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:

My Current Film Projects...and Being Broke

I'll tell you...it's tough times as a filmmaker.

I don't think I'm alone either. I see it all over the country.

To be honest, I'm broke. I don't any money coming in. Don't have a job; and can't find one here in farm country. Want to move somewhere to get some work; but can't afford to move. So for now, I'm stuck out here in the boonies, with no money.

But I am getting things done.

Thankfully, my Mother Opal is a great film subject! It's hard as hell to manage all these projects....it's maddening, really.

I've been trying like hell these last 2 months to sell Mother's new STRIPPER book online. We aren't making money yet; but at least it's getting out there to the world for them to know about it.

Trying to find a good agent for our new feature screenplay PHONE SEX GRANDMA, based off the hit short...

Working as much as is possible on production of THE OLD STRIPPER, my first feature documentary, about Mother's old stripping days....been shooting this going on 3 years....

Trying to get pre-production done for JUNK, a feature unscripted comedy that can be filmed easily out here in the boonies....plus trying to sell the pilot TV script for JUNK...a rockin' script, if I can say so myself....

Working here and there on self-distribution of THE X-RATED GRANDMA....

Finishing post for our new comedy short PAYDAY LOAN, which we'll be pushing this next year as our Oscar qualifying short....

And working my first 5 short films worldwide on the festival circuit; along with getting ready soon to making 4 of the shorts available online on DVD through self-distribution!

Busy times, huh?

Along with all of this, when I can find time, I need to start writing my upcoming book NO BUDGET FILMMAKING....who knows when that'll be!

I'll tell ya...it was so much easier when I just had my first film, the hit short PHONE SEX GRANDMA, that I was working. Now I can't seem to get about anything done. But I keep busy non-stop, with film projects, even though I am broke.

John Steinbeck was right...he said 'Ideas are like rabbits. You get 1 or 2, get to know how to handle them, then pretty soon, you have a dozen."

How true that is....

Get Mother's book STRIPPER at:

http://thoughtsofastripper.webs.com

Watch the new Book Trailer for STRIPPER on YouTube at:



Find out more about our first feature film THE OLD STRIPPER at:

Trying to Make a Buck....

It's hard trying to make a buck out here as a filmmaker in the middle of nowhere...

But I'm trying.

I'm working hard every day promoting Mother's new book THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER online; for hours every day. Been doing this for over a month now. And have now sold one book yet. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. But I'm trying.

I've got 5 short films that have played over 200 festivals worldwide, and continue to play. Last week, one played Pennslyvania. This week, one in Florida. Next week, one in California. Festivals are already lining up for the summer. 5 internet distributors selling our short films; and I'm trying to sell them myself. Haven't made a dollar yet with them this year.

No jobs around here....scraping by financially day to day....

But at least, if nothing else, I'm making my movies.

I've now got the new book trailer made for Opal's new STRIPPER book. Hopefully, that will start generating some sales. Just created a new YouTube site to promote the production company, and try to get work making films. Got a lot I need to try to do to make money. I don't want to have to move back to a big city right now. I'm working these things too much. I know I could do a lot of this anywhere, but if I was working a regular job, it'd take away a lot what I'm doing.

Every day is a struggle....but it's worth it.

Been shooting a lot of footage these last couple of months for the OLD STRIPPER documentary....but there's not much to film right now, until I can raise some money for the footage of the road trips...

And suddenly, there is interest in getting my narrative feature film JUNK made....so at the same time, I'm working pre-production for JUNK at my own pace...and if everything goes as planned, we will be able to make this no-budget narrative feature this summer out here in the middle of nowhere.

I'm living proof that anyone can make a movie with no money, anywhere, find an audience, and become a well-known filmmaker....

Trying to make a buck.....

Our New Book Trailer of STRIPPER:



Jack and Opal's weekly Podcast:

THE OLD STRIPPER on Indiegogo:

Last Night's Tornadoes

Well...I survived another night out here in farm country.

I thought we might be goners for sure this time.

It was crazy....my tv went out for good last night during Nightline, then my internet was out (this dial-up internet is for shit...doesn't work 80% of the time)...so I was stuck reading Walden on my bed. Then, 10 minutes later (around midnight), the tornado sirens went off. I got Mother and Patches, and we walked down to the church basement. The radio down there was saying about all of the tornadoes around. Finally, about 1 a.m., the warnings stopped and we walked home. All of the electric power was out for the county, so it was pitch dark. Power just went back on here about 2 hours ago. Then, I tossed and turned, and couldn't sleep last night.

It's crazy out here in the boonies....no car, no electric, no public communication, unable to work on my movies right now, or communicate with others...unable to get a job somewhere...but I'm alive another day!