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Through Creative Life and Other Fancies, I seek to inspire and inform people about living as a creative person. Here you will find my successes, failure, and best of all, attempts. Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Are you alone? My Scream moment

Scream was one of the movies of my high school years.  The second movie in the franchise was the first (and only) movie I snuck into because I was technically underage.  Sorry Mom.  I remember being terrified in that opening sequence where Drew Barrymore is, well hacked apart.  Who doesn't harbour a secret fear that someone is watching them while they are alone in a house?


Well, I got to have my Scream moment a couple of weeks ago with a short thriller film.  OK, it was scripted but still cool.  And you'll just have to wait for the full short to be released to know what happens.  For now check out the teaser trailer.






Are you alone?


Happy creating!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Edward Burns says: 'I don’t think we’ll ever go back to theatrical.'

Funny.  This is what so many indie filmmakers I know have been saying too.  It doesn't have to cost millions.  It just has to be your passion and you will make it happen.  It's weird to be on the possible forefront of change industry wide.  And with mediums such as YouTube, iTunes, and great inexpensive equipment, creating wonderful and well-made films is within everyone's grasp.  Check out what Edward Burns has to say on the matter in this article from indieWire.  


Edward Burns says: 'I don’t think we’ll ever go back to theatrical.' Here's why. - indieWIRE


Thanks Eddie Burns.  Glad you agree.


Happy creating!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Roseanne Speaks: And I Should Know

If you haven't read Roseanne's article on life as woman sitcom creator and star, you probably should.  Best part?  The mental picture of her and George Clooney going Happy Gilmour on a chocolate Number One.


Check it out here: And I Should Know


I hope things will change and maybe they are.  Fingers crossed.  And if not, I know a few woman filmmakers who are ready and waiting to kick the door in.


Happy creating!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Things are Looking up!

So we've struggled.  I mean, we always struggle in this industry but recently, we've struggled a lot.  But times they are a'changing.  OK, realistically we're still gonna struggle.  Deal with it.  It comes with the territory. 


As with Sundance, Cannes is showing that there is life renewed in this field.  People are talking and most importantly, people are buying.  Thank goodness.  But from what I've read, while many of the investors, distributors are the same, how they do business has changed.  Almost losing everything will do that to high-net worth individuals and multi-million dollar companies.  They are looking for well-made films that attract a target audience with controlled budgets.  And this seems to go for everyone from the biggies to the little guys like IFC.


Check it out here with Scott Macaulay's post on US distributors in Cannes.  


Happy creating!

Friday, May 20, 2011

Wanna sneak peek at a new pilot?

OK so you may have actually already seen it but ABC has got at least one new ridiculously creative series coming up this fall.  If you haven't heard of "Once Upon a Time", you should probably look it up.  Seriously.  Released on your TV screen by the creative minds of Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis (ever heard of a little show called "Lost"?), get ready for ever after as fairy tale meets modern world.


There are evil queens, enchanted forests, and princesses but they don't know it.  Oh my!  Locked into a town called Storybrooke, the cast of characters have forgotten who they are and the only one who can save them is modern world gal Emma Stone.  Now it's actually more complicated than that with a long lost son and a curse involved but you can read the press release as well as I can to get the deets.


So why am I excited for this?  My nearest and dearest know that I'm a sucker for fantasy shows that take me into other worlds than this.  If someone (please) made The Dark Tower books into a long running series, I'd be right there, signing up to play Susan Delgado--hint, hint Mr. King.  Or barring that, tuning in each week to be transported away.  I love well thought out universes which is probably why I still watch shows like Buffy, Angel, and the X-Files with rapt attention.  And "Once Upon a Time", on a first sneak peek basis, seems to have that level of attention to detail.  


More than that, I'm curious to know if it makes me think a little.  "Lost" certainly did, despite my less-than-enthusiastic reaction to the finale. I want my brain to be twisted a bit between episodes.  That is what makes me talk about a series.  I mean, really talk about a series, not just wonder what the hell they were thinking.  Anyone remember the feeling when Dawn suddenly appeared on Buffy?  I loved that and I'm hoping that the deliberate mash up of storybook epic weirdness and the hum drum of everyday will do the same for "Once Upon a Time".


And besides all of the above?  I love most of what Robert Carlyle does.  He freaked me out as Hitler and made me giggle as a male stripper (or wanna be male stripper).  So seeing him as Rumplestiltskin?  Yeah, sign me up for that.


So check out the trailer for the pilot and let me know what you think!  I promise I don't have any evil cider here if I don't agree with your opinion.  I save my evil for other things, remember?


Happy creating and ever after!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Sarah Michelle Gellar talks about returning to TV

Buffy's back!  Or Sarah Michelle Gellar is!  Check out this blog post from Jarrett Weiselman at Pop Wrap who interviewed everyone's fave vampire slayer about her new show.


Sarah Michelle Gellar talks about returning to TV with 'The Ringer' & 'Buffy' legacy - PopWrap


5 by 5.


Happy creating!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Impatient Actor

Like most actors I know, I can get really impatient when waiting for things to happen.  If you work in this industry, you know there is a lot of "hurry up and wait" and at the moment, I'm at the wait part.  Which I suck at.  A couple of weeks ago, my life was a flurry of auditions and congratulatory emails and text messages.  I have one project booked to start in a couple of weeks and am on hold for a commercial.  So here I sit.  


Waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting...


Happy creating!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Controversy Swirling

So I just found out that a Netflix commercial I did a few months ago has caused some controversy.  A men's rights group in the USA has taken offense to the spot and has some people boycotting Netflix.  First, after the initial shock that anyone would take a satirical commercial based on absolute fantasy so seriously, I began to read the comments on the edited version of the commercial they released.  Get ready for it.


I'm evil.


Yes, I am.  Supposedly, it's something in either the eyes or my aura that gives it away.  Damn.  I guess I gotta switch eyeliner from "Evil Feminist Master Mind Kohl" to "Loves Puppies and Rainbows Green". 


So here's what I have to say to it.  First, TV and the commercials that air both on it and Internet aren't real.  This really shouldn't be news to anyone but thought I would make that completely clear.  If anyone does think that women really want to order their babies from an online movie rental service, I suggest they go talk to some women.  Most I know are looking forward to pregnancy and childbirth, despite the risks of it.  And those that aren't, newflash, they aren't looking to have children anyway.  And those women who desperately want children and cannot conceive through traditional methods?  You're right.  They don't really need men.  Invitro and adoption are options for them but I can tell you now that most women in that situation are heartbroken they can't conceive the traditional way.  You know, the way that needs men.


Second, I can assure you the writers, crew, actors, and Netflix (although I haven't spoken to them but feel secure in saying it) don't have a master plan to eradicate men from the planet.  Honest.  Cross my heart.


The truth of it is while being called evil by people I don't know does sting, I'm trying to see this as something to learn from.  That not everyone will always like everything I do.  Bad reviews will come.  People will get the wrong idea from a comment or action.  This is just my first lesson in it as I work along this path.


PS: I do love puppies and rainbows by the way.


Happy creating!..you know, both creatively and otherwise....