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.



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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.




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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.