Travel Show

It's time for me to get out! Out of the United States, that is. 2012 is the year I put together my travel show.  

What travel show, you ask? The one I had in mind when I took busses and taxis and trains through 10 countries in Africa. Everywhere I went, I met people who were working on creative projects that provided them with a sustainable income AND made a positive impact in their communities.  

I had a camera with me and made several short videos about the people I met. Sometimes there was someone I could ask to hold the camera, sometimes it was my arm and a gorilla pod trying to get the camera as far away from my head as possible. Pardon my big head. I have short arms.

You can see the results in the video below:

I'm happy with what I did but I know there are more fascinating people out there and, since the time I created these videos 5 years ago, my skills have improved. Not only that, I hear there have been some advances in technology. Can anyone say HD?

All this to say my plan for 2012 is to upgrade my equipment, identify a new place in the world, make a plan and get out there. A little process we call pre-production.

I'm open to suggestions on where to go - anyone have friends with a couch in faraway places?  I'm also going to need a title for this show. Get your brains out and let the storm begin.

As for Slamdance - we leave tomorrow!  Our film, The Magic Man, will screen twice as part of the Anarchy Shorts program.  I'll do my best to send updates from the road.  Expect a full report when I'm back at the end of the month.

Happy New Year, Happy New News

After typing that title, I realize that all news is new. I suppose that's why it has the word new in it. In any case, I have news!

First, I am recommitting to updating this blog on a more regular basis. Given my recent track record, if I can manage more than once a quarter I'm on the pig's back, as my friend Danny would say. You will have to ask him what is so great about being on a pig's back.

Now on to the more exciting news...

The Magic Man, a film I produced back in late 2009, early 2010 was accepted into the Slamdance Film Festival! It happens the same time as Sundance, it is also in Park City, Utah and I'm going! It will be an epic road trip (EPIC, I say!) with the director and the director of photography. I am ordering business cards and online shopping for warm clothes even as I type - I'm that good.

But wait, there's more. Another film I produced last summer, Ketheron's Bucket-Mending & Hymen Emporium, was accepted to not one but TWO film festivals in Australia! The Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival in, you guessed it, Melbourne. Don't know that I can swing going to Oz in February but I'm keeping all doors open.

That's it for now but do stay tuned for regular, that's right I said regular, updates.

May 2012 be fabulous for all of us! Happy New Year!

The Beat Goes On

Less "drums keep pounding rhythm to the brain" and more spending all my free time making movies.

This is now old news (because I still don't update this blog as often as I say I will) but the silent 3D short that I produced last year, The Magic Man, screened at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival! A bunch of Scary Cows went down for that film and others that were made as part of this group. Sadly, I was not one of them because I hear a good time was had by all.

Currently, I'm co-producing a film that was originally a sketch put on by a local group. It's called Ketheron's Bucket Mending & Hymen Emporium. Yep. You read it right. I've been working with the cast and am now looking for extras to film the next two Fridays. Hard to convince people to take a workday off (for the M-F among us) but it will be a fun time on set.

We're filming at the Long Branch Saloon & Farm in Half Moon Bay. It's a full-on street right out of the old west and it's going to look amazing! The trick is getting the cast and extras in

wardrobe appropriate for the setting. But I leave that to other people and I take care of things like returning dresses we don't want to theaters not that close to my house.

And the Bushman film. I've got to get my act together to enter that in other film festivals. Like Santa Barbara, for example. Why? Because I would love an excuse to visit Santa Barbara!

So, my movie beat goes on. My segway tour beat goes on. My Big City Improv beat goes on.

And yes, drums do keep pounding rhythm to the brain.