In a previous post, when I referred to George Lucas as a 'crazy midget', I in no way intended to insult, disparage or defame 'little people'.
I also did not intend to insult, disparage or defame in any way those unfortunate folks who suffer from mental illnesses.
So stop with the hate mail!
Friday, May 27, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Yargh!
I am just about ready to strangle The Blonde.
It all started a few weeks ago.. we'd done a 'trailer' for our little short (just about two minutes) - so we could show it to certain people in hopes of either selling it as a TV show, or getting the money to do a full length movie.
The feedback we got was that the trailer was confusing, disjointed and didn't give a good idea of what we're about. This came from friends of mine that work in acquisitions, so they see a lot of these things. I know good advice when I hear it. I recut.
The new trailer's about 4 and a half minutes, and it's much, much better. I've already had to pay for two portable DVD players because folks laughed so hard they spewed whatever they were drinking onto the player and fucked it up. This is not a bad thing.
The problem is this: at some point, you have to just accept that what you have is good and not make changes (i.e. it's 'locked'). Too much tinkering results in a crappy film.
The Blonde is listening to EVERYTHING that anyone says to her, and she calls me, frantic to make some stupid fucking change that someone she just met (or someone's nephew, or some bartender) suggested. I refuse, and she gets pissed, and then I have to spend an hour trying to explain to her why said change is not a good idea.
Now, she wants to send out the old two minute trailer because some idiot told her that 4 and a half minutes is "too long". I'm in the midst of trying to explain to her that it's not too long (just so you know, over 5 minutes is considered 'too long') - that it's as short as it can be and still maintain some sort of narrative thread.
The other problem is that if you lose someone's interest the first time, you'll never, ever get another chance. They'll see the bad trailer and write us off as idiots, and then we'll never get another 'in'. I'd rather make them sit through the longer trailer that's at least good.
I've been through this before, and I've had projects that didn't get funded because of bad presentation. I feel it in my bones that it's going to happen again.
I'm going to have to kill her - or at least lock her in the closet for a few weeks so she can't cause problems.
It all started a few weeks ago.. we'd done a 'trailer' for our little short (just about two minutes) - so we could show it to certain people in hopes of either selling it as a TV show, or getting the money to do a full length movie.
The feedback we got was that the trailer was confusing, disjointed and didn't give a good idea of what we're about. This came from friends of mine that work in acquisitions, so they see a lot of these things. I know good advice when I hear it. I recut.
The new trailer's about 4 and a half minutes, and it's much, much better. I've already had to pay for two portable DVD players because folks laughed so hard they spewed whatever they were drinking onto the player and fucked it up. This is not a bad thing.
The problem is this: at some point, you have to just accept that what you have is good and not make changes (i.e. it's 'locked'). Too much tinkering results in a crappy film.
The Blonde is listening to EVERYTHING that anyone says to her, and she calls me, frantic to make some stupid fucking change that someone she just met (or someone's nephew, or some bartender) suggested. I refuse, and she gets pissed, and then I have to spend an hour trying to explain to her why said change is not a good idea.
Now, she wants to send out the old two minute trailer because some idiot told her that 4 and a half minutes is "too long". I'm in the midst of trying to explain to her that it's not too long (just so you know, over 5 minutes is considered 'too long') - that it's as short as it can be and still maintain some sort of narrative thread.
The other problem is that if you lose someone's interest the first time, you'll never, ever get another chance. They'll see the bad trailer and write us off as idiots, and then we'll never get another 'in'. I'd rather make them sit through the longer trailer that's at least good.
I've been through this before, and I've had projects that didn't get funded because of bad presentation. I feel it in my bones that it's going to happen again.
I'm going to have to kill her - or at least lock her in the closet for a few weeks so she can't cause problems.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Settings Problems
There's still a few apres-crash problems.
I keep trying to allow anonymous comments, and Blogger keeps giving me the digital finger.
As soon as the setting will save, anonymous comments will be allowed again.
In the meantime, here's a photo:
This is what the outside of a spaceship looks like (from "Zathura" - the previews actually look cool, BTW).
I keep trying to allow anonymous comments, and Blogger keeps giving me the digital finger.
As soon as the setting will save, anonymous comments will be allowed again.
In the meantime, here's a photo:
This is what the outside of a spaceship looks like (from "Zathura" - the previews actually look cool, BTW).
The Post that Crashed my Blog!
I haven't seen the new Star Wars yet - actually, I won't see it as I refuse to give that crazy midget Lucas any more money - and I'm hearing it's terrible. Mr. Movie Star (who's back in town) says that it's not nearly as bad as the first two, but that's not saying much, now is it?
This landed in my email in box a while back, so I'm sure everyone's already seen it, but it still makes me laugh.
No one, and I mean no one, can write dialogue like Quentin T.
Number 6 is still my favorite.
My blog crashed last night. It totally disappeared from the internet (I got a ton of "What happened to your blog" mails - why don't any of you people sleep?), and I sent Blogger a couple of frantic, panicky emails..
By 7 this morning they had the problem fixed, and I'm back. I know a lot of folks don't like Blogger (it's the AOL of the blogging world), but they put the hustle on trying to get my problem fixed.
Yay to Blogger!
Just in case it ever happens again, though..
The blog is mirrored here.
This landed in my email in box a while back, so I'm sure everyone's already seen it, but it still makes me laugh.
No one, and I mean no one, can write dialogue like Quentin T.
The TOP 10 Things We Want To Hear Samuel L. Jackson, "JediMaster
Mace Windu," say in the Star Wars Prequel
10. You don't need to see my goddamn identification, 'cause these ain't the
motherfuckin' droids you're looking for.
9. Womp rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know, 'cause I wouldn't
eat the filthy motherfucker.
8. This is your father's lightsaber. When you absolutely, positively, have to
kill every motherfuckin' stormtrooper in the room... accept no substitutes.
7. If Obi-wan ain't home then I don't know what the fuck we're gonna do. I
ain't got no other connections on Tattooine.
6. Feel the Force, motherfucker.
5. 'What' ain't no planet I've ever heard of! Do they speak Bocce on 'What'?
4. You sendin' the Fett? Shit, Hutt, that's all you had to say!
3. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the motherfucker's a carpet. Yeah
Chewie got a hair problem. What's the brother gonna do? He's a wookie.
2. Does Jabba the Hutt look like a bitch?
1. Hand me my lightsaber... it's the one that says, "Bad Motherfucker" on it.
Number 6 is still my favorite.
My blog crashed last night. It totally disappeared from the internet (I got a ton of "What happened to your blog" mails - why don't any of you people sleep?), and I sent Blogger a couple of frantic, panicky emails..
By 7 this morning they had the problem fixed, and I'm back. I know a lot of folks don't like Blogger (it's the AOL of the blogging world), but they put the hustle on trying to get my problem fixed.
Yay to Blogger!
Just in case it ever happens again, though..
The blog is mirrored here.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Still slow.... still hot.
Normally, when I make calls to try to drum up work, I try to chat with folks a bit before I tell them that I'm unemployed. It just seems less.. curt, I guess.
Me: "Hey, Bob! How's the family?"
Bob: "Oh, same old, same old. How are you?"
Me: "Good, good.. What's new with you? You working"
Bob:"Yeah, we're doing this three week long indie. You wanna play with us?"
Me: "I'd love to!"
Bob:"Cool. I think I have days next week"
Now, it's very, very slow, and folks are getting frantic. The calls are going like this:
Me: "Hey, Bob. What's new?"
Bob:"Are you working? Please tell me you're working. I'm dying here."
Me: "Damn."
It's normally only slow for a few weeks, but when you work freelance like this, it's always a panic.
I can always judge how busy it is by how many shoots I pass - and what the trucks look like.
5 ton truck = shitty rate. Probably a student film. I usually just drive past these.
10 ton truck = music video or commercial. Commercials are hard to get on. The rate's really good and those guys only hire their friends. I can aways try, though. I'll slow down and try to see if I know anyone on the crew.
48 foot trailer = big show, and probably running for months with more than one crew (first unit, second unit, rigging). Even if I don't know anyone on the crew, I'll stop and introduce myself to the best boy in the hopes of getting work.
Right now, I'm not even seeing 5 tons. It's dead out there.
Maybe not a bad thing. It's still hotter than hell, although the cheerful weather guy says it's going to cool off towards the end of the week.
Me: "Hey, Bob! How's the family?"
Bob: "Oh, same old, same old. How are you?"
Me: "Good, good.. What's new with you? You working"
Bob:"Yeah, we're doing this three week long indie. You wanna play with us?"
Me: "I'd love to!"
Bob:"Cool. I think I have days next week"
Now, it's very, very slow, and folks are getting frantic. The calls are going like this:
Me: "Hey, Bob. What's new?"
Bob:"Are you working? Please tell me you're working. I'm dying here."
Me: "Damn."
It's normally only slow for a few weeks, but when you work freelance like this, it's always a panic.
I can always judge how busy it is by how many shoots I pass - and what the trucks look like.
5 ton truck = shitty rate. Probably a student film. I usually just drive past these.
10 ton truck = music video or commercial. Commercials are hard to get on. The rate's really good and those guys only hire their friends. I can aways try, though. I'll slow down and try to see if I know anyone on the crew.
48 foot trailer = big show, and probably running for months with more than one crew (first unit, second unit, rigging). Even if I don't know anyone on the crew, I'll stop and introduce myself to the best boy in the hopes of getting work.
Right now, I'm not even seeing 5 tons. It's dead out there.
Maybe not a bad thing. It's still hotter than hell, although the cheerful weather guy says it's going to cool off towards the end of the week.
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