December 17, 2007
Previous days’ “Deep Thoughts”
4:36 A.M.
About to get on a plane to fly to L.A. for a 10-6 edit session. Been up and working since 10 A.M. yesterday, so I’ll get about an hour’s sleep on the plane, and then have a full 8 hour work day. It’ll be about 32 hours straight working, minus that one hour. This is the big week, to get this final cut done, out of my own pocket.
The photographer from the Guardian had the same complaints about the other guy’s cut being too choppy. I’ve played both versions for so many people, and the comments ring so consistently, that I know exactly what I want and under no circumstances am I conceding. I have other rock solid distribution plans besides Showtime, so if it goes away due to my creative differences with Tony Scott, it goes away. Will know this Friday. Have a hell of a week ahead. Can still use some financial help to get this week’s cut done. Need to raise about 3 grand more, so if anyone can help, please do.
Either way this will be out by late Jan/Feb, unless the Showtime deals holds than it’ll be March.
Buckle your seatbelts for all 8 episodes of “Young Americans - At War With Al Qaeda”. It ain’t quite like anything you’ve ever seen before.
6:49 P.M.
I have been awake and working for over 33 hours straight. No kidding. As I’m going to be without internet access for the rest of the night, the work aspect will probably end within the next hour. Actually, who am I kidding, there will be plenty to pick up via the phone. Got a bunch of editing and web work done this weekend, the photo shoot, and then, sans sleep, flew into L.A. for a full day of editing with Db. An expensive process, but I need to get it done, to have MY final cut of the episode done before the meeting on Friday at which Tony and I will decide if we can stay in business together. Like I said, either way it will work out in terms of YA being out shortly, I just may go broke in the process. But there are tougher things.
Db and I are making good progress, but because I work on an editing system called Final Cut Pro, and he works on one called Avid, instead of just being able to jump on the one cut and work together, he has to perfectly eyeball each exact first and last frame of every cut to replicate it onto Avid. And I’m paying over $100 an hour. Lovely.
Alright, y’all I’m a little too fried to go on. Hope everyone is well.
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I like the title with the addition of “At War With Al Qaeda”
December 17th, 2007 at 7:18 amPat, you should drop, or have Bash drop, a direct link to the donation page every time you blog. It wouldn’t be misunderstood and would facilitate the generous donations that I am sure will come (for the holiday season)!
December 17th, 2007 at 7:37 amPat,
I dropped you a $100 donation but didn’t see the text box in the PayPal window. I must be blind. If I get a shirt, I don’t care if it’s M or L, either I’ll wear it, or my wife will. And if you want or need to, mail it after the first of the year. Come on guys, do the same if you can afford to! How can we afford to not!?
Thanks for all that you do Pat, and have a happy holiday(s)!
SSG Olson (aka “REN”)
P.S. Please give a shout out to the soldiers in Afghanistan from time to time as well, they often fight as long and as hard as those in Iraq, with even crappier conditions sometimes, and are often forgotten in the Iraq-obsessed media mix.
December 17th, 2007 at 7:59 am@REN
P.S. Please give a shout out to the soldiers in Afghanistan from time to time as well, they often fight as long and as hard as those in Iraq, with even crappier conditions sometimes, and are often forgotten in the Iraq-obsessed media mix.
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I agree, REN!
G-d bless and keep safe our troops in A-stan … And a Merry Christmas to them all …
December 17th, 2007 at 10:39 amHell yea, can’t wait.
December 17th, 2007 at 1:11 pmAnd give a shout out to the Marines in Okinawa, setting up chairs in the gym all day long. We’re helping the war effort by… um…
The coffee maker in our office broke. So don’t tell ME about crappy conditions. Sometimes, I have to pick up the phone! And… talk to somebody! And say, “Excuse me, sir; General Douchebag is on the phone for you, sir.”
Christ. We will never win Bush’s war with Japan; Okinawa is in the midst of a civil-war/quagmire/mongolian clusterfuck, we went in with no exit strategy, there were no weapons of mass destruction; we must redeploy to my girlfriend’s apartment, and when I say “we,” I mean, “I.”
POLL: My girlfriend thinks we’re having a girl, and she wants to get “her” ears pierced when she’s a baby. And I’m all like, “Fuck no! I want to wait for her teenage years so we can have a bitter fight about it where she hates us for ruining her life and then she gets an A on her report card so it’s a reward.” Plus, I think babies with pierced ears looks pretty hick. What’s next, baby make-up? Anyway.
Am I right, or am I right? Results from the poll will be posted on tomorrow.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:43 pmPat,
You should stick to editing your documentary; leave my comments alone! Remember in Bad Santa where Thorton’s character gets accosted by that dude from the bar, and he says,
“I am NOT GAY!”
Or if there’s a new Stalinist commenting policy, let me know.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Pat, try a plug-in like ‘Automatic Duck’ to convert FCP to Avid and back. Yes, that’s really the name. Google and ye shall find. It’s a few bones but I’m sure it’ll be cost effective in the long run.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:44 pmI’ve done worked with Vegas, Avid, Final Cut, After Effects, Premiere, and Combustion. I prefer Final Cut and After Effects. Just my half penny.
Pat, that sucks trying to match edits. Since you are in a time crunch you are kind of stuck that way. Try to learn Avid, when you can so you can be on the same page. Avid is not bad but many of the same features are there just not where you expect them if you are used to Final Cut. Good Luck. I’ll send a few meager dollars your way. If I had the cash I’d fund your whole project.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:06 amWHAAAAAAAAAAAA, going slightly crazy sitting here and unable to do anything usefull except typing a comment
December 18th, 2007 at 5:42 amEgfrow, I would love to ask you some questions about video editing if you ever have a moment or two.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:14 am