I know it's going to work out. I know it'll be amazing. I hear you. But I'm just anxious to see how.

August Update. Redd, Monster Cops, and a New Web Series

Keep Me Where The Light Is

Image taken from operaphantom.net

I dreamed I was at a movie theater.

I was walking down the hall and I found my Godfather, Ray, sitting in a directors chair in the middle of the hall just outside one of the auditoriums.

I asked him how the movie was. He had this mixed reaction of laughter and fear. Like it was the most amusing yet terrifying thing he'd ever seen.

He then seemed in awe of whatever movie it was he'd seen (not sure what it was).

He put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me directly, and said.

"You  have to start having nightmares like that."

My immediate thought was "No."

I cringed a little when he said that.

I woke up.

I realize he was implying that if I wanted to create something as great as what he had seen, that I needed to feel and experience the same kind of terror. And I get it. Write what you know. And if you're trying to create a nightmare, then you have to start experiencing nightmares.

I'm fond of horror. From a very young age, it was a symptom of being tortured by my older brothers. As we were one of the first families on the block to have cable tv, they almost always messed with me by putting on whatever scary movie was playing that month (Friday The 13th part 2, Salem's Lot, etc.) Stuff that they new scared the crap out of me.

I mean it is what you do to your little brother, and I was the littlest.

As I got older, horror movies became something I would dare myself to tolerate, because they scared me so much. I could even stand in the horror section of the local Video Library.

I forced myself to face it, embrace it, and visibly so in front of my brothers. Cuz if it looked like I was enjoying them, even loving them, then it was pointless to try to scare me.

Eventually I would truly start to appreciate them. I wanted to make movies after all, so it only made sense that I would find interest in how even horror movies were made. I got really curious about how to make monsters, murder, and mayhem, in that grandiose and cinematic fashion.

But the truth of it was, I loved movie in general. More so than horror.

Especially now, it has become more evident that it's really just the old horror flicks from the 70's and 80's that I revel in. And I realize that it's mostly for nostalgia's sake.

In reality, I'm a little sensitive when it comes to some of that stuff. Alot of the more recent bloodier, gorey, brutal fare, don't really appeal to me.

In truth, I look to horror movies that lean more on fun than shock.

As much as it may appear that I revel in the dark, it's the light that I love so much more.

The movies I love are the movies I want to make. Fun, thrilling, entertaining, inspired, enlightened, refreshed, child like, and dazzlingly brilliant.

And that's why I cringed when I was told that I needed to start having nightmares in order to create. Because inevitably I feel like my inspiration comes from the light. And the creative brilliance that comes from your highest and grandest dreams.

I stand by the phrase, "In order to make a beautiful picture, you'll need to use dark colors." But in truth, I love all the colors on my pallet., and the countless numbers of portraits I can paint.

I know, the light can't exist without the dark.

I just want to be kept where the light is.

Pandora's Box

The day my brother died, I was of course crushed.

I was lost for a bit.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that my world had fallen apart. But I will say it felt different. Nothing seemed like it was where it was supposed to be. My existence felt like it was rearranged. My entire history felt like a dream.

My brother Robert was a huge part of my world, my history, my childhood. Something that you thought would never be taken away, was all of a sudden gone.

When someone close to you leaves, you search for familiarity. You want something that feels like home. Something to take you in, tell you it's going to be alright, but not to your face. You want something to speak this truth to your soul.

And how the hell does that work. How do you comfort something so powerful and low as a spirit that feels broken. How do you mend that?

I found out how.  I started listening.

To Pandora that is. I have a couple different stations on Pandora. One I labeled "think".

I don't even remember what it was I had typed in to fill in that list. But as soon as I played it, I started hearing music that spoke directly to me. One song after the other turned out to be exactly what I wanted to hear, what I needed to hear, what my soul, my spirit, my broken heart, needed to feel.

I cried my eyes out.

Every song either brought me back to a time I forgot, a moment and a memory I had lost, or it spoke to me, agreeing with me when I needed to be agreed with, and more so telling me what I needed to hear when I didn't know what to think, what to feel, what to do.

Have you ever been lost in the woods or lost your way driving around? Do you know that despair you feel when you realize you've lost your way. Even if it's just for a few seconds. When you realize that you don't know where you are, and you don't know how to find your way out, or find your way back.

That relief that comes to you when you find your way, when you realize that you're not completely lost and you know how to get home.

That's how I felt listening to each song that came on. Each song brought me home.

I can't say it completely healed me. It didn't fully mend my broken heart. But it did speak to my spirit. It let me know that it was going to be ok. That my brother is ok. That we're all ok.

And I believe that. We're all going to be ok. As long as we can find a way to listen.

I'm not saying when in doubt go listen to Pandora. I'm saying when you're looking for answers, even to the toughest questions, you'll often find the universe telling you the answers.

If you're listening.

Holy Shit!

Damn. I got really deep there, didn't I.

Ok, ok, look, I'm not a Shaman, or a religious nut, nor am I a spiritual freak of nature.

I'm just a guy. Going through shit. Just like the rest of us, I mean we're all going through shit.  I'm just saying that, if you need a bit of guidance out there to get you through your particular shit, I believe there is something out there, something more, something bigger, that is conspiring to help you get through.

But you've got to look for the signs, listen for the cues. For me, that day it was Pandora. Other days it's a line from a movie, or a passage from a book, or a bit of a conversation I hear when I pass by someone at the grocery store.

Whatever it is, it's out there, and I do believe that it wants you to succeed. It wants to help you as long as you're willing to help yourself.

It's out there, I know, I've seen it, I've felt it, and I've definitely heard it.

Ok. What's going on with Redd?

Well, we've been shooting, and shooting, and shooting. And I'm confident we can get this all finished up by October and have a local screening in November.

Dealing with scheduling conflicts. My main actress may disappear off to college before we can get all of her stuff shot, so I'm trying to figure out a way around that.

It's getting horribly hectic by the minute, and I'M LOVING IT!

I can't wait to see this movie, and I definitely can't wait for you to see this movie.

P

Dolly in

Don't tell me there's no such thing as magic. You couldn't possibly know what I've seen, heard, felt tonight. If you did then you'd believe like I do.

I'm going to do my best to show you.

This is a commercial, and you'll never guess for what.

Brilliant!

Amy Winehouse

Questlove on Amy Winehouse

Notes:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jawn

Thank you Amy. Really.

Birthdays and Visual FX Research

After Dinner Cheesecake while watching The Office

 When I was a kid, my family, especially my Dad, always made a big deal out of my birthday. I recall Tiki torches and makeshift Luaus, extreme catering with Filipino Food, large potlucks, cheesy birthday cakes, and themes ranging from Star Wars to Spiderman.

Yesterday I turned 36. And I didn't care one bit about what I did for my birthday. Long gone are those days that I craved a ton of attention, cake, toys, and parties. Now all I want to do is make this movie(s) happen. Even if that means working on it for my birthday.

I got my wish.

Not to say this wasn't a day without some sort of a celebration. My wife insisted we cook some classic Filipino food. Lumpia and Pancit. Never had it? IT'S DELICIOUS.

Takes a bit to prepare, but it's worth it.

We cooked, had a fine meal, afterwards we spent some time playing on the Wii, and then I got a great birthday present. I got to do what I always do, and have been doing for the past year. Work on my movie. I'm working on re-writes for Redd, preparing for shoots for the next few weekends, and started editing the next Monster Cops video.

In my head there isn't a minute to waste, and definitely not on something as trivial as my birthday. I have GOT TO GET THIS THING DONE.

But there was cake. My wife had stuck a candle in a piece of cherry cheesecake we bought the night before and brought to my desk as I worked, along with a nice cup of irish cream coffee. It was quite sweet of her.

But honestly, the best present I got tonight was really being able to spend time with my wife. I cherish every minute I have with her. It's always a party and a celebration when I'm around her, and I'm so very lucky to have that, and her. She's amazing.

Oh, I did watch a movie tonight. I got a bit of writer's block and I decided to scroll through Netflix Instant Watch to see what was on. Ya know, I understand people being up in arms about Netflix's new prices, but I'm so fascinated by how I'm able to scroll through a database of movies with my remote, hit a button, and watch something crystal clear on my large screen TV. I mean wow. We've come a long way from watching grainy video tapes you'd have to pick up from the store and watch on your square picture smooshing television.

I mean I'd love it if they could widen their streaming selection, but hey, I refuse to complain (too much) when I have a great wife, a roof over my head, and the technology at my finger tips that enables me to both watch and or create movies. I find it truly amazing and an utter blessing.

And you know what else is amazing? Gareth Edward's MONSTERS.

It's the movie I watched tonight. I heard alot of buzz about this last year. Now I know why. It's a brilliant movie. Now to be honest, this barely qualifies as a horror film, and just barely makes it in as a Monster Movie. The heart of this is a road trip movie, where two people grow closer as they experience the unexpected. It more closely resembles a love story and a character study then that of a full on creature feature. Not to say their weren't moments of eeriness. There were definitely some solid Giant Monster moments, very creepy stuff. But if you're expecting hardcore action like Cloverfield or ID4, you might find yourself bored. Me? I loved it. Great filmmaking, great ending, and as a fan of practical visual fx I thought it was brilliant. So many scenes you wouldn't think would have visual fx in it or recognize any kind of effect, and that's what makes it work so well.

One of the reasons I sought out a movie to watch, and was glad to have selected that movie, was because my brain is thinking about the visual fx for my own projects. I'm going to be trying to pull off some pretty neat and complex stuff before the year is out, and I'm trying to workout some of the best ways I can accomplish this. That means it's research time. Time to start looking at videos that stimulate my brain on the subject.

A few videos that have got me thinking about visual fx. Both for Monster Cops and for Redd. These are just the ones I happened to have perused this fine evening.


Ben 10: Alien Swarm VFX Behind the Scenes



Sweeney Todd - visual effects (behind the scenes)



Time Freeze Shootout - Behind the Scenes



Dead Land (VISUAL FX BREAKDOWN)



VFX Breakdown



Terminator Salvation Breakdown Video



The Troll Hunter (Trolljegeren) - SuperRune VFX Shot Breakdowns

Thinking About A Monster

We've got major shooting to do for REDD, but now it's time to also turn my attention to Monster Cops and some of the new Monsters that they'll be hunting.

Again, I find myself researching monster costume techniques. Here are a few of the videos I'm finding inspiration from.

I'm looking to build something HUGE!!!


Krampus



4 Legged Stilt Costumes - Handmade



Demon Werewolf Costume



Freakenstein



QUAD STILT SUIT test 5



QUAD STILT SUIT TEST #6



And thinking about the giant pumpkin guy for REDD


Unpainted hand carved pumpkin head for oversize costume



Hand carved pumpkin head for oversize costume



Backyard FX: Halloween Pumpkin King Costume, Monsters : BFX

You Are A Moneytrasher

CVS was awesome enough to buy the spot I made. They are currently using it on their YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.  Features Chris Plouffe blowing his nose on a twenty (not really), and my nifty little voice over.





Check it out here as well to see it in action on their FACEBOOK PAGE, along with 4 of my other Poptent Brethren's creations.

My 2011 Demo Reel (First Cut)

I plan to have much more to add to this in the next few months.

Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It.

I've made a total of 4 ads this past month for Poptent. Why? Because I'm addicted.

Here are the 4 ads I've created for Poptent and the brands that have hired them to get folks like me to make ads for them.


Client: CVS
Asignment Name: MONEYTRASHERS
Their creative brief was very specific. Make two segments, one that shows how people waste money, and the second that shows how people waste money by throwing out their CVS receipts. Apparently many CVS receipts can be used like cash on your next visit. I had no idea. But now I know, and after watching my as you should know as well.




Client: VIZIO
Assignment Name: ENTERTAINMENT FREEDOM FOR ALL
The objective, to create a video that would give the viewers a sense of urgency, a sense of emotion, to help drive them to see Vizio as more than just a brand, to see Vizio as a revolution. This is actually not completely what I had in mind originally, but the final product came out better than I imagined. I actually really busted my ass on this one. The editing and sound editing were a killer.




Client: BUILD-A-BEAR
Assignment Name: SMALLFRYS
Buildabear needed ads to announce the arrival of their new product called Smallfrys. They sent me a sample to use in the ad. It was a Penguin and it actually comes in a FRY BOX. How cute is that? I went in search of a cute kid to help me sell this ad, and I lucked out when I found Reagan Spiegel. Adorable, energetic, and the right amount of cheese.




Client: POPTENT
Assignment Name: GO GREEN
Poptent has started up this great idea. Have the creators make videos and ads based on one subject, select the best ones, and put them all together in smoething called the VIDEO MART, where companies can shop for ready made ads they can use. Here the topic is Go Green. And immediately I came up with an idea. Paid off too, this video was selected to go in the Video Mart. Got paid for it too.



I log on to my Poptent Profile, I peruse the assignments, I pick out which ones I click with and or have time for, I download the assets, look over the creative brief to see what the brand wants, and then I go to work on a tailor made video for specific brands.


It almost feels like I work for the Impossible Missions Force. I get a brief with mission instructions, I choose to accept the mission, and I execute said mission. Speaking of Mission Impossible, I AM SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4.

Look I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan, but I do love JJ Abrams, and I REALLY love Brad Bird. JJ is producing, Brad is directing. I immediately assume it's going to be amazing. The trailer certainly seems like it is.



Ok, hopefully there will be a big enough break from making ads, long enough for me to get the rest of REDD casted, raise the money, and finish it in September. Also got Monster Cops episodes, and that new short film Firelight, which I'm honestly starting to re-think the title. We'll see.

Rule #7

Shoot first ask questions later.

It's a good idea when you shoot to keep editing in mind, but don't get bogged down by how something may or may not work in editing. When you're shooting, concentrate on shooting. Just get all the shots, even ones you think may not work in editing. Better to have it later as an option than not have it at all.

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If you do what you've always done ...

you'll get what you've always gotten.

I say that alot. Both out loud and to myself.

Today's pic is a poster from the movie Labyrinth. Why? Because I like it, that's why.

Makes me think of the kinds of movies that influenced me. The kinds of movies I'd like to make. And where I'm at right now.  I guess you could say I'm in sort of a Labyrinth. I know where I need to get too, but there are so many ways to get there it can be overwhelming. You never know what may lie around each corner you turn. Maybe you'll find a long passage that gets you further, maybe you'll reach a dead end, and sometimes you turn the corner and you find yourself stumbling into a pit of despair.

Technically I just described a maze.





For alot of folks Mazes and Labyrinths are interchangeable. But there is actually a difference between the two. Mazes have options, you have choices as to which way to go. Labyrinths usually rely on one true path. Nothing to solve really you just gotta keep walking.

I guess you could ask yourself weather you see life as a maze or a labyrinth. For some they feel like they have a destiny, and as long as they continue on this one path, they will reach their destination.

Others see life as a maze, with many options to choose from. Choose wisely, or you could spend much of your life trying to work your way out of an oubliette.

How do I see it? To be honest, I believe life to be much more complex and simple all at once. It's an odd creature this life, can't define it with one explanation, which allows me to give this answer.

It's both.

For me anyhow. My life is both a maze and a labyrinth. Both has twists and turns, both can seem complex, both can be fun, and agonizing at the same time. Such is life.

But do I choose my path, or is my path chosen for me?

For my life I believe I have but one destination, but as I said earlier, there is more than one way to get there, at least it seems. But I believe that choice is the path. A maze may lead you elsewhere, but as long as you never give up, as long as you keep trying, keep choosing, and make the choice to keep walking, there really only is one destination and one path to it. For my life at least.

Too many people don't choose, they stand still. Whether they're in a maze or a labyrinth, they refuse to choose, or to walk. And yet they complain about being stuck.

In my life I've found that choosing to walk, and to continue to make choices is the only path for me. I only lose the destination if I do nothing.

So what about you. Whether your life is a maze or a labyrinth, you must choose a path and you must walk a path.

Or you can continue to do what you've always done.

If I blog about it, maybe it will happen

It's a short film I've been thinking about for a while now. I'm going to commit myself to saying that I'll do this later this year.  Yes my plate is full, but something is telling me that I really need to do this one.

We'll see what happens.

The Dallas Mavericks

"This series proves that a TEAM is much bigger than individuals.” – Magic Johnson

The Dallas Mavericks have won their franchise's first NBA Championship

by beating the Miami Heat, 105-95.

Photo from Reuters

I am so very proud to be from Dallas right now.

I really miss my brother.

Shine a Light

The second feature film I've ever made is also the first installment of the MONSTER COPS franchise.

MONSTER COPS: THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL is back on DVD.

You can buy it on DVD for $12 or you can download or rent it to watch on your PC, HDTV, Bluray, XBOX, or Roku through Amazon Instant Watch.

And remember, $1 from every DVD sold will go to the American Cancer Society.

Click here to find out more about THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL.




It was originally on DVD back in 2007. In 2009 I pulled it off shelves because I intended to re-edit it and put out a newer version. Then I realized that I was being a bit too George Lucasy. The movie is perfectly fine the way it is. Recently I had been messaged by a few folks about how they could get a copy.  So here it is back on DVD. In all it's No-Budget glory.

It was the first step towards what I wanted Monster Cops to be. It lacked the kind of FX we have now, and it really could've used more Monsters. But I think it's good nonetheless. It's endearing, it's creative, and I'm very proud of the writing and the performances. And it still cracks me up how frickin funny it is.

With the newer episodes I had created (Shadow Company and Monsters Vs. Cops) I would get closer and closer to that full vision of what I wanted Monster Cops to be.  I'm hoping by late this year I can fully execute that vision with the newer episodes of Monster cops, and put that out on DVD in a Series 1 volume of episodes.

Redd is our other production, as you may know. Plugging along nicely I might add, but with my schedule getting fuller, we may need to extend shooting into Fall.

A winter release will probably be more likely.

I really can't wait to finish this one. It's going to be a great one.

If you haven't yet, check out the fight clip below.


April Crum as Redd fighting Bryan Sloyer as The Monk.



I'm extremely impressed with everyone's performances so far. It's been a blast to shoot. Still need to do a bit more fundraising for it, but I think we'll be fine.

I'm proud to say that the first 4 minutes of REDD on Youtube have reached well over 50,000 views. Hey, maybe it's not 1 million like I wanted, but at least it's alot, and the majority of the comments are positive, so YAY!

If you get a chance check out the front page at REDDMOVIE.COM, look for the comment box towards the bottom, and leave a nice comment about how excited you are to see the movie. Go on, DO IT!

The Yamaha Ad I made, NO ORDINARY PAPER BOAT, was top ten finalist for Yamaha. Earned me a Poptent medal. Quite proud.

Aside from the occasional breakdowns (ala last post) things are good.  And now I work to make them better and even better.

Today's lesson boys and girls? Keep moving forward. Don't dwell on your past accomplishments, move on to bigger and better ones.

Just keep swimming.

Further

It was bad last night. The thought that my brother was gone really hit me. Although he'd been gone for over a week now, the reality of it didn't truly hit me until last night.

I lost it.

I'm ok. I really am. It's just been a roller coaster of emotions. That combined with all the normal irritations that have been bothering me, and my tendency to look at all that depresses me when I'm already depressed. I'm not in a great place right now.

Alot of other things have been happening. And although it's taking it's toll on me, I think it's necessary. It's all forcing me to really look at what needs to be done, who I associate with, and how I go about things personally and professionally.

I was already in a very driven and determined state. I was already motivated to work towards my dreams and goals. I thought I couldn't push myself any further.

I was wrong. I don't think I've ever been here before. This feels different somehow. As vulnerable as I feel, as weak as I am right now, on some level I also kinda feel invincible.

Like nothing can stop me. Like if I can go through this kind of pain, and burn in this kind of fire, then what else could hurt me. I have nothing left to lose.

I don't know if this makes any sense. I don't know. Maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

I do know that I am so very happy that I have my wife. I love her so much. I couldn't possibly go through any of this without her.

I have to work on this video slideshow featuring pictures of my brother Robert. But I can't bring myself to finish it yet. I can't look at all those pics just yet. Especially those old pics of me and Robert as kids. It's too hard right now.

I'm pushing forward though. Creatively and professionally. Still gotta work.

And so I push forward. With a heavy heart. I push forward.

I'm tired. Otherwise I'd continue to type about The Dallas Mavericks and why I'm really pushing for them to win the NBA Finals.

Another post perhaps.

Thank you, all of you, who've shown your support, given your condolences, and blessed me and my family with love, caring, and positive energy. I and we truly appreciate it.

Huge Electromagnet and Pit Balls.

Exactly what I would be doing if I had spare time.

Dallas Mavericks

Taken from Sports Day DFW.