The Final Word?

The "Big O" contacted me again with a harassing email. This time he's pissed off I posted his previous "private" email without giving him notice. When you rant like an idiot it's not private but you are looking for a public forum. I gave you one. Perhaps he's looking for a residual for making good press. The bad news is it's annoying not good and I posted it because once you or a friend of your read it I thought you would stop. What are you....Ten? Yikes! That was rude!

He was also very upset I showed my own film STORM OF THE DEAD at the inaugural 2006 CENFLO. Why should he care? He felt politics was involved, people were rejected to place my film on the schedule and I should fess up. Actually, I screened the film because I had four full days of programming to fill and only had twenty-four films to screen. If I remember correctly on that Friday evening in August 2006, admission was free. I probably would have screened THE NOVELIST that year as we were desperate for product (rude but accurate). I say probably, as there were two filmmakers that did not get in and our winning feature that year "Beautiful Dreamer" received $1500 and a plaque. We had four finalists.

My film was NOT in competition. I screened it and performed a Q & A after. Now Ocrtavio (or however it's spelled) is quoting kids that have rented STORM and have trashed it on the IMDB review posting. I never said it was a great film but it is a distributed film. I tried to find THE NOVELIST to let everyone else watch and decide but it's not available (not rude, accurate). Perhaps it's distributed by the "Big O" himself? Ya think? In 2008, I screened our film GOIN' TO CHICAGO because it was a Presidential Election year. I screened the film and once again performed a Q & A after. ...CHICAGO was about two families struggling together during the McGovern campaign in 1968. It starred Cleavon Little and Viveca Lindfors. It was Cleavon's last film before he died. ...CHICAGO, won Best Picture at the Santa Barbara Film Festival (1990). It wasn't horror. I make horror for profit and dramas to win awards. GOIN' TO CHICAGO, which was distributed has not returned a profit to date. Our other award winning film hasn't either. Film makers make films for either profit or to win awards. I prefer profit. I've found recently that some filmmakers make films just for the fun of it and/or self distribute via the Internet. I'm too set in my ways to capitalize on self distribution but I'm learning.

Apparently, the "Big O" is now a "Big Fan" and has rented or purchased several of my low end films and quoted amateur reviewers. "...this was the worst film I ever rented," is one of the quotes. "This is the worst film ever made," was another. That kid doesn't get out much or seen THE NOVELIST yet. Most professional filmmakers know that after the deal has been made with a distributor, who cares? A distributor takes a film because they feel they can make money from it (it's the only review that matters). However, they can't all be gems. The fact they get made and money is returned should say something. I always thought it was bad enough to get trashed by professional reviewers but film is art and art is subjective and hey, I paid my bills this month. Thirteen of my films have made it to profit. I'm sorry to tell the "Big O," STORM OF THE DEAD is one of those in the black. It's not only available on Netflix (please rent it and make your own review) but it's available in eleven foreign countries and is currently playing on a horror channel in the UK. I'm not ashamed.

I'm also not a self proclaimed authority. Yet my experience does justify the means. You want my opinion I'm willing to give it. You want to ask me a question I'm willing to answer it. You want to run your own film festival? I've got a price in my head, Ocrtavio, make an offer.

I've also written a published guidebook on acting (Acting for Idiots). Read it (it's available on http://www.lulu.com/) and see if I'm a self proclaimed authority in that field as well. They also allow the readers to write reviews. It's available on Amazon.com as well.

In show business we learn every day. We learn by our mistakes and even by our successes. Today I've learned to block an email address and the feud will stop now. It's obvious he's pissed off at something other than being rejected from film festivals. I'm just not sure what it is or why? I'm not even sure what he believes he will get from harassing me. Why does he care about my career? What mission could he possibly be on? Who has put him up to this? Perhaps it will wind up a bad April Fool's joke this week.

FYI you can also purchase a copy of the "One Hundred Worst Films of All Time," by Leonard Maltin, and you know what? None of my films are listed. However, every year I do run out and purchase a new (updated) copy and hope for the best. Just remember, Ed Wood had a movie made after his life story. If that happens to me...I hope George Clooney plays me.

.....And cut!