Crazy People
(I’ve told this story before, elsewhere, but I had a long weekend, so those of you who know me are getting a rerun.) I spent a day driving around with a dude who was convinced that he could prove he was the reincarnation of a samurai. Said dude, by the way, was black. The way […]
Small Talk
I just had a bizarre conversation in the office kitchen. I was making some coffee, and someone came in to grab a pop. (Yes, “pop.” Look at the drink. Do you see bubbles popping, or sodaing? You bake with soda, you drink pop.) Anyway, the conversation went like this– Me: “How’s it going?” Him: “Pretty […]
Shoot the Film. No, Really, Shoot It.
EDIT: A reader pointed out this foundation turned out to be a scam. Hopefully, someone with scruples takes this idea and runs with it. I was reading American Cinematographer the other day, and I came across an article about the Wounded Marine Careers Foundation. Basically, they take wounded marines, and train them in filmmaking. They […]
I Quit! Wait, Why Are You So Cool With That?
I used to be an personal assistant. I did it for about a year, until I realized I didn’t like living two lives. A personal assistant (which is not a PA) does the things you might expect– answer phones, schedule appointments, fax, copy, file, blah blah blah. But most assistants take control of every aspect […]
Learn To Suck.
Those in the art department aren’t the only ones who are required to suck sometimes. In the episode we’re shooting now, there’s a scene where one group of characters is teaching another how to dance. All four actors were required to take dance lessons, which is a little strange, since two of them are not […]
I Love It. Now Make Me Hate It.
I was walking by the set the other day, and I saw a friend in the art department painting a sign. He was doing a really bad job, which was kind of surprising, since I’ve seen him paint some nice signs in the past. I asked him about it, and he said it was supposed […]
Economics 101
Fodd responded to yesterday’s post with this comment: “They are going to do some serious creative accounting at Warner Brother to make it look like Speed Racer made any money.” But the box office is not the only way it’ll make money. After all the ancillary markets, it will break even, at least, but there’s […]
Nobody Loses Money
A little while ago, I said everyone has two businesses: their business and show business. This doesn’t mean they actually understand the business. Chris Nashawaty wrote in this week’s Entertainment Weekly, “Universal spent $137 million on Ang Lee’s Hulk movie and it grossed $132 million. If I were a bean counter at Universal, I wouldn’t […]
I Told You Already
Do you ever get this from your boss– “Did you do the this-and-that?” “This is the first I’ve heard about it.” “I told you to do it, already!” It’s surprising how often this happens. Now, I know I have a bad memory, but realistically, which is more likely? You told me to do something and […]
I’m Important
Everyone thinks their department is the most important. When I was a young loader, the first ACs would constantly tell me about how the film was gold. Everything everybody did that day came down to the canister of film in my hand. Without the camera, it’s not a movie, it’s a play. It’s like they […]
Open Minded
People often regard Hollywood as a liberal place. People are often right. When the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, approval was unanimous among people I know or know of in the business. On the other hand, nearly all of my friends disapproved of the way Eliott Spitzer was run out of office. So, you […]