The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Avenues and Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:46:00 +0000

A few different paths keep opening up. Something here, maybe something there.

I don't know where I'll be in the next six to nine months, both career wise and geography wise. I could be in the very same spot that I'm in right now or I could be in a different city doing something totally different (still in film, mind you). Who knows? It's both exciting and scary to think about. I've allowed myself to walk toward a few open doors (as my friend Chris likes to put it). They might smack me in the nose when I get too close. I don't know. It's a strange and fun time to be in right now. I feel it in my belly. Something's gonna happen soon, I'm just not sure what it is.

I'm lucky to have a pretty awesome husband who supports this crazy filmmaking dream of mine.

Los Angeles - Day #6 and #7

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:58:00 +0000

Hollywood Boulevard

Richard and Ariana from Chill Entertainment

Garrett at In and Out Burger

Friday = An excellent meeting and a not so excellent meeting. The not so excellent meeting made me really appreciate all of the other meetings I'd had all week. Lunch at Doughboy's with Richard and Ariana and topping off the night with In and Out Burgers and Baby Mama with Garrett. The In and Out Burger wasn't as delicious as I remember it being. When I got home and told Mark about my burger experience, he told me I was wrong.

Saturday = LAX is like Disney World except without the rides at the end of the excruciatingly long lines. The good part of my plane trip home was sitting across the aisle from Rowdy Stovall and getting to hear all about his Los Angeles adventures and what he's been up to on Mexican Sunrise.

Celebrity Sightings = 0
Parking Tickets = 0

Austin I Love You

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:41:00 +0000

Coming home from Los Angeles I feel like I need to do the following things:

1) Lose Weight
2) Get a new hair cut
3) Buy new shoes
4) Wear earrings more often
5) Go shopping for new clothes
6) Buy more beauty products

Los Angeles - Day #5

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:59:00 +0000

Garrett and Aaron

Trey and Mari

It's 1:00am and I'm just getting home from a long night catching up with friends, watching the Spurs beat some basketball team from somewhere I can't remember where and thinking up a fun new idea for a script.

Two really great meetings today. I have a lot to think about, a lot to consider. All good though. It's nice because the last time I was here I felt like I was peeking over the fence at the cool playground that the neighbors had. Now I feel like they're inviting me over to play. Who knows what will happen. I should go to bed instead of watching Even Stevens on Disney. Tomorrow's a big day.

Celebrity Sightings = 0
Parking Tickets = 0
Parking Tickets for Garrett = 1 (bummer)

Los Angeles - Day #4

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:44:00 +0000

I love my hotel room. It's cheap, convenient and it's mine. My friends rule for letting me sleep on their couches, but it's nice to have my own place where I can do my own thing and not worry about bothering anyone.

I had a great, great meeting with a manager. I learned a lot about the world of television writing. Both afternoon meetings were moved, so I met up with Garrett, grabbed New Moon from the bookstore, wandered the Farmer's Market and 3rd Street.

So this is what Los Angeles looks like right now. It's Indy mania. Billboards of Harrison Ford are everywhere you look.

Tomorrow, more manager meetings.

Celebrity Sightings = At dinner Courtney saw some guy from Project Runway, but I haven't seen much of this season so I wasn't sure who she was talking about.
Parking Tickets = 0

Driving in Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:41:00 +0000

Kat driving in Los Angles.

Garrett driving with Kat in Los Angeles.

Twilight

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:12:00 +0000

I finished the book last night and now I'm a crazed fangirl. I'm waiting for Garrett to get here so we can run to the book store to grab the next installment New Moon. I admit I couldn't get into the Harry Potter books, but Stephenie Meyer definitely sucked me in (no pun intended). I'm giddy over the teaser trailers , behind the scenes looks, stills ... I can't get enough of it.

Austin takes over LA Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:44:00 +0000

It was officially announced today. Spencer, PJ, Jay and Matt are headed to the Los Angeles Film Festival in June.

Trinidad
Directed by PJ Raval and Jay Hodges
Executive Produced by Matt Dentler
Edited by Kyle Henry

I'll Come Running
Written and Directed by Spencer Parsons

If you're in Los Angeles when they screen, please god, go!!!

Los Angeles - Day #3

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:02:00 +0000

Good Day. Nice people. Kick ass meetings.

Watching BBC shows with Brad before heading to bed.

Learning to adjust to the lack of left turn signals in Los Angeles and reading the parking signs very, very carefully.

Sadly no meetings on the Warner Brothers lot lined up. But I might be touring Cartoon Network tomorrow. And one of my best friends from high school arrives in the morning and will be tagging along for the rest of my visit. Yes!

Celebrity Sightings = 0
Parking Tickets = 0

Los Angeles - Day #2

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles is a strange place. I like it, but it kind of freaks me out too. Again, I don't think I could live here. Small stints, yes. Forever, no.

Spent the morning in Santa Monica meeting friends of friends. Not realizing they were friends of friends until the conversation went from here to there and then "Oh my god, you know so and so, I know so and so." I'm continually amazed how small the film community is. How everyone is a few degrees separated from one another. It's pretty cool.

I had a late afternoon meet up with some friends in Burbank and got to spy the big Warner Brothers lot and NBC studios driving through the streets. No meetings set up for Warner Brothers, sadly. I hear it's really cool in there.

I forgot to take photos today. Sorry Mark.

Celebrity Sightings = 0
Parking Tickets = 0

Junie B Jones on Stage

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Back when I was still working in a book store, I really, really, really wanted to figure out how to direct a film version of Nancy Drew. At the time, Nancy Savoca was working on an adaptation. So my hopes on that one were crushed. And then, of course, Andrew Fleming beat us both to the punch.

But now, now, I want to figure out who owns the rights to Junie B Jones. I love this character so much. She's such a little spit fire. Mark just sent me a note that they've taken Junie to the stage. There's a production coming to the Paramount Theater in Austin next January. I'm so there. So I think maybe while I'm here, I might scrounge around to find out who owns the film rights to Miss Jones. Hmmm ...

I'm also reading Twilight. Holy crapola, I love it! Can't put it down. Oh, Edward Cullen, so dreamy.

Los Angeles - Day #1

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:29:00 +0000

I'm so friggin' tired. 9:30pm in Los Angeles = 12:30pm in Boston. Oh my lord, I'm tired.

After a 2-hour afternoon chat with Aaron and a nice pizza dinner with Brad, Aaron and Debbie, I'm about to collapse.

Tomorrow I head to Santa Monica, back to West Hollywood and then to Burbank. It's a full day. Lots of driving. No down time.

Celebrity Sightings = Seth Rogen and James Franco. But this was in the Austin airport, so I'm not sure if that counts. I'm guessing there was a screening last night of Pineapple Express?

Parking Tickets = 0

12 Hours in Austin

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:44:00 +0000

After landing late last night, doing some laundry, watching Jonah Hill on SNL and catching up with my husband, I'm ready to turn around and head to warmer climates this morning. By the end of the Boston trip, I remembered why I don't live anywhere above the mid-West. It's cold, it's rainy, going outside seems like a task. But now I head to sunny Los Angeles and the weather report for the week says "Sunny, Clear Skies, BEAUTIFUL". Well, maybe not "BEAUTIFUL", but it's implied with the big, happy sun icon.

My mission for Los Angeles, take lots of photos. Mark loves the photos. Apparently I didn't take enough in Boston even though he loved the many, many pictures of tulips and trees.

So here's a sprinkling of photos from Boston. Flowers and friends.

Boston - Day #4

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:58:00 +0000

Today was the best day ever! I love it when my four year old niece says that. It's usually on her birthday or Christmas after opening millions of presents or jumping up and down in the princess bouncy house. But I have to say today was pretty awesome even without the bouncy house.

What I loved about today. Let me count them all.

1) Walking through the set of Bride Wars and drooling over their grip trucks and HMIs.
2) Watching the 1953 version of House of Wax (3-D) in the Coolidge Corner Theater.
3) Watching Looney Toons (3-D) before House of Wax.
4) Eating the most delicious sub from a sub shop the size of a closet.
5) Visiting lots of corner shops in the South End.
6) Eating cookies and a banana chocolate chip muffin.
7) Reading Junie B Jones and hoping that no one's set up to direct the movie just yet.
8) Setting up more meetings for LA, one on the Universal Lot. Yay!!! I feel like I'm 8 when I get to go on the lots. I'm hoping I get to go to Warner Brothers for some reason or another. I hear that lot is sweet.
9) And we still have Indian Food, Toscini Ice Cream, Cupcakes and NYC friends to look forward to.

Boston - Day #3

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:25:00 +0000

Today Boston became a vacation. Yes! After turning in my new draft of SITB and setting up a few more meetings in Los Angeles, I met Jackie for a stroll around town, lunch on Charles Street and a little shopping. We grabbed Michael for dinner at this super tasty Italian joint, Pomodoros in Brookline. Italian food is what I've been waiting all week for and man, oh man the Bolognese at Pomodoros nearly sent me into a tizzy.

We caught a Stars of the Lid concert at the MFA. Even though they're from Austin, I've never seen them live. The concert felt like a warped symphony, planetarium exhibit and rock show all rolled into one. I loved it. I don't remember the last time I went to a rock show. Explosions in the Sky probably a few years ago. But I will say that any rock show that's seated and starts at 7:30pm is golden in my book. I think I'm getting old.

Tomorrow the kids from New York City arrive. Sweet! I miss my friends!

Boston - Day #2

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:44:00 +0000

I took a ton of photos, but I left my wire thingamajig in Texas. They're mostly of tulips. The tulips are crazy beautiful this time of year. I wish you could see them.

I spent most of the day couped up in my room working on a new draft of a script. But I did get out a little. I had lunch at Tea Luxe, a sweet little Tea Room/Cafe on Newberry Street. I'd been there before and knew that their sandwiches were delicious.

Tonight was the screening of jumping off bridges at the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Conference. It was a great screening and a fantastic Q&A. The conversation afterwards went on for a while and really struck a chord with the crowd. I spoke with several folks from organizations about possible screenings this summer and this fall.

I'm watching the guy from Old Joy on Law and Order. He's so good.

Boston Conversations

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:33:00 +0000

One thing that I love about traveling solo is eating solo. Some people might be terrified of eating alone. Not me. I love it. I bring my laptop and work. I also listen. I'm a nosey patron. Dinner tonight, I listened in on a job interview at California Kitchen (yes, I had dinner at California Kitchen). It reminded me of Jennifer Aniston and Mike Judge in Office Space. Here are some of the questions that the super duper gung ho manager asked this college student looking for a summer job.

1) What do you like to do for fun? (Huh?)
2) What kind of financial impact did you have on your last place of business? (Say what?)
3) Have you ever heard the term “add on” or “subsell”? (For real?)
4) If I were a guest sitting at your table what could be a "subsell" from the menu? (No, for real?)
5) What's your favorite menu item from any restaurant? (Hmmm ...)
6) Do you like to win? (Duh!)

Boston - Day #1

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:04:00 +0000

I spent the day traveling. 8:15am at the Austin airport until 5:15pm when I dropped my bags in my hotel room. The weather here's kind of crummy, cold and rainy. But it doesn't matter. I love this town. It's nice to sit on the T, watch the brownstones go by, walk down Boylston street.

I was wondering why everyone was walking around with ice cream cones. "It's ice cream cone day" said Lindsay Broockman as we walked to an Irish pub to grab dinner with her sweet and ridiculously funny new husband, Dan. Apparently once a year Ben and Jerry's gives away free ice cream cones. I love Boston.

Tomorrow is devoted to SITB. I have notes to work on that need to be addressed by the end of the week. Argh. Luckily my hotel room rocks.

Michael Emerson Interview - Ain't It Cool News

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:30:00 +0000

Here's a fun interview with Michael on Ain't it Cool News. For those of you hardcore Lost fans.

Scrambling for Boston

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:15:00 +0000

I've spent my morning scrambling to get everything done in preparation for a Tuesday morning departure to Boston. Once I get on that plane it'll be non-stop for the next two weeks. Making sure rents are paid, bills have stamps on them, checks are deposited, scripts are printed out, I've remembered to pack everything. I think I have maybe 12 hours in Austin between Boston and Los Angeles this weekend so I have to really have my stuff together. I might have enough time to do a load of laundry in that 12 hours. Hopefully.

I have a long list of to dos this week as I sit in my hotel or at the park with my computer in Boston. Rewrites, notes for students, press stuff, Los Angeles prep ... And then I get to see Stars of the Lid with Mike and Jackie, have dinner with Lindsay and Dan and then the girls come in from New York City for a Friday night slumber party. Oh yeah, and jumping off bridges screens Wednesday night. I have a suitcase full of DVDs for the conference bookstore.

I have to head out now. Mark and I are playing hooky today so we can stare at each other and remember what we look like while we're apart. Sigh.

Ben Bartley You're the Coolest!

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:13:00 +0000

The Professional - 1994

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:42:00 +0000

I saw The Professional in the theaters in 1994. I watched it again tonight with friends and fresh eyes, 14 years later. I loved it in college and I really loved the uncut version we saw tonight. The film seduced me with two beautifully crafted and nuanced characters who fall in love (but not in a sexual way) in a world where children and violence go hand in hand. I wish Natalie Portman were still 12 and gave such affecting performances like this one and Beautiful Girls instead of Star Wars and Garden State. I wish Jean Reno did more American films. I wish writers would write more characters and relationships like these.

This just on the heels of watching the Nickelodeon Television movie and The Last Days of Summer, The Sasquatch Gang, Hot Rod and making 50 or so cupcakes for a baby shower.

Semester End Screening

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:05:00 +0000

I just got home from the end of semester screening at the Dobie Theater. We had a strong group of films this round. Everything from Psycho inspired horror films to crazy, off the wall comedies and everything in between. I shed a tear or two as I watched their credits roll. They put their blood, sweat and tears onto the screen and I couldn't be more proud.

Now we can all sigh a deep breath of relief as we head into the summer. I'm only teaching two night classes, Script to Screen and Teen and then a few camps here and there. I'm not sure if it'll be more or less time on my plate. I'd love some more time to wrap up some projects and start some new ones. That'd be nice. And to see my husband a little more would be heaven sent.

Lack of Sleep Induced Rant about Female Directors

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:44:00 +0000

Mark and I were lying in bed playing the director game. He'll name a director and I'll name as many films by that director as I can. After about 9 or 10 directors, I'm like, "Dude, what about the female directors?" and he's like, "I don't know. I was just picturing the directors' wall at Vulcan Video and the only one they have is Jane Campion." I looked at him with a dead, cold stare. "The only female director they have in their director's wall is Jane Campion? You've got to be kidding me."
C'mon people. Seriously. I'm pissed. I'm mad. I'm super duper tired and delirious and probably not making much sense, but I'm mad nonetheless. I'm spewing expletives at Mark as he's trying to get out the door before Starbucks closes about what's going on in Hollywood. Yes, I know this is nothing new. This is not a revelation. It just makes me sad and sick to my stomach. I mean, seriously.
So yesterday and today I went to talk to high school film classes. Guess how many girls were in a class of about 20 yesterday? Two. And how many in a class of about 15 today? One. It just blows my mind. It pisses me off. And it makes me sad. It makes me really friggin' sad.

Emily Li - Brain Brawl Team Member

noreply@blogger.com (Kat Candler) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:54:00 +0000

I'm super close to finishing up the second draft of the Brain Brawl novel. I have so many questions and concerns about it. I really need the feedback from friends who are hard core young adult readers. I have my crew of ladies who will be getting the next draft for review. Here's another excerpt. Emily Li is one of my favorite characters in the story. Just this sweet, innocent nerdy girl. She's pretty awesome. She just learned how to toilet paper a house. Something I've never ever done but wish I had.

Damp with sweat and grass stains, Emily tiptoed into her bedroom, toilet paper still stuck to the bottom of her shoe. She unzipped her black hoodie jacket and flipped on the light. Her mother sat on the bed. By the anger in her eyes, she’d been waiting for a very long time and she was not a happy camper. “Where have you been? Library’s closed.”

Emily wasn’t a good liar either. “Ummm ... well, uh …”

“I told you, no studying after 8pm.”

Emily hesitated. She was so busted. She couldn’t even form words.

Mrs. Li stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Answer me. I was worried. It’s midnight. Emily, I want the truth.”

There was no where else to go with this predicament. She fessed up. “I was toilet papering a boy’s house.” She blurted out.

Mrs. Li’s frown turned to confusion. “You what?”

Emily ran to her mom and wrapped her arms around her. “I’m so sorry, Mommie. I was toilet papering this boy’s house because he called me a geek and …”

Mrs. Li pulled her daughter away from her and got a good look. “You TPed a boy’s house? Emily.”

Emily lowered her head, ashamed. “I shouldn’t have done it, I know.”

Mrs. Li grinned so wide and lifted her daughter’s chin. “I’m so proud of you. Oh Emily, I’m so proud.”

“What?” Emily was totally confused.

Mrs. Li called to her husband in the other room. “Sing! Sing! Wake up! Wake up!” Mrs. Li hugged Emily and twirled her around the room. “You’re my girl!”

Mr. Li turned the corner in his funny pajamas. He wiped away the sleep from his eyes and yawned. “What is it?”

His wife turned to him and grinned. “Emily ... Emily TPed another teenager’s house!”

This jerked Mr. Li awake. He grinned at Emily. She grinned back. He hugged her and picked her up. “You’re a normal teenager! You’re normal teen girl!”

Mrs. Li chimed in. “You’re so normal!” The family danced around the room. Smiles and joy all around. This was a defining moment in the Li household. Emily had turned a corner.