Hail the Holiday Season!

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we are up to our waist in the holiday season. Happily, as of Friday past, Christmas music is socially legal, though I have to admit that since the Sounds of the Seasons cable music channel began the Christmas tunes right after Halloween, I've been a regular listener. Embrace the spirt - faux and sincere, it's all good!

By the way, when did it's all good become interchangeable with no problem? I first remember it from a visit to So. Cal. a few years ago when one of the indigenous surfer types uttered it. I embraced it there as part of the native speak but suddenly it is everywhere and when I received said response in an email from a business associate yesterday I thought to myself that it simply doesn't work here. Here in the east where short pants and flip flops are appropriate - maybe four months a year - the traditional, No Problem, or Don't Worry About It or the slightly more formal - Don't Give It A Second Thought should still be the response of choice. Listen, I'm the least formal guy in the room, the embracer of pop culture in all it's smudged glory, but please, a bit of decorum must reign or we'll have anarchy in no time flat!

Now get out the plastic decorations, inflate those vinyl Santas and Reindeer for the front lawn and crank up the xmas tunes - believe me, it's all good!

A Performance & Film that Holds Up

Reading about Jill Clayburgh's death yesterday brought to mind so many of her great performances from the 70's and 80's. Foremost on that list is one of my favorite films - An Unmarried Woman. This morning I pulled the DVD from the shelf and watched it again and unlike so many movies of that period - it really holds up. Even though it reflects a cultural time that is long past and takes place in a New York that no longer exists physically, it still rings true. The sense of people in relationships and the feeling of being in New York. Do yourself a favor and watch it, even if you saw it when it came out, give it another look. You'll be glad you did.

Bad Blogger, Bad, Bad Blogger!

Okay, I'll admit it, I've been avoiding you. I promise it wasn't intentional, time just kept getting away from me. I have been busy - really!

Okay, I'm a lazy, new fall TV season watching, slug. You have to admit for the first three months or so, I was keeping up, a new entry every day . . . or at least a couple a week. Well, it was only a matter of time I guess . . . anyway, to catch everyone up I've been wrapping up one film, shooting two others, shooting and editing two more shorts and in between time spending a week in New York where Will Barnet: Tracing the Soul of the Work played to a very enthusiastic crowd at the Art Students League. So all in all, October was a busy but productive and successful month.

Now November is here and it looks like winter in fast on its way. Temps only creeping into the low 40s and our old friend Indian Summer is nowhere in sight. Oh well, time to embrace the change, layer up and start producing - I have three films in the works with the hope that the financing for them will soon follow. So while I wait for the funds to complete, I'll keep shooting. Be well dear readers, I promise I'll be more attentive in the coming weeks.

Glorious October!

Time to breakout the fall jackets, ready ourselves for cooling temperatures and turn up the creative juices! For me October has always been the start of a season of books, movies and music. Even at 50 plus the cool air and falling leaves still take me back to a walk across the quad to the dinning hall, late nights in the design studios or Friday nights in uptown Oxford, Ohio. While I know it's only a short time till we're in the arms of old man winter, I can't help but celebrate the opening of my favorite month.

CIFF

Nice turnout last night at the opening of this year's Camden International Film Fest. Plenty of creative energy flowing inside the opening night reception and I'm sure more to come as the weekend progresses.

The rain passes through tonight bringing the real fall-like temps, break out the sweaters!

Hello Autumn

Now, while the thought of cool crisp afternoons in wool sweaters and cozy nights asleep under heavy quilts brings a smile to my face, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad this morning as a lay awake in bed waiting for the sun to catch up to my morning ritual. When the sun finally made its' appearance well after 6:00, I climbed out of bed, thought twice about the shorts hanging on the bedroom chair and opted instead for the pair of jeans. Then, as I readied myself for my morning walk, I glanced out the window at the heavy gray sky and leaves blowing in the brisk wind and pulled a hooded sweatshirt from the closet.

Fall has arrived.

As Norma Jean and I made our way around our mile and a half morning loop I couldn't help but notice the growing patches of color populating the trees along our route - weren't those leaves green just the day before? Again, I love fall and, with my favorite month mere days away, I await and welcome the glorious colors to come but I must admit that I will miss walking before 5:00 am, and being at my desk and working by 6:00.

Oh well, time to embrace corduroy and bid farewell to linen.

Observations from the front porch

Well, I intended to keep my readers up to date on the day to day of my recent New York shoot but as often happens when I'm in New York, I have a hard time staying still long enough to accomplish anything at a desk. So now I'm back in Owls Head, enjoying a spectacular morning on my front porch. The weather has perfect timing because on a morning like this it's very hard to miss being in New York.

The past ten days were a rather long, exhaustive, but highly successful shoot. All told, I did eleven on camera interviews and six location shoots. In addition, I had the chance to sit down with Ira Goldberg, the director of the Art Students League and set up a screening of Will Barnet: Tracing the Soul of the Work, at the League next month. In between I managed a bit of time to walk the streets, ride the subways and feel ever more at home in New York.

Let the editing begin!

Hello from New York

Waking up in Manhattan this morning and getting ready for a week long shoot. Last night I drove in around 2:00 dropped off my rental and kicked around the city a bit. It's always great to be in New York, though I must confess that I'm feeling a bit off my game. Maybe it's just the thought of the shooting schedule for the week ahead. I'm certain that as soon as I catch a couple of subway rides and grab a banana cup cake from Billy's, I'll be energized and ready to go.

I certainly shouldn't complain - I have three projects with funding in various stages of production and a fourth that appears will be funded soon. Still waiting on funding leads for the Charlie Oakes film but I certainly haven't given up.

Capped off last night by screening a truly original film. Inception is proof that films that don't fit into some pre-exsisting Hollywood formula occasionally still get made. Christopher Nolan stays within his genre but stretches it a bit with a clever plot that requires you to think as you hang on for the ride. Good performances for the most part, though I'm not convinced that Ellen Page was the best choice for the role but certainly not a disaster. Of course, now we'll be subjected to a bunch of "Inception-like" films in the coming year or two. See Inception and keep your eyes peeled for the next truly original concept, which should hit theaters near you sometime in 2015.

I'l be in touch this week with updates from New York.

Coffee with a Splash of Friendship

Many of you know how much I love my coffee. Morning, noon or night I'll seldom refuse a cup. This very morning I was in town catching up with a dear friend and as usual, enjoying a cup with a splash of cream. I realized that, although I keep the pot brewing here at home, nothing beats sitting at one of the many coffee serving establishments in town sharing a coffee with a friend. Even average coffee becomes premium blend when mixed with a splash of friendship.