What a great storm.

Did You Know?

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