Sunday, January 29, 2006

Finding Home

That's another photo from Temescal Gateway Park, shot by Allesandra Said during our scouting trip.

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It's Sunday afternoon. 

I'm writing between trips to the laundry room.

Sir K is on my lap, purring.

He likes it when I'm home.

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Change is coming.  I feel it more every day.

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As my filmmaking team has grown, I'm developing a script with my writing partner for our first 20-minute film.  Currently, we're working on the treatment. 

Once my producers approve the treatment, we'll develop the script, and then work out a production schedule.  But first, we write an excellent script. 

From the approved, final script, we'll develop and shoot a three-minute trailer, use that to raise funding, and shoot the film.

Ultimately, we'll send the film on the festival circuit.  More significantly, however, I'll use the story as the starting point for a seminar I'm developing for teachers.

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Tonight I'm going to see Channel 101's latest screening.  My writing partner's hosting Yacht Rock again.  Rumor has it that Hollywood's Steve's father is doing an upstart cameo entrance.  He hates smooth rock, or something.

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Attended Pasadena Mennonite Churchthis morning, the third Sunday in a row.  Another good experience.  They're in the midst of losing their founding pastor, Jim Brennamen.  Major transition time.

I'm going to publish on this blog part of a farewell speech one of the members shared this morning.  It was one of the best descriptions I've ever heard of a spiritual leader -- spiritual or secular.

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On Friday, I went to see the new documentary Why We Fight.  I stayed afterwards for the Q & A with the director, Eugene Jarecki.  Then I hung out in the lobby, talking to him, along with about seven other audience members.

It was one of the most thoughtful presentations I've ever seen on war.  Interestingly enough, I couldn't tell whether Jarecki was pacifist or not, because the film wasn't anti-war:  it argued that America's economy has been hijacked by what Eisenhower called the "Military-Industrial Complex."

Actually, Eisenhower originally called it the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex.  According to Jarecki, Eisenhower cut the word Congressional from the phrase just before giving the speech in order to avoid alienating Congress.

During our conversation afterwards, my co-teacher, Marc Seltzer, asked him where the peace dividend went after the Cold War.  Jarecki told us that the Pentagon -- in order to make sure that Congress would support programs and weapons that simply can't be used today -- made sure that all fifty states got a piece of manufacturing those weapons. 

Voila.  It's now impossible to shut down these programs:  if you do, you get howls from ALL congressmen.

The war machine's goal is to keep itself alive.  Who says that The Terminator's SKYNET was science fiction? 

But hey, don't take my word for it.  Go see the film Why We Fight.

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I've been reading Louis L'Amour novels.  Currently, I'm making my way through the Sacketts series.

Why do I like Westerns?  Because it's the most basic American story:  a fighter goes into the wilderness and carves out a place for himself and his family.

Qualities valued:  heroism, determination, ambition, character.  We shape our own stories.  The future is not controlled by Fate.  Is it?

Perhaps that's the reason that the story of the West resonates with me.

                         *     *     *

My writing partner made an interesting observation. 

"The research you did for The Discount Kid?" he said.  "None of them were comedies.  They were dramas.  Why is that?"

He had a point.

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I've begun a new blog:  LA Journal:  Creative Workspace.

I've published a work-in-progress on it:  "Unborn Baby."  It comes out of a  memory I have from my childhood.

Love to hear your comments.  They'll help.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

.... a fighter goes into the wilderness and carves out a place for himself and his family.

Kinda sounds like a teacher/filmmaker I know who left Ohio for the California wilderness.  All you need now is the family........................