Bummed

I think about how it could be, sitting around and thinking up shit to film, experiments and such. Brainstorming. And doing. I don't have those kind of friends. My friends get annoyed when I drone on about film stuff. Well, at least the local ones. Even if they don't say anything, I can feel it. The faraway ones probably would too. Not the really, really faraway one, though, the one I miss the most. He probably would have indulged me (he did before) and probably would be here right now egging me on to do something cool. Challenging me. Daring me. Triple dog double daring me.

But he's not here.

I'm trying to do something good. Something unique. Something me. Something that other people might appreciate - if only after they've publicly ignored it. But it stayed with them. And they recognise what that means.

I'm trying to something that's me. I don't know what it is, but it seems whenever I actually do it, it IS me, like it or not. Win or fail.

I'm tryin', Ringo, I really am.

Why are the ones who support me the most dead?

Get "The Bet" for $5.95

The Standard Edition DVD of "The Bet" (sans bonus features) is available for $5.95 from indieflix. Buy it (or better yet, get the fully-loaded (like me) DVD with over 4 hours of bonus features from filmbaby.

Either way, you're helping me get a Canon 5D Mark II and helping me make more films. With the liberty the Canon 5DM2 affords, I can shoot whatever I want. Maybe good? Possibly bad. But it'll be "A Michael Dunn Film" nonetheless.

The Canon 5D Mark II

Pretty much decided. Well, I am decided. I just need the cash (hopefully that will come when the camera does in late November).

Can't tell you how awesome it is. 1080p. 30fps (which I've test converting to 24fps and it looks fine; plus a firmware upgrade may allow 24fps filming). And it's a Canon. My two favorite photographers shoot (or shot) with Canon.

I have many, many, many plans for this fucker. First and foremost is shooting the video for "Virgins" for Rachel Bellinsky. Then, I am gonna experiment the shit of of what can be done and actually be a filmmaker for once.

Two things

I need to find a decent camera. For the past week I've been drooling over the Nikon D90 because it records HD video at 24p and (since it's a DSLR) has interchangeable lenses. And for $1299 (with the stock zoom lens) it's pretty damn affordable. BUT I am not liking the rolling shutter. I could get a decent camcorder for around $2-3K, but no interchangeable lenses, and I don't want to deal with a 35mm adapter. So, not really sure what to do. Part of me really wants the D90, despite its issues, just to have a good still camera. Ugh.

Second: I realised I have work emails saved from back when I started here (early 2001) and was going through them. On January 13, 2003 there was an exchange between Scott Wizell and myself about his new website. Nothing major. But the next saved email I have is from January 28, two weeks later. That's the email that let everyone know Scott had died from a heart attack while skiing. Funny that I discovered this while looking for a camera. Scott was a great photographer and part of the reason I started looking into getting a decent one. I indirectly inspired him to pursue photography, and my constant thoughts of him (and wanting to shoot more film stuff) have led me along the same path.

I name all my gadgets (my computer is Edgar [an Electric Dreams reference], my laptop is Edgar Jr., my phone is Clank [from Ratchet and Clank]) so maybe it's fitting I name the camera I end up getting after Scott. Though that might be weird, ha!

I am trying

I know at least 2 people read my insane ramblings here.
that doesn't bother me.
i have been doing everything i can to learn about filmmaking. reading blogs, watching commentaries, listening to podcasts, reading about the rule of thirds, discussing marketing, about every imaginable way i can even attemt to begin to get a clue about how to make awesome film i have been trying, begging, pleading, learning, researching... i want to know.

and i am getting there.

slowly.
sadly.
earnestly.

but powerfully. i am not an idiot. i am not a fool. i know what i like and i know that if i stick to what i like, even if others hate it, some will love it - i know that what i do will be appreciated by a small subset, and the smaller the subset the more powerful, i just pray the more vocal - i know the films i am making: this bizarre genre-bending world somewhere betweeen horror and thriller and drama that accepts comedy that isn't defensibly dark but would be called such - or relevant my films (though i neve expect to be relevant) - the more popular i will become.

i'd so much rather be the weirdo who steps up while kathy griffin is doing an acadamey awards red carpet arrival breakdown for E! and jumping up and commenting with her on whom people are wearing (which is sick in the fact that they are NOT ACTUALLY WEARING CALVIN KLEIN'S FLESH) and bitch like the fag i'm not, but the artist i am) than i would be the moron who checks the sales of his DVD every morning in hopes he could convince or impress those that went into the venture with him or who are perpetually surprised when they get a royalty check on "The Bet" DVD sales.

meh.

Possibly the most (or 2nd or 3rd) awesome photo ever

TERRIFYING

Not really sure what to do with that.

I rarely covet...

Okay, calling my own bullshit. I covet damn near everything. But this I am just absolutely insane over. Like, I would trade one of my kids (the bad one) for it. Okay, not really. But damn near close. This is like the uber-cute, snuggly version of the one I sold in a garage sale too many years ago. This is, like, unbelievable. As is my need to have it. Yes, it costs about 2 festival submissions. Yes, it costs about 3 DVD's. Yes, I have NO money right now. But fuck, i WAAANNNT this.

And on the subject, I should probably just have a default to buy any and every Kubrick ever released. Like an auto-buy. It's released; I buy. I don't even have to know it exists until it shows up in the mail. damn, i wish i was a gansta. or at least had some disposable income. Hmmm, if I sold about 10 DVD's of "The Bet" I could SO afford it. C'mon people. Buy this for me.

Oh yeah, click for the make big.

James goes to Italy

Below is Walt Turner (in blinding blonde hair) to promote Vegas: Based on a True Story at the Venice Film Festival on September 1st. How exciting! Walt played James in "The Bet." He took copies of the DVD to pass out as his reel - wouldn't hurt if it landed in a VIP's hands, that's for sure.

(L-R) Actor Mark Greenfield, Iranian director Amir Naderi, actors Zack Thomas, Walter Turner and actress Nancy La Scala pose during a red carpet event at Venice Film Festival September 1, 2008. The movie "Vegas: based on a true story" by director Naderi is shown in competition at the Venice Film Festival.