Sunday, December 28, 2008

Why blog?

Maybe it's all a waste of time.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

BLOG ALWAYS

Meredith is currently airborne, on the way to Hong Kong, probably somewhere over the polar cap as I type. I have been airborne for a long time. Well, not really. In fact, I was stranded in the muck for a long time. Another story, though.

I am heading out on Sunday. The shop is shuttered for the time-being, although there is a slight chance we will get some writing done in HK. Since she is about to get married, though, I don't think she'll really have time.

And I may be too busy photographing random stuff in HK to write, as well, so there.

Still, it seems awfully quiet around here. Thank god Elko is doing the caretaker shift while we're both gone. Meredith won't get back till February 1st, as well, so Project Venezuela will not be completed for a while.

All that aside, the script is going very well. A few plot points to hammer out, but we're getting there. Then we cast, then we shoot, then we edit, then we finish, etc. It's nice not having to answer to anybody but ourselves.

2008 has been quite a year. I will be glad to see it gone. And 2009, of course, promises to be an economic bloodbath, with the associated welter of crap that goes along with that. Well, one day at a time, right? That's the only way it can happen.

I will be glad to get on the plane. I will also be glad when cheap, solid state memory replaces hard drivess. One day at a time, right?

Okay, I clearly have nothing else to say.

Later.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Blog Now

Paul commanded me to Blog.

We are about halfway through writing Venezuela. We have really been picking up steam the last few weeks. The way that it normally works is that we write a scene for about 30 min to 1:30 hrs and then we need 30 min off then we can work again. It is not like post production where we can muscle through 8 hours of edits, color correction sound, on brute force alone.

We have attempted to turn those 30 min breaks into something productive. So, when we remember, we pop in a movie and discuss shots. More often than not though, we just surf the web and buy clothing covered with wax.

Writing is fun.

Paul just brought me a cup of lumia - Golden Monkey. Yummm.

My label is like a snowflake.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Signing In From The Home Base

No blogging for a while - very bad. My punishment? I am blogging.

Actually, I like to blog. "Project Venezuela" is going well. We are in the creating-something-from-nothing phase, as Meredith puts it. I call it screenwriting, but her description is accurate, as well. It is not difficult for us, and we are grateful for that, but it does consume energy. Unlike most other aspects, even the creative ones such as shooting and editing. Certainly unlike color correction and sound, you cannot just gut it out, lower your head and keep churning through it. With the writing, when we run out of gas, we run of gas for the day and must knock off. We seem to be good for about 2 to three hours each day, which is about one or two scenes, depending on what happens. If I am making this sound dire, it is not. That's actually pretty good. At this rate, we should be in good shape to finish the first draft by late January, taking a 4 or 5 week break for Meredith's wedding. Then, a couple of re-writes while we cast. Then, location-scouting and prep work. Then shooting. Then...oh, hell, I can't give away all the secrets, can I?

Anyway, it's going well. In other news, Elko is asleep on the couch. It's 20 degrees out in Old Gotham. I seem to be the only one in my immediate circle who thinks the Yankees can still take first place.

And I could go on with this exciting litany. I won't, though. I'll just pull out a DVD, maybe, or keep reading "The Fate of Africa," by Martin Meredith, then trek on into the Land of Nod.

Woof.