NOTES FROM A FILMMAKER

Shift gears and slow it down.

2012-02-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

Mood: Mentally Spongy

Every step so far has left me with more work and many more questions. Today's step has brought clarity of thought.
I bring the latest copy of the movie over to Melvin's. We start going over the music and Melvin gets quiet. Now if you know anything about him you know he is never quiet. He asks me why I am thinking of so many different musical themes. We realize from coming out of editing and doing special FX I see the film as many segments. That doesn't work for the score. The music has to bring to images together as one. Not further fracture the film. So at this point I say "Take everything I said and throw it out. That is if you even took it in". We laugh, smoke a cigar and then he tells me the plan he had before I even showed up. Well the soundtrack is on it's way and this film will be done before the spring has sprung!

Two hours with someone who knows what their doing saves months of problems. I love having a Melvin!

Sometimes you are all you have...

2012-01-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

Mood: Shocked

So, months ago we lost our CGI artist. I then contacted every school and message board I could find that had anything to do with compositing or CGI. Most people responded as if I was crazy. "That's way too much work". A bit of a let down to say the least. I knew I was asking a lot but I also know what I am offering. This film will be scored by a film legend! Who doesn't want to be involved with that. Evidently everyone.

Weeks went by and I was contacted by a woman named Sayma. Then a kid named Geoff. At one point we had four people who expressed interest in doing the CGI. I met with everyone. They were great. Email chains were started. I was excited.

A few days went by and communication broke down. Emails were no longer coming back. Calls didn't help either. I started to look up videos that featured effects that I would like in the movie. After playing around a bit I was about to create the first ghost look.

Soon after, varying them became easy and I was attempting more difficult effects. Eventually...one by one, the effects list became shorter. From 37 scenes needed to 30 and so on. Tonight I write on the cusp of our final effect! I will be combining old school practicals, Lucas type screening with new school technology to finish the visual lock of this film!!!

A 3 month shoot, 5 months of post and about two more of sound, music and score to go. This film may be ready by spring! Wouldn't that be a hoot. Finish in the spring and wait till October to screen it.

Well they are always the festivals.

Help us get in will ya.

http://www.cypherproductions.com/GhostHuntedthemovie.html

View Ghost Hunted Film Festivals 2011-12 in a larger map

Life has a way...

2011-10-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

MOOD: Hopeful

So, ready for post production and BOOM! We lose our CGI guy. Damn CGI. Well as we search for another artist...Wall Street becomes occupied. I'm watching this on the news and realize that what is being reported can not possibly be what is happening. So since I can't finish my movie yet. I started an new one lol. Don't know what we are doing yet but here are some clips

Building and audience for and unfinished movie is a leap of faith...watch out below

2011-09-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Mood: Open

So the Kickstarter campaign lead to this http://www.cypherproductions.com/GhostHuntedthemovie.html
If you can please donate to the film. It would be so helpful for us to take this great film to audiences. Film festivals are expensive but after making a movie it's unreachable for us. It's hard to explain to myself how we will get people to care about this movie before they see it. Some how we will though. Don't know how or who they will be but they are there.
It takes a village to raise a child and what is a film if not a growing child that you hope will reach it's potential?

Falling short never felt so good.

2011-09-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Mood: inspired

Over the last thirty days the film "ghost hunted " has been entered in the kickstarter fundraising program. We set a goal of twelve thousand dollars to pay actors and crew and finish post production. We also included enough to enter all the horror festivals we would need to generate an interest from distributors.
As the final hour, then minutes ticked by the realization that we were only six percent funded was eclipsed by the people who actually donated their hard earned money to help our dreams come to reality. Then I realized that they wanted to share in our dreams not just support them. That was a moment I didn't realize would come from filmmaking. Audience and art makers I got. Audience who become friends I got. Never thought an audience would really help produce a film or fund it's promotion. A realization that we have a core audience of people who cared deeply about our success was worth so much more than the money.

This core can relay why they care about this film. This core can promote because they want to. They are vested. How truly blessed to realize that now. This time round I am launching a private fundraiser on our website that we control. no time limit. No percentage lost. This time we are going to focus on the festivals. Plot them out on a map, with their entry fees and invite the audiences from those areas to help us win. This is the Cypher way and I didn't even know it. Well I forgot it.

In the past we would produce live events that funded Cypher projects. Now we are creating projects and asking an audience to help us fund its future. Amazing that people found it in their hearts to do so.

Thank you all.

"I don't like it..I love it"

2011-08-17T19:21:00.001-07:00

Mood: humbled

So I wake up this morning knowing that I have stalled Melvin too long. I could no longer not let him see "Ghost Hunted". Get to the station ten minutes early but my train didn't come. Then non service trains came. Then I was on a train lol. 20 Minutes late. But not to worry...the train will move 5 miles an hour
Before I am underground my phone rings and I see the picture of an older black man smoking a cigar.
After I whisper my ETA I start staring at the clock. Now I'm sure he will hate the movie lol.
Long and short...he loves it! This man made me feel so good about what we did. I think he's becoming part of the cypher =)

Just wild.

Sent from my Windows Phone

Careful what you wish for :)

2011-08-05T23:12:00.001-07:00

Mood: Determined

A year of casting, rehearsing, searching for funding, recasting, re-rehearsing. Having assistants not having assistants. Now though I am happy to announce...

I have finished shooting "Ghost Hunted"!!! Needless to say I am clean shaven again :)

Now ...I have to turn 2 hours of roughly cut footage back into the 90 minute movie that the 88 page script was supposed to be lol. It's not that we added a lot of scenes. In fact for every line I added I probably cut a scene. It's just that the film is longer to look at than to read. I've been at it for about two weeks now (not including the 3 months of shooting/editing). Tonight the rough is about 1 hour and 38 minutes. Again, not an easy feat.

It hasn't been all work. When I'm not glued to a computer screen I'm on my roof enjoying what's left of the summer, feeding pigeons and..."Urban Gardening"

OK, Back to work. I have to stress that there was NO scene that I didn't like and nothing I cut out because of poor production. Every cut was painful but needed to happen to service the film. I have a simple rule for this one..."Does it continue the story?".

I think I'm doing a good job with this but I need to pull out the big guns.

If I can get a few more cuts done, I'll be ready to give it to Melvin Van Peebles. He has been ready to see this from the first week of shooting, lol. Am I ready for his cuts?

If I am or I am not...I'm doing better than the US congress. Pathetic.

I am soooo ready for you guys to be at another premiere. There's always so much between the end of the shoot and that night. For now I'm enjoying the ride this time. My actress Lauren has a lot to do with that this time. She reminded me I do this to have fun. Sounds simple but with the world around you becoming chaotic it's easy to forget you like making movies. The day can easily become a series of tasks to complete. Valuable lessons learned on this film. I also have learned to not try to alter things that you have no control over. That also lends to people. If you can't change them or they are not open to be changed...don't.

If they work, great but if not keep it moving. Till next time cats.

Three shooting days left...here comes the heat!

2011-07-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Mood: Melted

The Marathon is almost over...the problem is I'm not racing anyone. It's so hard to push to the finish line when no one is chasing. This film h

as been defined in my mind by trying to schedule it. I've never done so many different jobs on a film at once, but the schedule has been my main job. Odd... I thought it would be directing, lol. Now that the film's last days are scheduled my energy level has shifted. My every day panic is being replaced by thought of promoting this film. It's just not time yet. Oh...and it's getting hot.

Not shooting and editing a rough cut every day or so has brought me into a strange calm. Almost

walking through a fog. A steamy, humid fog. It may be underlying sadness of ending the film and saying goodbye to the cast. It may be the anticipation of getting into post production. Or it may be that I am soooooooooo Damn tired of this "shooting beard"!

We'll be sure to post the video of this beast getting shaved off. Maybe it will be our first promotional video. See, that's what's going on in my head. Off to promotional head again. I guess we gotta keep moving but I'd feel better staying in the moment. Never in this pre or post-production have I been completely in the moment. Maybe this is a good thing? I'm always a few seconds ahead on set. I have an entire rough cut that represents 90+ of all the shot footage. This system with a full crew and a pay check would be amazing. Let's hope people love this one enough to get a budget again. If not...A lot of this cast will be kept in the Cypher stables. They're a good bunch of kids and for the most part getting my shooting style. More importantly they were willing to give their all, for no monetary reward.

Again the triangle rule of production is proven true. "You need three things to make a production. Money, Time and People, but you still will make an amazing

production with Time and People with heart". Heart can trump money :)

Feeding the frame not hugging the skeleton

2011-06-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Mood: Calm and Curious

When you write a script you give birth. Like a kid you don't know if you will like it very much or at all but you will love it till the day you die.

I see a screenplay as a skeleton that we hold on to during the rehearsals. To teach each other about the world we are about to populate. But once the actors become the characters I loose sight of the skeleton. Muscle and tissue begin to form around it and a living entity becomes clear.

What's hard is that other writers and directors live and die by the script. That means that most actors are used to that style of directing. It takes a bit of effort to free actors to live in the moment, outside of the script. Now though I have learned a different problem. Sometime, for some actors...the moments aren't the same. That's great for theatre but you have to edit film. In fifteen years you would have thought I would have had this problem already but I haven't. I had to learn how to keep a stallion wild but to only run on the track. I'm finding right now for actors like this coverage is the key. You have a much better chance to match them up if you have multiple cameras, lol.

I have turned the shoot into a one camera shoot because it was speeding up the shoots. Now I am bouncing between. Tomorrow I shoot the big dramatic end to the film and it needs to be one of these scenes. Perfect cuts but full emotional range. I'm confident that this is working. The answer to every problem I come across as a director is "Be like water." If you don't bend you will break and take a bunch of people and a feature film with you....and what a disaster that would be.

1 hour and 11 mins...I think it's gonna be done :)

2011-06-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mood: Tired Optimization

So, on April 30th, I made what seemed like a rash decision to people around me and started another feature film. The year before I had written a screenplay for the sole purpose of being cost effective and create something between major budgets. Somehow after the first rehearsal for that screenplay an agent/manager found me and decided that they could could get budgets for not only that screenplay but multiple screenplays. I gave them a year.

Back to April 30th. I went ahead and cast the film. Started securing locations and on April 30th started shooting the 90 minute Horror feature,

"Ghost Hunted".

In a basement in Brooklyn, the cast of the hit show "Urban Ghost Hunters" are investigating reports of violent possessions and ghostly sightings. Barely settled in they quickly realize they are in trouble when their own personal demons start to show up. Will this team make it out of this lock up?

The shoot has been wild because I'm the only crew member who is on every shoot lol. That means they're days where I set up lights, do make up, set the cameras and check the sound. All before I have rehearsed the actors. It's been a trip. Also as I think I wrote before this cast would NEVER natural cross paths lol. Their schedules are amazingly opposite.

Some how though...we are almost done. 1 hour and 11 minutes out of 90 ain't to shabby. I'll take that for less than two months of shooting this. Let's see how long the last 19 mins will take lol.

1/3 ain't too shaby...still have an hour left though lol

2011-06-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

So my new film has passed the 30 min mark or usable final footage. Not bad for about a month of shooting. Granted, shot in tiny, sparse moments. In two weeks there is a huge chunk about to be shot and that may bring us very close to the hour mark. At that point I will feel like their is no way we won't finish. That would be a great moment. I have never wanted to finish shooting so quickly. Not because I don't enjoy it and love this cast. But because with no budget there is a HUGE chance of not finishing this thing in a reasonable time.

Luckily we seem to be on pace and the footage looks great. I'll let out a small clue...it's a horror movie :)

1 year, 6 assistants and we've come full circle.

2011-05-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

In the last 15 years, Cypher Productions and I have partnered with over 50 artists to create 4 feature films. Each project has a different life and is created by a different family. New issues and surprises. More years to draw from. Somehow though, if I'm lucky...there's a familiar part that shows up. I'm there again. If anyone reads this blog I apologize for my spotty posts but preproduction and early production is tasking.

This film (which I won't release the name of yet) has reached it's stride. It's an odd gate with a slight limp but it's moving and becoming it's own. As we get further into the process I will release more information. Look forward to another production soon.

Notes from a Filmmaker: Sun, May 23rd, 2010

2010-05-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

We have...Distribution :)
Current mood: Hyped

Watch movies online!

You can watch three of our features films right on
your computer!

Try it today!

Notes from a Filmmaker: Thurs, Feb 25th, 2010

2010-02-24T23:11:00.000-08:00

Getting soft...but I lost all this weight?
Current mood: pumped but scared.

Happy New Year!!!

So since October things have been so odd. We had a great time with the Obama video and actually won the Huffington Post Poll for best video. Unfortunately the judges thought kids were too cute to lose. I kinda thought so too.

Jina has started grad school (so time is scarce) and I have had countless bookings! Followed by an equal number of cancellations. I would say 09 went out like a nap.

Among those bookings were many music videos that suffered from my clients economic recession. The film is still selling but it definitely slowed after the Presidential bail out speeches. We have been approached by an online distributor for the films and that is very exciting. We have had a lot of over seas requests and now we can fill them. Another client (sort of) was a Producer I know who approached me to write a new screenplay around a warehouse that people are trapped in. He believed he had the budget and the actors and I went to town. Four days later I pretty much had a screenplay called "freight".

Like anything you make for people it's great but need a little here and there. Now it's a screenplay called "cargo". Same idea different name...same cancellation lol. This time I got a spark though. I can write a silly ass script in no time for any location. Why not do one for myself and make it under $500. So that's going on now. It should be done in a week. I am planning on shooting the whole thing in my building and using old tapes and old friends. More on that one after copyright and storyboards.

Another fun occurrence has been the return of the "KID FLICKS" program. I have entered it into Pepsi's refresh everything contest and expect to win $50,000 to make movies with inner city kids again. That will be a blast.

So now that it seems 2010 is getting booked up...Lilly has come up with a great idea we will be filming this year. More on that after copyright, lol. We're also planning to kick off screenings again of "Last Night in Brooklyn" in Rochester. Stay tunned for that one.

Notes from a Filmmaker: Wed, Oct 28th, 2009

2009-10-28T01:40:00.000-07:00

President's a calling.

Current mood: kinda shocked

So, on Friday my phone rings and it's a D.C. number. I joke to my girl that Obama's calling but low and behold...it was his staff! I had produced a video for the Democratic National Committee's Health Care Video Challenge with my friend Angela. We are finalists!!!!

Here is the video and the link where to vote. Please do and please call your local reps to have them pass the public option. We need to take care of each other.

You must rate all 20 videos. Our video is called "Angela's Story". Five stars please :)

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hrvcratings?v=tWKici6hOhw

Notes from a Filmmaker: Monday, August 31st, 2009

2009-08-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

4 years walking...found a flower to stop and smell.

Current mood: greatful and relaxed

Yup, I've been greatful before in this blog but relaxed comes far and few between. After four years fighting, fussing, crying, laughing, and begging people to know about this film, last night in New York City...

WE SOLD OUT!

I was going write about the night but I think the pictures speak for themselves. Can't wait to do it again :)

Notes from a Filmmaker: Monday, July 27th, 2009

2009-07-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

I've become a Digital Ghost

Current mood: anxious and curious

There has been many technical achievements throughout my lifetime that have changed the way I live. Cell phones, internet, personal computers all changed the world but the result of those is what actually compelled me to write. Social networking started off for me as fun, then social then networking. As of Sunday I had over 1300 friends on my facebook page. Mostly people interested in my films or radio work. Far from our goal audience but much more organized and benifical than the leagal pad and clip board that used to hold contact information. I posted upcoming events as well as pictures of past events. It actually found it's way into a more dominant promotion tool than my website (www.cypherproductions.com). Unfortunately...

As of last Tuesday I was a digital ghost. I woke up and everything was gone. No friends, pics, promotion dates, or a profile. I was lost. It struck me how strange it was that my profile actually felt like a piece of me. For three days I wondered how healthy was this? Binary code, not connected to my nervous system seemed to be an extention from me to the world. It didn't seem to be...it was. With that thought I realized I had to reconnect. Heathy or not I was not going to loose my part of the emerging collective unconsciousness. And that is what is was. The internet has become a visual representation of our human collective huncosciousness. You can find the thoughts and ideas of a large crosssection of the world, with minimal effort at a momments notice. I had to get back.

After three days with very little progress with facebook (one email return a day) I decided to start a new account and cut my losses. Well it's almost been four days and I have a third of my contacts back. I'm pretty happy about that. Unhealthy or not I'm gonna run on into the digital future with as many people wanna come.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1004556785&ref=profile

The screening on August 29th is almost sold out but...

Tickets for this screening are still available through Paypal. Click the Paypal button for fast, secure purchase! Guest names will be held at the door. I'm looking forward to paying off this film's cost and making money with it. People seem to really enjoy the movie. I can't wait to make another one :)

Notes from a Filmmaker: Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

2009-07-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

Take the next step..."but there's at least three different landings?"

Current mood: open

Things are going incredibly well.

The film is selling well online and we're selling tickets for the NYC theatrical debut!

The people who see the film love it. The screenings have been so amazing. People have come up to me afterwards

just to let me know how touched and moved they were. I am so amazingly touched by them.

A woman from Scotland and her friend not only discussed the movie in detail...

they touched my face and began telling me how pleasant it was.

That my success was going to be linked to my smile and kind persona.

I can't say I have had many experiences like that.

Most people touching my face are either violent, sexual or a loved one.

I was so touched that these women were moved by me and my film I could only repeat,

"You have no idea what that means to me".

Honestly I didn't either. There was no comparison.

A pure, almost primal reaction from all of us, with no motivation. They didn't want

anything from me. They had already seen and bought copies of the movie.

They didn't even want to touch me, lol. It just happened.

Rare interactions with strangers are amazing.

Last month or so I made a random phone call to a number I had believed to

be Melvin Van Peebles, with the intention of getting him on

Ron Bennington Interviews. Long shot but hey...I was having a great month.

A man answers the phone and after I give my spiel...

he questions me ferociously.

But with a hysterical tone that broke my professional phone voice.

After a long belly laugh I gather myself and ask, "I this Mr. Van Peebles?"

"Shit, who'd you call?", he says. It's true. Who else should it have been.

Over the next few weeks we've become friends. Melvin gives me advice

when I ask and when I don't :)

he's such an amazing force in my life these days. Last week I went to see his

show and was amazed!!! This man ran shit on this stage for the entire duration. He sang, he danced

and man did he make me blush a couple times. This cat's gonna be one hell of a trip.

I am so grateful to know one of my idols. I used to watch movies on Melvin. Not movies by Melvin...

but movies made about his life! This man gave me that imaginary advice you get from TV heroes.

Now...he's on the phone :)

I'm doing what I love and am once again getting joy from it.

I seem to be able to manifest the reality I desire. I guess the main thought I have is, What to do?

I need to push this film but I need to get another budget. Life can't just be the promotion of a project.

It has to include the creation of the next.

There's no waiting for a budget to show up or an investor to call.

I have to storyboard, budget and plan as if it will happen.

Not wanting to sacrifice "LNIB's" promotion I have spent a lot of time on it

but at the same time preparing "Haven".

Countless storyboards and paperwork. It's gonna be a wonderful feature film.

Now that it is all done though...I want to produce "Awaken".

Now that my life has turned so much, I am drawn to a more positive script.

So now I'm budgeting and storyboarding and yada yada all over again.

At worse I have options to show someone looking to invest.

Hope to have great stories to tell after the August screening!

Notes from a Filmmaker: Friday, June 5, 2009

2009-06-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Creation can seep into reality.

Current mood: amazement

What a spring and summer this has turned out to be. So I got talked into getting health insurance and going to the dentist. Actually, I had to go to the dentist

(scroll down to Friday, Jan 30th 2009) but went because I had insurance. Guess what...my insurance didn't cover my mystery illness. $600 later I am stuck. I have no money to spend on my mouth...I'm a filmmaker.

So around the same time I was sitting on the train coming from a radio interview with Howie Mandell. We burst through the tunnel and into the sunlight on the Brooklyn bridge. Watching the sun I thought to myself...I can not worry anymore. I can not let the darkness of others seep into my reality and stir up my own dark. Before we went back underground I felt lighter. By the time I was walking home I wanted to sing along with my mp3 player. It was if I was outside a party, afraid to knock...and the door just opens. I was sucked in.

Over the last few months I had let my beard grow and when my reflection in the mirror didn't match my feeling...it had to go. Within thirty minutes of being home my beard was gone. I began looking like the person inside again. At the depths of the film's problem's, the radio show's problems, you name it...my weight topped off at 335 lbs.

I'm 6' but that doesn't make much difference, lol. As my mind shifted away from the darker parts of my life...the weight started shifting also. Once my mind got clear, I started loosing weight faster. I have lost 117 lbs.

That's more than my girlfriend weighs. I'm 218 lbs now. Still 6' :)

Along with the physical changes I started creating scenarios in my mind that started happening. Some trivial some not so. I still had a $600 bill to deal with and no money. I started thinking that it will be taken care of and poof...the dentist asks me to paint a mural on the wall...subtracts the $600 and then pays me to paint the wall. A shift in thought created a signal that I was ready to see good in the world again.

The next day my girl, Lilly mentions, on her radio show, a topic from Oprah. I search out the clip and find a video that affirms everything that I have been feeling recently. Oprah was discussing the secret. I had never heard of such a thing and when I watched it I was amazed. Things I've always known to be true in my life were completely validated. The reality to live is the reality you create. I was living through bad moments in time (as I reread in this blog) and let those moments get worse. I in essence shifted into darkness.

Now the same is true shifting into the light. I have met so many people since that day on the train. People who are all vibrating at the same frequency I am. I have been part of amazing community oriented activities that are filling me with satisfaction. And "Last Night in Brooklyn" keeps taking each step we envisioned it to.

Now when the phone rings I'm excited to see who it will be. Every email is a wonderful opportunity or person spreading love in some way. I have even become friends with Melvin Van Peeples (who I think is having fun mentoring me). I just can't believe that one.

Nothing drastic happened to start this. I haven't struck it rich. But with the decision to create my reality...my reality decided to play along.

Notes from a Filmmaker: April 27th, 2009

2009-04-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

DIY or follow the path?
Current mood: torn

So when you make a film now, you have more options than ever before, to get it to an audience. 10 years ago I would have killed for these options but today I am stuck and frustrated. We have entered a bunch of festivals the way all young filmmakers are supposed to but I have always gone indie (not by choice, by finance). We booked screenings, sold tickets and sent the movies into the human collective unconsciousness. The problem is that a bunch of festivals want to have a premiere. This leaves us in a holding pattern. We've been offered spaces to screen at but have to shuffle our feet for awhile. How odd. Eh, maybe we'll get into a festival and it will start a series of screenings and this thought will be irrelevant. "Hurry up and wait" is not much of cliche.

As a side note...all I can do is what I know and I know how to start another movie. So this time we're trying to set two films up. Let's see where this leads. I may have to amend the title of this blog when we start a new one. :)

Notes from a Filmmaker: Feb. 8th, 2009

2009-02-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

Let the story play out
Current mood: surprised

When we first started this film we thought our target audience would be "fan boys". Young 18 to 35 year old men who like comic books and movies based on them. Fan boys and our friends.

Now, some people reading this may know I appear on a XM/Sirius show from time to time. If you don't know, I do and end up fighting with a producer on the show almost all the time. It's replaced speaking for us.

Anyway, I find out that he had viewed a copy of my film meant to be in a "prize closet". Initially I was upset, thinking he was just planning on attacking the film to continue our storyline but low and behold...in a sincere and serious tone...he admitted he loved it. That may have been the most surprising response to this film I have ever had.

Later that night I had received a call from a middle aged woman who really loved the film. She had said that it reminded her of her childhood. This is the second time a woman in this age group has said this to me.

I'm looking forward to hear more reactions pro and against. It's interesting figuring out who will be our "real" target audience. We may be pleasantly surprised.

Note from a filmmaker: Friday, Jan 30th 2008

2009-01-30T06:08:00.000-08:00

TGIFLOL
Current mood: tired and amused

So this morning starts with me about to go to sleep from last night.

My girl and I have had our first "date night" in months. A lovely dinner in Ditmas Park. I've been producing "Ron Bennington Interviews" on XM 202 and Sirius 197, Sunday nights at 9 and two Fridays ago, we had a crazy day.

The events of the following days lead to me not sleeping and grinding my teeth. This grinding has lead to an infection in my mouth, that has no cavities or anything else wrong.

Long tangent short my face swelled up, on one side for two weeks and I have been a mess. Needless to say my girl was also. So finally we got to go out and boy do I love my neighborhood.

I come home and finish up some work, listen to the Bo and Joe show and before I know it, it's time to take my 5 am mouth pill. 5 becomes 6 and I turn on the Brother Wease Show to hear my girl Lily on air.

This morning Lily happens to be defending "Last Night in Brooklyn", lol. (our IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1331106/)

I call in and now at 6am I am plugging my film, saying hi to my friend and introducing myself to Rochester. What a morning. It was so cool to know that this film can have people who love it and people who think it's garbage. To be honest Wease admitted he didn't see past a few scenes. He's gonna finish and give a review. Can't wait to hear it. I mean tying to go to sleep then finding yourself selling your film. I'm loving this wild ass ride.

Oh, lol, and Marshal Fine, the movie critic happened to be in studio. This could be great or terrible lol.

Can't wait till next date night.

Notes from a filmmaker:Thursday, Jan 29th, 2009

2009-01-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

Waiting sucks
Current mood: Chilly.

After I made my first film ("EYES OF NY"), 11 years ago, I thought I had caught lightning in a bottle. I showed everyone every stage of the film. Over and over again and sold a bunch of copies of a movie I probably shouldn't have promoted so much, lol. I still love EYES to this day but recognize how much we have grown. Here's "EYES OF NY"

Now though I have another movie I love but the process is so different. "Waiting" is the major theme of this process. Right now, we're waiting for festival confirmations so that we can figure out what our major promotional plan will be. In the past we could just start screenings around New York but festivals want premieres and we want festivals for this film.

The irony is that we want to self distribute. Most cats at festivals want a deal. We want to qualify for the Spirit awards as well as promote the film nationally. It's so hard to wait for other people. This film has been an intensely personal trial and to not go show it to the world right now is so hard. I want to fill the trunk of our cars with DVD's and go traveling around this country. But they say good things come to those who wait and we've been waiting, lol.

Come on over good things.

Notes from a filmmaker:Wednesday, Jan 28th, 2009

2009-01-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

Notes from a filmmaker:Wednesday, Jan 28th
Everyday I'm Hustling
Current mood: Diligent

Hi guys,

I finally want to introduce you to our new feature,

Last Night In Brooklyn Trailer - The best bloopers are here

"LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN"

"If everything in your life was a lie...How far will you go to find out the truth?"

Allison lives, with her imaginary friend Moo until she meets a young con artist who has them running for their lives.

You can pick up a copy of "LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN" at http://www.cypherproductions.com/cypherstore.htm
Thank you so much and we really hope you like it.

www.cypherproductions.com

Notes from a filmmaker:Friday Nov 14, 2008

2009-01-28T14:24:00.004-08:00

Notes from a filmmaker:Friday Nov 14, 2008

We're Done! Let's start.
Current mood:Charged

I've been on air and producing for Sirius/XM for a year, Obama won and my film is done. I'm going to call this year a winner. I wanted to say this would be my final entry but that's a long shot. It's time for the real work to start now. At least from my current point of view.

Making the movie was impressive but getting it shown and making money is going to be the trick. We want to go through the festivals and gain recognition but I swear these last three years have financially crippled me. If only there was a way to make money and still be eligible for the festivals.

Maybe we can figure out a way. Stay tuned for "LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN" coming soon...for real this time.