gardening and brunch

Fridays rule! This week ruled! Getting married rules!!!

Much to do this weekend ... shoes shopping, hairdo trials, brunch with Kurt to go over the ceremony, gardening at Stacy's, running at Town Lake, interviews for Jacksonville, decoration shopping, writing new scripts ...

I'm loving my life right now.

Gotta go to the movies.

Holy Strombolli!

Stacy and I had a kick ass meeting last night with a new friend who used to be one of the top marketing folks at Morgan Creek. He watched JOB and loved it. He had pages and pages of notes on how to market the film. Some were ideas that we'd been toying around with but not at the level that he seems to think we can get to. It was a Big Red kind of jolt that we needed. We're about to head into another meeting for Brain Brawl. I read the script again this morning while walking on the treadmill. I love that friggin' script. I love those kids!!! I love the brainy, geeky, nerdy kids so much!

truthful, honest and flawed

I think Stacy sums up our jumping off bridges status really well
here.

So much it hurts.

I love my boy. Madly. We're getting married in less than 12 days. I'm a bit beside myself. Everyone keeps asking if I'm nervous. Of course. I'm nervous if I'll find the right shoes to match my dress. Converses or Mary Janes. I'm nervous that people attending the baseball game the same day as our wedding will fill up the Dobie parking lot before our guests arrive. I'm nervous that I won't get a chance to eat the meatballs that Dale's making. Next to Enoteca's, they're my favorite. I'm nervous that I'll cry a lot during the ceremony and won't be able to speak. I'm nervous about whether to use garlands or white lights up the banister at the Alamo. There's a skylight and the lights probably won't work the way I was hoping. But I'm not nervous to marry Mark Osborn. I couldn't be more sure of anything in my entire life. I love him so much it hurts.

18 days and counting ...

I'M GETTING MARRIED, I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I'm just really excited.

those sad loud days ...

I don't remember having a weekend like this in a very, very long time. Kurt and Meredith's wedding weekend was perfect. Despite the fact that it was so fucking amazing, it made me sad and nostalgic. Back in the day we all spent so much time together. Ryan, Matt, Karen, Kurt, Hrasky, Nevie, Mandy, Victor, Jim, Sturge ... playing cards, croquet, movie marathons, sitting in the parking lot of the drafthorse, dinner parties, road trips ... This weekend took me back. Driving around with Kurt putting out little fires before the wedding, having a dance party until the wee hours of the night in Ryan's backyard, the cops showing up, sitting around talking about whatever, it didn't even matter ...

I have to slow down. Sometimes I get completely lost in all of this movie stuff. It's my own damn fault. Today I miss my friends.

I'll miss My Little Pony

My little cold has turned into a coughing frenzy. Stacy begged me to take the organic cough syrup that she swore by from when she had the same thing. It tasted like black licorice. Just awful. I gulped it down last night and then rested my head against my pillow. I only woke up twice to a few fits of coughing. I'll probably have to miss Isabella's 2 year birthday party to the theme of My Little Pony today. Dagnabit. I don't want to infect Isabella and all of her little friends.

After sending out screeners last Monday, we're starting to get some interest from distributors. Here's what we've deducted from conversations over the last month about our distribution possiblities.

1. Distributors think it's a hard film to market.
2. It's a downer film.
3. Yes, we can get a DVD and Cable deal.
4. Theatrical is pretty much out of the question.
5. We can set up our own semi-theatrical release in very, very few cities to get the necessary reviews we need to push the DVD.
6. Colleges might be a good outlet for a semi theatrical run across the country.
7. Build up our pedigree.

I'm very curious to screen in a city that we have no connections to. It'll be an experiment in our marketing/publicity abilities and a test of the film with unbiased audiences and critics. My naive and silly little goal is to sell out theaters everywhere we screen the film. I've learned and am learning so much about press and publicity as far as timing and getting feature articles, who and who not to talk to. I'm loving this. I want to be the queen of grassroots marketing. I love what Greg Pak did with Robot Stories. He's been a true inspiration for self-distribution.

Oh yeah, Houston went really well. Stacy got a wonderful response to Rescue Me. Lots of animal rescue organizations want to use it as a tool for outreach. The workshop went great too. Michele from SWAMP asked us to do the same thing in San Antonio in the upcoming months. We're also brewing some ideas to do a series of workshops here in Austin.

Please go away little cold

Last week I suffered through a sore throat, coughing, aching, fever ... this week I have a brand new cold. I have a runny nose, congestion, prickly throat, sneezing ... It doesn't seem quite fair. Especially since I'm about to get into a car for 2 - 3 hours. Sudafed, I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you.

I'm back in the game. New press spreadsheets, new calendars and charts. Stacy's been sending out screeners requested from distributors, festivals, press ... We've had a few meetings with our post-production team to fix some glitches, color correction issues, sound issues and so forth. What else? Oh yeah, the wedding!

Mark is resting a little easier now that I'm back on top of getting married. We're pretty darn close to finalizing everything. Of course there are decisions that will have to be made closer to the date ...

Converses or Mary Janes?
Veil or no veil?
Statue on the cake or chocolate shavings?

I must make a mad dash home to pack for our Houston trip. I hope they don't hate me if I fall asleep in the back.

Houston Workshop and RESCUE ME Screening Location Change

Workshop Details:
Developing Scripts for Low Budget Features
Saturday, April 8, 2006
9am - 2pm @ Rice Cinema
Corner of University BLVD and Stockton Street
Rice Entrance #8.

Screening Details:
Rescue Me - A Dogumentary
Saturday, April 8, 2006 at 3:00 p.m., $5
Rice Cinema
Corner of University BLVD and Stockton Street
Rice Entrance #8.

Houston Bound

Stacy, Tracy and I are headed to Houston this weekend to give a workshop and screen Rescue Me. It'll be a nice little road trip. I think the three of us are mostly excited about cable television in our hotel room. Inevitably when I stay in a hotel I fall into the reality TV trap ... Me and Bobby Brown, Project Runway, Next Top Model. It's sad. So sad. But I don't care.

Workshop Details:
Developing Scripts for Low Budget Features
Saturday, April 8, 2006
9am - 2pm @ Houston Community College, Town and Country Campus

Screening Details:
Rescue Me - A Dogumentary
Saturday, April 8, 2006 at 3:00 p.m., $5
Houston Community College -- Town & Country Campus
Performing Arts Center
1060 West Sam Houston Parkway North
(Located at the Northeast corner of I-10 and Beltway 8)