From Dream to Reality: Shooting "Reinventing Leonard"

Another milestone hit and reason to celebrate: After seven months of development, re-writes and pre-production, Christian Antonio Mejia Acosta, Annie Klein and I got down to business yesterday and began day one of production on "Double-Booked"!

The first film in a series called Reinventing Leonard, "Double-Booked" is the story of a 63-year old curmudgeon and book fanatic forced by circumstances to confront the modern world.

With four hours left before his plane leaves for San Francisco and Thanksgiving with his daughter, Leonard has a problem: he can either pack his clothes or a stack of his favourite books into his tiny suitcase, but he can't do both. A no-brainer you say? And yet anyone who adores books can relate. Will the stubborn old codger conquer his fears and embrace the solution that sits quietly on his bedroom shelf? You'll have to watch it to find out!

"Double-Booked" is an allegory about change, designed to make us laugh and reflect on the new crossroads we face every day as we struggle to adapt to an ever-changing world. And it was a blast to hammer out with Chris before I wrote the script.


But Leonard's story is one thing. Turning it into a movie is a different beast altogether, with its myriad, seemingly insurmountable tasks: acquiring financing (still in progress), assembling the production team (some of them didn't show up at the last minute), nailing down the cast (we had to cut a character due to a dearth of potential actors for the part), finding the location (after months of hits, misses and dead ends) lining up equipment and props (can a wall calendar really be that hard to find in June?), the list goes on.

We were surrounded by mentors and resources at VFS we couldn't have done without and for which we are eternal grateful. But at the end of the day, we were a group of independent, largely inexperienced students making our first film. Which meant we were bound to discover the very best (and only) way to make a movie when you're new: the hard way!

No one has worked harder than Chris to get Leonard off the ground and make it a success. Part man, part machine, and all heart, there's no one else I'd rather work with. He goes and he goes and never stops until things are done, and done right. The guy is passionate, professional, gracious and a fantastic emotional self-manager - indispensable 'musts' when you're sitting in the big boy's chair. Meanwhile, he actually gives a sh*t about his team members and what's going on in their lives, while still helping us to keep our eyes on the ball when it comes to production. Chris, you are in every respect a leader, a visionary and a gentleman.

Annie appeared from somewhere out of the mist, half way in time between my first coffee shop meeting with Chris back in November 2010 and today. What a find! Focused, dignified, sweet and also bullish when need be, she has brought a wealth of film experience, organizational skills and interpersonal finesse I didn't expect at this level. Some might argue it's all just part of being British. Possibly. Whatever the reason, Annie has been an absolute delight to work with. And trust me, I've worked with some real non-delights, wherever they came from!

So what was shooting day like? In a word, long. Very, very long. And fun. And frustrating. And delightful. And delirium-inducing. Probably not unlike almost every other movie shoot going on in the world as we speak. But that's not the point of this post. I'm just excited that after years of hoping and dreaming and preparing to make movies, I'm finally doing it! And that I got the opportunity to work with such an awesome group of people, including Chris and Annie, a fantastic director of photography, Gabriel Medina (with Red camera and all), and a wicked crew that included my wife, Mel, in the role of script supervisor.

I'm telling you, man, it doesn't get any better than this: having a dream, knowing what it is, and going after it until it comes true. That's not Hallmark card goo; it's your soul talking to you. And now no matter what the future holds, I will always be able to say I answered. And in the words of my grandma, that feels pretty good!


To see the Facebook "shooting day" photo album, click here. 

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That Home Stretch Kind of Feeling

In February of 2005, I spontaneously decided to interview my grandmother. We had just played three games of crib and she'd skunked me without mercy, all five feet, two inches of her. Of course she apologized each time as we drank tea and ate shortbreak in her Coquitlam apartment, in one of many magical moments I enjoyed with her.

She was 87.  None of us knew she'd get sick and be gone one short month later.

Lynn Sternberger & Evan Elberson in
Term 5 Advanced TV Pilot class

As luck would have it, I had bought a pocket recorder for journalistic purposes that morning. So out it came and the conversation began. She'd been like a mother to me my whole life and I just knew this was going to be good. I didn't realize that what started as a whim would end up being my last face-to-face conversation with her and a permanent audio scrapbook of her life and thoughts. I can't tell you how glad I am that I did that.

One of my questions had to do with the passage of time. I asked her if 87 years felt like it had gone by quickly or slowly, a short time or a long time.

"Both," she answered. "On one hand, it feels like I was 16 just yesterday. But if I really think about all the things I saw and did, and add them up, I realize I've had a long, wonderful life. And that feels pretty good."

*              *              *

The "Great Toms Tour" of August 29, 2011.
(Opening act: 70s band, "Iron Baser.")

Now, I distinctly remember reading our first term schedule like it was yesterday. And Steve Toms' backwards-ballcapped tour through the student services office. And Piers Rae's much shorter hair. And I've got the pictures to prove it. So is it possible we're really almost done? I'm not simply getting nostalgic here; I want to know where the heck the time went!

But that was August 29, 2011. So whoosh! That's what a year feels like. Doesn't get any better with age either, believe me. Time is a child you just can't ever put to bed.

The desirable, the
unstoppable Piers Rae

Having said that, time is a lot more fair than we give it credit for - assuming, of course, we take advantage of it. As students, we always knew exactly what classes would be coming up in the next term, what subjects would be covered, what we'd have to read, what assignments would be due, and when. We were urged to listen to upcoming guest speakers and to take advantage of every contest, every invitation to submit, every chance to network. We were encouraged to step outside of our comfort zones and not wait for VFS to hook us up with students in other departments. Time marches on to be sure, but we were advised by "The Baze" (a.k.a. writing department head, Michael Baser) and those that had taken the hero's journey before us to alternately discipline and spend ourselves in the pursuit of excellence, opportunity, and wherever possible, free food.

The smart ones did. And when I and tally it all up, I realize we got a buttload of stuff done! The sheer volumeof our is staggering, way beyond anything I originally imagined. Scripts, outlines, beat sheets and/or bibles for feature and short films, TV specs, original TV pilots, animated series, web series, commercials and movies of the week. And those are just the tangibles!

What we can hold in our hands at the end of a year, amazing as it is, doesn't begin to cover the intangibles: the contacts made, the industry savvy gained, the confidence developed, the collaborative skills acquired, the story-writing disciplines achieved, and perhaps most importantly, the increased self-awareness and ability to call ourselves on our own bullshit. The stuff you can't just poke brass brads through and stuff in a backpack. The stuff that makes us true professionals and, if we were really paying attention, better people.

Because it was never about tests or grades or other figurative gold stars. In the film industry, you can either do the job or you can't. You're either professional, or you're not. You're either the kind of person want to work with or you're not, and that has nothing to do with bell curves or balloons. If I may riff on the words of a wise old wizard, it all has to do with how we value and manage the time we've been given. At VFS, we were given a year. Judging by the bags under our eyes and the unmistakably improved quality of our writing, I get the impression most of us used it wisely.

So, like my grandma, when I reflect back on what we actually did, the classes we sat through, the things we discussed, the scripts we workshopped, and the number of times Kate belched in class, I realize that we had a pretty full and exciting year! It doesn't stop time from feeling like it just a'whistles by, because in some naggingly abstract way we can't quite put our fingers on, it always does. But it should at least make us feel that good that we were passionate about something, committed a year of our lives to it, give it our all and saw it through to the end. And we're better writers. And we've built relationships with some great future collaborators. And we have a way clearer idea of how the industry ticks.

All we have to do is think about where our heads were at on August 28, 2011. What we thought of ourselves. What we thought about writing. What we thought about our futures. And we'll realizing we've come a long, long way. All because we dared to step apart from our former lives and do what we always wanted to do. And not waste a second going after it!

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Invitation to Support Filming of "Reinventing Leonard" (June 2-4, 2012)

Directed & Produced by Christian Antonio Mejia Acosta | Screenplay by Paul Donnett

"Reinventing Leonard" - Film & contributor info @ Indiegogo

At the beginning of June, I'll be working with a group of international students (led by director-producer Christian Mejia Acosta) to film our original comedy, Reinventing Leonard.

This short film takes us through a maddening day in the life of 63 year-old Leonard as circumstances force him to come to terms with the modern world, symbolized by an e-reader that threatens to turn his book-centered world upside down!

It will be the first in a series of films exploring change and how we adapt to it in a rapidly evolving world. Our goal is to bring it to film festivals around the world.

We`ve already got much of what we need to move ahead but still need to raise an additional $5000 by June 16. If you are interested in supporting this project, or are simply curious about the film, take a peek at the link above and below (including summary video) form details and contributor information.

Thank you in advance for your support!

(Click Here) "Reinventing Leonard" - Film & contributor info @ Indiegogo

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My Top 20 All-Time Favourite Actors (Female)

These are my personal choices based on a combinatin of:

• how much I simply enjoy their performances, regardless of what I think of the movies they've starred in;
• the quality and uniqueness of their acting style; and
• how well I connect with them personally.

The movies listed are the ones I dig the most. Enjoy!

1. Meryl Streep
No idea where to begin. Sure, she's the queen of the screen now, but I remember when she was an unknown. (Yikes!) Since I first laid eyes on her her in 1979 (Kramer vs. Kramer, in theatres - I was nine!), I've been under her spell. Easily the most talented, versatile, mesmerizing, intelligent, funny, heart-warming actress on the planet today. And of course, beautiful beyond description. Of all the women that have my heart, you're right up there at #3! The Deer Hunter, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa, Ironweed, A Cry in the Dark, Postcards From the Edge, Music of the Heart, Adaptation, The Manchurian Candidate, The Devil Wears Prada, Doubt, Julie & Julia, It's Complicated, The Iron Lady.

2. Helen Mirren
What else can I say? She is the British Meryl Streep! And of course, a brilliant, captivating, and gorgeous actress in her own right. And a Dame to boot! Caligula, Excalibur, 2010, The Mosquito Coast, White Nights, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover, The Madness of King George, Elizabeth I, The Queen, Inkheart, State of Play, The Tempest, RED, Arthur. Coming soon: Hitchcock!

3. Annette Bening
Intense, emotionally-charged, and powerful, even when understated (though that's rare!). Guilty By Suspicion, Regarding Henry, Bugsy, Richard III, The American President, The Siege, American Beauty, Open Range, The Kids Are All Right

4. Julianne Moore
Real, raw, courageous and honest, except when she's just playing it for laughs. No, even then, there's an authenticity and transparency to her performances that ring true every time. The Fugitive, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, A Map of the World, Magnolia, Hannibal, The Shipping News, The Hours, Children of Men, Next, Blindness, A Single Man, The Kids Are All Right, Crazy, Stupid, Love. Coming up: the remake of Carrie with Moore as Mrs. White!

5. Cate Blanchett
As talented as she is stunning, Australia's #1 talent can play it brilliant or dim-witted, dolled up or dressed down, immoral or immortal! Elizabeth, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Pushing Tin, The Shipping News, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bandits, Veronica Guerin, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Aviator, Babel, The Good German, I'm Not There, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Robin Hood, Hanna. Coming not-soon-enough: The Hobbit!

6. Emma Thompson
Comedian, screenwriter, environmental activitist and global development ambassador (for realsies) as well as actress, Thompson has a way of getting into my heart and staying there for a long time. Henry V, Dead Again, Howard's End, Much Ado Aout Nothing, The Remains of the Day, In the Name of the Father, Sense & Sensibility, Primary Colors, Love Actually, The Harry Potter films, Nanny McPhee, Stranger Than Fiction, Last Chance Harvey. Upcoming: Pixar's Brave and Men in Black 3!

7. Vanessa Redgrave
The epitome of class, elegance and fearless acting. Broke my heart when daughter Natasha Richardson died while taking skiing lessons in Quebec with husband Liam Neeson (2009). If you haven't seen much of her work onscreen, it's time to Netflix it up and get to it! A Man For All Seasons, Camelot, Isadora, Mary, Queen of Scots, The Devils, Murder on the Orient Express, Julia, Smilla`s Sense of Snow, Mrs. Dalloway, Deep Impact, Girl, Interrupted, If These Walls Could Talk 2, Atonement, Letters to Juliet, Coriolanus

8. Kate Winslet
C'mon, who doesn't love Kate? Sliding effortlessly from first class seating to the back of the subway, she plays blue blood as easily as street urchin, all the while putting her arm around us with that signature everywoman appeal. Heavenly Creatures, Sense & Sensibility, Jude, Hamlet, Titanic, Hideous Kinky, Holy Smoke!, Quills, Iris, The Life of David Gale, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, Little Children, Flushed Away, The Holiday, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Mildred Pierce (HBO), Contagion, and one of my favourite episodes of Extras with Ricky Gervais.

9. Natalie Portman
Born Natalie Hershlag in Jerusalem, she moved to the U.S. with her family at age three and ten years later blew me and everyone else away as Mathilda, an orphaned assassin-in-the-making in Luc Besson's Leon. She's been wowing us ever since. (I'm just going to pretend I never heard of the planet Naboo.) Leon (a.k.a. The Professional), Heat, Beautiful Girls, Mars Attacks!, Star Wars I-III, Anywhere But Here, Where The Heart Is, Zoolander, Cold Mountain, Garden State, Paris je t'aime, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, The Other Boleyn Girl, Brothers, Thor.

10. Lena Olin
Beautifully-paced, sexually-charged, and emotionally power-packed performances every time from Sweden's very best actress. No one else like her. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Havana, Mr. Jones, Night Falls on Manhattan, Chocolat, Darkness, The Reader, Remember Me

11. Kirsten Scott Thomas
Okay, there's almost no one else like Lena Olin, the exception being the lovely, brilliant and strangely underestimated Thomas. Four Weddings and a Funeral, Richard III, Microsmos (narrator), The English Patient, The Horse Whisperer, Random Hearts, Life As a House, The Other Boleyn Girl, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Sarah's Key, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 

12. Bryce Dallas Howard
Forget that her dad is Richie Cunningham and a prolific director. Bryce stands tall on her own as one of today's best actresses. The Village, Lady in the Water, Spider-Man 3, Terminator Salvation, Hereafter, The Help

13. Nicole Kidman
I'm not going to knock her because she seems to spend more time walking red carpets than making movies or because she used to be married to somebody Cruise. This woman can act and she's fun to watch! Days of Thunder, Far and Away, Malice, My Life, To Die For, Batman Forever, The Peacemaker, Practical Magic, Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge!, The Others, The Hours, Dogville, the Human Stain, Cold Mountain, The Stepford Wives, Bewitched, Happy Feet, The Golden Compass, Rabbit Hole. Coming soon: Grace of Monaco

14. Viola Davis
Yes, she was wonderful in The Help, but there's a lot more where that came from! Antwone Fisher, Solaris, Disturbia, Doubt, State of Play, Law Abiding Citizen, Eat Pray Love, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

15. Dianne Wiest
The mom we all wanted. A fantastic actress and probably the sweetest woman on the planet. (Well, onscreen, at least.) Falling in Love, Footloose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Lost Boys, Bright Lights, Big City, Parenthood, Edward Scissorhands, The Birdcage, Practical Magic, The Horse Whisperer, I Am Sam, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Dan in Real Life, Synechdoche, New York, Rabbit Hole and TV's Law & Order

16. Judi Dench
Radiating class, confidence and occasional kick-assery, the Dame just knows how to get it done. Love, love, love her! A Room With a View, Henry V, the current James Bond series (M from Goldeneye forward), Hamlet, Mrs. Brown, Shakespeare in Love, Chocolat, Iris, The Shipping News, Pride and Prejudice, Notes on a Scandal, Jane Eyre, My Week With Marilyn, J. Edgar, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Coming next: 007 in Skyfall!

17. Julia Roberts
Sure Pretty Woman was a lot of fun to watch, but back in 1990 I scoffed at the idea that this big-mouthed, goofy, covergirl sister of Eric Roberts (that's right, there was a time when he was more famous than her!) would ever amount to anything. Then over the next two decades, she stole all of our hearts. Who knew? Mystic Pizza, Steel Magnolias, Pretty Woman, Flatliners, Hook, Sleeping With the Enemy, The Pelican Brief, Something to Talk About, Michael Collins, Mary Reilly, Conspiracy Theory, My Best Friend's Wedding, Stepmom, Runaway Bride, Notting Hill, Erin Brokovich, The Ocean's trilogy, America's Sweethearts, Mona Lisa Smile, Closer, Charlie Wilson's War, Eat Pray Love, Mirror, Mirror

18. Joan Allen
The ultimate combination of grace, confidence and inner strength. Somehow, she's able to simultaneously convey an all-knowing wisdom and an incurable, borderline-naive optimism at the same time. Brilliant. Manhunter, Peggy Sue Got Married, Tucker, In Country, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Nixon, The Crucible, The Ice Storm, Face/Off, Pleasantville, The Contender, The Notebook, The Bourne Supremacy & Ultimatum, The Upside of Anger, Bonneville. Coming soon: The Bourne Legacy!

19. Kiera Knightly
I hate to admit it, I truly do, because her skeleton and freakish underbite have always been, how do I put this nicely, far too visible for my liking. Okay, sometimes she makes me want to chuck a buzz saw at her. But at the end of the day, she really is in my opinion a great actress. Bend It Like Beckham, The original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Love Actually, King Arthur, Domino, Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, The Duchess, Never Let Me Go, A Dangerous Method

20. Ellen Burstyn
To be honest, there are only a couple of her movies that I really like, but I love her in everything I've seen. The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Dying Young, When A Man Loves a Woman, The Spitfire Grill, Playing By Heart, Requiem For a Dream

Hate to do it, but I have to draw the line somewhere. But if beggars could be choosers:

England, Europe & Australia's finest, past & present:
Juliette Binoche, Helena Bonham Carter, Tilda Swinton, Emily Blunt, Miranda Otto, Emily Watson, Julia Ormond, Natasha Richardson

(North) America's sweethearts, past & present:
Ellen Dewhurst, Sissy Spacek, Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster, Jessica Lange, Kathleen Turner, Charlize Theron, Michelle Williams, Holly Hunter, Julianna Margulies, Robin Wright Penn, Frances McDormand, Diane Keaton, Sally Field, Naomi Watts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Debra Winger, Kathy Bates, Diane Lane, Geena Davis, Laura Dern, Laura Linney, Jennifer Connelly, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sigourney Weaver, Elizabeth Shue, Angela Bassett, Alfie Woodward, Dakota Fanning, Joan Cusack, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Stone, Amy Irving, Mary Steenburgen, Anne Hathaway

Goddesses Forever:
Anne Bancroft, Katharine Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, Faye Dunaway, Julie Christie, Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Anne Margaret

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My Top 20 All-Time Favourite Actors (Male)

These are my personal choices based on a combination of:

• how much I simply enjoy their performances, regardless of what I think of the movies themselves;
• the quality and distinctness of their acting style; and
• how much I connect with them personally.

The movies I listed are the ones I dig the most. Enjoy!

1. Al Pacino
Not everything he touches turns to gold...but almost! For decades of amazing style, likability and sheer volume of great performances, Al's my number one. The Godfather trilogy (all three), Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, And Justice For All, Scarface, Sea of Love, Dick Tracy, Glengarry Glen Ross, Carlito's Way, Heat, Looking For Richard, City Hall, Donnie Brasco, The Devil's Advocate, The Insider, Any Given Sunday, Insomnia, You Don't Know Jack (TV)

2. Robert De Niro
Like Al, he's one of the industry's most intense, iconic, and thoroughly enjoyable actors. Love him. Mean Streets, The Godfather II, Taxi Driver, The Last Tycoon, New York, New York, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Once Upon a Time in America, Brazil, The Mission, Angel Heart, The Untouchables, Midnight Run, We're No Angels, Stanley & Iris, Goodfellas, Awakenings, Guilty by Suspicion, Cape Fear, Casino, Heat, Cop Land, Jackie Brown, Wag the Dog, Ronin, Analyze This, Flawless, Men of Honor, The Score, Meet The Parents, The Good Shepherd, Stardust, Limitless)

3. Christopher Walken
All caricatures aside, there's simply no one else like Sir Walken. Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Dogs of War, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, The Milagro Beanfield War, Biloxi Blues, Communion, King of New York, Batman Returns, Pulp Fiction, Suicide Kings, Antz, Sarah: Plain & Tall, Catch Me If You Can, Domino. 

4. Daniel Day Lewis
This guy gets inside my soul, whether playing saint or devil. The Bounty, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, My Left Foot, In The Name of the Father, The Crucible, Gangs of New York, There Will Be Blood. Can't wait for Lincoln! 

5. Geoffrey Rush
Brilliant, funny, penetratingly honest and richly-textured performances always. Twelfth Night, Shine, Elizabeth, Les Miserables, Shakespeare in Love, House on Haunted Hill, Quills, The Tailor of Panama, Frida, Finding Nemo, Pirates of the Caribbean, Life & Death of Peter Sellers, Munich, The King's Speech.

6. Denzel Washington
Tough, suave, saintly and deadly all at once. You don't mess with Denzel. A Soldier's Story, Cry Freedom, Glory, Mo' Better Blues, Malcolm X, The Pelican Brief, Philadelphia, Crimson Tide, Courage Under Fire, The Preacher's Wife, He Got Game, The Siege, The Hurricane, Remember the Titans, Training Day, John Q, Antwone Fisher, Man on Fire, The Manchurian Candidate, Inside Down, American Gangster, The Taking of Pelham 123, The Book of Eli.

7. Russell Crowe
Roman general, ship captain, boxer or corporate whistle blower, you don't mess with this guy either! The Quick & The Dead, L.A. Confidential, Mystery, Alaska, The Insider, Gladiator, Proof of Life, A Beautiful Mind, Master & Commander, Cinderella Man, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, Body of Lies, State of Play, Robin Hood. Waiting impatiently for his turn as Javert in Les Miserables and Jor-El in Chris Nolan's Man of Steel!

8. Morgan Freeman
Not just the voice but also the sense that everything's going to be alright so long as he's around, even as Speed Reader in the '70s TV kid's classic, The Electric Company. Teachers, Glory, Driving Miss Daisy, Lean on Me, Unforgiven, The Power of One, The Shawshank Redemption, Outbreak, Se7en, Moll Flanders, Amistad, Kiss the Girls, Deep Impact, The Sum of All Fears, Bruce Almighty, Million Dollar Baby, March of the Penguins, Batman Begins, Lucky Number Slevin, Unleashed, Feast of Love, Gone Baby Gone, The Bucket List, The Dark Knight, Invictus, Red, and the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises.

9. Clint Eastwood
I love this man. What a career! Director, producer, composer...but an actor first. I remember the days when he was written off as just another action movie goon. Who knew? Simply too many to name, so I'll shorthand some of it: TV's Rawhide, The Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, the Dirty Harry films, Play Misty For Me, Every Which But Loose, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Escape From Alcatraz, Firefox,Honkytonk Man, Pale Rider, Heartbreak Ridge, The Dead Pool, Unforgiven, In The Line of Fire, Absolute Power, True Crime, Space Cowboys, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino.  

10. Harrison Ford
I'll always associate three names with my childhood and my life-long love for movies: Lucas, Spielberg, and Harrison Ford. Think about it: Ford has played icon after icon (Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard, and Jack Ryan to name a few) with that rare combo of "kick-ass" and "vulnerable" few other actors can pull off. American Graffiti, the original Star Wars trilogy, Force 10 From Navarone, Apocalypse Now, Hanover Street, The Frisco Kid, The Indiana Jones Quadrilogy, Blade Runner, Witness, The Mosquito Coast, Frantic, Working Girl, Presumed Innocent, Regarding Henry, Patriot Games, The Fugitive, Sabrina, The Devil's Own, Air Force One, What Lies Beneath, Cowboys & Aliens.     

11. Ed Harris
Few actors climb into a role, inhabit it, and get our attention the way Harris does. He's got my complete attention anytime he's onscreen and it's always a clinic on how to get the job done! The Right Stuff, Places in the Heart, Jacknife, The Abyss, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Firm, Needful Things, Nixon, Apollo 13, The Rock, Absolute Power, Stepmom, The Truman Show, Pollock, Waking the Dead, A Beautiful Mind, Enemy at the Gates, The Hours, Catch Me If You Can, The Human Stain, Winter Passing, A History of Violence, Gone Baby Gone, Cleaner, National Treasure, Appoloosa.


12. Michael Fassbender
I must have dozed off for half a decade because somewhere between 300 and Prometheus, Fassbender went from "who is this guy?" to "you gotta see this guy!" Quick, write this down: Hunger, Inglorious Basterds, Centurion, A Dangerous Method, and Shame. Now go watch them. Go now.

13. Leonardo DiCaprio
In my opinion, the hands-down finest actor of his generation. Relaxed and jovial or obsessive-compulsive and crazy intense, Leo simply knows how to get your attention (especially when he pairs up with my fave director, Martin Scorsese). This Boy's Life, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Quick & The Dead, The Basketball Diaries, Romeo + Juliet, Marvin's Room, Titanic, The Man in the Iron Mask, Catch Me If You Can, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Blood Diamond, Body of Lies, Revolutionary Road, Shutter Island, Inception, J. Edgar, and the upcoming Tarantino western, Django Unchained.

14. Alan Rickman 
So devlish and yet so reassuring. Arguably the U.K.'s greatest talent, Rickman's acting is like a fine wine: rich, good to the last drop and leaving you wanting more. Die Hard (so good!), Quigley Down Under, Truly, Madly, Deeply, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (really, he's the only reason to watch it), Bob Roberts, Sense & Sensibility, Michael Collins, Dogma, Galaxy Quest, Snape in The Harry Potter movies, Love Actually, Sweeney Todd, Bottle Shock.    

15. Jack Nicholson
Ah, Jack. Where do I begin? Little Shop of Horrors or Easy Rider? Then there's Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Last Tycoon, The Shining, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Reds, The Border, Terms of Endearment, Prizzi's Honor, Heartburn, The Witches of Eastwick, Broadcast News, Ironweed, Batman, A Few Good Men, Hoffa, Mars Attacks!, As Good As It Gets, About Schmidt, Anger Management, Something's Gotta Give, The Bucket List, and The Departed!  

16. Jeff Bridges
Forever the Dude and cat of tremendous range! The Last Picture Show, King Kong, Tron, Against All Odds, Star Man, Jagged Edge, The Morning After, Tucker, The Fabulous Baker Boys (with brother Beau), The Fisher King (wow!), Fearless (double wow!), White Squall, The Mirror Has Two Faces, The Big Lebowski, Arlington Road (chilling), The Contender (inspiring), Seabiscuit (sad), K-PAX (sadder), Iron Man (bad guy, really?), Crazy Heart, The Men Who Stare At Goats, Tron: Legacy, True Grit.   

17. Anthony Hopkins
Sorry, Mr. Rickman, I was wrong: Hopkins is, in my opinion, England's best. What a career! After years of British TV and multiple award nominations, to the big screen with A Bridge Too Far, The Elephant Man, The Bounty, The Good Father, Desperate Hours, the iconic Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs trilogy, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Chaplin, The Remains of the Day, Shadowlands, The Road to Wellville, Legends of the Fall, Nixon, Surviving Picasso, The Edge, Amistad, The Mask of Zorro, Meet Joe Black, Instinct, Titus, Hearts in Atlantis, Alexander, Bobby, Fracture, Beowulf, Thor, and the upcoming Hitchcock as, well, Hitchcock!


18. Michael Caine
Like Morgan Freeman, as soon as Sir Caine walks on screen my chaos turns to calm. (Maybe that's why they're both in Bruce Wayne's retinue?) Alfie, Gambit, The Italian Job, The Man Who Would Be King, Deathtrap, Educating Rita, Blame It On Rio, The Whistle Blower, The Fourth Protocol, Without a Clue, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Cider House Rules, Quills, Miss Congeniality, Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Quiet American, Batman Begins, Children of Men, The Dark Knight, Harry Brown, and the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises.    

19. Christopher Plummer
Canada's crown jewel, Plummer thanks a badly negotiated deal on The Sound of Music for forcing him into a long and illustrious career. The Man Who Would Be King, Jesus of Nazareth, Hanover Street, Somewhere in Time, The Thorn Birds (TV), Star Trek VI, Dolores Claiborne, 12 Monkeys, The Insider, Nuremberg, A Beautiful Mind, Nicholas Nickelby, National Treasure, Alexander, Inside Man, Up, Caesar & Cleopatra, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Beginners, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

20. Tom Hanks

Mr. Nice Guy hasn't always just been Sleepless in Seattle. Starting with TV's Bosom Buddies back in the 80s, he cracked me up for years before getting seriously serious and surprising us with his range.  Splash, Bachelor Party, The Man With One Red Shoe, Nothing in Common, Big, A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Toy Story (all three), That Thing You Do!, Saving Private Ryan, You've Got Mail, The Green Mile, Cast Away, Catch Me If You Can, The Da Vinci Code, Charlie Wilson's War, and as writer/producer, HBO's Band of Brothers. 



*               *               *

And again, having to cut it off somewhere, my next in line:

England & Europe's finest, past & present: 
Ralph Fiennes, Richard Harris, Ian McKellan, Peter O'Toole, Max Von Sydow, Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Kenneth Branagh, Christian Bale, Clive Owen, Colin Farrell, Daniel Craig, Christopher Waltz, Hugh Grant, Rutger Hauer, Jude Law

America's sweethearts, past & present:

James Stewart, Paul Newman, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall, Robert Redford, Martin Sheen, Michael Douglas, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Spacey, Nicolas Cage, Sean Penn, Bill Murray, George Clooney, Mel Gibson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Strathairn, Jeff Godlblum, Jeff Daniels, Mark Ruffalo, John Cusack, Greg Kinnear

Various masters in their prime:
Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Viggo Mortensen, Matt Damon, Woody Harrelson, Ryan Goslin, Javier Bardem, Sam Rockwell

Funny guys who are also great actors:
Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Robert Downey Jr., Paul Giamatti, Steve Carell, Kelsey Grammer

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My Top 20 All-Time Favourite Directors

These are my personal choices based on a combination of:

• how much I simply enjoy watching their movies, all critical considerations aside;
• the uniqueness of their voice and/or their innovative filming style; and
• their impact on other filmmakers and the industry in general.

The movies listed are the ones I love most.

Enjoy!


1. Martin Scorsese
Only ahead of Spielberg by an inch, there's just something about the depth, tone and subject matter of his films I dig most. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, After Hours, Goodfellas, Casino, Bringing Out The Dead, Gangs of New York, The Departed, Hugo, the miniseries The Blues, and TV's Boardwalk Empire. What a guy!

2. Steven Spielberg
Dream maker. Trail blazer. Spiritual surrogate father. The one who made me fall in love with movies! Duel, Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, The Color Purple, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, Minority Report, Munich.


3. Alfred Hitchcock
Spellbound, Notorious, Rope, Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie.


4. Ridley Scott
Alien, Blade Runner, Black Rain, Thelma & Louise, G.I. Jane, Gladiator,  Hannibal, Matchstick Men, American Gangster. Still to come: Prometheus!

5. David Fincher
Se7en, Fight Club, Alien 3, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

6. Quentin Tarantino
Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds.

7. Clint Eastwood
Play Misty For Me, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Firefox, Heartbreak Ridge, Bird, Unforgiven, Absolute Power, Space Cowboys, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Changling, Gran Torino, and Invictus. He also composed music for 18 of his films, including Honkeytonk Man, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Gran Torino. This was all after he acted as some of my favourite characters in other people's movies, including The Man With No Name, Dirty Harry and Philo Beddoe!

8. Sidney Lumet
The ultimate class act. 12 Angry Men, Long Day's Journey Into Night, The Pawnbroker, Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, Prince of the City, and Before The Devil Knows Your Dead. (P.S. Read his book, Making Movies. Classic!)

9. Joel Coen (of the Coen Brothers)
Blood Simple, Miller's Crossing, The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, No Country For Old Men, Burn After Reading.

10. Christopher Nolan
Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Inception, and the soon-to-be-released The Dark Knight Rises.

11. Woody Allen
Bananas, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex, Sleeper, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Zelig, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah & Her Sisters, New York Stories, Crimes & Misdemeanors, Mighty Aphrodite, Sweet & Lowdown, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight in Paris. 

12. Stanley Kubrick
Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket.

13. Peter Weir
Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously, Witness, The Mosquito Coast, Dead Poets Society, Fearless, The Truman Show, Master & Commander.

14. Nora Ephron
Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, Julie & Julia.

15. Paul Thomas Anderson
Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood.

16. David Cronenberg
Scanners, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Crash, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises and A Dangerous Method.

17. Francis Ford Coppola
The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather 2, Apocalypse Now, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Tucker. (I wanted to put Dracula on the list, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Thanks a lot, Keanu Ryder!)

18. Sophia Coppola
The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation.

19. Jonathan Demme
Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, The Manchurian Candidate, Rachel Getting Married.

20. Ron Howard
Splash, Cocoon, Willow, Parenthood, Ransom, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon.

*        *       *

I had to cut it off somewhere, but here are my second and third lines:

• Walt Disney (Although more creator-innovator than director, I simply couldn't forgive myself if I didn't get him in here somewhere. Pure genius, true hero, inspiration beyond words.)
• Brian De Palma (Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito's Way, Mission: Impossible, Snake Eyes, 8mm)
• James Cameron (The Terminator 1 & 2, Aliens, The Abyss, Titanic, Avatar)
• George Lucas (American Graffiti, The Star Wars saga. *Note: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Lucas was much higher up on my list. At least up until 1999!)
• Oliver Stone (Salvador, Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, The Doors, JFK, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, Any Given Sunday) 
• Terry Gilliam (Monty Python & the Holy Grail, Time Bandits, Brazil, Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus) 
• Peter Jackson (Bad Taste, Heavenly Creatures, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, The Hobbit)
• Steven Soderbergh (Sex, Lies & Videotape, Out of Sight, Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brokovich, The Limey)
• Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy, Good Will Hunting, Elephant, Paranoid Park, Milk) 
• David Lynch (TV's Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Wild At Heart, Mulholland Drive) 
• Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men, Sleepless in Seattle, The American President, Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors) 
• Terrence Malick (Dirty Harry, The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life)
• Lars von Trier (Antichrist, Melancholia)
• Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy 1 & 2, Pan's Labyrinth)
• Alfonso Cuaron (A Little Princess, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien)
• Robert Redford (Ordinary People, The Milagro Beanfield War, A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show)
• Sidney Pollack (Jeremiah Johnson, Three Days of the Condor, Absence of Malice, Tootsie, Out of Africa, Presumed Innocent, The Firm, Sabrina, plus a string of faves as producer)  
• Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Sense & Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain)
• Luc Besson (Nikita, The Fifth Element, Leon the Professional, Transporter, Unleashed)  
• Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, 127 Hours)
• Robert Zemeckis (I Want to Hold Your Hand, Romancing the Stone, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump, Cast Away)  
• The Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix) 
• Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta Give, It's Complicated, The Holiday)
• Carl Reiner (Oh God!, The Jerk, The Man With Two Brains, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid) 
• Frank Capra (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, It's A Wonderful Life)

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Collaborating with Artists From "Somewhere Else"

Also published on Vancouver Film School's blog (Wednesday, May 2, 2012)

There are two things I discovered early at VFS: I'd have to work with others to get stuff done, and most of the people I'd be working with had come from "somewhere else" in the world.

Collaboration. It's the name of the game at VFS. Whether a massive school project or a seemingly small piece for a students's personal portfolio, absolutely nothing gets created, produced or promoted in a vacuum. This is no surprise for people who already get the value and importance of working together with other creative types. But for those used to doing things solo, it can come as a bit of a shock.

"You mean I'm going to have to let others see my work and give me their opinions? What if they hate it? What if they laugh or simply don't get it? What if I discover I'm really no good, or don't have what it takes to make it in the industry?" 

In the words of Marty McFly's dad in Back to the Future, they're just not sure they can take that kind of rejection! 

Cast & Crew of "Final Verdict"

By the way, "they" are us. More precisely, "they" were me for a good share of term one! It's bloody unnerving to jot down what you think is good, dramatic stuff - a solid premise, a compelling character, a great knock-em-dead joke - then bring it to class and watch it get analyzed, criticized, vandalized, and possibly euthenized. It's the psycho-emotional equivalent of stripping down in front of strangers. Granted, some people are into that kind of thing, but it was a bit of stretch for me at first. I mean, I can get goofy in a crowd and say a whack of totally inappropriate things, but that's different somehow. Seriously sharing your creative ideas - letting others hold your "babies", as it were - can be scary, nerve-wracking stuff.  Just speaking in front of others is, for some, a trauma beyond words.

Christian (right) with
animator Stefano
Marrone on
"The Flowers"

Great thing is, you get over it pretty quick. The skin gets thick, you learn to listen less with less emotion, and the value of others' input (twelve heads are often better than one) becomes clearer by the day. Eventually, you even come to crave the feedback of others, finding it an indispensable part of your creative process. Fact is, becoming a successful artist seems to mean finding that weird, tricky middle ground between trusting your gut with an almost arrogant confidence and being deeply suspicious of your own final judgment on an idea.  

Personally, I love working with others - even if my occasional insecurities or "case of the Mondays" don't always feel like it. But I'll also admit, collaboration at this level, and to this degree, took a little getting used to. But of course, there is simply no way to work in the film industry without it. It's just the way it is. The best strategy is to get used to it, and as quickly as possible!

Cast & Crew of "The Flowers" for VFS Compendium VI

VFS's Global Village. The really exciting part has been discovering how much talent and how many eager filmmakers there are around the globe. This isn't any big surprise; I just haven't had that many opportunities to collaborate with international artists. But the whole world is literally hanging out at VFS: fact is, almost all of us are from somewhere else!

For example, I've had the chance so far to story-edit for students from China, Malaysia, and Syria, in departments from Entertainment Business Management, Film Production, and Digital Design. I've written scripts for productions with partners from Ecuador, Peru, Italy, England. I've composed music for commercials and films (including VFS's Compendium VI) with teams so broadly international, it would be ponderous to list the countries they all come from.

Sketch Comedy rehearsals

Of course, we've all had (and will continue to have) experiences like this at VFS. My fellow writing compadres have similarly honed their chops and spread their wings with students from various departments and different countries. The benefits are mostly obvious - being exposed to different cultural perspectives, discovering unique approaches to filmmaking, tapping into an increasingly global industry -, but real chances to collaborate with international artists can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Enter Vancouver Film School.    

One thing I'm certain of: we may never find a pool so full of eager and varied voices again. Now is the time to dive in start swimmin'!

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Spring Break with the Kids

Four months rush madly by and we're back in Alberta with the kids again. Woosh! Thank you, Spring Break!

After much phoning, texting, Skype-seshing, and Facebookery since Christmas, we flew into Calgary, settled into Brandi and Steve's, and booked it to Airdrie to grab James, Jenni and Ricky - the "Titanic Trio" - for a week of good times, catching up, and too-long-denied hugs, cuddles and arm punches.

James is now roughly eight feet tall (give or take), bench-presses Toyotas between Visalus shakes, and yet is vulnerable enough to admit that he loved The Hunger Games. This guy!

Jenni is donning a smart, new lip ring, looks great in pink dubstep gear, kicks ass at frisbee, all the while managing to maintain her "greatest daughter in the world" status, now fifteen years running!

And then there's Ricky. Holy. The kid's turning into a small tree! For sure he'll be my height by fall, and with an optimistic, "the-world-is-my-oyster" outlook to match. Must come with turning twelve! 

Day 1 (Saturday):
After hours of ping pong at friend Tara's, a ton o' laughs, and the inevitable Call of Duty sesh with Steve, it was BBQ time!

Day 2 (Sunday):
After football in the park, it was off to the mall at CrossIron Mills, where we feasted and celebrated Ricky's twelfth birthday at Boston Pizza before a refreshing bout of shopping, and a final stop at le cinema to enjoy The Hunger Games.

Day 3 (Monday):
The big surprise arrives: Grandad, bearing gifts for. . .everyone! And also primed and ready for an afternoon of frisbee (mainly with Jenni - a.k.a. "Das Fer"), pet store hopping and, finally, cruising for chicks. Not really, but that's what it felt like with three generations of Donnett boys in the car. (We attempted Wrath of the Titans, but the theatre's 3D decided to pooch out and we asked for a refund. Probably just a well.)

Day 4 (Tuesday):
No trip to Calgary is complete without a long stroll down Kensington Road. Too much culture, history, and general coolness to miss. After an afternoon filled with goodies from the Red Bush Candy Store, a group reading on the steps of Pages, cupcakes at Crave, toy inspections at Livingstone & Cavell, and the multi-cultural and aromatic delights Manana, it was off to le cinema once again for Titanic in 3D. Worth it, by the way!

Day 5 (Wednesday):
An early rise and off to celebrate an enduring family tradition: breakfast at McDonald's. Then a last drive around town before more hugs, cuddles, arm punches and heart-filled goodbyes.

It was so great to be with them again. And, wow, did everyone ever get along! (Maturity abounded. . .well, sort of.) We may talk lots on the phone, but it's never the same as seeing them, holding them, hearing and watching them tell us about what's new in their lives with friends, school, work, "growing-up" stuff. It was the fix we all need. I still hate living so far away from them and we talked a lot about "what's next" - i.e. after I'm done school. But the talk was always positive, and even though we haven't figure it all out just yet, it was encouraging to see how well they were doing, and that they were making things happen in their lives in the meantime.

Love 'em to death!

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1000 Views on YouTube!

I promised Mel we'd go out for dinner once my YouTube channel hit 1000 views.

On April 5, 2012, I finished recording the third of three original scores for films by Vancouver Film School students, including one of VFS's sixth annual Compendium productions, The Flowers. (The others were Jason Chan's Final Verdict and Nicholas Humphries Forgiveness.) Posting Flowers and Verdict to YouTube (Forgiveness is en route) pushed the views to the ceiling.

So. . .Fish House at Stanley Park, here we come!

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On The Film Score Front

I've been so focused on the screenwriting front, I've somehow managed to miss blogging about that other thing I've been up to at VFS.

When I first arrived back in August to study writing, I decided this wasn't the time to be shy about another aspect of filmmaking that woke me up in the morning: scoring the music. Composing since a wee lad, I'd been a big fan of sweeping, orchestral scores since my grandad sent me to the land of Nod with old Mantovani records. Yeah, I listened to AC/DC when my friends were around, but in private, i threw on John Williams' Star Wars, Jerry Goldsmith's Alien, and on those warm, early-May afternoons, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

I was a freak, I admit, but in a good way (he told himself, convincingly). Then, at 14, I decided I was tired of just listening to movie music and started writing it.

28 years (yikes!) and many compositions later, I'm walking into a lecture by VFS instructor (and former Polygram exec), Ken Ashdown, on the realities of entertainment business law and thinking, this is it. Now's the time! So I introduced myself to Ken, hand him a copy of my most recent CD, get some business cards made, create a YouTube channel, and set about promoting my wares.

As most things are, it was slow going at first - setting up, getting known, staying focused on school work, and then actually writing music. But five months later, I've got one commercial under my belt (ASEM Mozambique), am currently writing music for three short film (Roy Hater's "The Flowers", Jason Chan's "Final Verdict", and Nick Humphries' "Forgiveness"), and am setting up for two more.

Then I call the kids in Alberta and, lo and behold, Jenni's just written a sweet new tune on the geetar, James is cranking out Zeppelin on his new strat or The Dubliners on his tin whistle, and Ricky's rocking a concerto at the piano. These are the days you look back later on when all else is dark and say, "Life is pretty damned sweet, after all!"

Meanwhile, thank you VFS for helping yet another dream come true. May it also be so with these three fine young cannibals! (Don't worry, kids, just one of dad's 80s references. Just go with it.)

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