Friday, September 29, 2006

this is an audio post - click to play

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Our trailer

Here's the trailer for STRINGERS. In the actual movie, I make a camera "move" that embarrasses me EVERY time I see it. So, I included it in the trailer because I like feeling lame. See if you can spot it!!

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Bad sandwich turns great

This story has a Shyamalan ending....stay tuned....

When I'm feeling stressed out or on the run, there's a deli right by the freeway here that has the BEST tuna sandwich. Not too much mayo, no celery and lots of fun little chunks in there like green and black olives and maybe pickles. It's like someone who really likes chewing antipasto barfed in your tuna...but in a good way. So today I was running late to work after my directing class and I was starved so I went to the deli. Unbeknownst to me, they sold it and now there's an apparently very nice Middle Eastern Family running the joint.

It was pretty funny in hindsight because usually there's a bevvy of slacker punks making sandwhiches, looking hungover and trying to act like they give a shit. When I rolled in I was like, "Oh, they hired a hispanic lady for the deli. Oh...wait...Middle Eastern...oh wait, they never come in ones...wait...Oh man, I think someone sold the deli." Then I saw an older guy stocking stuff, a middle aged guy moving a shelf...sure enough, they sold the deli. While I harbor no ill will towards immigrants owning a deli, I feared the worst for my tuna sandwich. But the lady took my order and I was kindly and promptly rang up.

I got in my car and laid out the chips, napkins, diet coke and packaged sandwich on the passenger seat so I could eat and drive "safely." I opened the sammy. The tuna looked O.K. BUT...she made my sandwich with the heel of the bread! THE HEEL!! Ugh!!! I hate the heel. Ugh. But, I was late and hungry and truth me told, it was O.K. Just O.K. A little bready though. Not enough martini olives. Safe to say, I won't be back.



So I roll on to work listening to Wilco Live at the Ryman Autotorium and when I get to the point where I have to go over a mountain to get to work (I shit you not), I turn off my phone. I cruise while eating, get to the downside and turn my phone on. There's a message from John at the Austin Film Festival. Austin, Texas that is. Land I love. Cheap beer, BBQ....music. I think I forgot to mention I entered the short documentary I made into the fest.

Normally, I think, they don't call to tell you that you didn't get in. Such was the case here. The movie I made with my buddy John GOT INTO THE AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL!!!!! I'm so freeking PSYCHED! I'll write more later but just wanted to share with the 4 of you that I got my film into the documentary shorts competition at the Austin Film Festival!!!!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Get 'em Keith!


I always loved Keith Olbermann when he was on ESPN. When he made the switch to MSNBC, I lost track of him. Lately I tuned in here and there because Randi Rhodes on Air-America speaks so highly of him and I noticed the guy is like....a better John Stewart.

Don't get me wrong, I love John Stewart and "The Daily Show." But a 30 minute show really doesn't give you mush time to delve into topics in a deep way. Yet Olbermann steadfastly refuses to let the right slap him around (much like Stewart) and he's got an hour to do it with. "Countdown" is a better news show than "The Daily Show" as well. Olbermann is every bit as funny, smug, assured and liberal as Stewart, but he also can get serious. For instance, this here.

That is some Edward R. Murrow type stuff right there. Last night, Olbermann took umbrage with G.W. Bush for saying something to the effect of how Americans should "never even think our morals are aligned with those of terrorists." While it would be nice if Americans were not terrorists, Olbermann's point and I agree is that...as Americans we are totally allowed to "think" whatever we want. Bush disagrees. It's an excellent point.

I just wanted to encourage people to start watching Olbermann because he's going to start getting backlash really, really soon. And if what he's done so far is any indication, he won't take it sitting down. You don't want to miss it!

Monday, September 11, 2006

In remembrance of 9/11





As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
Theres one thing I wanna know:
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?

And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

cause each time I feel it slippin away, just makes me wanna cry.
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?

So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.

cause each time I feel it slippin away, just makes me wanna cry.
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?
Whats so funny bout peace love & understanding?

Monday, September 04, 2006

I'm not hungover, I'm exhausted from drinking all night...

I went to my inlaws Friday/Saturday and Sunday...I borrowed some money from them and in order to pay them back, I needed to paint their shed. I really dislike painting so it wasn't much fun. They live in a beautiful house in the mountains, but I get like...island fever when I'm there. When we got home last night, I needed to go out and blow off some steam.

I went to Dempsey's and saw some friends. My buddy Thom and I made up a new song, it's called "Chuck D's in Love." Look for it in stores this Christmas season. After spending a few hours at Dempsey's, my buddy Marc and I went to the local dive bar to see our friends band play. They were actually really good! My friend Dimitri is a great drummer, but you never know how your buddies band will be. You can check out their site HERE. I took these photos at the bar and really don't remember it. Also, I did NOT drink those shots....the people next to me did.






Friday, September 01, 2006

Random



My August has been star-studded and it ended with a bang yesterday, in Calistoga of all places. I rolled into work around Noon and noticed a film crew at the corner store. It felt kind of good to recognize a film crew and say little jargony things to myself. "Oh look, they have some huge C-Stands and a bunch of stingers all in that one outlet...that can't be good." Then I remembered David Fincher (dude who directed SE7EN and other great stuff) has been in and around Napa shooting his new flick on the Zodiac killer. I immediately thought that he could be there and debated on going in to look around. Alas, I had to pee really, really bad and I was starving. So, I decided to push forth into work.

Later, on my way home, I noticed they were still there. I wanted a big ole Coke anyway, so I went in. They were holding people at the door and I'm talking 10-15 people who just got off work. The store is also a cheap gas station so there were some pissed people who just wanted to go home. I felt kinda bad for the PA who was holding people from going in, I've been there. Plus, it seemed bad form to keep filming at the busiest time of the day. I hung out and discovered the film was just some indie job, no David Fincher.

I went in and got my soda and there was the star du jour! John Ratzenberger! Cliff Clavin! Hamm the Piggy Bank! Here he was in Calistoga. I also spotted the director and it brought my Clavin sighting to a dead stop. Here was this typical L.A. hipster douchebag yelling out crap like, "lets strike the lamps over there and take ten. I'm hitting the honey wagon." He had on aviator glasses, a long sleeved cowboy shirt (it was easily 95 degrees yesterday) and mussed up hair. And faded jeans. I mean, come on. Do you really need to look that way in order to be a director? Can't you bring it down a notch when you're in rural wine country?

As I paid for my soda, I remembered every wannabe douchbag I've met at festivals over the years. They all came flooding back. It really annoyed me and I don't know why. I guess I'd just prefer to let the work speak rather than try to look cool.