Erin's Old Blog.

Jennifer's Body Red Band Trailer

2009-07-06T22:33:00.002-04:00

So the trailer for the Diablo Cody horror movie Jennifer's Body is up. I actually like Diablo Cody, but the trailer is a little underwhelming, although Cody seems to have curbed the extraneous quips. I like what S.T. Van Airsdale had to say about it:

All seem to have acquitted themselves admirably, though spraying blood and mangled flesh aside, the grossest thing here might be the soundtrack listing preceding the actual credits. Any time Panic at the Disco and Dashboard Confessional get top billing over those responsible for the film, trouble can’t be far behind. Still, admit it: They had you at the Fox logo.

BWHAHAHA! Seth Cohen still looks cute, though.

"Humpday" Director Lynn Shelton in The New York Times

2009-07-05T15:38:00.001-04:00

The New York Times has a nice profile on Lynn Shelton, whose movie Humpday, my own personal blockbuster, opens Friday in NY and Seattle. As the article points out, some bloggers have named her "the female Apatow", but the article illustrates what sets her apart from her studio counterparts:

“I really felt like, ‘O.K., if this film doesn’t get into Sundance, I throw up my hands,’ ” Ms. Shelton said. “I thought I had as strong a chance as I would maybe ever have.” But it was the execution that gave “Humpday” a life outside the festival’s hermetic buzz factory. Within the confines of its dizzyingly high concept Ms. Shelton has created an exploration of the male ego and the passionate rigors of platonic, dude-on-dude love.

It looks like this movie goes where a lot of "dude" movies don't go, and that's why I'm really enthusiastic about it. I thought it was supposed to be out on VOD on Friday too, but I haven't really heard anything about a VOD release date. To learn more about Humpday, click here.

As Seen on Twitter: Lena Dunham

2009-07-04T21:37:00.001-04:00

Audrey Tautou in "Coco Before Chanel"

2009-07-04T11:22:00.002-04:00

It's a little weird to be blogging about a French Film on the Fourth of July, but I digress.

Yesterday, I went to see Whatever Works (Not as bad as the reviews would have you believe, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona was definitely better), and a trailer for Coco Before Chanel played. I had no idea this movie existed, but now that I do, I can't wait to see it! Audrey plays Coco Chanel when she was just an upstart paying her bills as a seamstress. (Sorry if the trailer looks weird.)

At the risk of getting all Entertainment Tonight here, might it be possible that Amélie has a shot at an Oscar this time around? I mean this decade, Oscar has been all about Biopics, from Ray to Capote to The Last King of Scotland to Milk. Heck, she wouldn't even be the first French actress nominated for a biopic!

I'm planning on checking it out when it comes my way, regardless. Also, here's a recent Chanel ad with Audrey:

Orphan vs. Orphans

2009-07-02T23:19:00.002-04:00

Here is the trailer for the movie Orphan:

Is Ry Russo-Young aware of this?

Indiewood and the "Hipster Market"

2009-07-02T14:59:00.000-04:00

c/o CineVegas' Twitter

Reuters has published an article on "Hipster Movies", which the article defines as:

The pics are trying to be the next "Garden State," a 2004 film that, like other hipster pics, can be generally defined as trafficking in moody music, casual style and characters who are disaffected.

Some movies that might fall into this category include Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, and Napoleon Dynamite also fall into this category.

Anyway, the article reminded me of why I liked--dare I still call it this--mumblecore in the first place. I liked Juno and Napoleon Dynamite, and Away We Go and 500 Days of Summer weren't too bad, either. However, as far as I'm concerned, these movies can put the hippest music on their soundtracks, dress their characters in American Apparel and have them act as disaffected as possible, but all these movies do at the end of the day is re-invent the wheel. They're made and marketed to make their money back, not out of a real passion.

All of the angst over hipster movies has me anticipating Humpday's premiere on VOD!

Kris Swanberg & Nice Cream on TV

2009-06-29T16:53:00.002-04:00

I interviewed Kris for The Film Panel Notetaker back in April, in which she discussed her entreprenurial venture, Nice Cream. Last night, Kris and Nice Cream were profiled on 190 North, a local Chicago program. Kris' piece starts @ 14:05:

VIDEO: Kris Swanberg on "190 North"

I'm heading to Chicago later this summer, and sampling Nice Cream will be a top priority!

Re-Opening Temporarily

2009-06-29T16:37:00.000-04:00

I've decided to re-open this blog for a little while to post items related to independent film while I brainstorm for a potential new blog. I'm not going to be posting every day, just certain news items that catch my fancy.

Enjoy!

Good-bye Again, but not for long...

2008-07-02T17:59:00.001-04:00

I've decided that after nearly a year, I'm going to shut down this blog. There really hasn't been much purpose for this blog, other than a way for me to bide time while I figure out what the next move in my life is going to be. When I started this, I was hoping to chronicle the making of my next movie (which I'm still planning on doing), but so many possibilities have opened up in the last year that self-promotion isn't quite as necessary as it once was.

My computer is having a second hard drive put onto it, so my new blog will be up whenever I get it back. I could re-fashion this blog, but I'd rather start fresh.

My New Blog is Open

2008-06-14T11:52:00.003-04:00

My new blog, The Now People, is open. Have you ever had an idea that looked great on paper and seemed great in your head, but once you put it down, it didn't seem so great? This is one of those ideas. I thought it would be great to document and blog about stuff that I actually liked, but my enthusiasm for this stuff isn't as overwhelming as it was four, five years ago. I'm going to continue blogging in it for now until I figure out what I want to do with it.

Maybe I need to resurrect The Hot Teen News?

Adsense Agony

2008-06-11T21:41:00.001-04:00

Now that I'm part of the YouTube Partners program, YouTube wants me to link my YouTube account to my AdSense Account. One problem! My AdSense account is currently disabled! I called Google's main office, and they directed me to their support website. I found my way to an AdSense Contact Page, wrote them and told them about my dilemma. I told them that while I have no interest in putting up ads, I do need an appeal to connect the two accounts. Hopefully they'll listen. I really want this to be over, get the contracts signed, and work on getting my old movie up on YouTube.

Meanwhile, I've just finished setting up and formatting a new blog. The blog will launch this Friday, and I will post a link here and from YouTube. It's likely that I will continue posting here, even redesigning this blog, since the new blog deals with something entirely different.

Reconsidering Fiscal Sponsorship

2008-05-23T23:14:00.005-04:00

I've decided to seek Fiscal Sponsorship after all. Keep checking GRANTErinsWish.com for updates.

As for everything else, I'm still trying to get the YouTube Partners Program straightened around. If it ain't one thing, it's another, I tell you. I'll be going down to New York on Thursday and staying with Brian.

Good Night.

Happy Mother's Day/What Now?

2008-05-11T14:08:00.004-04:00

Last month, I went to an annual reunion for my old college radio station. For the first time since my Freshman year, the place felt alien to me. I guess I've come full circle in that part of my life, and it's time for me to move on.

A lot has changed for me in the past year, and especially in the past six months. I feel like so many possibilities have opened up for me, and It just seemed really absurd for me to be there.

I apologize this post seems disconnected. I just thought I'd share that with all of you.

My Gift To The World

2008-05-05T18:30:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, I read Marcel Mauss' The Gift, which I obtained via interlibrary loan. The thesis of The Gift, to quote Wikipedia is this: "That the exchange of objects between groups builds relationships between them.He argued that giving an object creates an inherent obligation on the receiver to eciprocate the gift."

For the last week or so now, I've been thinking about this new blog I want to start on. What "gift" do I want to give to the blogosphere? What will I get in return? If you you've been reading my sporadic posts from the last month and a half, you know I had a plan to do a blog called "indigenity", which would either be A.) A variation on the Grant Erin's Wish theme. B.) Blog about me attending Film Festivals, or C.) The making of my new movie. All of these blogs, however, have been done.

I'm still trying to decide what I want to do. One idea will have me drawing upon research I've done on a particular subject for the past year. But I'm not sure how much more time I want to spend on this subject. I'm not sure if I want to spend some time away from it, or just trash it completely. The other one would have me making and uploading short films on the internet. I have time to think about this, I guess.

This afternoon, I started packing up and cleaning up old files and books. Based on the stuff that's in my room, it's going to be the end of summer before everything is all cleaned out.

Ah-ha!

2008-04-26T19:50:00.002-04:00

Thursday Night, I was thinking about the options I had when it came to raising money to buy equipment to make my movie. I was looking at The Script Department's offerings. "Junior Story Notes" would set me back about $300. Not terrible at all. But you know what? I don't care enough to haul out one of my old scripts anymore. There's just something inside of me that said, "That's not what you want to do."

Out of desperation, I punched in "Wedding Videos" at Amazon.com, and came up with this, which led me to videouniversity.com, which led me to Professional Video Producer, a "home-study" course on how to start your own video business. If I'm going to spend a lot of money on equipment, I might as well put it to constructive use. And being just under $150, that's only half as much as what I'd have to pay for "Junior Story Notes".

Unfortunately, the whole crux to Indigenity was going to be how I was going to pay all this off. Maybe it's a sign that there are better things ahead. I always wanted to shoot videos for a living, but I just didn't know how to go about it.

The Great World of Script Consulting

2008-04-24T00:17:00.001-04:00

Last night, I watched The Great World of Sound. The premise of the movie is about Martin (Pat Healy), who gets hired at a fly-by-night record company, The Great World of Sound. GWS offers would-be musicians: you give us $3K, and we'll make you a star.

The interesting thing about this movie is, not even the employees seem to be in on the scam. Most of them are so eager to work, that they never really question the legitimacy of their employer. In one scene, they're acting out a potential customer-rep interaction. Martin addresses that $3,000 seems a little steep, in which his boss suggests that his employees use "metaphors" to coerce potential customers into paying for their services. Eventually, one of the deals that Martin and his partner Clarence (Kene Holliday) make goes awry, and it's downhill from there.

I recommend this movie.

Anyway, I bring this up because for the last several months, I've been considering going into business as a script consultant. Why? Because the items I plan on purchasing/renting in the next several months are pretty expensive, and this stuff won't pay for itself (And this is part of what "Indigenity" will be about). Also, I guess the appeal in it for me is that if I can't make a living as a writer myself, maybe I can help someone else become one. I read Derek Rydall's I Could've Written A Better Movie Than That, and one of the things he stresses is creating a "unique selling perspective" or "USP".

I've read the book and flipped over it several times. The book has interviews with people like Linda Seger, Christopher Vogler, Jeff Kitchen, Judith Searle, Kathie Fong Yoneda, Rachel Ballon, and Pamela Jaye Smith. Not too long ago, it dawned on me. What difference does it make? You can use the chakra method, Joseph Campbell's overrated "Hero's Journey", or "The Ennegram" to evaluate scripts, but the only reason why consultants exist in the first place is to help the writer make the script saleable. If it weren't for the script market, these people would be selling real estate and tupperware instead.

I guess what I'm saying is that, like Martin, if I go into this business, I'm going to cheat someone. Who am I to tell people how to fix their script, where, as of this moment, I have never had any script of mine produced--not even something I've directed. Unless you count the narration for Are You From Bingo?, of course.

As William Goldman famously said, "Nobody knows anything." Meanwhile, I'm going to have to come up with another way to pay off the incurring debt...

BTW, I tried to watch Cocaine Angel tonight, but unfortunately, the disc was defective.

New Joy

2008-04-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

Right now, I've been catching up on films that have gotten a lot of buzz in recent years. A week and a half ago, I rented Old Joy. I enjoyed the movie, and especially Will Oldham's performance. This week, I have The Great World of Sound and Cocaine Angel out on Netflix.

I'm still working on the re-design as well.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! (Again!)

2008-04-19T11:50:00.003-04:00

I've decided to put off the fiscal sponsorship until November.

Meanwhile, you'll notice I have a new name for the blog, "Indigenity". That's not the title of my movie, just the title of the blog. Indigenity is a Colbertism I made up. This is one of many changes I'll be making in the near future. I also plan on working on redesigning the blog, as well as changing the blog roll and everything else.

Unfortunately, I was turned down for YouTube Partners Program, and I know why. I e-mailed Sara Pollack, and hopefully, my heartfelt plea will straighten things out.

Still Working On It

2008-04-03T15:38:00.003-04:00

Just to let you know, I'm still working on re-launching this blog. Right now, I'm taking a break from editing and posting the SXSW videos to work on a fiscal sponsorship plan.

The only other thing I have to do is come up with a new title for this blog.

Don't Call It A Comeback

2008-03-12T15:44:00.003-04:00

When I return from SXSW, I plan on revamping this blog. After this, there is no way I can go back to the way things were before.

More info in a week or two.

Erin Go Bye Bye

2008-02-16T00:24:00.001-05:00

To follow you up on my driver's test. I failed. To put it in a nutshell, I got nervous. Thankfully, I'll be getting another chance on the 25th. Hopefully, this time I'll pass.

I've decided to shut down this blog. I still plan on working on both my movie and my book--however, I'd rather spend less time blogging about myself and more time actually...working. In the past several months, I feel like so many options have opened up to me that the need to promote "Erin Scherer" (if you know what I mean) is no longer necessary.

Right now, I'm working on trying to sit down and focus on a project or two. I know what I want to do, it's just a matter of sitting down and doing it.

In the meantime, please visit granterinswish.com, and click on the Google advertisements!

Seeking Fiscal Sponsorship

2008-01-27T19:23:00.000-05:00

So I've decided to submit a plan to the New York Foundation for the Arts for Fiscal Sponsorship. As part of this plan, should it go through and I be approved for sponsorship, would allow me to purchase a new computer, some programs to put on it (like Final Cut Pro), and some trips to LA and Greece. It's not due until May, so I don't have to rush too much.

Most of the computer budget is put together; it's just a matter of talking to a travel agent about potential packages and figuring out the cost for those. Then I'll ask NYFA what their average budget for the projects they approve for sponsorship, then take it from there.

Most of my focus this week, however, is to work on passing the driver's test, which I'm taking next Monday (February 4th).

Location, Location

2008-01-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

I've been in hiding the last couple of weeks. I have been in the process of trying to straighten things around with my trip to Austin, exploring new avenues of income, and planning out this movie, among other things.

Well, I made the first step toward the production just now. I sent out e-mails to locations I might be using during production. I haven't even written the movie yet, but I have some ideas visualized as to where I want to shoot. Here are the locations I'm looking into:

Gimme Coffee

Pixel Arcade

Level B Bar

Olin & Uris Libraries

Kroch Asia Library

Fine Arts Library

No Radio Records

I'm not worried about the last one, because I know the owners well enough that I'll just ask them the next time I'm in their store...or something.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T09:55:00.001-05:00

Ha! I got it!

The whole idea behind this book project I've been working on the past several months was just to figure out what works for me. I think. Maybe I will write that book someday, but right now I want to work on putting my money where my mouth is.

Once again, I found myself seriously considering the idea of setting up shop as a "script consultant", but script consultants are for people who want their script to be bought by someone else. And I don't really like the way the studio system works, so there's no point in aiding and abetting them. It's just more grief for me.

Instead, I've decided that I'm going to pursue videography. I'm willing to put forth the effort to promote myself...plus, I have an excuse to buy the equipment I want. I'm going to start working in that direction as soon as I can get around to drawing up a business plan.

I have to work tomorrow, but I have Thursday through Saturday off. I know I said that I was going to use the time to start working on the movie, but I really don't have anything yet. But I'm getting there. I'm starting to get the idea of writing for an audience. Once I can envision an audience, then I can envision a movie.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

I'm Not Ready

2007-12-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

I've realized something.

I'm not ready to make another movie right now. Making a movie is really important to me, but right now I need to get things straightened around. Driver's test aside, I'm working on trying to launch something freelance for myself, and so far, making a movie has mostly been an afterthought. Creating a safety net for myself is important.

My goal was to finish something in time for the 2009 SXSW Festival, but I don't know if that's really going to happen. That I've had to reconcile to this makes me sad, but I have to choose my battles.

This blog is going to go through a major overhaul in the next couple of weeks.

Niley in Love

2007-12-16T22:37:00.000-05:00

The weather has been really crazy the past week and a half, with snow coming down. I was actually let out of work early tonight so that I wouldn't have to face anything worse later.

Hardly anyone was there today, but yesterday, it was a mob scene! Nonetheless, I managed to get some thinking done. I got reminiscing about what made me want to write that book I was working on. Remember that book? Anyway. This is the original quote that got me inspired, from the anthology The Practices of Psychoanalytic Criticism:

"Aristotleian criticism assumes a character is that wich reveals moral purpose. As a moral agent that makes choices, it encounters other moral forces in the process of working out an action."

I wanted to understand what was meant by "moral purpose", because perhaps this is why mainstream script analysts use Aristotleian Theory. (There's a lot more behind my reasoning, but it would take forever to explain.) Aristotle was a great philosopher, but the man hardly had the last word on storytelling.

In the six months of research I've done, I think I've answered that question. I hope to start doing some writing soon. What form will it take? I don't know.

Right now, I'm writing a new Hot Teen News video. Miley and Nick Jonas are officially a pair, FTW!!!

Cocooning After Christmas

2007-12-09T00:06:00.000-05:00

Well, I've slated to take off five days at Christmas. We're closed on the 25th, and I requested the 26th through the 29th off. And I have one goal: to get something written.

A script for the movie I want to shoot, hopefully. With my job, it's been hard to make a long term commitment to any project. To go from relative solitude to the chaos of working at a supermarket can be very jarring. Working front end register can be intensely stressful. Hopefully, I'll have my driver's license soon, and from there on out, things should be full speed ahead.

But I'm getting off track. I feel it's a little weird to be working on the script already. For too long, I've been trying to figure out where the money's going to come from, but right now I don't care. I have a feeling that once I have an idea for a movie, in place, the rest will fall into place. I'm actively thinking about the kind of things I want to write. I need to stop worrying about fitting into any mold, drop any pretension, and just WRITE. The audience will be there.

The Strange Success of El Diablo

2007-12-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Over at the Done Deal Boards, there's a thread questioning the legitimacy of Juno scribe Diablo Cody's backstory.

I haven't seen Juno yet, but I did read Candy Girl, her memoir of her year as a stripper in Minneapolis and enjoyed it. The official story is, after Candy Girl was sold for $250,000, Diablo's manager urged her to write a script. Now, in addition to Juno coming out, Diablo has several scripts in development. What they're questioning over at Done Deal is, was Cody's success really a fluke, or is her story a machination of some really good PR people?

Mason Novick, Diablo's manager, works for Benderspink, a production and management company that brought you such earth shattering films as Monster in Law and the forthcoming Jessica Simpson vehicle Major Movie Star rather than representing top tier literary talent. Given the amount of competition to get read and the number of scripts that probably get submitted to Benderspink, I'm beginning to doubt that Cody was simply cajoled into writing a script.

Juno is what one might call "execution dependent", meaning that it relies on character development as opposed to high concept. Coupled with the other movies Benderspink produced, Juno is not the type of movie that Benderspink is keen to sell. The key? Candy Girl was a ruse to sell the writer, Diablo Cody, in order to get her scripts sold.

Two things I'm willing to believe, though, are that Diablo was discovered through her blog, and that she spent some time stripping.

If it indeed is a ruse, I'm a little disappointed, having liked her book, but I don't feel cheated. Actually, I think it's a really clever way to market a screenwriter, and I wish I had encountered someone like Novick when I was writing specs. Perhaps if I had worked more at my first one, I might have. But as I've said, I'd be writing a very different blog today...

$4000 / $5 Donations = 800 People

2007-12-05T22:57:00.000-05:00

I'm cross posting this from the updates page from granterinswish.com, but whatever:

The bad news? I've jacked the trip price to $4000. The good news? I've got a plan to raise the money.

Here's the plan: If I can get $5.00 from each and every one of you, I will be able to meet my goal of raising $4K by March 5th.

$4000 / $5 Donations = 800 People

Hypothetically speaking, I've already recieved donations from 11 people, so I have 789 people left to go.

Outta My System

2007-12-03T23:24:00.000-05:00

Before I discovered Mumblecore or even made a documentary, I wrote three spec scripts. The quality of these scripts varied, I suppose. Obviously, I didn't sell them, or otherwise, you'd be reading a very different blog right now.

By the time I had finished up the last script, I'd grown discouraged and frustrated. Joining a screenwriting group who kept saying "No, you can't do it this way because they don't like that" didn't help matters. I felt like that this was my major creative outlet, and I was being deprived of being able to do it the way I wanted to. Besides, who are they, anyway?

This past Friday Night, something happened. I was working the register when I decided it was time to confront some of these old demons. The next day, I wrote a scene for a movie, just to let the whole thing play out. I was too embarassed to finish it, but I got the whole thing out of my system. Whether or not it will find its way into an actual movie remains to be seen.

Now that I got this out of my system, what am I going to write?

Stockpiling (Pun Intended)

2007-12-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

Well, we've had some pretty crazy weather for the last 48 hours, so I've been shut in. I have today off, so I spent it working on the bylaws for my MFP. Once I'm done with the bylaws, I plan on drawing up a plan and a budget. Then I'll seek out a pro bono lawyer on Craigslist who will take a place on my board of directors as well.

This morning, I ordered two HD MiniDV tapes from Edgewise Media. I also spent a good chunk of the day looking at Pro8mm's website and their different types of film stock. I know it seems kinda moot in the digital era, but I'm very fascinated with Super 8. I'm seriously thinking about shooting a short with it once the organization is finalized. With film stock, however, I know I'm going to want to write a more elaborate script.

As for the MiniDV HD tapes, I'm going to start working on my documentary on the SXSW trip once I recieve them. I can't wait.

Finally, Joe Swanberg had some nice things (okay, an understatement) to say about my Mumblecore Video on SpoutBlog in an interview with Karina Longworth. But I've already elaborated on that here.

The Cool Inclusive Club

2007-11-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

So I've decided to make a movie about Mumblecore during my trip to SXSW. Most of the budget is already there (the trip, of course), but it does mean I'll have to add on another $500 or so. I think that doing this will actually give me a focal point for the trip, and help me warm up for my first narrative feature.

I was looking at Mopac Media's website. On top of camera rentals, they also offer the service of helping you crew.

And I already have a title, too: The Cool Inclusive Club (go rent Mutual Appreciation to figure out the reference). A website should be up soon.

Erin: Not For Sale

2007-11-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

How was my Thanksgiving? Well, I travelled with my family down to Bucks County, PA, where we met up with my brother-in-law's family and had dinner. I took the following two days off from work, and was really upset when I had to go back. It was almost like returning from New York--"I've had this sweet vacation, and now I have to go back to this???

During my vacation, I read a book, How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation. I'm seriously thinking of incorporating myself as a not-for-profit organization. Nonprofit organizations are the ones who get the huge grants, and having a lot of money is what I need right now. Part of the organization's salary would cover my salary and benefits, so I wouldn't have to work or go looking for a job.

This morning, I called Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and asked to see how I can get a free lawyer. Once everything was incorporated, that lawyer would be on my board of directors, offering legal advice.

As it turns out, they actually offer a seminar that can help you put a nonprofit together. The next one is December 10th, but I can't go, because a.) It's in New York and b.) I have a driving lesson that day. The seminar also costs $425. $425 might sound like a lot, but considering all the profits I could incur at a later point, doesn't really sound too bad. The only problem is, $425 can put a serious dent in my bank account. While I have more than that in there, I've already paid some serious credit card bills this month. Maybe I can get some web design jobs to cover that expense. Hopefully, I'll have the money for it by the next time they offer a seminar.

In other news, I just got a MySpace message from BlueCat that Gordy Hoffman is offering another seminar next weekend in Rochester. I'd go to that too, if there was only more time to write some material.

All is not as it seems

2007-11-14T13:12:00.001-05:00

Have you ever pursued an idea, a dream, or a vision for several years, only when you tried to make it a reality it didn't seem as great as you imagined?

For few years now, I've had this idea that I've bounced around in my head that centered around two things: indie rock and twentysomething life in a college town. (Think Cornell University's Fanclub Collective). I did plenty of interviews and talked to plenty of people while I lived in Ithaca, and of course, I drew from my own memories.

Monday afternoon, I began to have visions and jotted down a list of scenes. But something was amiss. First, I felt like the idea was too reminiscent of Funny Ha Ha and Susan Seidelman's first film, Smithereens. A few years ago, had I realized this avenue was open to me, this would've been a perfect project to pursue. Now? Not so much.

I'll be honest and say that I do want to be accepted as a filmmaker, not just a mumblecore fangirl. In order to do this, I'm really going to have to do something that separates myself from them.

A-ha Moment #1

2007-11-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Last night, I found myself wallowing in a flurry of...well, worry. I was thinking, "What if the people are sooo over mumblecore and these DIY filmmakers by the time my movie hits the festival circuit?" Then I realized: If you're worried about that, then you've already forgotten why you want to make this movie in the first place.

And then I realized something else. From a more careerist angle, once this movie is done, I will have had a script produced. Something that my 20 year old self woul've loved to hear. Until I thought about that last night, I never looked at it that way.

No more pressure.

2007-11-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

Last night, I met up with Brian, The Film Panel Notetaker last night. We talked Mumblecore (and, in particular, Amy Taubin's evisceration of it), Film Festivals, and my attempt to get down to SXSW, among other things.

He told me that the script for Hannah Takes the Stairs was only a page and a half long. That takes off soooo much pressure.

granterinswish.com NOW OPEN!

2007-11-04T23:25:00.000-05:00

GrantErinsWish.com is now officially up and running. This is the fundraising campaign that will get me to SXSW. My campaign also has a MySpace page as well. While I will blog here intermittently, I will be tending to this for the next several weeks (and possibly months), as well as passing my driver's test.

I will resume blogging here full-time when my movie project goes into full force.

Happy Birthday Eddie Kaye Thomas!

2007-10-31T11:36:00.000-04:00

Well, I think I'm ready to start working toward a movie. It would be stupid to do this whole trip, and have nothing to show for it. I'm not talking about wishful thinking; I'm starting to feel a movie.

Oh, and Happy Birthday to Eddie Kaye Thomas! I maintained a fansite for Eddie for four years--until I lost interest and felt it was more important to tend to my own career. He turns 27 today. Yay Eddie!

On A Mission

2007-10-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I read Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own. So good, it made me want to go out and write my own feminist book. But that will be another time. At the very least, I was inspired enough to try and dig up my copy of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, which I started my senior year of college but never finished.

In more relevant news, my plan to get money to go down to SXSW is almost done, and should be ready within the next 48 hours. I just have to fix a few things and make a short intro video, and it should be up in no time.

Living Like A Genius

2007-10-22T17:48:00.000-04:00

Today I had another "what am I doing?" moment, and I'm not talking about the book. I was preparing to do a video on Britney Spears, and what "she really wants"...attention.

Then I realized something. Is this really going to add to my career at all? It's not like I revise the text or rehearse it. I'm not sure what the point to doing a video like that is, other than expressing myself.

This is on top of another ephiphany I had last night. I decided that I NEED TO START LIVING LIKE A GENIUS. I'm talking about when I was in college, positively deluded that one day, I would be regarded as a great artist. I'm ready to start living the life I wanted back then, albeit with more responsibility.

Earlier this year, I read a book called Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. In the book, the author encouraged you to write a detailed plan as to how you will achieve your wealth and success. For most of today, I have been working on a new plan. I will continue to work on it tonight.

I ended up posting my sentiments on Britney in a Velvet Rope thread (click here and scroll down to "Miss Modular").

What Am I DOING?!?!

2007-10-17T15:20:00.000-04:00

Last night, I made a video. As you know, for the past several months, I've been working on a book that critiques screenwriting books. Well, I shot it, edited it, and uploaded the result to YouTube:

Before I went to bed, something occurred to me. "Of all the things I could write about, and I'm writing about THIS. Compared to other matters, this seems so trivial. It's not about there having a limited audience for this sort of book. It doesn't seem quite as important to me as it did even a month ago. Besides, do I really want to be known for writing a book about screenwriting? As they say, "It's always the first book that defines you."

Maybe an essay will suffice.

ahhhhh....

2007-10-15T12:41:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm starting to have visions about a movie, and I haven't even had to force myself to have them. It occurred to me last night not to worry about the "real" details--money, where I'm going to shoot it, even what format I'm going to shoot it on. Just write the script, and everything else will come to me on its own.

I'm thinking about getting a grant for equipment, though. There's a lot that I'd like to buy, but I need the money. Maybe the grant will help me buy it.

Fried My Little Brains

2007-10-15T00:39:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when I think I'm done with this book, I'm not. I spent last week reading Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434. Previously, I read the two books I took out on Interlibrary Loan. Over the weekend, I read two editions of the book that got me fired up about writing a book like this in the first place: Syd Field's Screenplay.

What bothered me about Field's book is his calvinist implication that all movies have three acts. Aristotle never said that drama had three acts; what he did say was that all dramas had a beginning, middle and an end. What Mr. Field is saying is entirely obvious, and worse, there are other gurus who takes it seriously! Another thing that struck me about the book is how quaint it actually is--the ideas are too basic, and compared to other manuals, not very thorough.

I've taken out a few more books on interlibrary loan--the remainder I had on my list. Then I'll let the books simmer for awhile, and take it from there.

Right now, what I'd really like to do is to get writing. Last night (Saturday into Sunday), I was googling information on Alison Mosshart, singer from The Kills, and I found this:

"The Kills are very little like Mr. Airplane Man, The Black Keys, or Modey Lemon, either. Those bands want to pay tribute to their record collections. The Kills are about right now, this moment.

I feel weird about saying this, but I find that quote very inspiring, and I think it defines the band's music completely. I want to keep this in mind as I write the movie. There's a Patti Smith quote in an Edie Sedgwick bio I read awhile ago, and it's very similar to the quote above.

Bedtime.

Jimmie Fidler's Personality Parade

2007-10-14T14:39:00.000-04:00

Friday I was really compelled to upload this movie. I'm usually not into uploading this type of stuff (mainly out of fear of having it pulled due to copyright issues), but something told me I had to upload this video.

My favorite part of TCM (aside from commercial-free showings of old movies) is the old news reels and promo films they show between movies. The title of this movie is Jimmie Fidler's Personality Parade. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I had never heard of half these people (or Jimmie Fidler, for that matter) were until I saw this movie. Most of the stars that are profiled go back to the Silent Era, however at the end, Fidler pays tribute to Jean Harlow, who at that time had just recently passed away.

I think you will find this video intruiging. It runs about 20 minutes or so, but I broke it up into three parts.

Making a K-Turn

2007-10-09T20:47:00.000-04:00

Tonight I tried to get started on writing the short script I thought I was going to write. I just couldn't find a point and couldn't get past a couple of lines.

Instead, I came up with an idea that I found much easier to execute and should be relatively easy to coordinate and shoot. I will work on it more in detail tomorrow.

Oh, and in driving class today, I managed to pull off a K-Turn. It was no where near as difficult as I remember it being before.

RIP Uncle Jim

2007-10-07T00:26:00.000-04:00

I've been having trouble coming up with ideas for my short film, beyond what I said in the preceding post. Since the five hour course I was supposed to take on Monday was cancelled (I'll be taking it on Saturday instead), I'm going to take the time and watch the Funny Ha Ha DVD that I own for inspiration.

Remember that critique of screenwriting books I was working on? I've decided to write a screenwriting book that evaluates European Films. I will still be able to incorporate the research I've done, but it will be more constructive. I've seen plenty of European films already, so that part is taken care of. I think its an idea whose time has come.

In the meantime, I plan on making some new YouTube videos. I really lost interest in it for awhile, but now I have some fresh ideas.

On a personal note, my Uncle Jim passed away. I hadn't seen him since he moved to Arizona several years ago, but when I was a kid, we used to go up every Christmas to his house in Rochester. He and his wife, my Aunt Pat, took care of my Uncle David when my maternal grandparents died. His daughter Mary is my sister's godmother. I will miss him.

I Make Short Shorts

2007-10-05T09:15:00.000-04:00

I've decided to make a short film to get acquinted with the process of narrative filmmaking. I have an idea of where I want to set it, shoot it, and how long it's going to be. I still have to figure out what I want to write, however. Hopefully I'll be shooting it within the next six weeks.

Right now, I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to read another book, or try to figure out what I want the movie to be about, and/or write it.

The Seminar Weekend, Part Two: Sunday

2007-10-02T20:21:00.000-04:00

I got to the seminar at 10 of 8, and Gordy Hoffman showed up about 10 or 15 minutes later. Gordy has longish hair, and sort of looks like a burlier version of the guy who played the guidance counselor on Freaks and Geeks.

Basically, the day was spent reading and critiquing each others' scripts. When it came time to critique mine, I admit It was a little hard for me to articulate what it was about. It didn't occur to me to tell them that I brought it because I didn't have anything else to present. He asked me where I wanted to go with it. I hardly remember what I said. I'm not sure if I really want to continue with it, because as Gordy pointed out, the script was written as a means to express myself. Someone said it reminded them of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, another said Dr. Strangelove, Gordy said The Graduate.

During lunch break, someone asked Gordy what it was like to have a famous brother.

"I don't really look at him that way," He replied.

One thing about Gordy that I find an asset is that
he critiques from the point of view of a writer. I find that most script coaches/analysts write and work from the point of view of a story editor, and I find that many of these people berate the aspiring writer, whether they intend to or not. Rather than say, "Don't put that in there because the cinematographer wouldn't like that," he would say, "That detail isn't necessary. Delete it, and then you have more room for your movie." (Okay, he didn't say that exactly, but that's the crux of what he said.) As a writer, that makes more sense to me.

All in all, it was time well spent. Perhaps I'll sign up for another course when I actually do have new material.

I think the one thing I took away from the seminar is that I want to write screenplays, but I need to take things one step at a time. If I do write another spec, I'll pick a subject or story that I won't mind still working on in a couple of years.

The Seminar Weekend, Part One: Saturday

2007-10-02T20:08:00.000-04:00

Saturday, I went up to my sister's house, since the seminar started at 8 O'Clock in the morning. I stopped off at the Apple Store in Victor, and saw this:

Slick is a software program that provides add-ons for IMovie. Some of the effects include psychedelic solarization, fake ratings screens, and documentary pans & zooms.

My mom, sister, and I met up with my brother for lunch, who recently got a job in Rochester, and was looking for an apartment. On our way to my sister's house, we stopped by at the apartment complex where my brother eventually put a down payment on an apartment. My brother's car was parked at the front office, and we thought that was funny.

Bill, my brother-in-law, my sister, and myself went out to dinner, then I watched the season premiere of SNL with LeBron James. The Mahmoud Ahmadinejad song with Andy Samberg and Jake Gyllenhaal was pretty funny, as was the High School Musical 3 sketch. Also, nice to see they brought back The Ambiguously Gay Duo for the sake of making fun of Senator Craig.

Reading For Pleasure

2007-09-28T19:56:00.000-04:00

I need to start reading more for pleasure. It makes me more creative. It's been incredibly long time since I've anything out of genuine curiousity, as opposed to research or trying to learn a new skill. Well, actually, I have read stuff for pleasure the past couple of years, I'm just able to enjoy it now.

Right now I'm working on reading two books: Virginia Woolf's The Waves and Alanna Nash's Golden Girl, a biography of Jessica Savitch. The former is an austere inner monologue (or monologues) about a group of friends, the latter a biography of Jessica Savitch. I became interested in reading Golden Girl after someone linked to the following video at this board:

Some other things I would like to read:

The New Science, Giambattista Vico: I bought this book after Christmas 2004, and have already attempted to read it twice. Now that I think I have enough background, I'm ready to read it, or at least I am gravitating toward it.

Metamorphoses, Ovid: Here's another one I've been "In the mood for". Having dug deep enough into mythology, I'm very interested in learning more about the more surrealist aspects of mythology, which is harder to get from more general books.

Aeneid, Virgil: I'm still on a Greek kick. Other than that, I'm not really sure why I want to read this one.

Tomorrow I'll be going up to my sister's to attend the Gordy Hoffman seminar on Sunday. The last time I dealt with my screenwriting with other people, it burned me, and at that time, I almost lost interest. I felt like the people involved in the group were more interested in the career aspects of screenwriting, which at that time wasn't my thing--and still isn't. I can understand proper format, like to make sure that you put the directions and dialogue in the right spots, but who really cares if they put "we go back to..." instead of "BACK TO SCENE"? I'll keep an open mind, though.

Nothing's right, I'm torn!

2007-09-23T11:45:00.000-04:00

At the end of last week, I placed interlibrary loans on two books as part of my book project. Yesterday, I copied a bunch of articles at the Warren Hunting Smith Library, mainly because my dad was escorting me around and I had time to kill.

Last night, I was looking at two books on narratology, thinking that their ideas can help me out for my book. But at this point, I'm torn. On one hand, I'd like to read these books, for the reasons I mentioned previously. At the same time, I'm starting to feel like I'm carrying around dead weight--that to read these books would be a regressive act, at least for the time being.

I spent the last couple of days reading Joe Eszterhas' book, The Devil's Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God!, and after reading his book, coupled with the upcoming Gordy Hoffman seminar I'll be attending, I really just want to get writing.

In other news, I've been driving to work. I feel comfortable with it.

Drive to solve all your problems. Or something.

2007-09-19T17:59:00.000-04:00

Before my first driving lesson yesterday, I went to the Warren Hunting Smith Library at Hobart & William Smith College. I printed out a list of academic criticisms (the kind you cite in graduate papers) for my book project.

There was no ephiphany. I have decided to wait until the time is right to continue with the research for the book. At this point, I'm confident that I'm going to finish the book eventually, but right now, the research might be more than I can handle. With that being said, I will be going back tomorrow to print out more articles, and I plan on reading the books I have already checked out. Then I will copy all the important information, then return the books and put my notes and copies away.

I'm a little frustrated right now. I'm sure I'm heading in a direction I want to head in, I just don't know if it's going to pay, that's all. I know that once I have my license, I am not going to stay with my parents. Besides, I don't like my job--it's distressing. While I'm not fatalistic about my options, I'm very frustrated about not being able to find a solution.

I asked Dad if I can drive to the library tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be doing that. I need to get comfortable with the idea of driving, and I need to learn how to incorporate it into my life. And maybe then I can reach a decision about the source of my income?

Just Breathe...and Drive

2007-09-18T22:04:00.000-04:00

Today was my first driving lesson. I was very nervous when I got behind the wheel, but as the lesson progressed, I felt better. I just need to remember everything, that's all.

Now that I'm finally working on my driver's license, maybe It's time to set certain things aside. That's not a bad thing, just that those things might need more attention than I can give to it right now.

Earlier tonight, I saw a collection of films by Maya Deren, and I have to say that this is the first DVD I saw since I've started this blog that really got me thinking about what I want to create. Two of those movies in particular: Meshes of the Afternoon and At Land. The latter has some incredible, breathtaking locations shot on Long Island. The opening scene reminded me of the opening scene of something I've seen before. Hmm...

I have a lot to think about right now.

Love, Liza

2007-09-17T14:15:00.000-04:00

When I was a junior in college (Eell, actually I was a third semester Sophomore--it was the fall semester, I was six credits behind.), I took a one credit weekend course whose main draw was cave paintings. The gentleman was Clayton Eshleman, an autodidact who'd spent seven years translating Cesar Vallejo and another 17 decoding hieroglyphics in caves in the south of France. Anyway, the assignment to complete the course was to saturate ourselves in something for four weeks. Knee deep in Camille Paglia's Sexual Personae, I chose "decadence", examining the poetry of Rimbaud, Swinburne, and the works of the Marquis de Sade and Oscar Wilde.

I had been doing this type of thing for years (mostly with movie stars), but taking a course put a definition on that idea for me, and taught me how to saturate myself in a more constructive manner than I already had been doing. I still think about that course everytime I'm immerse myself in something new, which, for the first time in a couple of years, I've been able to do.

Remember when I said that I couldn't spend much more time trying to find stuff to back up my book with? Well, I was part right. However, I've read two books pertaining to the subject matter I've been investigating about in the past week--John Boardman's The Oxford History of Greece & the Hellenistic World, and Carl Jung's Four Archetypes, which I got for $5 at the Strand. So what I'm saying here is that it's okay to immerse myself in projects, but it doesn't need to be my whole life. I need to think about other things, too.

In other news, hopefully I'll be taking a screeenwriting workshop with Gordy Hoffman (Philip's brother) in Rochester September 30th. Because I was paying PayPal, I had to transfer the registry fee into my savings account--otherwise it would've overdrawn. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and hopefully everything will be okay. If it all pans out, I'll be workshopping The United States of Love.

Books: All Fact, No Heart

2007-09-14T09:02:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went to Cornell's Olin Library, to look up some info on Plato and Alan Watts. Aside from getting a few of Watts' reviews from The New Republic, the whole thing was a bust. I had a limited amount of time to look stuff up and copy it, then I pulled out the microfiche for the articles, only to realize I only had half of what I needed.

On my way back, I thought, "What am I doing?" I'm not sure if spending hours in a library doing research even on a subject I find worthwhile is something I want to be doing right now. I want to get out and go somewhere, and I'm not talking about going to a bar or going to see a movie. I want to get away, go somewhere alone.

The Rest of It

2007-09-11T13:50:00.001-04:00

How did my show go?

One person showed up. Fortunately, that one person was The Film Panel Notetaker, who does a good job of explaining the show so I don't have to.

Friday and Saturday, I hung out with my friend, Frank. We were supposed to go see Dandi Wind at Studio B. They cancelled out right before the show, so I got my money back. Frank was disappointed, since he'd seen the band before and had been all dressed up for the occasion.

The next afternoon, I met up with Frank and his girlfriend, and we hung out at Coney Island, since it's going to be "renovated" (re: gentrified). I shot plenty of video, so I preserve it while I still could. (I also shot some footage Labor Day.) Then we got on the F train, eventually parted ways, and I went back to my apartment and started packing.

I finished packing, then went into midtown Manhattan for the last time just to walk around. I left the apartment @ 9:20am. It was a pig to lug all my luggage around, but other than that, my ride back went okay.

I wouldn't mind moving down there, but I'm not sure if I'd want to be in that neighborhood in particular. It's not a bad neighborhood necessarily, but what given what you're paying for rent, I don't know if it's necessarily worth it. Maybe Fort Green? Mott Haven? Sunset Park? Harlem???

Finally, I made some videos, and I'm hoping to get one or two of them uploaded soon.

I HAVE THE CAMERA!!!

2007-09-03T23:13:00.000-04:00

Today I stopped off at B&H Photo & Video and saw the camera that I am going to shoot my movie on.

The Canon XH G1 HD is so rich and clear with lots of details. The guy was showing me all the frills, telling me how well it works at night, and showed me the night vision part of it.

I'll be heading back in that direction tomorrow, so I plan on stopping by again, and ask a few more questions. There's only one problem: the camera costs $6K. I suppose there has to be some place where I can rent it from.

Happy Birthday Dave & Joe Swanberg! Yay1!!

2007-09-02T23:21:00.000-04:00

My trip to NYC so far has been okay. I've been down to New York many times in the last decade, but this is the first time I've had a chance to experience what it feels like to be a New Yorker--conversations with random people, jumping on trains without a second thought, and so on.

After I arrived at my apartment Friday afternoon, I took a nap, then went over to Greenwich Village, bought the movie tickets, ate a pizza, then headed back over to the IFC Center.

The first movie I saw was Aaron Katz's Quiet City, which was really good. An awkwardly adorable slice-of-life piece set in New York. A girl comes up to visit her friend, whom she can't get ahold of. She meets up with this guy and ends up spending time with him.

After the screening, Aaron Katz, the cast, and crew answered questions about the movie. When that was over, I came to the front, gave him a copy of Are You From Bingo?, and told him what an inspiration he, Joe Swanberg, and Andrew Bujalski are. I told him that I hoped that we would meet again. He said the same.

The next movie I saw was Hannah Takes the Stairs. That movie was AWESOME, but before that, I saw the movie's director, Joe Swanberg, outside, talking on his cell phone. I would've gone down and given him a copy of my movie as well, but he left before I had a chance to get him.

Anyway, as I said, Hannah was RAD. Greta Gerwig plays the title character, and we see her going through relationships with three men. The movie seamlessly transitions from one relationship to the other. If this movie comes out to your neighborhood, run out and see it! If not, put it at the top of your Netflix Queue.

I'm really tired. I would like to take the opportunity to say "Happy Belated Birthday" to Mr. Swanberg. He recently married his longtime collaborator (and frequent co-star), Kris Williams. Below I have linked to his wedding video, along with Hissy Fits a short film of his that I uploaded.

Finally, I'd like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend Dave. He also turns 26 today (it's after midnight as I write this), so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!! You, Mr. Indie Rock, you! Yippee!!

Erin Takes the Shortline

2007-08-30T17:36:00.000-04:00

So I'm off to NYC tomorrow. I'm nearly all packed (except for the stuff that I have to wear/use tonight, like my pajamas and my toothbrush. I'll be going off to work in just over a half an hour.

Hannah Takes The Stairs was only supposed to play at the IFC Center through Wednesday, but they held it over for the next few days. They are showing it tomorrow night @ 10:05. I'm hoping to go to see it along with Quiet City, which will hopefully have director Aaron Katz on hand.

I'm so giddy. I feel like I used to feel like the days before I went down to New York in college. TCM is on, and I soooo wish they were playing some cheesy '60s movie (the type they used to play on nights like this). The Buster Keaton marathon they have on right now is doing just fine for me, though.

I'm bringing my laptop down, so hopefully I'll have a chance to blog while I'm down there. I'm opening up the comments section indefinitely.

I HATE My Job

2007-08-25T15:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I realized I'd had it. I don't want to work in customer service anymore. I was daydreaming about writing a paper on a "little things" aesthetic. That began the persistent thought that it was time for me to go back to school. Maybe all this research I have doing about Aristotle, Plato, and Mythology is a subtle way of telling me that it's time to start seriously thinking about finding a profession I like. Or something.

I'm hoping I'll find a clear and more defined answer when I go down to the city at the end of the week. Also, I want to get my driving finalized before I go down there, so maybe that will help, too. All I know is that I can't dismiss my feelings about my job anymore.

I am Not a Consumer

2007-08-18T16:22:00.000-04:00

"An art form is the manifestation of a huge preference for one mode of experience. Asked what kind of music he liked, Mozart said: 'No music. Artists are not consumers."
- Marshall McLuhan,
Counterblast, 1969.

Since I first got Netflix almost five years ago, I've had all the movies that I want at my disposal. I still have my subscription, but I'm starting to feel like their are other things I can be doing besides re-arranging my queue and watching movies at night to make sure I can get them back so I can get another one. I guess now I'm ready to create rather than consume, per the McLuhan quote above.

Speaking of needing "other things to do", I'm still trying to get my driving lessons set up. My representative's supervisor still hasn't approved my voucher yet, and it been nearly two weeks. I've never dealt with a state agency that is so awful in doing things in a timely fashion. I'd really like to get this set up, because I'd like to start working on the rest of my plan. I'm also hoping that my trip to New York in a couple of weeks will help me figure out those plans as well.

Earlier today, I was up at my sister's house. She's a music teacher, and she was showing me how George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization works. I've been trying to find some new ways to approach writing for myself, and being a jazz fan, I was hoping that his improvisational approach could provide me with some clues on how to...well, I don't know.

But I had an epiphany. All this reading of books and copying of articles have been a way to figure out what methods work for me, rather than the "one size fits all" that's in most screenwriting books. Perhaps I don't need to write a book critiquing other people's methods! What I need to be doing is devising a viable method for myself! However, as I have said previously, my efforts will provide me with a background with which to explain my methods.

Finally, I watched High School Musical 2 last night. Not too bad, but I think I would've liked it more without all the commercial breaks. Seriously. It was like ten minutes of movie followed by twelve minutes of commercials and buffers featuring the cast at their director's house. Couldn't they wait until afterward to show what happened behind the scenes.

Where's Serge?

2007-08-16T22:42:00.000-04:00

I've to put myself on a fast from reading books, because I have to get this show finished. I have a lot of books on loan from the library, and ones that I ordered from Amazon.com that I haven't read yet. It sucks, because I want to get them read, but I also have to have my priorities.

Today was my last visit to the Warren Hunting Smith Library. I haven't been banned or anything, but the students are coming back, and I'm not going to have the same peace and quiet I've had most of the summer. I may go back now and again, but I won't be going on a regular basis, as I have for the past two and a half months. Besides, I think I've taken care of what I've needed to take care of.

Tomorrow night is the premiere of High School Musical 2, and I'm trying to find my Serge Gainsbourg CD. I have the cover, where is it? I am going through serious withdrawal right now...

Now I Have It

2007-08-15T22:47:00.000-04:00

Last night at work, for reasons I don't know, I began listing the items I will need to include in the budget for my movie. Actually, earlier in the day, I was reading this article, and in particular, the sidebar by Joe Swanberg. It cost him only $2K to do Kissing on the Mouth, minus the transfer to DigiBeta (and a few other expenses).

When I made Are You From Bingo?, I tried to keep those other expenses in mind--namely, the festival submission fees. Of course, it didn't get into any festivals at that time. But whatever. Here's the list of things I came up with:

This budget is not final. I'm sure I'll think of other things as I go along. I don't even have a script yet, but I do have ideas...

In other news, I watched Inland Empire tonight. I fell asleep about a 1/2 hour or so into the movie, but up until then, it was good. At nearly three hours, I thought it dragged on. I can understand firsthand not wanting to be comprimising, but this movie should have been split into two parts, a la Kill Bill. I liked the closing credits, which had the cast dancing to Nina Simone's "Sinner Man". That was awesome.

Erin takes the Greyhound

2007-08-13T12:38:00.000-04:00

I apologize for not blogging the past couple of weeks. I've been working on my show--and working out. In addition, I've also been copying and reading like crazy.

For weeks, I've had plans to work on something--what, I'm not so sure, but that it would criticize some aspect of the movie business. For awhile, I was thinking screenwriting gurus. Now, I'm not quite sure. Whatever it was that I was going to write, I'm not ready to write it. It would take time, energy, stability, and knowledge that I do not yet have. Besides, when it comes time for me to make my movie, I'll be able to structure it anyway I want to. I'll be in charge of the material, not some producer or studio head. Or another director.

One thing I may still have in the pipeline is an essay on mumblecore. My goal for the essay is to take the works of Bujalski, Swanberg, Katz, Duplass, Russo-Young et al and contrast it with how the rest of the movie world works. Right now, I have some quotes that illustrate "the other side" of the equation. I still have yet to see a few of those movies, and I still need to get all the interviews with the directors in one spot. However, unlike the project I was mentioning in the previous paragraph, I do think that writing this essay is a goal within reach. The big question is...where will it be published?

Speaking of "mumblecore", I discovered that Hannah Takes the Stairs is opening at the IFC Center in New York on August 22. I really hope it's still playing by the time I arrive August 31. Here is the trailer for the movie:

Dancing With Myself

2007-07-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

My living room computer has been acting funny the past few days, so I haven't really been online.

Earlier this morning, a certain reality hit me. The next time I write a script, It'll be the first time I'll be writing for myself. Until now, I've been writing to answer to others. This time, I'll only be answering to myself. The idea is both empowering and awkward at the same time.

With that being said, I still don't have a clue as to what I'm going to do; hopefully something I can handle. (Well, duh.)

OMG, I'm Famous Now! (Sorta)

2007-07-26T15:41:00.000-04:00

Well, I've had my first major links from other blogs from some videos I've done:

HOWL (for Lindsay Lohan) has been linked at Defamer, Matt Dentler's Blog, and The Spout.

How Mumblecore Saved My Life was blogged over at Matt Dentler's Blog and LOL co-writer and star C. Mason Wells' privately set MySpace page.

I must say that all this attention is very flattering and overwhelming. It's important for me not to get too distracted by this sudden attention. That's why I'm going to reward myself by taking some time off and getting some cleaning done. I seriously need to finish up cleaning my room.

Finally:

Why?

2007-07-24T21:01:00.000-04:00

For the last week and a half now, I've been digging up academic journal articles, and copying book excerpts that primarily deal with Joseph Campbell and Aristotle's Poetics in preparation to write a book (or something) that criticizes screenwriting books and their dogmatic views on storytelling. Earlier tonight, I believe I was thinking about digging out more articles at the libraries at Cornell, when I had to stop and think.

WHY AM I DOING THIS?!?!?? It's not that pursuing such a project would be futile (though it might be). My question was more like, "Do I really care enough to do this?" Undertaking a book length criticism requires a lot of energy, and I might be better off channeling that energy in more constructive ways. I don't even have a proper thesis! Why do I want to do this, and why do I care?

Erin's Wish List, Installment #1

2007-07-23T23:51:00.000-04:00

I have decided that I'm going to post a list of things of stuff I want, plus pictures to accompany them. To be kind of honest, I'm not really worried about my movie right now, but it takes awhile for these types of things to come to pass.

Never underestimate the importance of a good boompole. At the moment, I have a table top mic stand that I bought for $10 at Radio Shack. I already have to superglue the mic holder back on. It does an adequate job of holding the microphone, but if I'm going to take on more serious projects, I want more serious equipment.

Canon XL-2 Camera. I have been seriously considering videography as a new profession. However, if I'm going to do that, I know I want to upgrade my camera. My current camera is wonderful, but not quite pro. The fun thing about the XL2 is that it has HD and 24P options--what I'm aiming for. Unfortunately, it also retails at $4k, so either I'll have to rent one if I want to use it, or I'll have to get really, really lucky.

I know I can definitely use a palmtop recorder. I'd love to have an audio recorder that has crystal clear sound, and it will save a lot of money when it comes time to do voice overs. At $150, it's not a bad price.

The final item on my wish list isn't really so much for me as it is for the people who will score my next movie. I really love the vintage moog sound, and I have heard this program, the Arturia MiniMoog V, comes closer to replicating that sound than the one they currently have on the market.

I can't wait to get my hands on these items.

I keep a diary.

2007-07-19T23:04:00.001-04:00

My birthday went well. I went to Ithaca, got a lot of stuff done, and recieved some very good news.

I like to keep a diary. I have a notebook. It is a composition bound notebook with an op-art design. The notebook began as a way to chronicle my current projects, but now I just jot down things I see and ideas I have.

For example. Last night, I watched Cameron Crowe's Singles, which I rented from Netflix. The movie, though a linear narrative, was divided up into parts, which were defined by titles. The titles had grungy white lettering juxtaposed against a random photograph--very post-modern, early '90s grunge.

A couple of weeks ago, I watched Metropolis. There were a few frames with a lot of eyes put together. That was something I found interesting, and perhaps if I find a need for it, I'll put it to use. Or maybe I should originate my own interesting images.

Important Recent Videos

2007-07-18T21:10:00.000-04:00

For the last couple of months, I've been vlogging while I've been waiting to figure out what my new blog is going to be about. Here are some videos I want you to look at.

This is the video resume I posted to see if anyone would hire me as a PA. I haven't had any offers yet, but I'm still accepting them. At some point, I'll start making cold calls and sending out resumes.

In this video I define my plan for the next movie I plan on making--the method I plan on using and anything else I have in mind so far. My plans for my next movie are subject to change at any time.

Here I reflect on the last year of my life, and where I plan to go in the future. It's not as good as I thought it would be, but I wanted it done in time for my birthday tomorrow.

Good To Be Back...again.

2007-07-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

Around the end of April, I began to get the feeling that I wasn't going to be in my current situation for too much longer. I had just taken a trip back to my alma mater, and I began to feel a certain freedom I haven't felt in a long time. I felt that soon I'd be moving into a new phase in my life.

This blog will be devoted to that transition and some of the current projects I'm working on. The title of this blog is the tenative title of my next movie, but currently the movie idea is just a hub to house the stuff I'm talking about.

A new movie.. I don't know when I'll be shooting this or where I'll be shooting this, but I do know that this time, I want to make a narrative film. To know what kind of movie I want to make this time around, check out the "Similar Movies, Similar Directors" section of my blogroll.

My new Job. I've decided to start hunting for work as a PA (Production Assistant). Being a production assistant is in and of itself shitty work, but the job is a good opportunity to see what goes on when "big" movies are made.

Gadgets I want, and own. Lately, I've become a real sucker for film-related gadgets, and have even gone through the process of acquiring a few things on eBay. I would like to acquire more in the near future. On this blog, I plan on posting pictures of things I want to acquire and things I have acquired.

My book. I know what kind of book I want to write, but to say too much about it right now might spoil it.

Previously, I have used blogs as a means to document the process I am going through in hopes that I can publish a book that I hope would inspire others. It was a dream I had ever since I read Robert Rodriguez's Rebel Without A Crew at the end of ninth grade. But now, I'm kind of beyond that. Right now I am just happy to write stuff down.