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October 10, 2003 I just got back from seeing Kill Bill again. Why do I think that it's only the second best movie of the year, with Lost In Translation keeping the top spot? Count the difference in the number of words in my reviews of the two films, and the answer is somewhere in there. Anyway, I am very happy to see that Quentin is keeping his four star track record with Ebert. I'm very happy to see that it's getting almost unanimous praise, since it deserves it. I haven't said anything yet about the no-screener policy the MPAA instated, but I was very happy to read (at The New York Times by way of POV) that Jack Valenti is apparently thinking about backing down. Makes sense, since everyone's been calling him an idiot for the past two weeks. I know my end-of-the-year opinions hold no sway in Hollywood, of course, but I'll sure miss the screeners if they don't come this year. And I swear on someone's grave, I wouldn't even think of putting them on the internet. Another blog I've been reading lately is Greg.org, which is pretty interesting (and distracting, when I'm surfing the web while I'm supposed to be writing). I found it due to a link on Amazon.com to (another) NY Times article about bootlegs of the Cremaster Cycle and other multimedia art pieces. Good stuff.
October 9, 2003 I read today that the recent Miramax bomb 'Duplex' cost over sixty million dollars. I enjoyed the movie well enough, but learning of the waste involved sort of negates any goodwill I had towards it. Kinda like that 'Bandits' two years ago, which cost about seventy five million more than it looked like it did. It's nothing new, but it's still really annoying. Meanwhile, I saw 'Pieces Of April' this evening, and the director Peter Hedges talked afterwards about having his seven million dollar budget pulled and shooting the movie for 300 grand in sixteen days, with an all star cast.That's what I'm talking about. It looked like it cost that much, but it also had a good story and a lot of heart and a (name) cast who all looked like they actually cared about the project -- and did, obviously, since they eschewed their salaries. I'm going to be quiet now before someone brings up my myriad posts about how much I love big budget entertainment and movie stars. But you know what I'm talking about. I had a bunch of stuff to do tonight (encoding a DVD of 'Honey' and a few other shorts for an art show on Sunday that I don't actually know too much about), but instead got transfixed watching a GIF-animation of Uma Thurman's eyes flicking back and forth and marvelling at how it matched the beat of the 'Air' song I was listening to at the moment. This is why it takes me a long time to finish things. That, and then writing about it here. Although I don't feel like talking about the story I'm currently writing, here's the one I wrote back in the spring. It was rejected by The New Yorker, of course -- but in the end, isn't everything?
October 7, 2003 I've discovered the magic of taking midnight bicycle rides to clear my head after spending hours writing a computer. Riding around my neighborhood, on streets free of traffic and lit so sparsely that I can pretend I'm somewhere else entirely, over wooded hills and under pitch black eaves of foliage, fast enough so that the wind whips against your face, is probably about as much fun as you can have while exercising. I'm in a pleasantly quiet lull here in these last few weeks before 'Deadroom' starts to engage all cylinders (October 26th is when that will begin). I've been catching up on films at home, and I've started writing something that I guess could end up as a novella or a novel if I stick with it. I have no plans for it, which is nice, because it allows me the freedom to only work on it when I know what I want to write. It's simply practice, something to make me think and to grow as writer. I'm on chapter two now. The story is about a six year old boy, and more than that I'm not going to explain right now. Anyway, I'm going back and forth every day between that -- sometimes writing only two or three words, sometimes several hundred -- and polishing screenplays. I'm taking advantage of this break in script writing to really fine tune 'Rocketman' with a thorough page-one rewrite. I just want it to be good -- good enough to for Roger Ebert to give four stars to when and if I make it, if possible, but if not, just good enough to make people look forward to whatever I do after that. In postscript: are you a huge fan of Robert Richarson's cinematography? I know I am, which is why this was a must-read article.
October 5, 2003 Man, making 'Deadroom' is going to be awesome. More swell developments have occured, this time on the technical side. I can't wait to take over a soundstage for the first time. Jim McMahon, our cinematographer, rocks. I also just sent the full script to the actors -- papers will be signed by the end of the month. I just recently found out about the MacArthur Fellows Grant Program. Um, if anyone feels like nominating me, go right ahead. I don't mind, I swear. Dre and Big Boi made an apperance at some VIP party in Dallas this evening, but I'm not a stargazer, so I just listened to their CD again and then went to see 'The Station Agent' (wonderful movie, by the way), at the screening of which lead actor Bobby Cannavale was present. He said he'd been acting for fifteen years, and only started getting paid four years ago. Fifteen years, huh. Financial stability is just something that does not bode well for artists, I guess, but I'm confident I'll do better than that. Not that money matters to me. Much. I have nothing else to say at the moment. I'm going to open up another application and write in that for a while.
October 4, 2003 I picked up the 'Best Of Will Ferrell' DVD last night. It's an invaluable addition to any esteemable collection. In addition to many classic skits, the extras feature a rare dress rehearsal sketch that is so funny that I just about had a miscarriage.
October 3, 2003 I was watching 'School Of Rock' again today and I'm not sure why I was so negative about it in my review. I must not have had my coffee yet on the day I saw it. It is, in fact, delightful. I also saw the new trailer for the Ron Howard/Tommy Lee Jones/Cate Blanchett/Evan Rachel Wood western, 'The Missing.' The teaser was decent, but this second one had something about it that impressed upon me heavily. Maybe it's because I'd been thinking about my hopeful adaptation of 'The Crossing' (which I've given to serious thought of beginning purely on spec, although I probably won't), or maybe it was the excellent use of the 'Last Of The Mohicans' score (one of the greatest scores of all time, and which I'm listening to as I writet this). Whatever the case, I hope the movie is as powerful as the trailer suggests. I haven't eagerly anticipated a Ron Howard movie since I was seven and wanted to see 'Willow.' I've become really attracted to westerns lately, or any movie that takes place in a desolate expanse of wilderness (like 'Gerry'). Which is why I really hope that James writes (and directs) the idea he told me about the other day, which is sort of like a western horror film, because it sounds awesome. You hear that, JMJ? Put the pen to the paper. Or the fingertips to the keyboard, as may be the case.
October 2, 2003 A more visual update today. Soon to be gracing the Deadroom website... 
And it's never too early for conceptual artwork (plus it's just plain fun)...
October 1, 2003 The new manifesto over at the Deep Ellum Film Festival states that "this year's Deep Ellum Fim Festival is much larger than in years past. Programming includes larger, more mainstream films and filmmakers." Being an avid moviegoer, this is exciting; I love seeing movies early (like'May' last year) and meeting the people who made them. But as a filmmaker, I find this very disconcerting. The festival has been great since the first year, but now it'll be drifting further away from the truly independent (and local) stuff. Getting in is already a complete crapshoot, and now it'll be even harder. Bascially, it'll be another Sundance. Is it possible to be a compassionate capitalist? The assortment of music on the 'Kill Bill' soundtrack is amazing, by the way. If you can see the movie and not buy the CD, well then you have more will power than I do. And that bootleg trailer that is included on the CD...heavens to Betsy, I wish that was playing in theaters. I can't wait until the 10th...I haven't wanted to see a movie a second time this badly since...well, 'Lost In Translation,' which I saw for a second time over the weekend, thus satiating that desire. It was as good as I remembered. But I actually want to see 'Kill Bill' again more. I've cut down on the number of movie reviews I write lately; I've (thankfully) got my hands full. Working on 'Deadroom' stuff (I wish I could talk about that more, but it's top secret), script rewrites, a new piece of prosaic literature, and various art projects. All at the same time, of course. Hey, it's October!
September 26, 2003 The two best movies of the year so far:
1. Lost In Translation All I'm going to say is...the 20th of February is way too long to wait.
September 25, 2003 Baby let down your cool...I want to see you... The album that keeps getting better with every spin was mentioned twice this evening by the great Chuck D, whose lecture I attended at the local University (thanks to Adam for clueing me into it). He gave a great talk, hindered somewhat by the three hour length -- I think he might have been able to compress it into 120 minutes or less, but then again it's Chuck D, so I'm not complaining. I liked his term for what's happening to America -- dumbassification. Former Dallasite Greg Pak, whose acclaimed film Robot Stories I've been meaning but not managing to see for the past year or so, has started a website called FilmHelp.com, which is everything I wanted the Filmmaking page on this site to be when I conceived of it so long ago. It's obviously fallen by the wayside for the most part -- every now and then I add something to it, and I still get positive feedback about it -- but I feel almost like it's a lost cause. In any case, Greg's site puts mine to shame. I highly recommend it. In a few hours I'll be sitting in a movie theater and, I imagine, wishing I had a samurai sword. In the meantime, I'm missing love again.
September 23, 2003 What's cooler than being cool? There's no need for me to mention what album I'm currently listening to and which is at this point is the best record so far this year. I should mention, however, that you should immediately go out and buy it. Hopefully you won't have to go searching for a store that wasn't sold out, the way I did, but if that does happen, be consoled by the fact that it will be totally worth it. Reminds me of vaguely of 'Tall Blue Girl' too. Haven't thought about that in a while. I'll make it someday and it'll be ninety minutes long. Oh, and I've finished casting for my segment of 'Deadroom.' Announcement is pending. My sister is going to France and Italy for her Junior Class Trip. Did I miss out in high school or what? I'm jealous. I was seriously making plans to go to Europe as well this spring, but I recently realized that -- you guessed it -- I'll be busy making movies. And I don't want to go during the summer. But of course, if 'Deadroom' is successful on the festival route, that'll open up a lot of travel opportunities. Yen is convinced we'll get into Toronto next year. Guess it never hurts to hope...oh wait, yes it does.
September 22, 2003 I just got back from seeing 'The Human Stain.' At the end of it was a memorial to one of my favorite cinematographers, Jean Yves Escoffier. I had no idea he died -- last April, apparently. He would have still been at work on Wong Kar Wai's new movie '2046' (which is apparently still far from being finished). It looks like Wong's regular DP Chris Doyle is going to finish it up. That's certainly going to be one fine looking film.
September 20, 2003 All my friends are very down to earth, and that's a very good quality to have. However, I like being surrounded sometimes by people who appear to be all surface and who hide beneath some glossy facade -- or who are in fact nothing but a glossy facade, although that's really not possible. I don't like associating with them necessarily -- I just like being around them. I'm a closet philanthropist. It helps with the writing. Which is going swimmingly, by the way, along with everything else. Today was a very good day.
September 18, 2003 Currently listening to: the 'U-Turn' score by Ennio Morricone, which is one of the most underrated scores of recent years (the song selection is awesome, as well). I began the day with an early screening of the new restored print of 'Scarface' that will be playing in select cities this weekend. I'd never seen it before, and suddenly, all sorts of pop culture references I never quite got are starting to make sense. Also, this is one of the rare instances of a synthesizer score that actually works. Three cheers to Focus Features for not rescoring it with the proposed hip hop soundtrack (although that would be interesting to see, just for the heck of it). Later in the day, I recevied an order for the 'Still' DVD -- from Brian Satterwhite, the film's composer, which left me feeling a little guilty. I never sent out copies to all the crew, due to cost of production, but I gave them away to those who requested one. I'd hate to charge anyone for the film they worked on. So if anyone who worked on it happens to read this and wants a DVD, let me know. I said at some point that I was determined to start serious pre-production on something other than 'Deadroom' by October. Two weeks to go. I think when I said that, I still sort of thought that 'Deadroom' might not happen, at least in the foreseeable future -- or that it wouldn't be as much of an undertaking as it's turning out to be. I don't remember which. So I cop out once again, but I would like to have a follow-up project ready to begin right away, once that one's wrapped. At this point, it would have to be zombie-oriented. I could do 'Rocketman' -- in many ways, I'd prefer to, and it would probably be easier, but that's the kind of movie that, if it didn't have any names or really high production value or some sort of force behind it other my own, would die a quick death that, for me, would be very slow and painful. I think this may be reiteration of points I've made before, but part of the reason I post things here is to reassure myself of my own feelings. So forgive any and all repitiion. I've also been casually looking at possible film related jobs in New York. And apartments. No chance of being there permanently by April, since 'Deadroom' will be occupying us at that point. But it's always good to get a headstart in planning.
September 17, 2003 I need to start funneling money towards 'Deadroom,' so I need to stop buying as many DVDs as I have been lately. Kieslowski's 'The Decalogue' finally got rereleased, so I picked that up today. I skimmed through them, and can't wait to watch them all again. The set has an introduction from Roger Ebert in which he talks about how the films perfectly play along that fine line between melodrama and realism. This is of course the same line I'm always aiming for in my own work; now that I've fallen too far on one side with 'Still,' I think I might know how to hit it dead on next time. If I don't, and if 'Deadroom' starts turning into a soap opera during production -- well, that just won't happen. I also procured 'The Order,' the only bit of the Cremaster Cycle that will be publically available to own. It's a lovely-looking disc, but there's just so little on it. One thirty minute sequence just whets my appetite for experiencing the entire nine hours again, especially since the gorgeous trailer for the whole cycle is included. Matthew Barney's commentary track is sort of what I expected; he sounds like someone who knows exactly what it is he's created, but isn't entirely capable of putting it into words. He mainly just describes what is happening on screen, providing a little insight here and there as to the symbolism. But hey, it's better than nothing -- at least until I get around to buying the massive Cremaster book that was published in conjunction with the Guggenheim exhibit last spring. Which reminds me that I need to save my money...
September 15, 2003 I endorsed the new Shortkutz DVD containing 'Honey' in yesterday's News update, but I'm going to retract that here. I got the DVD this morning and was horrified to realize that the tape I sent them contained some unrendered audio, which means that there are a few places where the audio is replaced with an electronic beep. I don't know how I managed to do this. I guess it's a sign that this film was never meant for the mainstream (or maybe that I'm just careless?). It's so weird and offputting that people will probably think the beeps are supposed to be there, but they're missing out on some of our beautiful sound mixing. So anyway, by all means, subscribe to Shortkutz, but don't watch 'Honey.' New Line held a preview breakfast this morning, made up of food and a showcase of their upcoming slate of films. Predictably, there was nothing vegan available except fruit and coffee, and most of the trailers were old news (I was hoping for a real 'Return Of The King' preview, but no luck, although the footage they did show looked great). But the trailer for 'Birth' is bizarre and wonderful, and 'Elephant' looks good as well. Oh, and the trailer for 'Elf' reminded me that I'm upset that I won't be the filmaker to direct Will Ferrell towardss his first Oscar, now that David Gordon Green has cast him as the lead in 'A Confederacy Of Dunces.' Ferrell isn't quite right physically, but in every other aspect, he's note perfect for the role. It's going to be amazing.
September 14, 2003 The callbacks yesterday were pretty exciting. Putting the actors in pairs and having them perform together really put things in a new perspective. It was really amazing to see people who were lackluster before, reading a monologue alone on a stage, suddenly come to life when they got to repsond with someone. We all let each pair improvise a bit as well, which led to a few awkward moments and also to some really inspired performances. We've narrowed the lists down, but I think we're going to have to do one more round of callbacks before we know for sure. I have a gut feeling, though, about who I'm going to cast. I think James and Yen feel the same way; Nick's not quite as sure yet. Also, in working with the actors that I called in, I really forced myself to communicate with them and to pay attention to what they were doing. To direct them well, basically, which is what's going to be the biggest struggle on this film. I think I did a good job, although it may or may not have resulted in the debilitating case of laryngitis I woke up with today. Talking is actually painful right now. I've been exploring David Lynch's website, thanks to a trial membership. It's a wonderful online environment, but even more wonderful is his series of 'Rabbits' films. I've only watched the first two, but they are beautiful little films. The second one is seriously scary. They should play these on TV some time, as filler, just to freak people out.
September 12 It's been a long time coming.
I hope he's back with June now. Rest in peace.
September 11, 2003 It looks like 'The Brown Bunny' is getting a much better reception at Toronto. Ebert still rips on it whenever he can, but I think it's become sort of a game to him at this point. From some of the new, positive reviews that I've read, I think that my initial assesment of what the movie must be like is correct, and also that I'll probably enjoy it. What I can say for sure is that a.) I really like these posters --
  -- and b.) on-screen oral sex isn't going to be that shocking to anyone who's seen 'Ken Park.' Back to assumptions, I'm pretty sure that Gallo's film is a lot better than that one. We're holding callbacks for 'Deadroom' this weekend. Which means that by Monday we should know who's going to be in this thing. No celebrities (I think), but definitely some great actors. We keep getting e-mails from people saying they're really intrigued by the project and can't stop thinking about it and stuff like that. I'm cynical enough to think that they might just be trying to get a job, but maybe they aren't. I know that I'm getting more excited about the project, so maybe other people are just quicker to see it's potential than I am. Speaking of being slow to notice things, today I had one of those instances where you open a door at the precise moment that someone standing in front of that door doesn't manage to catch the football that has been thrown at them at an incredibly high speed, resulting in the football smashing into your face. So I currently have Angelina Jolie lips. If it had hit me an inch or two higher, I'd have an Owen Wilson nose. Oh, and don't forget, this weekend offers an incredibly amazing opportunity for a genre-riffic double feature. First go see Once Upon A Time In Mexico' and then hightail it to a circa-midnight showing of Cabin Fever.' Not only do they both feature some great gore from KNB Effects, but they're both a whole lot of fun (probably the most fun you'll have until 'Kill Bill' comes out). And please pay for both of them, especially 'Cabin Fever,' because good R-rated horror films need your support.
September 10, 2003 I'm currently listening repeatedly to the crazy new single from Andre's half of the new Outkast album, while reveling in the news that the Pixies are getting back together. Various elements of 'Thirteen' reminded me of the lame movie I DPd and edited almost exactly two years ago called 'Secrets Underneath.' It wasn't a bad experience at all, but the movie was very poorly written, and that title is so embarassing that I don't even want to add my credit to it on IMDB. Granted, it was directed by a teenager -- but that teenager rejected my many attempts to improve the finished product during editing, and so he loses many valuable sympathy points. Anyway, the movie was about a girl who cuts herself, which is why 'Thirteen' made me think of it. The only really good thing about it was the performance by that very girl, Nicole Flores, who was a genuinely talented actress, and who I think was as screwed up in real life as her character was in the movie. I hope she's doing well. Also almost exactly two years ago, Ramzi and I were editing 'The Tunnel.' Yesterday, he sent an e-mail letting us know that JD White, the art director on that film, was found dead of unknown causes in the Trinity River here in Dallas. They had to ID him by his dental records. I didn't really know him, but I remember talking to him on the set (he told me all about 'The Royal Tennenbaums,' which he'd already read the script for), and we both made cameos in the same shot of the film itself. So I'm not really saddened by the news of his death, on a personal level; it's just rather unsettling. As long as I'm that note, I guess I'll mention that I just learned that a decapitated body, complete with severed head, was found some time ago in the field across from the school that some of my brothers and sisters go to. From what I was told, some little kids found it while they were playing. It's like an elementary school version of 'Twin Peaks,' only worse.
September 9, 2003 I am really tired of uploading stuff.
September 7, 2003 I felt like a yuppie today. I ate out for lunch and dinner, the latter being at some trendy upscale noodle house in the West Village, where they were nice enough to go out of their way to make our meals completely vegan. It's also always fun to know that you have the worst car in the entire neighborhood. Anyway, we were in that area because we had an early meeting with Bart Weiss, head of the Dallas Video Association. He gave us a lot of leads and advice for 'Deadroom,' especially in regards to getting cheap (free) equipment and soundstages. He was incredibly supportive, and assured us that if we finished it in time, the film would get a prime spot at next year's festival. Which would be great, but we may hold off from showing it that early. I'm sure I could get a cut done by then, but it would be a rush. In keeping with the way this project's been developed, I think we might just take our time and get it right. After the meeting but before dinner, we watched 'Thirteen.' My review will be up soon, but let me just say that Evan Rachel Wood is an astounding actress. This will be my last post in this format, as I'll be launching the new site tomorrow night sometime after midnight. Some of the pages are going to get shuffled and/or renamed, so make sure you enter the site from the first page. It'll still be undergoing a few changes in the coming weeks, but for the most part it's done and I'm very happy with it. Yen's film Happy Birthday, the first of any of our films to get a legit distribution deal, got released on DVD last week. So go buy it.
September 6, 2003 'Lost In Translation' only cost three million dollars. That seems so minimal, and I suddenly have even more respect for Sofia Coppola. It's weird thinking that three million is a small number, since I could make a great movie for a hundredth (heck, a thousandth or even less) of that. But consider that it has an A-list cast, and that it was shot in Tokyo on a five week schedule. The money is all up there on screen. It makes me believe that the movie must have been a labor of love for the majority of people involved. Which is how I want all of my own sets to be from now on. As I mentioned, 'Rocketman' has been simplified. On the other hand, I added this scene to 'Kung Fu Zombies In Love' today and thus brought it far closer to my original vision.
He moves back in the opposite direction, again easing his way close to the way to avoid the blood. He slides his right hand against the brick wall, and holds his left hand stretched out in front of him as he feels his way back towards the stairs.
Then his hand touches something in the darkness and he stops. He has a second to realize something, not enough time to say anything, and then --
CHOMP.
I might end up using different means to the same end, but in any case, I'm thinking that the title might stick now after all.
September 5, 2003 Here is how 'Rocketman' originally began:
And so on and so on, as the rocketship takes off and gets lost in space; it's all sort of a daydream. I deleted it all just now, along with every other scene that took place in outer space. I had the feeling that if I ever shot them, I'd end up cutting them out of the movie. Or if I left them in because I was attached to them (which is why I left them in the script for so long), they'd weaken the film. I think that from now on I'll try to avoid conscious metaphors in my writing. So now, between the removal of those and the dog scene, this script contains none of my original concepts for the story. The only downside to this is that I can no longer describe it as a 'science-fiction western.' I'll just have to practice my poker face elsewhere.
September 2, 2003 I'm still glowing from Lost In Translation. My DVD player has served my loyally since I bought it in 1997, but it's been acting up a little lately, so I finally bought a new one last night. It felt like the end of an era, but at least this new one will play DVD-Rs. I also got a new Dolby Digital receiver/preamp, courtesy of my generous neighbor, and so now I can finally listen to my DVDs in Dolby 5.1 It's very nice (although I need some new speakers). I'm currently watching 'Donnie Darko,' which I also picked up last night. I remember back when Harry Knowles posted his controversial review of the script, back in '99, before it got picked up. Just that short write-up got me really excited about it, and seeing it actually get made was sort of wonderful and inspiring. 'To The Lighthouse' is no longer difficult. There comes a point in (good) stream of consciousness novels where you hit a random stream of consciousness that you relate to, and suddenly you're on the inside and everything just flows. Other literature works in the same way, to a certain extent, but it's usually much more immediate. Woolf's brilliance lies in the fact that she can tap into such universal feelings, so that you can find that entry point amidst all the free-associative thoughts and words.
August 30, 2003 The current look of this site annoys me now, since the graphic revision is coming along so well. It'll look ninety-eight percent better, I think. Still on target for a big September 9th (I think that's the date) upload. It's gonna be aces.
August 29, 2003 Reading about the auctioning off of the sets and props from Arronofsky's failed epic 'The Fountain' really made me sad; I had hoped they would be able to get it back on track. I didn't realize they had already spent eighteen million on the film when the plug was pulled. I know I don't know all the details, but I sort of have a grudge with Brad Pitt for pulling out. Here you have the chance to work on a project that is something brand new and potentially incredible, like nothing else ever seen before...why pull out? Someday I hope to a.) learn the full story and b.) read the script, so I can lament it's passing. Films like that need to be made. It doesn't even matter so much whether or not they're good -- well, of course it matters a lot, but what counts even more is that there are people out there willing to take risks and try things that haven't been done before. August 28, 2003 Saw 'Cabin Fever' again this evening, and this time writer/director Eli Roth was there. He seemed really cool -- very exuberant, very quick to proliferate the audience with excited obscenities and revolting anecdotes (actually, he was really similar to the character he played in the movie). He invited people to go bowling with him after the screening, so I went. I was really hoping to ask him about Raw Nerve, and how to get associated with it, but I guess he got waylaid, because he never showed up. I'm about to start reading Yen's new screenplay, 'replay,' his followup to 'Happy Birthady.' Reciprocatively, Yen read 'Kung Fu Zombies In Love' today and liked it, and also gave me a really great suggestion, which of course I won't relay here. Anyway, I'm hyped about rewriting it. Which I may do on Saturday -- tonight, I have to edit a video for my friend Matt's birthday party tomorrow evening. It's something we shot a long time ago, just out of boredom, about a guy who feeds starving kids in third world countries with Skittles...that come out of his ass. 'To The Lighthouse' is a little more difficult than 'Mrs. Dalloway.' So far (and I'm only seventy pages in), it takes place almost entirely within a few moments, drifting from the trains of thought in the various characters' heads. To temper this headiness, I'm also reading some medieval literature: 'The Romance Of Tristan and Iseult,' which I quoted to some extent a few passages back, and which is comfortingly simple and sincere. It reminds me of my old obsession with the Grail legend and the texts surrounding it (thanks to Indiana Jones), which lead in fact to my first script -- a stage play, based on the story of Percival. I wish I still had that.
August 24, 2003 The auditions went really well. I think I know who I want to cast, although the callbacks may yet hold a few untold secrets (that sound really really lame). One interesting factor was that almost everyone was at least somewhat good, and the vast majority of people were actually very good. It was such a difference from the 'Still' auditions, where I had to wade through so many people to find the right cast. We saw lots of actors over the past two days who could be very, very right. The space where we held the auditions also had a piano and just about every manner of percussive instrument in existence. So in between auditions, Nick, James, Yen and I all jammed, with frequentyly cacophonous results -- although an occasional bit of melodic synchronization was achieved now and then, leaving us all feeling very pleased with ourselves. Watching 'Wild At Heart' on the big screen last night was amazing. The print that was shown was in remarkably good condition; I've previously only seen it on the really, really awful VHS version, and seeing it in the correct aspect ratio was like seeing an entirely different film; on the video, there were so many details that got cut off by the pan and scan, or lost in the low quality dub. I now have a second favorite scene, after the car crash: when Sailor and Lula stop for gas, and the old attendant keeps nodding and pointing at Lula. It's such an incredible moment, and it's something that never really came through before. Also, Angelo Badalmenti's score was ten times better in surround sound. I also realized exactly how much I (subconsicously) cribbed for 'Kung Fu Zombies In Love.' I believe a few changes may be in order, which can be described by a new word I invented this afternoon: subtleize. Anyway, a few more people have read that script, though, and the response continues to be really positive. I still like it, myself, so that must be a somewhat good sign. Why the hell am I still awake right now?
August 23, 2003
Three days she awaited reunion with her lord, and on the fourth she brought forth a son; and taking him her arms she said: August 21, 2003 Matthew Barney is coming to the Dallas Museum Of Art in person in January! I'm excited. Of course, knowing my luck, it will coincide precisely with principal photography for 'Deadroom.' I was thinking about the visual scheme of my 'Deadroom' segment today, and suddenly was struck with an epiphany, and now I'm incredibly excited about shooting it. I also came up with a line about a ukelele that I think is really funny right now but will probably be stupid when I wake up. But I think the previsualizations in my head are wonderful, and suddenly I feel like I've got more of a grasp on this thing. I finished scheduling the auditions for the actors whose headhsots struck my fancy; I'd forgotten what a pain it was, calling people, making sure they got the sides and the directions to the place and the contact info and the project info and all that. But now it's taken care of. And, actually, it's a lot of fun (although I'm sure the twenty hours of auditions this weekend will be pretty far from fun, but luckily there's a midnight screening of 'Wild At Heart' at the Inwood to break the tedium). There was a story in the newspaper on Sunday that really freaked me out. It was about a doctor in Houston who got decapitated by an elevator. He was walking into it, and, because of a malfunction, the door shut on his neck. Elevator goes up, head comes off. That kind of thing is only supposed to happen in the movies. It's been a while since I provided any pop star commentary, so I think I'll catch up. Britney Spears seems to be following in Christina Aguilera's footsteps by appearing mostly nude in an upcoming photo shoot. Her photos have a higher degree of elegance than her rival's ubiquitous spreads last fall, but at the same time it feels like a case of 'been-there, done-that,' or 'too little, too late,' or 'bitch, get outta the way.' Shouldn't she try to up the ante, and base her new look on something other than wanton sexuality? Not that I really care, of course. That new Eisley song, 'Telescope Eyes,' is stuck in my head. But I kinda like it, so it's okay. Any band that's name after the cantina in 'Star Wars' is cool in my book. I feel like reading more Virginia Woolf. 'To The Lighthouse' I go. August 18, 2003 I've begun calling actors and scheduling auditions for this weekend. It doesn't feel 100% real, but I guess it is. I think it has something to do with the whole collaborative process...there are three other people on this project, holding up their portion of the proceedings. If you like the kind of music I like, you'll like this article. I was at a party last night and I started reading a book, which is something I often do at parties. The book was 'The History Of Luminous Motion,' and it was really darn good. I only made it thirty pages in, but it was really darn good. I'll have to find my own copy and finish it on my own time, outside of any party setting.
August 17, 2003 I collected images today for my revamping of this site. A slate, a heart; a typewriter, a few stills. The design I was working on until recently proved to be too complex, in an almost Rube Goldberg-ian fashion; some sites benefit from a high degree of interactivity, but since this one is mainly about conveying information, I've gone back to the drawing board and come up with something simpler. I really love working with Flash; the interface is so temporally structured that it's closer to filmmaking than web design. Maybe I'll work on some animation with it at some point. I also have felt lately like writing more prose, but whenever I start to mull over characters or storylines, they all end up pointing directly back to me. Which, I think, is a sure sign that I should wait. In the interest of the personal health of any female readers, I strongly urge you to visit this site.
August 16, 2003 Ahhhhh, 'Cabin Fever' is so great! I can't believe how brilliant the script is. Some of that dialogue...it's just so good! I hope I wasn't hyped up so much that I was blind to the movie's faults -- I don't think I was, but in any case, I loved it. It joins the ranks of 'May' and 'Donnie Darko' and any other truly great recent genre debuts (although those two are the only other ones I can think of that are comparable in any way). So of course I want to make a horror movie even more now. I just read about a woman who prayed to God to win the lottery, and three months later won 112 million. That was a bad idea, God. Sure, she's happy, but now you're playing favorites. I also read that Iceland is going to reinstate their whale hunting program. This upsets me deeply. What are they thinking? There is no good in that.
August 14, 2003 I shouldn't have said I'm tired in the last post; I was frustrated, and I mistook that for exhaustion, but I've been more awake than ever these days. I'm not really uninspired, either -- my inspiration is just aimless. I feel like I'm starting over again. I don't have the spark that could start any new screenplays. I don't have any immediate plans for making a film, other than 'Deadroom.' I don't have any festivals I'm hoping to get into. There is nothing that may drop in my lap. I have nothing to wait for, and nothing to struggle to complete. I can't quite feel out what I need to do next. I've been reading Chaim Potok's 'My Name Is Asher Lev,' and it's follow-up, 'The Gift Of Asher Lev,' and they are two of the finest books I've read. There is a quote from the latter that I've taken to heart: ...all artists endure such obstacles. Only those of lesser mind and heart are able to work all the time. The only time I can rest easy is when I'm already moving. When I'm unsure of where to go, I get worried. Sometimes I think an artist can never be happy. But then I think is that I can be happy, but I can never be content -- nor do I want to, because that means I'll have stopped. Stopped moving, stopped working. I don't want to ever get too comfortable. I am afraid that I might reach some plateau and settle down -- I know I won't because I can't, but I'm afraid of it anyway. Just like I want the inpiration that love gives but I'm afraid of the distraction. When I start to fear I turn the fear to anger and something begins to boil inside me and I just have to run or it turns to hate. And I'm thinking that nothing I've done, when other people look at it, justifies these types of feelings, and it kills me. Maybe 'Looking For Love.' Maybe 'Lullaby,' when it was still a script or an idea. And this whole thing is soooo...calculated? I was talking to James the other day about various things, and he mentioned that he doesn't want to worry about gaining technical knowledge because it encumbers his creativity. I can kind of see that, but at the same time I can't because that's the opposite of how I feel; I have this driving passion to learn more. When I write a script, I want to know what I can accomplish, and if there's something I don't know how to do, then that's something I need to learn. I don't want to do eveything on my films, but I want to at least be able to. And I want to experience everything to the fullest, too, so that I know what I'm evoking. I want to dive in to things and emerge unscathed, and put myself out on a limb. I don't want to rest. To that end, I was supposed to enroll in some classes today, but my college transcripts weren't ready yet. I may have procrastinated too long once again. There's another quote from Potok, an exchange between characters: "Go to sleep, Asher. You've had a difficult day." This is what comes of those days.
August 12, 2003 I'm suddenly tired and a little uninspired. I think that's how I always feel when my future is suddenly clear and wide open and I have nothing to anticipate. I don't know what to work towards in anything but the most general sense. I want to work with my hands. I feel like building something.
August 8, 2003 I heard a little of the new Outkast today (finally coming out on September 9th). I also saw the last two 'Cremaster' installments, but I won't talk about them because I think I'm going to write a review of the whole cycle. Anyway, the Outkast songs are awesome, from the little bits I heard. Dre seems to have gone totally into rock and funk, but I also read that there's one track of his that is simply an 8 minute non-stop rhyme. I can't wait for that. I think I received the last rejection letter 'Still' will ever get. I may have entered more festivals that I haven't heard from yet, but I don't think so. Let's hope 'Deadroom' has a more successful life on that circuit.
August 6, 2003 So aside from the wedding, the best part about Las Vegas was the rollercoasters at the top of the Stratosphere. Technically, I've been on better rides, but the fact that these two were precariously positioned at the very top of a 110 story building definitely added a certain degree of intensity. I also gambled a little -- just enough to get those free drinks (although for most of the trip I stuck to coffee). The 22 hour drive to and from was tiresome, but the sunrise in the mountains totally made it worthwhile. There was also this strange moment where I felt a mixture of relief and satisfaction and contempt and vindication all sort of at the same time. It passed quickly; there were better things happening. I always have trouble regaining momentum after taking time off. What was I working on this time last week? I also feel like I haven't been to the movies in ages. It's actually been a week since I last saw something in the theater, which for me is a long time. Most of the Hollywood movies that have been coming out for the past few weeks just haven't interested me at all, which is a rare thing. Maybe my time is just getting more precious. I've got 'Dirty Pretty Thing' and 'Dracula: Pages From A Virgin's Diary' lined up for this weekend, and both of those look to be time very well spent. James read 'Kung Fu Zombies In Love' over the weekend and, unless he was shamelessly lying, liked it. The idea is that, after we shoot 'Deadroom,' we might collaborate on directing this one. It would be a heck of a lot of fun, and at the very least we could probably get it on video store shelves. Speaking of the Mr. Johnston, his film 'Mere Acquaintance,' which I finished editing back in November, is finally finished. Well, not completely -- it's heading back to my place so I can add the closing credits. I'm anxious to watch it again -- I haven't seen it since I exported the footge last fall. When it will actually be released is still up in the air, but at least it's in the can. I think James is tremendously relieved. I just noticed that New Times film critic Luke Y. Thompson added me to his links page, so I need to hurry up and return the favor; his blog is one of my daily online stops.
August 5, 2003 So the real reason we went to Vegas was because two of my best friends, Nick Prendergast and Kara Keith, were getting married.  I cried at the wedding, but unlike everyone else, I had the viewfinder of a camera to hide behind. The service was performed by Elvis, and could have been really cheesy but somehow wasn't at all. Probably because the amount of love in the room for that brief period of time could have overpowered all the lights in the Vegas strip. Congratulations, my friends. I love you guys.
July 28, 2003 I almost cancelled the doctor's appointment, but decided to go just for the heck of it. It was pointless; I was fine. One thing I love about looking through headshots is when you come across one in which the subject looks so intriguing that you want to meet them, just to see who they are and what they're like. I think girls are better at pulling this off than guys, and I'm not just saying that because I look at them from a male perspective. Honestly. These past few weeks I've had a rollercoaster ride of conflicting feelings on all sorts of things like satisfaction and commitment and all sorts of things (love's in there too, as usual) that maybe I'll talk about later. Curtis and I went to see 'Cremaster 3' yesterday. It was even better the second time around, because I wasn't anticipating what would happen next and could concentrate on the details, and thus understood what was happening a lot more. Curtis knows so much about Freemason history that he was able to decipher almost everything. We went back and saw 'Cremaster 1' and '2' a few hours later. The first one is interesting and amusing, but number two was an almost groundshaking viewing experience. So many things I want to try to do were right up there on screen. The cinematography and sound design was unbelievably rich, and the story had this sort of gut level accessibility, where you knew exactly what was going on. The brief scene of graphic sexual intercourse was also striking, simply because it was so organic and natural (except for the mutant genitalia) -- there was reallyy nothing pornographic or exploitative about it. I really wish these movies would get released on DVD, but it looks like they won't be -- a short excerpt from 'Cremaster 3' will be released later this month, but other than that they'll be unavailable. I'm heading off on Wendesday for five days of Fear and Loathing with the rest of Chaotic Cong. A good way to close the summer, I guess. I hear the liquore is free, which will be nice. When we get back, it'll be time to start auditions...hurray!
July 24, 2003 I hate receiving letters from film festivals, because that's always a sign of rejection; I rarely even bother opening them anymore. The one I received the other day wasn't from a festival, per se, but from the Sundance Labs. 'Post' is a no-go in that respect. Some people would say that that's what I get for having a character say 'fuck god' in the script, but I strongly disagree with those people. I spent the evening pouring over headshots for 'Deadroom' with James and Yen. It's such a conundrum, having to pick which actors you want to audition purely on their looks, even though their talent will end up being so much more important. So many people always look so perfect, and then when they actually act...yikes. But even then, a cold audition is never the best way to judge acting ability. Out of the several hundred headshots I've received, there are roughly four people who look like they might just be perfect for the two parts in my segment of the film. Auditions will start in about three weeks, so I guess I'll find out then. I'm really excited about some of them, actually, and I really hope that come January I'll be shooting this damn thing with them. I was working out earlier this week and I think I injured myself slightly. My discomfort reached such a high point this afternoon that I made my first doctor's appointment since Junior High. I really hate going to the doctor. Tomorrow at four I'll face my fear, I guess. Unless I feel better, in which case I'll just cancel it.
July 20, 2003 I went to see a June show for the first time last night, June being the band formed by Doug and Caleb shortly after we finished 'Lullaby.' I heard a lot of the stuff they were working on early on, mainly because they'd record at Curtis' apartment, which was upstairs from mine at the time. Their progression since then has been pretty exponential, and they put on a really impressive live show. I kept laughing while I was watching them, because I couldn't believe that the grandstanding lead singer on stage with this epic, powerful voice was the same gently introverted guy who was afraid to sing for the camera a few years back. It was really great to see them (for the second time recently, since we got together a week or two ago to hang out and ended up watching 'Lullaby,' which was a nice communal trip down memory lane -- like I need any more of those). Got the Mac version of Flash. Got a hangover too. I've made great progress with both today.
July 18, 2003 I just finished the first draft of 'Kung Fu Zombies In Love.' That title won't stay, because it's too tongue-in-cheek -- the movie is sort of serious in a surreal way, and while there are lots of zombies and lots of love, there is no kung fu (there is, however, a samurai sword). There's also a lot of action in it, or at least more than I've ever written. Writing action is hard. It feels pointless because I know that if I ever made this, I'd totally change the action sequences once I'm on the set with the actors and everything becomes physical. But I also want to make sure its a good read. It'll be changing, a lot. This is the first time I've ever tried to write a genre piece, and it was a bit of a struggle. I'm really happy with how it came out. It's very romantic, in a desperate sort of way, and it is of course very gory and hopefully a little scary too. It's a totally subjective story, so the lack of explanation for anything might annoy some people. And that's all I'll say about it for now. That new 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' trailer is really good (except for the Michael Bay part). I wasn't expecting much from the movie, and I'm still not, but it's a great trailer. Also, the trailer for 'Once Upon A Time' in Mexico is a lot of fun, and the HD cinematography looks gorgeous. I went to two stores trying to find the 'May' DVD, which got released this week, and neither one had it, so I ordered it from Amazon this evening (I strongly recommend you do the same). I then filled up my cart again with Luis Bunuel movies and am going to try to resist buying them until I get paid again. I don't know if I'll succeed. I've been feeling pretty happy lately.
July 16, 2003 It's Will Ferrell's birthday! I think that's cause for a celebration. Unfortunately, I'm too busy to party. The screenwriting is flowing nicely, but the Flash stuff is getting tough. Mainly because I don't actually have a copy of the Mac version of the software. Also, I'm doing a lot of research on special FX makeup -- I can't wait to actually physically get started with some of it! I just need to order some foam latex. Can you imagine how much fun you could have with a lifelike replica of your own head? The possibilities are simply limitless! The 'Eraserhead' DVD arrived last night, and it is quite a dish.
July 14, 2003 My mom read 'Rocketman,' and was able to tell me exactly what was wrong with it and what was good about it. So now I know what I need to fix when I get around to fixing it. She said it was like a bunch of atoms bouncing off each other, and that's good if that's the story I want to tell, but that it could be something more than that too. That's what I was thinking. That's a lot of thats in that paragaph. I have this tiny little mole on my left underarm, the kind that is sort of a protracted nodule of flesh of undeterminable shape, the normal color of skin, just sort of barely attached there by a miniscule thread of something. It's too small to notice most of the time, but it fascinates me how it's just there and so securley fastened to my arm. I don't know where it came from or how long exactly it's been there. You can take a firm grasp of it and tug at it and it just stays there. A guy in high school had one just like it on his neck and it always bothered me, so one day I asked him if I could cut it off. He said he supposed I could, as long as I, you know, made quick work of it. So I took a pair of scissors, only they were closer to shears, and snipped it off. He said it hurt more than he expected, and on top of that it didn't stop bleeding the entire day. So I won't be doing that to mine. I don't even really want to remove it, but the fact that it's so hard to remove is just so intriguing. I know the correct way to get them off is to burn them or freeze them, so I got a lighter and tried to burn it off, but it didn't really work because the flame wasn't precise enough. It's color changed to dark brown, though, and I think it's rather crispy as well -- I can't tell for sure, since it's so darn small.
July 13, 2003 I downloaded the trailer to Mel Gibson's 'The Passion' last night. I still think there are too many white people in it, and some of the imagery seems too familiar, but at the same time it's undeniably powerful and emotional. The dead language aspect adds a lot of mystery and grandeur to it, even though we only get two lines in the trailer. Like 'The Last Temptation Of Christ,' I think it will put the New Testament into a more believable and relatable perspective (and one that I imagine will cause a lot of controversy with all those bland denominations of Christianity). Mel Gibson's also on the right track with Catholicism. If the Church wants to save any sort of face, it needs to revert back to Vatican I. I'll take this opportunity to recommend seeking out and reading (or listening to) Nick Cave's essays on the mythology of the New Testament, which are particularly insightful. I can't decide what to do right now; write or work on the website redesign. I'm learning Flash, and the possibilites afforded by combining its capablities with those of Adobe After Effects are marvelously exciting. But on the other hand, this speech I'm writing is sorta exciting, too. At least to me. You see this? I can cut you down before your dead eyes blink, but if you can tell me -- or if you can just point, if that's all you can do -- to where my girl went, I'll leave you alone. I'm just aiming to get us both out of here alive, all right? I don't see her body or her bones, and she's tough, she is. I know she wouldn't have gone without a fight, and it'd have been a good one. I don't think you'd have survived it. So if you can just nod your head or lift a finger or something, just tell me which way, I'll be outta here. But I'll also let you know that you won't get lucky twice.
July 8, 2003 I decided it was high time I plunked down the fifty bucks and ordered the 'Eraserhead' DVD from David Lynch.com. But for some reason, I wasn't able to use the site's interface to order it, so I called customer service -- and ended up talking to David Lynch himself! Okay, I'm only joking, I just wanted to give all you Lynch nuts a jumpstart of jealousy. In any case, I can't wait for the DVD to arrive. I've had the poster hanging over my desk for years, but I've never seen the movie in any format but the Japanese bootleg VHS. I spent the majority of today engrossed in the new Harry Potter volume, and only moments ago reluctantly finished the last page. It is by far the best of the series. Pages 700 to 800 were so intense that I honestly had trouble breathing. I strongly suggest the series (but make sure you start with the first one) to anyone looking to lose themselves for a week or two in some really wonderful stories. I'm confident that in two years I'll be singing J.K. Rowling's praises once again, and I cannot wait. And to all the self righteous folks who think the book are evil, and especially the losers in Pennsylvania who held book burnings -- go get a life. I'm going to stop myself now before I say something really mean.
July 6, 2003 One year ago tonight, I drank far too much alcohol (all sorts) and had an epiphany of sorts while listening to track 3 of 'Purple Rain' on vinyl over and over again. But that was the past, and I'm here to talk about the present, which entails the relating of the fact that Curtis and I and Emma and also Adam and Nick collaborated on another little video yesterday, this one inolving the touchy subject of abortion. It is morally vapid, possibly hilarious, and really really really nauseatingly gory. I feel torn sometimes between my subtle side and my love of the grotesque and over-the-top. I really want to make films like 'Still' and 'Rocketman' because I love telling personal and emotional stories. At the same time, though, I get a huge kick out of -- well, out of drenching everything in blood (brain matter is good too). There's no reason why I can't do both, of course, and my current writing project has elements of both styles. Subtle drama and buckets of gore! What more could you want? Violence disturbs me, though. Contradictions always abound.
July 4, 2003 Hmmmmmmm. I'm tempted to leave it at that, but I won't. I thought 'Rocketman' had nothing to do with me, other than that I wrote it. Turns out though that it does. I always loved the first six lines of The Wasteland, but was discouraged by the seventh. But seven is my favorite number. Let me flip back a few pages. Let us go then, you and I, when the evening is spread out against the sky. Sounds swell to me.
June 31, 2003 I swear, I feel like a doppleganger's been updating this page. None of the past few posts feel like something I wrote. I think I'm tired of the internet. I'm seeing 'Terminator 3' this evening; I'm hoping its a fun ride, but I'm not terribly excited about it. On the other hand, when 'Terminator 2' came out, I was desperate to see it. I think I was eleven or so, and my mom told me I could only see it after I had read a significant amount of good literature. So I sat down that morning and read Dickens' 'A Tale Of Two Cities' in one sitting. The first 100 pages or so made an impression, but the other 400 went by in a blur. I immediately followed it with Shakespeare's 'Henry V,' which I'd seen the Brannagh film version of so many times that I already almost had it memorized. Before bed, I read one more short novel, and then I saw 'Terminator 2' a few days later, and it was worth every page. My priorites now are a little different now, but only a little. I've only made it 100 pages into the new 'Harry Potter' book because I've been so busy with other movie stuff. Back to the geysers of blood. It should be completely obvious by now what it is that I'm writing...
June 30, 2003 I can't believe Katherin Hepburn died, and so soon after Gregory Peck. All of the classic film stars will soon be dead and gone and all we'll be left with are their films. Which is all we have anyway, but now, for the next few years, looking at her in the pictures will be like looking at a ghost. It's always like that when a movie star dies, until enough time has passed for them to exist purely as history and silver nitrate. I watched the making-of doc on the 'Evil Dead 2' DVD (which, for the record, is my second favorite zombie movie, right behind 'Dead Alive,' and just ahead of 'The Beyond'). I'm kinda wishing I didn't now. It was a great documentary, but 'Evil Dead 2' is one of the few movies that still consistently managed to amaze me, and now my that I know how it was all done, I think some of the magic will be gone. It's as if David Lynch revealed how he made the baby in 'Eraserhead.' I guess '28 Days Later' is also one of my favorite zombie movies now. I'm really glad it did so well at the box office this weekend (opened at number four). Hooray for the advent of DV upon the mainstream! And while I have zombies on the brain (yikes!), here's a great living dead link James pointed me towards. I finished editing 'Honey' over the weekend and I think I may have to try to get it out to the public after all. It's too good to keep to ourselves. Also, the music Curtis came up with for it is just great. It was on my mind while I was listening to NPR yesterday, and there was a fantastic program on the history of minimalist music, a genre which today would be represented by composers like Phillip Glass, and, I suppose, bands like Tortoise and Mogwai and Sigur Ros. But some of the music from early sixties that they played was really exciting...single notes sustained for hours on end at ridiculous volume, early experiments in tape delay and drones, stuff like that. You can listen to it, and a lot of other great musical essays, right here. I'd like to move towards doing similar things with film, which is sort of what 'Honey' represents. But not really. Except it sort of does. Yep, it's one of those kinds of films. Of course, slightly more traditional projects are still a priority as well, which is why I'm finishing up this grant proposal at the moment. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I hate writing grants.
June 26, 2003 My last post feels totally heartless to me for some reason. Speaking of heartless, should I feel bad about how I commented last night to Curtis that Strom Thurmond needs to die -- and then he actually died? I sure hope not, because I don't. I bought the Coen Brothers 'Blood Simple' on DVD the other day. I don't remember when I last laughed as hard as I did while I listened to its commentary track last night. I urge everyone to purchase a copy for yourselves, so that you'll have it to raise your spirits on a low day. Any lack of activity on this site in the coming days/weeks/months is actually a sign of increased productivity on my part. I'm working hard, pouring my heart and soul out into my art. Literally. You'd think you couldn't live without your heart, but you can. I stapled it to a piece of wood and put a frame around it, and I find it to be quite striking.
June 25, 2003 I'm really really really tired. I've been up as long as I can stand for the past four nights, editing this short film that Curtis and James and Cammi and I shot on Sunday. It was completely improvised (although there's no dialogue); we just randomly picked places to shoot and then used whatever we found there as props to propell the story along. It's a lovely, eerie little piece, which will possibly be called 'Honey.' I'll be putting up some pictures from it in the News section soon, just because there's some imagery that's so beautiful that I really want to share it. James and I have decided to shoot one little short film like this every month, just to keep ourselves active behind the camera until our next big gig...which is something we've been discussing a lot lately. We may be joining forces in the near future. If it works out, it will be the most awesome collaboration ever. And no, it's not 'Deadroom,' which we've given an official shoot date of January 15. How do these projects get so prolonged? After making these short films, it's become suddenly clear: Curtis is not only a brilliant musician, but an amazing actor. His superstardom needs to be unleashed upon the public ASAP. I've seen two new contenders for best film of the year: Patrice Leconte's 'Man On The Train' and the Polish Brothers' 'Northfork.' Both stunning films in completely different ways. I got to meet the Polish brothers after their screening, and they're some of the nicest filmmakers I've ever come in contact with. It means so much when other directors regard you as a peer, not just as a fan. In a rare turn towards the political side of things, I was looking at the potential Democratic nominees for the 2004 elections. Dennis Kuchinich was the most appealing, although I at first thought he was too highly idealistic. A bit of closer research revealed that he could quite possibly be the best thing to happen to the White House in -- well, a long time. I really hope he has a chance, but I'm also convinced that Bush has already secured his second term. This page was reaching Hulk-size mass, and so all entries prior to this one have been consigned to a new archive. In related news, I think I might be redesigning the site once more by the end of the summer...
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