Today is a day that I hate to start, and love when it's over. Road trip days. Driving from Phoenix to Long Beach in a stuffed car, no fun...usually. Sometimes, it makes for great writing, especially this trip. I haven't driven with my father to Long Beach in a long time, and today, he was taking me, and my sister Jia in his Nissan. The great thing about his Nissan is that it has a little breathalyzer machine in it. He's probably going to strangle me Homer Simpson style when he reads this, but no one is safe at this point.
We start the trip at about 9:45 AM, after a late night of watching Planet Terror about 8 hours prior hungry, tired, and already about to strangle one another. We got a quick bagel at our favorite bagel shop Mama Java's on Indian School and 36th St., and were on our way soon after. The first two hours of the trip were relatively painless, consisting of hip-hop, talking, and Jia being mostly quiet in the backseat. Maybe I could survive this after all. But once we crossed that California state border, it all went to Hell.
It all started when we ate at this pretty bad Mexican restaurant, called something like, Casitas Dos, or something to that...Caucasian effect. We walk inside, and instantly I'm reminded of the diner scene in Dumb and Dumber for some reason. We sit down, get cold chips with bad salsa, order our food, and wait 20 minutes. When it finally comes out, it's not as bad as I expected, but still nothing better than El Pollo Loco, or Jack In The Box. Maybe I'm being harsh. We leave, my stomach hurting already, and my dad gets into this joking mood that I'm nowhere near ready for. I try to get a little shut-eye since I'm completely exhausted, but between my dad and Jia continuously pulling my hair, slapping my face, poking my throat, and blindsiding me with Mike Tyson punches, sleep isn't an option at this point.
We start to play a little movie trivia. He beats me 21 to 15. I was so close. If only I had paid more attention to The Godfather, I might have had a fighting chance. We stop at a Burger King so I can release the Kraken, and we stumble upon an exhibit of like-like, robotic dinosaurs that are massive. I get my dad some coffee at the BK Lounge, and I see him and Jia looking at all the giant dinosaurs which somewhat dwarf the few buildings that are around it. The wind was blowing so hard I felt like I was going to see Dorothy and Toto at any minute, so we all piled back into the car and drove away.
Now, we also have Nacho, our little black Chihuahua with us in the car, and he's just looking around with curiousity at all the new things he's seeing. Out of complete boredom, I make up a new word for Cougar, or, women in there 40's who try to sleep with men in their 20's. I think it's a pretty funny name, and I think I should add it on Urban Dictionary. Dino-whores. Oh yes, that did in fact just happen.
Fast forward about 45 minutes, and my dad, out of the blue, says, "Wow Joey, your farts are nasty it's like you just got up and took a giant sh!t in my nostrils," which brings me to a new "segment" on my blog, called, Did My Dad Really Just Say...
I have to admit, I give a lot of credit to the book Sh!t My Dad Says, but it seems like the the father in that book, and my father are too alike for me not to have a little bit of fun with it myself. So, in the future, just look for little things like that, there's a lot, trust me.
We finally get to Anaheim, and we start walking around the GardenWalk, the place where my dad does his business (That sounds so gangsta). We walk around the upstairs mall, and I walk into the skate shop O'Neill. I see longboards there that are 20% off for Black Friday sales. I see an opportunity at a birthday gift and I pounce. Also, that same day, every purchase over $100 warrants a free Mp3 player apparently. So, I buy the board, and for $141 I get a new board, and a new Mp3 player. I'm pretty happy with myself.
Now, I'm just in the office, writing a post, even though I don't think I'm allowed to be using these computers. Oh well, what's done is done at this point.
Thanks for reading :)
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Oh, yeah I forgot...
Yesterday, November 24th was my birthday for those of you who didn't already know. 14 years ago on this day, I escaped my mother's birthing canal, and entered the planet Earth. Oh yes, dramatic I know, but how else can I describe what was the best day of my parents' life (Wink, wink, wink guys)? Waking up, I didn't really feel too different, but who does on their birthday right?
After what seemed like the longest half day of my life, Me, Simon, Piera, Meghan, and Melissa were picked up by my mom at the library so that we could go to this Mexican restaurant on Clarendon and 3rd Avenue called Gallo Blanco, one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. We all sit down and immediately start to make jokes. I can't even wait for the food to get there before I pounce on the bag that's got my name on it. I open it and find...nothing! Just kidding, it's a new digital camera! Whoo! Yes! We get our food, devour it, take a few embarrassing pictures (which will be on Facebook shortly), and went to the roof to look over the Phoenix skyline. As much unhappiness that Phoenix has caused me, there are few things more beautiful than a skyline.
After dropping Piera off at the Burton Barr Library so that she can get picked up, Melissa, Simon, Meghan, and I headed off to the movies and saw Paranormal Activity 2. I had high expectations for this film, and some of them were met, others weren't. Yes, it was scary, yes it was interesting, and yes it fit in perfectly with the first film and actually added to the story. But the first one had a driving force that some of the 2nd was missing. But whatever, we weren't paying too much attention to it anyway we were too busy talking, but did get the piss scared out of us, or at least me, a few times.
We left; it was freezing outside. We walked to the park, laid in the grass, and talked about random stuff. It was a fun birthday for me indeed. I got picked up in front of the Westward Ho, and we went home. I addressed the 69 facebook birthday wishes that I got, and went to sleep at around 12:30 AM after listening to both the new Kanye West and Lil Wayne albums. Good stuff.
The next day was yes, my least favorite holiday of the year, Thanksgiving. There's a very specific reason that I hate Thanksgiving, but also a specific reason why I love it as well. Thanksgiving is a time when we're supposed to give thanks for all that we have, and be with the ones that we love. I totally respect, and agree with that. What I don't agree with, is the somewhat obligatory feeling that you have to visit the family members that you absolutely loathe and hope to never see again. Oh yeah, there's always at least one. You know what I'm talking about guys, come on.
My dad picked me up with my sister, and we made our way to Melissa's brother's house. Usually, I just sit on the couch and wait to leave, and that's pretty much what I did tonight. It's OK though, I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment as far as my relationship with my father goes. These last few weeks I've felt like our relationship has been getting a little rocky, and we've been growing apart. We talked a lot tonight and I think we've...resolved some past issues. I debated on whether or not to include this in here, but I feel like the only way to engage the reader is to tell the truth, the truth, and nothing but the truth. You guys read, so you deserve to know how I actually feel, not some sexy, romanticized version of my life. That wouldn't be fair to me, or you for that matter.
I ate the food that I could, anything with meat and fish being out of the question obviously. I decided to text someone that my friend Alana Arcaro introduced me to, Taylor. Alana thought that we would get along really well, and I think she was right. Taylor's a really cool girl, and fun to talk to. So, thanks Alana, I owe you :) And, sorry Taylor if I made you feel totally uncomfortable by doing that.
At about 9:30, we left, but not before taking a few pictures of course. Getting home at around 10:00, I'm about to watch a movie with my dad and tomorrow we head to California. (Yaaaaayy) I really hope that I can get a little internet access there to write a blog post, but we'll see how it all goes down. That's all for now, thanks for reading!
After what seemed like the longest half day of my life, Me, Simon, Piera, Meghan, and Melissa were picked up by my mom at the library so that we could go to this Mexican restaurant on Clarendon and 3rd Avenue called Gallo Blanco, one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. We all sit down and immediately start to make jokes. I can't even wait for the food to get there before I pounce on the bag that's got my name on it. I open it and find...nothing! Just kidding, it's a new digital camera! Whoo! Yes! We get our food, devour it, take a few embarrassing pictures (which will be on Facebook shortly), and went to the roof to look over the Phoenix skyline. As much unhappiness that Phoenix has caused me, there are few things more beautiful than a skyline.
After dropping Piera off at the Burton Barr Library so that she can get picked up, Melissa, Simon, Meghan, and I headed off to the movies and saw Paranormal Activity 2. I had high expectations for this film, and some of them were met, others weren't. Yes, it was scary, yes it was interesting, and yes it fit in perfectly with the first film and actually added to the story. But the first one had a driving force that some of the 2nd was missing. But whatever, we weren't paying too much attention to it anyway we were too busy talking, but did get the piss scared out of us, or at least me, a few times.
We left; it was freezing outside. We walked to the park, laid in the grass, and talked about random stuff. It was a fun birthday for me indeed. I got picked up in front of the Westward Ho, and we went home. I addressed the 69 facebook birthday wishes that I got, and went to sleep at around 12:30 AM after listening to both the new Kanye West and Lil Wayne albums. Good stuff.
The next day was yes, my least favorite holiday of the year, Thanksgiving. There's a very specific reason that I hate Thanksgiving, but also a specific reason why I love it as well. Thanksgiving is a time when we're supposed to give thanks for all that we have, and be with the ones that we love. I totally respect, and agree with that. What I don't agree with, is the somewhat obligatory feeling that you have to visit the family members that you absolutely loathe and hope to never see again. Oh yeah, there's always at least one. You know what I'm talking about guys, come on.
My dad picked me up with my sister, and we made our way to Melissa's brother's house. Usually, I just sit on the couch and wait to leave, and that's pretty much what I did tonight. It's OK though, I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment as far as my relationship with my father goes. These last few weeks I've felt like our relationship has been getting a little rocky, and we've been growing apart. We talked a lot tonight and I think we've...resolved some past issues. I debated on whether or not to include this in here, but I feel like the only way to engage the reader is to tell the truth, the truth, and nothing but the truth. You guys read, so you deserve to know how I actually feel, not some sexy, romanticized version of my life. That wouldn't be fair to me, or you for that matter.
I ate the food that I could, anything with meat and fish being out of the question obviously. I decided to text someone that my friend Alana Arcaro introduced me to, Taylor. Alana thought that we would get along really well, and I think she was right. Taylor's a really cool girl, and fun to talk to. So, thanks Alana, I owe you :) And, sorry Taylor if I made you feel totally uncomfortable by doing that.
At about 9:30, we left, but not before taking a few pictures of course. Getting home at around 10:00, I'm about to watch a movie with my dad and tomorrow we head to California. (Yaaaaayy) I really hope that I can get a little internet access there to write a blog post, but we'll see how it all goes down. That's all for now, thanks for reading!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Carmen and Jay-Z?
Last night, as an early birthday present, my parents took me to the French opera, Carmen. It's one I've always wanted to see, and I was extremely excited to go. So, Saturday night, we make our way to Symphony Hall. I sit down, not really knowing what to expect. The show starts, and like all operas are, they immediately start singing. For those of you who don't know, an opera is basically a non-stop musical. No talking, just singing the entire time. This can be extremely boring to some people, like Simon who saw it a night before me, and told me how he "...fell asleep like 100 times."
I love opera though, thanks to my parents who introduced me to it at a young age. From the beginning I thought that the music and performances from the entire cast was beautiful. Sadly, tonight the 21st of November is the last day for everyone to see it, so I can't exactly recommend for you to go see it.
Afterward, we went to a really good diner in the middle of downtown Phoenix, and I heard a song that resembled the beat to the Rihanna hit, Umbrella. It got me thinking, and, ah yes, this was the original song that Jay-Z stole the beat from. Then, Umbrella was the next song! Everyone's heard of the popular beat stealers like Vanilla Ice and David Bowie, but there are other lesser known ones like Shut Up and Let Me Go By The Ting-Tings and Take Me Out By Franz Ferdinand. Moral of the story is, listen out for sampling from other bands. Every band has done it at least once, if not with every song, like the Black Eyed Peas.
On a less, enticing point, I have a few new pages for you to check out as well.
I started a blog fan page for all the people who read and enjoy my blog. It's very simple. Just press the like button if you have a facebook. That's all I'm asking. You can handle it. The link for that is right here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Joeys-Blog-Page/113630322038018?v=wall
Also, I've been keeping up with my twitter page as much as I want to, so, there's a link for that as well. If you have a twitter, please follow me:
http://twitter.com/joey123mo
So yes, there's that. But please, do me, and yourself a favor. If you don't have a facebook, don't try and like the page, it's not going to work too well. Same goes for twitter. But other than that, check them both out.
Thanks! :)
I love opera though, thanks to my parents who introduced me to it at a young age. From the beginning I thought that the music and performances from the entire cast was beautiful. Sadly, tonight the 21st of November is the last day for everyone to see it, so I can't exactly recommend for you to go see it.
Afterward, we went to a really good diner in the middle of downtown Phoenix, and I heard a song that resembled the beat to the Rihanna hit, Umbrella. It got me thinking, and, ah yes, this was the original song that Jay-Z stole the beat from. Then, Umbrella was the next song! Everyone's heard of the popular beat stealers like Vanilla Ice and David Bowie, but there are other lesser known ones like Shut Up and Let Me Go By The Ting-Tings and Take Me Out By Franz Ferdinand. Moral of the story is, listen out for sampling from other bands. Every band has done it at least once, if not with every song, like the Black Eyed Peas.
On a less, enticing point, I have a few new pages for you to check out as well.
I started a blog fan page for all the people who read and enjoy my blog. It's very simple. Just press the like button if you have a facebook. That's all I'm asking. You can handle it. The link for that is right here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Joeys-Blog-Page/113630322038018?v=wall
Also, I've been keeping up with my twitter page as much as I want to, so, there's a link for that as well. If you have a twitter, please follow me:
http://twitter.com/joey123mo
So yes, there's that. But please, do me, and yourself a favor. If you don't have a facebook, don't try and like the page, it's not going to work too well. Same goes for twitter. But other than that, check them both out.
Thanks! :)
Monday, November 15, 2010
Oh Harry, I'll Miss You So...
Just walking out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, I realized how much after I will miss Harry and his adventures after part II of the Deathly Hallows, and the final film in the series, ends. Harry Potter has defined a generation of readers and moviegoers, forever changing the way we looked at wizards and witches. Without Potter and his pals, where would the fantasy world be? Not as far as it's gone in the past 10 years that there have been Potter films. But they also introduced a great cast of young actors, and old favorites alike. Harry Potter brings everyone together (except the Christians of course), and makes us look at "wizardry" in a more realistic, humanizing way. They've given us characters we'll never forget, and true emotional attachment.
I will admit, that when Dobby died, I cried like a baby. Same goes for Hedwig, Harry's beloved owl. Both of those things represent a part of Harry's past, one that he cannot ever get back. A part of him was lost with the death of those two people, same goes for Mad Eye Moody. I won't spoil anything else for you, but still, go see it, you will not be disappointed.
Now, I've got my interview with director Justin Eugene Evans who made the fantastic, A Lonely Place For Dying. Read on!!
1. When did film making become a "career" for you? What age did you know that being a filmmaker would be your path?
In September of 2007 I turned to my wife and said "I've been saying it for years; I want to be a feature filmmaker. I'm ready to make a feature film and now is the time." I was still an art director for a small video game company at the time. It was a terrifying leap of faith; I was leaving a company with an astronomical paycheck, benefits and job security to pursue one of the most difficult career paths imaginable.
2. What other film makers inspired your work and why?
All the obvious choices apply; Spielberg, Scorsese, Tarantino, Cameron, Woo & The Coen Brothers. However, my greatest two influences are Aaron Sorkin and David Mamet. I love dialogue.
3. Of course I have to ask, what are some of your favorite films?
There are thirty films in my top ten. I can't list them all. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Conversation, The Shawshank Redemption, The Thing, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Searching For Bobby Fischer, The Godfather, Patton, The Searchers, They Died With Their Boots On, GoodFellas, A Few Good Men...jeez, the list goes on and on.
4. Is there any film in particular that inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I saw the original Star Wars when I was four. I turned to my dad and said "That's what I want to do when I grow up!"
5. What are some odd jobs you had while in school, or before you were a director?
My parents owned a video store when I was a kid. I worked at their video store for a year. I also worked in the warehouse for our VHS cassette distributor, Ingram Distribution. I worked as an assistant manager & projectionist for Act III Theaters in Portland, Oregon. And, I worked as a production assistant in Los Angeles to help pay for film school.
After school my film career became sidelined and I focused on art direction, animation and video games.
6. Does your family support you 100%, or do they shy away from the fact that you're an entertainer?
My wife is my partner. I couldn't do this without her. My aunt is a huge supporter of my career. Most of my family has always felt that I should have become a lawyer or gotten my MBA. A Lonely Place For Dying has been featured in Variety, MovieMaker Magazine and on IFC...despite that most of my family still thinks this is a hobby.
7. When making A Lonely Place For Dying, what were your expectations on how it would turn out and how popular it would get?
I set out to make the best movie I could. I don't think about the rest because it's out of my control.
8. Is ALPFD the first script you ever wrote, or are there other things on your shelf?
It's my second feature length screenplay.
9. Was being a filmmaker everything you thought it would be? Was it easier? Was it harder?
Our industry suffered greatly from the Great Recession. I find the craft easier than I thought it would be but the state of our industry far worse. I'm also constantly surprised by the lack of structure to our industry. If I had to compare the film business to any other mainstream industry in America I'd conclude we don't have an industry, we have an incredibly expensive hobby. Your average film company is run with less business acumen than your typical cardboard box manufacturer.
10. How do you deal with criticism whether it be from critics or viewers?
So far we've received almost universal praise for A Lonely Place For Dying. I find the majority of critiques come from other filmmakers and their subconscious motivations are transparent to everyone but themselves...those types are easy to brush off. However, regardless of the source and regardless of what comment there is only one thing anyone can say: "Thank you for your feedback." That's it. There's no point in arguing with someone who dislikes some aspect of a story and there's no point in dismissing a fan's praise. No matter what they say my answer is always a very simple thank you.
11. What advice do you have for all aspiring filmmakers?
My advice would be tremendously controversial and require an entire book. I won't bore anyone with the typical bumper sticker advice.
However, here are a few quick ideas:
1.) Be willing to look in the mirror and see who you really are. If you can't do that you'll be doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
2.) Ignore 99% of what "your fellow peers" say because they've never taken #1 to heart and they are an enormous Id with virtually no conscious decision-making. Move past dead weight as fast as you can; don't argue with them, don't debate with them, don't hang out with them. Don't let them make this a club. Focus on your work.
3.) Hold onto the few amazing people you meet with tremendous ferocity. You'll meet so few balanced, talented, honest people with deep integrity that you can't afford to lose even one of these people. They are your life raft.
4.) Don't listen to me because I'm hardly famous and I've made one feature film. In fact, why are you even reading this? Stop reading it right now and get back to work on your script!
12. Final question, what can we see in the future from Justin Eugene Evans?
Currently, I'm working top secret project with another filmmaker. Then, I'm going to write one of the 26 treatments I've completed. I'm leaning towards a sci-fi action film I've been developing...but I can't discuss the details yet.
There you have it, Justin Evans is one of the nicest, and most down to earth guys I've ever met, and a great filmmaker at that. Keep it up Justin!
As for the readers, that's all I've got for now. Stay off drugs!
I will admit, that when Dobby died, I cried like a baby. Same goes for Hedwig, Harry's beloved owl. Both of those things represent a part of Harry's past, one that he cannot ever get back. A part of him was lost with the death of those two people, same goes for Mad Eye Moody. I won't spoil anything else for you, but still, go see it, you will not be disappointed.
Now, I've got my interview with director Justin Eugene Evans who made the fantastic, A Lonely Place For Dying. Read on!!
1. When did film making become a "career" for you? What age did you know that being a filmmaker would be your path?
In September of 2007 I turned to my wife and said "I've been saying it for years; I want to be a feature filmmaker. I'm ready to make a feature film and now is the time." I was still an art director for a small video game company at the time. It was a terrifying leap of faith; I was leaving a company with an astronomical paycheck, benefits and job security to pursue one of the most difficult career paths imaginable.
2. What other film makers inspired your work and why?
All the obvious choices apply; Spielberg, Scorsese, Tarantino, Cameron, Woo & The Coen Brothers. However, my greatest two influences are Aaron Sorkin and David Mamet. I love dialogue.
3. Of course I have to ask, what are some of your favorite films?
There are thirty films in my top ten. I can't list them all. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Conversation, The Shawshank Redemption, The Thing, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Searching For Bobby Fischer, The Godfather, Patton, The Searchers, They Died With Their Boots On, GoodFellas, A Few Good Men...jeez, the list goes on and on.
4. Is there any film in particular that inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I saw the original Star Wars when I was four. I turned to my dad and said "That's what I want to do when I grow up!"
5. What are some odd jobs you had while in school, or before you were a director?
My parents owned a video store when I was a kid. I worked at their video store for a year. I also worked in the warehouse for our VHS cassette distributor, Ingram Distribution. I worked as an assistant manager & projectionist for Act III Theaters in Portland, Oregon. And, I worked as a production assistant in Los Angeles to help pay for film school.
After school my film career became sidelined and I focused on art direction, animation and video games.
6. Does your family support you 100%, or do they shy away from the fact that you're an entertainer?
My wife is my partner. I couldn't do this without her. My aunt is a huge supporter of my career. Most of my family has always felt that I should have become a lawyer or gotten my MBA. A Lonely Place For Dying has been featured in Variety, MovieMaker Magazine and on IFC...despite that most of my family still thinks this is a hobby.
7. When making A Lonely Place For Dying, what were your expectations on how it would turn out and how popular it would get?
I set out to make the best movie I could. I don't think about the rest because it's out of my control.
8. Is ALPFD the first script you ever wrote, or are there other things on your shelf?
It's my second feature length screenplay.
9. Was being a filmmaker everything you thought it would be? Was it easier? Was it harder?
Our industry suffered greatly from the Great Recession. I find the craft easier than I thought it would be but the state of our industry far worse. I'm also constantly surprised by the lack of structure to our industry. If I had to compare the film business to any other mainstream industry in America I'd conclude we don't have an industry, we have an incredibly expensive hobby. Your average film company is run with less business acumen than your typical cardboard box manufacturer.
10. How do you deal with criticism whether it be from critics or viewers?
So far we've received almost universal praise for A Lonely Place For Dying. I find the majority of critiques come from other filmmakers and their subconscious motivations are transparent to everyone but themselves...those types are easy to brush off. However, regardless of the source and regardless of what comment there is only one thing anyone can say: "Thank you for your feedback." That's it. There's no point in arguing with someone who dislikes some aspect of a story and there's no point in dismissing a fan's praise. No matter what they say my answer is always a very simple thank you.
11. What advice do you have for all aspiring filmmakers?
My advice would be tremendously controversial and require an entire book. I won't bore anyone with the typical bumper sticker advice.
However, here are a few quick ideas:
1.) Be willing to look in the mirror and see who you really are. If you can't do that you'll be doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
2.) Ignore 99% of what "your fellow peers" say because they've never taken #1 to heart and they are an enormous Id with virtually no conscious decision-making. Move past dead weight as fast as you can; don't argue with them, don't debate with them, don't hang out with them. Don't let them make this a club. Focus on your work.
3.) Hold onto the few amazing people you meet with tremendous ferocity. You'll meet so few balanced, talented, honest people with deep integrity that you can't afford to lose even one of these people. They are your life raft.
4.) Don't listen to me because I'm hardly famous and I've made one feature film. In fact, why are you even reading this? Stop reading it right now and get back to work on your script!
12. Final question, what can we see in the future from Justin Eugene Evans?
Currently, I'm working top secret project with another filmmaker. Then, I'm going to write one of the 26 treatments I've completed. I'm leaning towards a sci-fi action film I've been developing...but I can't discuss the details yet.
There you have it, Justin Evans is one of the nicest, and most down to earth guys I've ever met, and a great filmmaker at that. Keep it up Justin!
As for the readers, that's all I've got for now. Stay off drugs!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
If Found: Do Not Return
This morning, I woke up, got off the couch, and went to get a little water. When I returned to my bed that is the couch, my mom was there, looking at my hair. She started to run her hand through it and said to me, "Joey, you need a haircut...bad." I denied it, saying it wasn't even that long yet, and I still had about a week before it was overdue. Her response was something that only my mother could think of, and it'll probably stay with me for the rest of my life. "Joey, you need a haircut, your hair looks like you've got a head full of pubes." She walked away, and I just stood there, waking up.
Today, I'm here to talk about the new film from local Phoenix filmmaker, Nikki Wedemeyer, called If Found: Do Not Return. It follows three teenage runaways, Kemper, Elizabeth, and Lindsay. They are serial killers, and Lindsay documents all the footage on her camera in an attempt to produce a snuff film out of it. Writer/Director Nikki Wedemeyer asked me to help her out here on my blog. She's having a little trouble with some of the casting, so she's having an open casting call to anyone interested in a role. Trust me, I helped co-write some of the script, and I can vouch for Nikki when I say, this is a good movie. It's got a lot to say, and I know that Nikki's got a plan in that messed up little head of hers.
Now, those who are interested may be asking yourselves, how do I get into contact with Nikki if I don't know her. Well, funny that you say that, because I posted a link...right here.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/youknowyouwantthisurl
You can add or message Nikki about the part. She's very nice don't even worry, most of the time at least. Don't piss her off or she'll slit your throat with her fingernails. Kidding, she's super cool and totally understanding. Even if you have no acting experience and want to try it out, send her a message.
Ok, second part of today's advertising. My friend Simon and I have a band, called Half Nelson (we're under Gorki Park on Facebook, but that doesn't matter). We are in dire need of a singer, so we can get into a studio by around January.
Current members of the band are:
Joey Rodriguez (Me) Rhythm/Lead Guitar-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/joey123mo
Simon Gutkin: Bass-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/simon.gutkin
Lizz Marshall: Rhythm/Lead Guitar-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1580813241
Madison Ward: Drums-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000196802540
For questions about the position of lead singer, you should probably contact either me first and if you can't seem to get in touch with me for some strange reason, then Lizz and Simon are the next best choices.
I think I'm all sponsored out today. Oh, one more thing. For, some reason, I decided to start my twitter page back up, I guess to promote the band and the blog. If you want to check it out, there's a link for that too right here. http://twitter.com/joey123mo
I'm also planning on getting my YouTube channel back up very soon, so look out for that too.
Thanks for reading :)
Today, I'm here to talk about the new film from local Phoenix filmmaker, Nikki Wedemeyer, called If Found: Do Not Return. It follows three teenage runaways, Kemper, Elizabeth, and Lindsay. They are serial killers, and Lindsay documents all the footage on her camera in an attempt to produce a snuff film out of it. Writer/Director Nikki Wedemeyer asked me to help her out here on my blog. She's having a little trouble with some of the casting, so she's having an open casting call to anyone interested in a role. Trust me, I helped co-write some of the script, and I can vouch for Nikki when I say, this is a good movie. It's got a lot to say, and I know that Nikki's got a plan in that messed up little head of hers.
Now, those who are interested may be asking yourselves, how do I get into contact with Nikki if I don't know her. Well, funny that you say that, because I posted a link...right here.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/youknowyouwantthisurl
You can add or message Nikki about the part. She's very nice don't even worry, most of the time at least. Don't piss her off or she'll slit your throat with her fingernails. Kidding, she's super cool and totally understanding. Even if you have no acting experience and want to try it out, send her a message.
Ok, second part of today's advertising. My friend Simon and I have a band, called Half Nelson (we're under Gorki Park on Facebook, but that doesn't matter). We are in dire need of a singer, so we can get into a studio by around January.
Current members of the band are:
Joey Rodriguez (Me) Rhythm/Lead Guitar-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/joey123mo
Simon Gutkin: Bass-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/simon.gutkin
Lizz Marshall: Rhythm/Lead Guitar-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1580813241
Madison Ward: Drums-http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000196802540
For questions about the position of lead singer, you should probably contact either me first and if you can't seem to get in touch with me for some strange reason, then Lizz and Simon are the next best choices.
I think I'm all sponsored out today. Oh, one more thing. For, some reason, I decided to start my twitter page back up, I guess to promote the band and the blog. If you want to check it out, there's a link for that too right here. http://twitter.com/joey123mo
I'm also planning on getting my YouTube channel back up very soon, so look out for that too.
Thanks for reading :)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Pinkerton
Shopping with my stepfather Tom, is like participating in an extreme sport. He constantly says, "Go", and "Move it", knowing that it makes me very angry. That's just one of the things that Tom does to make me angry, but it's all in good fun. I think I can make this whole post just about our experience at Fry's, but I have some other stuff in mind too.
We walk in to Fry's, and it's one of the new ones, the improved ones. I swear we were in a shopping mall. This place had everything. This may be the first time I was literally excited by walking into a grocery store. Automatically, Tom scopes out every sample that he can find, and says, "Here try this." When we come to the pastry section, we pick out these powdered things that I have no idea what they're called. Knowing me, I take a bite, and all the powder falls over my shirt and hands. Thankfully I can wipe the powder off my shirt, but my hands are still powdered. I walk up to Tom, and I say, "Dude, people are gonna think I have a cocaine problem." All he says back is, "You got a little white stuff on your nose you should wipe that off." Yes, I live with a 13-year-old grown man.
Finally, we get to the check-out counter where Tom proceeds to mortify the poor bag girl by having a schizophrenic fit about what kind of bags he wants; paper, or plastic. Finally, out of necessity, he says plastic and tells her to pack them with a lot of stuff. Not daring to say no, the girl goes to work, and I just feel terrible for her.
Getting out of there as fast as we can, we pack our bags into the pimpin' mini van that belongs to Tom's boss, and get the hell out of there.
Moral of the story is, don't scare people with excessive anything..
Onto the next topic of the day. A good friend of mine, Aubreya Barnwell, I already introduced her in a previous post, is a volunteer at a local Phoenix hospice. I've always been interested in knowing what goes on in a hospice, so I decided to interview her with a couple quick questions.
1. What hospice do you volunteer at?
Hospice of the Valley at the location of Ryan House.
2. How long have you been volunteering there?
I've been volunteering at HOV for about a week or so. Not too long.
3. What kind of work do you do?
The kind of work I do is anything I'm allowed to do basically. I do whatever the CNA's or nurses ask me to help with. Talk with patients, give them food and things like that.
4. How did you get involved with working at the hospice?
I got involved with HOV a while back. When I found out about it, I was at Vans Warped Tour at their booth. I decided to apply online and I had an interview, that's how it all started.
5. What's it like knowing that you help make a difference to people who don't have much time left?
It changes you knowing that you get to be around someone in their last moments of life. Just knowing they most likely had a fulfilling life. I also work in a nursery so I feel good knowing to be at the beginning and end of peoples' life.
6. Have you ever volunteered anywhere else besides the hospice?
Yes, I've volunteered at schools before. Helping out in classes and things like that. Mainly in like kindergarten to about fifth grade.
7. What kind of people do you meet while working there?
I meet all different types of people while I'm volunteering. Very interesting and pretty sweet people actually. I meet people who have had interesting lives and some who haven't. Just a variety of people.
8. What information can you give for other kids who want to volunteer there?
Some information or advice I can share would be this, if you're thinking about volunteering with HOV, do it! It's a great opportunity and you'll love it. It's a very interesting field to get involved with and you'll become a very warm hearted person and you'll have compassion for everyone.
So there you have it, volunteering does make a difference. I volunteer at a place that's kind of like a Feed The Homeless, and it's a very fun and fulfilling experience. You can also meet other kids there too, and make new friends. Everyone should get out there and volunteer at least once. Thanks to Aubreya for doing this interview.
Before I go, I want to talk about a documentary that I watched last night called Winnebago Man. It's basically about a man who tried to make an advertisement for Winnebago in Iowa in 1988. The weather and humidity were both very high, and this guy just wouldn't stop cursing, and getting frustrated at the shoot. The video got very popular and found its way to YouTube in 2005. But the video's star, Jack Rebney, was nowhere to be found when it came time to try to find him. That's when Ben Steinbauer went looking for him, the Winnebago Man.
Winnebago Man is a hilarious and heartbreaking story of a foul-mouthed man, who's got more heart and passion than anyone you know. It's definitely a film everyone should see.
That's all for now hooligans :)
We walk in to Fry's, and it's one of the new ones, the improved ones. I swear we were in a shopping mall. This place had everything. This may be the first time I was literally excited by walking into a grocery store. Automatically, Tom scopes out every sample that he can find, and says, "Here try this." When we come to the pastry section, we pick out these powdered things that I have no idea what they're called. Knowing me, I take a bite, and all the powder falls over my shirt and hands. Thankfully I can wipe the powder off my shirt, but my hands are still powdered. I walk up to Tom, and I say, "Dude, people are gonna think I have a cocaine problem." All he says back is, "You got a little white stuff on your nose you should wipe that off." Yes, I live with a 13-year-old grown man.
Finally, we get to the check-out counter where Tom proceeds to mortify the poor bag girl by having a schizophrenic fit about what kind of bags he wants; paper, or plastic. Finally, out of necessity, he says plastic and tells her to pack them with a lot of stuff. Not daring to say no, the girl goes to work, and I just feel terrible for her.
Getting out of there as fast as we can, we pack our bags into the pimpin' mini van that belongs to Tom's boss, and get the hell out of there.
Moral of the story is, don't scare people with excessive anything..
Onto the next topic of the day. A good friend of mine, Aubreya Barnwell, I already introduced her in a previous post, is a volunteer at a local Phoenix hospice. I've always been interested in knowing what goes on in a hospice, so I decided to interview her with a couple quick questions.
1. What hospice do you volunteer at?
Hospice of the Valley at the location of Ryan House.
2. How long have you been volunteering there?
I've been volunteering at HOV for about a week or so. Not too long.
3. What kind of work do you do?
The kind of work I do is anything I'm allowed to do basically. I do whatever the CNA's or nurses ask me to help with. Talk with patients, give them food and things like that.
4. How did you get involved with working at the hospice?
I got involved with HOV a while back. When I found out about it, I was at Vans Warped Tour at their booth. I decided to apply online and I had an interview, that's how it all started.
5. What's it like knowing that you help make a difference to people who don't have much time left?
It changes you knowing that you get to be around someone in their last moments of life. Just knowing they most likely had a fulfilling life. I also work in a nursery so I feel good knowing to be at the beginning and end of peoples' life.
6. Have you ever volunteered anywhere else besides the hospice?
Yes, I've volunteered at schools before. Helping out in classes and things like that. Mainly in like kindergarten to about fifth grade.
7. What kind of people do you meet while working there?
I meet all different types of people while I'm volunteering. Very interesting and pretty sweet people actually. I meet people who have had interesting lives and some who haven't. Just a variety of people.
8. What information can you give for other kids who want to volunteer there?
Some information or advice I can share would be this, if you're thinking about volunteering with HOV, do it! It's a great opportunity and you'll love it. It's a very interesting field to get involved with and you'll become a very warm hearted person and you'll have compassion for everyone.
So there you have it, volunteering does make a difference. I volunteer at a place that's kind of like a Feed The Homeless, and it's a very fun and fulfilling experience. You can also meet other kids there too, and make new friends. Everyone should get out there and volunteer at least once. Thanks to Aubreya for doing this interview.
Before I go, I want to talk about a documentary that I watched last night called Winnebago Man. It's basically about a man who tried to make an advertisement for Winnebago in Iowa in 1988. The weather and humidity were both very high, and this guy just wouldn't stop cursing, and getting frustrated at the shoot. The video got very popular and found its way to YouTube in 2005. But the video's star, Jack Rebney, was nowhere to be found when it came time to try to find him. That's when Ben Steinbauer went looking for him, the Winnebago Man.
Winnebago Man is a hilarious and heartbreaking story of a foul-mouthed man, who's got more heart and passion than anyone you know. It's definitely a film everyone should see.
That's all for now hooligans :)
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