Roadmap to a Career

Storyboarding Action

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:25:00 +0000

I'm working with J.K. (http://www.followmetohollywood.com) on a short called "Wayfarers". I wrote the post-Apocalyptic Exodus narrative about a month ago, and we're aiming to shoot in February.

For the past couple of days, I've been working on storyboarding a central action sequence, and it's really making my head swim.

The scene (without giving anything away): a bunch of (renegades? refugees? rebels?) are about to get their desert camp bombed. They're scrambling for their belongings, racing to their ATVs and roaring out of there.

The setup: The camp is nestled between sand dunes in a desert dune field. The pattern I set up in the script is that everyone hops on an ATV and drives in circles around the camp, giving stragglers an opportunity to rush to the perimeter and hop on one of the moving ATVs before the lead ATV peels away and leads the rest to safety.

The challenge: With a bunch of swirling, circling ATVs, it's very tempting (and in some cases, almost necessary) to bring the camera around in circles, too. That kind of movement is really tough to "motivate", and it constantly breaks some hard-and-fast rules when it comes to spatial continuity. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the "180 degree rule", it basically says that if two characters are talking (or are otherwise spatially related, like if a person is looking at an object), the shots that describe that relationship must remain on one side of the imaginary line that bisects the two. Here's a good video description of it: http://youtu.be/HdyyuqmCW14

With all the circular movement in the scene, the "180 degree line" is constantly shifting. To make matters worse, I'm opting to keep the kinetic energy of the scene high by moving the camera a lot. There's at least one 270 degree spin which could wreak havoc on spatial continuity if I don't handle it very carefully.

I'm actually very excited to work on this scene, even if it's complicated. It's an opportunity to play with the kind of scene that I hope will be a regular part of my work in the future. It'll be my first action set-piece since high school.

-Arnon

Easing in, Moving up

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Since that last post, my first "real" movie gig has come and gone. Being the Production Manager on "Benjamin Troubles" was no easy task, but I met some wonderful people, overcame some difficult (and when I step back, interesting) challenges, and earned a solid, reliable Los Angeles credit.

For my first gig, I wasn't expecting to hit upper middle-management. In fact, I had assumed I'd be working as an assistant to somebody before they offered me the PM position.

I've had a lot of opportunity to think about the job-hunter's mantra: "It's not what you know, it's who you know". It's very true, and it's extremely misleading.

I got the PM job through a Brandeis connection, and from there, I got a job Line Producing a short (for "Benjamin Troubles" writer, Lee Ross). On BT, I worked closely with Jonathan Knapp (whose wonderful blog is worth the read) -- Jonathan is now producing a short that I'll direct. While running an errand for BT, I met Ari Davis, with whom I'm now working to produce a feature.

It's all connections. But then, that's where the adage flips upside-down. Once you're hired, it doesn't matter who you know, as long as you're able to do your job well.

If you don't know what you're doing, it's hard to keep work, and it's hard to pass the "references" test. Savvy employers in this town check references pretty closely -- I've already been contacted a couple of times about people who I worked with on "Benjamin Troubles". Reputations seem to spread that way, as people move from project to project.

It adds to the pressure of wanting (or needing) to deliver good, solid, high-performing work. In a way, that's a good thing, but it can be unnerving at times, too, especially when the quality of work from those around you isn't as good as you need it to be in order to do your own best work.

At the end of the day, I've gained a lot of confidence from my first gigs in this town. I may not know very many people yet, but those I've worked with seem to take me seriously (at least, to my face!) It's good to know that all the time I spent learning and not meeting was time well spent.

For more on the new projects I'm working on, check back in every now and again. They have no websites yet. These are the projects:

"Tender"
A short by Elric Kane, written by Lee Ross (Benjamin Troubles). I'm the Line Producer.

"Wayfarers"
A short I'm writing/directing. Jonathan Knapp (Benjamin Troubles) is producing.

"Sex.Sound.Silence"
A feature by Ari Davis, who I met while running an errand for "Benjamin Troubles". I am producing.

First Gigs

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Last week, I shot some footage for a TV commercial for a local real estate company. It was my first paid gig in California, and it was fairly uneventful. No feedback yet on the footage, but I hope they like it!

I've also picked up my first unpaid (but exciting) feature film job. SY, a Brandeis alum I had met with a few weeks ago, pulled me in on a feature he's working on. At the first few meetings, I insisted on remaining without an official title. I figured, the best way to get to know the project was to start out as a general assistant, and to have them throw whatever work they needed to throw at me. Yesterday, I was given an official title: Production Manager! Not bad for my first at-bat out here.

Of course, now the real fun begins -- living up to the role!

-Arnon

Get on the Carousel

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 17:51:00 +0000

I got some fantastic advice from SB, a Brandeis alumnus with sixty features and an emmy under his belt:

"Here's what I think - Hollywood is a giant carousel. If you can figure out a way to jump on it - or pay for a ticket - you're in. You might start by sitting on one of those lame ass benches for awhile before you get to stand or sit next to a horse - but you'll never get off again. The problem you're experiencing is the "how do I get on the carousel" conundrum. As long as you stay out in the "micro-budget" world - that's where you'll stay. Only once a generation does someone send out a funny e-Card and end up with SOUTH PARK. Everyone else starts at the bottom. But you're below the bottom.

My suggestion - find a way to get some caché. Get on the carousel - one way or the other. I'd look for jobs in mailrooms at an agency or a studio. I'd look for PA jobs in production offices. I'd right kiss ass letters to anyone you admire on a series or film - and prove how smart you are (in the letter). You need on to the carousel. Focus on that. Once you get on, then navigating your way to directing will be easier. Someone you work for will let you direct a short or a trailer - and eventually someone will notice you. But for now, nobody on the carousel knows you exist."

I've heard this advice before, but never phrased in such a clear, illustrative way. This approach appeals to me, so I've been looking for avenues in to the studios, agencies and production companies. In the process, I've been meeting some very interesting people (such as SB, who I had met before, and MK, who's a big-shot in the TV world, and most recently, a VP of Variety, who responded to a letter that I sent in the mail!) It's very exciting, humbling, and encouraging to see so many people give a little upstart from the East so much of their valuable time.

-Arnon

A New Take on Hot Air

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:12:00 +0000

I had a meeting the other day with JF, a guy I had met many years ago, when I was just dating Talia (whose first day on the job as Dr. Shorr is today!)

Since that initial meeting, JF moved to LA and established himself as a rising producer. Yesterday's meeting with him was an exciting one. He's a fast-talking, big-idea guy with a lot of ambition and a healthy go-getting gutsiness.

One note that came up during the conversation struck me. He mentioned the well-known idea that lots of people in Hollywood are full of hot air. They'll talk your ear off about "the next big thing", then go back to their bedroom office and cruise the web for no-pay Production Assistant jobs. That's the cliche, in any case, and it has been reiterated to me many, many times.

JF had a different take. He said that everyone in this town has big ideas, and everyone wants to share them. The tricky thing is figuring out who's taking action on those big ideas and who isn't. Just because someone's talking in bloated terms doesn't mean they're lazy. On the contrary, it could mean they're ambitious!

I happen to like working with people who talk big. On "A Modest Suggestion", my fellow producer is a notorious big talker. The thing is, that's what drew me to working with him -- I knew that with him on board, his enthusiasm and energy would keep everything running smoothly. As it turns out, I was right about him.

The key, then, is to find those big talkers who have genuine enthusiasm and a genuine desire and capacity to put in the work behind their ideas, and to filter out those whose big ideas are a front, meant to hide some inner barrier to productivity that lurks in their psyche.

I can't say I know how to differentiate, but it's good to be reminded every now and again that big talk might be genuine, and shouldn't be dismissed out-of-hand. Thanks, JF!

-Arnon

Money and Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:28:00 +0000

I spoke with another relative bigwig the other day. Though his initials are BS, his advice certainly isn't.

BS entered the industry after a successful career making money (for himself and for others). He leveraged his connections to wealth by bringing his friends and former clients to invest in new films. His perspective, "if you can bring the money, you're a player, and you're in." He then described his own latest project, and invited me to find investment capital for it. I haven't got the kinds of connections he had, so I doubt his approach will work for me, but I don't mind giving it a try.

Of course, though BS didn't emphasize it, he acknowledged that money isn't the only way to get in to a project. Content, or ideas, or any sort of creative property that catches a producer's attention can also be used, though it's much less versatile than money. Since I am still, at heart, creative rather than entrepreneurial, I think this approach may be a better fit for me. It's also in line with what SL told me a couple of weeks ago over the phone.

So, I've got a screenplay, "In the Image of Man". Here's the logline:

"A Hassid is killed on a Friday night. People whisper about a giant in the dark. Detective Landesman, who left their world long ago, is thrust back in to the heart of the Jewish community by a case that threatens the foundations of her modern, secular life."

When SL spoke to me, she was very clear: "No Jewish overtones!" I've got to come up with something commercial, she said. While I'm working on that, I might as well put what I've written out there, to see if anyone's interested, right?

So, to start, there's the logline above. I'm no expert in writing loglines. Let me know if you think I could do better with that one.

-Arnon

Let the Networking Begin!

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:13:00 +0000

Although there are still boxes to unpack and there's no art yet on the walls, I'm eager to begin reaching out to my Hollywood contacts.

I've already spoken with one producer (who I'll call "SL"). She was very upfront with me, suggesting that I take the time to develop new projects while I have the opportunity to do so. She didn't seem so keen on the idea of my going out there and working as a PA to meet people (she said I'd meet people, for sure, but without new content to offer, it won't do me much good). Is that true, I wonder? I do like the idea of generating new content, writing a new screenplay, etc., but at the same time, I don't think I could handle the solo work without some heavily social, interactive work to balance it out.

I also had a lovely meeting with YH, a composer who came across my writing on a LinkedIN message board. We met at a coffee shop in the shadow of the Warner Brothers water tower (the first time I had seen it, actually), and chatted for a few hours. He spoke of the kind of camaraderie depicted in the documentary "Fog City Mavericks" (which I subsequently watched on Netflix) between the various San Francisco-based filmmakers in the '60s-'80s, and suggested it ought to be a more standard model for aspiring artists in this field. It's the sort of thing I've seen Kevin Anderton do very well in Boston, so I suggested YH get some of his friends together and let's make a short film! I think he likes the idea -- and for me, it'll be a wonderful way to start meeting people while maintaining a certain level of productivity. That said, I'm in Hollywood now, and the rules might be different. The kind of volunteerism I saw among Boston-area filmmakers might not exist out here. We'll see!

Like YH, many of the people I'm planning on contacting this week are people I've never met before (SL and I spoke on the phone a few times when I was last in Los Angeles). I've just typed up a letter to OT, a guy who was suggested to me by a friend who works in the same building. Before writing a brief introductory letter, I spotted OT's bio on his company's website. Turns out, he graduated from the Sam Spiegel School for Film and Television in Jerusalem -- the same school that my cousin (my grandfather's nephew) founded and ran for the past twenty years! Networking makes the world shrink, doesn't it?

Although I'm very excited about this phase of the game, I'm also very nervous about it. I'm putting myself out there to be judged, in a way, by people who don't know me, and for a body of work that reflects only what I've been able to do up to this point. Will anyone be able to see my potential in stuff I've done in the past? After all, it's not that I want to keep doing what I've done! But isn't that every job seeker's agony?

-Arnon

On the Verge of a New Chapter

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Sun, 22 May 2011 18:14:00 +0000

It's not even a new chapter, it's almost a new book.

This time tomorrow, we'll be on the road, en route to California by way of the entire width of the United States.

I don't know what I'll find out there, but I know the pattern well.

In high school, I was just a kid with a video camera, but I made my mark as a filmmaker (and as a result, the school still has an active film program). Then, from being the big fish in that tiny pond, I went off to Brandeis, where I was a very small fish in a much larger pond. I was just another freshman in 2001, but graduated four years later having made an undeniable impact on the University's film culture -- not only had I made movies, but I founded a film festival that continues to thrive six years after my graduation, and I set gears in motion that eventually led to the institution of a new Film major. From there, after a brief year in Cambridge, to Baltimore. Again, I was an anonymous face in a bustling, strange new city. Though I wouldn't call myself a "big fish" today, I've certainly managed to leave an impression -- after all, I successfully brought a feature film to production in a region where there's almost no interest in that sort of thing. It's not a big film, but it employed dozens of people when the economy was in a very deep rut, and it inspired a collaborative on-set environment that will live with me, and I suspect, with everyone involved, for a very long time.

Now, to California. I go there knowing that I am a cliche, a Spielberg-inspired, self-taught indie filmmaker with no name, no background, nothing to point at that the traditional "Hollywood type" would find even mildly interesting. Of course, I know that I've got more to contribute than that -- much more. In fact, I believe (perhaps with a bit of inflated ego, but perhaps not) that given the right tools, the right talent, and the right balance of guidance and liberty, I can achieve the same results as the best of them. I know, however, that this kind of big talk is a waste of breath. I can claim these things all I want, but they're meaningless if I don't demonstrate them. I need to believe these things, though, in order to push forward in this crazy industry. Otherwise, what's to motivate me?

But more realistically, I'm ready to take those smaller steps, the 'baby steps' if you will, without too much of a timetable, without high expectations, and without ego. My goal for the immediate future is not to find a job, but to find people. I want to network, to reach out, to volunteer on sets and in production offices. I want to meet people whose creative, technical or business skills are enviable, and I want to work with them. For the first time in my development as a filmmaker and motion picture professional, I am in an enviable position: I can focus on building relationships rather than begging for a job.

-Arnon

Second Unit?

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 16 May 2011 23:49:00 +0000

I just had a brainstorm. What about Second Unit?

For those of you outside the world of Hollywood jargon, the Second Unit is the small group of technicians and artists who go off to shoot the stuff that doesn't involve the big expensive celebrities. It's usually the 'filler' stuff -- cars zooming through a chase scene, establishing shots of buildings, the stuff that goes around the film's characters to fill out their world.

The Second Unit Director is the guy (or gal) responsible for shooting that stuff. How do they get there? Is it an avenue towards a directing career?

I've been approaching this move to Hollywood with the idea that I've got to start at the bottom to learn the industry and find my place there. My focus has been production companies thus far, but I've also explored various training programs (including, particularly, the Directors Guild's "Producer's Training Plan", which trains Assistant Directors). But who gets to be a Second Unit Director? Who even thinks to consider that career path? (I'm sure plenty of people do, but it's certainly not as common). Now I've got to do some research...

-Arnon

The Informational Interview

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:31:00 +0000

One of the first active steps in my job-hunt is finding information. I've been trolling the web for info on production companies and studios in and around LA, seeking points of entry, nodes in my network that connect to those companies' networks. My goal is to begin accumulating new contacts through people I know, and to meet with those new contacts (by skype, phone, or in-person) for 20-minute "informational interviews". I'm not sure I like the term, but it's what all the job-seeking guides call it.

After all, for me, these meetings are all about learning the industry, and particularly, they're about learning the way the industry looks at job applicants. I'm looking to learn what the hiring process is, who has the power to make hiring decision, and what qualities or experiences make a competitive job-seeker in Hollywood. I'm also interested in learning about the various companies. I've been encouraged to explore "smaller" production and financing companies, rather than the big studios, but until I actually get to talk to people in those companies, I'm keeping an open mind.

If you have suggestions of who I could talk to, who might be willing to give me 20 minutes of their time to answer some of these questions, drop me a line! I'm eager to learn from anyone at this point.

-Arnon

Birthday Thoughts for an Ambitious Year

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0000

The facebook response to my birthday has been wonderful and (happily) overwhelming. Since there's no way to respond to everyone personally, I thought I'd put a few reflections down here, and share the link with whoever would like to read.

This past year has been incredible. With the faith that so many of you put in me, I was able to raise money for, shoot and finish a feature film (www.amodestsuggestion.com). That in itself is an achievement many people with an interest in filmmaking can only dream of, and it's something I could not have done without so much support from all of you.

Looking ahead, I've got some big new horizons to conquer this year. At the end of May, Talia and I are packing up and shipping out, crossing the country to California, where Talia begins a three year residency in Family Medicine. Of course, I will be working in the industry... somewhere.

In the past, the prospect of a job hunt always intimidated me. It was depressing, sending my resume out to companies I didn't care for, for jobs I didn't want (but that I needed!). Rejections flew at me left and right (because, after all, I've never successfully hidden the fact that I've got a one-track professional mind). But this job hunt is very different. I'm looking for jobs that I REALLY want, in the heart of the industry that I love, in the place where the magic (otherwise known as 'really hard work') of film happens every minute of every day. Now, the job-hunting tasks that I set for myself are the tasks I look forward to the most.

But just like making a film, finding a job isn't something that can be done alone. If any of you know anyone who knows anyone at all in the film business (especially in Hollywood, and even more especially in a production company or an agency), please let me know! From everything I'm reading, it appears that contacts, connections and real-life interactions get people jobs, not resumes and websites. I know that once I land there, it will be on account of many of you who step in to help, and I thank you all in advance for it.

If you'd like to help, but you can't think of any connections to suggest, how about looking over my web-presence? In particular, I'm trying to pare down my online resume (http://www.visualcv.com/shorr) and to make sure everything on my youtube channel represents only my best material (www.youtube.com/oxrockproductions). I do need to update and upgrade the OxRock website, and I'm considering launching a more personally-oriented website to specifically focus on my own career and credits.

Any advice or suggestions on any of these sites (or anywhere on the web that I can control my self-presentation) would be extremely valuable and welcome.

I'm feeling very good about this upcoming year. I've got fantastic friends, wonderful collaborators, an amazing family and a loving wife (who's willingly and happily launching herself across the country so I can pursue my dream!) It's hard to imagine how I could really be luckier (lottery winnings aside, of course!)

-Arnon

Anticipating the Job Hunt: Demo Reels

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:26:00 +0000

We found out last week that Talia will be spending her residency at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, just south of LA! In anticipation of the job hunt, I'm exploring the possibility of creating a demo reel to showcase my experience and abilities as a director.

As of this moment, I'm not entirely certain that the first thing I'll do out there is direct anything. For now, I'm keeping that option open, while also exploring several other avenues of access to the industry. That said, if I do want to dive right in to directing out there, I need to have a visual summary that reinforces my assertion that yes, indeed, I am a director.

I don't know what this demo reel will look like yet. In fact, I'm about to embark on a bit of an internet adventure, browsing through various directors' demo reels, in case there are specific examples that stand out as particularly good (or particularly bad).

I hope not to spend too much time on this process. In a way, I think that a quick, sloppy, gut-feeling-inspired demo reel may be more valuable than a carefully engineered (and ultimately soulless) version. Either way, I'll post what I come up with, just for some general reactions and responses.

-Arnon

Transitional Plans

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:31:00 +0000

As you may know, my wife is a few months away from finishing Medical School (which is, in and of itself, a stunning victory for Medicine!) Coming up in March is the dreaded, revered Match Day, the day of reckoning for med students across the country, when they find out where they will go for residency.

My wife, who is wonderful, stacked the deck: her top five residency choices are all in the greater Los Angeles area. So, at this point, I'm feeling fairly confident that we'll be moving out to LA in June.

I realized not too long ago that this doesn't leave me with very much time. The next three months or so are all that's left between me and the opportunity of a lifetime to work in the heart of the cinematic world. I've got to update my resume, prepare a demo reel, research who's hiring, talk to people I know, get introduced to people I don't know, etc. etc. etc. My website, of course, is in dire need of serious overhaul, too.

I have a lot to accomplish in the months ahead, and I haven't really begun to outline it all. Once I do, I hope to lay out my plan here, to make it 'official', and to give you all a chance to keep me on track.

But today, I took the first step. I put in my notice at Starbucks. I've worked as a Barista for over three years, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity. I've met some fantastic people along the way, some of whom have become my friends, collaborators, supporters and fans. But I'm resolutely closing that chapter on March 18th of this year, to give myself full blocks of uninterrupted time to devote to the big transition ahead.

This gives me my first hint of a task-list: I've got to figure out my task-list, my 'assignments' for the final stretch in Baltimore, before March 18. I'm very eager to get started!

-Arnon

Update on "A Modest Suggestion"

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:41:00 +0000

It's more of a rumination on "A Modest Suggestion" actually...

http://amodestsuggestion.blogspot.com/2010/12/too-much-for-berlin.html

On Plans and how to Exceed Them...

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:45:00 +0000

When I began this particular blog, it was with the intention of holding myself to a very specific and detailed plan to re-energize my push towards a career in motion pictures. The plan itself is interesting to look back on. I accomplished some interesting things -- I wrote a screenplay (that has been named a runner-up in a screenwriting contest, in fact!) and I produced and directed some small promotional videos... I even shot a short film. All of this was part of the plan.

Interestingly, I think all of those different little goals I set for myself helped build the momentum that led to 'A Modest Suggestion'. That's a beautiful thing about setting ambitious goals. They get you going.

'But wait!' you say, 'you weren't planning on shooting a feature film! That wasn't a goal!'

And to that, I say, a-ha! that's where you're wrong!

Before I left Boston, I spent a long time trying to figure out how to plan out my four years in Baltimore. I knew I'd be lost for a while, just trying to find my way around the local industry, getting to know the people, the attitudes, and the rhythms of filmmaking in this new place. That timetable and list of goals is not posted anywhere -- in fact, it's mostly a handwritten series of notes in a folder by my desk.

I definitely did not meet many of the early goals I had set for myself. As I recall, my plan involved lots of short films, lots of networking, and plugging in to the central arteries of the Maryland film scene. It took me two or three years to begin to find those arteries -- much longer than I had expected. In that time, I wasn't able to be nearly as creative as I had hoped.

Here's where it gets interesting. I did anticipate, in that plan, that I'd have a feature film under my belt by the time my four years here were up. I remember discussing this with a very good friend, who suggested (correctly) that my plan may have been a little too ambitious.

I heard once, many years ago, an interesting suggestion from a motivational speaker (my father was immersed in the messages and ideas of motivational speakers in the '90s...) This guy, speaking at an event of some sort, suggested that everyone make a list of ten goals for the year, seal that list up, and tuck it away somewhere. The rule was, no one was allowed to look at that list until the year had passed. At the end of the year, he suggested, we'd be amazed to discover that seven or eight of our goals had been accomplished. The idea is that even if you forget that you've set a goal for yourself, by writing it down and tucking it away, it's always there, always teasing from the depths of your subconscious, egging you on. I think this system actually works very well -- I remember trying it for several years, as a high school student.

I think that's what happened here. Nearly four years ago, I determined that I'd leave Baltimore with having made a feature film, and that goal somehow stayed with me, despite the year-long job hunt, the two and a half years at Starbucks, and the many frustrated attempts to find the pulse of the local film scene. Now that we're about two days away from having a locked, color-corrected, mixed and finalized feature film, I'm humbled by my subconscious mind's ability to push me forward, to bring me to meet the goals I had set and forgotten.

I think it's time to start thinking about a new plan. In the past several months, I've surpassed so many goals, returning to any of my previous plans would be a step backwards. In the next month or two, I hope to have a better understanding of where "A Modest Suggestion" will go from here. Perhaps that will help me figure out where I'm going, and how high I should aim. If I've learned anything, it's that I shouldn't worry about aiming high.

-Arnon

I need help

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:36:00 +0000

I'm working hard on getting "A Modest Suggestion" ready for production, but I'm also not losing sight of some opportunities that have presented themselves.

The feature-length screenplay that expands on "Blood and Stone: A Legend of the Golem" was awarded "runner-up" status in the Woods Hole Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. In the meantime, "Blood and Stone" is deep in to the first "Get it Made" competition on openfilm.com.

Here's the startling opportunity: The top six films (by star-rating) in the "Get it Made" competition will be considered for a $200,000 production deal through openfilm.com. I believe that getting "Blood and Stone" in to the top-six is the hard part, because it involves each and every one of you. After that, well, we've got a runner-up screenplay, a producer/director with significant indie experience, and the groundwork for a strong, efficient, artful production.

Here's what I need from you: Go to the openfilm website: http://www.openfilm.com/videos/blood_and_stone_a_legend_of_the_golem/

Don't just watch the film. You've probably seen it already. You need to give it a five-star rating!

In order to give the film a five-star rating, you need to register with the website. It's free. I'll say it again. It's free. If you want to help, it won't cost you anything!

Register with the site, and make sure to give "Blood and Stone: A Legend of the Golem" a FIVE STAR rating. That, and only that, will give the project a chance to move forward in the contest.

Thank you!

-Arnon

"A Modest Suggestion"

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:55:00 +0000

I don't want to dwell on this moment for too long. There is a lot of work to do in the days, weeks and months ahead. But I don't want to let the moment pass me by, either.

The ink is now drying on a joint venture agreement between OxRock Productions (which is now an LLC) and Mark Jaffee Pictures, LLC. We're making a movie.

"A Modest Suggestion" is a feature-length, ultra-low-budget satirical comedy about anti-Semitism: Four men in suits sit in a boardroom, pondering the next item on their agenda: "Should we or should we not... kill the Jews?" It's all based on the hysterical stage play by the very talented Ken Kaissar (he and I worked together to adapt the script for the screen).

The deal with MJP is primarily, but not exclusively a financing deal, and it's a significant one. In addition to the necessary capital, Mark is contributing over two decades of experience in media production (though his background is in high-end Madison Avenue commercials and the such, at quite a different scale than this project)

We're going in to production in October, and aiming to have a finished product by year's end.

This is a major step for me, and I've worked very hard to get here. But it is not an end by any means. In many ways, this is the beginning that I have been waiting for, the moment when I can truly feel that what I'm working on is a part of my future, not merely a training exercise for it. As far as my 'filmography' goes, it wouldn't surprise me if it really starts here, with this endeavor, with this film.

But of course, it's more than a little useless to ponder my own legend. Much as I'd love to write it, my story will be revealed to me on its own terms, and in its own time. Now that the financing for "A Modest Suggestion" is secured, I can start to do the work I have been dreaming about. I can start to direct the film.

As always, there's no way to get here from there without the many helping hands along the way. And from here to the next place will require just as many more. I feel great about getting here, but humbled, too. To all of you who have pushed, even just a little, to see me succeed, my gratitude is inexpressible. I hope you'll be satisfied with the meager and occasional "thank you" that I can proffer now and again.

But no, this is not, nor should it be an Oscar acceptance speech. This is a moment not about the past, but about the future. It is about a film that has yet to be made, that I must bring to life. It's a big responsibility, but I'm thrilled to tackle it. What a ride, and it's only just beginning.

-Arnon

Nervous excitement on the brink of something different

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:29:00 +0000

With luck, I'll be signing a financing deal later today to get a major project off the ground. I know not to count my chickens, of course, but if/when this happens, it'll be a milestone for the detail-oriented biographers to fuss about. But really, it's interesting, when I read biographies of successful filmmakers, the day they signed their first financing deal isn't really mentioned. Folks talk about premieres, about early experiences on film sets, etc., but somehow, this part of the story doesn't play in to it much. With luck, I'll join their ranks, and this part of my story won't seem to matter much, either. But I know that despite the narrative choices of biographers, this really does matter. This is another major beginning in a long, fascinating chain of beginnings.

-Arnon

Roadmap Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:02:00 +0000

My 'roadmap' only lasted a few months, but the results have far surpassed my expectations. The last time I checked my progress was in January of this year, almost six months ago. I haven't been earning money from video projects, nor have I been keeping up with my writing on movies, but a new project has taken over, and it is one that I doubt I would have undertaken had it not been for the goals that I set and met in those few months when this plan was in action.

I got to meet people, work my skills, pull the gear out of the closet and make some movies. That put me in the perfect spot to develop the project that I've been unpacking since January, the feature-film adaptation of "A Modest Suggestion", the play by Ken Kaissar.

I haven't mentioned this online anywhere yet, and I doubt the formal announcement will happen on this particular blog, but we're two days away from (hopefully!) signing the financing deal that will make this production a reality. I'm confident in my ability to handle the task, and in the abilities of the good people I'm working with to keep it all running smoothly, so I'm not anxious. But there's a lot to do in the months ahead, so my excitement is being channeled in to creative energy. We've already begun scoping out actors, testing the region's pool of talent, gauging its depth and breadth. I'm going to start storyboarding soon, too. Nothing too finalized, or too concrete. Probably just sketches first. But it's going to be a fantastic process.

You'll read about this film eventually. On my other blogs, my website, and eventually, in a few other places. Sometime next year, I hope to hear what you think of the film, too. Until then, this "roadmap" blog will take a bit of a different turn. I think that instead of looking far ahead, making big plans, charting out my future career, I'm at a point where I have to direct my attention more closely to the task at hand, and to my approach towards it. What is the work, and how will I accomplish it? What are the challenges? What can I accomplish? I may not write much, but I hope to write at least a little, to note some of the steps along this pivotal moment in my journey.

Might be nice to look back some day and smile.

-Arnon Shorr

SmartyPig Widget

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:12:00 +0000

catching up just a little

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:48:00 +0000

I haven't posted in a while, but a lot has been going on. I hope to update this blog soon, but in the meantime, here's some info on my participation in the Baker Artist Awards:

Baker Artist Awards
The Baker Artists Awards celebrate Baltimore's artists on the Web with an ongoing exhibition of its diverse artistic practice, and the Mary Sawyer Baker Prize will establish Baltimore’s reputation as a creatively rich and vital place to live with a civic commitment to value its individual artists.
Please take a minute to visit my work on the Baker Artist Awards web site. As a Baltimore artist, I am eligible to win the significant Mary Sawyers Baker Prize or maybe bragging rights as Baltimore’s Choice. Either way, please follow the link and vote for me... and, if you live in Baltimore, you could also Nominate your own work! Now GO sign-up and vote www.bakerartistawards.org
Visit my nomination at http://www.bakerartistawards.org/nomination/view/shorr

Researching a New Computer System

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:47:00 +0000

I'd like to replace my current computer system with something new. My current system is fine for most things, but when I'm in post on any HDV or HD project, it gets very finicky, and I find myself wasting hours trying to resolve issues I shouldn't have to resolve. Basically, it's not quite fast enough, not quite stable enough, and not quite internally-compatible enough for the high-end video work I'd like to be doing. Any suggestions as to what sort of system I should consider? Should I buy a ready-built system? Should I custom-build one? etc.

-Arnon

Monthly Check-In: October

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:53:00 +0000

I think I did a little better this month. I got the film articles done, and I was able to gear up for a fairly successful film shoot this past Sunday. Although we didn't finish shooting "Just the Ticket", we were able to get a lot of good footage, and we're left with relatively little more to do.

Overall, I'd say October has been my best month so far when it comes to getting close to reaching my goals. I still haven't really written a film treatment, and I haven't really developed many new short film ideas, but considering what I've accomplished, I think that's kind of okay.

It's time for the three-month review, which I'm hoping to do before this week is out. I think it'll be interesting to look back at the past three months, to take a bit of a longer view, and to get a sense of what I've been able to do, and what I haven't been able to do.

Since I've fallen behind or completely missed some key goals over the past three months, I know the plan for the rest of the year will shift a little. I'll review all of that in a separate post. For now, I'm just eager to finish shooting "Just the Ticket" (maybe on Sunday?) and to get to the editing with that project.

One major thing I've got to finish, too, is the website. I've hit a bit of a design challenge involving how to arrange credit information -- I can type it in for each film, but I'd also like to have a page (or pages) devoted to each individual whose contributions have shaped OxRock's movies. I don't know how to make that happen automatically (and I'd rather not have to put in the same name in two separate places...) If this were an Excel spreadsheet, I'd know what to do, but since it's a website, I'm still trying to figure it out. Once I have that sorted out, I'll be well on my way to finishing the thing.

Okay, the three-month review is coming up, so come back soon!
-Arnon

Screenwriting surprises

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:15:00 +0000

For the screenwriting course I'm taking at Hopkins, I'm expected to bring in a page's worth of screenplay next week. Instead of writing something new (which I may end up doing, anyway) I'm returning to the Golem feature I wrote not long ago. Although last night's class was primarily concerned with format, much of what the instructor had to say had to do with screenwriting style. The structure stuff was fairly familiar to me (with a couple of details here and there which were new twists on old ideas.) The stylistic comments, primarily having to do with the kind of brevity and pace required of screenplays, is something I've never really encountered before, and the suggestions make a lot of sense. The idea is to make screenplays very lean, very to-the-point, with no wasted words. The more streamlined a screenplay, the easier it is to read, and the goal, of course, is to get people to read the thing and not toss it aside in exhaustion. (The next goal is to get them to like it...) So, in returning to that first page of the Golem feature, there's all sorts of writing there that seems more novel-like than is appropriate. I've been hacking at it for a bit this morning, and I like the pace and rhythm better already. I think that writing a second draft of this thing could be very informative for me. At the same time, for the class, I may want to consider writing something new. The course will eventually require of me that I write a new short, so I know I'll get to that, but it's very tempting to go back and rewrite the feature I've already written, just because of how much better it could be after a close revision.

-Arnon

Check-in: Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (AzS) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:22:00 +0000

I can't believe October is almost over! I still have a lot of website updating to finish (though I'm hoping to get a big chunk of that done today). I've got to write one more "Musing Pictures" post, and I need to see a movie for it (it's the one I owe to www.labeh-er.com, the Jewish-themed one, that I have yet to write this month. I got the film "Waltz with Bashir" from NetFlix, and have been meaning to watch it, but haven't had the time. Again, hopefully today...

I'll be shooting "Just the Ticket" on Sunday! I'm excited about that -- the cast seems wonderful, and at this point, almost every necessary piece is in place for a very smooth shoot. I'll be missing my October deadline by a day, but that should still be early enough that I'll be able to catch myself up in November.

Reflecting on this past week, I don't feel that I've been all that productive. That said, much of the pre-production work for the short was accomplished over the course of the week, so I must have done something right.

At the end of this month, I've got to complete a full evaluation of my year-to-date progress. That'll be interesting. There are definitely some goals that I've got an easier time with, and other goals that I simply haven't figured out how to accomplish. Should be a good process.

Today, among other things, I want to storyboard the short. I haven't storyboarded a short in probably a year or so, and it's a process I really enjoy.

-Arnon