Friday, December 26, 2008

January 26, 1925 - September 26, 2008

I want to be a pilot in the military but will be failed and told I am color blind.
I want to study Drama at Yale University, then move to Los Angeles.
I want to be an actor.
I want my career to span 5 decades.
I want to be nominated for six Academy Awards for Actor in a Leading Role, before I win my first award on my seventh nomination.
I want to be an Academy Award nominated Producer.
I want to start a line of food products that will begin with salad dressing but expand to include pasta sause, lemonade, popcorn, salsa, wine, and much more and donate all proceeds from these products to charity.
I want to be the co-founder of a summer camp for sick children.
I want to be a political activist.
I want to be a race car driver and own my own racing team.
I want to be married and have six children.

Wait...someone already did all of these things. His name was Paul Newman.

"Study your craft and know who you are and what's special about you...ask questions and listen. Make sure you live life, which means don't do things where you court celebrity, and give something positive back to our society." - Paul Newman (1925 - 2008)

Saturday, December 20, 2008

writing for the sake of writing

I don't really have that much to say right now but let's see where this goes.

Here is what I came up with...

Writer's block is either fictional or the worst thing ever.

Conclusion: Since I already wrote 90% of a short film today I'd say I accomplished enough for right now. So I am going to go read The Last Lecture, think about life, start a new day, and come back to this tomorrow when the tipping point is one day closer.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

the (revised) plan

Alright awhile back I wrote a plan down to follow. It was really more of a scatter-brained attempt of what I wanted to do in the upcoming months. Well I've been doing a lot of thinking between that post and this and I have changed...no. Revised my plan. So here it is:

Watch every film I can get my hands on. All of them: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Read everything I can about the entertainment industry, business, screenwriting, upcoming movies, and who's signing on for what. Just read more in general.

Remain at Cal Poly to receive my business degree with a concentration in marketing; while I write some shorts that can hopefully be made and produce them, while still working on writing / finishing Good Will Hunting 2. (I'm just kidding, but something cut from the same cloth. i.e. an unknown writing one of the greatest scripts of all time. Hey a guy can dream can't he?) During the next 4 years it would be great to actually work during the summer in a field that is related to my future. First summer: sales job at SEARS? Second Summer: internship for ad agency in LA? Third Summer: intership in New York.

Following graduation continue writing and move to Los Angeles and work for an Advertising Agency.

Finish the script.

Sell the script and get on the film as a producer with my marketing and advertising background I should be ready by then.

The rest:

Continue to write and produce my movies and move on to produce others' films.

Open my own production company.

Have a career and not just a job.

Be happy and enjoy life.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Judgment Day

beep, beep, beep, beep, beep

7:10 am: Wake up and finish studying for STATS.

8:05 am: Shower

8:25 am: Check psych grade; still not posted. Check book of the face; bored. Finished packing to leave.

9:10 am: Breakfast / Extra study sess

9:50 am: Enter classroom for STATS final.

10:07:31 am: Handed the final by my professor.

11:17:51 am: F***************S*******G*******S*******F****

12:15:27 pm: Done. Lay the final and note sheet on the desk, look my teacher in the eye, and walk out with my head high. Cause I did my best and that is all anyone can do or ask for.

Whatever happens happens. Whatever will be will be.

Monday, December 8, 2008

2 dead weeks

Last week was "dead week" (yes, I just used air quotes).

Supposedly, but it's as if I have 2 deads weeks because I don't have a true final until Friday. So what I'm going to be doing until then is studying. Studying what I should have been studying during the first "dead week" (yes I just used them again).

The way I figure it there are two kinds of tests/exams/finals. There is the one based on recall, and there is the one based on recognition. My psych final is going to be based on recognition, meaning that I can study one night (one hour) and do fine on it. My stats final on the other hand is based on recall, meaning I have to truly understand the material. Whatever that means.

The way I figure it is if I cannot remember it for the test, then it is not important enough to be tested on and therefore not having to be remembered.

But what happens happens.

All I can do is study until my brain forms so many new wrinkles until it collapses upon itself and causes a miniaturized black hole that will swallow up this entire campus and everything else; causing no finals for anyone. Now there’s a visual for you.

Friday, December 5, 2008

i'm not anywhere

I just finished watching the film I'm Not There, and that is exactly what it is. It is not simply a movie, but a film. And yes, there is a difference.

One word can be used to describe it: interesting.

I haven't decided yet if it was good or bad, or if I liked it or didn't. But it was interesting.

I just think that the characters played by Christian Bale and Heath Ledger deserved there own film because they both had so many layers to be explored that I felt were left undiscovered. In fact this gives me an idea... (but not to be finished here).

There should have been more Ben Whishaw on screen because he did such a tremendous job, and I feel if they chose to make a true bio-pic then he would simply be great as just Bob Dylan.

For this film by Tod Haynes, I feel it should have just been devoted to Cate Blanchett. Maybe they were hesitant to only cast one person as Bob Dylan, and even more hesitant to only cast a women for the role. I can't even begin to describe the phenomenal job she did. At first I didn't see it in the beginning of the film but by the end I was completely turned around and could not see the line where Blanchett ended and Dylan began.

Good film... but great?

I'm not so sure, because I only really cared about 4 of the 6 characters used to portray Dylan. The other two seemed unnecessary until the final scene.

Still a pretty good film though.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

short break = oxymoron

Just took a break from studying psych that I wanted to only last 30 minutes but ended up lasting 2 hours.

Oops...So much to do so little time.

Actually I have all the time in world (not really). But the exam is still 14 hours away, so plenty of time remains.

Can't wait until Christmas break because Christmas break = no homework, no studying, no stress (unlikely), more good food, good people, down time, thinking time, relative reading time, writing time = accomplishment = success = happYness = doing what I really want = LIFE.

The end... for now...

The tipping point is coming... I can feel it closing in

(I didn't put a period for a reason)

10 people I want to be when I grow up

I stole this idea from my sister, so don't sue me sis.

1) Jerry Maguire

2) Eric "E" Murphy

3) Will Hunting/Matt Damon

4) Christian Bale

5) Christopher Nolan

6) Jerry Bruckheimer

7) Ari Gold

8) Don Draper

9) Ray Bradbury

10) Eric Cutruzzula

Saturday, November 29, 2008

home?

If I don't feel at home in SLO...

And I don't feel at home in my hometown...

Then where is home?

Thursday, November 27, 2008

giving thanks

Today is Thanksgiving.

A day filled with fabulous food, precious people, fun friends, and tremendous times.

Being home has been great (in part because of the non-dorm food).

I've gotten to see family and friends, and the hometown that I constantly hate and love at the same time.

I hate it because it is were I grew up and I want to get away. I love it because it is were I grew up and sometimes want to stay. I hate it for being the small town that it is. I love it for being the small town that it is. I hate it for being the place where I leave my friends and family behind. I love it for being the place where I had those great memories with my friends and family.

I feel it is important for people to just think about and recognize the things in their life that mean so much to them on a day like today, because these things too often go unnoticed.

I am extremely thankful for my friends and family, but it's more than that. I am thankful for every person that has had an influence in my life: good or bad, because they have made me into the person I am today. I love and cherish the relationships I have with my family and friends because without them I would be nothing. Being away from the people you truly care about opens your eyes to what is important in the world and what and who really matter.

I am thankful for my home and the familiarity that comes with it. The way that once you return it is as if you have never left. No matter how long you are away.

I am thankful for the things that cannot be seen but I know with 100% confidence are out there.

I am thankful for the talents I possess and my purpose in this world that I have not yet found, but am sure of, I will.

I am thankful for the future and the joys it will bring, and the randomness of this universe: because you never know what is just six degrees away...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

homecoming

i'm coming home again...

nuff said

Monday, November 24, 2008

(fill in the blank)

Can't really think of anything to say...

Just ready for Thanksgiving break. Get to go home, see all my friends and family, get to eat good food, and just chill in h-town.

So it should be good...I just hope it doesn't go by too fast.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

the waiting state...

In Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Places You'll Go! he writes about the waiting place...for people just waiting...

But for me this is not only a place. It is a city inside of a state. A state inside of a country. A country inside of a continent. A continent inside of a world. A world inside of a solar system. A solar system inside of a galaxy. A galaxy inside of a universe. A universe inside of my state of mind.

It is as if I am constantly waiting for something else to happen. There is no current escape from the waiting and staying. No boom bands are playing. Yes, there is fun to be done, but little to be won.

Is there a winning-est winner of all? No one can be as famous as famous can be; because the whole wide world cannot watch you win on TV.

The games you can't win are the only ones being played, because you've waited far too long and are very much delayed.

Where are the great places?

Where is my mountain that is waiting?

When will today be my day?

So...I can get on my way!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

HYPER ACTIVE

SO HYPER RIGHT NOW

WENT AND WATCHED THE DARK KNIGHT FOR THE THIRD TIME (STILL AWESOME)!

AFTER THE MOVIE I ATE A PINT OF ICE CREAM, THEN A HUGE COOKIE, THEN AN ENTIRE BAG OF POPCORN (BRING IT ON FRESHMAN FIFTEEN, I'M READY)!

I NEED TO REGISTER AT 7 TOMORROW FOR MY THREE CLASSES THAT ARE OPEN, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO WAKE UP AFTER THIS SUGAR RUSH ENDS.

BUT SLEEP SOUNDS REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW SO...

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

the summary

A summary of my activities after class today:

Walked the ten minutes from my class to my dorm room.

Checked in on my Bus100 powerpoint assignment, and it was done.

Went on Facebook, took a quiz about whether you have a movie in you, because I was curious to see what it said although I already knew the answer. It said I did but I already knew I had about ten.

I added about 3 and a half pages to a screenplay, with notes for about another 10 more pages.

Caught up on movie news.

Read an article about the Captain America film, and wrote a comment suggesting Alexander SkarsgÄrd for the lead role. Just a way of getting his name out there. We'll see if it does anything.

Went and ate dinner: Ham sandwich, chips, and a Sobe.

Came back to my room and took an online quiz for Pols111.

Shaved.

Caught the end of Ocean's 13 on HBO.

Started writing this...

What's coming up...

Hall Council Meeting at 9.

Sons of Anarchy at 10.

Read another chapter for Pols.

Sleep.

Start a new day...

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

the world

Today I heard the question:

"What kind of world do you want?"

And I replied...

"I don't know."

Monday, November 17, 2008

home is where the heart is

Even though I live in the town that I am going to college in, it isn't home.

Home is where I was born and where I grew up for 18 years.

Before college started I couldn't wait to get out of there. But I didn't know what I had until it was no longer a part of my life.

I don't yet know if that is where I want to spend the rest of my life after college. For what I want to do it is not possible where I grew up. But I'm not even sure if that is truly what I want to do. I just don't know.

It's the familiarity of the town. The businesses. The streets. The people, that I never thought I'd miss. It's the little things that make it home.

I may live in SLO, but it currently is not home. It's just my current city of residence. A waiting place, until the next thing to come.

Who knows what town the future will hold...

Sunday, November 16, 2008

the joy of the all-nighter

The first all-nighter I pulled about two weeks ago really payed off. It was a legitimate all-nighter too. Not one of those fake ones were the person goes to bed at like 3 or 4. I started the paper on Sunday, read four books in one day as sources, then started writing it and did not finish until 8:34 A.M.! No sleep at all. It went from being pitch dark outside to the morning dawn. To the sunrise of the early morning.

I had class that day at 12 and after I had saved my work and moved my stuff from the study lounge back to my room, and fell on my bed and I crashed napped till 10:30. Then I woke up and took a shower to actually wake up, got ready for class then went to go eat something and got to class, On Time!

I have been waiting since the moment I turned it in to find out what my grade would be. In part to see if what I wrote was any good (since it was 9 pages in one night), to see if I actually knew anything about advertising (since that was the topic of the paper), and to see if the myth of the all nighter is actually fact. The answer to all of these turned out to be YES!

95% on a 9 page paper I wrote in one night.

It turns out I do know a little something about advertising.

Look out Don Draper, because ERIC is waiting.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

never again

Never let last night happen again.

But make sure you incorporate it into a screenplay.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

my first order of business

The following contents of this post are 100% serious.

I am going to become a talent agent. My first order of business is go get Alexander SkarsgÄrd the role of Steve Rogers/Captain America in the upcoming film The First Avenger: Captian America. This is a career launching film, and has the potential to gross far more than even Iron Man in the first weekend.

Captain America has a advantage over Iron Man being that Iron Man was a second tier comic hero, as in people were familiar with him but not as such people are familiar with Spider-Man. But Captain America is not. People know who Captain America is and will go see the movie. Hire the same team that marketed Iron Man so successfully and Capt. America will be an even greater success.

But that's enough of that back to our lead...

Currently the names of Pitt, Damon, and Cruise are being thrown around in relation to the Capt. America film. But Capt. America should not go A-list! Christian Bale was mostly known for great smaller movies such as American Psycho, The Machinist, and Empire of the Sun before doing Batman Begins. Now he is an international sensation and on his way to becoming the top actor in Hollywood, if he isn't there already. With the current roles he is getting, I am going on record here saying, he will win an Oscar within the next 5 five years. Period. His star power will only get larger, much larger, when Terminatior Salvation and Michael Mann's Public Enemies both come out in the 2009 summer. But once again I am off topic.

Alexander SkarsgÄrd is Captain America.

Who cares if he isn't American, neither is Christain Bale. I'm not even going to mention that SkarsgÄrd has already proven he can play an American soldier with his role of Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert in Generation Kill, he is 6'4, blonde and was made for the role of Steve Rogers. He is only 32, and can be signed on for both the Capt America movie and Avengers (and multiple sequels) for a good price. Thus giving Marvel the option of using the money saved by getting SkarsgÄrd instead of Pitt,Damon, or Cruise to go after Ed Norton to reprise his role of Bruce Banner if they choose to go that way (which is the way to go) for the Avengers film. SkarsgÄrd is the best way to go, it's just a matter of whether or not his name is even on the list of actors Marvel is considering.

It's like in Entourage when Vince wants Medellin but Ari tells him there is a list of actors the studio is looking at and Vince's name isn't on the list. I have to get SkarsgÄrd's name on that list! And on the top! Above the Pitts, Damons, Cruises, McConaugheys, and Eckharts, not because they are not good, they are all great, it's because SkarsgÄrd is what's best for the role, the film, the franchise and the future of Marvel. Capt. America now has Joe Johnston attached to direct and is moving along. No doubt about ready to cast their lead. It must be SkarsgÄgard!

But how am I, an 18 year old Business major at Cal Poly, going to get this done? How am I going to get his name on this list? Hopefully it is already on the list and my work will not be needed. Maybe I can contact his manager Larry Taube either by phone or mail. But that will probably be difficult to do. I can somehow reach Marvel and get his name out there. Why can't I already be a talent agent? That would make it so much easier. This is what I want to do. I have a passion for it and I know I can be successful at it.

Maybe I can just go in person to Taube's office in Westwood or someone I know could. That's an idea! But I am going on record here at 8:00 pm Thursday, November 13, 2008 that Alexander SkarsgÄrd will be Captain America.

I will make it so!

don't cry over spilt pepper

Does spilling a pepper shaker mean the same thing as spilling a salt shaker?

I sure hope not, because if it does that's a bad thing to do twenty minutes for a STATS test, which I did. As I was getting up to leave the table where I was sitting for lunch I was picking up my stuff to go, and down goes the pepper shaker. I just stood there looking at it, not knowing whether or not to pick some up and throw it over my shoulder. Then I thought about whether it means the same thing as spilling salt. I decided it did not and left without throwing. At least I hope it doesn't mean the same thing because the STATS test that I have been stressing over for two weeks was, like I said, was twenty minutes after that.

Don't get me wrong if it had been the salt that fell over, just as quickly as it went down, it would have been flung over my shoulder and hitting some poly dolly in the face. Seriously I don't mess around with that stuff. Salt, ladders, black cats, mirrors, umbrellas you don't mess around with those things.

So split pepper doesn't mean the same thing as spilt salt, at least I hope not. But I guess we'll see how I did on my test to find out the real answer.

student dying

I have been studying for a while now. I really need to do well on this next stats test.

20 more minutes and that's it! (yeah right)

sucking ftats

WHY?

Too tired to make this competent. All I can handle in my head right now is stats, nothing else. Then after 1 p.m. tomorrow (I guess technically today) the magic trick will happen and it'll all disappear.

FLUSH!

But not yet I still need it. Only 13 more hours.

Why is studying, student dying put together?

Oh, I know why, because it's the truth!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

seriously wtf?

Looking at classes I have to register for in ten days was not fun. By classes that had already filled up my class list was now cut down by half.

I didn't have to go to class today, and the plan was to read POLS and work on STATS but I still haven't yet. Seriously wtf is wrong with me? And if I don't get a C in STATS this quarter then it is really gonna screw everything up for next quarter. Why is math so hard, but everything else is so easy? So this is going to be a bad week until I have my STATS test on Thurs.

So much to do, so little time. So much to think about, so much to plan. So much I want to do, but no time to do it. So much I wish I was already doing, but a time machine hasn't been invented yet.

Seriously wtf does the future hold?

Monday, November 10, 2008

the plan

Here is what I am going to do.

This summer I must finish at least one of the twenty scipt ideas I have in production. One short is already finalized but, impossible to make on my budget. I just need to finish more of the shorts I have been working on.

The others:

Finish the pilot I have fleshed out, and have been working on for a year.

Make substantial progress on multiple full length film scipts during this summer, with the ultimate goal of actually finishing one. The one that is furthest along, I'm about twenty-five pages in, with another ten pages of outline notes. However it is still extremely far from being completed, and right now is looking like it will be at least 150 pages to convey the story I want.

Jeffries, if you are reading this and decide that you would be willing to make something written by someone else, let me know and that will definately give me extra motivation to dedicate myself to putting my best in finishing a short.

Another note: Try and get the LOST Lit team back together this summer to finish what we had started last year but never did (No Country for Lit Men). It would have definately been better than LOST Lit, even though LOST Lit was pretty phenomenal.

That's all for now...I'm sure within the next 24 hours I'll have multiple new ideas for either books or screenplays that I will one day in the future actually finish.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Math Memento

There is a real problem in my life. For the people that have seen the movie Memento, the main character played by Guy Pearce cannot create new memories following a traumatic event and severe head trauma. He cannot transfer memories from the short term memory to long term memory. So to solve his problem he tattoos notes onto himself and leaves notes around so he knows what to do.

I have a similar problem.

It seems as if I am unable to transfer anything I learn in my STATS class from my short term memory to my long term memory. I'll understand it in class and at the office hours but, within five minutes after I leave it just disappears like some sort of magic trick. Ever since my traumatic event I have not been able to properly learn any math, and that traumatic even was my senior year of AP Calculus. One word can sum up the entire class: Horrible. Maybe my severe head trauma occured when I was banging my head against the table while taking the AP Calc test at the end of last year? The problems may as well have been in another language (I may have even done better on the test if it was in another language, it sure couldn't have hurt).

The bad thing is that if I use the strategy in Memento (that is tattooing myself with STAT formulas and answers, then look at those while taking the test that may be considered cheating, and I'll just end up failing the class anyways. Not to mention that I would have STAT problems on my body for the rest of my life). So I guess I will just do whatever the character in Memento did at the end of the movie.

Now how did that movie end again?

Saturday, November 8, 2008

what? no way

Today while in SLO is saw 5 people back from my hometown. So crazy and weird how it worked out, but also so awesome. 24 hours ago nowbody was planning on being here then within that time 3 people from h-town, one of my friends who goes to SB, and another who goes to fresno all showed up! It was as if SLO was the center of the universe. It didn't seem real. People I haven't seen in monthes I was now hanging out with and it was as if nothing had changed which was great. It seemed surreal, like a dream of some kind never knowing what may be around the next turn. But what I thought was going to be a boring day filled with school work, turned out to be a great day. So work is put off again for another day, which is probably not a good thing, but there is always time for that...or is there never time for that? It's got to be one of the two. Oh well, all I know now is that it is time for sleep.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Reading

"Read a lot. Read everything. Read Playboy and Harper's and Reader's Digest. Read Wired and Fast Company and Fortune. Read the Bible. The person who doesn't read has no advantage over the person who doesn't know how. Read the papers. Read history. Read poetry. Read fiction. Replenish yourself. I never knew a wise man or woman who wasn't a big reader"
Steve Frankfurt

What the future holds for me today is reading, reading, and more reading...

To the people that know me this sounds pretty ironic because I have been know to say everytime I pick up a book, "I hate reading!" But that really is not true...not the whole truth. I hate reading things that I am forced to read. When somebody says, "READ THIS!" I don't think anyone will want to read it, especially me. The way to get me to read something and anyone for that matter all that needs to be said is, "I think you should read this. You may find it interesting." First, by saying this to the reader it is as if you are giving them the option of reading it or not, without making it sound like you are forcing upon them. Secondly, by saying that it may be interesting that peaks the attention of the reader and makes them think "How does this guy know what I find interesting? He doesn't know me. I'm going to prove him wrong and read this then when I'm done tell him how uninteresting it was." But by that time it will not matter because the reader will have already read what the person wanted the reader to read in the first place. Mission Accomplished!

The point of this is READ! anything and everything that you may find of interest because a simple article that takes ten minutes to finish may change your life in a dramatic way.

So after a long day of listening...Listening to my alarm ring ten different times because I pressed the snooze ten different times before I finally got up and went to class. Listening to my professers speak about who only knows what. Listening to the CFO of APPLE Peter Oppenhiemer speak to my class about what APPLE is all about. Listening to my STATS professor explaining to this stuggling student (me) the basic fundamentals of statistics. Listening to my parents as I talk to them on the phone. Listening soon to one of the four washers in the laundry room that will hold my clothes.

I will be reading...Reading the Wall St. Journal I picked up free from my college. Reading FORBES about the entertainment all stars that make all the money. Reading my books on working in Hollywood for the speech I have yet to write. Reading my stats book that I am now two (no longer three) sections behind in. Then finally reading my alarm clock and seeing the numbers count on as I go to sleep at another ridiculous hour.

what the future holds after that is...SLEEP!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

what the future holds?

Talent Agent, Sports Agent, Law School, Advertising, Writer, Actor, Producer, Director; LA, NY, the Bay, SLO, back home, somewhere in between...what will it be?

the first of many...

It is now Thursday and class is over, and STATS office hours start in three minutes. I really should go, but after a busy week of pulling my first all-nighter (writing a 9 page advertising paper for COMS till 8:30 AM!) on Sunday/Monday morning, staying up till 2:00 studying for a psych test on Tuesday, and staying up till one on Tuesday studying for a COMS midterm on Wednesday, let’s just say I’m a little burnt out on school right now. I would just like to read/write about anything unrelated to school, and fantasize about what my future career may be or what I’ll be doing within the next five years. Today I bought the FORBES issue of entertainment all-stars, and wonder, “what separates me from doing that?” Well…that is a question to be answered on another day, and at another time, because right now I have to get to STATS office hours!