I guess I didn't officially mention it, but Closet Space has wrapped principal photography. I'm hard at work editing...I took a lot of time initially capturing, organizing bins, and naming clips in a somewhat orderly manner. I learned this lesson pretty quickly on Witchcraft...when I ingested all the footage for that picture I did it all in large chunks, tape by tape, thinking that would be the easiest approach. Not the case at all. Editing Lesson #1: Take more time on the ingest to save yourself lots of time during the actual cutting period.

Hopefully a Closet Space trailer will be done within the next few days. Things are ramping up on the Nott Entertainment movie that I start work on in a couple weeks, so I'm busy getting that stuff together as well. Helping with casting, production managing, equipment...the usual. This weekend, Mrs. House and I are taking the drive up to the location so that I can scope it out and start putting together the general game plan.

I'm really excited about the Nott movie for many reasons...but mainly it marks my first official foray into being a PAID member of a movie crew....like in a Mr. Blonde "job-type job" way. I feel somewhat legitimized. Next stop: unionization!

The Rollins Band show was awesome. Seeing Hank onstage always re-energizes and focuses me.

I keep forgetting that in addition to seeing Rollins Band, I also get to see punk legends X tonight. So therein lies the filmic connection: John Doe has been in a shit-ton of movies, and Exene Cervenka was married to Aragorn for a while.

As such, I get to double rock the f%&k out tonight.

The Gorilla Biscuits show was pretty crazy. The stink of anger and sweat permeated the place. I fit right in.

Closet Space is wrapped (save some possible pickups way in the future). The trailer should hopefully be done this week sometime.

We're also ramping up for the shoot on Gerald's movie next month...it looks like I'll be working with a few people again, some for the third or fourth time. I think I've almost locked in my Tarantino-esque cadre of returning faces both in front of and behind the camera.

The relative isolation of the location for Gerald's film will hopefully lend me the opportunity to finish the screenplays that I'm working on so that I can maybe get something else going in the spring of 2007. Then again, I may wait until next fall or winter...shooting movies here in the full-force Southeast Texas heat sucks pretty hard. We'll see what happens, I guess.

Here's a post from Stacy (taken from the Odyssee Pictures' website) detailing the until now amorphous "September Project":

Texas Horror Triple Threat
August 26, 2006
Texas studios Odyssee Pictures and Upstart Filmworks (Closet Space) have joined forces with Nott Entertainment (The Quick and the Undead) to film Gerald Nott's next vision of pure terror in Texas. Although the title is still under wraps, we can tell you that it will feature Gerald Nott as writer/director, Odyssee's Stacy Davidson as cinematographer, and Upstart's Mel House as production manager & 2nd unit director. The movie will be shot in HD, and filming is set to begin in September.
According to Stacy: This is one f&@%ed up flick. After I read the script, I had to take a shower. It's sick, it's demented, I think Gerald should be locked up for writing it, and I can't wait to help him put it on screen.
Stay tuned for details!

- So there you have it, sort of. That's the next thing I'll be doing, and it's shaping up to be a pretty cool experience. Closet Space photography is over and done with as of tomorrow evening. I've been working on the trailer all weekend, and I'm excited.

Over the next two days I'm getting my hardcore anger rock on: Gorilla Biscuits tomorrow night, and Rollins Band on Monday. It couldn't have come at a better time. I plan on raging in the pit both nights.

Tonight we shot even more FX stuff for Closet Space - and word has it that the Oddtopsy FX gang are going to begin work on still more debauchery soon. Maybe I'll get the dreaded "X" rating on the first pass. What a badge of honor that would be.

Marcus Koch of Oddtopsy will most likely be joining us for the NYC area Fangoria Weekend of Horrors at the end of September, so I'm really looking forward to that. Hopefully, Chris and Derek can join us as well.

Looks like I will be taking care of security at Screamworld again this year...at least for the last few weekends before Samhain. Should be fun, as always.

Friday, Stacy Davidson and I are meeting up with the writer/director of the flick we will begin work on next month. That too, should be fun. I'm looking forward to the transition into moviemaking as my "job". I'll post info about that movie (which is the infamous "September Project") once we get closer to production.

Last night's FX pickup shoot for Closet Space went pretty smoothly. We got a lot of crazy, gross, creepy stuff that should enhance the crazy, gross, creepy stuff that we already have. As always, the thing that sucked the most was the humid-ass Houston weather....five minutes after being outside I end up looking like someone dumped a bucket of water on me. Additionally, three or four shots involved copious amounts of fire, making it even hotter. I think I lost about 5 to 10 pounds last night. Of course, no one had it worse than Domingo, who was our creature puppeteer...after being inside the monster last night I thought he was going to pass out.

I'm working on the trailer a little more today, and now I have several more shots to choose from that don't give away too much of the movie. I'll see if I can't post up some screenshots here soon.

After this weekend, we are done, done, DONE with shooting on Closet Space, and I can go into editing hibernation again...until we start production on the next movie I'm involved with on September 11.

Snakes on a Plane was great fun, as I expected. It actually warms the cockles of my heart that they went in and added more gore, sex and general mayhem due to fanboy net-buzz. There are some really gruesome deaths...some not even snake-related.

Ahhh, Witchcraft....so much to tell...but that's a blog for another day. Let's just say that many lessons were (and are still) being learned. It will make an interesting chapter in my autobiography, that's for sure.

On a related note...thank Christ for Closet Space. I know I piss and moan here a lot about the recent production, but damned if perspective didn't set in like a motherf&*ker this week. I kind of wish I had just started Closet Space (or even a half-assed Walking Distance) last year instead. Oh well...I guess everyone needs an albatross around their neck to keep them grounded.

Speaking of reshoots for more gore and brutality...that's exactly what we are doing tomorrow. I can't wait.

"Just what we need. Snakes on Crack."

This past Saturday's shoot went pretty well. We also shot a little bit on Monday. I got everything that I needed. No more actor stuff now until the 24th (when we are at the college for the school scene).

This weekend we are doing a lot of FX pickup shots with tentacles, bloody flesh, a latex abomination, and maybe even some fire. That should be fun and dangerous. Well...I guess the fact that it's dangerous lends to the fun factor somewhat.

Closet Space will be at the East Coast Fangoria Weekend of Horrors, so I'm looking forward to that. We're also getting close to crunch time on the 'September Project', so I'm looking forward to that as well.

There are lots of weird and crazy things going on lately....I think I've made my Alien 3, so hopefully Closet Space will be my Se7en. I realize that it's quite a lofty analogy to make, but that's the best way to explain how I feel about CS as it starts to come together. My apologies to David Fincher for the comparison.

By the way, I'm not busting on Alien 3. I actually liked the movie a lot when it came out, and I still do (especially the alternate Alien Quadrilogy work-print edit). I actually plan on rewatching it soon - it's always been a source of inspiration for me, especially considering the constant adversity surrounding the picture.

However...Ellen Ripley's quasi swan song will have to wait until after my Snakes on A Plane engagement tomorrow night.

We're in the home stretch, and there's lots of movie craziness going on. As per the vintage Witchcraft-era blog, I will oversimplify and distill it down to song lyrics.

My friend Jonah Matranga wrote a song called "Tides" a while back, and I find myself thinking of it often, especially during the watershed moments of my life (which have been quite prevalent in the last three years or so). Very emo of me, I know...but I've shot a lot of guns, bought Slayer albums, and trained in jujitsu, so hopefully that will all balance out in the end. Anyway, to the song:

This time next year
I won't be here
By then I swear
I'll be somewhere
I rely on this
Standing on top of a tall pole
Trapeze, still air, and me there wondering
"Will I jump or won't I?"
Just show up, there is time
Just walk in the light
And all you desire will rise like tides.

So...whenever I get to some sort of crossroads I often reflexively mutter "will I jump, or won't I" to myself. There are lots of weird "Mysteries of Life" that I'm trying to decipher right now....relating to this movie, the next few, and even my non-movie life (yes, there is such a thing).

Will I jump or won't I?

What's funny is that when I did my dream-fulfilling stint of sharing the stage with Jonah earlier this year, we had a lot of time to talk about the vagaries and bugbears of the entertainment industry - especially since he's been through every major-label and band related trial by fire that you can think of. It gave me a lot of food for thought - here's a guy that (to me) "keeps it real" in every sense of the word, still manages to do what he loves to do, and in addition to all that, he makes a living doing it. Plus, he manages to be a great father to his daughter. And he doesn't ever compromise what he believes in...which leads to a lot of head-butting and arguably missed opportunities (plus three disintegrated bands)...but he's still out there, doing his thing, his way. I'm sure he's ostracized a few people along the way, but apparently it's working out for him...I just saw him on MTV a few days ago (he sings on the latest Fort Minor single).

Anyway, it inspires me. Thinking of the conversations I had with him really makes me want to "jump".

Enough waxing poetic - here's the movie status. More shooting this weekend, next weekend, and on the 24th of August, and then we are done with photographing this movie. The official Closet Space website also has a new look, so check it out.

I spent the last few days editing together demo reels for two of my Closet Space actors (and I'm getting ready to start on the third), so I pretty much went through and culled footage from the entire movie.

Damn, it looks good.

I'm ramping up the editing process a little bit and doing more and more each day. I'm trying to keep myself from burning out and losing objectivity....but damn...it looks good. Our footage easily blew away anything else on the demo reels. Of course, it could look better, but considering what we shot this movie for and with, it's pretty impressive.

I'm meeting with folks about the "September Project" in a week or so to finalize some things. I think at least one other Closet Space crew alumnus will be involved...but I can't say who just yet.

The two scripts are coming together...one is almost finished, and the other is ftotally finished in my head. Now I need to get to work on leveraging the "swing for the fences" deal. Hopefully, Closet Space will aid me in that regard.

I also am working on a deal to DP another movie...taking it "back to the roots" as my people would say. If things work out on that deal, I'll be shooting that one late September/early October I believe. It's actually not a horror movie (gasp!) but I just read the script, and I connected with a few things in it, so I won't entirely be whoring myself out.

Tomorrow we are rebuilding the CS set...I mentioned that a lot already. Pickup shots begin next week, and I'm looking forward to filling in the little pieces of the puzzle that will complete a compelling whole.

And to adding more gore.

This past weekend we ("we" being Dwayne, Oliver, Melanie, and myself) successfully broke down the sets at Phobia. The place looks like were were never there. I'm very thankful to the Darke Institute for letting us shoot there, so if you're in the Houston area, make sure you patronize them when the season begins in late September.

We moved all the material to the duplex so that we can rebuild one or two sets for some pickup shots. This week and weekend I will begin construction on HouseWalker Ranch in earnest. We'll shoot some pickups the following weekend (the 11th and 12th) and after that, all that remains is the school stuff in late August.

I'll have to buy a few things and work a little harder, but the combination of the most convenient location in the world coupled with the minimal involvement of outside parties will probably make these shoots go a lot smoother than previous ones. Maybe I'll actually get my entire shotlist this time. About midway through principal on Closet Space, I seriously considered abandoning the project just out of sheer frustration, but I think I've isolated the issues and hopefully ironed them out. Unless of course, the issues are just endemic to my control-freakiness and short fuse. Maybe I just need to kickbox on a more regular basis.

I've still been working on music ideas here and there, but that's in the background until I can get an edit done. We met with our Digital FX team yesterday, and started that process along. I need to dig in and get some serious work done on CS before the next project rolls around in September....and I also should bang on the screenplays a little to get them ready. Lots to do, and of course, never enough time to do it all. It seems overwhelming, but then I think back to what I was doing in 1998, and I get pretty thankful for the crazy workload.

Last night I went and had a rock session with my drummer John - intitally to start work on new band material, but also so that we could begin jamming out some ideas for the Closet Space score. Mainly I wanted to see if I could actually pull off some semblance of incidental move music in the power trio (or duo in this case, although I will be playing guitar and bass on the recordings) context. I actually think things went pretty well - I threw in lots of minor 2nds, major 7ths and tritones (aka "the devils interval"), and it gave the music a restless feel that I think will lend a lot to the on-screen proceedings. I'm still going to take an initial pass at one or two scenes and then see what I come up with...at that point I'll decide whether or not to go to an outside composer. It's pretty interesting to at least try it, though.

The discovery of the night was definitely John's old analog synth. I think it will play a prominent role in the compositions, since we got some killer sounds from just screwing with it for an hour or so. I wish I had thought of using the thing during Witchcraft...there were definitely some cool stings and "magic shooty" noises that we found

CS editing and new project(s) scripting proceeds apace. Now if only I could quit my 9-5 and do this full time. Dreaming cant hurt, right?

The relative calm before the storm...

Editing on Closet Space continues in earnest. I actually don't really want to commit to the term "editing" too much...mostly I'm roughly assembling scenes to see what I need to reshoot or pickup (not much so far), and to get the 2nd unit practical FX and digital FX processes underway.

While I'm working on that, I'm also mounting plans for not just one, but three follow-up projects. The first is pretty much a definite go, and we are shooting in September. More on that one as it develops...I'll actually be acting in a moderately different capacity than what I'm used to doing...although basically I'll be doing a lot of what I already do on set, if that makes sense. Reading over it, it probably doesn't.

The second and third are kind of a big deal (at least to me)...and are in no small part motivated by the fact that I've gotten away from my intended "writer/director" path. Don't get me wrong - it's a moderately fun and interesting experience to bring the words and ideas of others to life, but I really miss throwing my personal issues, peccadilloes and bullshit on the page in some foul mockery of therapy. I actually get a lot of negative vibe thrown my way for not having written lately, despite the fact that I wrote my first feature, and did a considerable amount of uncredited on-set rewrites and additions to my subsequent projects. Not that I'm a bitter auteur (well...not entirely bitter), but the minimal flexing I've done makes me want to work those atrophied muscles. So in that regard...I'm retooling and finalizing a long dormant pet project of mine, hopefully to set up for production in the next couple of years. Yes, it's horror. The third one is kind of a "swing for the fences" deal, but I think I actually might stand a decent chance...then again, maybe it's just delusion on my part. At any rate, I'm writing up a treatment for an "established" property that will probably end up being a full script. So far it's turning out pretty well. Hopefully, I can position myself to make a pitch to the "powers that be".

No, it's not a Nightmare script. I'm not that cocksure yet.

Real quick...

Been editing some of the more complicated scenes of the movie together, similar to the approach I took with Witchcraft. My homicidal rage and cynicism quickly gave way to giddy, schoolgirl excitement. Things are looking good.

Saw Criteria, The Appleseed Cast, Russian Circles, and Radio Pioneer last night. All were good. I needed a hot rock injection to rejuvenate me. It also served to further my burgeoning idea of scoring Closet Space myself. We'll see what happens with that.

More set movement this weekend, as we move from Phobia to the inveterate locale of the Tulsa Carport...soon to be known as HouseWalker Ranch. It is there that we will bring the CS shooting to a close by doing the final set of pickups and FX shots.

In the words of the prophet Angelo Moore:

"Am I going crazy...or is it the world around me?"

There's been some weird shit going on lately...I've felt it in the air since about midway through the Closet Space shoot, and it's a vibe I got a whiff of during Witchcraft, as well as something I had to deal with numerous times during my stint as a producer of public access television.

Hubris is a motherfucker.

I guess the best analogy in this case would be to liken low-budget filmmaking to being in a band. You've got all these people ostensibly coming together for the same goal, and you have to work together under pretty strenuous conditions to acheive said goal. Of course, there's all kinds of similar bullshit to deal with as well...you may not have the best gear (or cameras), your rehearsal room (location) is cramped and hot, the drummer (cinematographer) would rather be off doing his own experimental project, and the guitarist (assistant director) keeps showing up drunk and playing in the wrong key.

Just like in a band situation, when things are firing on all cylinders and you're "in the groove"...nothing can stop you. Problem is, most of the time you're operating at half potential because of ego, or lack of focus, or both. Maybe your bassist doesn't like the composition you're working on, and would rather go off on some Return To Forever trip. Or perhaps your keyboardist keeps trying to send text messages on their Blackberry while you're trying to nail down an arrangement. Better yet, maybe the backing band begins to each develop the dreaded "frontman syndrome" - you know..."why is this guy writing the riffs and lyrics, so derivative, sounds too much like Sabbath, I could do so much better on my own". I guess coming together to make a killer sound/movie isn't enough at that point. It seems so easy to just go off and create your own heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Maybe you take the Megadeth route and spit in the face of your percieved "oppressors" by forming a band with a similar sound and logo and showing them how it's REALLY done. Or, you could pull the classic "you know, this material is beneath me, so I'm going to go off and record my concept album of klezmer music". Either way, the point is that egos flare up, and everyone acrimoniously goes their separate ways, and they eventually find new people to jam with. And the cycle begins anew.

Of course, things usually don't work out too well. You generally can't have a band with four frontmen, or it will turn into a fractured, schizoid mess. There needs to be a Hetfield...and maybe even an Ulrich (I'm talking up to and including the Black Album here) to write the arrangements, and set the groundwork for the other guys to add their parts to. It's not an easy thing to do, either. I think people fail to realize how hard being that guy really is. You're called a control freak if you run a tight ship (movies: Kubrick, music: Jeff Tweedy), and you're criticized for lack of focus if you let everyone run roughshod over you in some approximation of "democracy". Not only that, you probably won't ever get anything done (be it a movie or an album), because you're going to be too busy listening to the production assistant's lighting suggestions.

I know that seems pretty black and white, but there really is no middle ground. Trust me on this one. Maybe in the studio system when you bring unions and clearly-defined job-descriptions into the mix, but not in the indie world. And the biggest death wish that you can make would be to get your friends to help you out. In most cases, this is the absolute worst idea you could possibly have. You can't manage to have a "business" rapport with people that you have baggage with. You'll begin to notice that people start to take things way too seriously and get offended as if you're making a personal attack, when really all you're trying to do is get a shot that looks halfway decent in a reasonable amount of time. That's not to say that you won't find people that are able to switch back and forth between "business" and "pleasure" mode...it's just a rarity. The set of Sweet Thing was a great example of that vibe. My wife manages to pull it off pretty well (and she's probably got it the most difficult, because she has to live with me and listen to the fallout of other people fucking up on a regular basis), as do most of my main grips. And one of the hardest workers on the set is our new sound guy, most likely because initially I didn't know him from Adam, so he's approaching the gig with some seriousness.

For the next few projects I have lined up, I'm hiring the crew for sure. Fortunately, I'm past the point of "eager beats pretty", so I can ensure that they have actual on-set experience as well. To bring this back full circle to the music analogies, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) hired bad-ass session musicians to record The System Has Failed, and then hired bad-ass touring musicians to play the live dates. The result? Megadeth's best album since Rust In Peace, followed by a critically acclaimed word tour. Sure, Mustaine can be a little much at times, but you can't deny the success of his Machiavellian tactics.

But you know, with all that said...the dissidents will always think that they have a better handle on the way things work than "the powers that be"...whoever that might be at any given time...the director, bandleader, etc. The only way to convice them otherwise is to have them try, and most likely fail...a few times over. Trust me, I speak from experience. Granted, my shit-talking egomania kicked in when I was a boom operator in the middle of my college career, so I was able to learn the hard lessons before I really was in a position to screw up someone else's directorial groove. My first feature Fade To Black, was an experiment and learning tool all in one, and I count myself lucky that a few people dug it...because honestly, I knew nothing about anything back then as far as making movies. Oh sure, I thought I knew it all, from criticizing and aping things I picked up on other sets...but that wasn't the case. Not in the least.

Maybe more on this topic later...I just needed to vent, and now I'm falling asleep at the keyboard.

Requisite movie status update: we are getting more pickup shots tomorrow night, and then I believe we are finished shooting at Phobia. Principal photography on Closet Space is about 98% complete.

Two posts in somewhat rapid succession. What ever could be the cause of that, you ask?

Well...it looks like I've pretty much got my next movie gig lined up. And it's coming up pretty soon. So much for time off...I'm starting to notice a disturbing trend in my production schedules. But I couldn't be happier.

More info to come in the next few weeks once things solidify. To head things off at the pass for speculation's sake:

- No, it's not the Nightmare prequel.
- Nope, not Alien 5, either.
- Witchcraft 14?....no.
- and also a big no to Leprechaun Vs. Chucky By Way Of Demonic Toys.
- no, I did not recieve a big windfall from Witchcraft 13 and use it to fund this production.
- Yes, it is horror.
- No, it's not Closet Space 2...although that's probably directly afterward.

Man, the freako numerologists would have a field day with this post. Anyway, more on that later. In the meantime, check out this quasi-review of Electric Purgatory....the documentary I shot for my buddy Raymond. It's lukewarm, but hey, I got my name in Variety magazine.

Life can be really unfair sometimes.

Before I get into this, let me warn you that this post is only tangentially Closet Space related....if you are here just for news on the movie, here's the Cliff Notes version: things are fine, we have one or two more weekends of pickups left, and then we are done with principal photography. I am already editing footage together, and it looks stellar. The movie is going to be awesome.

Anyway, today I'm really focused on something else. This morning I was informed that my best friend's father passed away last night.

Now, I'm not the emotional type. Anyone that knows me can attest to that fact. I've even been accused of acute sociopathy on numerous occasions. But this is affecting me a little more than usual...for a number of reasons.

First of all, this man (and his wife) are probably the closest thing to what I'd call my godparents...assuming I believed in God. Those that know me know how virtually worthless my birth parents have been throughout my entire life. The Baragans were seemingly always there to fill that gulf. When we were kids, and I wasn't able to hang out, go anywhere, or do anything because my parents didn't want to drive me anywhere, the Baragans came all the way across town to give me a ride. Usually to Astroworld (and once I started driving myself, I discovered how literally out of their way they were going for me) so that Domingo and I could strike out with girls on a regular basis.

Domingo and I kind of drifted apart for a couple of years at the end of high school, but on the couple of occasions I was around, his parents were among the only people to actually congratulate me and tell me how proud they were of my accomplishments. Background on that: I did some stuff that enabled me to get a full ride to UT, plus numerous other scholarships as well. My birth parents never ONCE said anything even remotely scraping praise. The most I got out of my father was disappointment at the fact that I didn't get a football scholarship. Anyway, aside from a few teachers (who I will also be thanking in my Oscar acceptance speech), the Baragans were the only people there for me.

Fast forward to the present time, and the aforementioned movie connection. Just for a little context, my parents and immediate family have never ever seen anything that I've done. No movie screenings, no live shows with bands, nothing. And it's not because they weren't invited (at least until I stopped wasting my time inviting them). Not only did the Baragan family show up at just about every screening; upon my finishing and screening Witchcraft 13, the Baragans believed in me enough to finance a great deal of my follow-up project, which of course you know as Closet Space. I will forever be thankful for that...because once again, they were the first people to come up and actually tell me that they were proud of me. And then they gave me the means to go really nuts with this movie. Throughout all those conversations and interactions, what touches me most to this day is the fact that they would always refer to me as "son". And I feel like they really meant it.

So I spent a lot of the day thinking about all those things and occasionally tearing up because the world totally sucks sometimes. Good people leave us way too soon, it seems.

With all that said, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Domingo Baragan II for being there when I needed him, and most of all believing in me. On behalf of the cast and crew, we dedicate Closet Space in your honor.

Rest in peace,
Mel
(Your third son)

I posted this as a MySpace bulletin, but I'll repost it here since it's an update of sorts:

It seems that our incestuous little circle is becoming even more incest-y. I shot 2nd camera on Necrophobia a while back, then a great deal of the Necrophobia gang became part of the Closet Space cast and crew, and now this.

This past week my wife (and Closet Space lead) Melanie was cast as a last minute replacement lead in Rejected Films' latest mission-to-offend, entitled Sway. I've been around for one night of shooting so far, and I think it's going to send people screaming for the hills.

Eve Blaack from The Hacker's Source was also on hand to do an interview with Josh, the director. Most people don't know that we have a pretty classy genre publication right in our own backyard. Of course, I took the opportunity to slide in some Closet Space and Witchcraft 13 references, of course. I also gave her a screener of Witchcraft 13 so we'll see how that goes.
So now we have at least four (Sway, Necrophobia, Witchcraft 13, and Closet Space) indie horror movies primed to burst out of our fair city in the next year or so. And when I say indie, I f*%king mean it. Blood, sweat, and more blood...big budget sensibilities be damned. And as a result, we have a pretty tight-knit group of individuals to collaborate on more sick stuff going forward.

Be on the lookout for screenings and announcements in the coming months - I assure you that Houston's streets will run red with blood.

And tentacles.

I think I can consider this past weekend an "off" weekend, although that wasn't entirely the case.

Friday night began an ordeal which continues to this day - I'm upgrading to a new system drive on my editing suite before getting started on the Closet Space post, and transferring everything over has proven to be a pain in the ass. I think most of it is due to the proprietary and unstable nature of most of the software configuration. Next time I upgrade, I'm definitely going with a Macintosh editing solution, even if I decide to run Windows apps on it. I think I've figured out a workaround of sorts, so hopefully tonight I can finalize that process.

Saturday a few of us went up to Phobia and reconstructed some sets for the pickups that we have to start getting next week. We built a cliff, a tunnel (with walls on both ends), and a short hallway. It was arduous at times, but mostly fun....and we all still have our fingers. Once again, big thanks go out to Phobia for letting us do this up there.

Sunday I basically caught up on my comic book habit. My thoughts on this weeks haul:

- Squadron Supreme is killer, although it definitely is a lot like "JLA meets Rising Stars".
- Astonishing X-Men is still astonishing, even when it veers towards Cheese City, which is an accomplishment. Bravo, Joss. You really should have gotten the X3 gig.
- the Marvel "Civil War" crossover actually has me interested in characters that I've never given a crap about.
- Chris Claremont is leaving Uncanny X-Men, which is a good thing, considering his last two runs.
- Peter Milligan's run on X-Men is over, and I just feel kind of...."eh" about it. He started off with some interesting ideas, but ended more on a whimper than a bang, I think. Especially with the 'Gambit as Death' thing. The new creative teams have me excited, so we'll see what happens.
- As always, The Walking Dead is one of the best comics out there. Maybe I can direct the inevitable adaptation.

Amidst my blathering about The Last Son Of Krypton, I forgot to mention what amounts to the first press for Closet Space, courtesy of Unfilmable.com. Unfilmable.com is a site devoted to covering projects that are either based on or inspired by the works of everyone's favorite ichthyophobe, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. To check it out, hit the site and scroll down to June 15.

Yes...once again I believe that a man can fly.

And my belief that there are writers and directors out there capable of pulling off comic book movies with depth and seriousness is also reinstated. Of course, I never once doubted you, Bryan. Yes, the mutants should have waited you out. I know that the attention deficit and mildly retarded masses will cry foul at your 2 and a half hour epic. Forgive them, for they have suckled from the teat of Michael Bay for far too long.

Of course I'm talking about Superman Returns, which was everything I wanted it to be. And the fact that the Spider Man 3 trailer kicks ass is just icing on the cake.

This weekend was jacked up.

To begin - Thursday and Friday I spent cleaning up after the FX shoots last week. Basically putting my carport, house, and equipment in order, and moving the tentacles and monster into climate-controlled storage until we need to pull them out for insert shots in a few weeks.

Thursday night I started to feel a little weird. Friday...a little worse. Then Saturday came around, and I had full-blown food poisoning (the lack of blood in my explosive diarrhea led me to believe that it was of the staph variety). Now, I am the Food Poisoning King. I've probably been hit with this stuff 15-20 times in my life (both E.Coli and Staph), and this was the absolute worst that I've ever felt because of it. I wanted to curl up and die.

Unfortunately, we had a pretty heavy shoot scheduled at Phobia on Saturday, and try though I did....there was no way in hell that I was going to make it out for that. We couldn't cancel for various reasons (actors coming in from out of town, schedules not permitting reshoots, etc.) so the show had to go on, somehow. I eventually decided to make Will my 2nd Unit Director (which is the industry term for pinch-hitter), and gave him a detailed outline of what to shoot - along with briefing Melanie and Domingo on what needed to be done and how. I somehow managed to do all this between my frequent trips to the bathroom. So I laid on the couch, delusional and feverish, while the cast and crew tried to approximate my ideas of what should be shot. I recieved a few calls throughout the day and fielded some questions and that was about the extent of my "directing" for that day.

So I view the footage after they wrap that night, and of course there's some of it that I'm unsure of...but I think that I can make it work. In hindsight, I probably should have completely rescheduled the entire day...then again maybe I'm being nitpicky. I'm just worried about continuity, visual flow, and in some cases, character beats for some of the sequences. You know...all the things that are a director's job....when he's not puking his guts out. Overall though, I think we made the utmost of a bad situation, and a few things look really cool, so it goes down as a success. I know that there seemed to be a dawning realization that my job isn't as easy as some might think. For that, I am thankful. Well, as thankful as you can be with nothing solid in your stomach.

Sunday...so Sunday I had to get up after the intestinal hell of Saturday, and get a U-Haul and head out to Ledbetter to dismantle the set at the Farmhouse. Domingo, Oliver, Dwayne, Melanie, and Curtis (Melanie's dad) went along to help out. We (mostly they) broke down the closet hallway, replaced the fixtures and original door, and cleaned up all the trash. A lot of crap to do, but we were done pretty quickly, considering. After loading up, we took the set back down to Phobia, where we will rebuild it and shoot some more in the coming weeks. Jason (Soundwave) and Marissa showed up and helped our tired asses out with that. It was a long and arduous process, but it got done...mostly due to everyone else's hard work (since I was sapped of strength and energy, much like Superman 2).

This coming weekend we reassemble the set and build new permutations of it, then the next weekend we shoot some more. Principal photography on Closet Space should be completed by late July.

My thanks go out to everyone that helped pick up slack this weekend - be it mine or anyone else's.

Addendum to the last post: here's the link for the "Got Tentacles?" t-shirt (and baby tee, tank top, raglan, sweat, and infant creeper) if you're interested in getting one.

Well, the FX portion of the Closet Space shoot is done (with the exception of a few small pick-up shots here and there that I'll oversee), and I must say that I'm very happy with the outcome. Our FX team (Oddtopsy FX out of Tampa, Florida) killed pretty much every single gag and then some - taking the movie to a whole new level. You know it's a good sign when people are getting queasy and retching on set. I feel like I've finally reached the effects zone that I want to be working in, which is gory, practical on-set, dark, disturbing carnage. And then when you plug that into the movie framework as a whole....man, I'm pretty excited about the finished product.

Screenwriter Jason Stewart was on hand for most of the proceedings. Wisely, he kept to himself and let me work my magic. Just kidding Jason. But not really.

I'll attach a few photos from this past "FX weekend", but I can't really post up too many for the sake of the almighty spoiler.

Melanie as Nancy - about to f**k up some extra-dimensional parasite ass.


Marcus of Oddtopsy FX with Morgan as Kristen.


I was going to include a picture of Tim, but he had to split. ba DUMP bum.



Danielle as Monica, after recieving an axe to the neck.



Assistant Director Dave Gabriel, with Marcus and Derek from Oddtopsy FX, preparing the "roadmap of abomination".





Me modeling the first "official" Closet Space t-shirt, which will be available soon on the website. (Front says "Got Tentacles", back has the www.closetspacemovie.com URL).

Don't ask me what I'm holding down around my crotch. It's a secret.

So...once again the blog is going to devolve into a bitch rant. Don't look at me like that - I know you guys missed the vitriol. Strong language to follow, so you've been warned.

I've been very frustrated lately movie-wise....maybe even more so than on Witchcraft (probably due to the fact that Closet Space is more my "baby", whereas WC13 was the adopted kid). There are lots of things on this production that I'm unhappy with - thankfully, none of them are on the screen this time. The performances and images are still awesome....it's just getting there that's the infuriating part.

I know it sounds like I'm just complaining like I did back when we were shooting Witchcraft...but I assure you that this is different, mainly due to the fact that the production of Closet Space was forged with the understanding that we wouldn't have a repeat of Witchcraft, and I'd actually have an easier time getting things done and some sort of support. I'm starting to think that I've hung myself with the rope that I've doled out.

I'm starting to see it in sexual terms, actually. You've never tried oral, so you try it. It's okay for a while, but then you realize that you don't really like the taste of someone's dick in your mouth. Similarly...hey, this anal stuff sounds interesting. Okay, that's a different sensation...strange....getting uncomfortable....yeah, I really don't like this thing in my ass one bit.

Now that I fully realize that I don't really like foreign objects in my mouth or ass, I kind of have a better idea of where to go from here. I thought that I changed things enough from the previous debacle, and I did, but I've created entirely new problems that I shouldn't have to be dealing with, along with some old issues that I didn't see in sharp enough relief until now.

Thankfully, we are in the home stretch on the movie...and as I said, it looks pretty damn good despite my unhappiness with some of the "back room" processes. Actually, the movie looks phenomenal so far...so much so that I can't wait to start editing.

Hmmm...now that I think of it, maybe I should keep creating movies in a tense environment. It seems to bear pretty good fruit. I just have to keep from turning into Charles Whitman.

Here is a new poster design courtesy of our lighting and visual FX guy Stacy Davidson. Enjoy.

Speaking of Will Spanner - here's how Tim Wrobel (Spanner from WC13) looks in Closet Space.

Man, I am so fucking tired. This weekend was our swan-song shoot weekend at the farmhouse. We did a kill scene, the final scene, about half of the climactic battle scene, a few creature shots, and several gory things here and there.
Tensions ran pretty high, but we got everything that we needed to, knocking a day off of the schedule in the process. This will allow me more time to do some FX detail shots to really up the gore, grue and kill quotient. I only wish that I had more time with our esteemed FX crew - the guys are bad-ass and consistently come up with stuff that looks awesome on camera without fail.

I did get a little bummed out before this weekend's shoot, mainly because I watched The Descent last week, and some of the similarities between it and Closet Space kind of psyched me out. I'm kind of past it now, but it did make me seriously think about re-tooling the movie in a big way. Even though CS has existed in its basic form since at least 2000, people will probably still think that we're ripping off The Descent, especially since it's the golden child of horror movies right now. Nothing I can really do about that at this point, I guess. It happens all the time with me. Dot The I is pretty much exactly like Fade to Black (my first feature), and when I was prepping Walking Distance I kept getting thrown by the new-wave of zombie movies (28 Days Later, Shaun, the Dawn remake, Resident Evil), so much so that I've shelved that one indefinitely. I'm sure some out there will even say that Witchcraft 13 bites off The Omen because of the 666 birthmark. I call bullshit...Damien Thorn doesn't get nearly as much ass as Will Spanner. Anyway, here are some pics from this weekend.


Part of Laurie's death scene. She should really get that goiter checked out, don't you think?

Monica showing off her "roadmap of abomination" state.

This coming weekend we kill one character in a most interesting way, as well as shoot a bunch of FX shots to pump up some sequences. By "pump up" I mean "finish", of course.

Last night we did our overnight shoot at the rock gym. Not a smashing success, but not a total disaster either. Here are a couple of pictures, neither of which are climbing-related:

Melanie and Morgan scared sh*tless - but why? You'll have to wait for the movie, folks.

Jovan Jackson after a particularly nasty fall from a climb. Wait till you see the close-up of the fracture. Very nasty.

Here are the rest of the photos from the rock gym shoot.

This coming weekend we are back at the farmhouse for a couple more kill scenes, and the big final battle melee sequence. There should be loads of gross photos up here soon.

Here's another picture of Danielle as Monica that enables you to see the makeup a little more clearly than in the screen cap. This will be our general look for all the "mid-stage evils" in the movie.

We just finished our first heavy FX shoot. Things went pretty well, I'd say...especially as I sit here reviewing the footage. The sequence is going to be pretty f-ed up - but I'll let a few screen captures tell the tale:

Evil Monica looking pretty pissed. I wonder what she has in store for Kristen?

Whatever it is, looks like it involves tentacles. Nasty, slimy tentacles. Poor Kristen.

Yeah...looks like Kristen is in trouble.

We are slowly creeping up on the first day of on-set special FX for Closet Space. This Friday we dive headlong into the practical FX abyss by tackling one of the two or three most disturbing setpieces of the movie. The more time I spend with our nutty FX crew, the more I realize that the movie is going to kick major f*&king ass. These three guys are coming up with really gruesome, sick, wet, and inventive ways to make our deviant little dreams a reality. I've been sitting at their apartment/fx shop (thanks Matt) watching a little of the process and it's pretty freaking cool. There's a bust of Evan (Laurie) on the table, tentacles hanging from the ceiling, fake teeth on the counter, and a broken bone gag sitting on the couch...and this is just stuff they made in the last 24 hours. Tomorrow they are casting Tim (Professor Polanco) for the big final sequence, so that should be interesting.

We've also had to tackle a few last minute obstacles in addition to the FX stuff. First, one of our locations was iffy for a while, but we got that nailed down today, and it looks like we'll get more use out of the place than we initially thought. Secondly, we had a cast member back out at the last minute (this seems to be becoming typical for my productions), and I initially planned on excising the role completely, but our lighting director Stacy came through in the clinch. He made a casting suggestion, and we met up with the actress this evening and sealed the deal. They say everything happens for a reason, and our newly-minted Monica is the perfect fit for the role, and the cast as a whole. Plus, she's a bad-ass theatre actress, so she'll fit right in with the shooting and blocking vibe for the movie. I only wish that I had found her sooner, but there's always the sequel. Danielle, meet Closet Space. Closet Space, Danielle. You two should get along famously.

On the "everything happens for a reason" tip again...our recasting the Monica role has now reduced the on-screen Witchcraft carryover quotient to one and a half. (I only count Peyton as a half because he himself was a last-minute replacement, and he dies pretty early on in Witchcraft.) That makes me feel a little bit better about the project. Honestly...I compromised the f*%k out of Witchcraft 13 both cast and crew-wise, mainly because of the nature of the project and the timeframe that we were dealing with. As such, there's kind of a black cloud around the whole thing for me at this point. It's like the albatross around my neck. It's nice to be able to not have to "settle" for Closet Space, even if sometimes those choices are forced. I guess that will teach me not to be lazy with casting next time. Note to fellow filmmakers: there are good actresses out there that are okay with nudity and disturbing material...you just have to know where to look.

And the bad person/curmudgeon/reprobate/shit-talker culling continues....actually, now that I think about it, there's almost no one left from the flotsam and jetsam that I managed to pick up on my journey from being a UT film-school transfer to "dark, Lovecraftian monster movie" director. I'm guessing that somwhere along the way I'll encounter more jackassery, but as of yet, no one's really shown their ass on Closet Space. Good God...have I actually made a professional step up?

Friday night is our big death/rape/assault setpiece, and then Saturday is our long night shoot at Texas Rock Gym. Some of the actors and crew headed out to TRG on Memorial Day to get their rock legs, and that went extremely well. Here's a picture of Melanie scaling the wall like a woman posessed:

And now week two of shooting is behind us.

This weekend we started shooting some plates for effects shots, as well as the first few shots inside the "closet" set. We also caught some pickups that we missed last weekend, and finished shooting out some of the previous sequences as well.

Things got a little rough on Saturday night, but we were able to catch up on Sunday. There are still some things that I have issues with as far as the production goes, but the footage looks even better than last week, so I guess it's all okay. I just have this niggling fear that we are headed for a full-tilt disaster once the effects shooting begins - which is this coming Friday.

Speaking of effects, the FX team arrived from Tampa, Florida late Saturday night. They didn't have much to do this weekend, but we talked about achieving some of the gags for the upcoming shots. They also had a chance to start casting some of the leads for their prosthetics. For example, check out this picture of Evan (who is playing Laurie in the film):

This is why I am a horror filmmaker.

Days of Future Wasted

Ugh - just got back from a midnight screening of X3.

It was pretty much as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, maybe just a bit worse. Not quite Batman and Robin bad, but pretty close. I should have just stayed home and pulled out my comics and wiped my butt with each issue of X-Men, because that's basically what Brett Ratner and company did. Not only that, they peed on the ashes of the divergent yet rich continuity of the first two films.

All the more reason that I believe Bryan "they should have waited for me to end the series with some grace, elegance, and an understanding of things besides massive stunt setpieces" Singer is going to deliver a massive bitch-slap with Superman Returns.

But, as is usually the case...I'm sure the public will eat up the fetid, stillborn mess that is X3. Baa baa masses. Baa baa.

Here are some photos from Saturday's shoot.

Photos are once again courtesy of Kenny Haner.

Closet Space cast photo, with DP Will Molina horning in on the action. From top left: James LaMarr (Jack), Will Molina (Director of Photography), Peyton Wetzel (Glen), Jovan Jackson (Dallas), Morgan McCarthy (Kristen), Melanie Donihoo (Nancy), and Evan Scott (Laurie).

Well - the first weekend of Closet Space is now behind us. As per usual, things got off to a shaky start on the first night before the crew had time to gel. By late Saturday we had fallen into a rhythm, although we were still moving a bit slow for my taste. The shots look great though, and my new AD, lighting, and sound guys are proving to be invaluable crew additions.

The cast that I've lined up for the movie is phenomenal so far, and I'm really happy with all the beats and performances. They bring the characters to life so well that I almost don't want to make them all die horrible grisly deaths. Almost.

This evening (Sunday) we did a character burn for the movie. That was pretty cool, and we even had the Ledbetter Volunteer Fire Department on set for the stunt. Makes me feel like a real-live moviemaker.

The funniest thing I've noticed so far during production is the cast/crew dynamic. Both groups immediately became segregated unto themselves this weekend. Even my wife (a member of the cast) rarely spoke to me over the shoot weekend, unless we were "on set" and actively shooting. I feel like I'm in Hollywood already.

Now it's time to decompress and start getting ready for the next batch of shoot hell.

We start principal photography on Closet Space tonight (Friday the 19th) at about 9 PM. Of course, I'm going through the usual pre-shoot maelstrom of emotions...but overall I have a good feeling about this production, and I'm really stoked to get some of this sick imagery off of the page and onto the screen.

If everything gels correctly, I will also have the closest thing to a "full" crew than I've ever had the luxury of working with before. It will be nice not having to wear ten hats at once.

We had another cast reading last night, and the vibe was awesome. The principal cast is gelling nicely, and they are all looking forward to digging in to the material. Wow...maybe I'll actually have a positive experience with positive people for once. Who would have thought? Then again...after my "dark college days", spinning my tires in local bands, taking part in stillborn hubris-driven projects (record labels, TV shows), and the general mess and craziness that was/is Witchcraft 13....I guess I was about due for something fun and rewarding. And just as I was about to become a crotchety old scenester. Or...worse yet...a movie critic. (-shudder-)

Marcus (our special FX guy) is hard at work on tentacles as we speak. I can't wait to see them. More importantly, I can' t wait to make them do horrible, vile things on screen.

Guess I better crash...long day ahead. Actually...long month and a half ahead. Here we go again. Of course, I would have it no other way.

...and the more or less finished version (sans ceiling, and with one panel missing for access):

The evolution of an extra-dimensional wormhole-in-a-closet set:

And here we are. This Friday we begin principal photography on Closet Space. As always, this week has been and will continue to be a whirlwind of last minute preparation. In the last few days I've had to wrangle wardrobe and equipment, go out to the set to build some more on it, do final shotlists and schedules, and storyboard a little. Next, I have to go out to the set AGAIN to finish what we were not able to on Saturday, start dressing the house a bit, set up my new laptop with DVRack (which should be a massive help to us on the set), meet with the AD, DP, and VFX guys on Tuesday, read with the actors again on Wednesday, meet with our last-minute replacement sound guy and boom guy, and then head out to the house to shoot on Friday night. Crazy. Fortunately this first weekend of shooting is comparably light, although not without its challenges. I'm very interested to see how the cast and crew gels while we are out on location. Hopefully we won't have any mutinies, blowups, injuries, show-mances, or selling-out this time around. Then again...that's probably too much to ask. I'll probably stick with "Please, O Lord, may the tentacles look really cool".

Baby...love is building.

Back and thoroughly exhausted from our first set-building weekend. A few of the crew and I set out to our farmhouse location in Ledbetter, Texas to start construction on some prectical sets. Saturday started out bleak, as we hit the road about 5 AM only to encounter a hellish typhoon en route to the location. It was almost bad enough to make me turn around. Almost. We made it to the Home Depot by 6:30 AM, and then to the location by 7:30 to await delivery of the materials. Upon their arrival, we began to construct the closet/entryway and then created some false boulders and berms for landscaping. By this point it was beginning to clear up, and the rain had made it kind of cool outside, so it worked out for the best.

We also found ourselves within listening distance of Austin's 101X, which was probably my favorite station when I lived there, and it continues to kick ass to this day. Within an hour we heard the Pixies, Fugazi(!), Flaming Lips that wasn't "She Don't Use Jelly", Danzig, and Mama Said-era Lenny Kravitz. It reminded of the fact that Houston has the shittiest radio on the planet, but also reminded me of why I sometimes miss Austin so much. If Closet Space is a success, maybe I can talk the wife into moving back up there. It would make a lot of sense at that point. We'll see.

I was packing heat the whole time of course (because you never know what can happen to a bunch of mostly non-whites in the somewhat desolate farmlands of Texas), and nearly shot Oliver when he got up in the middle of the night to pee. Fortunately, I came to my senses quickly enough before I gave Ollie the full Cheney treatment. It's a good thing too, because he really knows his way around building an interdimensional closet gateway atrium.

We are heading back up to Ledbetter this weekend to finish up construction and start "dressing" the set a bit for the shoot that begins in two weeks. Things are picking up in a massive way. I hope that we are ready.

The Year in Review

Here's a review of Witchcraft 13: Blood Of The Chosen. I'm glad that some people out there "get it". One thing is certain: I'll never make fun of Jason X again.

3.75

The first cast reading of the Closet Space script went pretty well. Everyone seemed to really hit the correct beats at the right times, even bringing some shading to the characterizations that I hadn't thought of. Jason (the writer) and I definitely have some things to run with as far as dialogue and character tweaking go, so now were back on the computers, typing away with newfound aplomb. Our cast definitely makes me feel at ease this time around.

Before the reading yesterday, a few of us went out to the farmhouse location to purchase the materials for our set build-out up there. We start actual construction next week - it should be an interesting (and sweaty) experience. Hopefully I won't nail-gun my hand to the wall again.

I just resubmitted the Closet Space info to the IMDb, so hopefully it will go through this time. I'll also begin fleshing out the website with bios and such soon.

It's a veritable whirlwind of activity at the Upstart Filmworks home offices, and we have our crew meeting this evening to discuss the game plan with them. And so it begins....again.

Three and a half...

Production on Closet Space begins in three weeks. The writer is flying in this weekend to sit in with me on the actors table reading so we can get some final dialogue ideas and character tweaks. Over the last week or so I've been talking with Stacy (Necrophobia) Davidson about helping me out with Closet Space, and it has resulted in his coming on the production in a lighting and Visual FX Supervisory capacity. Will (the Closet Space DP) and I spent most of Sunday with Stacy hashing out FX shots and execution, and I think we'll be able to pull a lot off with our combined efforts.

The first crew meeting is this weekend as well, and then next weekend a few of us are headed out to the house to begin construction on the first practical set.

So far I've only had one actor, and one crew member back out - hopefully there won't be any more.

Three To Get Ready

I finally spent some time this weekend getting the Closet Space website up and running. I'll probably have more to put up there when we actually start shooting.

As per usual, I've been plagued by some cast and crew backing out when we're almost a month away from rolling camera, but things have a way of working themselves out, so all the positions have already been recast/refilled. This actually might lead to some interesting collaborations that I hadn't really thought of initially, so I guess it's not all bad.

Tomorrow night I'm meeting our digital FX guy to get some test footage that he's been working on for me. Of course, I can't wait to get a look at it to see how the stuff translates from script to screen, even in this "rough draft" format.

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to start the build-out of our first major set, so that should be interesting.

Lounge Act

I was fully prepared to spend today in musical mourning (as I do every year at this time), for one of my greatest influences (musical and otherwise). But lo and behold, my omnipresent contract labor benefactor called me up and asked me to shoot video at the KB Home Homeowner Appreciation Day at Minute Maid Park. It's weird - it's almost as if they know just when to call me to get me out of the financial doldrums.

I've been breaking down the Closet Space script into manageable pieces, while doing some rought thumbnail storyboards and character designs. To help me get into the groove, over the last couple of days I've watched Raging Bull, Nang Nak, The Deadly Spawn, The Innocents, and one of my favorite movies of all time (which is one of the 5 movies responsible for turning me on to the art of cinema) - Streets Of Fire. Walter Hill's actions setpieces kick the living shit out of anything that passes for a "fight scene" in this day and age. Two words. Sledgehammer. Fight.

Come to think of it, Walter Hill is also one of the Alien producers....

A Jack With One Eye

We've started the "conceptual" phase for the Closet Space monsters and make-ups in earnest. It's getting me jazzed, that's for sure. We've also gotten almost all of our locations squared away for the shoot - I think only two remain to lock down for sure. I may have put this down already, but we start principal photography on May 20th. It's fun actually budgeting things out with a bona-fide budget to speak of.

I did my "directorial pass" on the script, which didn't amount to much other than adding more wanton violence and brutality (my wife Melanie is going to be our Bruce Campbell for sure), but I think now the project is about where I want it, logistically and creatively. I'm down to casting the final few roles, and I'm going to start breaking up the shots and hopefully doing some storyboards by the weekend. We'll probably be having a crew meeting in the next few weeks as well to get everyone on the same page and to do the contracts.

I'm also wrapping up Witchcraft 13 for it's DVD debut. There's a chance that there will be some extras on there, which is cool. This week I've actually watched a few DTV low-budget horror movies, and by and large I have to admit that they all pretty much sucked. WC13 is no Battleship Potemkin, but some of these flicks had absolutely no sense of pacing, shot composition, editing, etc. Notice that nothing I said had anything to do with the budget. These cats all probably had more money than we did, but I would easily put WC13 up against any and all of them. Honestly, I think it would (and will) fare pretty well in the marketplace. It's nice to have that feeling - towards the end of the editing process, I started to get a bit worried about how the movie would turn out. Now that I'm seeing more and more of the "competition", my fears are slowly starting to subside.

I've been reading that John (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer) McNaughton currently has the Nightmare On Elm Street prequel gig. While I think this is an awesome choice, I guess I'll have to set my sights on some other equally unattainable movie directing chalice for myself now. Hello, Alien 5.

In A Jar

Dinosaur Jr. was awesome, as I figured it would be. Saw a lot of old-school music scenesters there (before the Houston music scene became too "hip and ironic" for it's own good), as well as a bunch of people that I knew from all levels of public schooling. Small world.

I think I'm in the planning stages of my first "promo tour" as a bona-fide horror moviemaker. In October, the wife and I are planning to hit the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in Jersey/NYC, and then go straight to the Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, PA (with a slight detour to Cedar Point to celebrate our 1 year anniversary a bit early). We are planning to have tables at both events, and we might be appearing in conjunction with other horror biz people. I'm starting to put the details together right now. More on that as it develops, along with updates on the Burbank edition of the Weekend of Horrors (in June).

Today (Sunday) I'm going to possibly begin meandering back into the world of public-access television by helping my friend (The Reverend Bart Stewart) produce a show intended to air on the channel. While I'm not really excited about the prospect of returning to that facility/situation, Bart really wants to make incisive television so I can dig it. Plus, the man performed the wedding rites for us (pretty much verbatim as my sick ass had written them), so how could I say no?

Tonight, a few of the producers and I are having another budgetary meeting regarding Closet Space, and hopefully this will be the final pre-production hurdle. One thing that I've noticed in dealing with people on this movie is that I'm a lot more cut-throat than before. I just don't want...how is it my "people" would say this?

I don't want no triflin' ass bitches to be killin' my game.

Sometimes a nigga has to be ghetto to survive.