Money wise, things are rough. Here in cattle country. Can't find a job. Not making any money. Working almost every day online applying for good jobs, bad jobs, teaching jobs, filmmaking jobs, and more....but still unemployed and broke.
Still making movies and exploding on the festival circuit....got about 20 fee waivers to festivals worldwide to mail my films out these next couple of weeks; our new hit comedy short FUCKIN' OLD BITCH screens this month in festivals at Atlanta and Seattle; trying to film footage when I can for my documentary of Mother, THE OLD STRIPPER; and trying to figure out ways to get these other film projects done, and make money with what I've already made.
Trying to sell Mother's new STRIPPER book to the world; have it online, on a website, with total control of sales; trying to get the book set up with Createspace so it's available on Amazon.com; but I'm having major issues with Createspace right now. And it doesn't seem like there's any time to really put aside to work the book hard online.
Have over 60 social networks online that I haven't had time to visit or network in months...
Working out at the house; going through years of storage, and hashing through buildings of things; trying to get my properties cleaned up.
Seriously considering moving back out west. Financially, nothing has been working for me around here for over a year; need to make a change.
All of this going on....and more.
I've got so much to do as a filmmaker and as a person living life...films to make, money to make, books to read, messages to get out, and more.
Life to live...movies to make....decisions to make....life is tough.
But it goes on....
The YouTube trailer for Jack's upcoming film THE OLD STRIPPER:
Own the award-winning hit comedy short PHONE SEX GRANDMA on DVD at:
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:
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:
Still have a lot going on with these non-film related legal issues; starting self-distribution for our hit short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA on DVD; in pre-production for our first feature film comedy JUNK; and trying to sell Mother's STRIPPER book. A lot's going on....
Simply put, I just don't have time to do things. Most of what I have to do in online based; I can just get dial-up internet that's limited to websites out at the shacks; so I have to come here in town to a public place to work these things for a few hours. And that's not near enough time to work on these things I need to get done.
Some of these things I'm just gonna have to put on hold; I have to figure out how to take one thing at time, and get things done. I'm gonna try to just focus on distribution of the DVD version of PHONE SEX GRANDMA this week; if I can get some money generated with that, then I can get some more of these other things done.
It's a hard life, filmmaking when you're poor, broke and in the boonies; but you do get to do things your own way; just don't have any help.
