Gravity

Something Amazing

Inching my way towards a complete episode. The last one (Shadow Company) I really loved, but I need more horror. More Monsters, more Cops, and definitely an AHA moment. To borrow a phrase from Oprah. The AHA moment which I also call the Two Cathedral's moment. Two Cathedral's is the name of one of my favorite West Wing episodes. The end of that episode was very much an AHA moment, or more like a WOW moment.

That's what I want in this episode. I do indeed want to continue to make episodes and webisodes, and we will, even for no money. But I want this to be a final example of what I'm aiming for. I want this episode to really hit a home run. And what is that home run exactly? You should be wowed by what is accomplished with such a low (no) budget. And when the end titles hit you should say to yourself "Wow, that was amazing."

The deal with no budget means you are at the mercy of everyone's schedule as well as every part of life that you can't solve with a bit of money. If we had a budget, of course, we could pay everyone and buy things we need, as opposed to wonder about people's schedules and rig something together. Don't get me wrong, it's a blast to create from nothing, I do love it. But the thrill of doing something from nothing does at times collide with the storytelling process. I know what I want story wise, but I can't just make it happen with no money. I have to take a look at what I've got, can get, or might get, and write around it. Which means the end of this episode may not be exactly what I envisioned.

It's a compromise I've written about before. Writing around what you've got. Yes we are a talented group. Yes we can make alot happen. But we are still at the mercy of how reality evolves your creation. Alot of it is planned, but much of it is planned improvisation. Which often does alter that Wow moment. But you do your best and forget the rest.

Stress is a part of the problem. I've had to explain to someone recently, who didn't fully understand this process. They ask, Why was it so hard? Why couldn't I just get it done? Like all of creation, it takes time. I envy the sculptor who has only a rock and a chisel, or even clay and their hands. As a no budget moviemaker it's way more than that. I'm not just the director and writer, two jobs that require full attention. Besides that I have to be the production manager, the fx supervisor, the casting director, the editor, the mixer, the costumer, the caterer, the transportation, the prop builder, the composer, the marketer, the pr, the light designer, web master, PA, AD, DP, DOA, SOS, NWA and the list goes on. All of it with no money, and on a limited schedule.

I do indeed have people who help me. Thankfully every once in a while I will have someone else who can worry about the make up, squibs, fx. Everyone on set is always willing to help carry something, hold something, move something. You know who you are and I thank you. And as much of a big help that is, there are still many hats on my head. It's stressful, it's insane, and it'll make you wanna pull your hair out, have you seen my head?

So why do I do it. Because I believe in that WOW moment. I believe I can hit that home run. I believe I can make more than one person say "Wow, that was amazing." And in the end that's all I really want, just to show you something amazing.

We need more amazing in the world.

Zombie Day

WANTED: ZOMBIES

WHEN: Saturday May 16th at 6:00pm

WHERE: Northwoods Stables, Winston Salem, NC.

DIRECTIONS: Google Maps this address

Northwoods Stables
5225 Murray Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27105

Looking for anyone and everyone to play a zombie. We'll put you in make up. But if you wanna come dressed and ready to go, even better.

Wear something you don't mind getting messed up, you may be getting bloody and falling to the ground since we're going to kill most of you.

This will be used in Monster Cops Episodes and Webisodes.

Monster Cops is an Action/Comedy/Horror/Web/Short Film Series about a secret goverment agency dedicated to killing monsters. For more info on Monster Cops check out the official site http://monstercops.com

For more info visit:
http://www.monstercops.com/page.php?page=ZOMBIE_DAY


Any questions feel free to contact Patrick A. Prejusa at pumpkinking13@msn.com

Hail

Dream Dictionary Hail:


Hail:

A series of misfortunes lie ahead that could place your present goals in jeopardy. Look to the other symbols in the dream to judge which goals they are, or how to avert the misfortunes and save your projects.

Source: Astrocenter, http://astrocenter.astrology.msn.com/msn/DreamDictionary.aspx



Dream Interpretation
Hail, hailstorm
Hailstorms in the dreams are always a sign of dissatisfaction or a warning about family disputes or material losses. If you got caught in a hailstorm, disputes with your relatives, family members or people around you are inevitable. Observing a hailstorm from a distance signifies material losses in the near future or separation.

Source: Dream-Land, http://www.dream-land.info




Christian Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Hail
Hail: Soldiers of Christ; wonders; power; judgment that can only come from God; wrath; glory; chastening; to have a barrage of something hit one as an onslaught of something that can be distressing. (Is. 28:17; Hag. 2:17; Rev. 8:7; Ps. 18:12; 147:17; Job 38:22)


Currently listening to VAN HALEN - "When It's love."

Monster Cops Prod. Vlog March April 09

Mark and Stephanie

They got married yesterday, and I missed it. I am so sad Juli and I couldn't be there. I know you guys wanted us to, it just wasn't in the cards. All that aside, we are so happy for you guys.

That pic was taken in our old apartment, which I miss. I really loved that apartment.

Shinken

"You're not taking this very seriously are you? Otherwise you would be much further along than you are. You'd be closer to your goals."

Ya know, it's the same shit everywhere.

We've got to do something different.

HULU TUBE - PHASING YOU OUT OF YOUTUBE

FIGHT!

Monster Cops HorrorFest Screening

 

MONSTER COPS: SHADOW COMPANY

Screening at StarFest/HorrorFest

Sunday

April 19th

11:00 am

Denver Colorado

MORE INFO HERE

Monster Notes

Some examples of what I've seen that closely resemble what I have in my head. This ones for you Richard.

Mind you, if we could pull it all off for no money, then great. Later in the year we should try to build something as big as these things.


This is pretty close to what I had in mind. Bulk wise.



Amazing. Huge. If we could pull this off, great, but I think we understand the logistics of the materials we have. Perhaps later in the year.


The height of this one is very impressive.


The Lava Rock Monster



And of course the Stone Golem.


Now I'm just posting for the heck of it.

An amazing sunset Wednesday. I was driving when the sun caught me. It looked particularly spectacular that day. Driving towards it, as it went down, over the hill, the trees in the distance framing it. No one else was on the road, and it felt like this amazing spectacle was being performed only for me. It was quite literally breathtaking.

An amazing full moon tonight. Songs Of Love and Devotion, blaring. Music I hadn't really, REALLY listened to in over a decade. I turned it up as I drove, put the windows down, sped through the dark of night, watching the fullest moon I'd seen in a while dancing through the branches along this dark country road. It made me remember things I needed to remember.Someone's fire place is a blaze, and it almost smells and feels like fall going into winter. 

Exactly what I needed. What a great week so far.

Michelle, my dear, I got your email. I miss you dearly, and I am so very happy you and Mike are pregnant again.  I'll email you as soon as I can.

10-31 Project

 

This only fuels me. We'll see what we can do.

Embrace the challenges in appreciation for the way they compel you to get smarter, but without clutching them desperately.

I hate this day, but I love this movie

Just realized this is the same post I made last year. Thus a tradition was born.

Back In The Saddle

Writing the next Monster Cops episode. Or I should say re-writing. Cuz there is no such thing as writing, only re-writing.

Back in the saddle, trying to condense my 45 minute concept into 20 minutes, while trying to put in just the right amount of action, horror, monsters, and comedy. So here I go. I'm going to spend the next 30 minutes trying to edit down the 17 pages I've already got down. Hopefully in 30 minutes I will have 10 pages, or better yet 8.

Starting .... NOW

Ok so I successfully cut it down to 8. And I even had time to eat a bowl of cereal.

Yay me. Now I have to sleep and see if I can complete this tomorrow. Also still gotta work on Flappy Dog, Vlogs, and the Business Plan since I will seriously be raising money and approaching sponsors for Monster Cops.

My wife wants a live action Gumby movie starring Edward Norton.

Difficult Is Necessary

It's not traditionally worth it if there isn't a bit of a struggle. Ya wanna get to the next floor, well you're going to have to take the steps. And it shouldn't matter how out of breath you think you'll be when you get there, just get there. If that is indeed where you wanted to go.

I know it seems impossible at times, but I've learned to embrace the seemingly impossible. If you can do that then you can do anything. What you resist persists, and what you look at disappears. If you can look it in the eye, then it's not going to be a problem. Just another step in the direction where you're trying to go.

It's a struggle right now, sort of. Some would call it that. I call it a step. It's easy to look past all the dramatics of the so called struggle, when you know where it is you're trying to get to. I can see it. I could always see it. Sure I've lost my path at times, but I always knew where I was, and how to get back on track. Not once have I ever faltered in keeping my eyes on the prize. I know the direction. I'll get there.

Right now my biggest supposed struggle is time. More time to work. More time to create. More time to do the things I need to do to get where I need to be. This week has been a big struggle with it. But I know what to do. The first step is to realize that everything that is occurring is in my control. If I don't have enough time, it's because I'm not spending it wisely. I have let it get out of control. Yes there have been events out of my control, but it all comes down to what you do have control over, and that's how you react to those events out of your control.

It's about action as much as it is about reaction. You act to set things in motion, but if things get out of hand, then it becomes about how you react to it. I've reacted poorly this week, and because of that a lot of time has been wasted. It all goes hand in hand. Time management and the discipline of action/reaction. I have to master how to control my reactions, especially when you are reacting to surprise and spontaneity.

Remembering that we all get the same amount of time helps. We all get 24 hours in a day. It's all about how you spend it. Every second counts. They add up to minutes, that add up to hours, that add up to days. It's obvious yes, but it's so obvious that we often forget and we let time slip away. We let those wasted days build into weeks, then months, that add up to years in a life spent wondering where all that time went and how your goals and dreams slipped away. Don't let it happen.

Managing your time and the actions/reactions you make in that time is a discipline indeed. And if it's difficult, good. If you're out of breath doing it all and getting to that goal, it'll be worth it. Better to get through that struggle and be a bit out of breath then out of time.

ArchAngels, Dog Toys, Monsters, and a Monkey Hugging a Dog

It's just like I dreamed

Graveyard Hunt

Clip from an upcoming Monster Cops episode.

Horror Film Festival Round Up 2009 part 1

Because more than one person asked. Here is a list of just a few Horror themed film fests coming up that you can and should submit to.

In order of Deadline. Entry fees listed are either earlybird or regular dealine for short films only, so check the sites themselves for any later deadlines and fees for feature length or otherwise.

And to further help your fest entries, you've got to sign up at
http://withoutabox.com

I think I may have gone crazy submitting to all those fests with out the help of Withoutabox.com. And it comes with great perks too. If you submit through Withoutabox you may be eligible for an IMDB page.


Spooky Movie: The Washington, D.C. International Horror Film Festival
April 17th
Short Film
$25.00
http://www.thespookymovie.com/
Dear friends of Monster Cops. And I'm not just saying that because they helped get Monster Cops screened several times in a few different venues. They are very indie friendly.



TERROR FILM FESTIVAL
April 21st
Short Film
$40.00
http://www.terrorfilmfestival.net/


TORONTO AFTER DARK FILM FESTIVAL
April 24th
Short Films
$30.00
http://torontoafterdark.com/2009/


FANTASTIC FEST
May 6th
Short Films
20.00
http://www.fantasticfest.com/


FREAKSHOW FILM FEST
May 15th
Short Film
$35.00
http://freakshowfilmfest.com/


International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival
May 22nd
Short Film
$40.00
http://www.horrorscifi.com/


CHICAGO HORROR FILM FESTIVAL
July 1st
Short Film
$25.00
http://www.chicagohorrorfest.com/


THE NEW YORK CITY HORROR FILM
September 15th
Short Film
$30.00
http://www.nychorrorfest.com/


Again these are just a few. I can't reiterate the importance of signing up on Withoutabox.com DO IT!!!!

Context

In the end it's how everyone sees the bigger picture. So you've got that going for ya. But there's nothing wrong with trying to build a masterpiece out of tiny masterpieces. It's a headache, but hey, if it's what you gotta do then go for it.

Remember, there is nothing without the first step, and the first step is thought. Then thought on paper, and action guided by the written thought. Everything else will fall into place, even those little nit picky things you can't seem to stop nit picking over.

I mean you honestly usually end up doing what you said you were going to do in the first place. So just keep doing that.

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together ~ Vincent Van Gogh


“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” - Anatole France


What really matters is what you do with what you have. ~ Shirley Lord

You're only good at what you do often. Fight to find the time to do whatever it is you want to get good at.

Dance

Not bad T-mobile. Not bad at all. :D

I think I just had an orgasm

The Trailer




Trailer 2




Interview

My day is officially taken up. I am currently in awe right now.

Working on mysteries without any clues. Working on the night moves.

It's Raining In Indian Wells

These are the times that try men's souls. But hey, when is it not. Interesting week, tiring week, A very funny week. It's the stuff comedies are made of.

I haven't had time to workout, not getting enough sleep, not getting a refund, we've gotta pay taxes instead, just got our medical bill and it's HUGE (that's what she said). But it is not without a few revelations and insights. I'll keep that close to the vest. What's a roller coaster ride if there ain't no ups and downs, right?

As for the taxes bit, that's due to my earnings from my video work last year. Because of that, I'm rather proud to pay. Means I was making a decent living doing what I love and I refuse to feel bad about that. I see it as a great sign, and has inspired a whole new tutorial on the ins and outs of being a video/movie maker.

Main idea, save all your receipts. Anything and everything you've had to pay for to help you make your product, I don't care if it's paper clips or your camera. Save those receipts. It'll help you later if you end up making a good chunk of money from your production. The more receipts you can itemize, the better chances you'll get a decent return.

My problem last year is that I got entirely too good at making videos for nothing. I had no receipts for anything because I didn't need anything to make the product. The only thing I needed was my computer. The computer I was using at the time I had for about 6 years, and I did not have the receipt for it. I now have a new computer and you bet your ass I have the receipt for it.

All the productions that I've worked on that will make money this year, I have the receipts for, all organized according to which production and what it was used for. I bought fur for a Werewolf, receipt saved. I bought a hard drive to hold footage, receipt saved. Anything and everything used for production, video tape, microphones, pizza, beverages, extensions cord, hand cuffs, hookers, blow. You name it, I saved for it. (That last bit was a joke, by the way.)

Other updates:

- Added some of my music to patrickprejusa.com

- Bluray is the work of the Devil.

- Updated the about section at monstercops.com

- Working on my Flappy Dog commercial.

- Planning a huge Zombie Shoot. HUGE (that's what she said)

- I need to stop saying and typing "that's what she said." But it's so hard. (that's what she said)

- Monster Cops: Shadow Company will be screening at Horror Fest in Denver, Colorado in April. Yay!!!!

Try

Going to bed here in a bit, but I wanted to note a few things.

- Great shoot Sat. night. Definitely need to do it again, this time with more zombies.
- I get better ideas when I keep with the workout, physical activity is very much connected to brain function.
- I have 3 VLOGS coming up. When I will finish them, no one knows.
- I think I'm almost done with rewrites. Had kind of a revelation. Kinda.
- I remember the motivating question, "Why aren't you trying your very best." And I ask myself that often.
- Good night.

Zombie Night, Again.

You can never have too many zombies.

Gearing up for the shoot tonight over at Northwoods Stable. Going to shoot zombies, literally. Working on the current 23 minute episode MONSTER COPS: ZOMBIES and I realize we just don't have enough zombies heads being popped with bullets. So tonight is going to be all about the blood squibs.

Gotta pack up the gear, load up all the props, pick some munchies and drinks, and then head out the the stables, where hopefully we'll have some decent zombie carnage. And then hopefully get it all done in less than 3 hours, because I still have a ton of other stuff to do tonight as well.

Thank God for clear weather Saturdays. Let's hope we have more of em.

More later.

Jerry Dandrige is a Vampire

Trying to sort out all these details is kicking my ass. No shoot tomorrow. I really need to take the next two days to do rewrites. Saturday looks clear weather wise so I need to take advantage of it and shoot exteriors. I need to call some folks about interior locations. I need zombie extras. I need to settle all the zombie props and costumes as well as make sure I've got squibs and fx ready to go. And I still have the several other video assignments and projects that need attention.

I need to settle down and relax for a bit, then I'll have a better perspective on things. So I will go cook something nice, and then watch something to calm me down. A Nightmare On Elm Street perhaps. This movie always makes me feel at home. Elm Street, Real Genius, and Fright Night. Yes, I'm from the 80's.

But which shall I choose.

Hmmm. Ya know, I just got back my Fright Night DVD's from a friend who borrowed them for an extended period of time (no hard feelings John, really.) So I will now enjoy Fright Night.

They just don't make em like that anymore, but gimme time I'm working on it. ;)

I need zombies.

Building a Zombie

Yes, cool title. OMG! Patrick are you about to post a blog about how you're building a ZOMBIE!? Are you about to reveal all the steps that come with putting together a zombie mask/costume, utilizing cheap or free items? Kinda like you did with the MKX gun. A gun made out of bottles!!! And now this dude is gonna show us this neat Zombie Thing he made out of chewing gum, duct tape, and some old CD's. WOW!!!!

Yeah, that's not happening.

Not quite there yet. I am literally at the beginning stages of my zombie mask and I still don't even know if it's going to work. Been planning it all day (and all of last year) and I'm just now putting together the steps to put it all together. I don't even know what to call it. A mask/head piece/costume/mumu? I dunno.

I'll let you know how it's going.

Other than that:

Today I:

- Got up in the early morn to video the winter wonderland that is NC.
- Went to work for a few hours, then closed early.
- Slipped on ice.
- Spent way too much on groceries.
- Made dinner.


And now I have to:

- Continue work on the zombie head thing.
- Gotta write Monster Cops pages.
- Burn more DVD's for a client.
- Workout.
- Think about a VLOG.
- Claim land for spain.
- Check out Fallon's first night.

African proverb: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others."

- whispering- Test. test. this is a mobile blog test. why am i whispering?

Late Night With Conan O'brien

I have totally missed Conan's last week. But thankfully I've been able to catch up with it on HULU.com.

I remember the very first episode of Late Night without David Letterman with a then unknown Conan. I remember how odd it felt not having Johnny Carson around, Leno taking over, Letterman leaving for CBS, and Late Night being hosted by some guy named Conan I had never even heard of before. It was like my world was being rearranged. I had grown up with the late night schedule of Carson then Letterman. Seeing it change in such a weird way was just mind blowing. Conan eventually became my favorite in late night.

I have my reservations about Jimmy Fallon. I think he has great potential, for both greatness and for mediocrity. He's made me laugh so many times in the past, but just as many times he's displayed an irritating immaturity to his craft. The last few years of SNL were filled with flubbed lines and breaking character. Nothing was more annoying than a Jimmy Fallon / Horatio Sanz sketch. You knew they were going to screw it up some how. I can only hope that we can see the great side of Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. If Timberlake can make a surprise appearance and they can do The Barry Gibb Talk Show, then I'll be alright with it.

I am going to miss Conan in New York. Had this specific feel to it that was quite classy. New York feels different from L.A. But then again The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson had this classy feel to it. With Conan taking over, maybe we can finally get rid of that cheesy mediocre atmosphere from Leno's Tonight Show, and bring it back to something substantial, and actually funny.

Here's a segment from Late Night with Conan that I absolutely love. It had me in tears. Let's hope The Tonight Show will be as good if not better. I'm sure it will.



EDIT: (March 2nd) Just got done watching the entire last episode of Late Night with Conan. I nearly teared up at the end with everything Conan had to say. Really felt it. And now there is no doubt that The Tonight Show will be amazing.



----------------
Now playing: Hans Zimmer - The Might of Rome
via FoxyTunes

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths." ~Etty Hillesum

Monster Cops: Tree Hugger

Yet another short webisode for Monstercops.com This time Bryce "encounters" a tree. 3 min 35 sec.






The footage of Bryce (Mark Tabije) was shot years ago on a night a certain special fx guy did not show up. We improvised a few scenes instead. The footage of Cutter and Windows (me and Chris Plouffe) was shot just last week. Really trying to combine both Texas and North Carolina casts. Alot of what Mark did was improv'd with a little bit of directing from me. For the most part this is all do to Mark just being a really funny guy. I also like the way Chris says "He has good form."

Coming up. More short Webisodes but this time it would be nice to actually include a few MONSTERS to go with our comical cops. Wouldn't you agree?

Too tired to relive all the events that have occurred in the past 35 hours in a blog. You'll find clues on Twitter.

Everything is fine now. Working on another Monster Cops Webisode. Writing a few more.

The love is gone

There is no more spark. The gas has run out. I've got no drive for it.

Today I was going to work on my second Callaway Golf Ad for Poptent. But I just don't see it happening. I had it in my head and it seemed like a great idea, but I'm just not feeling it anymore. I never want to work on anything I'm not 100 percent into. I've worked on so much crap in the past and projects that didn't stimulate me, that I'm at a point now where if I don't feel it, then I don't do it. Even if it is for paying jobs. If my only motivation is the paycheck then it's really not worth it to me.

Money comes and goes, and yes these are "tough times" apparently, but I'm not so strapped for cash that I'll just do anything creatively despite how I feel about it. I've passed up plenty of projects in the last few years, paying projects, simply because my heart just wasn't into it. A certain monster movie comes to mind. A few years back, very wealthy man who was into this particular monster, wanted to hire me to shoot his script about said monster. Getting paid to direct is always the goal for me, but not when the script is this bad. Try watching Meatballs and Aliens back to back in reverse, while listening to a Toby Keith album and you'll get the basic feel of this script.

It's why I stopped doing weddings and depositions. Weddings are lovely, but to shoot one is such a pain. Dealing with carzy Brides and Moms, haggling with the photographer for the best spot, and then having to relive the entire thing over and over in editing. Depositions are worse, because it's just point and shoot for long drawn out dialogue about mind numbing details. Depositions are almost as bad as shooting a catholic wedding. Long and boring. Very much like watching Titanic, in reverse, with the sound off. (I don't know where I'm going with these "watching in reverse" references, just bare with me.)

So I try to choose to work on things that I am passionate about. I've got a few VLOGS that I'd like to produce. I've got Tadcast, Jim Beam, and Stella Artois submissions to think about, as well as the usual Poptent Assignments. But right now, I just want to work on Monster Cops.

I'm quite happy with the great feedback I've been getting for the vids being posted so far, so I'm anxious to get a ton more shorts/webisodes up. And I'm anxious to get the next 4 10 to 20 minute episodes up and out to venues and fests.

There is one particular webisode I want to do, but it sorta breaks my rules. I'm very big on originality. Meaning everything I make, I make. I shoot it, I cut it, and I compose all the music. Sure we'll pay an homage to something, make references, and borrow classic comedy bits, but for the most part the material is original, especially the music. I always cringe when I watch video contest submissions where the rules strictly prohibit the use of copyrighted material and there's a video using music from The Dark Knight or Pirates Of The Caribbean. I make my own music and I never want to use anyone else music unless I can pay for it.

Now if you're doing a spoof or a vlog where you're not making any money off it, then I think it's perfectly fine and falls under Fair Use. But for shorts trying to compete or make money, it's a big no no. With that said, I have this great idea for a Monster Cops webisode that features a very popular copyrighted song. I want to see it happen so badly I'm considering actually producing it. Sure YouTube may take it down, and we may not be able to sell it on the DVD, but it's just one of those things that's just gotta be done. At least it'll be online for folks to see. It should survive Vimeo, Metacafe, and Myspace and you'll definitely be able to see it at Monstercops.com.

I shall ponder this some more. Gonna go work on a Monster Cops Short and check on my pot roast, then I think I shall get on the recumbent bike. LOL. Recumbent. I dunno why that word makes me laugh.




----------------
Now playing: Craig Armstrong - PM's Love Theme -Craig Armstrong
via FoxyTunes

Monster Cops: Phone Call

Monster Cops Short. 1 min. 47 sec. A conversation about killing monsters is interrupted by a phone call. Patrick A. Prejusa, Brandon White, Chris Plouffe, and Danielle Motley.

nbc

Let the midnight special shine a light on me

The signs are everywhere and I can't ignore them. I've been reminded full force of things from the past and it gives me clarity when working on the future.

Credence Clearwater Revival's classic song "Midnight Special". I listened to it constantly when working on the first Monster Cops script, The Midnight Special.



It was this song and 2 others.

Whodini's Classic of Hip-Hop "The Freaks Come Out at Night"



And the one that really inspired me when working on Monster Cops (and still does to this day): The Hollies classic "Long Cool Woman"





It's these three songs I had put on a repeat over and over the entire time I worked on The Midnight Special. To me these songs captures a strong part of the spirit that is Monster Cops. CCR's Midnight Special had that down home rock and blues tone that you really don't associate too much with horror and monsters. Which is why I found it well suited for Monster Cops. It was the feel of how the Cops operated while under the strain of hunting creatures. Cool and groovy, a tone you wouldn't put with hammering stakes in to Vampire hearts. That's the tone of Monster Cops.

The Freaks Come Out at Night was a song that felt right over images of patrol cars looking for, well, freaks. Cops on patrol, investigating strange situations hunting zombies and ghouls. Like driving through neighborhood streets on Halloween Night, seeing costumed creatures roaming around. Plus it was an old school song that did remind me of that Halloween feel, only because it would always end up on someones Halloween music mixtape along with Thriller, The Halloween Theme, and Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes.

And finally Long Cool Woman was always a favorite of mine. Definitely my fav song from The Hollies and in my top 10 of classic rock songs. This song always felt like great background narration for some undercover cop closing in for the arrest, or DEA agents on a bust. Desipte what it's lyrics may define it as, to me this was the action theme for Monster Cops. The bouncy rock rhythm and feel of CCR's Midnight Special but with a harder edge and faster pace. Rock and Blues for Cops on the move, and that's Monster Cops. Burnt out and blue on the job, cracking jokes about the bust, and all the while the Vampires burn and the Zombie heads explode.

Odd, strange, quirky, funny, and thrilling with monsters and guns thrown in.

All this means that I'm nowhere near done with Monster Cops. There is that specific feel and vision I'm going for and I feel like if I can really nail it, it will really be something great. Not that I wasn't already aiming for that, it's just tonight has been very motivating, and a little inspiring.

Still have many many other videos to work on of course. The video work never goes away, but I do hope to get on the ball with Monster Cops and get as much of my vision out there as possible, more shorts, more episodes, much, much more Monster Cops.

Ryan Started The Fire

I love The Office and Billy Joel. So this fan made video was definitely up my alley.




Thanks to @rainnwilson for the tweet.

I was going to try to put together 3 minutes worth of Archangel to submit to Bigstar.tv anyhow. I've been trying to upload it all day. It keeps giving me an error message.

I'm entirely too sick to deal with it. My ear is stopped up, my nose is runny, I've got a sinus headache and a cough.

No Bigstar contest this month. Or any month as long as my comp and their uploads don't agree with eachother. Not gonna make that midnight deadline.

I'm going to bed.

Putting It All Together

I've been busting my ass trying to submit to as many Video Contests and Assignments as possible. I was pretty successful last year making videos for XLNTADS/Poptent, as well as Metacafe, and ExpoTV. So far this year I've submitted and got Honorable Mention for the Acer Aspire One Netbook Contest. Finished and submitted my ad for Callaway Golf Diablo Promo. Currently I'm working on another Callaway Golf Ad and thinking about Tadcast.

I was working on submitting my Archangel action trailer to Bigstar.TV's Action Short Contest, but it's due this Saturday and I'm a minute short. So I won't be making that one happen.

My apologies to Chris Plouffe. He's been a major supporter of my work and he's lent us the use of his office so many times. The last time we shot we ended up breaking his window. We were going to fix it, but apparently it wasn't fast enough for the owners. They've told him to move out by next week. Chris, I am immensely sorry we got you kicked out of your office. Indie Movies successfully destroys yet another location. Again, so sorry Chris. I feel bad about it.

I am working on those contests above as well as others. Also writing a couple of shorts and working out a possible feature. And as usual, I've been working on my baby, MONSTER COPS.

The main goal as it stands is to just keep producing as many shorts (5 minutes of less) and episodes (10 minutes or more) posting them at monstercops.com, and just continue to get the word out about it as I try to get my vision for it produced. I feel strongly about it, and if I had the right budget I know I could produce an amazing feature film out of it AND get it distributed.

I've got the entire process and agenda mapped out on how to produce, distribute, and market a feature film for less than $400,000 and make the money back. So lemme just pull that out of my ass and we can get to work on it. But seriously, I know it's a rough economic landscape right now, but I also know I still see alot of people out there still spending money. Perhaps raising money for an indie film may not seem feasible, but I know it's possible. But all I can do right now is work on making monstercops.com as great as I possibly can. Keep producing good material, getting it out in front of people, and hoping that people like what they see and will want more. Like old Harry Anderson use to say:

If you give em a good enough show, the people will be more than happy to pay the price of admission.

So that's where I'm at right now. Working the day job, working on making more videos for money, and working on Monster Cops. So far so good.

Here's the semi-new intro for Monster Cops. It's actually the old vid recut to include some new shots and old clips from The Midnight Special. To me it's a little bit closer to what I see Monster Cops as. Action, Horror, RealityTV, mixed with Comedy. I'm hoping to achieve more and more of those things with each short and episode.

Diablo

Here's my video for the Callaway Golf Promotion. They're trying to promote their new driver called the Big Bertha DIABLO.





They wanted to stick with the theme of "Release Your Inner Diablo." So I decided to take it literally. I immediately thought of an Exorcism scene, capped off with a cheesy punchline.

Irreverent? Yes. Corny? Most definitely. But I just had to see how it would turn out. Chris Plouffe as the Priest, Sarah Vroom as the possessed girl, and me, Patrick as the corny looking Monk at the end. Additional production help from Brandon White, Richard Gaither, and Darrin Chamberlin on lights, wind, and paper.

The actual words of the exorcism were mostly taken from a Supernatural episode with a few words thrown in from Chris.

I am quite proud of the opening shot of the skyline with clouds and lightning. Those were two public domain photos, one of Long Beach, the other of a cloudy sky. I animated them using Sony Vegas. The final shot of the golf club was a still of the Diablo club cut out using After Effects and placed on video of papers being dropped on the floor. Lightning and pan and crop done in Sony Vegas.

We'll see if it goes anywhere, but as always, it was fun to do, which makes it worth it either way.

I F&#CKED A MERMAID!!!

I love the Lonely Island.

Christian Bale, REMIX!!!!

So Christian Bale flipped out on some lighting guy on set. Apparently it was quite a rant. The media got hold of the audio and has been having a field day with it. Personally I like Christian Bale and I don't know the full circumstances behind the rant. I am intrigued as to how crystal clear this audio is.

Anyhoo. The interweb will never let you down when it comes to creativity. In this case, a nice little techno remix using Bale's F-bomb filled Rant. I love this song. It's stuck in my head.

This one is created by revolucian.



Download the mp3 here:
http://www.revolucian.com/BaleOut-Download.html

Show your support for revolucian by subscribing to the YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/revolucian

This video is almost as catchy as this one:

Honorable Mention

So as expected, I did not win the Aspire One Contest. Just wasn't getting the views, and comments. But I am glad that the top 3 videos that won, were some that I liked a lot and I felt actually deserved to win.

And as a nice gesture, my video was featured as an Honorable Mention. Although there are no prizes for honorable mention, it is a great honor just to have my work recognized. So thank you so much to ACER for the opportunity to compete. I live for video contests! And congratulations to all the winners and my fellow honorable mentionees. I felt everyone got what they deserved, especially those that worked hard and used true creativity for their videos.

Here's a list of the winners and honorable mentions:
http://www.wantonecontest.com/video_contest_winners.aspx

And just for the heck of it, here's my video for the Acer Aspire One Netbook Contest, ALIENS and COW LIPS.

Playlist Test

Just trying out the playlist embeds. The above are 9 of my dvd reviews.

Updated Zombie Hunt Clip

Here's the zombie hunt clip from an upcoming Monster Cops episode. This one includes shots of the MKX300 at work.

Keep Makin Those Vids

Got this article off Twitter via angelmcclinton.

Economic Crisis Will Make Online Video A Champion in 2009

Perhaps we're all on the right track after all.

Empty Your Cup

There's been a few comments this week, just things here and there that I've been told, that I don't quite agree with. I don't like being told what to do, no one does, and I certainly don't like being interrupted when I'm in the middle of discussing one of my projects. Especially when this same person asked me to explain the project. I like it even less when I'm interrupted in the middle of explaining a project by someone who is telling me what I "should" do.

I understand people have ideas, but if I've got an idea that I've decided to commit to actually shooting and producing, then I'm pretty solid on what it is I'm going to do and I need no further feedback. If you're part of the crew wanting to advise me on the lights and you just happen to be in the lighting department then that's fine, give me your feedback. But if you're feedback has nothing to do with your department, or even worse, if you're just someone I barely know trying to butt into production, then it's unacceptable.

Thing is, I am a control freak. When I decide on a story or an idea for a project it's most likely because I see the full vision for it. I don't like it when people try to intentionally get me to change that vision. It's going to change all on it's own when you bring in the actors, and you look at the set, and when you edit it together, the original vision evolves, and it should, and that's completely natural. When someone else decides to step in and tell me what needs to be changed solely because they had a "neat idea", that's different. That's tampering with what I've ALREADY PLANNED! Don't tell me what my vision should be.

This is why I have a hard time collaborating with other writers. I hog the vision. When I come up with something to create, it's usually because I've gotten so passionate about what it is I see in my head that I NEED to be the writer and director and editor and composer. It's because I know, and feel, and understand EXACTLY what the spirit of the story is. I have no room for someone else to just butt in and say, "Ooh what you should do is..."

No.

Now when it comes to doing some improv on set, then that's fine. Improvising is great, and you get a lot of really great material comedy wise, but it's all placed within the context of the base vision and stays within the established essence of the story. It does not detract from the story of the script.

I have no patience for people who ask me to tell them what my vision is and then proceed to tell me what it should be. This is why I hardly tell people what's going on. You'll get a script if you need to get a script. You'll know the end result if you need to know, otherwise just wait til I'm done cutting footage and you can watch the final cut like everyone else.

I hate posting negatively, but I believe that your blog should be there for the occasional venting. So this is me with my venting hat on.

I use to talk about what my ideas and scripts were. I don't now. Because there is no need to. You'll see my ideas once I make them happen. Also because I end up talking to people who just talk. The talkers are the ones who have ideas, but will never do anything with them. They just wanna hang out all day and never shoot anything. This is why I do alot of projects on my own or with minimal help. Thankfully I'm working with some fairly smart people who are motivated. But these past few days I've gotten cornered with a couple of people who are talkers, and I made the mistake of describing one of my projects when asked.

There's this old tale that I never ever remember all the details of, but I believe it was something of an old Buddhist parable. About an old man and a young man drinking tea. The old man pours tea into both cups and they proceed to drink. The Old mad drinks his tea, while the young man proceeds to talk, ALOT. As the Old man finishes his tea he pours himself another cup and then sets the tea pot down. The Old man drinks his second cup. The young man get's upset and says "Why haven't you poured ME a second cup?" The Old man says "How can I pour you tea, if you have not emptied your cup."

I know I just totally butchered that story. But the essence of it always stayed with me. The talkers talk and they complain when the rest of the world has moved on without them. They're too busy complaining about not getting there second cup, when they haven't even enjoyed or even appreciated their first one.

And I do bump into these people. Ugh.

Their existence is necessary, though. Like all things that are opposite of you and your goals, they are their to help define who you are, and who you are not.

"The path of the righteous is set on all sides by the inequities of the weak and the tyranny of evil men."
- Jules 4:20

Let the talkers and the morons and the general stupid people in your life help define the fact that you are none of the above. Let them outline your greatness and while they complain about their full cups, you can sit back and enjoy your ability to empty your own and receive even more.

Venting hat off.

The traditional eating...

The traditional eating a hot dog outside in the freezing cold of January while sipping Diet Coke has been accomplished. Yeah hey.
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Holy crap. It's snowing....

Holy crap. It's snowing.
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It's official, I am...

It's official, I am sick of food.
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Miracles and Montalban

Of course I have to comment on what is being called a Miracle on The Hudson. It's great incident, great story, great way to kick off the new year. This entire story just chimes with hope and heroism. For the most part, as far as we know from the news so far, this was fairly simple. The plane hits a flock of birds, the engines fail, the plane goes down into the water. Not exactly movie of the week material, but I'm sure they'll find a way to milk it into one. The bigger picture is really about how the pilot put the plane down and how the crew got everyone off of the plane swiftly and safely, with everyone alive and intact.

Much praise on the news today for the pilot and the crew. And so far there is an overall good vibe in the air about it all. Good vibes are certainly something the world needs more of. I'm a great believer in the power of mass consciousness and I hope we get more "good vibe stories" of heroism and heart to help contribute to that.

On a side note I would like to say that I think Brian Williams on NBC is the coolest anchor on the planet. I just like the way he reports. He actually used the phrase "went into the drink" when describing the plane going into the water. That's just some cool shit right there. If this guy gave a poetry reading, I'd be there. Let Brian Williams do the vagina monologues. It'll be a hit.

And on a way more somber note. Ricardo Montalban has passed away. I grew up watching him on Fantasy Island. He was so cool on that show. And my hopes are dashed that he would ever reprise his role as Khan on Star Trek. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan is one of my favorite movies. I always thought the conflict between Khan and Kirk was amazing. And Motalban had such great dialogue, God he hated Kirk so much. FOrgive me, my Trekkieness is showing.

Wrath Of Khan


Fantasy Island Intro.
OMG! This brings back memories.



I was very sad to find out he had passed away. R.I.P. Ricardo Montalban.

Now that I think about it. Sometimes when I watch LOST, I get thie Fantasy Island feel every so often. Especially watching that above clip, there are certainly elements of Lost in there, at least that's what my Spidey senses are implying. Yeah, I said Spidey senses!



And now because I don't do them often. Here's a your typical, vanity, all about myself, celebrate me, type survey. I wonder if they call it a Meme, because these things are usualy about ones own self. Hmmm. I will attempt to answer this one semi seriously, as I hardly ever answer them seriously at all.



Who will alway's tell it to you like it is, no matter if it's going to hurt or not?
Juli

Do you want your phone to ring at the moment?
What?


Hate is a strong word but do you really hate anybody?
Nope

Are you easily confused?
I don't understand.


If the last person you dated said they were in love with you, what would you say?
Seeing as how that last person became my wife, I think I'd say I was in love with them back.


When was the last time you wanted to punch someone?
It was right after Johnny had swept my leg. Damn you Kobra Kai!


Are you someone who worries too often?
Why, should I be?


Do you want to get married and have kids one day?
Married, Check. Kids, working on it.


Do you believe your ex thinks about you?
I don't quite know who would qualify as my ex. I'm still married.


Whats currently bothering you right now?
Well, that whole Global Warming thing is getting annoying.


What are you currently hearing?
CNN Headline News and MSNBC in the background. Lil Sonny New King Of The Blues Harmonica coming from the computer.


When were you last outside?
2 hours ago. It's 1:30 am right now. I was out there looking for my testicles as I'm pretty sure they had frozen off.


What was the first thing you thought this morning?
That's not my underwear.


Are you afraid of the dark?
Only when there's a crazed axe murderer waiting in it.


Are you currently frustrated with a boy/girl?
I don't know, I'll pass you a note after P.E. and tell you all about it then.


Have a best friend?
I have extensive tech support yes. And a wife. ;)


What did you last eat?
Broccoli, as usual.


Who was the last person to text you?
Brandon.


Who was the last person you had a phone conversation with for more than 2 minutes???
Crystal


When is your birth?day???
July, 16th, 1975


Have you ever gotten a sunburn so bad it hurt to move?
I'm Filipino, so no.


Ok so I'm going to stop answering this now, because 1) It's it's quite crap, and 2) My writer's block is gone.

So back to studying Exorcism rituals and Sword history. Didn't realize how tough making a golf commercial was going to be.

Because Danielle demanded it.

Here's  yer damn pic.

Monster Cops Vlog, Dec to Jan.

Production Update with the Monster Cops.

Everybody's Gotta Get Paid

I was just Twittering (or rather Tweeting, but really I prefer Twittering, it's fun to say outloud) about how Jott and Sprout are both going from a basic free service to a paid service. And I don't mind at all. Everyone's gotta get paid for their services and I will gladly pay for what I use. Jott I use every so often, for blogging from my phone or leaving notes for myself. Sprout is a service that allows you to create flash content with ease. I actually rely on Sprout quite heavily for much of my marketing, I use it on my blog, and throughout monstercops.com.

I can't imagine a world without Sprout, so I will most likely be paying for their services come February. Jott not so much. And I'm both glad and overwhelmed a little about so many sites I use switching to get paid. I completely understand it, but man it fell hard. I guess everyone got together and decided to start charging after the New Year started. Soundsnap.com is another site I've used for Sound effects and foley support for much of my video work, and it too is now taking away the free service. Now you can download 5 soundeffects a month for free, after that you gotta pay.

Even Brightcove has giveen up there basic and free services. And I was using them to post high quality videos extensively as well. Now I'm sticking to high quality and free video upload sites like Vimeo. And thankfully YouTube has enabled HD quality as well (although you can't embed HD yet, or can you, someone fill me in.)

Like I said, I understand it, and I don't mind it, I was even expecting it, just wasn't expecting to have to pay for it all at the sametime.


I just glanced at the date on the box of sugar free cookies I was eating, and realized the date expired. I bought these today. Neat. (sarcasm)


Anyhoo. Not complaining about the monetary system, just overwhelmed. Sprout I will gladly pay for. Jott I don't really need or use. Soundsnap.com I actually don't need, I just really liked how easy their site was to use. From now on if I need sound fx support I can still use The Free Sound Project. Wait. Lemme check and see if they're still free.

Yup still free.

And I've switched from Brightcove to Vimeo with some help from Vodpod.

Ok, I'm gonna go puke up some cookies, and get back to editing EVERYTHING.



Oh and thank you to all of you who have commented, viewed, and rated my videos. I really appreciate the support. Thanks guys.

I'm Sitting in the parking...

I'm Sitting in the parking lot of Red Lobster, waiting for my wife. Making phone calls. Trying to step for production.
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Note: Try to get more...

Note: Try to get more Woofie(?). listen

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Yup, Another One.

So I cut together another video for the Aspire One Promo Contest. This time with the help of Brandon White and Chris Plouffe.



Go to the YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIu9CBaO0Ko
Please spread it around, rate it high, and watch it alot, oh yes and leave a comment.

Animation Research

Improving my animation skills. Got this upcoming project that I've got a great idea for. Just need to understand the process a bit more, apply it to what I already know. Here are a few YouTube vids that give me a bit of inspiration in figuring out how I can achieve what I see in my head.


samurai jack opening theme song


Psyop Animation for MTV HD



Note to self: Full concepts can be achieved by simple shadows and minimum color. In fact using singular colors to signify specific items may enhance the artistic effect, and drive home the point of the overall piece.


The Tranquillity of Shadows



Note To Self: Flow can be understated as long as it is displayed. It may not be necessary to completely follow through to achieve sfumato.


Shadow Animation



Note To Self: Less is more. 2D expansion may even help you achieve 3D flow.


Fische und Schiffe -- Silhouette Animation



Evolution



Assassin Shooter 2D Animation



Note To Self: But you know what NOT to do.


Silhouette Cut-out Animation: Knight & Dragon



Po's Dream



Batman- Gotham Knight (2008) HD Trailer



TMNT

First Contest of the Year

So here we are, back in the contest saddle again. This time it's for Acer's Aspire One Netbook Contest. A prize package that includes cash and a Netbook of course.

Check it out here: http://www.wantonecontest.com/

You do the usual, look over the rules, figure out what you can and can't do, then come up with an idea. Acer's basic idea is just make a vid/ad about the Aspire Netbook and get as many views, ratings, and comments as humanly possible.

For some reason the Alien Conspiracy idea popped into my head and I figured it would be fun to play with animation again.

Threw together a bunch of drawings and graphics mainly using Inkscape and MSpaint and did all the animating in Sony Vegas. I did all the voices and most of the sound effects. So I hope everyone likes it.

As I said, it's all about the views, the ratings, and the comments, so if you wanna help, check out the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anq2rVoBLbM and watch and rate highly.






Watch it now:

I dare you to answer it, then do it.

My favorite pic right now.

 

 Got it off Flickr. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29602190@N00/3160435422

Happy New Year

Why hello there 2009.

Most folks are either still partying or going to bed after partying. Almost everyone seems to be celebrating the new year. Me? I'm on Soundsnap.com looking for laser sound effects. I'm working on a commercial. Let's call it my way of celebrating the new year. By getting to work.

Not wasting anytime. I've got alot planned for this year and for the years to follow, and I need not waste time celebrating. My work is my celebration. Although I know I am missing a certain Phillipino New Years celebration going on in Texas. I do wish I was there.

But I'm here, and I'm ready to get cracking. Right now I'm working on my commercial submission for Aspire's Laptop Promotion. This ones going to rely on the votes and views of the general public so I'm hoping what I'm putting together will be funny to the people, or at the very least cute.

Ooh, I think I may very well have found the laser sound I'm looking for. I love Soundnap. If you're looking for free sound effects check out http://www.soundsnap.com

Soooo many videos I wanna work on, as well as so much to do with Monster Cops.

I started a new YouTube Channel. I've had other ones in the past, but this one is brand new, featuring almost all of the videos I've made and am going to make. Before the other channels had a whole mess of stuff I didn't care for. Random uploads for uploads sake. This one will be privy to videos of my own creation and not just random playing with the camera type stuff.

So glad YouTube has caught up to HD uploading. Now the sites I use for uploads are YouTube, Vimeo (I love Vimeo), Metacafe (Really only because of the producer rewards program, that paper rose video has helped pay some bills), and of course PopTent.

And here's a little something I put up on YouTube. This is the trailer for my first feature film, VAMPIRE KILLER. Shot on everything, and when I say everything I mean everything except digital or hd. Started this back in 95, shot on Super 8, 16mm, Super 16mm, VHS, 8mm. Basically whatever I could get my hands on. Transfered all the footage to 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch video, and then edited on analog decks. Years later I would finally get to transfer everything to a computer and reedit the movie on Final Cut Pro. Here it is, Vampire Killer Trailer.




The tag line that refers to this movie not really being about what it seems aludes to the fact that the actual film has two different plots, one in black and white about the Vampire Killer, the other in color about an FBI agents interrogation of an indie moviemaker (me). And at the end of the film the two plots collide.

It's always good to look back to see what you've done. Compare it to what you're doing now, see how much you;ve grown, or rather how much you need to grow. Here's a taste of the mock trailer based on a script I wrote a while back. Here's an upload from Vimeo, this is the first cut of Archangel.




This is the first cut of the footage we've shot so far for a fake trailer/short called ARCHANGEL. Based on a script I wrote years ago. I don't know if it's a movie I'd actually want to produce myself, but right now it'll be great to try out some action movie making separate from Monster Cops, as well as try out some new tools in after effects.

The actual trailer will probably look different from this and will feature different music. Right now I'm using an old track I produced a while back called "Tequila." I hope to add way more action and tweak all the fx shots, a few of those muzzle flashes I'm not satisfied with.

Here I'm using the heck out of Chris Plouffe who plays our hero, and Brandon Weir who basically dies in every shot. Choreographed and shot the fight scene in one night, and I'm actually quite fond of the pizza cutter as a weapon.

Ok, I'm actually going to try to sleep now. Got a big year ahead of me.

Happy New Years guys! Let's make it a great one!

Merry Christmas

To celebrate, I demand everyone go and watch a Christmas Classic ....

 

Back when Chevy Chase was frickin amazing!