work

FableForge's Foundlings #17: This hits too close to home

FableForge — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:19:26 +0000

This hits so close to home, it hurts.

Behold: http://www.thewebsiteisdown.com/

Then it hurts from laughing.

Then it just plain hurts again.

I dont think anyone else will -get- it as much as I do, but if you want to glimpse into what was my world when I was working for Citibank, this is it:

Heh.

Dreams

EternalSkyChaz — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:39:21 +0000

Who have you always dreamed of becoming? What have you always dreamed of doing? How have you always dreamed of living?

There are dreams, and then there are dreams. There are dreams which are merely fantasies and then there are the ones you actually bring to life with your time, your effort and your commitment. The dreams you bring to life are the dreams that have the power to change your life and to change the whole world for the better.

How much life are you giving to your dreams? How much energy do you put into living life on your own terms, into fulfilling the special possibilities that are yours and yours alone?

Take the time and listen to your heart. Invest your time and energy in following your highest and best dreams. They are yours for a reason. Follow your dreams. In so doing you'll bring out your best while contributing to life, and the world around you, in your own special way.

Ralph Marston

Some Guy Ruined My Xmas

sonnyboo — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:02:35 +0000

So I was set to enjoy the extra time
off work, maybe get caught up on some movie watching, and possibly get to the
screenwriting, re-writing that has been awaiting me. Nope, that was not in the
cards for your faithful narrator. As has become the norm, some guy from my past
had to swoop in with ultimatums and needs and take away the relaxation and
peace in the world of Boo.

It started with an email, and then
after that, another email. After panicked phone calls, it was time to take
action. On Christmas Eve, I was asked to do an emergency edit on this guy’s TV
show that needs to go out on the 26th with all expediency. So I
bailed on My Sexy Fiancé Veronica’s ™ family gather on the Eve, and awaited the
beta tapes so I could start the work. And I waited. Then more waiting. Finally
I called the guy back, and he said he wouldn’t be able to get it to me until
Christmas morning. So I bailed on the rest of the family activities on
Christmas day, and then awaited a phone call that came at 7:30PM. By then, I and the lovely woman
had gone to Champps for our annual Xmas homage to American Consumerism. Plus,
our entire house was in disarray as we re-arrange, trying to prepare for the
new breakfast nook, etc.

I didn’t get the footage in my hands
until 9:30PM. By then, we were knee deep in the re-arrangement of our
entire first floor and basement. Furniture has been released into the wild, and
let go. Desks have been moved from one floor to another, and very little is
left undisturbed. I will miss being able to see sunlight, as my laptop and desk
has been reallocated to the basement. The upside is the increased security for
my DVD collection and computer equipment since the basement has a decent lock,
aside from the new security systems for getting into the condo these days. It
is a sacrifice, giving up a window and sunlight to the woman, but I’m more or
less trading to get the kitchen back. My Sexy Fiancé Veronica’s ™ desk and
computer setup was moved into the kitchen some months ago and we have not had a
table or chairs to eat at for over 6 months.

Lately, I’ve been cooking a LOT more than I used to and there’s no
place to eat. I’ve been eating over the sink or stove, or in front of a
computer screen. I hate it. It’s like being perpetually at work unless you go
out to eat, which has taken its toll on my bank account. If I had a ton more
money, as in a spare $1,000 lying around, I would have bought an actual
restaurant booth for our kitchen. They look so cool and it would be like going
out to eat in our own house every time I cook.

I’m about to start work on this project
that ruined my Xmas. I am charging this yahoo through the roof for wasting my
time and pissing me off. He seems pretty cool though, as he tried to pay me via
credit card on Xmas eve, but I don’t take credit card. I’m a person, not a company;
even Sonnyboo Productions is a façade, not real.

At least I didn’t stuff myself with
holiday meals, although I am still a bit hungry… Where are my holiday buckeyes?

Peace.

PJR

Update: robk

robk — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 08:39:44 +0000

Hey boys and girls and transsexuals. What's been happening around these haunts?

It's late at night, booze drink in one hand computer in the other... just surfing the internet and looking for trouble. Figured I'd pop in for a chat. Let you all know what's been happening with me for the last couple months.

Mostly I've been working. Y'know, just trying to earn a buck. So that sucks.

But tonight I met Tony Scott. He was in the place I work to see a test of the new Red Camera, and then play with one of them. Nice chap. Cool camera.

Now I'm sure this raises the question: Where the F am I working that I get to meet Tony Scott? Well, I finally landed a gig as the evening operations manager at a high end DI (digital Intermediate) color facility. What the F is a DI (digital Intermediate) color facility you ask. Hey, that's another good question! Basically, it's a car wash for films. 35mm film comes in as negative, it is transferred to tape for editing and digital for cleaning. After the editing, color artists use fancy-schmansy technical doo-dads to give the film richer colors and better quality contrast appearance. It's the final shine and polish before the film-out to negative is made and prints are struck for the theatres.

As you can probably imagine, this is the last part of the process where the DPs can alter the look of their content. Directors too. So director-producer- DP, Tony Scott, does a bunch of his work at this facility. And when he caught wind that the Red Camera guys where setting up private demos of their new whiz-bang technology, Tony said, "Yo, sign me up."

To be honest, my job at said facility isn't all that great. It's just administrative crapola, wrangling people and resources and making sure work continues to get done. I help keep the wheels greased and moving, that's it. Somewhat boring, really. To be honest I could be managing a cheese factory and it wouldn't be radically different. I'd get paid the same, eat a lot of cheese, but wouldn't get to meet people like Tony Scott. So it is a little bit different than a cheese factory in that one respect.

There you go. My little update. Hope you all are doing well and staying one step ahead of the law.

- robk

Gonzo is a way of life!

Fantastic Plastic Machine!

sonnyboo — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:52:20 +0000

Fantastic Plastic Machine!
Aug 1st, 2007

Ahhhhhh, I am beginning to feel some serenity. Scott has returned and I am no longer minding the store. The hours were mad crazy, but the pay was decent, so the Ross is content. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the idea of having semi-steady income again. Being a freelancer, money comes, and money goes, and money sometimes comes in big and other times small. Regular money in regular intervals makes for a more reliable schedule.

My Sexy Fiancé Veronica started not one but two jobs. We see each other sporadically, but our time is Quality Time when we do. I'm glad she's back at work because now I can save up for a newer car. I'll save for about 6 months, and then shop around a bit.

Since Saturday's are more likely for My Sexy Fiancé Veronica to be off work, we've been catching the CAPA SUMMER MOVIES to see some classics on the big screen at the Ohio Theater, a kick ass 1920's theatre that's been refurbed and preserved. We dig it lots. I took her to see NORTH BY NORTHWEST, the great Hitchcock film from 1959. The 35mm film print was in great shape considering its age. I hate old movies, but seeing CITIZEN KANE for the first time on a pristine 35mm print at the Ohio 8-9 years ago got me into a bunch of films I normally would never have seen. My old roommate Shannon dragged me to that screening and I've been going every year since. This past weekend we saw DR. NO, the first ever James Bond film and Sean Connery's first performance as Bond. I've seen this flick about 40 times in my life since my father is a huge Bond fan, and I still saw more detail and image than ever before. This week is another Hitchcock, this one being ROPE, the movie that takes place in one single take. Unfortunately, My Sexy Fiancé Veronica is working, so I'll be taking my mistress, another hottie and an even younger one. Sadly, my commitment to the INDIE GATHERING this weekend will prevent me from seeing CADDYSHACK on Friday night. It's a one time screening so I'll miss it this year.

I am being pulled hard to do some more shorts. Since it's for a studio, I'm wavering on my lack of desire to do anything. I might choose to produce and not direct. I've got too much editing work to do. There is The Derek's feature, a commercial, some actor's reels, and my own feature documentary, and that's just THIS Month's extracurricular editing outside of the full time job editing for a production company. I've been tagging spots for MTV2 and the FOOD NETWORK en masse. It's not thrilling, but there are far worse ways to make a living. I rather enjoy the process and thank god (wherever she is) that I don't have to work a day job or live with my parents which turns out psychopaths like Cho from Virginia Tech.

ZO WESSON, the host & producer of Cincinnati's VIEWFINDER show on PBS, on which I have made 2 appearances, has been selected as a contestant on the reality-game show PRODUCER for TV GUIDE's channel. I wish Zo a ton of luck. He deserves it. He was at the regional Emmy's recently on the gig I had to cancel on for camera op several weeks ago. If I had known, I might have left the E.R. and gone to see him on stage because he's hilarious. When I had first met him, he knew all about DIRECTOR's COMMENTARY and director Peter DeLane, my own personal inspiration as a director. Peter DeLane represents everything I aspire to as a director, more than Spielberg, Lucas, Ridley Scott, Peter Jackson, Kubrick, etc.

I have a few copies of my book printed up for this weekend to see if anyone's interested. Should be fun. My Sexy Fiancé Veronica has arranged to be with me, so I'm sure with some provocative outfits, and when I'm hosting panels, the boys (and possibly girls) will flock to the Sonnyboo both to purchase items and hit on the pretty girl. I have to remember to order a Sonnyboo Thong for My Sexy Fiancé Veronica before we leave.

My health appears to be on the rise. I have to learn to stop wavering on my habits and create a routine. So far, so good, but it's not really that far. Sleep schedules getting mucked up wreak the most havoc on the energy levels. I wish I were more like my pal "V".

"V" is a demon. No two ways about it. We spoilt him. That's not in question. After Spaz died, we lavished "V" with attention and love. Now that we're trying to work more and not be at home as much, he's acting out. "V" already broke my red neon "open" sign that My Sexy Fiancé Veronica gave me for Xmas a few years ago. He chews on My Sexy Fiancé Veronica's clothes and whines and cries at the door when he wants to go out on a leash, but that's pretty much 24-7. I don't really know how to satiate him whilst also trying to discipline the guy. It's like mini-parenting with an unreasonable and wicked smart creature. Cousette just sleeps a lot. No change there.

Two guys from the Ohio State University's REEL BUCKEYE have been editing a few nights a week here at Rossdonia. I only met them once before, and they asked if they could use my AVID to cut their documentary and I said sure. They are editing a documentary on the Columbus Film scene. It's history, its current climate, the things going for it and against it; these are all subject to examination. I got interviewed for it almost a year ago, and since then they contacted several other relevant/important figures in the community to round it out. It started out solely as a "behind the scenes" of the Reel Buckeye feature film THREE EASY PAYMENTS. Ohio State University used to have a film school, but it was disbanded in 1991. Local fixtures like Scott Spears, John Whitney, Tom Bauman, and more all attended the OSU film school. In the last 2-3 years, the OSU students took it upon themselves to do more than just make a little hobby club, they made a "design your own Film Major", and then created a group that produces feature length movies. They started out as "Buckeye Searchlight" and mimicked the process of Project Greenlight to chose their script, and after that, it became the more palatable Reel Buckeye group. Officially, OSU now has a Film Major due to their collective efforts, but there still is no graduate program or true film production classes. Maybe they will continue to chip away at the bureaucratic bricks until that wall comes down too.

Seeing that their feature switched over to the controversial Columbus Film scene, a recurring topic is about how it sucks to be a filmmaker in Columbus, Ohio. Some people are "glass is half full" and others are "glass is a cynical object that is somehow preventing me from succeeding in the film industry". I do have to say that it's not the city that's a problem, it's you. All opportunities in life are what YOU make of them, not the geography and not someone else's fault. YOU can make anything happen, and no city or other imaginary obstacles can stop you from achieving all of your dreams. Blaming the city you live in is just some pussy cop out because you don't want to accept responsibility for your own failings. If you oppose this point of view, then all I can offer is one amazingly simple answer to the query – If you do think that Columbus sucks, then LEAVE. Move somewhere else. If you aren't willing to work hard enough, save the dough, and go to some other city where supposedly your filmmaking talents will miraculously be recognized, then stop complaining, losers. I still firmly believe that you can't blame a map for your lack of recognition. Maybe filmmaking isn't for these whiners.

I'm just sitting upstairs while they edit away in the basement. I have a new main editing computer, but it came with Windows Vista which is hardly a usable OS for video editing. It's like a MAC OS for PC users. It's a resource hog from hell and none of my video editing programs work well in it. It's like trying to fly a jet engine with a kite string. I can't even get rid of the partition and install Windows XP again. It's frustrating, but at some point soon when I work out the bugs. I just want to edit, and I want this fast machine to keep up with me, not slow me down. Argh.

Peace and love + good happiness stuff for my acolytes,
The Ross of Rossdonia

Checking out... for a few days.

robk — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:56:08 +0000

Hey Marco (and others) -

This whole Ezekiel guy almost bringing down the site sure has been fun and exciting over the last 24 hours! Like watching a clown with his hair on fire! Good stuff.

Unfortunately, it's also been a lesson in time suckage (almost as much as with GrouchoX... but at least he was smart and could actually debate on an intellectual level).

Deal is this, I have work out in LA next week (yes, Zeke some of it's film, but some of it's internet related. No, I won't be "hangin'" with Tarantino) so I'm trying to wrap up a hundred things before leaving. By using something I call "foresight" I can already see that I must make a conscious effort to not visit KC... there's simply no way I'm going to get my work done so I can split the mile high city.

Although I'm checking out for several days, I've not given up on this site just yet. However, I suspect it's going to be rather quiet around here without the Usual Suspects. Not to mention Dawn is absolutely going to flip when she returns from her vacation and finds everyone gone!

But whatever... when I get back at the end of the week you'll have "bigwigs" checking in an posting their thoughts. Maybe even Alec Baldwin will join in the fun! You certainly won't need bottom feeders any longer. Except perhaps in your sushi when you and Zeke dine with the A-list crowd!

For the record... I don't know where you found this guy, but he seems as phony as a 3 dollar bill. Just for shits & giggles I called a couple friends out in LA this evening, people who actually work in development on a daily basis, and they never heard of Ensemble Entertainment. Their best guess, a management company and a small one at that. Personally I think the guy's full of shit... so watch your back.

Truth be told, you don't know me from Adam either... so whatever. You can also take my words with a grain of salt.

FYI - You want to test the guy? Ezekiel claims to have an "upper six figure Disney Salary" so ask him for a couple grand for your website. 2 grand is a drop in the bucket for a guy like this-- He spends that on an evening with Quinten!

Besides, if I were making a mere "low" six figure income, I'd throw you a grand just for all your hard work.

Sadly, I'm a broke-ass filmmaker right now with no spare cash. Seriously... I am (if I had a bunch of money this year I would write all summer and ride my bike everyday, but that's not gonna happen). Financial things might be changing for the better very soon... fingers crossed... but of course who knows the state of this website by then?

Have fun this week!

Dawn - shoot me your email and phone #, I'll call you when I'm in town.

Feast or Famine

robk — Thu, 10 May 2007 05:37:39 +0000

If there's one thing I've learned about the film and video biz, it's that it is either Feast or Famine. At times you have no work, then before you know it there so much happening it becomes difficult to keep your head screwed on straight.

I've learned to enjoy the lean times and manage my money well. It also helps to have side ventures (no I'm not growing pot) that help keep some money coming in when work isn't happening. Last year was extra lame and I gotta say that things have been lean for a while.

Recently, however, it seems the tide has turned and the feast is about to begin... or at least more consistant work. This week was the first week I've been so busy that I had to turn away and/or refer work to other people. Now I'm hoping a couple of the bigger prjoects will "pop" and life will be really sweet.

Eventually these times too shall pass, but for now it's good to feel the ground swell of work/projects. It's time to let the good times roll.

So... um... that's all I have to say.

Nothing really interesting or debatable this time around. Sorry. If you have some shopping to do, or a few plants to water... I won't keep you. Thanks for reading my words. Very nice of you. You rule.