IT'S HERE!

The IndiePix Download of EGTTR

relax John...it's just a movie

After a pretty nasty scare this weekend I find myself leaving through website after website of self distribution models and Sundance Film Festival images. After all that, I have to say...it's only a film. From me taking things too seriously, to these images of people congratulating themselves like they just put a man in space I have to really start putting things into perspective. In the interest of discovering isolation and true depravity I've taken the research just a step too far and need to pull back on the stick...I'm sure I can understand sorrow without making it an everyday experience. I also think that these new self-proclamed lords of indie-filmmaking need to take it down a notch...you've just made a movie about 20 somethings relationships...you didn't find the cure for cancer and you don't have the answer to all things indie. (By the way is anyone really all that interested in the relationships of 20 something hipsters? really?)

On an up note the film will be out on Indiepix January 29th. IndiePix has been great through the whole process and I hope to be working with them on the next project, The Brave and The Kind. Keep posted for more details. PLUS on January 29th Xiu Xiu's new album Women as Lovers comes out. EGTTR officially endorses The Xiu Xiu crew!

Cheers
John

Isolation!...the musical

Well...it's official. Once the final release/push happens Tuesday the 29th at indiepix I will be embarking on the next film. With only casting, writing, and scheduling to do I'm already in great shape. Almost all the people that worked on EGTTR are coming back to help or act in The Brave and The Kind. Rae and I are also looking to brand and revamp the nameinuse production sites. (EGTTR, The new movie site, and the soon to be portfolio/book site) Now comes the hard part however, immersing myself into a film where the message is to become part of the world and not let isolation get the best of you. Here comes a year where all I do is think of isolation and it's effect on society...which I'm sure is going to have some sort of effect on me. With EGTTR it was a great year of trying to figure out what it will look like if and when society came falling apart. I've been asked by people if I really think we're doomed and if people are destined to rip themselves apart. I actually think there is so much potential in humans. I think we are one step away from figuring things out. So when we chose the easy road, or shut the world out, or think only of ourselves I tend to become quite sad and detached. I know we can do wonderful things and that's why I want to make a film that encourages people to do wonderful things. That WAS the point of EGTTR...but now I need to learn how to convey that better, to get my point across and not leave the audience asking "now what". It's so very easy to allow things like advertising, religion, politics, and ego to separate us. Isolation isn't just physical...that's one thing living in New York City taught me...it's the loneliest city in the world. I also think isolation from one another is keeping us from becoming united against some of the true evils of this world. I think or attitude of "I will get mine, and hunker down with my family, and forget everyone else" keeps us from understanding how others might be coping or struggling with life. I think that isolation is one of the core factors keeping us from getting together and revamping our education system, or health care system, or infrastructure. We are terrified of one another and too stubborn to look past our own self made bubble...our "Army of one" if you will.

It's going to be a fun year. ;-)

cheers
John

Working hard towards the next thing

So after a wonderful holiday and great start to the new year I find myself thinking about what's next. Raeanne and I have both agreed to work hard to learn marketable skills so that we can move on to the next thing. One idea is Grad school for me here at Skidmore College. A MALS (Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies) in "Math and Music as a written language". This of course would line me up for a future PhD at which point I would change my name to DR. John Yost...insisting that everyone call me as such. (just kidding...about the DR. thing...still want the PhD though) Thanks to Jack and Mr. Finn who wrote the recommendations. Raeanne is working hard on Advanced CSS and Java Script stuff while absorbing as much as she can through Lynda.com...an amazing training site.

Recent correspondence with close friends of ours have gotten us extremely interested in Denver CO as a future spot. 300+ days of sun, golf all year round, and a cost of living EQUAL to Glens Falls...we'd be stupid not too. However, there are many things to do before then, and bills to pay off. If 2009-2010 sounds like it's too far off for this change you're wrong...plenty of things to do here for now. Like make two more feature films...one of my own, and one for Brandon Bethmann my producer. You hear that Brandon...I'm sticking around for you.;-) The next film is coming along great. Randall will be up in a week or so to help me get the script rolling. I'm in the process of writing a bit of a proposal to get financial interest, (not too much needed...you know how I roll...fast and cheap.) as well as contacting artists that I admire to contribute...musicians and crew...I'll let you know how it goes.

As for EGTTR we are a few weeks away from the distribution date through IndiePix. A fan of the film has been telling those who are fighting for the TV show Jericho all about us...thanks Dan. AND, I finally got onto IMDB...although the budget is listed as 30,000 and Holland is the only mentioned character/crew member...either they stopped halfway through the update, OR I really screwed up. Hopefully it's fixed soon.

I'll leave you with this video of Charlie Brooker of the BBC talking about the biggest cocks in advertising...I can't watch this without laughing my ass off.

here's to topping all the best of lists.

First off, Happy New Year...the only holiday I truly like. It's not too commercial, (unless you count liquor and beer ads) it signals new beginnings, and doesn't hump tradition into the ground. For example...read Raeanne's blog about our NYC festivities this year. So what if we were in the streets when the ball dropped. It was amazing; it was the first time we were in the streets in my entire life when midnight hit. It was a blast...I felt like I was George Bailey and instead of Merry X-Mas I was shouting Happy New Year to everyone. I'm hooked, from now on no more watching it all happen on TV...no longer watching someone else do it, I will be come part of this world.

As for the film commentary we recorded for IndiePix...you are going to want to check that out. Rae, Randall, Holland, and I all sat down with a couple of beers and gave up all the inside scoops to making the film. a few "shout outs" and tips on how to make a movie this fabulous were also leaked. It will be out for download-to-own on January 29th and soon after you can download it straight to DVD. The new disk will have the new trailer (which is on our site now) the commentary and a few other things. (like a proper menu.:-)

In other movie news, IMDB is still harder to get into than Fort Knox for some reason. I've been submitting the film for almost a year now and it still comes up rejected. The reason this time? The original 2007 release date had expired because of the roll over to 2008. No shit...like I said...it's been a year for them to take us seriously. Now armed with multiple articles and a DISTRIBUTION DEAL I hope to become a member of the apparently elite group known as people who are listed on IMDB. Why do I want to be on there? Simply because they are now the standard of established, and every little bit helps...plus I'll be bonafied then...right?

On the festival side of things 2008 started off great. I got rejected from SXSW and completely lost my taste for film festivals. As I sat reading the rejection EMAIL that urged me to come to the festival even though my film will not be in the fest, AND act quick because the discount passes are almost gone; I realized something. What were my goals when making this film? To tell a story I wanted to tell...my way. (check) Get as many people to see it as possible. (check) Get other people interested in helping me make the next one. (check) Festivals are simply a way to get noticed and then get distribution...but guess what...I already have distribution through a great company...IndiePix.net. I set out to make a unique film, distribute it uniquely, and make the next one...and I have accomplished all of that. Film festivals in a way are becoming obsolete (and lucrative to every small town that dreams one up) It's time to plow through to the future and shape the way we make, distribute, and celebrate filmmaking. Not hump the dead horse of 90's independent film ideas. I saw an article damning Sundance as too Hollywood, and Robert Redford defending that Sundance is still as "indie" as it always has been. Straight up bull shit...sorry Robert I don't know what else to tell ya...straight up bullshit.

As for the next film, it will be called The Brave and the Kind. I've already started an outline and hope to be shooting Summer 2008. This weekends trip to NYC found me collecting a crew and interest from Indiepix. I will keep you updated on all that changes and develops. Now it's off to apply to DIY and Independent Boston...okay so the taste isn't completely gone. Just a few more and I swear I'll quit...besides it would be nice to go to just one.;-) Congrats to Radiohead for topping everyone's list of best album...it is...you should listen to it...the whole thing...Disk 1 AND Disk 2...which is the best one...fuck you pitchforkmedia...get a clue. And to all the critics that put M.I.A. on their list anywhere above the number 1000 mark I say what is the world coming to.

Here is a picture of holiday toonces...a thousand times crankyer than the original.


Thanks to all my friends and family for a wonderful life and great year to come. Thanks to all the people who helped make this film a reality and are still willing to help me out on the next one. Thank you to Jason and the Indiepix crew for running a great site and for looking into new ways to do things...you guys rock! Thanks to my wife that puts up with all my shit and suports me all the way.XOXO

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!Make it a good one.