Hot off the Presses...

let me start with some gems from this baggy pants story in the AJC:

"Exposed boxer shorts and thongs would be illegal in any public place in Atlanta if the City Council approves a proposed amendment to the city's indecency laws."

it gets better
"Saggy pants are an "epidemic"', said one moron who can ignore a million real problems in this city. AND they're gonna go after bras too. I love it when they turn back the clock in the south.
the city council went on to say, "Seriously folks, we just need to give the APD another way to arrest black people. Why not get them by the pants?"
Read the mind blowingly stupid story HERE

Another thing in the news is this War in Iraq. Anybody hear about this thing?!?


I went to this candlelight vigil tonight in East Atlanta. There were some empowered speakers and a Dr. Lowery who didn't show and then we all went outside and held candles and everyone read a list of dates and how many soldiers died on that day and where they were from. it read like:

May 3 6 troops were killed they were from Lebanon, Tennessee Seattle, Washington Independence, Iowa East Lansing, Michigan and so on

At first I was confused. I didn't know if I was supposed to listen or read along or what. Then people started reading and so did I. Then I became determined to not stop reading. I thought, "how can I read about this person who died and not that?" I read loudly and the pages and the cities were endless. My eyes started to go, every time I read Ohio I said Iowa, every city from Puerto Rico and Hawaii was horribly mispronounced- after a couple stumbles I laughed a bit and then felt immediate shame. my legs started to hurt, as did my voice so I lowered my volume and the candle I was holding burned all the way out and someone brought me another. It seemed like it would never end. After we finished I was sweating and dizzy. A man said to us, "The first time I started this ritual I thought it was stupid and silly. It was a very sloppy thing, these people all reading aloud for so long. People aren't in sync, they can't keep up. It's just a mess. Then I realized as I was reading for so long what a perfect metaphor for this war it is."

More news:

I ended the evening watching Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole. It's Network in 1951.
A scathing story about yellow journalism, American Voyerism and the deterieroration of the human soul in the pursuit of success. It's really great except for the fact that you can't care about Kirk Douglas' Tatum like you can for William Holden's Schumacher, so in the end I liked the writing but none of the empty-chested characters. Still a really awesome movie, right up my alley. Sam Fuller with awesome cinematography and good acting (well, the female lead looks like she bought a one way ticket to run-down-slutsville but she doesn't really matter) that last bit was from watching the 50's newspaperman talk....sorry.

As for more newspaper facts. His Girl Friday- best paper movie ever (best dialogue comedy?), Hudsucker Proxy- best movie to steal so many jokes from the previous. Me- I can only do the Monday crossword puzzle and have stolen from both the previous films. The numbers-52% of people in the US read the newspaper and 80% of internet users read the newspaper and 89% of all dogs under 8 Lbs have shit on Ann Landers' by line.

OH BOY!

before i post the rest of my Chicago goings ons I wanna say that I just turned up the milk and it was sour. That's never happened happened to me before. It was really unpleasant.

I once thought Film Forum was the greatest place I'd ever been. The few seconds of anticipation before I entered the Sistine Chapel or the memories I had from riding the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Disney World from when I was a kid are up there on the list too. (I though it was a real deal submarine ride with real fish and all, that memory was ruined years later by returning to the park.)

I thought those places were the best one's I'd ever been to, but they have been eclipsed by a hard, baby blue plastic chair near the right field foul pole at Wrigley Field.

I had an Old Style Beer and an Italian Sausage covered in toppings (delicious) and it was heaven. I was so excited walking to my seat at that filthy stadium I almost started to cry. I was a little sad as I finished off my sausage because I knew there could never be another first sausage at Wrigley again.

The Cubs played a good game then it rained but we stayed right in our seats wearing these snazzy ponchos.


The game was delayed for a good couple hours so we ate nachos

and drank beer in the crowded area around the food stands. The great thing about Wrigley Field is that there's nothing there but baseball and seats. No batting cages, kareoke or other stuff to do. The park is not for hanging out in or just going to play some games like Turner Field. You either watch baseball or....uh, read a book....somehow this girl behind me was just reading a book while her boyfriend watched the game. I would have left that bitch at the house.

After the game we decided against any more "chicago" style food and went to a place called LuLa Cafe in Logan park for some healthy action. On the way there I saw this socailist movie exchange box


(The Who was inside) I called homeland security and set fire to the box immediately.

At the restaurant I had a gazpacho (that's salsa, right?) which was good and a Vegan "stew" that was awesome. Katie had some chicken and then we split a poo looking desert. Even though the desert was a letdown after the meal, i'll definitely go back. On the bus on the way to the Days Inn I remembered that I didn't have a bratwurst at Wrigley. So the next time I find a cheap Plane ticket I can go for the first Bratwurst.

and the throw to the plate....MALPHIE WINS! MALPHIE WINS!

I accidently drove to Chicago from the center of the Earth. Whoops, my bad. (insert hilarious fake laugh)
I'm kidding you, jackass, I went to the Chicago Contemporary Art Museum. They had a great Magritte

and some other art and in the gift shop i met Malphie.


Malphie made me laugh to no end. The People at FRIENDS FOR YOU! made him and other creatures but he's the best. His tag says he brings good fortune or death- what could be better than that? Either things go great for you or you're dead. Katie felt much better today also, she was sick yesterday today she is SUPER INGMAR


WHOA!



Is that Ryne Sandberg's gorgeous face on a pair of Cub's tickets? That's right it is you lazy-eyed trollop- cause I scored some tickets to wrigley field off craigslist and i've never been, although when I was a young man I was BASEBALL CRAZY and I watched the cubbies on WGN all the time.

On the food scene:
A chicago hotdog contains Hot Peppers, 2 Tomatoe Wedges, a pickle spear, kryptonite green relish, celery salt, onions and green peppers. This one is from Downtown Dogs and guess what?

It ain't that good. It's like Chicago wants some original food sooooo bad it has these Island of Dr. Moreau freak foods that somehow people tout as edible. "Let's make a ham sandwich but call it a CHICAGO Ham Sandwich because it has 3lbs of bacon, shrimp and cold slaw on it."
I did have the third very Chicago food- an Italian Beef sammich. Pretty simple, a shit ton of beef. I liked it.

After that, we walked the Magnificent Mile- if you think a mall can be magnificent, then you'll love it. We stopped at the Descartes coffee shop and met some nice people, had some great coffee and gelato. I don't know exactly where it is, but how many coffee shops can be named after philosophers? Then we were off to the CHICAGO UNDERGROUND FILM FEST

At the festival these kids in front of the theatre made their own Blood Car stencil and were making t shirts and blood car wife-beaters for people.

that's a car eating a bike
They also made this device that took people's blood for the car. (Blake Myers would be proud) Their friend's short DISARM was playing ahead of Blood Car so they decided to push the movie to everyone without ever seeing it.. These kids were pretty awesome, they had this weird double decker bike they had made. I think they said they jousted with it.


I rode the fucker and yes, I was scared. I didn't get hurt but I didn't take too long of a ride either. I felt like the oldest kid in the neighborhood after someone built a ramp- I had to get on the bike..they were all looking at me.

After the screening, we drank some bush beer on the corner and went to the after party where BLOOD CAR WON BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM! No shit. So that was great.

Then katie and I got some drinks in us, found a nice cinephile named Carl and proceeded to scream at him about the cinema and its greats. That's what I love most about film festivals, drunken talks about your favorite filmmakers.
I'm posting this after the fact because I can post pictures now. that was day 2 in CHI town.

Deep Dish Pizza is not real Pizza

I left too early (3:45am) and came to Chicago yesterday to attend the Chicago Underground Film Festival.

First off- Deep Dish pizza, I don't care about you because you are not a pizza. I hope the pizza place (UNO, the original inventor of fake pizza) bartender comes to the screening. Days Inn- you suck but you are next to this mini leaning Tower of Pisa, which is fucking weird and awesome and makes me wanna meet the crazy who built it. I've been to the real thing and really there's no difference.


I was walking down the street and spotted a film crew and then I saw that it was the next Batman movie. (which they said was Romie's First Kiss) Whenever I took pictures PAs would try to block me.
PA stands for Production Assistant if you don't know. They are the lowest guys on the totem pole that get awesome jobs like dealing with stupid questions, keeping people quiet and the like. Here's a short to help you understand:

There's a picture of Batman too. He's hanging from a wire.


Here's one exchange a hardass PA and I had:
"Don't take any pictures, sir"
"Ok" (i take a picture)
"Sir, I told you not to take any pictures, now get out of here."
he had such authority in his voice I had to challenge it.
"Please Mr. PA, don't rough me up"
"I ain't no PA"
"You look like a PA to me"
pause
"YOU look like a PA"

that was fun. Also went to an improv show at IO Theatre. It was awesome. The theatre is right beside Wrigley Field, which I will see Monday. Great improv Harold, $2 schlitz. The Cubs beat the Cards and the fans really went on a bender afterwards. We entered the theatre just as the game was ending and when we got out people were still going nuts. Talk about a baseball town, when these guys win or lose another World Series, I'm coming to town to shoot the riots.

my favorite building of the day:


I like Chicago. I will eat a giant 'Chicago Style' Hotdog and get back to you. Why is it that every city's signature food is horrible for you? I'm not complaining but does anywhere have a signature salad? If they do, i bet it's fried and dipped in mayo.

This is why you hire the pro's

This is a picture of Hugh Braselton taping a pinata to my head. We are working on a commercial for a cell phone. I am the Gaffer (guy in charge of lighting) and Hugh is the first Assistant Cameraman (guy who makes sure stuff is in focus)

Since i work in the film industry I am a firm believer in having quality technicians on set to do the job correctly, with the utmost professionalism. Some people don't think as I do which is why Hugh and myself get to work.

On another note I am going to Chicago to attend the Chicago Underground Film Festival (with Blood Car) and to go to a Cubs game. I'm sure there will be some other stuff in there and I will post pictures and write my thoughts of the city and impressions of its food and bartenders. I'm sure I will immediately fall in love with Chicago if it is not a sweltering hellhole in triple digit temperatures like the one I live in.

I also have a new trailer of Blood Car on the site HERE. Its funny and sloppy, like the film.

I worked on Mike Brune's Short film titled THE ADVENTURE, which I hope has its trailer online very soon. I've seen the short and Mike made something special that will have a great festival run I'm sure. It was a great set. A bunch of friends making a movie over the weekend- here are some pics from it:

that's brune on the ground using his still camera as a viewfinder.

yes, that is a big ass crane in the back of a pick up truck that we got some amazing footage with.

We had a dolly too. Here's me and Adam Pinney shooting some b roll.

See those flags? flags= serious business

Mr. Brune ran a great set and we all had no idea what was going on. I love it when that happens. When directors explain things to everyone it makes me think they are just trying to convince themselves. We all shot two actors inside a car for most of the time and only Brune and the sound guy could hear the dialogue, the crew was clueless and all hopped up on Power Horse-which if you don't know is a good crew.

When I saw the short a week later, Brune cut it with amazing speed, I was blown away. That's all i'll say for now-until I see it in a dark theatre in a strange town full of cinephiles.