Once Upon a Time...

I'm moving!

2011-07-06T22:29:00.001-07:00

Hello all! I've moved my blog.

Check out www.alexahann.com for my blog, photography, and updates on my film projects.

Marital Bliss

2011-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! I'm directing a short film!

We are currently in pre production and raising money to make our script go from words on page to reality. You can help!

Check out our Kickstarter page to find out more information:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/910434414/marital-bliss

Stormy Seas

2010-12-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here's another peek at a beautiful piece of concept art from our short film, Nail'd, by Tyler Decker.

Shoving Off!

2010-11-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

A sketch from the animated short film that I'm helping produce. Working with some fantastic artists and storytellers.

info-mation

2010-08-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hello world. Its been a long time since I last posted.

I've been story developing, writing, and shooting photographs thanks to the Canon T2i Eric made me buy. (Well, he didn't make me buy it. But I'm so glad that I did buy it as my photography knowledge is exponentially increasing as a result of having my own camera). Will link to my Picasa gallery soon.

Becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of information overload. Need to find a balance between being inspired from many sources (internet, photography, film, books, etc) and actually doing the work.

Because that's what my goal is: to have meaningful work to share with the world.

So I'll get back to it...working on a short film.

I'll be back when I'm done.

so much going on

2010-04-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

So I'm re writing a short film, writing a feature film, producing an animated short....not much time to blog. Will update again when my head isn't spinning off its axis.

script frenzy 2010

2010-03-31T23:55:00.001-07:00

I'm doing it. I'm writing a Western. It is going to rock.

letting go

2010-02-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I finished treatments for two scripts that I will probably never write. It took me a long time, but letting go of those stories was better than puttering around, half thinking about them and not continuing active work on those stories. I'm not sure why the active work never took place - laziness? Less than complete belief in the project? I certainly brainstormed a ton once I had the kernel of the idea.

But I didn't finish those ideas and turn them scripts. I know now that I was subconsciously frustrated that I wasn't done. I have other ideas that I was passionate about, but I wasn't really moving forward on those either. And I came to a realization that I needed to let go of those earlier ideas completely. To let the new stuff in.

Knowing that I completed my initial thoughts on the ideas gave me closure. And I gave myself permission to move on to other ideas. And I'm giving myself permission to come up with ideas and not judge myself harshly if those ideas don't work right away. I expect a lot of myself. In the brainstorming and idea generation process I have the tendency to want to arrive at the right answer IMMEDIATELY. I want an answer, not a process. But that's a hinder to creativity. So I'm giving myself permission to enjoy the process more than the result.

Like Stanislavsky said, I need to love the art in myself, not myself in the art.

well, happy new year

2010-01-02T00:20:00.000-08:00

Gee, its been awhile. Happy New Year to all!

Looking forward to new creative endeavors. My main focus this year will be developing a reel by making short films, along with learning how to paint, and continuing to write stories.

I've been breaking down some films and I think it might be cool to put what I've learned up here, if anybody would want to take a look-see. So much to learn from great moviemakers in the realm of cinema language to see what really make stories work.

I did finish my Act Two screenplay, by the by.

oh boy oh boy oh boy

2009-09-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

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?

Kauai Adventures

2009-08-06T15:01:00.001-07:00

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.

Big Island of Hawaii Adventures

2009-07-26T12:42:00.001-07:00

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.

project updates from May 2009

2009-05-28T11:14:00.001-07:00

completed in May:

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

2009-05-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

Top Five Favorite Film Directors (a work in progress)

2009-05-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Ryan.

1. Stanley Kubrick

2. John Ford

3. Danny Boyle

4. Clint Eastwood

5. Wes Anderson

---
Most Honorable Mentions:

Michael Mann
The Coens

Darren Aronofsky
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

Mike Nichols and why he's awesome

2009-04-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

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

meet the bros

2009-04-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

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!

project updates from March 2009

2009-04-03T09:49:00.001-07:00

completed in March:

continued work on feature #3
committed to writing three pages a day
rough draft of short film

next on the agenda for April:

finish feature #2 for Script Frenzy
finish a polish of feature #3
absorb all I can from "What's the Big Idea?" Story Conference

Half of Everything We Learned...

2009-03-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share this link, as it has some great insight into what spec scripts are, what they do, and how they differ from scripts coming from established writers.

project updates from Feburary 2009

2009-03-02T15:08:00.002-08:00

completed in February:

got accepted to the Act Two Program!
polished Adventure Jones and the Cross of Cortex
brainstormed short film ideas
brainstormed plot + characters for feature #2
re read/brainstormed ideas for completed draft of script (feature #1) submitted to Act Two
continued work on an old film noir script (gonna call it feature #3)
committed to writing three pages a day

next on the agenda for March:

prepare story ideas for Act Two writing retreat
prepare feature #2 for Script Frenzy
finish a polish of feature #3
refine concept for a short film
absorb all I can from "What's the Big Idea?" Story Conference

Fringe Benefits of Failure

2009-03-02T15:06:00.001-08:00

J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, delivers her Commencement Address, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.

I think we all need reminders that failure is the chance to begin again more intelligently.

Greek author Plutarch:

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

J.K. Rowling:

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.

Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies.

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.

http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

Interview with Walter Murch

2009-03-02T13:55:00.001-08:00

Famed editor Walter Murch presented A History of Film Editing. I haven't seen it all, but what I've seen is fantastic. Quite an education.

Edward Hopper/Select Paintings

2009-03-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

Jessica Schneider, on her blog, breaks down some of his compositions. These focus on alienation. Gorgeous stuff.

Her Morning Elegance/Music Video

2009-03-02T13:47:00.001-08:00

Check this out! I love the palette.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

The Visitor

2009-03-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

A simple narrative about a college professor's gradual awakening to genuine emotions and embracing friendship as he faces injustice. Richard Jenkins completely disappears into his role as Walter, and completely deserving of his Oscar nomination. Director Thomas McCarthy skillfully shows the importance of friendship in this film, and I was moved.

Invisible Art, Visiable Artists Seminar

2009-03-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I went to the Invisible Art, Visible Artists Seminar over at the Egyptian Theater. Oscar nominated editors talked about their craft. Its one of my favorite events of the film awards season. I live tweeted the event. Yes, I know I'm a nerd. I kept the bullet point form, corrected some of the spelling.

Finally got a seat at the #ace event. editors from dark knight, ben button, slumdog, milk, f/nixon, and milk. i'll be abbreviating. :)

Fun fact: chris dickens, who edited slumdog, also edited hot fuzz and shaun of the dead.

Between f/nixon editors mike hill and dan hanely, they look like they've worked on most of Ron Howard's films.

Milk's editor Elliot Graham is young - 33. first major credit was X2. he was 27.

Alan Heim, the moderator, introducing lee smith of dark night. he got his start from his dad who was in post production.

Kirk Baxter of ben button started in commercials. met co editor angus wall, who introduced him to fincher. wall started as an artist.

Chris Dickens of slumdog was interested in fine art. when he couldn't make money, he went to film school, studied editing, assisting, met edgar wright.

Graham of milk want to nyu. stalked singer and gus van sant to get the his jobs.

After working as a prison guard, mike hill started in film shipping at paramount. met dan hanley there, who made mash-ups with dubs of multiple films. they've worked together for 27 years.

First clip: dark night IMAX chase sequence.

Alan Heim was overwhelmed by the sequence, as he was sitting in the front row. lee smith comments ''That must have been a trip.'

Smith comments that cutting without music can hone skills. clip had minimal music - really affective when it is used.

Smith, as an ex sound editor, was aware of challenges of cutting IMAX footage - camera sound renders audio useless.

Hill and Hanely work separately on different scenes. howard will bounce back and forth between rooms, collaborate together.

Highlighting the importance of using your instincts and muddling through the footage, even when overwhelming.

Heim says an actor once told him: ''You never really finish a film - you abandon it.''

Graham, if he gets stuck, will often construct his favorite moment in the scene, and build out to the beginning and end.

Dickens always searches for the structure of a scene in rushes. consults the script often to hone into the original intent of a scene.

Second clip: milk's confrontation with white/doc footage/beginning of a rally (tons of headroom that establishes a particular tone. really effective. I haven't seen the film yet but I want to)

Norman Hollyn describes the effective moments as the LEAN FORWARD MOMENT, which will in turn show him how to cut the rest of the scene.

Dickens also tries to see what the footage is trying to say, even if those moments aren't on the page of the script.

Baxter describes the endless search for the right take: ''maybe there's a better take so i'll keep looking. like dating.'' :)

Lee Smith: ''ultimately editors make decisions. make them and stick by them.'

Third clip: frost/nixon big confrontation broadcast.

Tremendous use of close ups, moving cameras, great performances.

Hanley: ''I'll be honest. I'm surprised we got noticed. To use the old expression, we just cut the slates off. There's nothing flashy...just good performances.''

Baxter/wall talking about trying to remove time but not content from the story they cut together with fincher.

But alternately, its ridiculous to cut a film to achieve a certain running time. if you have a lot of pages of script, you have a lot of movie.

And even MORE alternatively, danny boyle had made the assessment that the story material needed to be cut...so they cut more, and the story dictated the length.

4th clip: ben button church/miracle

Baxter/wall cut the scene early, but kept playing with it. they thought it looked broken until brad's face was put on the body.

Brad Pitt basically did 'visual looping' to the footage where his head was added on. only took him a couple of takes to nail it.

5th clip: slumdog millionaire 'third musketeer'

Dickens says they had too much good stuff to use, variety of styles and look. Struggled to make everything work cohesively. boyle had a lot of ideas on set that they had to condense in the edit.

Thus ends my live tweet of the ace event. hope you enjoyed it! forgive my spelling and grammar mistakes. all insightful, thoughtful speakers.

filmmaking approaches

2009-02-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

Don't have time to expound on this, but I'll revisit this concept shortly. In the meantime, check it out!

LA's Finest

2009-02-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

A hot cop, Tinker bell, and a Los Angeles police officer walk into a bar...

You can see the rest of the pictures on my Picasa.

from Jim Jarmusch

2009-02-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”

Check out the full article.

from Elizabeth Gilbert

2009-02-09T13:28:00.000-08:00

from Elizabeth Gilbert.

"I have a friend who’s an Italian filmmaker of great artistic sensibility. After years of struggling to get his films made, he sent an anguished letter to his hero, the brilliant (and perhaps half-insane) German filmmaker Werner Herzog. My friend complained about how difficult it is these days to be an indepenadent filmmaker...Herzog wrote back a personal letter to my friend that essentially ran along these lines: “Quit your complaining. It’s not the world’s fault that you wanted to be an artist. It’s not the world’s job to enjoy the films you make, and it’s certainly not the world’s obligation to pay for your dreams. Nobody wants to hear it. Steal a camera if you have to, but stop whining and get back to work.” I repeat those words back to myself whenever I start to feel resentful, entitled, competitive or unappreciated with regard to my writing: “It’s not the world’s fault that you want to be an artist…now get back to work.” Always, at the end of the day, the important thing is only and always that: Get back to work. This is a paath for the courageous and the faithful. You must find another reason to work, other than the desire for success or recognition. It must come from another place."

Even though I don't agree with all of her conclusions, thought this talk was insightful. There should be more joy in the creative process.

project updates from January 2009

2009-02-05T13:56:00.001-08:00

Completed in January/the beginning of February:

Application/script for writing program.
1st draft of Adventure Jones and the Cross of Cortez.
1st draft short script for a David Cole animation.

Next on the agenda for February:

revisit the script for the writing program - I'm guessing it will eventually become a page 1 re write
complete the final draft of Adventure Jones
develop/brainstorm a short film idea to shoot this year
write the short film idea; get a draft I'm really happy with
organize current projects, decide long term goals for the rest of this year

25 Random Things about Me

2009-02-05T10:45:00.001-08:00

From the random survey people are doing on Facebook:

1. I am Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Mexican. Apparently I even have some Irish on my father's side - which is the Mexican side.

2. My nicknames from high school included Ace, Porthos, and Sexy Lexy. In college I attempted to re brand myself as a "Sexican." Perhaps it was bad marketing on my part, but it has not stuck.

3. While I don't regret it, I wonder why I didn't try to play tennis professionally. I've played since I was really young, and I was really good - played varsity all four years of high school. There was a short time in middle school that I thought about going for it.

4. Eric and I are hoping to be buy a RED Scarlett this year. We know that you don't need to own this type of camera to be a proper cinematographer (him) or a director (me) but it'll make our jobs a lot easier if everything that came out of our camera of choice looked beautiful.

5. I am an only child, but tend to view all of my friends like my siblings. But the kind that get along. For the most part.

6. I wanted to sing and dance on Broadway when I was young. Still do. But I have no desire to act.

7. I often quote memorable (to me) tv and film lines as responses to regular speech. ("Why don't you marry your ice cream sandwich?" "Maybe I will!" "We'll do it live!") I know that I probably shouldn't as it confuses the person I'm talking to, but it amuses me to no end. And I always try to let people in on the joke.

8. I know four guitar chords. When I play, I try to make up little ditties. Sometimes they rhyme, but most often they make no sense.

9. I was supposed to be a boy. I was going to be named Alejandro after an uncle who passed away before I was born. When I turned out to be a girl, Mom wanted to call me Alexa. It was my grandma who convinced her to name me Alexandra. I only hear my full name when I'm in trouble.

10. I would like to ride horses more.

11. Its only been this year that I truly see myself as a writer.

12. With my glasses on, people have said I look like Tina Fey. I'm okay with that.

13. I have no desire to jump out of a plane.

14. I have always hoped to gain two more inches in height. That would put me at six feet even.

15. I never thought I would get married, especially so young. I didn't see how I would find a best friend to marry. But I'm glad God worked out all the details.

16. People have said that I'm an introverted extrovert.

17. Garfield and Friends was one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons.

18. I am a very fast reader. Sometimes too fast; sometimes my comprehension goes out the window. I read so much as a kid that my punishment was no reading if I got in trouble.

19. The Conformist is one of the most beautifully shot films ever.

20. I've been working on sketch comedy, inspired mostly by 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie.'

21. Maybe its cliche, but C.S. Lewis' 'Mere Christianity' has really resonated in me as one of the best defenses for following Christ.

22. Tommy Boy is my guilty pleasure movie.

23. One of the most emotional moments of my life happened at the Normandy Memorial in France, 2001. It was overwhelming and humbling to be surrounded by the soldiers who died to give people freedom. It expanded my view of the world.

24. It was my love of reading that inspired me to become a storyteller. That and the hours of television that my mom and I watched together: Ballykissangel, Early Edition, Lois and Clark, Dr. Quinn, TGIF, Ed, The West Wing.

25. I have crushes on Stephen Colbert and Conan O'Brien. Its okay, Eric knows.

Toward Patterns for Creativity

2009-01-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

Merlin Mann, of the fabulous 43 folders has a talk that pretty much sums up my current status towards writing and directing.

Toward Patterns for Creativity is really about these three things. And its only these three things that I should be worried about. We can expand and debate on these things, and perhaps everyone has a different method of doing it, but I need to boil it down, simplify. These things make sense to me:

Want It. [Sacrifice Whatever Stands In Your Way].
Work. [Set Aside Blocks Of Time And Do the Obvious].
Get Better. [Hours Upon Hours Of Practice To Achieve This].

Dear Indie Filmmaker

2009-01-27T18:13:00.000-08:00

This was too awesome NOT to link to. An open letter from PrepShootPost.

Obviously, I have aspirations to work in the so-called factory. But I'm all for paying a crew, appropriate for the size of the production - a decent wage for everyone in exchange for their skills. I also think that every story has different purpose and as a result, a different method of execution.

500 Days of Summer

2009-01-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Who knows if I'll like the movie (I have a feeling I will) but I give major props to the person who dreamed up the voice over to this trailer. It has a very specific quality that sets a serious tone - reminds me of some of the trailers for some of the dramas I've seen from the '70s.

But contrast that voice over it with the images from the trailer, it invokes feelings of whimsy, exploration, adventure, love, loss, pain. Seems like it is an nuanced and heartfelt exploration about the experience of love. Check it out.

500 Days of Summer

January 20th, 2009

2009-01-20T15:34:00.000-08:00

Hope for the Future

2009-01-16T16:24:00.001-08:00

Some link love:

Truly Free Film has a great blog post about the possibilities for the future of filmmaking. Encouraging and inspiring.

How to write in the age of distraction.

This article links to this one. I don't know if I agree with it all, but interesting ideas to muddle over.

The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. – Linus Pauling

on critical examination

2009-01-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

I have great respect for journalists and critics, especially when it comes to film criticism. To really engage and analyze an art form requires time, study and knowledge. And for those who write criticism professionally, I sure the strain of multiple deadlines with all of their pieces can be intense.

The critics that I respect have a well developed, thoughtful opinions. Even if I don't agree with them, I really appreciate reasonable and articulate film critiques. It helps me think critically and refine my opinion on the films I watch as I wrestle with other opinions and ideas.

The quote below inspires me, whenever I wonder how critics might respond to my work. (I know that its way too early to think about that type of stuff. But I don't make films in a vacuum, I make them to share with people, so sometimes I wonder what the critical or popular response will be to my work - if I'm so lucky to cultivate a wide audience someday).

Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. If you're a writer, you have a moral obligation to do this. And its is a revolutionary act - truth is always subversive. - Anne Lamott

The Fall - Opening Titles & BTS Photography

2009-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Fall was one of my favorite films of last year. A personal project of the director, Tarsem, that took many years and was funded independently. Essentially a story about storytelling and the effects on how an audience interprets and interacts with a story. Lush visuals (check out how many locations they used!) and wonderful performances from Lee Pace and newcomer Catinca Untaru. She had never acted before this film, and learned English in only a couple of weeks. Because she began to take on Indian accent from Tarsem, he finally had to get native speakers from her country, Romania, to speak English with her so she'd adopt a proper accent.

Check out the construction of the opening titles:

Opening Titles

Gorgeous, GORGEOUS stills from on set:

On Set Photography

Great American Moviemakers of Hollywood's Golden Age

2009-01-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

A fantastic book that is teaching me a great deal about directing. Every director is different in their approach to story, and its interesting to see the similarities. Its taking me a while to plow through, with thorough interviews of each movie maker, and a little history of how they got to the top of their game. Giving me a better picture of how the relationship of studios and filmmakers of Hollywood developed through the 1920s - 1950s.

Great American Moviemakers of Hollywood's Golden Age

On a completely unrelated note, I found my first gray hair today.

No, I will not be disclosing my age.

happy late december

2008-12-30T15:44:00.000-08:00

I have greatly enjoyed my time off with family and friends. I'm looking forward to 2009 - I have been invigorated by my days off.

I've spent some time organizing past and present projects, and come away with a fresh perspective in my approach to my career. My goal is to become a bit more active in documenting my approach. I hope to make my posts interesting (but brief) to help me process and chart my journey.

Not that one quote can sum up my thoughts or approach to story, but this is indicative of part of my approach as a storyteller:

For millions, cinema serves as the primary cultural process for finding meaning in our individual and social existence. Story reflects our questions and concerns about life, its meaning, and its purpose. And cinema stories, like literary stories, act as a guide for the perplexed. - Scott Young

movie ticket stubs

2008-12-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Eric and I did a more or less winter cleaning of our very small apartment. Cleaning up and pitching paperwork has been liberating - the apartment seems so much bigger.

Over the past couple of years, we've become minimalists - gradually paring away our possessions until we only keep what we absolutely want and need. If (when!) we live(d) in a bigger place, I'd like to think we'd do the same. Its a very freeing process to have so little stuff because you know the stuff you have is important.

I used to keep a lot of papers and mementos from my past. I'm a writer, so tangible evidence of things I've written or things that have inspired me has been important. But I've discovered that I'm most creative when I don't have a lot of stuff around me - in my writing or brainstorming area - which happens to be my entire apartment. So I started a file to keep the really special things, and I'll pull it out from time to time. I've found that it makes the mementos all the more special when I don't see them all of the time.

One of those special things are movie ticket stubs. A stub is a physical reminder of experiencing the human condition, whether its in the form of art, entertainment or both. I used to keep every stub from every film, but it reached critical mass at a certain point - no place to store the stubs without it seeming like I was a pack rat. I thought that I'd feel strange throwing out the stubs, but again, I felt liberated. I'm learning that I don't always need a tangible reminder when the film experience is strong enough to stick with me.

On a semi related note: found this website: Daily Routines which shows the different routines of various famous writers. Every one is different and interesting.

ok kids

2008-11-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

Remember, remember, the 5th of November...Today is the day that I said no to information overload. I love learning, and I do most of it on the internet. But I'm also committing to not overload myself with input so that I can output.

To wit:

I've cut down the blogs in my Google Reader.

I've collated the blogs that I don't read on a regular basis with BlogRovR so I can check them at anytime.

I've organized and streamlined my online bookmarks with Foxmarks.

I'm almost done with organizing the files on my home computer.

I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I'm way behind on my word count, but I'm going to stick it out and do as much as I can. I have an outline with a beginning, middle, and end, so I'm going to see where that takes me.

And I'm going to take a break from reviewing every film I see. Rather, I have been taking a break from that. I've gotten too busy to write about it. I have been participating and enjoying lively debates and discussions on the matter. I'll try to highlight any stand out films, especially since we are moving into Oscar season.

Why I Like Danny Boyle

2008-11-03T16:17:00.001-08:00

He's one of my favorite modern filmmakers because of his approach.

Is Google making us stupid?

2008-10-16T15:51:00.001-07:00

The most important thing to consider today.

Once you are done with the article, please go read a book.

not to completely contradict the last post...

2008-10-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

...but here's some really good food for thought.

Some highlights:

- In order to monetize your work, you'll probably corrupt it, taking out the magic in search of dollars

- Attention doesn't always equal significant cash flow.

- Do your art. But don't wreck your art if it doesn't lend itself to paying the bills. That would be a tragedy. (And the twist, because there is always a twist, is that as soon as you focus on your art and leave the money behind, you may just discover that this focus turns out to be the secret of actually breaking through and making money.)

There are so many ways to look at this!

from Roger Corman

2008-10-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

"...the elitist-artist and the hustler-maverick...sum up my view of Hollywood and the culture of film. It's a compromised art form. It's a 50/50 split, art and commerce. Maybe that's why Americans are so good at it."

Plenty to think about. So how does one figure out their way in?

Indie Crisis?

2008-09-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ted Hope denies that there is one.

Fascinating stuff.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

2008-09-22T14:45:00.001-07:00

I would watch Robert Downey Jr. act in anything. KKBB is a rollercoaster ride, part murder mystery, part love story. Loved how the film was so self aware - consistent through the story and quite humorous.

Ghost Town

2008-09-22T14:44:00.001-07:00

Ricky Gervais as a selfish dentist who learns his lesson with the combination of falling in love and being able to see ghosts. Surprisingly sweet without being sentimental and the story was well paced. Ricky is fantastic and has a lot of heart behind that wit.

Tropic Thunder

2008-09-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Its the return of a bro-mance. Or boys refusing to grow up. And behaving badly. Sometimes really funny. Sometimes really gross. Pretty solid story structure that takes a left turn in act three. Some excellent one liners in here as well. And I would watch Robert Downey Jr. act in a paper bag. Remember that. In fifteen years when I might have an agent, I'll get my agent to call his agent and see if he'd be interested in collobarating on a project. And then I'll pray that he'll never find this post, provided that it's still up here. And if he does, I'll smile and say it was all in the name of professional admiration for the work he does.

Rambo: First Blood

2008-09-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this movie without knowing anything about it, and was surprised at it simplicity. I can completely understand why the filmmakers of Son of Rambow were so inspired.

Mamma Mia!

2008-09-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

Didn't take itself too seriously - otherwise that would have spelled troubled. Laughed A LOT at the outrageous characters. Strange pacing and tone, but the fun was infectious.

A Bit of Fry and Laurie: Season Two

2008-09-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

The second season features recurring sketches, a host of random one liners, and really clever ideas. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

my site is finally up!

2008-08-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

My website - (the link is to the right) is finally up, with a minimal amount of mistakes. Eric coded the entire thing BY HAND in CSS. Bluetooth is on the site, and I'll be sure to put it up on youtube soon.

The talks at the fair went well - people seemed to like the short. And by liked, I think it made most people chuckle. So I'm going to count that as a success!

Already working on my next one - something short, funny, and to the point. I enjoy making people laugh.

waiting to catch a plane!

2008-08-22T18:05:00.001-07:00

Eric and I, along with our good buddy Ryan, are waiting for our flight to Sacramento. Eric and I will be speaking at the State Fair about how we got our first jobs in H'wood. I hope to debut my short film BLUETOOTH that I just finished about thirty minutes ago.

Ryan and Eric did an amazing job in posting the short. We weren't able to export a version with color correction (wierd tech glitches) but I plan on doing that as soon as we are back.

I plan to have a beta version of my website up tonight hopefully. I'll be able to put up my short for your viewing pleasure.

Really happy that I got this film done so quick.

100,000 dollars?

2008-08-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

Some advice I found. Really good to focus on taking film making one step at a time - what I'm trying to do. With a full time job, its actually forced me to slow down, be deliberate with what I'm learning, watching, and making.

Gotta admit though - Eric and I are heavily considering buying a Scarlet once it comes out. Having a tool that we can use without having to cough up a rental fee each and every time we want to shoot something is an attractive option. To buy a camera and be done with it so that we can get great looking images to serve our stories - I think it will be immensely helpful in building our reels so that we can step up to a professional level.

Saving our pennies!

like a kid in a candy store

2008-08-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

Went to the library last week, and I had the intention of simply trying to find Twilight so that I see for myself what all this fuss was about, as the movie is coming out later this year. Couldn't find it, (all the tweens are getting caught up too, I guess) but I end up checking out 8 books in various subjects. Could NOT contain myself when I saw some interesting looking graphic novels, along with the Pulp Fiction screenplay, which I hadn't read before but wanted to after reading this post. (Even though its not on the list).

Trying to keep up my ingestion of good books and films to keep my brain learning about writing and directing technique, along with getting inspiration from regular novels and graphic novels. But I'm moving into pre production on a short, which means I'm gonna have to cut off my consumption. More on this soon!

The Air I Breathe

2008-08-06T20:33:00.001-07:00

A story told in three parts with three different focuses. Unfortunately I didn't really buy the emotional core of what the story was trying to be - the stories were too melodramatic for my taste. I appreciated the visuals - cleanly shot.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

A serious, dark (couldn't help myself) ride into the clash between executing different types of justice in the face of chaos. A action/comic book movie that really engages a theme in a serious, dare I say, entertaining way. A stand out performance from Heath Ledger - I'm sad that I'll never get to see him act again.

The X Files: I Want To Believe

2008-07-29T14:00:00.003-07:00

I know there seem to be a lot of haters of this film out there. And I don't know why I'm compelled to defend myself, but as a person who had not seen more than five minutes of an episode before watching this movie, I have to admit I enjoy it, despite a weird pacing and tone. It seemed like a stand alone episode, apparently with Mulder as believer/Scully as the doubter, and a decent murder mystery. This prompted me to start watching the series, which I'm enjoying very much.

A Bit of Fry and Laurie: Season 1

2008-07-29T14:00:00.001-07:00

A wonderfully quirky British sketch show starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. The sketches are more like thoughts that lead to very quickly to punch lines more than a short story. Strange and awesome.

First of Many

2008-07-19T19:48:00.001-07:00

Hellboy

2008-07-15T09:29:00.003-07:00

Some of the most interesting character design of monsters and creatures I've seen in a long time. I haven't seen the first one, so I'm not sure if its taken away from my enjoyment. Some pacing choices that felt a little awkward, but some great action scenes.

Eight Men Out

2008-07-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

A brisk period piece about some members of the White Sox that threw a championship series. Lots of complicated motives that lead the way to their decision. Straightforward execution of the narrative story. A quick third act twist that seems out of place, but is necessary for the story.

WALL E

2008-07-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Charming, sweet, and engaging. Loved the camera work and the production design. All right, so I'm a little biased, as I spent the better part of the year helping with some of the marketing, but it really is a fun experience for all. You can't help but fall in love with this little guy, who I believe was partial modeled after Chaplin's 'The Little Tramp.'

Mark Gill on Independent Film

2008-07-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Interesting article based on the text of a speech a producer, Mark Gill, gave on the state of independent film at the L.A. Film Festival Financing Conference. While is a bit depressing for those who are seeking to make independent films, there is a truth that we can hang on to:

"If you want to survive in this brutal climate, you're going to have to work a lot harder, be a lot smarter, know a lot more, move a lot faster, sell a lot better, pay attention to the data, be a little nicer (ok, a lot nicer), trust your gut, read everything and never, ever give up.

If you're looking for a cool lifestyle, you're in the wrong business. If you want work-life balance, go get a government job.

But if you really want to make movies--even after all the unvarnished bad news I've dumped on you today--then by all means do it.

For starters, by whatever legal and moral means necessary, come up with a great script. How will you know if you have one? That's easy. It's the day you stop chasing talent. Because everybody--from the directors to the actors to the editors and costume designers--starts chasing you, and will show up and make the film for a little--or a lot-- less.

And if we do it for less, we can afford to make something that's not a moronic, homogenized piece of lowest-common-denominator drivel.

If we get all of that right, the sky might fall further than we like, but it won't hit the ground.

And the independent film business--leaner, harder-working, but still wearing black and drinking too much caffeine--will indeed survive."

The LA Times writer Patrick Goldstein had this article in response to Gill's speech. While his speech is bit "doom and gloom" I think his approach is truthful. But Goldstein points this out about independent film distribution that is equally as true:

"If people in the indie world want to start making money again, they have to start treating their investment like a truly precious natural resource, not like Monopoly money. Discipline is not antithetical to art. The oldest and most consistently successful specialty division, Sony Pictures Classics, keeps making money because it resolutely, sometimes to a fault, never overspends on a film. When there is a bidding war, you can always find SPC chiefs Tom Bernard and Michael Barker running in the other direction.

Ditto for Fox Searchlight, an equally disciplined, incredibly well-run company that only acquires movies it knows how to sell. When my colleague John Horn recently wrote a story noting that Paramount Vantage had nearly 100 employees and had yet to make a profit, Paramount production chief (and Vantage founder) John Lesher called him and launched into a profanity-filled tirade. Instead of yelling at a reporter, Lesher, not to mention many of his indie film colleagues, should be doing some serious soul searching. The indie film business isn't going to get any better until filmmakers and studio executives stop their spending sprees and start making indie movies for a true indie price."

I think a combination of both approaches seems a wise and appropriate way to go about making films, especially for people like me who are looking to find their artistic voice, get better at their craft, and tell a great story with the resources available to them. Hopefully the quality of my stories, coupled with hard work, will get me noticed.

John August on his film

2008-07-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

I have a ton of movies to catch up on for review up here, but wanted to post John August's blog post where he examines how distribution for his film fared. Appreciated his honesty, and his last comments struck me:

"My advice? You should make an indie film to make a film. Period. Artistic and commercial success don’t correlate well, and at the moment, only the former is remotely within your control.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have made the same movie but completely rethought how it went out into the world. I would have challenged a lot of the standard operating procedures, which seem to be part of an indie world that no longer exists. The Nines would have likely made just as little at the box office, but could have made a bigger impact on a bigger audience. Ultimately, I think that’s how you need to measure the success of an indie film’s release: how many people saw it."

Get Thee to the Novel!

2008-06-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Doug Geivett explains why.

Spiderwick Chronicles

2008-06-27T12:04:00.005-07:00

Based on a series of books (I think) of the same name - it was a fairly enjoyable romp in the "fantasy meets reality" kids film genre. One premise of the story is a little too unbelievable, (I won't spoil it here) but it was quite sweet at times, and fierce in others.

The Chumscrubber

2008-06-27T12:04:00.003-07:00

A teen dealing (or not dealing) with the death of friend, and the twisted relationships of the adults in his life. A really weird story, with fascinating performances from a lot of name actors. Interesting concept, but the story leads to a weak conclusion.

Quiz Show

2008-06-27T12:04:00.001-07:00

Directed by Robert Redford, this story chronicles the investigations into the fixing of a quiz show. Loved the tension in the surprising friendship that developed between the investigator, Dick Goodwin and the man pictured above, Charles Van Doren. A really fascinating exploration of ethical issues related to television and advertising. The directing was really clear, which made it really effective, and very stylish.

Perhaps its Redford's experience as an actor that allowed him to hone in on emotional beats of characters, and handle multiple layers of thematic complication in a seemingly simple story. I really enjoyed this one - highly recommend it in all areas.

Get Smart

2008-06-27T11:28:00.001-07:00

Thought it was a solid effort, with the highlight being Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway displaying easy chemistry and a witty repertoire. While there was a clear narrative, its quite simple to put the pieces together for what happens. But there is enough jokes and action to sustain the story - which is the whole point.

Southland Tales

2008-06-19T14:13:00.001-07:00

The above still is taken from a dream sequence in the film featuring a song from the Killer's entitled "All These Things that I've Done" aka "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier." Full disclosure: I was a little mad that Richard Kelly beat me to the punch at using this song in a movie - I've thought about different ways to insert this song into stories I've brainstormed.

Anyway...the film. There is no way to summarize this film in four sentences, so I'll just say that while the film is wide in scope, it struggles to be as deep. The film is trying though - aims to be a examination and a satire on our post September 11th, 2001 times (the director said as such in the behind the scenes featurette) and calling the political spectrum - both extreme right and the extreme left - into question about their views and practices. The narrative is a little hard to handle at times, but I admire the Richard Kelly's willingness to dig in to a complex story in both plot and theme - even if the result is a head-scratcher.

The Happening

2008-06-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

So there was this story about plants. And people. In conflict. Some moments of genuine tension, but it didn't add up to me as a whole. Felt like a B horror movie, which is apparently what the director was going for. Interesting premise, but wasn't too keen on the payoff.

Tape

2008-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Based on a play, the setting is a hotel room where three characters execute a passive aggressive emotional battle of the wills where there are no winners. Pacing is decent, and coverage manages make a hotel room big enough for the characters to move about. Interesting how small space brings out the lack of their ability for compassion and maturity.

Dr. No

2008-06-09T12:25:00.001-07:00

The film is a stylish one, with interesting locations and Connery is a great character with wit and sex appeal to spare.

Blue

2008-06-09T12:16:00.003-07:00

This film is a heady poem that I've been spending says thinking about. A widowed woman deals with the secret past of her husband which reveal issues of forgiveness, regret, guilt, and obscured truth. Beautifully shot, deliberate slow pacing allows the viewer to really think about what's going on.

Battlestar Galattica: Season 2.0/2.5

2008-06-09T12:16:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to even bother giving a critical analysis as to why I enjoyed this season. I really enjoyed the ride. Appreciated the characters and their development. A really interesting setup for the next season.

The Frisco Kid

2008-06-04T22:17:00.001-07:00

A quirky period piece/buddy comedy between a rabbi and a bank robber. Gene Wilder (as a rabbi) and Harrison Ford (as a bank robber) play surprising well off of each other as the story has them traveling across the country to San Francisco. Some really great set ups and pay off within scenes and sequences.

Thumbsucker

2008-06-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

I watched this film last month and forgot to review it. A coming of age tale that has thoughtful, interesting moments, but the story as a whole doesn't add up to a cohesive thought or point - at least nothing really resonated with me.

Battlestar Galattica: Season 1

2008-06-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Got addicted to this series pretty quick. Great writing, impressive visual effects, and looking forward to what happens next.

Doctor Who: Season Three

2008-06-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

He's back with a new companion, the feisty and smart Martha Jones. Gotta dig the Doctor's zest for life, and secretly hoping that the love of his life, Rose Tyler, is going to come back into the picture some how...would love to see Martha and Rose battle it out - that's good drama!

Carve Her Name with Pride

2008-06-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Based on a true story (and the following plot summary taken from Imdb): Violette Bushell is the daughter of an English father and a French mother, living in London in the early years of World War 2. She meets a handsome young French soldier in the park and takes him back for the family Bastille day celebrations. They fall in love, marry and have a baby girl when Violette Szabo receives the dreaded telegram informing her of his death in North Africa. Shortly afterwards, Violette is approached to join the SOE (Special Operations Executive). The first war movie I've seen in a while that has a female lead - and who does an excellent job carrying the film.

some great writing advice

2008-06-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

Courtesy Julie Gray over at The Rouge Wave:

"Pour your heart into your script and then – let it go. Your writing comes through you but is not of you. Be in service to the writing, not your ego."

rest in peace, Sydney Pollack

2008-05-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

I've only seen a couple of his films, and look forward to discovering them. From what I've seen, I've appreciated and enjoyed his sensibilities. Wished I could have met him.

"It is not impossible to make mainstream films which are really good. Costa-Gavras once said that accidents can happen.”

National Lampoon's Vacation

2008-05-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

Every year, Clark Griswald takes his family on a vacation. This year, he's gone too far. A strangely paced film that yields a couple of laughs that stem from surprisingly dark places.

Phil Cooke on marketing

2008-05-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Marketing is simply sharing your story with the world. Good marketing is doing it with integrity, doing it with style, and doing it with taste.

Phil Cooke writes a blog about marketing, branding, and faith. Check it out.

not a bad way to spend a weekend

2008-05-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Janelle graduated from Biola this past Saturday. There was much rejoicing!

I was able to take a ton of pictures before my camera's battery died. I'll be putting them up shortly. Eric has always been really good about taking his camera everywhere and taking pictures of everything, and without realizing it, I somehow put him in the category of 'Eric is the Photographer in This Family.' And as it happened, for the first time in forever, Eric didn't have his camera with him the whole time.

Graduation is 'The Time Where People Take Pictures to Capture the Kodak Moments of Their Lives' but it really made me realize how much I enjoy taking photos, especially of people. So I'm going to be a little more intentional in my picture taking process. Eric has always gravitated to taking photos that don't have people in them, so I guess we'll make a good balance.

Its been almost a month since I wrote my draft of my "Say Anything meets Ferris Bueller's Day Off" concept. Need to go back to it again, see where I'm at. I'm going to knock out another first draft of a new idea in June, and I've been brainstorming these past couple of days. I really need to shoot another short film this summer, and build up my reel. AND finish editing the scene I shot in February. And get my old short films safely on DVD.

And of course, go on plenty of weekend adventures to relax and recharge so that I can be inspired to go make more art....

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

Indy's latest adventure finds him 19 years older - and he's more than capable to the task. And perhaps that's part of the problem - no real jeopardy or major character arc for our beloved, scrappy hero. While the story became too far fetched and hard to believe after the (spoiler alert!) monkeys swinging through the jungle, I enjoyed the first hour.

Prince Caspian

2008-05-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

A much darker, complex story as the second in the series from C.S. Lewis. Impressive makeup effects and production design. The story touches on exploring faith and belief - would have liked to seen that a bit more.

Wild Strawberries

2008-05-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Traipsing through a dream that has serious and personal ramifications. An interesting study on growing old, guilt, and forgiveness. I think that I'll be unpacking this film for a long time to come.

Ali

2008-05-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Admission: I have a bias towards liking any film that Michael Mann makes. I enjoyed this lengthy study of "The Champ." While tedious at times, it found a rhythm towards the later third of the film in the building up towards his square off with George Foreman. Love his use of the "over the shoulder" perspective. Found it interesting that Mann depicted the women in his life, during the fights, from similar angles. Also interesting is the use of musical interludes from different jazz clubs that would come over, or inter cut, between certain scenes with the women in his life.

Speed Racer

2008-05-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

A trippy ride that I enjoyed. The visual style might be to much for some, the solid story might be too old for young kids, and adults might think its a story that's too young for them. The plot, in trying to cover a lot of ground, came across as little unfocused a times, but it certainly earned some of the more poignant moments because of how earnest it was.

The Fall

2008-05-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

A story about an injured stunt man circa 1920's Los Angeles, and a fellow patient in the hospital, a young immigrant girl named Alexandria, who has a broken arm. Explores how the telling of a story and the interpretation of a story affects the teller and the listener. Gorgeous imagery left me breathless.

the city

2008-05-11T18:42:00.001-07:00

Attempted to go to church this evening in downtown but missed the
service. (We thought it started later than it did). We are now
waiting on some Chinese takeout in Chinatown. Despite the smog that
surrounds us, the sunset is going to be magical.

Baby Mama

2008-05-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

The plot is pretty predictable, the pacing slow, and even though their characters don't always relate, the chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Poehler is most enjoyable. While I love these ladies on SNL, I surely hope to see this duo in another film.

Dead Heat on a Merry Go Round

2008-05-05T21:21:00.001-07:00

James Coburn as a con man who woos women to take their assets to execute a big con. This plot was slow moving, but the setting in the 60s is quite stylish. Nate/Eric - remember that idea we had about a gun twirling around a merry go round? I still think we should write it. Harrison Ford makes his film debut in this one as one of the hottest bellboys you'll ever want to be paged by.

Iron Man

2008-05-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

Robert Downey Jr. is a great Tony Stark/Iron Man. I enjoyed his origin story in the breezy, popcorn flick, which is clearly setting him up for his next adventure. Appreciated the chemistry between his assistant Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, and that their relationship wasn't pushed forward too much - its always exciting to see two characters that clearly like each other not know what to do with themselves.

I won!

2008-04-30T23:23:00.001-07:00