Starting Fresh...from the Past

About a week ago, I was presented with a challenge to write a story that I haven't touched since I graduated from college back in 1994.  At the time when I wrote the script, I experienced a lot of things that happened almost back to back.  I lost a potential lucrative job offer over fear of the unknown.  I saw co-worker die moments after talking to him a few minutes prior...which led me to write (and eventually co-produce my feature film, RECOIL) a script that forced me to deal with that fateful day.  I almost lost myself to fear back in the day because once I came out of school, I was too scared to move forward with anything.  I wanted to stay in my "comfort zone." But in doing so, I missed out on so many opportunities that I still regret to this very day.

Which brings me to the present...

I am afraid, once again of change, of the unknown, of new things.  I just graduated from Full Sail recently with a new Master's Degree under my belt.  However, the still same old fears continue to rear their heads. Most recently, I was given a challenge to re-write a story that I really didn't want to touch because it reminded me of the turmoil that I dealt with graduating from college with a Bachelor's Degree.  Now, I've started the re-writing process of the story and it has now begun to have a life of its own, the more words that I feed into it.  The challenge for me is to embrace the unknown and stop being so fearful of it. As a result, the story is still in its infancy, but I can see the potential for it to be greater than what it ever was when I initially wrote the story.  All I have to do is overcome my fear of shortcomings, and stop being my own worst enemy to move forward into the future.

Onto the next episode....

Reality TV or Reality Bulls#!$#!

I was reading an article earlier this afternoon that caught my attention regarding “reality TV”.  What I was referring to was the “wedding” of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries.  The article can be found on celebs.gather.com. http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980759270

Quite a few viewers felt duped by the reality TV star and for good reason.  Shortly after wedding was televised, within 72 days, she filed for divorce from the NBA star.  With what she did, a lot of people felt like she treated marriage like a “bad business deal” with which a lot of people in this country hold marriage in high regards.    My take on this matter is when “enough is enough” with reality TV.  Kim Kardashian’s former publicist also said that the wedding was a “fake”.  As far as I’m concerned, the wedding should have never been televised, let alone gone through.  She’s basically sending out the message that you can marry someone, and if you don’t like them, you can cancel the deal. Move on.  NEXT!

 It's bulls#$@ but it's sadly turning into the truth.

My opinion is this, in this “throwaway” society that we live in, the depiction of a lavish wedding is just that, for show.  She has proven that with the broadcast of her “wedding.”  Its getting to the point that “reality TV” has to be fabricated to garner larger rating numbers, which again doesn’t make any kind of sense. Which also begs the question, “Is anything sacred” these days?  I have written about realty TV before in my blog and how its taking away from quality TV with its programming.  I have to admit that I do watch some reality shows on cable.  But usually, those fall under the shows that involve food, fixing up a house, or learning tips on fixing up cars (and lets throw in Pawn Stars for good measure).  But the shows like Jerseylicions, and other shows I’m not going to mention where the women can be quite “catty” towards one another is a bit annoying after a while. But hey that’s only my opinion, everyone else is entitled to theirs. 

Lastly, I would hope that after this Kardashian wedding fiasco, that TV and cable channels will start looking at “quality” creative programming again instead of looking into someone else’s life.  No one wants to pay attention to the messes in their own lives, but at the same time are willing to look at someone else’s to avoid dealing with theirs. 

Peace.  

Throwing Money at the Problem…

This past weekend, I just watched the Green Lantern movie for the first time and I saw where the $200 million went in the making of the film.  Honestly, I didn’t think that the movie was that bad to the point those critics had to bash it.  At the same time, I saw that the movie could have been “tightened up” to make a better product.  All the money that they spent on the film, a good chunk of it went to advertising, especially after seeing the ads and displays all over Century City (here in Los Angeles for example), which I thought was a waste because there were parts of the film that could have been done differently instead of wasting quite a bit of money on it.  I understand about promotions and everything, however I feel that some of the money could have been used more on development to get it “right.”   Basically, Green Lantern could have been a lot better, and would have launched the DC Comics properties like Marvel has done with their stable of characters (like Iron Man, Thor, etc…) but they came up short in the story department.  A good chunk of money that was spent on the advertising could have been used to hire more writers to come in and rewrite certain parts of the film to “tighten up” certain elements, and then do away with other parts of it that didn’t seem right or that were a bit forced to a degree.  Not to give away any “spoilers,” but certain parts, if they were written properly, would have given the movie an edge instead of just throwing them in there for the movie’s sake.  I remember watching Spider-Man 3 a few years back, and basically, a super-villain, Venom (a major Spider-Man baddie), was “shoe-horned” and didn’t get that much screen time (much to my dismay), and yet again they spent quite a bit of money on it, and it was a success, it left a bad taste in my mouth as a film goer.  Just because the big studios throw a lot of money at a project, doesn’t mean that the film is going to be any good.  I always go by the adage, “what looks good on paper, doesn’t mean it’s going to look good on film.”  What I can add in there is what looks good by spending a whole lot of money, doesn’t mean that it’s going to “glitter” on the big screen, either. 

My advice is simple…

Keep the story tight and cohesive, and then, and then maybe then the money that is spent would be well worth it, not only to the filmmakers, but also to the movie-going public.   Don’t insult them by spending too much, to say “its gold-looking” and all it turns out to be “lead” on the big screen.  

Business Plan Thoughts...

In reference to my instructor's questions for my business plan...

I would incorporate the originality of the website’s content as a major selling point for my business plan.  Now that we are living in a digital / information – heavy era, it would be in my best interests to present my “best foot forward” in my business plan.  The real emphasis I would also incorporate is the immediacy of the content.  The consumer can come to the website, and experience something that he or she may have not seen before in that capacity, but at the same time attempt to them involved in the content, so that they would want to come back for more.  One of the specific changes I would make is to have the website “user-friendly.”  I’ve seen too many times in the past when people have websites, they would be frustrated trying to get to the content in which they would seek.  Simplicity would be the key. 

The sections of my business plan I think will be the most important are when I launch the website with the digital content, keeping up the content when it is launched, and then having the funds coming in efficiently so that I can pay back the investors.  The content of the website, HubbNubb Productions is going to be the key factor in having the revenue come in.  The content involving the stories and its interactive content has to be tightly written, and edited properly, in both artistically.

Otherwise, I think that website for the digital content would be a waste of time for them to look at and they will move on to other websites before giving HubbNubb Productions the benefit of the doubt.  The revenue that will be generated, not only will enable HubbNubb Productions to pay back its loan from the investor (or investors if it’s more than one), but the revenue will also be the “lifeblood” of HubbNubb Productions that will keep it going.  

Taking Action and Planning Afterwards...

The two investors that I chose to write about in my blog are Patti Brotherton and Chuck Blakemen.  The reason that I chose the two to talk about is because they remind me of my wife and myself, respectively. 

Patti Brotherton, a prominent real estate agent, prides herself on writing down her goals for the future after each year that passes.  In that way, she set herself up for continued success and adding to that with the extra wisdom and experience that she has gained throughout the course of each progressive year.  My wife is a lot like that because she choses to write out her goals on getting things accomplished and goes after the smaller goals until they lead to and ultimately accomplish the bigger ones.

Day to day, my wife creates a list on the things that need to be done in order to run our household smoothly.  But along the way there are always, “hiccups” or “obstacles” that seem to deter her or myself from the path that she creates from making out plans.  She always goes by the motto, “Those fail to plan, plan to fail.”  Patti Brotherton and wife seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to these kind of things stating, “In order to get going, you need to plan your day and get out of your chair and take action” (Brotherton, 2003).  The key idea for Brotherton is planning.

On he other hand, Chuck Blakeman reminds me of myself when it comes to handling business.  He believes in “stepping out” and handling your business goal and making things happen and become a reality.  The reason that I say this is because I operated like that when I shot first feature film and didn’t want anyone telling me what could or couldn’t do.

As a result, I got the feature film shot, but I learned a lot of hard lessons along the way.  I went in without a plan (with the exception of the script and shooting schedule), and got sidetracked on things I could control, and then there were the issues that I couldn’t control. 

With that being said, I noticed upon reviewing Chuck Blakeman’s website, I liked hi analogy of “pictures vs. films”.  Being a filmmaker I agree with his statement, but what really caught my attention is what he said, “is to see trends, not numbers.” (Blakemen, 2011) and those individuals would have to “look at the whole movie to get an idea of what they are saying” (Blakemen, 2011).   Meaning, don’t just look at certain parts, try to look at the whole picture and with that look at each element to make a sound decision when creating and executing your business plans.  The key idea is execution.

I agree with both Brotherton and Blakeman because they both have opposing, but mutual goals of getting things done when action is taken.  It’s just that they go about getting things done differently.  I believe that making a plan (allowing room for error) and taking action is the key to creating a successful business.

Lastly, the statement that Blakeman mentioned on his website made the most sense, “Watch the movies of your business to see how you’re doing and you’ll have the confidence to keep going…” (Blakeman, 2011).  Additionally, Chuck Blakeman made valid point stating, “It’s not that we shouldn’t plan, but that we should plan more after we’re already moving and less before we move” (Blakeman, 2010).  Chuck’s statement resonates with the both the philosophy of making plans and starting and running a business.  Taking action is the key.

References

Blakeman, C. (2011) Retrieved from: http://chuckblakeman.com/2011/9/texts/stop-looking-at-your-numbers

Blakeman, C. (2010) www.mulliganspeakers.com.  Retrieved from: http://www.mulliganspeakers.com/pages/blakeman_topics.html

Brotherton, P. (2003) Realty Times, “The Number One Rule – Prospect!” Retrieved from: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20030117_prospect.htm

Get the F%$# over it Already! It’s George Lucas’ Star Wars, Not Yours!

With the advent of George Lucas releasing yet another version of the Star Wars saga, this time on Blu-Ray, there are fans crying out in an uproar about changes that he’s made to the films (sigh…again).  As far as I’m concerned, he can do whatever he wants to do with his films.  He owns the rights.  People, please, get over it! 

 

I know I’ve Star Wars at least a million times, since I was a kid and I still have not gotten tired of watching them.  It’s interesting to see what new changes that Lucas has made with his latest edition.  There are some cases of leaks on the internet with Darth Vader saying “Noooooo…!” during the climactic events of Return of the Jedi, and as usual, right on cue, there are the fans who want to keep it in its pure form on how it was originally presented during their childhood.  To all those naysayers, GET OVER IT!  If you want to cry and complain about someone else’s film, then go make your own and then come back and complain!  I’m pretty sure there are people out there that are never going to get over their childhood film being altered again.  Another thing I would have to say is GET A LIFE! There are more things in life to complain about than someone changing their vision of a particular film or films that really doesn’t have any relevance other than entertainment value. 

In conclusion, I know I’m pretty harsh about these critics who want to bash Lucas for altering his films again.  At this point, I could care less, because it’s not my film, it's his.  I think a lot of people have lost sight of that, and they should be focusing on their own lives because after you have hit the “stop” button on your Blu-Ray player (or whatever player you prefer VHS, DVD, digital…) life still has to go on, whether you like it or not. 

The question is, “Can you alter things in your life for the better?” 

Get a life people.

Hope and Depair

Although I work in the entertainment industry, there was a time when I briefly unemployed and I was out of work for almost two years before I found the position that I'm in now.   I found this article as I was search for topics to discuss in my current coursework for my Masters Degree program. It struck a chord with me as I read it and the two words caught my eye:  Hope and Despair. The significance of the article “Hope and Despair at a job fair”( Banks, S. 2011) is that throughout the article, hope and despair was intertwined with the blight of people looking for gainful employment at L.A.’s Crenshaw Christian Center – Faith Dome.  There was a job fair in which there were more than 4,000 people looking for jobs.  The words that caught my attention, from a marketing standpoint, Hope and Despair were synonymous with unemployment in this day and age as I continued to read the Time s article. Hope was the word that caught my attention the first time.  From a marketing standpoint, that word is so simple to bring up, but powerful at the same time.   Throughout the article the job seekers themselves were lining up in the hopes of finding gainful employment to help them deal with their plight.   Despair was also prevalent from the descriptions of people who have lost hope in finding a job after being unemployed for so long.  Did the article do its job in catching my attention, it sure did.  In more ways than I care to write about because a year ago, I was one of the “unemployed” looking for a job for almost two years before I wound up with the position that I’m in now.  I am very grateful to be working.  There were times I was very hopeful in finding something, and then there were other days that I was in despair for the fact that I was unemployed.  The marketing for the article definitely did do its job, on so many different levels that I can relate to. For a little while I was one of the ones looking for a job in the hopes of finding one, and was in despair when I didn't.  I hated that it was like a roller coaster sitting by the phone everyday, while sending out hundreds and hundreds of resumes, waiting for a callback for an interview. Up and down, not knowing what the day would bring. Link to the article: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0901-banks-20110901,0,1893364.column?page=2&track=rss

Will there be another “Golden Age” of Black Films?

That’s a question that I tend to ask quite a bit these days.  Twenty years ago when the nineties began, there were already some prominent films by Black filmmakers like Spike Lee who I think ushered in the “golden age” that started with his film “She’s Got to Have It.”  There were numerous films that inspired a new generation of Black filmmakers (like myself) and they made successful films during that time.  Films like “House Party”, “Do the Right Thing”, “Posse” are just a few that spanned different kinds of films that showcased Black talent.

Even still, in TV, there were shows like “In Living Color” by the Wayans Brothers, and “Living Single” that had an all Black ensemble that were not trapped by stereotypes that were established in the late sixties and seventies.  Instead the characters were just as diverse, both in being serious and comedic.  There was no limit to what the new generation of Black artist could do. 

Then at the end of the nineties and a little into the 2000’s, that all changed….

Now, there are barely any Black films that hit the theaters in 2011.  The characters that are now seen on theatrically and TV are mostly supporting ones.  My question is this…”WHAT HAPPENED?!!!”  It seemed like Black artists were making strides in entertainment, and now it has almost grinded to a halt.  Is the fact that Black artists are not a draw to the box office anymore?  What gives? 

I don’t claim to be an expert on the matter, but I would like to see another “Golden Age” like the nineties take place once again.  The films out there now, you can take or leave them.  But there is always something special about a Black film that can’t be replaced. 

I don’t know.  Only time will tell…

Feelings of Dread

I was reading an article about the writer of the current version of the character written by Conan the Barbarian co-writer, Sean Hood, who was disappointed by the box office results of his latest project, Conan The Barbarian (August, John, 2011).  When he wrote about how he compared the success of his project to that of an election night when key politicians are battling for the votes from registered voters who are not in their shoes.  He that feeling of disappointment and dread when the film was released this past Friday. 

Despite pushing past the negative comments, he was still disappointed how the film performed, because that was something that he worked very hard on.  I can relate to his feelings about his film because I went through a similar experience.  My project was initially successful when it was released to home video a few years ago…for about a week.  It was nice to see it on the racks with bigger movies that came out along with it.  After about two months, I saw my film in the “bargain bin” at Blockbuster, and let’s just say my heart sank.  I was happy to get the distribution deal for my film, at the same time, I wanted more exposure so that I could get more work as a filmmaker instead of my administrative skills.  It was very frustrating to say the least, but I can understand and relate to Sean Hood. 

Now, I haven’t seen Conan, but from all of the reviews I had been reading, my heart sank because I wanted this film to succeed on so many different levels.  One, not to take away from what Schwartzenegger did with the original in 1982, I did want to see the character exposed to a new generation.  I’ve been a fan of the character ever since I could read a comic book, and when I heard that this was coming out, I got really excited about it.  

Needless to say, I felt the same way when Green Lantern came out as well earlier this summer.  I wanted that to succeed as well, but we all know what happened to that one…

Link: http://johnaugust.com/2011/what-a-flop-feels-like