Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Nick on the Red Carpet at Fox
I feel like I'm part of his Entourage - I helped him buy those clothes! LOL
Writing Continues!
Been working on my new book a little bit each day, and very excited about it. I feel like I could finish it in a week, if I had the time off... though, of course, it's better to let it sit for a while and then go back with fresh eyes.
With Kindle, it's very much like making a home tape or CD - now I know that I could upload at any time, but I have to fight that temptation and make it as good as it can be (though it certainly won't need 33 years of marinating, like Elmwood!)
Poor Sharon is still sick in bed. She can barely talk to me, her head hurts so badly.
With Kindle, it's very much like making a home tape or CD - now I know that I could upload at any time, but I have to fight that temptation and make it as good as it can be (though it certainly won't need 33 years of marinating, like Elmwood!)
Poor Sharon is still sick in bed. She can barely talk to me, her head hurts so badly.
Monday, January 28, 2013
New Book Idea!
On Sunday, while looking through old papers and journals, I found a bizarre idea I'd quickly jotted down and forgotten. It's a very bizarre, Vonnegut-like idea that requires absolute suspension of disbelief, but I think it might work! It has to do with sound editing, so obviously I've had years of experiences I can bring into play while writing this. I banged out the first chapter and lots of notes, and am getting new ideas all the time. It would be a novella or an extended short story for Kindle.
I don't even want to say what the idea is, because the title would give it all away. I'd also like to get my friend Greg to design a really catchy book cover.
Besides Vonnegut, the closest works that might resemble this idea are Wag The Dog or Being John Malkovich. The trick will be plowing ahead with the story and creating believable characters so that you don't have time to ponder the fact that the story could never happen. And though the central idea is kind of creepy, I want to offset that aspect with lots of character-driven humor.
I don't even want to say what the idea is, because the title would give it all away. I'd also like to get my friend Greg to design a really catchy book cover.
Besides Vonnegut, the closest works that might resemble this idea are Wag The Dog or Being John Malkovich. The trick will be plowing ahead with the story and creating believable characters so that you don't have time to ponder the fact that the story could never happen. And though the central idea is kind of creepy, I want to offset that aspect with lots of character-driven humor.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
My Filmic Awakening
In the early-to-mid 70's I began to fall in love with movies, and in the spring of 1976 I enrolled in the filmmaking course at Los Angeles City College. Though I dropped out after one semester, I learned quite a lot about all types of movies and saw many classics for the first time.
Below are my notes about three of these movies. I think they're funny because I'm struggling to understand why these films spoke to me, and obviously I'm mostly drawn to their visual style. Most of these notes could apply to Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" which had just been released and was a favorite of mine, even while it was trashed by my film school teachers.
Though I was never a great filmmaker, I definitely began incorporating these stylistic options into my own movies.
Below are my notes about three of these movies. I think they're funny because I'm struggling to understand why these films spoke to me, and obviously I'm mostly drawn to their visual style. Most of these notes could apply to Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" which had just been released and was a favorite of mine, even while it was trashed by my film school teachers.
Though I was never a great filmmaker, I definitely began incorporating these stylistic options into my own movies.
Truffaut's "Two English Women"
To approximate the style and general effect of French Films:
Focus slightly fogged (spray?)
Smooth pans, slow
Lush backgrounds, greenery, blue skies against a "rural" foreground
Many, many different locations, even within a small area
Each sequence is only as long as need be; some are static and lengthy for a specific effect
Rich Classical music, as if written especially for the movie
Aways impeccably "Beautiful" women, even in disarray
Many tracking shots
Laughing faces of two young girls, after prayers, to depict a sexual awakening. "it was our secret."
"Soft Skin" (Black & White)
Soft, out of focus backgrounds, as opposed to much depth of field in a far-away telephoto lens.
Actions are given extreme fluidity by constant cuts between two different points of the action with longer-than-actual-time cuts (example: man pulling nylon stocking off his girlfriend.)
Repeated use of a quick cut showing one action (turning ignition key.)
Fellini's "8 & 1/2"
Radical points-of-view changes, from way up to way down.
Long pans back and forth, each bringing life to the section it covers.
People walking toward camera.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Actual Dates!
Looking through an old notebook tonight, I stumbled upon a list of actual BERTH recording dates and times! I believe it only covers what we thought were "official" albums, since the list appears way too sparse.... however, it's still a very cool artifact.
Here's a short fragment:
Here's a short fragment:
02-09-71 BERTHQUAKE 2:30-5:00
03-06-71 BERTH & THE CEMENT CORNER REVIVAL
3:30-5:00
04-16-71 BERTH 13, THE ULTIMATE TRIP, MOVIE 2
1:00-10:00
05-04-71 RIZZLED MEAT 1:30-2:30
05-08-71 ETERNAL MOTION, ONE YEAR
3:00-5:30
06-01-71 NON ELECTRIC SONGS BY THE BERTH BAND
3:45-4:30
Friday, January 25, 2013
Nick is LEGIT!
The second episode of LEGIT aired late last night, and we had quite a full house for it: ALL the kids (Elizabeth, Sam, Sarah, Friday, and of course Nick) plus our babysitter Hailey; me, Sharon, and the dog.
I'd seen this episode at the premiere, but I still laughed so much I nearly succumbed to my bronchitis cough. It's always an amazing moment to see someone you know playing a part on TV; but to have it be a show that I genuinely like makes it even better. Nick has been in some really good and some just-okay projects; Saving Grace was the most recent, but even that show took the handicapped-equals-holy route. It's so great that somebody else saw Nick's essential humor and back-engineered a character that fit his style and sensibilities.
Sharon and I have been talking about what this could all mean. If the show tanks, Nick still has an awesome Show Reel and reviews for future auditions. If it does moderately well, he's going to be getting a LOT of attention from fans and the press; plus, the show has already decided to use him in more episodes next season if they're renewed, which will only increase his visibility. And if the show somehow breaks through to become The Next Big Thing (unlikely, but possible) I could not even imagine what we'd all be dealing with. As Sharon pointed out, you're not just talking about Los Angeles (which is easy to assume) - it's the whole damned country!
So, it's a very interesting time to be a part of our family. Nick is very proud to have finally landed a roll in a sitcom, and we're all very proud of him. But the only thing we can be sure about is that, as of 10:59 last night (PST), Nick's life will become very different - we just don't know by how much. It's exciting!
I'd seen this episode at the premiere, but I still laughed so much I nearly succumbed to my bronchitis cough. It's always an amazing moment to see someone you know playing a part on TV; but to have it be a show that I genuinely like makes it even better. Nick has been in some really good and some just-okay projects; Saving Grace was the most recent, but even that show took the handicapped-equals-holy route. It's so great that somebody else saw Nick's essential humor and back-engineered a character that fit his style and sensibilities.
Sharon and I have been talking about what this could all mean. If the show tanks, Nick still has an awesome Show Reel and reviews for future auditions. If it does moderately well, he's going to be getting a LOT of attention from fans and the press; plus, the show has already decided to use him in more episodes next season if they're renewed, which will only increase his visibility. And if the show somehow breaks through to become The Next Big Thing (unlikely, but possible) I could not even imagine what we'd all be dealing with. As Sharon pointed out, you're not just talking about Los Angeles (which is easy to assume) - it's the whole damned country!
So, it's a very interesting time to be a part of our family. Nick is very proud to have finally landed a roll in a sitcom, and we're all very proud of him. But the only thing we can be sure about is that, as of 10:59 last night (PST), Nick's life will become very different - we just don't know by how much. It's exciting!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Bill Ballance
Copying a vinyl record from the 60's - "Not On My Show You Don't!" "XXRated Censored Outtakes from the Nation's #1 Talk Show!"
Boobs, crap, a-hole, farts, pissed off, screwing... at first, I thought: "Where's the dirty stuff?" There's almost nothing on this disc that could not pass on any sitcom. Not sure if that's good or bad (probably both!)
What's really funny is that, even with an XXRated record, there's not an F word anywhere!
Otherwise a fascinating artifact, because the style of talk radio is 60's cheesy, even while these women provide hints of the sexual revolution brewing underneath. And of course, Ballance later became known as the ex-lover who leaked naked photos of Dr. Laura.
Boobs, crap, a-hole, farts, pissed off, screwing... at first, I thought: "Where's the dirty stuff?" There's almost nothing on this disc that could not pass on any sitcom. Not sure if that's good or bad (probably both!)
What's really funny is that, even with an XXRated record, there's not an F word anywhere!
Otherwise a fascinating artifact, because the style of talk radio is 60's cheesy, even while these women provide hints of the sexual revolution brewing underneath. And of course, Ballance later became known as the ex-lover who leaked naked photos of Dr. Laura.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Visualization Made Me Write!
Though it seems kind of silly NOW, when I first tried writing screenplays and books in the late '70's, I was always afraid of not actually DOING it.
Today, if somebody handed me $20k and said "Go write a book," I'd start immediately. But back then, with much more free time, I had a constant fear of not getting started, not continuing, and not finishing. It must have been a pervasive fear of 20-something writers because even my film mentor Mike Sherlock (who seemed to write a screenplay every 48 hours) suffered from it... but, Mike had a cure!
Sherlock was New Agey in every possible way and beyond, so it's not surprising his advice would turn out to be a New Age Greatest Hit: Visualization. Most people have heard of this technique by now, and have used it to gain wealth (The Secret), combat illness, improve in sports, and in general live better, happier lives. But in 1979, it was quite new to me.
Basically, he told me to take a few moments before writing and visualize myself going through all the steps I'd be taking: gathering up paper and pens, sitting at my card-table desk, writing each page, and watching as my tiny stack of papers became a nice, hefty manuscript. (Somehow, seeing a pile of finished pages was the hardest part.)
In 1979 I'd moved into my very first apartment on Chandler in North Hollywood, right next to the train tracks. There was a 7/11 two blocks away, a perfect opportunity for visualization. As I walked to get coffee or a snack, I followed Mike's advice. To my amazement, I DID end up writing and nearly finishing my book just as I'd imagined! Again, it seems silly in retrospect that I was so fearful of flaking out on my project, but it was a fear I saw in many other aspiring writers as well, many of whom were mostly TALK.
ELMWOOD was originally titled Alex & Joe Joe, and went off on lots of stony tangents; I felt it was my duty to describe every event in mind-numbing, sometimes surreal detail. In the past couple years, my rewrites mostly consisted of cutting this stuff out, or bringing it closer to earth.
When I read the manuscript before uploading to Kindle, I was amazed at how many of the quotes and events were true to life. But that was possible because I was always the Archivist. I knew Elmwood initially from 1969 to his departure in the summer of 1971. That event was so devastating that I took solace in writing several histories of our group - the very first version was even called ELMWOOD. Most the events I wrote about were still fresh in my mind, not to mention all the tapes I could reference. Also, certain events like the Halloween confrontation with Start Walkin' or the "F the Nuns!" dance were folkloric even before Elmwood left.
Still sick, but off to work. Gotta make that paycheck... just give me a wide Berth!
UPDATE 2/22/13
So, I just read an article that says visualization actually has the OPPOSITE effect than intended... in fact, it tricks your mind into thinking you've already accomplished your goal, so you get lazy!
I generally don't argue with Science, but all I can say is that it worked for me! I really did have a great fear of not starting or finishing anything (and technically, it took me over 30 years to finish ELMWOOD) and visualization seemed useful at the time, and I've heard other anecdotal evidence from friends and other people over the years. I wouldn't use it now because I just don't have much free time for my projects.
Today, if somebody handed me $20k and said "Go write a book," I'd start immediately. But back then, with much more free time, I had a constant fear of not getting started, not continuing, and not finishing. It must have been a pervasive fear of 20-something writers because even my film mentor Mike Sherlock (who seemed to write a screenplay every 48 hours) suffered from it... but, Mike had a cure!
Sherlock was New Agey in every possible way and beyond, so it's not surprising his advice would turn out to be a New Age Greatest Hit: Visualization. Most people have heard of this technique by now, and have used it to gain wealth (The Secret), combat illness, improve in sports, and in general live better, happier lives. But in 1979, it was quite new to me.
Basically, he told me to take a few moments before writing and visualize myself going through all the steps I'd be taking: gathering up paper and pens, sitting at my card-table desk, writing each page, and watching as my tiny stack of papers became a nice, hefty manuscript. (Somehow, seeing a pile of finished pages was the hardest part.)
In 1979 I'd moved into my very first apartment on Chandler in North Hollywood, right next to the train tracks. There was a 7/11 two blocks away, a perfect opportunity for visualization. As I walked to get coffee or a snack, I followed Mike's advice. To my amazement, I DID end up writing and nearly finishing my book just as I'd imagined! Again, it seems silly in retrospect that I was so fearful of flaking out on my project, but it was a fear I saw in many other aspiring writers as well, many of whom were mostly TALK.
ELMWOOD was originally titled Alex & Joe Joe, and went off on lots of stony tangents; I felt it was my duty to describe every event in mind-numbing, sometimes surreal detail. In the past couple years, my rewrites mostly consisted of cutting this stuff out, or bringing it closer to earth.
When I read the manuscript before uploading to Kindle, I was amazed at how many of the quotes and events were true to life. But that was possible because I was always the Archivist. I knew Elmwood initially from 1969 to his departure in the summer of 1971. That event was so devastating that I took solace in writing several histories of our group - the very first version was even called ELMWOOD. Most the events I wrote about were still fresh in my mind, not to mention all the tapes I could reference. Also, certain events like the Halloween confrontation with Start Walkin' or the "F the Nuns!" dance were folkloric even before Elmwood left.
Still sick, but off to work. Gotta make that paycheck... just give me a wide Berth!
UPDATE 2/22/13
So, I just read an article that says visualization actually has the OPPOSITE effect than intended... in fact, it tricks your mind into thinking you've already accomplished your goal, so you get lazy!
I generally don't argue with Science, but all I can say is that it worked for me! I really did have a great fear of not starting or finishing anything (and technically, it took me over 30 years to finish ELMWOOD) and visualization seemed useful at the time, and I've heard other anecdotal evidence from friends and other people over the years. I wouldn't use it now because I just don't have much free time for my projects.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Home Sick!!
Well, it got me. After weeks of walking in and out of rooms filled with coughing, snorting cold victims, the damned thing invaded my throat (which I thought was just allergies), moved up to my head, then completely took over my respiratory system. And here I was, finally back to work after weeks of unemployment! DOH!!
Well, a couple things went right today: I was finally able to link this blog to my Amazon Author's page, which was the whole reason I started it. At least one photo has uploaded as well. But I had to cancel Zero Dark Thirty with my son. Looks like I'll have to make his pre-Army physical for this Saturday, by which time I will surely have bronchitis (it never fails.)
Funny thing I discovered - there was a dinoblog before this one, as well as a kids' page called Dino Blog... hope they don't venture in here by mistake!
Well, a couple things went right today: I was finally able to link this blog to my Amazon Author's page, which was the whole reason I started it. At least one photo has uploaded as well. But I had to cancel Zero Dark Thirty with my son. Looks like I'll have to make his pre-Army physical for this Saturday, by which time I will surely have bronchitis (it never fails.)
Funny thing I discovered - there was a dinoblog before this one, as well as a kids' page called Dino Blog... hope they don't venture in here by mistake!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Elmwood Short?
I've had some comments that ELMWOOD is too short, or that people wished it continued. On the one hand, I do believe in "Always leave them wanting more!" On the other, I've also been daydreaming quite a bit about writing a sequel - already!
The reason I left the book where I did is because, after separating, those characters will go through a LOT of changes in a very SHORT amount of time, and really become two very different people. And though the first book is relatively tame, the second would have to include many scenes of sex, drinking, drugs, and rock & roll. Many barriers have built up between Elmwood and Dino, so when they finally reconnect, it does take a while to break them down. In writing that story, I'm going to have to find a way to keep the spirit of that unique grade school friendship alive, even when it is threatened by high school, new friends, and the many horrors of the stoner 70's.
There are also MANY untold stories that take place during the same time period as the first book; for example, I never said a word about Elmwood and Dino being Altar Boys and their occasional adventures "backstage" at the St. Joseph Church. It's possible I could drop these into the next installment as "flashbacks" or collect them as another volume altogether - something like ELMWOOD: THE LOST STORIES.
At any rate, these are daydreams right now, as well they should be!
The reason I left the book where I did is because, after separating, those characters will go through a LOT of changes in a very SHORT amount of time, and really become two very different people. And though the first book is relatively tame, the second would have to include many scenes of sex, drinking, drugs, and rock & roll. Many barriers have built up between Elmwood and Dino, so when they finally reconnect, it does take a while to break them down. In writing that story, I'm going to have to find a way to keep the spirit of that unique grade school friendship alive, even when it is threatened by high school, new friends, and the many horrors of the stoner 70's.
There are also MANY untold stories that take place during the same time period as the first book; for example, I never said a word about Elmwood and Dino being Altar Boys and their occasional adventures "backstage" at the St. Joseph Church. It's possible I could drop these into the next installment as "flashbacks" or collect them as another volume altogether - something like ELMWOOD: THE LOST STORIES.
At any rate, these are daydreams right now, as well they should be!
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