pick...pick...pick...

Warren Ellis posted a note on his [Bad Signal] email list which said, "It's my current understanding that the bittorrenting of 'GLOBAL FREQUENCY' has rendered it as dead as dead can get as a TV series. It seems that people in high places did not take kindly to the leak. I have no further details, so don't ask."

I've held off voicing my opinion of the whole GLOBAL FREQUENCY business here on this blog, but have posted on John Rogers' excellent site www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com and corresponded with him (as well as others) about it.

I just have this to say: Is Warner Bros nuts? Are they such control freaks that they can't see an opportunity when it emails them? The press alone on this whole fiasco (if indeed it is a fiasco - this still could be a manipulation on WB's part) has been staggering, including reports across the blogosphere, email campaigns, and a feature article in WIRED.

So let's recap shall we?

1. Warner Bros. cancelled a pilot before it ever aired because it didn't fit with their overall marketing plan. David Janollari regreted the decision, but had to look at the big picture for his net. Fair enough. The pilot was shopped around then shelved. A write off for their taxes.

2. The pilot was digitized and placed on the net. We don't know by whom.

3. The pilot was downloaded via bittorrent to rave reviews all across the internet. Google those reviews if you want to read them. We're not talking hundreds of downloads - we are talking thousands of downloads. Remember that the one person who downloaded the movie represents about 10,000 people who can't download the movie due to computer restrictions / equipment and/or they are unaware of how to get it. I think to date it has been downloaded about 5,000 times. [Please correct me if I'm wrong]

4. We now essentially have an audience that have downloaded the pilot, spread the word about it, and increased awareness of the pilot about a thousand fold. John Rogers saw an increase on his blog to about 10,000 hits in one day.

5. Then those people who downloaded the show, have been very vocal about their WANT to see a DVD for sale. They have actively campaigned to get them to release a DVD with commentary and behind-the-scenes features and interviews.

Let's state this again: They want to buy the show. Even though they have already downloaded it.

This flies in the face of everything that Hollywood THINKS it knows about the internet, piracy and downloading. You have a built-in audience that doesn't want a pirated version - they want the real deal.

Hmmm... and yet, THEY DO NOTHING.

[Very similar to what the music industry did and look what happened there].

If I were a stockholder in AOL / Time-Warner, I would pretty pissed that:

a) The company isn't exploring ways to make this write-off turn a profit for me.
b) Isn't exploring new marketing methods that are cheaper and more effective.
c) Isn't capitalizing on the publicity and positioning itself as the company of the future.
d) Isn't thinking of all the merchandising it could do with a product to which it already owns all the merchandising rights.
e) Isn't positioning this "comic book property" they have with their other comic book properties and will be a major component of their business plan for the next several years.

In the business world, GLOBAL FREQUENCY is what they call "low lying fruit", and yet, Warners doesn't want to pick it. Is it ego? Is there some sort of back-end deal that prevents them from saying "yes" to releasing this pilot on DVD because they would have to pay a lump fee or something?

I don't know, but there has to be a better reason than the one given.

In the meantime, Mark Cuban and the other people who are redefining distribution models are building the future...

A future where you "old men" running the company may not have a job.

Simpler Times...

So here's something for all you comic book completists out there, my first comic book credit ever: Adventure Comics #488. DC Comics got a cool six-inch character I created called "The Pixie" (the second photo from the left) , and I got a t-shirt. I, of course, being new to the comic biz, signed away all my rights to the character. I still have the shirt.

It was worth it because Carmine Infantino drew the artwork. If you don't know who he is - google him and then get down on your knees in praise.

So I'm really latching onto this "simplicity" concept when it comes to writing and rewriting. The whole idea is generating all sorts of ideas and protocols for writing and developing pulp movies. I'm also finding examples all over the media about the use of simplicity:

- Bruce Timm developed his style of drawing based on the need for animation to flow properly, and to be consistent.

- Modern architecture is all about simplicity and open spaces ("Great rooms") which allow the occupant to stylize their abode with a minimum of effort.

- Advertising is all about selling one clear key concept and making it memorable.

- The look of Film Noir came from the low budget lighting plans that John Alton devised to make sure he could meet the short shooting schedules imposed on him by the studio. He needed to create the illusion of depth and complexity simply.

So "simple" in this case means: clear, concise and memorable. No more and no less.

Sounds like pulp screenwriting to me...

A simple love letter to the Heartland...

http://johnoakdalton.blogspot.com/2005/07/hell-up-in-farmland.html#comments

John Oak Dalton just posted this about his screenwriter friends talking about when they retire they'll start writing B-Movies - as if they would grace us with their presence in the world of D2DVD. John defended B-movies and DVD quite well, but to those other jackasses...

Two words: Fuck you.

(Yeah, that's two. I wasn't sure because I'm just a fuckin' B-Movie writer)

No, really.

Fuck you.

Those that write them, write them.

Those that look down their nose at them - don't know the ass-whupping they're going to get by the industry when they try.

Peace, Love and oh yeah...

Fuck you.

Pulp -pourri

To Rock Shaink and Steve Peterson - enjoyed meeting the both of you this week. Rock, welcome to LA. Steve, be careful on the drive back to San Antonio.

The Sound - received the notes back from Velvet Steamroller and they love the direction we are going in. It's not that "I want to have your babies right now" type of love (yet), but more along the lines of "Thank god, the first date's over with. When are we going out again?"

I'm happy even though they gave me a lot of notes to incorporate into the next draft. Mostly detail work, which I was expecting, but some structural changes as well.

I wrote out all the notes and emailed them out so that we were again on the same page as to the direction of the new draft. This is basically the same procedure I use when I go into a new draft for one of my specs. New draft = new outline with changes/notes.

In other news...



So, I saw this image online at Buzzscape, and this thought kept running around in my head. So now I put it out there for the Pulperverse :

Wouldn't you rather have seen this onscreen with Jennifer Garner's voice, than that very crappy movie she was in?

Bruce Timm and the rest of those guys need funding right now, so that they can go off and do D2DVD animated features of MANY different characters...

I'm just sayin...

THE SKULL: PAGE ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. CITY OF ANGELS - ESTABLISHING - SUNSET

Wicked steel and glass spires tower over the rest of the landscape. As if Satan's sharp fingers erupted out of hell.

The sun bakes the elements to a burnt orange, but as the SUN retreats from the NIGHT...

And the DAY PEOPLE head home to the comfort and safety of their naivete...

THE NEON glows hot...

The SHADOWS lengthen...

And it becomes a different world. One where the NIGHT PEOPLE come out to play in the thick, wet shadows of this chiaroscuro city...

EXT. INDUSTRIAL JUNKYARD -NIGHT

A MAN is dragged into frame by five SHADOWS. The man is powerfully built, but bound with heavy cord.

A burlap sack covers his face, but...

There's a small hole in the bag. He can see his tormentors through it. Everything is erratic, painful, distorted.

The SHADOWS are men, dressed in good suits, though we still can't see their faces.

They arrive at a POST driven into the ground and surrounded by STACKS OF TIRES.

MAN

Please! Why are you doing this?

Silence.

The Shadows quickly lash him to the post...

One SHADOW pours gasoline over him, and we quickly realize this isn't a man...

This is a victim.

MAN

(pleading)

No! Please! No!

______________________

(c) 2005 by Bill Cunningham

And so, begins the story of THE SKULL.

This is page one, first draft.

I will post my revised page one in about a week...

Picture This!

You'll notice that I've added a pic to my profile. I'll be changing it every so often (two weeks or so) to show pictures I've worked on in one capacity or another: writer, producer, marketing director, DVD coordinator, Grip, Electric, etc...my way of showing you my resume' in (hopefully) an interesting way.

Also, I've added an audio link to the profile to let you know the kind of stuff I listen to when writing... ENJOY!

K.I.S.S. this...

If you look at the comments in the previous post, we were discussing my outlining technique when it comes to rewrites. My whole philosophy of writing my movies - the technique, the structure, the characters, etc... can be summed up with this:

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

I'm not a Ferrari, I'm Mopar. When you step on the gas, I go and you can hear me around the block. I'm clean, simple and have a hemi under the hood. I get the job done, and like other mopar - you can keep me stock or you can customize me. Either way - I got muscle.

I think that most screenwriters, especially beginners, agonize over every detail, often losing the big picture because they're hung up on the idea they have to make it "perfect". I know one person who considers herself a screenwriter even though she's only been working on one script for the past four years (And it's not finished). She thinks if she gets that perfect script out, then everything else will fall into place. She has beat sheets, and character bios and maps and all this stuff...In the time that I've known her (about a year) I wrote THREE scripts, a live event, and tons of PR.

Screenwriters are too worried about the style of the interior on their script, when they should be worried about the engine that drives the story.

Between terms like Beat sheet, Character arc, Act One turning point, ad infinitum... people get stuck in the mud and it sucks them under. My thought on this is to always ask - Is this something I can use? Is it workable? Most of you already know these terms, but under a different name. Why complicate things with added terms and, well...crap?

So let's get a few things straight right now, about this screenwriting process:

1. A BEAT SHEET is an outline. Calling it a beat sheet may make you feel more important, but it's still JUST AN OUTLINE. It's like when you're in a nice restaurant and you order the chopped steak sandwich and they bring you a cheeseburger.

So simply write an outline. Keep writing so that you have a clean two pages of story with a beginning, middle and end (Three Act Structure! Yes, it's that simple). If that small amount of writing can hold someone's attention - THEN you can write the script knowing you have something.

There's a lot to be said for simplicity. It's harder than you think, but it pays off by allowing you to write quickly and efficiently.

2. A CHARACTER ARC is a fancy way of saying - How does the hero change to deal with what's happening to him and the other characters around him? He starts off at point A, and ends up changed by point Z. Yes, it's that simple.

3. A "great script" is one that gets made and you get paid for - not necessarily in that order. Great scripts come from writing a lot of scripts. So don't overthink it. Write, take what you learned and move on to the next script. The more scripts you write the better and more confident with the process you will become. Everyone has one great script in them - unfortunately it's blocked by about fifteen crappy scripts. Get those fifteen out as quickly as possible so you can tap that ass called "greatness."

4. Shakespeare was a pulpster. Dickens too. As is/was Stephen King, Mario Puzo, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, et al... They are all prolific, because they set about writing and then rewriting, and they didn't let terminology and overthinking get in their way.

They spun a good yarn. We should all do the same.

Stay tuned...I'm going to do some more exploring in the land of simplicity.

Catching Up Pt. 206,543

Since I turned in my first draft of the script, I'm waiting for notes which I should have on Friday. In the meantime I've had to catch up on other things:

THE SKULL - I'm going through my first draft and looking at how freaking awful it is... from formatting crap to stale writing - this one needs an Overhaulin' (Where's Courtney when you need her?) .

There's going to be a lot of red ink on the page after I get through gutting this draft and go into a new outline.

Tip: When you're rewriting, make notes on a script then go through and do a new outline first before you plunge in and rewrite the script. Always have a destination in mind of where you want to go with it. It's quicker, easier and saves you the "work" of writing.

I'm working with a great key/graphic artist, Mr. Lars Canty - who has done some DVD boxes for York, The Asylum and New Concorde - to come up with some art that reflects what the script is trying to tell me it wants to be. Lars used to work for Malibu Comics as well so he always gets where I'm comin' from:

"Lars, I need something really pulpy."

"Shadow pulpy or Spider pulpy?"

"Spider."

""Okay, I'll make the breasts bigger..."


The reason I'm going to the trouble of doing the art work with the script is I'm going to package this one as a producer. I'm also prepping for publishing the script myself once the production deal is set up. All of my low budget scripts that I write on spec and set up through my own shingle will be published by me for all my adoring fans (sarcasm intended - or in this case sar-chasm).

The other stuff - contracted screenwriting, short stories, essays, etc... will be published by other folk (or not) . I'm sticking with my spec screenplays as I want to create the kind of examples I could have used when I was just starting out back in SC. Scripts with notes, sketches, how-to's, crew interviews, storyboards, breakdowns and/or budgets. A lot of this stuff is really easy to put together now thanks to MMS and FD production reports. So it looks like there's going to be a publishing division of Pulp Entertainment.

But - I have to make the movies first, and that means I have to get back to writing them.

Stay tuned...

DUN!

Just turned in my first draft of the Velvet Steamroller script: THE SOUND!

It always feels good to finish a script and turn it in - this one is no different as I really had a blast with it toward the end. The first act was a bear - but it actually picked up in the second act and ran like a sprinter through the third.

95 pages of a rollercoaster ride.

All this is just my opinion of course, I have to get the notes from the Director. I could be totally wrong (it's happened before).

What really makes this special though is that my business partner gave me a reward for finishing - a "Mikey" bobblehead from AMERICAN CHOPPER. Rewarding yourself for finishing is required if you want to really reinforce good writing habits. I usually buy myself a book or DVD set that I've been looking at, but on the fence about buying because of the expense.

Example: They want $70.00 for the LA FEMME NIKITA SECOND SEASON SET or $85.00 for the TOMORROW PEOPLE set.

Okay, maybe after I finish the rewrite on THE SKULL...

Approaching the finishline...

Random thoughts on the new script:

Wrote 25+ pages for the movie for Velvet Steamroller. I turn it in this week for notes which are always fun.

But, since this is essentially my first draft, I already know the following:

1. Characterization/quirks are minimal at this point and need to addressed in further drafts. What's the point of a character if he/she can't be distinctive?

2. Dialogue needs to squeezed of all it's lifeblood, so just the essential pulp is there - the stuff that really matters. I am not a "dialogue guy" in the first place so this is very important. Most of the good notes I get for dialogue boil down to, "Great one-liner there." Most of my attaboys deal with my conjuring horrific imagery and suspense (on a budget), and true to my rep, I think people are going to think I live in an abattoir or something...

But, in finishing up this draft, I already know that these creatures will be different. They can be anywhere and anyone. The paranoia that will be evident in the final film isn't yet on the page, but it needs to be - kind of like Carpenter's THE THING. Horror and paranoia in a high tech setting. This is a step in the right direction.

Visually, I keep seeing the fight scenes from the recent Battlestar Galactica premiere - that whole washed out, shutter speed adjusted, high contrast jerky cam. Lots of angles and INTENSITY. The story structure itself isn't difficult, and it will be easy to follow, but when the twists arrive I hope they pay off like the Lotto. The cool thing about that whole BG look (especially those scenes they've had down on Caprica) is that they invoke uneasiness even when it's just dialogue. Odd angles and the stutter effect really make you feel the punches and the emotion.

That's what this movie is - a full round of punches.

Ding Ding. Round two comin' up...

GEEK PROM A GO-GO!

If you're going to the geek prom down in San Diego this week:

1. Please pack your deodorant/antiperspirant. Your fellow fans will appreciate it.

2. Say "Hi" to John Rogers for me.

3. Say "Hi" to Tiffany Taylor for me (Not that she will remember me or anything).

4. Send me an email if there is any cool D2DVD stuff there. New Box sets, bootlegs, and the whatnot...we all like the whatnot.

5. Pictures of yourself or other interesting stuff at Comic-Con will be accepted for posting at my discretion. Send to: cinexploits@gmail.com Anything pulpy will be greatly appreciated.

Now go geek out, and be sure to ask that cute girl in the Slave Girl Princess Leia outfit for a dance. Nobody likes a wallflower...

DVD Exclusive

Interesting article in this month's DVD Exclusive magazine.

http://www.dvdexclusive.com/article.asp?articleID=2259

These are some of the numbers being thrown around for the studios' bigger budgeted DVD Premieres.

Stay tuned as bigger names become involved in the D2DVD world...

I'm going back to writing that Velvet Steamroller script. Just taking a short break.

(OW! Yes David, I'm back at my desk writing. Baaad Toad. Bad Toad)

Keeping Up...

Thanks to Steven Peterson and Writergurl for responding to my call for G-Mail. I will put it to good use. It will allow me to keep track of a few things more closely related to the blog and build some lists for special announcements and the like.

For those interested in such things (special announcements, offers, party invites) my new email for this blog is: cinexploits@gmail.com

Please feel free to send your pornography, Nigerian and Paypal money scams to this address. Please send the porn, the others I'll let slide... (Joke, people. It's a joke...if I start getting a bunch of porn I won't get ANY work done). Oh, and if anyone sends me a virus or worm I will gut you like a fish. That's no joke.

Question for the Pulp Hivemind: Is there any value to this audience to publish D2DVD scripts for PDF download or mailorder? These would be scripts with value-added content such as notes, behind-the- scenes stories, introductions, sketches, pictures, and possibly budgets. The focus would be to create script books that mean something to the D2DVD writing/filming audience. The best way to learn anything is by doing, but hopefully this would be a close second - showing how it was done. Probably be a mix of produced scripts across the horror, action, sci-fi and erotic thriller genres by filmmakers or films you recognize.

Working on the script for Velvet Steamroller. Going slow which is unusual. It's probably because I didn't come up with this story myself and there may be a disconnect there. It does have some ultra-slick pulpyness to it though. I keep thinking this has to be shot on HD (like Battlestar Galactica, or Dead Zone). Lots of tech and technique in this one with an unusual creature...

Stay tuned...

A Question of Risk

A fraternity brother of mine just emailed me and announced that he has just published his novel through Lulu.com (www.lulu.com) - a publisher that, thanks to digital technology publishes on demand. That means that every time a book is ordered it is printed. No more. No less. No waste.

I had turned him on to Lulu, because I was investigating publishing some of my scripts with production notes and illustrations as well as some pulp novels. Despite the fact I've been published elsewhere and could possibly get a publisher interested in my pulp concepts, I like the idea of publishing on demand and the degree of control I would have over the final product.

That's important because I want to own all of my characters and concepts outright. I don't want to have to sign over my hard work to someone else just because they're writing the check. Then, I would become an employee and not a creator.

(Let me be clear that I will sell my services for the right price, but if it's something that I have sweated and toiled over - It's my baby. Mine. Get it? I'll write the next Superman or Batman movies, but they ain't getting Rip Rocket without me producing it my way.)

All this has had me thinking about the future and Bit Torrent and John Roger's post about 4th Generation Media (4GM) and what it means for the creator in all of us. I advise all of you to read it at www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com if you haven't already. It's in the links section for your convenience.

Media and technology are converging to a point where the small guy (you or me) can have a greater degree of control over the movies we make, how they are seen/distributed and what cut of the pie we get from that. Basically it boils down to the fact we can each have our own little media empire in our kitchens. We'll be our producer and our distributor and our merchandiser.

A good example would be the whole Image Comics crew, who back in the 90's broke away from Marvel/DC and formed their own label, producing comics their way. They took the heat when things were late or the story sucked or the art was bad or whatever... call it the price of ownership.

But at the end of the day, they also took in 100% of the profits after expenses. Call that the prize of ownership. Todd McFarlane became a millionaire, and created a toy company to handle things his way. I'm sure that the whole affair wasn't easy, but I'm sure the rewards made it worth it.

So now, with all of the desktop moviemaking capability we all have at our fingertips - via technology and information on the web, you and I could become our own studios...

If we're willing to risk it.

Are you willing to keep making the phone calls and taking the meetings to gather together investors? Are you willing to say "no" to a regular paycheck and health benefits that come from working for the studios or other WGA signatories? Are you willing to learn new technology and business models in order to get the job done - to see your movies made your way?

I think that's the biggest question of all.

What are we willing to risk?

Because if we aren't willing to risk anything is all this new technology worth anything to us? I'd have to say no because this new world we live in is for creators, not employees...

And we all know that employees don't risk a thing.

Piracy?

A lot has been said of internet piracy and illegal downloading in light of recent Supreme court decisions, the whole GLOBAL FREQUENCY bit torrent release and the BBC's decision to embrace the internet and work with other companies to release BBC News content.

Hollywood is bemoaning the whole downloading issue, thinking that the studios are losing Billions in revenue. I understand those feelings of thinking that you're being ripped off and what are you going to do about it, but Hollywood forgets it's own missteps in the internet arena:

1) planting "stories" on sites like Aintitcool News to hype a picture.
2) Planting false quotes in newspapers hyping a movie. These quotes come from studio marketing executives.
3) Hiring companies to create "fan" sites around a picture that hasn't been released yet.

So with that in mind, if the studios are going to act like pirates, they should expect to be "pirated."

But what if they aren't being pirated at all? What if all this downloading and filesharing is actually working in the studios favor? Certainly the case could be made that downloading brought a dead TV show, GLOBAL FREQUENCY, back to life with articles across the world about how the show got out. Warner Bros. now has a built-in interest group for this title, and stand to make money off of a something that was written off as a "loss."

Take a look at the article linked below. It seems to me that an entrepeneurial company could promote a title to the masses, then release a "definitive" version on DVD. But please, don't take my word for it - read what the business experts from Harvard have to say, then make up your own mind.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=4206&t=innovation

Stay tuned (or should I say logged on?)...

DVD Owns Your Ass...

I haven't had my coffee yet this morning, so as anyone who knows me will tell you - I AM an asshole until I have two cups. God help the woman I marry as she will be shackled to a hulk with severe caffeine induced headaches when he gets up in the morning. For some reason I put the coffee off and went web surfing this morning just to get an idea if there was anything new... no, there's not.

There's still assholes on the web spinning lies and general misinformation in order to feather their own nest. Just let me be clear to all of you who want to be in this industry - learn your film history - it will come back to haunt you. There are just enough assholes like me that will call you on your bullshit (Just as I expect you guys to call me on my mine).

I pulled this from www.comicbookresources.com 's "Comic Reel" section for today and their discussion about the new CROW movie. See www.moviehole.com for the full story. See below:

THE CROW

A female undead avenger? One of African descent? That's what producer Jeff Most talked to Moviehole about. "I think it will boil down to what fans think of this film," said Most. "Just because this one went direct to video, doesn't mean the next one has too -- case in point, Dimension's 'Halloween H20.' The three sequels before that went straight to video, and then 'H20' did 140 million dollars worldwide or something. It really becomes a matter of studios supporting the film. We've talked about a female Crow -- that's something we've wanted, and have talked for a great deal of time about. We've talked about an African American Crow, we've talked about setting 'The Crow' not just in America, but also outside of America -- there's obviously many, many ways to go. I think The Crow concept is one that's very vital, very strong, and very heartfelt -- the notion of poetic justice, putting things right. I don't think there's a need to limit us from a fifth 'Crow,' I'd really like to see the franchise continue, but really, it's up to the fans."

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the latest jackass who's trying to hang onto his job - MR. JEFF MOST.

HALLOWEEN 4 - was released to 1,679 screens - not direct to video.

HALLOWEEN 5 - was released to 1,483 screens - not direct to video.

HALLOWEEN : CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS - was again released to 1,679 screens.

There is a huge difference between the HALLOWEEN franchise and the CROW franchise. The Halloween franchise (at least according to Imdb.com) has always had a theatrical release. The same cannot be said for the bird. That's why Dimension picked up the Halloween rights - they knew they had a winner on their hands - a small theatrical release which led to great DVD numbers.

The reviews on the Crow: Salvation movie are already in and they haven't been kind. Most is trying to save his job, by placing blame elsewhere (i.e. lack of support from a studio). To achieve that end he lies about the Halloween movies in order to make his movie seem to be a passenger in the same boat. "Oh, the next one could be good - don't mind the fact that it debuted on DVD."

Now why am I so pissed about this? Beyond lack of coffee? I am pissed because someone is going to read that interview and think what he's saying is true. That the latest in the Crow franchise is a victim because it debuted on DVD. I am pissed because Most, while wearing the producer's hat - doesn't want to take the heat when he fails. The really sad thing is that he surrounds his lie with the truth - making it seem all the more real. He says it with such conviction that the reader believes it.

But I'm really pissed because he, like other producers, think that the DVD market is some sort of ghetto where "those movies" debut. Well guess what?

DVD owns your ass.

You wouldn't be able to MAKE your movies if it weren't for DVD. A studio home entertainment executive sits in on those meetings and gives facts and figures projecting just what a title can do in the marketplace. If the DVD numbers are too low, you go to the "reject" pile.

DVD owns your ass.

Audiences in the USA spend TWICE the amount of money on home entertainment than they do at the movies. Think about those huge movies that made $100M at the box office. Then understand that the DVD numbers for that title are near twice that.

DVD owns your ass. It's in control of the entertainment industry.

Until it finds out that videogames own all our asses...

Addendum: There are more movies that premiere on DVD than there are movies that make it into theaters. Period. There are far less expenses related to a DVD release than there are a theatrical release. The Return On Investment (ROI) is much greater. All that means is that there are more opportunities to get your movie out into the marketplace and make a profit with it. Why do you think Steven Seagal and JC Van Damme still make movies? Because their DVD Premieres make money for the distributor releasing them...

A Full Whack of Story...

Just posted the whole Warren Ellis quote about an hour ago, and it really resonated with me. That quote should be the goal of every writer - "a full whack of story" that's put out there for the mass market (that's where the "pocket change" portion comes in). Stories that are easily accessible and affordable.

That line of thinking is what I and my former colleagues at York tried to do with the projects we were developing. That's also what I'm doing with my current projects, bringing the comic book sensibility to the DVD marketplace. Movies and other entertainment that's affordable and accessible and uses the attributes of the DVD format to greatest effect.

Below are some of the horror projects we were developing at York. They are all copyright (c) 2005 by York Entertainment or whoever holds the rights. While I may have been involved in their creation when I was an employee there - I don't have any rights to them. I have my own stuff that I own 100% or have optioned. This stuff gives you an idea of what the "Powers that Be" at York thought would sell. Some have sold internationally already and are in the pipeline to be produced and distributed. Some of them will never see the light of day. All of them represent our attempt to see a fun movie made for $125K each.

BIG BAD BOOGEYMAN was an attempt to mix the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE with a fairy tale type mystery. I understand that the film is now going before the cameras and is to be directed by my good friend Emmanuel Itier (SCARECROW). He should do a great job with it!

DR. CHOPPER was something that was really fun as we had a big meeting to come up with cool titles and I came up with this and BB Boogeyman in the same meeting. That's where it starts guys - the title. I saw the trailer for this that was posted on YourVideostoreShelf, but is no longer there due to bandwidth restrictions. I aslo remember pitching several different approaches for this one which included a "Hammer-esque" approach, and a "Rave party- serial killer approach." We had originally pitched it as "cannibalistic backwoods serial killers" movie which is what I think they eventually went with. I think Louis Mandylor ended up starring in this film...

MISTER STIXX was my idea to create an almost sympathetic type of monster movie - kind of like the HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. Stixx was a kid with a brittle bone disease whose poor father (Gepetto?) fashions braces for his son out of wood.

The kid is picked on at school and then goes on the revenge trail using his braces as a weapon. In my version he would have fashioned stilts for his legs as well to give him a disjointed, super-tall look - kind of like a Walking Stick.

Arik Ben Treston worked with me on developing these as well as Scott Pfeiffer, Giulio Costanza (who did all the art with no photos to work from) , Ivy Kim, Bruno Torres and several other people in the company who contributed from a sales perspective (always important because if you can't sell it then you shouldn't make it. Sam Arkoff and Roger Corman taught me that).

So there you have it - my past (warts and all).

The new pulp titles I'm developing : THE SKULL, HEXX, RIP ROCKET, MONSTER BOY, ALIENATED, I, MOBSTER and THE KNIGHTMARE (all of which are copyright (c) 2005 by Bill Cunningham) . The budgets will vary, but the sensibility will be the same - pure pulpy fun. Affordable and accessible.

Here's to the future, it's a lot like the past only now.

Stay tuned...

Truer Words...

Give me your pocket change and I'll give you a full whack of story.

--- Warren Ellis, discussing his new comic series Fell


That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

Your Saturday Morning Cup of Coffee

Just got up and thought I'd ramble a bit as the coffee pot brews down in the kitchen. I'm still getting used to the new place and its sounds despite having been here almost a month. I get up real early now (6am) because the house is telling me to. I go downstairs and make coffee then have a cup or five before my day officially starts.

I have approval on the outline for the script for Velvet Steamroller. If you haven't heard of these guys you will. Check them out at www.velvetsteamroller.com . All the notes that I've been given by these guys have been good, and illuminated some areas that I wasn't thinking about in the story (or at least wasn't apparent in the outline).

Yesterday I started on the opening scene of the script itself, and it's good (if I do say so myself). It's a little different style of writing for me which is what I wanted - got to expand the skillset ya know? Unfortunately I can't talk too much about it, but suffice it to say if I succeed with this one then you'll see and hear a whole new kind of creature feature.

Also getting back to surfing the links (see right) and becoming familiar with the blog world again.
Interesting stuff has been going on over at Kung Fu Monkey, Groovy Age of Horror, Complications Ensue, Warren Ellis, and of course Retromedia Forum. Be sure to check those out, and tell them I sent you.

However expect light posting from me for the next three weeks as I work to finish this script. I'll post some pics, and do some posting of stuff that I have archived, but no major 'back and forth'. I want to clean up the site (again) thanks to the pulpsters out there who emailed me how, and expand some of its links. New house, new blog.

Okay, coffee's done...

The Secret Mountain HQ - Chapter One

The view from my desk looking out over the valley. Somewhere in the middle right side is the new Playboy Entertainment Group building.

Oh, and the green you see in the midground right out of the window is bamboo. Several of my midwestern friends were thinking I was becoming a corn farmer...uh, no.