Family Resemblance
11 years ago
Friday, May 21, 2010
TheyCallMePhil.com
Just an update. I'm now posting all new news to my website http://www.theycallmephil.com Please feel free to visit that site, look for updates and subscribe to my RSS feed. Also, feel free to link to my site. I'd love new visitors to see the crazy things I have to say.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Mariachi Style! Going Independent/Low Budget
Wow! I'm really bad at writing on my blog. I'll have you know it's not my fault, it's this thing called life, apparently it's kinda tough. Anyway, I thought to myself today 'Self, I think you should blog about your new hero in the film industry, Robert Rodriguez'. So guess what, that's exactly what I'm gonna do!
So, Here's a picture!
Let me tell you a little about how I learned about this hero of the film industry. I was reading this wonderful book that will expose my intellect to any of you who didn't know already, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting". The book talks about many aspects of film, from the history of film to how to write one. In one of the sections it brings up Robert Rodriguez, who was just a 23 year old film student from Texas. He also singlehandedly changed the way films are made today. The book spoke about Rodriguez submitting himself to medical testing for a month to save money to make his own film. He took that money and made a short film called "El Mariachi".
That's about all the info I was given from that book. His story inspired me though and kept me motivated as I started my journey in screenwriting and film making. The other day, I was at
a friend's house and I noticed a book on his shelf entitled, "Rebel Without a Crew" By Robert Rodriguez. I jumped at the opportunity and read the entire book in two days. It's a compilation of his journal entries from the time he thought of making the film on through it's sale to Columbia pictures and up to it's fantastic triumph at the Sundance Film Festival.
Now, that being said, let me tell you a little about Robert Rodriguez, his story, and why he has become sort of an 'Idol' to me in the film making industry.
Robert Rodriguez was an average college student. His grades weren't great and he made money by drawing a daily comic for the local newspaper. He loved film though, practicing by recording on a VCR attached camera and editing between two different VCRs. He couldn't get into film school at the University of Texas (You should all know how I feel about this school) so he made a short film on his own and beat the UT film students. He approached the dean, showed him his work and the dean admitted him despite his grades. He made another short named 'Bed Head' and ended up winning over 13 different film festivals. He felt he won those because of the experience he had making shorts. His logic was if he was hired to direct he would direct a full length film, and in order to avoid the fall out of a second 'bad' film as a new director, he should practice making feature length films in the Spanish market. He went in for his testing and wrote the screenplay while he was in the institution. He got out, ran down to Mexico with a borrowed camera, and filmed his friend running around a small border town. He edited it in the local cable station pulling all nighters!
He finally drove to LA for 2 weeks to try to sell it to the spanish market, but no one wanted to pay what it was worth ($30k - $40k in their minds). One company offered them $25k but they waited to see if they could get something better. With a little spare time they had, Robert went to a local talent agency and met with an agent there. He gave his assistant his demo tape and just asked for suggestions. He met with him the next day, and after sending an English subtitled copy back they offered to be his Agent. He ended up selling it to Columbia for $150k and 50% of all VHS sales. That included a 3 year exclusivity deal. It took them about a year to reedit the film for the big screen and he made $2k a week in per diem (Which he pocketed as he slept in his office and showered in the studio gym). Mariachi ended up making about $150 million in theatres and landed Rodriguez the opportunity to make the films he wanted to. He has penetrated the market and makes his films so fast and so cheap EVERYONE wants to work with him. He was given a budget of $40 million to make Spykids, and made it for $25 million! People love the guy.
I can only hope to accomplish those kinds of things in my life time, and with my career! I'm excited to be a part of this wonderful field!
As for an update on my career, I wrote a short film with Mike Hall and we filmed it recently, due to some technical difficulties we have been unable to edit it, but after one more day of refilming a few scenes we will have it edited and entered into some film festivals. I'm also excited to be working with some great local filmmakers on their projects. It's an honor for me to be asked to help! I'm looking into writing and directing more short films and expanding my abilities as much as posible.
Also, with in the next Month, I should be Co-Owner of PMMaedia, llc. Mike Hall and I came up with the idea in February of 2008 and we've really been working hard to make it a reality!
Check it out, let us know what you think!
-Phil
So, Here's a picture!
Let me tell you a little about how I learned about this hero of the film industry. I was reading this wonderful book that will expose my intellect to any of you who didn't know already, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Screenwriting". The book talks about many aspects of film, from the history of film to how to write one. In one of the sections it brings up Robert Rodriguez, who was just a 23 year old film student from Texas. He also singlehandedly changed the way films are made today. The book spoke about Rodriguez submitting himself to medical testing for a month to save money to make his own film. He took that money and made a short film called "El Mariachi".
That's about all the info I was given from that book. His story inspired me though and kept me motivated as I started my journey in screenwriting and film making. The other day, I was at
a friend's house and I noticed a book on his shelf entitled, "Rebel Without a Crew" By Robert Rodriguez. I jumped at the opportunity and read the entire book in two days. It's a compilation of his journal entries from the time he thought of making the film on through it's sale to Columbia pictures and up to it's fantastic triumph at the Sundance Film Festival.Now, that being said, let me tell you a little about Robert Rodriguez, his story, and why he has become sort of an 'Idol' to me in the film making industry.
Robert Rodriguez was an average college student. His grades weren't great and he made money by drawing a daily comic for the local newspaper. He loved film though, practicing by recording on a VCR attached camera and editing between two different VCRs. He couldn't get into film school at the University of Texas (You should all know how I feel about this school) so he made a short film on his own and beat the UT film students. He approached the dean, showed him his work and the dean admitted him despite his grades. He made another short named 'Bed Head' and ended up winning over 13 different film festivals. He felt he won those because of the experience he had making shorts. His logic was if he was hired to direct he would direct a full length film, and in order to avoid the fall out of a second 'bad' film as a new director, he should practice making feature length films in the Spanish market. He went in for his testing and wrote the screenplay while he was in the institution. He got out, ran down to Mexico with a borrowed camera, and filmed his friend running around a small border town. He edited it in the local cable station pulling all nighters!
He finally drove to LA for 2 weeks to try to sell it to the spanish market, but no one wanted to pay what it was worth ($30k - $40k in their minds). One company offered them $25k but they waited to see if they could get something better. With a little spare time they had, Robert went to a local talent agency and met with an agent there. He gave his assistant his demo tape and just asked for suggestions. He met with him the next day, and after sending an English subtitled copy back they offered to be his Agent. He ended up selling it to Columbia for $150k and 50% of all VHS sales. That included a 3 year exclusivity deal. It took them about a year to reedit the film for the big screen and he made $2k a week in per diem (Which he pocketed as he slept in his office and showered in the studio gym). Mariachi ended up making about $150 million in theatres and landed Rodriguez the opportunity to make the films he wanted to. He has penetrated the market and makes his films so fast and so cheap EVERYONE wants to work with him. He was given a budget of $40 million to make Spykids, and made it for $25 million! People love the guy.
I can only hope to accomplish those kinds of things in my life time, and with my career! I'm excited to be a part of this wonderful field!
As for an update on my career, I wrote a short film with Mike Hall and we filmed it recently, due to some technical difficulties we have been unable to edit it, but after one more day of refilming a few scenes we will have it edited and entered into some film festivals. I'm also excited to be working with some great local filmmakers on their projects. It's an honor for me to be asked to help! I'm looking into writing and directing more short films and expanding my abilities as much as posible.
Also, with in the next Month, I should be Co-Owner of PMMaedia, llc. Mike Hall and I came up with the idea in February of 2008 and we've really been working hard to make it a reality!
Check it out, let us know what you think!
-Phil
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Writing My Brains Out
Well, It's been a long time since I've written anything. I figured I would share a little bit about what I've been up to since I last wrote.
1st - I've been decided what I really want to do in life. That's a pretty big step for most people. It's something we have been asked since we were kids. I remember back in kindergarten, the teacher had us draw a picture of what we wanted to be when 'we grew up' (though I will be the first to admit, I don't think we ever really grow up, we just let society control our freedom with something called a 'career'). I watched as kids showed their paintings of astronauts, firemen, policemen and I'm pretty sure Louis, the kid who ate toothpaste, wanted to be a cowboy. I however wanted to be an artist, and sadly my capabilities in the art department haven't changed much more than that drawing I did of me, as an artist.
Those things changed as I changed. I next wanted to be an Author, I even presented that in a career fair in Tupelo, Oklahoma. After that I was told by a computer program that I would be suited to be a Landscape Architect. (Now I do need to interject a warning here. This is to all teachers, government leaders and educators of all kinds: Aptitude tests work. But they only work according to the students state of mind at the time. As my mindset changes, my aptitude tests change, I'll even show you my test results in my Student Success class from last summer) I ran with that, heck $70,000 is a lot of money for someone in a small town in the sticks of the O-K state. I accepted that as my desired career choice until I was graduated from high school. Heck, I'd even done all the extra curriculars I needed to! I worked at a Lawn care company, I was Vice President of my FFA chapter, I took architecture classes, the whole thing. Then I read a book called Rich Dad Poor Dad. Wow! That changed my mind in the six hours it took me to scan it's 200 odd pages. After reading that book, I can honestly say $70,000 looked like chump change to what could be acheived. And after five years of desire to be in business, I've changed my mind again.
What is it? What could I possibly want to do now? If the prospect of making more than $70,000 could change my mind after years of study and work, what could pull me away from the world of business? Well the fact that a normal job would probably kill me might help you understand my desire to do what I WANT. AND I WANT TO WRITE! I love it! I always have! Since I wrote my first book in 5th grade, past the four 'novels' I wrote between 6th and 8th grade, on to the three part story I outlined before my mission, I HAVE LOVED WRITING!
I also love movies! So what do you get when you mix movies and writing? SCREENWRITING! I want to be a screenwriter. There, I said it. I want to write movies that I want to see. I want to write award winning comedies, mind blowing psychological thrillers, franchised science fiction stories and yeah, even chick flicks. I love movies! I love writing! I want to do it!
Now I guess that leads me to my ultimate goal, the Oscar. I want to win an Academy Award. I want to direct my own work, heck I may not be the prettiest thing ever, but the world need overweight balding actors! And that's me!
So that is what I have been doing the last few months. I stopped by Barnes and Noble and I bought a wonderful book by Skip Press, it's called The Complete Idiots Guide to Screenwriting, and it's been the most influential book I have read in the last year www.skippress.com . I also followed his advice and checked out an amazing website, www.wordplayer.com . Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio have been personally teaching me, a lowly Okie, how to write professional screenplays, sell them and make a dent in one of the largest and most influential industries in the world: Hollywood (Now when I say personally, I hope you understand they have written over 50 posts covering every aspect of screenwriting, and it's directed toward new screenwriters). Yeah, that's right! The guys who wrote Aladdin, Pirates of the Carribean, National Treasure and Shrek are willing to teach anyone and everyone what they know about screenwriting. And they make you feel like you can do it too!
Another achei
vment I have made is the accomplishment of Scriptfrenzy! www.scriptfrenzy.org In the month of April I wrote over 100 pages in screenplay format for my first attempt, Do Us a Favor and Kill Yourself. It's the story of a social outcast who runs away from home and finds himself while defying social norms. I'm very excited for that, and guess what... I finished it yesterday. Sure, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I still have to rewrite it a few times and edit the crap out of it, but the fact that I accomplished it makes me happy.
I hope to submit it to several competitions over the summer and I feel I will do well, either way that will give me something to shoot for as I continue my desire... no, my lust to be a professional screenwriter.
Thank you for reading, and please send me anytips or comments. I'm always looking for connections or people with an inside hand into the world that is Hollywoodland. Give me a shoutout and I'll be happy to submit examples of my writing to anyone interested. Have a great day!
1st - I've been decided what I really want to do in life. That's a pretty big step for most people. It's something we have been asked since we were kids. I remember back in kindergarten, the teacher had us draw a picture of what we wanted to be when 'we grew up' (though I will be the first to admit, I don't think we ever really grow up, we just let society control our freedom with something called a 'career'). I watched as kids showed their paintings of astronauts, firemen, policemen and I'm pretty sure Louis, the kid who ate toothpaste, wanted to be a cowboy. I however wanted to be an artist, and sadly my capabilities in the art department haven't changed much more than that drawing I did of me, as an artist.
Those things changed as I changed. I next wanted to be an Author, I even presented that in a career fair in Tupelo, Oklahoma. After that I was told by a computer program that I would be suited to be a Landscape Architect. (Now I do need to interject a warning here. This is to all teachers, government leaders and educators of all kinds: Aptitude tests work. But they only work according to the students state of mind at the time. As my mindset changes, my aptitude tests change, I'll even show you my test results in my Student Success class from last summer) I ran with that, heck $70,000 is a lot of money for someone in a small town in the sticks of the O-K state. I accepted that as my desired career choice until I was graduated from high school. Heck, I'd even done all the extra curriculars I needed to! I worked at a Lawn care company, I was Vice President of my FFA chapter, I took architecture classes, the whole thing. Then I read a book called Rich Dad Poor Dad. Wow! That changed my mind in the six hours it took me to scan it's 200 odd pages. After reading that book, I can honestly say $70,000 looked like chump change to what could be acheived. And after five years of desire to be in business, I've changed my mind again.
What is it? What could I possibly want to do now? If the prospect of making more than $70,000 could change my mind after years of study and work, what could pull me away from the world of business? Well the fact that a normal job would probably kill me might help you understand my desire to do what I WANT. AND I WANT TO WRITE! I love it! I always have! Since I wrote my first book in 5th grade, past the four 'novels' I wrote between 6th and 8th grade, on to the three part story I outlined before my mission, I HAVE LOVED WRITING!
I also love movies! So what do you get when you mix movies and writing? SCREENWRITING! I want to be a screenwriter. There, I said it. I want to write movies that I want to see. I want to write award winning comedies, mind blowing psychological thrillers, franchised science fiction stories and yeah, even chick flicks. I love movies! I love writing! I want to do it!
Now I guess that leads me to my ultimate goal, the Oscar. I want to win an Academy Award. I want to direct my own work, heck I may not be the prettiest thing ever, but the world need overweight balding actors! And that's me!
So that is what I have been doing the last few months. I stopped by Barnes and Noble and I bought a wonderful book by Skip Press, it's called The Complete Idiots Guide to Screenwriting, and it's been the most influential book I have read in the last year www.skippress.com . I also followed his advice and checked out an amazing website, www.wordplayer.com . Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio have been personally teaching me, a lowly Okie, how to write professional screenplays, sell them and make a dent in one of the largest and most influential industries in the world: Hollywood (Now when I say personally, I hope you understand they have written over 50 posts covering every aspect of screenwriting, and it's directed toward new screenwriters). Yeah, that's right! The guys who wrote Aladdin, Pirates of the Carribean, National Treasure and Shrek are willing to teach anyone and everyone what they know about screenwriting. And they make you feel like you can do it too!
Another achei
vment I have made is the accomplishment of Scriptfrenzy! www.scriptfrenzy.org In the month of April I wrote over 100 pages in screenplay format for my first attempt, Do Us a Favor and Kill Yourself. It's the story of a social outcast who runs away from home and finds himself while defying social norms. I'm very excited for that, and guess what... I finished it yesterday. Sure, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I still have to rewrite it a few times and edit the crap out of it, but the fact that I accomplished it makes me happy.I hope to submit it to several competitions over the summer and I feel I will do well, either way that will give me something to shoot for as I continue my desire... no, my lust to be a professional screenwriter.
Thank you for reading, and please send me anytips or comments. I'm always looking for connections or people with an inside hand into the world that is Hollywoodland. Give me a shoutout and I'll be happy to submit examples of my writing to anyone interested. Have a great day!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Analysis Is Worse Than Cancer
Today I wonder why life is so trying. I've been through a lot recently. The girl I liked got engaged 3 weeks after returning from her mission, I'm currently in the worst financial mess I have ever been in, and all the while I'm struggling to be a normal person amid the mess that is my life. As I contemplate life, there are a few questions I ask myself repeatedly:
1. Why do nice guys finish last?
2. Why is life so hard for those of us trying to be so good?
3. Why do girls make everything so stinking confusing?
I'm going to try to put my thoughts and feelings about these down (or should I say up) on the internet. I figure it might be thereputic for me and frankly entertaining for anyone who stumbles across this blog.
1. Why do nice guys finish last?
This is a question that has bothered me since I was in 8th grade. Green Day sang a song about it, the lyrics go like this :
Nice guys finish last.
You're running out of gas.
Your sympathy will get you left behind.
Sometimes you're at your best, when you feel the worst.
Do you feel washed up, like piss going down the drain
That danced in my 14 year old brain and has plagued me ever since. Now at the age of 22 I find that to be so stinking true. I think about all of the things that I have gone through, trying to be a good person, doing my best to treat people nicely... and in the end I feel I have only lost out on so many things. The only thing that really helps me cope with the knowledge of my tardiness at coolness is the fact that people like me. That's all that happens.
One phrase though, that will kill me if I ever hear it again from a girl I like is, "You are such a nice guy. You are so good." That raises the question in my mind, "Are you so bad you don't deserve someone as good as me?" (Her words, not mine. I'm not that prideful) I guess I'll get on that subject with question number 3 but WOW.... people amaze me with their thinking sometimes.
2.Why is life so hard for those of us trying to be so good?
Something I have shared repeatedly since I have returned from my mission is a story I heard by Jack Christensen. He talks about going duck hunting with a friend and his dog. They each shoot a duck, and they fall in the lake. The dog passes the duck nearest him, which is dead, and goes after the one kicking in the middle of the lake. His friend turned to him and commented how stupid his dog was. Jack said, "No, you see my dog knows that duck is dead in the water, he'll be there when he gets back. My dog is going after the one still kicking because he knows he can get away.
This applies to the first question as well. Satan goes after the 'good guys' because he knows we can do the most damage. Bad people seem to have everything so easily because they risk no chance of hurting his work. Good people doing good things hurts Satan and his goal. I guess that is the only explanation for that one. I'm told that one day it will all work out and people will get what is coming to them. Sort of the 'cliche' "what goes up must come down" saying. I sure hope so. Life's too long to get kicked on all day for trying to help other people.
3. Why do girls make everything so stinking confusing?
I don't know if anyone can even answer this one. In all honesty, I don't think they can either! All I know is girls make me want to avoid relationships just to avoid the emotion breakdowns, out bursts of frustration and lack of logical reasoning. I think the real key is they ANALYZE everything! Analysis is worse than cancer because it degenerates everything it touches. If people were open with their feelings, and didn't analyze every little thing the other person did, there would be no confusion. If there were no confusion, there would be no chance of mis-communication. Cancer eats away at the body until it has taken over, that is what analyzation does to a relationship. If it is over analyzed instead of lived, it becomes a game of what ifs and in a girl's mind, I assume that consumes the very breath of that relationship until it is extinguished like the embers of a house fire by a pot of water. I think this one will take more thought and more concideration before it's decided completely in my mind, but that's where I'm at so far.
All in all, I don't know if that made any sense, if anyone will read this, or if I am just rambling. But it feels good either way. Let me just openly apologize too, for anyone who reads my thoughts. Good luck at understanding them, I sure don't.
-Phil
1. Why do nice guys finish last?
2. Why is life so hard for those of us trying to be so good?
3. Why do girls make everything so stinking confusing?
I'm going to try to put my thoughts and feelings about these down (or should I say up) on the internet. I figure it might be thereputic for me and frankly entertaining for anyone who stumbles across this blog.
1. Why do nice guys finish last?
This is a question that has bothered me since I was in 8th grade. Green Day sang a song about it, the lyrics go like this :
Nice guys finish last.
You're running out of gas.
Your sympathy will get you left behind.
Sometimes you're at your best, when you feel the worst.
Do you feel washed up, like piss going down the drain
That danced in my 14 year old brain and has plagued me ever since. Now at the age of 22 I find that to be so stinking true. I think about all of the things that I have gone through, trying to be a good person, doing my best to treat people nicely... and in the end I feel I have only lost out on so many things. The only thing that really helps me cope with the knowledge of my tardiness at coolness is the fact that people like me. That's all that happens.
One phrase though, that will kill me if I ever hear it again from a girl I like is, "You are such a nice guy. You are so good." That raises the question in my mind, "Are you so bad you don't deserve someone as good as me?" (Her words, not mine. I'm not that prideful) I guess I'll get on that subject with question number 3 but WOW.... people amaze me with their thinking sometimes.
2.Why is life so hard for those of us trying to be so good?
Something I have shared repeatedly since I have returned from my mission is a story I heard by Jack Christensen. He talks about going duck hunting with a friend and his dog. They each shoot a duck, and they fall in the lake. The dog passes the duck nearest him, which is dead, and goes after the one kicking in the middle of the lake. His friend turned to him and commented how stupid his dog was. Jack said, "No, you see my dog knows that duck is dead in the water, he'll be there when he gets back. My dog is going after the one still kicking because he knows he can get away.
This applies to the first question as well. Satan goes after the 'good guys' because he knows we can do the most damage. Bad people seem to have everything so easily because they risk no chance of hurting his work. Good people doing good things hurts Satan and his goal. I guess that is the only explanation for that one. I'm told that one day it will all work out and people will get what is coming to them. Sort of the 'cliche' "what goes up must come down" saying. I sure hope so. Life's too long to get kicked on all day for trying to help other people.
3. Why do girls make everything so stinking confusing?
I don't know if anyone can even answer this one. In all honesty, I don't think they can either! All I know is girls make me want to avoid relationships just to avoid the emotion breakdowns, out bursts of frustration and lack of logical reasoning. I think the real key is they ANALYZE everything! Analysis is worse than cancer because it degenerates everything it touches. If people were open with their feelings, and didn't analyze every little thing the other person did, there would be no confusion. If there were no confusion, there would be no chance of mis-communication. Cancer eats away at the body until it has taken over, that is what analyzation does to a relationship. If it is over analyzed instead of lived, it becomes a game of what ifs and in a girl's mind, I assume that consumes the very breath of that relationship until it is extinguished like the embers of a house fire by a pot of water. I think this one will take more thought and more concideration before it's decided completely in my mind, but that's where I'm at so far.
All in all, I don't know if that made any sense, if anyone will read this, or if I am just rambling. But it feels good either way. Let me just openly apologize too, for anyone who reads my thoughts. Good luck at understanding them, I sure don't.
-Phil
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Will The Real Phil Hudson Please Stand Up!
Wow, Life is just nuts!
So once again I find myself coming to a crossroads in life. I don't know why I have to be so retarded when it comes to important decisions.. but it seems I am inept in those areas that can allow me the greatest success in life. Be it girls, business, social things, physical well being, I just seem to fall flat on my face every time. I feel like the "Teenage Dirtbag" Weatus sings about. I can't get the girl I want, and the ones I can get.. I just confuse and cause emotional trouble to. I guess that is just how life goes though. I know I have to make that change and when I do.. it will work out better.
I have learned recently that I'm a very lazy person. I have a goal to overcome this by striving to do my best in everything I do. I think that will help me achieve greater success in the long run. I know that being a great man, serving others, and loving with my whole heart are very important.. but I find them hard. I lack in the qualities that make those things possible, or I am to scared to apply them fully. Who knows where Life is taking me, I only hope that I am up for the challenge and can get it to work for me, instead of against me.
Happy days though! And cheers to everyone out there who is still going in the face of adversity!
Much Love!
So once again I find myself coming to a crossroads in life. I don't know why I have to be so retarded when it comes to important decisions.. but it seems I am inept in those areas that can allow me the greatest success in life. Be it girls, business, social things, physical well being, I just seem to fall flat on my face every time. I feel like the "Teenage Dirtbag" Weatus sings about. I can't get the girl I want, and the ones I can get.. I just confuse and cause emotional trouble to. I guess that is just how life goes though. I know I have to make that change and when I do.. it will work out better.
I have learned recently that I'm a very lazy person. I have a goal to overcome this by striving to do my best in everything I do. I think that will help me achieve greater success in the long run. I know that being a great man, serving others, and loving with my whole heart are very important.. but I find them hard. I lack in the qualities that make those things possible, or I am to scared to apply them fully. Who knows where Life is taking me, I only hope that I am up for the challenge and can get it to work for me, instead of against me.
Happy days though! And cheers to everyone out there who is still going in the face of adversity!
Much Love!
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