MONDAY MORNING HOUSEKEEPING: News From the Front

I’ve been on the road quite a bit this month – mostly in Austin and Los Angeles. Just got back from L.A. This week we’re shooting a sizzle reel for an unscripted series. And next week I’ll be back in L.A. working with our agent on the pitch for that series as well as tending to the three features and two other TV series that are all making their way through development.

I tend to post more of the newsy stuff – including pictures, updates on projects and event announcements – on the Rev. Hollywood Facebook page. There are a few pics from last week’s trip there now. If you want to keep up with the more day-to-day, week-to-week stuff, be sure to “like” the Facebook page. Thanks for your interest and input.

On the plane, when I’m not making script notes, I’ve been reading CREATIVITY, INC. by Ed Catmull. It’s a powerhouse book on the creative process, leading creatives and managing the process. Catmull gives a first person account of the founding of Pixar but more than that; he candidly discloses what they’ve learned about the messiness of creativity and how hard it was to learn it. He generously shares his team’s insights and passions. Pixar is a multi-billion dollar company run by serious people who believe there’s more to life than the bottom line. There’s much to be gleaned from the stories they tell and the Story of Pixar. If you lead or create ANYTHING – do yourself a favor and read, CREATIVITY, INC.

I hated to miss this year’s just concluded Little Rock Film Festival. In a way I feel like Category One (the company I co-founded ten years ago this month) and the Little Rock Film Festival have grown up together. My directorial debut (WHERE’S MY CLOSE-UP, MR. THORNTON?) won the inaugural ‘Made in Arkansas’ Award at the first LRFF in 2007. Three years later our documentary, LOOKING FOR LURCH, won the Audience Award. It’s been my joy to be a presenting filmmaker, sponsor, panelist and participant in all the years of the Festival’s existence. This is the first one I’ve missed – and I hope it’s the only one I miss. Congrats to all the staff and filmmakers of the 2014 LRFF!