Author: Timpane

So, unless you’ve been hiding under a facebooky rock, you know that my film (in that I wrote, directed, cut, scored, and financed it) NINJAS VS ZOMBIES is finally out on DVD. Yup.. you can get it on Netflix, buy it from walmart.com or bestbuy.com (or a host of other places – just go to www.nvzmovie.com and click the DVD), you can watch it on demand with AMAZON VOD (if you have TiVO I think that is part of the deal), you can see trailers on youtube, read reviews at aintitcool, order our comic book, and basically bathe in NVZ goodness all over the intertubes.

And please do.. cuz it really helps me a lot, even if you just put it in your queue. That being said.. what a ride. We are currently in post production on the sequel “NINJAS VS VAMPIRES”, which is taking a crazy long time. Its a better, more complex film.. but it is WAY harder to make. We’ve been shooting since May, and ar eabout to go into reshoots in 10 days. (Thats all the time I have to get my sh*t together and get a rough cut assembled). Combine that with the publicity I’m doing on NvZ, and basically I never stop. Its kind of killing me (Although shares in wine and fast food are coincidentally up).

I don’t mean to complain. Its an amazing ride.. one that I am really proud of.. but its nearly time for a break. The worst of it is the “business part” – I used to laugh at the “I love the show – hate the business” line. What a load of crap, right? No.. its true.. the distribution stuff is murder. Contract negotiations and occasional shadiness – but also some really cool, honest folks there too. (Our Rep is really down to earth, despite having real Hollywood “ins” – her husband is a main character on a well known TV show).

There are stories I can’t tell, wish I could (will one day) – but meantime, clear your Halloween weekend for Ninjas Vs Vampires (probably in Leesburg.. BE THERE) – and grab NvZ on DVD. And drink one for me.. cuz I will likely be having two.

So, I rarely post anything I heard at Church, but this is worth quoting.

True story: A pastor went to a conference in the bible belt and when it was his turn to speak, he said: “40,000 people died of starvation today and you people don’t give a shit”. The conference drew in its collective breath and sat there slackjawed. He said: “I’ll say it again, 40,000 people died of starvation today and you people don’t give a shit.”. There was rumbling in the crowd, and he looked at them, and pointed out what I think is the difference between happy, pretty, right-wing, Fox-News watching “Christianity” and the kind of Christianity I want to believe in.

He said, (and I paraphrase): “Which part of that sentence really bothered you?” – because for many, it was the “curse” word, and in fact theres nothing really wrong with that word. We get so pissed off at politicians and people we work with, and that @$$hole who scratched our car. These little things that maybe, if we had a little perspective, we would brush aside, focusing our anger on real injustice or real pain, then maybe be moved to throw a couple of bucks toward folks who need it.

Whatever you believe, its a good message. Gonna go throw a couple more bucks toward Haiti, since I’m thinking about it. How bout you?

Haven’t blogged in awhile, but I thought that mentioning this on Facebook was too public.

What the hell happened to common courtesy? Twice today I am chagrined by the lack of courtesy shown to me by folks.

While the first is just a business call that was supposed to happen at a given time and didn’t, the second is more insidious (I don’t want to hate on the first too much because maybe he/she will drop a line tomorrow and have a really good reason).

The second.. manoman. Short version.. had a really good conversation with a dude awhile back about a project he was working on with a friend of mine. He expressed interest in hiring a couple of friends of mine, told me to give him their info and he would contact them. Days passed. nothing. I kept getting calls from my friends saying “haven’t heard back” – so I dropped an email. Silence. Waited a couple days. Called back. Nothing. Waited a week and wrote a friendly email saying “well, I guess things didn’t work out”, and wished the best. Nothing.

I met up with that friend of mine over the weekend, and relayed the story.. he said this guy was somehow concerned about my interest in his project.. and I suggested the idea of an email (now months later) to clear the air – which my friend said would be a good idea.

I sent the email.. basically saying “Sorry we got our lines crossed, I wish your project all the best” – and now, 3 days later.. nothing.

Now look.. I know that at times, folks may or may not like you, may or may not want to work with you.. but I can’t imagine a situation where I would just silently receive an olive branch and not even say thanks.. Years ago, a dear friend of mine and I lost touch and when I tried to friend her on myspace, she refused. I sent an email saying “what’s up” – and silence. Maybe she just didn’t want to be friends, and I’m okay with that.. but again.. courtesy – send an email back to say: “Thanks for the well wishes, but we’ve moved on”

Is it me? I always thought the idea was, if you get an email, generally, a response is expected. If you get a follow-up, then definitely you should respond, if only to say: “Sorry, not interested.” or “Yeah, best to you as well”.

I wonder if it is a facet of our email culture that you can skim past someone at your leisure – but I’ll be damned if, on this side, it doesn’t feel like an insult.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/startrek/startrek_trailer3_large.html

Its not a new dirty internet video, its a question.

My bro needs his windows system to run Unix from time to time. Seemed like this was the place to ask.

(Please state your answer in the form of a “dummy who isn’t way smart like you guys”)

Sometimes its untrue that no publicity is bad publicity, I think.

The animated STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS movie is a horrendous, unfunny, non-exciting, borefest that has very little redeeming value, except introducing us to spunky “Ashoka”, Anakin’s apprentice. And even then, you kind of hate her.

But this isn’t about that.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS on Cartoon Network is a different matter. The movie was the first three episodes strung together and it fails on that scale. Plus, like any first three episodes of a show, it doesn’t know what its trying to be. Like Trek or Buffy or Angel, the tone is all wrong, the characters unclear, and the idea is unpolished.

THEN, like those shows, they get it right. Unfortunately, lots of people heard how bad the flick was and have skipped the show, which, for Star Wars fans, is a mistake. While it is choppy (gotta get those plots wrapped up in 22 minutes), you see much more of the SW universe than you ever have. You meet cultures that are very new. You get to know a few of the clones (I like Rex a lot), and Ashoka comes into her own.

The show is basically set between Episodes 2 and 3, with Anakin and ObiWan (and occasionally Padme, Ashoka, Threepio, Yoda, and yes, even jar-Jar, who is not as bad here) representing the republic in diplomatic missions that tend to go wrong. Droids attack and the battles begin. From there, it gets darker, and we see a lot of the moral ambiguity of the Star Wars universe and war in general exposed. Clones rebel because they feel like slaves, a pacifist world is forced by the Jedi to abandon their ideals in order to survive, and villainous pirates are allowed to thrive because it benefits the republic.

Now, understand, it is a kids show, mostly. It has some cringe-y moments, but far fewer than Episodes 1 and 2 (Anakin is much better represented by this voice actor than Hayden Christiansen or Jake Lloyd) – but the show doesn’t hold back on the violence. Characters die, sometimes violently, and the action can be brutal.

All in all, as a total nerd, I love this show, look forward to it every week, and hope more people forget the movie and give it a shot. And, I think the Barnsonians will like it too.

Here it is.. “I like this ship! Exciting!!”

CLICK HERE FOR A REAL PEEK INTO THE FINAL FRONTIER

I wrote this over on Facebook, thought I’d share it here, too. You have it sir

You should know we’re scared. Many of us who voted for you, most of us who voted against you. We’re scared.

We’re scared because a lot of us are pro-life. We’re scared because a lot of us are Republican. We’re scared because a lot of us have said to our friends and family that you could be another Lincoln, sir.. and if you’re not.. if you go against the ideals of “The Audacity of hope”, if you fail to unite, if you swing major abortion legislation, if you fail to extricate us from our wars with honor and victory, if you fail to fix our economy – IF YOU FAIL TO BE PRESIDENT FIRST AND PARTY MEMBER SECOND.. then we’re lost.

Some are praying tonight they were right about you, and some are praying they were wrong. Hope always accompanies Fear, and you sir embody both to a lot of us.

God Bless you, Sir. God Bless the historicity of your position. God bless the people for whom you are a beacon. We see in you the potential for greatness.

Don’t let us down, America

Can’t believe Tim or Matt haven’t posted these up.. but check em out..

THE FIRST PICS OF THE NEW, IMPROVED, STAR TREK







Enjoy!

Hey all..

So, we’re doing an “Official Bootleg Screening” on Halloween night, and I’d love if any of you guys could come out and make it.

I know Halloween can be crazy, but we have 2 shows 9 and midnight, in Leesburg, VA. Go to www.nvzmovie.com to buy tix online.

More fun stuff to come.