Sunday, May 24, 2015

RANTING ON A RUINED MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND... 5/24/15

I tried to google power lunch spots near the Comcast Building (the first one) in Philadelphia. Site said '402 quality restaurants in the vicinity... Then it gave blurbs and crap about each one. Who needs that shit? I could use a phone book. So I went back and tried again... Googled... well, I don't remember what I googled, but I googled a lot. Still no luck. They don't want people to find out. Who needs 'nobodies?' Let them spend their money in some over priced chain joint looking at tourists... the women from North Jersey with their inside-out designer bags. Inside-out... they actually do that. Linings are harder to counterfeit. Thing is, if you're used to top shelf bags you don't care what other people think, because you know. 

And I'm not looking for 'the suits.' I want creative types. God knows where they keep them. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm watching a rerun of SNL as I type this. They got George Ezra on now, singing about his house in Budapest... Yeah, like he even ever ate goulosh..... Bet he had an 'in.' Wonder how he got famous. If you google him, you might find a bit about some music executive who heard his material ... and the rest is history...But they NEVER tell us HOW he got his junk into the HANDS of that executive... Always - My first big break was a topical movie on Lifetime... Never how he got the security guards to stop throwing him down the steps, 'cause that, in itself is an achievement. (give me a few minutes for cookies)...

You know what?...Play smart. The first thing you have to do is get them to look at you. I mean physically LOOK at you. And NEWS FLASH---- they got female executives too. So get a haircut... Lose ten pounds... Go to Marshalls... It's a dog show... Everything's a dog show. People are superficial, especially 'media' people. Come on... You think Walter Kronkeit (or however he spelled it) would make it today? Even directors gotta look good, or at least have a 'good' look.

Then you need product. You need something to sell... a script... a demo reel.. a short film. Artists gotta make art. Being 'available' to make art won't cut it. You need that can of soup and it better be unique, because they already got cans on the shelf... known brands... easily to sell brands. 

So there is 'work' involved. You CAN do a first draft in a month... thirty days... three or four pages a day... BINGO! You got a script. Is it 'done?'... No, you have to polish it up... sharpen the conflict... Who ( or what) do we hate and why do we hate them?... You got to work on the dialog. Make it simple. Make it natural. You got to make the resolution satisfying. If you devote two or three hours every day to this task, expect a finished script in three months. Experienced pros sometimes knock one out in two weeks, but they've been at it a while. Another thing... Google correct script format. Make sure it looks right. Make sure it's presented properly. Arrange for digital copies and hard copies. They sell soft ware for that. It's helpful, though you can get by without it.

And wherever you are, there must be a college, preferably with a film group. Hang with them. Volunteer for them. 'Live' with them. If you're older, don't worry. If you can, take a course. Sit up front. Take part.

Look, this is all common sense and no, this isn't my regular blog post. I just wanted to share a little... start a discussion... get things moving. 

I'm 'all over the place.' I know that. But I'm disoriented too. Thought I'd be at the shore this weekend. (I mean I REALLY thought I'd be at the shore this weekend), but then family and household stuff came up. I'm not at the shore. I'm here, in the city. (How'd THIS happen??!!) I'm babysitting a 91 year old who thinks he can light a modern gas stove with a match. Makes life interesting (disgusting, stressful, but 'interesting') and I've been told to get cancer and die enough times to get me into the Guiness Book of World's Records.

Later tonight, I'll have a real post.... If I don't have a cerebral hemorrhage, or if I have it AFTER I post.

Have a meaningful MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. Weather's certainly right for it... around here anyway...

God, I need grilled food.

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