Hi

Hi everyone! What's up? Are you happy? I am. Ha, ha, ha, oh, ha. See? How happy are you?

Extra Finished

Extra work—did it myself back in the day—now is losing out to technology. No, not green screens but the inflatables. No water breaks, no sack lunches, no long lines outside Costume. Rumor has it they're already in talks with SAG.
via Ace of Spades

Reasonable? You Decide!

Anyone following the debate over making may have noticed Paul Rugg's sinister slide toward a form of making that would be nothing less than free-fall—and a danger to people most at risk under 5'10. How did a responsible man arrive at such a conclusion? And at WHO'S BEHEST? HOW MUCH IS HE BEING PAID? For now, let's suspend these questions and await Paul's latest response. I hope it will herald a much needed return to sanity.

Prose and Pitch Update

Turned in three concepts to my agent for 3 brand new animated series. She'll set up meetings and I'll go in with a pleasant smile, a load of confidence and various executive buzzwords refashioned to sound as if they were my very own ideas.

By April's end I need to turn in a book proposal - three chapters and an outline for a Young Adult novel. (Different than the weighty tome I've been blogging about for two years.) The YA chapters/outline mixes elements of dark urban fantasy with H.P. Lovecraft. We shall see what the market says.

Is everyone happy and filled with various jellies? Let me know.

This Gives New Meaning to 'homo erectus'

Scientists believe they may have discovered the first gay caveman, citing the neatest of his dwelling and the fact that cave art matched the rock floor.

You Can't Make

Means to an End

Author Deanna Fei lists her top seven books on writing for writers. When in doubt, write about what you know. And so Deanna did just that.

Auel In

Clan of the Cave Bear author Jean M. Auel talks writing and night hours. (Could be a role model for certain nocturnal writing friends of mine.)

Fem-a-Geek

Via Geek O System, all women needed were a chance to launch their own Geek site. I salute them for their desire to serve a neglected niche. ('Neglected Niche' would, I think, also be a good name for a blog.)

Nothing Ventured

Venture Brothers creators chat here.

Paul Rugg's Big Moment

Go behind the scenes with Paul Rugg as he auditions to be the next voice of Aflac.

Mark-mark-mark-marketing

Had lunch with an old Warner Bros. friend Amy yesterday. Amy works in...marketing for a big network. We talked buzz words and running and finally parted to return to our... marketing.

I have a little break in...marketing today so I'm using my new-found speed-typing to try and finish a draft on a short story. I'm thinking Monday I'll resume...marketing. They want lots of stuff written in a short time, but they pay exactly when they say they will. Even animation never managed that consistently.

80 Years of Shatner

That's what we have as of today. The Rocket Man himself has cracked eight zero. Screen Rant has a look back at the History of Bill.
(Image: last.fm)

Animation Pitches Dispatched

These chores were finished today and sent out. Only the book outline was a little light on heft, but that's because I'm a stranger to the Young Adult 'hood and need a little agenty advice on whether my story is original enough.

Fortunately the marketing storm held off until I could finish. But that will probably change today or tomorrow morning. Good. Me catchee all same same dollar. Sorry, I forgot to mention this is international Speak Pidgin English Day. You catchee, sailor man?

Runners Rock in Rainy Marathon

Way to go, LA Marathoners! On a stormy day with 2 inches of rain and winds gusting up to 20 mph, when, according to the LA Times, thousands of runners were checked for hypothermia and 26 hospitalized, you guys rocked it. Gail, Inez, Lindsey, Tiffany, Coach Chris and everyone else, outstanding job.

Special shout out to Kate Freeman for a 3:11:57. That's an average of 7:19 a mile for 26.2 miles. (The last time I ran 7:19 there were cops after me.) Out of 7,406 chick finishers, Kate was the 34th woman to cross the finish line.

Kate's speedy husband Jimmy waddled in at 2:56:38. That's 6:45 a mile, 100th dude overall out of 11,531 guy finishers. (I think it takes me almost 3 hours to get out of my robe.) Nice to see a pair of former TNT coaches get after it.

Outstanding job runners, especially Team in Training!

Those of you so inclined, have a beer on the person next to you.
(Image: AP via NBC Sports.)

Review: Battle: Los Angeles

This bittersweet romance set before the backdrop of an alien invasion promises much but delivers little. The "battle" is metaphorical, fought between a retiring Marine Staff Sergeant (Aaron Eckhardt) and a Hispanic woman (Michelle Rodriguez) who has come to America to be CFO of a large corporation. She grows bitter after her dream is foiled by a lack of education, knowledge of standard accounting practices, and the inability to speak English. Blaming Eckhardt, Rodriguez shuns him as we watch Los Angeles bombarded by alien war craft. The city's destruction represents the implosion of a relationship collapsing under the weight of failed expectations and unfulfilled desire.

Director Jonathan Liebesman turned often to static master shots followed by long slow pans of LA, letting the camera demonstrate that the search for understanding and passion are endless and futile. In the climatic scene, Liebesman used a locked medium shot of the two characters eating flan. Without touching the camera, Liebesman let the actors convey with action—the pensive holding of a spoon or the irritated sip of espresso—that all was finished—except for the flan, which the Staff Sergeant took back to his unit.

In the end we're left to wonder how the characters met, what they needed, and why they were eating dessert and breaking up in the middle of an invasion. I would rate this two stars out of five for the patient, unhurried pace of the film and the excellent use of flan in a supporting role. (Image: IMDb)

Another Life in D.C.

Nate Ruegger's film continues to draw attention in a positive way.

A Day for Green Activism

Don Rickles once described the Irish as "a wonderful people. Their lives consist of beer and parades." Ah, but he forgot poetry and grumbling. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Image: Caplan Miller

Pitch Fest 2011

Nice long meeting today with the agent as we caucused over my ten ideas for animated TV shows. Several candidates were discarded because they did not fit the current industry meme. (Shows must contain "wish fulfillment" or "bowel empowerment"...something.) These TV animation memes are adopted by executives and often seem artificial and contrived yet have the unofficial force of law—like dress codes among teenage girls. Minus the current meme, you have little chance of even setting a meeting to pitch, let alone getting a development deal for your weird memeless idea.

Eventually, we settled on two ideas for kids' TV animation, one concept for adult animation and one idea we decided worked better as a book. (Another stinking book!) Except for the book, which I need to outline, I'll have to flesh out the animation ideas such as describing the rules of each world. (King of the Hill or "Spongebob?") In keeping with our newest tradition, my agent chose a deadline in which I must deliver her back the updated material. (Ten days from now.)

This means I must up my game a notch. The marketing writing leaves me really weary and not wanting to WRITE ANYTHING including emails and Facebook posts. But if I want to start something rolling again I either need to push myself at day's end or arise earlier and put in two hours or so on my own stuff then buckle up and crank out the ads.

It's like training for a marathon. Not always fun, but you suck it up and go. And so I will.

Prayers and best wishes to the Japanese as they struggle through a jumbo catastrophe.

Video: Carolla on Carolla

Adam Carolla recalls life pre/post carbon monoxide poisoning.

via ZocaloPublicSquare

Preparing to Pitch the TV Animation Industry

With my marketing side-job and assembling a host of animated TV series ideas for my agent. ("Host" in this case being 10.) After a few years on the shelf, I'll be reengaging with the animation industry in a more systematic way than resenting not having a job. Next week or the week after, the pitch meetings begin. Meanwhile, the marketing copy sings out its non-siren call, but a strong call nonetheless.

My Roger Eschbacher Plug

We used to work together back at Warner Bros. Now Roger and I have become bookish fellows, with literary wares to market. (Mine are still theoretical. Roger has actually completed something.) Stop by Roger's blog and find out more about his books. In addition, his site The Novel Project has good general info for writers in all stages of their careers.

AI Extra

On the subject of impending rule by pitiless robot overlords, here's a revealing look at how the clankers hope to hijack our fish. Hopefully, Starkist will discover this method first and lead fish to their proper destination—the tummies of Mankind.

New Black Matrix Home

For Black Matrix Publications, the nice folks who published my short story, "Bane Fish." They are in transition from old website to new and from publishing short stories to novels of sci-fi, horror and fantasy. If you can, support the small presses. (Some are no bigger than napkin caddys, but support them nevertheless.)

Running and Robots

I made such a big deal out of running. Look at the Japanese! They've transcended actual marathons by inventing robots to do it for them. The robots are programmed to grow increasingly cranky from mile 20 onwards and to shuffle post-event for several days.
via Drudge Report

R.I.P. McDuffie

Didn't really know the man, but we labored in the same fields. Prayers to the family.

Run Around

My friend Bernadette mentioned she was training for May's Pasadena Marathon. I thought, 'Why don't I blog about running anymore?' I had me. I had me cold. Maybe it's because progress is only measurable in geologic time. Since December I've steadily run (or run and walked) three times a week. And while I've been mostly injury-free, I can only progress as fast as I'm able to assimilate the chi running form. Since a slight pain while training for a marathon in 2008, I've started and stopped walking and running numerous times, grown depressed, ate quite a bit, became a tubby man, then commenced the exercise process all over again. In addition, my training attempts have been periodically interrupted by a galaxy of necessary physical repairs. I've had: Knee surgery in 2009. Physical therapy for a knotted shoulder tendon in Feb. 2010. Skin cancer surgery in May 2010. Now that knotted tendon has become a partially torn shoulder muscle. I'll need...surgery! The mileage and times I used to post seem mythic. Another reminder of things past was yesterday encountering Coach Katie (pictured on the left). We ran together for two miles around the Rose Bowl, discussing matters old and new. Very nostalgic and reminded me of how I took my health for granted and what a blast I had with Team in Training. I'm not ungrateful for everything that has befallen me. (Worse things were always possible.) And I had good health care. But years of start-and-stop make for boring blogging. 'Quixotic' comes to mind regarding my ever running distance again. Why not let it slide? Clearly, I'm too old and fragile for the sport. But something says I've got another marathon left. Maybe two. I'm just not ready to concede.

Link to Kung Fu Panda Lawsuit Post

Dreamworks/Paramount call out the attorneys as plagerism suits pile up for Kung Fu Panda.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

DHS displays its Internet prowess by falsely labeling 84,000 sub domains as "child pornographers." Nothing boosts business better than having the unwashable odor of child porn rubbed into your name.

Perhaps DHS will get involved next in the field of dentistry. What could possibly go wrong?

So long, Kenneth Mars.

Actor Kenneth Mars died. A funny guy, he graced the cast of Candle Jack and was a big addition to any show, segement or episode you had in mind. A real pro. God bless. Oh, nuts. I said.....
(Image: fixinthemix.com)

Funny BBC VO Link

They're firing on all cylinders over at the BBC. Via Tom Ruegger comes this most hilarious collection of voice-overs.

Welcome to Copy Writing

Working a job for a marketing company as a copywriter; deliver all assignments this week with next week for notes. I have not written so much, so fast in all my decades of scribing. Long letters, short emails, long and short videos all crammed with product info, all under deadline. Today is only a series of emails, but I'm gassed. Even working hard every day on the novel didn't turn my brain into a wok.

Animation writing never looked so good.

'Another Life' Lives On

Speaking of Nate Ruegger, his film has found another festival. Stop by Another Life for more updates on...Another Life.