August 20 is a big day in my world. It was the day my daughter, Celina, was born in 1998. And, synchronistically enough, advance copies of The Prankster are due to arrive, well, today – August 20. Suffice it to say that my daughter’s birthday is the most important thing happening today, at least in [...]

All things on the path – the path of filmmaking and the path of life – are merely steps.  Our job is take each step with quality and care.  And to enjoy the journey.  As Suzuki Roshi said in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, it’s as if we’re on a train traversing a  railway track ten thousand [...]

Phew, what a whirlwind. As the baby gets ready to be delivered, it seems there are still a million things to do. Strand asked me to ask everyone to save to Netflix, so kids, let’s get on it, okay? Seriously, it’ll help. It’s easy to go into overwhelm. The story goes, do as much as [...]

Hi everyone, I’m back. I didn’t really go anywhere – just didn’t feel like blogging for awhile. But now that the movie is nearing distribution, things are getting exciting. This is the final chapter, wherein our hero (the movie) leaves home to make its way in the world. Like any concerned parent, I worry about [...]

THE DIRECTOR’S BLOG IS  ON HIATUS. But there is still plenty to read! Over 50 blogs can be accessed by opening this page and reviewing past posts. Be my guest, and I’ll keep you posted on new developments as they happen. T

RECIPE #5: DISTRIBUTION.  This recipe is still in process.  We just signed our domestic distribution deal a little over a month ago, and the movie will be unleashed on September 28.  Nevertheless, we have managed to gather a few of the ingredients for our distribution recipe. 1. Reality check.  Since the downturn in the economy, it has [...]

RECIPE #4: POST.  Coppola said there are three times you make your movie – when you write it, when you shoot it, and when you edit.  Hence, you are far from done when you wrap production. Rather, you’ve gathered the raw materials from which you will fashion your movie. The movie does not even exist [...]

RECIPE #3: PRODUCTION. When it comes to making movies, this is the the part everyone thinks of. In actuality, production is only one part of a continuum, but obviously a very important one. It is the culmination of all your prepartion in script and prepro, and will provide the raw materials for the subsequent stages [...]

RECIPE #2: DO ALL YOU CAN IN PREPRODUCTION.   Preproduction can make or break your movie.  Its an opportunity to get all your tools and ingredients together – or not.  Smart and efficient preproduction optimizes your chances for success in production, and beyond. So here’s your recipe for a tasty preproduction: 1. Have enough time.  Time is [...]

RECIPE #1:  THE SCRIPT:   The first and most essential building block for making a great movie is the script. Without a great script, you cannot make a great movie. Most people in film acknowledge this principle, but they don’t live it. That’s because knowing what makes a great script, and being able to produce one, [...]