John Q. Phats Entertainment

I tried something a bit different tonight. I’ve done a video blog. I’ve often scoffed at video blogs, but holy hell, it’s much harder then it looks. Most of the video the bottom portion of my face is cut off. Actually it was a style choice. That’s a lie. I’m just a shitty camera man and was too cheap and lazy to set up a tripod. I promised content, not good content. So, here it is, my video blog premier.

JQP Entertainment Video Blog- 10/4/2011 #1
Please note that if you want to check the video out tonight, Vimeo may still be converting it.

Wait 20 minutes and check back later. If 20 minutes later it’s still not available, read this line of the blog again.

Often how I write is a little out of order.  Let’s say for example that I’m writing a 100 page movie.  Often times, I’ll get to page 65, and then write something that corresponds with something that happened on page 25 that I haven’t written yet.  So, I go back to page 25 and fill in the gap.  I started doing that last night and realized how ass backwards that is.  As unnatural as it seems, it’s the workflow that seems the most natural.  I’m actually very excited about writing that scene tonight.  I’ve built up a great moment of tension.  My only problem is that I sort of like having these intense moments with no real payoff at the end of the scene.  Nothing really cheesy like a cat jumping out of a trash can or some shit like that.  I’ll give you an example.  There’s a scene when Red Hood has just started becoming a vigilante.  She’s walking through the park when she sees one of the main villains in the movie sitting on a park bench staring intently at a little girl.  Red Hood freezes and isn’t really sure what to do.  I draw it out for a bit of an awkward stare and then the villain just gets up and walks off.  That’s it.  Shit, looking it now, it seems pretty lame.  O well, it’s a first draft.  I guess the payoff is that later on in the movie the two have a big confrontation.  I won’t give it away, but it’s kind of awesome. 
I’m having mixed feelings about what I’ve written so far.  Some scenes I think are amazing and others are beyond horrible.  I’m just going to power through this 1^st draft and hope I can fix the parts I don’t like later.  My page count should pass 80 by the end of tonight.  I can’t confirm this, but I think this is the furthest I’ve gotten on the Red Hood script.  I’m aiming for 120 pages.  So, I’m getting there.  I may send it off to festivals or I may send it off to producers.  There’s a good possibility I’ll do both.  I haven’t really decided what to do with it yet.  I know that I still have a lot of work to do.

This is something that kind of bugs me.  The final episode of True Blood won’t air this weekend because Monday is a holiday.  What the fuck is that shit?  Like the episode has a right to a three day weekend because it works so hard?  I don’t even understand that.  This is not the first time they’ve pulled this shit either.  They did it earlier this season and I was absolutely shocked when I checked my DVR and it wasn’t there.  Here I was thinking “I get a three day weekend and a new episode of True Blood?  This is going to be awesome.”  I’m not sure what airing an episode entails, but I picture it as someone hitting a giant, basketball sized, glowing play button.  It’s probably much more complicated then that, but still, screw this holiday shit.  Jesus HBO, you may as well let the terrorists win.

P.S. Someone recommended that I boycott the final episode.  Obviously, they are fucking stupid.  That show is amazing and I’m sure the wait will be well worth it.

A lot of people have asked me what’s going on with Red Hood.  Well, I got to page 72 about three days ago, but got there via a shitty scene that I’m more then likely going to delete.  This was very frustrating and still is.  So, rather then correcting the problem I’ve been avoiding the script all together, because I’m regretting having to highlight three and a half pages and hitting the delete key.  It just sucks to leave a script on a bad note.  I should have just not slept that night and rewrote it right then and there.  Rather then just leaving it because I was pissed that I wrote a terrible scene.  I’m curious to know how other writers deal with writing something they aren’t happy with.  They probably have a much better process then me.  Any other writers out there have any tips or advice of what to do when you write a scene or anything that you really aren’t happy with?  Comment below. 

Me and Caine have split up the workflow rather nicely.  I have an extremely specific vision in mind.  Here’s the problem though, I’ve really only envisioned the cool shit.  The kill scenes, the action sequences, the dark monologues, and the ending.  Everything in between?  Total blank.  No clue what is going on or even what I’m doing.  So, I stumble through some of the build up and set up.  Caine on the other hand seems to have a crystal clear vision of all the gaps in my story.  I’m not sure how, but he just seems to get it.  He’s written the stuff that makes me stare at my monitor with a “not so bright” look on my face for twenty minutes at a time.  I think that’s working out quite nicely. 

You could say that writing this is part of getting over the discomfort of the task at hand.  I’ll go home tonight, delete the scene and move on.  Mainly because I’ve now looked at the positive and it really doesn’t seem that bad. 

Other then this minor setback, it’s going fairly well.  I’m not thrilled with every scene, but it just a first draft.  My goal for the month is to have the first draft completed.  I think I can pull this off.    

Photograph taken and edited by awesome Alyssa Tucker.

…just a little late, but never the less… Caine.

Mr. JQP himself has opened up the forum for me to ramble off on whatever comes to mind. Humbly accepted of course. Then I wondered what to write about. I realized that often when I write, I skip around from thought to thought and idea to idea until the start and end are unrecognizable to each other. Sort of like all the parts of an engine each working faster individually than as a whole. I call it a Cainestorm. Usually it happens when I have too much to say. I do the same thing when I’m telling a story. I want to fit in all the little details and side notes so i end up bouncing all over the place. Hard to keep peoples attention with that sort of format. I’m sure everyone knows someone like that. I’m that guy… Until the next

Movie to see: I’m a Cyborg But That’s Ok

So, either we have just 2 years left before the planet destroys itself or like the Y2K hoax nothing is going to happen and life will go on.  Either way, there’s nothing I can do about either of those so it’s time to have some fun and get down to business.  Unless of course John Cusack picks me up in a limo.  Then we can outrun earthquakes and lava.  That scene was absolutely ridicules and I loved every God damned second of it.  Just turn off your brain for movies like that, you’ll love them.  I liked that movie as a mindless action flick.  I got exactly what I expected.
With Do Nice Guys Finish Last all set and making its attempt at a festival run, I’m ready for my next project.  I plan to start 2010 right.  My resolution was to write a script whenever I get an idea.  I had way too many ideas last year that I’ve now forgotten because I never wrote them.  Sometimes they are entire long short films, other times they are just quick scenes.  I actually do really enjoy writing, but the hardest part is getting started.  So, no matter how bad or small the idea is, I am going to stop what I’m doing and write a script for it immediately.  We’ll see how that goes as I seem to get groups of ideas.  Hopefully I can keep up with myself.
Ellen Sandler is doing a seminar on January 23^rd in Los Angeles at The Writers Store.  I’m seriously considering going.  I really like her book.  Only thing holding me back is that it’s $150.  I could be spending that cash on my next short film.  Who knows though, this class might push me in another direction entirely.  For $150 I suppose I could find out.  I’ll keep you guys updated.  It could be a fun Saturday. 

Happy 2010 everyone.  Hopefully you all have a good year.