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p.s. Hey. ** Armando, Hi. Oh, you’re too kind. Thanks for all the great words about PGL. Yeah, Sylvain and Katia are amazing in it. They’re both in ‘Crowd’ whenever you get to see it. Well, then I’ll get me some more Joanna Newsom. Done deal. Thanks. Oops, the ‘Crowd’ shows at the Pompidou sold out a few weeks ago. Oh, well. Sorry. Uh. I wouldn’t be paid to accompany the US ‘Crowd’ tour, but I might use that as an excuse to be in whatever cities it’s playing in. As I think I might have explained when you asked before, the vast majority of available government, arts, cultural funding here for films is only for French artists, or, in some cases, films by non-French artists that are produced by French production companies. Otherwise, one would mostly need to apply for funding from private foundations or companies or TV channels and things like that, and I know nothing about that as our funding has been from the government-run channels. It might be quite difficult to get French funds for what you want to do. Sorry. I’m not on instagram, but I’ll go have at look at your spot. See ya! ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. Thank you again years later for letting the blog host that amazing event! And what a beautiful quote. Thank you! Everyone, Mr. E has used his FaBlog context to wish a happy 101st birthday to Mr. Leonard Bernstein. Join the party, why don’t you? ** Dominik, Hi, D! Yeah, ‘interesting’ is a sloppy word, especially when it’s typed. When you say it, you can use your face and voice to give it some power. Thank you about my novel. Yeah, I’m very into it, working on it all the time right now while I have the time. If I’m super lucky, and if it doesn’t fall apart, I might finish it by the end of the year. The TV project, uh, yes. We start back working on it fully again in about a week. Next up is trying to figure how much we need to cut to make the episodes fit into the 50 or minute time slots. That won’t be fun. And Gisele has to edit the test footage, which will be a hard thing since the actress in it, Kerstin, died two weeks after we shot it. But we have to submit some kind of test footage to ARTE, and if we don’t use that footage, it would take a very long time before we could shoot another version since whatever actress we cast will probably need at least 6 months just to learn ventriloquy well enough to play the role. So that’s where we are. It’s just less and less enjoyable. Obviously, I highly encourage to make the performance work yours and let the work be built and guided to be exactly what you want. What an incredible prospect! So exciting, D! I guess you’re in Amsterdam now, and I hope (and know) you’re having a really great time. I’m good, working on the novel, doing the final set up for PGL screenings in Berlin and Oslo in early October. All good. See you soon! Big love, me. ** Steve Erickson, Hi. No, not really. We knew that ‘Roman’ would be a very difficult role to play, so we did hope for someone with acting experience in that case, and Benjamin, acting student, was perfect. Otherwise, no. We knew Sylvain and Katia because they’re in pieces by Gisele Vienne, so we knew from their performances that they had a charisma that would work well. We were looking really more for charisma than acting ability. That a number of the cast did end up having some kind of performing experience really had to do with the kinds of people who respond to audition calls, but, other than Theo, we rejected every actor that applied because they acted, and we didn’t want that quality at all. Even with Theo, we had to make him unlearn some his acting habits to play Tim the way we wanted. Great about the all the green lighting for ‘Seasick’! I know how it feels when you get to that point where you know it’s going to happen for sure, and that’s such a great feeling. ** Kyler, Hi. Well, you know I’ll encourage you to use the ‘down time’ to get into your novel, and not only because that’s what I’m doing right now. ** Natty Soltesz, Hi, Natty! Always a super pleasure. Yes, I’ll be here in Paris then, and let’s meet and hang or whatever. Just hit me up when you know your schedule. Do you have my current email? denniscooper72@ outlook.com. Very excited to get to see you! ** Nick Toti, Hi, Nick. I got your email this morning. The google doc option works perfectly, so I’ll go ahead and start setting the post up, and I’ll write to you with any questions and the scoop and so on. Thanks, man! ** Misanthrope, Nice when oldies are goodies. And vice versa, I guess. Never took a single fiction writing class on my side either, as I think you know and can probably tell, ha ha. Writing’s not a race, thank goodness. Neither is publishing, although people sure do get weirdly competitive about that phase. ** Right. Today you get something that’s both kind of eerily pretty and is also a maybe interesting puzzle-like exercise if you feel like hunting down all the shadows. That’s my recommended approach, but, hey, it’s your call. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
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Pierre Clementi has a great confrontation with his own shadow in this Bertolicci “Maudit”
Thanks again for yesterday. Got a great e-mail from Samuel R. Delany about it.
Here’s a marvelous piece about one of my heroes, Walter Benjamin
This routine breaking thing continues, I’m afraid. Good to see David’s interview with Warhol yesterday (I went to the big Warhol show with some out-of-town friends last week, no surprises). And what’s not to like about shadows? I tineye-d the B&W image of the skinny guy with frizzy hair holding a knife, and was surprised it was Teller. Funny how the frizzy hair throws you off.
I did go to Kevin’s memorial, though I had to leave early. Very nice eulogies by Robert Gluck and Kevin’s sister Maureen, among others. Was also at a very fun gig with former Ex vocalist (ex-Ex?) G.W. Sok playing with local “supergroup” Surplus 1980, followed by Victim’s Family.
Hope the novel and TV project are going well, and your mini-heatwave has moved on…
Bill
John Cleese and Eric Idle
At one point, I was looking for cable news anchors to play a variation on themselves in one of my films. Several of the people I got in touch with were willing to work with me, but their employers refused them permission. But my idea was that if they’re used to appearing on TV every weeknight, they can probably do a decent job of acting in a limited capacity.
I frequently see Latin American films with many European co-producers, including France. Armando’s Mexican, right? I don’t know how one would look into finding a French co-producer long-distance, but it seems quite common.
There’s an interesting album by White Ward, a Ukrainian band who mix black metal with the influence of jazz and David Lynch soundtracks, coming out in September.
My film’s editor recently started her first 9-to-5 office job after graduating from college in May, and this will be her first creative project since then, so she said she’s looking forward to getting back to filmmaking. I’m in no rush to finish it, although I want to have it done by the end of the year. I don’t think I’ll have time to direct the recording of the voice-over or give detailed feedback on the editing till the New York Film Festival is over in mid-October.
I hope we’re getting an answer to this puzzle tomorrow, because there’s no way I can figure it out.
Hey,
*Hug*.
Wow, then now I’m even more excited and anxious to see ‘Crowd’ if both Sylvain and Katia are in it! From what I understand; and please correct me if/where I’m wrong; it’s a contemporary dance play?, O’Malley made the score?, what’s it about, just very roughly/quickly?, did you write it last year?
I’m really sorry for all the questions. I hope they don’t annoy you.
“Oops, the ‘Crowd’ shows at the Pompidou sold out a few weeks ago.”
^ Oh. Well. And now that I’ve no USA tourist VISA I guess it’d be quite difficult for me to get to see it.
“the vast majority of available government, arts, cultural funding here for films is only for French artists, or, in some cases, films by non-French artists that are produced by French production companies. […] It might be quite difficult to get French funds for what you want to do.”
^ Even counting the fact that the whole idea is to shoot in France with French models in French? And, remember, it’d be a very, very cheap and modest and quick movie to shoot.
By any chance the fact(s) that I’ve French blood/I’m 4th generation half-French wouldn’t count, lol???
And, for example, if I were to ask Zac to be *officially* something like co-producer/assistant producer/associate producer/co-executive producer (with him getting paid, *of course*) but in reality he’d only have to get involved as much as he wanted; including not at all should that be his wish? What would happen in that case?
I’m really sorry to insist on this man, but, you’ve no idea how badly I’ve tried to get this thing done. And it’s a film I’ve been dreaming with making for 18 years now.
I really really really apologize wholeheartedly if I’m annoying you at all.
Yeah, I know you’re not on ig, but I just thought I’d tell you about my account just in case you or somebody else from the blog happen to be/get a little curious.
Good day, good luck,
a.