TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS: writing & directing a feature film was no easy task.Lots of sleepless nights, lots of arguing w/ people to get what u want, huge learning curves, fighting the haters off w/ one arm tied behind your back while youre trying to do good work & show up w/ a good attitude.Cast and crew getting squirrely...changing deals in the 11th hour. Rewrites. Reshoots. Pick up shots. Youre family and your band, (big shout out to the Broken Spoke for basically helping me hang onto these great musicians I have while I went off to film school),worrying about you seriously losing your mind.Then getting the money for it was almost as hard as making it. Constant meetings w/ money people about absolutely nothing. Douchebags sitting across the table talking about how big their boats are and interrupting you. Constant meetings, day after day after day that steal your soul, where nothing ever comes to fruition and then one day, out of nowhere, Oscar nominated actor Malcolm McDowell says I like your script darling...Ill do your film and boom, the money comes! Next thing you know, its a be careful what you wish for, it might come true situation.Then getting a distribution deal is like, well, winning the lottery.There are so many films out there. Most without any bonafide stars. Id like to think the reason Zombex got a real distribution deal was because its a good film, but the reality is if the sales people dont see a star in it, (like Malcolm, or Sid Haig or whoever), then they wont even glance at it much less watch it. My fav film makers started out making small budget horror/sci-fi films for Roger Corman in the 60s. These films arent that great, but to me, theyre still alot of fun.(I wont name the film makers cuz then some hater writing from a little dark room will infer that Im comparing myself to them and of course Im not) Everyone has to start somewhere. Some of this was luck. In fact, it makes some people feel better about themselves to say ah, he got lucky which is code for he didnt really work that hard and hes not really that talented. But hey, thats ok, cuz some of it IS luck. But 90% of it was grueling brutal hard work. Patience beyond belief. I mean, lets face it, most give up. Most people after all the in-fighting, sleep deprivation, loss of control, running out of money, all the BS that every single film maker goes thru the 1st time, well, they say f*ck it and the films never see the light of day. The real luck came in w/ the team of women I had around me.I didnt do this by myself. I had a inner circle of women around me...women who are smarter than me, shrewder than me, much more business savvy than me, who helped me with everything and tried their damndest to protect me, the creative one, from all the barbarians at the gate. (Trust me, some of those barbarians were evil incarnate.) Im not going to mention who these women/angels are on FB because I dont want them bombarded w/ script ideas or cast/crew resumes. They know who they are and they know my loyalty to them. One in particular is a talent agent now and was w/ me from the VERY 1st day. Anywanker, our film is screening at the Alamo Drafthouse tomorrow night. Eventually it will be on most cable outlets, screened at more film festivals, (big or small), and horror conventions across the globe so everyone who wants to watch it can. My point in writing this? Dont let people tell you that you cant do something. Dont lose one wink of sleep over these people. Im older now, I see things differently than I did when I was young. Being in the people pleasing business is exhausting and the pay sucks. If you do lose sleep, then they win. Not everyone is going to get you and thats ok. Its a hard lesson to learn but guess what, that saying Im not for everyone well its true! Whoever said success is the sweetest revenge was right about that too, but remember, only use that anger to keep you going.People who use it as a main source of inspiration usually wind up very lonely.The real reason to do anything is to prove to yourself that you can do it. Maybe some by-products of happiness, new friends, and yes, even money might come along w/ it...but the real reason to do this has nothing to do w/ fame, money or any of that bullshit that still cant cure your loved ones cancer...the real reason you do it, is simple, because youre inspired too. After being immersed in the film world, Im making a couple of new records,(one I just finished, one Im still working on) and Im going back on tour full time. Touring w/ John Doe made me miss the road and also made me realize theyre are still alot of people out there who want to see me play music. I wont make another film til the end of 2015. Im planning tours w/ some pretty amazing artist who I know you all love, (one tour was confirmed today),so expect to see me on the road...singing and playing my heart for you. And to wrap this up Ill end w/ a quote from Mr. Tom Waits Champagne for my real friends, and real pain for my sham friends. Love, JD PS check out the trailer and share it....it has almost a 150,000 hits now!
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 22:04:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015