Surreal Photography to Close Out the Year

Well, the year’s end is upon us and I am behind on my pilot rewrites. So, today’s post is going to be short and sweet and visually focused. And it might be the last one for 2022!

I’ve been exploring what’s going into the public domain in 2023 for potential adaptation and a lot of my research takes place on, surprise surprise, the Public Domain Review. It’s an incredible website, filled with sundry strangeness and eccentric stories and fascinating histories.

It was there that I came across two articles. In Search of True Color and The Kept and the Killed, both written by Erica X. Eisen. In these articles, Eisen surveys collections of alluringly flawed old photos and analyzes their time in history and the record they leave behind. Eisen provides the context, I’ll just share some of my favorites here. It might be fun to take them in standalone first, see what feelings they conjure up. I know I’ll be keeping them in my mind’s eye for inspiration, and perhaps a writing prompt or two in the weeks to come.

And with that delightfully odd note, happy holidays and New Year’s to you!

Nicholas Britell

It’s funny, I keep finding my way back to accidentally hearing Nicholas Britell scores - always surprised to find out that he is indeed behind the wonderful music I’d been listening to throughout the whole movie/show. Most recently, and most surprisingly yet, was Andor. I suppose because I didn’t know he did TV as well. And also because Andor’s score veers into almost hauntological electronic at times (e.g. the Morlana club) and Britell - as far as I’d heard - had never touched the universe of EDM before. He proves time and again how adaptable and versatile he can be, but always paired with a creator who seems like an organic fit. McKay, Jenkins, Gilroy. Not a bad roster of consistent collaborators.

Britell scored a lot of short films and documentaries to start, before really breaking out with the Big Short and Moonlight. He then solidified top tier status by crafting the theme song to Succession and delivering consistently incredible compositions for If Beale Street Could Talk, Vice, and the Underground Railroad series. Andor’s score is as rich, complex, and hard-hitting as ever - melancholy, heroic, gritty, and with winking humor too.

The only comparison that comes to mind is Aaron Copland. This symphonic, all-American feel - powerful, cascading, instantly recognizable if not for the fact that you get so pulled into the storytelling of it. I’ll save (for another post) my rant on how we should be giving more recognition to film composers as mainstream, cutting-edge symphonic musicians. We should be so lucky if Britell gives us the same output as Copland! Can’t wait to see what he does next.

Thanksgiving and the Painter

It’s usually around this time of year that my wife and I go to a suburb outside Philadelphia and pack into my great uncle’s house alongside my parents, brother and sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins (first and second and third)… sixty people!… and my grandma Zelda, pictured above.

Zelda passed away last year. Here’s a very nice remembrance. I’ve been thinking about her more during this holiday time, especially as I’m staying in Los Angeles - far away from everyone. One of the incredible things about Zel was her creative output, all the way up into her nineties. Sometimes it was a painting a day. And poems too. She was equally unwearying when it came to consuming art too. Movies, books, music - she was always entertaining herself with something new and could recite and analyze it at will, whether it was a Django Reinhardt album from the 1950s or the latest Netflix hit. Like an encyclopedia of artistry.

In some ways, I feel that Zel has become a talisman for my family - which is full of poets, filmmakers, writers, potters, and craftsmen. We aspire to her level, and just musing on her endless well of imaginativeness helps give me a spark - or some extra fuel in the tank. Especially as I stay put, writing through this particular holiday, I will be conjuring her spirit and hearing her voice as she jokingly advises - but also very seriously, “Listen to Beethoven. Listen to soaring Italian operas. Do the tango. Roller skate. Feast on dim sum, sushi, apple pie. Above all, respect intuition when it comes your way.”

Here’s a record of one of her past exhibits and some paintings below.

Musings on Mentality

I used to believe that productivity can only come out of a rigid schedule. Wake up at an exact time every day. Begin writing at an exact time. Set specific and rigorous deadlines for yourself. Be consistent in your process and hold yourself to it with every project.

Well, I’m starting to realize that “rigid” and “productive” aren’t synonyms - and “consistency” in the writing process is something of a laughable myth. Every project is different; it has a different voice, new characters, new intent - and that newness will leech into the process and mutate it. Every time it seems! Maybe it’s just me. I’m always roving and searching for new genres, genre-mashups, ways to flip things on their head - and that usually means flipping my own process on its head.

But that’s okay. I’m realizing that fluidity, that real flexibility is the goal. Not just with the process from the 30,000 ft. view (research to beat sheet to outline to draft to revisions, etc.) but even from the day to day approach. I still aspire to be rigorous and ambitious and productive of course. But some days, my inspiration may take me down a rabbit hole of in-the-weeds research when I “should” be breaking story structure. Maybe I need to know how polymetallic deep-sea nodules are harvested before I can understand who this scientist is truly - what decisions she’ll make… and that’ll determine the structure.

The process is only arbitrary if you decide what you’re doing in a vacuum, away from your actual story. Maybe I’ll become more methodical with every project, but something tells me this method accepts chaos as an ingredient. And that’s okay… as long as you do actually stick to those deadlines!

A Few Recommendations

Well, it has been a minute. In an attempt to make more regular postings here, I’m going to start off with something befitting of this page’s name, miscellaneous (random, truly) recommendations across mediums.

Branko Mataja [MUSIC] - an incredible guitarist with an equally incredible backstory. But before you read anything about it, just sit back and closed eyes listen to his music. It’s truly unique. Psychedelic reinvention of Serbian folk songs by way of California surfer. His mesmerizing instrumentals have become the only soundtrack for me as I write my new pilot - a spy thriller set in the islands of the Mediterranean. Enjoy!

Andor [TV] - I know, you’re as surprised as I am that I’m head over heels for a Star Wars show! The truth is, I’m not naturally a Star Wars franchise sort of guy but this show breaks the mold in every way imaginable. And actually, I shouldn’t be surprised because it’s Tony Gilroy (along with Dan Gilroy, Beau Willimon, and Stephen Schiff - brilliant writers all). The show takes what it wants of the SW universe and uses it to tell a gritty, neo-noir tale of revolution, evil corporatism, and modern colonialism. I’ve never been as intrigued and horrified by the Empire and the misguided, ambitious people who make it function. Even the structure of the show itself is quite unique, so far it feels like it’s built in three episode chapters with a very movie-like rhythm to each one. Thank god it has a staggered release, the show is easily binged but I think that would miss the point!

Banshees of Inisherin [MOVIE] - I mean, Martin McDonagh reunited with his dream team, Farrell & Gleeson, in the searing landscape and setting of all his old-school plays, the Aran Islands. Nuff said. Except that Farrell deserves an Oscar.

The Candy House [BOOK] - It will come as a surprise to no one that Egan’s novel is fantastic. Even more wild and ambitious than A Visit from the Goon Squad with the same focus on memory but as incisive a look at technology too. She has single sentences, passing observations even, that strike harder than entire books.

Okay that’s all I got for now. More to come soon.

Oscars 2022

It’s been ages since I posted here but, since finally finishing my last season on Motherland: Fort Salem, and recently having moved back to Los Angeles - the dust has settled enough that I can return to the musings here, at least for a moment.

Wasn’t sure what to write about, until I remembered that the Oscars were happening this weekend. It feels like a strange year for the Oscars, a mix of controversy (cutting out the live awards for most below the line categories), and strange just for the mix of films — classic Oscar bait sort of fare, fascinating international films that don’t fit clean categories but are getting recognized, and then a lot of actor recognition for movies that otherwise were brushed aside.

Well, my top film was Drive My Car. Gorgeous, haunting, with this inexorable emotional momentum that just builds so beautifully that you don’t even feel the three-hour runtime pass you by. That one is going to stay with me. Second, Power of the Dog. Not quite as precisely cutting, shocking, and brilliant as the novel (one of my favorites) but close! And still, extremely gorgeous. My guess is that it will be the awards sweep of the night.

Other favorites include the short film, Please Hold, by my old Motherland colleague - the brilliant KD Davila. That one is truly Kafkaesque for the modern world in all the most scary ways. It’s amazing, and excruciating. I also found Flee very affecting, the story of an Afghan refugee told in a visually innovative way.

But overall it feels like a quiet year for quiet films. My biggest optimistic takeaway is that international films are gaining much more access the Oscars (ever since Parasite) - and hopefully this will broaden Hollywood’s perspective and taste. I look forward to seeing how the slate for 2022 changes things for the next round.

Motherland: Fort Salem - my episode premiere

I know, I know… it’s been a long, long time since I posted anything here. Will check back with proper updates and new posts soon. But in the meantime, I will just share…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGF4RDwSRqo "This is a full combat situation"

Hell yeah it is! I'm extremely grateful that the first episode of TV I got to write is for Motherland: Fort Salem - that premieres tonight (tomorrow on Hulu). Even more grateful that I got to co-write this knock-down-drag-out witch-battle-fest with the inimitable Joy Lusco Kecken, who pretty much taught me everything I know.

2nd Annual Entertainment Assistants Summit

I’m woefully behind on writing posts here and I’m afraid it’s not going to be any more consistent in the coming months. I’m about to head back to a pre-S2 greenlight “mini-room” (or “mini-camp” as they’re called in the contract) for a show and will be taking out a feature screenplay on top of that.

BUT, 2020 was off to a good start otherwise because I was able to help put together the 2nd annual Entertainment Assistants Summit (what we called, last year, the Awesome Assistant Summit).

I wanted to share the recordings of the panels here:

From Assistant to Staff Writer

Producers Panel

Running the Show

It was a fun time - we had over 160 attendees (all industry assistants) and ended up raising over $2000 for charity.

Please enjoy the panels and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to get involved in the next one (likely March 2021).

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

“I shoulda know better than to trust a cop. My own goddamn mother coulda told me that.”

“Everybody oughta listen to his mother.”

Man, The Friends of Eddie Coyle - that’s a damn good movie. Just saw it. Right up there with The Drop and Cercle Rouge when it comes to gritty, angry old guys trying to survive in a world of heists and double crosses. Mitchum the G.O.A.T. and this movie ranks up towards the top for me now.

Top New Actors

Quick follow-up to my Kelvin Harrison Jr. post - I just wanted to add a few names to the list of breakout, downright genius actors who I can only hope will have a long and fruitful career on the screen.

Jonathan Majors — between Hostiles and Last Black Man in San Francisco it is clear this man can do anything. Anything!

Jessie Buckley — not exactly a controversial choice this year, but I’ve only seen Chernobyl and I think she belongs on the list. Still have to see Wild Rose and cannot wait to see her in the S4 of Fargo.

Thomasin McKenzie — JoJo Rabbit and The King in one fell swoop! Incredible gravitas coupled with this intimate pathos, her tastes seem to be wide open so it’ll be interesting to see how her credits develop.

Indya Moore — haven’t even seen Pose yet but Indya had a totally scene-stealing cameo in Queen and Slim and off that alone I’d say they are one to watch.

Kaitlyn Dever — okay, I’m biased because I worked on Unbelievable but… have you seen her performance in Unbelievable? And then rejuvenated your soul watching her performance in Booksmart? Incredible comedic and dramatic range and at only 22 years old she has a journeywoman’s list of credits already.

David Corenswet — admittedly this one is a bit out of leftfield, but I was really taken by his work in The Politician — he somehow grounded his performance against the acting style and elevated environment of the entire rest of the show. Like McKenzie, he wields this incredible pathos while walking a sophisticated tightrope of fatalist, wry self-awareness. Without getting hyperbolic, potentially like a James Dean of the Millennial generation. We’ll see…

And just to be clear, I’m not including already established talents like Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Chadwick Boseman, Lucas Hedges, Daniel Kaluuya, and many many others - though they’ve all had brilliant years too.