"By Referral Only" The Insane Irritation

As always, I try to remain positive and pleasant as I pitch my writing to agents and managers and production companies.  All the while, I'm told "by referral only..., "no unsolicited material", "submissions through representation only."

The business side of it is exhausting.  It feels like a time suck.  It always feels like I'm not getting anywhere.  I have decent phone etiquette.  I remember names.  I keep good records.  I even have good handwriting.  Apart from all of that, I'm a solid writer--if that counts for anything.  

Sometimes I ask myself: "Why am I no further then where I started?"  There are times I grumble and bellyache and I wonder if all of this was one big colossal mistake. 

It's not.

I've traveled further than I think I have.  And I'm getting closer to my destination than I've ever been, I should enjoy the journey, even though there's no estimated time of arrival.

That said, sometimes I do feel like quitting.  Sometimes I feel like the gatekeepers are against me.  Sometimes I want to flounce onto my bed and cry or scream or punch a pillow or do all three things at once.  When I'm angry, I'll write... anything, everything.  I throw rocks at my characters-- the way it should be.  I take walks.  I consider all my options and then I eat too much chocolate or too much ice cream.  Sometimes both.  Most importantly, I cling to my sanity and hold onto my soul.

And my faith:  There's no shame in quitting or finding an alternate route.  There are pathways that have yet to be discovered and maybe, just maybe,  they lead to your destination.  I tell myself that anyway.

To my fellow writers, always remember:  There are people out there whose sole job is to say, "NO." Always.  Saying "NO" protects them from colossal mistakes.  Saying "NO" means they might actually get to leave the office on-time.

A YES means someone has to do something.  And no one really wants to do anything.  Especially in Hollywood.

Including me... so I'll end here and leave you with this:

Better Off Dead: Or Why Quitting the Movie Industry Was My Path to Salvation

Angry Writer

Apparel And Gifts For Angry Writers

 ©2012 by KLiedle

When The Moon Rises at Cannes 2012

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom will open the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival Wednesday. Remarkably, this will be Wes Anderson's Cannes debut.  For more about the making of the film, see Anderson's recent Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter.

Moonrise Kingdom... Every kid fantasizes about running away from home at least once in a childhood.  I know I did.  I'd pack a suitcase and take off.  Find a treehouse and live there forever.  Or until my parents discovered me.  (I still might retire in a treehouse.  We'll see.)

Although Wes Anderson's films are generally highly stylized and sometimes hit-and-miss for me, (The Life Aquatic anyone?)  I'm looking forward to seeing this film.  I also dig the song selections in the film trailer... a beautifully romanticized touch to what I think should be a fun film to experience.

The Palm D'Or will be chosen by those on the Cannes Jury.  Who's on the Jury?  Well, it's an eclectic bunch:  5 men, 4 women-- a nearly even split.  Directors, actors, a fashion designer...  International by design: French, German, British, American, Scottish, Italian, Haitian, Palestinian.

©2012 by KLiedle
Film Trailer:  Focus Features/ Moonrise Kingdom

Historic Greystone Mansion

The other day, I decided to make the trip to Beverly Hills and visit Greystone Mansion.  It had been on my list of places to visit, but for some reason, I'd never made the attempt.  

Like most people, I'm lazy about making plans sometimes.  A field trip there proved to be a delightful way to spend an afternoon.  I walked around the grounds and took in the scenery and views of Beverly Hills below.  Later, I found a nice bench,  plunked myself down with my notebook and wrote for about an hour.  I was probably more productive in that hour than I would've been cooped up at home.  

Sometimes creativity demands a change of scenery.  This was one of those days... 

Greystone Mansion is a perfect getaway to enjoy a bit of Beverly Hills lore and Hollywood history in a serene setting.  Tucked away at the end of Loma Vista Drive (just before Doheny,)  it's relatively easy to find.  Access to the grounds is free and parking is plentiful at the top of the hill-- within the mansion's gates.

The land upon which the mansion was built was acquired by oil magnate, Edward Lawrence Doheny, in 1914.  Twelve years later, he gifted the land to his son and by 1928, construction of the mansion was well underway at the astounding cost of $3.1 million.  It became the largest house in Beverly Hills.  In 1976, it was granted the privilege of becoming an official landmark on the National Register Of Historic Places.  Today, it's a park owned and maintained by the city of Beverly Hills. While the mansion's interior is not generally accessible, the grounds are open to the public from 10A-5P.

It's also very well-recognized from many commercials and movies.  On-location shooting provides much-needed income for maintaining the grounds at Greystone.   

 
Here's a short list of well-known movies shot there:  

Witches of Eastwick, The Big Lebowski, Heat, All of Me, Death Becomes Her, Eraserhead, Flowers In The Attic, and The Social Network, among many others.  Here's a longer list.

For listings of other on-location movie locations around the world, I recommend The Worldwide Guide To Movie Locations.  It's a good reference for professional location scouts as well as anyone interested in knowing where some of their favorite films were shot.

Content and photos ©2012 by KLiedle

Forever A Golden Girl

 With Mother's Day coming up next weekend, I made a point to go to the post office today and mail off my mother's package.  Sure it's another icky commercialized holiday, but celebrating mothers and grandmothers and ALL women who have contributed to our lives in maternal ways is important.  

For one thing, without mothers-- we cease to exist.  All of us.  That's sort of important, now isn't it?

Three years ago, I put together a photo montage video to celebrate my grandmother on the occasion of her 90th birthday.  It's important to remember:
 

In our family histories, we are connected to all the mothers who came before us.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom AND Grandma!  Love you both a hundred million billion... !!!

****

Did you know that several films admitted into the National Film Registry are essentially home movies?  [This fact surprised me.]  

Have you heard of Home Movie Day?  The next one's October 20, 2012.

Home Movie Day is a celebration of amateur films and filmmaking held annually at many local venues worldwide.  Home Movie Day events provide the opportunity for individuals and families to see and share their own home movies with an audience of their community, and to see their neighbors' in turn. 
 [From www.homemovieday.com]

© 2012 by KLiedle
(with the exception of content from homemovieday.com above)

The Latest Celebrity Tizzy: Rosie Vs. Lindsay

I've always found Rosie O'Donnell to be annoying.  She was barely tolerable in A League Of Their Own and she nearly ruined Beautiful Girls, one of my favorite movies.  Her talk show gave me yet another reason to switch the channel.  Yet, this week she got a tiny thread of respect from me for her rant about the oddly unfortunate miscasting of Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor.  I hate to admit it, but this time around, I couldn't agree with Rosie more.

At first I thought it was a joke.  Then, I read it in The Hollywood Reporter, and I thought "Uh-oh, this is for real."  Lindsay Lohan, according to multiple sources, is set to star as Taylor in Lifetime's biopic, "Liz And Dick."  Now, true, Lindsay Lohan and Elizabeth Taylor both have had tumultuous careers filled with tabloid fodder and personal turmoil.  However, Elizabeth Taylor was an iconic actress of a classic era.  Her unbelievable beauty,  those violet eyes and that rash of dark hair, mesmerized audiences worldwide.

[My own father, along with troves of men, had the hots for her.  Not long after National Velvet, when she was still a child actress, he wrote her a fan letter.  Still very much a boy himself at the time, he was elated when he received an autographed photo of her in the mail.]

Lindsay, however, is the antithesis of all that is Taylor.  I believe in second chances-- I do.  I believe that Lindsay could turn things around.  In fact, I'd love to see that happen.  Making an appearance on Glee is a good start.  Taking a flying leap into a major, iconic role like playing Elizabeth Taylor is not.  It's a risk that, in my opinion, she can't afford.  Lifetime, the network in charge of production on "Liz And Dick," probably don't care:

Controversy + Interest  =  RATINGS.

With the pool of young, talented actresses-- even unknowns (!) I believe there's a woman out there that could depict Elizabeth Taylor, both realistically and respectfully.  In fact, a talented unknown with acting chops and an ability to immerse herself in the role could very well be the best option. 

Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor makes Katie Holmes' casting as Jackie Onassis  in The Kennedys seem like a good idea.  

RE: Lindsay Lohan Cast As Elizabeth Taylor

[Two of my favorite rants & responses from other web users on The Hollywood Reporter's website]

"I just threw up in my mouth at the notion of Lohan playing a woman of such tremendous dedication..."
Jeffin90019

"Are you KIDDING ME?????!!!!!  This is a disgraceful insult to Elizabeth Taylor to the fullest extent!!!!!..."
Gvprodco

©2012 by KLiedle

The Mysteries Of A Cult Film

Not too long ago, I stumbled across a documentary entitled, Best Worst Movie. I was intrigued. Just how bad was this film? Was it truly the best of the worst? The documentary had four stars so I thought, "What the hell?" Besides, much can be learned from a really bad film.

Best Worst Movie was a very entertaining look at a 1989 film I'd never heard of: Troll 2. The cast of characters interviewed in the documentary [many of whom were directly involved in the making of the film] appear to be equally astounded by the underground cult status the film has reportedly acquired. Some of them have gone on to pursue acting-- conveniently leaving the Troll 2 credit off their resume. Others laugh at the long ago experience they had on the film, as if it's become folklore in their own histories.

Apparently, people rave about how truly awful Troll 2 is. They have parties to celebrate its awfulness. A few people even say they watch Troll 2 weekly. After seeing the documentary, a few friends and I determined one thing: we had to see it for ourselves.

Over the weekend, I finally saw Troll 2. At its core, the film is about a little kid named Joshua and his family in the small town of Nilbog. The townspeople, all goblins (nilbog spelled backwards) are trying to turn the family into plants so they can eat them. The Nilbog goblins, of course, are all vegetarians. Why there isn't enough vegetation for them to survive in a rather green area surrounded by a pristine lake somewhere in small-town America is never explained.

There is no original Troll, by the way. Just a sequel without a prequel. Additionally, the acting is predictably atrocious and the film itself is way too brightly lit to be successful in even the lowest-budgeted of horror films. The film meanders wildly. There are hardly any night scenes. There aren't even any trolls. There should be a drinking game for every time the little kid says, "Grandpa." Then there's that strange make-out scene involving a woman in black garters, a corncob and an eventual passionate explosion of popcorn all around them.

[Note: In re-reading this description, I almost make it sound like Troll 2 is actually entertaining. It's not. Just bad...really, really BAD.]

There is no clear-cut definition of a cult film. However, it's generally accepted that a cult film is a film that wasn't embraced when it was originally released, but given time, has caught on and/or generated a following with niche audiences. Usually, there is a very active communal following for cult films-- as with films such as The Big Lebowski and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Some people may disagree, but Troll 2 is far from being the best worst movie. I wouldn't even necessarily consider it a cult film. It's just a bad movie-- plain and simple. I don't think I could even sit through it again, let alone celebrate its badness in a cult fashion. Even the worst cult films have some entertaining qualities that make you want to come back for more. Not me.

NPR: What's On Your Cult List?

Definitions Of Cult Cinema

Lebowski Fest: All Things Lebowski

©2012 by KLiedle

These Amazing Shadows Are Worthy Of Attention

It's only in recent history that we've understood the culture importance of film preservation. In the early years of cinema, studios churned out film after film like factories. Once a film had finished its theatrical run and made its money, however, it was considered a has-been-- just another film collecting dust in a long forgotten studio vault. Films weren't particularly respected or admired as an art form, they were products. And products are disposable.


It's estimated that 50% of films before 1950 and 80-90% of all silent films are gone forever.

They've either disintegrated into dust (as seen in the photo at left) or burned to ash. To me, it's heartbreaking to think about. All that history, all the images forever gone...


Recently, I saw the documentary These Amazing Shadows which celebrates the history of film and the establishment of the National Film Registry via the National Film Preservation Act of 1988. It's a very well done documentary that succeeds in reminding us how important film preservation is to our culture. Films on the National Film Registry are guaranteed to be preserved for all time through the Library of Congress film preservation program and collaborative efforts with other organizations.

What I didn't know:
Public nominations play a key role when the Librarian of Congress and Film Board are considering their final selections.

In other words, anyone can nominate films to the National Film Registry. Anyone.

To be eligible for the Registry, a film must be at least 10 years old and be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Send your nominations to Donna Ross: dross@loc.gov

(Email preferred)

To submit via regular mail, send nominations to:

National Film Registry
Library of Congress
Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation
19053 Mt. Pony Road
Culpeper, VA 22701
Attn: Donna Ross

Here are my nominations:

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Pleasantville (1999)

About Schmidt (2002)

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Office Space (1999)

Almost Famous (2000)

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Thelma & Louise (1991)

The Matrix (1999)

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Ghost (1990)

American Beauty (1999)

For the complete list of films currently included in the National Film Registry, click here.

© 2012 by KLiedle