Influencers

In the world of social media, influencers are paid to advertise their gear.
In laymen's term, they are a billboard for a product or event.
They "influence" people to buy or do something.
I laughed at this at first, but last night I found out a young man purchased a $9,000 camera because he had seen that I had one. Or at least used one. Then there is a person on YouTube who told me he was shooting his thesis on film because he had researched film shooting and saw one of my films online.

I would say, be very very careful how you present yourselves. In this case, I'm incredibly flattered anyone would dive that deep. On the other hand, there are also a lot of factors to consider. Such as, making films on film takes a different breed. Both these guys are in their 20's. I welcome this simply because they are our future filmmakers and the more we get of them, the more we make it survive.

HOWEVER, especially for women, sometimes what you put out there (especially sexy thick delicious bodacious bodies glistening in the sun) are gawked at by dirty sweaty perverts (such as myself). And you could create future "incels" who can't possibly find a woman as delectable as you. Unless you stalk them which is a crime. So don't. Stay in your basement. Or in L.A., you're studio apartment and spank it.

That said, and to be honest, make decisions after you done research. And post so that it is pretty innocuous. Sometimes I do wonder about my posts. Not because it jeopardizes my future as I strive to be...simple. But because I don't want to get people in trouble in the end.
There is a great responsibility to take on the responsibility of others. I'm not so sure people really understand that.

The Writer

I applaud every writer who has made it their career to write.
Honestly, you are the best thing in the business, and also the craziest next to the lead actress.
But I don't think a writer's contribution to the movie industry has ever been given credit.
I have a few theories...
perhaps it's that they look disheveled and mousy...
or it's because, as they say...talk is cheap. And that the actor will make anything work (so wrong).
The reality is probably in the middle.
Writers are seen as nerds who earn money to buy their nerd toys. And it doesn't take much, so there.
Is what those dumbshits in Hollywood think.
Without writers, they don't exist. The thought of writing, and physically writing is simple. Yeah, I can pound on my keyboard for three days straight and come up with a screenplay, but it doesn't follow any structure (though I think a lot of movies were made this way..."Three Billboards..." comes to mind).
Any way, I do write, and it sucks. Sucks in that sense in that I constantly have to give the main character peril. And sucks because my grammar sucks (English is second language). But mostly sucks because, above all...it must be done alone.
Though there are dual writers in this industry, very few can function like this (unless you're married or brothers. Or in Wachowski sense...sisters).
A LOT of people think writing is easy. Most, if they were to hear your pitch, have really bad input. It's not their fault, because if you imagine people who critique movies, a lot always say what they would do different. Also, people who watch a lot of movies...sometimes mistake the fact that they can write.
They cannot.
Film fans are the single most irritating people when it comes to writers. Or writers who want input. Though they can sense what a good movie is. In this day, most like movies for the wrong reasons. They can't articulate what it lacks (neither can you at this point, is the problem). So they offer suggestions that cannot help your script. Or derail it.
In some cases, they will jog your mind into a different direction.
It's your fault for asking.
The point being is that writers aren't given enough credit. Though I see it changing. The powers that be are on their social justice rants in awards shows now. Which leave very little time to thank the person who put the words in your mouth (notice how dumb stars sound without a script?).
Give writers love.

Greta Thunberg

A lot is going to be said about this 16 year old impassioned speech to the United Nations about the state of the environment. Mostly how bold she is to speak like that to the adults of the world. And the leaders. Let's be honest, she is a tool of the Left.
I've done plenty for the environment, starting with recycling, drinking from the same plastic cup for a week (if not longer), not driving, flying once a year and so forth. A lot. And I do mentally do these things. For this piece of shit kid to tell me that I robbed her of her future (or at least the leaders did) well, be more fucking specific, idiot.
How about calling out the countries who are the biggest offenders, if you had a spine. You can't because you are parroting other derailed idiots. Put the blame where blame belongs. To countries who could give two fucks what a 16 year old thinks. Seriously, this is the biggest display of western arrogance I've ever witnessed. To point a finger at us. Girl, go fuck yourself.
But she doesn't really understand much of the common sense side. She's on the Asperger's spectrum. While mostly book smart, she is mentally not people smart.
And with that, she is being used as the perfect weapon. To criticize this person is to "attack" a child." How devious was this planned perpetrated by the parents who most likely took a payout. Let's start by investigating that. Taking advantage of a mentally ill child.

She is the David Hogg of this time. Even looks like him. An unfortunate puppet of the agenda. Which is all theater when it comes to the people she is addressing.

I will admit this, Trump's dismissive tweet to belittle her is pretty cruel:

"She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!" President Donald Trump

It's mocking her deranged state. And overreaction.

Anyway, watch her speech. I actually blurted out laughing because I thought everything she said was beyond theatrical. Bad performance. But entertaining. If the Left were clever, they'd use this as a meme or at least a mockable clip similar to...Tommy Wiseau's cinema. Saturday Night Live should have a field day.
But they won't. Because they're not that fun anymore.

The Price Of Hollywood

A few celebrities are coming out about their addiction problems. Probably more will too.
It's like the Catholic church. The code of silence.
Because most of these issues stem from, most likely, their youth here in Hollywood.
When actors are young, they are attractive. And attractive people get the attention of a TON of people they probably don't want. Still baffles me why people want fame.
But it would not surprise me if a few of them admitted they were sexually abused by a homosexual film executive. Or, in the case of women, heterosexual film executive.
For the most part, if you make level of celebrity, a few can honestly be held to "star" status. The rest are pretty people who become popular. Which, by the way, the more familiar you are with someone, the more attractive they are. That was the point of "Marty" (1955) and I would also contend Ernest Borgnine in real life. Fame adds points to attractiveness.

That said, I don't think a lot of these celebrities made it on talent and looks alone. I believe they exchanged sex for an opportunity. And I don't blame them.

See, back when I first got here (near 20 years ago), there was no social media. The industry was run by a handful of people. To crack this nut, any and all opportunities were also met with sleazy producers who wanted to take advantage of having your life in their hands. Most of the people who gained fame today have come out about these assaults. Some spoke out too soon and ruined them. Others, kept quiet and tried to enjoy their lives (substance abusers).

This business isn't all about wanting to stretch your artistic talent. It is a give and take world. Which when you are starting out, you really are confused as to how people could get to that point. 20 years later, I see how. The power of controlling beautiful people at will caused people like Harvey Weinstein. He lashed out on decades of being the fat unattractive guy. He discovered that having women at your will wasn't necessarily the point, but that he wanted them to love him for him. Which never happens, since that person was probably damaged getting to him. He buried his conscience and became the monster you see today. He is the quintessential reason most nerds get into making movies. To have control and power over attractive people.

This whole industry is a shifting tectonic plate. No one stays at the top forever (a long friggen time though). And in the inside world, nothing has changed.

I don't think you should trade your soul for fame. It's too high a price to pay. Learn to walk away and follow your instincts.

Maybe It's You, Hollywood

I think there are generally two types of people in this world...
those who started being rebellious early and got tired of it
those who are going through rebellion in their later years

There are obvious those outliers who stay rebellious their entire lives. I guess. But even The Rolling Stones became corporately sponsored.

Most people often wonder why a person who is brown like me disavows the Left. I don't actually. They left us. Because it wasn't "charitable" enough. The way the Left work is to keep you on their plantation and thus control you. Pretty simple. The way the Right work is just to control you. One, is easier to spit at, the other is sickeningly sneaky. The Left is sneaky and therefore, very difficult to sniff out. They rely on your ignorance. In fact, most have lauded their education in your face. I have two degrees (a Master's degree) and therefore I am smarter (see what I did there?)

The issue is that you have to think for yourselves. Unfortunately, both sides have a mentality that if you are not for us, you are against us. Most clear now that I'm in Los Angeles and that mentality is in your face. My natural reaction is to spit in it. That should be ALL our reactions. And I see many of my Lefty contacts distancing themselves from me because my viewpoint doesn't match their own. Not to be TOO cynical, but I expect that from a Lefty. A Righty tends to, at the very least, listen. They're annoying as well, but in a different way. They come with WASPy catch phrases. Or they defend one and all of their supposed supremacy. It's baffling why anyone would consider them the "less educated party" since they're typically thrown into Ivy League classes and go for less creative endeavors (i.e. will always have a job). While their privilege is sickening (seen this first hand), they are more attuned to the collective. In the simplest terms of how to see the parties, the Right side runs the corporations, the Left have the mass and run the companies the Right own (therefore having their own power). Which is what it use to be like.
The lines are a little more gray now. One jumps to one side while another jumps to the other. And we also have mixed ideas. Working class have turned on the elite Whites. Which is the way it always has been ("Caddyshack", which is odd because rich White-ies enjoy this movie more than anyone else, though they are the villain).
To me, I see first hand hypocrisy in Hollywood. Though Lefty by party, they are the most diabolical capitalist possible. They're worse than yuppies who did so very little and got paid so very much. That's the hypocrisy you see at the ground level. Though these celebrities preach anti-establishment, they've created their own establishment and it's NEVER enough. Then, in hopes of disguising their wealth, they do charity work, since their fame (they've discovered) isn't worth much.
Folks, it really isn't. A lot of my acting friends want this so bad. But, let's be frank, the ones who do it and work and make it a business do NOT share the same mentality as the 1% at top. If this sounds familiar, it's because this is essentially all of us everyday. It is to the benefit of the 1% at the top who work constantly to pretend like they care about the ones at the bottom. Most are very upfront about it. Denzel Washington makes no beef about his money. And he doesn't flaunt his charity work. Nor does he throw money at the problem. That's what the 1% celeb does. They throw money at the issues and think that's enough. It's not. Because if they really ground it out at the people level, they realize how futile it is. And how the leaders they promote are useless.
And that would mean they'd have to re-evaluate their beliefs. But it would also mean the industry making sure you never worked again. That's how tolerant they are.

9/11 Remembered

I think we're putting too much emphasis on this event.
Saudi Arabians were pissed at America, who were our friends and decided to eradicate our financial system. These dumb sand monkeys thought this would paralyze America's financial status. All it did was make dumb New Yawkers whine about it for the next 18 years and make the fucker even bigger.
The ones involved did nothing to America but calcify our hatred for Arabs. But no one ever thinks that this is also aligned with those cats who "occupied Wall Street."

People also tend to overlook the planes that went down at the Pentagon and United 93 that went down in Pennsylvania after heroic Americans tackled the hijackers and led them to a field somewhere. That one was probably headed towards a very populated area as well.

This is our Pearl Harbor. And it's one of the few things I do remember where I was.
I was in my apartment in Sherman Oaks when my roommate called. I'd just woken up and thought what I saw was a movie. When the first plane hit, my natural reaction was "Whoa! What the fuck?!" The second reaction was...my girlfriend is a flight attendant, wonder if she was okay.
I tried calling her phone, but all lines were tied up for emergencies from that area. I'd heard one of the places had taken off from Dulles in Washington D.C. and she was a commuter jump personnel on United Express. I learned later on that they were hijacking larger planes because the fuel would cause more damage.

The day really didn't change much for me, other than it captured our disbelief that people out there REALLY hated America and Americans. Which most likely, still exists. Movies are prescient when it comes to the conspiracy theories as well. It made me really value the people I had in my life, though I was going through some really tough days in L.A.

I sometimes miss those days. Obviously not the event of which occurred. But that there were simpler days. We had cellphones and not smartphones. And was still trying to find a foothold into this business. And I had a girl who thought about me, and I of her.
If 9/11 meant anything to me, it was the early days of being in Los Angeles struggling.

The NFL Is Horseshit

But it's fun.
What I mean is...
they don't care about fans. It's a joke. Ever since corporate sponsorship hit them at the stadium level, the rest is just pretending like they want you to be there. I would say for every corporate box pays for one section of a stadium. What they want are people in the stands to look like they care. Whip up the frenzy. Nothing was more sad then seeing Jacksonville's stadium when they played Kansas City. A quit cut to the stadium showed it pretty blank. And the franchise is typically punished for having this occur.

They don't care about that. Because the corporate box seats were already paid for years in advance. The rest is beer and pizza money. As are the merchandise sale. In fact, they pretty much give away the tickets and the food prices and parking pay for the operational costs. NFL owners are business people first.
If we boil down the reality of it all, nothing really comes from their pockets.
I wonder if the guys back in the good old days felt the fans were what they work for. I'm not sure. I think they truly wanted to get a spike on a win. I think most old White curmudgeons like that adrenaline of watching his plantation play against someone else's plantation. And, we've been lapping it up and supporting it.
Yes, the players are paid well, but you have to wonder....if this is level of amusement is beneficial for society (it isn't. We're watching people beat each other to a pulp for fun, risking their health for sport). In a way, we are responsible for a certain decline of civilization by supporting it. Which I'm not the one to stop it. We're too far gone into lethargy. But..,I get the feeling when we all have a collective awakening, it's going to don on us how primitive we really are.

John Carpenter on Rob Zombie

A few years ago when Rob Zombie was going to reboot "Halloween" he reached out to O.G. director John Carpenter to get his blessing. To hear the way Zombie tells it, he probably should not have met his hero. Essentially Carpenter dismissively "blessed" Zombie and told him to "make it his own."
A lot of people now know Carpenter as a curmudgeonly director of classics that have been re-made and rebooted. And his answer "they pay me a check." Not really hippie-ish for a staunch Lefty. Zombie obviously felt slighted by him. To me, he offered the simplest answer to someone who felt something doesn't need to be remade. OR, that when remade, the population worships Zombie for making the classic better (this didn't happen, in fact...he fucked it up royally). I think Carpenter didn't want his legacy tarnished by a remake (done twice, by the way). This after Carpenter remade a few movies himself.

Anyway, it occurred to me why Carpenter has turned to a miserable shit.
There is a guy I recently mentored that pretty much praises me for the simplest things I do. He is a very talented guy, and I got him a gig at my company. Now I'm seen as somewhat of an inspiration. I like that he is grateful and wants to do what I do...but there does have a sense of "Single White Female" creep in.

Young people are okay to be this excited about things. I was, myself. So I get where it comes from. But now I understand how it could annoy people. For Carpenter, it's amazing all the films that have become iconic. I think to Carpenter, a lot of it has been appreciated decades later, instead of its time. This is also VERY annoying to someone who could've had a A-List career, rather than a cult status hero. It's hard to determine which I would like more. Considering the point of Hollywood is to keep working in Hollywood. I think Carpenter fights his digust for Republican yuppies to his love of free money.

I get annoyed myself nowadays over the same thing. If I get praised incessantly for my crusade to save celluloid. This appeals only to a small population. But a rabid one.

Do You Know What You Want To Do?

If you ask anyone over the age of 60 if they know what they wanted to do with their lives, the question itself is insulting. Particularly when you realize what they are doing isn't what they wanted to do. Then they throw something out like "no one gets to do what they want."
While there is truth to that, there are no specifics.
I am doing what I wanted to do since I was 8 years old and I saw "The Fox and The Hound" "Snow White" and "Herbie Rides Again"
I'm not THAT old. These were re-releases that went to our cinema.
What I'm getting at is, I know I'll be working in movies in some capacity regardless of whether or not anyone gives me permission, because it doesn't require permission.
If it is your natural inclination to tell stories through a filmed medium, that is your calling. The people who throw these sad phrases like "no one gets to do what they want" probably gave up a long time ago. I sometimes pity them because you know a lot of things derailed them. Tragedies, I would say. Or sacrifices. Many won't admit it. Such as having a family.
I don't have a family that I need to support. I can't imagine if I did. Yes, this sounds selfish. But it's also the way filmmakers often function. Because resources get depleted (mostly energy), it's near impossible to juggle your free brain time. The ones who have and have become successful (I've seen it)...tend to let one or the other fall by the wayside. It's hard enough to have free time for yourself to get your bearings.

Here's what I can tell you about life...it is so very short. And meant to be made shorter every day. If you are not pursuing the best life you want, and a good life without taking on the burdens of others, you are shortchanging every minute you breathe. A lot of the older people are now at a point of "why bother?" When you die and made your swan song, most end up in a bargain bin and forgotten. Guess what...that experience and product wasn't made for the public...if you cared and if you loved what you did...that was for you.

Too many people, and I am really tired of it, shit on themselves for what they make. Perhaps it's humble bragging, which many insecure people do a lot, but know that it isn't necessarily "great" you're aiming for but...you made out okay. The point of most of these projects is the event themselves. Many people will tell you that "it is STILL a business" Yes, but here's something that I want you all to put into your mind, because it really will uplift you on the worse days...
"money isn't about me, it's about other people"

Money does nothing for you in terms of life satisfaction. It buys things that give you false status. This is fleeting. It will buy you comfort, which life is not. And it will buy you friends. Because they will want to know your secret. And let me reiterate "money isn't about me, it's about other people."
Money impresses those who care about it, or believe it will give them happiness. What does it actually do except make people envious of you. Even if they share in your wealth. Many become lethargic. Or chase more money. It brings comfort to other people because other people have now created their own lives that require it.
For example...a friend who has to get his house painted needs money to paint it. Or he can do it himself. Or you could pay for someone to do it, because it makes you feel good about it. But you can't buy this friendship. Friendship is helping him paint that house. And drinking some cold ones after. This is an experience and less money is involved. The more of this green stuff you have, the less you want to trouble yourself with these things.

Now, I'm not lecturing anyone about the evils of money. It's not evil, it's an exchange that people understand. And I am not rich or wealthy by any means, but I am comfortable now (took a while). At the same time though I am sure many people think me stupid for not seeing the struggle most others have to make ends meet.
I'm not ignorant to it. I understand, but there is value in hope. As in "I hope I can eat this week" or "I hope my car starts" or "I hope they don't evict me" I've been there. And these are moments you look back on, not sideways.

What I'm trying to say as that chasing money cannot surpass your passion for making films. Or acting in films. There are daily reminders of what a total sacrifice can be (screaming homeless people). But they are also ones that made poor decisions (most based on addiction or genetics). I would hope you chase the thing you want to do in life before it gets too late.

Secret Of Acting

I know, crazy ol' man is going to give me advice on something he has no idea how it's done. I've not done it in any paid circumstances (which isn't true) and he doesn't do it for a living (this is true).

The absolute unequivocal number one rule to acting...and getting great at it...is listening.

And, at this point, most of you say, "but I do listen."
EVERY single time someone defensively tells me this...I know they have no idea what I'm talking about.
Listening, friends, is also asking questions. Or at the very least seeing where you can have a question.
By nature, it is the hardest for actors since most are narcissists. They are self-absorbed. This quality prohibit most from actually caring what the other person says before they go into their "acting." That's what a lot of people do. By listening, you could potentially throw away a script and go that way (Brando, kind of did, but it was more for freshness of the take...I think he was just a fat lazy slob).

To be great, you have to know a few things...
where you are in the script
who am I talking to
what do I want from that person
what do i want to know from that person

these are little moments that make it seem like you are listening.
Here's a test...
listen to the first sentence of any podcast (getting past all those sponsor reads). JUST ONCE.
Stop after the opening.
write down what you heard (dictate what they said)
write down what you want to know
write down the name of the podcast

Were you paying attention? (audiences know...they know). Are you, as they say, "in the present."

This is a focus exercise that will help with listening. Also, actors, learn to care about people. Like, not only in your theater group. Outside the walls of the studio. I see that most celebrities do charity to get back to what real people talk like. Spend too much time with film or actor-like people, you do lose a little bit of awareness (I'm guilty of it).

Straight Pride Parade

Who fucking cares?
I ignore the gay parade as much as the straight parade. Quite frankly, unless the firebrands speak up about it, I doubt any real American cares. We like our baseball, football and booze.
This other stuff is smoke and mirrors that divide the extreme.
If you were to ask any Asian here in Los Angeles how they felt about any of these parades, they'd be confused. Because parades don't fucking put money in their bank accounts. Or give their kid an advantage in life. None of that shit matters.
Meanwhile, Boston nuts like to drive divisions based on it.
Got an idea...combine you're stupid parades and stop blocking traffic.
These are just assholes. Either side. Assholes, because there are people who just need to function. You are in their way. And someone will eventually not take it kindly and run your ass over...Heather Heyer. So get the fuck out of the road.
The world is a hard enough place, and these parades don't do shit but antagonize each other. Gay or straight. They're stupid.
So there...I said it.