Capital Gains

The diversity issue within the context of the Oscars nominations is a hot button topic that has caught the country's imagination over the past week. The passionate discussion has made some impact with the Academy recently announcing a new diversity initiative to help address this glaring issue. The focus of the conversation has extended from the habits and demographics of the  voting members of the Academy to the sharp insight from Wesley Morris who astutely points out the institutional racism found in studio campaigns for their Oscars contenders. I agree with and support these assessments, but there is a far more fundamental issue that both exists as a cause for these Oscars missteps and greatly reflects the prevailing attitude towards Black film in America. That issue is lack of access to capital. I immediately acknowledge that securing funding for a film for many filmmakers across the board is an incredibly tough task. This process is even more difficult for filmmakers who reside outside of the mainstream, which for the purpose of this post is defined as white, heterosexual males. And to be clear, this is not meant to bash or pile on mainstream filmmakers. The intent is to discuss why there isn't more of a representative balance of stories that are being made, supported and marketed to the American public. 

If you look at the the roster of Black films that have been at Sundance over the last few years you will notice a theme. None of these films have significant budgets. In fact, the majority, if not all, are made for under a million dollars. Some of these films are graduate school thesis films. If you look at the web series world, successful projects like Money and Violence are made on the cheap, but boast huge loyal audiences. The inane idea that there isn't enough talent that can create strong films and engage audiences is simply not true. These projects are maximizing their potential with limited resources. So why don't these filmmakers and others have the opportunity to secure larger budgets?

A lot of it comes down to the idea of the niche film. Many Black films aren't viewed as a part of the everyday American experience. They aren't viewed by some investors and studios as a common human experience. They're viewed as the "other." And when you are viewed as the "other" your marketing strategy is narrow, sales projections (domestic and especially international) are depressed and your perceived ability to make profit is limited. And if this is the prevailing perception of your film's potential the chances of getting investments are slim. This is where the social and ethnic prejudice truly comes in. Instead of being treated as an expansion of the American storytelling canon, these films are placed in a box where an investor can say nobody wants to see them. As a result, many films don't get the funding to be made and lose a chance to make an impact. The opportunity to go on a successful festival run, box office run or even an Oscars run is eliminated. 

If the filmmaking community at large is truly interested in diversifying then we need to focus on ways to increase financial investments in diverse stories. This demands a fundamental shift in perception of non mainstream narratives. The talent is certainly there. When will the money be there?

P.S. Feel free to replace Black film with Latino film, Asian film, LGBT film, etc.

Creativity Isn't Just For The Screen

Keep on pushin'. This has been my daily mantra for the past two weeks. I'm in the middle of my first director for hire project and it is a dream come true in many ways. It is merging my two favorite loves: sports and film. Before considering that I'm merging these two loves, the simple fact that I can write director for hire is a huge blessing. There are many incredibly talented and hard working filmmakers out there looking for a chance to be hired solely as a director where that opportunity has alluded them to his point. I'm aware of this and I'm humbled and thankful for the opportunity. This chance has also been a big learning experience that will only make me better.

The main lesson I've learned is the demand to be creative for things behind the scenes. I would say that 99% of the time our creativity is focused solely on what we see on the screen. I'm reminded going through this process that you need just as much creativity on the logistical side to even have a chance at being creative on the artistic side. This is especially true in work for hire because there are so many more variables that are out of your control that you still have to manage. You have contractual obligations. There are accounting departments. There could be insurance complications you have to work through. All of these factors demand a creative approach to negotiate in a successful manner. You have to be able to assess the situation, detail your options and make a decisive choice. Nobody is gonna care that you have to get insurance from three different places. No one watching your film is gonna care how you logistically navigated through a production day. The only thing the audience wants is entertainment and education. That is it. The one silver lining is these are skills that make you a strong director on the artistically as well. The key is understanding that your job isn't limited to the fun stuff.

Fortunately, I surrounded myself with a really good team that is dedicated to making this project the best it can be. This fact isn't a new discovery for me, but rather an affirmation of how important it is to collaborate with good natured, talented and hard working people. It doesn't matter if you're directing a work for hire, a personal passion project or a random YouTube video. Make sure that your team is strong and is dedicated to bringing your full vision to life. Good luck.

 

 

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Now Batting...Number 7

So I just ran across a picture of mine when I must have been three or four years old. In the picture I'm holding a wiffle ball bat and wearing a Yankees helmet (in the house mind you). Baseball is my number one love. It is the first thing that I fell for and it is the first thing that sparked my imagination. Looking at this picture I remembered the first daydream I ever had. I'm about to embarrass myself, but I don't care. When I was about six years old I made my mom buy me a catcher's mask. I loved catchers. They were the dopest players on the field because they had all of the catcher's gear, but the mask was my favorite. I would always guess if the catcher had a mustache or not when I would watch the game. If he had a mustache I hated him. I think I was drawn to the mask because I was painfully shy as a kid and I felt like you could hide behind it. I think that is the main reason why I loved Darth Vader as a kid (I also prefer villains over heros, but that is a different blog post). Anyway, I had this catcher's mask. I had a favorite vest that was grey, blue and red. And of course I had my Yankees hat and baseball glove. So every afternoon I would drag my babysitter Kim to the park. I wouldn't play with the other kids though. I wore my vest backwards like a chest protector, put on my mask, put on my glove and imagine I was the catcher for the Yankees and play a full blown game...by myself. So here I am squatting down and calling balls and strikes with a pitcher, hitter and umpire who didn't exist. I would go to the bench when my team was up at bat. I can't imagine what I looked like to the other kids. I know Kim sat far away from me in the park. I won the World Series every afternoon. I really thought at the time that I was gonna play in the major leagues, but what I didn't realize was that I was building the foundation for the love that came into my life later on: film. I wouldn't trade those games in for anything. It made me who I am. I still think I'm a champion. I owe it to my younger self to never let that dream go.

An Important Reminder

I've had a long, but incredible week. That doesn't happen very much. Long weeks have become the norm, but to have such an affirming, inspiring, exciting and eye opening one certainly is not. There were a lot of events and media coverage of Spike's new film Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. For those that don't know, I served as the editor on it. I was fortunate to be a part of some of this week's events and it has been humbling. I have been able to meet and reconnect with some wonderful, talented people while also forging some new relationships. I've also had the opportunity to share all of our hard work with the world, which is amazing. This week was also special because I witnessed my close friend Asaf Ganot's New York Fashion Week show for his fall/winter collection. Asaf asked me to shoot some backstage footage of the event. The creative energy and intensity was inspiring. It was educational. It set a standard. I've seen Asaf grow from a college student athlete to a professional basketball player to an innovative force in the fashion industry.

These moments are a great reminder of something that gets lost in the shuffle. The accomplishments and adulation are tremendous. It is why people pursue their passions, but the bigger thing may be the journey. I've reflected quite a lot this week and marveled at how the process has produced so many great things on so many levels. It makes us better people. It makes us better artists. It fosters larger communities comprised of people of all backgrounds and personal stories. The journey is the big payoff and I'm appreciative that this week reminded me of that.

A Filmmaker's Thoughts on Ferguson

As all of you know, the grand jury's decision on the Michael Brown case was announced a few days ago. It was devastating, but expected. I believe Officer Darren Wilson murdered Michael Brown. I believe Darren Wilson should be behind bars. My beliefs have no bearing on his fate or that of Michael's family. I also believe that I have a responsibility to do something about this injustice. Some have taken to the streets and some have taken to social media. I must take it to film. And I don't mean making a movie about the case (of course that is always an option). This decision is a reminder of what my role is as a filmmaker. My intent is to question, challenge and engage mass audiences. My role as a director is to depict humanity in all of its honesty, complexity, beauty and conflict. And to be clear, I do not just mean for black people. I have had the privilege to share experiences with all types of people both domestically and internationally. I am by no means a cultural expert, but my world view is shaped by relationships with many great people and some not so great people. With that said, I refuse to stereotype and exploit who we are, but I do accept presenting the various facets of who we are. I assume the responsibility of wielding this influence with great care. I want to use my talents in a way that combat damaging depictions of people in mainstream media. I want to explore why people behave the way they do with the hopes of others getting a better understanding of one another. I want the world to be better and my contribution is through this dope medium of film. I hope you all continue to have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend. Let's strive to be better. pamsson_logo

Omar Benson Miller: The Creative Fix

randyomar There are times when you meet a person and you know instantly they're going to have a big impact on your life for a long time. Omar Benson Miller is one of those people. I had the pleasure of working with Big O on the set of Miracle at St. Anna in Italy back in 2007. With the position I held on set, I was able to work with Omar pretty intimately so a friendship was born away from the camera. The things that impress me the most about him is his passion for the craft, his business sense, intelligence and humor. Simply put, Omar is the total package.

I had a chance to attend a screening for an episode of Omar's new show on the Esquire Network entitled "Weekend Fix." It is a dope travel show for millennials. Omar and his friend Andres, travel the country and build their weekend itineraries through social media interaction. You can see an episode of it here. What I took the most out of the viewing was how much effort and dedication Omar put into seeing his vision executed and distributed. We worked together on a pilot for another show that ran into a lot of roadblocks along the way. It had great potential, but the timing and situation wasn't right. To see him push through that setback and end up with something just as strong with the full commitment from an up and coming network is inspiring. The room for the screening was packed and the positive energy was evident. Omar didn't allow his creative spirit to be deterred and he ended up with a fantastic product with cherished experience. His perseverance has now put him in a position where he can build a strong brand AND pursue even greater artistic endeavors. It just goes to show that character is just as important as talent. Salute and congrats to Big O. 

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Is It Good? Yes. Is It Great? ...

I hope this post finds you all well. With the great fortune that I've had professionally over the last year; I wanted to share some of the things I have learned because I believe it can make all of us better filmmakers, artists and people. As some of you may know, my career has taken a major turn over the last year. Since last October, I have served as one of Spike Lee's editors on numerous projects including "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus," "Katt Williams: Priceless" and most recently "What Is The Triangle? A Spike Lee Orange and Blue Skies Joint." What I thought would be awesome to discuss is the ways in which you can take something that is good and turn it into something better, even great. I'm not offering a guarantee of course, but I am dropping a challenge. Will you do the things necessary to squeeze everything out of your project and yourself? This challenge isn't just for you, but myself as well. Lord knows, I need to get better with every project. Let's see where we end up. I used to believe that being great was achievable strictly on talent. You are either born with the ability to be great or you're not. I've realized in the past year that this is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. The first lesson learned is the sheer amount of labor and commitment it takes to maximize whatever it is you're working on. You can never be satisfied in the development process. You have to be meticulous and honest. Honest in the sense that if something isn't working you can't be married to it. You have to be willing to find a better solution and grind away until you find one.

One example is when I cut "Katt Williams: Priceless." Spike shot with eight cameras so the options were plenty. Being a young editor, working on my first project with so many cameras and working on a comedy special my natural tendency was to think on a macro level. What camera angle is the best for this part of the show and how long do I stay on it to help set up and deliver a joke? That makes sense right? Well, I quickly learned screening with Spike that you had to think on a Macro AND Micro level. What is going on in the corners of the frame, what is going on with the camera movement, how many times have we seen this angle in this amount of time. All of these factors mattered when making a decision on what we were going to see on the screen. It took a couple weeks repeatedly looking at the SMALL things before we arrived at a point where we exhausted all of the available footage. Looking back on it, I did a pretty good job at the beginning, but that meticulous attention to detail is what made it way better.

We all need to ask ourselves, have I done enough to make this as strong as this can be. Have I committed to it enough? Have I given myself enough TIME to see it all the way through? These are critical things we have to ask ourselves while we're thinking about visual strategies, budgets, marketing, fame and fortune. Have you thought about them enough?

Let me know what you think in the comments. I would love to hear from you all.

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Da Sweet Blood of Randy

"What we can tell you is that it’s an artistic, cinematic experience by a genius movie director and completely open to interpretation. Suffice to say in this film, which is beautifully shot by Dan Patterson, meticulously edited by Randy Wilkins and wonderfully scored, its “less sacrilegious to drink blood, than to spill it...." - Black Enterprise, June 2014

 

What a journey the last ten months have been for me. Last August, I was an assistant editor working feverishly on Spike Lee's Mike Tyson Undisputed Truth while working equally as hard on a Seed and Spark crowdfunding campaign to raise money for our web series Docket 32357. Fast forward to today and I am the editor on Spike's new film Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, while our web series has premiered online (see it here) receiving wonderful feedback from the public. I feel like I've matured by ten years in ten months. I can't really describe what I'm feeling at the moment because I am still in the middle of a whirlwind. I never thought my name would be mentioned in a film review by Black Enterprise for editing a legend's film. I quote honestly never thought I would create web based material allowing folks to binge watch a story that I love so much. It just goes to show how far persistence, hard work and commitment can get you. I hope the trend continues upward. I want to increase my impact and I want to inspire. I want to be a standard for artists and the general public. I feel really good about things right now and I feel even better that I'm surrounded by wonderfully talented people who push me every day. I hope you all get a chance to check out Da Sweet Blood of Jesus  when it hits theaters and check out the Docket 32357 Web Series now!

Indiana Made wins an EMMY!

Last summer, Jeff Pinilla and I went on a research shoot to convince Jeff's bosses at PIX 11 in NYC that buying a RED camera would be beneficial for the creative services department. The shoot was simple. We would drive around various neighborhoods in the city and capture the architecture, people and details of the areas. We were under the impression we had the whole day to drive around and capture footage. It turned out that we only had an hour to get all of this done. Despite the time crunch, we captured some great stuff and figured we had a good shot at a successful pitch. What came out of it was more than I ever imagined. Jeff turned the footage into an impromptu spot for PIX entitled "New York Perspective." He wrote a beautiful script to accompany the visuals and the promo ran almost nonstop. The success of Perspectives caught the attention of the creative team at FOX 59 in Indiana. They were looking to create a dynamic campaign that connected their news team with the people of Indianapolis and the surrounding towns. Jeff and I spent a week in Indy capturing the beauty of the people and the city. What we ended up with was a spot named "Indiana Made."

I'm really happy to share the news that Indiana Made is the winner of a 2013 local Emmy. I never thought I would be considered for an Emmy, let alone a recipient of one. To be honest, the idea  never crossed my mind. It is a wonderful accomplishment that I am proud to achieve. It was just as special to work with the great people in Indy: Michael Brouder, Andrew Witham and Shelby Simpson. It was a pleasure working with you guys. If you want to see the promo along with New York Perspective you can click here.

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Lessons from Small Packages

Sundance, Atlanta, Cleveland, Austin, New Orleans, Raindance, Hamptons, Chicago International, Seattle Shorts, Anchorage and Miami Shorts. My daily commute begins and ends with the NYC Express Bus. On most days, it takes me about an hour and a half to get to where I need to go from when I leave my house to when I arrive at my destination. This bus ride is when I usually try my best to shut down and free my mind of any stress, issues or thoughts. It is my peace time. There was one ride a couple of weeks ago that was definitely out of the ordinary.

The list of cities mentioned above represent film festivals that chose not to program my short film Docket 32357 . I hopped on the bus knowing that I didn't get into one of the festivals and I was a little frustrated. I thought the film was a good option for their program based on their past editions. So I hop on the bus and there are two young kids sitting next to one another. You can tell that they're excited to be taking a ride. I'm not in the best of moods because of the rejection and these two kids are getting louder and louder. They're disrupting my Randy time. Not only did my film not get into the festival, but now I have to hear these two kids oooh and aaaahh at every thing that they saw passing by in the window. And that was when I found the beauty in the moment. These two boys were excited by things that adults take for granted. The shadows cast on the bus created by tunnels. The construction site that is creating a new building. The large 18 wheeler truck that was carrying supplies to its destination. They were enamored by all of it. That was when I realized that it isn't the end of the world to be rejected by a film festival. The point is that I'm doing pretty well even with these setbacks. I am creating. I had the strength to pursue something that I love with all the risks involved. I've overcome numerous setbacks and roadblocks that have appeared. I understand that this all a part of the endgame and while it sucks in the moment it is exactly that: a moment. There is more time and opportunities to pursue. When the next rejection comes I'll accept it, learn how I can get better and attack the next chance.  The laughter from those two boys not only put a smile on my face, but it also put things in perspective and I thank them for that.

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Docket 32357 is an Official Selection of the Dam Short Film Festival!

Dam Short Laurel JPEG I'm proud to announce that our short film "Docket 32357" is an Official Selection of the 2013 Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City, Nevada! This is our first festival screening for the New Year and I'm really proud to be a part of this wonderful festival. It takes place February 6-9. Congrats to the cast and crew and thank you everyone that has supported the project.

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Outgrowing The Shell On The Island

I returned home from the beautiful island of Nassau a couple days ago following the screening of "Docket 32357" at the 9th Annual Bahamas International Film Festival. Besides having the opportunity to experience the film's international premiere in 80 degree weather, I looked at the festival as a chance to work on my networking skills. The past couple of months have reinforced the old lesson that your ability to progress in the entertainment industry really does lie with who you know. Talent, craft and hard work are important elements, but you really need to have a substantial network to allow those other pieces to flourish. I am naturally a quiet and introverted guy. Part of being introverted is the natural instinct to only speak when you find it absolutely necessary. That can be a great thing, but also a hindrance when you need to build relationships with people that you don't know. Reminders about the previously mentioned lesson popped in my head and I decided to be active in taking advantage of the potential opportunities the festival offered to expand my network. I made the right decision. The comforts of being on an island made it possible for me to speak with great people in a relaxed environment. It felt natural to approach people and discuss a variety of topics that didn't necessarily involve film. It was liberating to be honest. I felt for one of the few times in my early career I was truly taking advantage of what a film festival can offer. I'm pretty proud of myself and I'm also thankful. I'm hoping that this is a sign of growth that I can take with me to future events. It is an admitted weakness of mine that I am determined to strengthen. Only positive things can come out of it and I need all the positives I can get.

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"Trying To Be Free...Is A Political Struggle"

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/53939130 w=600&h=337] (h/t to Basso Media)

As I'm thinking about how to construct this post I'm discovering that this is essentially an external continuation of a conversation I have in my head at least once a day. I came across this El-P interview with Basso Magazine and felt that he was echoing the thoughts and feelings that I sometimes struggle to put into neat little words. For those of you that aren't familiar with El-P he is a legendary, innovative and groundbreaking producer who started his career on the NYC hip hop scene with the amazing Company Flow rap group in the mid 90's. Company Flow knocked down the doors and changed the game. El-P went on to man the record label Def Jux and continue on a stellar path with a solo career. Simply put, El-P is on my Mt. Rushmore of inspirational artists.

What I found really engaging about this interview is the idea of freedom as an artist and the consequences that come along with reaching for it. In writing my feature script, "The Gunnery," freedom has emerged as the main theme of the narrative. I'm understanding more and more that this is a reflection of my own quest for that. In watching El-P's interview, it dawned on me that I'm searching for the freedom to think independently of the status quo or beyond the initial impression people get when they come across a particular topic. The funny thing is that I think I've done that my whole life, but with the onslaught of social media and immediate, often irrational, reactions I feel like part of that has been lost. In many cases, I see myself in the minority of how I interpret certain issues when compared to other viewpoints. I seem to generally have a non-mainstream approach to various things like popular films, politics and even sports. This becomes a tougher thing to navigate through when you place it in a social media context. Often times rather than having a conversation where diverse opinions are discussed it becomes a pissing contest or an exercise in demonizing the other person. I do want to make it clear this doesn't happen with everyone, but it takes place more than it should.  I want to be challenged rather than on the defensive. But when in watching the interview I'm reminded that this is the reason I pursued filmmaking. It is a sanctuary to place a thought in the world and hopefully inspire engaging, meaningful dialogue and possibly beneficial action. The very act of offering your voice to the world is an act of freedom and one that can't be taken for granted. There is a need for people to see diverse viewpoints. My hope is that I offer an uncensored, honest and intelligent one that pushes the conversation rather than detracts from it. There are few things more liberating than that.

Please watch the interview. It's dope and insightful and maybe you can check out some of El-P's work herehere, and here .

Docket 32357 Screens at Inaugural IBFFN Online Festival!

The International Black Film Festival of Nashville is stepping into the online world for this year's installment of the festival. We are honored to announce that Docket 32357 is a part of this historic lineup. The festival runs from Thursday, December 13 - Sunday, December 16. Docket will be screening ALL DAY on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15th. I will post more details about the screening (i.e. link, pricing, etc.) as soon as I receive it. Being that this is an online festival you will be able to check the film out wherever you are through your computer, ipad or cell phone. It will run all day  Saturday with an encore screening the next day at a specific time slot. Please take the time out to see the film. I will have more information soon. Thanks.

Docket 32357 Screens at Imagenation's Sangria Sundays

I apologize for not being as active with the blog lately, but I have been putting most of my writing energy towards my feature script "The Gunnery." I wanted to bring you all up to date with future screenings of Docket 32357. If you are in the NYC area during Thanksgiving weekend, please come out to Imagenation's Sangria Sundays in Harlem for a featured screening of the film. The event is at Raw Space, 2031 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. (bet. 121st & 122nd Sts.), New York, NY 10027 on NOVEMBER 25TH from 3-7pm. Here is an example of a past Sangria Sunday event: http://imagenation.us/ai1ec_event/sangria-sundays/?instance_id=55425. The tickets are $5 for admission and that comes with a complimentary glass of Sangria or Sorrell. So please come out, be in good company, have a drink and check out Dockt 32357 to end your holiday weekend. I hope to see you there!

Thank you Docket 32357

Eljon Wardally. Jessica K. Brown.

Tara Gadomski.

Ashley Denise Robinson.

Kiel Perry.

Jeff Pinilla.

Blair Doroshwalther.

Sauniell Connally.

Ryan Denmark.

Kia M. Neal.

Jonathan Altman.

These wonderful talents, along with many others, have allowed "Docket 32357" to achieve success on the festival circuit in a relatively short amount of time. With our latest acceptance, the film has now reached ten selections. This landmark means a great deal to me. Docket was created because I wanted to keep my directorial skills sharp and I wanted to remain relevant to various film audiences. Eljon wrote a strong piece and it provided an opportunity to achieve those two goals. My hope was that our film would play in a couple festivals nationwide and showcase the talents of everyone involved. Now I can say with confidence that my expectations have been exceeded. It feels good when your work has an opportunity to be shown in front of diverse audiences that you haven't had a chance to engage with in the past. It is also satisfying because our determination to overcome numerous challenges is being rewarded by the overwhelming positive responses the film has received. I was a little concerned when I first took on the project because it is a simple premise in one location. But that concern dissipated when I trusted the talent around me and had faith that the audience will be engaged if we told the story with quality and care. Docket 32357 reminds me of why I love being a filmmaker. The adrenaline rush of being on set and the excitement of interacting with moviegoers. It is addictive. I wouldn't want it any other way.

Docket 32357 is an Official Selection of the Bahamas International Film Festival!

We are making our international debut of Docket 32357! Actually, this is my first opportunity to screen any film of mine outside of the continental United States so this is pretty special. We have been selected for the Bahamas International Film Festival in December. In addition to being a part of a great festival, I am happy to be a part of the program because I met Executive Director, Leslie Vanderpool, in 2005 at the old 40 Acres and A Mule office while interning on Inside Man. She mentioned the festival and it was always one I wanted to have a film in. Now I have that opportunity and who doesn't like watching films while hanging out on the beach? I can't wait for this one. If you're looking for a quick vacation in the sun come down to Nassau and hang out with us.

The Audience Rises: Heroes for All

So earlier this morning I had the pleasure to see the final installment of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Before moving forward I have to admit that I am a comic book and Batman fan so I come from a specific perspective. I thought the movie was amazing and was the best of the three films. In my eyes, the strength of the movie lives in the emotional arcs Nolan allows his characters to experience in the context of a social/political/action film. He is able to do this while making his protagonist appear real and grounded. Bruce Wayne  isn't a cartoon character, but rather a man. This is a difficult thing to pull off for a director when you're at the helm of a highly successful Hollywood franchise. This got me thinking about the state of opportunities for independent filmmakers. I've read social media conversations, interviews and articles where independent filmmakers, both aspiring and established, talk about the saturation of comic book movies in hollywood and the seeming connection to fewer chances for filmmakers to create varying content. The director in me tends to generally agree with this sentiment and I do believe it is valid to an extent. But the fan in me has a problem with this assessment. Although I didn't have any intention of being a director when I was a kid; I LOVED going to the movies because it took me to places I wouldn't be able to go to in real life. I was and still am an avid reader and enjoyed being taken to Narnia or Cybertron or Gotham City as a child. It excited and inspired me. This was important for my development. I think the world needs films like The Dark Knight Rises. It reinforces the fact that everyday people can be heroes. That we don't need superpowers to make the world a better place.  It is ok for everyday people to see themselves as heroes from time to time. And while these films dominate one particular market, the super hero/comic book genre isn't a monolithic entity that renders it impossible for other types of films to be seen by the world. I think there is room for all types of films and the stories they are depicting. In my mind, the more great storytelling audiences can choose from the better off we all are.

Hollyshorts accepts Docket 32357!

I'm proud to announce that Docket 32357 is an Official Selection of the 8th Annual Hollyshorts Film Festival in Los Angeles, California! Hollyshorts is a fantastic festival and I'm really excited the film is a part of it. The dates are August 9th-16th and we will announce the screening dates and times when they are available. I hope to see some of you in LA!

“Idle dreaming is often of the essence of what we do”

I came across this quote when reading Tim Kreider's New York Times blog post entitled The 'Busy' Trap. I don't think I've read a more impacting article in years. Kreider is suggesting that the whole "I'm busy" phenomenon is a result of people privately fearing that most of what we do in life doesn't amount to much and we don't want people in on that secret. After reading, I'm ready to admit that I fall victim to this. I'm not sure it's because I don't value what I'm doing, but I don't want people to think I'm not working towards my big goals. In general, I'm not really concerned about what people think about me, but for some reason I do care if people know that I'm working my ass off. I worry that I'll lose the respect of people that I care for and appreciate if I actually told them "I'm not doing shit but watching TV and playing softball all day." I wanted those people to be comfortable knowing that I put in a full day's worth of writing, planning, executing and growing. And the reality is that ain't happening every day. Kreider's article showed me that I was projecting way more than necessary. There are days where I am literally doing nothing and privately don't feel bad about that. Then I realize that in those moments great ideas pop up. I've made discoveries about ways to improve my script, new ideas for films or other projects and oddly found things that make me productive (like blogging more). I guess what I'm trying to say is that allowing yourself the opportunity to be idle at times is actually a form of being productive much like what Kreider suggests. Making headway in your own production doesn't have to be found in the projections you give others, but rather what actually works best for you. It's OK to enjoy life and in turn life rewards you with new things to work on.

I feel liberated in a way.

Now let me get to this damn script.