Alright...

Everything is backed up completely, so everything is fine, but an external hard drive just died with a bunch of Visionary stuff on it.

When you think about making a movie... a feature... you don't think about any of the technical craziness.  But I can tell anyone reading this first hand, that the technical behind the scenes stuff with computers and hard drives and computers and programs and computers is at least, AT LEAST 80% of the movie-making process.

I spent about, MAYBE 400 hours on set making this movie.

I have spent, without a doubt, EASILY over 2000 hours building this movie on the computer.  Easily.  Probably a lot more.

When and how a movie really comes together is something that every single person overlooks, including myself.  I've drawn my fair share of pictures.  I've recorded my fair share of music.  I've written my fair share of papers.  The amount of work I've put into all of those things combined may not even compare with this movie.  My whole life.

So the next time you watch a movie, think about that.  Think about all of the people who worked countless hours tweaking the actors dialogue to make it sound perfect.  Think about all of  the people who sat there day and night focusing on the actors skin color and making it look perfect in every shot.  Think about all of the people who spent months digitally creating all of the little details that make each shot look pretty.  And think about everything that went wrong.  All of the footage that didn't make the cut.  All of the organizing.  All of the work.  Think about that.

Making a movie isn't easy.  It's not.  Try it.  It's not easy.

...BUT....

It's worth it.

This movie will be worth it.  Easily worth it.

Producing

Producing is being smart about choosing wether to appear as somebody who succeeds or as somebody who struggles, and being good at doing both.

Say Anything You Believe

If you want to say something, and have somebody listen to you...

Say anything you want, as long as you really do believe in it, and as long as you are willing to put energy behind it.

If you are 100% confident something can be so, it will be so.

Becoming so confident is the most powerful thing a person can do.  (I'm 100% confident of it.)

Now go.

What is written > How it's written

First, you can choose either a pen, or a pencil or a marker.  You may decide to erase something, but you can cross it out.  From there, you show it to someone and they like it.  You like it.  You take it and decide to draw it.  You look at it for the first time from a different perspective.  Something new about it presents itself.  You decide to explore further what the best way to see it is.  After a few tries, you find a style for it.  You step away from it.  You look around at other things.  You hear other things.  You are inspired.  You come back.  You still like it.  You see where it can improve.  You apply your inspirations.  You don't feel quite right about it, so you change it back to how you had it, then finally you find a compromise.  You perfect it.  You take it and ask other to help you with it.  You build a team, and you allow them to help you understand what else it can be, and why it should change.  You choose when to agree or disagree with your team.  But you choose for you, because it is important that it is yours.  You struggle with it.  You obsess over it.  But you only struggle because you are proud of it.  You realize that.  You are happy with it.  You and your team start to build it.  Some of your team loses interest, and you wonder if you are wasting your time.  You step back again.  You look at it.  You ask other people outside and inside your team to look at it with you.  Some don't like it and some do like it.  You remember again that you like it, and you are doing it for you.  You move forward with making it.  You start to spend a lot more time on it than you had ever imagined you would.  Your worry of wasting your time increases, but you realize you are enjoying yourself.  You begin to ask yourself if you are insane.  You decide you are not insane.  Your team begins putting almost as much time as you do into it, and you begin to work to satisfy them.  As you work, you realize that you have got to pace yourself.  You remember that you are doing it for you and that to make it the best it can be you have to slow down and concentrate.  Your team wants to speed up.  You start to lose focus of what it is and try to figure out ways to make it faster.  You figure out a way, but then you realize that if you make it that way, it won't be right.  You figure that you've come so far on it, that you should do it right.  People begin to really appreciate what you are doing.  They start asking questions, like, "What is it?"  "Can I have it?"  "How can I be a part of it?"  Some people start calling it theirs.  Some people start getting more attention for it than you do.  Some people start trying to change it behind your back.  You have to go back and fix what they changed so it's yours again.  You realize that you have to set up regulations around it.  You have to begin doing things you would have never dreamed of just to gain control over it again.  You have to start manipulating people to think that they are in control, just so they keep a good attitude towards making it.  You have come so far with your team and added more teammates along the way.  Your original team has the most of your trust with it, and you reach out to them for help.  You get close to finishing it, and you begin to feel an unexpected excitement.  You start to assume the rest of your team feels exactly what you feel, but then you realize you are the only one who feels how you feel.  You find ways to be content with that realization.  You become the most content when you remember that you made it for you.  But then you start to question if you've made it for you, or for other people.  You wonder if there is even a particular reason as to why you did make it.  Then you realize that regardless it should get finished.  You didn't make it... you're making it.  You get back to work.  Your team surprises you.  They share your determination.  You try not to take them for granted while staying focused on working both together with them, and independently of them.  You step back again.  You are amazed at what you have made, so far.  You do not feel like you have worked as hard as you did.  You realize how hard you have worked.  You are proud of yourself.  You make a decision for the first time as to exactly what the final version of it will be like.  You make new sets of goals to complete it, and you achieve those goals.  You finish it.  You announce it's finished.  You realize you didn't finish it.  You finish it.  You check it.  You double check it.  You search it up and down for any way you can improve it.  You see absolutely no more ways you can improve it after searching thoroughly.  You step away from it.  You look at it.  You know it is finished.  You accept that it's finished.  It is finished.  And for the first time, you are able to purely enjoy it.  It brings you more joy than you had ever thought it would bring you.  You fully appreciate all of the work that you and your team put into it.  You start showing it to everyone you can.  You will have it your entire life.  It will affect everyone who it reaches.  Because of you, it will exist forever.

What is written is "it".  It is an idea.  "It" will not change.  It will stay consistent.  It is what drives you, and you are committed to it.  You have it, because of "it".

What is your "it"?

The 3rd Street Promenade

I just had an idea.  Here it is...

In Santa Monica, there is a very popular shopping area called "3rd Street Promenade".  Basically it is a walking-only street that spans about three blocks, with various stores and restaurants.  One of the things this strip is best known for, however, is the street performers.  They are usually very good, and there are all kinds... dancers, singers, full bands, magicians, acrobats and more.  There are usually about five performers on the Promenade at all times, spaced out perfectly across the entire stretch.  Some are more popular than others (Crowds of over 100 people form instantly for some, others have no audience at times).  Generally, each performer has to acquire a permit (only $37), and then contact the Bayside District Corporation to book themselves.  I have heard from a couple sources that they require an audition, but I am not 100% sure if that is true.  Either way, Bayside seems to be the corporation that handle everything and the performers are one of their largest marketing assets, clearly.

Each time I visit the promenade, I see some new performer.  The more I see, the more I begin to fit them together in my mind like a puzzle.  Recently I came up with a possible combination of 2 specific guitarists, a beat-boxer, a singer and a group of dancers who, if working together with some practice, could be incredible to watch.

This leads me to my idea...

I started thinking that if I contacted Bayside, and pitched the idea of putting on a monthly stage event, "The Best of the Promenade" or "The Best of 3rd Street" (Can't decide which rings better), they would probably be interested enough to fund a small banner-advertisement campaign for it.  The idea is that such an event would bring more business to the promenade on the day it was held.  Also, the performers alone would advertise such an event, if they were involved, even without a paper ad campaign.

Right now in my head, this is how it would work...

1.  I pitch the idea to Bayside, just as an if/then. (If I can organize it, will you support it?)

2. I approach the street performers and see if they have any interest.

3. Set any interested performers up with each other, and suggest some work together- see what teamwork brings.

4. When the performers feel confident pulling off the big show, organize a meeting with the performers and Bayside to schedule out the first event.  Seek budgeting from Bayside to provide a temporary stage and sound system.

5. Advertise and execute the first event.

The event would be a free concert of the promenade performers, combining acts, yet keeping some solo, depending.  Possibly a two-stage setup would be best.  The crowds would be massive.  The performers would be spotlighted and marketed a LOT better than usual.  If the event ran monthly, it would become famously known, and the performers would strive to be a part of it each month.  

The absolute key to success is combining the acts.  That would be the draw, as people are familiar with many individual acts, and would be excited and delighted to see them harmonizing with each other on stage once a month.

That's my idea for the day.  Maybe I'll contact Bayside soon to explore this further.

Fancy Hollywood Bars are Lame

Some italian hit-man looking dude at a bar last night told me "If you're going to be an asshole I will punch you in the face, you know?" Five minutes later, he offered to buy me a drink and I declined. Also some girl who I didn't know offered to buy me a drink before she even said hello. I said no and left. Then my friend bought me a drink without even asking me. I put it down before I had any of it because I was participating in a chair lift (Jewish wedding style- my idea), which would have been fun but the people in suits told us to stop. My drink was gone when I got back. In a place where the cheaper beer is $6 per, I finally I decided to buy myself a $6 drink (and not tip because screw these people), but the bar was closed. After this experience, I've decided to never decline another offer. I've also decided that fancy bars are lame. The drinks are expensive, nobody likes fun and nobody swims in the pool.

Art and Love and Humans

Defining art is a bad idea.

Well, sometimes.

I often start arguing about art... why a film, song, poem, painting, etc. is good or bad (in my opinion). But that's just the thing. My opinion. And frankly, my opinions (sometimes) are not what is best for the person or people I am arguing with.

Like right now, for instance. This blog. It's just me sharing some idea I have. You might agree, maybe not. But I AM able to realize that, and that that's OK.

I'm me. I'm not you. I'm me. And you are not me.

I sort of realized tonight that the right answer to any point ever made about art or love is always, "it depends", or "sometimes".

You just can't be sure of anything with those two things, EXCEPT that SOMETIMES there's a chance anything could affect someone.

Specifically, I have been defined lately. Literally, people have been arguing about ME right in front of me, about what I am- what I do. How I do it. It's a pretty strange thing, when people talk about you- categorize you- analyze you, and you're there for it.

I don't know who I am. So how can anyone else? Figuring out who I am... is my whole life. So what are people talking about, anyways?

And same goes for anyone.

Everyone is different. People are always learning and shifting and (sometimes) staying the same. But no two people are identical, right? I mean, that's factual, isn't it? No two fingerprints are alike... no two brains. Right?

So, if that is right... if everyone is different, then everyone is going to disagree on SOMETHING, even if it's as simple as what something feels like on their fingertips. Right?

But that's a part of life. That's pretty cool. You just never know. You don't KNOW anything, really... except for how you feel, presently- and for your (sometimes) vivid sensual memories.

Some things, you can't define. Those things are important. They are ambiguous. And they need to be. There is no GENERALLY "good" or "bad" art. All art is good and bad, SOMETIMES.

The most studied writers in the world might fall short to a child (in some people's opinions). Some people might prefer the intellectual novel. It depends.

And so in creating art- I think that is something to consider. It depends. Some people might want to see a personal side of you. Some people might want to see something impersonal. Some people might want to see you study and study and present to them a contextually sound, polished work of art. Some people might find more enjoyment in your mistakes and uncertainty. Neither one is better. They both work (sometimes). It varies from piece to piece. It does.

A lot of people may argue that you'll be a better artist if you study other artists and learn from them. I don't really agree. I think that SOMETIMES that kind of thing can benefit your art. But I also think that SOMETIMES it's better to be unaware. And I don't really think that any art is BETTER than other art. I think some art is more contextually square than other art. I think some art is more aesthetically pleasing than other art. I think some art is more obvious than other art. I think some art is more emotional than other art. I think some art is more intelligent than other art. But I respect all art on the same plane. I respect and envy a young child's stick figure drawing of his or her parents an EQUAL amount as I do a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. Nothing is better than anything, except for within the opinions of individuals.

That's what I think.

Alright.

Goodnight.