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Your Favorite Movie Is Safe: Why There's No Need To Fear Any Remake
May 4, 2020 Handsome Timmy DActing, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, media, Movies, pop culture, remakes, Screenwriting, self-esteem, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing Leave a comment
OK, so this is a good news/bad news post.
GOOD NEWS! The Princess Bride is not going to be remade. (Not yet.)
BAD NEWS! Your favorite movie is going to be remade. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but soon…and for the rest of your life, there will be a remake of your favorite film, if there isn't one already (there likely is.)
BEST NEWS! Your favorite movie will be fine even if it is remade.
I know some of you are already mad reading that. However, if you are in a place of listening, I invite you on a quick read which I hope will help you stop worrying and at least accept the remake because they are not ever going away.
Before we had Trump shutting down society at large to make us angry, the topic of a movie being remade was an easy to get internet mob mentality out in force. The fact of the matter is remakes are neither a new phenomenon or anything other than business as usual. And quite frankly, the sheer volume of anger said remakes has received cannot always be described as rational.
Movie remakes can be traced back to the late 1800s in French cinema and early 1900s in Hollywood: https://filmschoolrejects.com/hollywood-remake-history/
Why does Hollywood insist on a constant stream of remakes? For the same reason Hollywood does anything – because they make money. And before one writes that off as simple studio greed, that money being is coming from an audience who says "yes, I will spend my disposable income on a remake."
Audiences don't hate remakes. Audiences LOVE LOVE LOVE remakes. Audiences flock to remakes creating hugely profitable properties and have done for decades.
And they're going to for decades more.
You don't have to take my word for it:
*Love Pacino in Scarface? A remake.
*Netflix's content creation empire was launched by House Of Cards – a remake.
*Which version of A Christmas Carol is your favorite?
*A Star Is Born – again – remade and not only ate up box office but brought tears to a live audience who forgot those are actors.
*We now have three different versions of Mr Spock – all supported by a robust audience, except actually for Leonard Nimoy's at first. That was the one that got cancelled.
*"Wait – there were other Doctors BEFORE Christopher Eccleston???"
*Ocean's 11, The Lion King, every other horror movie. Hell, I just found out doing research for this that Scent Of A Woman (which Pacino had to clear some shelf-space for) is a remake. Late last year, someone I know posted "Oh God! I can't believe they're making Little Shop Of Horrors!!" I asked which version was being remade.
*Also, West Side Story will have to thrown out with the bathwater as well. That's all kinds of remake.
Here's my favorite example to cite:
Clash Of The Titans in 1981 worldwide gross about $115,000,000 in today's money (pretty good)
Clash Of The Titans in 2010 worldwide gross – $500,000,000 (spawned a sequel the sequel)
That is a gross increase of 400 million dollars. 400 million. 400,000,000 increase in business.
If Hollywood were to stop doing remakes, it would not just be a poor business decision. It would be malpractice.
But still, whenever a remake is announced, one can find a very angry corner of the internet – usually of a particular age group – expressing a near existential rage at the very IDEA that such a thing could occur. And often, the sourcing of that anger is well, I don't want to say invalid or misguided but it can be driven from a false premise. Let's take a look at some of those.
Looking at the Princess Bride for example. "But it's perfect!!" many said to me about Princess Bride.
Hey look, I LOVE The Princess Bride. Tremendous storytelling from a master Director and the guy who literally wrote the books on modern screenwriting. Action! Adventure! Comedy!! And as if that's not enough – ANDRE THE GIANT!!! Even though he was playing a bad guy in the WWE when it came out, this movie helped immortalized Andre as wrestling's gentle giant good guy beloved by the public.
The Princess Bride is just WONDERFUL viewing great for any family!
Quick question about The Princess Bride – where's the Black person?
Another question about The Princess Bride – how come the Spaniard is being played by a Jewish actor from New York?
The answer is there are no people of color in the Princess Bride. If I'm wrong about that, please correct me. There are two gay characters – and they're the villains.
And back in 1986, casting actors out of their ethnicity was perfectly acceptable. It's not so much these days. Mandy Patinkin is an AMAZING actor & seems like a very nice man. But in 2020, his being cast as a Spaniard out for revenge would create as much outrage as the remake has received and he would be out of the role by the end of the day it was announced.
So when news of the Princess Bride remake hit, I took to the facebook (something that actually ages me even now) and I said "Not only would I remake it, I would diversity the shit out of it!" Here's my cast list for a 2020 Princess Bride:
Michael B Jordan – Wesley
Rihanna – Buttercup
Benicio Del Toro – Indigo Montoya*
James Franco – Humperdink
Randall Park – Count Grugen
Uzo Aduba – Vezzini (oh real damn conceivable)
Big Show – Fezzik
Jordan Peele – Miracle Max
Chelsea Peretti – Mrs Miracle Max
Laurence Fishburne – The Grandfather
Miles Brown – the kid
(Mr Del Toro is Puerto Rican but I've seen reports that he is of Spanish descent and was granted Spain citizenship in 2011)
You would have thought I posted pictures of murdered animals. This list and this very idea of remaking The Princess Bride was considered blasphemy. I should point out no one of color objected to this list. Just the opposite. All of the objections came from Left-leaning White people. In other conversations I had about this – the world seemed obsessed with this for two weeks – "Why does it have to be remade?" I was asked by some. "Why can't today's Black or Latino kids have their version?" was my response. Because the old one is notably absent of people who like them. Many cries of "why do they have to have one?" sounded quite a bit like the "why do Gays have to be married? Why isn't a civil union enough?"
Because it's not enough.
And look, part of me gets it. Part of me really really gets it.
Movies are not just movies. TV shows are more than that. They're EXPERIENCES. That becomes all the more clear when you become a creator of these things. "What experience am I giving the viewer?" Thanks to the irresistible pull of nostalgia which only grows more powerful with each passing year makes those experiences something sacred, something precious that much never be touched or encroached upon.
While I see how a remake might feel it's doing that, a remake is not doing that. Your most precious memories have nothing to fear from a remake. I'm not being glib. I'm being sincere. There is nothing to fear from the remake. So please allow me to assure you –
Your favorite movie is safe.
Nothing and no one anywhere can take away your experiences with your favorite movie. My two favorites are Jaws and Casablanca. Both have not technically been remade. Both have been remade thousands of times. Nothing and no one anywhere can take away those movies and my memories or experiences watching them. And as a working screenwriter, I would take the gig to rewrite either one of them tomorrow. (Oh, you want the shark to be the hero this time? No problem)
A remake is not a special edition recut of your favorite film. No one is going to come into your home, remove any DVD or Blu-Ray copies of that film. No one is going to delete any digital copies. Whatever your favorite movie is, you can watch it once every single day or however much you want until the day you die.
And a remake of Jaws is not going to magically erase the 45 years people have spent watching the original. (Sorry Mandela Effect)
I own the entire original Transformers cartoon series on DVD. It was my favorite as a kid and I'm glad to have it those pulls of nostalgia. I saw Michael Bay's first Transformers movie. I liked it fine. I found it fun. I saw Michael Bay's second Transformers movie and there my journey with Michael Bay's Transformers came to an end. The box office receipts for that franchise assures Mr Bay and his crew that my absence from the theatres was not debilitating to their success. And Bay knew the moment he took the gig "not everyone who grew up on this will love this" because it wasn't made for me or the generation who grew up on that cartoon. If we like it, great! But we're gravy. The kids & teenagers at the time were Bay's target demo. As they long as they enjoyed it and kept coming back for the sequels – mission accomplished as more perils for Earth and Cyberton were dreamt up. And I had my originals. Safe and sound on my shelf. Literally – everyone wins.
(There is one notable exception to this rule but we'll get there)
"But the original is PERFECT!!"
No movie is perfect. Casablanca? Goddammit, why does Ilsa say "boy." Jaws? Peter Benchley, the author of the book, has spent the rest of his life trying to undo the misinformation about sharks the story spread.
No movie is perfect. The memories of certain movies are perfect. The experiences and feelings that movie give you are perfect. And again – those are untouchable. Even as the world races into the future around us which is always a scary prospect as we grow older. The blue skies and golden sunsets that you felt/feel with your favorite movie are eternal.
There's a reason the dying Tycoon was thinking of his childhood sled in his final moments. It was the one thing the world who hated him could not take away.
"The original should be good enough!"
OK, when you were a kid were you watching the newest, hippest cartoons everyone was talking about? Were you begging your parents to take you to that new movie opening because "Mom! Dad! EVERYONE is seeing it and I'm missing ooouuuuttt!!"? Did you race to get all the latest toys tied in with the biggest blockbusters of the summer? Was your wallpaper covered with Gremlins, Goonies and Marty McFly?
Or were you watching the Marx Brothers every night? Were you looking up old episodes of the Milton Berle show used to fill up late-night weekend slots? Did you beg your parents to put in the VHS of Gunga Din just once more, pretty please?
Sure, you caught old stuff like the Three Stooges or Andy Griffith et al. But the children of the 1980s were not molded by the content of the 1950s. The children of the 2000s are not going to be molded by the content of the 1980s.
And there's nothing anyone can do about that. It's practically a kid's job to hate the stuff their parents like. Before you argue that, remember your reaction to when your parents showed you their favorite movie. You don't have to answer that out loud.
"But the original does not need to be improved upon!!"
This one always baffles me. Maybe there's a remake out there that was trying to improve upon the original. Dear reader, if you know of one, let me know. I can't think of a single remake that tries to do that. That's just not how it's done.
Let's go back to the Princess Bride. Yes, I would diversity the shit out of it. No, I don't think that's necessarily an improvement. It's updating, sure but that's just making it more accessible to modern audiences and diverse audiences. Are filmmakers putting their spin on it? Sure. But that's not unique to remakes. (The Temple Of Doom is one giant love letter to the Morlocks' underground world in George Pal's Time Machine)
If Hollywood was trying to improve a movie, then you'd be seeing remakes of long-accepted crap but fire up your favorite streaming service and you are not bombarded by remakes of Ishtar, Howard The Duck and Leonard Part 6.
Yes, Hollywood is trying to cash in with remakes of popular, established properties. But those are not efforts to improve. If you watch the original The Thing From Another World and then John Carpenter's The Thing, you will see two totally different interpretations of the same story, both of their time, both trying to scare audiences, both in two totally different ways. Which one is better? In addition to the answer being totally subjective, both movies while similar are so different it's like asking "what do you like better? Lamb chop or apple sauce?"
Time is a funny thing. You graduated high school yesterday but really it was over 20 years ago, if you see what I mean. It's easy to not see how much changes when we're in the middle of the times we live in. The internet recently erupted when a bunch of people learned that Robert Downey Jr played a comedy lead – IN BLACKFACE!!! Tropic Thunder isn't ancient history, it happened 12 years ago as of this writing. Your favorite movie is likely very outdated, dull and boring for today's audiences. And it doesn't matter what year "today" is in.
And as even that example shows, yes, Tropic Thunder does not fit 2020 sensibilities. Neither does The Princess Bride. So a fresh coat of paint for today's audiences brings the story up to speed. No improvements made. Just sensibilities being recognized.
"I just wish Hollywood made more originals!!"
Fortunately, Hollywood makes a ton of original material but the success for those is mostly found in the world of TV where the profit margin is safer for original material and where an audience is more likely go "ooo, what's this?"
But at the movies? Originals for many decades have long had an uphill battle. There are several production companies who have committed themselves to producing original, unique films that are different from everything else in the market. Sadly, they teeter on the brink of bankruptcy.
No one wants you watching original material more than Hollywood. Many careers have been shortened and many fortunes have been lost in trying to get eyeballs in front of original material.
Apple TV's rollout of purely original material was seen around the business as a massive flop (immediate resignations kind of flop) and they're hoping to rebound with Foundation – an adaptation of Issac Asimov's legendary novels. Disney+ hung their hat on a new Star Wars property and watched subscriptions roll in by the millions – literally.
Originals are the toughest property to try and sell and market. But Hollywood keeps trying and will keep trying.
"But I just don't like remakes"
OK, fine. Never watch another remake again as long as you live. That is your right, your prerogative as a discerning consumer. Every single day you choose not to watch a movie and you can continue to do so. Watch what you like. Ignore what you don't.
There is no obligation anyone is putting on you to watch a remake ever again. Sure, there's some cultural pressure if the movie is all the rage but think about how many movies or TV shows that are major conversation pieces in your circle that you've actually missed? I bet it's a lot. Hell, there's no way everyone can watch all the award-worthy TV being made nowadays. Hollywood has lots of data that sees how much you choose not to see a movie.
"I don't want to see a remake because I just don't like remakes" is a perfectly sound reason to skip one.
Dear reader, I'll be honest – I don't always love remakes. In fact, I rarely like remakes. I like being surprised which after this long in the factory is all too rare. I love new, original fresh voices. "Beasts Of No Nation" blew my mind when I saw it a few years ago. But remakes being old stories up to speed with changing times only makes those stories last longer. It shows Hollywood reflecting changing times. These are good things that any smart business should keep in mind if they want to last. Adapt and overcome. Evolve or die.
No, remakes don't ruin the original.
No, remakes do not improve the original.
No, remakes do not replace the original – especially in this age of movie/TV libraries at our fingertips.
Screaming at remakes is like screaming at the changing seasons. It's like getting angry at nightfall. Time is going to move in one direction and the world changes with those times. I think that's at the heart of all this. "My experience was so perfect! There does not need to be another one! Don't replace those experiences…don't replace me."
Are you over 40? You're not the key demo movies are made for anymore. I know. I'm there with you. It sucks and it hurts. Even those R-rated horror movies are made for 18 – 20 year olds, not us cynical old people who are stuck in our ways. It was true 40 years ago. It's going to be true 140 years from now.
No remake anywhere is ever going to make me mad. No remake anywhere is ever going to upset me because remakes can't take anything away from me or my experiences.
But as I said, there is one notable exception.
I type and post this on May 4th, 2020. I cannot pull up the original Star Wars movie on Disney+ I cannot reach over to my shelf and pull off the original Star Wars on Blu-Ray. Oh sure, I can pull up some special editions which have been recut, reedited and reshaped by new special effects. And the original filmmaker has forbidden any commercial release of the original film. There was a low-resolution version put on a DVD a few years ago to quiet those of us who complained but it's not the same. The resolution is such that the film is actually difficult to watch.
This day has been dubbed "May The 4th Be With You" but The Force is not with me today.
I cannot watch the movie that I grew up on, the movie that made me love movies so much I've dedicated my life to them. That childhood favorite film that meant so much has been taken away from me.
No remake did that.
No sequel did that.
The original filmmaker did that.
It's worth noting that many parents have relayed tales of trying to show their kids Star Wars and even with the updated special effects, the kids cry "BORING! Put on Pixar!" I get it. Yesterday's Star Wars isn't for today's kid. But this kid from yesterday sure wouldn't mind another look at the twin sunset with Luke Skywalker.
Murder Made Easy – NOW AVAILABLE!!
August 26, 2019 Handsome Timmy DActing, Actresses, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, murder made easy, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, the arts, TV, writing Leave a comment
Hello dear reader & dear listener – it is with great excitement I can announce that Murder Made Easy, the independent feature film written by yours truly is now available for purchase on blu-ray from major online retailers everywhere. It's never been easier to pick up your copy of what Horror Society calls "American Psycho meets Clue."
Murder Made Easy is a love letter to old fashioned murder mysteries made famous by Agatha Christie and a slew of other great writers. Film buffs will see homages to crime classics "Rope" & "Sleuth" among others – I don't want to give too much away. It is a whodunnit after all. The logline is very simple – friends come over for dinner, one by one they get killed – by whom and why?
Since our world premiere at the Women In Horror Film Festival in the fall of 2017, we've been so fortunate to receive an outpouring of support from the independent horror community. It's funny because Murder Made Easy *technically* isn't a horror film – but those fans missed this kind of mystery and have embraced us in a way we are most grateful for.
Bringing any film to life is a back-breaking challenge which brings new challenges and obstacles each day. This appreciation of the process is why you won't hear too much criticism of other films on these pages. Murder Made Easy was a true labor of love. Director David Palamaro had a clear vision and his passion for the material was infectious, driving us all through long, hard days until we reached this shore – a critically acclaimed film now available for people to enjoy.
Big thanks to our distributors ScreamTeam Releasing and MVD Entertainment Group for this widespread Blu-Ray Release.
"But, Tim, I don't buy Blu-Rays. I only watching stuff through streaming." That's OK! Watch this space – more news on that coming soon.
And just in case you missed it on my front page, here's the trailer. Thanks so much and please help spread the word! Independent film can't survive without your help. Fight the good fight!
Sing Your Songs
June 23, 2018 Handsome Timmy Dcelebrity, Cinema, civil rights, Comedy, Creativity, Depression, directing, election, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, Music, politics, pop culture, Producing, Screenwriting, self-esteem, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing 1 Comment
The last time I wrote a long form blog was to articulate why I was a supporter of Hillary Clinton and ally for women's equality. Shockingly, the case for was defeated in favor of a rich, white con-man whose false promises appeal to the rage and fear generated by an ever changing world.
Election night of 2016 was a stunning moment. Looking back, I'm ashamed at my own response. I saw people openly weeping. I heard too many stories from those close to me about the hopelessness and hurt they were feeling. The glass ceiling was firmly back in place. Voter apathy was never more damaging. White nationalism was made mainstream. The thousand lies from a man who were not equal to the sin of one lie from a woman. The idol of the rich, white man (on both sides) was revealed as the real symbol of America – not the shining city of the hill that Ronald Reagan once so nobly described.
As someone firmly rooted in the Left, I have no problem saluting Ronald Reagan. Or George W Bush. Or George HW Bush. Or Mitt Romney. We're not in a Left vs Right struggle now in America. We're in the midst of a moral crisis in which we as a nation are deciding who we are.
Now, I want to be clear about something – it is now more than apparent that a hostile foreign power interfered in this election. We do not have a legitimate President at the moment. The office is filled but it is vacant. He should not be recognized and how that story plays out is a long way from over.
But the Russian interference does not take away from the rampant "fear of the other" on the side of the right. Nor does it take away from the exceptional privilege on the left. To put the needs of a progressive ideology over the needs of the many pretty much cancels out said ideology.
So who are we? What are we doing?
Election night when they called Florida for Trump, it felt like the death blow. The path to victory was pretty murky after that. Like a lot of folks when dealing a befuddling question, I took to social media. I went on to facebook and wrote something along the lines of:
"OK, if he wins, what do we do?"
Despite being a scatter-brained creative who likes to color outside the lines and fill his blog with typos, I'm blessed with a healthy sense of pragmatism. Yes, I know how oxymoronic that sounds but that's where I like to live. I would have no success in the arts if I didn't have a strong sense of practicality.
It's late June, 2018. The election has only become more stunning. The unthinkable nightmare is the new normal. I cannot believe he's lasted this long. I'm a lot more upset about him now then I was when he was declared victor. And with 2020 around the corner (for you younger readers – time really flies by as you older) it appears that he maybe there even longer.
In the almost 2 year timeframe, I and many others have marched in protest at the injustice and rampant corruption. I know people who've not only volunteered but have become involved. As in running – and winning! – in local elections. There is a blue wave. It is real. It is not future tense. It's happening.
But is it enough? And does it quell the feeling of helplessness when children are screaming in cages for the simple fact that they were born a different color?
It's been an odd feeling for me. Recently, Murder Made Easy played at the Dances With Films Festival here in Hollywood. (We played the Chinese Theatre – I mean, HOLY SHIT) I had the great fortune of meeting a slew of great filmmakers. They had noble stories of how to fix the world, confronting today's problems, tackling inequality and breaking the injustice at its core.
And then they'd turn to me and say "What's your movie about?" Sheepishly, I responded "well, it's an old fashioned murder mystery." At times it felt like one going to a civil rights protest but their main contribution was bringing the snacks for everyone.
However, everyone lit up. Smiles widened. When asked by the festival what I felt people should walk away from Murder Made Easy with I said simply, "Fun. Indie movies can be fun." Several of my fellow filmmakers concurred, telling me, "we need fun movies – especially today."
Love letter to Agatha Christie aside, I do actually write stories which tackle the human condition, how we hurt each other as we help ourselves, despair, isolation, self-destruction. Those are things I like to write about. And again – it's fun.
So for a few hours though, a movie can help us deal, can keep us sane, can help us catch our breath as we continue to say "no more" "enough" and "resist."
We need to keep marching. We need to keep calling. We need to keep protesting.
And the artists out there – we need to sing our songs. I believe it was Johnny Cash who said after 9/11, an artist had to put pen to paper. Just to try to understand.
Our attention spans have become hyper-focused on the moment. Yes, we are in a national moral crisis. But it's easy to forget we are in just the latest national moral crisis.
The DNC called me a few days after the election and told me that we are doomed without fundraising help. I told them, if we doomed, I'm not going to waste my money on a futile gesture. The poor fellow on the other side didn't have much of response. His talking points were to point such an awful picture that people would scared into giving over money.
My experience has taught me that fear can be a terrible motivator. There is a strong argument agains that sentence but in this situation, I refuse to believe in doom. I'm not blind to the threat we're under. I'm not turning away from the blatant racism that the US government is perpetrating at the border. And I'm not going to rationalize a single thing this administration has done.
But the path out, I believe, is through one of hope.
The more we believe we're doomed, the more Putin has won. But the fact is we have a track record with some of this stuff.
We as a nation did not accept slavery. We fought our way out of that. Yes, massive prison reform is needed. John Legend sang his songs and is bringing attention to that.
The unrest we're facing today kind of pales when compared to the 1960s. Sure, the hippies grew up to be the 80s Reagan's and yes, red hats remind us that the desire to segregate remains strong. The marches must go on. And as we march we must remember – it was not a sense of "we're doomed" that drove people across the bridge in Selma.
I didn't defriend or block any Trump voters on facebook. I actually talked someone out of voting from Trump when I should them a speech from Trump where we said he would proudly eliminate her job. I get why many are turning their backs but I'm not sure that's the answer. Nelson Mandela shook hands with his captors upon release from prison.
Sing your songs. Many who voted for him rationalized injustice, ignored racism and embraced their fears. Sing your songs. Let them know. You'll be surprised how many will hear you.
It's easy to feel like being creative is a waste of time. But look at many of your favorite artists and movies. I don't need to see your collection but I know some if not many were inspired by times such as the one we're in.
Sting sang about fields of gold but he also sang about the exploitation of the working class. "Brass watch, a check, maybe three weeks to live…"
Every look up the "Sunday Bloody Sunday" U2 sang about?
The heavy metal I grew up on featured some of the harshest criticism of war out there. And speaking of, the final episode of Blackadder Goes Fourth – a sitcom – is possibly the most powerful piece on World War I that I've ever seen.
Children are being ripped from their families. I'm seeing the new tax laws just brutalize people's finances. Around the world, we are no longer being recognized by the allies with whom we defeated genuine evil.
Future generations are going to look back on these very days and ask "How?" Just as we do looking back on the insanity of slavery and the absurdity of segregation.
So sing your songs. We need them. Nope. It won't fix everything. It won't replace practical action like protest, volunteering and getting involved. But they will help.
We need to laugh. We need to hope. We need to be inspired. We need to counteract our worst ugliness with our purest beauty.
In pain? Sing your song – someone else in pain needs it. Badly.
Helpless? Sing your song – it will help someone else.
Hopeless? Sing your song – it will bring hope to others.
Sing your songs. They will drown out the vile hatred that comes screaming from under a red hat.
My signature for all my writing correspondences for a while has been "Keeping fighting the good fight." It's a phrase that can be traced back to the Bible. And I used it as an anthem of encouragement to my fellow writers as we all face times of rejection and self-doubt. It takes on a much more literal meaning nowadays.
So dear reader, we will talk more soon. Until then, keep fighting the good fight and sing your songs.
Below is one of oldest and dearest friends who's been an inspiration to me, Genevieve, singing her song on one of the Sing for Hope pianos in New York City. Go on and give her page a like, then go sing your songs.
https://www.facebook.com/genevievemusicpage/videos/634820003545975/
Penumbra from Beleeve Entertainment
June 25, 2017 Handsome Timmy DActing, Actresses, Addiction, Cinema, Creativity, Crowdfunding, Depression, Digital Media, directing, Drug Abuse, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Independent Film, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, the arts, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
In this era of Wonder Woman, I figured this is a great time to throw out a quick plug to two of my favorite Wonder Women out here in Hollywood – Chelese Belmont & Shannan Leigh Reeve from Beleeve Entertainment. When I started this blog/podcast venture, I was hopeful that it would help my efforts to network with other industry pros. I'm delighted to say Chelese & Shannan were my first two connections and we remain great friends to this today.
When I first interviewed them way back in 2014, they were about to film the last scenes of their movie Penumbra. Those shoots and post-production later, Penumbra is a completed feature decorated with some laurels and it's now available for sale. Penumbra takes a look at the impact drug addiction can have on all aspects of a family and I highly recommend it. In this era of vibrant independent film, brave stories are being told by all manner of artists. They may not have millions of dollars in PR behind them but these stories are out there. I hope this little plug continues to help shine a light on Beleeve Entertainment as they keep exploring brave stories that need to be told.
My original interview with Chelese & Shannan is here:
You can purchase Penumbra here:
www.BeleeveEntertainment.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBQSEDF/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_UcXAybZ17KNVN (or search Penumbra in Instant Video)
Vimeo On Demand: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/penumbrafilm
A Note About Ron Greenfield
March 28, 2017 Handsome Timmy DActing, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, PR, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing Leave a comment
Hello, dear reader and hello, dear listener. A lot has happened since I had the chance to sit down and write in these pages. The election we all wanted over and done with is finally over and done with. And like with so many things we rush through, many of us wish we had a second chance at it to get it right. 2016 turned into 2017. Many celebrities have left us. Many new babies have joined us. The New England Patriots pulled off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. A movie I wrote is currently wrapping up in post. More on that in the coming weeks and months. And on top of other constant changes in the dance of life, I've accepted a position at a cable network which has taken up much of the time I dedicated to this venture.
But I don't want these pages to go idle completely. I'm delighted to report that traffic for the blog and currently paused podcast has held steady since November, 2016. I have several more topics and announcements to explore the next few weeks but as I've been thinking about my first post for 2017, one name kept coming to mind…
Ron Greenfield.
I hope many of you heard my interview with Ron in 2014. If not, it's embedded below. I first met Ron over twitter (where I've done a ton of my networking) as he was expanding his "Aspects Of Entertainment" brand. Our conversations were easy, enjoyable explorations of this funny thing called Show Business. Ron had been there, done that on his extensive career. I, on the other hand, had only been in the biz for 10 years or so at the time so I was just getting warmed up.
Ron and I had several great conversations over Skype and email. He always knew how to offer advice without telling you what to do. When talking about my search for representation, I'll never forget his simple pearl of wisdom – "Just remember, Tim, there's representation and then there's representation." A great reminder. Ron had been in the trenches with many Hollywood luminaries bringing promotions, designs and shows to life. He didn't like to bash anyone and he was never snobby about what he achieved. In fact, he struck me as just as fascinated and full of wonder for Hollywood after his career as he was before it all started. And even in his "retirement" he worked tirelessly on his website and putting together his collection of interviews.
Ron was fully committed to yet another new venture when ill health forced him to put the pen down for a bit. The fight was as valiant as any I had seen but on November 9th, 2016, Ron Greenfield left us at 66 years young.
Ron was a tremendous supporter of myself and these pages. It is only fitting that I return here in 2017 with a tip of the cap to top gent, talented artist and good friend to so many creators – Ron Greenfield.
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/htd-express-15-ron-greenfield.mp3
Ron's fantastic website Aspects of Entertainment is filled lots of wisdom and knowledge about entertainment:
http://www.aspectsofentertainment.com
Ron's Book Perspectives Of Entertainment is available here:
http://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Entertainment-Ron-Greenfield-ebook/dp/B00B2Q5H36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413309395&sr=8-1&keywords=Ron+Greenfield
I'm With Her…And Not Just Hillary.
October 27, 2016 Handsome Timmy D#ImWithHer, Acting, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Democracy, directing, Entertainment, Equal Rights, equality, filmmaking, Hillary Clinton, Independent Film, media, Movies, politics, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing 3 Comments
"When everyone looks good, everyone looks good." – pro wrestling axiom.
It's always been my intention to keep politics out of the blog but with the Presidential election less than two weeks away, I find it hard not comment on the implications of what we're the edge of.
A quick disclaimer: This post is not meant to be Anti-Republican or Anti-Conservative. How one votes is their business and as a storyteller, my first question for my audience is not "who'd you vote for?" Maybe one day over some cold refreshment, I'll share which Republican principles I passionately agree with. (Stay the hell out of my script, government.)
This post isn't even meant to be Anti-Donald Trump. Though let me add for the record. I, Tim Davis, Screenwriter, TV Producer and former pro-wrestling referee hereby reject Donald Trump because of his rampant bigotry, racism, homophobia, sexism, White nationalism, penchant for sexual assault, his disrespect of our Democracy, his possible sociopathic tendencies, fraudulent business practices and pathological lying. In whatever order you'd like. So actually, I guess yeah, I'm very Anti-Donald Trump. Sorry, Donald. Next time don't be such an asshole.
Oh, go ahead and sue me Donald. I could use the publicity. Hey, maybe I'll get to meet Jessica Drake in court! I mean, I don't know who that is.
So suffice to say, I'm voting for Hillary Clinton. And the idea of putting Hillary Clinton on the same scale as Donald Trump is at best, intellectual dishonest and at worst, completely delusional. Saying Hillary Clinton is just as bad as Donald Trump is like saying "this Big Mac I just ate for lunch was almost as bad as the day my entire family was killed in a house fire." And that's not an exaggeration. Churchill was a sexist alcoholic. Anyone calling him as bad as Hitler would be deemed nuts.
I was for Hillary before I was for Obama. And with respect to the honorable Senator from Vermont, he was unable to dissuade me away from supporting her. I'm not voting for Hillary Clinton because she's not Donald Trump. (I can think of no living or recently retired politician I would not pick over Trump.)
I'm voting for Hillary Clinton because she's the most qualified candidate to run for the Presidency in my no longer short lifetime. She's the single toughest politician I've ever seen in said lifespan. She's overcome more smear, more attacks, more lies, more so-called scandals, more debasement, more sheer persecution than I've ever seen. They started on her long before Obama. I remember so many grown-ups in the 1990's: "Who the hell does she think she is? She's the first lady! She needs to learn her place."
Oh, she learned her place alright. Her place is first one across the finish line of every political battle she's had. Dick Morris and Trey Gowdy are in a "where are they now?" file while Hillary's on the cusp of her biggest win yet. There's a name for people like that in sports – Champion.
After all that the overt and covert sexism our society has thrown at her, Hillary stands poised to become the first female President of the United States. And in an election cycle that can only be described as surreal, she's become the overwhelming rational choice for sanity everywhere accumulating the most votes of any candidate so far.
So yes, I'm voting Hillary. I'm one of the quiet majority that is actually VERY EXCITED AND ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT VOTING HILLARY!!!! Sorry news narrative, all the Hillary voters I know are crazy psyched about it. Yes, we actually do indeed like her.
And not only am I voting for Hillary, I'm voting for equality. No, not because we need a "token female President" to catch up with the rest of the world. But because the prejudices of America still need to be overcome. Voting for Hillary is my way of not listening to the inherent sexism of our society.
If Hillary Clinton were a man, her popularity would be through the roof. If Hillary Clinton were a man with the last name Kennedy, she'd have a statue by now. "BUT THE EMAILS!!!!" George W Bush (hell of a painter) and Karl Rove (yikes) deleted 5 million White House emails. No one cared. A woman does an infinitesimal percentage of a similar infraction and society at large is scandalized? That right there is sexism 101. If you're mad at Hillary's emails and not mad at W's, I highly suggest you have some gender-equality figuring out to do.
And you know something? I might have deleted the same emails. It's politics. It's a tough business. Show me your favorite politician and I'll show you similar corruption. It's more ridiculous than deflate-gate at this point. (How's that ratings drop, Goodell? Good job.)
It's quite remarkable that when I ask people often very specific reasons why they dislike Hillary I get two kinds of answers either a) long debunked conspiracy theories (she has in fact murdered zero people) or b) these vague, amorphous blanket judgements. "I can't explain why I just don't like her." Who'd have thought ambiguity could spark such passion?
"She's shady…she's suspicious…she's mean…I just don't like her." She's arguably the most vetted politician to get this close to the oval office. As far as the mean stuff goes, I've never seen her more harsh than her male counterparts which leads me to wonder if there's some kind of sociological thing going in our culture. Does her yelling to defend herself remind us of when Mom used to yell us to finish our chores? Do we as a culture not like seeing women in such forceful roles?
"But she wrote mean emails about the Bernie campaign" So what? Seriously, so what? Welcome to big league politics. Bernie himself said he wrote mean emails about the Clinton camp! And I should hope so. They were fighting a high stakes game. Remember when Obama called Joe Biden stupid on a conference call? Upset about that one? Of course not, because men are expected to do that. A woman does it – GASP! Spare my blushes!!
Hillary hasn't had to break a glass ceiling. She's had to break through a glass ceiling that was covered in concrete while covered in mud and shackled in chains that spelt out "Double Standard."
And she is far from alone. Hillary represents the plight of far too many women who don't get paid as much male counterparts, don't get the respect they deserve and are still pushing past second class citizen status.
One of the front lines in the battle for equality is my own industry – Hollywood. There's been much written and talked about in regards to gender issues in the movie and TV business. There's good news – progress and awareness for the issue has grown in the past few years. There's bad news – there's a hell of a lot more than needs to be done.
I don't know what the answer is. I'm just one guy trying to sell some screenplays and making some movies I hope you'll enjoy, dear reader.
I do know we need to talk about it more. I do know that Hollywood, our culture at large and the living generations have a lot to figure in regards to equality. Being quiet won't help. Being defensive, yelling and screaming won't help. But talking about it might.
So allow to share with you some experiences I've had and why I'm proud to write in these pages – we need gender equality in Hollywood right now.
The majority of bosses I've had in the Entertainment Business have in fact been women. Actually, the majority of bosses I've had in my life had been women. Most of them were great – driven, passionate, inspirational leaders. A few of them were shit – power-hungry, insecure, abusive. I could say the exact same thing about all the male bosses I've had. Because women, like men, are people.
Things are improving in Hollywood, albeit too slowly. But I noticed something this past year that I found very interesting. I did an enormous amount of pitching. The majority of "yes, I'd love to read your script" came from women. Like A LOT. I don't have the exact stat (writer not a mathematician) but I'd guess it was around 70% of my "yeses" came from women. It got to the point where I was only seeking women to pitch to. (And uh, don't give me the "but women execs are nicer than men execs" No. No, they are not. No one has the time to waste on a sympathy read.)
I can't tell you why this track record has happened. No, I'm not flirting with them or bribing them or anything like that. I pride myself on professionalism. Maybe it's because my stories are more intimate character dramas concentrating on people over concept? Or maybe the concepts I have appeal to the female demo that's growing in genre? Maybe because I treat these women like equals and with respect? Maybe none or all of the above – I don't know and I don't ask. Once I get a yes, the script is mailed with a big "Thank You."
People fear equality in an irrational sense. "If we give X more jobs, then there will be less jobs for us." Before you email with examples of that happening, studies have shown that equal opportunity has lead to growth and expansion in many industries. An interesting read on the subject here from someone who I'm guessing is not a bleeding liberal: http://conversableeconomist.blogspot.com/2012/08/equal-opportunity-and-economic-growth.html
In other words, THEY are not coming to take YOUR job. THEY are coming for THEIR job which may in fact create a lot more of YOUR job. My own experience say my opportunities in my industry increase exponentially because of an increase in women gatekeepers in Hollywood. So keep 'em coming, I say, I got a lot more scripts to pitch.
Inclusion is vital in Hollywood. There's a limited number of plot lines and jokes. There's a limitless number of ways to tell those plot lines and jokes when all ethnicities, cultures, orientations and genders (oh, the people who think there's only two – they're in for a shock this next century) are brought to the table. And no it will not be done at the expense of the White Man.
It's always interesting to hear those who voice opposition to equality. Some basically say "I will not let you do to me what I'm doing to you."
My girlfriend is writer. It makes me furious to think opportunities will be denied her just because she's a women but I know they are. It's happening and it needs to change. Some of the best producers I know are women. Some of the most kick-ass people creating their own brands and kicking down doors are actresses. The new trailblazers in the industry bring new stories, new visions and new frontiers are in fact women. "Murder Made Easy" a feature film written by yours truly, just wrapped production and our producer was a woman who was smart, tough and invaluable in making sure we got every shot we needed in the schedule and budget allotted.
When I look at who has inspired me the past few years as I fight this good fight in screenwriting, the majority of them are women.
While we have a long, long way to go and I certainly have not been perfect in this area, equality should be a no-brainer. Putting barriers in front of someone is asking for those same barriers to be put in front of you one day. I put these words on the page saying I stand with the moral justice that is equal rights for all. But there's a selfishness to it, because I've seen the benefits to my own career the equality has brought. I want those people brought to the table because they may be the exact people who will look at me to write their stories.
Or as Hillary Clinton put it at the Convention: "when any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone."
I'm with her. Because she's for me.
Don't forget to vote for freedom, for democracy and for equality.
Pulling Into Station
June 29, 2016 Handsome Timmy DAustin Film Festival, celebrity, Cinema, Comedy, Comic Books, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, Novels, Podcasting, pop culture, Producing, Production, Radio, Screenwriting, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing 1 Comment
Hello Dear Reader and Hello Dear Listener,
As you've probably noticed by now, I've not recorded any new episodes of the Handsome Timmy D Express since 2015. There is a very good reason for this. Several in fact. Beginning in January 2016, my screenwriting workload grew exponentially. Thanks in large part to several years worth of networking, some screenwriting awards and increased experience in writing of course, I was able to hook up and work with several independent producers and directors to write a myriad of projects currently in varying stages of development. In order to make sure I hit all my deadlines, some things had to go on the back burner and well, sadly, the podcast was one of them.
Starting and making this podcast was one of the very best decisions I've ever made as some the above opportunities were in fact a direct result of the connections I made doing the show. I enjoyed just about every single second of making every single episode. However, I'm a one-man operation without interns or staff so the challenges of making a top quality show became harder and harder. And I do NOT want to put out substandard product. Over the course of March through May, I tried to schedule several episodes but found my workload was such that I couldn't make the time work. Editing, promotion, posting across social media outlets, copy etc, while all very very fun, can take up an entire workday and with several screenplays being juggled those hours become more precious. In fact, I was hoping to announce new shows in the fall but a movie shoot schedule pushed that back as well. Never say never, maybe I'll record a new season of episodes in 2017. I'd love to be able to make it work, but at the end of the day I am a screenwriter, not a podcaster about screenwriting. I will still be blogging when I can various thoughts, quibbles and anecdotes from the world of writing when I can. And hopefully you'll get to see one of these movies I'm writing sooner than later.
I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to every single person that listened. Based on the numbers of the various feed, many thousands of people, maybe even tens of thousands of people tuned in across over 90 countries. I would have been thrilled to hit 10 countries but to have someone from at least 90 countries tune in is almost impossible for me to comprehend. Thanks so much, everyone and the episodes are still archived on the site's index for your listening pleasure. And quick-fun fact about podcasts, people are still discovering the show every day. I hope the information and insight offered by my guests remains timeless and helpful to all listening whenever and wherever they tune in.
Along those lines, my guests took time out of their busy schedule to appear on my podcast for free. This was a non-profit operation. No one was paid a single dollar to take part and I can assure, I didn't make a single dollar from the show. All I could offer was getting the word about their projects. This was just about spreading information and generating buzz in the digital do-it-yourself age. I can't express my gratitude enough to every guest who appeared: Matt The Cat, Megan Karasch, Mike Doto, Dan And Travis, Chelese Belmont & Shannan Leigh Reeve of Beleeve Entertainment, Brian Veys, Joe Lidster, AJ Feuerman, Arnold T Blumberg, Talia Harari, Stephen J Llorens, Chris Garcia, Rizelle Januk, Mike Sundy, Ron Greenfield, Stephen Scaia, Rick Dominicus, Gordy Hoffman, Tom Krajewski & Jen Muro, Tom Grey of Player Piano, Simone Bailly, M. Dal Walton III, Sammi Kat, Dan Mason, Rory LaPointe-Smith, Paul O'Brien, Jon Matthews, Crystal House, Kyle C Mumford, Ramon Hamilton, Travis Rust & Stacy Gueraseva, Chavo Guerrero, Simon Guerrier, Gregor Collins, Daphne Ashbrook, Chuck Slavin, Jennifer Sharp, Kyle Newmaster, Amy Reynolds and Elizabeth Lombino. These folk are all doing spectacular work to add to their sterling resumes and they have my best wishes for continued success.
I also have to thank John S Drew (who made the above photo), Dan Lackeye and Sean Reiser for linking to my show which provided a ton of new listeners. I did my best to plug their shows back and hope I was as helpful to them as they were to me.
Now, if you're still looking for some great podcast to check out about the creative world for the upcoming holiday weekend or any weekend in particular, let me throw these options out there:
The closest thing to my podcast is "Making The Sausage" from fellow screenwriter and all-around top gent Nick Rheinwald-Jones. I had the good fortune of meeting Nick at the wonderful Austin Film Festival. Like myself, Nick found real industry pros to interview for his show about how the nuts & bolts of a creative profession works. He's collected some great guests so far and there's a lot of knowledge on his show: http://previously.tv/shows/making-the-sausage/
For some criticism and analysis of the latest happenings in the entertainment world, check out the Hollywood Picture News. Loren Erlanger and Ryan Thompson along with some special guests dive into every possible detail examining how and why things work in the ever-changing world of TV and movies: http://hollywoodpicturenews.com/
One of the good guys in the podcasting world is Kenny Mittleider. He's one of the passionate and knowledge fans of all things "geek" out there and offers several podcasts covering it all: http://geekyfanboy.blogspot.com/
Don't forget there's still plenty of great podcasts on the network I was proud to be a part of, John S Drew's Chronic Rift: http://www.chronicrift.com/ Including of course, the Dan & Travis show who are the first guys who put me on internet radio waaaay back when.
And if you're just looking from some great old music to discover, you'll never go wrong with Matt The Cat as he explores The Juke In The Back: http://www.jukeintheback.org/
Thanks again everyone. It's uncertain world these days, as it is most days, so I hope it's a safe and happy 4th of July Weekend. Keep fighting the good fight!
What Quentin Tarantino Taught Me About Buying In
May 19, 2016 Handsome Timmy DCinema, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, media, Movies, Novels, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, Short Films, television, the arts, TV Production, writing 1 Comment
I'm not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino. I like his work but I'm not a devotee like so many are. I'm not an authority on his career. I actually prefer Reservoir Dogs to Pulp Fiction. And I've not seen his last two pictures. (Mr. Tarantino, if you're reading this, don't be mad, they're in my queue.)
I also didn't grow up watching kung-fu movies. My Saturday mornings were filled with WWF action called by Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan. And then there was NWA World Championship Wrestling at 6:05 on the Superstation TBS. So Hulk Hogan & The Four Horsemen filled my over the top action quota for the weekend.
Many years ago, Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 arrived in the mail. Yes, I still use DVD. I like physical media. Old school. I was curious about Kill Bill but not overly excited. I didn't run to the theatre to see it and basically was watching it to keep up with the buzz.
I popped Volume One in and relaxed on the couch. A mere few minutes in, Uma Thurman confronts a suburban mom in her doorway. There's that noise, you know the one, as Quentin closeups on their eyes narrowing in focus. And then BAM they're fighting all over the house in as high stakes a life-and-death struggle as I've seen.
That was it. I was in. Wherever Tarantino took me, I was going. Oh Quentin, My Captain. He could have taken me to the villain giving a monologue while making a sandwich and I would have been riveted. Oh wait, he did and I was. I watched the whole thing from the edge of my seat loving every second. I wanted to shake Quentin Tarantino's hand and buy him a beer for the experience.
I was hooked. We often talk about the hook as vital for the early pages of a screenplay. But makes an effective hook can be quite elusive. Whatever the genre, the hook is the thing that makes someone want to keep reading, pay money for a box-office ticket or drop the remote while saying "Ooo, what's gonna happen next?" But we know all too well how hard that interest can be to capture in our gigantic media and ever-busy world saturated with distractions & content.
And let's be honest – a hook also can help the filmmakers pull off the slight of hand of hiding a film's flaws by seducing the viewer into the journey. We're trying to get you so into the piece, so interested in the story that hopefully don't notice the joins or figure out those trespasses they make fun of Mythbusters. If you're on the edge of the seat about how they're going to rescue the princess, you'll overlook the obvious shot of the stunt-double in Act 2.
To borrow a phrase from sports, a hook makes the viewer buy into the movie the way a player has to buy into a coach.
Friends chatting about movies can be an invaluable resource for screenwriters and filmmakers. It's a first hand focus group where people are talking about what they like and don't like about a movie. Not over-analysis or overused jargon about inciting incidents and payoffs.
That being said, I'd suggest gently that people don't always know how to accurately articulate what it is they didn't like about a movie.
"It had no plot or story." If you think a summer blockbuster had no plot or story, I have a long list of 60's art films for you to check you. Movies that have no plot or story aren't released widely. You may not like the plot or the story, you may find the story very boring or you may not really care about it. But it's very difficult to find a movie with no plot or no story.
"It was sooooo bad." Problem with this is bad is a relative term. You hear it all the time – objectivity planted onto subjectivity. I've heard it was "soooo bad" about movies that have won awards on every level with a fierce loyal audience behind it. I've heard it "was so bad" about some movies that when I finally saw them I was expecting such dreck that I actually said "it's not that bad." The reverse happens to be true as well. I'm sure you've had a similar experience.
Fortunately, no one has ever told me a script of mine was "sooo bad" but if they did, I wouldn't know where to begin. Obviously I thought it was good. Chances are another of my readers liked it as well. So how do I fix "sooo bad?" I can't. Boring? Sure, we can pick up the pace. Low-stakes? Can do, we can ramp those up. Too many story threads? Cut & combine. But sooo bad? I'm gonna have to ask you to be A LOT more specific.
And if I'm hearing my friends complain about a movie and someone says "I just didn't buy it." A-HA! Now we're talking. Usually, there was something that was a bridge too far when it came to suspending disbelief. And that's important and something us screenwriters can work with:
*Was there an inconsistency in character behavior?
*Was the emotion of the story not the right pitch?
*Was world of the script something the viewer couldn't believe could happen? (Not necessarily realistic, but credible.)
Can we answer those questions within the story enough to get the audience to buy in? That is the great quest but you can see how much easier those questions are to work with. And some of them can be answered by a great hook.
See, it's easy to say "Come up with a great hook that gets the reader/viewer interested." But it's more than that. You need a great hook that seduces the viewer into another world they don't want to turn away from.
Every movie has a hook somewhere in the top. Movie history is overrun with great hooks that make people say "I'm not going anywhere."
*The HUGE spaceship that kicked off Star Wars
*Jack Burton's driving monologue at the top of Big Trouble In Little China
*Harmonica's first gun fight at the top of Once Upon A Time In The West.
Hell, at the top of Annie Hall, Woody Allen tells you directly some of his favorite jokes that are the theme of the movie. In some ways, he's saying "This is what this movie's about. Let's go."
Those are a few of my favorites. You can probably think of hundreds more. Talk about it with your friends this weekend. It'll be fun.
You don't want to lose the viewer. You don't to let up the excitement/drama/stakes, all those synonyms for story. BUT the lightning in the bottle is get that hook that grabs people and doesn't let go, that makes people, "Oh, I am IN" or "How will Harry & Sally finally get together?" "How are they going to catch that shark?" "How is Bruce Willis going to fix that little kid?"
Quentin Tarantino is a MASTER of the hooks. The Madonna chatter at the top of Reservoir Dogs. The robbery at the top of Pulp Fiction. And my favorite, the fight at the top of Kill Bill.
He cinematically tells you in 30 seconds or less, "This is the story I'm telling. I make no apologies for it. And I'm not holding back." (For the record, that's not an actual quote, just my interpretation.)
Because here's the sad truth. Sometimes, the viewer just isn't going to buy in.
I've watched movies that are objectively of a very high quality, that have been made by intelligent artists with the most painstaking care, that are honest and raw with a real message. And I still just don't like them. You can say the same thing. I can guarantee it. (Again, the "sooo bad" being relative to the point of meaningless.) I just didn't buy in. I can usually point to something specific that undid the hook.
This is meant with the highest respect to the filmmakers and this is all a matter of taste, but…
*Room: I don't know of a mother who wouldn't figure out how to escape through that skylight during those 5 years.
*The Dark Knight: The Joker's henchmen engaged in basil exposition dialogue during the bank robbery for reasons I saw as just moving plot, not story. Also, Batman beating up the cops of Gotham City isn't a Batman story I'm interested in.
*High Plains Drifter: A cowboy raping a woman is horrible and unacceptable whatever era the movie was made in or portraying.
I could not buy into those movies. If you could, great! I'm glad you enjoyed them. What bothered me didn't bother you and fair enough. Goo goo g' joob. (Well, High Plains Drifter is a tricky one to justify. I've seen attempts but no, he raped that woman so fuck that movie.)
So sometimes that Hook doesn't work. Sometimes we'll look right at the stunt-double and change over to Food Network. What's the answer? How do you get that great hook?
There's simply no surefire answer. No one knows that and be dubious of anyone who does. But what I've learned, I've seen clearest in Quentin Tarantino's films. "This is the story, no apologies, come along if you can." In other words, if you know not everyone will buy in, there's no reason to compromise your story. Stay as true to it as you can when inviting the viewer along for the ride.
I don't write universal stuff. Not everyone will like my scripts and that's quite frankly OK. Because to try and please everyone would actually undermine the stories.
So the hook shouldn't be a cheap trick or gimmick. A dead body for the sake of a dead body. Like bad magic, people will see right through that. They'll be insulted and uninterested.
I believe the Hook has to be something at the core of your story. Something that could define WHY you wanted to write this story. Something about what's possessed you and made you obsessed with it. Something that will offer that same possession to the audience. Or a moment that will lead to that core of the story.
One of scripts I've written is about the French resistance of teenage girls fighting the Nazis during World War II. I got the note from several producers and writers that it took too long for the action to begin. A fair note and something I could work with. So I added a flash forward. The very first shot on the very first page is my lead character, Sophie, pointing a rifle at a Nazi soldier. Before they even speak, the core of the story is there both visually and on the page. The feedback and interest in the script went through the roof. Fingers crossed you'll get to see it one day (and that you'll buy into it.)
Revisiting those examples above:
(A love letter to Flash Gordon, the inspiration of Star Wars, but it's the start of Darth Vader's chase of the heroes throughout the trilogy. Central to the story)
(It's ridiculous and funny but Jack is essentially describing his whole philosophy. He's introducing himself to the audience)
(Harmonica's revenge is the driving force of this story. We get started page 1, shot 1.)
No, you won't seduce everyone with your hook. Someone's going to read your script and say either "eh" or "that sucks." But that's not your audience. Your audience is the people who will get hooked by what your saying and stay with you for the entire ride. And if they do, then your story will truly resonate with them the way it resonated with you. Or in ways you never even though of which can be the most fun at all.
Keep writing. I'm pulling for ya. And I hope people are buying in.
On The Importance Of Tits And Dragons
March 15, 2016 Handsome Timmy DActing, celebrity, Cinema, Comic Books, Depression, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Dragons, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Game Of Thrones, Ian McShane, Internet, media, Movies, Novels, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing, Zombies 1 Comment
Ian McShane is a master of his craft. I don't know if I'd call him a genius because that label sometimes discounts the many hours of disciplined work and practice someone puts into their profession. But Ian McShane is a master. Just watch any episode of Deadwood for evidence. But the 73 year old actor has an incredible resume of achievements from "Dallas" to "Pirates Of The Caribbean" to his famous series "Lovejoy." If I ever have the privilege of meeting him I would shake his hand in Congratulations on a stellar career.
Recently, Mr. McShane has raised the ire of many genre fans for giving away spoilers for his appearance on "Game Of Thrones." He gave a response in the Telegraph which said, "You say the slightest thing and the internet goes ape…I was accused of giving the plot away, but I just think get a fucking life. It's only tits and dragons."
Here's the original Telegraph article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/03/11/ian-mcshane-game-of-thrones-is-just-tits-and-dragons/
I encourage you to read the entire article because there's a lot more than just the "tits and dragons" line that made the headline.
And before you get excited, this isn't a complete rebuke of Ian McShane's comments. He's done more than enough in this business to be entitled to whatever opinion he has. Besides, interview quotes are tricky. Was he just joking? Was he rolling his eyes at internet outrage? The quality of "Game Of Thrones" is pretty much undisputed so I'm sure he'd have some very glowing things to say about the script and experience. Of course, the internet being the internet, that's harder to find than the mean comments.
But he does bring up some interesting points about internet outrage, spoilers and the genre experience.
Ian McShane cannot be more correct when he says "You say the slightest thing and the internet goes ape." One just has to look at the ongoing feuds between many Bernie Sanders supporters and many Hillary Clinton supporters to know that's true. Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders are putting an exemplary debate exchanging ideas in the political discourse. Some of their surrogates, however, are shouting at each other on talk shows and across social media. (Following the example of those they profess to love is some advice that wouldn't go amiss.)
As I have explored in these pages, the keyboard can be a sword bringing bravery to many a troll. The black and white image of one quote taken out of context can instill an extreme judgement of "HOW COULD THEY?!?!" when in fact there was much more to the story.
I ain't mad at McShane's comments because every once in a while (or maybe every day) internet outrage really does need to be told to chill the fuck out. Judgments shouldn't be made on one out of context quote, but by meticulously researching all aspects of a story. And I say this from no high horse. This all has to be learned the hard way. ("Well, OF COURSE, Iraq has weapons of mass destruction," said I in 2003. We all can be very wrong about who we believe in.)
I was blocked on twitter not that long ago by a fellow Democrat who was losing her mind about Bernie Sanders ATTACKING Barack Obama. Mr. Sanders wasn't in fact attacking Obama, but just pointing out how his policies differed from the President's. In a very reasonable manner. It's also reasonable to guess President Obama wasn't mad at Senator Sanders comments. Disagreements happen all the time in politics but the mere suggestion that Bernie Sanders wasn't the enemy lead to a barrage of rage from this person toward myself and several other people. I'm a loyal and proud voter of Barack Obama but I apparently betrayed the cause by not being mad enough at Bernie Sanders it seems.
(I've received the same rage by the way from some Bernie supporters for not loving him so much. There is no political bent that is immune to the pitchfork mentality of mob outrage.)
There's also the matter of spoilers. In this day and age, they're getting harder and harder to avoid, but as I've mentioned before, apps like this can be a lifesaver:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/unspoiler/oookgbbhgojdebhnmkmhgfagoiknifgi?hl=en-US
Typing in Game Of Thrones into that app might have kept fans safe from the secret being spilled. It's impossible to ask the whole world to be quiet about spoilers but there are earmuffs out there that we can wear.
But then there's the matter of dismissing the genre. In all honesty, I don't think that's what Ian McShane meant to do. However, for a great number of years, many us who lurked in Comic Book shops have had to deal with our passions being dismissed with an easy wave of the hand. The explosion of genre programming today shows that those passions weren't just passing phases and they should not have been so easily dismissed.
Recently, even I was gobsmacked by the amount of attention the new "Captain America: Civil War" trailer got. I don't mean the buzz but I mean voluminous articles breaking down every shot. Spider-Man's uniform being combed over. New theories about the plot were written in great detail. People went nuts over this trailer. Google it if you don't believe me.
Why in the hell would anyone spend so much time and energy over a single few minute long trailer?
The answer is quite simple: It's important to them.
VERY important to them.
Some scoff and say that Comic books, sci-fi and escapist entertainment is nowhere near as important as serious drama. Perhaps not. That is the endless debate between critics and fans.
Then of course some say that people shouldn't get so emotionally invested in these kind of genre things. It's not as important as cancer, domestic violence, rape, abuse and all the other horrors of the world that need fixing. "Why don't people spend more time worrying about that than the new Godzilla movie?" some will ask with furrowed brows of disappointment.
Those furrowed brows are missing a very key point. Cancer, domestic violence, rape, abuse and all the other horrors of the world are WHY genre is so important. The words nerd and geek have now become affectionate labels for those of us who spend time watching the TARDIS materialize or dress in Starfleet uniforms. It's easy to forget that the words nerd and geek used to be (and maybe still are) some of the worst names you could be called on the playground. Bullies earned their stripes by inflicting as much torment on the geeks at school and as far as dating went? Forget it.
The "It Gets Better Campaign" reminds us these trends are still there despite the mainstream money-machine that genre has become. So when school is a place of abject terror, when home is a hell of domestic violence, when the steel grip of depression keeps you clawed down, it's hard to know where to turn.
Many people find not just solace and comfort, but pure bliss in the pages of a fantasy novel, the images of comic book or the wild adventures found in deep space. That faraway land isn't just mindless escapism but where our troubled minds can escape the painful, chaotic asshole that is real life and find some kind of peace.
And that is the one place I would respectfully disagree with the estimable Mr. McShane. Many of the people who are so invested in shows like Game Of Thrones ARE in fact getting themselves a life.
Yup. Genre entertainment can be damn silly. The sets sometimes wobble and the acting can reach over the top proportions.
Yup. Genre entertainment can take itself way too seriously. Fandom can overreact to the slightest changes in canon and should sometimes take a step back a bit. (I still for the life of me do not get the rage at Goyer & Mazin's She-Hulk jokes. Google that if you don't believe me or maybe don't.)
The world is unfair. The world is filled with tragedy that can strike at any second. The world hurts. Genre, escapism and entertainment, I put it to you dear reader is not just spaceships and superheroes. It is medicine for those hurts.
People often ask me if I'm ashamed of the work I did in Reality TV. "Are you kidding?" is usually my reply. I spent more than a decade laboring to entertainment millions upon millions of people. Even some of the small shows I worked in got around 700,000 viewers. That's a SHIT TON of people when you think about it. If the show I was working on was a way for those folks to unwind, relax from their day and deal with whatever they were stressing out about, I'm not only not ashamed of the show – I am HONORED to have been a part of it.
Yup. Genre entertainment IS people's lives. And it will always be of vital importance as long as there are hurts that people need healed.
And besides, the description of "Tits and Dragons" I daresay would attract a great number of viewers. I mean, come on, a show about tits and dragons – how can you go wrong?
Ideas On Ideas
January 13, 2016 Handsome Timmy DCinema, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, media, Movies, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Self-publishing, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
Happy New Year one and all! The holiday lights are down and everyone is pretty much back to work. I hope all the screenwriters out there have pen to paper fighting the good fight.
As we embark on an adventurous new year, I figured it's a good time to explore one of the more difficult questions a writer gets asked:
"Where do you get your ideas?"
Much has been written on the subject. There are few straight or easy answers. Harlan Ellison famously acidic reply to this question: "When some jamook asks me this one (thereby revealing him/herself to be a person who has about as much imaginative muscle as a head of lettuce), I always smile prettily and answer, "Schenectady." And when the jamook looks at me quizzically, and scratches head with hairy hand, I add: "Oh, sure. There's a swell Idea Service in Schenectady; and every week I send 'em twenty-five bucks; and every week they send me a fresh six-pack of ideas."
In some ways asking a writer where they get their ideas is kind of like asking a gymnast how they perform an somersault. It's a skill very difficult to explain but more than possible after a lot of practice. Of course, having an idea is not unique to writers. But having a large number of new and fresh ideas is an essential part of the writer's job. Whenever I tell someone I'm a writer, I often get the response, "I've got a great idea for a movie!" to which I'll sometimes reply, "That's great. I've got about 50." (And 50 is low but I don't want to be unkind.)
Screenwriters are constantly bombarded by ideas and sometimes it's harder to decide which one to pursue as opposed to thinking up bold new concepts. At the same time there are fair number of people who'd like to try writing or are even very experienced who have a hard time coming up with ideas.
This is by no means a definitive guide, but here's some things that I've learned over the past few years that have helped me generate a constant flow of ideas for stories:
BE OPEN: This is actually harder than it sounds, depending on your ego. But a great way to be open to ideas is to – be open. Be open to new concepts, new opinions, new theories, new judgments, new…well, ideas. No matter how intelligent, intuitive or well-educated we are, there is always new things to learn in our ever changing lives. Shedding preconceived notions and retaining as much curiosity can be an absolute gold mine. In other words, revel in the fact that you don't know everything.
Open your ears, open your mind, listen and watch the world around you. Everyday life is actually an endless supply of source material for story. Everyday scenes in life provide countless inspirations for writers. Don't worry if the idea is concept or genius, just be open to what's happening. Fantastic movies, novels and TV shows have been born out of those small struggles.
The concept for one of my pilots clicked into place while delayed in airport terminal and I started to think about a bunch of grumpy people being trapped together. Then I thought, what if everyone trapped together were a mix of criminals, outcasts and losers? Then I thought, what if they were exiled together in the last hiding place an Earth? What if that last hiding spot was actually a remote, hidden bar? A few weeks later the first draft of Finnegan's was written. A year later, Finnegan's was collecting laurels on the Festival circuit and today is in the hands of several gatekeepers.
A lot of ideas manifest and grow just by looking around and saying "what if…" Practice by trying to make a story, any kind of story, even just a concept, from things you see every day. You may be surprised how many are feasible and actually pretty good. (Honestly, I think I've thought of 10 movies just from walking the dog.)
Listen, Listen, LISTEN: This is similar to above but it's worth going over. Listen to people. Especially people with dramatically different views and experiences than you.
Some of the very best writers I know spend their time at parties or at the bar asking people questions (and not pitching their stories.) And I mean A LOT of questions. One of the reasons I started the podcast was to ask lot of questions and to absorb the answers.
Talk to people you don't agree with. Don't argue with them, just talk them. Are you atheist? Find out why someone is a true believer in God. Don't judge them, just do your best to understand them. Liberal? Have dinner with a conservative or vice versa. Explore all the layers that make up the difference of opinion and that far too often get lost in "YOU'RE WRONG." This won't only help you with ideas, but in creating real three dimensional characters and not one-dimensional stereotypes.
So much of writing is reliant on a distinct understanding of people. Not snap judgments or social media wisdom "People who believe in common core are stupid" kind of thing. I mean, a real understanding of people. Hopes, dreams, fears, adversities, pride and belief are the playing field of the writer. Sticking to only our own can be narrow-minded and detrimental.
READ: If you're shy or don't want to talk to people because they're people and who needs that aggravation, there's still plenty of ways to explore the world and the people who live in it.
You don't have to be like Sarah Palin and read "all the newspapers" but there's little excuse to not have a firm grasp on current events. I can think of several writers I knew of whom I suspected would fail because they just didn't care about the current events.
Watch the news when you exercise. Read about your community on the subway or in waiting rooms. Read about other communities far away. Whatever news you like, as long it's telling you "This is what happened today and this is what a number of people think of it."
If you can't stand the news or politics, fair enough. Every month fine publications are printing things you don't know. For example, these are some of my favorite screenwriting magazines:
"Breaking Bad" was inspired by a newspaper article, don't forget.
Story mechanics are reinforced by story mechanics so it's always good practice to be reading as many stories as you can.
And don't get mad, Script magazine, I read and like you guys too.
Write down well, everything: Waiting for genius or inspired greatness can be a very long wait. Many fail at writing anything at all because they're waiting for that "perfect idea." Many succeed at writing because they write down the imperfect idea and get to work on making it better.
Your local pharmacy or office supply store sells notebooks for literally a few bucks. Grab some. Take one with you everywhere you go. Or use the notes app in your phone or tablet.
Write down EVERYTHING that inspires you. Write down every little idea or even scene or line that occurs to you. Again, don't worry about the quality or level of genius. Just write it down. The next thing you know, you'll have a notebook filled with an armada of scenes, ideas, dialogue all kinds of things that could really save you as you write your story. Or maybe all those things will become one story. Whatever works, you're the writer after all.
The more you write down, the more you'll write down. The more you'll be looking for stuff to write down, the more open you'll be. And the more confident you'll be because now you've got an arsenal of ideas under your arm wherever you go.
PAIN: This is the one I hear the least about in a lot of screenwriting literature and I'll argue it's the most important source for ideas – Your own personal pain.
No, I don't mean embarrassing stories from high school or that time you got fired for being late too much or whatever. I mean the deep searing pain in your soul. I'm talking about the pain that comes from alcoholism or a childhood of abuse. I'm talking about the pain from rejection, from people hating you, from abandonment. The pain that makes people do drugs, cry endlessly or stay awake all night.
There's a lot of other phrases like "emotional truth" but people are for the most part talking about pain. Of course, you can explore your happy place as well but conflict, drama, struggle, adversity and obstacle all come from the well of our own personal pain we struggle with every single day.
The exploration of that pain is extremely difficult but in many ways it's necessary to become any kind of writer worth a damn. If you're hiding or lying about the pain in your life, it's going to be hard to sit down and write a scene where your leads come to terms with the pain in theirs. Not impossible but hard. And the quality of the drama won't be there.
We're artists. And artists not only recreate the world around them, they also explore the world inside of them. How many times have you said during a movie or TV show "It's like they know exactly what I'm going through?" It's because they do and they've had to face it in order to bring that story to the screen. It's easy to feel like we're alone with our pain but the reality is that there's a whole audience out there who are feeling exactly what we're feeling.
If you want to be a writer, be ready for tears on the keyboard.
Hopefully this post offers a way to several new ideas. Which one should you write? That's up to you. But I always let myself be possessed by one. In other words, I may think of an idea on Monday, let's say. If I think about it every single day that week, I'll ideally start it the following Monday. If I forget about it or it gets lowered down the ladder by other ideas, I'll start it much later.
Great stories possess the soul of the viewer, but first they have to possess the soul of the writer. The idea has become something I HAVE to write. Keep writing, keep being open, keep listening, keep reading, keep exploring your pain until you find one.
I hope these pages are at least somewhat helpful as you embark on the good fight. Have a great 2016, everyone!
A Tiny Bit Of Inspiration: An Interview With Kyle Newmaster
November 18, 2015 Handsome Timmy Dcelebrity, Cinema, Composing, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, Jazz, media, Movies, Music, networking, Orchestras, pop culture, Producing, Production, Radio, scores, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Short Films, Songwriting, soundtracks, Star Wars, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing 2 Comments
Writing music feels like voodoo to me so it's with great pleasure I welcome composer Kyle Newmaster to the show. Kyle is a classically trained musician who studied jazz before turning his hand to movie soundtracks. A lifelong fan of the movies, Kyle has scored a variety of films including "Where Hope Grows", "ABC's Of Death 2", "Something Wicked" and "The Myth Of The American Sleepover." With "Star Wars" in the air, we also touch upon Kyle's work on video games for the famous saga.
Kyle gives us a detailed rundown on how a movie score is completed, from those first notes on a piano all the way to orchestration. The process is not that different from that of screenwriting as we found many similarities in our discussion. Sometimes creative endeavors seem impossibly daunting but Kyle offers great insight on how to tackle them one step – or note – at a time. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/htd-express-38-kyle-newmaster.mp3
For more on Kyle and his music, check out his website:
http://www.kylenewmaster.com/
Kyle's IMDB page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1786083/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
For samples from his Kinect soundtrack:
https://soundcloud.com/kylenewmaster/sets/kinect-star-wars-soundtrack
The Success Of Failure: An Interview With Jennifer Sharp
October 27, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Cinema, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Short Films, the arts, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
Screenwriters constantly have to do deal with feedback and notes. They should always be listened to and considered. But then there's THOSE reads. Those reads that say "this script is horrible" or "you can't write." Festivals and coverage services can be great sources for criticism but you run the risk of sometimes getting that kind of reaction.
Joining me to talk about how to handle that is Jennifer Sharp. Director of the feature film "I'm Through With White Girls" and an award-winning screenwriter as well, Jennifer shares some of the soul-crushing reads she's received. But she also talks about how that doesn't have to be the end. This a great conversation about having the resiliency to block out those who hate your work and finding the people who will love it. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/htd-express-37-jennier-sharp.mp3
For more on Jennifer and her films, check out her homepage.
www.jennifersharpfilms.com
Jennifer can be found on twitter with her brand new handle: @jensharpfilms
Perspectives On Entertainment 2 from Ron Greenfield
September 14, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Art, Broadway, celebrity, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Self-publishing, Short Films, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing Leave a comment
After months of interviewing others, I was very delighted and flattered to be interviewed by my friend and colleague, Ron Greenfield. Ron offered one of the most informative episodes of the Express thanks to his hands-on, in-the-room experience in many areas of the entertainment business.
Just released is Perspectives Of Entertainment 2 in which Ron interviews a great number of esteemed artists pursuing the creative life. It is a great thrill that he included me in such august company and I hope I was able to offer some valuable words. This new collection is a must-read for those looking to break-in to show business or those who just fascinated by it because you're hearing from folks who have truly "been there, done that" and are still doing it.
Ron Greenfield is a recognized authority on the Entertainment Industry who has just released his second book, "Perspectives on Entertainment 2, Pursuing Our Passion" on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014GBQTIA and iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1033732329 It is an exploration into the creative process, conducted through a series of interviews, with extraordinarily talented individuals, providing an insider's view into the highs, lows, triumphs and setbacks they have encountered in their respective careers in this industry.
Each person sheds light on their individual creative process which enables them to work and realize their creative ambitions under the illumination of the entertainment spotlight. The conversations vary in length, but get to the heart of the matter: their creative aspirations, ambitions, and the work they do. Each interview is an excursion, moving through the worlds of the Broadway Theater, dance, and nightclub performers to the complexities of game development, writing, pod-casting, acting, and preserving our film heritage.
"I'm the audience…There has to be something relatable to the audience…something that is unique." – Neal Rubinstein, Broadway Producer
"I'm here to sing for you and to take you away because I'm an entertainer. I'm singing about something you can relate to." – Karen Wyman, Entertainer and Performer
"I always felt a bit more comfortable with costume design…I like working with actors, and I like the collaboration it involves." – Jess Goldstein, Costume Designer
"…the bar is set very high these days, and so the people I represent and other publicists represent have to have something special to stand out above the crowd." – Lisa Wartur, CEO and Publicist, Noodlehead Productions
"You have to write, write, write, all the time. Write screenplays. Write treatments. Write notes… Help inspiration out with exploring this stuff actively." – Tim Davis, Screenwriter
"I trust my intuition more than anything. I usually go with my first initial reaction after reading a script where it comes to creating a character." – Jeffrey Staab, Actor
"It's the director's vision of what he is really allowing you and focusing your eyes to see." – John Carpenter, Film Historian and Preservationist
Ron Greenfield is the CEO and creator of www.aspectsofentertainment.com , and an acknowledged expert on the entertainment industry. He writes extensively on subjects pertaining to the industry and creativity through his blogs, articles, videos, and featured interviews. For more information and/or interview booking, speaking engagements and television appearances, please contact him at: info@aspectsofentertainment.com
My interview with Ron Greenfield can be found here:
https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/10/14/aspects-of-entertainment-an-interview-with-ron-greenfield/
From The Broom To The Boom: An Interview With Chuck Slavin
July 14, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Boston, Boston's Finest, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, Massachusetts, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, television, the arts, TNT, TV, TV Production, Women Producers, writing 1 Comment
There's a lot happening in the entertainment industry outside of Los Angeles and New York. One American city that's become a hotbed of production over the past 10 plus years is beautiful Boston, MA. And one guy who's been a part of that production explosion is Chuck Slavin. Transitioning from in front of the camera to behind it, Chuck has worked positions from Production Assistant to Driver to Production Coordinator to Assistant Director building his career in the industry.
When not working on set, Chuck has also been a huge advocate and champion for the State tax credits that are keeping productions coming to Massachusetts. Combining enthusiasm and practicality, Chuck has become a master at networking in New England. This is a great listen on how to network but also a look at some do's and don'ts when it comes to etiquette on set. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/htd-express-36-chuck-slavin.mp3
Chuck's IMDB Page:
Chuck on twitter:
https://twitter.com/thedotcom
Chuck on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chuck-Slavin/39937977095
As mentioned in the interview, here's Chuck talking to then Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick about the tax credits:
https://youtu.be/iYzaUlvemUQ
Once More, With Feeling: An Interview With Daphne Ashbrook
July 6, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, actors, Actresses, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Crowdfunding, Daphne Ashbrook, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, Joshua Tree, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Short Films, Star Trek, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
Daphne Ashbrook is an actor who has probably appeared in your favorite show. With a resume in theatre, film and television shows ranging from "Knight Rider" to "Murder She Wrote" to "NCIS" to "The OC," just to name a few, Daphne's honed her craft into an incredibly successful career. She is a favorite among science fiction fans as well for being one of the few people to appear in both "Star Trek" and "Doctor Who." In recent years, she's branched beyond acting by releasing several albums "Grace Notes" "All Good Dreamers" and penning a memoir on acting "Dead Woman Laughing."
Daphne's latest adventure is writing, producing and starring in a new short film, "Once More, With Feeling." Inspired by a true and frightening turn of events during a trip to Joshua Tree, "Once More, With Feeling" tackles intense issues such PTSD and suicide but with a humorous slant as well. As you'll hear, Daphne's indefatigable spirit is sending her on an artistic journey where she has to relive her fears. This is a great and inspiring listen which brings home the courage needed to bring your vision to life. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/htd-express-35-daphne-ashbrook.mp3
Once More, With Feeling IndieGogo fundraising site:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/once-more-with-feeling–2/x/3052639#/story
Once More, With Feeling FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/OnceMoreWithFeelingmovie?ref=hl
Once More, With Feeling website:
http://once-more-with-feeling.weebly.com/
Once More, With Feeling IMdb:
Daphne Ashbrook's website:
http://www.daphneashbrook.com
Daphne Ashbrook Official FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/reallydaphne?ref=hl
Matthew Jacobs' "Doctor Who Am I" website:
http://www.doctorwhoami.com/
The Official "Doctor Who Am I" Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwhoami?ref=hl
The Accidental Caregiver: An Interview With Gregor Collins
June 2, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Austria, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, directing, Emotional connection, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Holocaust, Independent Film, Los Angeles, Maria Altmann, media, Memoir, Movies, networking, New York City, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, Stage Plays, television, the arts, Theatre, TV, TV Production, World War II, writing Leave a comment
What happens when you discover a powerful emotional connection to someone three times your age? Gregor Collins tells us in his open and honest memoir "The Accidental Caregiver" which was turned into a stageplay that premiered in January 2015. In 2008, Gregor found himself employed as caregiver to famous Holocaust refugee Maria Altmann. What occurred from there was an unexpected journey which opened up Gregor's mind and heart in ways he could not have predicted.
Gregor Collins is a writer, actor and producer based out of New York City. Like myself, he's got an extensive career in the world of reality TV. The Accidental Caregiver and other works has propelled Gregor's career in new directions that have made him realize that living the creative life means taking control of your own destiny. During this interview we talk about the emotional honesty needed to be an artist but also the courage to stop waiting and start doing. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/htd-express-34-gregor-collins.mp3
You can buy The Accidental Caregiver here:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Accidental-Caregiver-Legendary-Holocaust-ebook/dp/B0092GS96K
A trailer for the book is here:
https://youtu.be/JSCXfw7l9yQ
For more on the film Goodbye Promise:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye_Promise
Gregor Collins on IMDB:
Gregor Collins on twitter:
twitter.com/gregorcollins
Science, Archeology And Grace: An Interview With Simon Guerrier
May 19, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Actresses, Bernice Summerfield, Big Finish, celebrity, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Graceless, Independent Film, media, Movies, Novels, Podcasting, pop culture, Producing, Production, Radio, Science, Science Fiction, Screenwriting, Short Films, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, writing Leave a comment
Trying to tackle the subject of real-life science in a fantasy series as varied and long-running as Doctor Who is no easy task. But Simon Guerrier and his colleague Dr. Marek Kukula have risen to the challenge. "The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who" blends new fiction while tracing the role of science in the show's history. Sometimes the science in Doctor Who is dubious but sometimes there's examples of brilliance accidentally come true by the wildest of ideas. And of course, science has served as inspiration to the show's many writers.
Simon Guerrier is multi-published author of Doctor Who fiction, writer and producer of Big Finish audio stories, notably the Bernice Summerfield adventures, contributes both fiction and non-fiction to many publications and has even made a few films with his brother Thomas. He and I have whiled many hours talking the wonderful world of Doctor Who. This interview explores the show's history but also the nuts and bolts of putting together a project as ambitious as "The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who." Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/htd-express-33-simon-guerrier.mp3
The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who will be released June 4th:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Scientific-Secrets-Doctor-Who/dp/0062386964
Don't take our word for it. The book is already getting great reviews:
http://www.cultbox.co.uk/reviews/books-a-cds/the-scientific-secrets-of-doctor-who-book-review
For more on Big Finish and their wide range of stories:
www.bigfinish.com
You can find Simon online here:
https://twitter.com/0tralala
Simon & Thomas' movie can be found here:
http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/cleaning-up-download-957
Simon's Headshot by Lisa Bowerman:
http://lisabowerman.com/
Making Lucha Underground: An Interview With Chavo Guerrero
May 13, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Action Movies, celebrity, Chavo Guerrero, Comic Books, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Grindhouse, Independent Film, Internet, Lucha Libre, Lucha Underground, media, Movies, pop culture, pro wrestling, Producing, Production, Robert Rodriguez, Screenwriting, Sports, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, UFC, wrestling, writing Leave a comment
As a lifelong wrestling fan, I'm thrilled to welcome third generation pro wrestler Chavo Guerrero to the Express. In 2014, Chavo became involved in an innovative new program, Lucha Underground which combines Lucha Libre with Grindhouse Cinema. Made by Mark Burnett Productions, airing on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network and importing Luchadors from Mexico's premiere Lucha League, AAA, Lucha Underground brings all those worlds together to make a hybrid wrestling show never seen before.
Chavo Guerrero tells us he came to be involved in Lucha Underground not only as a wrestler but as a producer, helping to design wrestling matches for television. We also talk in-depth about why screenwriters should study the storytelling techniques of pro wrestling. And also, Chavo tells us how his wrestling career prepared him for his recent ventures in action films. A fun listen for wrestling fans & TV buffs alike. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/htd-express-32-chavo-guerrero.mp3
For more on Lucha Underground:
http://www.elreynetwork.com/originals/lucha
https://www.facebook.com/LuchaUnderground
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaVwpbqM8dkhQvbL8XileAA
For more on Chavo Guerrero:
https://twitter.com/mexwarrior
http://vivalarazashop.com/
The Only Hope Is A Complete Stranger: A Guide To Watching Doctor Who
April 9, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Big Finish, celebrity, Comic Books, Creativity, Daleks, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, media, Movies, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing 2 Comments
"I can't stand burnt toast. I loathe bus stations – terrible places, full of lost luggage and lost souls. And then there's unrequited love, and tyranny, and cruelty." (Ghost Light, 1989)
"There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things, things which act against everything that we believe in. They must be fought." (The Moonbase, 1967)
"The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour. The entire planet is hurtling around the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour. And I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world. And, if we let go…That's who I am." (Rose, 2005)
I've been watching Doctor Who since 1983. At that time, the show was celebrating its 20th anniversary. And not just an anniversary of its first airing but a proper 20th Season on the air. For a low-budget science fiction show, that was a remarkable achievement. (For context, the original Star Trek ran for three whole seasons. Four if you include the animated and you should, it's awesome but that's another story for another time.)
With Doctor Who making its long-awaited (by many) resurgence in 2005 after an extended hiatus, the show has risen to higher public profile than ever before. Some folks have dived right in but a lot of my friends have asked me all kinds of questions like "How do I watch Doctor Who? Do I start with the old series or do I watch the new one? Who are the Daleks and why do they have plungers? Wait…it's bigger on the inside? How does a sonic screwdriver work? What is a Capaldi?"
But the big one is "Where do I start watching Doctor Who?"
Doctor Who ran for 26 original seasons, a BBC/Universal made for TV movie on Fox and now 10 years of the new relaunch. That's A LOT. And that's just TV. There's also a wide variety of stories on audio, in comics and in all kinds of books. So asking where to begin and what one needs to know about Doctor Who is a fair question.
And it can be tricky to answer. I'm not sure I can even answer the question, "Why do you love Doctor Who so much?" I remember watching it as a very young kid, not at all understanding it but thinking it was cool nonetheless. As I grew up, the show grew up with me and rewatching the episodes, I understood more and saw new layers to the stories.
But honestly that answer is lame. So are answers like, "It's like this but in space with space-ships and monsters." I can't define why I like this show so much and I don't want to. Doctor Who is just a part of my life and always will be. Doctor Who is magic and brilliant and wonderful and you should just enjoy it.
So if you're looking to start watching Doctor Who, bookmark this page because I've got spots for fans who never watched, as well as old series and audio story recommendations for those who are enamored with the new series but want to explore the show's history.
Just to say it because this is the era we live in, I don't pretend to be the final word on any of this. What's presented here is just one longtime fan's opinion for new people on how to approach the series. You may hear different recommendations/suggestions from other fans and those are just as valid.
What do you need to know to start watching Doctor Who? After much thought and deliberation I came up with this answer:
Honestly. You don't need to know anything. If you start from the spots I recommend, everything will be made clear as you watch. So don't worry about any Time Lords, why Cybermen delete stuff or what Cybermen even are or any of that stuff. Listening to Doctor Who fans talk can be a foreign language with Blinovitch Limitation Effects being met by Tissue Compression Eliminators. Or mentions of the lost moon of Poosh and Raxacoricofallapatorius.
Don't sweat any of it. All will be made clear.
OK, here's one basic thing that you should know. But again, don't have to. But it's a question I get a lot. The Doctor is one character played by numerous actors. Unlike James Bond, the changing face of Doctor Who is part of the mythology. This was another example of necessity being the mother of all invention as the first actor to play The Doctor, William Hartnell was suffering from deteriorating health and couldn't carry on in the role. But the show had become such a hit that the BBC didn't want to pull the plug. Since the Doctor was a mysterious alien from unknown (at the time) origins, his ability to "regenerate" into a totally new person was introduced. You will see one Doctor turn into another on-screen. And it's always always always sad to see the old Doctor go and it's always always always exciting to see the new Doctor appear.
David Tennant explains it to David Letterman here:
I will argue this is one of the strokes of genius in all of TV history. Yes, there are stories were the various incarnations of the Doctor have met. But think about your own life. Imagine if the 10-year-old, 20-year-old and 30-year-old version of you were all put in the same room? Three totally different characters but essentially the same person. The Doctor's different incarnations are a genius metaphors for every person's own individual growth and change.
So clear your mind, make some popcorn. For those of you who take a drink, feel free to pour one. Here's how you watch:
DOCTOR WHO – SERIES ONE
Start here. This is the relaunch series starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. First episode is called "Rose" and is one of the hardest episodes of TV ever written because it establishes the show's mythology while regenerating it 😉 for a new generation. Everything you need to know to enjoy Doctor Who is in here.
The story basically sees bored teenager thrust into an adventure of alien intrigue with a mysterious stranger known only as The Doctor.
Here's a link. It's available on itunes and netflix as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Complete-Christopher-Eccleston/dp/B0089AD8IO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428450432&sr=8-1&keywords=Doctor+Who+Series+1
Now, here's where some confusion needs to be cleared up. Yes, it's called Series One but technically it's Season 27. For marketing purposes, the BBC booked this as Series One because who wants to start a show at Season 27? But it is the continuation of the old Doctor Who. But again, it doesn't matter if you've never seen a minute of the old series. Russell T. Davies does a masterful job setting up the universe of Who for you to relax and enjoy. Just make no mistake, the show has never been rebooted. It is a direct continuation of the classic series. (My apologies for being pedantic and I know reboot no longer means reboot but there's no Doctor Who reboot.)
Why not start with the original or classic series? You can but I think the new series is more accessible to many of today's viewers. That's not to say the new series is better. But it's designed like today's TV with 45 minute episodes and a proper production budget. (Mind you, I've heard some viewers knock current Doctor Who as low-budget.) Classic Who has some great stories and we'll get into those in a bit. But at 25 minute serials and with a downright frightening small budget, it might be viewed by some as a nostalgia piece instead of the same show as today.
The low budget of the classic series can't be overstated. The budgets were TINY. Honestly, as a TV professional, it's a miracle some of these stories were actually pulled off. Before you laugh at some of the rubber monsters and toy spaceships, know that the crew of Doctor Who has featured some of the very best folks in the industry, including Oscar Winners. And even Douglas Adams. The Classic Series of Doctor Who is what it looks like when you give brilliant, creative people a lot of brilliant, creative ideas and then take away all their money.
Also, I recommend not starting with David Tennant's era because it is a direct continuation of the Eccelston era. I think David Tennant's first season starting with the Christmas Invasion would be a bit confusing to any first-time viewer. Rose on the other hand was designed for first-time viewers.
So for you first timers, I'd say start with Series One. Here's the trailer, which I watched about 5000 times in 2005:
There's one other spot I'd suggest:
DOCTOR WHO – SERIES FIVE
Matt Smith's era also starts fresh. This season does refer back to the previous seasons but not in a way that alienates viewers. A new Doctor, new friends, new foes and a new showrunner.
Doctor Who's relaunch has been overseen by two of the best writers in the history of television. I make no exaggeration when I say that. Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant's Doctors were overseen by Russell T Davies. Matt Smith and now Peter Capaldi were overseen by Stephen Moffat.
There's eras are both drastically different yet warmly familiar. Each showrunner has their critics and detractors. Each has their champions. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of taste. The past 6 years or so, after each new episode airs, my facebook is 50-50 split, "That was wonderful." "That was terrible." Make up your own minds. And take anyone who says "so-and-so is the worst showrunner of Doctor Who EVER" with a grain of salt.
What about the latest Doctor, the incredible Peter Capaldi? You could start with Series 8, his season, but again it's a direct continuation of the Matt Smith era so might be confusing to new viewers.
Now, some folks will welcome that confusion and mystery. Like I said, I didn't understand anything about Doctor Who when I was little kid but there I was riveted. But if you want to follow in a clear, linear line – Series One and/or Series Five won't steer you wrong.
However, for you fans who have seen the new series or those of you who wish to start with the classic series, allow me to suggest these titles (again most of which are available through your trusted retailers/online providers)
The first two Doctors adventures are all in Black & White but you'll be deal, I'm sure:
THE FIRST DOCTOR
The Daleks: Actually the second story in all of Doctor Who history and I will argue makes a better pilot than the caveman murder mystery of "An Unearthly Child." One part sci-fi horror, one part 50's sci-fi expedition, Terry Nation introduces the Doctor's most famous enemy with immediate, frightening effect.
The Romans: Doctor Who was originally designed to be science fiction and educational historical episodes. For real. Several early episodes like this one featured no monsters or aliens. The Romans is a comedy of mistaken identity that sneaks in some real depth during the time of Nero. An underrated gem.
THE SECOND DOCTOR
Enemy Of The World: Speaking of mistaken identity, a power-mad dictator happens to look just like the second Doctor. A product of James Bond 60's with plenty of twists, turns but real characters. Doctor Who (and TV in the 60's) wasn't always great in its portrayal of other races but this episodes features a Black character who's given her fair due on screen. And it also features the best cook in the show's history.
The Mind Robber: The Doctor and his friends are thrust into a world where make-believe comes to life. And the limitlessness of Doctor Who, even on a low-budget, is brought to life when one of the Doctor's companion's loses his face.
The War Games: This is an investment. A 10 part epic in which The Doctor confronts a species exploiting the war's in Earth's history. The Doctor may have finally met his match and needs to call for never-before-seen reinforcements.
THE THIRD DOCTOR
Inferno: While exiled on Earth by The Time Lords, the Doctor tries to get his TARDIS working again during an experimental operation drilling into the Earth's crust. Instead he ends up in a parallel world where that same drilling operation is destroying the planet. Lots of proper science exploration but even some real philosophy as well. Widely considered one of the best stories ever.
Frontier In Space/Planet Of The Daleks: The final and possibly the best appearance of the original Master, Roger Delgado. What's the master up to? Using xenophobia to pit two parties into war. An example of how in staying topical, Doctor Who becomes timeless as the themes are just as accurate today. Frontier ends in a cliffhanger so you may want to check out Planet to see how the Doctor gets out of this one. Planet Of The Daleks is fine, a good old-fashioned "let's stop the Daleks from blowing up the world in a forest of invisible people" romp.
The Green Death: Talk about topical. A corporation puts profits over safety standards which results in giant maggots invading the countryside. The brilliance of producer Barry Letts & script editor Terrance Dicks is exemplified in this, possibly the best story of the Third Doctor. And don't let anyone tell you the old series wasn't about characters or the Doctor not loving his companions. Katy Manning cried during the DVD commentary AND at the Gallifrey One convention when talking about the final scenes.
THE FOURTH DOCTOR (this is the one with the scarf)
The Ark In Space: Steven Moffat called this the prototypical Doctor Who story. A lost colony in space is trapped on a space station infested by an insectoid alien race. The Doctor must rally his companions and inspire the surviving humans to fight or perish. "Indomitable."
Genesis Of The Daleks: My personal favorite of the classic series. And I'm not into origin stories or prequels. Terry Nation delivers possibly the greatest villain in the show's history, Davros, brought to life with chilling exactitude by Michael Wisher. An exploration of the evils of war as well as the blindness to the causes of wars. Something special. Trivia note: One of the few stories to not feature the TARDIS in any capacity.
Horror Of Fang Rock: A love letter to Agatha Christie that new series writer Paul Cornell calls a perfect story. Imagine some of the shadier characters in Downton Abbey trapped in a lighthouse and then a shape-shifting alien kills them off one-by-one. Awesome.
City Of Death: Just watch it. Ghost-written by Douglas Adams. The villain is played by Julian Glover. Pure bliss. "I say, what a wonderful butler. He's so violent. Hello, I'm The Doctor."
THE FIFTH DOCTOR
Kinda: It's pronounced like kin-da, as in "next of kin"-da, not like kinda of the "kinda, sorta" variety. The PBS station in New Hampshire promo-ed this as next week "Doctor Who: kinda" Bless 'em. Why don't people talk about this story more? A garden paradise, a mythological evil, genuine insanity and possibly the most frightening line in the show's history: "You will agree to being me, sooner or later, this side of madness or the other."
Earthshock: OK, honestly, the Cybermen's plans for invading the Earth here are overly complicated and convoluted. But it's a fun adventure with lots of shootouts, a brilliant Cyberleader (who exposes that maybe the Cybermen haven't eliminated all emotion) and a shocking ending. And man, that's such a great title.
Frontios: What happens when humanity reaches the end of the universe? Not a perfect story by an stretch but a cautionary tale about keeping horrendous secrets under the rug. And just some wicked cool lines. "Frontios buries its own dead."
The Caves Of Androzani: Gun-runners, androids and a must for House Of Cards lovers as John Normington's Morgus is Doctor Who's Frank Underwood, directly speaking to camera with his plans and machinations. An epic final story for the Fifth Doctor. Sorry about the magma monster though.
THE SIXTH DOCTOR
Vengeance On Varos: More relevant now than its first airdate in 1985, The Doctor and his companion Peri find themselves trapped on world that exports videotapes of execution and torture for torture for entertainment. A grim but poignant look at both political ideology and the morality of voyeurism.
The Two Doctors: The Sixth Doctor finds a lost human on a ransacked space station. It's his old companion Jamie who tells him that the Second Doctor has been killed. The future Doctor is sent on a rescue mission to save his old self and the entire universe.
The Trial Of A Time Lord: For the hardcores. Four stories in one which deal with Time Lord conspiracies, mind-transference and killer plants. Between the Time Lord manipulation and the creation of the Valeyard, this is a precursor to much of the new series more than some folks realize.
THE SEVENTH DOCTOR
Remembrance Of The Daleks: Who is The Doctor? What was he doing on Earth in the 1960's? What did he bring with him? What is he going to do with it? Some of those questions are answered as a Dalek Civil War descends upon 1963 London.
The Greatest Show In The Galaxy: The Doctor goes from wanderer to confronter of ancient Gods. The champion of Time seen in the current series emerges here. Oh and there's lots of evil clowns who want to kill people. And the way Sylvester McCoy plays the Doctor and how he's directed here is nothing short of bad-ass.
The Curse Of Fenric: I will always argue this is one of the best Doctor Who stories ever. At least Top 5. Ancient Viking curses, underwater vampires, monsters from the future. All told against the backdrop of World War II England where Russian spies are on a secret mission to steal the an early computer prototype. But the heart of the story comes down to the trust between The Doctor and his companion, troubled teenager Ace who's own demons come back to haunt her.
Survival: A direct prequel to Rose. A lazy Sunday in a surburban estate exposes an alien struggle right under everyone's nose. There's even a shouty Blonde who I'm convinced has the last name Tyler. The final episode of the classic series, the perfect lead-in to the new series.
Yes, I gave the 7th Doctor four stories. He's my personal favorite and it's my blog so there you have it.
THE EIGHT DOCTOR
The TV Movie: YES. Watch the TV Movie. A look at what might have been had Doctor Who become an international production aired on both Fox and the BBC. No, it's not perfect but it's an American TV pilot. The mythology is over-explained yes but it is FUN. Paul McGann is combines childlike wonder with a confident gravitas that assures you he IS The Doctor. And there really are some good lines. Why is the Master a disembodied ghost snake? "Because in the fight to survive, there are no rules." Brilliant.
Quite a list so far but this blog needs a Big Finish, hahahaaaaahhhh ahem. Now, if you want to dive into the wonderful world of audio plays from the good folks at Big Finish (and you should, great stuff there), here are some suggestions. Some of the CD's are out of print but there are downloads available here:
http://www.bigfinish.com/
The Holy Terror: Still my personal favorite of the Big Finish stories and I'll argue one of the best stories ever. The Doctor and his companion, the shape-shifting-but-loves-to-be-a-penguin Frobisher, land in a medieval theocracy. Sort of. I don't want to say too much more as it might give away the layered reveals. Funny, thoughtful and then downright terrifying. I first listened to this at 27 years old and it scared the hell out of me.
Spare Parts: The Doctor lands on the planet Mondas, where the people are slowly replacing their organs and body parts with cybernetics. The origin of the Cybermen doesn't try to be Genesis Of The Daleks and therein finds its brilliance. Seedy, scary and unflinchingly tragic, this a genuine masterpiece in all of Doctor Who. "Oh Vonny, what have they done to you?"
Master: The Doctor ends up in the home of his old enemy the Master who has amnesia and is a good man doing good deeds in the town he's settled in. It's now The Doctor who must confront his own evil deeds. An exploration of the nature of good and evil. Brilliance.
Real Time: The far-flung future collides with a distant, parallel universe in an exploration of the Cybermen at their most frightening and gruesome.
The Unnatural History Of Fear: What can you do with the limitations of audio? This story tells you – A LOT. The Eighth Doctor's visit to an alien world sets off consequences he can't possibly imagine.
The Nowhere Place: The Doctor and his companion Evelyn find themselves on spaceship that contains a mysterious door. When your time is called, you cannot resist the call to the door.
Live 34: The Doctor and his friends join a planetary revolution – all on the radio.
Shada: Don't worry about continuity, the Doctor sometimes treads the same trail twice. The Eighth Doctor finds his old companions Romana and the robot dog to settle some unfinished business in 1979. A unproduced script by Douglas Adams brought to life on audio with fun and flourish. "Well, when I was on the river, I heard a strange babble of inhuman voices." "Oh, undergraduates talking to each other, I expect. I've tried to have it banned."
The Renaissance Man: The Fourth Doctor's first season on audio is highlighted by the wonderfully absurd tale which weaves the fanciful with the macabre, the calling card of this Doctor's era. Pure bliss every time I hear it.
Shadow Of The Scourge: The manifestations of personal demons invade an unsuspecting hotel packed with conventions. We'll get into the novels another day but if you want to dip into the books, this one is a great place to start. For the first time ever, The Doctor and Ace are joined by novel-only companion Bernice Summerfield brought to life with downright spooky accuracy by Lisa Bowerman.
OK, you should now be armed and ready for your journey into the world of Doctor Who. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to contact me with any questions. If you're mad that I left off Terror Of The Autons or Seeds Of Doom on the list of classic episodes, fair enough, you can recommend those to your friends when they ask for an introductory list. I love those episodes too but can't answer "all of them" to a friend staring at pages of stories, wondering what to watch.
There's a whole universe of Doctor Who out there. Lots more classic episodes, audios, comic books and original novels. But these all should be a good start.
I leave you with this anecdote. In 2004, before the new series came back I attended the Gallifrey One convention, which I try to every year. The show had not yet returned and many of the old-school fans were filled with trepidation (to say the least) at the news series returning. The convention showed UK news clips as part of the closing ceremonies. When Russell T Davies came on screen during an interview, several folks in my section booed. Like for real, booed like he was a bad guy wrestler. And then the interviewer asked him why he was bringing Doctor Who back or why he liked it. I forget the exact question, but I will never forget the exact answer:
"Because it's the best idea ever invented in the history of the world and I love it."
The audience broke out in applause. Doctor Who was in safe hands. And has soared back to and surpassed its former glory.
"Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?" (Dark Water, 2014)
Synergy: An Interview With Stacy Gueraseva And Travis Rust
March 31, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Actresses, celebrity, Cinema, Comedy, Creativity, current events, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, Short Films, Social Media, the arts, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Producers, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
Sometimes when thinking about making a short film, it's easy to get caught up in the limitations of the format. "There's not enough time to develop story or surprise people." Filmmakers Stacy Gueraseva and Travis Rust have made a short film that disproves those misconceptions. The just released "Synergy" is a short they made in February that's a topical comment on social media and infomericals with plenty of comedy, twists and turns.
Stacy Gueraseva is an experienced magazine editor and non-fiction author. You may recognize her name for her book "Def Jam Inc." Travis Rust is a seasoned unscripted TV editor and has made short films before. In addition to their own experience, they assembled a trusted cast of talented people. As a husband & wife team, this is Stacy & Travis's first film together. They tell us how they divided their labor but also trusted their instincts and welcomed the input of their cast & crew. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/htd-express-31-stacy-travis.mp3
You can watch Synergy here:
www.vimeo.com/synergythemovie/watch
For more on Synergy, click here:
www.likesanity.com
Calise Hawkins will soon be seen in Funny Girls on Oxygen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIiY0U5bMh0
Narrator Ray Van Ness' website:
http://www.rayvanness.com/
Synergy on IMDB:
Synergy on Twitter:
twitter.com/synergythemovie
The wHOLE: An Interview With Ramon Hamilton
March 24, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Cinema, Creativity, current events, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, pop culture, prison, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Short Films, solitary confinement, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, web series, Women Producers, writing 1 Comment
Episode 30 of the Express welcomes a fearless filmmaker from a production company that's tackling important stories head-on. Writer/Director Ramon Hamilton founded Think Ten Media Group along with his wife, Producer Jennifer Fischer. Think Ten is telling stories of very human struggles with some of today's most important issue as their backdrop.
This week sees the launch of their new web series The wHOLE which is an unflinching look at solitary confinement. Ramon endeavors to look at all sides of an issue within his story without losing the intimate, human element. We also talk about how he embraces the limitations of shooting on a smaller independent budget. This is a very informative listen for people looking to write important dramas and for people who want to make movies but don't have access big studio money. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/htd-express-30-ramon-hamilton.mp3
Links To:
You can watch The wHOLE here:
http://www.thewholeseries.com/
Click here to learn more about The wHOLE and to support future episodes:
http://www.seedandspark.com/studio/whole
For more on Think Ten Media Group:
http://www.thinktenmediagroup.com/
Ramon Hamilton's IMDB profile:
You can find Think Ten Media Group on twitter here:
http:/twitter.com/ramon_hamilton
http://twitter.com/IndieJenFischer
http://twitter.com/ThinkTenMedia
Jamie And Jonathan: An Interview With Kyle C Mumford
March 16, 2015 Handsome Timmy DActing, Art, Artists, Cinema, Creativity, Crowdfunding, Digital Media, directing, documentary, Dyslexia, Entertainment, Family, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, New Jersey, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Short Films, Sound Editing, the arts, writing Leave a comment
I'm very pleased to welcome fellow New Jersey native, filmmaker Kyle C Mumford to the Express. Kyle's artistic journey through life has seen him wear many hats in the entertainment business. Kyle has extensive experience editing, sound mixing, screenwriting and is the director of several short films. His latest short, "Jamie And Jonathan" is tells the story of a failed writer driving his estranged son to a funeral.
"Jamie And Jonathan" is a drama exploring the meaning of fatherhood but is filled with lots of comedy as well. Kyle and I talk in detail about the how connected and important comedy is to drama. Kyle tells us about his experiences in various positions has helped him become a better director. And he also tells about how he became a screenwriter despite being told in his youth it was impossible because he has dyslexia. Kyle has proven it's very much not impossible. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/htd-express-29-kyle-c-mumford.mp3
For more on Jamie And Jonathan and how you can contribute to the film:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jamie-and-jonathan-short-film#activity
To see more of Kyle's work, check out his website:
http://www.kylemumford.com/
Kyle on IMDB:
You can find Kyle on twitter here:
https://twitter.com/KyleMumfordFilm
Online And Beyond: An Interview With Crystal House
March 12, 2015 Handsome Timmy DAliens, Ancient Aliens, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, editing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, old hag syndrome, online editing, paranormal studies, pop culture, post production, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, sleep disorders, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, UFO's, Ufology, writing Leave a comment
I know a lot of editors whom I'd like to bring on the Express and I'm starting with one of the most unique that I know. Crystal House is an experienced online editor. The online/offline process is one of the most overlooked and possibly least understood aspects of post-production. Crystal tells us how that process works, how online editors are different from offline editors and the challenges of each. Crystal does offline editing as well and tells us all about editing the fascinating upcoming independent movie "Stand."
Another reason I asked Crystal in the show is because of my love-affair with paranormal stories. Crystal is studying the science of Ufology, which is the study of UFO's. We take a side-step away from industry talk for a bit to talk about UFO studies and some truly creepy stories from around the world. And Crystal tells us about a very unusual but well-documented sleep disorder she suffers from which launched her interest in this subject. This is fun yet very informative interview. I hope you enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/htd-express-episode-28-crystal-house.mp3
For more on the movie Stand, check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/standthemovie
Crystal's IMDB:
And you can find Crystal on twitter:
twitter.com/abbytoir
PSALMS: THE MAKING OF AN ALBUM: AN INTERVIEW WITH JON MATTHEWS
March 10, 2015 Handsome Timmy DAppalachia, Austin Film Festival, Cinema, Creativity, Crowdfunding, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Jewish music, Kickstarter, media, Movies, Music, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, the arts, Uganda, West Virginia, writing Leave a comment
I've got a slew of interesting artists and filmmakers coming up on The Express and we kick things off with Jon Matthews. A graduate of NYU film school, Jon's latest project is a documentary that seeks to both unify and inspire. In "Psalms: The Making Of An Album" Jon is planning on bringing together a group of Jewish Appalachians and Jewish Ugandans to record an album together.
This is a concept that's eye-opening in breaking regional stereotypes but also aims to get to the root of our cultural roots. There is currently a kickstarter campaign to help finance the film and the recording of the album. Jon tells us how a series of chance meetings and a love of his home-state of West Virginia inspired this unique endeavor.
Jon's made a previous documentary about his family as well as an NYU film starring James Franco, Whoopi Goldberg and Olivia Wilde. Utilizing his successes, Jon's career is now broadening into the world of screenwriting and commercial directing. In this interview, Jon tells how all of these skills intersect. And we've even got some tips on networking. If you're looking to write your first script or make your first film, this is a very valuable listen. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/htd-express-27-jon-matthews.mp3
The Kickstarter for Psalms can be found here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1058569683/psalms-the-making-of-an-album
More information about the Surviving Cliffside documentary can be found here:
http://www.survivingcliffside.com/
As mentioned in the show, here's a link to Kin Ship Goods:
http://www.kinshipgoods.com/
Jon's IMDB:
You can find Jon online here:
twitter.com/jonmatthewswv
https://www.facebook.com/jonmatthewswv
http://www.chronicrift.com
Blood Red Turns Dollar Green: An Interview With Paul O'Brien
February 10, 2015 Handsome Timmy DBooks, celebrity, Creativity, Crime Drama, Crime stories, directing, Entertainment, Fun, Internet, Ireland, Jim Ross, Mick Foley, Movies, Novel Writing, Novels, pop culture, pro wrestling, Screenwriting, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, wrestling, writing, WWE Leave a comment
How did an Irish playwright became a highly regarded author within the world of professional wrestling? When Paul O'Brien sat down to write his first novel, a crime drama, he decided to use the sometimes honorable, sometimes seedy but always fascinating world of territorial pro wrestling as his backdrop. A lifelong fan of the squared circle, Paul was surprised to find that no one had really delved effectively into this world before. As a result, his years of studying the wrestling business became an armory of knowledge which helped structure his story.
"Blood Red Turns Dollar Green" is a trilogy of books that takes place during the 1970's and 1980's as the world of pro-wrestling and pop culture in general went through dramatic sea changes. In those days, pro-wrestling was a world highly protective of its secrets convincing their audience it was a legitimate sport. Paul has masterfully created a bevy of three dimensional characters in a world driven by deception and where greed pushes some people to the most horrible crimes.
Wrestling icons such as Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Jim Ross and William Regal have proudly endorsed this series. However, this novel is not just for wrestling fans as it will open the eyes of people unfamiliar with that world but love a gritty crime story. Paul has become an international hit because he wrote honestly about one of his passions. A great listen for those to endeavor to do the same. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/htd-express-26-paul-obrien.mp3
You can purchase "Blood Red Turns Dollar Green" here:
http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Red-Turns-Dollar-Green-ebook/dp/B007Q6EMCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423158196&sr=1-1&keywords=blood+red+turns+dollar+green
For more information on Paul O'Brien and his stories:
http://www.paulobrien.info/
You can find Paul O'Brien on twitter here: @tweetpaulobrien
The Other Side Of The Desk: An Interview With M. Dal Walton III
December 9, 2014 Handsome Timmy Dcelebrity, Cinema, Creativity, development, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Production Executives, Screenwriting, storytelling, studios, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing Leave a comment
It's always scary whenever a screenwriter thinks of the production executive who will oversee their script. But M. Dal Walton III joins me for Episode 22 to tell you why screenwriters have nothing to fear. Dal has served for years as production executive guiding movies such as "Narc", "Once Fallen", "16 Blocks" and "Righteous Kill." Dal tells us about how a production executive is there to help a script become the best movie possible. Yes, it's true – they're actually on the screenwriter's side!
Dal has also worked as a manager for years and goes into detail about the manager/screenwriter relationship. Dal is now moving to the other side of the desk becoming a director and writer himself. Having seen many changes in the business over the years, Dal gives some great observations about why this is one of the best times to be screenwriter or director in Hollywood. An invaluable and experienced source of how it works inside a production company, Dal is very generous here with his insight. This interview is helpful to screenwriters everywhere whatever their skill level. Grab a pen, take some notes and enjoy.
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/htd-express-22-dal-walton.mp3
Dal Walton's resume can be found here:
You can find Dal on Twitter:
twitter.com/DalWalton
Finding Character: An Interview With Simone Bailly
December 2, 2014 Handsome Timmy DActing, Actresses, Auditioning, Battlestar: Galactica, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Internet, itunes, Life Partners, Los Angeles, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, Smallville, Stargate: SG1, television, the arts, The L-Word, Tribeca Film Festival, TV, TV Production, Vancouver, writing Leave a comment
We kick off December with Episode 21 of the HTD Express. Simone Bailly is an actress who's worked across many genres in television and film. You've seen her in recent sci-fi icons like "Stargate: SG-1," "Battlestar Galactica" and "Smallville." But she's also appeared in dramas like "The L-Word" as well as a new independent feature about modern romance "Life Partners" alongside Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) and Gillian Jacobs (Community). This being the digital age, you can rent "Life Partners" on itunes right now but it also opens in theatres this Friday, December 5th, 2014.
Simone has experienced the acting industry in both Vancouver and Los Angeles. She shares with us an actor's perspective on how to approach character. For screenwriters everywhere, this conversation offers a new angle of looking at your scripts. Simone tells us exactly what goes through the mind of the person who is handed a script and tasked with bringing characters to life. We also talk about the pros and cons of taking risks to stand out from the crowd. There's a lot of insight in here about how close acting and screenwriting actually are. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/htd-express-21-simone-bailly.mp3
"Life Partners" is available here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/life-partners/id927831172
Simone Bailly's website:
http://simonebailly.com/
Simone Bailly's facebook fan page:
www.facebook.com/pages/Simone-Bailly-Fan-Page/202595129755687
Simone Bailly on twitter:
twitter.com/SimoneBailly
Simone Bailly on IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1140759/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Simone Bailly is repped by Bright Alliance Media.
Player Piano: An Interview With Tom Grey
November 21, 2014 Handsome Timmy DAKIRA, Cinema, classical music, classical piano, Comic Books, composers, concertos, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, genre, Ghost Waltz, Independent Film, indiegogo, media, micro-budget, Movies, piano, player piano, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, soundtracks, Tetris, the arts, writing 1 Comment
I'm delighted to welcome Tom Grey, the director & producer of the Player Piano video series to the show this week. Working alongside him is classically trained composer & pianist Sonya Belousova. They've combined their talents to create videos that don't just cover songs, but add new dimensions to them on the piano and in a video setting. For those of you who miss music videos, you will love Player Piano. So far, they've covered "Kaneda" from Akira, "The Unknown Waltz" by David Arnold and that Russian folk song that would be stuck in your head after hours of playing Tetris.
Tom and Sonya's innovative work has garnered critical acclaim from the likes of Stan Lee, Felicia Day and the Nerdist. They've just launched an Indiegogo campaign to take this exciting new venture to the next level. In this interview, you'll hear how this all started and how each of the videos are made. There's also some good advice in here about collaboration and embracing production limitations as opposed to letting them stop you. A great listen for people endeavoring to make their own shorts and indie films. Enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/htd-express-20-player-piano.mp3
Here's the Player Piano YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAIwH4ubfkRWep6ZkmRG8Gg
To contribute to the Player Piano Indiegogo Campaign, just go here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/player-piano-awesome-music-and-videos
Player Piano's Homepage is here:
http://www.playerpianomusic.com/
You can also like them on facebook:
www.facebook.com/PlayerPianoVideos
and follow them on Twitter:
twitter.com/PlayerPianoVids
The Blue Cat Screenplay Competition: An Interview With Gordy Hoffman
November 7, 2014 Handsome Timmy DAustin Film Festival, Blue Cat Screenplay Competition, Cinema, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Internet, Movies, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenplay Contests, Screenplays, Screenwriting, scripts, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing 1 Comment
November 15th, Midnight PST will be the final deadline for the 2015 Blue Cat Screenplay Competition. I'm very delighted that due to some last-minute scheduling, the founder and judge of Blue Cat, screenwriter, director and teacher Gordy Hoffman kindly took time out to tell us about what this very trusted screenwriting contests. Blue Cat is in its sixteenth year and has helped launched numerous writing careers, including "Rodham" screenwriter Young Il Kim and "Prisoners" co-writer Aaron Guzikowski among many others.
Gordy has been a huge asset to aspiring screenwriters since he launched Blue Cat and you'll hear why as shares some of his great insights here. Every script that enters Blue Cat gets written feedback. Gordy tells us how writers should handle and address that feedback. Gordy also tells us what a writer should be concentrating on before they enter any contest. The good news, it's all about the writing and not marketplace dictates. If you're an aspiring or amateur screenwriter, inside or outside LA, looking for a door to get into the business, contests like Blue Cat are a great way. Find out why here and Enjoy!
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/htd-express-18-gordy-hoffman.mp3
Here's how you can enter Blue Cat:
http://www.bluecatscreenplay.com/
Blue Cat is on Youtube here. Screenwriters, listen and watch these interviews, they're just a wealth of insight:
https://www.youtube.com/user/bluecatscreenplay
You can follow Gordy Hoffman on twitter here:
@vigiledelfuoco
And Blue Cat here:
@BlueCatPictures
Halloween Special: An Interview With Rick Dominicus
October 28, 2014 Handsome Timmy DCinema, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Foreign Film, Fun, Gore, Halloween, Horrifying Movies, Horror, I Saw The Devil, Independent Film, John Carpenter, Movies, pop culture, Producing, Production, Rob Zombie, Scary Movies, Screenwriting, Soska Sisters, Suspense, the arts, The Exorcist, Ti West, Women Directors, writing, Zombies Leave a comment
All Hallow's Eve is upon us soon and if you're like me, you want to watch, rewatch or discover some horror movies this week. To that end, I'm very excited that Rick Dominicus sat down with me this week to discuss that very subject. Rick's been working in Hollywood for over 14 years now as a librarian, archivist and assistant editor for hit shows like "WWE Legends House," "The League" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." An assistant editor does not get the editor their coffee and dry cleaning. The job of an AE is actually managing and organizing enormous volumes digital media making it efficiently accessible.
When he's not making editors lives easy, Rick is making his own life and his friends' life easier with a vast collection of movies from all over the world. Rick puts the word "cinephile" to shame and he kindly took time from his hectic workload on the reality show staple "Shark Tank" to give us a detailed guide on both iconic and hidden gem horror movies. Films from Europe, the far east and from various generations are discussed. And in the end, we transition from horror to horrifying as we delve into movies that challenge the bravest viewers from whatever time of year. A great listen for anyone looking to discover movies off the beaten paths:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/htd-express-17-rick-dominicus.mp3
You can find Rick on Twitter here:
@Dickydomes
For more on Rob Zombie's Directors Cut for Halloween II:
http://robzombie.com/movies/halloween-ii/
For more on the films of Ti West:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1488800/
For more on the films of The Soska Sisters:
http://www.twistedtwinsproductions.net/
I Saw The Devil Trailer:
http://youtu.be/YKsIa6HPXm0
Night Of The Creeps Trailer:
http://youtu.be/vFcF99Yskqw
The Exorcist Trailer:
http://youtu.be/YDGw1MTEe9k
Dead Squad: An Interview With Stephen Scaia
October 21, 2014 Handsome Timmy DAdaptation, Austin Film Festival, Cinema, Comic Books, Creativity, Dead Squad, Die Hard, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, filmmaking, Fun, Graphic Novels, media, Movies, networking, Notes, Pax Romana, pop culture, Producing, Production, Rocky, Screenwriting, Structure, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing, Zombies, Zorro Leave a comment
On episode 16 of the Express, I finally welcome one of my oldest and closest friends, writer Stephen Scaia. Along with his writing partner Matthew Federman, you've seen Stephen's writing and producing credits in the shows "Judging Amy", "Jericho", "Warehouse 13" and "Human Target." He's also co-written the feature-film adaptations of "Y: the Last Man" and "Ghost Recon" coming soon a to a theatre near you. These guys know how to tackle big set-piece action stories without forgetting about the core of what makes those stories great – the characters.
Stephen offers a unique perspective in this interview as he and Matthew recently adapted the graphic novel "Pax Romana" and this month released their "Dead Squad", their own original comic book. "Dead Squad" is a part-action, part-horror, all-existential story about a group of soldiers who are surprised to find themselves alive after being killed on a mission. Stephen tells us the different challenges between adapting existing material and creating something completely new across different mediums. We also get into some character analysis for some of your favorite movies which offers great insight on how to get to the root of the characters you're writing.
Stephen has been a great friend and guide to me as a writer. You'll find out why in this interview which offers great advice for aspiring writers but also some practical nuts-and-bolts reminders for seasoned vets. And it's Austin Film Festival week so of course we touch on that as well. Enjoy…
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/htd-express-16-stephen-scaia.mp3
For more on Dead Squad:
http://www.darbypop.com/titles/dead-squad/
Here's another interview with Stephen along with his writing partner Matthew Federman
http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/news/exclusive-matthew-federman-stephen-scaia-talk-dead-squad/119461
For more great insights from Stephen, check out his twitter:
@stephenscaia
See You At The Driskill: A Look At The Austin Film Festival
October 15, 2014 Handsome Timmy DAustin Film Festival, celebrity, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, Movies, networking, Podcasting, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing Leave a comment
Sorry it's been a while with a written blog dear reader but I've been too busy interviewing industry professionals for your listening pleasure. Thanks again to everyone who's listened, shared and spread the word about the podcast. It's very much appreciated and as long as people are tuning in, I'm going to keep recording.
The next two week's shows are scheduled despite the fact that I'll be taking a trip to the most liberal part of the Lone Star state for arguably the best festival for screenwriters in the country. How liberal is Austin? There are streets where it's legal for women to be topless in public. For real. I think you can figure out how I found that out.
Don't get excited, this blog isn't about public displays of bosom. Get excited, this blog is about the Austin Film Festival. Now, it's not meant to be a foolproof guide and I don't claim to know everything about the festival. I should also point out this blog is not authorized or under the auspices by the AFF, it's just me talking about it. Last year, I was fortunate enough to place 2 of my scripts into the Second Round of the 2013 Festival and it was an amazing, even career-changing experience. It was also the Festival that validated me as a writer and industry professional in ways I didn't realize.
The AFF opened my eyes to new ways of looking at writing. This blog and podcast are actually the direct result from a panel with "You're The Worst" (GREAT show) showrunner and writer extraordinaire Stephen Falk. I met some people whom I like, admire and look forward to years of friendship with. I got to shake hands with some great writers who wrote some of my favorite movies. I even get a tutorial on Westerns from this gentleman:
With the festival coming up next week, I figured this was a good time to share some do's & don'ts I learned from my experiences last year. Take all this with a grain of salt but I dare say these are some pertinent suggestions from myself and others.
FOR THOSE TRAVELING:
The Festival can actually start before you get to Austin. Last year for me it started on the plane as my slumber was awakened by folks in neighboring seats talking about the movies they were showing at the Festival. An hour of friendly conversation later, business cards were exchanged and the networking was underway – 35,000 above Arizona.
Don't accost people in the airport of course but chances are you're flying with fellow festival goers. And they're probably just as scared and nervous of the festival as you are. After all, we wouldn't be writers if we were great with people. If the opportunity presents itself to talk to folks, take it. The filmmakers I spoke to on the plane (unless they read this) have no idea how much they put me at ease. It was a relief to meet folks who were excited, friendly and nice while still in the air. My nervousness about the festival went way down.
(More on those films at the bottom of the page. They're great, check 'em out)
THAT MAGIC AGENT
Speaking of nerves, if you're a 2nd Rounder or above, the spotlight is a bit on you. You're now a recognized writer and hopefully at the festival you'll meet that one agent or manager who can open all of Hollywood's doors for you to finally make it as a professional screenwriter. Only one problem – that person doesn't exist. There is no agent or manager who can magically do that. Sorry. Keep reading though and keep writing because there's actually better (if slower) solutions.
Ed Solomon, the screenwriter of "Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure", "Men In Black" among many others, brought this home in the very first panel I went to. He was at the very first AFF and reminded us all it's not about finding the agent who will help you leapfrog above everyone else. It's actually about meeting everyone else, working with them, making connections with other creative people to ultimately improve your craft and become the hot commodity that all the managers and agents chase. I can't remember his exact words but he was almost like a football coach telling us how to play the game right and smart as opposed to just rushing the field, trying to kill the other team.
As screenwriters, we're in competition for jobs and work sure, but we're all in it together. We're all on the same team.
TALK TO EVERYONE
Talk to everyone. Everyone. Every. One. Talk to directors. Talk to filmmakers. Talk to writers who write the same stuff. Talk to writers who write different stuff. Talk to writers who've written 30 scripts. Talk to writers who've not even finished their first screenplay. Make sure you say Thank You to the staff who are working tirelessly to make this happen and love movies as much as we do. Talk to everyone.
No, that magic agent isn't there. Probably isn't there 😉 But that long lost writing soulmate might be. The Paul Schrader to your Martin Scorsese. The Larry David to your Jerry Seinfeld. The Stone Cold Steve Austin to your Vince McMahon may be standing next to you in line. Talk to them.
If you talk to someone and you don't like each other or it's awkward, who cares? Wasn't meant to be. Move on.
For many folks outside of LA, it's hard to find other writers or people who understand the life & struggles of screenwriter. The AFF is your chance to be in the room with like minded people. Talk to them.
I collected something like 160 business cards last year. For real. I counted. I handed out well over 250. Again, I counted. You're not going to stay in touch with everyone. Just the way it is. And not everyone is going to stay in touch with you. Life happens. (Stupid life) But you will strike up real connections and friendships the wider net you cast.
I've probably stayed in touch with about two dozen or so people from last year's AFF. Over the past year, they've been friends and colleagues and we've helped each other stay sane in the good fight of screenwriting. This year, we've already get plans to reunite and catch up at some of the events.
DON'T GET MAD ABOUT THE LINES
One of the bad news about Austin is there's a fair amount of lines. Lines to get into the big panels with the wicked famous guests, lines to get into the movies, lines at the BBQ. Lines. Lines. Lines.
Here's the good news. Lines are a great place to meet people. Some of the best conversations I had last year were in lines. No one likes lines. Everyone's exhausted. Everyone is a writer. Ice is broken. Get talking. About your favorite movies, about your favorite scripts, about your favorite BBQ joint you've found. If the person you try talking to is unreceptive. No worries. There are THOUSANDS of other writers to meet and connect with. But lines in Austin are not an annoyance, they are an opportunity.
FIRST DATE BEHAVIOR
My friend and colleague Stephen Scaia used this line to describe the festival to me. He won the festival overall a few years back and on next week's show talks about how that launched his career.
What does this mean? Be yourself, be cool and comfortable but remember you are trying to make a good impression. I have a T-shirt collection that is such that I could wear a different T-Shirt every day of the year. I only wore T's on my travel days. The rest of the time, button downs and suits. In other words, what I would wear to a meeting or interview.
In some ways the festival is one giant meeting. Yes, it's wicked fun but it's also intensive. For screenwriters, the AFF is like graduate writing programme crammed into a weekend. You're doing panels, taking notes, sitting under the learning tree all day long. (Some days, yeah no lunch – eat later or bring a granola bar to munch on during lines.) You're going to be getting schooled by award-winning screenwriters, directors and producers. The very best in our field is going to be at the front of the room telling us what's what. Dress accordingly.
IT'S OK TO BE A GOOD WRITER
Promote yourself. It's OK. Doesn't mean you should walk around handing out your script but it's OK to tell people that you are in fact not just a writer, but a good one. We get so self-conscious about our writing, don't we? It's actually easier for us to promote other writers as opposed to ourselves sometimes. Pretend you are another writer. Be confident in the work you are doing. You are telling a story. People out there want to hear it.
AFF validated me more than I can say. You will hear professional writers talk about the same problems you face when writing. Listen to their process and how to solve some of those problems. Sure, they may be running shows on TV and may have written 50 movies. But in Austin, they're not on the mountaintop. They're side by side with you and they're there to tell you to "Keep Writing."
Chances are as you listen to them describe their struggles and problems, they will be sending you the message that you are in fact, doing it right.
DON'T BE THAT GUY
Don't hog all the questions during one of the roundtables. At the roundtables, you may only get 20 minutes with one of the industry pro's. Don't do all the talking so that no one else gets in. I had to block some guy last year who asked like 20 questions and kept cutting off someone else who had only 1.
Don't hog all the time with one of the big celebrities. There's a fair amount of accessibility at the AFF. Some of the celebrities are happy to talk to everyone. But don't hog all their time and not let anyone else in. It's rude, it's ugly and it's unprofessional. Here's the other thing. If you really are truly making a connection with that celebrity and they want to work with you and hire you, that's all the more reason to get out of the way. You'll get to talk to them all year. Some of us may only get a few minutes at the BBQ or in the bar. It's a lot more impressive to be gracious and generous than snobby and inconsiderate.
Unfortunately, even at the best events with great people, it happens. Don't be that guy.
THE FILM & FOOD PARTY
DO IT! Oh my God. Sooooo Good. There's a sampling from a ton of Austin restaurants. So yeah, you get to walk around talking movies with folks while professional chefs shove lobster mac & cheese, smoked salmon and authentic Texas BBQ at you.
Honestly, I can't imagine going to AFF and not going to this event. And fortunately, the actual festival starts in earnest at noon the next day so don't worry, have another glass of wine.
LET'S TALK ABOUT DRINKING
We're all adults and I'm not trying to lecture. There's a lot of meeting, chatting, networking that happens at the parties and in the bars. And if you're like me, you like a glass of beer. By all means, imbibe but bear in mind this is still a professional event. Share a beer with your favorite writer. Don't get frat house drunk and puke on his shoes. Don't be remembered for all the wrong reasons. A few people last year got the wrong kind of drunk at a few of the parties. Trust me, people notice. Have some beers. Don't have all of them.
GET SOME BBQ
DON'T JUDGE
Last year I met some folks who wrote two dozen screenplays. I also met some folks who either hadn't finished their script or felt their script wasn't ready for the festival. I actually admired those folks more because they're taking the time to sit under the learning tree and are striving for excellence.
Some people, though, don't agree. Megan's scripts weren't in the festival last year but she came with me for the experience and the education. Yes, we did run into a few folks who actually looked down on her for assuming she didn't place. That's not cool. Festivals are subjective and not the only way one's writing is endorsed or noticed.
We ran into a guy who ignored Megan but would only talk to me because I was a second rounder. Then a few minutes later he met a finalist and completely ignored me. I consider this "Wrong Festival Etiquette 101."
Because here's the thing – this year, Megan is a twice 2nd Rounder. We both have won various contests this past year. And for AFF this year, I'm going with Megan for the experience and education. Just another writer there to enjoy myself. But I know I will bump into at least one person who will think I'm not a qualified writer.
GO TO THE MOVIES
You'll meet a lot of filmmakers. You probably won't be able to go to the all of their movies which sucks but there's only so many hours in the day. But GO. Make sure you see some of the films there. Yes, there's marquee premieres but with all due respect to the big guns, there's some real gems in the various competitions. Great stories that studios or more commercial production companies can't/won't tell. Also, if you're thinking of making a short or an independent feature someday, definitely make the time to hit at least movie a night. Take notes at the Q & A. Put the Q in Q & A. Talk to the filmmakers and learn from their mistakes and ingenuity.
And quite frankly, screenwriters, even if you're not going to direct one day – talking to directors only helps us to look at our scripts in new and inventive ways.
DON'T FORGET TO ENJOY EVERY SECOND
Don't let any of the above mentioned don'ts affect your good time. Last year I flew back to LA thinking "There was my career before Austin and then there's my career after Austin." What's happened to me since?
-Completed Three Pilots in the past year.
-One of those pilots won The Chicago Screenplay Contest and The Hollywood Screenplay Contest.
-That same pilot also has ratings of 7,8 & 8 on The Black List. I got an email saying I'm in the top 5%.
-Also finished a feature script from scratch.
-Launched this blog & podcast.
-The networking skills I learned tripled my contacts.
-Those same networking skills have led to consultation employment in that field.
-I remain unsigned but as I write to you my work is with several management companies with meetings scheduled for the next few weeks.
So, yeah, the Austin Film Festival was very very good for me and if you've not entered a script yet, I highly recommend making it the best you possibly can, enter it into the festival and save up for the trip. Because I believe immersing yourself into a weekend with some of the very best screenwriters and filmmakers is worth going whether you place or not.
And of course, you might want to walk up the street to Gordoughs: http://gourdoughs.com/
Keep your eyes, ears and mind open. Take in all the knowledge from the pros. Learn from people who write different stuff from you. Use everything you see and hear to arm yourself for coming year as you keep writing, keep producing and keep fighting the good fight.
If you are at AFF and would like to meet, I'll be in the Driskill bar. You can't miss me, I'll be the guy with the pens.
For more on the AFF Experience, check out my interview with Mike Sundy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/htd-express-14-mike-sundy.mp3
Thanks to the filmmakers I met on the plane. Check out their great movies:
http://www.findingneighborsmovie.com/
http://aleadingman.com/v2/
Aspects Of Entertainment: An Interview With Ron Greenfield
October 14, 2014 Handsome Timmy DBroadway, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, graphic design, Hollywood, home video, Independent Film, Internet, media, movie trailers, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, promotional campaigns, Screenwriting, set design, show business, studios, television, writing Leave a comment
This week on the Handsome Timmy D Express I am privileged to welcome Ron Greenfield, one of the most experienced and distinguished guests to appear so far. Ron started his career as a film graphic artist, producing and designing trailers for such critical and commercial hits like Star Trek, Arthur, Reds, Raiders Of The Lost Ark and Victor, Victoria. He then switched direction and went to work for CBS/Fox, as the Creative Director, when home entertainment was first beginning to make an impact as he created the campaigns that kept an entire generation of kids on pins and needles, promoting the Star Wars trilogy when they were first introduced on videocassette.
In Los Angeles, Ron served as the Senior Director of Creative Services for the legendary Republic Pictures. From there he went onto become an award winning Vice President (Marketing and Creative Services) for the well-known, Hollywood icon, Aaron Spelling (Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Dynasty, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place). He also worked as Chief Marketing Officer for the firm of Software Magic, where he helped develop gaming concepts with Electronic Arts, Atari, Activision, Dreamworks Interactive, Mattel, and Lucas Arts.
Today Ron endeavors to share his knowledge and experience with people learning their way in this business. His website, www.aspectsofentertainment.com, as well as his two books are invaluable reads to anyone wanting to understand the in's and out's of the entertainment industry. Perspectives on Entertainment, is available on amazon.com and there is a FREE DOWNLOAD of his other book, A Sneak Peek Behind The Curtain of the Entertainment Industry, on his website.
I was delighted that Ron took time out from his busy schedule to talk with me about the creative life and how that works in conjunction with the business side of Hollywood. Ron brings a lot of wisdom to this interview and I'm sure you'll enjoy our talk, as I did:
Ron's fantastic website Aspects of Entertainment can be found here:
The Hollywood Journal article by Ron about working with Sidney Lumet:
http://hollywoodjournal.com/best-meeting-ever/working-with-legendary-filmmaker-sidney-lumet/20140708/
Santagate: An Interview With Mike Sundy
October 7, 2014 Handsome Timmy DAustin Film Festival, Children's Books, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Entertainment, family films, film festivals, filmmaking, Fun, Independent Film, media, Movies, networking, pixar, pop culture, PR, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, screenwriting festivals, Self-publishing, the arts, TV, TV Production, writing 1 Comment
On Episode 14, I sit down with fellow screenwriter Mike Sundy. I met Mike last year through mutual friends at the world famous Austin Film Festival. The AFF is one of, if not the very best, festival for screenwriters. Mike tells how he used being a finalist in the AFF to improve his skills in both writing and networking. I'm happy to report Mike joins us fresh on the heels of optioning his AFF Finalist script – "Santagate."
In addition to screenwriting, Mike has also written a children's book and works as a Digital Asset Administrator for bay-area based animation studio Pixar (yes, that Pixar.) During this interview, Mike provides some invaluable, practical advice for how to honestly evaluate your own scripts in order to improve them with each draft. He also gives a great methodology for finding trusted readers and we both share our experiences on how to best utilize the fantastic Austin Film Festival. I hope you enjoy…
For Mike's fantastic new children's book:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/part-of-my-heart/id912937167?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
For more musings on writing from Mike check out his highly recommended blog:
http://mikesundy.blogspot.com/2013/10/sense-of-direction.html
For more on the Austin Film Festival:
http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/
Hello From South Africa: An Interview With Rizelle Januk
September 30, 2014 Handsome Timmy DActing, actors, Actresses, Africa, celebrity, Creativity, directing, Entertainment, filmmaking, Independent Film, Indie Film, Internet, Kickstarter, London, Los Angeles, media, Movies, networking, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, self-esteem, South Africa, television, the arts, TV, TV Production, twitter, Women Directors, Women Writers, writing 1 Comment
In the most multicultural episode of the Express yet, I'm proud to be joined by actress, model and director Rizelle Januk. Rizelle is of Indian descent and joins us all the way from the nation of South Africa. I didn't know a whole lot about Indian culture or South Africa so this episode turned out to be a real education for me. And despite the geographical distances Rizelle offers insight that will be useful to anyone on the outside of Hollywood who dreams of getting inside one day.
Rizelle talks about the challenges of chasing her dreams while living in a region that doesn't have many opportunities. And what opportunities do arise, many casting people don't know where to fit her because of her mixed heritage. However, Rizelle is not taking "no" for an answer and has created her own opportunities in several international independent films. She also highlights how to use social media for networking and how to capitalize on any kind of break, such as being a finalist for Miss Earth in 2010.
In order to make the time difference work, I had to stay up a bit late and Rizelle had to get up a bit early so please pardon any tiredness you may hear. Overall, this is a great message about following your dreams, no matter what the restrictions. I hope you enjoy…
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/htd-express-13-rizelle-januk.mp3
Rizelle's Acting Reel Can Be Seen Here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mu2wl539sazlzb2/Rizelle%20Show%20reel.wmv?dl=0
Rizelle has more on her Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/MegaRizelle
The Girl Makes Indie Homepage:
http://girlmakesindiemovie.com/
You can also find Rizelle on Twitter:
@Rizellej
Drink Tank: An Interview With Christopher J Garcia
September 23, 2014 Handsome Timmy DArt House Movies, Cinema, Creativity, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Dune, Entertainment, filmmaking, Independent Film, Internet, media, Movie Houses, Movies, Podcasting, pop culture, Producing, Production, Screenwriting, the arts, writing Leave a comment
This week on the Handsome Timmy D Express, I am thrilled to welcome to the show one of the most unique individuals whom I've ever had the privilege of knowing, Christopher J Garcia. Chris is the curator the Computer History Museum in the beautiful bay area city of Mountain View. He's also a writer, filmmaker and a Hugo-Award winning editor of a the acclaimed fanzine, The Drink Tank. (For real, check out his acceptance speech below, it's amazing – heart-warming and honest)
One of Chris' many projects when he's not sleeping at all is the Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival. Chris goes into a great detail about what makes this Festival special and why he's so passionate about it. He also gives a great look into the independent film scene from a distribution perspective and how the recent changes in the industry could mean great news for low-to-no budget filmmakers. And it's shocking how little he and I, two lifelong wrestling fans, actually talk wrestling. But we do sidestep into the universe of Dune for a bit. I hope you'll enjoy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/htd-express-12-chris-garcia.mp3
For more on The Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival:
https://www.facebook.com/svsfsff
Rock The Block: The Story Of The Cactus Club:
You can find more Chris' work on his youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/johnnyeponymous
The Computer History Museum:
http://www.computerhistory.org/
Chris' famous Hugo Awards Speech:
http://videosift.com/video/Greatest-Hugo-Acceptance-Speech-of-All-Time
And his Award winning fanzine:
http://efanzines.com/DrinkTank/
The Story So Far: Episodes 1-10
September 15, 2014 Handsome Timmy DComedy, Creativity, Depression, Digital Media, directing, Doctor Who, Entertainment, Hot In Cleveland, Internet, media, Movies, Novels, Podcasting, pop culture, PR, Producing, Production, publicity, Radio, Screenwriting, Self-publishing, television, TV, TV Production, Women Directors, Women Writers, writing Leave a comment
It has a been a whirlwind journey for me since I launched the Express. I went back and forth about this venture because I knew it would require a lot of commitment which would take away from fictional writing and day jobs. But I'm a writer and expressing myself is what I do so I made that commitment and happy to report zero regrets with that decision so far. Incorporating other creative talents into the podcasting element of this blog has been possibly one of the best things I've done since joining the entertainment business 11 years ago this very month.
Over the past 6 weeks, I excited and humbled by the talents I've been able to wrangle onto the Express. A diversity of occupations, I felt, was vital to give this little venture any credibility. Along the way, we've explored the challenges facing women writers, compared writing styles between the US & UK and even managed to pay tribute to recently departed icons. I've also been able to pair up with the fantastic Dan & Travis show on iTunes and have joined them on the wonderful Chronic Rift network. I'm overjoyed with the results so far and quite frankly, am very pleasantly surprised at how quickly this little venture has grown.
I'm just a one man operation self-promoting on social media but I am exploring some exciting promotional options to help spread the word. I'm excited about the listenership numbers (47 countries have either read or tuned in) but based on all the positive feedback I've received I'm going to do my best to keep building the audience. To that end, I continue to ask: If you enjoy what you're reading and hearing on the Express, please don't be shy about posting on facebook, twitter, pinterest, twiter, google+, wherever and yes, twitter is probably the best promotional tool we have right now. We live in a time of saturated media so we all have to promote the things we enjoy so they get noticed.
Thank you very much especially to Megan Karasch, Tim Bannock, Mark Askren, Arnold T Blumberg, Shannan Leigh Reeve & Chelese Belmont of Beleeve Entertainment and Dan & Travis for their extra efforts in shouting the word about the Express far and wide.
If this is the first post your reading, welcome, I hope you enjoy! Below are the first 10 episodes of the Handsome Timmy D Express which explores various aspects of the creative life and screenwriting and the entertainment business from various corners of the entertainment business:
EPISODE 1 – World-renowned DJ Matt The Cat takes us through the world of radio – and soul music:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/htdexpress-101-matt-the-cat.mp3
EPISODE 2 – Award winning screenwriter Megan Karasch gives a guide to self-publishing and writing sitcom pilots:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/megan-final.mp3
EPISODE 3 – Director & Digital Media Producer Mike Doto on what a director does & the ever-changing digital landscape:
EPISODE 4 – Awesome podcasters Dan & Travis one what podcasting actually is all about:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/htdxpress-104-dan-and-travis.mp3
EPISODE 5 – Independent film producers Beleeve Entertainment on following your vision & their movie Penumbra:
EPISODE 6 – Director of Television Research Brian Veys tells us how TV Ratings work:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/htd-express-106-brian-veys.mp3
EPISODE 7 – Writer Joseph Lidster on writing about & with depression as well as some Torchwood & Dark Shadows:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/htd-express-107-joe-lidster.mp3
EPISODE 8 – Publicist AJ Feuerman on image management & brand-building:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/aj-final.mp3
EPISODE 9 – College Professor & Author Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg on the mythology of zombies and comic books:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/htd-express-109-dr-arnold-t-blumberg3.mp3
EPISODE 10 – Stand-up Comedian Talia Harari remembers Joan Rivers & talks about the challenges facing women in comedy:
https://handsometimmyd.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/htdxpress-10-talia-harari.mp3
And it's just the beginning, Episode 11 will be posted tomorrow (and it's wicked good) and I've got some great guests lined up throughout the fall and winter. The Handsome Timmy D Express goes onward…
Programming Update
July 30, 2014 Handsome Timmy DChronic Rift, Creativity, Dan & Travis, directing, filmmaking, Fun, Hot In Cleveland, interviews Sharknado, Movies, Podcasting, pop culture, Producing, Radio, Screenwriting, television, Walking Dead, writing Leave a comment
Hello Dear Readers & Listeners,
Just wanted to check in about some exciting developments with the old HTD Express.
First, a little bad news. Unfortunately, there was a fair amount of Skype cutout on the Dan & Travis interview toward the end there. I don't think it took away from the overall enjoyment of the show as I've gotten some nice feedback, but it's more than I would like. So this weekend I will be looking into some upgrades to minimize that as best I can. Bear with me, I'm a one man show making it up as a I go along but I want this to be as well-done as possible.
Speaking of feedback, I've gotten some great compliments from some of you and I'm very grateful and humbled to hear them. Comments are always welcome (name-calling is not) but a few folks have asked me in private, "Mind if I comment" or "Do you mind if I share this." Let me put it on the record: It is very OK with me if you share this blog. This isn't being produced for money or anything, just collecting positive and productive insight about screenwriting and the entertainment biz. This meant for public consumption to help people who are stuck at the typewriter and spread useful info in this age of plenty of misinformation on the internet. Please feel free to share any blog you'd like on facebook, twitter, bulletin boards, pinterest or foursquare if that even works. Thanks very much. Together, we can save the internet.
Moving on to some good, dare I say, GREAT news. I'm excited to announce that starting tomorrow the Handsome Timmy D Express audio segments will be streaming on The Chronic Rift network! For those who are unfamiliar, the Chronic Rift is one of the premiere, if not THE premiere network of podcasts covering pop culture. The people who participate in their podcastsis Who's Who of creative talent suchDr. Arnold T Blumberg, Scott Alan Woodard, Keith RA DeCandido, Paul K Bisson and Bill Meeks just to name few:
Check out some of the shows they got:
How do they make the Walking Dead? Find out in this episode of Doctor Of The Dead: http://www.chronicrift.com/node/4449
Cinemafantisque interview Sharknado 2's Dante Palminteri: http://www.chronicrift.com/node/4451
and of course, they have a really awesome show in The Dan & Travis Show: http://www.chronicrift.com/node/4448
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Lots of great shows on there and I'm delighted my interviews will be found there as well.
Speaking of the interviews, got some really exciting folks lined up including but not limited to, other screenwriters on the festival circuit, a creative executive, a researcher and even a college professor. Next week, I'm scheduled to interview a Director/Producer team who blazing their own way through the business and we'll be talking about the world of independent film, crowdfunding and their heartfelt drama which is dealing with the battles of addiction. Oh and they're women so we're also going to talk about breaking perceptions and glass ceilings that women unfairly face. Their movie looks great & check out their indiegogo fund here:
Work commitments permitting, I'm going to do my best to schedule things going forward with a written blog on Monday and Audio Post on Tuesday. I know people are reading and listening by their own timetables but still I've noticed some stability to posting helps traffic so there you have it.
If you're an industry pro whom I know, please don't feel slighted I haven't ask you to be on the show yet. There's scheduling issues and a method to my programming/recording but there's no one I'm not avoiding anyone. Trust me, if I've worked with you over the past 10 years, I want to interview you. Most of you. 60% at least. (There's a lot of dicks out there)
If you're an industry pro or have a project/film/script whom I don't know and you'd like to talk about it on the Express here, shoot me an email at htd@handsometimmyd.com and we'll see what we can figure out. This whole project is about getting a myriad of viewpoints and insights about the creative process so I'd love to hear from you.
And to recap, I'm thrilled with the interview numbers so far, but just in case you've not heard the shows yet here's a quick recap.
Episode 1: An interview with Matt The Cat, world-renowned Radio DJ: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/08/the-handsome-timmy-d-express-an-interview-with-matt-the-cat/
Episode 2: An interview with Megan Karasch, novelist and award winning screenwriter: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/14/an-interview-with-megan-karasch/
Episode 3: An interview with Mike Doto, director and digital media producer: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/23/brazen-moves-an-interview-with-mike-doto/
Episode 4: An interview with Dan & Travis, podcasters and masters of pure hilarity: https://handsometimmydexpress.com/2014/07/29/radio-genius-an-interview-with-dan-travis/
Thanks again everyone for reading, listening and sharing. Be well and all the best…