Mike Browne’s Blog

It’s another rainy day out here in the ‘Ridge. Moosh is chillin’ on the couch and I’m just hanging here beside her taking a bit of a break from the ‘work’ I’ve been doing. Work? Yes, work. Nothing paying yet, but putting one foot in front of the other. I have some leads but nothing concrete. I sent my résumé to some friends and may have an opportunity at a local independent film company. They do tons of stuff here in Vancouver and are open to helping newbies like me get started. Rather than work as a lackey for them I just might pitch one of my ideas. We’ll see. I have more prep before I can do that, but it’s coming together.

I also yacked with a buddy about story ideas and did some writing too. The whole idea of making my own thing is looking more and more attractive. There are a hell of a lot more possibilities that way. Just a lot more work. Oddly enough working that way doesn’t seem as much like work as it does like play. Hmm…

Anyway, I’m getting lots done around here. Laundry and dishes first. I’m such a good little house husband. Ugh. The house smells like paint as well. In prep for putting the house on the market, we’re doing some little touch-ups. Today it was the kitchen nook. Looks not so bad if I do say so myself. I’ll start on the kitchen itself tomorrow and then the hallway of doom (all the way up the stairs etc) after that.

All this is better than talking to aliens.

Oh well it was a nice dream for a bit….

‘Maverick film-maker Quentin Tarantino has rubbished reports he intends to direct a new entry in the Friday the 13th franchise. But the Kill Bill creator has confirmed studio New Line approached him with the idea of reviving the long-running slasher series about beyond-the-grave serial killer Jason Voorhees, reports website Empireonline.Com. Tarantino says, “What’s happening with Friday the 13th? Nothing at all. It’s a complete lie. “I like Jason and everything, but I’ve no intention of directing a movie. New Line talked to me about it, but it was a complete fabrication, that article. “I would love to do a horror film. I’m just saying it’s not going to be Friday The 13th.” Instead, Tarantino plans to push ahead with his long-gestating World War II project, Inglorious Bastards. He says, “My next film is probably going to be Inglorious Bastards. I’ve written scenes. I’ve written a lot of it but now I have to sit down and start putting it together in a script that I can start shooting. And that’s a different thing.”‘ – from IMDb pro

Billy Joel enters rehab for alcohol abuse… Again. Any Billy Joel fan knows the opening lyrics of Scenes from an Italian Restaurant. Perhaps more than one bottle of red and one bottle of white… All those car accidents over te last few years couldn’t have had to do with the fact that he was pickled? Could they? Nah. That’s too obvious. Drunks never do obvious or predictable things.

I’m watching Pulp Fiction for the umpteenth time. It’s insane what a great film it is. Tarantino’s writing is brilliant. He definitely has ‘an ear’ for truthful dialogue. Wow. Take the final monologue for example (don’t read it if you haven’t seen the movie it’s a spoiler):

Jules: Well there’s this passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. “The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.” I been sayin’ that shit for years. And if you ever heard it, it meant your ass. I never gave much thought what it meant. I just thought it was some cold-blooded shit to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ass. I saw some shit this mornin’ made me think twice. See now I’m thinkin’, maybe it means you’re the evil man. And I’m the righteous man. And Mr. 9 Milimeter here, he’s the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you’re the righteous man and I’m the shepherd and it’s the world that’s evil and selfish. Now I’d like that. But that shit ain’t the truth. The truth is you’re the weak. And I’m the tyranny of evil men. But I’m tryin’, Ringo. I’m tryin’ real hard to be a shepherd.

I love it… Here’s the whole script if you want to read it.

It’s the beginning of week number two of living in Nojobsville, population me. Carol says I’m not really alone as Moosh, our dog, doesn’t have a job either. She’s never had one though. Probably because she has no thumbs and shits on the lawn.

The whole forced vacation thing kind of sucks to tell the truth, so I’ve been doing all I can to keep myself busy and mentally nimble. I’ve got time to read the books I’ve been meaning to and am studying production and the film and TV business like a madman. I actually feel pretty hopeful right this moment as I just finished putting together my résumé. It’s not something I thought I would be doing, but it’s a good inventory of how much I really do have to offer. Even the slightest bit of optimism is good right now. Not that I’m feeling overly negative it’s just a trap that I can easily get caught up in. Me + self-pity = doom

Anyway, here’s my résumé in PDF (57kb) and DOC (51kb) formats. Just right click and choose ‘save as…’ to download, look at and forward to someone who wants to hire me and give me lots of money. 🙂

I’ve emailed, talked and chatted to so many concerned and helpful people since what I’m now referring to as ‘Black Friday’. I’m thinking about starting a chat line and charging $3.95 a minute so people can call me up and feel better about their lives as a result of offering poor little me an ear to rant into. All kidding aside, I really do appreciate all the good feeling folks are sending my way. Keep it coming it’s very welcome.

At least this blog says it is.

I think so and so do lots of other folks. It’s been voted third most livable city in the world with only Zurich and Geneva Switzerland beating it. I think we’ll stay awhile.

Creature Corner – Phantasm is being remade.

Of course he is… Check out this article at Canada Kicks Ass