But those damn slow days…you know, the days where you’ve done everything you can and are now knee deep in that painful waiting game in which you have no control over. Slow days are the days when the ball is in someone else’s court.

First, a little background. My writing/producing partners (Nabil Abou-Harb and Colin Ferri – geniuses in their own right) and I have finished the final draft of the feature version of Arab In America! For those of you who are not yet informed, Arab In America is a family comedy poking fun of the prejudices we all have towards one another, and more specifically Muslims. It is a movie that will make us laugh at how silly our actions sometimes are, and hopefully, reignite the American Dream in many people across the country. I truly believe it speaks beyond races and religions, and to put it simply, reminds us of how similar we all really are.  With any luck, Arab In America will be out late next year in 2011…10 years after 9/11…10 years of not much change.

The truth is, there are way too many slow days in development. I like to think of the development process as if I were climbing a mountain, say Everest, because its almost impossible. Even if you have all the gear you need to make it to the top, a snowstorm could swoop in out of nowhere and make the climb to the summit nothing more than a dream. You could try to push through, but sooner of later, you’ll realize you should turn back, because if you don’t, you’ll get frostbite and die a miserable lonely death. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather climb back down with my life and try again later because sometimes, it’s just not the right time.

Which brings me to another point. Nobody in their right mind would go mountain climbing by themselves. It’s too risky. The same goes with movies. The reason why we have gotten as far as we have with Arab In America is not because of any one person, though I do give much of the credit to Nabil and Colin, because it was their award-winning short film that has propelled us on this journey in the first place. An efficient team keeps everyone in check. A bad-idea doesn’t slip by unnoticed.

 
That looks suspiciously like Paramount’s logo doesn’t it….I wonder why…

Anyway! Back to Everest. I feel like we’ve been up and down the first half of this mountain for about a year now. There is always a storm, some twist of fate, that forces us to turn around and live for another day. Depending on who you are, you could call this cowardice, or just plain smart. I side with the latter for two reasons:

First Lesson: When developing a film, we learned early on to NOT put all our eggs in one basket. We decided to never count on only one thing coming through because chances are it probably won’t. It is easy to forget sometimes that you are dealing with real people, with their own personalities, and own problems — things that you have no control over. For us so far, this has usually been about the money. So, we’ve decided to spread our resources across multiple avenues to maximize our potential success in the shortest amount of time…I’ll let you know how it goes in a few weeks and/or months (depending on the number of slow days! yikes!)

If getting to the top of Everest is the same as getting into production, then I’d say we are about half-way there. We’ve been close to this halfway mark before, but the difference this time around is that I can see the summit because there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Hell, there’s barely any wind. It’s looking pretty good.

Yet, today is a slow day. Let’s just say, we don’t have the resources available to us at the moment to keep going just yet. The climb from here to the top is a steeper, more treacherous approach. We’re closer than we’ve ever been, but it’s a careful balancing act from this point forward, and it’s getting harder to stay on course. We need reinforcements, and luckily for us, we have found some. We’re just waiting for them to get here.

Second Lesson: At some point, know when you need extra help, and find it. It took us a while to find them, so I would say not to rush into any relationships until you genuinely get to know someone and what they are about. It obviously helps if they believe in the project as well. If you’re going to be doing business with people, make sure you get along with them, otherwise I would imagine the rest of the journey would be a truly painful experience.

That’s all I can say right now without screwing up any potential opportunities, so I hope my elongated metaphor didn’t put you to sleep. If we make it to the top, I’ll draw a map of the mountain chronicling the different stages and barriers we’ve had to go through. I could do it now, but I feel that would be premature. Wish us luck!

]]> http://www.skylightcinema.com/thomasverrette/?feed=rss2&p=149 0 http://www.skylightcinema.com/thomasverrette/?p=118#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed http://www.skylightcinema.com/thomasverrette/?p=118#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:21:55 +0000 admin http://www.skylightcinema.com/thomasverrette/?p=118 Hey everyone!

This is going to be a short one, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I have re-done the color correction for “I Am The Bluebird”, and the updated trailer says it all:

You might notice that this is not the same link to the trailer currently on youtube, and that is because you can’t update the video file, so I had to do a completely new post. The good news is that if you click the old one, you will be prompted to this one, and THIS ONE you can watch in HD 720P!!!!!!!!!!!

HD is awesome. Here’s a still from the film for the hell of it:

 
In case this is your first time hearing about my film (and if it is, Welcome to my blog! Please tell your friends!), I’ve put a brief logline below:

I Am The Bluebird is the story of a young man’s struggle to uncover the truth surrounding an illegal medical operation that was performed on him by his own father.

 
Also, I’m getting ready to release the special features from the DVD for all to see, so check back soon for updates. There will be some photos from the festivals as well! Thanks for tuning in!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is getting ready to take on 2010. I thought this would be a good time to reflect on my life in Los Angeles. It’s been almost a year (March 2nd will be my first official anniversary), and until 2010 officially began, I hadn’t thought too much about the benefits of being here, except for maybe on a day to day level.  The first thing that I should note, and I think this applies to anyone no matter what you are trying to do, is that you must be where your industry is. Los Angeles is my industry’s town. Film, Music, Media, I love it all, and it’s all here. And yes, I said town. Of course, Los Angeles is one enormous place. It takes hours sometimes to get from one side to the other, and there are almost 10 million people here (and apparently, they all have cars). But once you get in, you find yourself constantly running into the same people.

I got invited to my friend’s birthday party last month. So I went, and hung out, mingled, had a few drinks, made some new friends. Later, I wanted some fresh air, so I walked out onto the patio, and stopped dead in my tracks. ANOTHER friend of mine, who I had no idea knew my friend who’s birthday it was, was standing right there in front of me. Crazy, right? To top it off, they are both producers — one in music, one in film. Most of the people at this party where industry people to some extent. Guess who else showed up to my friend’s birthday party. John Singleton! Crazy, right?!

First Lesson: Get out on the town and talk to people! This wasn’t the first time something like this happened to me, and I’m sure it will happen again. As I’ve been pursuing my career, I’ve started to realize that so are a lot of other people, including many many many friends of mine. Everyone is doing something to get to the next step. Everyone wants to get in. Try not to get discouraged by the numbers, and take advantage of the fact that so many people love what you do.

Now, I can’t really consider myself in yet, but there are degrees, or circles, of in. For instance, I am not bumping shoulders with Steven Spielberg or JJ Abrams (yet!), but a filmmaker friend of mine told me the other day that they were both having a beer together in a bar she works at (ie. most people have more than one job!). And I frequent this place every so often. In fact, I went there a few times before I knew she ever worked there.

Let’s talk about my filmmaker friend for a second. I edited, scored, and did the sound design for her short film (yes, a female director! And there are plenty of them too. Get used to it guys!). I’m very proud of the finished product and so is she, as well as the producers, whom I also now consider to be good friends of mine. Which brings me to relationships. Apparently, nothing gets done in this town unless you know someone personally, or someone you know knows someone personally (Or, you already have A LOT of money). I tried doing my thing in Atlanta for a while, but then I asked myself this question: Why would someone invest time and money into me if they can’t see me in person, get to know me, my style, the way I present myself, etc? The answer is: they won’t, and come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t either.

Another example: If my producing partner, Nabil (think Arab In America!) called me and said, “Hey, this guy I know’s got an amazing eye, I think we should meet him.” I would trust his judgment, and say, “Sure, lets do it. I know the perfect place!” So, we’d go have a drink at the bar my filmmaker friend works at, get some discounts (LA is too damn expensive!), and then I might notice Steven Spielberg sitting in the corner with JJ Abrams…

…wait…sorry! Lost my train of thought. Ah yes, I did have a point in bringing up Steven Speilberg and JJ Abrams. It occurred to me that they are probably doing the same thing we are. Correct me I’m wrong, but I don’t think they have worked together on any projects previously. But I do know that twenty years ago, JJ Abrams wrote this little movie called Regarding Henry, starring this guy named Harrison Ford, who everyone might remember as Han Solo…or INDIANA JONES! And we all remember who directed Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones, don’t we? Right, Steven Spielberg.

Now, I would assume they probably met quite a while ago, but what I’m getting at is that at some point in history (yes, its that big of a deal, at least to me , they met through someone they both knew — maybe it was Harrsion Ford, maybe not — and maybe, one day, they will make something together.

Second Lesson: You never know where your friends are going, and they don’t know where you are going! Sooner or later, someone I know is going to get into the next circle, and then, I be one step closer to the inner circle — the circle of Speilbergs and his friends.

 
In the end, if you want to be a filmmaker, you can’t just be a filmmaker. I decided I can’t stay in my room writing or editing all day. Right now, we are trying to find financing for the feature version of Arab In America!, but that’s not gonna happen unless I get out of the house and start cultivating some relationships with some money people! Not quite sure how I’m going to do that yet, but I’ll figure it out. Isn’t that supposed to be the fun part anyway?

Expect a follow up soon! Cheers!

I’m sorry. Things came up. We can all relate to that, right?

Let me start by saying I am sincerely going to try and redeem myself here by writing once a week from now on (unless something comes up!)

So what came up, you ask? I was thinking. About many things. Too many things in fact, to the point where my thoughts became so convoluted it took me a while to decipher them. So here it goes:

Don’t make movies without recognizable actors (even if its a horror film). You will hurt yourself in the end, I promise. “I Am The Bluebird” is not a horror film, but a high-concept sci-fi drama, with no recognizable actors (I hope they aren’t offended when I say that — some of them will be, I have no doubt). In truth, you may have seen them in something, but that’s not good enough. You have to say, “Oh! That’s the guy from (insert show/movie/whatever here)!” If you were searching in the store, and saw my film in its pretty white case with a bluebird necklace on the front, you’d probably say something like, “WTF is that?”

I’m going to be riding on the WTF question. “What is that about?!” “That looks interesting, maybe I’ll read the back, and maybe if I like what I read, I might take it with me to the counter.”

I hope that person doesn’t have second thoughts.

“Bluebird” doesn’t have distribution yet, but in time my friends….in time. While I was thinking over the past few weeks (and not updating my blog like I promised), I was working on a plan of attack! But first, I have another point to make — another thing that has made my film something I both love and hate — the soundtrack.

When I created my film, there was one thing that stayed consistent throughout the ever-evolving process called filmmaking, and it was the soundtrack. I had always planned to have an indie sound that I hoped would transcend the film, and hopefully find an audience on its own, and for the people who had found the soundtrack, or liked the artists, that they would find out about my film. The soundtrack includes the likes of Mogwai, M83, The Cinematic Orchestra, On!Air!Library! to name a few. We have all the rights to the music for special screenings and festivals, but because of this, the option of self-distribution, and even traditional distribution, in limbo. Luckily, I am a composer as well, and have a contingency plan — me!

Of course, that’s just another thing to add to the list, but at least I have the option. The point is simple. In retrospect, I love my film and wouldn’t change the experiences and what I’ve learned from them, but be realistic about where you film fits in the grand scheme of things. I like my soundtrack just as much as Garden State’s and Wicker Park’s, but I don’t have their budgets nor their actors.

Alas, I love actors. I can’t wait to work with more of them soon.

In Bluebird Unrelated (that’s what I’m calling it right now), there is another little project I like to call AIA, or “Arab In America” to the uninitiated. You could call this my first mainstream project, and with my fellow co-writers Nabil Abou-Harb and Colin Ferri, both great filmmakers in their own right, we are inching closer to making this thing a reality. Let me stress the word inch. Maybe I should say centimeter, but that just doesn’t sound right.

Anyway, the final draft is complete. That’s a BIG awesome! And we’ll be shopping it around in the next few months. I know your thinking, “shopping it around?….how do I do that?!” I’ll put it this way. Whatever way you can. Call everyone you know, find a connection. There is always someone, and if there isn’t, the only other peice of advice I can give you is to move to LA. Yes, you might be stuck in traffic half the time, but at least you’re here….in the city of angels.

I don’t know why they call it that. I never thought there would be smog in heaven.

Until next time, I hope this gives a little insight into the difficult world we have chosen to make our careers in. Someone told me the other day that this time in their life sucks…the struggling specifically…making ends meet…finding out where you belong…I find myself both irritated and inspired, frustrated and content, and always willing to walk out the door. Sometime my roommate kicks me out, but sometimes all it takes is a little push.

I’ve decided to make a pact with myself (or my imaginary friend John if you read my first post): I am going to write AT LEAST one article a week until the end of July. That’s right. So start checkin back. If you feel I don’t live up to these standards, feel free to comment. Maybe something like “Tom! You’re a damn liar!” or similar, but keep it PG please.

Next order of business, I want you to check out this video because it inspires me everytime I watch it.

The next few weeks are going to be dedicated to my film, “I Am The Bluebird”, my recent adventures at a few festivals (I’ll have some pictures up soon!), and you can continue to follow the journey to distribution right here.

To preface the next article (coming on Sunday): For those of you who are in the same boat as I am, check out the site Film Specific. It’s a website solely dedicated to the messed-up business side of distribution, and if it didn’t exist, I may have already gotten screwed over. Yes, we’ve gotten some offers already. They were either crap offers or too-good-to-be-true offers by really shady people. In other words, look out. More on that on Sunday.

Also, before I run, the upcoming projects pages has been updated. Nothing concrete is happening yet, but my advice of the moment is to multi-task. I am slowly discovering that putting all your eggs in one basket is the worst idea for any filmmaker. Work on multiple things at once. The market keeps changing, especially in these troubled economical times, and there is no stability in spending three years on one script. Spend three years on a script, but also write something else.

Anyway, that sounds good to me. I’ll let you know how it goes.

_____________________________________________________________________________

1. If you could describe your film using only 3 words, what would they be?

Happiness, Sacrifice, Love

2. Where do you see your film in 5 years?

I hope that by then it has played well enough through festivals and on DVD that I will be making another film.

3. Have you ever been to Atlanta? If so what’s your favorite place to visit? If not, where would you like to visit?

I grew up outside of Atlanta and absolutely love the city, but I don’t have a favorite place. It really just depends on the event at the moment, which in this case is the Atlanta Film Festival, and more specifically Landmark #4 on Friday at 7:30! However, since I live in Los Angeles now, I am really looking forward to having a great ‘J. Christopher’s’ breakfast again.

4. What motivated you to make this film?

The first inspiration for this film came from an article I read on CNN about artificial evolution. I don’t want to say too much about it because I fear giving too much away, but I found it fascinating that the technology that I thought seemed so far away was in fact much closer than we thought. I decided to center those ideas around a broken family, in desperate need of mending that no technology could ever heal.

5. If you premiered your film somewhere else, what was the one part of the film you were most nervous about audiences to reacting to?

The Atlanta Premiere is in fact our World Premiere, so I am very excited, anxious, and ready for the Afterparty! Honestly, I am thrilled to be premiering the film in my home city, which also happens to be where we shot most of it.

6. What’s the one thing about your film you’re most proud of?

I am most proud of my cast and crew. I feel our film looks and feels much more expensive that it actually was, and everyone’s commitment to the film really allowed us to take chances and make the most out of every situation. We were constantly fighting an uphill battle, but no one gave up, and I believe this film, at least in its current form, could not have been done without them.

7. What do you want Atlanta audiences to takeaway from the film?

I set out to make an emotional journey, so I hope audiences are moved in the end. I hope that people find themselves questioning what they think the film means and wanting to discuss it amongst themselves after it is over.

8. Someone has to go to the bathroom during your film, and they have to miss part of your film. Do they miss the beginning, the middle or the end?

I’d prefer them not to miss any of it, but if I had to pick a part, it would be the beginning. That’s partially because I love the end, and of course the middle gets you there, so you need that too. On second thought, just stay for the whole thing!

9. Who are the directors, filmmakers or artists that most influenced you or your film?

I know this may be a bit cliché, but Stephen Speilberg was a huge influence on me when I was a kid, and specifically “Jurassic Park” because it was the first Making-Of special I ever saw. Since then, I started realizing there was a method to the madness, but it was that initial influence that got me to pickup a camcorder and start shooting. I could go on and name directors, but I find myself lately being more drawn to specific films rather than the filmmakers, though I always note who the filmmakers are, and to this day will watch anything by Terrence Malick or Ridley Scott. I love independent film, but I can’t deny my sweet spot for Hollywood either.

10. Who is the unsung hero of your film and why?

I feel like there are like there are many, but if I must pick one, it would be my sister, Tara Jean Verrette (who also plays Ally in the film). She has provided me with more support than anyone and has selflessly put this film in front of her from the beginning.

And I still made her audition!

_____________________________________________________________________________

So there it is. I hope that gave you a bit of insight on my process. Now come check it out at the Atlanta Film Festival on Friday, April 17, at 7:30 at the Landmark Midtown Arts Cinema. Click Here for tickets!

“Why? Isn’t blogging just a way for you to get wrapped up in thinking that people actually care about what you think? And I’m not talking about your friends, Tom. I mean real people. If you ask me, it all sounds really self-indulgent.”

“Damnit John! I want to blog!”

And there you have it. If nobody reads this, then so be it, but I want a record of my long, perilous journey to the summit of Mount Director, the tallest peak in all of Directorland (for the record, Directorland is ficticious, but I want to live there). Also, that conversation never happened except inside my head, and I don’t have any friends named John, so you can either assume, a) I am crazy; b) I have multiple-personality disorder; c) I see life as a series of film scenes, therefore I am crazy; or d) I see life as a series of film scenes, therefore I am crazy but exceptionally worthy of writing this blog.

I pick D.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am rusty when it comes to blogging. They say you’re supposed to just go with the flow, spill out whatever goes through your head, but all I can help but think is who says these things?! I’ve been thinking about this blog for far too long, and now all this nonsense is jumping around in my head like a racquetball court full of bouncy balls.

“Alright Tom, so what is it going to be about?”

I took a deep breath as if it was my one chance to pitch the next big blockbuster. “I just made this film, spent three years making it, and now I’m in Los Angeles. I am the epitamy of the aspiring filmmaker–”

“–I thought they said to never say aspiring–”

“–Shut up, John. The point is that I am in a unique situation. I have a film and a dream, and I’ve learned so much because of what I’ve already accomplished the hard way. I’ve realized that there is no one to follow. Everyone always says, ‘you just gotta’ do it!’ but I can’t help but think, ‘what the hell does that mean?’ I’m not saying I’m worthy of being followed (Twitter only please), but I think that there might be some people out there that could learn from my mistakes. And not just from my last film, but for each one to follow. What it took to reach that next step, and what was lost in the process. Hell, if another filmmaker did that, I’d read it.”

The inside-my-head-John stood up. He was excited, but that’s because he’s me. “Sounds good.”

I smiled.

“Let me know if it makes any money” he said, walking out of my head.

“It’s not about the money!” I yelled back, “It’s about the process!”. It was too late. The inside-my-head-John was already outside my head, leaving me all alone, sitting in front of my computer with that devilish cursor blinking at me. It was eerily similar to the start of a new screenplay — that first big, white, blank page.

And so I began, “Today is a great day!”