Day of Days

Well, my movie came out on DVD this past Tuesday. To celebrate, John Whitney had the idea of a DVD release party. So we had one at Scott Spears' production Partners studio. It was a blast. As per usual, I had no idea how many people to anticipate. You can invite people, but I had no clue how many would actually show up. As someone so eloquently said to me on the phone earlier in the day, "I don't want to waste my time because I don't think anyone's showing up…" and to be honest, I didn't either. Some people didn't show up, but a great number of people did.



I saw several people I had not seen in a long while, some since the shoot in 2005. Others, I was really glad they didn't show up. Not all my memories from HORRORS OF WAR are great ones. We celebrated, but there was one thing in small supply – DVD's of the movie itself.

I woke up early on Tuesday, anticipating the party, but mostly anxious about the DVD itself. I had not seen a proof copy or had anything to do with the promotion (or lack thereof) for the DVD. I gave them a plethora of extras on DVCPRO to use or not use. It was way more than they could ever fit on a single disc, but I wanted to provide them with options. We recorded a commentary track, which to me was the no brainer.

My single biggest anxiety lied with the audio soundtrack of the whole movie. The DVD specs boasted a commentary track and "5.1 Surround". The original sound mix, both in stereo and 5.1 are substandard. It's not Cobblestone Studio's fault as we were on the same page. Over a disagreement with the Executive producer of the film as to what constitutes a good sound mix, we lost this battle because he believes "If you can't see it, you shouldn't hear it…" which is an appalling concept. One of the reasons our original 3.5 minute scene worked so well was because we made up for the small number of people on screen by implying a larger number with sound FX. It worked staggeringly well. In the final sound mix, that same scene plays thin to the point of anorexia. For the final delivery to our distributor, I had added back in several more layers of gun sounds, sound FX, and even some unused incidental music. To my horror, I did this in stereo, but not in Surround sound. This scared me to death that the bad sound mix might be on the DVD without all the extra work I did.

I did order a copy of the movie, but it had not arrived and I wanted to see it. Unfortunately, none of the retail stores in Columbus were carrying the title for sale. Best Buy's store manager told me they could not allocate the valuable shelf space because they wanted the slots for Spider-Man 3. Thankfully, Blockbuster Video had 4 copies on the shelf. I could at least hold the box in my hand. Doing that forced me to sign up for an account and rent the movie. I had to shell out $4.68 to rent my own damn movie. What a sad, sad world we live in. The clerk at the store told me he watched that movie the night before, so I asked if he liked it. He said it was great. He then went on to tell me he lived in Youngstown and that he recognized the old rubber factory where we shot the ending of the film.

Because I was in a mad rush to finish a big client project BEFORE the party, I could only skim the DVD and its extras. Good news and bad news abound. The bad news? There was no commentary track, even though it was listed as an extra by the distributor. The good news? It does contain my sound mix and that has been remastered in 5.1 surround. As for other extras, they included a nice selection of the web docs (with a weird intro they cut), plus even B-Roll and the Visual FX demo.

The party started at 7:00PM on a Tuesday night. We packed the house. I was relieved. Had a blast, spoke to a ton of people, saw some old friends, and met some new people. It was a party after all. I speak the obvious. Even my parents came to the party.

How does it feel to see your own movie on a shelf and being rented at Blockbuster? It feels great! More people should get to feel this way. I'm on top o' the world. My movie is out there in the world. Sean Velie emailed me from Hollywood and snapped a pic of 4 copies on the shelf at Blockbuster, all 4 rented out. Someone called Phil Garrett and told him that they had 4 copies at a Blockbuster in some obscure little Florida town, all rented.



Since there wasn't room, we've made the commentary track a free download on the site. CLICK HERE, it's a 28 meg download of an MP3, so feel free & put on your Ipod or MP3 player, and cue it up with the start of the DVD and enjoy the commentary with directors Peter John Ross & John Whitney with producer Philip R. Garrett.



The review in our local paper, the Columbus Dispatch was very good! Local filmmakers rarely get reviewed or mentioned in that publication, so this is a major coup for us.

CLICK HERE TO READ DISPATCH REVIEW

Not everyone likes the movie. Then again, I don't know of a single movie that every single person likes, so you get used to it. I like this movie. Hell, I even love it, warts and all. I'm very proud of what WE did. We made this movie and we have come a long way.

Now the movie belongs to everyone else. The Boo sleeps well tonight. The Boo is happy. Have peace my acolytes.

- Peter John Ross
- Co-director, Co-writer, producer of HORRORS OF WAR

HOW TO DEAL WITH TELEMARKETERS

Just won the "Editor's Choice Award" for this!!!

From Crackle: How To Deal With Telemarketers

WE WAS ROBBED!!!

I have Good News, Bad News, and Good News again.

Let's start with the bad.

CHAPTER I - A ROSSDONIA STORY OF CRIME, LOSS, and LOVE

This past Thursday, My Sexy Fiancé Veronica-- and I got to have a nice lunch, then she was to drop me off at work. That part went off without incident. What I was not expecting was the panicked phone call a few minutes later when she informed me that our house had been robbed.

I hauled ass to get home. Surprisingly, the police were already here. They didn't take anything too big. Aside from My Sexy Fiancé Veronica's-- laptop, everything else was small. CD's, DVD's, my cameras, camcorder, and a handful of other smaller items were gone. They got in through the back window because the storm window was open and they were able to pry the window open.

The phone from my bedroom was off the hook, as well as in our bedrooms, all the drawers were overturned. This was a simple quick, low risk grab, but what worries me is that they might come back or tell someone else to get the big stuff now that we've been thoroughly inventoried.

Now, for the worst part of my story. On route to the homestead, My Sexy Fiancé Veronica-- called me back. She told me the cats were missing. Since the back door was open and the front door unlocked, they were both gone.

All my stuff, my worldly possessions seemed so much less valuable. All I cared about was finding my cats. By the time I walked in the door, there was Coussette, sitting all prim and proper on the floor and more than a little vocal, telling us what happened – not understanding that we can't comprehend "Meow". Where was "V"?

I searched the house upside down. The cop wants to ask questions, but I want to find my boy. Under every couch (except the one in My Sexy Fiancé Veronica-- room where it has been sufficiently turned upside down), I look. Nada. TJ comes in to help and we drive around the condo complex and even the apartments across the street. After 3 hours, my thoughts go very dark. I check every dumpster for his body because I know "V". He is a demon sometimes, so I imagine him being himself scratching and/or biting anyone in the house, and those being not so amused.

As My Sexy Fiancé Veronica-- leaves for work; I set cat food out the front door and the back door. The weather was great, so I leave the windows open to listen for him. Nothing. I ask every person who walks by if they've seen a little black cat with a white underneath. No one has seen or heard anything. Finally, two girls tell me they saw him around the corner. I haul ass, but nothing. I lock the place up and circle every single building in the complex again. Nothing. No trace, no people, nothing. Did they take him? Did he run away? Did they hurt him?

When I get home, I collapse in exhaustion and being distraught. I truly believe I'll never see the little bugger again. I start to lose my shit. As I do, the phone rings and its TJ, covering for me at work. As my thoughts drift again to my baby boy…. That little bastard starts head butting me. He was hiding upstairs for over 5 hours. "V" walks a little funny, as the thieves has hit him or thrown him. He was hurt, but not too bad. Obviously he was terrified, but I was so happy to see him. He would not be pet or touched for over half an hour. Eventually, his back was sore, but okay.



For the last several nights, he has slept very close to me (usually on me), and he's recovering nicely. "V" is spoiled, but I love the little terrorist.

In the aftermath, our insurance is not covering any of this, not even with deductible. I said over and over again that I didn't care about my stuff; I only wanted my cat back. Now I have to live with that promise and I do. I lose over 600 DVD's, but I still have "V". That's what matters most and every time that little bastard head butts me or gets in front of my monitor while I try to edit, I smile, knowing I have not lost what is most important to me.

Even in the end, even criminals can't take away the warm glow of Rossdonia these days. As the next chapter will further demonstrate, Karma pays me back rather quickly for my losses….

CHAPTER II : MARKETING ON THE WEB

I don't work as hard as I used to when it comes to web video. I used to do it a lot more because I had new material. It's been a long time since I did more than a webdocs for HORRORS OF WAR, which is starting to grate my head. As I have said, I'm ready to move on, so in gearing up for the next feature, I'm testing a few things.

Getting back to directing actors, working with script, and editing are all like any other art form – you need to practice to get better, and practice to stay sharp. So I delved back into the art of the short form because I was asked to by someone at Sony Pictures for their site CRACKLE.COM. I chose to make HOW TO DEAL WITH TELEMARKETERS as a victim because it's something everyone can relate to. So my first test is to see if what I find annoying/interesting/popular holds true. Do people want to watch a video about torturing telemarketers?
The second test was involving the workflow, testing technology in the shoot using tapeless shooting on a hard drive instead of on tape, shooting in HD, editing in HD, and working with another editor. How are my communication skills? Working with actors again had its ups and downs. I will be more careful in casting in the future. Like any other aspect, I have to keep in shape with actors and work with them more often.

Working on a soundstage and set as opposed to location was new for me, at least as director. I've worked crew on sets before, but this was my first time to experiment with that environment. Playing with moving set pieces and lighting were fun, but I still have a lot to learn there. A lot. I did not get the lighting I wanted, but I was not communicating what I wanted well enough.

Given the "sketch comedy" style of the piece(s), I decided to break them up into shorter vignettes (see how to spell this John?) and release those as separate items on all the sites but CRACKLE.COM. The goal is to get "viral marketing" going on the other sites for the individual bits. If any one of them catches on, then they might watch more, or even if they like one and hate another, I get some idea what worked and what didn't. I'll put the compilation exclusively on CRACKLE so that it is more of my main focus. My original intent was to enter it into the SHORT FILM contest, but since there isn't a true "narrative" in these, it felt more appropriate to enter it into the Sketch Comedy contest called "MOVING TARGETS". The prize is still $15,000 and you meet with Sony Picture's TV execs as opposed to Movie Execs.



The final test was related to the first – marketing to see if people would respond to the material. Given that the intent was the Internet and specific sites, I think the statistics answer fairly well. My results are that YAHOO VIDEO so far was boosted this by making it the "FEATURED VIDEO" and got me over 9,000 views in less than 24 hours. I won the Editor's Award for Oct 19th from Sony Picture's CRACKLE.COM for the movie. Other sites are slower going, as YouTube sits in the hundreds of views, but the pool is much diluted on their site. It's a LOT harder to break through there these days. YouTube has become a brand name and there are literally millions of videos of any yahoo doing anything for :10 seconds to sift through.



Now in terms of the individual vignettes, the one where I simply made a video of what most people visiting Rossdonia have personally witnessed. I ask the telemarketer/bill collector to hold on, start playing soothing elevator music and start to speak into the receiver "please stay on the line. One of our residents will be with you shortly" and eventually hang up. I thought this would be funny to demonstrate, so that was the impetus of this project. George Caleodis contributed many ideas to the mix and Ouila! We had ourselves a new web series of videos.

We'll check up on the statistics and numbers in the next blog to continue the hypothesis as it experiments its way to full on theories. Various techniques of promotion and hype have not been implemented fully yet, but as I do, we'll check these against the stats. That will be the next blog, my faithful acolytes.

As it is, I am not distraught about the break in. We've taken several measures to prevent further break ins, including an alarm security system and some window protection (thanks TJ!).

Keep Feeling Fascination, my acolytes!
- The real PJR, accept no substitutes!

Let's face it people, Avril Lavigne speaks like Lord Byron or a 5 foot 1 inch tall peroxide blond Hemmingway. With words like "She's like, so whatever!" – That really sums up life you know? It really is that simple. I know have the international CD single that has no less than 7 language versions of "Hey Hey, You You, I don't Like Your Girlfriend" and I torture My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- with multiple repeat listening.



Combine that with THE HUMAN LEAGUE's greatest hits and we've got ourselves a dorkfest, musically speaking. Don't you want me baby? Keep feeling fascination. These are all valid statements of my emotional and mental state.

As is now becoming apparent, I delved into the making of another short form piece. I shot on HD and worked with a semi familiar crew. This was a quickie project to appease a request from Sony Pictures' CRACKLE.COM, where I have been wracking up the views for a few months now. I'm experimenting with viral marketing to see if I still have some instinct as to how to get views and the interest in subject matter. Also, it helped to get back in the saddle a bit.



For my techie, filmmaking geeks – we shot with the JVC HD110 HD camera, John Whitney edited for me in AVID XPRESS PRO, but I did the finishing pass, sound mix, and titles/FX in the full ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE. We had lavaliere mics on the actors as well as a boom. I mixed the best audio levels from both tracks and added the rest myself on about an average of 6-8 stereo tracks of audio. It's amazing how much time an energy goes into the creation of a soundtrack, music, and effects, to make a good sound.

Sound represents 50% of the experience of any movie, so it's astounding how few filmmakers take the time to make and work with good sound. Nothing will rip you out of a movie faster than bad sound, and yet so many movies, especially from amateurs don't work on or with their audio more.



My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- and I are preparing for a journey to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a film festival in a few weeks. I can't wait. I'll see several people I met via INDIECLUB, as well as from the other appearances and speaking engagements. I can't wait to meet Uwe Boll. He seems like such a character, but I just confirmed a long sought after dream – I will meet Mark Borchardt from American Movie. In 2000 I met Sara Price and Chris Smith at the Drexel Theatre after the screening when they did a Q&A. The only thing to top this will be to meet Mike Schank and to buy his CD "Songs I Know" and possibly engage in a 1980's metal thrashing guitar solo.

All seems to fare well in Rossdonia these days. The weather remains unseasonably warm. I still have work, and continue to get paid for it. I'm just enjoying the peace and sanity from without.



Rossdonia's activity level has increased exponentially. Editing happens no less than 6 nights a week. Several of which are for the Derek's ETERNAL, more are for a feature length documentary on the Making of Horrors of War. I also did all my own post work on these shorts in between, and I shot and will soon edit a very short musical piece for my cousin, Ian in HD at the studio as a camera test and a post production workflow. So Rossdonia is afire with filmmaking activities.

Working on ETERNAL has many benefits in that I am training another army of assistant editors and that in itself if a microcosm of the real process. They are doing the logging, creating bins, subclips, and organizing everything for the actual editing process. I will let the assistants do a first pass of all the scenes to get us to the assembly, then I'll work directly with the director (the Derek) to fine trim and reduce the film down to its final form.

Aside from the politicking of the politicians, the world seems to be a better place for now. Of course when the real estate bubble bursts, we might all be in deep Shiite, but until then, stay cool my acolytes. Stay way cool.


- Peter John Ross

RANDOM ACTS OF COLLEGIAL MIASMA

Well, this Friday night my cousin Ian Ross will be here while prepping for a gig on Saturday. His father, my uncle has surgery here on Sunday, but it looks to be minor. My uncle is responsible for getting me into Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith, whilst I am responsible for introducing him to Stevie Ray Vaughn and other more modern bluesmen. I gave up music many years ago. I never felt I conveyed my intentions to listeners very well. No one “got it” and as an artist trying to express yourself, there is frustration when your thought or idea is not being interpreted. With filmmaking, I feel I was getting my ideas across right out of the gate.


I recall the night I had an impromptu screening in my attic to about 15-18 friends of my first 6 short films, the “Back Office” series. Several guests were people I had been in bands with over the years. I was blown away by their responses. It was validating, unintentionally, that several people liked what I did as a filmmaker.

Back to the present time, I am finishing my next personal project, a series of short films. Working with another editor has its benefits. Working with an editor who understands rhythm and pacing has even more benefits. Since we’re both working class Joe’s at this point, it’s a lot harder to get things done fast. I took yesterday and today off work to try to get things done and I’m glad I did. I got 5 out of 9 segments finished off with final audio and graphics work.

In these little vignettes, I still felt the need to challenge myself in some ways, so I did titles that are tracked to the background and worked with more jib and dolly shots, along with a little rack focus, you know – things not normally scene in a Sonnyboo movie. My main focus, since picture was complete, was to finalize the sound mix. This involved altering voices to sound like they are on a telephone, music from a source boom box, and mixing dialogue recorded from 2 microphones. Then I would add music and effects tracks – yes even on :40 second long clips. Sound is 50% of the experience of any movie, so I try to spend as much time on that as anything else. I finally got to work with Arya from Cleveland on some music scoring.

The plan as it is now will be to release 1-2 vignettes a week as a viral type video, although I will oblige one site with an edited whole piece as was requested of me by the studio that owns that site. I will market these little bits as I have all Sonnyboo shorts, but it was an exercise for the upcoming feature with workflow of the system, working with a very small crew, and getting my legs back into directing – although I may crack and do 1-2 more shorts beforehand. I have a backlog of pieces, not the least of which is the SNOWMAN short I’ve been trying to do for 3 years, but it’s hard to plan around definite snow, especially snow that you can make Snowmen with.



The editing process on ETERNAL is in full swing here at Rossdonia. Five nights a week, people invade my living room and work to prepare for cutting. The first stage, especially with 28 hours of footage, is to sift through it, organize it into bins, sub clips, and get everything notated so that actual editing can begin. Organization lies at the heart of a multi-editor project. The script supervisor’s notes create the foundation for everything we do. Thank God the Derek had a good script girl. It will take at least another 2-3 weeks to get the bins set up to start editing. Once we start, the process will move in high gear. HD editing is roughly the same except without broadcast monitoring. Oh well.

This weekend will determine the final stages of commitment for my next feature, which is shaping up to be March 2008 for shooting. I have a team of people, some old, some new, that I will choose to work with. They say you should write for what you have, and the scenario has just opened itself up to me. Combine that with my marketing savvy, and we’ve got ourselves a recipe for fun and profitability.



We just celebrated our 1 year anniversary of getting “V”. This also means we mourned the 1 year anniversary of the passing of SPAZ. COUSSETTE has not been the same, but she bounced back in many ways. As I told My Sexy Fiancé Veronica, COUSETTE has not played “Chase Game” even once since SPAZ died. She isn’t as sad as she was last year, but a part of her went with SPAZ and she took some aspects of him into lifestyle. “V” is an irrepressible personality with equal parts sweetness and evil. His fur matches his personality. Most mornings he wakes me up by crawling up my back and purring loudly on my neck or head when he lumps down to fall asleep. I cannot help but be touched.



All else fares well in Rossdonia. As the sun fades earlier and the leaves fall, my spirits rise and my wardrobe gets better since I have a lot of Cosby sweaters. The mighty VANS are put away in the closet until the return of spring. The long cold winter awaits, and with it many new adventures.

Stay Tuned my acolytes. The Boo will have many things to say in the near future.
- Peter John Ross

Degenerates Denigrating the Defeatist Turpitude

Well my acolytes, 'tis a dark night. The moon has passed into shadow, and the demons of the past arise. I speak of course about the fact that Kelsey Grammar has a new sitcom and Charlie Sheen still has a highly rated show on Television.

When last I wrote, I spoke of the locally produced documentary COLUMBUS IN FOCUS, a doc about the local film scene and some of its filmmakers. The documentary spawned a single negative review, but several positive ones. In the maelstrom of postings about the Columbus film scene as it stands and where it has been – one thing cannot be denied. Columbus filmmakers like a good fight.

If you look at the last 7 years, it becomes abundantly clear that the people in our film scene invariably watch, participate, or comment on all the petty battles, both large and small. On OhioFilmandVideo.com, people you could watch the number of people viewing threads swell in great numbers whenever a tiff would occur. When the epic battles ensued, the views would go into the thousands. The same happens today. The only surge on that old site in the last year is when the moderators allowed people to bash anonymously and go crazy on some guy, although he deserved his licks; it was not the proudest moment.

After the bad review of COLUMBUS IN FOCUS appeared on the mighty KARMACRITIC.COM site, no less than 7 filmmakers from Columbus joined the site and most of them participated in the discussion and flat out fighting about the views and opinions. I mentioned the KARMACRITIC.COM site and its benefits on the Columbus forums many weeks ago. Only a single filmmaker joined the site after that. Someone posts the equivalent of screaming "Fight! Fight!" in a high school cafeteria, suddenly 7-10 filmmakers suddenly decide to join the site, ignore the benefits and community – just want to either take part in the fight or spectate with front row seats.

Now I love a good debate, but fighting is another matter. Stick to the issues, please. It's not personal. I had a wonderful debate with Sean McHenry, Deep Blue Edit, and we never devolved into name calling or getting personal, no matter how heated our discussion got. At the end of the day, we can shake hands (literally and figuratively), so I feel like there's some hope, even in our dark Ohio State Buckeyes Scarlet and Grey stained hearts.

What was brought up once more was my alleged responsibility as a "leader" in this city's film community. I'm not a leader. Perhaps I fancied such things 5 long years ago, but not any more. I want to make films. The End. I have no responsibility to do or say anything except make my movies and let people know about them. I find anyone who looks up to me or views me as a leader as foolish.
I'm just some yahoo making movies and I'm really only in this to make my movies. I help some people when the mood strikes me or if someone asks, but really I'm in this for me. I don't pretend to be a saint or some philanthropist. In many ways, I'm sure I'm an ass to people, but who the hell said I had to be anything else? I don't recall seeing a contract stating that by being a filmmaker I had any obligation to help or do anything for anyone. I do what little I do for other people because I feel compelled to. There isn't anything deeper or more to it than that.

Let's move on shall we? I brought the assistant editors together tonight for a pow-wow on how to best attack and start cutting The Derek's movie ETERNAL. We have a game plan, and cutting starts tomorrow. I figure with 4-5 nights a week cutting, we can expect to get a lot done in less time. Much like GOODNIGHT CLEVELAND, my role will be more of a "Post Production Supervisor" until the assembly is done. Then I'll step up to the plate and get more involved creatively and time-wise myself.

Things are moving slower on the mini-project shoot I did. Since the main deadline passed (hey, thanks Dennis!!! Just kidding), I am in less of a rush and I want to do a few things more professionally on this project. I will take my time and wait until I have tweaked and played around with it more. I'm working with John Whitney as an editor and it's a different experience to collaborate on something I normally would do entirely myself – now working with someone else. I don't mind the mixed schedules, it's the creative control. I really don't mind and that's funny to me. I thought I'd freak out or just be itching to grab the footage and tinker. I really really don't. I expect by early November, this will be public, at least some of it will be.

I have to re-edit and tweak one of my MOVIEMAKER TECHNIQUE videos for VIDEOMAKER MAGAZINE. I'm adapting one of the videos for my first article with them. I think it's cool to be a freelance writer. I'm a professional writer again.

I have two feature films in mind for 2008. I have been debating for some time which one to go for first. The one with the lower budget seems to be winning out, less because of money and more because of how it will be shot. During my tenure tagging TV spots, I had one of those divine inspirations in terms of marketing, so that tipped the scales heavily in favor of the 2nd feature. My mind is rapidly coming to closure on the commitment. I have held off so that I can just feel what will be "right". This idea looks like the most ripe and in a month it might be ready to fall off the tree and we'll get married.

Another thing that cinched it was the shoot I just did. If I can use aspects of what went right as a model, then this is do-able, shooting on weekends with my limited budget already available to me. I won't have to quit my job, and work around it. I can continue to make money and not give up my whole life as I did before with HORRORS OF WAR. This will be a less ambitious project, but with more control with me, especially where the marketing and selling will be concerned. Had I had this idea, I would have made this before HORRORS OF WAR, but sadly it was conceived of much later. In this case, I will also take a solid 6 months or more to post it. Post production often gets mishandled due to deadlines. I'm a self motivator (no really), and so it will be finished, but I need to let it take its natural course. In many ways, even in the case of a comedy, perhaps even more so with a comedy, you need to find the movie inside what you shoot, and chisel away in editing and re-examine what works and what doesn't over and over again.

That's basically where I'm at. Work is work. I'm burning out, but it's not so bad. I looked at my bank account today, and I'm not dying. I'm not rich by any stretch, but I don't struggle have the dry spells that occasionally plague freelancers.

One last thing. I'm still fascinated with the crazy people who obsess over your faithful narrator. I guess it's because I don't view myself as someone worthy of much attention. These blogs are really just mini-journals for my own edification and for a few friends. I find it fascinating to look at my webstats and see so many repeat readers. Some individuals read the same blogs dozens of times in one day. I think I've re-read my blogs maybe 3-4 times. I'm not that obsessed with me, and I am my own 1 fan! Maybe I'm not and I don't realize it.

I am fascinated with obsessions over someone like me, who hasn't really done anything that spectacular or original. I set modest, obtainable goals. When I achieve them, I definitely pat myself on the back, but I don't think that's arrogant. I am proud of my achievements, but they are admittedly small. Is that really so wrong? I'm not doing it to seek the accolades; I do it for business reasons.

It is very true that projecting an image of success will result in other people seeing you in that light. It's hardly a deception, as I am not lying or saying I'm doing something that I am not doing, IE winning awards, getting distribution, etc. What it comes down to is the pessimist versus optimist argument that plagues humanity through all its days. Some people will look at these little accomplishments and say, "These aren't very significant!" and other people will view the same things and go, "Congratulations! That's great!" Which one are you and why? I have found in my own quest to be a filmmaker, there are more optimists in the actual film industry and more pessimists in the local film community. Which one should matter more to me? <>

I dislike experimental films. I don't detest them, but they aren't really original and they are full of clichés. In 2001, using all the underexposed film from the original black & white BITTER OLD MAN shoot, I hobbled together a spoof of an avant garde, experimental film. Originally I called it THE Bitter Old man. Seeing a temporary gap in Sonnyboo Entertainment, also known as "BOO-TAINMENT --", I digitized my only copy of this atrocity and put it online on a few sites. I trimmed about :45 seconds out of it and changed the title to "THE DEATH OF SONNYBOO " since I thought the title would be provocative and the footage shows my little ginger-bread man mascot committing suicide off a bridge.

Strangely, many people gave it genuine reviews. On YouTube, I have over a 125 views in less than a day. On Sony Pictures' CRACKLE.COM, I even won the EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD for today October 1st. How's that for an unexpected surprise? That makes my awards count on their site at 40, as in 4-0, double digits. The views are in the 20+ millions. If anyone wants to make a competition out of short films, that's 40 awards, and 20+ million views. Does that really make me a better filmmaker than anyone else? Does that somehow make the movies themselves "better"? I think not. You can excel in filmmaking without having an antagonist. Not everyone can, apparently, but it is possible. I wasn't even trying to get this fake short in a contest, and yet I won an award today. Funny. I hate competition, yet I won.

The world is a wacky place. No two ways about it. WACKY

Peace to the acolytes, and gentle curses to the wierdos

- Peter John Ross

Like Riding a Bike made for a one legged orangutan

I am tired. I mean exhausted. I've been working straight since my last blog with no days off. Lots and lots of editing. I even started bringing my work home with me and working off a portable 750 Gig Hard Drive. It makes me both happy and sad. I'm ecstatic because I'm hitting my goals for getting out of all debt and working towards a newer, nicer car, but I'm sad because I feel creatively drained and there's no time to dedicate to my artistic inclinations

Although… there was one exception. Even though I worked for 5 hours before, and a few after it…




I managed to work in a little shoot this past Sunday, which was part two of a shoot started the week or two before. I have always put to myself the challenge that if I don't learn something, or aspire to learn some new technique on each shoot, then I won't do it. On this little sidebar, I wanted to work with HD, lighting a set to look like a real location, and also therapeutically work with another editor, other than myself. All that, and of course because I was requested to make something by a real studio for their own needs. That's what really got me to get back into the making of….. a short.



I shan't divulge much, as I will uncharacteristically let the work unfold more or less on it's own and then talk about how and why it was made. All I really feel like saying, aside from the picture-poems from set, is that this was not an easy shoot, nor was it the most fun I ever had. I was tenser than normal and quite frankly, out of practice as a director.



The next stage, is the often over looked sound design, sound mix, recording stage of making a movie. I have very high standards when it comes to sound. That's why when it comes to HORRORS OF WAR there is a thorn in my side about the sound mix. I had a lengthy set of notes about what the movie needed and it was denied by the powers that be. I did manage to slip one past the goalie and make some sound additions on the final Stereo Dolby 2.0 mix, but the 5.1 surround mix is actually inferior because it's not full or rich enough to fill in the space as both myself and the sound studio themselves intended.

For this little project, I intend to put some real time into the sound mix, plus work on sound design as it's one of the most under-appreciated aspects of any movie. I'll wind up doing it myself because I don't want to shell out the $$$ to another sound designer, especially one I've never worked with and the ones I'd want are out of my price range.

I finally get to work with Arya, my friend from Cleveland doing a proper score for something I'm doing. He pre-wrote the music before we shot. It was important, so I needed it and it was there for me before we even shot.



I spent money on this short. Not a lot, but it's not as cheap as most of my movies, nor was it as flippant. I guess that's another reason I was under self imposed pressure. As well as missing the deadline that it was intended for. That sucked. My obsessive-compulsive nature has gone on vacation as I deal with the after-math of that.



Not much else to report. The local Columbus film scene is alive with rumors and goings on. Blissfully, I am not a part of any of it. I'm just a spectator, neither enjoying nor hating the activities, but rather just observing the behavior.

When your reputation starts to go down the toilet, you can only assume that maybe some aspect of what people are saying is true. I'd recommend a time of self reflection and ponder the mathematics. If 100 out of 100 people are saying that don't want to work with you, then you are probably faced with the reality that you're doing something wrong.



My Sexy Fiancé Veronica --'s car had its engine nearly fall out yesterday on I-270. I happened to be out getting color copies so I rushed in and had a real "Boyfriend" moment as I rescued her from oncoming traffic and got her to work. Now I'm loaning her my car for the next week as that whole ordeal is sorted out.

Why is it when MY car has issues, I'm on my own, but when she has issues and has to get to her minimum wage job, I have to give up my keys? I guess the obvious answer is that because I'm either a sucker or frankly because I'm not all that bothered by not having a car. Either that or there's some kind of relationship handbook I'm missing that dictates that fairness is not really applicable. Also, I didn't HAVE to give up my keys. I volunteered them, more so because I didn't want to wake up at 6:20AM 7 days a week to drive her to work. My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- works a lot these days at 2 jobs.



More on the shoot and work methods after there's something more to show. I'm expecting to see a rough cut on Monday or so. Then some post-audio work shall begin and a re-edit for picture will ensue.

Till, then – stay at a regulated temperature and never talk to strangers that want money from you,
- Ross

Contentious Carriages of the Understated

One can never ignore this date in America ever again. Six years ago today I was in Manhattan on that fateful day. I remember my father telling me that it will be a day I will never forget and it has never diminished for me. Alas, but we can do no more but I fail to see the connection to the War in Iraq and the current state of chaos that has become our nation. I wish our president would stop trying to cash in on the same tragedy.



I left work early today. That's a first in a long while. I have tomorrow off of post production work too. I have not had a day off in 15 weeks. I almost don't know what to do with myself. I don't watch movies that much anymore and that's not by choice. I have not worked on too much that didn't take less than an hour in longer than the 15 weeks of employment. Maybe I'll go to a matinee and see Jet Li kick some ass. That's always something I would enjoy. Anything but editing because if I stare at any editing software right now, my eyes will bleed.

On to new business. HORRORS OF WAR finally and officially on DVD. How about that? November 6th, 2007 will be the day that I can finally enjoy a bit more of the fruitions of our labor. I am jazzed because we have confirmation that our COMMENTARY track is being used and at least some form of the documentary which will be nice to see on an official DVD somewhere.

HORRORS OF WAR is available for pre-sale at Amazon.com, the screenplay and the book at AMAZON.COM too. How's that for making our first dent into popular culture? I have never had anything for sale on Amazon.com before, so it feels googily.



HORRORS OF WAR has come on DVD from Netherlands. The collection is growing. I got my discs, but they switched from the red cover art to the Hitler Blue cover art. With the recent acquisition of the German DVD and the Japanese DVD I had from last year, I have an ever expanding collection of my own movie on DVD. I swear to you, my droogies, that the day that something like getting a foreign version of my own movie starts to be a bore that will be the day I stop making movies. Right now, I get giddy like a school girl every time something, anything happens with the movie.

One last HORRORS OF WAR announcement. If you are ever told by someone that they were somehow involved with the project or more specifically that the project originated with them, and yet their name ain't in the credits – guess what? THEY ARE LYING. I originated HORRORS OF WAR. No one else did. This was my baby and it evolved into something several people contributed to, but it started with me. There's a difference between being offered a chance to read the script and be involved and claiming (falsely) that the project "originated" with you. HORRORS OF WAR was made in spite of all the blowhards who talk about making movies and never do. Sorry folks, but the truth is that anyone that was remotely involved in the making of the movie is in the credits all of which are on IMDB by now.



I have added two new Sonnyboo hats to my cap collection. Since I am going bald, hats seem like a nice alternative. I like the simple promotion. At the "B" Movie Festival and the Indie Gathering, I got recognized more from my moniker than my actual name. I guess that means the promotions work and work well.



The latest award came in the mail today. BEST MAKE UP FX from the Fright Night Film Festival. That makes 5 awards total for HORRORS OF WAR and I don't really keep track of the overall Sonnyboo record. I am an award winning filmmaker. I guess that's why I keep winning awards. I fooled them! I fooled them all! Now, if only I can trick Sundance or Toronto into giving me one too. My evil plans are coming to fruition and all I did was making movies and submit them and magical faeries (U.S. Postal Carriers) brought me award certificates.



I did a short little shoot this past Saturday, but things did not go as planned. There were some upsides, but overall I cannot finish this project for a while. An actor was a no show and this has whacked everything out of line. Not being able to finish will drive my OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) batty, but what else can I do? I have become more of a perfectionist than I ever was before. When I did music, I was all about the emotion of the take and mistakes and all, it stayed. These days, I'm tinkering for years and nothing ever feels finished. The oft-attacked George Lucas says that films are never finished, they are abandoned and I am inclined to agree with him. I revisit and tinker a lot. The other day a short film website asked for my old film MINIVAN specifically and I could not resist removing what I now consider to be awkward pauses and 2-3 lines of dialogue.

That's all I can muster. I think I'll put in a little DVD and subject myself to voluntary suspension of disbelief at the hands of one of my idols. Who shall it be? Joss Whedon? Ridley Scott? Peter Wier? Neil Labute? Ah, now I have to make hard decisions.

Peace my acolytes of Boo. Even if your skin is brown and you worship Allah.
- Ross

Panels & the B Movie

Yesterday I made the trek to Indiana for the "B" Movie Celebration. First up, a Director's Panel with Tom Savini, Lloyd Kaufman, Jim Wynorski, Dan Hall, & Jim O'Rear. It was moderated by ___ and I had a blast. I have met Lloyd Kaufman several times, although every time I introduce myself, I never mention it because this guy meets several thousand filmmakers, nonetheless people, every year, so I don't expect myself to make that much of an impression on him. I finally met Tom Savini face to face, which after meeting and working with so many people who worked with him, that was nice.



During the panel, the moderator, Steve "Papaw" Pyatte, aimed questions at us and make sure that HORRORS OF WAR got mentioned prominently, to which I am shocked given the resume of the other people on the panel. Jim Wynorski just directed another feature for the Sci Fi Channel, Tom Savini directed Dawn of the Dead + starred in From Dusk Till Dawn and Grindhouse, and then there's me. I'm not in the same league with these guys. I was supposed to be representing the "B" Movie Director of Tomorrow, with the "B" movie directors of yesterday and today. One thing that cannot be denied is that Lloyd Kaufman is not only a marketing whore (like myself), but his passion is unparalleled. Tom Savini spoke much the artistry and his sincerity came through clearly.



After the panel, the first and most important comment made to me was from Tom Savini who asked a lot about HORRORS OF WAR. He really wanted to see it, and I felt flattery. I then talked to Lloyd and thanked him for his honesty to many a filmmaker to whom he will not lie and say, "I'll distribute your first movie, but you're not going to make any money on it. No one makes any money on their first feature." I've heard that from several first time directors and read this in interviews, etc. and for many people it's true, but unlike shyster companies, he's upfront and clear.


The screening went well. I still can't sit in on HORRORS OF WAR anymore. I can't watch the movie again yet. Still not distant enough. I did an intro, and of course the customary Q&A. I love Q&A. It's like trying out material as a stand up, only it's a niche audience and with this movie, I've been trying out my routine for 2 years now. I have an idea what stories amuse and interest people about the movie, but truthfully I love talking about making movies. This part never bores me. What WE accomplished on this film does not fall short of amazing. I feel like our story should be told which is where the WebDocs & the documentary come from. People seem interested in these stories MAKING the film more than the movie itself.



Afterwards, one of the things you do at a festival is hang out & talk to people. Normally, I don't do this. Contrary to how open I appear on a blog, I'm actually not that into personal appearances. They make me uncomfortable. So my faux confidence results from compensating for my short comings in social settings. So, after a screening and a Q&A, my instinct is to go home or hide in a dark corner by myself and over analyze how people felt about the movie and my talk. Last night was a rare exception where I went to a bar and talked with some of the festival organizers and other filmmakers. We chatted for hours. As I expected, the film scene in Indianapolis is the same as Columbus and Cleveland and Cincinnati, and everywhere. There are always these egos and misunderstandings from the Internet. I think it's the new web-culture more than anything that causes all this nonsense.



I did finally get Windows Vista -- off of my new main editor. Thank god. It was using 700-800 MEG of RAM just sitting there. Now it hovers more around 200-300, and the rest can blissfully be used in my actual video editing endeavors. Damn Microsoft --. I love the new speed of the dual core processing from Intel -- and how it rips through my basic processing like butter. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to really do much with it though. I've been juggling 800 gigs of files from the basement to the upstairs computer and vice versa. Everything is wacky in terms of my file management. My OCD has tweaked out and I'm in denial, so I basically shut down my thought process.

I vacuumed Friday. This is momentous since our vacuum cleaner died. "V" freaked out. If you don't know anything about cats, they are all about their environment. They rub their oils on furniture (and people) to mark their territory. So when you vacuum or clean, you're nuking their markings and basically offending them. Combine that with the oppressive sounds and you're torturing your feline family members. Of course, I derive much amusement from this. Cousette and "V" look at me like I just killed their friend.



I was happy that my most recent debate online never delved into the realm of name calling. It was frustrating for several people to try to fight our own pig-headedness, but it never got misunderstood as a fight. Although, truth be told in a private email, personal statements, assumptions, and I even got a single name calling on me – but by addressing it by saying, "let's not go there, it's not personal." We got through it unscathed, albeit no one changed their minds about anything, but ironically, I'll bet we all think that the peanut gallery believes we "won" the debate. No one changed their minds. I fought hard for no other reason than the fact that I believe in all aspects of life that there is no such thing as "better" except for our own personal beliefs. It's no different than debating which religion is right. It can only be "better" for yourself.

I detest competition because of this belief. For all that people might assume or believe that I am arrogant, I think it's important to notate that my belief structure does not allow me to think I am "better" than anyone. There is no such thing for me. It's like comparing apples and a Cadillac, it's so different. I hate sports because I don't really like the idea of trying to "beat" other people as that seems futile to me. Can you really compare two athletes and say one is truly "better" than another one? Some people can, and I think they are entitled to their opinion. I myself cannot. I don't see the comparison between two people and their own separate physicality's, experiences, and skill sets and making a valid reconciliation.



I guess that's why so many filmmakers view filmmaking as a form of sport, as if there are winners and losers. Too many people spend time trying to be "better" than another filmmaker as opposed to just trying to be "better" than their last film. It's hard (impossible) for me to relate since I am singularly concerned with making myself better and I don't rate myself against other filmmakers per se. I can think someone like John Whitney is "better" than me, but that draws no inspiration for me. It never occurs to me to think about what someone else is doing or has done and then try to top it or even factor it in to what I am doing. At best, I can draw inspiration in someone's success, wish them well in their endeavors and apply maybe a technique, like using more dolly/crane shots that were effectively used or even start uploading videos to a website.

This idea of filmmaking as a competition even goes into the realm of keeping film festivals, websites, or other resources to themselves. Either because they don't want to share or just to play the odds of having less people to compete with, regardless for me, I generally share my resources. What have I got to be afraid of? If someone else gets "picked" or discovered, I'd find a way to use that to my advantage. If John Whitney had made it on ON THE LOT and I didn't, all I could think was how cool it would have been. I'd have even sat through the entire first episode if someone I knew got that chance. I'm not saying it wouldn't have been hard (really really really really hard), but I'd have stomached it. I'd have been his biggest cheerleader no less. Luckily, fate likes me enough that I did not have to test my ability to avert blood pouring out of my eyes and my soul sucked into the void of reality TV.



I need more hours in a day. I can do so much more if somehow more hours were added to a day. My list of THINGS TO DO slowly compiles into a heap of Tomorrow's. Not for long. Things will slow down and all shall be well. I did some jogging. That was hard for me. I haven't done much of that since junior high, but lord knows I needed it. I won't be Kevin Smith. I cannot allow myself to procrastinate, plus my luck isn't as good as his. I don't mean the hot wife, or even the film career – I mean in the realm of health. He's luckier than me. As for hot wife, I've got my Sexy Fiancé Veronica sleeping next to me all nuded up as I type, so I feel that a fat bastard like me does in fact have some luck (a lot actually).

Like a dream long forgotten, Maverick Entertainment handed me an official release date of the HORRORS OF WAR DVD. November 6th, 2007 will be a day long remembered. First the death of Obi Wan Kenobi, and soon the end of the rebellion… wrong movie. Now maybe I can get excited about the movie again, even for a short while. Maybe then I can stomach editing on the documentary too. It's hard to work on it myself. It's yesterday to me and I'm trying to get into tomorrow.

Monday starts another work week. I have a stockpile of movies unwatched, so I'd like to see something. HOT FUZZ remains the top movies I'm struggling to find time for. I still dig SPACED far more from the same writer/star (Simon Pegg) and writer/director (Edgar Wright). That UK TV series was top notch writing/directing/acting and thank god Bret & Linda got me into that. What an effect that had on my eyes. More people should look into SPACED.

This was a big one, so enough of my yakking. Let's boogie.

Peter John Ross,
Undeserving of the Panel I was on

Hot Love on the Hot Love Highway

I survived the Indie Gathering yet again this year. I was on 5 panels for indie filmmaking with some of the usual suspects and some new filmmakers. It seems this year had the widest reach in terms of the number of people from all over the country. I met some filmmakers from Houston Texas with dirt on Robert Rodriguez and a guy from Florida whose movie looked fantastic via the trailer, so I'm hoping to get a copy in the mail.

I was actually asked to watch a movie so that they can use my quote. He said, "Everybody knows Sonnyboo" and that was a staggering moment for me. I wore my "Sonnyboo" hat more out of a need to use hair gel and less about promotion, so this brought me recognition unexpected. Even as My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- and I were leaving, someone asked me if I was that guy from the Sonnyboo website and said thank you for all the forms on the site. That felt great. I enjoy giving out the free stuff. Sure, it's a promotion to get people on the site, recognize the name, but then again I don't really ask for anything in return, so I feel just fine. I just remember needing things like location agreements, actor contracts, storyboard templates, and stuff like that when I first started and there wasn't anything like that, so I am providing for other filmmakers what I always wished for myself.



In terms of sales, I sold a few books, including a couple of the Horrors of War Illustrated Screenplay. I think it's really groovy. It's not only a promotional item, it has some educational elements to it, dealing with screenplay development and pre-production, as well as post production and editing effects on the screenplay. It will sell better once the movie comes out on DVD… whenever that might be. I got a few compliments on innovative marketing techniques for my films.

I don't really enjoy the panels too much. They tend to be about the filmmakers themselves and not filmmaking/general topics. I always try to maintain a difference between facts and my personal opinion. I put out a disclaimer that "this is my personal preference, not a law". The editing panel was interesting because everyone seemed to want to know about editing in general, so I showed clips from my editing class DVD instead of things from my movies. I had more offers to buy my Editing Class DVD than the Sonnyboo short film DVD.



Johnny Wu is the greatest, there's no 2 ways about it. He is the godfather of cinema in Cleveland, regardless of any film czars or friends of executive producers of the Lord of the Rings. Johnny Wu knows everyone and most people love him. Even though he may or may not be my illegitimate father, I think he's got it going on.

I am incredibly sentimental about my youth in a small town called Wadsworth, Ohio, home of the blue tip matches. It seems every small town has some claim to fame, theirs is being the original home of the blue tip matches, and they continue to have a blue tip parade every summer even though the factory moved to some other city nearly 30 years ago. I lived there from age 5 to 12 and my time there remains the best in my life.

I make a trek to Wadsworth about once a year. Usually en route to or from Cleveland, I make the side step over to Wadsworth off of I-76. After the Indie Gathering, I made it a point to go to Marie's Pizza with My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- so we scheduled our return home with dinner. When I was a kid we had Marie's Pizza in Wadsworth all the time.

Marie's Pizza is a small mom & pop restaurant in downtown Wadsworth, off the beaten path. It had maybe 12 tables and one of the reasons I adore this place, aside from great pizza, is that it seemed untouched by the hand of time. Their menu had only changed once in 30 years and that was directly due to my friend Maurice. They had chocolate pudding listed as a dessert and every time he ordered it, they would tell them they don't have it anymore and his response was that, "it's on the menu!" so at some point right after that, they removed the pudding from the menu, but everything else remained the same. If you read my blogs, I have mentioned this place at least 5-6 times. I ate there en route to Manhattan to meet with investors; I ate there after numerous trips to Cleveland.

My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- and I head out from Cleveland and arrive in Wadsworth at about 3:45PM. I drive through the downtown area of Wadsworth, passing the Lutheran church I attended as a boy with it's large spires puncturing the sky. The old downtown remains very similar to how it always has, and we drive up to the little restaurant and there is a giant sign on the door reading "Business For Sale". The place was dark inside and there was no sign of anything in there. My heart was crushed. I had a flurry of emotions from anger, to disappointment, to hunger, and near depression. The anger was at how it seemed that the giant mega-corporations took down a small business, and I was depressed because a part of my youth just died before my eyes. We pulled out of the parking lot and decided to look for alternate food, but in my mind all I could think was no matter what I eat at that moment, it wasn't going to satisfy me.

We drove back north towards I-76 where the newer section of town was in search of alternate dining. There was an Applebee's on the left… God that sounded awful, but what else was there? As I get in the turn lane, My Sexy Fiancé Veronica -- says, "Isn't that a Marie's right there?" and I thought it was just some kind of coincidence. Then my eyes spot the same logo of a woman from the 1970's holding a pizza over her head. It was like a mirage, so I pull out of the turn lane and go to this strange site. It was the same logo. The stand alone building looked brand new and it was huge, I mean bigger than most places.

We go in and it is the exact same layout as the old place, but greatly increased in size. There's still a pickup window in front of the kitchen for carry out, and they even have a pinball machine and 2 arcade games. Then the actual restaurant has a bar now and probably 100 tables now. At 4:00PM on a Sunday, they were packed to the hilt. Our server was a 7 year veteran, unusual since everyone else looked like they were 16 years old, and she said they moved to this location in January, and the menu (which was brand new and 6 pages long now) was very different, but the pizza was the same. We ordered a large pep, and tried it out. It was the same, meaning it was excellent.



I was floored by everything. Normally, I would hate change, but this was a nice place. It was still a small business, but they were contending with the big corporations and kicking their asses. Not only that, but at its core, it's still the same food and that's more important than the geographical location. I had a broad range of strange emotions in a 10 minute period in that I felt my childhood got killed in some small way, only to see that it grew up & moved away.

I ate my leftover pizza this morning right before typing this up. I am already full again, and they say that your sense of taste and smell are the ones most tied to memory because sight and sound are used more often, so when you taste something you remember, it's more powerful to the memories, and never is that more true for me than with Marie's Pizza and my years as a rambunctious youth in Wadsworth Ohio. I think the reason I make a trek there and eat this cholesterol grenade of grease and tomato is because it reminds me of happy times and a more naïve mindset I once had.

Well, I'm off to edit some TV spots of the Family Channel. Yeeeee hhaaaaaawwww!

- Peter John Ross

Fantastic Plastic Machine!

Fantastic Plastic Machine!
Aug 1st, 2007

Ahhhhhh, I am beginning to feel some serenity. Scott has returned and I am no longer minding the store. The hours were mad crazy, but the pay was decent, so the Ross is content. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the idea of having semi-steady income again. Being a freelancer, money comes, and money goes, and money sometimes comes in big and other times small. Regular money in regular intervals makes for a more reliable schedule.

My Sexy Fiancé Veronica started not one but two jobs. We see each other sporadically, but our time is Quality Time when we do. I'm glad she's back at work because now I can save up for a newer car. I'll save for about 6 months, and then shop around a bit.




Since Saturday's are more likely for My Sexy Fiancé Veronica to be off work, we've been catching the CAPA SUMMER MOVIES to see some classics on the big screen at the Ohio Theater, a kick ass 1920's theatre that's been refurbed and preserved. We dig it lots. I took her to see NORTH BY NORTHWEST, the great Hitchcock film from 1959. The 35mm film print was in great shape considering its age. I hate old movies, but seeing CITIZEN KANE for the first time on a pristine 35mm print at the Ohio 8-9 years ago got me into a bunch of films I normally would never have seen. My old roommate Shannon dragged me to that screening and I've been going every year since. This past weekend we saw DR. NO, the first ever James Bond film and Sean Connery's first performance as Bond. I've seen this flick about 40 times in my life since my father is a huge Bond fan, and I still saw more detail and image than ever before. This week is another Hitchcock, this one being ROPE, the movie that takes place in one single take. Unfortunately, My Sexy Fiancé Veronica is working, so I'll be taking my mistress, another hottie and an even younger one. Sadly, my commitment to the INDIE GATHERING this weekend will prevent me from seeing CADDYSHACK on Friday night. It's a one time screening so I'll miss it this year.

I am being pulled hard to do some more shorts. Since it's for a studio, I'm wavering on my lack of desire to do anything. I might choose to produce and not direct. I've got too much editing work to do. There is The Derek's feature, a commercial, some actor's reels, and my own feature documentary, and that's just THIS Month's extracurricular editing outside of the full time job editing for a production company. I've been tagging spots for MTV2 and the FOOD NETWORK en masse. It's not thrilling, but there are far worse ways to make a living. I rather enjoy the process and thank god (wherever she is) that I don't have to work a day job or live with my parents which turns out psychopaths like Cho from Virginia Tech.



ZO WESSON, the host & producer of Cincinnati's VIEWFINDER show on PBS, on which I have made 2 appearances, has been selected as a contestant on the reality-game show PRODUCER for TV GUIDE's channel. I wish Zo a ton of luck. He deserves it. He was at the regional Emmy's recently on the gig I had to cancel on for camera op several weeks ago. If I had known, I might have left the E.R. and gone to see him on stage because he's hilarious. When I had first met him, he knew all about DIRECTOR's COMMENTARY and director Peter DeLane, my own personal inspiration as a director. Peter DeLane represents everything I aspire to as a director, more than Spielberg, Lucas, Ridley Scott, Peter Jackson, Kubrick, etc.

I have a few copies of my book printed up for this weekend to see if anyone's interested. Should be fun. My Sexy Fiancé Veronica has arranged to be with me, so I'm sure with some provocative outfits, and when I'm hosting panels, the boys (and possibly girls) will flock to the Sonnyboo both to purchase items and hit on the pretty girl. I have to remember to order a Sonnyboo Thong for My Sexy Fiancé Veronica before we leave.



My health appears to be on the rise. I have to learn to stop wavering on my habits and create a routine. So far, so good, but it's not really that far. Sleep schedules getting mucked up wreak the most havoc on the energy levels. I wish I were more like my pal "V".

"V" is a demon. No two ways about it. We spoilt him. That's not in question. After Spaz died, we lavished "V" with attention and love. Now that we're trying to work more and not be at home as much, he's acting out. "V" already broke my red neon "open" sign that My Sexy Fiancé Veronica gave me for Xmas a few years ago. He chews on My Sexy Fiancé Veronica's clothes and whines and cries at the door when he wants to go out on a leash, but that's pretty much 24-7. I don't really know how to satiate him whilst also trying to discipline the guy. It's like mini-parenting with an unreasonable and wicked smart creature. Cousette just sleeps a lot. No change there.

Two guys from the Ohio State University's REEL BUCKEYE have been editing a few nights a week here at Rossdonia. I only met them once before, and they asked if they could use my AVID to cut their documentary and I said sure. They are editing a documentary on the Columbus Film scene. It's history, its current climate, the things going for it and against it; these are all subject to examination. I got interviewed for it almost a year ago, and since then they contacted several other relevant/important figures in the community to round it out. It started out solely as a "behind the scenes" of the Reel Buckeye feature film THREE EASY PAYMENTS. Ohio State University used to have a film school, but it was disbanded in 1991. Local fixtures like Scott Spears, John Whitney, Tom Bauman, and more all attended the OSU film school. In the last 2-3 years, the OSU students took it upon themselves to do more than just make a little hobby club, they made a "design your own Film Major", and then created a group that produces feature length movies. They started out as "Buckeye Searchlight" and mimicked the process of Project Greenlight to chose their script, and after that, it became the more palatable Reel Buckeye group. Officially, OSU now has a Film Major due to their collective efforts, but there still is no graduate program or true film production classes. Maybe they will continue to chip away at the bureaucratic bricks until that wall comes down too.



Seeing that their feature switched over to the controversial Columbus Film scene, a recurring topic is about how it sucks to be a filmmaker in Columbus, Ohio. Some people are "glass is half full" and others are "glass is a cynical object that is somehow preventing me from succeeding in the film industry". I do have to say that it's not the city that's a problem, it's you. All opportunities in life are what YOU make of them, not the geography and not someone else's fault. YOU can make anything happen, and no city or other imaginary obstacles can stop you from achieving all of your dreams. Blaming the city you live in is just some pussy cop out because you don't want to accept responsibility for your own failings. If you oppose this point of view, then all I can offer is one amazingly simple answer to the query – If you do think that Columbus sucks, then LEAVE. Move somewhere else. If you aren't willing to work hard enough, save the dough, and go to some other city where supposedly your filmmaking talents will miraculously be recognized, then stop complaining, losers. I still firmly believe that you can't blame a map for your lack of recognition. Maybe filmmaking isn't for these whiners.

I'm just sitting upstairs while they edit away in the basement. I have a new main editing computer, but it came with Windows Vista which is hardly a usable OS for video editing. It's like a MAC OS for PC users. It's a resource hog from hell and none of my video editing programs work well in it. It's like trying to fly a jet engine with a kite string. I can't even get rid of the partition and install Windows XP again. It's frustrating, but at some point soon when I work out the bugs. I just want to edit, and I want this fast machine to keep up with me, not slow me down. Argh.


Peace and love + good happiness stuff for my acolytes,
The Ross of Rossdonia

Gather All Ye Indies

Ahoy their acolytes of Boo. This is your captain speaking and I'm here to rock your world. Not really, I'm quoting the Artist Formerly Known as and currently known as Prince from a 1995 track. Your faithful narrator has been a busy worker bee. Many things happen and work has been accomplished. I have been covering for my sometimes boss as he teaches in one of the Carolina's, I don't think I'll ever be able to tell them apart since I don't do any work there in those states yet. Instead of being a free-from-responsibility freelancer, I've been trying to take care of business.

It's very odd to have a semi-regular income again. It's been so long that a week ago I over-paid on my utilities. I found a "past due" notice and paid it up, not knowing that it was a bill from April. It seems utility companies tend to keep the extra money and apply it to your next bill, since you know… you'll owe them more money anyway. I'm okay with that, it just means I have less money owed next month. I won't be writing any new checks for many weeks. That feels good in it's own way.

Next up, a new car methinks. Something classier and definitely more reliable. I'm sick of the sporty, sleek, penis cars. No more mustangs, unless it's a 2006 model with blue racing stripes. Even then, I might have to pass on it because I'm sick of the unreliable vehicles that look good.

We're coming up on the 2007 INDIE GATHERING in Cleveland where I have been going for the last 2 years. I'm already set to be on at least 3 filmmaking panels and have a booth. This year, I have my book to sell, as well as a new publication, the HORRORS OF WAR ILLUSTRATED SCREENPLAY in book form. It's a test bed of maybe 4-5 copies to see if anyone's interested. The storyboards by Mike Bruinsma (as well as Dan Kiely and Shawn Collins) are pretty good. We'll see what people respond to. I plan on having a blast, as I will be hanging with the Great & Powerful Johnny Wu for a weekend and that has yet to be non-fun.




Somewhere in the last week I have found a reservoir of energy. I've been cleaning at home a bit more, doing more things, and still finding time to start watching movies again, albeit slowly. I watched LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE again last night. Great flick and one I saw 90% of at the theatre, but then had to go to the movie I actually paid for. It pays off in the end in a big way. Loved it, I did.

I found a Japanese company that is selling copies of my short film, or at least I think so. It's hard to read.



I continue to sell more copies of the BEST OF SONNYBOO DVD. I chalked up 4 more sales this week alone. I don't really advertise this or anything. It's just there. People buy it. Go figure. I won't try to analyze it; I'll just keep making my PayPal deposits.

Because of the INDIE GATHERING, I have a nice deadline to get more done on the HORRORS OF WAR feature length documentary. I'd like to have something to show in some way. It's got it's points, but editing full time, then coming home to edit doesn't make for a well-rested Rossman. It makes a cranky, burned out, eyes bleeding Ross-person. Combine that with the editing on Derek's ETERNAL, and the Ross needs sleep, and the Ross needs more time to his-self.

I just finished digitizing 25 tapes of HD footage on ETERNAL. It was a pain in the ass, but it's done and it all fit on my internal drives (dutifully backed up to 2 portable drives as well). There are now 6 Standard Definition (SD, regular mini DV) tapes to digitize, but I can get those ingested into my edit system later. There's less of a rush on those. FYI – Today is THE DEREK's BIRTHDAY.


I am receiving script pages 1-2 times a week for what may very well be my next feature film. I have not decided which one of 2 projects will go next. I want the scripts to be perfect first. We shall see. Neither will begin shooting before 2008. I will continue to make some income, deal with my health issues (need to keep trying to get in better shape), and all other things that come from being me.

In the HORRORS OF WAR category, not much new to report. We got another check in to disperse to investors. That's always great news. I like giving back to the hands that helped me. When it is possible, writing checks out feels better than anything else. Scott Spears showed some of the WEBDOCS to students, who then demanded to see the film itself. I think there is a definite market for the film… if it actually gets released in the U.S. It's not a film for everyone; it's not even a masterpiece by any stretch, but it's a fun movie with something abnormal to it. I think the bending of the genres worked for our story. I can live with the opposing points of view, as I am content with the movie.

"V" sleeps in the window, staring into the universe. Brandy sleeps on the couch behind me. Cousette whines and cries for attention. All is well in Rossdonia on this peaceful Sunday. Peace out my homies.

- Ross

The Girl from a Pawnshop, She Talks to Angels

Well, I'm now working more than I have in years. Not since my first year at Tavares Teleproductions have I worked this many hours. Luckily, my skill-set has improved and I can be more efficient with my time. Editing TV spots for the Food Network & MTV2 aren't all bad. There are far worse ways to make a living.






This past Tuesday, I taught an abridged version of my edit class for several hours to inner-city kids. During the lunch break, one of the students commented on the HORRORS OF WAR Poster on the wall, asking if I knew anything about the movie. I said, "Sure", and then proceeded to play the trailer. Even the 3 girls were blown away. When it became clear in the class, via the Webdocs with me in them, that I was one of the makers of the film, they seemed to take on a different attitude. I was given a compliment of the highest order; they said the movie was going to be "Off the Hook". I think I can safely say there are at least 7-8 new copies for rent from that class. Now if only the movie would get released in North America. Maybe this November. Maybe not. Who knows?

We just got another award for HORRORS OF WAR. In August, we'll receive the "B-Movie top emerging B Filmmaking talent" by a B-movie convention. I'm also going to be on a panel with Lloyd Kaufman & Jim Wynorski. I can't wait, so I'll be attending this one. I'm there to represent the "unknown" filmmaker. I still can't watch the movie again, as I have seen it far too many times.

Progress on the feature length documentary has continued in due course. I'm setting a kind of deadline for late September. I doubt this will get any kind of public release, but this is what we are going to give to cast & crew as a free thank you for working on the movie. Timing this out to coincide with a DVD release would be great, but there are no guarantees with a "tentative" release date.

One last HORRORS OF WAR update, on the German Amazon.com (Amazon.de) the reviews are sharply in contrast of those who love it and those that hate it. That seems to really sum up people's feelings about the film. They either love it or hate it. I think that really is the secret of all movies. Some people love your movie, some people hate it. Get used to it kids. That's normal and that's life. There are some movies I hate that other people love. Go figure. Only amateurs & hobbyists don't understand that.

I have been dealing with technical issues on Eternal for the Derek. I have been capturing, then re-capturing the footage trying to tweak everything just right to edit in HD with the AspectHD codec. It seems to work much smoother with the JVC HD110 than the Sony line of HDV. The solution was to use a cheaper Sony HDV Handicam so that the capturing goes smoother, and Jesus Marimba that works so much better. After this weekend, we'll be all caught up on everything that's been shot so far, plus we'll be finishing off the rest of what they are shooting this weekend. Once it's all digitized, I am making 2 backups on the 2 portable 500 Gig drives Derek bought. Redundancy can never be bad. Always protect the data, and protect it often. I'm down to 1 intern helping on this project and I need at least 2-3 more. Assistant Editors have become the lifeblood of my editorial process. I like the team aspect, especially when it's not my own project, although I will probably institute this process into my own movies from here on out. Collaboration seems to increase the quality in the edit.

All of my feature work is on hold for a little bit. I want to develop the screenplays more fully and be 100% sure they are ready to roll. I value the script above all else these days. I want to choose my material very carefully and make the best possible movie based on what will be the blueprint.

Lately, I've been listening to my old CD's. The Black Crowes had so much more passion in their style than I remember. I had a bunch of CD's, but only listened to a few tracks. Now I'm devouring the entire catalog. Chris and Rich Robinson conveyed a depth and soul rarely heard in popular music, especially from ones as young as they were.

As for the world of Rossdonia the controversy is abound. "V" was convicted of turning over the names of the kitties that spilled the water dish on Brandy's computer. I commuted his sentence and this caused uproar in Rossdonia. I know he broke the law, but he's my friend, so I let him off the hook. The scorn & ridicule he and his family have been through was enough. I know that Paris Hilton spent a few weeks in jail, but this is different. I know this guy, so I'm letting him off. Besides, it's old news. Let's move on because I have better things to do than answer for my own questionable actions.

Needs for Succor, for the Sake of Demulcent Inklings

Needs for Succor, for the Sake of Demulcent Inklings

July 1^st 2007

A lot can happen in a few short weeks these days. Some good, some bad, but things do happen. The universe tends to keep a somewhat balance over events, but for me, some things are more relevant than others. My priorities don’t resemble more other peoples. I’ll make somewhat eccentric choices.

To start, I had a few minor emergencies that sent me back to the Hospital. That was fun, especially being uninsured. What sucked most was that it cost me $450, and I was due to make $450 that night on a camera op job. So in essence, I am down $900 all in one day.

My health is a concern to me. I lost weight, changed my diet substantially, and yet I still have certain things crop op. I guess I really am getting older. I always believed if you never grew up on the inside, then the outside would remain the inner 11 year old I am in my head. I guess not. Have no fear Acolytes, your faithful narrator is not in that bad a shape; I am merely experiencing a set back. I have to take a little time off for myself and slow down my pace of late.

I did experience extreme burnout already. Going from freelance job to freelance job, on set and production house to production house, then coming home only to stare at a computer monitor again for hours on end started to really get to me. Combine that with other health issues and your faithful narrator was in a bad way. There were several consecutive 20 hour days, and no full days off for over a month.



The freelance work has remained steady. Since My Sexy Fiancé Veronica ™ is no longer a sexy stewardess, guess who is taking up all the slack? That’s right, I am the breadwinner. I am returning the favor for a fallow time when my income was less than stellar not so many years ago. As I already stated previously, I love that I can provide the cushion for her as she did for me. Not only is she sexy, but we rely on each other in times of need on every level. I dig that, and I really dig My Sexy Fiancé Veronica ™. It’s because we have each other we don’t have to live with our mommy or daddy like total slack-ass losers.

We have, what I believe to be, a picture lock on Goodnight Cleveland. We have sent a DVD to the director, Miguel, in San Jose for his approval. I moved pretty quickly from an assembly edit to rough cut to fine cut, to picture lock on it. George Caleodis was in town, so much was discussed and much thought went into the structure of the film. The movie is split between the drug deal drama story, and the sad story of a failing comedy group that no one thinks is funny. I personally loved the sad story, and found it sardonically funny. I wanted to shift the focus more on that and minimalize the Lethal Weapon-esque drug story. I was able to do that while maintaining the integrity, but we need final approval from the director. Now the soundtrack is in the hands of Micah to be cleaned up and made pretty… as pretty as it can be. I will work on the mix when we have a cleaned up dialogue track and help lay in music from the Caleodis archives.

As soon as that was done, I got hired, officially, to edit an HDV feature from the Derek. Derek’s feature film debut ETERNAL has begun digitizing here in HD. I have added a new intern to help on this and the others will shift focus to ETERNAL from GOODNIGHT CLEVELAND. Not much has been done due to a technical glitch with the HD codec. It made digitizing a less than fun experience. I am blown away by the look of this Sony Z1 camera in 60i. Alex Esber has done some amazing work here. This will take my assistant editors some time to get it all ingested into my system, then I will split everyone into assignments of scenes to edit for an assembly, but unlike GOODNIGHT CLEVELAND, I’ll be in the mix right away with edits for the assembly so we can have as much finished as possible within a week or two of principal photography wrapping.

Sonnyboo Productions really is starting to become an indie film post production house. I hadn’t thought about it, but there really are a lot of short films and now features being posted here in my home studio. Because I wanted to be less reliant on any outside studios for anything, I did splurge on a mixer and microphone for the home studio. I have had to go to other studios to record simple voiceovers. Now I can do this entirely at home. If My Sexy Fiancé Veronica ™ gets a request, I can just record her here and email or FTP it. I am pleased with the signal-to-noise ratio and can clean up any extra sounds in my audio software.

For those looking for dish on my thoughts or feelings about being parodied, I have little to offer. I have taken on an attorney to deal with any copyright infringements, civil action, and even into the actual criminal activity relating to it. Aside from my meetings with the prosecutor’s office and the police this week, I have nothing more to say.

17+ million views on GROUPER.COM and climbing. Some movies only have tens of views, others a few thousand, then the magic three have over five million views each. I guess I know which ones people like more than others… Can’t argue with the stats. What is even more fascinating is that I never even knew that site existed until they solicited me to add some of the Sonnyboo movies. I’m at a stage now where I don’t have to do much as they come to me. I did discover a cool, high quality video site called REVVER.COM. It’s yet another in the long line of YouTube wannabe’s, but the quality is exceptional. There’s also FUNNY OR DIE from Will Ferrell, but they solicited me.



I got interviewed for a story with VIDEOMAKER MAGAZINE, which was cool. I have never had anything in that mag yet, so it was a score for me. What came as an even bigger surprise was that they loved my instructional videos and have asked that I become a freelance writer for their magazine and website too. I accepted the offer and got my first assignment which I am working on today. It’s paid work too. Looks good on a resume, as well as something I enjoy doing. That seems like low-stress work to me, and rewarding.



My health concerns, as well as legal ones, will keep me away from my feature film projects for a few months. I need to make money, and then even more money. That income will make life a bit healthier, pay for insurance, and cover the costs of attorney’s fees as I pursue justice.

As per my doctor’s orders, I made some “me” time and relaxed. I went to a double feature one night by myself of FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER and LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. Yet again, the FF movie surpassed my expectations, but then again they were really, really low. Oh Jessica Alba… so pretty, so… not diverse as an actress, and yet my eyes are drawn to your shape like the way a starving man looks at a buffet table. My only question concerning the 4th DIE HARD movie is this… why call it DIE HARD? Why not just make this a new movie without tying it to a series? The entire “John McLane” character was missing in this film. There was no story arc or character or emotion whatsoever. It’s as if they were hinging all that on people remembering some kind of character development from previous movies to anchor your emotion on… and for me it didn’t work at all. The action is good, but without motivation, who cares?

Well, this is for a relaxing day here in Rossdonia, home of the political kitties. My man “V” is a vicious little guy. He hates Micah, no one knows why. He goes from loving the petting to biting in seconds flat. No one knows why. Cousette is still attacked often and without cause. “V” has taken on the personality of the terrorist “V” from the movie/graphic novel.

All else shall be as it was meant to be.

Peace,
PJR
Award Winning Filmmaker