tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.comments2023-03-12T06:07:40.218-04:00Living in My Oblivion - A Life in Low Budget FilmsJB Brunohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-45393854538811439832018-01-08T09:35:32.463-05:002018-01-08T09:35:32.463-05:00Happy late birthday! And yeah, as a guy approachin...Happy late birthday! And yeah, as a guy approaching 50, the "young man's game" thing seems more and more applicable, especially when microbudget filmmaking is concerned...Aric Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15988520977827917569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-16234659015144780212018-01-05T00:29:39.638-05:002018-01-05T00:29:39.638-05:00Turning 60 suddenly makes 50 seem like the first b...Turning 60 suddenly makes 50 seem like the first blush of youth... and I recall that feeling well. Of course, that's the effect turning 50 had on my perception of 40, and 40 of 30, and so on. We begin life in an empty room standing on an open expanse of floor, then time gradually shrinks that floor a little more each year until we're finally forced into a corner, on our tiptoes, with nowhere to go but up -- or down. Seven years ago, I thought 60 sounded impossibly old, but now... well, let's just say I'd love be 60 again. <br /><br />Ah well, tempus fugit, and so do we. Congratulations on reaching such an august age. Plenty of people in our business didn't make it that far. I can tell you this much: over the latter years of my Hollywooden career, I always loved to see an older producer at the helm. Those guys knew what they were doing, and didn't run us through the rolling hamster cage like so many younger, clueless "producers," who were that in name only. <br />,<br />So keep on keepin' on -- you're an old pro now, and thus a very valuable member of the film community.<br /><br />All the best!Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-76405372588467817512017-12-26T14:25:37.854-05:002017-12-26T14:25:37.854-05:00Emilio. Thanks for the kind words. The "White...Emilio. Thanks for the kind words. The "White Knighting" is exactly what I was trying to avoid. <br /><br />We can't fix problems that we do not honestly own-up to, or suggest it's just someone else. There are obviously levels of egregious and likely criminal conduct that, hopefully, is not as widespread, but I really hope that we look deeper and see how the harm we do to women, and to others who are disenfranchised, is often death by a thousand cuts, and that we are responsible for some of those cuts.<br /><br />As i suggested in the article, I know many strong women who do not need me to speak for them, just for me to support them when they speak for themselves.<br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to comment.JB Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-63566082600767299162017-12-26T01:10:05.116-05:002017-12-26T01:10:05.116-05:00What a wonderful post! It touched on the topic in ...What a wonderful post! It touched on the topic in a very direct way without the pandering or "white-knighting" that I've seen a lot of others do. This part resonated in particular:<br /><br />"I could fire him, I told her, or tell him to shut up and listen to you. All that would do would be to reinforce that I, a male, was in charge. Another option would be for you to put him in his place. Then, he has to respect you, and if comes to me complaining, I will have your back 100%. She did, and it worked."<br /><br />I've found a type of ally that women often appreciate is to be someone that knows when to shut up and just have their back without trying to "fix" or defend them.<br /><br />Thanks for the whole of this post though. Our industry has been thrown into such a direct spotlight when it comes to this issue, and I hope we will also be watched as we remedy it.Emilio Mejiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07419524710752716469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-28528412612159274942016-06-21T03:01:40.563-04:002016-06-21T03:01:40.563-04:00Michael
Love your response. Thanks, The "Sec...Michael<br /><br />Love your response. Thanks, The "Second tier" stars such as Priscilla et al (I worked on a project with former Ringo interest Barbara Bach) often have it harder than we know - and they may not realize the short-lived happiness they bring!<br /><br />You got the main point. I worked on more than one Corman project, and high art was rarely the main concern. Still, having ONE final voice had its strong points.JB Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-27072228112042137272016-06-21T00:56:03.582-04:002016-06-21T00:56:03.582-04:00Well, that sucks. Civilians might not understand,...Well, that sucks. Civilians might not understand, thinking that hey, you got paid for all that work, so who cares that the shoot never happened? I imagine this is what screenwriters go through when then keep selling scripts that never get made into movies -- yes, they get paid, but there's no sense of completion, of a job well done… of actually doing anything at all.<br /><br />Given that my end of the biz deals in much shorter periods of employment, the closest experience I had to this was helping light a screen test for the young and incredibly gorgeous Priscilla Presley when she first came to Hollywood back in the early 80's. We worked all day, then she shimmered onto the stage… and all work stopped. I was standing atop a ladder at the time, and damned near fell off. She was astonishingly beautiful -- and suddenly we all understood why Elvis went bonkers over her. <br /><br />But that was as good as it got -- she shimmered off stage, and an hour later we were told to take all the lights down and go home. We got paid, all right, but it didn't feel right.<br /><br />As for Corman -- I did two weeks on a highly forgettable feature at his studio/compound out in Venice, west of LA. At one point, amid all the yammering confusion, The Man Himself walked on set, issued a few clear, succinct commands in a deep, loud voice -- the voice of God, it seemed -- then exited, leaving his director to pull some order from all the chaos. <br /><br />Who knows if that worked -- I left the movie for a more lucrative job -- but Roger Corman was a guy who knew what he wanted, and what his movies needed. You have to respect a man like that. <br /><br />Great post!Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-9337111098848917382016-02-19T08:16:17.290-05:002016-02-19T08:16:17.290-05:00It's always fun to read about movies that have...It's always fun to read about movies that have an actual crew, and a crew that knows its job. Hey, a guy can dream, right? :)Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-81103480564983593062015-05-18T03:46:50.339-04:002015-05-18T03:46:50.339-04:00Well hey, here's hoping! And keep posting! It&...Well hey, here's hoping! And keep posting! It's blogs like yours that ensure I am far less productive than I should be! :)Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-87286259125804600242015-04-30T07:55:12.405-04:002015-04-30T07:55:12.405-04:00Kangas. Thanks for your comments.
You are defini...Kangas. Thanks for your comments. <br /><br />You are definitely one of those folks I was referring to who know how to get the most out of a micro budget, but you don't just "pick a number" - you know what your films will reasonably sell for, at what cost you have a reasonable expectation of making a profit, and a track record of projects that bring you repeat customers. All of that took a hell of a lot more time than his article suggests.<br /><br /> It was exactly because his advice seems so tempting to those who are inclined to make those mistakes that I felt compelled to write this. I have no control on whether they listen or not.JB Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-69400544763997559712015-04-30T05:44:55.668-04:002015-04-30T05:44:55.668-04:00Agree with you most fully. I think his point is va...Agree with you most fully. I think his point is valid that you don't need to own the software or fill out every line item in there if you DO own the software.<br /><br />But yeah, he really should have mentioned that it all starts at the script level--don't write a million dollar script if you know all you've got is $50K. <br /><br />Then again, would it matter at all either way? I can't tell you how many times I've given practical advice to young filmmakers who then went on to completely ignore me only to find out that I actually knew what I was talking about...<br /><br />I never would have completed my first film successfully(and done it well enough to get distribution that put us in the black) if I hadn't listened to a TON of people's advice ahead of time.Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-65236253585266000262015-02-24T03:51:05.315-05:002015-02-24T03:51:05.315-05:00Nice! The first time I noticed her was on the TV s...Nice! The first time I noticed her was on the TV show Now and Again. Loved the show and thought she was very good. Her blog's started out with quite the bang...Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-84171314085702278162015-01-29T07:11:37.333-05:002015-01-29T07:11:37.333-05:00Yeah, think how much worse it is when you wrote AN...Yeah, think how much worse it is when you wrote AND directed AND edited the film, and you still can't get to a place where you're satisfied with what you've done. (which is where I land)<br /><br />I mean, there's always good and bad, but it's pretty frustrating. (and we work in much smaller budgets than you--most of my films are around $30K or under budgets)Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-41435425675414252642015-01-29T07:03:48.682-05:002015-01-29T07:03:48.682-05:00Looking forward to it! Sounds like you dealt with ...Looking forward to it! Sounds like you dealt with a lot of stuff I'm dealing with now. Hopefully I do it as gracefully as you! Keep up the good stories!Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-88920069148178643292014-11-22T01:27:12.895-05:002014-11-22T01:27:12.895-05:00Good post. Being that I lack the emotional makeup...Good post. Being that I lack the emotional makeup required to work in the production end of the biz, I can only imagine how depressing the scenario outlined in this post must be -- but I fully understand the abrupt sense of emptiness and free-fall that follows the end of principal photography. After having a well-defined mission and fighting the good fight each and every day for two weeks, two months, or a full six month television season, suddenly there's nothing but the mundane chores of ordinary life accompanied by the soundtrack of a ticking clock.<br /><br />That transition back to civilian life has always been hard for me -- maybe that's why I started writing between jobs in the first place. Wrapping a feature or TV show isn't much fun either -- a week of physical toil, wrapping, stacking, and counting cable, lights, and all the assorted gear. No lights, no action, no cameras -- just dull, dusty, tiring labor. And when it's finally done and the last timecards turned in, there's… nothing. I don't really want to work for a while, but can't figure out what to do with myself.<br /><br />Thus the keyboard. <br /><br />Having been for so long at the opposite end of the process, I appreciate your insights on the world of producing. Someone's got to do it -- and I'm glad they do -- but better you than me, brother. <br /><br />I imagine you feel much the same about lighting...Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-10285256975836844412014-09-20T08:57:01.054-04:002014-09-20T08:57:01.054-04:00Kangas, you probably get this world more than I do...Kangas, you probably get this world more than I do. I thought of you when I took the gig!<br /><br />Posting more on the process - definitely interested in your feedback.JB Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-52789886242305827532014-09-19T03:50:44.116-04:002014-09-19T03:50:44.116-04:00Now you're closer to my wheelhouse. Course mos...Now you're closer to my wheelhouse. Course most of the time I'm still half what that guy had on his flick...but definitely feeling it as I get older...Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-58915174710308927292014-09-03T00:48:35.098-04:002014-09-03T00:48:35.098-04:00Love this post, especially that last paragraph on...Love this post, especially that last paragraph on "the dark river of film" -- a dead-on phrase. Sorry to hear about your friend JR, though. We've all lost good friends over the years in this business, and it hurts just as bad every damned time. <br /><br />Nice work.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-68127394782465348202014-08-15T04:22:05.594-04:002014-08-15T04:22:05.594-04:00How DARE you take time off from entertaining us fo...How DARE you take time off from entertaining us for free! The nerve! :)Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-4772951644061482712014-08-01T02:49:13.376-04:002014-08-01T02:49:13.376-04:00The technical translations useful for different la...The technical translations useful for different languages to learn.<br /><br /><a href="http://kltranslations.com" rel="nofollow">KL Translations</a>kltranslationshttp://kltranslations.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-77224727960266676252014-07-04T04:41:02.572-04:002014-07-04T04:41:02.572-04:00It's funny, I still associate him most strongl...It's funny, I still associate him most strongly with Tough Guys, as that's the first time I saw his name and associated the face with him. (when I saw his other films I was too young to even care about anybody other than Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson or Steve McQueen)<br /><br />Later on got more acquainted, but Tough Guys is the one I sort of associate with him first in my mind.Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-41259105266879746022014-06-29T15:44:22.258-04:002014-06-29T15:44:22.258-04:00Michael
What you said about losing a generation o...Michael<br /><br />What you said about losing a generation of Great Ones is true,<br /> and we are not just losing their mortal presence, but even sadder, their memory. Too many of the young filmmakers I meet don't know these hugely influential actors, which is why any chance I get to tell a little about these folks, I try to do so, hoping that maybe they will look up a movie or two.JB Brunohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258303283672775536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-2703049466785582152014-06-28T23:14:42.010-04:002014-06-28T23:14:42.010-04:00Great stories about a great guy and one hell of an...Great stories about a great guy and one hell of an actor. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him at some point, but that was not to be. An entire generation of Great Ones is slipping away...Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-3729000122951009502014-06-24T03:06:17.821-04:002014-06-24T03:06:17.821-04:00You ain't talking BS about open calls. I did t...You ain't talking BS about open calls. I did them for three of my films, and they are one of the WORST parts of movie making. Time-consuming, mind-numbing, and they make you begin to doubt your script is any good(when you hear the lines over and over)...Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-22303234132961430282014-06-19T15:53:13.345-04:002014-06-19T15:53:13.345-04:00Woah! I'm really digging the template/theme of...Woah! I'm really digging the template/theme of this <br />website. It's simple, yet effective. A lot of times it's very hard to <br />get that "perfect balance" between user friendliness and visual appeal.<br />I must say that you've done a excellent job with this.<br />In addition, the blog loads very quick for me on Chrome.<br />Outstanding Blog!<br /><br />Have a look at my website ... <a href="http://faunils.tumblr.com/" rel="nofollow">how to grow taller</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-522305918133904836.post-32490614482141964092014-06-06T00:59:15.662-04:002014-06-06T00:59:15.662-04:00Thanks for the shout-out! And all my teaching seem...Thanks for the shout-out! And all my teaching seems to fall along the "Don't do what I did, because I did it wrong" kind of stuff. :)<br /><br />Looking forward to the SAG posts--it's an area I've never really ventured into, but have long looked at. Kangashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com