The Worst Thing About Cinema D

Because of rescheduling, I think, there were two religious themed films my night. Mine, which was I like to think at least a little subtle, funny and brilliant. The other  was more like Jesus with a bullhorn and a sledgehammer. Fortunately, mine was shown first, but it was still irritating in that “I can’t believe someone else wore the same dress I did to the party” kind of a way.

Critique

An email from Natasha, my teacher at the Detroit Film Center is in red:

Hey Jay! Congratulations on your film showing! Great story! did you write it alone? where did that come from?

Well, I wanted to have as many reasons as possible for the Detroit Film Festival to take the movie. There was a slot free on latin night so everything about the story came from that. Latin actors, dialogue in spanish, Mexicantown location, and as many references to Pedro Almodovar as possible (priest, strong women, drugs, transvestite). I just needed to write & weave all those things together.

I LOVED robert’s part – really comedic.

Yes, Robert was the best thing about the film.

WHY WERE THE WHITE’S SO BLOWN OUT!!??? Your exposure was AHH!!! your F-stop open too too much

Well, I didn’t know as much as I do now about such things and, as I said in an earlier post, I scouted the location at a very different time of day when the lighting was nowhere near as bright (another novice mistake).

The actors where a little on the dry side- the mom mainly. The kids were actually pretty good. i think you already knew this….

Yes, all true and noticed by many but as I’ve also said before, there were things I could have done (there are lists in earlier posts) to improve their performance but didn’t.

LOVED the opening scene with the photo album.

Really? Thanks. That was kind of a last minute idea. I was unsure about it and wondered if it was too long.

LOVED highlighting that it WAS detroit

I’m glad no one made fun of my use of Google Earth.

So basically, your overall idea was fabulous.. it was just your production side that needed improvement but when you have such a great story, people overlook that.

I’m glad everyone likes the script as much as I do. I’m very proud of it.

BUT FOR NEXT TIME, don’t try to do everything alone.

I was warned about that but I honestly thought I could be the next Robert Rodriguez and everything would come out perfect with only me and no budget.

Now you have a pool of people to pick from all from DV1.

I really hope I get to work with Jose. I need to email him about some projects we discussed.

i’m really glad i met you cause i would love to help you out on anything.

I feel the same way. I’ve developed a small handful of people I will call with every idea.

the kids loved working with you too! i am sure they would love to continue working with you as well!

I’ve already got ideas in mind. Though I, actually, may snatch up Reynaldy’s dad first! That particular idea is the one I keep writing about having “writer’s block” with.

Pix from Premiere

Below is Frank, the guy who sorta is The Detroit Film Festival; Natasha, my teacher at the Detroit Film Center; and me.

Three of the students who performed in the film with friends and family.

Those same three actors with me and Kathleen, the Western High School teacher who went above and beyond in helping make the movie possible.

Un Poco Praise

Frank said the editing was very good. I told him that even if it bombed tonight (which I fully expect it to) I’m still in afterglow from the success of my little flicks in Vegas, so it won’t hurt my feelings.

Clear Skies for the Final Ford Fourth Friday

I asked Frank (and everyone else I know) how many people like both country music and movies with subtitles. After last month’s Fourth Friday and Detroit Film Festival got rained out, I joked that the night my film would be rescheduled for would be country music. As it turns out …

Well, I’ve had fun chatting with Frank, the guy what runs the Detroit Film Festival. The Hard Rock Cafe has provided another awesome buffet. Not as many people are supposed to show up as last time, but a few are and by sheer chance, I will (am) actually be there as well.

Keith Anderson is the headlining country act who is playing this very moment. Apparently he’s a grammy nominated “rising star” in country music.

Six Tornadoes and a Severe Thunderstorm Can’t Stop Art

The re-scheduled screening of “Madre Sabe El Mejor” is September 28 at a much friendlier time of 9:30 PM. Same place.

I have two ideas for a new, feature-length movie. I’ll shoot this one with my personal cam.

Fourth Friday Detroit Latin Rhythm

We arrived and the peeps were hanging out inside the Compuware building and the Hard Rock and huddled under the VIP tent. I got some video (I’ll post it soon) of people dancing in the Compuware Building and of the musicians and peeps hanging out in the tent. There was delicious chicken fettucine and the best chicken strips I’ve ever had in the buffet. We had a total of 8 (count ‘em EIGHT) drink tickets and I was only half-way through them and Nikki wanted to go home and gave three of them away. Once she realized my movie wasn’t going to show, her steam and motivation to suppress her feeling ickiness faded.

The good news is, one of the features that was supposed to show in September is having production problems so the three shorts that got canceled for August will be shown in its place. The best part about that is we get ANOTHER free dinner and another two sets of drink tickets!

Rained Out

After the storm passed and things started to clear up, the schedule resumed … which was cool … the Children of the Revolution played … we sat next to them in the VIP tent and joked around with them and Frank, director of The Detroit Film Festival, sat at our table … but the film festival was cancelled because we wouldn’t go on until, like, 2 AM, so my movie will show in September. Frank was unassailably cool. So were the CotR. Footage of me, Nikki, and the CotR to follow. I have to call everyone to tell them not to come. We get free food and drinks in September, TOO!!