I am not writing enough. How often have I said that?
It has been a great couple of weeks, if not the last month and a half. It has been a roller coaster, to be sure, but the downs seem to be worth the ups in the long run of it all.
So, updates to the world of people paying attention. A Deed without a Name, my short film, has been sent to a few more places. Currently, it is in consideration at Tribeca, Cannes Indie, GenArts, Breckenridge, LA International, Lake Arrowhead, and Cannes Emerging Filmmakers Showcase. What does this mean? Well, I have said it before and I will say it again. It means I filled out the form correctly, I paid the entry fee, and I delivered the DVDs to the correct address. Not the biggest accomplishment of film making, but it is the current stage at which the film is in. The festival world is what it is; the place in which you get your name out there. There are a bazillion festivals, and strategy is 9/10ths of the work. I am trying to hit some big names, if for no other reason than they are seeing my name and will again with more films. To say I was rejected by Tribeca is worth it for $50 considering that not submitting means they will never see my name or my movies. So for the price on one regular film ticket and one 3D film ticket, I made a person in NYC watch my film and judge it. I can live with being shut down for that price. I have had dates that cost me more and their judgments hurt a great deal. So Robert de Niro, feel free to shoot me down, or up. Wait, not like the drug kind of shooting up. I mean, I would totally do drugs with de Niro, and who wouldn’t, but he probably wouldn’t share with me. I meant accept my film. Not in exchange for drugs, because my film probably is only a dime bag worth, I mean let if play at Tribeca. I am going to stop before I offend Robert de Niro.
Anyway, I love the festivals, and the idea of strategy in working them. I love the idea of going to them and pimping my movie. I love the idea of going and talking about my movie. I have no issue with this process. I just wish I could afford to make more movies and get more of them out the door! Don’t we all?
So, new work. Well, let’s see, since Xmas I have had two commercials, two music videos, and a covert operation all hit the ground running. SWEET! I will link all but the secret mission videos. I wish I could talk about them but, you know…I would have to be silenced. I am at a point where I kind of dig my life enough to stick with it, so no Galaxy Sailor Productions Snuff films coming anytime soon. Of these projects, one is getting play on MTV 2 and is the first thing I have done in front of a camera as a character. A cop with a handlebar mustache and a can of mace. How did they know I always wanted to do that?
Things on the filming community front seem to be progressing along. As many of my readers know (and by many, I mean the 3 of you that make up the 5 total readers) I am always talking about the film community of Portland, what it means to me, and what it means to have an industry. I know, for the most part, that I will never ever change the status quo for those that believe in art for arts sake and being the starving artist that is all about the art of their art. I get it, and I won’t challenge you to an ideological debate, because in the end there is no debate – only two philosophies that come close to each other and never merge. Fair enough. What it means for me is that I will define, even change, the environment that I am in for myself. I will exercise my philosophy at every turn, despite what others may do.
With that said, there are a group of people who have read my recent state of the union address about the film industry, and at least in some way believe my philosophy enough to want to come together to start working on building an industry. I can’t build it alone, nor should I try, but together, people of similar desire can make something great. It will take time. It will take initiative. It will take money as well (the fact of the matter). In the end, it will be glorious. How could it be otherwise? I hope that if you are reading this, and you are in Portland, you will reach out and join us. If you are not in Portland, feel free to reach out and join us anyway!
As far as projects, I have so many I am wanting to do that I just don’t even know how I am going to get them done. Mostly because of money. Nothing else, just the dough. What’s that you say? Kickstarter? Look, I am going to do one, soonish, but I am not going to go to Kickstarter every three weeks that I have a new project. I am not going to beg for quarters that many times. As much as anything, that is part of building the industry for me – having the money coming in from commercial work or investors that allows me to create and distribute and entertain in such a way that people are getting what they want without me having to beg for it too often. Kickstarter has its place, but it is not an ATM (as near as I can tell) that has unlimited use. I want to go there once, maybe twice, and hope that the result plays out well enough to have greased a wheel that keeps spinning.
I am not sure as to how much liberty I have to discuss most projects. As for my scripts, I am about to shoot a shorty short short call Benehooy. It has to do with tunnels. That is all you are getting from me until it is done. Next up from me is Sweet Pea, the one I want a Kickstarter for. The hope is to use whatever momentum I have, coupled with the body of work I have created, to justify people giving me $7500 for the film. It is 20 minutes in length, presumably, and is something I hope is a game changer for me. The pirate documentary Part of the Ship/Part of the Crew continues among the work. As well, I am continuing work on two features. I want to talk about them but don’t know if I can. With that is a collaborative set of projects. A web series, a couple of shorts, and a couple of features, all in various stages of completion on paper. So there is no lack of stuff to do. Now to play the lottery so I can talk about how I want to win the lottery.
There is all sorts of drama stuff going on out there, too. I would write about it, even make jokes or poke fun at things. Belittle stuff. Shoot things down. It’s kind of childish to do. Dumb in fact. I have better things to do. Though it is noteworthy to say that I see it out there and I strive to be better, despite what my prehistoric male brain is asking me to do. Sometimes my desire to beat my chest, grunt loudly, and throw poo is a strong set of emotions culminating in fantasized reactions. Maybe I should just script it!
Fever – White Witches from Fever PDX on Vimeo.
Oh, we got a good one this week folks. This entry comes from my brain, and the aching little voices that gnaw at me. No, not the scary voices. I keep them quiet with constant plays of HALO online. I am talking about my reoccurring monologue. The Statler and Waldorf in the balcony of my mind, commenting with a constant volley of slaps to the face (both for me and the intended victims of life).
So, the other day, I was engaged with a discussion, in which myself and the fellow speaking were talking about our movie sets, our processes, and the little victories that we strive for with the little to no money we have. In this discussion, he told me about another film maker in our area that stated “If you don’t have thiry people on your crew, you’re not a real film maker.” Hmmmm, let me process that slap to my face as I begin the geometric calculation for planting one on your face. Really? There is a rule somewhere that says “You’re not really doing this unless you have a minimal number of people around you.”
Look, one person with a camera, filming themselves is a film maker. I can have five people around me that can do wonders and thirty people around me that are going to screw up or, worse, STAND AROUND. While screwing up helps one to learn, it also slows down your production, and when time is money that is not a good thing to have happen. Standing around. Now you’re just wasting life for a paycheck and burning valuable oxygen.
Now I will certainly let someone have their opinion about anything and everything, just as I have granted myself the same leeway. Just so you know, when you say something, there is probably going to be a response. The idea that my film is not a film because I didn’t have thirty people is an interesting idea. One that holds no merit and is easily shot down, but it is interesting nonetheless. It’s interesting because it gives me insight into this dufus. I’m not criticizing his abilities as a film maker, just his ability in life. See, for him, he thinks he needs thirty people standing around on his site. I may have need for that many or more someday, but I did a pretty bang up job on the last film, and it had six people on the crew. Six top notch, wonderful people that I will undoubtedly hire again. If someone feels that the fabric of their life needs certain specifics to make them feel successful or accomplished or worthy, than those are their own guidelines for success. Their’s and their’s alone. I didn’t need thirty folks. This guy maybe did because he can’t do anything constructive on his own and lives in a small dictatorship called “His Set” in which he takes thirty professionals and lambastes them for hours (or insert days, weeks, months, years) because it makes him feel like he is real. Well, buddy, are you real? Are you? Is Cameron calling yet, asking you to make Avatar II: The Awakening because you did it with thirty people and he did it with just twenty-seven on the set? (Please be advised – I completely understand that when it is me doing this very thing, which is defining how others should be by my own set of standards, I am being a dick and a hypocrite, I just wanted to be able to call this one out from the balcony)
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.
This is one of my favorite topics – that of our “Industry” in Portland filming. Supposedly we’re about to bust out and blossom. Which I don’t discredit at all. Lately we have had an amazing run of TV being produced in Oregon. Portlandia is a fun show and a great set to work on. Grimm is off and running like a mad machine. Leverage continues to be fun and exciting in it’s episodic “The blank Job” way. Plus we have had a couple of films come through town, and we have one of our own local films actually making a national splash (Rid Of Me). None as of yet have been exploding us on the map, but it has to be a bud before it becomes a flower.
Even with the bud starting to form we need to keep some things in mind as an industry of film makers in our area, no matter what side of the line we are on. By this I mean…are we still begging for people to work for free? Really? REALLY? I have come to the conclusion that FaceBook is pretty much a way of dressing up Craig’s List to ask people to come out and work on your productions. “It’s not free, it’s an investment in the awesomeness that you will get for working with me on more stuff that may or may not be happening and probably won’t pay or get seen by someone because it is too high concept for anyone to get and I am a creative and no one gets me so come on out and work for free which isn’t free because I give beer, pizza, copy, and credit.” REALLY? Are we still doing this.
Hey, if you are reading this, I have a pop quiz for you. Without using IMDb, can you tell me who ran the boom mic for Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan? Ten seconds…time’s up. You know who it was? It doesn’t matter. Why? Because whoever it was, he or she was working a job. One they probably did really well. One they probably love. However, there is no award at the academies for boom mic holder. There is no trophy for best grip.
No one ever got famous by being a PA. So don’t ever assume that your set is a privilege to work on. People need to be paid. Landlords don’t accept awards for rent, so you sure as hell better be paying people. Good intentions may get you into heaven (I’m too far gone for that) but it doesn’t feed someone. Pay them! If you have people in L.A. that are interested and want something from you, they will pay for it. If they don’t pay for it they are either not interested or unable to pay. Grimm was not shot for free. Someone pitched the idea and a budget was given. Then someone wrote a script, which they were paid for it, and then investors handed over money for someone to film the concept and prove that it was a worthy concept.
Now, I admit that I know there is a fine line for doing things to get experience and getting an “in” in an industry. That is why there are intern positions in so many businesses around the world. However, if you sign on to an internship it comes with a statement of what you will learn, how you will be trained, and what you are due to get out of it. Some internships give you consideration toward work if an open position is available in the field you are investing in. If you just showed up at a business and worked for free, and had nothing that was going to prove that you were working toward a goal then really what you are doing is working for free. Businesses love that. They will do it as long as you let them. Let me repeat that – THEY WILL DO THAT AS LONG AS YOU LET THEM.
Have I still done free work? I have, when I have decided to. When someone blasts a post for people to work for them (but there is no pay) I don’t respond. If someone in talking to me and says they need help but just can’t get it because they don’t have money, I may offer. I will say that if it comes to it, asking me straight up to work for you even though there may be no pay is a hell’uva lot better than “blind-blast” posts out to the world asking for the masses to run to work for free on your awesome idea. If it’s awesome, and people are going to put blood, sweat, and tears into it then pay them. Your set isn’t that awesome. Neither is mine. Cameron’s set…ok, yes I would work for free, but that guy sneezes money so I think he would pay me to hold his coffee just because he can.
The point is that an industry is built on standards that allow people to professionally contribute for a compensation. Compensation is not good feelings. Compensation is pay and health benefits. That is why I opened with the definition of Industry. If you want to do work, or want someone to work, for free then I get it – when it is little pieces that are about working on your chops, having fun, producing lit bits of experimental fodder that help you grow. If you are making something that is a festival piece, something that is going to be proving that you are worth the investment, then you need to prove to the others people around you that you believe in that investment by paying them. If you “blind-blast” for free work, it means you don’t care about the quality, you just need warm to luke-warm bodies schlubbing about your space. Even a PA is worth their weight in pay. A good PA makes things happen.
I actually saw a pair of Portland film makers state in their Kickstarter video that they were choosing Portland to film in because it allowed them to get a free cast and crew, and they won nearly $7000 for their short film. What does that say when two locals can state that they are filming locally because people are willing to work for free, and they still score $7K to pocket? Their video pitch went on to state that this short film was jump-starting their career. What about all the people working on their set? Who or what is jump-starting their career? If every jerk asked them to work for free to jump-start their own personal career, we would have an industry of actors and crews that were never paid. Please read the definition of Industry above.
There are a lot of people beyond our borders slugging it out in the trenches that are a better financial risk than we are, making it difficult to get people to invest in our work. Don’t kid yourself; we are an investment. No one puts out a ton of money without the desire of a return on it. Even with our own dollars and our own short films, we invest. Making a short film is paying the IMDb gods so that we can earn a notch of faith. “Believe in me, and invest in me, and I will create films that are worthy. I prove that because I made the following list of successful things.”
As Portlanders I think we are the recipients of an industry from another city. I believe the industry extends itself here because we allow for some great things to happen. For ourselves, we are still caught up in the Portland-style of doing things. That makes us quirky and ironic, but it doesn’t make us an industry (see definition above). Making us an industry means making choices. Choices in how we act professionally, how we are treated professionally, and what we professionally create. We have to make those choices as industry leaders, as individuals, and as creators of content. There are choices that need to be made for us to succeed if an industry is to be established (not created). Filming is not a new industry, and it is not new in coming to Oregon, but the fact that we don’t have our own film industry in Oregon speaks volumes as to how we have treated such industry requirements. No one will take us seriously before we take ourselves seriously. So we need to start taking ourselves seriously before we can build something remarkable here. Otherwise, we will be farming out the best of us to other places.
There are some rules in life that I am trying to adhere to, that I think are general, yet poignant and make life seem easier to digest when I realize that I probably screwed myself when I was bitching about how someone screwed me.
Rule #1: Subduction leads to orogeny (look it up, you will find I am right)
Rule #2: The tide goes in – The tide goes out
Rule #3: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence
Rule #4: Figures never lie but liars figure
Rule #5: Big rocks sink fast
Hey there, just a little updater. Back in from last nights win for Patrick’s Story and hopefully a few more people willing to pass on the message for equality in marriage rights. Not only was I really pleased and thankful for the win but I was even more thankful for the thoughtful comments afterwards by people who were moved by the message. I am extremely fortunate in my life to the fact that I am able to take this movie and run with it in every way possible to keep the message of marriage equality alive. While I enjoy people watching the other things that I have (and will) make and enjoying them I can’t hold a candle to the power of Patrick’s message and his ability to move people to tears. Please help to pass the message along and continue the move toward marriage equality.
I would like to say thank you to all that have watched Patrick’s Story so far, and to all that will help to carry it forward.
I thought I would through up the embed of the Sunstall video I did. I have passed this on to Solar World with the hopes of getting in good with their marketing folks. See the video after the bump.
In the mean time, I am trying to figure out how to pay for “Part of the ship/Part of the crew” and start getting Sweat Pea (another short script) paid for and off the ground. My Kickstarter fear has kicked in again, but in a more legitimate way this time. Lately, I have seen so many projects go up and fail on there. More so than usual. I have felt for quite some time that Portland has an excessive amount of people throwing Kickstarter projects on the web with little to no experience, collateral, or history to prove they are worth investing in. I have no idea if I am one of those people or one that has the work to back it up but would just fall prey to the over saturation of Kickstarter campaigns. Somehow, though, I need to fund Sweat Pea. It’s something that I think is a great script and an excellent challenge of a film to make.
One to the solar panels.
SUNSTALL – Sunstalling the future from Galaxy Sailor on Vimeo.
That’s right. Me and Gus van Sant. We buddies. We hit the beer house together. Chums, if you will. I had to bump Neil Gaiman from the top tier to do it, but I think it was a worth while effort. Actually, I don’t know Gus at all, but it’s fun to think that he would be handing me the dollars to do a film instead of Taylor Lautner, but whatever Gus. Friends can forgive.
Actually, I was featured in the recent issue of 1859 magazine, a local publication. You can tell it’s local because it’s called 1859; that’s the year we gained statehood in Oregon. We really did gain statehood. You’re not just born this way. Anywho, the article written by Lucy Burningham is titled On The Set, and it is a reflection of the time when One Flew Over The Cuckoos nest was made all the way to the foretelling of hopeful Oregon film and television dollars. Check out the embed below of the online version of the story.
(I bought six copies!)
In the last week and a half, I have enjoyed a resurgence in work. The feast and famine trend continues! I started picking up NECA/IBEW videos again, and have about five or six slated for the next few weeks (with any luck). As well, I have started work on a proposal set for a local home weatherizing company. They are getting a video series, as well as a new website. I have also had the privilege of getting work from a California company, called SUNSTALL. This was one of the few times I ever did an impromptu pitch that went through. Huzzah! Now to repeat the pattern. SUNSTALL is installing all of the new infrastructure for solar panels on a ODOT/PGE cooperative renewable energy program. Nearly seven thousand new panels will be installed when it’s all done. Sweet!
Oh, those pirates. Why does it always keep coming back to the pirates. Probably because I love them dearly! I accept this. So the buccaneers of Bridgetown have some great events coming soon, to which I am attending. They are also set to kick off a season (not plundering, that’s in spring) recruiting business prospects. Thankfully, they came to me and asked that I do a promo video for them. A promo video? For pirates? Where would I ever get footage for such things? I know – the footage from the documentary movie I am making called Part of the ship/Part of the crew: The making of El Tiburon. It’s glorious, and as soon as the skallywags let me post it, there shall be glorious pirate video posted! HUZZAH!
In the mean time – enjoy and read up!
Good morning all. I am currently in a bathrobe, eating French toast, sipping coffee, and updating the news for all of you interested, curious, or bored with other things in the world. I know…I know. This kind of update is usually reserved for twitter feeds and Facebook subjects. Well, you’re welcome.
Patrick’s Story wins again. Holy crap, that is kind of awesome. The upcoming Humanist Film Festival help in Portland selected the film to be played during their three day festival. They have asked Patrick and I to attend and come to speak about the movie and participate with the festival. I have no idea what award we won, but who cares! I am just glad that another big screen is happening for this film.
On the other front is A Deed without a Name going to Tribeca and Cannes. Yes, that is right. I sent A Deed without a Name to both of those. Tribeca is a festival in which a film needs to premiere, so A Deed won’t see the public light of day until such time as I know if it’s in or not. I wanted to get an IMDb credit for it though, and it turned out that Cannes Independent Film Festival had just opened its door. I figure I can be rejected for $25 with Cannes as well as anywhere else, so why not. Why not indeed. I am already buying my plane tickets. Not because it will be accepted, but because I am an optimist.
So…Galaxy Sailor Productions…how you doin’? Pretty good, I suppose. I am feeling a little grown up, which is uncomfortable and enlightening all at the same time. I was a featured guest on the show Meet The Startup a little over two months ago. I was really excited to be a part of this group and be on their show. It was a really fun interview, and I think I spoke well enough to not be hated by people. Check it out and see my insight into film festivals, film making, and the film world here in Portland. It kind of made me feel like I was sorta kinda maybe accomplished in some way. Weird.
My most current project is still Part of the Ship/Part of the Crew: The making of El Tiburon. I have to keep digging away at the footage, as well as get my interviews done. More than that, I need to get a kickstarter going so I can pay for the post on this baby. Months of time, and lots footage means I need to get this beauty done. There is a fantastic story to be told beyond that of the building of a ship. I just gotta keep the freaking lights on. Things are getting tougher out here in the production world of film and video.
Ok, time to get a move on!
Time for another exciting installment of Galaxy Sailor Productions blogroll. Well, I get excited about it.
First off, I am the luckiest dingleberry in the fruit stand. Seriously. So, a little over a month ago I got to see Marian Call perform here in Portland with opening act
Oh, but it gets better. I got to meet up with Angela Webber of The Doubleclicks. A plan was hatched in which they are contributing to the film “Part of the ship, Part of the crew” and I couldn’t be happier about the combined scheme of it all. It will be glorious.
Anyway, my meeting with Angela was an amazing one, and I couldn’t help but feel really…accomplished. When it was over, she had talked about how it sounded like my life was a cool journey. Telling her how I got to here even sounded like a pretty good story to me when I was telling it. At the heart of it all, however was the fact that I was feeling really blessed to be at this moment, right here, with a musician doing something unique and amazing. It’s like I am getting a chance to see her before The Doubleclicks explode into nerd glory. It’s only a matter of time before they are on The Guild and doing tours with Paul and Storm. To be honest, I think these two are about to have the nerd world by the balls. To be in such company is beyond coolness.
It is all very weird to me. What is the measure of success, especially in this day and age? With a recession in place, jobs at a loss, a political spectrum with hardly a middle ground, and an unstable world ready to implode, it seems a little off to be thinking about insecurities as a person. Or as an artist. Or filmmaker. If you don’t know it by now, I am a very insecure person. Very insecure. I battle it all the time. I worry at exceptionally high levels. It has led me to act “strange” at times when I have been around people I idolize or look up to (yes, Bobby R., that would be you).
I suppose the measure wouldn’t matter as much if the world wasn’t in turmoil, I wasn’t 40 years old, and I was prepared to make a plan B. Well, this is plan C, and I am making it up as I go, because plan A and B where thought out and didn’t amount to a hill of beans for me. Coupled with the fact of my insecurity is the fact that I have entered into a realm in which I create things to be judged. Good call. This must be the moment where the man with the butterfly net circles around the guy with the white coat with long, strapping sleeves.
For whatever reason, though, the last few weeks, I have felt more accomplished and more professional and more accepted then any other moment in my life. PDX Yar, the pirates of Portland made me a part of the ship (part of the crew) for my time doing the documentary about them. Aaron Duran, of
Anyway…I will be putting together and doing a Kickstarter campaign soon to help pay for the pirate documentary. I need to fund this baby, and I don’t the coins. Damn pirates took them. Well, you know…pirates.
It’s Friday. I gotta go.
Hey there folks and friends. Huzzah to you all. It has been a glorious few weeks, and I am here to tell you all about it.
To begin with, the post production of the documentary Part of the Ship, Part of the Crew: the making of El Tiburon has begun. Months of footage, as you would expect, are now being watched again by me, as well as scripting for the voice over. I still have some filming to do, which consists of interviews with primary ship builders, but all of the story, as it unfolded, has been completed. For those of you that don’t know, El Turbon is a land based pirate ship build being performed by PDXYar as a demonstration/performance piece/shwag center. They won a Kickstarter campaign and I have followed them ever since.
The film was originally thought to be a short, and chronicling the activities as the ship was in the yards being built. As it turns out, there is more to the story than just the ship and its construction (which was not a simple task). Many things happened along the way, most all of which are positive in the utmost beautiful manner. As much as a ship being built, a person was being constructed as well, with some really great things learned along the way. You’ll have to watch the movie to know what I am talking about!
There is currently a page on my site as well as a Facebook Page that you can follow for details.
Speaking of jibs (A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast. Jibs and spinnakers are the two main types of headsails on a modern boat) I have had the fortune of doing a little jib construction and assembly lately. And by little, I mean a 40 footer. And by 40 footer, I mean it’s not little at all. Bob Palota with Cameras Eye and Earth2World has been sporting his jib around and needed a jib assistant. It just so happens I made myself available and the next thing you know…I’m on the set of Portlandia shaking hands with Edward James Olmos, James Callas, and Roger D. Moore. These people are, to the unknowing: Admiral Adama, Gaius Baltar, and head writer, all of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. I had a giant nerd moment, but kept it contained. I didn’t want to, but I did.
Speaking of spitballs, I have had the fortune of working with Spitball Media as of late, and being really loving the fact. Joe Lesher and Joel Jackson are a couple of great guys, with a tight ship (I keep bringing it) and coupled with Andrew Smith, one of the most awesome dudes I have met in a long time, these folks bring together an awesome set of sweet video lovin’. I hope I get to do more in the future with them.
I think for a change of pace, I am not going to rant, though I have many things that I could yell about that would solve the ills of the world. I’ll hold out this time!
I am faltering on my blogging. Must. Step Up.
OK, so as a recap to the last two weeks, and in sticking with the nomenclature of my blogs, there is communication between me and the Earth2World Network. SWEET. First off, if you don’t know, Earth2World is part of the future. It is one of a few places that is reaching out and creating content for the internet in the same vein that TV was reaching out to radio audiences oh so long ago. They are creating interesting and unique content for viewers online. I was on one such show a month ago called Have You Heard? With Byron Beck.
Now, some of you probably don’t know this, but three years ago I was going to try my hand at online content shows, such as these. I had been a watcher and follower of Cali Lewis and her show, Geek Brief (she is also a Portland native, though living in Texas right now). She started, with her husband, a show in their kitchen about gadgets and technology. They had a huge following and corporate sponsorship that they built up over a couple of years. Geek Brief, which was featured on Mevio, ended awhile back due to marital differences, but came back with blazing guns as GeekBeat.tv. For awhile this was on a “channel-esque” location known as Revision3, but has such a following that she was able to cut out the middle-man, as it were.
Anyway, I create EcoPortland.org, a website that was to be a 5 minute show two or three times a week, and it was to feature eco-centric businesses and individuals in the Portland-Metro area. I shot a few of the episodes on my own, and the people who were guests loved the idea and the drive. But, alas, I was a lone camera man at the time and had to abandon the show. It was too much for me to do all by myself and try to make money to keep the lights on. The other day, I decided to crash the set at Earth2World, since they had been such a nice place to be. While I was there I decided to take the chance and pitch my show to the Producer, Trudi, and see what she thought. Now, this was a long shot in my head because Portland, as many places I am sure, has people full of ideas but no follow through. The pattern seems to follow conversationally like so:
Someone: “Hello, I am so-and-so, nice to meet you Martin. What do you do?”
ME: “I work in film and video.”
Someone: “Oh, that’s interesting. You can do that for a living? Oh hey, I have this great idea. You should film it.”
ME: “Hmmph. What is your idea.”
Someone: -Insert terrible idea-
ME: “HMMMPH”
Someone: “That’s a good idea, right? You should do that. I can paid for that, right? I could probably do what you do.”
So saying that you have an idea to me and others like me is like pouring water on a Gremlin and feeding us after midnight; we spontaneously spawn evil little, stabby things that want to poke your eyes out. Needless to say, I was willing to say that I had this idea because I actually have episodes and a website. EcoPortland went beyond concept and went into production. Not very far, but it went into production. So at least I have tangible goods to show that it is not just a concept.
In the end, EcoPortland is a go. It is being picked up by Earth2World pending the filming of the episodes (which only makes sense that a finished, HD product be put on their doorstep).
So, onto other things, such as the weird idea that Tennessee is rescuing anything but NASCAR from the evil trenches of a library siege. The folks over at io Studios in Nashville have been kind enough to over book themselves and are in need of an editor for one of their big projects. There desperation is so ripe with stench that they scraped the bottom of a barrel and found my clinging on to a food particle. Actually, I just know someone there, and they gave me a call. So with any luck, I shall be off to Tennessee for a few months to work as a contract, in-house editor.
I recently did someone edit work for Spitball Media in Portland as well. It’s pretty awesome. Great folks, great work, fun times. I start doing more with them next week.
And now – my RANT section. Please be advised, I am about to rant. I like to rant. If this ranting could effect my prospects for being hired, please don’t read any further so that I may work. This is in accordance with Martin’s Personal Rules #721. Sometime I will list my rules of life (at least the top 10).
So, Portland bikers. How you doin’? Not good the last few days. Three deaths. Three injured. We have had a little car rally happening with a few bikes caught in the middle. It seems three riders were on a rural road at night with no lights, no helmets, and no reflective gear and were hit by a truck. The drive was not impaired in any way before the accident. I am sure he will need therapy after this. One person died, the other in critical care, and one went home with scrapes and bruises. Another accident was on Highway 101 (the NARROW, SCARY, TWISTY coast road for those of you not in the know). A log truck hit a cyclist. One accident occurred where a former U of O football player was riding his bike on a section of road in Portland known for being a bad place to ride a bike. No bike lane. Heavy traffic. Poor visibility. He rode anyway and suffered a broken clavical and a few other broken and scraped places.
Now, I just started commuting on a bike a month ago. When I was only a driver, I saw bikers AND drivers breaking the law and irritating each other. Let me say that again – BOTH PARTIES WERE DOING THINGS BAD AT TIMES. Pedestrians too, but I am going to leave them out of this equation. Since I started to commute, I have been appalled by the number of bicyclists I see being stupid, reckless, and violating laws. Why? I have no idea other than stupidity, entitlement, or just plain ignorance to what they are supposed to do.
(This section with directions will only make sense if you live here, geographically) Take for instance my ride last week. I was going from my office on NW 17th and NW Raleigh to NoPo. In my journey I go east on Lovejoy, to Williams, to Ainsworth, to Denver, to Buffalo St. At William and Broadway, The traffic is one way going west bound, but the right TWO lanes have the ability to turn right to either enter I-5 or (for the inner most right lane) I-5 and/or Williams. There is a bike lane on Broadway that has its own light, signaling the ability to safely cross the Williams intersection continuing in a west bound manner on Broadway. So this fucking stupid ass hipster on a fixy riding west bound, who had already blown to fucking lights while I was sitting there waiting for the lights myself, road out into the intersection where he clearly and plainly had a RED LIGHT. It was a big, red, lit up bike. The light is the shape of a fucking bike. It’s red to stop, green to go. It’s a fucking lit up bike that stops you from running into traffic that, when given their green light, can go straight or turn right into two different areas. This fucking ass clown of brainiac blew the third light, in a row, and road out into traffic, where they all slammed on their brakes to keep from hitting him. Oh, did I mention he had no helmet? No helmet. You know, I realize the law doesn’t say you have to wear a helmet, and people like to make their own choices. I get that.If a brain isn’t smart enough to protect itself, especially when it plans on doing STUPID SHIT, then you are probably off to a bad start.
Now, if that fuck nut hipster douche bag no talent ass clown had been hit by a car, the BTA of Portland would have been all up in the car drivers grill. How do I know this? I know this because they are defending the guy who was riding in a section of road that had no bike lane and was hit. Portland is one of the most bike-friendly places. If that guy was on the sidewalk (which is legal in Oregon if no bike lane is present) or went one block over in either direction, he would have been on a bike approved road.
Look, we can argue all day about cars off the road for environmental reasons and I will most likely agree with you 100%. We need less cars on the road, better efficiency when they are on the road, and have people live closer to where they work so that commuting doesn’t continue to be the trudging death march to the ‘burbs. But bikers have to play by the rules. They also have to play by the physics of the universe. I watch too many bicyclists wander out into open intersections that they CLEARLY had to stop for. I get hesitating at a stop sign, because on a bike you don’t have to “get going” action as a car, and you need momentum to make a bike work. But at least hesitate and look. I see people blowing light, blowing stop signs, weaving in and out of traffic. I watched a fucker cut through someones lawn to beat a traffic signal and cut around some cars. Not even their own lawn. What the fuck, asshole?
Bicycles should be policing their own. We should be keeping people in check. If you are going to argue that cars are the nuisance, you better keep your house in order, at least to a better degree. Bicyclists in Portland are entitle fuck-wads. Not all the time. Most aren’t at all. We all know, however, that loud, stupid minorities make themselves seen are given iconic status for the majority. That sucks. We can’t let those idiots take the podium. If they do, it turns into a Teaparty situation, where a few stupid, ass-like, dipshits making noise get all the attention and deviate from the real problems and the real issues and the real solutions.
Yes, you there, you stupid ass-clown hipster that blew a stop light and nearly caused three cars to wreck because you felt it was ok to blow a stop light because you were entitled to wander into an active intersection. I am comparing you to a Teaparty member. I did it, and I feel good about it.
Yes, it is true…and greatly behind announcement here. The trailer for A Deed Without a Name has been out for almost a month. I have posted it here on my site in both the official Deed page, as well as part of my reel/work page. Yet I haven’t written about it. Time to change that.
The film is completely edited, and has been completely colored, and only needs it’s music. I am having Ken Webster, of Innervoice Studios do the music. He is the same composer from The Last Stand, and I am thrilled to have him scoring my newest project. Ken’s work is great, which is why I am having to wait until August to have him write the music. He is so booked at the moment that I had to wait in line. So it goes.
I am extremely happy with the feed back I have gotten from the trailer, and the feed back I have gotten from the few people that I let watch the film. I had a few marks for technical things, but no one has made any statements that the story has issues. So I’m cool with that. I will have the trailer posted below.
If I haven’t said it yet, in enough places, Patrick’s Story is going to Austin. Stay tuned for more details.
And, yes. I hauled a ship. Well, I hauled one third of a ship, but that one third ship in my van was a pirate ship, so that has to count for something. Right! Recently, as the ongoing documentary of the pirates building a ship continues, there was a dramatic change in location from where the ship was being built, to where the continuation of said build will conclude. As a documentary, it probably wasn’t the best idea for me to interact with the subject, but I did. I helped haul a giant load of lumber. The documentary and the ship building can now continue. Oh, and I got footage of this move. It was glorious!
I believe I have stated many times before how I stand on my beliefs toward attitude, and how that effects your perspective on the things you do. Especially the goals you have set or are achieving. To no small degree, I fight my own demons on trying to keep my eyes on the prize, as it were. I am an extremely insecure person, and I am constantly comparing my self to others, and usually not in a good way (for them or for me).
It is a terrible place to be; in your head battling it out for supremacy with forced that are aligned against you but really don’t exist. Yes, they don’t exist. Well, they exist in my head. The point is, to have a good attitude means having the right perspective. To have the right perspective, you need to be paying attention to your own world and realizing how good you have it, and that no one can derail you more than you can. I am my own worst enemy, and I hate that about me.
I love what I do. I want to do it all the time. Why won’t someone let me do it all the time? Well, I am the only one that really limits that. I know that money plays a big factor in that, especially when I don’t have any, but at the same time I have accomplished a lot, with very little, and very quickly. So when that paces slows I have to remember that I have jumped a shark tank, and made it across to the next ramp. I need to make sure I am lining my next ramp up right and not worrying about the other people jumping their own sharks. If I don’t worry about my own shark tanks, I will end up in them with the shark, just as the adage shows that I will.
So I guess this is just my little moment to let me psychosis breathe a little in the open air of the blogosphere. My own self medicating moment where my ranting about the self can make me realize that I don’t have it bad, the universe isn’t out to get me, and that I am the only limiting factor in what is real, what is perceived, and what is accomplished.
Ok, I want chocolate. And to pet my dogs.
A Deed without a Name – Teaser from Galaxy Sailor on Vimeo.
Unbridled passion often leads to murder, as this film noir short amply proves. A Deed Without a Name takes you into a world where a twisted game of sexual cat and mouse is commonplace, where being good…might just get you killed.
QUOTATION
Macbeth: How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags? What is’t you do?
Witches: A deed without a name.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Macbeth and Witches, in Macbeth, act 4, sc. 1, l. 48-9.
That’s right, I said it. What are you going to do about it? Not a damn things, because you can’t dispute a single bit of it.
That being said, I love Pirates. Especially the PDXYar! folk. Here in the glorious state of Oregon, a group a stalwart souls decided to undertake a monumental journey. There was peril at every turn. Enemies where upon them most of the way, but in the end: Victory. I am referring to winning a Kickstarter campaign of course.
You see, what good is a pirate without a ship. Not even a good privateer at that point. So, PDXYar! decided it was time to have a ship. And a ship they are building. It will be glorious, mate. Forty feet long, she be. Twenty two feet of mast. An aft castle. Plenty of space to fire off black powder. A beauty it shall be.
Based on the HMY Mary bestowed to the British navy from the Dutch, El Tiburon shall be a yacht style sloop. How is this important, you may ask? Walk the plank, ya scurvy dog, for the captain has spoken. Wow, I am getting all caught up in this. It’s important because I am filming the documentary of the building of the ship. That’s right, a documentary about some pirates, a ship, a kickstarter campaign, and the bruised thumbs making it happen. I have already began filming this undertaking, and I look forward to showing everyone the building of El Tiburon.
Speaking of documentaries, I am taking on another one. With robots. And the Spanish-American War. For those of you who know Boilerplate, you will be happy to know that I am starting production of a behind the story film of Boilerplate. For those that don’t know, go out and get it now. Read it. Love it. Know it! If you don’t know it, you owe it to yourself.
Boilerplate is the work of Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. It tells the story of Boilerplate, histories mechanical marvel, created in the 1880′s. The adventures of Boilerplate take the robot across the sands of Arabia, up the hills of San Juan, and through the trenches of Western Europe until his mysterious disappearance during World War I.
The great thing is, Boilerplate has been optioned as a movie to be directed by JJ Abrams. The better news is that I am undertaking the story behind the story. I met Anina and Paul at Stumptown Comic Show this year, and I fell in love with the book as well as really liked these two. Their work is amazing, and they are two of the best people I have met in the longest time. This is an amazing chance to tell a great story and be part of an amazing adventure. I am really glad they are letting me. Thanks goes out to Billy Galaxy for his awesomeness in coming up with the idea and getting the ball rolling.
And yes, Gautch sucks. He sucks because he was on an awesome shoot this last weekend in Nashville, TN. He kept updating his Facebook with pics of this giant warehouse with dolly tracks, lighting, crews working, cameras. All this cool stuff. Though he wasn’t IN any pics that I saw. Huh, maybe he wasn’t there. I still hate him.
I am off to Breckenridge Festival of Film on Friday for the festival premiere of Patrick’s Story. Please watch it, pass it along, and get the message out about marriage rights.
