'Cause I Just Don't Have Enough to Do....

As mentioned in the last post, I have been considering - obviously for quite some time - writing a book about the experience of creating Beast of Bottomless Lake.

Well the damned idea isn't going away.  I thought that having no actual interest from a publisher would knock the notion out of me.  But why would it?  Not having a budget or a distributor or any of the myriad things that you really ought to have when making a movie didn't stop me from making one.  And in the age of digital self publishing, its possibly viable.  And tonight I kind of buckled.  I took all of the posts from this blog and cut and pasted them (as reference material) into the outline in the pitch document I sent publishers.  I'm already at 120 poorly edited pages.  Obviously, I'm going to rewrite practically everything, but the guide is there.

Like the movie, this probably won't be a fast project.  I have a lot going on.

- I've been serializing a truly massive novel online for quite some time - the going is slow there too, despite having much of the plot mapped out... those holes are hard to get past though.  If I ever finish, this one is going to be a door-stopper.

- I'm working on a screenplay about a truly fascinating aspect of deterrence theory (The political gamesmanship that has against all seeming odds kept us from nuking the hell out of each other for over half a century.) that has taken me way down the rabbit hole.

- An older project I created with Roger Haskett (Neville in Beast) may have once again found some legs - and if it has it could be pretty consuming.

- A TV project I conceived with another friend had some recent interest... but I suspect we've seen the last of this round of sizzle, so that's probably not a factor.

- I've finally acquired the means to go back into production on my video series "Best Picture" - which fortunately has no deadlines on it, but still... if I'm going to do it, I should bloody well do it.

- And I'm in the middle of researching a series of short fiction about the (very real) Galileo mission to Jupiter.

Not to mention carrying on contract work, a very part-time "day job" and not least of all being a Father.

But I just can't help thinking, that this project isn't going away.  I'll pick away at it in the gaps - Eg. some times I simply can't bring myself to get immersed in the psychology of gambling that everyone is going to play nice and not blow one another into radioactive dust, and in those times I need something else to write - something where I already know the beginning, middle and end.

And on...

It has been a year since the last theatrical screening of The Beast of Bottomless Lake - in fact almost to the minute of the beginning of the showing as I write this now.

Due to the SuperChannel release of Beast it has been difficult to impossible to move forward on other sales and platforms - specifically streaming.  I should be careful to point out that this is in no way an indictment of SuperChannel - we loved having the film in their hands for 18 months.  It was simply the nature of the contract that there wasn't much room for additional sales while their broadcast window was open.

But our contract ended at the beginning of this month.  We are now beginning to move forward on other avenues.  I can't say what precisely those will be until we have more clarity on how we are proceeding, but suffice to say that one way or another it will become much easier for people all around the world to see The Beast of Bottomless Lake.
Two more things before I put an end to this brief message...

First a little piece of art (I'm not sure, I think it qualifies as manga.)  A characterization of David Nykl as Paul Moran.  I've forgotten where this came across my desk from.  I've been sitting on it for far too long and it is time to share.  I shamefully admit that I have no idea who the artist is.  If you are reading this and it is yours, please please please let me know so I can credit you properly (or remove it if you would prefer).

"Curse you 'Pogo!!!!"

Secondly, I'm testing the waters on something, but first a little set-up (feel free to skip ahead to "HERE'S THE THING" below if you find the following self-indulgence boring)....  I've been busy with all manner of creative endeavours lately.  Perhaps you are already familiar with one or two of those that are public.
I've been serializing a novel (well, a trilogy ultimately); Necropolis for free online.  I admit it comes and goes in frequency, but I am gradually making headway.  I recently finished and posted the second part and and have the beginning of the third part ready.  The first book is heading into it's final stage.  Whee!  I have a pretty good idea of where the long-range destination of the narrative is going, but I admit there is a certain amount of making-it-up and consequent discovery as I go.  Check it out.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I am enjoying creating it.
Secondly, many years ago I took it upon myself to see every film that has ever won the Best Picture Oscar.  Then a few years ago I decided to start doing short videos on the various films that have won.  It is very lo-fi and I am really taking my time around paid work and other promising projects, but I do have fun making them.  You can find the whole set thus far at Best Picture.  I should have the next one ready to go reasonably soon.
Then comes the stuff that I can't talk about so much: A few screenplays I'm hoping to move and a pair of TV shows I'm trying to sell (including one I created with Roger Haskett who played Neville in Beast.And of course there is the never ending social jazz-improv of raising a child... I also have a ridiculously huge catalogue of videos collected on line about her, called "Three Minutes of December" but I won't subject you to that directly - some are pretty fun, but most are largely for documentary purposes and for family interest.

HERE'S THE THING:
Amongst all those other projects I've been planning out and writing samples of a proposed book about independent film-making.  I haven't got a lot that I can add technically to the existing literature, but I can provide a great yarn about the emotional journey - complete with lofty highs and dismal lows - that would serve as a case study, or a non-fiction novel.  I've done some market research with the assistence of Biz Books (whose old store was used as the bookstore in Beast) and determined that there is effectively no such book available.
I've been approaching publishers and also considering the possibilities of self-publication.  The latter is a significantly different (ahem) beast.  If I can sell the book to a publisher I will have a guarantee of at least some small payment, whereas self-publishing is effectively writing on spec (not that I haven't done that before) and signing myself up for even more work in promotion - though with the added plus that I effectively get the entirety of the profits for myself.
So, I'm wondering who out there would read such a book.  Would you??  Answer in the comments please if you would.  I know this a small segment of potential readers I am reaching now, but its a starting sample.  It could make a difference as to whether I forge forward or not.

A Virtuous Affiliated Project

Hey folks,

It has been a while since there has been much news about the Beast... and while it is not "over" per se, the news will be stretched out over longer periods now.

But meantimem many people associated with the Beast are moving on to other things.

I'd like to take a moment to draw your attention to one I find particularly interesting and worthy....

C.S. John, one of Beast's producers is developing a documentary exploring the many facets of the fertility industry.  There are a staggering number of couples in the world who for one reason or another will deal with fertility problems to a greater or lesser degree.  It is a heart-breaking thing to witness.  It is so emotionally wrought that many people won't even make their problems public, but it is so common that I can pretty much guarantee that you know someone who has faced this issue even if you don't know who they are.

The film's title is On Infertile Ground and part of its intended purpose is to bring to light the realities faced by these couples so as to destigmatize the issue through increased compassionate awareness.  It may also help people facing the anguish of infertility to find both strength in unity and to open the doors to therapies they may not have otherwise considered.  It is virtually guaranteed to be a film that is simultaneously tragic and uplifting.  I heartily encourage you to check out the details at the website linked above and join their group on Facebook and then to go and make a donation (no amount is too small) to their IndieGoGo account.

Cryptozoologist's Bane

The Onion had this funny bit today.

If only Paul Moran had known...

The Beast of Bottomless Lake in 2012...

I am hoping that there will be plenty of news for The Beast of Bottomless Lake but for now there is just one piece of news.

Beast will be back on SuperChannel for fourteen showings in January.

Craig and I are at work on other possibilities, but it simply wouldn't be cricket to talk about them now.

One Month to Christmas

Ya know...

If you order now... or even in the next ten days... you can still get copies of The Beast of Bottomless Lake for the folks you love the most... or even those you just kinda love in time for Christmas.

The DVD store is open on our website.  Don't be shy.

Or...

Do you know someone who loves The Beast of Bottomless Lake?  I don't mean in an unhealthy way.  Not in a "well then why don't you marry it" childish kinda way either.  Merely in that way that they are too often heard saying "hey, have you seen that really cool rather unknown film The Beast of Bottomless Lake?"  Well then you can help them get their message across and save yourself having to hear that tiresome refrain by getting them something from our CafePress Store.  'Cause if they are wearing a Beast hoodie and drinking from a Beast coffee mug and tweeting (probably about Beast... don't forget the hashtag "#thebeast") on their iPhone with a Beast phone cover... then they won't feel the need to keep chatting you up about the film, now, will they?

The Beast's New PAL

At long last...

Have you ordered a PAL DVD version of The Beast of Bottomless Lake?

Well expect to see it in your mailbox soon!

We recieved our order of PAL DVDs yesterday and they will begin shipping over the next week.

We are delighted that this has finally come to fruition.  The technical differences between NTSC and PAL versions slowed down the process of getting the DVDs ready, but the good news is that the DVDs will be going out with th complete set of features that the NTSC discs went out with - indeed with slight tweaks (dare I say improvements?) that we will include in future batches of the NTSC DVDs.  (If you happen to  have the original NTSC discs, don't fret, the tweaks are truly slight... we'd probably have to point them out to you for you to notice the difference.  It is simply a matter of our perfectionism and pride.)

So the Beast will soon be seen in places like Britain, Australia and Japan...

Hooray!