December 7, 2007
Last few days’ “Deep Thoughts”
6:41 A.M.
My long-passed away dad was Navy, World War Two. Died a civilian, not in action. The attack on Pearl Harbor was met with action, not inaction.
God rest the souls of all those killed, and God please let the stories of valor of that day live on, passed as torches
6:47 A.M.
I’m exhausted. Was awake for a straight 26 hours yesterday. The endless comedy-drama contiues: I had turned in my assembly of “The Glass Factory”, and now dB and I are doing the final cut. Tony and co., due at least allegedly to reasons regarding another protential investor, wanted dB to have the entire episode cut by 3 PM this afternoon. We started yesterday. It’s a bout a five to 7 day job, not a day and a half job. By way of example, Skip took weeks just to do his first pass of my episode. So now it’s this funn-ass show down over this today. And again, y’all, keep this in mind: they’ve paid me NOTHING, I DO NOT WORK FOR THEM, I let them on as a gift. And if Tony really needs to get this cut to this investor today, ( we want more money than Showtime is paying for things like more music, etc ), than I get it yet. But once again, it’s another ridiculously “weird”, just-not-right moment. “Okay, Pat, yes you’re the director, but we are going to give you only a day and a half cut your version of the episode”. ( After Skip himself was a week and a half late delivering his edits of the episode to me ). I don’t really get pissed too much, I just kinda laugh and have to be annoyed dealing with a lot of it and the minions of Skip and Tony, because they have no power over me. I own all the materialf I do not work for them, and again, they have paid me nothing.
10:11 A.M.
First of all, dB, my new editor, is a genius. He just “gets” the project, and the two of us are able to work together in true collaborative fashion. He, as much or more than anybody who I’ve worked with on this project, understands the myriad value to maintaining a rawness to the piece. Oftentimes, there is a subtlety to human emotion that is lost when conversation and action are forced to wear the veil of music and special effects.
With dB and I there’s often the so-called mind-meld, we have the same instincts for a lot of important creative choices, and at the same time, we challenge and argue with each other when the other feels strongly about something. The match seems just-right.
We seem to be past the whole 3:00 issue, dB let Tony know that it just wasn’t realistic, that we need into at least the middle of next week to get it right. And just so you know, he and I completing an entire episode in a week is SOP, it’s not like we’re asking for anything special.
However, Tony wants someone here at Skip’s edit facility to output a copy of whatever state the episode is in at 3:00 and Fed-Ex it to him in New York. Not something I’m really into, because the cut will of course be extremely rough only a day and a half into a five day process, there are choices things in the cut that we don’t even if we’re going to keep in there yet ( ie, trying some things out ), so then the next thing is, I’ll have to hear a reaction from Tony, or more to the point, discuss and perhaps “argue” with Tony about issues that are not even really fully formed or even will really exist, because he’s reacting to the earliest of stages of a work in progress. In other words, a potential hassle. I really didn’t do all this to get out of bed and have no fun in the final process. I’ve done my share of “no fun” in Ramadi, Fallujah and the Triangle of Death. But, that’s all just worse-case scenario speculation, things could be smooth.
If it’s getting boring to y’all hearing about the trench warfare, the every-day-it’s-a-new-battle tales of all this, imagine what it’s like for me having to live through it.
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My father was also a Navy WWII vet. He has also passed away many years ago.
When I would sit and talk to him about the war (WWII) and how the country was, you can see in his face just how important WINNING the war was to him. You can hear in his voice how much he loved this country. My father stood tall and you can see the pride he carried with him, He loved this nation with all his heart.
Its sad to see so many from that generation passing on. Like a single beat of a birds wings, their gone and time passes. In the blink of an eye.
December 7th, 2007 at 7:18 amAnd if Tony really needs to get this cut to this investor today, ( we want more money than Showtime is paying for things like more music, etc )
—————————————————-
I know we’ve had loads of fun pitching our music selection ideas your way for YA, but I’m sorry, Pat … I gotta laugh. Ain’t it like Hollywood to insist war needs to be set to a music soundtrack? I mean the music of the voices, gun fire, explosions, etc. just ain’t attention-grabbing enough.
Reminds me of that SNL sketch of Blue Oyster Cult with Christopher Walkin
http://webfeedcentral.com/2005/01/21/more-cowbell-video/
More cowbell!
December 7th, 2007 at 8:17 amMy dad’s great uncle died aboard the Arizona on December 7, 1941. Since I found this out in my early teen years, this day has taken on greater significance with each passing year. I am going to teach my children when they come of age. I will remember.
December 7th, 2007 at 8:29 amMy grandpa was a Marine in world war 2. also a friend of the familys brother died at pearl harbor. Its a day that links alot of people together and will never be forgotten.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:21 amPat,
December 7th, 2007 at 10:41 amI find the posts interesting and will be of great value to you when you look back and reflect what you went through to get this thing to take off. We appreciate the time and effort to post these journals.
Pat,
Here’s something even more disheartening that you may need to confront. When you finaly finish your version. Other parties will insist on you making a few minor changes in order to get this on the Air. This will likely happen just before it’s about to air. Get a back up deal going.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:44 amSounds like a painful process. I know it will be worth it though. good luck!
December 7th, 2007 at 10:47 amNot boring —–
December 7th, 2007 at 1:00 pmas per Patton, go thru em like crap thru a goose!
It’s not boring. The mind-meld between creative forces is a rare and wonderful thing.
I agree on the sending a rough, not even half finished work, to a Producer, or in a writer’s case, an editor.
Of course big money isn’t inolved in anything I do (yet) but it has always been my custom to not let people see my work until it is completely finished. Criticisms come to portions of a work that you may have intended to cut/rearrange/whatever with later on, and its a waste of time.
Too bad you just can’t say “STFU, you get the episode when I say its ready for you to see.”
Stay in the zone…
December 7th, 2007 at 1:01 pmPat, I ain’t bored yet. Then again, I watched some spit dry the other day and got a friggin woody.
Bash! I sent you an email.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:04 pm“Dollard’s The Agony and the Ecstasy”
(Tony Scott playing) Pope Julius II: When will you make an end?
(Pat Dollard as) Michelangelo: When I am finished!
December 7th, 2007 at 4:09 pmdriellanwr . exellent
December 7th, 2007 at 7:37 pmNone of us are bored. We are glad to be able to be a part of everything that is happening. I am surprised that they have made such unreasonable demands on the amount of time that is needed for you to do things they way you want them done.
drillanwr - that was really good!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:02 pmPat, I ain’t had this much fun since I left the box in 92…. Keep it bro, the Marines need you!! YUT!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:27 pm