Now What?

Well, my film class is over, and it's a sad, sad day. I just hate that it lasted a single semester, but, man, did I learn a lot. You might not think so after you see the short film I made, but that could be evidence of the fact that I have certainly learned what NOT to do again.

However, even though the class is over, my filmmaking is not. I've got some things brewing here and there, and now I have a significant group of people I know who want to make films, too.

I hope to have a link to my short film online soon. Just have to figure out how to do it.

Stay tuned...

Memories

I heard this song the other night while I was at Suggins (my favorite restaurant in Lexington). It was loud in there and I was involved in a lot of conversation, but I heard enough to touch my heart. Luckily I didn't cry then like I am now...




here is another version that is very good, too. and it touches me just as much.

Thanksgiving

Hello all. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

I was originally planning to stay around Lexington and have my mom come down, but she wasn't feeling well, so I drove home to Henderson for the long weekend. And it turned out well.

Spent Thanksgiving day at my aunt's place, which is great because a lot of my family on my dad's side were there, people I don't get to see as often as I would definitely like to. Had some good food and a lot of laughs.

I had such a good time that afterward I was feeling a little guilty. That sounds insane I know. I felt guilty because I was enjoying myself despite my dad not being there. It was the second Thanksgiving since he died, and I hated that. And it hurt. But it was good, too, because everywhere I looked he was there. That may sound weird, too. But for me, that's just how it is.

Now I have to gear up and prepare for my second Christmas without him. How am I supposed to do that? I'm sure I'll figure out a way, and I think I'm going to get to see the family again. So, he'll be there.

I guess he always is...

33

Sometimes it's weird what makes me think of my dad.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad participated in the NFL pool-type thing at his work. I don't remember exactly how it worked, but somehow if the team you had scored 33 points, you won a portion or all of that week's pot. I hadn't thought of that in a long time.

Yesterday, I was watching the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins games.

The Eagles scored 33.

I thought of my dad.

The smallest things...

Big News (for me, at least)

First let me apologize AGAIN for not updating this blog more often. But I’ve finally found a few moments to take some time to give everyone a much-needed update, and actually very big news. For me, at least.

Most everyone who knows me knows that it was about a year ago that I left my position with Host Communications. I had been there a little over two years and it turned out to not be the job it was made out to be. Promises had been initially made but never fulfilled. Because of that and the often unacceptable working conditions, I felt it best to change my life so that it was no longer a part of it.

So, I left Host. The scary part of that was that I didn’t have another job at the time. In January, I took a couple of classes at Bluegrass Community and Technical College here in Lexington. I enrolled in Introduction to Film and Editing With Final Cut Pro. The intro to film class was good. I mean, we basically watched movies in class everyday, and our homework was watching films. In my other class I learned how to use Apple’s Final Cut Pro software to edit video. For my final project in that class I made a music video. You can see it here, if you haven’t already.

Once the semester was over, I took on two part-time jobs: one at the UK Basketball Museum and one at the Fayette Mall Cinemark movie theatre. I also was helping a friend prior to this with establishing a local trivia competition, but finances forced me to push most of my focus to the part-time jobs. Finally, I sucked up as much of my pride as I could and moved in with my sister’s family for awhile.

The plan was this: take the BCTC certificate program in filmmaking this fall, a few classes next spring and then attend a graduate program in film where I hoped to get a degree in screenwriting.

Just to back up a little for those who may not know. I wrote a screenplay. I don’t think it’s that good, but those I know who have read it tell me they disagree. Anyway, I had this script and didn’t know what to do with it. So, I thought, “If I can’t get anybody to make a film of this script why don’t I just do it.” The thing about technology today, it’s so inexpensive to own equipment now that anybody can be a filmmaker. You just need a camera and a story. If you don’t believe me, go to Youtube and you’ll see. Of course, having those two things doesn’t make everything good. Quite the opposite, actually. But you CAN make a film.

So, I thought I’d study filmmaking. This semester I have been doing just that. And I LOVE it! I really do. It seems like something I can continue to do. But a few weeks ago, I realized something. The chances of me truly making a nice living making films was not that great. Probably greater than a high school basketball player making the NBA, but I’m sure not much. Also, I decided that while I’d love to go to grad school and continue my film studies, it just didn’t seem that it would be worthwhile to go into so much debt on top of what I already have from previous education to study film. And someone who has become something of a mentor from my experiences in class told me that he truly felt film school was a waste of money. You can learn just as well through one simple thing: making movies. Just make movies. Whether they are bad or not, just make them. If they are bad, then you’ll know why and you can fix it later. And then they’ll get better.

Therefore, I decided I would forego film school.

Well, if I did that, what would I actually do?

The answer to that kind of fell in my lap. And here is how...

Back in early September I got a call from my friend Kelley. Kelley and I worked together at the University of Kentucky Public Relations Office for two years. That is where I was prior to moving to Host. Kelley called me because she had some information on a possible freelance writing job for me. She said I needed to call someone at the UK College of Education. Well, that brought back some interesting memories which almost caused me to not call them.

About a week or so after I left Host last year, I had an interview for a public relations position with the UK College of Education. One of the people I interviewed with was the person who had contacted Kelley about needing someone to do some writing for them. But for whatever reason, I didn’t get the job last year.

Well, I decided I needed the money, so I called. The reason they needed someone quickly for some freelance work was because the person they hired over me suddenly quit. I won’t go into it here, but click here to read for yourself.

So, I go in, meet with them and decide to take the work, during which I never really consider applying for the job opening. On a couple of occasions I was told by those I was working with that I should apply. But at the time, I was still considering film graduate school.

Then along the way, I decided to forego film school, and the answer to “What to do now?” was evident. I enjoy writing, I like public relations okay, and I enjoyed working with the folks at the College of Education. Therefore, I decided to apply for the open public relations job.

My thinking was that with that job, I could retrieve some financial security and by working at UK, I’d have great, GREAT benefits. And because I knew that I’d never probably be rich and famous and didn’t want to go into debt anymore, I would just make films in my spare time. This will allow me to get some of my own equipment, and taking this filmmaking class this semester has given me some wonderful contacts in the business, not to mention a number of other folks in the area who want to make films just like I do.

And there you have it. Oh, forgot to mention -- I was offered and I accepted the job at the College of Education. I should start one day this coming week.

I think it will be good for me. I’ll have a good job, and I should still be able to do some of the things I want to do -- write and make films. Most importantly, I can move back to Lexington, hopefully to the Chevy Chase area.

Actually, in my class I have been able to write and direct a short film and yesterday I finished a first rough cut of it. When it’s complete, I’ll be sure to put it online for you all to see.

I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time. But I wanted to share the news with all the people I care about.

Keep checking back here for more news, and just my thoughts from time to time.

I truly am going to try to write more often.

I’ll be sure to write about the process of directing my first film soon, as well.

Who would have thought?

Did you know that Volvo makes trucks? I don't mean just like pickup trucks. I mean big Semi trucks.

Yeah, me either.

And there are a lot of them.

Next time you are on an interstate, pay attention to the trucks. I think you'll be surprised at how well represented the Swedish auto manufacturer is on 18 wheels.

Colin at Work

Sorry I didn't post this before now, but I've been so busy...

So, I went to see Colin Hay in Louisville last Tuesday, and let me just say that it was a great show. He was funny, charismatic, and I can't forget that the music was great.

He came out alone and sang the wonderful song "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You." If you have seen the movie "Garden State" or have the movie soundtrack, then you've heard this song before.



He then sang one other song alone, "Maggie" from his album "Going Somewhere."



Then his band joined him and they played a 2-hour set of songs from his solo albums and songs from his days with Men At Work.

Including a great song called "Are You Lookin' at Me?" from his album of the same name.



Before the band got going, Colin said, "Back in the '80s I was part of a band, and we'll play some songs from then tonight. And after that band broke up, I have recorded a few solo albums, so we'll play some of those songs, too. So, that's just about it. No surprises. Nobody will be joining us on stage. That's it."

Someone in the crowd yelled, "What, no Wang Chung???" Colin laughed and said, "No. Now that'd be a big fucking surprise wouldn't it?"

In between songs he went on to tell a number of stories. He talked about how he'd like to do something with Bob Dylan sometime. He said he didn't mean record a song or anything. He thought it would be cool to got shopping at Costco with him, maybe buy some toilet paper. He talked about how a couple of his band members went to The Guitar Center in Alabama looking for kazoos, and the store employees thought they were mad despite the fact that is an instrument store and a kazoo is an instrument. He said he planned to open a store called The Kazoo Center and just below the word Kazoo he would have the word Guitar, which would be X'ed out. He talked about how he played in Ringo Starr's band once and wrote a song for Ringo. He said that Ringo never said anything about the song and he didn't feel it was his place to ask someone of the magnitude of Ringo Starr about it. So, he continued, when he left that band and was ready to record an album, he decided to just record it himself.

It was a great show. Like I said, they played for 2 straight hours, playing a lot of good stuff. Many of you might not know his solo stuff (other than the song listed above), but you might recognize the following three songs he played from his Men At Work days.








Colin is a great singer/songwriter, and there are so very few goods ones nowadays. If you ever get a chance, you should check out his work. I don't think those of you who appreciate quality songs over the Pop/Hip-Hop stuff out there now, you won't be disappointed.