The Production Manager - Animals and Small Children
July 31, 2009
Almost forgot to add my two cents this week. Here in New York it’s like everything closes down for summer, unless you’re on production of course, which I blissfully am not.
Although I have roped myself into helping out a friend on a show that needs urgent transcription, this is not something I would ever usually do. In fact I’ve been successfully able to avoid logging as we call it for most of my career, however a friend in need and all that.
So I’m logging tapes of an international house buying show and watching these rushes it is amazing, utterly fascinating to see how different directors work.
The first couple of shows I did were the work of the series producer and I was utterly impressed, particularly having worked with him previously, at how skilled he is at getting people to say what he needs. You can damn near hear him editing the show in his head as they speak. He’s also wonderful at making the people feel comfortable and knowing when to let them talk and when to push them in a new direction. It was almost a pleasure to do those tapes.
However I got roped into doing ‘just one more show’ and of course this one is the polar opposite. I almost lost my lunch watching the director attempt to interview a young boy, about 5 or 6 who visible shrank into himself under the weight of the camera pointed at him and with open ended questions like; what do you think it will be like when you live in X?
Anyone who knows kids knows unequivocally that open ended questions are not the way to go. Better questions would have been; do you like it better here or there? Anything with only two choices for the answer. Of course you can’t do one word answers which leads me onto the horror that was trying to explain the ‘say the question in the answer’ rule. I have to say that’s one of the first times I’ve really objected to anything I’ve seen anyone do on camera for a show I’ve contributed to. Interviewing a child to get a soundbite and putting them clearly under undue stress is pretty questionable. But not as damn questionable as having me transcribe it for them!
In case you’re interested, the only soundbite they’re likely to get from that one is ‘baguette’.
Next week: A look into the dangers of working with animals
Tags: Director, Movie Bloggers, Film, Filmmaking, Filmmaker
The Editor - Finding An Editing Job Today
July 31, 2009
Dick Wirth, a good friend of mine who helps to run the USC film school editing facilities (including something like 160 editing stations, with Avid, ProTools, Final Cut and more) sent me this the other day. It’s a job posting from the Avid-L2 group.
For those of you who don’t know, the L2 group, which is a Yahoo Group that anyone can subscribe to, is a fantastic central point for troubleshooting, gossiping and networking for people who use the Avid platform (that means all of the Avid machines, not just Media Composer). Though I don’t contribute, I try and read it religiously, and I’m constantly amazed by the level of Real World knowledge that the posters in the group share. If you have a very specific problem with Unity machines, chances are there’s someone on the group who has already had the same problem and has a solution for you. To see more about it, just click on this Avid-L2 Yahoo Group link.
Periodically you will also see postings of job offers from facilities that want to take advantage of this group and there was one just the other day that Dick sent tome that speaks volumes about what skills a good assistant editor needs to have in today’s competitive world:
From: Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com [Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 9:53 AM
To: Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Avid-L2] [job] Assiatant Avid Editor, Burbank / LAAssiatant Avid Editor (Burbank / LA)
XXXXXXXXXXX Productions is looking for Freelance Assistant Editor with strong finishing, troubleshooting and media management skills as well as a solid understanding of post production work-flow.
This is an opportunity for a person with Assistant Editor experience (preferably 2 years) on the Avid Media Composer and Unity Media Networks. Avid Experience required. FCP experience is not relevant in our working environment. Experience in Motion Picture Marketing a plus.
Please Fax or e-mail resume AND cover letter (required) to Production Manager for immediate CONFIDENTIAL consideration. Please do not send reels. No phone calls will be accepted.
Let’s look at that in a bit more detail. This job is for a freelance editor. This company, which does a lot of motion picture marketing (trailers, DVD extras, etc.) isn’t looking to hire someone for a full-time/forever job. They are looking for someone to come in and help them out of jam. They are looking for assistant editor, which is a great job for someone who wants to get deeper into the editing world (since there aren’t a lot of people handing out decent paying jobs as editors to people who don’t have a lot of editing experience). But they don’t want to hire someone and teach them. They are looking for someone with skills already in place.
And what are those skills?
“Finishing, troubleshooting and media management skills.”
I see a lot of students who are fascinated to learn about color correction; I even meet a bunch who love talking about codecs and input/output formats. I also see people who are excellent at working the machines, which is a good first step towards being able to troubleshoot. But I see very few people who are interested in media maangement.
What is media management, you may ask? It’s the ability to organize all of the footage (whether it’s picture or sound, camera-shot or visual effects created, and more) in a way that makes it easy for anyone else to find and use it. That means that original material is sorted and saved in bins and folders in a very specific way for an assistant editor who is working on a show with a lot of visual effects, but entirely differently for the editor on that show. It means creating and executing a workable system that is appropriate to the personnel and the project that you are working on. A music video should be organized differently than a commercial, which is set up differently than an action film or a television show.
It means coming up with naming conventions that easily identify every day’s shoot, or subclip, or edited sequence. That means, for instance, that you should never ever see an edited sequence with the default name “Untitled Sequence” as you can see in the image to the left — above the record monitor on the right side, which is pulled — shockingly — from the otherwise excellent magazine put out by the Motion Picture Editors Guild (and which I’d heartily recommend you whip out your checkbooks and subscribe to Right This Minute).
In short, it means that you need to know what the project is that you are working on, what the potential problems will be down the line (in terms of delivery, as well as working process), as well as what the individual preferences of your editor/s are going to be. Then you need to be able to come up with a system that will allow you to answer any question anyone may throw at you with an answer. And “I can’t find it” isn’t a good answer.
This is a huge job skill, and one which most independent editors never get a chance to learn (Hey, if you’re creating your workspace for yourself, does it really matter if you call your last three cuts “Final Edit,” “Really Final Edit” and “Final Final Final Edit”!) But the reality is that no one stays working by themselves forever, and most project are done with collaborators than not. So, it’s important to have a “a system” that works.
In the olden days, of 35mm film, there was a well-established system or two (that I actually documented in my book THE FILM EDITING ROOM HANDBOOK, which I’m now rewriting since it’s so out-of-date), but those days have gone the way of rotary telephones. And with the easy availability of NLE’s it is now possible to be editing before you know how to assistant edit.
But one glance at that want ad above will tell you the folly of avoiding good organizational knowledge.
The question of how to get these skills is something that I’ll leave for another week, if you’re interested. Next week I’m going to be in Fabulous New Orleans, attending the conference of the University Film and Video Association, which is a group of college film professors from all over the country. It’s actually way more fun than you’d think. I’m running a panel on how we use scenes from certain films to teach editing, and giving two talks on how making little adjustments in the editing of a scene can give a whole new story. So it should be fun.
And then there’s New Orleans also.
See you in a few weeks!
Tags: Oscars, Filmmaker, Television, , Director
The Storyboard Artist - Hiatus ends
July 30, 2009
I was on hiatus from the Fox movie for three weeks. During that time, the money got real dry, and a bunch of athletes started getting murdered. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died the day before the lay-off. It’s been weird.
During my time I looked for work. Came up snake eyes, went camping with my son in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains (fun) and finished working on a script, which I hurriedly sent off for a friend to read.
My first week back on the movie was brief, as I started on a Tuesday, and took off the Friday to go to the San Diego Comic Con.
Per usual, we went to Carlsbad as well.
The Con was fun. I don’t pay, thankfully as I get the “professional” pass. If you have never been to the Con, it is a sight to behold. Simply thousands of people walking around and so many dealers of art, comics and sci-fi paraphernalia. Yes, this includes grown people in stormtrooper costumes, but God bless them. If you feel free enough to dress up and you are in no way harmful to others, go for it!!
I got to meet LOST IN SPACE’s Billy Mumy and ENTER THE DRAGON’s Jim Kelly.
As for boards, my job is a fun grind. The director, David Dobkin is a fun guy and smart. He really lets me come up with shots and I’ve done pretty well with him so far.
I used STORYBOARD PRO’s slideshow/Quicktime feature early on, but I’m sticking with just storyboards for now until I need otherwise. It’s enough time to arrange JPEGS in Photoshop, make a contact sheet and then make a pdf from that, then print everything for David.
That’s the hidden time killer with boards. The presentation!!!
Tags: Filmmaker, Movie, Oscars, Movie Blog,
The Showrunner - Welcome Bizzlers!
July 30, 2009
Welcome Bizzlers –
Here’s a shameless confession. The real reason I started blogging back in October ‘08 was not to give my readers a sense of what it was like to run Beverly Hills, 90210 when we were the most popular show in the world, or even to share …
Tags: Filmmaker, Film Blog, Film, Movie, Film Industry
The Actor - A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
July 29, 2009
I thought it was time I check in and give you all a quick update. I am currently back East for part of the summer, enjoying a brief time in my beloved NYC, a season in which the city truly shines. While there, I got to see my first game in the new Yankee Stadium, which is wonderful! It now has a wide variety of food choices, including sushi, and areas which allowed me to get close to Derek Jeter during batting practice. To top it all off…the Yankees won!
Next up, I am off to just outside D.C. where my older sister, brother-in-law, and adorable nephews live to spend some time with them, while my younger sister has her final wedding dress fittings in Olde Town, Alexandria. Aside form that, and as mentioned in a previous blog, multiple friends from high school just had babies, while others are expecting, so I wanted to spend some time with them as well and meet some of the little ones.
Per usual, I wish I had something acting related to report, but do not. That said, I will be seeing “The Tin Pan Alley Rag,” at the Roundabout Theatre Company, and enjoying a yummy dinner at Trattoria Dopo Teatro, one of my favorites, in Manhattan, before flying back to “LA LA Land.”
So far, the summer is flying by, and as soon as I get back to CA, friends of mine will be arriving for my Birthday, since I will be kissing my 20’s goodbye and turning the big 3-0H! Oh my! I have been informed that I must have a party this year, and so I am going have a big gathering in Hollywood, where all my friends from CA and beyond can gather to celebrate, meet each other, and just have a low key, enjoyable evening. I am sure many fun pictures will be taken and I will be sure to share some with you in a blog this August!
I hope you are all having a super summer filled with fabulous fun, and that it has been a success for you thus far. Thank you for keeping up with me, even through my inconsistent blog posts, and please know that I truly appreciate each of you who stops by. Sending you smiles, and, till next time, I am off to continue enjoying a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
“It takes a little bit of this with a little bit of that, a little bit of good with a little bit of bad. You know that life’s a contradiction, and you can’t escape the fact you gotta take a little bit of this with a little bit of that.” – Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Tags: Movie Bloggers, Movie Theatre, Filmmaking, Television, Filmmaker
The Standby Painter - Life Between Shows: It’s Not All About Me?
July 28, 2009
Life between shows can be challenging to someone like me. As I may have mentioned before, I am a mostly self-absorbed person for perhaps eighteen to twenty-six hours a day. I don’t even have to be conscious; even my dreams are all about me, me, and me. It’s hard to …
Tags: Television, Movie, Filmmaker, , Oscars
The Development Executive - The Economy, The EDD, and Other Things That Suck!
July 28, 2009
Hello, trusty readers! I’m very sorry that I haven’t posted for a while. It’s been a crazy summer, and sadly I don’t mean that in the good way. I left my development job a while back and in case you haven’t noticed, the job market sucks. There’s nothing out there. Unless you worked for a big studio. Or CAA. Or spent the last 4 years picking up dog shit so your boss finally promoted you. Or you’re sleeping with a big name writer or director. But that’s it. And independent producing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! The flexibility and freedom is nice, but the unemployment department doesn’t give a shit.
And let me just go on a quick rant about California’s EDD (Employment Development Dept.) for a second. Now, all of us in CA – and especially LA – know that unemployment has reached epidemic levels here. Not just displaced agents and execs, but crew, vendors, stores, etc. Unemployment in CA is at about 70%. No? Oh, well maybe it just feels like it. I thought about getting a job selling oranges on the freeway, but alas, that job is taken. Turns out you have to be born into it.
Anyway, I called EDD the other day to check on the status of my extension for unemployment benefits. After DAYS of calling - over an hour each day at least – I FINALLY reached a human, who told me that because so many people are on unemployment, not only are they not checking claims on the phone anymore – but there is NO way to get information on your claim. The EDD has hired hundreds of new phone operators, but all they are trained to do – their whole job – is to take a message and tell the caller that someone will call them back within 5 days. Five DAYS! To which I asked – what if they don’t? She retorted, well then I guess you’ll have to do this again. Awesome. I actually got a response 4 days later, however, it was an EMAIL – not a phone call – and it did not answer my question at all. In fact, the woman had written down my question incorrectly, so this correspondence was worthless. So, here’s a little note from the bigger blogger to our esteemed Governator and the EDD – Eat Me!
The economy has obviously affected the business in a ton of ways. Over the last few weeks, I have called almost every major studio and financier to pitch a couple projects I am working on independently. And probably half said they weren’t really looking that hard at the moment. Sure, they’ll read it. But unless it has a big star, director or big money attached, they can’t do anything with it. Disney, Weinstein, Paramount, Vantage, MGM, UA, etc. – they are all just hangin’ out, waiting for the money truck to roll in. Even some of the biggest “independent producers” haven’t been able to make a movie in a year. Not to mention that many companies have been quietly letting go of their development staffs.
Even with record setting summer box office numbers, the business is stagnant. So much so that more execs than ever raced down to Comic Con this weekend just to pretend like they had something to do. So what is an unemployed exec to do? You’ve got to make your own niche, find your own projects, your own writers. Or fuck it – just write something yourself as MANY of my friends are currently doing. And when all else fails, there’s always teaching. Because if there’s anything my education taught me, it’s that students don’t know when you’re full of shit. And if there’s one thing being an exec in this industry teaches you how to be – it’s full of shit.
What makes me bitter about it all, is knowing how badly I am struggling, while seeing so many of the other execs out of work having a grand old time and not worrying about paying their bills. It made me realize something. Most people on the “creative” or “development” side of this business – come from money. I never really thought about it – but it’s largely true. Why else would their parents be okay with their kids going into an industry where starting salary is half of what a God damn janitor makes? Did you know that starting salary for an assistant at a studio is about $25-30K/year. It’s about $22-25K if you’re at an independent. It’s $400-500 a week at an agency. You can’t live on that in Bumblefuck, Idaho, much less Los Angeles. So they MUST have parental support!
Most don’t give a crap about the EDD because they have mommy or daddy or crazy Uncle Trust Fund picking up the slack. They can work at their own pace, because they don’t have to worry about rent. The ones that were working for studios were making more than enough money to save and so they don’t HAVE to worry about finding another job. Hence, the bitter taste in my mouth.
Here are the two things no one tells you before you move out to LA to pursue your dreams. One – have a perfectly executable back-up plan. And two – have money. Don’t come out here with a dollar and a dream because this ain’t the damn Super Lotto. Money begets money in this town and that’s on a personal AND professional level. The indie producer who went to film school but doesn’t have any financing can’t get a movie made for years, but the guy who made millions as a car salesman and now wants to make movies but never even went to college, gets a three picture deal at Universal. That’s the business, folks!
And if you’ve missed my biting wit, you’re gonna be downright depressed in a second because this will be my last post as the anonymous development executive blogger for filmindustrybloggers, at least on a regular basis. I have loved writing for this site and saying things that could get me in trouble, even though sadly, they didn’t. And I thought being anonymous would be really easy, liberating and fun. But it turns out, everything I’d like to say would make it pretty damn obvious who I am. And being anonymous doesn’t let me promote myself, my projects, my company, find a job, make money, etc. And if I’ve taught you all anything, it’s that you always have to look out for number one – yourself – because no one else in this town is going to. Unless you’re Gay. Or Asian. Or went to Harvard. Or worked at CAA. But that’s it – everyone else has to look out for themselves.
So, I have to put my energies towards something that is going to pay the rent. I thought about selling myself on Craigslist or on YouTube like ScriptGirl, but sadly, it doesn’t pay enough. Not unless you have boobs like she does.
Man, this blog felt good. I haven’t been able to go on a good rant in a while. I feel like Bill Maher, but without the coke and hookers. So, while I wont be a “regular” contributor anymore, perhaps I’ll post a good rant every once in a while just for kicks. Or therapy. Or to keep things interesting. Or to remind myself I’m still alive. But that’s it – just once in a while. Thanks all and good luck! You’ll need it!
Tags: Filmmaking, Director, Movie Theatre, Movie, Hollywood
The Development Executive - The Economy, The EDD, and Other Things That Suck!
July 28, 2009
Hello, trusty readers! I’m very sorry that I haven’t posted for a while. It’s been a crazy summer, and sadly I don’t mean that in the good way. I left my development job a while back and in case you haven’t noticed, the job market sucks. There’s nothing out there. Unless you worked for a big studio. Or CAA. Or spent the last 4 years picking up dog shit so your boss finally promoted you. Or you’re sleeping with a big name writer or director. But that’s it. And independent producing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! The flexibility and freedom is nice, but the unemployment department doesn’t give a shit.
And let me just go on a quick rant about California’s EDD (Employment Development Dept.) for a second. Now, all of us in CA – and especially LA – know that unemployment has reached epidemic levels here. Not just displaced agents and execs, but crew, vendors, stores, etc. Unemployment in CA is at about 70%. No? Oh, well maybe it just feels like it. I thought about getting a job selling oranges on the freeway, but alas, that job is taken. Turns out you have to be born into it.
Anyway, I called EDD the other day to check on the status of my extension for unemployment benefits. After DAYS of calling - over an hour each day at least – I FINALLY reached a human, who told me that because so many people are on unemployment, not only are they not checking claims on the phone anymore – but there is NO way to get information on your claim. The EDD has hired hundreds of new phone operators, but all they are trained to do – their whole job – is to take a message and tell the caller that someone will call them back within 5 days. Five DAYS! To which I asked – what if they don’t? She retorted, well then I guess you’ll have to do this again. Awesome. I actually got a response 4 days later, however, it was an EMAIL – not a phone call – and it did not answer my question at all. In fact, the woman had written down my question incorrectly, so this correspondence was worthless. So, here’s a little note from the bigger blogger to our esteemed Governator and the EDD – Eat Me!
The economy has obviously affected the business in a ton of ways. Over the last few weeks, I have called almost every major studio and financier to pitch a couple projects I am working on independently. And probably half said they weren’t really looking that hard at the moment. Sure, they’ll read it. But unless it has a big star, director or big money attached, they can’t do anything with it. Disney, Weinstein, Paramount, Vantage, MGM, UA, etc. – they are all just hangin’ out, waiting for the money truck to roll in. Even some of the biggest “independent producers” haven’t been able to make a movie in a year. Not to mention that many companies have been quietly letting go of their development staffs.
Even with record setting summer box office numbers, the business is stagnant. So much so that more execs than ever raced down to Comic Con this weekend just to pretend like they had something to do. So what is an unemployed exec to do? You’ve got to make your own niche, find your own projects, your own writers. Or fuck it – just write something yourself as MANY of my friends are currently doing. And when all else fails, there’s always teaching. Because if there’s anything my education taught me, it’s that students don’t know when you’re full of shit. And if there’s one thing being an exec in this industry teaches you how to be – it’s full of shit.
What makes me bitter about it all, is knowing how badly I am struggling, while seeing so many of the other execs out of work having a grand old time and not worrying about paying their bills. It made me realize something. Most people on the “creative” or “development” side of this business – come from money. I never really thought about it – but it’s largely true. Why else would their parents be okay with their kids going into an industry where starting salary is half of what a God damn janitor makes? Did you know that starting salary for an assistant at a studio is about $25-30K/year. It’s about $22-25K if you’re at an independent. It’s $400-500 a week at an agency. You can’t live on that in Bumblefuck, Idaho, much less Los Angeles. So they MUST have parental support!
Most don’t give a crap about the EDD because they have mommy or daddy or crazy Uncle Trust Fund picking up the slack. They can work at their own pace, because they don’t have to worry about rent. The ones that were working for studios were making more than enough money to save and so they don’t HAVE to worry about finding another job. Hence, the bitter taste in my mouth.
Here are the two things no one tells you before you move out to LA to pursue your dreams. One – have a perfectly executable back-up plan. And two – have money. Don’t come out here with a dollar and a dream because this ain’t the damn Super Lotto. Money begets money in this town and that’s on a personal AND professional level. The indie producer who went to film school but doesn’t have any financing can’t get a movie made for years, but the guy who made millions as a car salesman and now wants to make movies but never even went to college, gets a three picture deal at Universal. That’s the business, folks!
And if you’ve missed my biting wit, you’re gonna be downright depressed in a second because this will be my last post as the anonymous development executive blogger for filmindustrybloggers, at least on a regular basis. I have loved writing for this site and saying things that could get me in trouble, even though sadly, they didn’t. And I thought being anonymous would be really easy, liberating and fun. But it turns out, everything I’d like to say would make it pretty damn obvious who I am. And being anonymous doesn’t let me promote myself, my projects, my company, find a job, make money, etc. And if I’ve taught you all anything, it’s that you always have to look out for number one – yourself – because no one else in this town is going to. Unless you’re Gay. Or Asian. Or went to Harvard. Or worked at CAA. But that’s it – everyone else has to look out for themselves.
So, I have to put my energies towards something that is going to pay the rent. I thought about selling myself on Craigslist or on YouTube like ScriptGirl, but sadly, it doesn’t pay enough. Not unless you have boobs like she does.
Man, this blog felt good. I haven’t been able to go on a good rant in a while. I feel like Bill Maher, but without the coke and hookers. So, while I wont be a “regular” contributor anymore, perhaps I’ll post a good rant every once in a while just for kicks. Or therapy. Or to keep things interesting. Or to remind myself I’m still alive. But that’s it – just once in a while. Thanks all and good luck! You’ll need it!
Tags: Film, Movie Blog, Hollywood, , Actor
The Genre Director - CUNNING STUNTS, (no Spoonerism intended)…
July 27, 2009
…A CUNNING STUNT MASTER, ROCK AND ROLL, AND THOSE WILD AND WACKY DAYS OF ‘OZPLOITATION’ MOVIES THAT WERE ” NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD”…
Here’s the opening scene from a screenplay for a World War II movie…
EXTERIOR CLIFF TOP SUNDOWN
Superimpose title: CRETE, GREEK ISLANDS, 1941.
A Messerschmitt strafes an Australian Army truck as it hurtles up a steep wooded incline towards the cliff edge 200 yards away.
The bullets strike the gas tank and the back of the truck explodes in a fiery cloud.
The driver, a gallant Australian Warrant Officer, an army pack slung round his neck, dives from the vehicle. In the same shot, the truck smashes into a tree, exploding again many times from multiple angles.
The AWO picks up the precious pack. It contains the ‘Macguffin’, the secret key to Allied victory in World War II. He must get it to the commando waiting in a Zodiac, riding the waves at the base of the cliff ahead. He quickly scales a tree to avoid detection by the pursuing Germans.
A Wehrmacht motorcyclist and a machine gunner in the side car pause beside a tree, scanning for their target. AWO drops down out of the tree, chops and kicks them out of their seats, then guns the bike up towards the cliff, smashing through bushes.
Platoons of German infantry are rushing up the cliff in pursuit, their schmeissers blazing.
Bullets chew up the nearby ground as the AWO lays down the bike to skid to a halt inches from the cliff, where his abseiling rope is tethered ready for the final stage of his escape. He snaps the rope into the karabina on his body belt with a single loop and positions himself for his slide down the cliff.
Suddenly, a German soldier with a flamethrower runs out of the bushes. A cloud of napalm hits the AWO in the back, lighting up his army greatcoat as he freefalls 300 feet down the rope.
The plume of flame is huge, but the air rush keeps the flames from spreading onto his skin as he reaches a velocity of thirty miles an hour, with the rocky shore below fast approaching. Grabbing the rope with padded gloves, he decelerates just in time.
Wham! Still a hard landing. AWO shakes off the pain, sheds the blazing overcoat then takes the precious pack to the water‘s edge. Just a few feet away, the getaway Zodiac is riding the current, piloted by a lone commando.
As AWO prepares to jump, a shark’s fin slowly cuts through the water between him and the waiting vessel…
OK, so jumping the shark is a little over the top, even for me…
But I offer this amalgam of favorite WWII action clichés as being representative of the range of challenges, creative and industrial, that a director of action movies faces. Precision driving, leaping from a blazing vehicle, martial arts combat, extreme motorcycling, abseiling while a human torch–these are many chapters in the stuntman’s handbook. To realize them all on the screen would normally require the director to select a team of stuntmen, each a specialist. And each one would have to be a passable double for the hero.
On the other hand, you could just hire Grant Page. He’d even fight the shark for you.
You can see a lot of Grant’s work on display in the imminent Magnet release NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, opening in various theatres across the USA on Friday July 31st.
It’s a Furiously Fast mordantly Funny Fantastic 100 minutes. Quadruple F’s on my dial don’t come every week.
It’s about big screen movies, so try to catch it on the big screen It rocks. Click here for the trailer:
For Los Angelino gluttons for genre punishment, you could try a Grant Page Friday Night Double.
First go to the Nu Art on Santa Monica. See NQH. Its writer director Mark Hartley will be on hand for Q & A at the 7:30 and 10:00 PM screenings on both July 31st and August 1st.
Here’s Mark and I having WAY too much of a good time at last year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin. Then, it’s hard not to have a good time at Fantastic Fest.
Then you could hop across town to the New Beverly Cinema on Beverly Blvd. and attend the Midnight Show of STUNT ROCK, my tribute to stuntmen in general and Grant Page in particular.
Regrettably I will not be there. I’ll be in Tasmania getting ready to shoot my next epic.
However Grant’s STUNT ROCK co-star Margi Gerard (AKA Margaret Trenchard-Smith Ph.D) will introduce a sparkling brand new 35 mm scope print. Click on the DVD sleeve for the trailer.
Enjoy!
Tags: Film, Film Blog, Actor, Movie Blog, Movie Theatre
The Showrunner - Memo to Showrunners: When the Going Gets Tough, Blame it On The Sets
July 25, 2009
Summer has to be the least favorite season for showrunners — especially those hired to shepherd the transition from recently ordered pilot to weekly TV show.For unlike the rest of America, a meaningful summer vacation with the kiddles is totally out of the question. Showrunners don’t have time …
Tags: Movie, Movie, Actor, Oscars, Hollywood
