I finished my screenplay for the Act Two program, only to turn around and re-break the story, resulting in me re-writing the script.
My deadline is Saturday. I have twenty pages. I need ninety.
Can I make it?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Kauai Adventures
Day One - Tuesday
A bumpy flight to Maui leaves me white knuckled. A quick layover, and then back on another plane that takes us into Kauai. I sleep the whole time, only waking up once we touch down.
Our condo on this island is older, but you can see the ocean, a quick two minute walk, from the lanai. There is a beautiful pool in the courtyard. The owners have left us mangos to eat - they are juicy and delicious. I take a quick dip, change, and we leave to grab food. We also travel to Costco to obtain some lunch makings, couple of dinner options, and other goodies.
Day Two - Wednesday
Spent the day sightseeing by car, stopping at interesting places. Drove through the Trees Tunnel to the rustic town of Ol Koloa Town. Had a pizza lunch from Pizzetta. Saw the spouting Horn and bought some coconut shell necklaces at a stall where vendors sold locally made goods.
Drove through the city of Poi'pu. Watched the sun sink lower at Shipwreck Beach, which is right by the Hyatt. (Classy hotel that I wouldn't mind staying in one day). Eric got some great shots of surfers catching some big waves.
Day Three - Thursday
Traveled up the coast to the North Shore. Saw a lighthouse that had local birds. Drove through the upscale town of Princeville. Saw Hanalei Bay, a location in many movies Snorkeled at Ke'e Beach - the most north beach on the island. Beautiful. We made friends with wild hen and her baby chicks on the upper part of the beach.
That night, we celebrated our four anniversary with a dinner to Roy's. I had a mac nut encrusted swordfish that was delightful. Dessert was a molten chocolate brownie, coupled with a free dark chocolate cake that the wait staff gave to us because it was our anniversary. There was Kona coffee from Lapperts - really yummy.
Day Four - Friday
We arose fairly early to go on our half day kayaking adventure. We were in a group of 11, and our guide's name was Rick, who told us to call him Hollywood if we forgot his name. He was an easy going dude with a quirky sense of humor.
The two mile kayak ride down the Waimea River was fairly easy. Eric and I were in one, Rick and Janet in the other. We passed the mountain that looks like a sleeping man's face, and docked our kayaks around the bend from the main part of the river.
The one and a half hike through the jungle took us a while because of how muddy the trail was - it actually rained a little on the return to the kayaks. Our guide explained to us that the area we were walking through was previously inhabited by Hawaiian royalty. The reason why they lived so deep in the jungle was more for the protection of the commoners - they would be put to death even looking at the royalty.
I lost my really cool cheap aviator sunglasses from Target getting into the kayak. As Rick said, "the river gives, and the river sometimes takes away."
The kayak trip back was more difficult because we were going up river - I was sore the rest of the day as a result.
After returning to the hotel, we took a dip in the pool and relaxed the rest of the day. I was extremely sore from the adventure.
Day Five - Saturday
Traveled to Poi'pu again. Eric and I spent a couple of hours at Shipwreck beach, watching the surfers and boogie boarders catch waves, reading through "Sculpting in Time" by Tarkovsky, and getting rained on for a few minutes at at time. The sun would quickly come out and warm everything up again.
Day Six - Sunday
I honestly can't remember what we did this day. I'll refresh once I do.
Day Seven - Monday
This was the day that I bought a ukulele. I already know how to play the chords to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Hawaii's national song. Kidding. :)
It was fantastic adventure, and I've returned to Los Angeles with a refreshed spirit and a clear mind. Anybody who hasn't been to Kauai or the Big Island should! Its a great place to relax, reflect, do interesting things and enjoy one part of paradise.
A bumpy flight to Maui leaves me white knuckled. A quick layover, and then back on another plane that takes us into Kauai. I sleep the whole time, only waking up once we touch down.
Our condo on this island is older, but you can see the ocean, a quick two minute walk, from the lanai. There is a beautiful pool in the courtyard. The owners have left us mangos to eat - they are juicy and delicious. I take a quick dip, change, and we leave to grab food. We also travel to Costco to obtain some lunch makings, couple of dinner options, and other goodies.
Day Two - Wednesday
Spent the day sightseeing by car, stopping at interesting places. Drove through the Trees Tunnel to the rustic town of Ol Koloa Town. Had a pizza lunch from Pizzetta. Saw the spouting Horn and bought some coconut shell necklaces at a stall where vendors sold locally made goods.
Drove through the city of Poi'pu. Watched the sun sink lower at Shipwreck Beach, which is right by the Hyatt. (Classy hotel that I wouldn't mind staying in one day). Eric got some great shots of surfers catching some big waves.
Day Three - Thursday
Traveled up the coast to the North Shore. Saw a lighthouse that had local birds. Drove through the upscale town of Princeville. Saw Hanalei Bay, a location in many movies Snorkeled at Ke'e Beach - the most north beach on the island. Beautiful. We made friends with wild hen and her baby chicks on the upper part of the beach.
That night, we celebrated our four anniversary with a dinner to Roy's. I had a mac nut encrusted swordfish that was delightful. Dessert was a molten chocolate brownie, coupled with a free dark chocolate cake that the wait staff gave to us because it was our anniversary. There was Kona coffee from Lapperts - really yummy.
Day Four - Friday
We arose fairly early to go on our half day kayaking adventure. We were in a group of 11, and our guide's name was Rick, who told us to call him Hollywood if we forgot his name. He was an easy going dude with a quirky sense of humor.
The two mile kayak ride down the Waimea River was fairly easy. Eric and I were in one, Rick and Janet in the other. We passed the mountain that looks like a sleeping man's face, and docked our kayaks around the bend from the main part of the river.
The one and a half hike through the jungle took us a while because of how muddy the trail was - it actually rained a little on the return to the kayaks. Our guide explained to us that the area we were walking through was previously inhabited by Hawaiian royalty. The reason why they lived so deep in the jungle was more for the protection of the commoners - they would be put to death even looking at the royalty.
I lost my really cool cheap aviator sunglasses from Target getting into the kayak. As Rick said, "the river gives, and the river sometimes takes away."
The kayak trip back was more difficult because we were going up river - I was sore the rest of the day as a result.
After returning to the hotel, we took a dip in the pool and relaxed the rest of the day. I was extremely sore from the adventure.
Day Five - Saturday
Traveled to Poi'pu again. Eric and I spent a couple of hours at Shipwreck beach, watching the surfers and boogie boarders catch waves, reading through "Sculpting in Time" by Tarkovsky, and getting rained on for a few minutes at at time. The sun would quickly come out and warm everything up again.
Day Six - Sunday
I honestly can't remember what we did this day. I'll refresh once I do.
Day Seven - Monday
This was the day that I bought a ukulele. I already know how to play the chords to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Hawaii's national song. Kidding. :)
It was fantastic adventure, and I've returned to Los Angeles with a refreshed spirit and a clear mind. Anybody who hasn't been to Kauai or the Big Island should! Its a great place to relax, reflect, do interesting things and enjoy one part of paradise.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Big Island of Hawaii Adventures
Here's a short run down of our adventures in Kailua-Kona. A big thanks to Andrew, the author of the travel guide book "The Big Island Revealed" who gave us guidance on what to see and do throughout the trip. Highly recommend using his guide books to any of the Hawaiian Islands. Pictures are up here.
Day One - Tuesday
Dawn.
Fast forward an hour and half.
Our good friend Brian arrives at our doorstep to take us to the airport. We groggily load up the car and head off to LAX. We make it in record time, 30 minutes. Eric and I don't have to check a bag, while Rick and Janet check one bag. We have enough time to grab a coffee and order a Chili's To Go Breakfast Burrito - or so we think. Our plane calls us for boarding after placing the order, which results Eric throwing away our coffee and barely grabbing our breakfast from the to go counter.
The rest of the flight is uneventful.
We land in Oahu, eat over priced Burger King for lunch, and arrive in plenty of time at the GO flight desk, a local airline that will take us to the Big Island. We discover that our backpacks, that did not need to be checked at the American Airlines desk, must be checked. We sigh and oblige, but unwillingly - its 10 bucks a pop.
We land, I get lei'ed, and we pile into a Rubicon Jeep that incredibly awkward with doors that are held on by straps. We get the keys to our condo, and travel over roads that alternate between 35 and 45 miles per hour. (This will prove tiresome as we traverse the island, having to slow down constantly).
Our condo is spacious and wonderful. We are situated near a golf course, with a spa and pool a two minute walk away. I try to take a nap, but I'm too keyed up. We take a quick drive to grab some groceries, and end up eating pizza at a local joint named Island Lava Java. Eric has the 100% cup of Kona coffee and it is so good that I don't doctor it when I steal sips from it.
Day Two
We spend this day mainly in the car, stopping at interesting places, chief among them being Greenwell Coffee Farms, that offered us free samples of Kona coffee and a quick informative tour.
We also found a bay that gave us an great view of the Captain Cook monument. An easy going Hawaiian named Lawrence offered us a great deal on kayak rentals. We thanked him, and said we'd think about it.
If ancient Hawaiians who have committed sins against their gods are able to reach a sacred coastal town named The City of Refuge, they would be completely forgiven. Its a beautiful beach with palm trees providing plenty of shade. Just a bit north of this place is a beach named Two Step because of its easy access to a reef that gives way to some great snorkeling. It was my first encounter with a turtle, and I watched him for what felt like a good ten minutes, whereupon he only came up for air two times.
Day Three
We got a massage for one hour at a small massage school. It cost 30 dollars a person; well worth the money. We traveled north into Waikola, and walked around the King and Queen Shopping center. Attempted to find Lappert's Ice Cream in said shopping center. Failed. Made do with an Orange Julius. Ended the day at Hapuna Beach - absolutely gorgeous white sand beach with crystal clear water.
Day Four
We took the journey to the southern most part of the United States to visit the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. We hit South Point on our way to the park - an eight mile detour to the coast that revealed some beautiful surf. Apparently if we would have traveled about two miles more, we could have seen a beach full of green sand, but the terrain was pretty rocky, even for our Rubicon, so we headed back. We stopped again at Punalu'u Bakery, where I shared a fantastic pineapple peach turnover with everyone.
The lava rock at the volcano is quite a sight. We were unable to hike most of the trails in the park because of the CO2 level was dangerously high. We were able to drive in to see a lava vent that was still active, which emptied into the ocean. However, we went the long way around, and were really only able to see the plume of steam, and not the lava itself, from the direction we came from. We took a 1/2 mile hike to see where lava covered part of the road.
Day Five
We drove thru more Kona coffee contury, the town of Holualoa. There are a few quirky art galleries displaying still life, mixed media, and also wood creations. There was a ukulele shop with beautiful koa wood ukuleles.
After a quick Costco hot dog lunch, we walked around the shops that were right off the highway by the ocean. Found Tropical Dreams Ice Cream out of a shop named Rocking Ass Coffee Company (no joke). Indulged in an expensive single scoop of Kona coffee ice cream - but it was so creamy and flavorful, it was worth it.
Found a local music store with cheaper ukueles, along with a requisite visit to Hilo Hatties.
I believe this was also the day that we went back to the condo fairly early, and watched four episodes of Burn Notice. Also worth it.
Day Six
Another road trip day. Our goal was Hilo, which is on the opposite side of the island. We traveled thru the Hawaiian cowboy town of Waiema, and took pictures at the beautiful waterfall named Akaka. We stopped to peruse some shops, and I found a beautiful sarong that I couldn't pass up. After a quick slice of pizza, homemade by a lady named Laura, we continued on.
We reached Hilo, but didn't stop, because we discovered we could go see the volcano vent to the ocean on a road was as only reachable on the Hilo side of the island. And the viewing area is only open from 5 - 9 pm.
We arrived at the viewing area at 5 pm, picked our way thru lava rock for 3/4 of a mile. We could see the beautiful plume of steam from the other direction now, and it was much closer. Waited until the sun set, and received quite a show of lava flow and steam.
Day Seven
Our final day on the Big Island was spent snorkeling on K. Beach. I managed to not get burned! And I saw a great many fish and almost ran into a turtle. He was not shy; I think he would have ran into me if I hadn't tried to avoid him.
Our last meal was at Island Lava Java, watching the sun set. I had my own glass of iced Kona coffee and didn't need to sweeten it. I had a huge jalapeno and jack cheeseburger, topped off with a passion-fruit key lime cheesecake. It was a perfect end to our visit to the Big Island.
Day One - Tuesday
Dawn.
Fast forward an hour and half.
Our good friend Brian arrives at our doorstep to take us to the airport. We groggily load up the car and head off to LAX. We make it in record time, 30 minutes. Eric and I don't have to check a bag, while Rick and Janet check one bag. We have enough time to grab a coffee and order a Chili's To Go Breakfast Burrito - or so we think. Our plane calls us for boarding after placing the order, which results Eric throwing away our coffee and barely grabbing our breakfast from the to go counter.
The rest of the flight is uneventful.
We land in Oahu, eat over priced Burger King for lunch, and arrive in plenty of time at the GO flight desk, a local airline that will take us to the Big Island. We discover that our backpacks, that did not need to be checked at the American Airlines desk, must be checked. We sigh and oblige, but unwillingly - its 10 bucks a pop.
We land, I get lei'ed, and we pile into a Rubicon Jeep that incredibly awkward with doors that are held on by straps. We get the keys to our condo, and travel over roads that alternate between 35 and 45 miles per hour. (This will prove tiresome as we traverse the island, having to slow down constantly).
Our condo is spacious and wonderful. We are situated near a golf course, with a spa and pool a two minute walk away. I try to take a nap, but I'm too keyed up. We take a quick drive to grab some groceries, and end up eating pizza at a local joint named Island Lava Java. Eric has the 100% cup of Kona coffee and it is so good that I don't doctor it when I steal sips from it.
Day Two
We spend this day mainly in the car, stopping at interesting places, chief among them being Greenwell Coffee Farms, that offered us free samples of Kona coffee and a quick informative tour.
We also found a bay that gave us an great view of the Captain Cook monument. An easy going Hawaiian named Lawrence offered us a great deal on kayak rentals. We thanked him, and said we'd think about it.
If ancient Hawaiians who have committed sins against their gods are able to reach a sacred coastal town named The City of Refuge, they would be completely forgiven. Its a beautiful beach with palm trees providing plenty of shade. Just a bit north of this place is a beach named Two Step because of its easy access to a reef that gives way to some great snorkeling. It was my first encounter with a turtle, and I watched him for what felt like a good ten minutes, whereupon he only came up for air two times.
Day Three
We got a massage for one hour at a small massage school. It cost 30 dollars a person; well worth the money. We traveled north into Waikola, and walked around the King and Queen Shopping center. Attempted to find Lappert's Ice Cream in said shopping center. Failed. Made do with an Orange Julius. Ended the day at Hapuna Beach - absolutely gorgeous white sand beach with crystal clear water.
Day Four
We took the journey to the southern most part of the United States to visit the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. We hit South Point on our way to the park - an eight mile detour to the coast that revealed some beautiful surf. Apparently if we would have traveled about two miles more, we could have seen a beach full of green sand, but the terrain was pretty rocky, even for our Rubicon, so we headed back. We stopped again at Punalu'u Bakery, where I shared a fantastic pineapple peach turnover with everyone.
The lava rock at the volcano is quite a sight. We were unable to hike most of the trails in the park because of the CO2 level was dangerously high. We were able to drive in to see a lava vent that was still active, which emptied into the ocean. However, we went the long way around, and were really only able to see the plume of steam, and not the lava itself, from the direction we came from. We took a 1/2 mile hike to see where lava covered part of the road.
Day Five
We drove thru more Kona coffee contury, the town of Holualoa. There are a few quirky art galleries displaying still life, mixed media, and also wood creations. There was a ukulele shop with beautiful koa wood ukuleles.
After a quick Costco hot dog lunch, we walked around the shops that were right off the highway by the ocean. Found Tropical Dreams Ice Cream out of a shop named Rocking Ass Coffee Company (no joke). Indulged in an expensive single scoop of Kona coffee ice cream - but it was so creamy and flavorful, it was worth it.
Found a local music store with cheaper ukueles, along with a requisite visit to Hilo Hatties.
I believe this was also the day that we went back to the condo fairly early, and watched four episodes of Burn Notice. Also worth it.
Day Six
Another road trip day. Our goal was Hilo, which is on the opposite side of the island. We traveled thru the Hawaiian cowboy town of Waiema, and took pictures at the beautiful waterfall named Akaka. We stopped to peruse some shops, and I found a beautiful sarong that I couldn't pass up. After a quick slice of pizza, homemade by a lady named Laura, we continued on.
We reached Hilo, but didn't stop, because we discovered we could go see the volcano vent to the ocean on a road was as only reachable on the Hilo side of the island. And the viewing area is only open from 5 - 9 pm.
We arrived at the viewing area at 5 pm, picked our way thru lava rock for 3/4 of a mile. We could see the beautiful plume of steam from the other direction now, and it was much closer. Waited until the sun set, and received quite a show of lava flow and steam.
Day Seven
Our final day on the Big Island was spent snorkeling on K. Beach. I managed to not get burned! And I saw a great many fish and almost ran into a turtle. He was not shy; I think he would have ran into me if I hadn't tried to avoid him.
Our last meal was at Island Lava Java, watching the sun set. I had my own glass of iced Kona coffee and didn't need to sweeten it. I had a huge jalapeno and jack cheeseburger, topped off with a passion-fruit key lime cheesecake. It was a perfect end to our visit to the Big Island.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
project updates from May 2009
completed in May:
multiple outlines for my Act Two script
next on the agenda for June:
locking an outline for my Act Two script
multiple outlines for my Act Two script
next on the agenda for June:
locking an outline for my Act Two script
project updates from April 2009
Wow, I'm really behind in posting progress. I've been so focused on trying to make my story work - that's a good thing. Its just taken up all of my mental and creative energy for the past month and a half. I'm getting close to cracking it though. I did not complete a script from Script Frenzy as a result. But I'm ok with that, and I've learned that I need to shift my focus a bit - working on perfecting my Act Two script.
completed in April:
generated many story concepts for my Act Two script
worked on a rough draft of a short film script
next on the agenda for May:
finishing an outline for my Act Two script
completed in April:
generated many story concepts for my Act Two script
worked on a rough draft of a short film script
next on the agenda for May:
finishing an outline for my Act Two script
Monday, May 04, 2009
Top Five Favorite Film Directors (a work in progress)
Inspired by Ryan.
1. Stanley Kubrick
1. Stanley Kubrick
2. John Ford
3. Danny Boyle
4. Clint Eastwood
5. Wes Anderson
---
Most Honorable Mentions:
Michael Mann
The Coens
Most Honorable Mentions:
Michael Mann
The Coens
Darren Aronofsky
Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman
David Lynch
P.T. Anderson
Sofia Coppola
Steven Spielberg
Ridley Scott
Rian Johnson
Syndey Pollack
Mel Brooks
Michel Gondry
Elia Kazan
Joe Wright
Rian Johnson
Syndey Pollack
Mel Brooks
Michel Gondry
Elia Kazan
Joe Wright
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Mike Nichols and why he's awesome
I was going to write a whole blog post about it, but I'm pretty busy so I figured I'd just link to the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/movies/12mcgr.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=movies
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/movies/12mcgr.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=movies
Monday, April 13, 2009
meet the bros
The Brothers Bloom
Love the design of the site - especially the type face!
Will update soon - maybe about me banging my head against the wall as I'm trying to write for Script Frenzy; or trying to write another feature for my Act Two Program. Maybe it'll be about something else.
Like nom nom's!
Love the design of the site - especially the type face!
Will update soon - maybe about me banging my head against the wall as I'm trying to write for Script Frenzy; or trying to write another feature for my Act Two Program. Maybe it'll be about something else.
Like nom nom's!
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