I've had some requests to recommend some good film books, so I'm starting a series that'll cover what I think are the best books for each area of filmmaking. And what better place to start than at the beginning with screenwriting. (I put together an Amazon store that...
Coffee & Celluloid
The Complete Ira Glass on Creative Work
I've been seeing these different segments of Ira Glass (host of the amazing This American Life) pop up on different blogs, talking about creative work. So I did some snooping and gathered the entire collection. A few points are pretty common (keep working at what you...
Here Piggy, Piggy, Piggy
The days of Farmer Arable and Wilbur are long gone. One of the main locations in Undercover is a pig farm, where a Muslim cop goes undercover to find a missing pig. So, as Producer, I need to find this pig farm. In the process of this hunt I learned about the state of...
Location, Location, Location
It's funny how much I take film slang for granted. So to start from the beginning, there are six stages in making and releasing a movie: Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, Distribution, Exhibition. Usually Development can take the longest -...
Filming in the Trenches (And Live Video!)
This is the craziest film set I've seen on the soundstage. After emerging from a dark editing room around midnight, I was told to check out the trench. I had heard someone was making a WWI trench movie. I didn't know it was a trench epic. I can't believe how detailed...
How to Make a Movie – Start to Finish
Just when I thought there would be a dry period of stories after I graduate ((More on this soon)), Thoth gives me a goldmine. I've been asked by a recent graduate to co-produce a short film she just received funding for. This film (tentatively title Undercover) will...
Vote and Get a Free Coffee, Doughnut, and New President
I'm not going to tell you to vote - you already know to do that. But here are some added benefits for bubbling or touching the ballot. Bring your "I Voted" sticker into Krispy Kreme and get a free star-shaped doughnut with patriotic colored sprinkles (Freedom...
I’m Chuck Bass (And Who Watches the Watchmen?)
A film school Halloween obviously has to have character related costumes. Above, characters from Watchmen. Below, me as Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl. I had a lot of fun Goodwill hunting. It reminded me of production designing again. Unfortunately I don't believe red...
Portrait of a Lady Killer: Javier Bardem – New York Times
You grew up in Madrid, loving American as well as Spanish films. That’s true: I don’t believe in God, but I believe in Al Pacino. The other day I was watching ‘‘Dog Day Afternoon’’ again, and I see a man who is so true, so interesting and I understand more...