Holiday Hilarity & Hubris, as well as alliteration

Friday December 23rd, 2005
Holiday Hilarity & Hubris, as well as alliteration



Today we dropped of a digibeta tape, the final sound mix, and the final FX shot to Lyon Video to get a Horrors of War master tape made for the JAPAN distributor. We’re all so fried at this point, that we aren’t even going to be there when the final bits are done. We just want to see the movie with a little distance. Phil & John & I are at the end of our wits with Horrors of War and all the technical and glitches that have caused so many delays. But who cares? On Wednesday we’ll pickup the tapes and make good on our contract.



On January 14th, 2006 we will show the movie on the big screen to the cast & crew. The cast & Crew screening is a private, non-public showing of the film. It’s an Invitation only showing because it will affect our film festival and premiere status. I can’t wait. I’ve gotten so many emails over the last 6 months asking when this screening will take place. Now it’s a reality.



After that, we’re hoping to do the WORLD PREMIERE. We’re aiming for the FANGORIA CONVENTION in Chicago in March. It’s a genre film that will play well with genre fans. We’ve also got an “in” with CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL in San Jose, and that’s a prestigious  film festival, but have a history of non-arty screenings too. Either would be good, but both would kick ass.



As the trailer for Horrors of War has been making the rounds online, I’ve been hearing a lot of great compliments and even some good criticisms. One of the more common themes that gets perceived as a criticism, but is a compliment to me is that it looks like a “B” Movie. Well… DUH. It IS a B-Movie. My intention was to make a movie like the Saturday matinee’s on Channel 43 WUAB with SuperHost . The action/adventure pictures that opened my mind to imagination and fun. It’s NOT a serious dramatic piece, it’s a World War II action-Horror-Sci Fi movie, so how intense do you think it should be?



I’ve started work on the Electronic Press Kit, a DVD with tons of material, including the trailer, some scenes, the documentaries, TV appearances, and even B-Roll (raw “behind the scenes” footage because TV news like to have raw footage to cut as they like in their stories.



I haven’t even sent one of these out into the world or issued a press release since June, and we have already started getting a ton of mentions. The mentions on Fangoria and JoBlo.com have spawned over 15 more press stories, including The Horror Channel



I’m blown away by the support & interest the movie gets from people I don’t know. It’s pretty amazing. The concept gets people excited. I had this feeling, an instinct that the story I came up with would connect with the public, but I had no idea just how well. I am very happy, and also still surprised.



2006 Will yield many many screening opportunities and the promotional wheels have barely begun to turn. I’ve set in motion an avalanche. I will do everything in my power to see it come down the mountain.



Speaking of promotions, here are some interesting quotes from emails sent to me recently in regards to Sonnyboo.com and my own reputation online.

---

Quote: from ______ on 1:22 am on Dec. 21, 2005

“You are getting some kind of name around this business. I am out here in California and have heard your name around a lot now.”

---

---

Quote: from ______ on 11:18 pm on Dec. 13, 2005

“Several people including some interested film makers as well as a film commision employee here in California know about you. I’m guessing it is the name SonnyBoo. People pass that name around.”

---

Holy COW! That’s heavy duty. As I struggle to finish my first feature, and figure out how to keep afloat, this kind of feedback both excites & scares me.  Never in my wildest imagination did I think that my efforts were this successful.

I’ve removed the Sonnyboo Free Downloadss of word templates. I need to allocate the bandwidth to newer endeavors like the WEB DOCS for Horrors of War. These new and informative videos are indeed promotional, but also educational, so I’m going with these instead. I already got a complaint from someone via email. I found it funny that this guy got really, really mad at me for not providing the templates for free anymore. As king of metaphors, it was like going to the house of a former librarian and telling him he’s a prick because he won’t get him a book for free anymore.

Brandy & I saw Peter Jackson’s King Kong last week. It was good, and possibly too long. I remember distinctly on the DVD’s for LORD OF THE RINGS Peter Jackson saying that  if he had released the long versions first, no one would like them. I thought he was nuts. Now I agree with him. I did also get the PRODUCTION DIARIES on DVD and those kick ass. I already have them from the web, but they look great & are very inspirational.

Many things are happening…



I have 4 channels on “ POPCAST.COM ”, run by Joe Johnston, owner of OHIOFILMVIDEO.COM, which will hopefully die forever.



CNET
shows a few Sonnyboo shorts and continue to get a lot of views.



IFC film challenge has approved several Sonnyboo shorts. From reading about it on this here site, John Whitney has already been invited to have his short “Passion” play as a promo for the contest in commercials and on the channel.






Here in Rossdonia, I have entered into the public records of our region a new scientific theory of mine. I snore. This is a new development in my life in the last few years. It causes many a sleepless night for Brandy. Using deductive reasoning and empirical data, I believe that Brandy is the cause of my snoring.

I submit to you that Brandy’s ex did not used to snore. After being with her, he began to snore. I did not used to snore. After sleeping with Brandy, I began to snore. There are men who have never slept with Brandy & they do not snore. Therefore, my hypothesis is that sleeping with Brandy causes snoring.

That’s all I got in me right now. I want to get these freakin’ Holidays over with. Family & food, two things I need less of in my life.

-Ross
-2005 - THE YEAR OF ROSS 2: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY

an ode to Rob Hogan/Bob Cochran

let's explore "fact versus fiction" one step at a time...

a. Did you actually hold & "get paid well" being the director of Photogrpahy on a $1 million feature called "Blue Note"/"Blue Notes"/"Blue Night"? ((FYI the names changed 3 times on your own postings by YOU and no one else)) - If so, what was the name of a producer, director, actor, or production company
associated with the fim?

b. Did you actuallyhave a job as Unit Production Manager on a "$1 million feature" called Amanda Jean, Movie Star, If so, what was the name of a producer, director, actor, or production company associated with the film?

c. Did you optioned screenplays to producers/production companies? If so, what was the name of a producer, director, actor, or production company associated with the sale/option?

d. Did you act as Assistant Director on a film known as One Night in September? If so, what was the name of a producer, director, actor, or production company associated with the film?

e. Did you ask Amanda Hunter for $3,000 funding for her movie, then write that already had $2,500 after she fired you? If so where that money went, if in fact it did exist + as a bonus, where the detailed budget is, how these dollar amounts were actually arrived at?

f. How do you go from publicly acknowleding & apologizing to Holly & Louie to "it was their own fault" in less than 6 weeks?

g. TRUE or FALSE - "I've been in talks for the last two weeks with a cable channel that was going to show the film", as written also to Amanda and who was this mysterious "Cable Channel"?

h. Did Rob Hogan actually study entertainment law, as stated to more than one person?

i. TO AMANDA HUNTER, MAY 2005
>>>"I have spent the last five months working on pre-production and promoting the hell out of this film to every media outlet that would take my call. In this one act you are seriously >>> damaging my relationship with companies that I have spent years trying to form a partnership with."

Where is the proof? Define "promotion" and show some form of evidence, please. Did you really do any promotion at all? Who did you call? Which "media outlets"? I'm a prick & it doesn't take me years to develop a relationship with any media outlet, and I barely qualify as a professional filmmaker, and I am certainly an amature at marketing. I can say from practical experience that if there is no press mention anywhere, then there was no attempt. It isn't that hard to get promotion. If you you really made any phone calls, there'd be proof.


It shouldn't be hard to verify anything that's true. I will as already stated, publicly apologize to you & kiss your fat as in front of a crowded room if you come through & verify every single one of these. Like any resume in the real world, you have to give more than a name of a movie. Let's say you wer trying to get a job in the film industry, people would want to check
the references. So let's just check your references. If it's all true & none of it is a lie, then why not answer? Why not show proof?

And also, Mr. Courageous, I have agreed to answer honestly & truthfully to any questions you have for me as to what I have or have not said or done. Yes, I have made fun of you, in regards to making claims like "I worked for many years doing commercial video work and freelance independent films".
Show some evidence it's true. I have told people to look at the sheer number of projects started & not finished by you, and use that as a basis for judging whether or not they want to work with you. People draw their own conclusions. Quit blaming the "old guard" as if there is some mythic drama
surrounding your inability to produce a quality movie and everyone knowing that. Your warped perceptions of me, as you put it "false messiah" or "figurehead of Columbus film", are views you have, and I didn't make them. I'm no higher or better than anyone else, even you.

Rob, you're living in a really bizarre imaginairy world with an evil nemesis and unicorns in your head if you truly believe that anyone is trying to stop your filmmaking. We all want to lunacy of lies & exagerattions & nonsense to stop. Talking to the writers for local publications like The Other Paper and
Columbus Alive, and even the Dispatch, they all know who you are & they do NOT take the local filmmakers serious because they research the bullshit you say, see that it's not true, then think we ALL do it, when SOME of us are actually making real movies & not having to exaggerate to do it.

Horrors of War (official trailer)

 

 

H O R R O R S     O F       W A R

At long last... the one, the only - the official trailer. CLICK HERE

2 min, 47 sec - Windows Media




cinematography by Greg Sabo & Scott Spears

Music by Bill Wandel

Directed by Peter John Ross & John Whitney

Produced by Philip R. Garrett, Sean Reid, & Peter John Ross

Executive Producer  Tony Kandah

Written by John Whitney & Peter John Ross and Philip R. Garrett

Additional Title Animation & Graphics by   Space Junk Media


see  the official site for more info. CLICK HERE

Hope you dig on this. I'm trying to win the award for "busiest wannabe filmmaker, 2005"

JoBlo.com kicks ass

JoBlo.com says some really great things about Horrors of War!

"Think SAVING PRIVATE RYAN meets RE-ANIMATOR meets DOG SOLDIERS, i.e.- a buttload of fun and good times! How cool is that? And after checking out the trailer, I'm sold- this one is gonna blow the other DVD completely away!"

How's THAT for a kick arse quote?

and my favorite quote:

"SonnyBoo, in a genius on screen collaborative move, has combined the true-life horrors of the Nazis in WWII, and the fictional horrors of zombies and werewolfs in their latest feast called HORRORS OF WAR!"

click here to read more

UK magazine features SONNYBOO!

 

DIGITAL VIDEO TECHNIQUES features Sonnyboo.com in it's Dec 2005 issue and on the cover CD!

Jacking Online Editorial Jubilee

Wednesday November 27th, 2005
Jacking Online Editorial Jubilee



the INDIECLUB CLEVELAND meeting went off last week very well. We screened the first of the Horrors of War Web Docs, a series of over 20 online videos we’ll be doing to show the MAKING OF the movie as well as some handy filmmaking tips we learned on the way. Indie Clubbers Really dug them. We got a much bigger response than we’d anticipated. I was taken aback by the laughter and enjoyment we got.

Tempered Zealot Productions showed the Brandy written short THE DECISION to good response too. I am proud of Brandy for following through and making this movie and with a good group of people.



The new Horrors of War Web Docs have started. The goal is to have two sets of these. Half that are much like the kind of thing you’d see on any DVD only a bit more in depth, one nugget at a time. Amusing anecdotes, behind the scenes video footage, and interviews with cast and crew. The second half will be very short HOW TO’s, DEFINITIONS, and HANDY TIPS for filmmakers, using Horrors of War only as samples, and a lot less promotional.

I wanted to make sure that Phil, Sean, John, Jon, and everyone get some equal face time so that Horrors of War doesn’t have the “Peter John Ross Show” vibe so that people who hold a grudge against me may think twice before holding it against the movie that is so much bigger than me.



We started the ONLINE EDIT. This is the phase at the very end of making the film. It’s where we re-do our entire edit but from the highest resolution master tapes, in our case, uncompressed Digital Beta tapes. LYON VIDEO hosts our merry band and it’s been a learning experience and full of new info I never had.

We’re cutting on the high end AVID NITRIS system, but I’ve still had to re-render FX shots, and other non-standard shots from the film. We started color correcting scenes, but we’re still missing several highend FX shots. I still need to do several MUZZLE FX shots of the gunfire.


Yesterday my main editing computer fried. Brandy & I were watching a video and the system locked up. Upon reboot, Windows would not let me in. I got so far into it that I had even tried to re-install Windows XP, but alas, I get a consistent Blue Screen O’ Death. I’m screwed. I’m on the hunt for a new PC, at least one on loan.



I watched BE COOL, the GET SHORTY sequel. It sucked. A lot. There were a ton of BRADY BUNCH moments and it denigrated the original film. I hope that Elmore Leonard never sees that hunk of garbage. We also saw the new Harry Potter in IMAX. The movie was just okay, but the SUPERMAN RETURNS trailer in IMAX rocked. Superman is being shot in HD video and not on film, a first for Bryan Singer and demonstrative of the future of cinema.

CHECK OUT the SUPERMAN RETURNS Web Docs HERE



Decide for yourself whether or not rumors are true. Never take someone’s word for it. Sometimes reality is somewhere in the middle of interpretations, in other cases, it’s better you not know for certain & live in denial. Some people here have made whole imaginary castles that they live out full film careers in their denial.



Many things are happening…



Internet Video Magazine has mentioned our new web docs and thanks to Mark for the props.



Rewind Video.com has also put up a nice bit of words on them too.









Times have changed here in Rossdonia. I have made an ally of Mr. Spaz Anderson. He spends most nights with me as a toe warmer, so the allegiances seem to be divided more by gender at this time. It’s boys versus girls in a cold war of attention, petting, spooning, and hairballs.

I myself have had to sleep with a female spy to get information on where the cats had hidden my shoelaces. It was difficult, but I had sex with a woman in the name of the Republic of Rossdonia. It had to be done. In a time of need, each of us has a choice and that was mine. I did it for us all.



That’s it fer now. I may have to suss out a bit more information and that will require some concentration.

-Ross
-2005 - THE YEAR OF ROSS 2: FROM RUSSIA WITH LUMPY  

Sandblasting Conquistadors

Wednesday November 9th, 2005
Sandblasting Conquistadors

October ended out with a blast. There was Ken Wilson’s Halloween party where we premiered the AFM trailer (that we left the party, worked on it then went back to screen it).

Then came three 20 hour work days in a row preparing the AFM screener of the whole movie. John & I mixed the temp sound mix and the music, some final, some temp, and put together a movie & tape of Horrors of War and I then went on to make MPEG2’s of it, adding final “for screening purpose only” tags & the DVD menus. Then there was the panic to make 10 DVD’s to go with Phil on a plane Tuesday morning. I slept a lot on the couch.

NOVEMBER 2nd, 2005
Going to California was cool. The flights en route weren’t bad. Brandy dropped me off at the airport at 4:30AM and I slept a lot on the flights. I got in, Phil picked me up and we ate in Venice where our hotel was, but we pretty much went straight to the AFM. It was at the LOEWS hotel right on the beach next to Santa Monica pier.

Tony got us badges so we could get into screenings & go pretty much wherever. Tony’s HOLLYWOOD WIZARD room was on the 7th floor next door to Mel Gibson’s ICON PRODUCTIONS room. The way AFM works is this: there are a ton of Sales Agents & Producer’s Reps that have several movies that they represent. They get hotel rooms and set them up as offices/screening rooms with TV/DVD players and desks. The beds are removed and some of the bigger companies even put up cubicles or full size facades with their company logos (The Wienstein Companies was the most impressive).

We picked up John Whitney at the airport that night. The AFM was a little slow, but it was a Wednesday.

NOVEMBER 3rd, 2005
The market picked up some, and we stared the day off with a screening of DEATH TRANCE, a 35mm feature from an Asian market. There were about 6 other people at this 11:AM screening and the movie was just not my bag. I love martial arts movies, but this had some bizarre period thing, but also guns and motorcycles inexplicably thrown in apparently at random. We left. It was well shot, but not our type of film.

We stopped in and talked to people with the bigger companies, like the Weinstein Company (still owns DIMENSION FILMS), Lakeshore Entertainment, Newline Cinema, Focus Features, and more.

Thursday night, we met with Scott Spears at the Hollywood & Vine bar. We went down to the Egyptian Theatre where the “Attack of the 50 Foot Reels”, a super 8 film fest, happened to be playing. Ron Perlman who played HELLBOY happened to walk by, looking pretty unhappy. We saw the R2D2 footprints in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre and wandered around Hollywood for the night.

NOVEMBER 4th, 2005
We started the day with a meeting with COBBLESTONE STUDIOS, who are doing our sound mix. They had a cool place and we met in person with Matt who’s doing our sound FX and foley work. We were all on the same page & have similar ideas on how to better the sound mix. They’re doing kick ass work & I’m very happy with the AFM mix, given the limited amount of time we all had.

Friday saw a major increase in attendance at the AFM. I spoke to a few UK buyers and pumped our movie. Fred Williamson was there & was very friendly. He told Phil & John he would love to come to Ohio because people are “real”.

We got to see the exclusive screening of Terry Gilliam’s new movie TIDELAND, and it was atrocious. I love Gilliam movies but this was a bit much. It was a perverse view through the eyes of a 10 year old girl who eventually makes out with a mentally handicapped 30 year old guy. I squirmed a lot. I find it unlikely this movie will ever get seen much in the U.S.

I ran into Bala, the director of GREEN CARD FEVER at a food court outside the AMC theatre of the screening. He was in good spirits & in pre production on his next project.

NOVEMEBER 5th, 2005
Saturday was a big, huge day for attendance at the American Film Market. I had very little sleep because of the snoring symphony of John & Phil. Our hotel was on the beach in Venice, only a few miles from the AFM. Everyday was very nice out and great to walk on the beach sans shoes & socks. I called Brandy from the beach on my cell at sunset. I made it point to watch the sunset into the ocean everyday I was there.

As I lounged next to the pool, I head an all to familiar voice. It was
Damian Chapa of the CALLING (now called MAN OF FAITH) fame here in Columbus was at the AFM. He did not have a room or a booth but tried to peddle his flicks poolside instead.

Meanwhile John & Phil met John Gulager, director of FEAST and winner of this year’s PROJECT GREENLIGHT 3. One of my most favorite things was seeing the trailer for Feast and Dimension films proudly promotes “the first Project Greenlight movie not to suck!”.

I met with several Indie Clubbers and their movies represented, which was encouraging. My overall impression of AFM was that the very high end products & the very low end movies were the most sold this year. I think the market for $5,000 niche budget DV features were very high. They can be bought for a few hundred dollars up to $5,000. You won’t get rich or even quit your day job with one of these, but it can be profitable. I think the whole “microcinema” movement has validity after witnessing so many DV features sell for pennies to foreign markets because it had kung fu, tits, or some other minor hook, but still turn a profit. By contrast, Rambo IV was there to pre-sell it’s foreign markets to raise budget.

The middle ground is falling away. The 16mm features and the Jeff Fahey/Andrew Stevens/Christopher Lambert types who exist in the straight to video world are soon to be out of work, but that’s my opinion.

Sunday was a 13 hour day of airports, flight delays & being crammed in like sardines. Eventually I made it home & got to see my honey-baby. Sleeping in my own bed made for one night of hard sleep.

Now to finish the very last stages of post production…

=================================
In other news of the Boo…

Movies ONline has put up an Interview with your faithful narrator. My favorite quote?"Writer/director/producer Peter John Ross recently took time out of his busy schedule to chat about life, favorite movies, and the upcoming film Horrors of War... and I gotta say he's one cool and hardworking guy." Thanks Daniel.

Richard Mason, a well respected acting teacher in Columbus added to his ACTING IN COLUMBUS  site a list of the top 10 independent filmmakers for his actors to work with. I topped the list. I feel honored by this.

The Russians must dig the boo as HORRORS OF WAR is listed along with all A-list movies on this site.

=======RANT========

Above is the movie poster we used at AFM. Now I’m not 100
appy with this, but we ran headlong into a deadline and had to use it.

This is another poster done by the same guys that I liked less, but after attending AFM felt was a much better concept for a “sales” poster. As Darlene Crysper told me – if you can see this image n  an 8.5”x11” and be able to tell what kind of story it is, the genre, and something about the quality, then that’s what will work best to sell your movie to a buyer at a film market.

I wish I had listened to Phil Garrett and voted for this poster.

CLICK HERE for the spoilerific AFM trailer!

all posters here designed by SPACE JUNK MEDIA (www.spacejunkmedia.com)

=====END RANT======

Well, we’re at the tail end of HORRORS OF WAR. The final score music & sound mix are going on now. We have some FX work still in the mix, but it’s minor stuff like making eyes black within black and some other smudging (like removing Alec from a shot – literally).

Soon we’ll announce a Columbus screening for cast & crew. Next up – the ONLINE EDIT!

-Ross
-2005 - THE YEAR OF ROSS 2: The Erotic Witch Project  
 

July 3rd, 2005

July 3rd 2005

Horrors of War Pre-Production Report



Now is the all consuming time of the feature film HORRORS OF WAR. These updates will be brief because of the amount of time the project is taking of me & a few dozen other people, all culminating into a fantastic debut from Ohio filmmakers. The train has begun it's unstoppable roll down the hill. Money has been spent, film is in the freezer, deal memos are signed, and The whole process has begun in earnest.

Last night I suffered through a food poisoning ordeal unlike any other I've had in my life. This little puke-fest may have also unleashed a far greater health problem in the form of kidney stones, a problem that recurs often in my family. If the pain is still with me tomorrow, I think I'll have to have surgery, right before the shoot. Wont' that be fun?




What can I say about storyboard artist Mike Bruinsma? Cast member David Carroll referred this guy to me and his storyboards have been spectacular. They are far greater than any I've ever had done, an he's showing an artistry & knack for the movie side of production art like only the highest professionals I've read about from Star Wars (like Doug Chiang, Syd Mead, Ralph McQuarrie, and all the other all time greats).

Many thanks go out to Mike, and to Dave for introducing us to each other. I want to see Mike Bruinsma get the recognition his work deserves after the movie is done.



This tank is one of the many great toys Phil Garrett and Ken Wilson have secured for our production. These kinds of things will add a great deal of production value, a commodity often missing in low budget filmmaking. This kind of atmospheric element will make our film look like a $1 million production, and it will just plain be fun to make Derek the first A.D. organize this for a shoot. I promised Derek at least 3 heart attacks during the 18 day shoot.



Someone emailed me and asked for an audition on Horrors of War. But that's not unusual. What is odd is that he said his buddy bought a BOOTLEG of our "Horrors of War" scene and trailer DVD at the FANGORIA horror convention in Burbank.....

Our move is already being bootlegged!



Locations (like the above “French Chateau”) are secured for filming. We are still in need of one final location, but it’s for the last day of shooting. One of the ideas for the film came from my first trip to Europe in 1997. While on the train going from Paris France to Hiedelberg Germany, I was in awe over how much the German countryside looked like Ohio. There were even modern suburbs that gave me flashbacks to my roots in Wadsworth Ohio. This helped spawn the concept of being able to do a World War II European setting shot in our own backyards.




Casting is mostly complete. We have a few one day roles to fill, but other than that, the main cast is set. Jon Osbeck will lead the cast along with some new faces like Joe Lorenzo from Shadowbox Cabaret, as well as many others. The casting schedule is pretty intense, but most people are adhering to local acting guru Richard Mason’s mantra “This is their shot. Movies like this just happen very often.” I wish I knew who gave Richard Mason a copy of the entire script, but



And this parting image of producer/co-writer Phil Garrett (aka pgarretL) holding one of the many obstacles from the location that will double as France. We have to make sure we do not kill too many cats when we shoot in Mechanicsburg.

These updates will sporadic at best. Directing an ambitious feature film on film with very little money means very little time for updates & messing around.

Peace out Acolytes of Boo. This is the beginning…


-----

DRINK IT UP! www.Sonnyboo.com

April 16th, 2005

APRIL 16th, 2005
"EDACIOUS POSIT"


POST FESTIVAL UPDATE
It's one week later & I'm still reeling from the film fest. 350+ people in attendance. That's even bigger than all previous screenings. Interest in local films is at an all time high. Alec seemed to be having the best time. Our collaboration, both in the festival and with his movie THE WARNING seems to be paying off on multiple levels. Alec makes a good ally and collaborator. He's easy going & knows what he wants, which is rare. In a funny twist, my own film CONCUPISCENCE had probably the lowest audience reaction, except with the great Dennis Wiggins, who rarely does NOT get a great reaction of laughter. I sold 5 T-shirts, 7 "Best of Sonnyboo" DVD's, and had a generally fun time. Lots of new faces, and even some old ones. Vince Karch attended the festival & even sat behind me. He didn't say hello, but he sure did have this look on his face reminiscent of how an injured pit bull looks at a cat.

My role in future LOOK AT MY SHORTS will start to diminish as I work more towards features, and also work less and less on shorts. It's still my baby, and I will maintain certain levels of control, but someone else can take the ball run with it. Due to the attendance, Studio 35 was very very very happy and want to continue to anchor our future shows. Alec had talked to the news desk at Channel 6, and ABC affiliate, and they promised to be there for the fest and never showed up. I was told repeatedly that the general public is not interested in these types of events... so it makes perfect sense why our attendance goes up and the number of films being made rises.

=============SHORT FILMS=================



Just like PASSION from John Whitney, several Sonnyboo favorites have been selected for presentation with SCREENVISION as "pre Show Entertainment" for several major movie chains. Shorts like License Exam will now play before theatrical releases to 5,000 screens including Loews Cineplex, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark and Pacific Theaters

I want to make sure to give my heartfelt thanks to http://www.UNDERGROUNDFILM.org for their support of all things Boo. Putting movies online has done wonders for my movies. Anyone on the fence may want to reconsider putting his or her films on the Internet. It does pay off. One of the best parts about this deal is that THEY found ME, and they did it from an Internet website. God bless the Internet.

On the big screen, right before ALL the major Hollywood releases, and the run of this title will coincide with the release of STAR WARS III: REVENGE OF THE SITH. A movie I wrote & directed will play before "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away" in the same theatre, in front of the same crowd. This is one of the most exciting things to ever happen to me in my life thus far.



The Chicago REALLY short film festival is showing no less than 4 Columbus area films at this year's festival.

WTTW's Image Union - ChicagoFilm.com present The Chicago "Really" Short Film Fest on May 7 2005 (3:PM) hosted by The Abbey Pub (3420 W. Grace Chicago, Il 60618). Featuring film critic Erik Childress.

CLICK HERE for more info


Tack on the TV deals for 11 Sonnyboo shorts on Canada's BITE TV network (paid, no less), and Sonnyboo short films keep on trucking forward. I don't even try anymore. Things just come to me. I'm still sending 5-10 packages a week, but they are all now requests and none are solicitations from me. Much as this might behoove many to learn, people do eventually start seeking out Peter John Ross and Sonnyboo movies....


=======DRAMA=========

Last week had a bizarro moment. On Tuesday night I receive an email from a young lady who asked my advice. She had just fired a director/producer who was supposed to be making a movie from her screenplay. She was unhappy with his progress as well as the fact tat in 4 months he went from "I'll pay for everything" to "I need $3,000". I gave her a list of reference sot other filmmaker who might be able to help her get the movie made.

Then I got forwarded the email exchanges between them for no apparent reason (I most certainly did not request them). It was a brow beating from this guy with a near complete incompetence on how to make a movie on planet Earth.

Then this guy started emailing me...

I was accused of stealing this project away from him, that he knows it was me and hopes that I can put the kind of passion & care that he would... even though no one has ever seen a movie he has made. Where it got particularly funny was this:



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Quote: from Mister Blue on 8:45 am on Feb. 24, 2005
Four years ago I stumbled across some of the filmmaking that was going on here in Columbus and thought that maybe, just maybe there was a community geared toward making real movies. My hope was that I wouldn't have to rely on film crews from Chicago, New York or other places in order to make my films. Unfortunately, that community's figurehead is Peter John Ross.
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I find it completely hysterical that this guy who has such venom and disrespect also views me a a figurehead in the local film community. I requested that both of these people leave me out of their mess. I had nothing to do with her or her decision to drop this guy like a bad habit.

Admittedly, I make fun of this guy. I have in these very blog entries several times. That doesn't mean I'm responsible for his behavior or actions, it's a commentary on them. Like most people, he'd rather blame me for people knowing what an idiot he is rather than take responsibility for idiotic actions. FYI this is the same moron who asked to be a part of LOOK AT MY SHORTS, then failed to deliver a tape to me with a whole month.

On a bigger note, I feel like stating clearly that I don't view myself as a figurehead of anything. I'm just a guy making movies and promoting them. This is the second time in a week someone called me a figurehead. What is a figurehead exactly? Why do I have to answer for other people's misperceptions?

I hope she gets her movie made, and I hope this guy turns his film career around. Either way, I hope they leave me out of it.


=======END DRAMA=========

I just wrapped up a :30 TV spot for a a repeat customer, http://www.Faster40.com and also a DVD for Party Girls Gone Global (my favorite), and also a DVD for B'nard Lewis, a SAG actor. Next on deck is a 16 minute corporate video. I went from a fairly dry 4 month period with minimal freelance work, to a sudden overload. The lucky thing is that as of this moment I have enough money to get my fabled 1991 Mustang fixed. It needs new brakes, a tail pipe, radiator, and transmission work. Not exactly cheap, but she's still under 100,000 miles. I can also afford to pay the bill up (which I did this morning online). I'm torn between my need to have an operating motor vehicle, and buying a 30" LCD monitor/HDTV.... Who thinks I will get my car fixed? I'm due serious $$ from taxes & when that ship comes in, I think I will treat myself to 27"-30"s of glorius high resolution imagery.

Brandy did another love scene for an out of town production shot here this week. This time she got to have Jason Morris' sweaty body on top of her in a bed. People with a more normal relationship might view this as a threat, but I'm pretty secure in both our relationship and in Jason's staunch homosexuality. Seriously, I don't mind my girlfriend's acting career. I recommended her for the part. She has carved out a niche for herself as she is very comfortable with her body (almost as much as I am with her body).

========HORRORS OF WAR UPDATE=========
I got in the film transfers from the D-Day re-enactment we shot 6 months ago. John Whitney's 16mm footage yielded some good plane shots of P-51 Mustangs buzzing by (real not CGI), and some close ups at the end. Micah Jenkins came through way way way beyond expectations with reel after reel of amazing shots, angles, and imagery that is precisely what we need for both the movie's opening & also the trailer. I did about 50/50 and got some usable footage, and some not so good stuff. My cameras can both do slow motion, so I got some material separate from the other 2 cameras, so I am pleased with myself, but not as much as I am for Micah. I may let him do a love scene with Brandy sometime soon too.

This film transfer serves a dual purpose. I'm trying to cut a new trailer, as in a Teaser trailer to keep interest levels high and also to show newer material to prospective buyers & investors. The second purpose is to use in the film proper as background images for the opening credits of the film. I even worked on some UP RES tests to see how the super 8 would handle some 2K 1.78 to 1 blow ups. Using a bit of Gaussian blur, which it needed to make titles legible, and Ouila! beautiful film originated images that can be output for 35mm film print via laser.

Look for new stills & the new trailer in about 2 weeks. http://www.HorrorsofWarmovie.com

Phil Garret is officially on board, but without a final job title. For now, we'll say "Co-producer", but as time goes on, he might be warranting a better, bigger title more befitting his work put in.

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There have been few altercations in Rossdonia this month. It's quiet... too quiet. I think the Human-Feline wars will continue on throughout summer 2005. Coussette has found a new hiding place, but she doesn't realize I know where it is. It's in Brandy's closet in the suitcase. This is her Alamo. Only one entrance into the closet, and the suitcase provides a perfect cover. The "PET" offensive I'm plotting for early next week may cause both cats to divide, but that only makes them easier to conquer in our land battles, but they have better aerial tactics.

The battles continue....

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Well Acolytes of Boo, these are the things on the top of my mind this fine sunny Saturday. I need to finish laundry, clean up my over due messes and prepare for another busy week in the World of Boo.

It is after all THE YEAR OF ROSS II : RELOADED

- Peter John Ross
April 16th, 2005

Feb 23rd, 2005

Feb 23rd, 2005

vicissitude


What is new this week? Mucho Acolytes of Boo, mucho. This week, your faithful narrator has climbed a mighty mountain. We're at over 30% of the production budget for HORRORS OF WAR. Through the relations of John Whitney, we have secured budgeting and reservation of a significant amount of grip equipment and 35mm/super 16 packages. Not an insignificant piece - a 5 ton grip truck and generators, as well as potential further investors and even an ideal location. Let's just say that I'm feeling pretty dazed & wonderful about where things are heading with my first feature film. The New York connections are also coming in, slowly but surely. Two passes, one maybe, and one definate yes on investments. That makes the trip worth taking (and it didn't cost me nuthin' too). I still can't rest. I am preparing the next wave of investors and the energy has to stay high. My whole existence is riding on completing this feature film. I have contingency upon contingency to assure that the film will be completed, but until I'm on set shooting, I don't think I'll sleep well.

BUSINESS FIRST COLUMBUS did an article on the local film scene. I did my best to answer, and I was not available for the group picture as I was in NYC at the time meeting with investors. Tony Goins did a great job diversifying the info and going from OSU student filmmakers to long time local Indies. My best quote in it was referring to the oft-used adage I spew about many filmmakers waiting for the limo to pick them up for their DV movies.



My "2nd Place Short Film Award" arrived for the Central Nebraska Film Festival. It's on the wall, mostly because it had a fancy ribbon. That and it's one of the few awards I've won. I don't make movies to win awards, and it's not my agenda to "win" when I submit. Honestly, I don't care if a festival is competitive or merely a screening. On the flip side, I can also say that winning feels good, but not like some huge victory. Just a kick ass validation that other people like the work, you know?



I did a sound mix and slight re-touch on the abstract version of "Bitter Old Man", referred to as "THE bitter old man". I made it complete with several art film abstract cliches like bad jazz music, nonsensical words on the screen, and even the suicide of Sonnyboo himself, hurling off a bridge. I was reminded of how funny this idea was from Dave Hall, another former 7(M)er - Escapee as we finished off a DVD project for this inventor buddy. This one's for you Dave.

C. Alec Rossel's movie is in the very final stages of sound mix with colour correction on picture as well as music, ambient, and voice tweaks being finalized. Micah will be here tonight to do some more audio tweaks. Alec & I did some spotting on the songs done by Annette. I just finished reading BEHIND THE SEEN about Walter Murch editing & sound mixing COLD MOUNTAIN. Great book, as are all the Walter Murch studies on film editing. I find the micro-cinema scaled version of what he did parallels what I have just done for Alec. I am no where near his league, but the "function" was the same. It's a great book for experiencing a big Hollywood style movie's made from the Editors perspective. Views on Apple, Avid, and Harvey Weinstein make the book insightful from beginning to end.



I just finished a TV spot for "Party Girls Gone Global" and it's apparently Too Hot For TV as I am about to do more revisions because it did not fly for the censors. I'm also finishing a spot for an energy booster. Freelance commercial work has picked up slightly, but it's also allowing me to get a new driver's license, pay the condo fees, and get insurance. I don't mind commercial work. There's a lot of intuitive work to it and creatively in a graphics kinda way. Depending on the client, it can be a mind-numbingly painful experience or a rewarding one.

Big shout out to LINDA BYRKET and her birthday yesterday. We had lunch & I haven't told her yet, but I'm doing her DVD for free. We agreed on something, but my surprise will be a freebie job. She & Bret have done a lot for me lately, and it wouldn't be fair. I've turned a new leaf and everyone pays. I've been doing too much for free. I've provided not only post production facilities, but a lot of my time, energy, and talents for no money. Time to cash in those favors, as in cash that can buy food and pay rent. No more camera loans, no more free edits, no more free DVD's. These are replaced by rental agreements, invoices, and hourly rates.

I'm getting significant sums back from Uncle Sam this year. I kept all my receipts and I also did a lot of work with taxes withheld. I need more $$$ coming in. I've been getting so little paid work that I feel like a hooker at a Chip-n-Dales convention. Things are starting to U-Turn, but there are no guarantees.

Until next time, oh Faithful Readers of the Blog.

XXoo,
Peter John Ross

Birthday Boo

JANUARY 24th, 2005
Birthday Blog entry

I was just informed by George Caleodis that I have arrived. A new plateau has been reached by Sonnyboo Productions and my personal film career. He was shopping at a local used video game store, which in most cases also sell DVD's, and there on the shelf, sat a "BEST OF SONNYBOO" DVD for sale, USED. I can now join the ranks of Stephen Sommers' VAN HELSING, Patrick Swayze's ROADHOUSE, and Nicholas Cage's CITY OF ANGELS and all the movies that permeate the Used bins of home videos. Sadly, it was for sale for more than I sell it for. I guess it was bound to happen with 199 sold & counting. Strangely, one of the coolest things to happen in my film career is to know that my movies are good enough to buy and sell used.





Picture edit is coming to a close on C. Alec Rossel's movie THE WARNING. I've started taking a slightly more active role, mostly on a consulting level and some minor tweaking (with permission of course). It's shaping into a really great piece. It's over 20 minutes, which is against my own personal beliefs of "short films", but it ain't mine so I'm not judgey that way. For example - this movie couldn't be told any shorter. Alec is a great filmmaker who will probably succeed in no time. He is egoless and easy to work with.

A new contender for the name of 2005 just came in courtesy of Noreen Compton. "THE SON OF THE YEAR OF ROSS". I like it. A cool ring to it and relates to the sequel naming idea. THE SON OF THE YEAR OF ROSS sees one of my longest standing short film sites, Underground Film kicking off ALL SONNYBOO WEEK, beginning with a favorite movie of mine - SHERMAN & GEORGE: OXYMORONS. Every day this week, they will premiere a new piece or two from the world of Sonnyboo or Friends of Boo.



Today is my birthday. As I told my nephews this morning, I'm not 33, I'm more like 3 eleven year olds. When am I supposed to dread getting older? I think the secret is simply finding out what you want to do and spend the rest of your life doing it. For me that's attending Rushmore Academy. Well, aside from that end part of the quote, Owen & Wes hit it pretty straight on. I love what I do and I have a good time. I do what I love to do and I scrape by, so what more is there? Making movies has become the most important thing I do. Everyday I get validations via phone call or email. I get "Thank You's" for the music or the downloads or the articles, all telling me how cool it is what I'm doing for the filmmaking community at large. Of course there are the detractors, but they are pretty heavily outweighed by the pats on the back. Let's face it, the detractor's are mostly indicative of jealousy (see listing for Bo), or from people to whom I had prior relations with (see 5(M)orons) and can't see past the relations versus the work itself. So far, I'm very happy with how things are going in my life and the ship is still headed in the direction of Happiness.



Next week I'm heading to New York to meet with investors for Horrors of War. While there, I'm going to help one of my editing class students hold an audition in Manhattan. Now for the Acolytes of Boo, most people will know this is the first time I've set foot in the Big Apple since September 11th, 2001. I was there for the semi-scammy New York Internation Independet Film & Video Pay $300-$500 to Get Your Movie Played Film Festival when the movie I worked on (co-produced/co-wrote but did NOT direct) was set to play at 11:AM on September 11th. Low & behold, fate intervened to make it more of a life altering experience to see history change before your very eyes. In an even more odd twist of fate, my free trip entails taking a train into Penn Station, the very place I arrived & left Manhattan on that tragic day. I have mixed emotions. For most people September 11th was purely a broadcast, watched-it-on-TV experience. For me it was reality and surreality.The image I found most disturbing was the way Manhattan shut down midday and walking back to the train station only to see the streets empty, the stores closed and no cars or people. Only in science fiction has there been a Manhattan bereft of the very vibrancy it's most known for. Now I am returning for the first time in years, all in the hopes of making my first feature film. A strange circle is completing.

Gearing up for the Horrors of War storyboarding, I've been reviewing my own personal favorite "modern movie classics". I made it through DIE HARD, but I've seen this one so many times, I was pretty much analytical from start to finish. Which is perfectly acceptable given the purpose of viewing it. Coming up soon will be the continuity perfection known as BACK TO THE FUTURE, and the Spielbergian orgy of film known as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, the one that got nominated for Oscars before bastardized by sequels. I've turned into a fundraising machine. I've focussed all my energies to that for now. The latest compromise-everyone's-as-happy-as-they-can-be draft aka "3rd draft" has been handed off to our Executive Producer and we eagerly await the notes. Aside from minor dialogue and arrangements, I don't think we're gonna change this draft too much. It may cost us Exec Producer fundraising, but we, as the artists making the movie, will be happier with the final movie. It just means I have a helluva lot more fundraising work to do. Thank God for real estate moguls that want to be involved with filmmaking. Much like Sam Raimi's dentally assisted first feature, it seems Real Esate is going to fund our first venture.

The other night we did a combo birthday dinner as we celebrated Holly Magnininininini, Brandy Seymour-Butts, and my birthday. It was fun, but the weather and other factors had a low key affair. Lucky for us, THE DEREK showed up! What an honor! THE DEREK HIMSELF made a personal appearance. Derek took a break from editing his feature length documentary and made all the girls crazy.



Something happened the other day. I was at Best Buy with my sexy girlfriend Veronica, shopping for domesticated materials. Someone recognized her from the official Veronica Website, and talked to her. In the interest of continuing to price dishwashers, she asked the guy if he wanted to talk to me. So I talked with this guy, Shawn, to whom I had never met. A really cool guy with a few leads on makup effects and other production help on Horrors of War. Now, he wasn't a psycho or freakish in any way, but it seemed to me that he felt like he knew me. Now for a shock - this is pretty far from the first time this has happened to me. I get recognized by people a lot. It doesn't go to my head, at least not in the way you'd think. I have never gotten comfortable with people I don't know talking to me like we're old army buddies. Just because you read my blog doesn't mean we're pals. Now, again, this guy at Best Buy was pretty cool, and I'd hang with him, but sometimes I get the other kind, the spooky-wierd kind. I'm not a celebrity, I shouldn't be treated as one. When discussing this with Veronica, she asked, "what does a celebrity have that you don't?" and I simply replied "Money. I've never heard of a poverty stricken celebrity." Veronica smiled, in her inimitable way...



That's it for now. Your faithful narrator has to get the fabled '91 Mustang from Pep Boy & pray that it survives this horrid winter. It will, or else this wouldn't be THE SON OF THE YEAR OF ROSS!