a web of lies and deceit

What the....?

2008-01-04T14:41:00.000-05:00

Dude...

That's the Hoff... Peeking in your window. What kinda Christmas is this?

Oh wait... what's that he's got in his hand?

A present? For you?!?! Let me help you with it... OH LOOK. A BOOK!

If you're a writer - go get:

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT - a history of American Screenwriting - by Marc Norman.

Do you wonder why things are the way they are?
How things got to be the way they be?

Read this book.

It starts at the very beginning and gives a perfect historical context to everything to do with movie writing. And context is only seen once you have perspective and perspective comes for distance. But the amazing thing with this book is that it really helps.

I remember going through the studio tour - two weeks of three to four meetings a day about weird projects and the way I was put to the fire now totally makes sense.

To understand why the studios deal with writers the way they do... just for that insight alone - the book is worth it.

The amazing thing - nothing has changed. Just like in Barton Fink. They want the same thing. For us to do what they want. Now. With as little voice in it as possible. Like everything - they want to take someone with a unique voice and way of doing things and see if they can fit into the studio mold.

Its amazing. And you get to see it again and again - played out across the entire history of Hollywood.

And the Guild. The strikes. How we got into the mess we're in now.

This book is genius. It really helps. You should read it.

Peace....

Not to make excuses....

2007-12-28T14:43:00.000-05:00

But there's always a reason why... Even if you don't wanna know...

Don't let the Bastards get you Down

2007-10-20T20:30:00.000-04:00

Every Deer has his day.

Small comfort - but sometimes that's all we need.

I'm looking down the barrel of one more week.

Till then - I'm keeping my hooves sharpened....

Good Luck

2007-10-14T20:51:00.000-04:00

I know I'm not as prolific here.

But I'm doing something. Something I only do when I have nothing else I could possibly do.

Writing.

Go figure.

Not that I want to jinx it yet. Its quite small and embryonic... but it is writing nonetheless. Might not be carried to full term - but its definately there. You can see it on the ultrasound...

My greatest enemies in the way of neglecting my new child?

Radiohead's new CD.
Why is it that this band is always insanely interesting? Even when they put out stuff that I don't listen to as much - I constantly find myself returning time and again to their albums - and they all stand up. Different moods, different sounds... but the new one. Wow. I can't stop. Its beautiful. Transcendant. Makes you wanna open the curtains and smile at the sun. Or the grey. How many times can you say that about a Radiohead CD... Competes for me with Kanye as one the years best.

Prison Break
I didn't watch the show before. Most in the States sort of blew it off as a second rate 24... but now that 24 is the new second rate 24... I decided to give the show a shot. Its so big here in China that they actually shot their own version of it. Even though I think it lacks in a lot of logic and the writing is just not that great... its still quite addictive. The pleasure of a TV show for me is that its like coming home to an old friend. There are a lot of episodes and the story keeps going and you can feel like you're catching up. Even if it is in a prison and people are trying to rape you. Anally... Wait... maybe its just cause it reminds me of work...

Elmore Leonard and F Paul Wilson
Finished up Riding the Rap and City Primevil by Leonard. Man that guy can write. Twisty. Stories just branch and characters that you love. No wonder Tarrantino loves the guy - he owes him a huge debt. Anyone wanting to make great characters who talk well can stand to go to the school of Leonard. I feel like a boy in short pants with his ear to the wall trying to steal scraps from the masters table. Wilson writes a different type of story - but one I like equally as well. Word is they are finally making a film of his best character- Repairman Jack. Just finished up Harbingers and Legacies and now breaking into Hosts.

Facebook
My "buddy" Shawn sucked me in. Why? This is a nasty cult and a great way to actually blame your friends for wasting your time. While its nice to share one lines with people you haven't seen if forever - its also a black hole of time. But you do get to play the sweet old lady... look at this picture of my kids....

Sigh..

No more blogging. Back to doing what I should be doing.

Writing.

Peace.

My name is John Daker

2007-10-10T21:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my future brother in law for this...

Back in China. And since I'm blogging - that must mean I'm avoiding real writing.

Looks to be an interesting week. My show is blowing up over here. Up 70% last week - so people are happy. We are going out on more stations now - we hit four new stations this week.

Yesterday when we were doing some editing - the machine literally blew up. Like in a cartoon. Smoke starting pouring out of it and we ran out of the room.

It was that hot... :)

Met with my production team. Went over what I need for my November shoot. Looks like we're going to head down to Southern China for a little location scout before I go. Should be interesting. We need to shoot someplace warm to get outside - and southern China is it. Cause its already getting stinking cold here in Beijing.

Heading down to Shanghai next week for more meetings. This trip is actually going to involve some travel. Go figure...

And here's a funny thing. After freezing my ass off the first day back... I found out the the heat in my apartment only works from 10 at night till 6 in the morning. That's it. So that's what you get for the huge rent here in China...

Took my PS2 in to get modded out. Looks like it blew up. Gonna see if they can fix it today.

Lots going down... it should be a fun ride. And I might even get some writing done... :) Here's hoping....

Strange days...

2007-10-06T19:37:00.000-04:00

It's Saturday.

Sunday already in China... :)

Was up all night. Went to the movies last night with Shawn. Saw 3:10 to Yuma. Loved it. Great performances all the way through. Really fun and good movie. The end is a little questionable to me - but otherwise, I liked it a lot.

Got back and immediately emailed the producer. Said that one actor from the film would be great in our film. We had previously talked about this kid - but were on the fence about him - but I got more and more excited about him and wanted to get him the script.

Stayed up most of the night. Watched the documentary "Dig!" which was pretty good.

Took the kids on a two hour bike ride today. First time the boy has ever been out on the big streets. He's on his new birthday bike. He did great... we have some big hills here and getting up them with one speed is tricky - but he did good. At one point he did, however, cut me off. I only have front brakes right now that work - and I went head over handlbars... flipped my chain off - and struggled to get it back on and catch up with them.

But it was nice. Almost dying in front of the kids...

Afterwards, I crashed. Hard. Woke up at dinner.

And my producer had already contacted the manager of the actor.
And the manager had already responded.
Not that he said yes. Far from it.

But he responded. And anyone who deals with Hollywood knows - that sometimes, just getting a response is the greatest feeling of all. Even if its no. At least you can keep going.

And in this case it wasn't no. Or if it was - it was just so freaking polite, I couldn't tell it was a no.

It was a... thanks so much for thinking of us. We went from 14 years of waiting for a break to getting 4 offers a day. We will read the script - but we have so much on the plate in front of us now - its hard to look at something that isn't fully financed - but will be happy read it and get back to you soon.

See?

It's a nice "not right now..." and a reply on Saturday nonetheless...

How pitiful is it that I get excited about a "not right now?!?"

Sigh.

I've gotta write more. Starting now...

I know what's coming

2007-10-05T06:47:00.000-04:00

Remember Seasame Street?

The chef at the top of the stairs? Announcing something like:

13 banana cream pies!

And then falling all the way down?

This is my week home. I've filled it as best I can with bike rides, wii sessions, Avatar cartoon parties, homework help, long walks.... trying my best to be a dad in one week a month. Doesn't quite cut it.

This morning - our little school here in Indiana does Dads and Donuts. All the dads come to school with the kids a half hour early and hang out and eat donuts. Pretty cool. My kids have been so excited that I'm actually here. Last year, I was in China. Year before that, I was in Virginia producing a series.

This year - I get to make it.

I can't believe it's Friday already and I have to start thinking of going back East.

Far East.

Lots to accomplish this trip. Mostly setting up for a shoot in November. But a lot of travel and location scouting and budget meetings. All the things I normally love.

The movie is sort of stalling here. We have offers to different people who are more or less in the middle of their careers. Opened a few films as leads - done really big films as the second lead - but for some reason are at the point where they feel they can wait for more money on the table before even reading the script.

We have two companies reading the script again who previously bid for it to see if they want to actually get behind the project again so we have real money going into the offers. Still feels like its moving - but momentum is everything.

Spent a bit of time with Ryan. Had a lead on a script that was taking pitches - and we spent two days cranking one out. It turned out pretty well - nothing earth shattering - but nothing to be ashamed of either. It follows the beats of that type of story with a few nice twists and a cool setting. Who knows if it takes - but for a couple days work - it was nice. Was one again reminded how nice it is to write with a partner. Doesn't make the work easier - but it does help you to skip all the dead ends and nonsense much quicker.

Hung out with the extended family last night. We watched Survivor China. Never watched a whole episode of Survivor before...but it was mildly amusing. We all watched because Jean Robert - the poker player - went to High School with my sister and I in Taiwan. He was in her class. I was sure he was gonna be kicked out last night - but he survived. But doesn't look like he's long for this world.

More notes on the new script. More Elmore Leonard books read this week. More thinking and plotting about what the future might look like.

And I truthfully have no clue...

But I know what's coming... and the fall looks painful.

Hanging by a fingertip

2007-09-26T08:20:00.000-04:00

My time is almost up.

I don't wanna say this trip has been tough - cause its a lot like all the other trips... but something happens the last week where all I think about is being at home.

I watched Knocked Up over the weekened again and got all teared up. When they sang that song at the end of the film over the montage of the couple and their new baby girl - I was weeping.

I'm such a nancy.

But it's Wednesday night - and that means I only have two more days. So that's good.

But I gotta come back next month. That's bad.

And every time I leave Beijing - something cool happens. Last time, my assistant Star got married. And Nine Inch Nails and Public Enemy came. This time, Talib Kweli and Ozomalti will both play... while I'm gone.

But I might fly down to Shanghai to watch a preseason NBA game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. Maybe.

On the movie.

More names being bandied about and more offers about to go out.

On the funny tip - the big name star who we waited two years for his schedule to clear before he finally dropped out of the film has just changed representation again.

Yup. He's now at my agency.

And the very same agents who kept telling me what a douchebag he was and how I shouldn't work with him or his agent wrote me this week telling me how we should all sit down and have a meeting and talk about the film again.

Yup. His AGENT is also at my agency.

Just a reminder that everything is a full circle in Hollywood.

The highlight of the past couple days was reading an Elmore Leonard novel. Don't know if you read him or not - but I highly recommend his books. When I get back - I'm gonna pick up as many as I can get my hands on.

And on that note - I give you this link:

ELMORE LEONARD'S 10 RULES OF WRITING

Well worth stopping by. A master of dialog and structure.

From another article:

Leonard says he does not know where the story will go when he starts writing. He lets the characters lead. He's not even sure that he's starting at the beginning.
"I have no idea where it's going, I have no idea how it will end. I just start it.
"Sometimes, Chapter 1 will become Chapter 2 or 3; one time it became Chapter 10."

Editors?
Leonard has one, and passed along this piece of dialogue:

She: "I think this one ends rather abruptly."

He: "Well, but, it's over."

She: "Why don't you let it coast a little?"

Leonard said, "So, I'll write three new pages and I'll cross out two."

Holding on for dear life here in Beijing... ready for the long flight home.

Two more days... :)

The Closer

2007-09-18T08:44:00.000-04:00

Doesn't play well with others.

In my case - it's doesn't play well with authority figures.

I blame it all on missionary school. And my dad. Not that I don't get along with him - I get along with him fine. Too well. But watching him with authority figures makes me see how I became what I am.

When people say things like you should only get into this business because you can't do anything else - they are talking about me. Sure - I could fake my way into an organization and pretend for a couple months I was doing OK - but then one day my big mouth would open and that would be the end of it.

Why the heck do you think I'm banished to China?

I do fine as a director. Directors are supposed to be asses.

And the people who work for me generally really like me. I think. They say. As they cower in the corner like a dog that's been beat too much...

But the people above me are more than willing to save the ship from going down by tossing the offending Jonah into the belly of the whale.

Jonah in this case being me.

When I worked at Discovery - I had an argument with my exec producer in the edit suite over a cut in my show. He wanted it changed - and I told him -

"Fine. Change it. But just realize that we're changing it because you're the boss - not because the cut is better."

At which point he kicked me out the suite.

When I got hired on a certain series - I was given tapes of the show before I came in for the interview. The Exec called me in and told me he didn't think I could run the show. He had seen my reel and to be honest - he wasn't impressed.

I sat for a second - wondering why the heck he called me in for the job - and then told him it was probably for the best - since I watched the tapes of his show and thought it was a crappy show anyways - so it would save both of us time.

He yelled and me and kicked me out of his office.

(Only to call me later and offer me the series. How could I say no?)

Another executive producer who I shot a lot of commercials for took to calling me the "big middle finger" because of how I would react to his idiotic notes.

So when I'm in China and stuck with hours of time that I'm trying to avoid writing - I watch TV series.

I just finished Season One of the Closer.

Decent show. Not very realistic - but some really great characters and good writing.

Season finale is all about the lead character getting called to task for the way she treats others. There is an internal affairs complaint against her. Her Boss tells her it will all go away if she meet with the three people she offended and apologizes.

She agrees.

And proceeds to tell them she is sorry that she had to call attention to what a horrible job each of them are doing and she is sorry that she can't put up with their incompetence.

And then she walks.

Sigh.

The big middle finger has a new hero.

Game Time

2007-09-14T21:34:00.000-04:00

Can you pick a winner?

I always grab a handful of reading material to take with me to China.

First - there's the 13 hour flight. Plus the 5-6 hours sitting in the airport for each trip. Then there's the three weeks alone...

Sigh.

Back to the game.

This trip I grabbed a couple magazines - and decided it would be fun to put up a little quiz.

Two of the magazines I brought:

Wired - a technology mag - focusing on the future and trends
Cover Story: Halo 3

XXL - a magazine about Rap culture.
Cover Story: Kanye West

Both are part of my strange life. Are they yours?

Today's game is:

Guess which Letter to the editor came from what magazine. Got it?

Here we go:

(all these are parts of actual letters. No editorializing needed.)

"You've probably already been yelled at by the fanboys with regard to your reference to Optimus Prime's deah. He in fact did not die in the 1986 movie. He was later found in space and returned during the third season of the show. Megatron, however, never returned after the movie - not as Megatron anyway; he was rebuilt as Galvatron."

"...What he needs to do is shut the f*** up and give Buck his mother******* respect and realize that he's the coldest on that whole bull**** label. I hope Buck reads that s*** and slaps the s*** outta that n****...."

"Check out the spine of the 15.07 issue. Upside down, it reads "LO.ST" where the font makes the 1 in 15.07 look like a T. Funny that one of your cover items was Google Maps. Coincidence? I think not!"

"I'm currently locked up in prison, and I got my (magazine name) last night. So when I hit the Eye Candy page with Brianna and I see the sista's body, I'm like, damn! Brianna's a** so thick and fine I wish me and her could get things poppin'."

"Nowhere in your review of walkie-talkies did you mention that higher-powered walkie-talkies require a license to use. If you want real range from a GMRS talkie, forget about all those toys you tested and buy an Icom F21GM."

"If a b**** or a hoe is down the street, you would think he would walk by and downgrade them in a rap, but yet he doesn't. The way he sees it is, just because they are there doesn't mean you have to f*** with them any worse than life is f*****' them over."

Extra Credit:

Match the letter writer's name to the magazine his letter came from:

Milton Lau
Lawrence E. Stoskopf
Hokus
Bigz Lury
Haim Toeg
Cee-God Allah
Dat Dude
Tom Barlow

Good Luck kids!

Turn that frown upside down

2007-09-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

I had such a tough day yesterday.

Just very demoralizing.

Thank God for Skype - and my lovely bride who made some time to listen to me rant and rave.

Feeling a bit better today. Helps that its Friday and I get to come home in two weeks.

And who says rap can't united the world? If this clip doesn't make you smile - your heart is black and full of ice.

Can't touch this...

Fighting for Coherence

2007-09-12T19:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was lost in translation.

I showed up at the post house to begin a new edit and waited around most of the day for a group from France to finish the fx on their new car commercial.

Never happened.

I left with the joy of knowing I wasn't the only one who couldn't finish a project in China in the allotted time.

Oh wait... did I say "joy?"... I meant dispair. Easily confused...

All day I had just one thing on my mind:

Who sold more CDs? Kanye or 50?

I mean a lot was at stake. It was 9-11. This is a big day in our nations history - and what better way to commemorate the lives lost then to release rap CDs?

While Kanye has tried to play it off as an exciting event - 50 has gone so far as to say that if Kanye sells more than him - he will give up the mic.

50 - brother man - where would we be without you? If you quit rapping - that means the terrorists have already won!

At least I can take solace in the fact that while we still may be a nation in grief - we can at least drink in the comfort that only sick beats, blazing mc's and mad ho's can offer.

I went out last night to an event.

What? Is this the same Greg who only leaves his apartment for work? The guy who spends every night sitting in front of the TV or computer?

Yes. I went to a reading/lecture at a local bookstore by one of the guys who runs boingboing.net - one of the most widely read blogs in the world. Judging from the packed house - it is obviously read in China as well.

Great guy. Read a new story he wrote for Forbes that was very William Gibson-ish. Then he went on to rail against copywrite law and why it will never work. Only by opening up information can we hope to keep up with people stealing.

He's a great speaker and a really smart guy - and he puts his money where his mouth is as he releases all of his books on the web for free and still makes money selling them in stores. But it kinda felt like being trapped in a room with a really smart guy talking about legalization of drugs... he has lots of good reasons why it would work - mostly by saying all the ways that it doesn't work to stop them.

Not sure how I feel - but I was entertained.

Even stranger - I came home and turned on the Discovery Channel and watched an episode of a show that David and I produced 3 years ago.

Kismet.

Red State

2007-09-11T20:36:00.000-04:00

Back again.

I was only gone a week but it seems like a drug induced dream.

I'm never home enough to change back to normal time - but I am home enough to screw up my sleep patterns really bad. I feel as if I'm sort of walking dead - between two worlds.

I had a great time with the family - but I was dizzy for most of it. Had a lot of things I needed to do - and people I needed to talk to - but couldn't get myself together for any of it.

And before I knew it - Here I am, back in China.

Two or three silly issues with the company last week - but it seems as if they are working out.

Pulled the offer we had out on the young hot music stud after his manager sat on it for over a month. The assistant manager read the script - loved it - and recommended it to the manager. We had a cash offer on the table... and he never read it. So we pulled it.

Sent the script out to two other actors on Monday. One was the sidekick in a big summer franchise film - the other, the lead in a film that no one saw - but was quite good. We will see who responds.

My producer sent me a couple scripts last week that he is attached to. He keeps sending me stuff - and I assumed he wanted me to read them for a second opinion - so I read them as one writer to another. But then he told me that he's always looking for directors - so he wanted me to be reading them as something to consider directing.

That's a whole other ball of wax.

I hit the ground running yesterday.

Went out and bought 20+ movies here last night.

Celebrated with watching the longer, extended cut of Death Proof - the Tarantino portion of Grindhouse.

Can I say that it sucked? I can't imagine watching that at the tail end of another film. I was bored - didn't care - and couldn't believe this was the same guy who did Pulp Fiction. I remember reading an interview with him talking about how he filmed one of the greatest car chases ever done - because if he was going to do it - it better be the best.

Can I say - not. even. close?

I've about shut the book ont his guy. And that's after buying the Japanese boxed set of all his films. I love his writing. His structure. But I can't stand that film. No reason at all to see it.

Sigh.

Well. I guess I should go to work and see what the future holds for me.

Karnival...

2007-09-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

Whee!

I know that this might be silly and slightly embarrassing for an old white guy who can't dance to admit...

But I played Dance Dance Revolution last night - And WOW!

I like video games. A lot. Grew up with them and still enjoy them.

My kids love video games.

We went out to the Winona Lake Indiana version of an arcade last night.

Yeah - I've seen the machine there. Yeah - it's usually occupied by a couple of adolescent girls - monopolizing the machine all night long. Yeah - its a dollar a play - which is probably the reason why I never played it.

But my wife is a piece of work.

She determined that we should try it. And once she sets her head to something....

Anyways. She basically dragged me to the machine. After a few horrendously white moments - I actually was pretty good with it. More than that - I really like it.

If you haven't tried it - you must.

I actually broke a sweat. And at one point - I jumped too hard to the side - and fell off the machine.

I was in such a good mood that I can home and actually read pages by Ryan and wrote some of my own. And they weren't bad.

Only thing bringing me down is that its Friday - and that means that I gotta get back to China on Monday.

Sigh.

But maybe I can find a machine over there in China. Bet it isn't so expensive there...

Trust me on this. You gotta try it.

If you happen to see a really uncordinated old white guy on the machine... trust me... I'll be done in a minute.

Must Write...

2007-09-06T08:23:00.000-04:00

If only I pushed a bit harder....

I know. Just keep going. Write through it. It'll come.

I need a chair like this - strapped to the keyboard - hand and foot - no choice but to crap or get off the pot...

Seemingly have no choice but to continue to push out pages.

Listened to the Creative Screenwriting Podcast the other day. The guy was talking about how he never has writers block cause he just has too many ideas...

Hmmm.

I guess I could relate if crappy ideas count. I seem to have a million of them. And I probably have 10-20 pages of a hundred scripts that follow those crappy ideas until they die.

And then they sit there on my harddrive - mocking me... waiting to be picked up again like the squirtgun that shoots jelly on the island of lost toys.

Cause everyone knows you don't need to be that great - you just need to have that one great idea...

If only that were true.

Just gotta push through.

Just keep on puuuuuussssshhhhhing....

Ah yes.... Here it comes....

Home

2007-09-05T06:04:00.000-04:00

It must be home.

I'm always surprised when I get back to the States.

My family actually likes me. And I them.

I can sit with my wife - hanging out on dueling laptop computers or watching TV late into the night - laughing and giggling like we were back in High School - just enjoying each others goofy presense. Ask me if she can set up dinners with friends of hers who don't believe that she actually has a husband. Smile as she explains to me that all the shoes arriving at the house are coming with free shipping and a great return policy. And that most of them are actually going back...

Sure they are...

I can go out to eat with my extended family and smile - not fight. Listen to my Dad talk about his new Church - where they actually like him and want him - even though he drives an hour each way.

Sit with my son and go over his homework. Have him read a book to me about Decepticons with minimal help. Sit on the couch together and watch the Magnificent 7 - and have him tell me it's a lot like the Pixar movie Bug's Life. Rub the top of his buzzed head and tell him he looks a lot like Wentworth Miller on Prison Break.

Get on a bike and ride for an hour with my daughter. On the big roads - cause they don't believe in sidewalks or bike paths here in Indiana. Work with her on her report on Amelia Earhart - and tell her reports are like telling a story - even though she continuously corrects me and tells me this is not supposed to be in story form. Watch her read Harry Potter and smile. Asks me to turn off the fan in her room when I go up to go to bed.

To see my little sister's smile as she shows off her new ring from her fiance. She how happy she looks as she talks about her upcoming wedding.

Have my dog follow me everywhere. To the bedroom. Downstairs in the middle of the night. To the bathroom while I take a shower. And even if I go out for a few minutes - just to get the mail - she shakes her whole body with happiness when I walk back in the door.

And for me. Just to be in my house. See my friends. Sit at the table where I wrote two scripts. Listen to music while I work through the night. Play the new leaked Kayne West CD over and over - enjoying the beats. Fill scraps of paper with ideas for scripts to start and abandon.

Think about what's next.

This is where the heart is.
But there is where the work is.

I'm enjoying it while I can...

Superbad

2007-09-04T04:36:00.000-04:00

What? Is there something wrong with a guy telling another guy that he loves him?
If that's wrong... I don't wanna be right...

Spent the day at my neices party.

My sister loves a big party. My wife's sister loves her a big party too.

I do not love big parties. In fact - I can't stand them. But it was a nice way to get to see everyone all at once in one fell swoop.

Played a lot of badmitten with my son. Watched my daughter take the rope from the pinata and try to make a zip line from the tree to the ground. She was using a horseshoe to try to slide down from a high branch.

Amusing.

But tonight - my closest friend Shawn and I made a run for the theater.

In our small town - there is one movie theater. Its not bad - as small town theaters go... but they don't bring a huge selection - and they don't bring in a whole lot of R rated films.

We really wanted to see Superbad - well... because we heard that it was Super Bad...

It wasn't playing here.
That means its an hour drive to Ft Wayne to the big Rave theater.

We usually try to go to the latest show because:

A: The kids are asleep by then and the wives don't yell at us as much.
B: Night here is my day.

Tonight was the last chance to see it cause Shawn heads off for Mexico city tomorrow. He wanted to go Saturday - but it was my first day back and it didn't seem like a good idea to run out on the family. Sunday he thought I was gonna call him - and I thought he was gonna call me - so neither of us called.

Today - we were both at the party - and knowing it was our last chance before he left - we had to go.

He showed up at my place at 9:45 - to get to the theater for the 10:50 show. He was a bit late - so I drove a bit fast.

We pulled up at 10:35.

We walked to the theater - which is in the middle of an outdoor mall. Don't bother asking why someone would build an upscale outdoor mall in the middle of northern Indiana. I still to this day question the logic. The point is you can't see the theater from the parking lot.

When we got there - the box office was closed. The usher was cleaning up. We were in shock.

I looked to the board - and there was the showing.

Superbad 10:50.

We immediately hit good cop/bad cop mode. (can you guess what I was?)

Hey man. What's up with the show?

What show?

Superbad. The 10:50.

Oh yeah... um... well. There is no show.

But it was in the paper. And on the internet.

Yeah... that was a misprint.

But it was in there all week. And its on your board.

Yeah. Well. There is no show tonight.

Let me talk to a manager.

So the manager ambles out.

Yeah sorry guys... we don't have that show on Monday. All these guys gotta get to school tomorrow... and when they made the schedule they never put anyone on to watch the late show. As you can see - we're already cleaning up the snack bar.

But... we drove an hour to get here.

Yeah... well - I can give you some free passes...

But its on your board....

Yeah... sorry....

Look. We don't need any snacks. We just want the movie. Can't you just start it up now... it'll be done early... and then we'll go. We won't even use the bathroom.

After a couple of seconds of blank stares - the guy said sure.

And he said we could watch it for no charge.

We got an empty theater all to ourselves. The manager himself ran the film. Asked us if we minded skipping the previews. We said not at all.

Then he offered to get us free drinks.

That's what I call customer service.

And to top it off - the movie was so funny I almost coughed out a piece of lung. It is one of the sweetest foulest movies I've seen in a while. And that I got to share it with my best friend made it all the better.

Thanks Rave Theater Manager, Ft Wayne Indiana. You made my night.

Scented Candles

2007-08-29T20:55:00.000-04:00

Thirsty? Got Pet Sweat?

On my way back from a perfectly lovely evening of Korean food with my new adopted Beijing family by way of Australia - I was reminded of an old game my wife and I lovingly like to call:

Unsavory Scented Candles. (inspired by David Letterman)

Our personal favorites

Earwax
Scorched Flesh
Chicken Factory
Noontime Pakistani Bus
Hershey Squirts
Morgue
Gas Station Bathroom
Wet Dog
Buglight

And the newest addition:

Chinese Taxi Driver.

One day left...and I'll be leaving - on a jet plane....

Big in Japan....

2007-08-28T18:26:00.000-04:00

I've been working in China for a year now.

This is my third stint here.

First one was with Discovery Channel - back in 1994.

Next was with my company, partnering with a US company and a Chinese company in 1998-2000.

This is three.

Times have changed. The place has changed. The world has changed.

I learned Chinese growing up as a missionary kid in Taiwan. Wasn't something I set out to do. Just something that happened.

For some reason - moving to Taiwan in 8th grade was really good for me. Those difficult formative years were made all the more interesting by growing up in a foreign country far removed from American life.

I was fascinated with the people and the culture - and while I didn't really go out of my way to learn the language any more than taking classes in school - I found I could pick it up pretty well.

Most kids can. Language just seems to seep in better when you're that age.

At the time - while there was a large amount of internationals there in Taiwan - we still weren't the norm. I got used to being starred at everywhere I went. I also got used to getting away with things I would never dream of in the States - mostly because we were different - but also because most people didn't want to go through the hassle of trying to speak English to us and tell us what idiots we were.

I took Chinese all through High School - ending up in classes with kids who had lived there all their lives. Never got a long with any Chinese teacher I had - in fact, I think I was sent to the office more by Chinese teachers than any other teachers - and most teachers there hated me - to the point of one teacher actually announcing to the class that she hated me...

Ah the Joy of Missionary school...

But unlike most families there - we actually lived in the villiage as opposed to a compound - where families would all live together in a little walled off community in a semblance of the suburbs - surrounded by others with similar colored skin. Just being in an all Chinese enviorment meant that you had to learn. Had to speak.

I got to use my Chinese all the time. I worked in a pizza place. I taught English. I went out with my friends. Our school was a boarding school - but in my class there were 7 of us that actually lived in town - and we would go everywhere on the island - hiking mountains, traveling to the beach... where ever the train or bus could take us. We loved being there. In fact - out of the 7 - 3 actually still live in Asia - with me, the 4th - traveling back and forth to this day.

We couldn't drive till we were 18 - which I didn't turn till college - so bikes, buses, taxis and trains were our friends. We loved getting out as much as possible.

And then it all ended. Most missionaries do about 4 years, then head home for one - then back for four. Since I would have left for my senior year - we stayed an extra - so I could graduate there.

Then I headed back to the States for college.

My parents went back. After I got married - my wife and I went back for a month together. I spent a summer there in college with some friends. Got to go back and shoot a TV show there during my 98-00 stint.

I miss it.

But China is where the action is now.

The Olympics are less than a year away.

Watched Discovery Channel the other night and there was a big special on the building of CCTV's new tower here in Beijing. It's right across the street from me. I wake up every day and watch them building. Weird to see it being talked about in English...

I heard there are immersion schools in Texas right now teaching half the day in Chinese.

The Weinstein Company just announced a near 3 million dollar fund that is going to be totally devoted to doing films in Asia.

Never in my life did I think that my minimal language skills would come into play professionally.

Never imagined that I would keep coming back like a Yo Yo to this part of the world.

And now my kids have got to come and spend the summer here - getting it in their blood.

The world is changing. Don't know what this yet means for me. Guess in some ways, I'm lucky to have a marginal career on two different continents... :)

Never heard of me... but I'm big in Japan....

Lost...

2007-08-26T18:50:00.000-04:00

It's Monday morning here.

It's the last four days before I can get on a plane and head home. Even though I get to go back for just one week - it still is awesome. Not that I don't love China - but I do love seeing my family and my dog.

My daughter is doing a report on Amelia Earhart and I will actually be home to see it. If I can drag myself outta bed.

Cause day here is night there and night there is day here.

So in prelude to my weekend, here's how things broke down at the end of last week.

We finally had approval from the stations and from the government for our show. We had done over 25 versions and sent them out and everyone was ready for the September 1 launch...

When I got a call on Thursday morning.

Greg. We have bad news.

What?

One of the product names is wrong. The Character and Voice over need to be changed. On every tape.

Trust me. Most would panic. I didn't. I'm so over panic. If this was the first change, maybe. If it were the 50th change... possibly. But I have gone through 6 months of changes - and this one doesn't even make me twitter. I just pull out a pen - get the offending character written down - and start making changes.

On Friday - I see that the actor we have an offer out to has signed for another film. Doesn't mean he's turning us down - just means that he's doing something else. But it probably isn't good...

So what does that mean for me?

Does that give me the motivation to go out and write another script? Work on new ideas?

Nah....

I got married two weeks before I started Film school.

We had just got out of college - worked all summer and saved - and then got married, went to my grandparents for our honeymoon and then moved and started grad school.

While I went to school - my wife worked two jobs.

I watched movies all day. Cause it was homework.

That lasted about a month before I found out who the real boss in our relationship was.

This weekend reminded me of those old days.

I watched a plethora of movies.

Weeds Season 1 and 2 - really interesting show. Great cast and writing. Very unrealistic and quite dirty - but an amazing show about a bad mother who is still quite sympathetic.

The Lost Room - Sci Fi mini-series with a great premise - a lot of fun episodes - and a weak ending.

Chinese Movies-
Invisible Target - great first half, lousy second.
Undercover - weak Wong Kar Wai wannabe - nowhere in the same league.
Blood Brothers - Produced by John Woo - very melodramatic
Perfect Love in Peach Blossom land - Really fun old Taiwanese film about two plays being put on the same stage - sometimes at the same time.
Flashpoint - The new Donnie Yun movie. He did Iron Monkey. Lots of Brazilian Jujitsu type moves - but really fun.

Korean Movie -
Comrade - great little double agent film. Very restrained and well done. And depressing.

American Film -
Resevoir Dogs - sigh. Interesting to watch it again and admire it. Horrible to hear Tarantino talk in his interviews about what a genius he is. Kinda makes me throw up in my mouth... just a little bit.

Sigh.

All of that should serve to be very inspiring. But it isn't yet.

But I'm still brewing. Ideas are easy. Good ideas are hard.

Just got a call from America - Everyone is at my little sister's engagement party.

Guess it's time to make the donuts...

The Bold and the Breathless

2007-08-23T19:42:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of great things about China.

But here is one that is....eh... not so much....

And by saying its not a great thing... I mean that we find it uncomfortable - in a way that when you are confronted by the truth it makes you feel uncomfortable.

Cause here's the thing.

The Chinese are like your mom.

Or a really blunt, overprotective mom who thinks that she's doing you a favor to tell you that your clothes don't match. Or that you look awful. Or that you have a giant zit on your face.

The Chinese are just like that.

Once they get to know you even a little bit - they have no problem telling you what is wrong with you. Or what they perceive to be wrong with you.

And frankly, as a midwesterner who always answers "Great" when asked how I'm doing - even if I'm carrying the gun to kill myself in my pocket - it's all a bit disconcerting.

I like my truth where it belongs: covered over by polite insincerity.

There is a reason we have politeness. There is a reason we tell people what it is they want to hear. And usually the reason is:

We don't care much for the truth.

Sure there are time when the truth is great. Necessary even.

But there are other times... when we don't.

Case in point.

I'm walking out the Hotel the other day to head to work. I run into one of the ladies from the executive lounge where I used to eat breakfast every day before I moved to the apartments.

I haven't seen her in about a month.

Hey - I warmly said. How are you?

Good... she replied. You got fat.

Huh...? I stammered.

Yeah... you're fatter.

I kind of just starred.

You should exercise more.

I am... I said. I play basketball three times a week....

Oh. Well. You should do it everyday.

OK. Well. Thanks.

(I start for the door. Ready to get outta there...)

Wait. She said.... How are you doing?

GREAT! I say...

Reaching for my gun....

Can't we all get along?

2007-08-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

I felt like I was in a mini-united nations. Or the cast of Sesame Street.

Let me explain.

The company pays for my stays here in China. Of course they do - cause I'm here for them.

Last December - when we were getting ready for our first shoot - I moved here to the Kerry Center because we had two locations here we thought we were going to film. Two day before the shoot - they told us they changed their minds and didn't think it was the best idea.

Happens. Not often. But it does happen.

Lucky for them I had already moved my crew in and we were here for a month.

For some reason - even after that slight - I didn't leave.

Mostly because I knew the Sales guy - and it was easy to email him when I was coming and get a room. The longer I stayed - the cheaper it got - and my stays got longer and longer.

Once we were done shooting - Company suggested I find an apartment. Which made sense - since my family would be coming out.

Lucky for me - hotel has aparments attached to them.

So we moved to the apartments - where I've been for the last three months.

The apartments are funny things. Expensive things. But nice. Furnished. Private. Cleaners come through twice a week. Have your own washer dryer... That kind of thing.

Last night they were having a party for the residents.

I haven't really met anyone. Most of the time - the elevators are empty. I ran into a guy from Singapore who has lived here 10 years with his family. 10 YEARS! Oh my gosh...

The other guy I met is John. John is from Australia - looks to be in his early 50's. We met after seeing each other at different places in the hotel 3 times in one day. Since then - we continue to run into each other all the time. He moved here with his wife - left his life behind - and is studying Chinese. They planned to stay a month - and now they are one their third.

So my table was me - American.
John - Australian.
Chu - John's wife - from Singapore.
A Finnish lady and her daughter. They have been here for 10 years - and she had an extensive knowledge of Chinese history - going as far as to tell me the book on Mao that I was starting was complete rubbish.
A Frenchman who works for a gas company and his wife from Shanghai and their 13 year old daughter. I tried talking to the wife in English - because they had only been here 10 days and I didn't want to assume she spoke Chinese - but as soon as I did - she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Three Japanese ladies who we never talked to.

A mini-United Nations. With less fighting.

The conversation was thrown around the table about everything from morality, to politics, to Chinese customs and history.

The dinner was billed as a BarBQue and wine meal. Very strange combo I thought. Stranger still was the meat which really didn't resemble any BarBQue I've ever tasted.

But the entertainment more than made up for it.

A Chinese clown - who doubled as a magician. He had a whistle in his mouth that he would blow loud and incessantly whenever he felt people weren't paying enough attention to him.

Three Chinese dancing girls - who changed outfits 5 times - and seem to get into skimpier and skimpier clothes. Not sure who ordered them - but the old Japanese men loved them.

And last but not least:

A 20 year old long haired European kid with a saxophone. He looked like an extra from the Simpsons. He insisted on walking through the crowd - blowing notes at the back of your head until you stopped talking and paid attention.

Quite enjoyable.

All in all - a really interesting and fun night.

I am alone...

2007-08-21T19:15:00.000-04:00

Utterly... alone....

Not been writing.

Finishing up the Rape of Nanking - and have been a little sad ever since. I guess there's a reason why I don't read a lot of non fiction.

Cause life can be pretty disgusting.

Worse than that - I followed up to see what else author Iris Chang had written - because she wrote this brilliant book at 29 - and found out not only is she dead - she is dead by her own hand.

She was working on a new book and apparently had a breakdown that had her convinced she was being followed by the CIA and she shot herself - leaving behind her husband and 2 year old son.

That's just another log on the fire of depression.

The book is so gripping and amazing - as any account of heroism is in the face of overwhelming odds. It really is crazy that there hasn't been a film about this. There were so many people who basically gave up their lives to stay in the city and help when there was no hope of them ever really getting out alive.

If you don't know the story - The Japanese - in their march across China - took over the city of Nanking in about 2 days. Then they systematically killed close to 300,000 people in a matter of days. Afterwards - they occupied the city and raped any girl they could find. If not for the bravery of a few doctors, missionaries and a couple Nazis - the rest would have died as well.

Ms Chang also goes into the mindset that would allow a group of people - in this horrific case - the Japanese to be able to kill and rape as they did. I personally believe that we all have black hearts and released to our own instincts will always do what best suits us. If you remove societal restraint and law - and replace it with a fanatical devotion to the emperor - coupled with the authorities telling you this is what you do - I can see it happening.

It would never happen again though. At least, not during a war. Not in this age of embedded reporters and 24 hour news channels.

But at this point - the world did know what was going on. Just not to the extent of what really happened. And that ignorance still continues. Most have no clue of what happened here - let alone even where "here" is on a map. Until this book came out in the mid 90's - I doubt most Americans even knew about it.

On one hand - you ask yourself - If I was there, and Japanese - would I have been part of doing these unspeakable things? Could I have somehow been the lone voice of reason or dissent? And at the same time - you ask - would I have had the balls to be one of the ex pats who stayed behind to set up as safety zone and defy the Japanese army - taking my life into my hands every day? Roaming the streets at night without weapons - trying to save lives - like those men and women did?

It was a different time - in a place cut off from the rest of the world with people on both sides feeling as if they were answering to a higher moral authority - but in the end, no one can doubt that everyone there was singularly touched by the atrocities committed.

To this day - people are still affected.

And yet - it still happens. Rowanda. Dafur. And others.

I guess I've answered my own question.
I'm the guy who sits by and watches bad stuff happen.

And on that happy note: Off to work.
I promise to be back with more silly distracting pictures and happy thoughts later...

Recovering

2007-08-15T18:25:00.000-04:00

Bleah.

Tueday was a long night.

For some reason - I got sick. Not like, puking sick... just like - you've been going in and out of highpowered air conditioning to 104 degree heat too many times - type sick.

My head was pounding and my nose would just run uncontrollably. We have no 24 hour Walmart here - so I was forced to use napkins to blow my nose - and it got uglier from there.

Needless to say - I was thankful we have a clinic in the basement of the Apartments here - and when I went in and told them my symptoms - they told me to talk to the pharmacist - who promplty gave me medicine. No doctor visit - nothing... and I feel much better.

Who knew?

We finally got approval for our latest show - so it's a flurry of activity here in Beijing. Onlining - mixing - and preparing versions. I love versions. Millions of shows with just tiny little tweaks that are so easy to miss - all going out at the same time under enormous deadlines.

Whee!

I'm also hanging under the weight of the fact that my family is leaving me.

The kids start school next week and so they must return home. Unfortunately - I must stay for another couple weeks. The days do seem to get longer and longer when they're away.

But what do you do?

You keep on keeping on... I guess. Till something else happens.

They head off for the Summer Palace today - one of my favorites - and a great way to spend your last day in China before going back to the middle of Indiana.

I'm halfway through Iris Chan's Rape of Nanking - and dear God is it a depressing book. I don't know if there are many great pilliaging books that make you feel triumphant - but wow... this is definately a dark day in the history of China and Japan. It's amazing to see the selfless acts of the people who stepped up and tried their best to stop things - even when their own lives are at stake. You always think about what you would do in a situation like that - but who knows if you really could. Just reading about it makes me want to crawl up in a ball and cry for mommy.

But - like all tragedies - they are very quickly forgotten and we move on. The promise of never again seems to ring hollow in our ears. But hopefully in this case... it truely will be so.

And on that happy note... :) Off to work.

Letting the days go by...

2007-08-13T18:28:00.000-04:00

This is not my beautiful mall. This is not my beautiful Goth...

My God! What have I done!?!

I was playing basketball last week at the language university with my old high school friend. That is strange enough as it is. Then it turns out one of the other white guys on the court not only grew up in Virginia Beach - where my family lived for 15 years - he went to the same Grad School as I did.

Then another guy was here in China on vacation. He currently works for Harvard University. But not so long ago - he worked for a company here in China that also paid for one of my TV Series here. And he knew a lot of the same people I did.

And we all met up on a basketball court.
In China.

We talked about a lot of things - and I got sort of philosophical as I am wont to do - and they started glazing over as I drew all sorts of universal truths out of a seemingly random meeting...

But it did make me think about a lot of stuff.

I have often run off on a tangent about isolation. When people are isolated and surrounded by like minded individuals to the point that everyone looks the same and thinks the same - that start to assume that the rest of the world either:

a. Looks and thinks the same as they do. OR
b. Needs to look and think the same as they do. Or die a horrible death. Preferrably by fire.

Isolation leads to trouble. The best way to avoid becoming crazy is to surround yourself with people who don't think the same way you do and constantly re-evaluate why you have the world view you do. It doesn't mean that what you think is wrong - but it does give you a reality check.

China is a great example of what happens when you grow out of touch with the world. They were removed from modern life for a long time - and now they are starting the long road back to try to reach the present day. But they are doing it without a lot of discernment. They are reaching and grasping so fast that a lot of what makes them unique is going to get lost.

Racism is another great example of people developing thoughts in isolation.

Really - it all comes down to fear. What we don't know or understand - we fear. That black guy. Those Communists. Harry Potter...

And that fear makes us search out others who see the world like us. And we talk about our fears - and it makes us feel better. And soon we've created a group of people who all worry and fear the same things as us and we don't want to be around others who don't - cause they just don't get it - and boy will they be sorry when we are proved right.

But somewhere - somehow - people break out of that. And they do the impossible. They leave Italy and go to China and discover a new world. They quit their job and move to South America to live in a villiage. They bring medicine to Africa. They go work in the inner city. They write scripts about people doing those things. Or... they talk about writing scripts about people doing those things...

Years and years ago - my dad decided that working for the MAN was bringing him down. He was being asked to do things that he was morally against - so he quit. We were living a nice upper middle class life in a nice suburb in Southern Ohio. To keep up our house payments - the neighbors took pity on him and he started painting houses in the neighborhood.

One day he came down off a ladder and told us that he felt God was calling him to be a missionary.

I was in forth grade.

By the time I was 12 - I was growing up in Taiwan. Which is where I learned Chinese. Which is where the world first opened up to me. Which is where I saw firsthand the way isolation can ruin your heart.

But back to basketball.

At some point in each of these guys lives - they decided to leave what they were doing and do something else. Even halfway across the world. And they love it.

So many of us struggle with the job and the family and the writing - that we forget the adventure of the road less traveled. We get to open a window to a world that so many never see.

Three years ago - my family spent the summer in Puerto Rico putting up satellite dishes so that remote schools could get the internet. In truth, its probably so that the pricipals of those schools could get the internet - but it was a great experience for the kids.

This summer - they've got to spend a month in China. Seeing the world. Visiting new places.

Once you move past that one circle of influence - the world opens up and you start to see things in a whole new way. You can't go back to the little place you came from and forget.

There's nothing to fear. There are a lot of big ideas out there - and your ideas should be up for the challenge. In the process you get to bend and grow and change.

Every year I try to change a deep seated habit of mine just to prove to myself I can still change. Its hard and unpleasant - but I always feel good afterwards.

I hope as my kids grow up they see the world as one distinct place - completely open to them - ready to be explored.

As my daughter said to me yesterday: Daddy? what cool new place are we gonna go next summer?

Sorry for the rambling nature of the post. Its early... :)