Happy Holidays everyone! Remember, you're not a Scrooge if you dislike the commercialization of Christmas. Scrooge disliked everything good, he hated mankind in general...I think the tag of Scrooge is a bit harsh when you don't find yourself excited about shopping for Christmas gifts. I think using the description of a heartless old man who wished for nothing more than money is a bit "over-the-top" when it comes to choosing not to participate in obnoxious, mindless holiday traditions. Christmas is about friends and family...always has been, hopefully always will be.
Cheers...see you in the new year with a new DVD deal!
John
12.21.2007
12.18.2007
INDIE PIX and EGTTR
Well it's a official, I have a page on indipix.net which means we are one step away from having a download on their site. If you notice the indiepix banner now graces the site and soon it will be on the download page urging you to click it if you want to watch the film on the couch instead of in front of the computer. This new partnership with indiepix is great and I hope long lasting. I know that in some way I'm doing my own DIY distribution on the site, but if feels great to have people believe in the film enough to want to distribute it on their end as well. Here's also to the Saratoga Film Forum for believing in the project.
Cheers Jason and Derek!
John
12.16.2007
Screenings a big hit...same with downloads
Last night saw the last screening for charity in the area at the Saratoga Film Forum. Thanks to the Forum and thanks to Derek for believing in the project. As indie film crowds go it was a great turnout, lots of great feedback and a very involved crowd. Mike Potts and his crew showed up in full support of Mike, who I'm casting in the next one as the rugged, Lake George, drug addicted, male prostitute. A natural progression from the role of "man protecting his home with rifle". Thanks again Mike...you did a great job! :-) We raised just around 300 dollars total for HATAS and got at least 70 new people to see the film. Now I realize something like this will not bring in crowds of a 100 (see previous blog promise...I knew I had nothing to worry about.) However we just hit around 200 or so downloads of the film which means the website is working and the idea fits the project. Don't know if I'm going to follow the same model as the next one, but you can bet there will be charity screenings and part of the sale proceeds to charity as well. I think we should help when we can...and I can.:-)
Again thanks to all who came out to see the film and thank you for your generous donations to HATAS...it will help! Please pass on the HATAS organization to friends...volunteer time, food, what you can, they are working hard to help those in need. As for the film if you liked it...pass it along to friends/link us...If you didn't like it email me right away...I want to know why for the next one.:-)
Cheers
John
PS for the person who sent me a comment for the blog about x-mas and Christianity...I don't think you got what I was trying to say. I find those things you mentioned in your comment to be distractions. The world would be a better place if we stopped following them blindly.
12.13.2007
Saratoga Flm Forum!
Last screening of EVERY GOOD THING to RUST for charity this Saturday. Come and help John believe in Christmas miracles. PLUS, If 100 people show up I'll run down Broadway George Bailey style and wish everything a merry x-mas. That's worth the 5 dollar admission right there.
Cheers
John
December 15th, 8PM Saratoga Film Forum
Cheers
John
December 15th, 8PM Saratoga Film Forum
You've got a blog, now use it
It's funny how other peoples blogs make you think of how you aren't writing in yours. Jon Katz of Bedlam Farm reminded me recently that a blog is not just simply to get out information about a screening, or book release. A blog is there for writing out your ideas and thoughts so that they don't stay in your head to long, warping your sense of the world that simply doesn't exist. Point taken, I will write this one...and then an informative posting.
X-mas and sentimentality almost go hand in hand. There is something about "believing" in the joy and wonder of Christmas that I can't get behind. I am a scrooge, I am a negative person sometimes. I feel time is wasted on believing and hoping things will turnout; that Christmas and Christan miracles can happen and should. I believe in hard work, sacrifice, and perhaps a small amount of chaos. The time spent pining over the magic of Christmas, or being sentimental about the way things used to be, could be time better spend actively pursuing goals, and righting wrongs. My wife reminded me that we take this time once a year to reflect and let ourselves believe in a fat, white (western looking) man who is "magic" simply to give ourselves something to look forward to. I however don't think we do this just once a year...I think we all do this everyday. Everyone from the Christians who use everyday little miracles to justify a god, right down to the average consumer who finds life's completion in the small-to-large everyday purchases. We distract ourselves on so many levels from what's important, in so many ways. I myself am guilty of this...I have a problem with alcohol. A substance that completely turns off the thinking and allows me to just be, to be in the moment, to revel in the spirit that is the world around me. When I'm sober, the world washes right up on me and I'm observing things to an obscene amount...allowing myself to be caught up in everything, but when I'm drinking, it allows the world to wash over me and past me. It allows it to be a big place with people that do harm to one another and people who time and time again choose the easy way out instead of putting forth that extra, yet extremely small amount of effort to change themselves and the world around them. I'm not saying Christmas and sentimentality is unnecessary...without it we would all go nuts. My argument...we power off a little too much and perhaps with the wrong remote.
The next film is shaping up as well, turning into a real nice piece. Hopefully a film that will explore the relationship of one family to the outside world.Hoping to also tackle the question of everyday isolation...We're so connected now and yet I've never before felt this alienated. Not just physical alienation, but alienation in priorities, interests; we are a country of extremes and miscommunication now...this does not cultivate community. I am looking for an answer to this. (and I don't think the answer is ONLINE communities, or shopping buddies, or bar crawls.)I heard my neighbor this morning trying desperately to start his car at some insanely early hour...later I realized I didn't even try to get up and see if he needed a hand. That bothers me. I once would have at least checked. Later I remembered what my mother had said about my little brother. that he often gets close to people that are not the kind of people you want as friends. People that try to push you around, take things from you, put you down for their own gain. My brother is the kind of person after all his years on the planet still trusts people; trusts the general good in people. I told my mom he needed a bit of me in him...and I needed a bit of him in me.
X-mas and sentimentality almost go hand in hand. There is something about "believing" in the joy and wonder of Christmas that I can't get behind. I am a scrooge, I am a negative person sometimes. I feel time is wasted on believing and hoping things will turnout; that Christmas and Christan miracles can happen and should. I believe in hard work, sacrifice, and perhaps a small amount of chaos. The time spent pining over the magic of Christmas, or being sentimental about the way things used to be, could be time better spend actively pursuing goals, and righting wrongs. My wife reminded me that we take this time once a year to reflect and let ourselves believe in a fat, white (western looking) man who is "magic" simply to give ourselves something to look forward to. I however don't think we do this just once a year...I think we all do this everyday. Everyone from the Christians who use everyday little miracles to justify a god, right down to the average consumer who finds life's completion in the small-to-large everyday purchases. We distract ourselves on so many levels from what's important, in so many ways. I myself am guilty of this...I have a problem with alcohol. A substance that completely turns off the thinking and allows me to just be, to be in the moment, to revel in the spirit that is the world around me. When I'm sober, the world washes right up on me and I'm observing things to an obscene amount...allowing myself to be caught up in everything, but when I'm drinking, it allows the world to wash over me and past me. It allows it to be a big place with people that do harm to one another and people who time and time again choose the easy way out instead of putting forth that extra, yet extremely small amount of effort to change themselves and the world around them. I'm not saying Christmas and sentimentality is unnecessary...without it we would all go nuts. My argument...we power off a little too much and perhaps with the wrong remote.
The next film is shaping up as well, turning into a real nice piece. Hopefully a film that will explore the relationship of one family to the outside world.Hoping to also tackle the question of everyday isolation...We're so connected now and yet I've never before felt this alienated. Not just physical alienation, but alienation in priorities, interests; we are a country of extremes and miscommunication now...this does not cultivate community. I am looking for an answer to this. (and I don't think the answer is ONLINE communities, or shopping buddies, or bar crawls.)I heard my neighbor this morning trying desperately to start his car at some insanely early hour...later I realized I didn't even try to get up and see if he needed a hand. That bothers me. I once would have at least checked. Later I remembered what my mother had said about my little brother. that he often gets close to people that are not the kind of people you want as friends. People that try to push you around, take things from you, put you down for their own gain. My brother is the kind of person after all his years on the planet still trusts people; trusts the general good in people. I told my mom he needed a bit of me in him...and I needed a bit of him in me.
12.06.2007
12.03.2007
First screening went off without a hitch.
The first of our charity screenings went great. A small intimate crowd and 100 dollars to start off the fund-raising for HATAS. After, we had a great discussion on the films themes of isolation. Every time I watch the film I learn a bit more on how to handle the next film. I'm also quite drawn to isolation; the next film will be a conversation about isolation, and I can no longer use the eventual "end of the world" as a devise for it. It's just too easy. The next film will talk about isolation in everyday society, as well as three generation of men learning to find a place in this world. Should be uplifting Raeanne...I promise.
Cheers
John
Cheers
John
12.01.2007
Chronogram article and the start of screenings
Chronogram has just published an article about the film in their Capital Region version.
http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/12/Arts+%26+Culture/Steal-This-Movie
(the link above also take you there.)
I have to say I'm quite impressed with the magazine and I think they do a way better job at arts coverage than any of the local papers...free or not. I salute their efforts and thank them a thousand times for the great article. Thanks to Molly and Tim.
Last night marked the kick off of the charity screenings with a preview on the corner of Broadway and third in Troy, NY. Troy Night Out was a blast and I think the preview really helped get the word out. I'd show you a picture of the set-up, but I was busy shooting a new thing for PBS with my producer Brandon Bethmann. Brandon has started ZINE; an arts and cultural show that runs normally 2-3 minutes. It plays in between the programing over at WMHT and is shaping up to be great. It was also great to see some old friends that I haven't seen in years, Thanks for the beer Ira and Maura...look forward to more.
Come check out the film tonight at Crooked Lake House at 7PM. I'll be there, what else do you need.
Cheers
John
http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2007/12/Arts+%26+Culture/Steal-This-Movie
(the link above also take you there.)
I have to say I'm quite impressed with the magazine and I think they do a way better job at arts coverage than any of the local papers...free or not. I salute their efforts and thank them a thousand times for the great article. Thanks to Molly and Tim.
Last night marked the kick off of the charity screenings with a preview on the corner of Broadway and third in Troy, NY. Troy Night Out was a blast and I think the preview really helped get the word out. I'd show you a picture of the set-up, but I was busy shooting a new thing for PBS with my producer Brandon Bethmann. Brandon has started ZINE; an arts and cultural show that runs normally 2-3 minutes. It plays in between the programing over at WMHT and is shaping up to be great. It was also great to see some old friends that I haven't seen in years, Thanks for the beer Ira and Maura...look forward to more.
Come check out the film tonight at Crooked Lake House at 7PM. I'll be there, what else do you need.
Cheers
John
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