Browsing Tag

Work

A New Episode of The Flickcast

Posted on June 11, 2014

As I’ve been busy doing things (taking care of a baby, for example), I’ve been neglecting other responsibilities, like this site. Well, only for a week or so. Still, I want you to know I care.

I do. Just not right this minute. Or, more to the point, just not all that much right this minute. You know, busy. Like I said.

However, I do care about at least one thing right at this moment: a new episode of The Flickcast. That’s right, another week has gone bye and there’s a brand new episode. See if you can guess from the pic above what Joe and I might be talking about. Not for the entire episode, mind you, but a chunk of it to be sure.

Give it a listen, why don’t you? And if you’re feeling saucy, feel free to tell a friend or two how much you liked it. That would be nice of you.

And don’t worry, I’ll be back here with even more caring, insightful (and all that other stuff) writing very soon. I just can’t get enough.

And Just Like That . . . He Was Gone

Posted on February 7, 2013

Or, so they thought. Turns out he was just working very long hours producing a movie called The Beautiful Ones. But now, at least for the moment, that’s over.

To explain in greater detail, the first phase of the shooting is over. The second phase will commence in about six weeks. I’m still working on other aspects of the production.

The reasons for this particular, and somewhat unorthodox, schedule are many, so I won’t bother to get into them now. Suffice it to say this is the way we’re doing it this time and that’s pretty much it.

Regarding this phase of production itself, I will have more to say about it, and various other related topics, after I’ve slept a bit more. Until then, enjoy this:

[vimeo 27009580 w=500 h=281]

All Work and No Play . . .

Posted on January 16, 2013

For those interested, and I think I see one or two of you way in the back, I’ve started a new writing project. This is in addition to the several other things I’m currently working on.

Yes, I like to keep busy. Someone once told me, or it may be an actual “thing” people say, “Once you slow down, you die.”

I’m not ready to die just yet.

So, that brings me to the new writing project. It’s a bit different from what I normally write, so it’s challenging on that level. A large part of the challenge also has to do with the fact that, even after all these years, I’m not really sure if I’m any good.

I suspect I’m not alone here. I would bet most “creative” people, at one time or another, feel their work just doesn’t measure up. Or, that it just plain sucks. Or they’ve been told by others their work sucks.

It’s just the nature of the thing. But even if you or some other people do think your work (or my work) sucks, who cares? I don’t. Well, not that much anyway.

The reality is I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me. I’m doing it because I don’t have any other choice. The words, images and such are in there, and they need to come out. So, I let them come out and whatever will be, will be.

You hear that? Time to come out.

Back to Work

Posted on December 30, 2012

Looks like I’ll be starting a new project next week to kick off 2013. I can’t say too much about it except that it’s a movie, it’s written/directed by a good friend and I’m looking forward to working with him again and to helping out in any way I can.

Other than that, mum’s the word. That said, expect some updates over the next few weeks/months as we gear up to do this thing and actually, well, do it.

Also, that pic above, from Starship Troopers of course, is actually a clue to the identity of the mystery friend. Although, in truth, probably not a great one. Still, if you know much about me, you might be able to figure it out.

Okay, enough of that. Now the real work begins.

Personal Deadlines Suck

Posted on October 23, 2012

I’ve never really been a fan of any kind of deadlines. Still, they’re often pretty important to other people (especially if they’re paying you for something and need it by a certain date/time), so I tend to try to stick to them when I have no other choice.

The problem I’m facing now is that I’ve got a deadline, but the only person I need to finish this particular project for is me. I’ve imposed the deadline on myself. And that sucks.

I am the worst offender when it comes to procrastination. In fact, I was going to write this post a few days ago, but I blew it off in favor of something shiny that was most likely a complete waste of my time.

I have to find the motivation myself and finish this project by the deadline I’ve set. It isn’t easy, I gotta tell you. Any freelancers in the house? You know what I mean.

Yep, personal deadlines suck. Now, back to work . . . or something.

Decisions, Decisions

Posted on October 14, 2012

I really hate making decisions in most situations. Often, I have good reasons for choosing either option I’m deciding between. Sadly, I’m in the midst of such a quandry at the moment and not sure how to proceed.

Over the years I’ve discovered that I have a lot of interests. Sometimes, those many interests hinder my focus on one thing in particular. After all, there’s only so many hours in the day and I only have so much energy so. . . you get the idea.

I’m going to be soliciting advice from people who’s opinions I trust and will arrive at some sort of decision sooner rather than later. That’s my process and I guess it’s pretty much the best way to go. I don’t like it but I’ll do it.

Although, I really shouldn’t feel too bad about having to make these kinds of important decisions. It could be so much worse.

I’m very lucky that I even get a choice at all.

Going Back to Cali?

Posted on October 9, 2012

I’m not really going back to Cali, because I never left. I was just using that as more of a fun metaphor for what I’m considering. Well, it’s fun to me anyway, and that’s what counts.

This is my website, after all. If you don’t like it, get one of your own. I hear they’re pretty easy and cheap to get these days. You can’t beat that.

Anyway, what I’m considering is a full time return to the business of show. Since I stopped making movies, TV programs and the like I’ve spent a lot of time working on various other things, including The Flickcast. I still want to do those things but, in truth, the bug to get back to my first love has bitten me again . . . and hard. In fact, I think it’s infected.

Sorry about the weird insect imagery. Don’t mean to digress. Moving on. The difference this time is I won’t be going back doing what I did before (producing, etc.). Instead, I’m going to go back on my own terms with my own projects as a writer and director. Or, at the very least, I’m going to give it my best shot.

It all sounds good on the surface and if things continue to go the way I’ve set them in motion, all should be well. Watch this space for further developments.

On a related note, the site move I recently complained about for The Flickcast is done. It actually went well and didn’t even cost me that much. So I got that going for me, which is nice.

Please feel free to resume your kind patronage of that fine website. Thanks. And my children thank you. . . Or they will when I finally get some.

Standing Room Only

Posted on July 7, 2012

If you don’t follow me on the Twitter or Facebook or Google+ (if you don’t, why not?) you might not know I’ve been having some back problems of late. In short, it sucks. My back seems determined to thwart me at every turn.

Sitting and working for long periods is especially painful. Good thing I don’t sit and work for long periods. . . Oh, crap, I do. Well, so much for that.

To help alleviate the problem I have started standing to work and am, in fact, standing as I write this. It’s not so bad. The only downside so far is that my kitchen counter is pretty much the only place I can do this and it’s about a half foot too low.

At least I’m closer to the coffee.

My plan for the near future is to try and stand more often and just move more in general. If you believe all the latest research, sitting too much is killing us. I don’t know if it’s really killing us (probably), but it does seem to be killing my back.

In case you don’t know how bad sitting is, here’s a handy infographic from the folks at Medical Billing and Coding dot Org to give you a clue.

Monday Blues

Posted on January 23, 2012

It’s Monday. To most people that means heading back to work after a weekend that was too short during which they probably didn’t get to do what they really wanted to do and instead had to clean out the garage or (insert chore you’ve been avoiding for months here).

For me, however, Monday is pretty much just another day of the week.

Why do I say that? Well, I’m a person who works “freelance.” As in, I go from project to project, job to job, gig to gig and get paid for that gig. Once it’s over, I’m done and I move on. Or, hopefully the same people hire me again to do something else for them or, in some cases, more of the same.

I’m also a person who, if I don’t have someone paying me to do something right that moment (which happens, believe me), is probably doing something anyway. That means I pretty much work every day. I’m not complaining, mind you. I chose this way of life long ago and I’m sticking to it.

Monday, Friday, Thursday, Sunday, it doesn’t really matter. Chances are if I’m even marginally awake, I’m doing something. These days, most of that time is spent writing.

That doesn’t mean I’m sitting at the desktop or with the laptop pounding on the keys and actively writing a story, script, comic, blog post or whatever. To me, writing also encompasses all the stuff I do before and after the actual process of inputting the thing.

Outlining, breaking a story, thinking about characters, brainstorming, research, pre-writing, whatever. I don’t really have an “official” name for that time, I just lump it in with writing. That, in turn, I consider working.

I’ve heard a saying that goes something (or exactly) like this: “If you love what you do, you work every day of your life.”

Yep, that pretty much covers it.

The Importance of Doing Nothing

Posted on January 8, 2012

Unless you use a different calendar than I do (which is possible, I guess) you know today is Sunday. This day is also known as my favorite day of the week. You know this if you read my earlier post on that very subject.

Seeing as this is my favorite day of the week, what am I going to do with it you may wonder? The short answer, for this week at least, is nothing.

I’m a big fan of doing nothing, at least once in awhile. With all that goes on during the days and weeks and months of work, deadlines and life in general, when you have a chance to just sit, watch mindless TV, read a book or comic or write blog posts, I say take it.

I don’t have all that much to do right at the moment, especially today. I have work that needs to be done and deadlines coming up, but right at this moment, today, they are not urgent. I also don’t have any pressing social engagements, things I have to do for Heather or any children to worry about (at least not yet) so none of that is vying for my time today either.

These times don’t come along all that often, but when they do, it’s wrong to just ignore them. Plus, doing nothing has a lot of benefits.

It helps you recharge and get ready for the days and weeks of work ahead. It also helps you unplug from the computer, social media and all that that entails.

And, it helps you discover and explore new things like books you haven’t gotten to, comics you needed to read, all those neglected episodes of Firefly on Netflix or The Wire on HBO Go or any number of other pursuits that seem to always get relegated to “someday soon” due to life’s relentless pressure to do something else.

So, with that in mind, I choose to seize this opportunity and do nothing. It won’t last long, but it doesn’t have to. The trick is just to enjoy it while you can.

Doing nothing is kinda like life that way.

—

Two notes for those of you who’ve read this far down.

• Believer, my comic book project at Kickstarter, is doing pretty well after only a couple days. Check it out if you have a minute.

• I will not be going to CES this year for many reasons, but mostly because I just don’t really want to. I’m pretty sure if you asked most of the people at CES they would say they don’t want to be there either. Trust me, it’s not as fun as it seems.

Older Posts