The Organic Mechanics & Broken Open

Another set of unexpected adventures in Austin yesterday. I walked over to the Austin Java Cafe for Sunday brunch just as a cool little jazz/funk trio was firing up a set. The Organic Mechanics features an excellent drummer (Aaron Lack), a laid-back lead guitar (Mark Poitras) and an agile keyboard player (Nick Littersky who knows how to color a tune with a Hammond B3 (although he was playing a Nord programmed to sound like a B3). Sweet.

It would be very easy (and fun) to roam around the downtown area and drop in for all the many live bands that play here. There's certainly no shortage of talent in the area. Here's a link to some trax by The Organic Mechanics recorded live at The Flamingo Cantina.

Things got off to such a great start...Then I cruised over to the Whole Foods flagship store and got my travel van stuck in the P2 parking garage. It was too tall and was scraping the suspended pipes that hang down and feed the underground sprinkler system.

Scared me half to death. This qualifies me for the genius-of-the-week award. Although I did learn from security that people get stuck there every now and again. After waiting all day for the store to close (it's ridiculously busy on the weekends), we were able to let enough air out of my tires to lower the van and get me out.

In the interim, I spent the afternoon at a great nearby bookstore, The Book People, where I found the perfect book for finding your way out of the proverbial woods. It's called Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser (one of the founders of The Omega Institute). Sometimes things happen for a reason!

Texas Women on a Sunday Afternoon

Gotta love this one! People in Texas generally think a little different than folks in California. This was taken April 19, 2010 during a rifleman training (sponsored by The Appleseed Project - AKA The Revolutionary War Veterans Association, RWVA). Women learn free!

According to the RWVA April 19, 1775 was the real birth date of the American Revolution because that's when Captain John Parker stood at the head of a small band of 77 voluntary militia at Lexington Green and held his ground against the British. The Revolutionary War Veterans Association believes every patriot should own a rifle and learn to use it.

Photo compliments of The Appleseed Project. The opinions and political views of the RWVA are not necessarily shared by the owner of this blog. However, it IS a powerful sentiment and one that is growing. In fact, I know of a few independent filmmakers working to bring this story to the masses. So far haven't seen any of the majors entertain the topic for a mainstream feature.

Script Development & Film Start News

UPDATED & EXPANDED April 20, 2010

Some new news since my last post has altered the genre stats slightly but the general gist remains. Most new development projects and production starts are either based on best selling books, comic books or are remakes/re-imaging of previous theatrical releases. There are nearly twice as many comedies as anything else and a heavy dose of science fiction fantasy. Spy thrillers are also seeing a resurgence.

Before any more grass grows under my feet, here's a quick list of what's hot in development and film production starts:

The Silent Flute - a reimaging of the 1978 Bruce Lee martial arts film Circle of Iron, which was in pre-production when he died. Paul Maslansky is directing the script being rewritten by his son Sasha. Hopes to capture the essence of Bruce Lee's vision for the film.

Untitled Mike Newell Project - Warner Brothers has this in development with Johnny Depp attached to star. It's based on the book The Terminal Spy by Alan Cowell. Adapted for the screen by David Scarpa. It traces the path of Polonium-210 from Russia's closed nuclear cities to the London Millenium Hotel where a lethal dose was slipped into former KGB operative/turned writer & journalist Alexander Litvinenko's tea.

W.E. - Madonna is set to direct this period romance between King Edward VIII and American socialite Wallis Simpson and for whom he abdicated the throne. Script is also by David Scarpa (who has also just signed with Fox/New Regency to pen the Daredevil remake). Producers: Colin Vaines, David Parfitt.

Doc Savage - Shane Black to direct for Columbia Pictures. No word on whether story will bear any similarity to the campy 1978 George pal version. Doc Savage is a pulp fiction icon and hero of a magazine serial from the 1930s-40s. The script is being written by Shane Black, Chuck Mondry and Anthony Bagarozzi. Neal Moritz is producing.

Undomestic Goddess - Universal Pictures comedy directed by Andy Fickman, based on the novel by chick-lit scribe Sophie Kinsella. A young female attorney dodges trouble in London by taking a housekeeper job in the country where she falls for the simple life and the estate's gardener until her city life catches up with her.

First Avenger: Captain America - Marvel Studios live action comic book adaptation starring Chris Evans as the captain. Joe Johnston to direct.

The Avengers - Joss Whedon has signed on to direct this much anticipated picture for Paramount. It's an elaborate live-action comic book adaptation about a team of superheros including The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Nick Fury and Captain America.

Young Adult - Dramedy written by Oscar winning writer (Juno/2007) Diablo Cody about a 30-something writer who sets out to bag her now married ex-boyfriend.

Popeye - Sony Pictures & Hearst Entertainment are adapting the classic cartoon series in 3D based on a script written by Mike Jones.

True Grit - Coen Brothers remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic about a young girl out to avenge her father's murder with the help of an aging marshal. Adaptation of the novel by Charles Portis. Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin and Matt Damon to star.

The Adventures of Tin Tin: the first of a series of three motion-capture animated films for Paramount, directed by Steven Spielberg based on the Georges Remi comic-strip adapted for the screen by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Steven Moffat. Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Peter Jackson are producing.

Hugo Cabret - based on the 2008 Caldecott winning children's book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Martin Scorsese is directing. It's about a 12 yr old orphan who lives in the walls of a Paris train station.

Your Cheating Heart (aka Cheaters) - Ron Howard is directing this buddy comedy with a Hamlet-esque conflict at its core. Turmoil and trouble ensues when a man sees his best friend's wife with another man. To tell or not to tell, that is the question. Script by Allan Loeb. Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Garner and Winona Ryder star.

Abduction Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins star in the Lionsgate thriller based on a spec script by Shawn Christensen. John Singleton is directing this tale about a teen whose life changes radically when he finds himself on a missing person's list.

The Immortals - Tarsem Singh is directing this epic adventure (now shooting in Montreal) about the mythical Theseus' quest to liberate Greece from the threat of the Titans. Mickey Rourke stars as the villain King Hyperion. Singh plans to do the picture in the style of a renaissance painting with HD effects, similar to Baz Lurhmann's groundbreaking 1996 adaptation of Romeo & Juliet.

Godzilla - Warner Brothers reboot about a monstrous reptile who crashes a bustling metropolis. Script by David Callahan.

Private Benjamin - New Line remake of the 1980 comedy about a spoiled girl who's forced to join the Army. Sexy comedienne Anna Faris to star. No big surprise on the casting. Anna has virtually stepped in Goldy Hawn's hilarious shoes.

Overboard - remake of the shipboard comedy with veteran director Garry Marshall at the helm. This was also a Goldy Hawn vehicle in 1987. Jennifer Lopez to star.

Source Code - action thriller about a soldier forced to relive a series of events on a commuter train just moments before it's bombed and his efforts to piece together who is responsible. Writer/director Duncan Jones is attached. Jake Gyllenhaal and Vera Farmiga star.

Just Go With It (aka Pretend Wife) - Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman star in a Columbia Pictures comedy about a man who makes up a fake family to get rid of an unwanted girlfriend. Script by Allan Loeb and Timothy Dowling. Directed by Dennis Dugan.

Untitled J. Edgar Hoover Project - Warner Brothers teams up with Imagine Entertainment and Malpaso to create a biopic about the controversial founder/director of the FBI. Clint Eastwood to direct the movie based on a script by Dustin Lance Black.

King Arthur - Another Warner Brothers project that re-images the legend of King Arthur. Guy Ritchie to direct. Script by Academy Award nominated writer John Hodge. A reimaging of John Boorman's 1981 masterpiece Excalibur is also in development.

Butter - Weinstein Company satire about the fierce competition that ensues in an Iowa butter-carving contest. Produced by Michael de Luca and Jennifer Garner. Directed by Jim Field Smith. Garner also stars with Ty Burrell, Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman and Alicia Silverstone.

Arthur - WB comedy remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore starrer. Jason Winer is directing Russell Brand as the boozing playboy.

The Escort - DreamWorks is making this road comedy based on a script by Justin Adler in which a flight attendant is tasked to transport a spoiled child home when their plane is grounded.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunterr - Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov are teaming up to make this dark tale based on the Seth Graham Smith historical fiction novel.

Jackie - Darren Aronofsky is directing his wife/partner Rachel Weisz in this biopic based on a script by Noah Oppenheim. It focuses on Jackie Kennedy Onassis during the four days just after JFK's assassination.

Avon Man - Fox high concept comedy with Kevin Lima directing. Hugh Jackman stars as a laid-off used car salesman who hits the road as a door-to-door cosmetics rep.

Elephant White - Revenge drama starring Kevin Bacon & Djimon Hounsou. Currently filming in Bangkok with Prachya Pinkaew directing his English-language debut.. A businessman hires an assassin to avenge the murder of his daughter by white slave traders.

Speedy Gonzales - New Line animated comedy based on the Oscar winning Merrie Melodie short of the same name. Speedy is the fastest mouse in Mexico and features his famous nemesis Sylvester the Cat, who guards the Ajax cheese factory on the Mexican border. Original story by Warren Foster. It's being adapted for the screen by the Academy Award winning writing team Alec Sokolow & Joel Cohen. George Lopez is cast as the voice of the lead.

Kiss & Tell - Universal Pictures romantic comedy written by the up-and-coming comedy writing team Dax Shelby & Robert Stevens about a girl cursed with the ability to see the future of her relationships after the first kiss. Isla Fisher to star.

Hall Pass - New Line buddy comedy starring Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as husbands whose wives say okay to extramarital affairs. The Farrelly Brothers direct.

The Dark Fields - Relativity Media thriller directed by Neil Burger is now shooting a script written by Leslie Dixon based on the 2001 novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn. It's about an ex-cocaine addict who "finds" a new drug (MDT-48) that boosts confidence and powers of intellect. The use of MDT-48 leads to wealth but there are near homicidal side-effects and he begins to suspect he may be a guinea pig of the shadowy drug manufacturer.

Knockout - Another Relativity Media thriller. This one's about an outed female spy who is is on the run. Stars MMA fighter Gina Carano, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor and Channing Tatum.

Ted - Universal Pictures and Scott Stuber Pictures team up in this comic fantasy about a man and his Teddy bear. Directed by Seth McFarlane. Script by Seth McFarlane, ALec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild.

Red - Bruce Willis stars in another spy thriller for Summit Entertainment. This time Willis plays and ex-black-ops CIA agent who reassembles his old team to save the woman he loves.

First Quarter Script Development 2010

As promised, I'm working on a film script development update for the first quarter of 2010. It's taking some time because there are 8 full pages of new Hollywood projects and productions starts. After a bit of research and sifting, I'll post the ones I think are the most insightful from a "trending topics" perspective.

So far, of the 26 major films in development or production, they break out this way:

- 9 Comedies
- 7 Remakes
- 3 Biopics
- 3 Thrillers
- 2 Greek Myths
- 2 Comic Book Adaptations

There are many more in development and production. These are just the most active in the first three months of 2010.

Director James Cameron on Creativity

Here's another great Ted Talk on the subject of creativity, imagination and how it translates to filmmaking, in particular. Director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic, etc.) talks about how he first fell in love with network TV series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau in his youth. This led him to become a diver, which enriched his imagination as a writer and visual artist.



Here's a recent Digital Domain demo reel -way cool.



Thought for the day... "The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed" (Jacques Cousteau).

South Park 200th Episode Teaser

Tonight marks the 200th episode of Comedy Central's hit animated series South Park. Tune in at 10 pm EST. Here's a teaser to wet your whistle.

Austin International Poetry Festival

Although I (intentionally) missed the annual SXSW bash in Austin this year (a once down-home deal that's turned into a media circus), there's another cool event happening in town this week. It's the Austin International Poetry Festival.

2010 marks the 18th year for this local international gathering - in collaboration with the Austin Poetry Society. It begins tomorrow, April 15, and runs through the weekend with poetry slams, open mics and all sorts of other fun stuff. The 2010 AIPF boasts visitors from countries as diverse as Japan, South Africa and Australia. Click here to view and download the program. I'll be there if time permits.

P.S. If you dig this kind of thing but can't attend or would rather tune into some narrative stories without leaving home, you might enjoy the online version of The Moth - main stage. I'm willing to bet at least a couple of these stories inspire some films.

A Hollywood script development update to post either later today or tomorrow morning.

Greetings From Austin!

What a long, strange trip it's been. After my prodigal return to L.A., which no-one seemed to notice, I packed up my van and hit the road for Texas once again. Deja Vu. It's like the 70s - only different. My first official stop was in Fredericksburg, a picturesque little town on the outskirts of the Austin area.

Didn't plan on staying but the hospitable people of Fredericksburg opened their hearts to me like one of their own. Right off the bat I met a lovable old curmudgeon named Ben Large (pictured here)

I worked a few weekends at his organic coffee and tea shop Fredericksburg Coffee & Tea where I had the opportunity to drink some of the best coffee in the country and met many more colorful business owners and resident artists. As it turns out there's a lot of live music in town. It's mostly country but there's a variety if you poke around.

Hondo's (owned by a relative of the late local celeb Hondo Crouch of Luckenbach fame) is just a couple of doors down from Ben's place - past the gourmet chocolatier, Chocolat. Gotta go there and try their melt-in-your-mouth confections.

Hondo's is a casual bar and eatery where the musicians mix freely with the clientele. I ran into an old schoolmate there (now a genuine Texas cowboy) I knew in Hawaii at Barber's Point Elementary School. How's that for strange?

Everything about this experience feels like it was meant to be. One of my best new friends is Laura Devin, a relatively recent transplant from Dallas who runs a charming B&B just a block of Main Street called Oohlala. If you're ever in Fredericksburg, treat yourself to a weekend at OohLaLa B&B.

Below is a snap of one of the loft cottages. There's also a lovely private cabana and barbecue area for the exclusive use of guests. You'll be spoiled with quiche, champagne, fresh fruit, croissants, chocolate and a full menu of optional spa treatments. Click here for a slide show of the property, amenities and a reservations link.


While staying at Oohlala, Laura introduced me to some other musicians and artists who then recommended me for another opportunity that is in the process of unfolding. I'll write more about that later. It came right out of left field and could very well be the next big step in my crazy career path. Stay tuned.

And if all that weren't enough, my former landlord from Wimberly has offered me the use of an old farmhouse. It's in need of some serious TLC so while he's working on the wiring and getting it ready for move-in, I'm staying with my brother Michael and collecting all manner of things "shabby chic".

Right now I'm heading into downtown Austin for a look around. After lunch I'm meeting my brother Michael (who earned his black belt in karate last year) and a friend to watch and take pictures as they give a live Tai Chi demonstration to students at ACC.

Michael and his mentor/instructor Justine Stone practise a simplified form of the ancient art of movement known as Tai Chi Chih. Here's another link to Justin's Youtube site with live demonstration.

I'll close with a short video of "Internal Arts Training". This is not my brother, but it's beautiful and captures the spirit of martial arts training and the power of intentional movement.