This Week's Filmmaking - Shooting, Distribution...and the Name Change

What a week.

This last week has been nutso out here in farm country. As usual, I'm busy non-stop...and my crazy life continues. This last week alone, we've been shooting on THE OLD STRIPPER, doing distribution for our films, and most importantly....officially got my name changed!

First things first....this morning, it became official. The court ruled that my name be legally officially changed to Jack Truman. Thank God. This has been a long time coming. I've been going by Jack Truman for over 10 years; I was born with my deadbeat dad's name John Kerney; but that life is now behind me. I'm born again with a new name; the name everyone has been knowing me by. Jack Truman is my identity on everything except my birth certificate; everything; license, social security, property, voting card, utilities...and more...everything; except my birth certificate. Now I can get that changed. Woo hoo! It's about time. Today is a great day, and a cause for celebration.

Film distribution: Distribution is flowing for our first films - PHONE SEX GRANDMA, THE OUTHOUSE, THE 60 YEAR OLD STRIPPER, THE ACCEPTABLE SIN and THE X-RATED GRANDMA. All are now available on DVD. And only through Amazon and Createspace. This is a job in itself; I'm trying to work one film at a time with online distribution; but I'm limited in the time I can spend online working marketing. Last week, promoted THE OUTHOUSE. Trying to pick which film to work this next week.

Film shooting: As a filmmaker, I love having control over my films. Until I start making money, I'll continue making films my own way as a filmmaker. Case in point: my current feature film THE OLD STRIPPER about my Mother Opal. We've been getting some footage shot these last few days about us talking of her old stripper days. It's great when I can get Mother in the mood to get on camera and discuss her old dancing days from the 70's and '80's. We've shot a lot over these last 3 years. And the film still has a ways to go before shooting is done. But we're chipping along, getting as much shooting done as we can right now with no money.

Yesterday, I worked a little with our online liberal church the Universal Equalitarian Church; did the first podcast, wrote a new blog, and update the church's Myspace site. Usually don't have any time to work on the church, with all my filmmaking work; yesterday was the first time in over a month. But hopefully, by the end of the summer, I'll have an online foundation for the church set up to start working from in my spare time.

Also, as a filmmaker, the film festival waivers have been flowing in this last week; for many of my beginning films - such as PHONE SEX GRANDMA, THE OUTHOUSE and THE ACCEPTABLE SIN. I don't pay waivers for festivals anymore, unless it's a huge fest that I just happen to have the money scraped together for (i.e., Sundance). But the fests keep coming along. And speaking of festivals, screenings are getting lined up for the fall already; and it's only July. August we'll have FUCKIN' OLD BITCH in Seattle and Atlanta; in September, PHONE SEX GRANDMA has its Australia premiere in Sydney; and more to come. Plus, I've got to get together next week my submissions of PAYDAY LOAN and FUCKIN' OLD BITCH together and sent off to Slamdance. Park City 2010 is just around the corner. I'm praying and crossing my fingers that next January, I'll have shorts playing across the street in Park City - at both Sundance and Slamdance.

All of this, and applying for college teaching jobs all over the country. I really should get back to teaching. These last 25 years...all I've done and accomplished...as an artist, filmmaker, director, writer, actor, teacher, speaker....I've got a lifetime of experience to help develop the next generation of artists, speakers and filmmakers. Hopefully, I'll be teaching somewhere this fall. We'll see....

Gotta go for now....wanted to just take a little time and reflect, write and update what's been going on this last week as a filmmaker out here in the boonies....

I'm living proof - anyone can make a movie....

Watch the YOUTUBE trailer of Jack's upcoming documentary THE OLD STRIPPER:




Buy Mother's new book THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER at:

http://thoughtsofastripper.webs.com/

Own PHONE SEX GRANDMA on DVD on Amazon & Createspace at:

https://www.createspace.com/255255

Health, Legal Issues, Filmmaking...and Life

What a week....

This last week has been a life changing week for me. Simply put, a change of life has happened.

The last time I remember a change like this happening was 9 years ago, when I was sitting in my apartment in L.A., and decided to become vegan. And have not eaten an animal product since. That change has returned.

In a nutshell, this week, there have been health issues; legal issues; film projects; and a new direction with my future.

Something has been wrong with me healthwise these last couple of weeks. And I don't know what it is. The constant pain that's been deep in the middle of my stomach underneath the rib cage. With as much as I've been eating these last few months, I've been thinking it's been because of a weight change. But the more constant and deeper the pain, it's really got me worried that it could be my liver.

With the pain being right where my liver is, this has got me scared to death about my life. I don't want to die. Not yet. I have too much to get done before I leave. And I've seen too many people close to me die from their liver. I don't want to be one of those, and join that crowd. So, simply put, I need to change my life like I did 9 years ago.

5 days ago, I started on a raw food diet. Nothing but fruits and vegetables. And I'm feeling the difference. It feels like a combination of withdrawals and cleansing. I remember the last time I ate raw; 4 years ago in LA for a month, and was on a natural high like drugs, and shed pounds like crazy. I was thin as a rail after a month, and felt the best I've felt in my life. I want that feeling back. And I want to heal my body. All I've been eating is apples, garlic, carrots, celery, cabbage, olives and making a veganaise/mustard/herb mixture with red clover, flaxseed and paur'd arco as a dip for me to snack on celery with. Everything these last 5 days has been raw. And I'm starting to feel the difference.

Also, I've been drinking 3 cups of tea a day; dandelion root tea, peppermint tea, and a liver detox tea. All are good for the liver. And have also been drinking water contstantly. And pissing like crazy. Which is a good think. And also taking my shots of apple cider vinegar daily.

Along with this, 4 days ago, I started a 2 week Master Cleanse detox. For 2 weeks, I have to take these herb capsules daily for my liver, lungs, kidneys and immune system. And it's funny. When I take a capsule, within minutes I feel things going on in my body. It ranges anywhere from my stomach, to my chest, to my back, to my head....deep pains, and sometimes dizziness. Something's working inside my body. Between the raw diet, and the detox, my body is going through changes. For the better. I can tell.

In addition, another major change has happened; no liquor. I have had no liquor for 9 days now. No liquor; eating raw; doing the detox; my body is going through changes. And this is making me look at my life. Reflecting on the past; and thinking about the future.

I've been thinking this last week, hard, about my life. What I've done. Where I've been. What I've lived. And where I'm going.

I've been thinking a lot about the last 25 years of my life; my adulthood. In the last 25 years, I've lived some life; lived all over the country; been an actor, a writer, a director, a filmmaker, a teacher, worked many jobs, and more. And have had a full life. When I think about everything I've done, and everyplace I've been, I've lived at least 5 full lives in this adulthood. It's hard to remember everything. But when I reflect, and think about one thing, it amazes me, everything I can remember accomplishing at that one time. And that doesn't even include my childhood. Being the son of a stripper. Living a childhood on a burlesque circuit; and my military school life. And the high school years; and the Army years; so much has happened in this life.

These last 25 years, I've lived a life no one can dream of. And now, I've got to think about the next 25.

Some legal things have been going on this week too. I just heard from my lawyer in Kansas City, and have a court date at the end of the month for my legal name change. Hopefully, next month when I turn 44, my legal name will be what I've been going by for the last 10 years; Jack Truman. Then my birth certificate can be changed, and I won't have my deadbeat birth father, or as I like to call him, my semen donor's, name any longer. I'll have my own name, the one I've been going by this last decade, for the rest of my life.

Last week, I got new film made, and sent off to Sundance; my new short comedy film PAYDAY LOAN. I'm glad to have another film knocked out, to shock with people with. It felt good to have a new film to send off to be considered for Park City in 2010. Hopefully, the 4th time will be a charm. Every year, for 4 years, I've been sending a film to Sundance. Every year, one gets rejected. Slamdance about always shows my films. I'll be sending one to Slamdance next month. We'll see what this fall brings.

Plus, this last week has been different from the normal routine. Usually, I just work constantly on my film projects. But not this week. In fact, I haven't been working with them online at all these last 7 days. Usually, I spend at least 4 hours a day online working my social networks with my film projects. But not this week. This last week, online, all I have been doing is looking, searching and applying for college teaching jobs.

I am seriously considering returning to teaching at the college level. It's been 11 years since I've taught college classes. And have never thought much since about doing it again. But now, reflecting on my life, thinking about the things I've done, and my future, I think this is a good choice. I really think I should try to share with others, and teach others what I've learned from this life. With just these last 25 years, I've got a huge vault of life to dig into and share with the next generation of artists and speakers. And I can help them. I think this is a good thing to do.

The week before I started having these health problems around my liver, I was starting to really think deep about my future. And now, with my health, it's made me think more. And, you know, when it comes down to it, and I think about life, none of this really matters. The house. Money. A good job. Material things. None of it matters. You can't take it with you.

I need to live my life.

An Unforgettable Week....

This has been, simply put, an unforgettable week.

For an independent filmmaker who's broke, poor, living in the middle of the country, in the boonies, far away from the artificial life of Hollywood or the rat race of NYC, and making movies all alone in a ghost town, it's been crazy, fast paced, and unforgettable.

2 major things have happened this week: distribution of my first documentary film on DVD, and shooting beginning for my first narrative feature film.

First things first: my first documentary film, the 9 minute hit short film THE 60 YEAR OLD STRIPPER, is now on DVD! After playing film festivals these last 2 years from California to New York, the film about my Mother Opal, an old stripper, sharing her thoughts on nudity, pornography and religion is now available on DVD only online throught Amazon and Createspace. It's a great feeling when as a filmmaker you have complete control over your film; at all levels; when you shoot it, edit it, release it, and distribute it.

And the second thing: my first feature comedy film JUNK has begun production! We started shooting this week, about 3 days ago. It feels good after so long to begin shooting a feature narrative film, here in my backyard, my own way, with no money. Fuck Hollywood. Fuck the big studios and production companies. Sure, it's a lonely life making films alone, by yourself, your own way, with no help. But when you envision something no one else can see, until it's completely done, this is the way you have to do it sometimes. It's gonna be hard making this movie; but it's going to be worth it.

These 2 projects have kept my hands full all week; I wish I could clone myself; but I'll get done what I get done.

Make your movie. No matter what. Screw the negativity. Just do it. Like Tom Hanks said in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: "It's supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."

It's funny how people are, when you're a filmmaker, making your movie. It's just like anything else in life. People say they want to help you, and want to be a part of what you're making or doing. But when it comes down to making it or doing it, and you have no money, you're on your own. My Grandad always said, " When you've got money, everyone's your friend. But when you're down and out, no one wants to help you". He's in his grave now; but he's right on the money.

I'm making my movies. My own way. My first 5 short films are living proof there's an audience for my art; now I've got a built in audience for my first feature when it comes out.

It's hard....but it's happening.

What an unforgettable week for this crazy liberal vegan wacko filmmaker....the son of a stripper....

Own Jack's hit documentary short film THE 60 YEAR OLD STRIPPER on DVD:

https://www.createspace.com/266988

Watch the On Location Trailer for Jack's new film JUNK: