It's Been That Sort of Week

Yes, friends - it has been that kind of week. Upside down and crazy and really a pain in the arse. (Photo courtesy of Warren Ellis who got it from Modblog).

Heard that I won't be writing the comic book adaption project after all. The producer has a director who has his own writer. I don't understand it all myself, but we'll see exactly what happens. Nothing is set in stone yet.

A movie that I'm setting up needs a kickstart. I'm going to take it to a another name horror director to see his interest. My first choice's people have not gotten back to me - despite a great initial meeting - so we all lose. It's past their deadline so I have to move on.

Isn't moviemaking fun?

Got myself into the thick of things over at Denis McGrath's house, talking about Canadian television. I've watched a bit of it lately as I'm trying to open my perspective of how television and movies are made. I'm breaking a lot of assumptions (some I've made, some from others) and structures and looking at how it could be put together in a new way with new financing, new distribution, new subject matters and storytelling techniques. Canadian tv is a new animal for me, and I've not yet put my finger on its pulse. What I have seen though (Charlie Jade, ReGenesis, Falcon Beach, Forever Knight, Lexx) has made me want to see more. I'm not in love with it, but I want to ask for a second date.

Side note: Lest anyone think I've been picking on the Canadians lately, understand that I've been watching British and Japanese television as well. If any of my Austrailian readers (Grubber? Where are you, man?) want to recommend the cream of their crop of shows, I'm listening. I've seen shows shot in Austrailia, but I can't recall seeing a strictly Oz show.

In regards to media, I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here, just stay ahead of the hairpin turn that I see media heading toward. My "staying ahead " will manifest itself in a couple of ways, none of which I'm ready to talk about quite yet.

I have a couple of films on my desk that I have to screen. I'm looking at repping them to a couple of distributors. One is a documentary that features a subject near and dear to my heart. The other is a low budget crime thriller. Both need work, and I'm not sure whether or not I'm commited enough to see them through. It would be a shame for the doc not to get seen though. Decisions, decisions...

There have been - will be a few bright spots this week:

I am going to the Wizard World LA Show this weekend and will shake a few hands and introduce myself. If anyone else is headed there this weekend (I'm going on Sunday) feel free to drop me a line and we'll somehow hook up at the LA Convention center.

My partner and I signed a new PR client. You've seen his work on Jeopardy, Saturday Night Live and Letterman. With our help, you're going to see a lot more of him.

On Saturday, I have a meeting to further discuss going out with my pitch for Bug-Eyed Monsters. What has been interesting is how it has changed throughout the pitching process (location, characters, motivations) while still maintaining that quality that inspired me in the first place. I have already received a lot of help from the scribosphere (I don't want to name names, but you guys know who you are) and "thanks" are spread all around. Now I am teaming up with someone to get the project in the door at the places that can get it launched big. It definitely means I need to bring my "A" game and put the shoulder to the wheel.

I could use the exercise.