Tasty Goody Blog Time - Best of Posts pt.1

Here are some post-worthy entries from some of my blogosphere homeboys. These posts have been complied within the last week or so. Hope this takes your mind off of all the crappy earthquake news.

Interesting story about the hassle of renting film equipment from Austin through to Mexico. Also an interesting take on cumbia clubs in Monterrey.

dmz2008 // Monterrey

An open letter to Los Angeles from a Minnesota Yankee named Ann.

Girl from North Country // Open letter

Does Twitter Distract From or Inspire Your Blogging?

Fade In: LA // Twitter discussion

Columbia Houseless (a great service, apparently every now and then members will receive old 80's records strategically placed near and around your house from none other then hobos)

Betheboy // Return of the Hobo Record Club

Why it’s called "Go" and not "Call". Writer/Director John August explains in detail why there were no cell phones in the movie "Go".

John August // Go

BetheMarriage LIVE highlight reel! featuring betheboy and slackmistress.

Slack Daily // Bethemarriage LIVE

Do high gas prices really send people running to movie theaters? What do you think?

Risky Biz Blog

If you have the time, please visit the aforementioned blogs and if you live in Los Angeles, switch off your televisions and forget about today's quake. Although make sure you have a proper safety plan, just in case. You never know, the Earth might decide to commit suicide pretty soon. Here's to - that - never happening.

BONUS - here's a whimsical picture to make you laugh.

Tags:people, john august, betheboy, slackmistress, girlfromnorthcountry, variety, risky biz, blogs, life, earthquake, news, los angeles, hollywood, john darko, funny picture, random, off topic

Inspiration for new movie "Easy Money"

So a little more then three months ago, I misplaced my wallet. My social security card, driver's license, bank cards and cash are all gone. The sad thing is...I was going to help my parents with somewhat of a loan, so I was carrying around $900 cash at the time.

I don't remember exactly how my wallet journeyed into oblivion but I have a few theory's. All of which make me look like an irresponsible loon. The more obvious conclusion leads to a wallet being placed on the top of my car while I so gracefully drive off, eating a burrito.

Anyhow, the next day, I'm sitting with my pal listening to music. I remember reading an article that same morning about a man who turns in a bag of money to the cops. Apparently this guy was walking down the street minding his own when suddenly he stumbles onto a gym bag full of cash. Without hesitation the man turns the money over to authority's and Yahoo reports the story within hours of the incident. The pin point of the article was the fact that the currency was untraceable, seeing that if the guy would have kept the cash, nobody would have ever known. Talk about putting your morals to the test.

So in my new found state of enlightenment. I turn to my friend and say "Wouldn't it be great, if someone just found my shit and turned it in?" needless to say we got a kick out of the sudden irony. Suddenly my brain reacts to the thought and pushes out an idea for a new script.

"Wouldn't it be hilarious if a nice guy, just like the crazy dude on yahoo, finds a bag of cash and turns it in...but only to find that it was the biggest mistake of his life."

I'm thinking great, now all I need is a title. I swear to you folks, this is how it actually happened. My friend and I stop for a moment to gather our thoughts when suddenly I hear none other then Nick Cave singing in the background "Easy money! Easy money!" and just like that...I had a new movie to work on.

Classic case of turning a negative into a positive. If I never had lost my belongings, I wouldn't have my next movie. Just so you know, bad shit happens to me all the effing time, NO JOKE...hence the optimistic outlook.

So there's a random tidbit for you guys. Just needed to write myself to sleep. It's therapeutic that way.

Tags:optimism, people, opinions, easy money, ideas, creative, hollywood, stories, writing, screenwriting, john darko, random, blogs, life, general, nick cave, inspiration, inspirational, hollyweird

Muppets in the media

I know this is completely off topic but this made me laugh so much that I felt like sharing it with you guys. Is it me or do these celebrities look identical to their Sesame Street counter-parts?

Adrian Grenier sporting a new look for season 5 of entourage.

Adam Sandler kicking it with the Count while filming Bedtime Stories.

Last but not least. Steve Buscemi with a crawdad.*

Enjoy today's dose of complete randomness. I have to get ready for a premiere yet I'm way too lazy at the moment to even get off of my chair let alone get ready for a premiere. I hate Monday's. Example I.F.H.M.'s funny or die video.

*Crawdad - Crayfish, crawfish, crawdads, or crodgers are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are closely related. They breathe through feather-like gills and are found in bodies of water that do not freeze to the bottom; they are also mostly found in brooks and streams where there is fresh water running, and which have shelter against predators. They also sport the stupid name of Crawdad. Ten points for humor.

Tags:adam sandler, bedtime stories, adrian grenier, steve buscemi, hbo, entourage, season 5, blogs, celebrities, muppets, drunk driving, john darko, hollywood, randomness, random, lol, funny, off topic, images, pics, funny or die, video, ifhm

W. Teaser Trailer = Good Times

Wow, I don't know what to think of Oliver Stone's latest quagmire W. I've known of this film for quite some time, I guess the only thing that kept me semi interested was the fact that none other then Josh Brolin is playing the lead; George W. Bush. Yep, George effing Bush. Well, it's off topic but it made me laugh, so here's the teaser trailer to W, a biopic about Bush.



Josh Brolin as Dubya and Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush.
Tags:george w. bush, satire, oliver stone, bush, laura bush, elizabeth banks, josh brolin, movies, film, ploitical, humor, hilarious, biopic, john darko, life & times in hollyweird, blog, personal, hollywood, celebrities, gossip, stuff

Questions and Answers pt.1

I was floating around my inbox today answering week old e-mails. I'm so bad at keeping up with my stuff, it's unreal. Anyhow, I came across an in-depth question from an aspiring filmmaker in Denmark who plans to come out to Hollywood to pursue his career. To anyone who is interested, here is the conversation. Please keep the e-mails and comments coming.

-------------------

Hi John.

I read your blog - it's great! My best wishes to you - keep pursuing your dreams!

My name is Jarl Sidelmann, I'm 18, from Denmark, with a burning passion for filmmaking and my greatest wish is to become a director. I've made some short-films with my friends and spend 2 weeks at the European Film College this summer. I'm currently writing two scripts (one short in danish, which I'm working on getting financed and a feature film in english - which I'm saving for a better day).

I'm currently studying, but after I'm graduating (about a year from now), I'm thinking about going to the New York Film Academy. Since you're from the United States, I thought that perhaps you could bring me a little inside-knowledge about the business over there? See, in Denmark, only 6 students are invited to the National Film School every two years! - and on average, only 1 of the 6 graduating directors are able to make a living as a filmmaker in the country... not good odds, eh?

So how does it work over there? What is the best place to start, if you're aiming at becoming... say, the next Spielberg? I can see from your IMDB-page that you've been around for quite some time, and you're going at the LA film school? Is that an option for me as well?

Hope you can answer my questions, and I'm glad to have you on my friends list!

Much love
Jarl Sidelmann.

-------------------

Hey Jarl,

Thank you for the visit. Sounds like you’re off to a great start. Keep it up. Just remember, whatever you do today will help dictate the rest of your career as a filmmaker, and don’t give up friend, regardless of the odds.

It’s hard to explain how things work out here in Hollywood. I don’t necessarily think there is a definitive way to explain one’s success. Everybody has their own method when it comes to these things. Hollywood is a very competitive place and just like in Denmark, the odds are slim.

If you would like to make the trek out to Hollywood, then by all means, do so. But do so, with the same courage and passion that you invest in your work as a filmmaker. Study the land, and make sure you find fairly priced housing. This one is important.

As for schools, The New York Film Academy as well as The Los Angeles Film School; are great institutes with different advantages at every turn. I suggest you do some in-depth research as to which conservatory is right for you. Reach out to Alumni, send e-mails, and search youtube.com for student films at both schools. Don’t forget there is also AFI.

My experience at LAFS was a mixed one, but that's only because I was a difficult student. If there's anything that I take from that experience, it would have to be the people and the memories I've shared with everyone alike. So, whatever choice you decide to make regarding your education, just remember to make a lot of friends, simply because these are the people who you will most likely be working with in the future.

As we all know, Hollywood is a melting pot of ambitions and dreams, it's actually a beautiful thing if you think about it. Embrace the notion and dive in! Don't let up, disregard the mathematics, follow your heart and you'll be fine. Keep me updated on your status.

Peace,

John Darko

The Famous Hollywood sign, my zen spot.

Women on Top Productions / April Showers

So check it out. Two of my very good friends, April Wade and Jenna Edwards, are hosting a premiere for a film they produced, it's called "Junction" and it's good.

The film will be premiering Monday, JULY 28^th at 9:30pm @ the Sunset Laemmle 5 Theatre in Hollywood.

Tickets can be purchased through the official festival website: www.danceswithfilms.com.

If you live in Los Angeles and think you'd might like to attend, please buy tickets now. Shoot me an e-mail and maybe we can all meet up at the pre-party.

Women on Top Productions also just wrapped on April Showers.

April Showers is a moving masterpiece written and directed by a survivor of the Columbine High School shooting that is based largely on the events of one of the nation's greatest tragedies. Starring Kelly Blatz (Prom Night), Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), Janel Parish (Bratz), Tom Arnold and Illeana Douglas, the film explores the ways in which individuals and communities rebuild in the immediate wake of such atrocities.

The project will be released in April 2009, in remembrance of the 10 year anniversary of the event. Look for it on festival circuit or in theatres in early in 2009.

Women on Top Productions were also producers on "5 Ways to Split Apart the Day" along with Speed of Life Films. 5 ways is a film I co-wrote and will be directing some time in the near future but we took a break (a long one at that) and hopefully will get back into the swing of things when schedules clear up and phone calls are made. Lol.

Still working on the big update. In the meantime, check out my mini updates and if you haven't already...check out the treatment and promo stuff for "5 Ways to Split Apart the Day" by clicking here.

Spaced Out in Los Angeles

Hey everyone! Good day for blogging. Two things to update this morning with some cooler news later on this evening. I woke up today without a reason to go back to sleep, yay!

1. By now, I'm sure you've all seen Hot Fuzz and Shaun Of The Dead. Great flicks! Anyhow, before achieving mass acclaim for said films, there existed a lil show called Spaced; a British television situation comedy written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes (previously known and credited as Jessica Stevenson), Nick Frost and directed by Edgar Wright. Well, it's a great show. It's funny and it's got a bunch of shit to google at. The DVD was released yesterday, it contains both seasons for the show and a frenzy of extras! The best of which includes...wait for it....all-new commentary with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Jessica Hynes and special guests Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Bill Hader, Matt Stone, Patton Oswalt, and Diablo Cody!!! Wow, if that isn't enough reason to buy the damn thing already, then I don't what is. But wait, there's more.
2. Today at 12:30 p.m. my bestest friends ever; Kevin Smith, Simon Peg, Jessica Hynes and Edgar Wright. Will be signing copies of the Spaced DVD in Los Angeles @ Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash (comic book store). I'll be there, in fact I'm leaving in about an hour, and if your anywhere in Los Angeles then you should too. Follow this wonderful link for all the info and or just take a gander at the enormous ad down below.
   

Ohh and by the way. Today is the highest ranking day for visitors to this site! Welcome to all the new readers!

Tags:spaced, dvd, simon peg, kevin smith, edgar wright, nick frost, quentin tarantino, bill hader, matt stone, patton oswalt, diablo cody, jessica hynes, jay & silent bob, comic books, john darko, hollywood, los angeles, hot fuzz, shaun of the dead

Midnight Meat Train!

This cool little movie is premiering at comic con! Not only does this teaser look pretty gnarly but it also features a cameo from Brian Taylor. The most successful alumni from The Los Angeles Film School along with his partner in crime Mark Neveldine. We shared some of the same instructors and all, the only difference is...well they made it and I'm still trying to get a call back.

You might be familiar with some of their films; Crank, Pathology and Crank 2.

Good stuff. Great to see em' on the rise. The release date for Midnight Meat Train is currently set for August 1, 2008.

Props to the move blog for the discovery!

Tags:midnight meat train, comic con, brian taylor, mark neveldine, crank, crank 2, pathology, los angeles film school, movie blog, john darko

Why so serious?

Hello world. It's been exactly one week since I've posted an entry. I don't know why, but it seems longer to me.

I find that it's almost impossible to separate a writer from their work, I can go through phases where I literally feel like the keyboard is glued to my fingertips, unable to think about anything else, sacrificing time while my physical attributes fight for the best of my attention. Only to get the obligatory shaft for the monetary gain we all pray for, by adding a few more pages to a screenplay or perhaps to the sum of whatever makes you become a better writer. This I enjoy. Sounds agonizing, but I love it.

Of course, there's another side to my scientific paradigm of this awkward discipline, the subject at hand; better known as blogging or keeping up with life.

When it happens; the moment where I feel like drifting off into a harsher reality. A place where opinions are overlooked for a certain "I-don't-know-what" I fall, deep. Into boredom? Social paralysis? A hopeless void? A little bit of this and that? Whatever it is, it's impossible to endure and I feel like fleeing. The over dramatics I refer to, is my morning sun and the evening cool with everything so less then beautiful sandwiched in-between the best parts of my day. I introduce you to my life!

For reasons beyond my control, this season has been throwing curve balls to the plate. And rather then take a seat, I prefer to strike out. Mind you, knowing that I'm going to get another curve ball. Yeah, I know. I'm bad at analogies. To the point, currently; life blows, it's sucking me in and taking me away from my desires. When this happens, time couldn't move any slower and my body likes to oblige. Like I always say, I can go more into specifics but I certainly do not want to be the "Pope of Mope" a-ha, there's a little bit of Victorian literature for ya.

So here's the equation. Good times = happy blogging and a more productive John. Bad times = a self suffering mope who likes to quote Oscar Wilde. Because we all know..that all art is quite useless! Right? Who can agree? I absolutely don't and I think it's offensive. But then again it's just a quote from a man who never took anything seriously.

Maybe it's a sensory cue that I should take into consideration. At least for the season of "bad pitches".

I've learned that no matter what you do, nothing is going to be as pleasant as it normally seems. You just roll with the punches and hope for something better. Eventually, perpetual motion will chase down your faith in love, success, happiness and religion. Just have to make sure faith is among your strongest attributes. It's hard work but nevertheless rewarding.

I might contradict myself in my rants because regardless of how I feel when I start a complaint, I always revert to my optimistic side to iron things out. It's who I am inside and to think that all this is coming from an uncontrolled anger coming from the pit of my stomach.

Well, in the spirit of spontaneous blogging and seeing that I'm jumping all over the map here. I'm going to freestyle the rest of this entry with thoughts that are currently overflowing from my heart. A few nights ago, I attended my friend's birthday party for two reasons.

1. I wanted to see my friends.
   
2. I promised another friend, I would photograph his band play.
   

All is well. The night started out fun, as usual. My brother played bartender so needless to say I took advantage of my privileges. Within an hour or so I was feeling great.

I removed my camera from it's case and started snapping candids. It's funner then shit when your drunk, getting people to pose for the birdie. You know it, we all know it.

So, after another hour or so, the camera starts to weigh heavy so I lay it down next to my brother's post, skipping away to an invited game of Beer Pong. Yep, Beer Pong folks!

After my triumphant return, I go to reach for my beloved camera, only to find that it has been stolen! I honestly wish the story of this night ended at that exact moment because the events that unfolded afterwards; only reminds me of everything I've ever tried to forget about my inner-city upbringings. The bad side of humanity.

There was a few people who stood by me and watched the chaos unfold as the majority of the party got caught in an instant frenzy of a who-dunnit case. To those people, I thank you for the sincerity.

To all the people who lead happy lives and have had nothing but joy brought to their moments in between the morning sun and evening cool. Congratulations. Be savory.

To all my people who need to jump all of life's proverbial hurdles just to stay in the race. I applaud you. Embrace the morning sun and the evening's cool. Let it be proof that there is something bigger then you lighting a path.

In conclusion. Yes, I've definitively lost something dear to me. Any chance on getting it back, nope. Life being sucky; check. Crazy family; double check. Dying of boredom; check, check and check. Can I stand the rain, of course. Will I prevail, I fucking hope so. Will I try, without question!!!

Good night and God bless.

Tags:beer pong, theft, stolen, optimism, oscar wilde, quotes, party, weekend, lessons, john darko

Movie stuff

Got a little bored between my last post and sleepy time so here's a pretty awesome list of things that are currently making news in the film industry. All links are provided to you by awesome bloggers from all over the globe.

• DARK KNIGHT REVIEW ROUND UP
  
• Max Payne Movie Promo Photos & Trailer
  
• Note to critics: Do not provoke the Batnerds
  
• Strippers, Sex and Comedy, and then "Choke" (Video)
• The Ruins Don't waste your time
• Rated-R (Redband) Trailer for Quentin Tarantino's Hell Ride
• Why You Don’t Care About Eddie Murphy [The Disappearing Genius]
• School of Rock 2 Set for 2010
• 'Hellboy II' does well; con sked complete; Finger honorees
• Iron Man 2, The Man of Steel, Kick Ass
  

"FlickrMania" Part Duex

As promised...here's a handful of photos from various film sets I worked on or directed in 2007. These are just a few of many, you can see more in my Flickr set "On Set Stuff" by clicking here.

Apologies for the lack of captions, I think the pictures speak for themselves. Although I will provide a quick zinger for the first photo...if you look closely, you can see a loaded gun on top of the table. Just know, if I ever call you into my office...there might be trouble. Lol, just kidding. I'm harmless plus it's fake...or is it?

So only a few more days till "The Dark Knight" anyone excited? AND where are you seeing it? Hopefully in IMAX and in Hollywood so you can say hi when ya see me pass by.























More updates coming tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have something important to talk about. Also if you have the time check out some of the noteworthy blogs listed to the left in my blogroll.

Tags:behind the scenes, dark knight, darko, flickr, friends, hollyweird, hollywood, john darko, life times in hollyweird, personal, photography, random, update

Featured in Alltop!

Just got back from a second screening of Hellboy 2. It was just as good as the first viewing, honestly.

Anyhow, so I check my inbox and to my discovery, I find that this blog is featured on alltop.com.

To be specific http://life.alltop.com look for Life & Times In Hollyweird.

Alltop features “all the top” sites on the web and it is quite a prestigious honor seeing that I've only been online for about a month now. I must be doing something right.

So thank you to the editors at Alltop, I appreciate the mention! Thank you Neenz!!! And a special thank you to everyone who has read an entry or left a comment. Mucho love! Will be back with another update sometime tonight. Peas and rice.

Please direct your browsers to Alltop.com

Tags:alltop, featured, john darko, life, life times in hollyweird, spontaneous blogging, update

A fistful of Flickr

Sometime later this evening, I'll be posting an update consisting of a bunch of photos I can grab from my hard drive; nothing specifically relevant to anything, just fun photos. I think I might go see Hellboy 2 again. If you haven't already, subscribe to my blog by choosing one of the many subscription options to the left. Sweet.

In the meantime, here's a clip of Hellboy with James Lipton.
Tags:flickr, hellboy 2, inside the actor's studio, james lipton, john darko, update

Drunken Memories

Last night I had an interesting visit from a familiar face. It was two o'clock in the morning and I was having an interesting conversion with a shark when I heard a light knocking at my door. Suddenly I was whisked away from the beach side cafe I frequent in my dreams, where animals and sea creatures play chess for golden doubloons and was quickly taken back to that harsh reality we've all grown accustomed to, better known as life. Apologies for the pessimistic zinger, it's late and I'm hungry.

Anyhow...slowly the face emerges from the dark hallway, the first thing I see, a set of red eyes complete with droopy eyelids. Fantastic! It's my old school buddy, Manuel. A little insight if I may. Manuel and I met in the sixth grade and have stayed in contact ever since. If there ever was a guy who has always been there, metaphorically speaking; standing on top of something high to keep a look out, it has to be this dude. Hope that made sense.

So, we're walking outside for a quick smoke. I've already noticed his pistol grip on the Tecate tall can and the little shuffles one makes when inebriated. Mind you, I'm already smiling on the inside because this is the Manuel I've grown accustomed to love. I couldn't count the times, I've experienced the same late night occurrence. All is well.

So I'm puffing away sharing a cigarette with my bud, when all of a sudden...he starts to cry. Nothing new. Not a moment goes by when he starts to list off the greatest hits of our collective memory as the local street kings of the city. Figuratively speaking, of course. For two straight hours we reminisced, smoked, reminisced and smoked some more. Mind you, I'm handling this visit as routine as I should. I'm trying not to get too sentimental and quite honest, I'm patiently waiting to go back to sleep. Then it hits me.

You know how all writers say "there's always that one great story inside of you". Well, I think I found mine and it was staring at me, asking for another cigarette.

I like to imagine that I've been around the world and back, when I'm thinking about the very memories that can proof positive make a grown man cry. They are dear to me and maybe one day I'll get to publish it all. That would be a major milestone in my career and I'm looking forward to it.

Manuel is pictured center, knocked out having a good time.

Thank you Manuel for never losing faith in your boy and thanks to the rest of my friends and family who have undoubtedly inspired me to become everything I am today. I will never give up the fight!

Good night world. I'm literally falling asleep as I type now. Thank you for reading...there will be more.

Tags:darko, hollyweird, hollywood, john darko, life, personal, update, friends, memories, drunk, manuel olague,

Family Ties "Chapter 1"

As previously stated, I have been spending more time with my family. Two days ago I picked up my pops and took him to Hollywood, I gave him the tour, re-visited familiar stops and what have you. Mind you, my Dad has a disability due to his former addiction to drugs. Basically, he has a hard time getting around.

I'm not a stranger to disaster, especially of this sort. I'm better from all these experiences, made me into the person I am today.

Ever since I left home for school, life has changed drastically for me. Everything aiming for the better. I had a clear vision of the road ahead of me and I had just gained a new found clarity that helped me grow into a well adjusted person. All was illuminated.

Unfortunately things weren't looking up; back at the old house. To save a long and complex entry I'm gonna try and keep it short. Because not only do I think this would be better transcribed into multiple chapters, but I also do not want to put any of you to sleep. I'm considerate that way.

So, back to the rant. School's over and some time has passed since I've been part of a functional household. Judging from the occasional visit and weekend phone call. I assumed things were just as they always were - chaotic yet controlled. My rational was always to the tune of "Oh, this is nothing. Just give it a few days. Someone will get over it." Boy, was I wrong!

I guess my occasional appearances have morphed into mandatory sit ins where I get to play the moderator! So now I get to wear this **** hat. I guess sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Anyhow, so quickly after breaking up an argument involving my pops and multiple parties. I offered him a trip to my apartment. This marking the first time I invited him to my diggs. Like I said, long story. So after a few stops here and there and a bite to eat at Grecco's, I offer to drive him up to my zen spot. A place where I have felt an instant attraction to since my move to Hollyweird. So, we're cruising down Mullholand Drive and without hesitation I bank a hard right into the woodsy area better known as the Hollywood Hills. The place where the rich and famous dwell.

Now I'm pointing at houses, admiring the views. My Dad's doing the same, smiling at my innocence while I childishly name off the celebrities that live in the area. He's laughing and almost snickering at my ambitions to one day purchase homes for everyone. I can't blame him because I don't know how long I have been saying that to everyone. One of my Mom's favorite quotes to me "Son, don't count all your chickens before they hatch!!!"

So we're winding up and down the concrete hills as we get closer to my zen. I turn down a long road taking us behind the Hollywood reservoir, a side of Hollywood that my pops has never seen. A few more turns and we're driving through the Lake Hollywood Estates. I tell my Dad to look up, to see the iconic Hollywood sign in all of it's glory. He flinches and mutters "you can throw a rock and hit it, if you wanted to." I laugh because he always says that.

Now just around the bend is an incline that leads to a separate neighborhood but before it, is a small little turn out that leads to a cliff where you can see the entire reservoir and some of the city, the Hollywood sign is also in full view.

I used to come to this spot when I was feeling stressed, when I felt like too much was sitting on my shoulders I would let go and take in the beauty. I would gaze at the Hollywood sign and think of how many people have sat here, at this very spot where I'm sitting, to do the same exact thing I'm doing. It was sort of my therapy.

So, we park (illegally) and my Dad gets out and walks to the ledge. I follow. He turns to me and says "Did you know I used to take you here when you were just a baby? This exact place used to put you to sleep." I stood there speechless, as I just stumbled upon this great discovery.

The next few minutes, I stood quiet with my Father as we looked out at the reservoir and for what seemed like the first time in a long time, there was peace between us.

Tags:driving, family ties, hollyweird, hollywood, hollywood hills, john darko, my dad, personal, reservoir, update, zen

Accolades for The Dark Knight - Thus far

Here's something interesting. I was jumping around the blogsphere today and found some enthusiastic reviews from the early press screening of The Dark Knight. Here are what some people had to say.

David Poland: "This is not a Batman movie... this is a 2008 version of The Untouchables with The Batman as Elliot Ness, The Joker as Al Capone, much better toys, and, it seems, a topper."

Peter Travers: "It's enough to watch Bale chillingly render Batman as a lost warrior, evoking Al Pacino in The Godfather II in his delusion and desolation. It's enough to see Ledger conjure up the anarchy of the Sex Pistols and A Clockwork Orange as he creates a Joker for the ages."

Richard Corliss: "In its rethinking and transcending of a schlock source, The Dark Knight is up there with David Cronenberg's 1986 version of The Fly. It turns pulp into dark poetry."

Kevin Smith: "Without giving anything away, this is an epic film (and trust me: based on the sheer size and scope of the visuals and storytelling, that’s not an overstatement). It’s the “Godfather II” of comic book films and three times more earnest than “Batman Begins” (and fuck, was that an earnest film). Easily the most adult comic book film ever made. Heath Ledger didn’t so much give a performance as he disappeared completely into the role; I know I’m not the first to suggest this, but he’ll likely get at least an Oscar nod (if not the win) for Best Supporting Actor. Fucking flick’s nearly three hours long and only leaves you wanting more (in a great way). I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed by it. Nolan and crew have created something close to a masterpiece."


And the award goes to...Kevin Smith! For being the most enthused out of the group. Naturally, seeing the he is the quintessential "fanboy" which is now a word, I suppose. Google it! Lol.

Personally and judging solely from what I have seen of The Dark Knight, I believe Heath Ledger should at the very least receive an Oscar nomination. You can see it in his eyes, he is so shockingly deep into the mindset of a psychopath...it is unreal!

In certain scenes, you can see the physical exhaustion in his pupils, drooping eyelids and all. Yet he pulls it off with the most sadistic smile I have ever seen on film. Amazing!

With Hellboy 2, Wall-E and now The Dark Knight. 2008 is shaping up to be a good year for the imaginative. Credit to IFC Blogs for the references and to Kevin Smith for being such a cool dude.

Tags:accolades, batman, dark knight, david poland, fanboys, heath ledger, hollyweird, hollywood, john darko, kevin smith, movie reviews, nomination, oscars, peter travers, richard corliss

Hellboy Am I Lazy...

Hello friends. Sorry for the lack of updates, I've honestly had nothing interesting to post but then again I'm lying. Truth is...I've been busy visiting the family and have lost track of time. Although, I've made quite an interesting discovery while I was driving through the hills with my pops. Details and so much more, tomorrow. Lol.

Apologies to all because at the moment; I am basking in my eternal geek-ness while I am trying to wrap up a blog entry, while trying to finish Hellboy so I can attend a Hellboy 2 midnight screening. I love life.

That is all for now.

Some stuff, more advice and a treatment for "5 Ways to Split Apart the Day"

Hey everyone! Another late night update "we're open late!" there it is; an instant slogan of mass copyright infringement proportions. What fast food place doesn't have that glowing sign stuck to their windows?

Let me tell ya, I wouldn't ming getting into a shoving match with Ronald McDonald at all.

There's something up with that guy. I know it, you know it...we all know it. McDonald's is like the gateway to hell, approach with caution.

Sorry everyone, been hanging out with my anti-establishment friends today. Also had a fun time at the park. Today was my nephews birthday, his name is Jude Byron (I take credit for naming him) and he just turned three! Great day, we ate, got drunk and had a huge brawl over who's got next on the Spider-Man jumper. When I see we, I mean...me and the kids. Just jazzing y'all. I'll post up the photos when I get the time.

On to the treatment.

This is for all you writers out there, or for anyone interested in becoming a screenwriter : ) So, you've just finished your first feature. Congrats! you're now almost half way through the gauntlet!

Grant it that you have producers or editors who are helping you pitch to some big s*** Hollywood players, pumping out a few more drafts to their specifications is always a given. This is why I always turn in my first draft as the sixth or seventh revision.

NOTE: I do not suggest you do the same. I have a different writing style, where I feel the need to iron out earlier scenes before I can write new sequences. So literally when I finally type "Fade to Black:" I must have been through the entire script six or seven times, dicing and slicing to a certain level of satisfaction. Surprisingly it works, but only to the degree of what you think a polished script should look like. Does it have a rhythm? Did you nail the beats? Is it spaced correctly? Any typos or grammatical errors? The list goes on.

So now you're through the "fix all these red marks on your screenplay" phase. If your lucky, someone is now helping you line your script for an estimated budget. This is what they call a top sheet. It sits on top of a presentation that fits into a fat three ringed binder. Inside you'll find a cover letter with; your overall intentions for the screenplay, a ROI estimate sheet, a compare and contrast to similar films with budget and box office analysis, a treatment and a sell sheet.

That's a ton of prep and all this after you just spent the past few months locked in a cage. Confused? Well there's good news!

• Good: You can easily do a google search for "script repair" and run through a few good places that'll happily charge you for all of the services listed above.
  
• Bad: It'll cost you an arm and a leg! A thousand for some of their basic packages and a few more for complete budget breakdowns and etc.

Hopefully you already have someone helping you out with the monstrosity mentioned above. My partner and I did and it helped tremendously. They are now busy on an unnamed big budget film, so kudos to our producers!

I hope you found this interesting. If you have any questions or would like some resources in the form of book suggestions or some real cool linkage, please feel free to contact me. I'm here to help. I'm just trying to cut this short because I'm super tired and I don't wanna make this too long.

So here's the treatment Jeremy and I wrote and the sell sheet I designed. You can either download the treatment by clicking here or by clicking on the image below.




So this concludes my night. It's 4:26 and I need some rest. But before I go here's my weekend shout outs! Lol. Who does that?

• Jason Baxter: Old roommate, college bud and semi-pro friend (also the guy who gets to write a Jet Li film) Hey bud!
• Slackmistress and Betheboy: Awesome bloggers, great live chat's. Check em' out. They're cooler then the other side of the pillow. Check for "slack daily" to the left, to the left.
• Mervin Luwee Ho: My cousin who paid me an unexpected visit. I hate you...just kidding. Thank you for the smokes.
• Matt and Charina: I hate you guys also.
• Jcorn: Love the awesome comments and kind words, thank you so much for the inspiration. Top rated amazon reviewer and an awesome content producer with hundreds of thousands views to her material. Linkage here.
  
• Wall-E: For being awesome.

Hope all of you had great weekends! Here's a treat for being soft and fluffy. Click here to download the 5 Ways title track in mp3 form. The artist is Surreal from The Sound Providers also known to me as Jeremy Thomas co-writer of this film.

It is now 4:43 and I am almost asleep. Tell your friends about me. Night!

Tags:5 ways, hollyweird, hollywood, john darko, update, treatment, advice, screenwriting, mcdonalds, slackmistress, betheboy, jcorn, jason baxter, mervin luwee, download

"FlickrMania" Part Uno

Nothing special today, just a minor update. Been standing next to my freezer trying to escape the scorching sun.

"The shade is a tool, a device, a savior!" Anyone know where that's from?

A lyric, perhaps. So yesterday was interesting. Aside from going another holiday without someone to love, I managed to haul my camera around for some quick photos. Check em' out below, either click on the photo or click here. This linkage will take you straight to my flickr page where you can add me, smack me or do whatever you'd like.


That's all for today : )

Tags:john darko, flickr, blog, independence day, 4th of july, fireworks, sky diving, free falling, pictures, carnivals, flickr fest, linkedin, hollyweird, hollywood, photo set

Independence Day // Killscene Group

I'll keep this one short. I've been running around all day today handling business for my new music management label "The Killscene Group". A very good friend of mine, Rafael; better know as Tata originated the idea some time ago.

Our goal is to generally help out local music acts with management and promotion. The things that some artist are too busy to deal with, or in some cases don't quite understand yet. Basically we aim to take you to the door, the rest is up to you.

In celebration of our recent collaboration, we have planned a kick-start show featuring some of the best local talent in southern California. If you are in the area, please don't hesitate to reach out for more information. Good music, good people = GOOD TIMES! As news develops, I will strive to keep all of you in the loop. Here is the poster ad.


So, happy Independence Day everyone! Stay away from anything that might blow up in your face. Safety first!!! Lol. I'm going to swing by my hometown and take all my little nephews to a Carnival. I don't know why but I absolutely love carnival cuisine.

Brings back memories and I'm always looking through the crowds for that one special girl I've lost touch with, like she's just going to magically appear by the popcorn vendor.

I don't know, every time I'm in town I feel like she's just around the corner somewhere. We'll see.

Tags:killscene group, letlive, soundoversilence, invictus, blood and headlines, oh no please, green tutrtle, live shows, music management, label, john darko, tata, independence day, hollyweird, post hardcore, southern california local acts

Just sitting around cracking coconuts...

Imagine a tiny voice emanating from a spider's web as I yell salutations towards my iMac screen. Wow, that sounded like an oxymoron of the weirdest proportions. I seriously don't know why I was just thinking of Charlotte's Web.

It's strange how random stuff just pops into your mind. Especially when you're blogging, because then you're forced to write it down. Well, that's how I do it. Lol.

So tonight I'm going to rant about whatever floats on to the good ole' noggin and in real time folks! As you know, it's been a blazing hot summer (thus far) and the torture we've endured at that "maniacal tragic kingdom" which is better know as "the gas station" has been less then forgiving. I say this because not only is it fact that our economy sucks but our current crisis have seeped into the nooks and cranny's of my well-being.

I mean when you're forced to make life decisions in favor of a full tank. You know somethings up.

Literally as I'm watching my tank fill gallon by gallon, I'm looking into the future and calculating how long I can continue living on soup and crackers. The crazy part is, I've already handed over my precious Mustang for a cheaper and more eco-friendly Toyota. But still I feel like there's a hole in my tank. Lol.

It's not like I'm cruising around wasting time and clogging up road ways either. From time to time, I like to see my family in West Covina. For the gesture, I fork over about twenty bucks (give or take). Multiply that by three or four then take the remainder and multiply it once more, but this time by fifty-two and now you will see the equation of a big fat sad face! It's funny because I know some people who beg to differ, stating that evolution is in effect and how we all need to adjust ourselves to inflation, blah, blah, blah and what have you. Adjust? I swear it felt like yesterday gas was a buck cheaper and even though it might be an inevitable fact that the worst is yet to come I still feel the need to rant and roll all over this page. I'm surprised now and I will be then. Call me an optimist, better yet an idealist because I'm still hoping for better days.

Moving on : )

I just received a text message from my alluring friend DeadlyCyn suggesting that I talk about Vegans and cameras. She's pretty awesome because she lets me stand outside of her window with my glow in the dark "Kanye West" shades while she eats Boca burgers without me. Lol.

So, I don't know much about the Vegan lifestyle because I am what they refer to as a "carnivore". I know right, get with the times dude! Everywhere I go there's a Vegan restaurant or cafe packed with locals munching on tofu and crafty dishes made out of mung beans. I was even fooled once into thinking that I was eating a delicious beef burrito when it turned out to be a delicious veggie-beef burrito. I felt betrayed yet dismayed that it was so good. Lol! All in all, Vegans kick ass as long as they're not tossing molitof cocktails towards research buildings but that's a whole different topic entirely. Something that I do not even want to get into. So yeah, I might even be swayed into converting one day, my body needs it. Apologies for the stereotype.

On to cameras.

Well, I like to believe that the actual camera is fifty percent of the photo. The rest is in the craftsmanship. Ya know boring stuff like composition, framing, foreground vs. background, artificial light vs. natural, etc. If you happen to be a budding photographer then I suggest you put more focus into your art and habit rather then gear and accessories. For example...

• Pick up your camera and start shooting. Doesn't have to be a special occasion, just go out and capture nature at it's finest.
• Try manual focusing, play around with exposure settings and shutter speeds. Run the gamut!
  
• Get into photojournalism, take trips just for the sake of a decent photo.
  
• Take a lot of pictures. I have an estimate of nine-thousand edited photos in my hard drive.
• Do some favors! Know any actors, models? Help em' out in return for a good mention. You'll be surprised how fast word can travel.
• Last but not least, start a flickr account chronicling your progress. Then add me as a friend and I'll swoop in and give you the obligatory thumbs up!!!

But if we absolutely must talk about make and model, direct your browsers to http://www.dpreview.com and check out Sigma. Personal opinion, they make the best image sensors. Crystal clear! I have a variety of gear but love my Sigma sd10 the most. Also pay attention to lenses, shop around and see what brand has more to offer in that department. Google B&H photo and Calumet for the best shops in your area and please stay away from E-bay scammers.

So, I think I'm done for tonight. I feel the need for a smoke break. After I'm gonna chill out with some tea and watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Gotta get my Apatow fix. So this commences my instant spontaneous blog entry. This message will self destruct whenever I find the technology to make that happen.

P.S.
New Beck album "Modern Guilt" is great on the ears.

P.S.S.
An hour before I started to blog, I was sitting around with a friend cracking coconuts hence the title.

Tags:random, spontaneous blog, modern guilt, beck, forgetting sarah marshall, vegan, cameras, sigma, economy, gas prices, john darko, hollyweird, hollywood, life & times