Off the Lot

Just watched the first episode of "On the Lot", the new "reality TV show" for filmmakers from Spielberg and Burnett and I give it a thumbs down. Too frantic, too many contestants and too closely modeled after The Apprentice for my taste. They never stay on any one person long enough to allow the audience to get to know them, so when the ax starts swinging who cares? There may be an assumption that the audience has done their homework by reading up on all the contestants on the web site before hand, something I did not do. The three judges, Gary Marshall, Carrie Fisher and Brett Radner are charmless and forgettable and I got the feeling that their most honest and entertaining comments were cut. Comparisons to "Project Greenlight" are inevitable, and from my perspective PGL at least felt sincere and authenicate, where Lot just seems like the typical hyped-up Hollywood horseshit. I watched this hoping to feel inspired or maybe learn something and actually I guess did learn something. I need to turn off the TV and work on my own films.

zahdah

OK HW

Happy Walter to screen in the city that never sleeps...

Recently got word from Zoje that "Happy Walter" will be screening NYC in June. For those who haven't been reading along up till now, "Happy Walter" is Zoje Stage's feature length mocumentary about a famous, fictional artist named Happy Walter. I played the lead. Here's more information on the screening from the last Masterbuilder Films newsletter.

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My feature film HAPPY WALTER will be screening at the
Two Boots Pioneer Theater in New York City - Monday,
June 25 @ 7pm!!!

This is my first ever theatrical booking (as opposed
to a fest or screening series) and as such I need to
grow my own audience. PLEASE COME OUT and see the
film - it promises to be a fun time!

Please forward this email to everyone you know, and
please ask them to forward it to everyone they know -
especially if they are in NYC and/or love independent
film! If you have a website or blog - or know anyone
who has a website or blog - please post there as well.

The Pioneer Theater strongly prefers that people buy
their tickets ahead of time:
http://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=98786
In fact, if 94 people buy tickets within the next week
I will be guaranteed a second showing of the film!

ABOUT THE FILM:

HAPPY WALTER (79 minutes): The daughter of an
eccentric Andy Warhol-meets-Homer Simpson artist tries
to reconnect with her wayward father in this
mockumentary about art, fame, and dysfunctional
families.

For more info:
http://www.twoboots.com/pioneer/#HappyWalter

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She has also cut a trailer for the film that I have posted over on Vimeo and, of course, on YouTube, check it out:

http://www.vimeo.com/clip:193992

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imzv2IUmVtw

Spread word and let's try and fill all those seats.

OK HW

April Hiking Report

Found this fish last week on the beach and had to make a photo of it because it looked so much like a cartoon to me at the time. I see lots of dead things on the beach throughout the year, lately more birds then fish. This fish was picked clean by the seagulls and crabs. The eyes always go first.

April was a decent month for hiking. First time this year that I managed to hit my monthly quota of 50 miles to bring my YTD up to 166, still 34 miles shy of where I should be. High point of the hiking month was getting some time with my old hiking buddy Dave C. on the shady trails of First Landing (or as we locals refer to it as "Sea Shore") State Park. Dave lives in N.C. now, so our out tings are much less frequent then in the "old days' when we were neighbors. He's a good man to have on the trail as he usually packs lots of snacks.

I did most of my miles in April on the beach by the house here along the Chesapeake Bay and I've noticed lately that balconies of the million dollar water front homes are generally empty. Many of these places are second or third "homes", so are probably unoccupied 99% of the time, but a lot of them are year round homes. Does TV and the Net win that competition for attention? Do these people have to work hours so long that they never get to appreciate their cool house with the marvelous view? Summer is nearly on us and those balconies will be used for a couple of months, but come September, the deck chairs will be stacked again and the sliding glass door locked until next season.

OK HW

I am the Hulk

Found the link to this Superhero Personality Quiz on my buddy Craig Adam's MySpace page and could not resist. Ironically enough, The Hulk was my favorite superhero when I was a kid. Still have a huge pile of Hulk comics in a box in my office that I keep threatening to post on ebay, but never seem to be able to pull the trigger on that. Ah nostalgia. The Hulk actually has a blog, check it out:

http://incrediblehulk.blogspot.com/

OK HW

Your results:
You are Hulk

Hulk 70% Iron Man 65% Green Lantern 55% Supergirl 50% Spider-Man 45% Catwoman 45% The Flash 45% Batman 45% Superman 45% Wonder Woman 40% Robin 32%

You are a wanderer with amazing strength.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz