slump

So after my last post about wanting to work on a new project I got a few people saying they would like to work with me. I am incredibly flattered, but I have to say the first thing I am trying to do is find the right story to tell. So I am writing. I am writing every single day. Sometimes it is incredibly personal while other times it is strictly business. I realized that my blogging here has waned because to be frank there hasn’t been a lot lately that has really truly inspired me content wise. The last film I saw that I enjoyed was SOCIAL NETWORK. I mean I don’t know how Fincher and Sorkin could have gotten it wrong. I feel like the combo was bound to succeed plus it was just a damn interesting story and the soundtrack didn’t hurt!

Making movies, television, web content has and will always be something I love, at least I think. Lately, however, my inspiration has been lacking. I have not felt connected emotionally to the content I was working on and decided to take a much needed break. I always vowed that I would not become the bitter and jaded LA gal and under no circumstances would I become like the “other” Leslie Morgan who I have spoken of and often mistaken for.

Who is this “other” Leslie Morgan? Well for those that are not aware, the “other” used to work for Laura Ziskin in the late 90′s and early 00′s. She was apparently a close friend to Ms. Ziskin and the story I heard was she went bat shit crazy, moved to Texas and was never heard from again. Now I don’t want to talk shit about someone especially someone who shares my name. So this is all speculation and hearsay. I have always wanted to meet the “other” Leslie and find out the really story… there is a story there for sure and one day I will be able to devote the time to it.

My point is that I never wanted to go crazy and move to Texas. I mean the moving to Texas is one thing, but I never wanted the entertainment business to drive me to insanity. Let’s say that lately, though I am not insane, I can understand why you could go insane. My own experiences have been fraught with a lot of almost happened and so close you can taste it moments. Even now a project that I thought was dead found knew life recently, just a small spark, but life just the same. However, the joy I once felt, the excitement and passion for this business has definitely waned. Part of it is entirely personal and stems from what has recently happened in my life that has cause me some sadness, ok a lot of sadness, a lot of heart ache, a lot of pain. However, much of it is also due to the frustration of banging my head against the wall time and again, not being able to have any control and giving everything I have to something with no results.

The industry to me is a lot like high school and I hated high school. For me I thrived in college. I was a big fish in a small pond and had the opportunity to really experience everything and anything I wanted. While high school was about being popular, who you knew, college was about what you had to offer. So there have been many a day I have felt like Hollywood was like being back in high school.

There are those that make it because they find their own way, these people are few, but I admire them for making it happen on their terms. More often than not those that make it follow the path, know the right people and stick around long enough. Sometimes, a lot of the time it is not about hard work. This has been something I have battled with. Timing, luck, talent, knowing the right people are the keys that unlock the door to making it happen.

I am still going to fight. I am still going to try, but just not right now.  For now, I am taking some time to regroup, and to enjoy the process of writing and simply creating instead of producing… and I promise as soon as my spark is reignited and something strikes my fancy I will let you know…until then…

Indie film are you dying?

Everytime I feel like the state of the independent film world is dying, something gives me hope. However, right now I just don’t know. I have been working in film on some level since I was 22 years old. I am now another year older and have stepped a bit further from the industry as I delve more into new media, web content, social media and marketing… I love film, I love talking to people about the industry, how to develop a business plan with an ROI and I love working with writers. I also feel like I was always really good at putting pieces together. My current job, yes I have an actual job now, consists of me being creative for a good 8-12 hours a day, every day. I have to say it’s been amazing, writing, making videos, sharing my views. However, I have to say I have missed producing, missed putting together projects, writing business plans, crunching numbers, talking to investors. I miss the business of film.

I need a new project. I still have one I am in the process of finishing, but I need to collaborate on a project in a producing capacity. I don’t want it to be anything crazy; I can’t devote my time to producing a 1.5 million dollar feature nor do I want to. I think I want to find someone, a group of someone’s to collaborate on a short film project. I don’t want to produce a web series or a webisode; I actually want to find a great 5 minute story and produce a short film for next to no money or very little money. For a long time I have been focusing on so many big projects and many of them came so close. Now I want something small, something really tangible that can be shot over the course of a long weekend, a three day shoot max. 5-10 pages over 3 days, with limited locations, a few actors, that can be shot on a 5D (which I have access to). So if there is anyone out there in Internet land who has something like this let me know. If there are many someone’s who have something like this let me know that too. It’s time to do something small, tangible and just have fun. I would like to call it Back to Basics…

Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

So I saw this movie a couple weekend ago on Netflix.

It’s called TIMERS and it was written, directed and produced by Jac Schaeffer.  I am always impressed when a woman is a triple threat AND the movie is actually good.  I loved the direction and thought Schaeffer really captured the nuances of the characters.  Plus the cast was great and had fabulous chemistry.

So what is all the fuss about? Well the film is set in LA today and is about a device you can implant into your wrist called a Timer.  The device is essentially a clock that ticks down to the exact time when you will find your soul mate.  The protagonist, thirty year old Oona, played by Emma Caulfield, is stuck with a blank timer.  She dates in hopes of finding the one who will actually set her timer off.  However, all the dating can’t help her find the one until she meets a younger man named Mikey.  The only problem is Mikey’s timer says he is supposed to meet the one in a few months.  Oona must figure out whether she should go with the flow or let a determined destiny seal her fate.  The chemistry between Caulfield and John Patrick Amedori who plays Mikey is fantastic and this actor is definitely someone to watch with roles in the upcoming SCOTT PILGRIM vs THE WORLD and whose work was seen on GOSSIP GIRL.

Ultimately the film brings up some really great questions about whether knowing the future is actually a good thing and it was a great conversation with my friends after the movie and into the next day.  In terms of some of the writing choices towards the end of the film, I thought they were a bit of a miss, but the acting and directing definitely made up for it.  If you want to hang out and watch a cute flick I definitely reccomend it.  Plus I am all about supporting indie films that are somehow miraculously shot in Los Angeles!

Los Angeles you could learn a thing or two

I have been talking a lot lately about trying to do something about the film permitting here in Los Angeles.  Is it me or is it completely ridiculous that permitting is not done on a sliding scale based on budget? In these economic times wouldn’t the people of this great city, the “entertainment capital of the world” no less want to bring production BACK to Los Angeles. Well then, why not stop charging $1500 and more in flat fees to productions whose budgets are LOW.  Why not instead charge a fee based on either a percentage of the budget of the project OR a flat fee based on a sliding scale.  Here is an example.  Take Joe, he is an indie filmmaker who is self financing his short film for $20,000.  Joe really wants to film one of his scenes at a beach in Los Angeles County.  Joe can’t afford the $1500 fee plus the police escort at $122 an hour with an 8 hour minimum because then he won’t be able to cover his craft services!  So Joe decides to say, “F THIS!” Instead Joe takes himself, his camera guy, a sound guy, two of his actors, and a PA and films the scene he wants guerilla style on the beach as the PA keeps a look out for cops patrolling the beach.  So City of LA had you said to Joe, “Hey Joe. I know you have only a 20k budget so I will make you a deal, we will charge you $100 flat for the day to shoot here on our beach and since you only have a crew of 4 or 5 you won’t need a police escort.  Just sign this nifty piece of paper saying you will not prohibit anyone from beach activity in the area you are shooting in and that you will pick up all trash once you finish shooting otherwise we can fine you up to $1200.  With that, Joe,  you have yourself a beach for the day!” LA you may think, “Well who cares I only made $100 off of Joe.” I say that is $100 more than you had before because Joe just told you, the city of LA, to piss off and did things without you!

Now if a production has $100,000 or $500,000 or 5 million, you adjust the permit fee accordingly with a maximum cap.  So for example if X Studio is shooting a 55 million dollar feature, I think taking a larger permit fee is justifiable.  I don’t see why a $20,000 short film and a $25 million dollar feature are required to pay the same amount for a permit. Now I do understand having police on the 25 million feature, but again WHY would you need a police officer with a 4 person crew. PLEASE someone explain this to me.  You want to make MORE money LA county, well make the fees fair.  I guarantee more people would start doing things legitimately and I would be the first person to call up FILM LA and say here is my $100!  I know so many low budget projects whether they be film, tv or web content that just avoids going through the permit office altogether because the fees are ridiculous and no one wants to work with you. So I ask you the filmmakers of the world who want to shoot in LA, what do you think? If fees were done on a sliding scale would you be more apt to go through the proper channels? Let me know your thoughts!

I am serious. I do want to do something about this and would like to really rally some indie filmmakers here in LA to prompt some change to bring film production back into this city or myself along with others will just choose to keep leaving!

Oh and by the way, the video above is from the film HOME… check it out! It’s free on YOUTUBE.

HOME

ITV Fest nominee

To give myself, my crew and my cast a shout out… the Pilot I produced in December has been nominated for ITV Fest.  woohoo. Congrats to everyone for their hard work on BIRDS OF A FEATHER!

ITV Fest

The movie break up

My best friend and I were talking today about break ups in the movies and how much better they are than in real life.  The best part about the movie break up is many times the broken up get back together.  Whether in drama or in romance, something funny or chatastrophic pulls a couple a part so that by the end of the movie something fun and equally catastrophic puts them back together.  Whether a natural disaaster or a world war or a family, as an audience most of the time we are roothing for the couple to get back together.   I was thinking about examples of movies where this doesn’t happen and  (WARNING SPOILER) 500 DAYS OF SUMMER immediately came to mind.  Sorry for those that have not seen it.  I think the film is a brilliant journey into what happens when two people find each other and one person realizes that the relationship just isn’t working while the other believes he has found his soul mate.  When the girl, played by Zooey Deschanel breaks it off with the boy, played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, he does everything in his power to try and win her back.  The movie was not the classic rom com and in fact at a Q&A I saw with the writers, it was meant to be an anti rom com.  For me the movie was poignant, funny, heart breaking, and minus the animated segments, pretty true to life.  In life, as in this particular movie, we sometimes get our heart broken, stomped on, ripped to shreds and then with lots of time and some faith, move on hoping to find the one yet again.  It’s movies like 500 DAYS OF SUMMER that make me not only believe in filmmaking and the power of it, but also as a hopeless romantic who has had her heart broken, makes me realize that hopefully, sometimes movies can be like real life… I just wish I had an animated blue bird that would sing to me sometimes too!

Shout out

For today’s post I want to give a shout out to a funny writer of all things film and television, Christopher Rosen.  He is spot on in his assessments and if you don’t believe me check out his work for the NY Observer here:

Sofia Coppola… oh boy

and here

Carey Mulligan IS Michelle Williams

I caught wind of his work from the NEVER LET ME GO trailer, which I admit made me tear up a bit.  THEN he reviewed the trailer for the new Sofia Coppola movie and I was hooked on him.  Here is the thing about the divine Ms. C. I LOVED the film VIRGIN SUICIDES.  It made me believe Kirsten Dunst was a force to be reckoned with plus Kathleen Turner was divine.  The she lost me with LOST IN TRANSLATION, to me a two hour commercial for Tokyo and of course do not get me started on Marie Antoinette. So anyway I caught wind of Rosen and keep reading all his archived stuff.  I love reading other articles from journalists who can take the piss out of the entertainment industry, but do it in a fair, honest way.  So bravo Christopher Rosen.  I will be making sure to read your articles from now on. To check out more you can follow him on twitter @42inchtv.

Are reboots dying or are they just warming up?

With the stellar opening weekend of A-Team (JUST KIDDING) and this summer’s box office facing some serious desolation, I want to talk about WHY Hollywood thinks it is ok to remake all these damn movies.

Just today I read THIS MOVIE is being remade…

WHAT?! FOR REAL? Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead?!! Ok I JUST don’t get it. Apparently with Karate Kid’s success at the box office,  family films from the 80′s are getting a reboot.  Here are some movies I beg Hollywood doesn’t remake.

Goonies: Goonies never say die, but I am saying a remake of this film could make me die!

ET:  Henry Thomas may need the work, but can’t we just leave ET alone back up on his home planet with his reeses pieces and bicycle. Already re-released in 2002 I beg Spielberg doesn’t let this classic get remade.

Neverending Story: Sebastian, Atreyu and friends coming back? Maybe Sebastian’s mom can have a cooler name next time?

My name is Inigo Mantoya please don’t remake this movie!

Any John Hughes Film!  Hollywood will try to make great teen comedy, but no one has been able to get it quite right since Hughes. Heckerling came close with Clueless and of course Tina Fey with Mean Girls, but trying to remake a John Hughes film is like trying to say the best buffalo wings don’t come from Buffalo, NY or that Domino’s makes better pizza than Ray’s in NY… it just isn’t the same.

So tell me readers… any movies you would hate to see remade by Hollywood Execs? Would love your feedback!

MICMACS and John Sayles is HIRING!

So starting today June 14th. I will be writing every day for one week all about the industry of film, tv and new media. I have to say the last couple years I have really immersed myself in the world of new media as I truly believe everything is going to be converging anyway so may as well talk about everything all at once.

I have to be honest I put the blogs on this site on hold because I was feeling a tad uninspired by what has been happening in the film world and in entertainment in general. This summer the box office has been pretty lackluster and have to be honest personally THE A TEAM was just not doing it for me. However, what did do it for me was this little gem of a movie called MICMACS!

A film by Jean- Pierre Jeunet the director of AMELIE, MICMACS is a whimsical tale of a man who accidentally gets shot in the head, loses it all and finds a home with a bunch of underground misfits who help him bring to justice the people who shot him.  It’s beautifully directed and just enjoyable to watch.  I was able to catch a free screening over at SONY and I absolutely will pay to see it in the theater. I didn’t stop laughing through the whole movie and left the theater smiling.  I can not remember the last time I left a theater so damn happy after seeing a film. It’s definitely been awhile.

In another note of things that make me happy. John Sayles is looking for an assistant! Mr. Sayles WHY are you based in Hoboken? Don’t you know that if you were based pretty much anywhere in southern California I would work for next to nothing just to be in your mere presence! A pioneer of indie filmmaking I wish you success in finding someone who fits your needs and if I had more balls I would pick up my life and move to Hoboken for the chance to work for you… alas I don’t right now as I have some work left to be done here in Los Angeles…However, if you are ever working on a film and need a KILLER Production Manager I am your GAL! For those interested in the job… here is the post

John Sayles WANTS YOU!

Ok folks time for bed. Up early to finish editing episode for my web series 1150 Project, finish a treatment for a new web series I am developing with a couple people AND top secret project that I will speak more of tomorrow.

THANKS Tubefilter!

A big huge THANK YOU to Jenni Powell, Associate Editor of Tubefilter for writing an Article about my web doc project 1150project

Not JUST because they just gave me some great promotion am I saying this, but for me I get all my latest inside info about what is happening in the world of web television from their site. I think it is incredibly informative in terms of shows to watch and also shows NOT to watch. I have been an avid reader of the site for the last year and am really honored that they chose to write about what the project I am producing. As a filmmaker promoting your project is a big part of the process so I am sincerely grateful for their plug!

In other news, besides working on the project and looking for work, I have been back to business on a film project I get closer and closer to setting up  each day (it’s been four years in the making). Not sure if and when it will happen, but it feels great to be able to at least attempt to push this project forward with the assistance of the writer and my business partner, whose health has stabled. It always feels good to work with great people on a project you are passionate about and feel incredibly blessed.

I will be back to writing on this blog far more regularly beginning in April and am looking forward to bringing you my thoughts on what is right and more often than not what is wrong in Hollywood as well as my struggles to finding a “job” while also attempting to set up my own projects… until then feel free to catch me at http://www.1150project.com and while you are at it READ TUBEFILTER, it will do you good!