Thursday, July 1st, 2010
As i start work on my next script, I also am looking for funding opportunities.
This time around, I am going to actively hunt for grants. It’s a lot of work just finding them, much less filling out all the applications and getting your sample reel together, etc. But as I find them, I’ll try to post them here.
Just today, I completed an application for a grant from the Native Arts and 
Cultures Foundation.
There’s also a website devoted to helping artists raise money for their projects, but in a collaborative way. Indiegogo helps bands, visual artists and filmmakers raise money to fund their work by letting “fans” throw some change their way via PayPal. You can read about anything that raises your interest, and if you feel like it, you can toss a Fiver their way (or whatever). Every little bit helps, and believe me, it’s much appreciated.
Also found a cool new blog that I am going to start checking a lot called DIY Filmmaker Sujewa, which offers links and news of interest to filmmakers doing it all themselves. Which is, you know, me. It’s pretty cool.
Also, in our own film news, our Special Halloween Encore Screening of “The Dead Can’t Dance” will be Friday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m., again at the Orpheum Theatre. And my good friend Wade Hampton’s new short film “GOODING: No One Gets Out Alive” will debut next week. It’s pretty awesome. And I’m not just talking about the scenes I’m in, either. Ha.
TTYL,
-r.
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Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
WOW, I have been SWAMPED. Just haven’t had a chance to blog. Made it back from Montreal last week just fine, where I had an awesome time, made new, cool friends and came back with a few personal revelations.
First off at the First Peoples’ Festival, we were all finding that attendance was pretty low for everything. So I wasn’t too disappointed when the turnout for our screening was around 25 people.
It turned out that there were several other festivals going on at the same time in downtown Montreal, and the First Peoples’ Festival itself had several events going on at the same time.
But I didn’t care. I was just in Montreal to have a great time, and I did. It was my reward for all the hard work and stress I had endured over the past year-and-a-half. I really hadn’t had any kind of break since January of 2009.
But in Montreal, I made two new great friends, Erik and Trevor, who I pretty much hung out with the whole time at the festival. They really liked “The Dead Can’t Dance,” too, so that was very cool.
It was particularly rewarding because Trevor is a writer for Canadian TV, and directs an animated children’s show. Cool stuff. We hung out one night having beers swapping stories and talking about everything from writing to our festival journeys to films to our families to what kind of food we like. Great guy, and we had a blast.
It turned out Erik and I were neighbors where we were staying, so we walked (I spent the whole time walking, really) to a cool place to have brunch. Forgot what the name of it was, but I had whole wheat crepes and an amazing sculpture of fresh fruit. Man, it was incredible! And Erik was very nice, in general.
Then, coming home (which took a long time crossing customs, etc.), I had an epiphany. Well, several epiphanies. For one, it was great seeing “The Dead Can’t Dance” again. It was kind of like visiting old friends (even though I am NOT happy with our DigiBeta transfer, which will be addressed). It’s truly a remarkable thing that we pulled off, and I’m immensely proud of it.
I also realized (or rather, remembered, perhaps) that I am an anomaly. I’m also a contradictory one, sometimes, because:
– I am not particularly good looking nor handsome. But I photograph well.
– I am not charismatic, but I usually make new friends wherever I go.
– I don’t care if someone dismisses me, because they have no idea how amazing I am. And its truly their loss.
– I am not only liked and loved, but I am cherished.
– I am talented. And I’ve never thought that. I figured if I could do this, anyone can. But really, that’s not the case. It takes an incredible amount of courage, faith, conviction, and yes, an inkling of talent. Even if nothing comes of this film, if it doesn’t get into any more film festivals, if the whole world ignores it, there are very few people who can hand over a DVD and say, “I wrote, produced, edited, directed and starred in this.” And to see how big it is in scope is truly amazing.
So, my trip resulted in some healthy self-realization. (I, of course, mean none of this in a narcissistic way. Even if I did, I’m worth it. Ha.)
Now, on to much more things. We should have a wave of festival notifications coming soon and I’m braced for yays or nays either way, I’ve got a new script treatment I’m working on, I’m applying for a grant, and our special Halloween screening of “The Dead Can’t Dance” is confirmed: Friday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m., again at the Orpheum Theatre.
So there’s lots going on. And I feel — absolutely, completely, simply — great. I hope it lasts.
-r.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Shipped “The Dead Can’t Dance” off to five more festivals in the past couple of weeks, and our IMDB page is now live!
Other than that, just waiting to hear when we will screen at the First Peoples’ Festival in Montreal so I can book my flight. We’ll hear soon, I hope.
And production is nearing a wrap on Wade’s music video/short film for Gooding’s “No One Gets Out Alive.” I think there’s one more scene with me, and then it’s done! Well, principal photography, anyway.
Blogging will be sporadic, as my home computer is in the shop for the next 2-3 weeks, which is driving me crazy, but it’ll be nice to actually be able to burn discs again. Saw D.P. Jerod this week briefly when he came by to borrow the HVX-200 camera for the week, and we chatted briefly about some upcoming projects. And we had a mini reunion of the crew last week, so it was great to see everyone and hang out again. Makes me miss being in production.
Speaking of, I finally have narrowed down the next script I want to write, so I start prelimary concept-thinking this week. It’s an interesting process, where I start shaping the characters out of clay (figuratively speaking) and molding who they are and why they’re in the story. Ready to dig back in…
So, good things happening. Don’t forget to go the IMDB page and leave a rating, or go to the Facebook and leave a comment or review. If you wanna.
Happy Mid-May!
-r.
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Saturday, May 1st, 2010
I’m sad to see April go. It was a monumental, incredibly busy month that flew by.
We had an amazing premiere, a great screening in Tahlequah, and heard news about screenings in Chicago and Montreal. I hope it only gets better.
Just this week, I shipped the film off to four more festivals, and there’s more submissions to come. I’ve built myself a schedule and have come up with a plan. We’ll just see who bites (come on Fantastic Fest in Austin!).
For May, I vow to eat better, because I ate absolutely horribly all through April, just grabbing stuff here and there, mostly fast food. I’m sure I’ve gained about 10 pounds. And exercise. I really need to exercise.
We’re busy wrapping up Wade’s short film/music video, and I finally have an idea for my next script. Just gotta get to it.
But promoting “The Dead Can’t Dance” comes first. This phase is a whole other beast unto itself, and it’s a complete job all its own. Just gotta get the word out.
Here’s hoping for good news in May!
-r.
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Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Wow, what a bizarre week this was. Without going too much into it, I was the target of some slandering this week, which was inaccurate and mean-spirited. It just made me stronger, made me realize again how much support we have, and how the people who truly know me know how hard I’ve worked for so long, and know that I would never deliberately hurt anyone.
I’m all too happy to lend support to others as much as I can, which many people will confirm, but there’s no law saying that I HAVE to. I do it because I know hard filmmaking is and how much courage it takes, not only to put yourself on the line for scrutiny and criticism, but for the fact that people think they know you when they haven’t the slightest idea, just because you’re in the public eye. I know my ethics. I stand by them, and always will.
On the good side, things are still rolling toward our premiere of “The Dead Can’t Dance” April 10 at the Orpheum Theatre. Talked with sound designer Sergio by e-mail today and he is finishing up editing and working on the mixdown of the audio, the artistry that he is so good at. Also, got one final bit of ADR work from James with some particularly important (but barely audible) lines. It’s perfect!
Craig was hard at work this week plastering posters all over the city, and we seem to be generating some nice buzz. It’s going to be a great event, no matter what.
‘Cause I won’t stand down from anything, I’ve come too far and worked too hard. And I’m very proud of our film. I can’t wait to share it.
All the best — always,
-r.
Posted in Inspiration, The Dead Can't Dance, postproduction | 1 Comment »
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
Today is my birthday. And about now I usually start pondering the universe and how I fit into it. Well, I usually do that just about every day, but even more so around my birthday.
I think it’s going to be a great year. I really enjoyed my other double-digit years. I was 11 when “Star Wars” came out, and that movie changed my life. I think for the first time, I saw that the universe was massively expansive.
When I was 22, I was still in college, and my last year of it was a blast. I got my first really great acting role in Lanford Wilson’s play “Angels Fall.” I got to play a really, really confused character, and I think that role taught me a lot about acting. How to focus, how to be subtle. It was theatre in the round, so the audience was literally at arm’s length. There were “windows” hanging, and I remember I had to look look through them and “see” the desert. And I did see it. The far-reaching sands, mountains in the distance.
At 33, I started writing my first script, which became “Dancing on the Moon.” I had no idea what that would lead to and I never, ever imagined that it would actually become a movie — that I directed, no less. That first attempt at writing a script opened up an entire new world, and got me into two writing labs at Sundance, almost unheard of for a first-timer. Those experiences taught me wonderful, invaluable things about the craft of writing, analyzing movies, the film business — and myself.
Now, at 44, my latest movie is almost done. I’m anxious to show “The Dead Can’t Dance” to the world, I just hope the world wants to see it. I really hope we have a great festival run, that we get into some great places. And I still want to take it on the road on tour, possibly in the fall. I’d go door-to-door showing my movie if I could. We’ll just have to see.
It all feels promising. And looking ahead, I can safely say I have no idea what’s in store. It feels like I’m about to step off a cliff. Let’s just hope I don’t crash.
The clock is ticking,
-r.
Posted in Film festivals, Inspiration, The Dead Can't Dance, Writing | 1 Comment »
