Who is the Watchmaker?

3 New Things I Learned During This Year's 168 Project

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:35:00 +0000

As opposed to last year, when I experienced 168 Madness, after which came, 168 Clarity, I give you the following:

In moviemaking, money gives you time.
Time is fixed in this competition, therefore
It doesn't matter how much money you spend.

And that last one goes in either direction, meaning, it is possible to spend almost no money in making a 168, beyond the aforementioned entry fees. If indeed I have mentioned them before.

Time is Money

A cliche I'm sure you've all heard before, which leads to the following syllogism: Time is money. Money is power. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely. Therefore, man is inherently evil. As money approaches zero, and your time is running out, it's necessary to think creatively, and quickly. We had a situation where we didn't have a boom. Was borrowing the mic, but we didn't have the needed boom pole to go with it. Had we had the budget for it, I would've probably purchased one myself. However, we did have a C stand. Or two. Problem solved.

Let's "Fix it in Post!"

Well, almost. Turns out we had some buzz on the cable, that made it to the editing process. As I couldn't afford a sound guy, complete with boom, mic, and mixing box included, we plugged the mic directly into the camera. I did this last year on Three of Clubs, with no problems. Probably because I had a guy that had his own boom and cables. Not so this time. Prayed. Made a few phone calls. Prayed some more. The writer called in a favor. We were indeed able to fix it in post, however, not without a lot of headaches, and stress.

Money, Money, Money!!!

In conclusion, I do always wish that projects like the 168 could be filmed for next to nothing, however, we did indeed incur some expenses. Without boring you with the details, my friend was wrong. You may remember before this whole thing started, that I posted that I had two naysayers. I probably had more, however, only two were vocal about it. One was right, but for the wrong reason. I wasn't able to make a movie for $4400. Had I had that much, I probably could've made at least three, and had some money left over for a great wrap party. I'm reminded of an oft misquoted verse in The Bible, which I'm sure you're aware of, as most will tell you, "Money is the root of all evil." Wrong. Read the entire verse, which I shall quote here, and link to: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. I Timothy 6:10, from the King James Version, to be exact. Other translations read slightly different, and I ask you to compare and contrast, to get the gist.

In any case, well, really specifically this one, Having a million dollars would've been a good thing, however unnecessary. Maybe next year....

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, Retweet.

The Real First Rule of 168

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Prayer. Simple, and succinct. One word, and I've got about 495 to go, therefore, I'll ramble on into general incoherence, which can only lead to one thing: Specific incoherence.

I once heard a talk where the speaker said, "Every once in awhile, God will do something to show that he's God of your life, and not you." Dr Larry Poulan is the name I remember, but I'm probably spelling it wrong. He spoke at the first Campus Crusade for Christ Christmas Conference (try saying that three times fast) I ever attended. The year was 1980, so, someone that knows how to search for things online can go look it up. Or, I could, but I may not have the time :)

Why won't I have the time? Well, we're on final countdown to turn in for our 168 Project film, Black Friday. I have other stuff to do, however, I figured I'd come here and blog a prayer request that no one will read, simply because I may have time to do that. Oh, about 29 and a half hours before the clock hits zero as I type this sentence, in case you were wondering.

Today was suppose to be my free day, as the plan was to turn the film in yesterday. The phrase, "Man plans, God laughs" comes to mind, as all did not go according to plan. At least mine. This may be some sort of great plan for me that to my knowledge, God hasn't let me in on yet. But that's probably an entirely different guest blog post that I have as yet been not asked to write.

To continue, or maybe your question is, what went wrong? Well, it would seem that my sound quality of the film that was beautifully shot by my DP is not up to snuff, to the point where my post production sound mixer doesn't want to put his name on it. this is the aforementioned thing that God did to show me. Or not. I don't truly know. What I do know is this: all of our hard work will have been wasted, if we can't fix the quality of the audio. What I do know is, I need prayer for what some would consider to be a miracle, however, I feel confident in my team's ability to pull it off.

This has been a Link Free Blog Post™. Thanks for reading this far, and praying for my team.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

I forgot the first rule of 168...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:25:00 +0000

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Which is simply this: Don't try to stay awake all 168 hours. You can't do it. Or, maybe you can, however, I know I can't. My record is 43. And that was in college a lifetime ago. As result, I'm too tired to properly compose this entry. So, sleep is a good thing.

I like the new Apple keyboard, as it allows me to tap my fingers on the keys without actually typing. Impressive. When attempting to pad one's word count, it is ok to embellish with random facts. As you can see, I've degraded into random incoherence. Which may be redundant. And as you know, in the dictionary under redundant it says, "See, redundant."

I could talk about how we wrapped principle photography at approximately 337pm PST yesterday, however, that might not be entirely true, as, it was closer to 4pm. I just like the number 337. Don't know why, I just do. Actually, it's when I looked at my cellphone before we got the last shot.

So, for me now comes the hurry up and wait process of filmmaking. I have music cues to listen to, so that the composer can do his thing, while I wait for the editor to do her thing, after which the post production sound mixer will do his thing. Then they all get put together into an 11 minute short film, based on the verse I drew what, two weeks ago? Then more waiting, after I turn it in to the festival, to see how it's received.

So, I could attempt to get some sleep, but I made arrangements to discuss things with the editor in a couple of hours, and my fear is, I won't be in any condition to take the call whether or not I get some much needed sleep, as I may have made a mistake when I got up at two in the morning....

It will be 72 and sunny in Redondo Beach, but not for awhile.

Adjust your expectations accordingly.

Black Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:24:00 +0000

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Or, 168 Project Team #13 2010 Edition Day 1. Of shooting, not day one of the competition, as I spent yesterday putting all the final elements into place, and prepping my shot list. Which I need to complete before I get ready for the longest day of the shoot, which will of course, be today. What's wrong with this picture? Why am I blogging instead of continuing to prep? Simple.

It's been said that every once in awhile, God will do something to prove that he's the God of your life, and not you. Currently, this boils downto, Final Draft not working on my computer. Now, I understand that you may not know what that means, however, in 25 words or less, I opened up the script this morning, and am still waiting on the template move I just did. That's right, going on ten minutes now, and the beach ball is still spinning. For those of you that just joined us, I'm on a Mac.

I'm thinking faster than I'm typing, and I really should get back to it, so, to review, pray that God will allow us to successfully complete a film that will glorify Him. Please, Retweet.

Sun's not up yet in Redondo Beach.

Adjust your expectations accordingly.

They say you can't go home again...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:52:00 +0000

So, I won't, as I don't really have one. My childhood home in North Hollywood was last occupied by members of my family in '92, as I'm the last surviving member of said immediate family. During that time, I landed a job at KKLA, FM 99.5, which at the time was also located in NoHo as we called the fledgling art district back then. It's since grown beyond expectations as the Red Line stops there on Lankershim. Just off Lankershim on Magnolia Blvd. rested what was The Magnolia Theatre, which has since been turned into a saxophone shop which was next door, into something else entirely as I rode by it the other day after visiting my alleged agent, Jack Scagnetti.

KKLA has since moved to Glendale, and I was there for part of that time as well, as anyone that has perused my Linked In profile can attest. Why is all this relevant? What does it have to do with my 168 Project?

Simple. As some of you know, or, hopefully all of you, my 3 loyal readers, the first few scenes of Black Friday are set at a radio station. The personalities involved are DJ's. So, in true fashion, we searched high and low for locations, and we locked down KKLA. We'll be shooting there on Monday.

Pray for me. And for them. And my crew. And Scarecrow most of all :)

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, Retweet.

Thought I was going to do this everyday....

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:58:00 +0000

But as 168 Madness continues, I've let things slip. Like blog entries, for which I apologize. Also, this affects my fundraising ability, so, that's a problem, as I have none. Funding, that is. Yes, it's another plea for money!!! God is providing in miraculous ways, as we have a great script, a good cast, and most of the crew needs met. Still waiting on a location, plus some equipment. And a sound guy. I really need a sound guy. That's the guy that makes the movie have sound. Having used a borrowed PC that didn't have sound capabilities the past 3 months, I can tell you, sound is important.

So, as always, 72 and sunny in Redondo Beach, and, please, retweet.

In a Shining Bit of Irony....

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:51:00 +0000

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If you've read the previous post, you know that I received my verse(s) Tuesday night, and I bet you're dying for me to tell you what they are. So, without any further ado, well, really without any ado actually, the winning ~~lottery numbers~~ Bible verses are: Matthew 7:24-25. Now, I could post what that reads here, but I don't think I need to pad my word count, so, you may simply click on the link.

Where's the irony in that, you say? Well, I'll tell you. It turns out that when I handed John Ware the stone with the verse attached, I accidentally called it a rock. The he corrected me, and said, "It's not a rock, it's a stone." Then I said something on the order of, "Stone, rock, same thing." And he reiterated, "It's a stone." then I read about building your foundation on a rock, to uproarious laughter. Even got it on video, with my new Flip Mini that I won. Will post when I get my Mac back, which should be today, so, be looking for that soon.

Oh, and pray for me, and my team. #13 in case you forgot :)

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, Retweet.

3 Things to Remember on Verse Selection Night

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:55:00 +0000

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Yes, of course this is another 168 Project post. Simply because, I'm participating in the 168 Project. Again. Did I want to this year? No!!! God had other ideas. As tonight is the night for selecting the verse that starts the writing ball rolling, I figured I'd do yet another list post, in order for Guy Kawasaki to read it. Maybe he'll use the donate button in the upper right.

Don't prepare for a specific verse,
Ask God to lead you to the stone, and finally
Remember, it's not about me.

I've read through the entire Bible in my lifetime, and I don't consider myself an expert by any means. The challenge as always in this competition is to take the verse you draw and create a ten minute short film based on it. The temptation is to try to get a jump on what you think your verse will be, and I've been guilty if this in years past. This year's theme is Hearing God, and according to the founder of the festival, this means the entire Bible is fair game.

The second point basically boils downto, pray before you go up on stage, and draw. As opposed to a hat, the stones are arranged in a cross, and team members go up in order of entry, (Remember, this year I'm #13) and point to a specific stone, at which point, the aforementioned founder will hand it to you, and you get to read aloud your verse for the first time. Again, having a preconceived notion as to what verse to choose has not necessarily been a good thing, and ultimately, the odds on guessing which verse you'll get, are astronomical.

In conclusion, this isn't about me. It's about God. Praying that He will give me a verse that allows me to make a film that glorifies Him, is hopefully a prayer that he will answer in the affirmative.

Oh, one more thing. If you're not Guy Kawasaki, and you've read this far, you may still use the donation button on the upper right. Because ultimately, I can't do this without you.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

As always, please, retweet.

Maybe Selecting Team #13 Wasn't Such a Good Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:54:00 +0000

Ask any mathematician, and he'll tell you there is no true randomness in the Universe. You can also ask a chaotician, but you might get a different response, as is the nature of chaos. A statistician will probably tell you that all probabilities are 50%. Either something will happen, or it won't. In any case, I actually chose to be Team #13 in this year's edition of The 168 Project.

Why would I do such a thing? And how'd I get to choose? Usually, numbers are assigned in the order entries are confirmed. However, as you know, I came into this process a touch late this year, as originally, I was going to take a year off, and maybe simply act. As in, "I'm not an actor, I just play one on TV..." Of course, no one has seen those performances, as they predate YouTube. They aren't even in the IMDb.

Therefore, there were already 12 teams signed up when I did, thinking I'd get #13 anyway. Moments later, I receive an email back stating that I was team #14. Thinking quickly, I called the 168 Office, and asked why I didn't get #13, and Karen was very accommodating, and switched the two numbers, as she hadn't sent out the other confirmation yet. Thinking back, this may have been when all the trouble started.

I've never been triskaidekaphobic, however, I've had bad luck ever since. I can't seem to get any traction on the fundraising (button in upper right), the actress that got me involved in the first place is no longer available, and I've been evicted from my apartment, just to name a few of the highlights, or lowlights in this case, of the last few months. I'm pretty sure that part of the whole "Hearing God" thing is to listen. I've been faithful, and before you go there, this isn't a "Why Me?" thing. I firmly believe He wants me to make a 168 film this year, simply because all the elements are coming together, although, much slower than in years previous, and I'll probably update my crew needs later in another post.

I also believe that it may be time to move out of this growing ever smaller apartment, and God may be telling me to do that, too. So, what brought on this latest rant? After all, I thought the planets, and even the full moon, were aligning this year so that I may have the complete and perfect 168 experience that I've always wanted. My kids get the production week off from school, therefore, the car, and even my family is available to perform in my film, if necessary. And that's the problem. The kids don't want to, and will probably get together with their friends during that week, and furthermore, there are movies coming out that normally we'd see together, however, I'll be making a film. Oh, sure, my wife will star, however, she may also be otherwise occupied with taking my alleged kids to the previous aforementioned films.

So, what should we conclude? If you, my almost 4000 followers on Twitter can afford to donate a dollar each, that would be cool. If you think I'm crazy, which is quite likely, let me know. What I can tell you is this: My StarMeter is up 335% this week. But remember, or maybe I should. It's not about me.

Adjust your expectations accordingly.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, Retweet.

Advice for #168Project Producers...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:36:00 +0000

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Now, I don't know if that hashtag will even work, as I'm not necessarily fluent in all things Twitterfeed, however, some of you may have seen my latest status update, "I survived The 168 Project Amoeba Mixer!!!", and might need a short or rather a long, explanation.

Roughly 60 to 70 of us fill the main sanctuary of Media City Church, in two circles. We spend roughly two minutes exchanging wants and needs and prayer requests, (one person even prayed with me, thanks Wendy!) and then the outer circle moves one person to the left, or clockwise for the right-handed people, then wash, rinse, repeat. This year, there was even time for the outer circle and the inner circle to form their own outer and inner circles. Again, wash, rinse, repeat.

The goal of these things is to network, as opposed to working your net, specifically to fill any holes in your team. Of course, The Law!!! kicked in, and mostly other producers were there that I met and spoke with, looking for the same people I was. The deal I made with them, is I'll pray for them, and asked they pray for me. Now, I'm holding up my end, but this isn't about me, as previously discussed.

Some of the 1st time producers asked me for advice, as this is the 3rd year in a row that I've taken the plunge, and I co-produced th 2005 Best Picture winner, A Temp for All Seasons. I really need a break from this thing :) However, I don't consider myself an expert by any means on what it takes to make a successful 168 Project film.

I did however, come up with an answer.

Don't have a preconceived notion of what your film is going to be. Verse selection is next week, Feb. 2nd, for the local teams. We already know the theme, "Hearing God." But beyond that, you can't absolutely know what your film is going to be about, until you get your verse. The verse will come from the theme, and I even had our assistant pastor pick out some verses for me based on this theme.

He quit the next day.

Now, I'm not suggesting that A implies B, far from it. I'm simply stating that even the conversation I had with my writer this year may have broken the rules of the competition. We could get into what is actually considered writing, however, that's probably another post for another time. On quite possibly a different site.

So, to review, prayer, pray, wait for your verse, and pray some more.

Hopefully, I'll be able to take my own advice.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Until it starts raining again.

The 3 Keys to Comedy

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:34:00 +0000

In an effort to get Guy Kawasaki to read this post, I'll put the list above the fold as it were, and in no particular order they are:

Timing.
You have to be funny. And finally
Delivery.

As I just found out I have only 800 words total to qualify this as a blog post, I'll get right to the point, er, points.

Timing

Not necessarily the time of day, and maybe even not explainable in print form, however, if you've ever heard someone pause too long before they got to the punchline of the joke they were telling, they probably had bad timing. Or alternatively, maybe they were rushing through the story to get the punchline, laughing along the way. Usually when this happens, no one laughs, and the joke teller in this case says something like, "Maybe you had to be there."

No, we didn't need to be there, you simply needed to tell the story better, and that goes to point 3, which I'll talk about again in a few paragraphs.

Being Funny

There are whole books dedicated to this, my favorite is by Steve Allen. This is especially relevant, as most of the routines you're laughing at now on the various late night talk shows were created by him in the first place. At least, for a television audience, as I don't know who did them on radio. At it's base, the joke comes from something you don't expect, like from my old standup routine: "The problem when you work for Christian radio is, you don't work for a boss or a company, you work for God. He doesn't pay that much. And you can't call in sick either, because, God knows where you are...." Now, I could simply type out my entire routine, however, I may cross my 800 word limit, therefore, I'll move on.

Delivery

I touched on it above, as it is indeed related to timing. However, how you deliver a joke is just as important. Are you composed? Have you told the story before? What was your result? Did people laugh? If not, and you're relaying a joke you heard, maybe you're telling it wrong. Delivering the mail is easy, comedy is hard.

I could leave you with several cliches here, and I've touched on them above. Comedy is a serious business. As Mr. Spock would say, "A joke; A story with a humorous climax?" Most find different things funny, i.e. I don't necessarily like slapstick, however tons of YouTube and Break.com videos are dedicated to it, so, someone must be laughing, otherwise, they wouldn't post them. And of course, no one knows who 'they' are. Well, I do.

Why is all this relevant to the 168 Project? Well, I'd like to believe the films I've made in the past were funny or comedic in nature, as I was able to get the laughs I thought I would. And I'll be doing it again, although this time, I'm having someone else write it. If I'm able to translate the above three things he writes onto the big screen, I'll have accomplished my goal.

Still raining in Redondo Beach.

Please, Retweet. And donate, if you haven't already. Thanks!!!

Ok, So I Really Wasn't Asking for a Million Dollars...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:57:00 +0000

Simply because with that amount of money, I could make about 2,000 ten minute short films. Based on a Bible verse, in a week. I might even be able to do it for less, however, I usually budget these things at $5000, and pray. It's worked in the past, and I have no doubt that it will work again. You just have to believe. In my never ending quest to proselytize and pontificate on the bigger picture, I sometimes forget that.

So, to review, money needed, stressed out, please donate. Or, pray. Or tweet. Thanks!!!

Still raining in Redondo Beach.

Coming Downto the Wire

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:54:00 +0000

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And yes, before we start, I know that downto is not one word, it's a leftover computer programming thing, which I was doing three or for lifetimes ago.

I hate that I need money to create my 168 Project film. I could expound on this, however, it's how I feel right now. There should be three benefits to making a donation to me:

Special Thanks credit both on screen and in the IMDb.
Help create a Christian short film. And finally
Get the word out about God.

I once heard that if you're not following The Great Commission, you're doing it wrong, or put simply, do something. This is what I choose to do. This frustration comes from the feeling that I have less money than when I started fundraising this year. At least, it seems like it. Having participated in this ministry for the past three years in a row, as well as in 2005, I know that God will provide the needs of my particular film that will glorify Him. And I know that I picked a bad time to solicit donations, as most have already donated to the various Haiti relief funds.

Later today, or possibly over the next two days, I'll post the actual films that I've made here. For now, you can check them out at the link I just provided. The donation button is still located in the upper left hand column. No amount is too small. Thanks!!!

It's raining in Redondo Beach right now, so, I don't know what the temperature is....

The Key(s) to The Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:20:00 +0000

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Disclaimer: I may have no idea what I'm talking about. You have been warned.

My acting coach had a theory, well several, actually, but this one is extremely relevant; When watching an improv, pretend you're Chinese, and you don't understand the dialogue. And then ask yourself why your spellcheck doesn't think dialogue is spelled correctly. But I digress. If you don't understand what they're saying, will you still know what's going on in the scene?

Why is this relevant? What does it matter to you? Is this a post about moviemaking, social media, or something else entirely? Should I be ranting or explaining an idea that I've mastered? That's for you to decide. My focus here and elsewhere for the next few weeks has to be The 168 Project. I have other irons in the fire, but this is the most relevant, and currently, related.

I have been both gifted and cursed with a loaner PC while I wait or can afford to get my Mac fixed. Some of you may have already donated money that goes toward this, but again, I digress. I do that a lot, don't I? In any case, the PC in question has no sound. I'll give you a moment while you figure out what that means.

For me, it means I click on less video links that you provide, as I can't hear them. However, when I do inadvertently come across a video to see, and in this case, only see, I better understand the intent of your video. If you're sitting at your desk, and recording something that would be better suited for a radio broadcast, I'm probably moving on pretty quickly. If you've got visuals that you think may be important, you should probably leave them up long enough for me to take in. In the case of text, can I read them completely through, twice? Why twice? Your reading speed may be faster than others. Or, it may be slower. I don't know, however, why take that chance? If I can't understand what's going on, maybe others can't either.

I may continue to conduct this test in other places, as I'll be without my Mac for another two weeks or so. Something about the turnaround time on replacing a drive that's under warranty. If I have anything intelligent to add to this current thread, I shall do so. Either here, or elsewhere. Again, you have been warned.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, retweet. Speaking of which, thanks to my good friend and follower @tommytrc for inspiring this post that I've been thinking about for awhile now.

And another thing, with all due respect to my mentor Ivan, most in China do in fact speak English.....

Maybe I'm Not Asking for Enough Money....

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:33:00 +0000

It occurred to me recently, ok, just now, that asking everyone I know for a dollar to help me make what is currently being referred to as 168 Project Team #13 2010 Edition may be thinking too small. Between all the various social networks I belong to, and including actual family, and friends, I probably know about 5000 people, so, I figured $5000 would be enough to make a ten minute short film, based on a Bible verse in a week, as I've done it with that or less in the past.

There was a couple about twenty years ago, that stood on the corner of IIRC, Wilshire and La Cienega, which is just down the street from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with a cardboard sign, "We need $1 Million for Film" imitating the beggars you may see at various street corners. Or, maybe you don't, as I don't know what street corners you hang out at.

It's my understanding that this got them several meetings, and even an agent, as they picked a prime location for this stunt. I don't absolutely know however, if this got their movie produced and released.

And again, to review, this was over 20 years ago. Before the 'netplosion. So now, I'm thinking I need to put up the same exact cardboard sign, and this time, I'll put it up here. It reads, I need $1 Million for my 168 Project Film.

The Paypal Button is currently in the upper left hand corner of the site. The math states, one person can donate a million dollars, or a million of you can donate one dollar each. My good friend Ben Mack has already donated $23, so, he gets his name and quite possibly company first in the list of 'Special Thanks' credits. Also, his name in the IMDb. That might catch on, I think. Your name or names can go below his.

By all means, I'm accepting in kind donations as well, therefore, if you think you can afford anything, by all means, leave a comment. Or retweet. Or both.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

My Number of Naysayers Has Doubled....

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:22:00 +0000

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Most of you may recall my last post here. If not, click the appropriate link, and read, and then come back. I'll wait.

Ok, now that you're up to speed, I innocently tweeted about this post in a conversation on Twitter recently, and received the following response. Well, I could consider the source, or alternatively, let you, my three readers comment about it. I choose to do both....

So, to review, there are now two people out there that say I can't make a ten minute short film based on a Bible verse in a week, despite the fact that I've done it two or three times in the past. There's a famous quote out there that starts, "Ignore the critics..." so I plan to do exactly that.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please, retweet.

A Short Film

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:47:00 +0000

The Academy probably has a precise definition of what a short film is, probably less than x amount of minutes significantly less than 90 is quite possibly the breakpoint. I could look it up, but I leave that to you. What brings this on is, I was told by one of my oldest "friends", we'll call him Mark, because his name is, well, Mark, just told me I can't make a movie for $4400.

Of course, those of you that have been with me for any length of time know this to be false. In fact, I've done it twice:

Appropriate IMDb links have been provided for you, and this doesn't even count A Temp For All Seasons, on which I was aboard as an Associate Producer in 2005. That one won Best Picture at The 168 Film Festival that year, along with four other awards. We were nominated for 12, but the bigger issue here is, clearly, I've made films for that amount or less, or worked on them in the past. I could probably itemize my budget here, but I don't want to get into the dry and boring details, suffice it to say, it can be done, my alleged friend notwithstanding.

But not without your help. There's a donation button on this page, and no amount is too small. Well, I don't think it allows anything less than one dollar, but that's an aside. If you're just seeing this site/blog/letter, whatever you want to call this, for the first time, by all means, have a look around. If someone sent you here, then tell them I said thank you, and again, I invite you to look around. In the next few days, I may move all the 168 related material to a new site I'm currently setting up, and then the fun will begin.

So, for now, pray, donate if you feel so led, and then pray some more. As I can't do this all by myself, as some would accuse me of doing....

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

As always, please retweet.

168 Project Team Rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:53:00 +0000

I came back from my morning walk, with a sudden realization. I'll talk about that another time, but to wit: I have a team in place to create what I'm currently titling 168 Project Team #13 2010 edition. The members so far:

Two actresses.
Director of Photography
Editor
Assistant to the Editor
Filmmaker*
One Location.
Prayer Support.

What I don't have is, well, the rest. The above are confirmed. I may have a makeup artist as well. Without getting into the gory details of what it takes to make a film itself, meaning, the corresponding equipment, etc. not to mention the money needed, I don't have a complete team.

You can probably guess what I need, and where this post is going. I'm asking for your help to put together the rest of the team. I've done three of these things, and for the last two I played the role of Filmmaker (see above). Iwill mostly likely be doing this again this time. However, the team is far from complete, which is why I'm asking you, if you feel you should be on this list, and you aren't, well, why not?

The production week starts Feb 12th at 2p PST, and ends the next Friday at the same time. That's where the 168 comes in, as it's the number of hours in a week. If you're available, and you're in the area, I'd love to have you on the team. If you can't make it, or have already committed to something else, that's ok. If you feel you should be on this team, and you're not listed above, let me know that as well.

Oh, if you know of someone that might like to work with me, let me know that, too.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!

*As always, it's not about me :)

$13 from 13 people for Team #13 on December 13th

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:03:00 +0000

And, in keeping with the theme of 13, I may have 13 reasons for you to give. Don't know if I can come up with those, but here's the math; I'm Team #13 for this year's 168 Project competition, and coincidentally, 13x13 is 169. My entry fee is $168, therefore, if you meet my needs, I'll payoff the entry fee, and have a dollar left over, with which to make the film.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "Mike, how can you make a movie for a dollar?" Well, I probably can't, however, I do receive in kind donations from friends and others that I've worked with in the past, and, you are free to give more, if you so desire. I won't stop you. Anyone that gives will of course receive an IMDb credit, as well. It may be a 'Special Thanks', and your name may appear on the big screen in front of about 1500 people that will view the finished film.

And since I'm feeling creative, here are the 13 reasons you should give $13 (or more):

Your name on the big screen, as mentioned before
It would be a good Christmas present
Put a lot of out of work actors to work
As well as a lot of crew
And me, the filmmaker :)
Although, it's not about me
Contribute to a spiritually uplifting experience
Also to something that will probably eventually appear on YouTube
Or Vimeo
What you help me create can't possibly be worse than this.
You still have money left over in this year's budget
Stimulate the economy, and finally....
You're not triskaidekaphobic.

If you don't know what that last word means, look it up :) Now, if you read this, and it's not the 13th, don't let that stop you from giving, and as I've stated previously, there's nothing stopping you from giving more, I'd just like to meet this particular goal by the end of the year. Thanks!!

Oh, and as always, please retweet.

And if you don't know what that means by now, you're probably not following me on Twitter.

The Making of, Party in the House!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:39:00 +0000

In case anyone was wondering what goes into the making of a 168, I submit to you the following:

This was the behind the scenes movie for my 2008 168 Project film, Party in the House!!! I got a lot of donations, including the plane, and the pilot's time, however, there are still things that need to be paid for, mostly, food for the crew, and this year, the music. Circumstances did not permit for a making of last year's film, Three of Clubs.

Enjoy, comment, pray, and of course, donate if you feel so led. Thanks!!!

A Scary Proposition...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:54:00 +0000

As opposed to a scary preposition like, of. Because it's not something that you can do to a cloud, which is how I learned prepositions in Grammar School. Or, elementary school, depending on where you grew up. Where I grew up, we called it Colfax Elementary, which in turn should tell you where I grew up.

Having digressed from the original point of this post, I submit to you the following: If I show my previous two 168 Project films here, and by extension elsewhere, free, will you in turn support my efforts to make what I'm currently calling 168 Project 2010 Edition??? You know where the donation button is, and furthermore, you should at this point, know who I am. If you don't, then you're probably here for the first time. Which is ok, however, I need an indication that posting two short films based on Bible verses is:

A good idea.
Something you would pray about, and finally
Something you would support.

I could easily put these up on iTunes, and charge 69 cents each, however, most probably wouldn't bother to even seek them out. Did I mention that this year's theme is, ”Hearing God?“ Probably not. What is God telling me to do? If you've read the previous entry, you know that I wasn't going to make a 168 film this year, however, that plan changed pretty quickly....

So, leave a comment, and let me know what you'd like to do. And yes, I'm talking to you, my almost 3300 followers on Twitter :)

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Please Retweet.

Yet Another 168 Project Post....

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:25:00 +0000

I've done these here, and elsewhere, to the point of if you're reading this, and you don't know about either The 168 Project, the Blatant Self Promotion Tour or both, you haven't been paying attention. Or you've been ignoring me, and I'm typing to myself, which of course, gets lonely. But as a Web Log got it's start as a Journal, and was brought to prominence by no less than Doogie Howser MD, I feel that it doesn't matter whether or not you read this. Well, it does, to me, actually.

It's that time again, and I have a decision to make.

Several, actually.

One's apparently been made for me, while I was composing this piece. I will be participating in The 168 Project again this year. I just found out that I'm wanted. Ok, so, in what capacity?

Althought you may not know this, I'm not an actor. I just play one on TV. No lie. A public access cable show that no one's ever heard of gives me this distinction. It's so obscure that it's not even listed in the IMDb. But trust me, I was actually, the male lead of a large ensemble cast.... I have the unedited tapes in storage to prove it, if they haven't decayed beyond repair....

To continue, the last two years I've written, directed, and produced a 168 Project film, as you may or may not already know. I haven't taken the additional step of acting as well in the previous two, as I deemed it next to impossible to be juggling four things at once, as I've only ever been able to keep three balls in the air at any one time, although, my record for plate spinning is seven (!) However, I don't perform that act anymore, as I've run out of plates....

This year, I've been approached to produce and direct something that will be written and acted by someone else. Which may give me the opportunity to act as well, as I'll be freed of the actual creation of the short film script to be named later, as is the nature of the contest. And of course, the extra added attraction that I haven't mentioned yet, is that I'll be responsible for finding the funding for this movie that I will be producing. This is of course, the part of the post where I ask you to donate what you can, when you can, however, I'm putting a time limit on it this time of October 31st, as that's when the cheapest entry fee expires. It takes about $5K to successfully compete for the top awards, and as you've seen by now, the donation button is on the upper left hand side.

I can only thank you in advance, and remind you that this isn't about me.

A Horse Designed by a Committee

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Cover of The Big Picture

You'll look for that quote somewhere, and it's either a camel or a giraffe, depending on where you find it. The theory being that if several people got together in an attempt to design one thing, by the time you're finished, you'll have an entirely different thing.

It's very much the same with a movie. Writing a film starts out as a one man operation for the most part, unless you have a writing partner. Some writing partnerships work, and work really well. Some don't, but that's not what this is about.

After the script, or screenplay, is finished, that's when the fun or the madness begins, because it's never really finished, is it? :) Unless you're going to direct, produce, and exec produce as well, you're going to have to show your “completed” work to others for their approval, or more likely, disapproval. Anyone who's seen The Big Picture knows what I'm talking about, however, as that movie only really appealed to people within the Entertainment Industry, you probably haven't, so, I'll elaborate, reminding you that whenever I speak of the industry, I refer to, the business.

So, we'll bypass the part of the process involving your agent telling you that your script sucks, and go directly to the part where you've convinced him otherwise, and he's shopped it around, and actually done his job, and made a sale. Usually to a producer, hopefully that has a contract with a major studio to either make or distribute (preferably both) your movie.

But suddenly, it's not “your” movie anymore. It's theirs. They bought it, and for whatever reason, they want to make changes. Now of course, my thinking here is, if they wanted to make changes, why'd they buy it in the first place? Well, the quick answer is, they liked the concept, but not your execution. Translated: They haven't seen a movie like it in the last six months, so, they think it's original. The bonus here is, they even pay you to do it, since they are contractually obligated to do so, if and only if your agent has done his job properly.

Unbeknownst to you, or perhaps, knownst to you depending again on your contract, said producer has started the process of attaching talent. And quite possibly a director as well, and it's at this point, that your movie is truly no longer your movie, as it's now, the director's. And he may want to make even more changes. To which you'll acede, simply because well, you want to get your written by credit. Notice how we haven't even shot the thing yet. It's been said somewhere else that there are three different versions of a film, the one you write, the one you shoot, and the one you edit. There's also the one the audience sees, which makes four, actually. As the writer, I really only have a modicum of control over the first one. Others that are making quite possibly more money than myself, have control over the rest.

It is why in my necessary finite thinking of, write the movie, find the money, make the movie, that I sometimes don't get this part of the business. Yes, I do understand that the bottom line is and always will be what's important, however, as William Goldman once wrote, Nobody Knows Anything.

What does all this have to do with Watchmaker? We have an A list producer, and A list director, however, no A list talent currently attached. And, we wish to make this on for what is a low budget to the Hollywood types, $5 Million US. Oh, and as previously mentioned, we have Universal interested, as well as another production company willing to put up their pension fund, if we can get the loan guaranteed. We're dangerously close, people.

When I started this blog post oh, what, an hour ago, I was going to go in an entirely different direction, and yet, I still ended up at my basic conclusion, which is simply this: This movie will be made, despite its “controversial” topic. It's only a matter of when. My only fear is that we may end up with an entirely different film than what we started with.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach. Please Retweet.

Yet Another Watchmaker Update...

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Ok, I can't mention the company, however, we have someone willing to invest the entire amount, however, they want the fund backed up by an identical amount. So, I guess what we need now, is someone willing to put up $5M that they don't need to use for awhile, as it would seem we'd be greenlit if this were to take place.

It's confusing, having to raise $10M for a $5M picture, but there it is....

Maybe one of you has a lead, or an idea of why this is, and they can explain it to me. The comments as always, are open :)

Watchmaker Update

noreply@blogger.com (Batman) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

It's been awhile since I've written anything about the main reason this blog came to be, so, here's an update, on the movie. We've got an A list producer, and director, attached. Some sort of Letter of Intent from no less than Universal, which basically states they want rights of first refusal to put it on 2000 screens domestically.

That's pretty cool, but it's not an actual commitment yet. So, we're still looking for in the neighborhood of $6M to make the thing. Continue to pray. And to keep me alive in the meantime, the donation button is on the upper left :) Thanks!!!