Bad Robot Sketch

Yesterday on Twitter Bad Robot (@bad_robot: Founded in 2001. Makers of Film, TV, Apps, T-shirts and Mayhem.) asked people for sketches: 

"@bad_robot: Any doodlers out there? Send us your Bad Robot drawings and we'll retweet our favorites! #BRLobbySketches"

It took me until today to get up the courage to draw one and tweet it, mostly because I haven't drawn anything for several years. Here it is!

For anyone wondering why I drew a robot, it's their "mascot"... If you watch a Bad Robot movie, you'll see an introductory bit with a little red robot running through some grass. This is him! Well, him with some minor modifications to meet my style.

Wander My Friends: A movie I will stand behind

If you've found your way to my blog you probably know me or Google has hilariously suggested my page when you searched for something else very much not related (thanks, Google, but please stop sending these poor people here when all they really want to know about is how to change a gasket or plant a tree).

In either case, I hope that you enjoy my not-so-regularly updated blog. Or, if you don't enjoy it, hopefully you at least tolerate it and move on without your day getting any worse.

Now on to the reason I'm back here typing away on an entry that few may read and even fewer may care about (but you all should because the topic of this post is important!).

In this ever-growing age of technology and independent art, new people are being exposed to the good, the bad, and the ugly of art, theatre, music, comedy, film, and everything else that anyone wants to call art. Sometimes this exposure comes from Youtube, local gigs, indie film fests, word of mouth, and/or Twitter (and I'm sure other ways as well); but there are a few sites out there that allow viewers not only to find and support works through spreading the word but also by giving money.

If you know about Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and other sites like this, you'll also know that a lot of things get funded that in your eyes (and probably mine) shouldn't. See Team Coco's list of 20 terrible Kickstarter projects for just a taste of the craziest (or maybe to you the best) Kickstarter projects:  http://teamcoco.com/content/the-terrible-20-kickstarter-projects

I understand and appreciate the "to each his own" concept of art and life. If people think that it is important to fund someone's trip to Olive Garden (see link above) then I'm glad that they are able to support something that they believe in (or to support something that they think is so silly that they can't help but give). I also appreciate that someone can get money to help them create their masterpiece, take a trip, or start a business, no matter what it is.

Sometimes though I can't help but sigh, shake my head, and mumble about the youth of our country being less than stellar when it comes to common sense.

And other times I can't help but yell aloud: YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MONEY. STOP ASKING FOR OURS YOU UN-NAMED FAMOUS PERSON.

I'd love to say that I support all art and will give money to anything and everything as my wallet allows but I can't and won't say that. Instead I will be blunt: I am cheap and will only support things that I actually care about and give to people who I think actually deserve it. Unfortunately for my friends sometimes this means me keeping my mouth shut, not RTing, and not encouraging people on Facebook to go somewhere, give something, or spread the word. This also means that I don't vote for people in contests, I don't join a lot of Facebook groups, and I don't follow new people on Twitter just because someone suggests it, unless it is something that I personally care about.

Don't get me wrong; I love and care about my friends. If you are one of my friends I will fight to the death to protect whatever venture your heart wants to follow. I will smite those who speak against you and push you to follow your dreams. Most importantly, I won't talk poorly about your idea or work, no matter how odd I think it is; but that doesn't mean that I will speak well of it or even speak of it at all. If I don't have anything nice to say I won't say anything at all (some exceptions do apply for crazies who need a good reality check).

Now that you know about my views on giving money for the sake of giving money (I just won't do it) I'd like to tell you about a Kickstarter project that I fully support both in word of mouth and from my wallet (I don't literally fully support them financially, but I did give to the Kickstarter) in the hopes that you will find it worthy of support. Wander My Friends is an indie film that is currently nearing the end of filming. The script is hilarious, the people are friendly and talented, and the subject matter should hit home for any independent artist, author, or small business owner.

From the Kickstarter page:

"Wander My Friends tells the story of Asher Ackerman, Nate Park and Roland Vanver, the creative team behind the fiction indie hit comic "Wanderers." After several years of telling the story of clandestine comic hero Jim Sable and his circle of every day people with strange abilities, the "Wanderers" creators have achieved critical notoriety and success. So successful, in fact, that a larger comic book publisher has made an offer to merge with their small, indie publishing company. Knowing full well that their days of creative control are now numbered, Ash, Roland and Nate make a low key attempt to start their own comic venture before their current contracts trap them in a place where they have little to no control over a story and world they created.

The film follows the trio as they find out just how hard it is and what it takes to launch an independently run creative venture."

And the link to the page to donate: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1184309126/wander-my-friends-a-comedy-about-comic-creators?ref=home_location

I was lucky enough to work on a small part of this movie. I don't expect and have never expected to get paid for my help. I helped for the same reason that I am suggesting that people give to this Kickstarter:  I fell in love with the content and the people and have seen the talent that they have and I BELIEVE IN THIS FILM.

As of this post there are only 9 days left to give to the Kickstarter and help this group of indie filmmakers keep their pockets from collapsing into black holes. If you don't know much about Kickstarter, you should only remember one thing:  If the project is not fully funded before the deadline, no one gets your money; your CC is charged only after the project has been successfully funded or it is never charged if enough money is not pledged.

So, I can only ask, now that you know that I really must care about this project (if I don't have anything nice to say I won't say anything at all and I've been pushing this Kickstarter since I found out it existed), to please give the page a look, see info about the people working on the film, check out the updates tab for some weekly footage, and if you feel like they are worthy, please give. If you can't give, please post the link to Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc. and ask people to help out.

-Main page:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1184309126/wander-my-friends-a-comedy-about-comic-creators?ref=home_location
-Weekly footage:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1184309126/wander-my-friends-a-comedy-about-comic-creators/posts

If you need more reason to give, check out their website and social media outlets:

http://www.wandermyfriends.com/
http://www.facebook.com/WanderMyFriends
https://twitter.com/wandermyfriends

Thanks!

Two-Bit Pictures: Update

The 48 Hour FIlm Project/National Film Challenge season came and went and I made no mention of most of it. If you read a few posts below you'll see that I explained in excruciating detail about my first 48HFP experience and resulting podcastings. Well, since those posts Two-Bit Pictures has won some awards for our 2011 New Haven 48 Hour Film Project short called "Silver Lining", went to a few festivals, started an almost-real website, worked on the National Film Challenge, and started work on some shorts for the WPI Comedy Fest happening in a few weeks.

I'm going to try for realsies to keep up with some blogging or listing or opening up a page and smashing the keyboard for this year's "competition season", but honestly I'm sure that I will be so busy that I'll continue to be delinquent.

If you are interested in hearing more about Two-Bit Pictures, head on over to the site (just click on the link below or on the side of the page to the right) and check out what we've been up to and contact us with questions or comments. Thanks!

Two-Bit Pictures 

I shouldn't ever make promises on here...

Clearly I'm not up to blogging on a weekly basis, at least not when it is 48 Hour Film Project or Nutcracker season... and guess what! That's pretty much all year.

I've had a lot of good ideas float through my noggin and I've written them down but they are from so many months ago that I either can't remember what I meant or I am no longer invested in them.

So, from now on, I make no promises as to what I will or will not post, and especially when I will or will not post it.

Therefore, it isn't a promise when I say that I am working on a post about a current TV show that I am about 97% enjoying. Maybe 95% enjoying. Maybe less. I mean the TV show... not the post...

You'll (hopefully) see (soon).

I'm a Producer Now!

In less than a week I will be producing my first… anything. You are currently skimming over the blog of the Producer for the unwritten, uncast Two-Bit Pictures’ short “Unnamed 2011 Providence 48 Hour Film Project 4-7 Minute Movie”. (I really wish that I could have said that instead of writing it. It sounded so epic in my mind.)

That’s right; we’re at it again. Two-Bit Pictures is taking on another 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP) and this time it’s in Providence. Check out my previous entries about our Boston 48HFP adventure below (or start by clicking here!).

So, yup, less than a week away. By this time, the more experienced teams already have SAG actors ready and waiting (and plotting how they will sabotage each other in order to get the better roles), seasoned crew packing their gear (and then unpacking it and checking that they've got everything... and then repacking it), more than a handful of locations for shooting (w/the paperwork already filled out), a composer waiting (his or her fingers patiently waiting over the keys of their choice), and a full editing suite (the editor is already chained to the table with nothing but energy drinks, hostess cupcakes, and a bucket to pee in). They are also, of course, still turning away potential actors and other crew who then, in utter embarrassment or just depression (because these teams are just so awesome), commit whatever form of suicide best fits their occupation (actors will be dramatic about it and crew’s suicides usually have to do with gaff tape and electrical cords). (But seriously, people put a lot of time, planning, and effort into the 48HFP and in some cases teams really have to turn people away.)

We aren’t too far behind schedule and are much better off than we were the first time, before we really knew what we were getting in to. We have a schedule, set writers, a director, editor, Producer, and have set up Facebook groups for a Brainstorming session as well as working on the movie itself (which we did have for Boston but there is more info this time around). You can check out the links as well as more info about the Boston project here. We are still looking for help with brainstorming, actors, some places to shoot (working on it), and someone to do music, as well as other miscellaneous crew. Any help we can get is appreciated and you don’t necessarily need to be in the Providence/RI area to participate. Leave a comment below or visit our Facebook pages for more info.

How do I know so much, you ask? It's part of my job!... What is my job? Well, you should already know – I say it in the first sentence. Then again, I already accepted the fact that you are probably just skimming the post so you may have missed it. I’m the Producer! So what will I actually be doing? In the traditional sense the Producer is “the man”. He or she puts a lot of money, time, and effort into a project which correlates to them getting a lot of power over everyone. Over time more and more types of Producers started being used so the title of “Producer” can now mean a bunch of different things. Try Googling “Producer” or “What does a Producer do?” and you’ll get a ton of different definitions. Now-a-days one Producer may put in the money and get a studio to buy into the project, another Producer will take control of the creative aspects of the movie, another Producer will lead the day-to-day activities on the set, another may have control over the script, and another may help with disputes between cast, crew, the director, and the studio (and another…, and another…, and another… you get the point, right?).

So with all of these Producer definitions, which one do I fall under? Well, I’m not the team leader and I didn’t pay the entrance fee so I’m not the 1st kind. The creative aspects will be covered by our Director/Team Leader/Editor and Camera Operator/Cinematographer with ideas from others more than welcome so I’m not that kind either. I suppose that I may be a combination of the last two on my list; I’ll be the babysitter, getting everyone in the cast and crew whatever they need while making sure that the schedule is followed and things are getting done well. I’m sure that I’ll also be working crew and acting so maybe I will be more like that all-seeing, all-knowing Producer figure of legend…

Back to Producing I go! I've got a lot of spreadsheets to make and Fruit Roll-Ups to procure.

Two-Bit Pictures is Looking Forward: The Epilogue

I really do apologize for the long timeframe between posts as well as my loss of interest over that time. I planned for some more posts but I've missed some opportunities to write about other things along the way so here's the epilogue to my posts about "Looking Forward" so that we all can move on to bigger, better things.

Boston's winning movie: One Step Forward - It's good. Real good. But I think that once they show the "twist" they should end instead of continuing for a short time. Maybe I just figure out twists before most people so I wasn't supposed to get it until later. Watch and decide for yourself.

Other Boston Winners: Winners! - Everything from "Best Use of Character" to "Best Sex" to "Runner Up".

What's up next for Two-Bit Pictures? Well we're gearing up to work on the Providence 48HFP. The rules are the same, the place is different. And so are we. We've learned a lot and changed around our own format. We're taking cues from WPI's Alpha Psi Omega's 24 Hour Show (theatre) with how we incorporate costumes and props, we've come up with a schedule for shooting, and we've already established the major roles of Producer, Director, etc. We're still looking for all sorts of help so if you would like to participate please visit our Facebook page, our event pages (Providence & Brainstorming), or leave me a comment here and one of us will get back to you. Keep an eye out for a possible Call for Actors to come soon, too!

And what's next for me? Well, more writing, Producing, and blogging. Check back soon (hopefully) for some more posts about Two-Bit Pictures' road to the Providence 48HFP, what it's like to be a 1st time Producer, the magical things you can do with cheese, last season's TV finales, some movie reviews, and other TV, food, and entertainment "info".

(Also, feel free to check out some of my favorite links to the right and follow me on Twitter @Gouv.)

Two-Bit Pictures is Looking Forward: PART 6 - Welcome to the Big Screen

Seeing myself up on the big screen was both amazing and terrible. There was a moment of "ZOMG I'M ON THE BIG SCREEN!!!!!" followed by fear and uncomfortable awkwardness. I found very quickly that I hate watching myself act because I see every small detail, word, and action that I could have done/said better and it eats away at me. What made me feel even worse was the talent in the other movies.

Our film was second during our group showing. The film before ours was fun and a good way to start off the viewing. Ours came next and the three of us that could make it were ecstatic because, well, our first film was being shown on a full size theatre screen to people that chose to come to the show. After our movie there were a smattering of good movies and also some terrible ones. Most movies were funny, some were dramatic (both good and bad), and others were neutral even though they didn't mean to be.

I'm not saying that our movie is a masterpiece. You can check it out for yourself below. In fact, I'll wait until you've seen it to continue...

Now that you've seen it (or skipped ahead) let's continue. As I started to say before, our movie isn't a masterpiece. We had some short comings from the beginning and our skill set is smaller than we'd like but for not having an editing suite, a budget, or people dedicated to only one thing (writers acted, the producer directed and edited, etc.) we did a pretty great job. As I mentioned in previous posts we worked hard, had fun, and learned a lot of important things that we have already put into play in our latest endeavor (which I will mention in a quick post later).

For a first movie "Looking Forward" came out pretty well. Everyone was somewhat out of their comfort zone (for one we all do comedy and we tried to make a heartwarming drama), which is important to do when a group wants to expand their knowledge, but we managed to pull together and create something. Also, you can prepare for anything but you might not be prepared for everything. For instance, you can read up on camera angles, understand the lighting, get the shot you want, but the camera may have a silly setting that ends up ruining everything.

So please sit back, relax, and enjoy our movie (if you haven't already). I was going to dig into it more but sometimes you just have to let things be themselves. Feel free to leave comments on the Two-Bit Pictures Facebook or Youtube pages or right here. We can only get better by hearing what other people have to say (and practicing). Also, make sure to check out our bloopers! Enjoy!