Today's L.A. Film Premiere, Our Books, and the Indie Filmmaking Life

I love being an independent filmmaker.

It is a lonely life. But the rewards are great. To make movies that are important to you, that no one else can make....filmmaking can be very satisfying. Take it from me, the son of a stripper. My films are really out there. If there is an audience for my movies, I'm living proof that anyone can make a movie. No matter what.

A lot's going on this fall with our low-budget film company Dixie Productions:

Today is the official Los Angeles premiere of our award winning short documentary film THE ACCEPTABLE SIN! After over 30 film festival screenings worldwide, the film about the direct link between obesity and religion, finally plays L.A. today through Sunday, daily at the Blue Planet Film Festival.

Our brand new documentary short film 2 OLD WHORES is being released to the film festival circuit, scheduled to begin playing early 2011.

2 weeks ago, our hit comedy short film PHONE SEX GRANDMA rocked Atlantic City; last week, ACCEPTABLE SIN had its Colorado premiere in Pikes Peak; the L.A. premiere is this weekend; and next month, our award-winning documentary short film THE OUTHOUSE has its Kentucky premiere at the River's Edge Film Festival. To date, our short films have screened at over 300 film festivals worldwide. And continue to rock the festival world.

We are still in production for our feature film documentary THE OLD STRIPPER. After over 4 years of shooting, production continues for this upcoming mind-blowing feature film.

Other projects are currently in development as well.

And for our books.....

The book department of our business, Dixie Publishing, continues to release amazing books. Last year's inspirational autobiography THOUGHTS OF A STRIPPER: A Mother's Story is available only on Amazon and Lulu. Recently, the new reference book ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW IN THE UNITED STATES, A Comparative Analysis, became available on Amazon. And our recent humor book 100 STORIES FROM AN OLD STRIPPER just became available on the internet library. You can check out all of the available books from Dixie Publishing's library HERE

One busy fall. With books and films. And with the life of an independent filmmaker - the son of a stripper.

The DIXIE PUBLISHING Library on LULU

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: