DL Warner -- A Work in Progress

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Disco Memorials, Unexpected Dilemmas, and Dancing Mutants

Additonal warning: Old fogey talking about modern music and copious amounts od Disco.

Accidental Memorial

The friends of Harry Kenney who live out here have been trying to coordinate a memorial gathering in the weeks since his death. It hasn’t been easy. I thought we should have dancing as Harry liked to cut a rug. Mind, he wasn’t exactly good at most forms of dancing, but he had great enthusiasm. A high school chum and I taught him the basics of the Hustle, the bump, the Freak, and that line dance (for the clip, you have to watch past john Travolta in his underwear) from Saturday Night Fever. You know, the basics of Disco. Incidentally, I was given my only conduct dermit in High School for reviewing Satruday Night Fever. It was an immorality demerit. Ah, if they only knew. Where was I? Dancing, right. There used to be several ‘Disco Nights’ in this part of LA. I discovered that those nights – and in some cases – those places are no more. It was disconcerting. The big new dance club in West Hollywood touts every kind of dance music except that which you can dance to. Sorry, young-uns. The stuff playing today is good for bouncing up and down which is about all you can handle. I know very few under 30 that can actually dance. I’ll talk about one of them later.

We decided to have a dinner in Harry’s honor. He loved food as much as he loved music and had become quite the foodie over the years. He and I used to follow the PBS chefs in the days before The Food Network (and after). We got to meet Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, before the scandal. And when we were at loose ends, dating wise, we ate at a lot of restaurants in Philly, New Jersey and New York City. Food is a good choice for the memorial which is still in the planning stages, but I must admit to being disappointed about the lack of dancing. Then, a week after the Blood Oath shoot, we met with Matty Ferraro and a friend of his to have a beer or two at a small tavern near us. It’s a tiny place that only serves a fine selection of beers and wines. It’s really tiny, but has a full sized pool table and about 8 large screen TVs. You really can watch some sports in that bar from any angle of the room. That night, the booths had been moved out to make room for a DJ. Have I said this place was small? So we find ourselves crammed around a small, tall table next to the DJ. I wasn’t exactly happy about that as we were having a conversation in shouts, but then he started playing music I recognized. Matty and I were dancing on our bar stools. I requested Staying Alive. I knew that it probably was a re-mix with who knew what, but I had to try. Turns out it was a re-mix from Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion and one that I liked. We had a lovely chair dance and a toast to Harry. Dancing in that small space could have caused bodily harm. And seeing how I have been injured dancing with Harry (note, hold onto your partner when trying a dip.), he would have understood. I think he would have appreciated the thought.

There is a very nice video tribute to him on Youtube here.

Unexpected Dilemmas

Having been in LA for more than 15 years and having been involved in the film biz for about that long, there shouldn’t be any problems that come as an absolute surprise. Yet, there I was, minding my own business on my sofa last week, when a most unexpected problem arose. It is in conjunction with the tributes to Harry. You see, in the late 80s, John Stein and I were in an Irish pub. I believe it was Moriarity’s on Walnut Street. We were doing what geeks do in an Irish Pubs, drinking beer and talking about Star Trek. Particularly, we were talking about the Mirror, Mirror episode and how there was no lawlessness in Star Trek: The Next Generation. That discussion and my ongoing obsession with pirates lead to noodling out the concept for The Privateers on the back of a placemat. In the development of the series, Harry got involved and contributed a great deal. However, the idea for the name of the lead pirate, Captain Aran Dravyk, was John Stein’s. It was a tribute to Sir Francis Drake, also known as the Dragon. That was where the word Dravyk came from. Well, when the idea fell to the wayside after initial interest (first as an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and later as potential first series on the Sci-Fi Channel), Harry used the name for his e-mail address. And that was the name he used in his career in adult website content. Now, there is a proposal for an award in that industry called The Dravyk. Well, The Privateers is no longer dormant. We’re shopping it about to make a very expensive feature film. While Hollywood is hardly innocent of Adult entertainment (it’s largely here), this sort of association could be problematic. Harry really wanted to see the project made, so this was quite a dilemma. Fortunately, it became clear that Harry was known by his own name as much as his handle in recent years. I think that an award with his name would be a far better tribute, and that solution would calm Ralph’s agita.

Blood Oath Developments

Post has been slow going. We have some equipment to acquire and some software to upgrade. Additionally, Jon has to figure out where all the Manga comic panels will be scattered through the live action. Meanwhile, I’ve been working on the character drawings and developing the pilot script and series bible. This is where the readers of the Soldier’s books get to have their way, so to speak. For cinematic reasons and to fill up a lot of air-time, I have to show Rik and Vincent prior to Vincent’s disappearance. The entire conspiracy will be covered in the front half of the pilot. Thus, the audience will get Rik and Vincent as they were before

becoming a couple (Rik’s arrogance and Vincent’s temper). The audience will also experience Rik’s downward spiral after Vincent disappears. The audience will also meet Falcon Squad in full measure during the pilot. That sounds like a lot to cover, but a script that long is the equivalent of half of one of the novels. It’s a lot of time to fill. We have some idea of who some of the characters will be, but nothing is definite until I do a full breakdown of regular and recurring characters. We figure that the majority of the cast will be relative unknowns with a few TV star names (preferably from Science Fiction) in the mix. I have no one in mind for these parts (Dr. Auerbach, Gen Braun, Colonel Heisler, Percival Owens), but I’m open to suggestions. Meanwhile, I’m further defining my lead characters to fit the strengths of the leading men. Lance has a playfulness that I really hadn’t written into Rik but I must use with this actor. He can go from aloof and distant (while getting into his part) to suddenly warm and disarming. Matty is quite playful as well. There were serious moments during different scenes where he teased Rik or touched him playfully in a way he hadn’t blocked in rehearsal, but it looked good on screen. Aside from that, I discovered that Matty can dance. That young, lean body looks very good moving to a beat. I figure that Vincent will be dancing while cooking. The music can be real or in his head. And I figure that Rik would really enjoy just watching him move. I’m certain that the leads will bring more of themselves to their characters after the first draft of the script is written. I can’t wait to see what that will be.

Next Time: Craig returns. Find out why Phil may end up suing him, Anthony Bourdain and a word that rhymes with corn, and why the hell was Puff Daddy on CSI: Miami playing a defense attorney??!! I would have written more, but I really got distracted by the disco videos.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Musings, Oxen and a Long, Red Scarf

Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.

Musings on Wings and Things

I’ve learned two things this week. First, it’s really had for me to write a blog during the week. Aside from a surprisingly rigid schedule (It’s a surprise that I actually have a rigid schedule. I always like to think of myself as free-wheeling and spontaneous), I am a lot more morose during the week. I am really tense and bleak. That may be because of the schedule or the crazy stuff going on with the films that only happens during the week. On any given weekday, I’m very annoyed or frustrated about something out of my control. It comes out in the drafts of blogs I’ve tried to write mid-week. Even I wouldn’t want to read those. The dust has usually settled for the time being by Friday night, and I’ve had a day of cooking therapy before attempting to write. Thus, I saved my stories from the shoot and other adventures for today. The second thing I learned as that I’ve developed a capacity for eating huge amounts of Buffalo wings . I don’t really have them when I go out. They’re always too spicy or not tender. I didn’t typically make them for the Super Bowl. My friends preferred a Betty Crocker creation called Mahogany Wings (wings baked with a molasses, soy, ginger sauce). I supposed that I was feeling more traditional that night, so I made a pile of Buffalo wings thinking I’d snack on them all week. Maybe it was the thrilling game or something. All I know is that I had about seven wings left from a three pound bag. Just disgraceful. I’m making more today.

Holi-daze part one 2009

The blog is three years old. That’s really hard to believe. It became more than a promo tool for the books a long while ago. I’m really pleased to have so many readers from all over everywhere. And I’m still tickled at how many stay after wandering onto the page from a Google search. And yep, I still get yelled at by people looking for topic on a search that I happen to be ranting about. I’m waiting for irate Amish folks affronted by my derision of those heaters. I don’t think they’d send an e-mail though. It’s not boring.

A belated Gung hay fat choy for the Year of the Ox. Since I am a Taurus and that’s sort of an Ox, I’m claiming this as my year as well. I think we’ve had a good start. It’s always fun to shoot something. Doing something proactive is far more satisfying than waiting for phone calls. The shoot and pot stickers from my favorite Chinese restaurant made for a nice start to the lunar New Year.

Film Updates

Having Blood Oath was fortunate these past few weeks. Since the New Year, we’ve had little movement on any of our projects with funding pending. Finally, Ralph let loose with a flurry of irate phone calls demanding a status report. Basically, few funding sources want to proceed with films while the SAG situation remains unsettled. While we understand this hesitation, it was a bit vexing to not be told what the issue was until we were yelling at them. While this isn’t a no, it’s clear it’s not a green light. They didn’t want to tell us this out of fear of us moving on. No one involved in film knows how to say no, or more to the point, they don’t want to say no absolutely for fear that the project will gain success elsewhere. Our favorite casting director said that the reluctance to pass on a project goes back to Star Wars. A lot of people who turned that film down before Fox accepted it were fired. From then on, it is really hard to get someone to officially pass on a film. That’s how a producer ends up in a situation like Watchmen. In short, Fox was pitched the concept about 15 years ago. They did nothing to develop it. In fact, some execs were derisive about the script. When it finally gets made by Warner Bros., Fox sues saying that they never released the film for development elsewhere. And they win. That is really galling, and I don’t give a hang about Watchmen. The trailer is gorgeous, but I have no clue what it’s about. Jon who is a huge fan of the comic can’t really explain it to be in five minutes or less. I believe all this fighting is for a film that will be a flop, because a general audience will be fixated on why one of the characters looks so much like Batman. The principal of the thing is, if you don’t want a film, let it go. We have a script that’s been in the possession major actor’s film company for over 10 years. We’ve thought of sending it birthday cards. Ralph recently had an opportunity to ask about it at said company. It’s still ‘under consideration.’ Bullocks!

Where was I? Oh, yeah. The upshot is that the Gunslinger and Luv U 4 Ever won’t have start dates until some time after SAG has settled with the studios. Meanwhile, post has begun on Blood Oath.

Anime vs Yaoi: Blood Oath Shoot Part Two

I never interfere with Jon directing. That surprised a number of people who know how much I like to be involved in productions. There can only be one person in charge on set. What we do while in script page is work out a common view on what we want to happen on screen. This is usually pretty easy. Jon and I have been doing this for a long time, after all. In this case, we made assumptions about each other that proved to be problematic during the shoot. We are both anime heads, that’s for sure. Thus 80% of what Jon wanted to see on screen for this pilot presentation was the same. That 20% caused some moments of tension. In a shoot that short with a very long shot list, sudden changes and additions have a big ripple effect. Jon was focused on the emblematic anime moves. I needed to see some more of the tender moments between Rik and Vincent. Don’t get me wrong. There were a number of very pretty kisses, but I wanted more of something Jon calls the ‘wa’ moments (Basically, he’s using the term from Japanese baseball as the moment before a ball is pitched. It’s a being completely in the moment while anticipating the next). Those were difficult to fit in during such a jam-packed shoot. However, there was one bit I insisted upon. It was a playful spar between Rik and Vincent that w

as a corollary for the beach meditation scene. I emend to have those scenes inter-cut during the opening credits. It got shot and it was really cute, too. Our Rik and Vincent can do both playful and dangerous very convincingly. The scene was worth pushing for. The other very Vincent thing that Jon set up blocking for was Vincent fiddling with the food (tasting and seasoning) the guys were eating in the abandoned warehouse. He wanted to establish the character as a talented cook. By the way, the meal they are was my Boeuf bourguignon. They guys had to really eat the food, and I wanted them to have something nice.

The bigge

st problem we had during the shoot was with Goggles’ red scarf. It wouldn’t stay up on his face even with double stick tape for more than one take. The constant fussing with that danged scarf was quite reminiscent of Dr. Bassett’s ever changing neck ties in Demon Under Glass. In that case, Jon was shooting scenes from several different days. The lab coat and pants and shirt were always the same, but the necktie was supposed to be different every day. Keeping up with the continuity almost from take to take nearly put a strain on our marriage. The scarf wasn’t as bad, especially after I told them they could pin it. Jon had been reluctant as it was one of my scarves from our last trip to Paris. It cost 3 Euros. I could cope with the holes to speed things along.

Thanks for all those who wrote notes congratulating us on overcoming the specters of Demon Under Glass. I appreciated the thoughts, but we had some mishaps in this project that are an ongoing concern. They will be resolved this week, however, leaving us free to deal with the biggest challenge of the whole presentation – post production. Oh, the whining there will be during that. And for those writing for a more in—depth explanation of the trauma during the Demon shoot. I may indulge (the stories are usually very funny to everyone but the survivors), but not this week.

The most exciting part of completing the Blood Oath shoot is I’ve got stories in my head again that are eager to be written. Jon and I worked out what needed to be in the full pilot and what could be in episodes. As soon as we had a working frame, whole scenes began popping into my head. I haven’t had that strong an urge to write since well before Christmas. As always, that kind of creating makes my general outlook a lot brighter.

There’s much more to tell and more photos (go the weblink for more photos) to share, but I have to get on with the rest of my day. Stay tuned.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Ghosts, Snacks and Super Stuff

t convinced that the empty warehouse we’d rented could pass as an abandoned warehouse even after seeing the photos. It caused me no end of consternation until we reached the site. Despite how well our previous efforts had gone, I had no idea until then how many of us had been traumatized by them. Mind you, none of us had the common sense to opt out of these high risk, high effort endeavors. Oh no... though, in our defense, we had heard that doing ‘no budget’ proofs of concept were now all the rage even with big studios. The nifty company that rented all of our bad-assed military gear was doing much the same thing at the behest of Sony and with some very big names. So, we’re not entirely nuts. I must admit, however, that I found that information more than a little depressing.

All of the elements were in place. The question that remained was could these flesh and blood characters match those that had lived in my prose and in my head for more than two years?

Next time: Anime vs Yaoi.

Blog Delay and Photos

I'm working on the blog, but there is a lot to cover and a Super bowl to watch. It should be up later today. Meanwhile, there are photos and the script from the shoot to entertain you all.

http://bloodoathseries.com/short.htm

Enjoy and check baack later!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Mourning, Shooting and New Rants

Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.

A Big Thanks

I really appreciate the kind notes that were sent about the death of my friend, Harry Kenney. It’s been a difficult week facing things like mortality and choices and accomplishments. Looking over a life-time can lead to some very bleak places. I had been deeply saddened by the inability to find anything about him on the internet. I had worried that all that he had achieve would passed unrecognized and remembered. I was never happier to be so wrong. There are now more than a dozen heartfelt obituaries and comments in all manner of Adult forums over his passing. The most well known was in the website for Adult Video News. It made me very happy to see that he left behind a great deal of people whose work and friendship meant a great deal. I think Harry would have been very pleased to see all of the lovely comments. He would have been really jazzed that my most infamous ex, Nick Nicastro, the salacious dark lord that lead me astray and still resides in the bowels of Atlantic City. He has inspired one novel and is the leading man in most of my erotica. He is still the naughtiest man I know – even in his 60s. Harry admired him greatly for his prowess with women. And Nick ended up admiring him as well. He was quite shaken at Harry’s passing. And that is quite a tribute. It’s been a hard week coming to terms with his death, but there has been a benefit. I re-connected with a number of friends I’d lost touch with after moving to LA. It was marvelous to catch up with them. Like all good friendships, the calls were as warm and wonderful as if we’d been talking every day. Those long chats have helped a little with the grief.

Blood Oath and Film Update
Last week was the final rehearsal before the shoot. We’d made some dialogue changes to the script, and Jon fully blocked out the fight scenes. So, we had Matty and Lance over again to do some read through and work through any questions or concerns. As always, I was fascinated watching the actors work. Matty Ferraro had read A Solder’s Choice before accepting the role. Lance only had the script and a character description. The reasons for the difference is kind of involved, so I’ll skip it. Each man managed to figure out who the characters were and how to convey their personalities on camera. It’s difficult to describe how I know when the actor understands the character. My method is different from Jon’s. For me, it boils down to one line in pages of dialogue that is quintessentially Vincent or Rik. There is a certain way that the character would say that line. Most times, I can’t describe what I should be hearing. I just know it when I hear it. I was elated when Matty and Lance both said the words in those lines exactly how I expected to hear them. Moreover, when they deviated from expected, they were in ways that were still valid for their characters. In some cases, they were a better read than we’d each had in mind. That’s when a shoot is really fun. Along with their choices for portraying the characters, I was struck at the ease of their intimacy. They did some physically things during the dialogue scenes that I hadn’t expected. There were some touches and glances that just make the slash girls swoon. Jon was pleased that his focus can be on their movements rather than on the performances. We are set to shoot this Thursday and Friday only a mile or two from the first part of the shoot on Demon Under Glass. I recognized the street as soon as we turned onto it. Our first hotel was there (the one that had towels and heat). Ah memories. I still don’t know how we keep ending up shooting in that part of town. We’re all excited to be making a film again. But we’re also nervous as always. It’s a responsibility to book up these professionals’ time. We want it to be a productive and fun experience. Jon is working hard to make sure the shots run smoothly. Margeurite and I are working on keeping everyone well fed and comfy in our temporary home. I am making the field rations for the dialogue scenes. The only worrisome thing is the erecting of the green screen. We’ve never done it before. I’m certain a comedic adventure awaits. There are always so many on our shoots. I still cringe at that message that our motel mattress for Demon Under Glass was laying across a lane and a half of the 405 freeway. Fortunately, we don’t have nearly as much stuff going into the valley this time. We shouldn’t have as many adventures. Notice, I don’t make guarantees.

There are no updates on the Gunslinger and Luv U 4 Ever that I can talk about. It’s frustrating, I know (believe me, everyone involved knows how frustrating this is). The fortunate thing is that the Gunslinger is so ready for production that it will only take a few days to set a schedule and get rolling. Stay tuned.

Pop Culture Rants

These have been long overdue. I’ve had notes on some things since mid-December. And it’s fitting as a continuing tribute to Harry. We talked pop culture since high school and were film and TV critics on The Temple News. We saw some fun stuff over the holiday break. One of them, Wanted was a film that I really wasn’t sure I’d enjoy. It looked too shooty-bang bang for me. But there was Angelina splayed across the hood of a car with a big gun. I couldn’t resist. The film was a fabulous fun ride. It was far funnier than I ever expected (and intentionally so), and the amount of character development was surprising. I wished that one pivotal scene was longer because of the heavy emotional impact. But other than that, Wanted was a great popcorn romp. The other film we saw at that time was Get Smart. The TV series was a huge favorite of mine and my mother’s. This did not disappoint though they characters were not the same as the series. They were completely valid, but not mimics of the TV characters. It was a clap your hands in delight experience.

Meanwhile, my trailer troubles continue. I typically wouldn’t be interested in something like My Bloody Valentine in 3-D. However, I was so annoyed by the trailer that I couldn’t resist finding out what the film was about. SPOLIER ALERT. So you are warned after a bloody rampage at a Valentines Dance that cost the lives of many miners 20 years before not have another Valentines Dance. When a dance is scheduled, deadly mayhem ensues, so you sanely cancel the plans. But the teenagers who should know of this prohibition throw said dance AT THE MINE. Everyone deserves to die. I hope the deaths are gruesome. I’ll never see it.

I have many thoughts on Gil Grissom’s departure from CSI and on this season of CSI: Miami as well as the return of Anthony Bourdain, and, of course, Battlestar Galactica. But that is for another day. I have food to cook and a shoot to plan.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Painful Passages and First Day of the Shoot

and the waves broke very prettily. We couldn’t have designed a better backdrop. The guys looked very yummy together, especially in the training phase (the black tank tops). We did a set of katas where Rik is teaching Vincent (training phase) and ones where they are just meditating together. I love the hands especially (Forgive my fuzzy photography. It’s an older digital camera). There are more pics on the myspace page. Most are the very nice, clear pics that Ralph took. Matty and Lance definitely have chemistry together. The footage is compelling. And that’s good, because we won’t have to shoot it again. Being an outlaw film maker is far more stressful on me than I thought it would be. There were at least three beach patrol vehicles who past by and gave us the once over, and there was an LAPD motorcycle cop who buzzed our base camp in the parking lot. It was all very unnerving for me, anyway. I was really relieved when we wrapped for the morning.

Tomorrow, I’m having Matty over to practice playing with his ponytail and to do some cooking together. We may try to grab some scenes of Vincent in the kitchen at some point as part of the opening credits. Lance will be there to practice playing with Vincent’s ponytail and to go over the new dialogue. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

No new updates on The Gunslinger and Luv U 4 Ever. A lot has been happening that I can’t talk about. It’s fascinating and frustrating how much of what’s going on has nothing to do with the films themselves but are pivotal to the film’s funding. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to talk about what all of the machinations were. I don’t know if anyone would believe me if I did. We’re still awaiting word of a start date.

Painful Passage

Most of what I wanted to talk about this week was eclipsed by an e-mail from a very kind stranger telling me that Harry W. Kenney, a friend for over 30 years, had died of a heart attack. He was 48. The day befor

e, his 100 year old mother died. Harry was a fixture in my homes in Philly. We went through high school and college together. He was at many holiday gatherings and we heralded in many a New Year together along with a group of nerdy misfits I’ve known for

ever. He helped me write the first version of The Privateers, and we worked on a couple of other scripts while I was still in Philly. Harry’s claim to fame was not in writing. He was a pioneer in adult internet content under the name Dravyk. Little wonder that he was the first host for NovaD.com (now NovaD.org). It was an interesting career turn for a Catholic boy (though, maybe not that surprising), and it took him all over the world. His last days were spent caring for his mother, something he had done for most of his life. Though he may not have pursued the writing career he’d wanted, his work influenced a lot of folks in the webhosting world, and he left a lot of friends who will remember him fondly. It’s fortunate that a few of us ended up in LA. We’ll go have a beverage and a dance or two in his honor (he was an enthusiastic, if not a very good dancer). It’ll be tough returning to Philly and not meeting up for a drink with him. As you can see from the photos, there was a lot of drinking and apparently costumes in our friendship. He’ll always be around when any of us get together.

I’m off to do some stuff for the memorial and for the read through tomorrow.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Extra Gravy, Passings and Updates

tands were particularly ugly even before the game. Yep, that’s Philly. But then it all turned to glee. It was a delightfully humiliating route. I was a happy woman with just that. The next Sunday, Jon and I went to look at the soundstages for Blood Oath (more on that below). We happened past the door to a local cop bar on the way home and spied that the Eagles were winning against Minnesota. Very nice, indeed. That meant we were in a position to spoil things for the New York Giants. We like spoiling things for them almost as much as we love spoiling things for Dallas. The glee continues though the game was kind of silly in spots. It’s all gravy from here. I have no particular grudge against Arizona, but now they are a team in the way. In the way of what, I dare not think about. I’m just going to enjoy this surprisingly long ride.

Passages

Borders Book Store #93, 3rd Street Promenade closed its doors for good yesterday. Thos

e of us who worked there have decidedly mixed feelings. There was a lot of evil cackling, to be sure. Some bitterness remains at the customers, the management, the corporate structure and the fixtures. But, there is some sadness at the loss of yet another brick and mortar bookstore. Jon argues that it wasn’t really a bookstore at this point. It was more like a gift shop that sold some books. The depth of the inventory had changed considerably. The last time I was there, I couldn’t find a copy of The Great Gatsby. ‘Nuff said. I mourned the store’s demise back then. The company should have never abandoned its original mandate – a community bookstore with the prices of a chain. Borders expanded way too quickly (during my time there, a new store was opening every month). The Amazon.com completely panicked Borders. After they came along, it was one hair-brained scheme after another to try to keep its market share. They diminished the number and types of books they carried and abandoned the idea of full-time, knowledgeable staffers there for the long term. I’m saddened because it was a really great bookseller at one time. I have some wonderful memories of that store. I met some of the best people I know there (like Marie and Craig and Phil). Marie and I learned about independent publishing working for Borders. My fondest memory of book signing was at a Borders. This one was in Philly while I worked for the Center City District. Peter O’Toole was signing a memoir at the Rittenhouse Square Borders. I just had to see him in person. He did not disappoint. Mr. O’Toole was there with a fine glass of booze and a cigarette awaiting the throngs when I arrived. The timid staff was trying to gently get him to not smoke and drink. He dismissed them with a very cultured ‘Oh, do go away.’ Then, he winked at me. It was fabulous. We would have never tried to take his stash at store #93 -- as long as he shared with us.

Our memories at store 93 are mostly ghastly. There were the various naked homeless people washing up in the bathrooms. They were never the OZ kind of naked or even the nudist camp kind of naked. It was gruesome kind of naked. Sometimes, they’d use the bathroom by going outside of the bathroom door next to the back office doors. My favorite of the homeless was not bathroom related. Mine was the one covered in gasoline and carrying an open cup of gas right in front of a group of VIPs from corporate headquarters. They no longer questioned our contention about having the weirdest clientele in the chain. We beat out the Manhattan stores for bizarre by a mile. We also cornered the market on privileged and often abusive customers who felt very entitled to everything. I won’t miss them at all. I met Patrick Stewart there (a co-worker nearly got injured over my wanting to wait on Captain Picard). Barbara Streisand thought I had the right idea about men (I was wearing a button that said ‘strip him, bath him and bring him to my tent). And Ted Danson looked for me long after I quit as he believed I was his personal shopper. Ah, memories. We tried to get a reunion group to go for one last visit, but I worried that Craig’s idea for a proper farewell would end in arrests. Thus, I say adieu from home.

Boo-yeah!

Among the meetings we had this week, was a fascinating encounter with a retired Marine Master Sergeant who runs a company that provides specialized military and police extras and equipment. He had the precision buzz cut and a fabulous face full of a lot of world experience. He was the technical advisor through the length of the series JAG. Though an older gentleman, he had a very powerful build and a compelling bearing. We were certain that he could waste all three of us without much effort. The young man with the Sergeant is one of Ralph’s clients. He was very helpful by changing into a uniform in front of me. Have I said that I really like how not shy actors are? That actor, it turned out had killed Garett Maggart’s character in CSI: Miami. I mentioned that at the meeting. His reply was that he seldom remembers who he’s killed. I was really glad we hadn’t met at a restaurant. One, I wouldn’t have seen his lovely torso, and two, the police may have been called. Or maybe not. During the shoot for Demon Under Glass, at least three of us were seen in public washing bloody clothing, and no one was ever called. That always bothered me. Where was I? Oh, yes, so we have some very fine military consultants and their equipment at our disposal for Blood Oath. I’m also hoping to persuade the Sergeant to take on the role of General Braun. I had been concerned about securing their services. These guys were serious military. And though Rik and Vincent are decidedly pro-military in the Soldiers books and in Blood Oath, their situation often casts the military in a less than positive light. And then there is the yaoi content. I was biting my nails after sending them the script for the pilot presentation (and this script is tame compared to the novels). It was a relief that it all worked out. The prospect of working with this group is exciting as it will add authenticity to a key component of Blood Oath.

A note to some followers of the blogs here. Dragoncor Productions has many kinds of irons in the fire. Some are more mainstream than others. Some are decidedly not for mainstream viewers. I am very clear in my descriptions of the various projects especially the yaoi. If you have a problem with a particular production because of content, feel free to discuss it with like- minded people in another forum. Do not bother the actors or crew listed here with your opinions on content in films they are not attached to. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Blood Oath Shoot

Our first day will be Monday at the beach here. We had rehearsal on Friday. How I love to have attractive men sprawled on my sofa. I also had them try on their lounge and medi

tative wear. It seems to me that for a woman with a well deserved reputation for lurid thoughts, I spend a lot of time clothing attractive men. Dang this film business and the need for costumes. They looked yummy, at any rate.

For those who have followed the writing of the Soldiers books, my attachment to Rik and Vincent is very clear. I adore those characters and they live in my mind quite vividly. It was difficult during the casting process to get the voices I’ve had for the characters out of my head. That’s where compelling actors come in. They are good looking men, and they have a lot of personality. I saw glimpses of Rik and Vincent in the casting sessions, but I actually heard them during rehearsal. Matty Ferraro and Lance Wesley have a lot of chemistry together. They laugh easily and are easily physical with each other. They even surprised me with that occasional magic actors do during rehearsals or shoots when they read a line in an unexpected and delightful way. Matty has the evil, smart alec and the kind and caring sides of Vincent down very nicely. Lance has a combination of strength and vulnerability that I can’t wait to see in action. I was delighted at how well they knew my guys. Friday was a very long day as Jon and I still had a long shift at the archive after the rehearsal. It didn’t seem long at all. We were so stoked after the rehearsal that adrenaline took over. Monday should be the same way. I can’t wait to see them move like my altered soldiers in the morning sunshine.

As for The Gunslinger and Luv U 4 Ever, we’re still waiting for the word.

I’m off to prep for an early call time.

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Year End Wrap and Various Updates

warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (not in the summer sun)

This has been a fabulous vacation. We’ve had twelve days away from the day job and almost a week without the film-funding grind. We don’t have an entire day off tomorrow as we must visit the Blood Oath soundstage. It’s been great while it lasted. I’ve been as lazy as possible. Unfortunately, I still had to answer phones. However, I did get in a lot of cooking therapy, watched some fun films (more on that below) and had a glass or two (ha!) of lovely champagne (it was on sale). And saw most of my actor lovelies. One has yet to get his cookies. Since Jon is in the house, I’m not sure how long they’ll last. This year’s baking was not as orderly as last year. We had to do a second run of almost everything. And then, there is the insidiousness of The Food Network. All season long they had these specials with new and interesting recipes. This is especially vexing when an intriguing baked good comes up. Our line up is determined in September (serious business, I tell you). Still, I had long been searching for a really good, moist gingerbread. That danged Bobby Flay came up with one. I thought he grilled everything, for Pete’s sake. But it looked amazing, and I had a new half-sheet baking pan... Oh, my, it smelled wonderful as it baked. There was a lot of cinnamon and cloves and two kinds of ginger in the recipe. The taste has almost become an addiction for me. Thus, the stragglers benefit this year. I’m adding it to the repertoire for the next Christmas.

Not everything was wonderful. My back decided it was going to be out for vacation, and it wanted to take my legs with it. Fortunately, heat therapy and two wonderful massages set me right. I also slept more than I have in probably years. I’ve been having a lot of weird dreams about spies and cooking classes in Paris. It’s all been wonderful wallowing in blankets while the weather is actually nearly cold and often foggy. I can tell that the rest is helping. I’ve started writing prose in my head again. That is always a very good sign.

I digress, because I am distracted by the DVD I’m listening to. It’s The Bourne Identity again. I like watching this one because of all of the scenes in Paris. I’m especially fond of the scene in Gare du Nord. It’s not just about being in Paris. I’m also thinking a lot about my Mother. She’s part of the writing in my head and about one of the films we watched over the vacation. Such a grand, old, beautiful station would have amazed her. I was transfixed by the huge schedule board with destinations all over Europe. Mom would have been surprised at her shy daughter finding the right train among all of those destinations. We got our tickets and had a coffee and snack in French (Jon, too). All we would have been missing in her mind would have been trench coats. Maybe, next time. Additionally, as I’ve said before, every cab ride we’ve had in Paris was much like the big car chase in that film. Only New York cabbies are as nuts.

The Year in Review

Not the whole year, please. This is the overall view. Production stuff will be below. 2008 was far and away better than 2007. First off, we had personal stability that we lacked the year before. That does wonders for creativity and bravery. Without that stability, we would have never tried the things we tried creatively. We’ve made connections in a place that is very comfortable and convenient. We even have vicarious pets to interact with at home and at the day job. Our regular lives are good. Creatively, I have prose in my head that is terribly personal as well as continuations of on going stories and some erotica that pushes my boundaries (scary, huh?). Writing all of it is a very exciting thought. I hope I can find the time. Then again, I don’t know if I’d mind if we were too busy. It can wait until I’m lounging somewhere fabulous with scads of free time. As long as the stories are alive in my head, I’m happy.

I’ve had some singularly wonderful experiences this year. A couple will be detailed in the productions section. But one I have mentioned numerous times. Reading Sarah Freligh’s Sort of Gone was one of those rare experiences of being moved and intimidated and inspired. The book was one of last year’s highlights for me. I look forward to more from her. I have become quite a cook. I will never compete on The Next Food Network Star, but I have pushed myself to higher and high levels in 2008. I have a modest but well-stocked pantry and freezer. More importantly, I’ve been making good and healthy meals that even Mr. Bland Palette has enjoyed. I still don’t believe that any bread can have 12 grains (are there really 12 grains?). And if there are 12, wouldn’t that be like eating steel wool? But I digress. The cooking therapy has been really good for our bottom line and our waist-lines. Still, I have yet to conquer the baguette.

Production Wrap-up and Update
As I have said, we were free to be brave this year. Our company has always done well when we were aggressive. The Privateers didn’t result in what we had originally planned for the short, but, in a round about way, it got us our first feature. We had had enough of meetings after meetings by the beginning of 2008 to know we had to do something proactive. That lead to The Gunslinger short. That script has the most interest and was the easiest to film. We were lucky in so many ways with that short. The first bit of luck, was the remarkable cast we found. We had hired Travis Willingham to do a book trailer almost a year before the short. He had something that we knew would work for Shadow Smith. We were very fortunate that he liked the script enough to come along for the ride. And then, there was Jennifer Sparks. Our partner, Ralph, had literally just signed her as a client when she read for us. Aside from being tall and beautiful (The tall was important since she is impersonating Shadow Smith in the film. The beautiful was important because it is a romance film, after all), she nailed the part with only the lines from the audition – not the full script. My very persnickety director couldn’t think of any adjustments to her reading. We were blessed with a great pair who had amazing chemistry in person. But it’s more than just those elements that made the whole shoot a singular. Both the leads are up and coming very quickly in jobs that pay far more than we could. They gave up valuable audition or work hours to rehearse and the shoot was two very long and grueling days that was preceded by a long time on the road. We couldn’t pay them anywhere near what their time is worth, but they treated the shoot like it was a blockbuster film. We had their best efforts. They were magical. Beyond that, there was our two man crew of Ryan Corrigan and Matty Ferarro. They gave beyond their A game to shoot the short. They, too, have busy lives that net way more than we were paying. And we were stretching them beyond the pale. They never complained. They got it done. And I can’t say enough about the wonderful support of the Jacques family. They let us overrun their property and were gracious beyond belief. LA is full of burned out people who don’t do things for less than full rate. I understand and respect that. There are so many up and comers looking for free this or discount that. It must get old. But we are very grateful to have found such talented and generous people who are willing to take a chance because they liked our writing. They brought us the attention we needed. We hope we brought them some good karma. We believe we’ll be rewarded with the pleasure of working with them again – on a full budget project.

I must tak

e a moment for a special thanks to Matty Ferarro. Aside from service above

and beyond during The Gunslinger short, he has been extraordinary during the run up to the Blood Oath short. He has been endlessly available and affable and patient. While in character, he has always been focused and prepared. He is also a chameleon. In one morning, he went from a drunken, washed-up pop star, Billy Swain to the beautiful and head-strong Vincent Greven. He ate it all up, and was amazing to watch in both roles. We must give a special thanks to our make up guru, Cat Elrod for her work that day as well.

At this writing, all is on track to do two films this year. The downturn, thus far, has not affected the commitment. We should have a schedule in the next few weeks.

I had some year-end comments on the films we’ve seen, but I’m wiped. I’ll save them for later rants.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Happy New Year!

May you all be happy and healthy and fulfilled in 2009! The year end blog is in the works. I hope to have it up by Sunday. I'm taking my own advice during this break in action and actually resting. Stay tuned!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Gifts, Football and other Randomness

olding off on the year-end review. I did discover a great source for costumes for Blood Oath. I mean, how can you not shop at kungfu4less.com. I think I’d shop there just to say I had. We’re working on websites today. I’ve made a graphic for Blood Oath that harkens to my favorite romance novel covers. It’s simple, but I’m still pretty proud of myself. I’ll post notices of additions later. Stay tuned.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Holiday Hats and Good Cheer

e pleasure of filming in 2008 next week in the year-end wrap up. Last week, was about spending some personal

down time with as many actors as we could gather before everyone took off for holidays with their families. We could only get Matty Ferarro and Jennifer Sparks, but they are a party waiting to happen. As I have said earlier, good actors are just bursting with personality. They lift your spirits just being with them. Jennifer and Matty are so much fun before they get to work, that we want to find ways of having them in everything we do. There are other actors we feel that way about, and they will be in almost everything we do. They also call at holidays and make me crazy, but that’s for another blog or not. Some of what was shared isn’t for mixed company. Matty and Jennifer were great holiday company, and they were great sports about wering the Happy holiday Hat. Interesti

ngly, Travis Willingham has adroitly avoiding the Happy Holiday Hat for two years. That will have to change. Vic Mignonga was not so lucky. But he looked pretty cute. Low budget filming is hectic and stressed. There isn’t time for amenities and moments of connection, so we seek them out and value them . We all enjoyed some time eating great food and having great beer and a lot of laughs. It made the roller coaster easier to tolerate. Working with these talented guys and gals is what drives us. It’s good fun to acknowledge that even on a small scale. Though it was interrupted, the dinner was a nice Christmas present. It looks like we’ll have a lot of such presents coming in 2009.

Joyeaux Noel
An article in Monday’s Los Angeles Times’ Health Section cited a study that suggests Nostalgic feelings during holidays is therapeutic. That’s good to hear, because I can’t help but be nostalgic during these times. Though we are approaching geezer-hood, I still think fondly of my childhood holidays. It wasn’t just that the hauls were sweet (and they were). The fond memories are of hanging out with my cousins and playing with our new, cool stuff together. We were lucky to have a bunch of cousins close by who were close in age to us. Thus, Christmas fun came in waves during the day. First we opened our presents, then we’d get one set of cousins and then another. We weren’t bored. And, of course, Mom made piles of great food that we ate all day. Even the inevitable family dust ups were entertaining. There would be the odd aunt or uncle from out of town. And by odd, I mean actually odd. There were good reasons these folks weren’t typically invited to family gatherings. Yes, watching adults melt down could be great holiday fun. I enjoy these memories. They make me feel close to hearth and home though we’re on the other side of the country. The nostalgia isn’t melancholy though. We’ve had some great Christmases here. Nothing beats Craig and the rest of the Border’s alum (Phil and Marie to name a few) for the holidays. And then, there are the actors like Garett Maggart whom are anything but reverent. And not being in 5 degree weather or trudging through snow is a big bonus.

We soggy, but happy and well this Christmas day. I must be off to work on my side dishes. Happy Holidays!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Stay Tuned

The blog will once again be delayed. Jon and I are in the middle of sudden funding talks. In fact, we were in the middle of our mini holiday party with our partners and a couple of our actor lovelies when we were called away to finish the onesheet for Luv U 4 Ever. We had to do that in under an hour from the phone call and that included the time it took to drive home from the restaurant. There is a fun story behind the creation of the poster and the Blood Oath photo shoot that happened the same day. Then, there was the abbreviated holiday party. I'll post on all of those stories and hopefully have updates from the meetings today. Jon has to do some image correction to some of the photos before I post them. Meanwhile, here is the onesheet.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Holes and Wusses and Literary Mayhem

Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.

Technical Difficulties

The weekend was filled with strange difficulties that thwarted me in accomplishing tasks in a timely fashion. For example, there is a two-foot long hole in our bathroom wall next to the medicine cabinet. It’s cut through to the apartment next door. Fortunately, it’s high enough and the viewable area narrow enough that privacy isn’t really an issue. There was some sort of mishap with the hot water pipes. Yesterday was filled with the sounds of drills and saws. For a while we had no water. Then, it was just no hot water (a great improvement as we could use the toilet then). The rug in front of the bathroom door was squishy wet from the waterspout that preceded the arrival of the plumbers. We had to leave the windows open and turn fans on to try to dry the rug. This open air was during an evening where overnight temps were dipping into the 40s. A fun time was had by all, and no baking or anything else got done. Today, we have the hole and hot water. Jon had to edit a video I made for a family even back east (I think the camera puts on more than 10 pounds), and we still had what seemed like tons of dough to bake. Thus, the blog was delayed.

Weather Wusses

I had a conversation with Craig that didn’t involve extreme weirdness. That’s weird on its own. The weather out here is actually getting interesting. In addition to the plummeting temperatures, there’s been rain and there is more to come. That’s bad for the burn areas, but good overall as we are facing water rationing next year. Anyway, Craig was flummoxed by his mother’s caution to avoid driving in the rain this weekend. The roads were treacherous, she told him. ‘This is the same woman that would send me into a maelstrom of wind and snow at six years old to walk 20 minutes to school carrying my Scooby-Doo lunchbox!’ He asked me if I remembered snow pants that snapped up the inside of the legs and mittens that attached to the cuffs of coats. I remembered them all too well. We agreed that we were wearing about 50 pounds of clothing during those East Coast winters. I would no more let a six-year old walk 20 minutes anywhere by himself today, but it was normal for us. I used to walk on top of tall snow drifts and cross black iced streets without thinking about it(I'm aware that I sound like an old coot). Now, I’m really chilled through in the 40 degree dampness in a trip home that is largely in vehicles. And Craig really didn’t want to drive in the rain. It’s kind of sad.

Literary Vein Opening

Needless to say, the opinions expressed in the in the following paragraphs are my own. Please, do not be offended if you happen to enjoy this sort of reading material. I’m merely expressing my own opinion in the form of aggressively asked questions. Warning: willy nilly spoilers abound.

I was looking at the roster of films releases for December with great dismay. With few exceptions, the film fare is steeped in misery. And many of those films are adaptations from critically acclaimed novels. During one particularly rough semester in Grad school, I asked one of my professors if a book must trigger suicidal urges to be considered great literature. There was not one happy book on my syllabus for that entire semester. My professor was confused that I held such a dismal view and aggressively maintained it as the weeks and the body count mounted. I do not read most critically acclaimed fiction even now, because life is an ongoing roil of wrenching emotions most weeks for me. I don’t need to spend my leisure time being emotionally and psychologically tortured. I wouldn’t have been paying attention to these films at all were it not the beginning of awards season. Because Los Angeles is where most Academy voters live, we get a great deal of ads and articles covering these ‘serious’ film to keep them fresh in the minds of voters when those ballots come out. Lucky me.

There is The Reader, a passionate tale of Hanna, an illiterate female child molester and former Nazi prison guard who is tried and convicted for sending women to the gas chambers after they wiled their time away reading to her. Is she tragically misunderstood or a fiend? Let me reiterate, child molester and Nazi prison guard. Why is she worth wallowing in angst and misery over? Continuing the Nazi motif, there is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, another critically acclaimed book and bestseller. The plot is so inane, I’m not sure why it wasn’t considered a comedy. Those concentration camp guards were more incompetent than Sgt. Shultz and company from Hogan’s Heroes. And after those plot gymnastics and contortions, we come to the conclusion that there are many innocents destroyed by Nazis. Was this horrific trip necessary to teach this point? Wendy and Lucy is based on a critically acclaimed and depressing short story. It’s not as annoying to me as the previous two works of literature, but depressing nonetheless. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is surprising from F. Scott Fitzgerald. It doesn’t really look depressing – just really weird. Since we’re researching his for a film script, that’s one to read and to Netflix most likely. My movie bucks are most likely to go to Keanu Reeves. I’ll take a romp with GORT (who looks really scary in the new film) over literature any day. Needless to say, the Lit Department was none too pleased at having to award my degree.

Spreading the Joy
I’ll retract my claws now, and move on to warm thoughts of the holiday season. These are tough times for almost everyone. Still, most of us can put a few buck together and make a donation. All those little bits count add up. If they can help elect a president, they can help those in need. The Food Network is working with Share Our Strength to end childhood hunger. There is the USO that helps soldiers and their families. And there are food banks and soup kitchens in every community. Finally, programs like Toys for Tots accept new toys that cost as little as ten dollars. Spread some good cheer.

Updates
There aren’t really any. We have a photo shoot this week for Luv U 4 Ever’s Official Onesheet and for Blood Oath. That should be fun. And I’m hoping to see my various actor lovelies before they head off for the holidays Stay tuned.

Short Blog Delay

We're involved in baking and plumbing excitement. I'll post later tonight. It'll be worth the wait.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

The Blahs, Updates and Troublesome Trailers

Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.

Blah, Blah, Blah

It’s been a blah sort of week. Some nifty things have happened, but I’m feeling blah. I suppose it’s being unable to make any definite plans for 2009 while having to be prepared to move at a moments’ notice. I’m looking forward to making the films, but not to the very fast pace that making films back to back will require. And though there will be far fewer hats for me to wear during these productions, I’m still juggling a lot of responsibilities during development. This blog is the only writing I’ve been doing that’s not directly related to the films. I think that’s a big part of my blahs. However, some nifty things have been happening. The Eagles just beat the Giants. That always puts a smile on my face. And the holiday cooking orgy has begun.

Not for Prime Time

I’ve been meaning to do a cooking video for my family this year. I used to spend a lot of time talking to my Mother or my Aunts while cooking holiday foods. I used to call my Aunt Eleanor from here while she made her meals. It was a time to discuss new techniques and family gossip. Well, mostly family gossip. I thought it would be fun for them to see Jon and I in action during the baking frenzy. I was going to do it this week as we made the first wave of cookie dough, and I made the fruitcakes. But, Our apartment is a bit cluttered with piles of papers, reports and forms related to the films. It wasn’t as noticeable in our place in Playa de Rey. It’s hard to miss here. And then neither Jon nor I was exactly camera ready. Thus, I could hear the commentary. Couldn’t she pick up the place? Why didn’t she do something with those edges (the definition is inadequate, and I am loathe to post anything quoted from the show Martin but this is the best I could find on the term. In my case, it’s the edges of my hair along the forehead and temples)? Why doesn’t Jon have a shirt on? That’s just nasty. (Jon does the dishes for me between batches of dough. He prefers doing them topless). How did she get flour on her back? You get the idea. I’ll make a video during the second wave, and have my act together. Though that one will include the marshmallows that sometimes run up the paddle to the mixer to escape. That’s always a lot of curse filled fun. Marshmallows are kind of hot when you’re making them. Still, I think my family will enjoy the video. I’ll post it somewhere accessible for anyone else interested. And the baking is a most welcomed creative outlet. Perhaps, I shall be less grumpy.

Updates
As I said earlier, some nifty things have happened and are happening. I can’t talk about any of them in a public forum. This really sucks for a recovering fangirl such as myself. We live to dish, after all. I can tell you that there are some concerns about the SAG strike authorization vote. I don’t think these concerns are enough to stop us from going into pre-production as scheduled. We’re hoping the labor unrest will have been settled by the time we get to the first shoot date in February. I really doubt it would affect the April shoot in New Jersey. The film industry would be a smoldering crater, if that happens. Thus, we are proceeding as scheduled. The strike fears have postponed the shoot of the Blood Oath short. Some TV shows that would typically be on vacation this time of year are continuing to work to get as many episodes as possible in the can. That includes the show that is at the studio we plan on using. It’s been pushed back to after the New Year. I had hoped to have the short online before we start the other films, but there is nothing that can be done. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this shoot, though it means wearing many, many hats.

Trailer Trouble
Since I haven’t any writing to discuss and I can’t talk about the films we’re developing, I will talk about the big trailers that are creating buzz out here. I heard about the 2008 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still when my Vancouver muse, Kim mentioned it on a film list there. I was not pleased at all to hear about that. The 1951 film is among my favorite films. Please note, that the poster on the link has nothing to do with what is in the film. I loved the original for its character work and some surprisingly good special FX. However, the film was not dependent on FX to sustain tension and create dread. In this special FX intensive age, I worry that those little human moments will be lost. And let’s just say that I am not completely confident of Keanu Reeve’s acting ability. Still, I have to admit that the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds was quite good. And I went to that with quite a hostile attitude as I loved the 1953 film. So, I may go see this one.

The Day the Earth Stood still has a really snappy trailer that has lots of whizzes and bangs, but it also has very personal jeopardy and even some humor. It is the kind of trailer that is designed to attract a large mainstream audience. The second trailer that is the subject of much discussion at our house is for Star Trek. Unfortunately, as anticipated as the trailer is in some quarters, what I saw will not have a mainstream appeal. Now, before the flame war starts, I have a pedigree with Trek. I was in Trekkies as a representative slash writer. My contribution to the franchise can be viewed here. I have sat in Ron Moore’s office and berated him about various Trek issues. He still talks to me. Thus, I am not a disinterested party and have followed it in all of its forms. I am someone that should want to see this film. But I’m not talking out Trek fans and this trailer. I’m talking about a mainstream audience that doesn’t care about ship design or whether Leonard Nimoy is in the film. I bring this up because it is the subject of much discussion in out home. Our good friend Gabriel Koerner, the ultimate fanboy in both Trekkies films is very keen on the film working out. And this is despite the fact that the film heavily borrows from his enterprise ship design. I’m too polite to say they stole it, but it is awfully close. Mainstream film goers want to know what a film is about and what kind of time they will have. This trailer is about Kirk’s origin story and Spock’s destiny. I have no idea what the film is actually about. I have no clue whatsoever. The mainstream audience isn’t burning to hear about Kirk’s formative years, and this film will need a lot more than Trek fans buying tickets for it to perform well. It doesn’t look good for box office success. It really doesn’t.

The third trailer is one that I actually have no interest in. Jon is incensed by what he sees in the trailer for The Spirit. From my point of view, the trailer is even weirder and more off putting than the one for The Watchmen. It doesn’t even have the hipness and fun verve of the trailers for Sin City. It is unlikely to be big box office. Jon is annoyed because of the apparent liberties Frank Miller took with the material. Miller professed to be a great admirer of the Spirit’s creator, Will Eisner. He said the man’s work was a great influence on his work. And Miller is also known for becoming very aggressive toward anyone he deems is subverting his work. Thus, Jon is flummoxed at what he sees in that trailer that in no way resembles the character he followed. I tell him to have heart. There isn’t likely to be a sequel.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for the post Christmas Party gossip!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mud, Stuffing and Amish Coffee Makers

in the Hamptons by helicopter for a party in her new barn (not the kind of barn one normally conjures up, but one in which five star parties can be held). On top of that, one of the participants FIRST got to hang out with Tyler Florence. I asked him for help with my disastrous hush puppies years ago, but do I get a call – no! Granted, hush puppies aren’t typical Thanksgiving fare that I know of. They usually involve a fish fry. But I asked first. Boy, that episode really burned my biscuits. Not that I make biscuits for Thanksgiving either. We usually cheat by throwing brown n’ serve rolls in the oven after everything is heated (That’s if we remember we even bought them. There were a couple of holidays in a row they were still in the pantry when the guests left). Where was I? Oh yeah, I was really ticked off. I watched anyway. Our meal was really good and most plentiful where leftovers were concerned. I am seldom tired of them when they finally run out.

I didn’

t do my usual photo shoot of food while I cooked. Actually, I was going to make a little video of my kitchen doings, but I was really taking it easy during the whole time I was cooking. In other words, it didn’t look pretty in here. I don’t want to horrify anyone. Perhaps I’ll make one during the Christmas baking. However, we wanted to show everyone something we were thankful about. We decided on this. In case you can’t see, we’re eating steak sandwiches. Very traditional.

We kept this holiday very low key this year. I’m still fighting off some sort of lingering cold or sinus problem. There are also persistent back problems. We are taking it very easy every chance we get, and since everything slows down here, industry wise for the whole four day weekend, it was a great opportunity to rest. Still, we are working on the projects.

Updates

There are none. Everyone was shut down by Wednesday, so there is no movement to report on any of the projects. We do expect a great deal to happen this week.

Friends In Deed

No, it isn’t a typo. These are friends who do deeds for each other. Personal connections are extremely important in showbiz. Through these connections, we can get meetings or find crews. We’ve networked our way into contacts that introduced us to funding sources. It’s hard to meet such people without an introduction from the right person. It’s so very 19th Century at times that I expect to be asked or a formal letter of introduction. In exchange for the generosity we’ve been shown out here, I always try to help friends with productions as best I can. On another level, friends can help with nuts and bolts of a production from development to post. I often turn to non-industry friends for answers to pre-production questions. Our primary Set Elf (you’ll have to ask him to explain that term), Randy, is the go-to guy for advice on building sets. Information about the cost of materials and the amount of time are very useful when developing a budget. To get that info from someone who usually works on designing and building sets involves paying a consulting fee. Not that I begrudge anyone fees for valuable insight. It’s understandable to charge when you reach a certain level of expertise. And the danger of networking is the risk of being used for contacts or expertise. I work hard not to unduly impose on anyone. However, our company has yet to reach the point where we have five or six figure development budgets (I don’t think we’d know how to act when that happens). Often, a project can’t get off the ground if there isn’t a complete and believable budget, so this assistance is vital. Then, there are times that I just need to find a way of articulating a character during the writing process. My musician/DJ friend, Bruce Kline, has been very helpful in assisting my articulation of Billy Swain’s character in Luv U 4 Ever. He’s also been willing to work for tens of dollars on the musical score for the Blood Oath short. I don’t write with music in my head as a habit, but having the music prior to shooting in this case will be extremely useful as we block the action. We’ll be editing according to the music, and it helps to have blocking of the action that keeps the editing in mind. Since both men have very busy lives, and the reward for these deeds is not guaranteed, their deeds are very much appreciated and valued. Thanks guys. Now get back to work. :)

Worst TV Thing Ever

Well, I can’t say it’s the absolute worse. There are many new lows to reach, I’m sure. But this made my brain hurt. Even Craig said, ‘this just is completely wrong’ when he saw it. I’ve watched a lot of inane TV commercials over the years, and some of them have been really appalling. There was the spray on hair in a can. And then there are those pills one of the Brady Bunch boys is pushing to make men larger (ewww). But this is beyond the pale. It’s the heatsurge portable fireplace (it’s on wheels). The ad claims that the devices are handmade by Amish craftsmen. My favorite part of the ad is when the ‘Amish’ are taking these items to be shipped in a horse drawn cart. Most ridiculous of all, if you order during the ad, they’ll throw in an electric coffee maker. We believe that the Amish are making only the mantles for these things, and that’s by giving the company a huge benefit of the doubt. That photos on the website don’t seem to have any elements that were in the same room together ever. And for those unfamiliar, it’s highly unlikely that the Amish have anything to do with electric coffee makers or fireplaces with remote controls or anything electric. We’re hoping some of their Menonite brethren, who do watch TV, will inform about this ad.

A lot of action happens this week. Stay tuned.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Meet 'Blood Oath's' Vincent Greven

Here are some of the make-up tests for Blood Oath. Just click on photos and you'll be at the myspace page where they are located.

Enjoy!