for it!

My Weekend In Traction

2006-01-23T08:35:00.000-05:00

Sunday, a day of rest. For me that holds especially true today. Yesterday, while giving my two dogs their baths I had a major incident. Now, my two dogs are both around 80 lbs. I have a lab mix named, Milli and a Golden Retriever, named Smuckers, after the dog on Seinfeld. After giving Smuckers her bath, it was Milli's turn. Both dogs dislike baths which sets the scene for said accident. While attempting to get Milli in the tub she decided it was not going to be a good idea, she pulls away and while grabbing her I slipped on the wet floor flat on my back with this huge dog on top of me. For those not in the know, about 3 years ago I had major surgery on my lower back which required 6 screws, two rods, fusion and removal of bone. Landing on my surgery site was not a good thing or comfortable one. That said, I sit in my office chair, moved from my office to my living room. The same chair I spent 12 weeks in after my surgery. The biggest difference is that I'm not on any pain medication which might make this particular blog much more interesting.

I have some time on my hands and much to ponder, complain and opine about while I sit and recover, thank God for laptops.

One thing I've been borderline obsessing about lately in my upcoming movie, Bone China. There is much going on behind the scenes right now but what's been on my mind is the title of the movie. Many people have asked me where I came up with it and it came about when I thought up the original short story behind the movie. I was traveling back home to Northern Virginia with my family and everyone in the car was sleeping. I'm in the middle of West Virginia in the mountains and I pop in my Mother Love Bone CD. While almost in a trace like state I began to dream up the idea which became the original short film screenplay. After I had worked out everything in my head, my CD was playing Bone China and I thought that it would be a great title for the movie. That's the long and short of it. I tied Bone China into the screenplay after the fact.

Many of you are probably saying, "Who the hell is Mother Love Bone?" I'm sure most of you know who Pearl Jam is but many people don't know is that band was born out of the band MLB. MLB was a pre-grunge band from Seattle before Nirvana made the music mainstream. The band made an EP called "Shine" and then on the eve of the release of their first full fledged album, "Apple," the lead singer Andrew Wood died of a heroin overdose. He should have been the face of what would become the "grunge" sound. MLB is not what I would consider grunge and more importantly, neither did Andrew Wood, he considered their music "love rock."

Members of MLB that went on to become Pearl Jam were Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. Wood's death also spawned the group Temple of the Dog, which included so many of the big names in the grunge era, including, Chris Cornell, Eddie Vedder, and Layne Staley (who oddly enough died many years later from a drug O.D. as well.) Wood lyrics were well ahead of their time and so was MLB's music. Had Andrew Wood not died I believe MLB would have set the standard for the 90's music scene. So, lately as I have been pondering and working on how I am going to make Bone China I have been listening to a lot of MLB and before I start shooting I am going to round up a MLB t-shirt that I can wear during much of the production. I know sound weird, but I am a director, I am allowed weird. At Twenty One Productions we have had so many coincidences and "signs" over the last five years that I believe the MLB connection for this film exists and I do believe in it and it's significance to the making of this film. Remember, I'm not on pain meds as I write this! So call me crazy. Filmmaking is a crazy biz and I am going to embrace all the "signs" I can while I am making movies. We at Twenty One, all of us, are being looked over by something much larger than ourselves and to deny or ignore it would be a huge mistake.

Snap back; I would love to get Bone China licensed for the movie and if I could it will be the icing on the cake. So, for those of you who have never heard MLB I suggest grabbing a copy of their CD which was re-released many years ago which combines both "Shine" and "Apple." It's worth a listen. It was my buddy Steve who first brought MLB to my attention and once I heard them I was hooked!

On to new subjects. The other night I was watching Dateline and they did a story on an amateur filmmaking working on his horror movie which was going to turn him into the next big director. Thanks to the Blair Witch Project, which by the way was great marketing, but a suck ass movie. And this news story just went on to prove how that one film made everyone think they could make movies, myself included. Now the difference was that many, and I would dare say all, of the filmmakers who pursue their dream based on the Blair Witch phenomenon thought, "one movie" was all it was going to take to be the next "big" thing. We never did, we hoped but we knew that it would take time to hone our skills, and experience until we made that "one movie" which takes off. Most new filmmakers were, one and done.

Back to the Dateline story. They showed video of castings, and shooting on the set and it reminded me so much of what we were doing 5 years ago. And while I was proud of what I was doing then, I am so glad I have moved so far beyond that point in my career. Looking at the footage on T.V. made me cringe, just remembering what that whole process was like. Now, I don't think I am a "major" director or anything now, but I am amazed at how far we have come. It makes all that simplicity, all the mistakes and all that inexperience seem so long ago, yet worth all the pain and struggle. I'm just glad I'm not there anymore, but I'm glad I had to live through it.

Random Movie Thoughts

2006-01-23T08:34:00.000-05:00

Over the last week or so I've been catching up on my DVD watching and a few new and not so new movie have come my way. The last few that I have watched have been "Hustle and Flow," "Broken Flowers" and "Havoc."

"Hustle and Flow" was without a doubt the best of the bunch. What that movie achieved was giving the audience sympathy for a guy who is a pimp, thug (although not a very good one), and pretty much all the stereotypes of a hustler from the ghetto. The thing that they did right was the give the guy a heart and passion for what he liked to call his, "mode." For once I cared if this guy could make it, and although there are some parts that you have to give in your sense of disbelief it still worked very well. The main thing was that I cared about all these people. Terrance Howard also helps make the role come alive being such a fantastic actor and without a doubt one of the best of the last year. But one thing that has surprised me, or I found myself being surprised about was the acting ability of Ludicris. Now I will be the first to admit that when rappers get movie roles simply because they are rappers, gets under my skin. There are thousands of people who have worked all their life to be actors and when rappers, and not just rappers, but musicians, rap, pop, rock or otherwise, in general want to step into the movie field and take potential work away from "actors'" just seems a bit self serving.

That said, I have seen several hip-hop stars turn into and continue to be really good actors, Queen Latifah being the best of the bunch. I mean she, quite simply is a star. Ice Cube, Ice-T and LL Cool J to a lesser extent but still not bad, but the newest of the bunch that have impressed me a lot is Ludacris. He wasn't doing much of a stretch in "Hustle and Flow" but he was very good. Where I thought he shined and changed my opinion of him drastically was in "Crash." He was great in that movie, and to me great with a capital G. Once again not much of a stretch but he gave his character, a guy I should have disliked, a heart and the end scene with him was the icing on the cake in an overall great movie like "Crash." I mean "Crash" made all the characters likable and dislikable throughout the movie but you need great actors to pull that off and Ludacris fit right in with the rest of a stellar cast. So, while I still think people like Mariah Carey, Usher, DMX, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and the like should stick to music, the rule does have it's exceptions. And from what I've seen Ludacris is one of those people.

On to "Broken Flowers." This movie got critical raves, pretty much across the board and I think Bill Murray, who plays "Don Johnston," with a "t," which is one of the best touches of the film, is fantastic, although I didn't think this movie was. Now, I like Jim Jarmusch, but this movie did nothing for me, overall. It had it's moments. The character of "Winston," played by Jeffery Wright, Murray's next door neighbor was the best part of the movie. Funny and endearing, he stole every scene he was in. But as for the rest of the film, for me, it just fell flat. I know that the movie was all about underlying and unspoken subtext with an ambiguous ending, and maybe I have become the type of moviegoer that needs things explained and tidied up in a nice neat bow. God I hope not and I don't think I have, but maybe on this one I did, which I am not proud to admit, it would have played better for me. I hope that Bill Murray doesn't become the actor who only plays theses types of roles. Lost in Broken Flowers, if you will. The movie is okay and you really artsy-fartsy one's will probably dig it much more than I did.

Now on to the crap of the bunch "Havoc" and much like "Brokeback Mountain" has been dubbed "the gay cowboy movie, "Havoc" should be dubbed the "naked Anne Hathaway" movie, because that's all it has going for it. I should have known better being that it went straight to DVD but I heard reviews and read reviews that this was a pretty good film, so I gave it a shot, and not just to see "The Princess Diaries" boobs. That's already been on the web for a while now. And while there is plenty of that in the movie, there isn't much else. Let me set the scene for those who don't know. A bunch of rich, white "wannabe gangsters" find their way right into the heart of "real" gang territory, east L.A., Anne and her merry bunch, keep heading back looking to regain the thrill of being with the "real deal" instead of their own rich, privileged, boring, dysfunctional life. When the "16th Street gang" takes on these snotty ass brats as "one of their own" things start to get out of control for the girls.

Now, suspended disbelief #1: Gangsters are WAY to nice to these girls. They take them to parties, and when things get out of control all the girls have to say is "stop" and these gang bangers back off. What? Now I'm no L.A. gang expert but if you are going to play the "stereotype" card in this movie go all the way.

Suspended disbelief #2: These guys should have just did whatever the hell they wanted and the fact no one got killed, including the "wannabe white guys" who go to exact revenge on the "16th street" is just dumbfounding to me. This movie wasn't "Crash," which is what I assume the filmmaker was going for, but there is no way that it worked. Sympathize with all sides. No I wanted these wannabe's to be slapped around and beat down like the punks that they were. And in the end they learned nothing! Maybe they weren't supposed to, but I felt someone needed a bullet in the head somewhere, or at the very least get their face fucked up like Jared Leto's character "Angel face" in "Fight Club."

Suspended disbelief #3: These gang bangers let them off scot free! If these were L.A. gang bangers they sure did let 2 rich white girls from the burbs push their asses around like a bunch of bitches. And although there is a scene where a couple of the gang members go seek revenge, they get lost in a rich neighborhood and told to go home by the cops!?!?!?! What the fuck? This movie had no mood, no passion and Anne Hathaway's boobs weren't even worth the rental fee.

How the west was won

2006-01-13T18:06:00.000-05:00

I had quite the experience yesterday and last night. At Macworld I went to a feature presentation from Alex Lindsay of Pixel Corps. Now he too worked at Lucasfilm and he worked on Episode I and did pre-viz and final CG shots for the movie. Most specifically many shots of Queen Amadala's ship in space. He was giving a talk on the anatomy of a CG shot and showed some very cool digital mattes, 3D and green screen compositing. As a director very eye opening just to watch how it is all put together and it even made more clear to me how to achieve one of my opening shots in Bone China. My only regret while here is that I did not get out much due to the fact I was so busy at Macworld. But I got so much out of this event. It's always cool to watch the featurettes on the Star Wars DVD's but there's something about sitting in a room with some of the guys who actually worked there and hearing some of their stories.

So, after Macworld, day 4, I was on the town after dinner walking the streets of San Francisco and stop in a local watering hole called the Gold Rush. Very small bar, so small, the band sits down behind a secondary bar where people sit, drink and hopefully tip much like at a piano bar. There 3 guys in the band and they play just about anything requested. Anyway, it's getting late and these 2 gentlemen stroll into the bar and sit right down next to me. We strike up a conversation seeing that we are all in town for Macworld. The first question is always what do you do and who do you work for? When I asked it of them, they just so happen to be in from L.A. and work for Warner Bros! I won't reveal their names for privacy purposes and I don't want to potentially burn a connecting I just made.

The long and short of it was the bar ended up closing and I went with them to the mighty Starbucks where a coffee was purchased for me. We sat and talked and surprisingly, they listened to what, a Kentucky boy making indie films in the midwest, had to say and answered many of the questions I posed to them. Very cool guys indeed and what a way to make a Hollywood connection! Only out west baby!

Random movie review: HOSTEL
Went to the mighty Metreon, the Sony megaplex, mall, entertainment super center about a block from my hotel. First off the movie would have been so much better for me had I not had the teenager providing a running commentary in my right ear all night long. She was so absurd that I had to laugh at some point at the utter lack of grey matter that was able to process what she was witnessing on the screen without repeating back to herself out loud. She did not make a strong case the future of our youth. But I digress. The movie Hostel was quite lame in my opinion. It had plenty of gore, sex and nudity. Not a bad thing in and of itself. However, there's only so far that kind of exploitation is going to carry me. There was a solid and intriguing story just sitting there and nothing was really done with it. Instead of exploring the need for people to pay to torture and kill another human being to achieve a rush, went nowhere. The solution was always to throw in another ass shot or splash of gore. In many cases a lot of gore. Like I say not bad to see in and of itself but you can't tell a story on shock value alone. But there is one thing you can do with it though. You can make a shitload of money!

See, so what the hell do I know anyway?

More Thanks and Praise

2006-01-12T19:44:00.000-05:00

Daily, I run the homeless gauntlet here in San Francisco, which by the way, was just ranked #11 in the country in terms of being "mean" to the homeless. Laws against vagrancy and all. It all seems very at odds with what I see each day as I walk the downtown streets. Because if they have have laws against vagrancy they are just on paper. So, I think that's a very flawed statistic. Anyway, what I find amusing is the fact if I don't give any money to someone who asks then I get yelled at, if I do they don't seem very appreciative. Although, one night getting back late to my hotel I was asked ever so kindly by a man if I had a buck. Well, I was feeling pretty warm and fuzzy at the moment, bourbon and water tend to have that effect on me, and I gladly gave the man a dollar and walked away. He was very appreciative, so much so, that he continued to follow me ask and for another, so I did. $3.50 later, he finally was content, but like I said very appreciative. So, it's really a crap shoot when it comes to giving or ignoring panhandlers.

Wow, that's not really what was on my mind but after 4 days here and being stuck in seminars most of that time you get a bit loopy. That's when you order your first bourbon and water before dinner.

I had some free time yesterday and I snuck off into a presentation from a guy named Michael Rubin. He has a book out called "Droidmaker" and it's about George Lucas and and the digital revolution. Mr. Rubin, used to work for Lucasfilm, Droidworks, specially and he was intrigued by Lucas and the fact that the man who is credited for much of the digital and computer generated effects, editing and sound of movies today is not much a what he called a gadget guy. He doesn't surf the web, he doesn't use a word processor or script software to generate his scripts, doesn't play video games for fun and so on. So, what's the deal?

Lucas is a man who when he started in filmmaking out of USC was a editor and a good one at that. His experience on THX 1138 and American Graffiti and working within the confines of the studio system drove him crazy, as matter of fact he hated the system and Hollywood in general, but he wanted to make movies.

Going in I'm thinking this is all about Star Wars, but what Michael Rubin was writing about was the fact that the dream of George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola was to use technology to free them from the constraints of Hollywood. They wanted to make movies, control their end product, and make it so ANYONE could buy a camera, edited and distribute their work. George is an artist and he wanted to use technology and give other artist and future artist the opportunity to create and not be told how to do it. This was back in the 70's!

I got kind of the condensed version of Mr. Rubin's book, and while interesting, I found it to be eye opening. I have always said Star Wars changed my life but little did I know how profound that would be in the big picture. Star Wars was NOT a technological marvel, but as Michael Rubin said, 'It was the pain of making Star Wars," which led to all the cool toys we have today to make films and put whatever we can think of on screen. That's when I thought about how we make movies at Twenty One. We do it EXACTLY as George Lucas intended for us to do it when he dreamed of it way back in 1970.

We can do what he, Coppola, Zoetrope and Lucasfilm have worked so hard for all of us to be able to buy a camera, shoot, edit, and distribute our movie without even the slightest help from a studio or corporate system. That was the goal and that was the dream. And now I have even more to that George Lucas for.

To get more insight on the entire digital filmmaking revolution in great detail and pick-up a copy of "Droidworks," from Michael Rubin.

San Francisco

2006-01-10T19:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm on way to the left coast this week, San Francisco, specifically. Right now it's 8:21 a.m. and I have been up since 4. My flight out of here isn't until 10:30. That is such a suck ass lay-over but what are you going to do? Blog, apparently.

Before I get into the whole film thing I must express my distress over my Bucs losing to a crap ass Redskins team. My buddy Steve is thrilled but right now I hope he savors the moment since next week Seattle is going to embarrass the shit out of them. Maybe they were the better team last night, or a lucky one. If they didn't get one of those early turnovers they would have only scored 3 points offensively. Oh, well we had the opportunities and we couldn't capitalize so I guess we suck even worse. A gusty performance by my boys and the Redskins were just lucky to escape last night.

So, onto the movies. Bone China is slow going but that's what happens when you are waiting for money. We do have some good leads with our buddy Jared out in L.A. and hopefully he can help get the script to the "people who know people." We've been hashing out the script a bit more with a few spirited debates all of which has brought us to a tighter more precise script. We've got some scouting locations finished and we'll be doing some conference calls with our actors soon. Schedules are going to be a bitch since the movie centers on 5 main characters and getting all the actors in at the same time will be a cluster F! No one said this would be easy.

Crap, just found out that the flight is packed! I hate that. You can't move and it's a 5 1/2 hour flight! Thank God for the iPod I got for my birthday. I've been listening to a podcast about David Fincher and the history of his career. It's cool because I got an idea for a change in the BC script. It's minor stuff but it makes the movie more intense. Hopefully, I'll get a few more ideas for shots and that will help me culminate the right style for this movie. This is also my shot at establishing my style as a director.

Well, I just finished 2 podcasts from The Hollywood Saloon. You should realyy check these guys out, especially if you are or are aspiring to be one. Lots of good and useful information. If you are a David Fincher fan, which I am, then I suggest you check out episode #14. It's fairly long 2 hours plus but great stuff. You can pick up a lot of the comments you hear from Fincher himself by watching any one of the commentaries on his DVD's but you'll also get some good insight on how he started and how he became The Man, as it were. Lots of stuff I never knew, but I'll be watching my Seven DVD commentary again soon!

Still a good 2 hours outside of San Francisco and this flight is TIGHT! And I mean that in not the "hip kids" lingo either. This sucks! Now on top of that it seems everyone has to piss all at the same time, so it's very tricky writing this in my confined quarters. I can at least look forward to a good meal tonight down by the warf, fresh seafood reminds me of being back in my east coast home! Back once I get out of this sardine can and into the hotel.

After listening to some pretty decent filmmaking podcasts, The Hollywood Saloon and 2B Pictures, it gets me thinking that we should be doing a podcast of our own. Which we may end up doing. God knows I can yap better than I type. But check out these guys for some cool info on filmmaking, lots of good tips and links.

THE END IS NEAR

2005-12-14T15:08:00.000-05:00

Well, it's time I opine on 2005. While everyone else will talk and rant on about the war, politics, the right vs the left, religion vs secularism, and so on. I choose to cover my favorite subject...me. Really, I just want to focus on Twenty One and many of the friends and partners we've worked with over the years.

Biggest highs this year - Finishing 12 Steps Nowhere, Star Wars: The Unknown Discovery, Star Wars: Episode III, my birthday, Bone China, and landing our first name actress in a lead role.

Let me expound. Finishing up 12 Steps has been a long time coming and probably the biggest accomplishment all year. We began filming of the movie back in 2003 and got final prints done in May of 2005. Not what we had planned but it turned out better than I had every dreamed! We had a great premiere and a great after party! Nothing quite felt as good this year as seeing that movie finally play in a theatre.

Star Wars: The Unknown Discovery was a HUGE marketing coupe for us. We went out and shot the entire thing in one day. Everyone at Twenty One, Filmburn and Dynamix and Post Time busted their collective asses to get a FULL DVD finished for the Star Wars convention in Indianapolis just weeks prior to the release of Episode III. After releasing the movie and passing out 300+ DVD's, our web traffic went from an average of 2,000 hits a month to 100,000+ hits a month and to this day still holding. In one day we jumped 30,000 hits and had to add more space and find mirror sites to help host before viewer traffic crashed the site. iFilm picked the movie up, so did ManiaTV! and Film Threat reviewed it. The fan film was and is our biggest hit to date and for me personally a dream come true to see my name as director at the end of anything Star Wars!

Star Wars: Episode III - What can I say? It was the completion of a journey I have been on since I saw the original Episode IV in 1977 at age nine!

My birthday - I can't give details, to protect the innocent. It's a story for a time drowned in several rounds of bourbon and a lack of morals and ethics. All I can say the best birthday of my life! I don't see how I can ever top it, but I can always try!

Bone China - This is THE MOVIE! I am so excited about it I can hardly contain my enthusiasm! I'll probably be listing this one on my year end for 2006 as well. But this year is when the seed was planted. It also coincides with landing our first "name" actress. I about pissed myself when Dave called and said we had a commitment. It took a while for me to even believe it. My conversation with Dave. Dave - "She said she loves it and wants to do it." RJ - "No fucking way!" Dave - "Seriously, that's what she said." RJ - "You're lying. Really?" Dave - "I'm not kidding." RJ - "Shut up. She didn't. Are you fucking with me?" Dave - I saved the voicemail, you can hear it yourself." RJ - "No way. Are you serious. Come on." And so it went for several more minutes. I finally heard the message and I still didn't believe it.

There were other really good things that happened this year, not to just me, but people I have known for some time now.

Mat Raney was brought on board, "officially," as a member of the Twenty One team. Hell, he's been hanging around since Closure back in 2000. We couldn't shake him so we hired him. Seriously, Mat is a good guy, hardworking, smart, talented and he's a great addition!

Jared Smith, my A.D. on The Midnight, and a producer/director for many other Twenty One projects, as well as his own, Good Ninja Pictures, finished film school in New York and moved out to L.A. earlier this year. Now he works for MTV doing what seems to be a little bit of everything, schoomzing with celebs, and working on his own movie projects. I envy this shit out of him, but I couldn't be happier for the guy. The man is going places and he deserves it.

Justin R. Durban, our music man. He also made the leap out to L.A. to do his thing! From the time I met Durb I knew he'd be successful in whatever he chose to do. The guy has so much fucking talent it's scary. And I envy him too. I just hope he doesn't forget who I am when he's accepting his Oscar for Best musical score!

David Cottingham. What can I say about him that I haven't said before? Without him I would never be where I am today. Any success I may achieve will only be because he's stuck by me all these years. 5 years in Feb. 06. That's a lifetime for many entertainment partnerships. But for me and Dave it still is only the beginning!

Every year on the website I do a "thank you" news section for all those who have helped us through the years. The list has gotten so long that I fear I will forget someone by trying to thank everyone individually. So, "thank you" to everyone who has helped make my year a particularly good one. Sure I had bad moments in 05, but I like to focus on the positive and there was much more of that than anything this year. We made new friends and partners, saw many long time friends move on to growing successes and achievements in their careers and within the industry. We got plenty of press and a ton of new exposure. We keep moving onward and upward and we wish continued success and good fortune to all our friends and partners in the new year!

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR A GREAT 2005!

Sundance Hates Me!

2005-12-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

My producer, David, reminded me that I haven't been blogging in a while. I guess I haven't had much to say. The cold weather has finally set in and the winter blues are already settling in. Mind you we don't have it bad here in the southeast but because I hate cold weather even a little is too much for me. It's times like these that I envy my friends and fellow filmmakers out in L.A. I wish I had their good weather fortune right about now.

Anyway, back to the title of this blog. Yes, Sundance hates me! I just received my second rejection letter for a movie of mine. Now let's be clear. I knew our chances of a Sundance approval was slim to none but there's always a hope. So, I'm not mad at Sundance, hell it wasn't even a shock to get the rejection letter. It's just that the festival snowball is quickly becoming an avalanche. The festival circuit so far as a whole has been unkind to us. Sundance says no, but nice work. Slamdance doesn't even let me know I haven't been accepted, I had to go to their website, look at the scheduled line-up and realize 12 STEPS was nowhere to be found. Chicago REEL shorts, said no, but likes to keep spamming me with their emails and one festival, the Show-Me digital just took our money and never even had a festival as far as I know. I contacted them, asking what's up and I get no response in return.

Now at least Sundance said no in a kind but yet bend over manner. Now the only solace I get from the Sundance thing is that I at least had a movie to submit. Most filmmakers can't get that far in their projects. I not discouraged, just disappointed. It doesn't keep us from making movies, if it did we would have stopped at CLOSURE. The next move is to keep submitting. Can't let the rejections get you down, but it is therapeutic to vent once and a while.

BONE CHINA will be different. I believe that wholeheartedly. I have to. All our movies get bigger and better and this one is far beyond anything we've tackled before. We brainstormed a couple of weeks ago on a realistic cast we want to go after and if we get a third of the people we want Sundance will be less of a obstacle next time around. It's no guarantee but the daunting task seems more manageable. Although a rejection letter might be more painful.

Other thoughts:
UK basketball, the one saving grace to an otherwise crappy collegiate sporting year and even crappier winter weather, is looking very bad. Could be a long painful season. Something we UK fans are not and never will get used to.

December, also the crap month for T.V. All my shows go into reruns, but at least now I have more time to focus on movies, and now I have nine episodes of Ghost Whisperer to catch up on.

MySpace is cool, yet if I have to continue to see wanna be 20 something male models, sans shirt, gelled up hair, with a "I am the fucking bomb, bitch" look on his face I'm going to fucking puke!

David just helped me do a Christmas video/parody for my nine to five company and what a friggin' bizarre feeling that was. We went from a crew of 10 -15 on the Star Wars parody back to just me and Dave just like it was on CLOSURE almost 5 years ago! We don't EVER want to do that again. Makes me salivate and long for for the BONE CHINA shoot!

Next time: The year in review and my end of the year awards! (I don't even know what I mean by that!)

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!

2005-11-12T00:26:00.001-05:00

All right. I just got wind that "Arrested Development" has been cancelled!!!!! Seriously, what the hell are you people watching! Monday night prime time: "The King of Queens" (used to be funny but not so much since Leah Remini got married and pregnant), "Surface" (I don't even know what that is, because I'm watching "Arrested Development"), "Wife Swap" (are you serious???? More reality CRAP). That's it? That' the competition? I am disgusted.

"Arrested Development" is without a doubt one of the funniest and smartest comedies to come along since "Seinfeld," which by the way, people had a hard time grasping as well when it first came out. It was even cancelled at one point too. Jeffery Tambor, Jason Bateman, David Cross, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi, Jessica Walter, Tony Hale, etc. What a perfect cast. If this show isn't funny to you then I assume that "According to Jim" and "Yes, Dear" is what you consider comedy! Ron Howard and Brain Grazer should take this show to HBO and let some justice be done.

But I am afraid the show will disappear as a footnote in the long list of cancelled shows throughout the history of FOX. Family Guy (oh, wait they put that back ON!), "Action," does anyone remember that show? Jay Mohr in a spoof on the movie industry? Priceless, I tell you and a show that never should have been cancelled. But that was 1999. They are so many outlets for good T.V. today. HBO, IFC, FX and so on. Which brings me to point bitch #2.

Toyota has pulled it's advertising from "Nip/Tuck" because of the Parents Television Council. Now I don't watch "Nip/Tuck" much but this is bullshit! When I was in high school, Tipper Gore and her cronies started up the PMRC. For my government class paper I did my argument against such an organization. Well, this is the same thing! The PTC! Hey, pussbags, I don't need you watching T.V. for my kids! That's my job. And if there is a parent out there that thinks they need the PTC to inform the of what's best for their kids, then they are just shit as parents. It's YOUR JOB MORONS! Not some group. Strong arming advertisers is B.S. "Nip/Tuck" is on at a time when "kids" should not be watching T.V. And by the way there are some "adults" out there that like "adult" entertainment. What else does a T.V. show have to do anyway? There are warnings, it's on late, it's on cable for God's sake! I think it's hilarious that FOX has to post a "Viewer discretion advised" warning before almost every show on Sunday night. I remember one time I was listening to Bill O'Reilly on the radio and a woman called in and said that he son (age 8 I believe) had a friend staying over and the were watching the Cartoon Network around 11:30 p.m. and a show was on that was shocking and appalling! It was crude and inappropriate for a child of her son's age. Bill was shocked! "I have to investigate," he says. Well, if any parent worth their salt had a clue they would know that Cartoon Network has a block called "Adult Swim." Hummm, let me see the word "Adult" is in the title. Does that mean an 8-year-old? Hardly! If this woman had any concern for her child she would not just assume that just because a network is called "cartoon" that it's just for kids. Disney. Maybe. But do your friggin' homework! Never heard another word about it from Bill. Probably since the Cartoon Network runs a disclaimer before every show saying that "the following program may contain material inappropriate for children under the age of fourteen." What the hell?!?!?!? Her kid was 8! Why was he even up? My daughter is 10. It's Friday night and she's in bed by 10. Why is her kid up a 11:30 being babysit by a friggin' T.V.!?!?!?

Alright, sorry I went into that rant. Punctuation is getting difficult. A tangent I have digressed to, but an important one none the less. So to recap. People who think "According to Jim" is funny, suck. And so does the PTC!

One final thought. "LOST" last week ROCKED!

THANK YOU, HARD WORK, GOOD LUCK, MOM AND JILL!

2005-11-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

It's often been said that "you only get out of it what you put into it." That is true. But in the movie making world, part of that hard work is good luck. Luck has smiled down upon us on more than one occasion. David and I have a lot of faith that "Mom and Jill" have had a big hand in that luck. For those of you, not in-the-know, on what I mean, it has to do with a part of why Twenty One was formed in the first place. "Mom" is David's mother Kay who passed away on February 21, 1993. Jill is my first wife who passed away February 21, 1996. The fact David and I met never seems like coincidence ever since that fact was revealed. A long story short, David and I both feel like whenever we are struggling or in doubt, or concerned, someway, some how things always work out. That has been the case since our first film CLOSURE. That's not to say we rely on any of that to get us through. Believe me, I never got the honor to meet David's mom, but from what he has told me we would never get a "helping hand" with working for it first! We work hard and that hard work pays off. I don't believe we'd have our "luck" if we didn't. The two go hand in hand. Mom and Jill have made that perfectly clear!

That said, we've had another major stroke of luck recently! Unfortunately I cannot reveal any details at this time. But let's just say I haven't been this geared up about something in a long time. In due time, wait for it.

Also, locally we've had a big boost as well. Sometimes it feels like we can't get anyone in the media interested in anything we are doing. And other times, like now, we don't stop getting calls. Within a few weeks we have and will have been featured in the local paper (thanks Rich) and local T.V. Weird, but much like Kevin Smith, David and I readily agree that we are P.R. whores!

So the new project is going along quite well. This week we should have a rough schedule and final budget. There are a few re-writes to do, more storyboards, etc. But that's not going to end anytime soon. I must give a nod to Chad, who since coming aboard, has been busting ass on location scouting. Not without it's moments though. Nothing sends a chill down your spine like a voice mail that starts off with, "Russell, I just spoke with a detective..." Turns out, a detective who wanted to ask a few more questions before he lets us in to scout out the local police station. My balls were in a vice for a minute though. Chad's been like a maniac though getting into locations for me to see. Nice work! Again, hard work, good luck.

On to less exciting news and just a bunch of rambling from me.

The new T.V. season is underway...again. 3 weeks of not much new programing. T.V. seasons on DVD rule! LOST has it's first new show this week. The tease "one of these survivors will die," or something to that effect. They show shots of the major characters but there's one shot with Jin which includes a supporting character, just briefly, but I'm sure she'll be the one to get the ax. Cheap tease much like Jin speaking english...in Hurley's dream! Don't screw me like that, I'll turn on you!

Checked the top 25 in EW (Entertainment Weekly). Only 2, count 'em, 2 "reality" shows on the list, outside of sports. Survivor and Extreme Make-Over: Home Edition. Can't we just drop the "Home Edition?" The other show isn't even on anymore. Anyway, makes me happy.

I thought Love Hewitt's new show was going to sink like a stone but seems to be holding up. I haven't seen it but David tells me it's not bad. He's got a bit of a bias, as well as a long awaiting marriage proposal for Hewiitt, but he's honest. Good for her. I rather see her in this rather than Garfield. Seriously a sequel?!? It made money, so I guess anything is possible. (I'd direct #3 if they offered. Told you I was a whore!)

If you love Family Guy I can't recommend "Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story," enough! Best Stewie line (courtesy Mat Raney). "So, is there any tread left on the tires, or is it going to be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?" Try and not laugh! I friggin' dare you! It's not in the movie. Still it's the best line. EVER!

One of our local DJ's, "Kitten" is on a billboard that declares, "When the Cat's Win, She Loses!" Referring to the clothes on her smoking bod! Only three games left and all she's lost so far is a jacket, her shoes and belt. Thanks for nothing! Hey, Vandy, Georgia, and Tennessee, do us (me) a personal favor. THROW A FRIGGIN' GAME!

Haven't seen Saw II yet , but Tobin Bell! 'nuff said!

I WANT ACTORS!

2005-10-28T17:15:00.000-04:00

We are in the early stages of pre-production on our new flick, BONE CHINA. After all the excitement during the release of 12 STEPS NOWHERE had settled I was itching for the next project. So here it is and this time it's bigger than anything we've done.

First off there will be an actual budget to actually pay people. Namely actors and crew. That's a whole new environment for me. Don't get me wrong. I love our local actors and anyone who has worked on one of our movies gave a lot. More than I ever deserved or even asked. For that I am truly blessed. But all the work of the last four years has led to this moment.

I am SO excited and look forward to working with actors who "act" for a living. People who are going to come in and take a role and make it their own. In most cases in the past if you looked the part you got it and while that may have been the best we could do (and afford) it was always a challenge. Not to think that even if a "A" lister walked on set it would be a piece of cake but my enthusiasm for the great performance goes up by a million percent.

We've got a "dream" cast and we have many connections in New York and L.A., one of which is bearing it's fruit as I write this, but I'm always looking for more. That is to say headshots, resumes and reels. I'd love to see as many people as I could take on the characters of BONE CHINA. I think any actor could sink their teeth or even change their image with one of these roles. And here's why.

This is a film noir/thriller. The writer, Mat Raney, has taken the characters and given them each their own style, their own film noir archetype. But the right actor can make it entirely their own and I can't wait to watch that and these characters come to life. I feel like a first time director again! New filmmaking toys, new challenges and "real" actors.

There is a great ad campaign that always made me laugh when I see it from S.A.G.Indie. I don't have one in front of me but the gist of it was that your family and friends can be great helpers on the set but let "real" actors act or your movie will suffer.

We've worked long and hard over the years building relationships and contacts. We've spent years working our way through miniDV cams all the way to the Panasonic HD Varicam. From the AVID Xpress to the AVID DS Nitris. From a wheelchair as a dolly to jibs, real dollies and even a helicopter. Our production values can go from the HD camera to a 35mm blow-up! Now the last ingredient is just ripe for the picking.

If you are an actor and you've got talent I want to know about it. You are the only puzzle piece I'm looking for now.

Blogs, podcasts, and random thoughts

2005-09-22T16:17:00.001-04:00

Christ, I just cannot keep up with all the changes in the internet community! I just got blogging not long ago, got a myspace account and now I'm slowly caving in to the lure of the podcast. I have found a few that any aspiring filmmaker can find interesting. Now mind you when I say "aspiring" filmmakers I mean those who really haven't done much or those who quite literally are just staring out. But a good one that I found was 2B Pictures Filmmaking Podcast. I got a few good links and book titles from it but for those who need so good info on scheduling, budgeting, directing and so on this is a good one to listen to. Next 2B gave me a good tip on a cast called FilmmakersPod.com lots of good insight there as well on movie making. Finally on the list would be DVD Talk Radio. It's not a filmmaking "how to" podcast but has some good interviews with filmmakers, actors and more. Fun stuff. To get any of theses posdcats go to iTunes and search the podcast section for 2B Pictures and DVD Talk Radio, and FilmmakersPod.

Be forewarned though, just like websites or blogs there are a select group of good ones and a whole lot of crap out there. So if you find any of the good ones please send the name of it to me. I would much appreciate it. I would much rather have some good leads to begin with than dig through a bunch of casts from two a-holes sitting on their couch (mom's couch to be precise) and doing their own commentary on a DVD. Seriously, if you just do random searching you will be knee deep in waste.

Random thoughts:
I'm happy that now the majority of "reality" TV sucks. It always has to me but now it seems like more and more people are starting to agree.

"Crash" - 5 star movie on my Netflix list! Must SEE. (The Paul Haggis one, not the 1996 movie called Crash by David Cronenberg.)

Season 5 of Smallville starts next week and over the summer I have watched all 4 seasons on DVD, just to get caught up. 87 episodes and close to 64 hours of viewing. God I need a friggin' life.

Lost's season premiere totally paid off. For once we didn't get cheated on a reveal! 1 answer = 1,000,000 new questions. Good TV!

I missed the first 2 episodes of House due to movie pre-production meetings. I need a Vicodin.

Arrested Development - For those who don't watch or don't like, you have serious problems.

Who the F**K is watching According to Jim and Yes, Dear??? You have incurable problems.

I have to stop watching so much television.

Movies in my Netflix queue right now:
Oldboy
Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
The Interpreter
Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

Brave New World

2005-09-21T09:53:00.000-04:00

The blogs have changed. From now on there will be 3 different blogs that you can read from us here at Twenty One. First will be mine. I have been a co-owner/writer/director/producer/camera operator/ and so on and son for Twenty One for all 4+ years of it's existence. With such a long list of descriptive terms for what I've done and do for the company if I had to sum up with just one title it would be director. That's what I love, that's what I'm best at and what I want to be known as. Everything else is something I do when needed, but a director is what I am. My blog will be about pretty much anything that I find interesting about film. I'll add tips on directing, pre-production, post-production, working with actors and crew and if it strikes my fancy anything else that I have a opinion on, but I'll try and stick to films and filmmaking.

The second will be from David Cottingham our resident founder/co-owner/producer/actor/writer/editor/and so on and so on. But like me one title defines him best; producer. He has produced each and every one of the 10 films that Twenty One has solely or partly produced.

The third will be from writer Mat Raney our newly acquired member of the Twenty One team. Mat does many things as well but first and foremost he is a writer. He writes novels, screenplays, and now, I'm sure, an informative and entertaining blog.

GREAT NOIR LINES

2005-08-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

Just for the hell of it. Mat has been underway on a film noir genre screenplay. And he said that before he got into it he did some reading on the history of film noir and it's language. Which got me thinking. So I did some research of my own to help me get into that film noir mind set. So I have this book called "Hard Boiled: Great Lines From Classic Noir FIlms." Some of my favorites follow:

For example:

THE BIG SLEEP 1946
"My, my. Such a lot of guns around a town and so few brains."

THE BIG COMBO
"I treated her like a pair of gloves. When I was cold, I called her up."

THE BLUE DAHLIA 1946
"Bourbon straight! With a bourbon chaser!"

FORCE OF EVIL 1948
"If I make you feel necessary, I'm making a mistake."

"If you need a broken man to love, break your husband."

STRANGER'S ON A TRAIN 1951
"Some people are better off dead. Like your wife and my father, for instance."

Now these are just some of the example I have found and having heard Mat's pitch he's already got some great lines of his own.

Anyway, just a fun little rant and one more line that pertains to all we are working on right now.

SCARLET STREET 1945

- "Who do you think you are, my guardian angel?

- "I lost my wings a long time ago."

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

2005-08-18T23:32:00.000-04:00

Working nine to five just plain sucks! The fact is I actually admire people who love their "job." I work with people who have been doing the same job 20 or more years. Not working and moving up but literally doing the same job every day for 20 years, and they love it! I mean I have a job, a career. One that pays the mortgage, doctor bills, school, etc. And it'll do just fine. But there inherently lies the problem. My goal when I started my nine to five was to get as far as I could within the corporate (and I use that term loosely) structure. Seeing as how I didn't have a complete college education, (ie. no degree) I figured, at best, I would have a moderately good paying job and some decent benefits. Well it seemed as though every time I was willing (and ready) to jump ship, they would up the ante. Now after working for five years at the same place (a record I might add) I am the art director for a monthly publication that has a subscription rate of about 50,000+ people. It's no Oprah magazine (subscription rate in the millions), but it's at least a well paying position. Ah, I have achieved my goal, well a goal anyway. I have a professional well paying career now. But you know what? It sucks. It really is all about the journey and not the destination. It is for me anyway. Because once I have achieved a goal, and one mind you that I never expected to reach, my first thought is what's the next goal? Have I reached the ceiling? Maybe, if I let it be that way. This is where my A type personality comes into play. I have to keep moving up. The logical goal is to to work for a bigger publication. Fine. I'll start sending out resumes.

But honestly, if I could have it my way I would change careers altogether. I want to work in the video production field as a "career." The nine to five. That way it fuels directly into my movie "career." I know, how many friggin' careers do you want? Really, they would all be one in the same. My situation is that the company that can hire me away from my art director job really can't. Let me clarify. They'd like to hire me and if I was 20 something and my life consisted only of me and my needs. It would be an easy decision for me. But because starting over with them means lower pay, lower benefits, etc., and the fact is that I do have more than just myself to worry about. I have 3 ladies in my life that depend on my career as do I. So there's the rub. Fortunately for me it's not an all or nothing proposition.

I have been part of Twenty One for 4 years now, since it began. And I have a business partner and friend who is loyal to me and my position in the company like the mob is loyal (or back in the days when it was supposed to be, before Sammy "the Bull"). If there is anything that's more important to Twenty One it's loyalty, literally to a fault. In that respect I know that all the time and effort put into Twenty One is something I could never (nor want to) turn my back on and walk away from any more than I could turn my back on my family. It's the only thing I have that keeps me sane while I'm trudging my way through the nine to five.

I always have Twenty One to look forward to something. And I know barring some incredible force of almighty God himself that Dave would never leave me behind. Is that naive? Maybe. It is a business after all. But my gut and the past four years tell me otherwise. Like I say Dave at his core is loyal and that's all he's ever asks in return. Which is striking to me since I just got finished reading "DisneyWar." Where loyalty or the lack of it is what finally will oust Michael Isner from Disney in 2006. It was a detailed look at the entertainment business as a whole and how unGodly deceitful it usually is.

So, what's the final analysis? Well, I hate my nine to five. I love my non-paying job. And I would be happy making little or no money just doing what I love. But my family life prevents it...for now and that fact does not make me bitter. The Rock is my "job" and the necessary needs it fullfills. The hard place is my movies and not being able to do that as my nine to five. Luckily I have a company, business partner (now partners, Mat) that I can count on that will, in due time, help me remove the rock and make the hard place nice and comfortable.

Okay, obviously I am writing this at the "paying" job and my mind needed clearing before I look for something sharp to jab into my eyes. Thanks for reading. I feel better, do you?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

2005-08-02T14:42:00.000-04:00

When the premiere is over and all the glory that is friends and family who praise you and your creative movie making ability have gone home and life gets back to whatever you consider normal is, what now? It's like this big wave of energy that you ride for what seems like months. You don't sleep very much (never did to begin with), you don't eat and so on and so forth with bad health issues.

Then the day approaches. Shit it's here! You're busy on the phone making any and every contact humanly open to your existence and need, you rush around like some crazed lunatic, you meet, you greet, you make new acquaintances, you show the film, you get praised, drink too much, stay out way to late and then it's over. This is no pity me session, mind you, just the reality of setting up a local premiere. The real question comes after that wave you've been riding has crashed and now you are churning in an violent undercurrent of uncertainty tossing you around and slamming you on the shore. You lie there sore and in pain but you smile because it was worth the ride.

The fact of the matter is, that could have been the first and last time you ever show that movie to anyone. That's the long and short of it.

You see when I was a singer in a rock band(s), there was always the next song to write, the next gig to play. Not that they were always packed shows but there was always one just a few weeks away. The people would come out wether they liked you or not, shit it was in a bar, so someone was bound to show up. That's the part of making music I miss the most. Not the off handed chance that I would become a rock star but the simple fact that I could just get a few people together, rehearse a bit and then put on a show.

In the movie making business it's the complete opposite. You are hoping for that BIG break! One shot to make something of what you spend so much of, not just your time, but your life on. But that's also the best part. That opportunity can be right around the next corner. And you've got to believe in that or you are just wasting your time. Music I made for me, movies I make for others. I mean I make movies for me too, but I think about what my audience wants now before what I want.

I had a good talk with a guy I know who lived, worked and made money in Hollywood as a writer. He had the perks, the success and living what for most of us we would consider "the life." He doesn't do it anymore, he still writes, just in a different medium. He said he hated Hollywood and doesn't miss it, he's a New Yorker through and through. He did say what he does miss the most is the fact that the next big break could happen any second. It's such a hit or miss business but it can happen. And he told me that you have to believe in what you are doing and not downplay your work. You work hard so be proud of it.

So now the premiere is over. Where do you go from here?

Forward. That's the only answer I have. I don't know that our movie will get picked by any festival. That someone who can make a difference will see it and get behind us and champion our movies and our careers. But I have to believe that the "slim to none" chance exists. And moving forward is the only thing I can do to make assure us that chance will find us either by accident, fate, or just dumb luck. Hopefully a combination of all three! I don't play the lottery but I do make movies. Probably the same odds but at least with movies I've got some say in the final results.

PROMOTIONS IS A CRUEL MISTRESS

2005-07-17T22:57:00.000-04:00

Today we had a test screening for 12 STEPS NOWHERE and all in all things went fine. The people there seemed to enjoy the movie and since it is still far from polished it didn't seem to diminish the impact I was hoping for. So now all that is left is keeping this promotional juggernaut or as it seems in my case very light breeze blowing. I have sent out several press releases, we have hooked up with The ONE Campaign and are donating money to charity, sent out numerous newsletters and promotional emails, and made phone calls.

See the thing is unless you have a "cause" or a "worthy" promotion, just releasing a indie film doesn't mean a whole lot and falls on more often than not on deaf ears. Case and point, I just sent out another press release touting the honorable intentions of our charitable contributions and the use of all local talent and businesses in our area to make this film. Now mind you our charitable donations are genuine and from the heart. We've done this at every premiere we've ever had and it would and is not any different this time around. Press or no press. But the thing is my fears of people, especially the local media not giving two shits about us, our cause or our our movie, are mounting.

Less than one minute after sending out the press release I got an instant message from a local promotions director of a big radio corporation telling, not asking me, to take him off our email list. I sent out 13 different invitations to screen our movie prior to the release and 2 showed up from the invitation and the rest we're friends we called in a pinch and they came through. But not one single member, I personally invited, of the media came to the preview. The reason why I get so worried up over such a thing is because this is our ONE SHOT! That's it. There's no marketing campaign, no commercials, no opening weekend. It's one night, one show, one chance to make a significant and lasting impression of who we are and what are movies are about.

It costs money to rent an 800 seat theater, then the local city government takes 5% of anything we make at the door or sell in the theater. NICE! So after the rent, the cost of making 200 DVD's that may or may not sell, and the government fucking us for their cut, we need at least 300 paying people to make even enough to give money to our charity.The best way to do that is to get the local media on our side and so far, except for a few friendly and helpful contacts, we have been literally shunned and ignored. For fuck's sake we live in a community of 250,000 people, this isn't New York, L.A. or shit even Louisville and I'll be lucky if the local "we're on your side" news media would even send their lowliest intern to at least see what this is all about.

I know this is a piss and moan rant but wouldn't you think that for an area in which we live when the big story of the day is a man is busted for riding a horse intoxicated (true story), or that on any nightly news program there is inevitably the one tooth wonder, in wife beater tee and a ball cap professing "She looked good last night," making statements like, "They was good people I reckon," that we might deserve at the very least a blurb of some kind? Maybe, maybe not. But I'll tell you this. Promoting your own movie is a bitch and one that will kick you as hard in the balls as she can and at every possible opportunity.

But this is all we have and you can't quit when everyone ignores you. All you can do is keep calling, keep emailing, and make as much noise as possible. Because it's a very good chance that we'll have a good crowd Thursday and those who missed or passed on the opportunity to cover it will hopefully kick themselves in the ass. But they probably won't. Cooter's cow farm has just lost his prize bull! Top story at 11.

For those who have helped us and you know who you are, Thank You. We appreciate all you do for us. Your efforts to spread the word has been extremely useful and thanks to you we can sit back enjoy the show and know we gave it our all!

On with the show!

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE?

2005-06-24T12:04:00.000-04:00

Over the past four years we have had a few local movie premieres with all of them being associated with a charitable cause. For CLOSURE it was Hospice of the Bluegrass and for THE MIDNIGHT it was the March of Dimes. All good causes and we were more than happy to donate our money to them.

For the premiere of 12 STEPS NOWHERE we will once again be donating money from the screening to a worthy charitable cause. The difference this time around will be that the support we give will last long after the movie is over. As a company we have decided to support the ONE Campaign. You've probably seen the commercials starring many celebrities including Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, Al Pacinio, Bono, Holly Hunter, Kevin Bacon, Jamie Foxx and almost every imaginable movie and music star imaginable. ONE is also involved with LIVE 8, the global concerts to fight poverty.

The issues that the ONE Campaign is involved in is fighting extreme poverty and AIDS. What's nice about the ONE Campaign is the fact that up front the only they ask is that you sign a declaration. That's all. Sign a letter to President Bush asking him to support the fight against poverty and AIDS throughout the US and the world. No matter your political stance this is a cause that everyone can get behind and support. We have and we ask you do the same.

We are a small company and don't generate much revenue as a matter of fact we have operated at a loss since day one. But when we have the opportunity to help we will. With the premiere of 12 STEPS NOWHERE we hope to raise money and awareness for the ONE Campaign and we hope we have your support. Like ONE we are not asking for your money we are asking for your voice. Sign up at www.one.org and then pass it along to others.

NOW SERVING 250,000!

2005-05-18T17:05:00.000-04:00

by Russell Johnson

We've been making movies for over 4 years now. Original ideas with the hope that people will become fans of our work. I suppose that is why many indie film makers make horror and/or supernatural movies. The audience is there just waiting for a new movie to come out. They don't care if it's schlock or not. As a matter of fact maybe the crappier it is the more people will watch. It's hard to be a small indie film company and draw a big fan base.

Which makes this Star Wars fan film even more of a surprise. We knew going in to this that it may be a movie we can use to draw more attention to our original works and 12 STEPS would break us into the next phase of our film making careers. But now I'm starting to believe that this fan film IS THE MOVIE that takes us to the next level of our careers and everything, including 12 STEPS, would have to live up to it.

This movie has set a new standard for us and has a built in audience the same way horror and B movies do. If it's good fans will come, and they have. When we launched our website back in 2002 we had and still don't have advertising and were only wishing people would find out about the site and check it out. Since that day and up until April 23rd of this year we averaged 1500 hits a month. Not bad we thought and least some people knew who we were.

Well little did we know that April 23rd was the end of that. That's the date we released EPISODE IV.V: THE UNKNOWN DISCOVERY. Since that day we have had close to 250,000 hits on our site, all in under 4 weeks! We aren't even sure if that's really good or not comparatively, but we're not complaining. Our email list has grow from around 80 people to 143 and counting. Just yesterday we went on a local morning TV show to promote the movie (you can watch clips on the site) and we had 30,000 hits in ONE DAY alone! We still aren't sure how far this thing could go and I believe we've just scratched the surface.

Funny thing is that this maybe the only thing I am known for and I hope that's not the case but I would rather better be best known for this than for nothing at all. This movie is giving me, giving all of us, more exposure and it can only lead to more opportunities for us. It may not be an original story or even original shots but I'm glad my name is on it.

Star Wars and obviously Pulp Fiction fans are loyal and we couldn't be more grateful for that. They know the dialogue, the costumes and the story of those movies better than anyone. It's a great franchise crossed with a great movie and I think that makes this a little bit harder than a indie horror or B movie. There are fans out there waiting to pounce and you had better not disappoint or they'll let you have it. I've watched a lot of fan films and the criticism can be great and it can be brutal. Always some of both but you have to strive for more of the previous and much less of the latter. We understand those fans because we are our audience and this is a movie I'd want to see. I'm just happy and grateful others do too.

END OF ACT I

2005-05-12T22:36:00.000-04:00

by Russell Johnson

Sitting around last evening in an impromptu production meeting we found ourselves accessing where we stood as a production company or at least I did. It's been four years and we've progressively moved from miniDV, to DVCam all the way to HD. Our Star Wars parody film is making it's way across the internet and say what you will about it, like it or not you can't deny the great production values. We've always tried to pride ourselves on making everything look and feel as professional as possible. With 12 STEPS and EPISODE IV.V I think we will have achieved our highest level of quality. Both in story and picture.

This all lead me to believe we have reached a plateau and not a bad one but a plateau none the less. We are talking about 2 new possible projects and it's time we move everything to the next level. We've always done that in the past but this has got to be a much bigger leap. I'm not sure what that next level holds but after our last two projects we certainly can't go backwards or at least not intentionally. We are trying to wrap up all the short films, get them to DVD and get them out to sell.

The one exhibition format that has seemed to elude us is the film festival market. Let me rephrase that the film festivals that matter. There are a bizillion festivals out there and if you can get your film into any of them than it's only a plus for you and your film. But really the only festivals that matter are the ones where people in the "business" are going to see your work. Trust me David and I have a first festival story that will make you cringe but that'll be for another blog.

But the point is that when Kevin Smith first showed CLERKS it was basically to his cast, crew, family and friends, but it happened to be in New York and in a festival where at least one guy from Miramax would see his movie and get it to people who could make a difference. Had he showed his movie at the festival Dave and I first went to in L.A. he'd still be working at the Quick Stop.

Act I ends at the release of 12 STEPS in a couple of months and I think it's the perfect time to begin into Act II.

SABOTAGE

2005-04-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

I Can't Stand It I Know You Planned It
I'ma' Set It Straight This Watergate
I Can't Stand Rockin' When I'm In Here
'Cause Your Crystal Bal Ain't So Crystal Clear
So While You Sit Back And Wonder Why
I Got This Fuckin' Thorn In My Side
Oh My God It's A Mirage
I'm Tellin' Y'all It's Sabotage

So So So..
So Listen Up 'Cause You Can't Say Nothin'
You'll Shut Me Down With A Push Of Your Button
But Yo I'm Out And I'm Gone
I'll Tell You Now I Keep It On And On

'Cause What You See You Might Not Get
And We Can Bet So Don't You Get Souped Yet
Scheming On A Thing That's A Mirage
I'm Trying To Tell You Now It's Sabotage

Why...!
Our Backs Are Now Against The Wall
Listen All Of Y'all It's A Sabotage
Listen All Of Y'all It's A Sabotage
Listen All Of Y'all It's A Sabotage
Listen All Of Y'all It's A Sabotage

I Can't Stand It I Know You Planned It
I'ma' Set It Straight This Watergate
But I Can't Stand Rockin' When I'm In This Place
Because I Feel Disgrace Because You're All In My Face
But Make No Mistakes And Switch Up My Channel
I'm Buddy Rich When I Fly Off The Handle
What Could It Be It's A Mirage
You're Scheming On A Thing That's Sabotage

-The Beastie Boys

Why, oh, why? Because I have to vent, 'cause I have a vein that's about to pop! This actual situation has nothing to do with anyone or anything at Twenty One but more to do with my nine to fiver. It is a reminder of what can happen and what to watch out for in the movie business which is why I find it relevant to bloviate on this particular situation. Things have been progressing along so well with the movies that we have been in high gear and extremely productive. It feels like we are all in a comfortable groove and can accomplish anything. Even the final cut of 12 STEPS NOWHERE soon. But when a situation comes along in my "paying the bills" job where someone who is trying to fuck me because they think I look like a bitch, it is impossible for me to shake it off.

We have a "team" that has been formed to establish and implement a new production workflow for the company. Much like setting up your production team and schedule for a movie. Now everyone is excited and positive about the project although we realize that there are always going to be problems along the way. Enter the person who will do whatever it takes to derail said project as to avoid the ensuing problems that need to be solved to make the whole thing work. For whatever reason they realize they are above their head and instead of bowing out graciously or tackling the problem with a "real" solution they begin to play both sides of the fence. To the "team" they are on board but behind your back they are planting the seeds of doubt to the person who could pull the plug at any moment.

That is the situation with which I am faced. It's like I have a co-director on a movie and they are doing everything possible to shit-can every shot you plan out. Whether by being passive aggressive or going straight to the producer or studio head behind your back and saying that you are the only one that thinks this movie is worth the effort it's going to take to make it. It all goes back to playing politics, which I've always hated to do. But it's a necessary evil in all business and not just the movie one. Rarely is it personally but when it is it's the worst. Most people do their damage for selfish reasons but it can get personal and when it does it never ends well.

I don't think my particular work situation is personal. It's definitely selfish because I know the person of which I speak is for whatever reason not prepared or ill equipped to take on such a big change to their otherwise comfy, cushy, safe world. It's SABOTAGE! "Listen All Of Y'all It's Sabotage!" Plain and simple.

If you make movies this will happen to you at some point. Fortunately for me, and I think it's safe to say for David as well, that we haven't encountered that yet. It's because we keep our circle tight. The bigger it gets the more chance for sabotage to occur. Much like reality TV, alliances will be formed and then the back-stabbing begins.

Sorry, my last couple of blogs haven't been particularly pithy or funny but part of what we try to do is expose aspiring and new filmmakers to some pitfalls of what it takes to make and who it takes to make a movie. I promise that next time I will expose my most embarrassing production moment of my life.

The final point being, always keep one eye open while sleeping because there may be someone lurking in the shadows with bad intentions.

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO BITCH WE SALUTE YOU

2005-04-07T02:14:00.000-04:00

You know I have come to learn a few things over my many years and many attempts in the entertainment industry. In all forms, music, art, movies and so on one thing is clear. There are always critics and there are always people you're going to piss off. Most often they are one in the same.

During my years in music I was young, stupid and selfish. Now I'm just older, stupid and selfish. But in different ways. I guess it was because I had no clue as to how any of the actual business aspects of entertainment worked when I was younger. Nor did I care. It was about the art and I wasn't going to compromise or kiss ass just to keep people, shit anyone for that matter, happy. Youth and unflinching angst was the key I needed to kick the suits in the ass and tell them to suck it! Rage against the machine baby and rage I did. I wasn't afraid to make others feel angry or alienated due to my artistic expression. I was a rock god waiting to make the mere moral fans of rock worship at my feet and chicks to flash me their tits. Oh, I partied like a rock star, hell at one point I could taste the riches. One problem. That just wound up being a bad coke binge and a nasty hangover the next day. And in the end I found myself homeless and begging for plane fare back to the cozy confides of mommy and daddy. But honestly I thought I was on my way to the big time.

So how does this relate to making movies? For one, I realized for once this is a business and when you do much of your work for free and with volunteers who get paid the same, you go out of your way to be nice. I can't order people around on set, fire anyone or even pretend that it would even matter if I could. So I've learned to make nice, and make sure no bridges are burned or even scratched. I once read that the person who you step up to and play "ego shithead" to may be the one person you'll be facing one day to ask for more financing to finish your film, or the one to greenlight it in the first place. And if you don't think that one person is out there or could rear their now more powerful head to you and not remember the time on some no budget indie shoot you told them what a fuck-up they were, or chewed them a new ass in front of a whole room full of cast and crew? Think again. Because your visage is now burned into their memory like it was placed there by a branding iron and they are just waiting to make you eat your own shit and more than likely in a excruciating and public setting.

So, be nice. Be nice until it hurts. And I do, we do. I swallow a lot of fucking pride sometimes because I want to stay in this business. And you have to know when to pick your battles. This is not about being a pussy either, it's about surviving. Because the reality is this. No matter how nice you are, or how hard you try someone, somewhere, for whatever reason is going to be pissed and then they are going to bitch, to you and to others. So when that time comes and believe me it will you need to have built up a strong and influential group of people around you who have your back. That's where those unscathed and pristine bridges you built come in very handy. This is where who you know, not what, really applies.

We get angry emails from time to time around here, not often mind you, about how we fucked someone over, stole their resources, their ideas, or they just simply didn't feel like we gave them the time of day they thought they deserved. Maybe so, maybe not, but this ain't Hollywood and really there's no ones money on the line but ours. So when those who feel slighted, or when rants flood in from the misinformed do come a calling we try and keep it in perspective. We try, and most times it's hard, not to lash out, be we maintain it pretty well. Shit most of the time it's just not that big a deal. But if you want to travel down that road be our guest, it's not a lonely one that for sure. It's littered with angry, frustrated actors and fimmakers most of which find a nice living being critics. Hey I never said there wouldn't be a silver lining to this one.

Why SIN CITY rocks and sucks simultaneously

2005-04-03T04:50:00.000-04:00

Friday 1:10 pm and I'm on my way to check out SIN CITY. Now let me preface this with the fact that I am a huge fan of SIN CITY. Ever since the comics first came out in 1991 I was hooked. I have always been a big comic book fan but when I read SIN CITY for the first time I was blow away. Shit, I even have two versions of the "Marv" action figure, both in color and black and white, the latter of which has yet to be taken out of it's original packaging. That's not an easy thing to admit.

After seeing the movie though, I think that the fact that it was transferred vs. translated or adapted for the big screen was both it's strength and it's weakness. I have been so geared up to see this flick that it in no way could have ever met up to my expectations. So excited, in fact that my anticipation for the film was, at the time, bigger than Episode III. Which in my given social and business circles, mind you, would be considered blasphemous. I've seen the clips on-line, I've seen the ads, and read practically ever article written about the movie. Dare I say on the verge of over exposure even before it was ever released?

I did not read any reviews of the movie for the simple fact that I really wanted to be honest about how I felt about the movie given my preexisting prejudiced; I didn't need any other influence going in. So, finally what's my review, get the fuck on with it already. I loved it! However, I was also a bit disappointed. How's that? The visuals were stunning and given the fact the director Robert Rodriguez had been invited up to Skywalker ranch, years before SIN CITY was made, to see the developments in digital filmmaking by Lucas himself showed itself on screen. Hell I think half the reason I love and will see any movie made digitally is because that what we do here at Twenty One. Film? Why? It's expensive; it's unpredictable in a novice's hands, and it''s a fucking headache. Shit even Tarantio who is a staunch film maker bought into digital after directing his one; count it one, scene in SIN CITY. And really it's all because of Lucas.

Back to my review. While the movie looked like the comic book, it also sounded like the comic book. Now I don't know if that's the same old song and dance theory as the book was better than the movie but in many ways that's what I felt. I think anyone going to see this movie needs to buy into the spirit of the film to enjoy it. On that level I did. But I watch films and ask the same questions about the movies I direct, is the general audience going to get it? In the case of SIN CITY I doubt it. It is noir it the ultimate sense. Ugly mug, dames, broads, my mitts? And that's my biggest problem with the movie. It reads better than it sounds coming from actors on the screen. If you buy into it, no big deal, but if you are someone who doesn't understand the nature of the comic book then I think the dialogue gets hokey. And coming from Brittany Murphy it just ruins a fucking scene, which she did on every time her bug-eyed face appears on camera.

The stories themselves play great though. I really enjoyed Mickey Rourke as Marv. That was fucking flawless performance. Clive Owen, Willis, Del Toro, Frodo as Kevin, shit even Rutger Hauer were spot on. I was very happy to see that Rodriguez stuck to the spirit of the comics with the violence, hard-edged toughness and to be quite honest the nudity. Carla Gugino as Lucille who is nearly nude in every scene was amazing. Karen Cisco and the mom from the Spy Kids series never looked so incredible. Jamie King, can't go wrong. But the one thing that bothered me was Jessica Alba. She plays Nancy Callahan. She's a stripper in the movie and she doesn't get naked, at all. In the comic she does and often. Nancy is dancing on stage, topless, when the man who saved her life 8 years earlier walks in and sees her again for the first time. Now why do I find this important? It's not because I needed to see Jessica Alba nude. But it really was for the story. This woman, this stripper, who is in love with a man old enough to be her grandfather is in a position to show him why she is irresistible to him as a lover and we have the obligatory, "I am an actress who doesn't do nudity" shot. Hartigan needs to see that Nancy is all grown up and you don't do that by prentending he can envision her nude but buy showing it. Give him a fucking reason to have a conflict in his feelings for her! His little head needs to duke it out with his big one. Here's my solution, and David agrees, find an actress that is just as attractive who will do the nudity. Every other aspect of noir is maintained except that scene and only because of the actress playing the part. Bullshit, pure and simple.

So to finally sum up my review, I loved it. But I "got it" I'm not so sure the general movie going audience will, but I have faith. Mostly because I hope this movie does so well that it moves the digital movie making movement even further into the norm. Lucas has been pushing, developing and making his movies that way for many years now and Rodriguez was one of the first young directors to buy into it and run with the ball. Because that's what we at Twenty One have as our norm and future and we embrace it. I seriously doubt that I will ever shoot a movie on actual film stock and if I never do so fucking what? After all whether it's a comic book movie, sci-fi, drama or whatever, digital filmmaking is still just another tool to make a great story and if the story sucks who cares what it was shot on.

Needless to say Epidsode III regains the top spot as the my most anticipated filck of 2005.

Lack of Sleep Leads To Mindless Rambling

2005-03-29T19:58:00.000-05:00

So, I'm up at my usual un-Godly hour in the morning due to the fact I don't sleep well if hardly at all and I was browsing the web to hit my daily movie news site. Shameless plug; JoBlo.com (not that they give a shit that I even post this info). And on said site I see a news bit about Kevin Smith posting a daily diary of his ever move. Nice move considering so many people actually do care about his day to day minutiae. Now I in no way think anyone remotely cares what I do on a daily basis compared to Kevin Smith or anyone for that matter but what the hell, it kills time before the wife and kids wake up and some people might think it's at the very least amusing, possibly informative and at the very worst sad and pathetic.

Off to the day job. Yeah, hard to believe I don't get paid to make movies, I know, but something got to pay the bills. It's not that bad, I still get to be somewhat creative and I get to do some directing. Not in the movie sense but in the art design of a national publication. Keeps the gears of the "art department" of Twenty One running right along too. It never really was in the "big picture" to work in the horse industry at all while residing in good 'ol Kentucky but things could have worked out worse. I do have an understanding boss who thinks that making movies is a pretty cool thing and I get quite a bit of leeway in that area to do so without much grief from upper management. So, I do get to yap with David about movie stuff during work hours which all in all keeps my movie job as part of my life 24/7.

Last night I caught a little known movie called, Jesus' Son, starring Billy Crudup as a drug addict who finds redemption. When you get a chance I recommend you add it to your Nexflix queue. It came out in 2000 and I just stumbled upon it. It's got some great cameos from Jack Black, Denis Leary and Dennis Hopper which are worth the rental alone. It's a movie that moves at a slow pace but has some great shots, good dialogue and some fine acting. One scene which stuck out was one where Crudup's character, known only as Fuckhead (I kid you not), breaks down after the death of some baby rabbits. That was just some fucking good acting. It was directed by Alison MacLean and this is the first thing I have seen from her and I thought it was done very well.

Friday is the release date for one of the movies I have been looking forward to the most from the time I first heard it was being made. Sin City. I have been a big fan of the comic since it first came out and have expectations that I pray will be surpassed but that might be asking too much. My review to come.

NEXT TIME: SIN CITY & IN DEFENSE OF ALL THINGS STAR WARS

Hooray for Hollywood - Redux

2005-03-05T08:09:00.000-05:00

There is something about L.A., I'm sure I will get a million responses to such a general statement, but what got me thinking was a question posed by a fellow traveller while out in California as I took them on a tour in the city on angels, Hollywood, specifically. The question was, "What will I see there?" I had never been asked that before because to me it was obvious, but then I realized I am not your average tourist, and the person asking has no real interest in the T.V. and movie industry.

Honestly, I didn't have an answer for them. At first I thought, the Hollywood sign, Mann's Chinese Theatre, the Kodak, The Whiskey, The Roxy and so on. But for this "tourist" they stared blankly at me with a look that replied, "and? Big fucking deal!"

It just dawned at me at that moment. It was a vibe. Simple and cliche as that. For me just being a block or two away from movie studios, pre-production facilities, agents, actors, film makers, etc. was it! You can feel it, it's inspiring, you're a part of it and Hollywood puts the extras glitz on it just for shits and giggles!

David, Justin and I were recently interviewed for a local paper and one of the thoughts we ran across was the whole "indie" film culture vs Hollywood. For me that's as lame a debate as can be made in the generic David vs Goliath, rage against the establishment mentality of "some" up and coming artists. Be it film maker, musician or what have you.

The truth is that if it were not for Hollywood there's not one of us "indie" film makers that would be doing what were are in our respective Anytown, USA. Don't misunderstand me though, I think it's great that there are so many talented "local" film makers out there, not just in my hometown but all across America. And with the advent of digital film making it's brought us closer to our dreams. But it hasn't brought Hollywood closer to us nor is it threatening to run it out of business.

Hollywood got it right, it is the standard for which all future films are judged. We might not like much of what always gets spit out by of the Hollywood movie making machine. Much of it is shit, but it's still makes money and in the end as film makers we have to learn how to make and tell the stories we want and still make a living at it. That's why it's so fucking hard but then again when all those things mesh that's why it's great!

We here at Twenty One are "indie" to the nth degree, but we want our movies to be seen. As Walt Disney once said, "I don't make pictures just to make money. I make money to make more pictures." And as I say, " If no one ever see's you 'art' then it's as if it never exsisited to begin with." Fellow film makers that's my take on Hollywood, I like it, shit, I love it!

Remember you can always buck the system and tell it to go fuck's itself but always keep your fingers crossed behind your back.

Where The Hell Is This MOVIE!

2005-03-04T11:36:00.000-05:00

12 STEPS NOWHERE

So, the movie has been delayed for over a year now. I know, it sucks. Believe me no one is more anxious to get this thing done than myself, David and Justin. Fortunately the process of the final edit is now firmly back in our hands or more specifically David's hands. The last third of the movie is almost complete in it's rough cut form and the first two thirds is on paper. It had been cut. The transfer from Final Cut Pro to Avid Xpress has been less than ideal, actually a giant pain in the ass, to be more precise. So we come to this point. The EDL's (edit decision lists) are printed out (that's the paper part) and now we have to punch in the time codes, capture the footage and put the sequence puzzle back together. Not as daunting a task as it might seem as you read this but it is a task none the less.

Now since the technical issues are out of the way you may be asking (or at least the non-techies out there) so what the fuck does this long delayed, better be worth the wait, movie friggin' look like? One word. Fucking awesome! Okay two words but for those easily offended just ignore the first one. So far all the scenes that I was most worried about, in the sense of wether or not they would actually work, do! You have to understand I have seen the whole movie, be it in chucks, bits and pieces and over a time frame of a one year plus, but I seen it. There were two major sequences that I was most concerned about. One where "Jimmy," the soft spoken old man gives "Christian" a bit of advise, and the ending. I can say with total confidence that they both look great and work great and better than I had even envisioned when I wrote the script. After all the road blocks on 12 STEPS I now feel, and I really mean this, that we are finally on track to finish it. The fact the footage is now in a editing suite we have access to anytime we need it is about the biggest accomplishment we have made so far in the post-production process.

So, I feel like that I am far beyond the point of continually apologizing for the movie's delay. I guess that says more about me than the people I believe are clamoring for this latest piece for Twenty One to be complete. I do try to be humble though. I don't put above the title, of this or any other movie I have done, "a Russell Johnson film" not that I mind or care that other directors do that but I know no one really knows or honestly cares who the fuck I am to begin with so it's not going to matter who the movie is by more so than it just being a good movie. I and believe this is a good movie, our best movie to date, to be exact. We are doing things in this movie we haven't done before and that goes for everything from the script, to shooting, to editing and music. With all the production values we've upgraded to, I know this story holds it's own as well. That why I believe (in my own mind anyway) why everyone is waiting (and patiently I might add) for this movie to come out and the reason I always felt a need to try and keep the public interested. Really the movie means nothing if people don't like it and our best publicity is word of mouth. I will try and keep everyone updated on our progress on this and other projects in the works.

Send some comments to me or any of us at Twenty One about want you want to know and what will peak your interest (insert porn joke here!).