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Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Film Blog Content Edited, And Some News
After a lengthy
conversation with both my attorney and my public relations people yesterday,
some content on the blog was edited today. Additional content on some
of my other blogs will be edited as well. Among other things, this will
pave the way for me doing events, such as film festivals, and public appearances
(and, I may add, will give me additional leverage in other ways). I also
have some rather cool things planned for the upcoming Tampa
Film Conference (now scheduled to debut in 2012), and will
be a regular keynote speaker at my Tampa indie film events, which includes
the Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival
and professional networking event series.
This said, I have some new schedule announcements, too. The
Halloween Drive-In underground film festival (yes, the film
festival in a car- This is a cool idea and I am determined to do it. This
is the delayed first-one which was supposed to be done in October 2009,
and the sequel has also been delayed a year) will be done on October 10,
2010 (10/10/10!). For those who are wondering, I am still not speaking
to the people who dropped the ball on the last one; it's their loss. This
was very important to me, and I am still very much annoyed with them.
The latter half of 2010 will also see a few other underground film festivals,
such as the Tampa Bay Film Review, where a panel
of entertainment industry professionals will review indie films from Tampa
Bay and elsewhere. These underground film festivals will be promoted on
TampaFilmFestivals.Com,
a Tampa Bay Film site, and will be covered on Tampa Bay Film, on Tampa
Film Review, another Tampa Bay Film site, as well as other relevant Tampa
Bay Film sites.
Regarding covering Tampa film festivals and other events in 2010,
there are currently no plans to do so, although
everything, such as marketing material, is in place, and is ready to be
utilized. Like most of my current Tampa indie film plans, I really have
no desire to go out of my way to help others in the Tampa indie film scene
right now. I will be focusing on supporting my efforts, for now. Helping
others will come later, when I will be helping others who are worthy of
that help (the list right now is so short that I don't want to bother).
My first film festival, The Reverence film festival,
will be held in the fall of 2011, and will feature my Reverence
short film. This, of course, will lead up to the debut of the Tampa
Film Showcase in January 2012. In early
2013, the annual Iris Film Festival (tentative
name for now) will debut, leading to the longest ongoing Tampa indie film
support event production line in history; each year, there will be 12
Tampa Film Showcase film festival and networking events, serving as the
backbone of what we do, 1 annual film festival which will set new benchmarks,
the Reverence film festival each fall, and the Tampa Film Conference each
spring. That’s 14 film festivals and 1 indie film event per year,
not counting the other film festival properties and underground film festivals.
Those underground film festivals will have the most bang for the buck,
with the influence and effectiveness of a large film festival, but at
very little cost. The 14 conventional film festivals (although Reverence
is more of a hybrid) will be open to the public, but the underground film
festivals will mostly be private events, and invitation-only (do you think
that the current Tampa indie film scene can support all of this- or even
deserves it? Not at all. This is why the Tampa indie film scene has to
be expanded, now filmmakers need to be brought in, and the first Tampa
film community has to be established).
Determination is the name of the game. I’m going to see this revolution
in independent film through. Regardless of what a vocal (and insignificant,
not to mention ineffective) minority thinks, I believe that history will
validate what I am doing, as well as the effectiveness of the cool new
ideas which I will introduce to independent film as a whole. The current
environment in Tampa indie film is the perfect opportunity. As I see it,
I don’t have any competition. There are some good films being made
here, but their marketing is weak, and the way that they are being done
is too conventional, and not very cost-effective. It’s too easy
to become lost in the crowd. I am not at all confident that
the efforts of current Tampa filmmakers will achieve much success, do
much to put Tampa indie film on the map, or to make Tampa indie film a
leader in independent film.
Don’t look at me, either. Although I will be a big part of putting
Tampa indie film on the map (and this enormous investment into indie film
support infrastructure that I have done with Tampa Bay Film is just the
first step on a road which has not been traveled before), I won’t
be able to do it alone. There will be new filmmakers coming into the scene,
some of which have not even begun to make films; talented people who are
currently unknown. The market has to be expanded, and this new generation
of revolutionary filmmakers will do this, with my support and help, although
my films are going to be something special, too. I’m working on
films right now which have not been done before, and some of them are
being produced in ways that haven’t been tried before (Twisted
Puppet Show and The Adventures Of DJ Wiz Kid
among them). I hope that these cool film projects and concepts will inspire
others to do the same, to expand the market so that Tampa indie film will
not only be put on the map, but become a leader in the independent film
industry. Additionally, I expect the first Tampa Film Community to be
established by 2012, so we don't have that much longer. It's going to
take time, but eventually all of this will happen.
I am well vested into indie film. It’s a major part of my future.
It may not seem apparent now, but I have a plan, and that plan is moving
along nicely. Five years from now, some of that plan will become more
obvious.
For now, however, enjoy the Tampa Bay Film site and watch films on the
online film festival. I do.
Ah, yes, and some more things. Effective immediately, I will
no longer refer any more actors and talent to anyone in the Tampa indie
film clique, or anyone connected to the Tampa indie film clique.
Harmony Oswald, who was the lead in The
Quiet Place (2006), and Sarah Bray,
who was the lead in Spaventare (2009), were
both referred directly from me, as they are my clients and my friends.
For some reason, that fact was never disclosed, or recognized,
by those who were constantly trying to attack my credibility and slander
me. The top Florida actors, models, and talent are in my circle,
and since I will now ignore most of the current players in the Tampa indie
film scene, so will they. I do believe that everyone is aware of my affiliations
and alliances, but they simply don't admit it. It doesn't matter, however,
as we all know what the_truth is.
No good deed goes unpunished, I suppose. I do know one thing: I do not
discriminate, and am not the villain that these people attempt to portray
me as. I would never do to these people what they did to me, and I wouldn’t
wish what I’ve experienced on anyone. I was sincere with them, and
I succeed with everything that I did to help out (such as referring the
best actors to their films).
I now know exactly what happened the past few years, too, and know who
the source of the rumors was. I will say this: I regret ever introducing
myself to any of these people in late 2005. I would have been
better off without become acquainted with any of them. Well, since I haven't
disclosed any of my critical plans or ideas, I suppose that I could pretend
now that it never happened. I obviously still don't know them. I'll simply
do my own thing, and let them sabotage themselves. By the time
that I am ready to proceed, most of them will have removed themselves
from the Tampa indie film scene. The ones who remain, I will simply ignore,
and they will be on the outside looking in. When the first Tampa film
community is finally established, these disgraces to art and entertainment
have no business participating, and I will discourage them from doing
so my ignoring them. They are insignificant, irrelevant, and
ineffective. They had their chance and failed. It's now time for a change.
Know this: I will not be going after these people, and will not go out
of my way to undermine them. They do this quite well on their own, with
their lack of talent and integrity. They sabotage themselves. If they
continue to slander me, however, I will take aggressive legal action against
them. If any of them attempt any (additional) crimes against me, then
I will press charges (these people are really stupid by sending me threats.
I have everything documented, and this will serve as evidence if I need
it). STAY AWAY FROM ME! I’m going to ignore you,
and have confidence that you will end your careers on your own.
I deleted several of my "friends" on Myspace today, and set my account setting to private. If you were deleted, it wasn't in error. Goodbye!
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Thursday, January 14, 2010 - 4:00 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film, Indie Film Projects, and Film Festivals On Hiatus
This will be the
last post from me on the Tampa Film Blog for quite some time (except for
the one above and others for announcements). I am needed elsewhere, but
it will all work out for Tampa Bay Film when I’m done.
Earlier this week, I ordered the Tampa Bay Film sites and all my indie
film projects to be placed on standby, phase 2. What this means it that,
for the most part, very little updates will be done to the Tampa Bay Film
sites. Also, my indie film projects and film festivals will also be placed
on standby. At the earliest, it will be summer 2010 before I’m in
the position to resume these projects. This means that there will not
be a Reverence film festival this year, and because the Reverence film
festival leads into the debut of the Tampa Film Showcase, that there will
not be a Tampa Film Showcase in 2011.
What will I get done late this year, after the summer? A lot of updates
to the Tampa Bay Film sites, several underground film festivals, such
as the Halloween Drive-In and the Tampa Bay Film Review, and a short indie
film or two. In 2011, I’ll be in the position to proceed as was
originally intended for 2010, so apply the original scheduled for 2010
to 2011 to get an idea of what is planned. Displace that timeline one
year.
Why so long? I need resources and infrastructure in place, and not the
type of resources and infrastructure that I’ve completed in the
past six or seven years. I need lots of cash, consistent cashflow, and
operational assets. The way that my overall business plan is set up, my
service companies support my long-term investments. Right now, with the
economy and everything else, those service companies need a bit more attention.
Do I have anything to say about all of this to the people who have been
waiting for this? No. Not at all. The Tampa Bay Film sites and my marketing
infrastructure are in place, and they are operational. They are not going
anywhere, and I fully plan to utilize them as their full capacity soon.
Additionally, while I had the intentions of helping current Tampa indie
filmmakers and the current Tampa film scene, I am no longer inspired to
do so. Too many have failed the test, and they do not deserve my help.
Basically put, I’m about to become very, how can I say it, but to
put a point on it, inaccessible. I’m not going to have the time
for them, communication shall become minimal, and I have better things
to do.
As the slogan for the Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival
goes, “You are not invited”.
If any Tampa filmmaker needs my help and support, I’m going to suggest
that they impress the hell out of me, and that they prove that they are
sincere. So far, all that I’ve seen, and experienced, in the Tampa
indie film scene have been a bunch of amateurs to lie, cheat, steal, slander,
backstab, and conduct themselves as amateurs. If they perceive you to
be competition, they will gang up on you and attempt to destroy your credibility.
They will accuse you of unethical conduct, and of doing crimes, while
they themselves behave that way. They tried this with me, and I stood
up for myself and fought back. I’ve defeated these people, and have
put them in their place. The fight won, I’m moving on. What will
I do to them now? Nothing. I will allow them to sabotage themselves, as
they are their own worst enemy, and will simply proceed with my plans
without their participation.
They can remain on the outside, in the cold, looking in. It’s their
proper place- and it is where they put themselves.
If I choose to communicate with them, I will be doing them a favor. If
I choose to help them, I am doing them a favor. I fail to see how any
of these people can benefit my efforts, or benefit the advancement of
independent film in Tampa Bay.
Tentatively, I expect to debut the Tampa Film Showcase in January 2012.
The main reason for the delay is that I need support infrastructure in
place to keep it going each and every month, consistently. I don’t
want it to become another Tampa Film Review, where the film festival is
not consistent, or effective. It needs to be set up, and executed, right,
and the correct way takes time. To be brief, I don’t answer to anyone
but myself, and to my people. I could care less who is upset about our
adjusted course of action. I’m going to do my sites, my film festivals,
and my indie film projects for myself, and for my business interests.
If anyone out there wishes to compete with me with indie films, or anything
else, I wish you luck. The reason that some people chose to slander me,
and to attack me, is that they know something better when they see it.
They were afraid of competing against me, and tried to deal with it in
pathetic, unethical way. I now know how they really are. They blew it,
and they woke up a sleeping giant. I’m going to make their nightmare
come true. I’m going to take their market from them, and I’ll
do it by competing against them ethically, and professionally. Unlike
them, I don’t do anything unethical, unprofessional, or illiegal.
Oh, and for those who choose to continue slandering me and doing illegal
things against me, I intend to legally address them. I’m going to
start suing if they fail to cease and desist, starting now.
That’s the future, though.
For now, I’m working on other things.
What will I do with Tampa Bay Film in the next six months? Very little.
1. The online film festival will be monitored and maintained.
2. Scripts for my first short indie films will be written, and those films
will begin production late this year. The Reverence film festival cannot
be done in 2011 without some of my short films, and I need a few short
indie films to show at the Tampa Film Showcase.
3. Some underground film festivals will be done late this year, and several
Tampa indie films will be reviewed, like it or not.
That’s it for now. I’m
signing out. It’s time to take a nap. In closing, I would like to
say that I have a lot invested into the future of Tampa indie film, and
that I would not have set up such support infrastructure if I did not
have an agenda. With me, it’s never a question of “if”,
but rather “when”, and once it starts, it will change everything.
I’m in no hurry right now, however, and eventually, I’ll get
around to addressing Tampa indie film and setting the standard, as well
as putting some unethical amateurs out of business. Enjoy what you have
while you can!
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - 9:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Taking A Holiday, And The Outcast Indie Film
I’m exhausted. I finished
up the marathon site coding for Tampa Bay Film that I’ve been wrapped
up in the last 12 weeks over the weekend, and I’m simply disconnecting
myself to recharge. I’ve been sleeping away entire days, and I’ve
needed it.
The next week and a half, leading up to Christmas, it a perfect time for
a holiday- of sorts. I’m a workahloc by nature, and I’ll probably
be back at work later today (although you could count this Tampa Film
Blog entry as work). Just not here.
I’ll get back to Tampa Bay Film and its array of web sites before
the end of the year, for sure, but only because some odds and ends need
to be done. Tampa Bay Film itself has been gutted of content, with the
reviews moved to Tampa Film Review and other content moved to the relevant
Tampa Bay Film site. All eight sites are now up and running, but the irony
is that, after giving birth to so many annex sites, Tampa Bay Film itself
is a bit anemic, and it is the weakest of the lot. So, what needs to be
done by the end of the year / beginning of next?
1. Tampa Bay Film needs more content (at least two days worth of work).
2. The “services” sections of all eight sites need to be brought up to spec. These are marketing platforms as well as resources, after all. This should take a day to do.
3. At least 20 new films need to be added to the online film festival, and content needs to be adjusted (although the goal of trying to get as many films on there is no longer a priority. If there are too many films playing, you risk the online film festival becoming too cluttered, and there are diminishing returns. Additionally, it’s beginning to be more difficult monitoring the film festival and keeping tabs on what films are working, and which ones are not. I think that between 100-200 films online is a good balance, for now. This, of course, brings up questions regarding the future of the online film festival, and upcoming generations / upgraded version where the user can add films themselves; too many films can make it too much like Youtube, and with good films being lost in the clutter, it could make the online film festival rather pointless as a promotional and marketing platform for indie films. Would thousands of indie films online be a good thing, necessarily, if you cannot find what you are looking for? I am looking at the options now, and will make a decision regarding direction in the new year. I think that organization is going to be key. If we can fine tune the organization of the online film selection, the film festival growth and effectiveness will not be much of an issue anymore. The “channels” system is the proper course, I am convinced, nut lot more needs to be done with it for the film festival to maintain its balance). This will take at least two days of work.
4. Some new reviews have to be written.
So, does the Tampa indie film scene really need Hollywood to come here,
“save us”, and maker the Tampa Bay area, and Florida, for
that matter, Hollywood East? No. What the Tampa indie film scene needs
is for Tampa filmmakers to make innovative, great films, and to form a
community where we make Tampa Hollywood East on our own. Attracting Hollywood
here is a bit like attracting competition with deep pockets. In my opinion
(an educated opinion from a professional who has a great deal of experience
in business, and with changing industries with better ideas and business
practices), Hollywood coming to Tampa and using the Tampa Bay area as
a location for their productions would kill Tampa indie film; it would
be the worst thing for independent film in Tampa Bay. Sure, it would be
good for businesses which would cater to big productions (and no, they
would not necessarily hire local talent to help, either. A few years ago,
when The Punisher filmed here in Tampa, they trucked in their crew from
outside of the area. Did they cast local actors? No. The only local acting
“roles” available were for extras, and, as an actor, I can
say that those no-talent gigs were not worth it, especially at $70.00
a day), and would bring in money to our economy, but it would starve,
and discourage, independent film.
Remember that the next time that the film commission or a large film festival
wants you to help them promote Tampa Bay as a location for motion pictures.
Do they really have your best interest in mind?
Within this in mind, I’m taking a break. I need to do more work
in my home industries, and make more money to support what is coming.
I also need to finish a book, a novel, and some more web sites. Although
the Tampa Bay Film sites will be updated from time to time, the standby
status begins now, and will last for at least six months.
So, what of the indie films and the film festivals? That all depends upon
how well by business endeavors work out in a fractured, but healing, economy.
If it takes all of my time and energy to make the kind of money that I
am going to need for all of this, then it will lead to delays (hey, if
I have to spend all of my time in the next two years making money, making
films, writing, and DJ’ing, so be it. The other projects can wait.
With my projects, it’s never a question of “if”, but
rather “when”. Things will get done, at least in the next
five years).
The cool thing, is, that I’ll accomplish quite a bit in 2010. Expect,
at the very least, at least a couple indie films- some good, innovative
indie films. Expect a lot more, too.
Well, I was going to end the post, now, but I have a few extra minutes.
I need to post about something else that has been on my mind.
A week ago, I had a weird dream, which was about my first stageplay from
1992. That stageplay was “The Outcast”.
The Outcast was a stageplay about church, a youth group, religion, and
hypocrisy. It proved to be popular with churches, who wanted to do stageplays
of The Outcast. Well, I could allow a bunch of church people to turn my
script into a typical church skit, so I figured that it would be good
for me to get involved with the first stage production.
By then, it was 1993, and I was taking theater, writing, and music courses
in college. In 1993, I was not completely satisfied with the script for
The Outcast, since I did not have a computer and originally wrote in a
notebook. It would have been fine, but I had to have a woman from our
local church type it up on her computer, and in the process, she made
some changes which I was not happy with at all. Despite the flaws of my
modified work, the churches all wanted to do my play. Anyway, when I was
in college in 1993, I decided to begin working on a second stageplay,
and romantic comedy titled “Purple Passion”. I still did not
have a computer, however, so I spent a lot of time in the computer room
of the college writing.
There were some actresses in my theater course, too, who I made friends
with. Both actresses were extremely experienced in acting, casting, and
just about everything. They taught me a lot, especially about acting.
There was another girl named Carmen in my theater class, too, who was
really, really cute. We got on well. Dr. Sylvano would be up front, telling
us about the Rose theater, and about how theaters were built, and Carmen
and I would be curled up in the back reading my latest story, or the latest
version of the Purple Passion script. She’d giggle, Dr. Sylvano
would stop and ask me a question about what he had been discussing, I’d
give him some off-the-wall B.S. answer because I was too much into what
I was working on, and flirting with Carmen. My two actress friends would
turn around and glare at me, and Carmen and I would just do our thing.
Afterwards, the questions would come. My actress friends would get on
my case for not taking the class seriously enough, and ask me why I’d
have to make Carmen giggle and disrupt the class. Dr. Sylvano would ask
me why I was failing the class, and that’s when I would show him
what I was working on. He was teaching about theater, which was great,
but here I was actually doing it. He understood, but reminded me that
my grades sucked. He also read and reviewed Purple Passion for me, and
in his notes, he noted that they characters were a lot like me, not taking
school seriously, and dating a lot.
Carmen was into what I was doing, as my script was entertaining her, and
causing her to giggle (If I could go back, I’d take her to that
play that she asked me to take her to. I really liked Carmen. I was just
too focused on my projects to take advantage of the opportunities which
presented themselves ). So were my actresses. One of them sat with me
one day in the computer lab working on Purple Passion, and I took a while
to print her out some things. So, we sat there, and she told me that I
was a genius. I got a lot of that. It’s just too bad that I found
school to be boring. The people, however, were not, and I made a lot of
friends. Well, when I wasn’t off writing.
Sigh. Carmen. Whatever happened to her? We went off together one day to
take some test, and we were chatting up a storm. I lamented that we had
to take the test. She turned toward me, tilted her hear, smiled, and winked.
“At least we’re doing it together.”
I couldn’t argue with that. Still, I missed out. I was too busy
to really do much of anything with her. I liked her, though, and I’m
sure that she felt the same.
Still, I don’t remember the last time that I saw Carmen. She wasn’t
forgettable, either. She was there one day, and we just went our separate
ways soon after.
Anyway, my actress friends and I got together to work on my Outcast stageplay.
A church wanted to do the play, and I met with the youth group director.
We decided to go ahead and work together and do the play. I need the help
of my girls, however.
So, my theater girls showed up for a youth group meeting. We had meetings,
set up some auditions, and many in the congregation of the church pledged
their support. All was going well.
My first audition was in March of 1993. The girls conducted the auditions
with me, and they taught me how to cast. There was just one problem. The
few youth group teens who showed up to audition for roles couldn’t
act. One or two of them just were not able to fill the cast.
Aimee, one of the theater girls, turned to me. She told me that, unless
there were other kids with acting talent, that they might have to fill
some of the roles themselves. .
There were other problems, too. During one of the youth group meetings,
some of the church teens asked how long I had been a Christian. Being
upfront and honest with them, I told them that I was not a Christian.
I’m real.
In retrospect, this could have been why our first audition was so lukewarm.
This could have also been the reason why much of the congregation who
had pledged their support simply did not show up. Word got around that
non-Christians were heading up a church project.
Our suspicions were confirmed soon after that audition, too, as the youth
pastor told me that there was concern that I was not a Christian, and
the pastor of the church told him that we could no longer do the play.
So, I broke the news to the girls. We weren’t happy, but the project
was canned. We pulled out, but not before I walked up to the pastor after
a service and chewed him out about the fiasco.
Not that the play would have been that good to begin with, as most of
those kids were awful actors. We would have had to bring in professional
actors, and I’m sure that the church would not have been thrilled
about worldly people invading their domain.
To this day, I don’t like that church, or many churches, for that
matter.
I did have to go back there in 1995 when my brother got married there
(the pastor was nowhere to be found, thank God). Also, in 2001, I had
dinner at a Pizza restaurant next door to the church with model Melissa
Maxim and my senior DJ Marlon Brown. We tried to order beer with our pizza,
and the server told us that they couldn’t sell beer due to their
proximity to the church. We were not happy about that at all.
Well, enough of that trip down memory lane. Now, I’m trying to keep
an open mind when it comes to church, and not allow the fake-ass people
who I’ve encountered in church in the past to poison my attitude
and inspire me to write it off altogether. I will remain open to the possibilities,
although I seem to be more of a Christian than those who claim to be.
I’m a good person, and that’s good enough for me, and to the
people who know me.
I’m also going to redo the Outcast, with a new story. I have a lot
to write about, and a lot of experience to inspire me. The Outcast will
be the church project which churches wouldn’t dare attempt, but
it needs to be said. This will be for the young people who go to church
and end up disillusioned, religion and hypocrites be damned.
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Friday, December 4, 2009 - 8:20 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film And Film Festival Status
On the subject of Tampa film
festivals, especially ones which actually do have the best interests of
Tampa indie film in mind (like mine), and don't sell out Tampa filmmakers
to outside competition and tax dollars, I have some information. My conventional
film festivals are less than a year away, but the first Tampa Bay Film
Review underground film festival is coming in late January 2010. The Halloween
Drive-In underground film festival which was aborted at the last minute
just over a month ago would have been the first, but that was not meant
to be (thanks, people- you know who you are!). With a maximum of three
people who could attend due to limited seating, it proved to be vulnerable
to any cancellations. The film festival did not happen due to a couple
of last-minute cancellations, and was not my fault. I had everything together,
and ready to go. I even spent a good amount of money prepping for it (I
first cancelled it, and then it was back on due to the urging of some
people who were involved, and then it was off hours before it was supposed
to happen because they cancelled). The Tampa Bay Film Review underground
film festival, on the other hand, can accommodate quite a few people,
and can even approach the audience of small film festivals such as the
first coffeehouse film reviews. It's invitation only, however, and not
open to the public; I'll probably have no more than a dozen or so people
at the one in late January. I'm looking forward to the first Tampa Bay
Film Review underground film festival, and it will be the first of many.
Now, with the Halloween Drive-In, we may attempt it again next Halloween
(maybe sooner... I just got off the phone with a friend, who was not involved
with the initial abortion, who suggested that we try this month), although
it conflicts with some plans that I made a few months back. It's not because
we will be doing the Reverence film festival (which is my first film festival
event, and will demonstrate the possibilities of the film festival format
when you're creative, and professionals are involved with the planning,
and the execution), but rather because the one in 2010 was supposed to
be an expanded version, with a new format. I really want to do the film
festival in a car concept at least once, though, so I may push back the
expanded, revamped version another year. Damn, it's another year where
I can't publish certain ideas, or write about them. You will all just
have to wait, and you can thank the people who ruined it this year for
that (I certainly have no issue accepting responsibility when things don't
pan out as planned, but in this case, it is not my fault). Well, at least
I can do more with it next year... I'll have more gear to work with. Keep
in mind, too, that I will NOT do an expanded and revamped version of the
Halloween Drive-In without first doing the initial film festival in a
car version (I am determined to prove that it is a good idea, and that
it will be excellent once it is done.). You can check out the official
web sites for all of my underground film festivals, and my conventional
film festival events, at TampaFilmFestivals.Com, which
is one of the eight Tampa Bay Film sites. Look for that domain name-branding
a lot in the next year.
With Tampa Bay Film, the final four sites should, should, should be up
this weekend. So they will be, it's back to work on them.
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Friday, December 4, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Two Announcements Posted
Although I am NOT a fan of the Gasparilla International Film Festival, and I do not believe that they have the best interests of Tampa indie film in mind (I also don't approve of them being intertwined with the Tampa film commission, which stinks of self-serving politics), I'll post whatever is sent to me in our announcement section, and let my readers make up their minds for themselves (before you do, though, scroll down and read my "Save Tampa indie film: Keep Tampa indie film independent." statement. I'd post it again, but I don't want to possibly spam search engines and look like a black hatter by reposting the same thing over and over again). Check out the announcements by going to our Tampa Film Announcements section.
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Thursday, December 3, 2009 - 8:48 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Sites Almost Done
Hopefully? Try building and
launching four web sites at once. Despite some ingenious ideas putting
together these web sites, saving time without taking shortcuts or skimping,
it's still a huge project (The first of the four, Tampa Film Review, should
be online sometime tomorrow morning). I'm almost done, however, although
content writing and headaches (literally) have been slowing me down the
past few days. When I take breaks, I play video games, and, lately, I've
needed breaks from my breaks (although the headaches have not been caused
by my beloved video games, I'm sure of. 16 Bit classic Desert Strike
and arcade classic Gyruss are easy on the eyes- you might as
well look them up, Tampa filmmakers, because none of you know video games
like I do. Gyruss is a real adrenaline rush, and I can spend
hours on Desert Strike, too, on my original PSP 1000 series,
although Desert Strike has some flaws in the play balance). I
really need to get this done by this weekend because I've been waiting
since summer to start a massive modeling industry project (some may argue
that I've been waiting since 2003, but I'm finally ready to proceed. The
cash boost will make many things happen, and start the revolution).
After all the Tampa Bay Film sites are online and optimized, they need
to be placed on standby (for at least six months, although I will be doing
some work on them and posting a few reviews), and then it's off to modeling
land for me to work on those projects, as well as a few others. I will
be working on Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling, which don't
really need much done to them. I need to finish Florida Modeling Career,
which will take at least a week. I also need to build, and launch, Advanced
Model, before the month is out. Other projects? Some won't take more than
a day or two of work. My C. A. Passinault site needs to be brought up
to speed, and my main blog moved there from Frontier Society (Right now,
it's on Myspace, of all places). I have to put together a marketing web
site for a business client, and two new photography marketing sites for
my photography business. I also need to get my Tampa advertising agency
web site up, and it's almost done. Oh, and I'm going to start a video
game blog on my Tampa video games site. Mucho fun.
I really should explain something here, right now, although some of it
has little to do with indie film. I've been amusing myself lately reading
posts on a message board that I used to post on (so has my attorney).
A jerk once blamed me for the shortcomings of others. Well, I will say
that I am guilty of taking a long time to get certain things done. It's
not a lack of ability, however, but rather that I have a ton of things
going on. It's possible to have too many good ideas (and, no, I'm not
posting them here until I am in the position to use them).
It's plainly obvious that it's time to start getting some things done.
The things that I have done, and I've done a lot over the years, have
been very successful. I'm now ready to do far more. The next decade, things
will really be impressive, and naysayers such as this Christian idiot
will be eating all of their words.
There are seven careers that I will be focusing on in the short term.
The first is indie filmmaking (like you all couldn't guess with the hard
work and resources going into Tampa Bay Film!). Second is the modeling
industry (I have a major modeling book deal, you know, unlike so-called
no-talent writers like Christian who have to self-publish their "books"
and sell them to themselves so that they can claim that they sold some).
Third, of course, is writing. Fourth is photography. Fifth is my DJ and
music career. Sixth is advertising. Seventh, too, is video game development.
How can one person, regardless of how educated and talented they are,
do all of this at once? Well, something that I learned the hard way during
my Fraternity days in college was delegation. I see it like this:
1. Cash Flow - My service companies increase cash flow. My photography, and later, my event planning and advertising companies will become critical support pillars. If it were not for photography, I'd have starved long ago
2. Recruitment - I need talented, professional people to help me with these projects. Luckily, I seem to already attract the best people, so this won't be an issue.
3. Delegation - I'm a polymath with an IQ of 200 and the equivalent of several doctorates of knowledge and experience, but I'm not God. I'm not omnipresent, and I'm far from perfect. I am a human being, with some limitations (Just a few, though. I'd love to be able to learn all the languages in the world, but this isn't possible, as I have no talent for it. I'm very good at english, however). Obviously, the only way that any of this will be possible is if I delegate. I'll be building things, setting them up, get them going, and after they are operational, will staff them, manage them from the top, and move on to other things (this means that the Tampa Film Showcase, once established, will have its own staff which will run it. After it is up and running, I may not even get to attend all of the time, because I will be working on other things).
Well, the first step is the
lynchpin, and that won't be an issue anymore in a few short weeks. After
that, things will take off, and things will start getting done at a geometric
pace. Me, myself, I can't wait to do what I'm about to do to both the
modeling and the photography industries. My modeling sites are positioned
perfectly right now with the search engines (where Tampa Bay Film should
be in mid 2010), and everything is now ready.
I'm ready to proceed. I can't wait any longer, and the cool thing is that
I no longer have to. In regards to haters like Christian, I'm about to
seriously school them without having to abandon my careers and teach like
they do. I'll be teaching from example, by default from doing things,
and everyone will be scrambling to keep up. It's quite poetic, I assure
you.
New standards, and benchmarks, in entertainment and business begin here
in Tampa. There is literally no limit to how far this can go. The future
us about to become the present, and the past will become the foundation
of great things.
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Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
The Long Wait
Hopefully, by Monday, November 30, I'll finally have all eight Tampa Bay Film sites up-to-spec, and will be in the position to be able to put the Tampa Bay Film sites on standby, which was announced a while back. What should have taken me a week has taken me much longer.
I'll be focusing on my photography business, and the Tampa modeling industry, for a while after I put the Tampa Bay Film sites on standby. Although I will be doing routine maintenance on the sites, much of the work that I will do will be for the online film festival, with small updates such as adding films to the playlist, and maintaining the playlist. I will also invest time into SEO efforts for the Tampa Bay Films sites (if you plant seeds, you add fertilizer and water after they sprout, and then sit back and wait for the fruit). Expect the posts on this blog to slow down a lot, too.
I'll probably get back to Tampa indie film on the Tampa Bay Film sites in the spring of 2010. I will be shooting my first short indie film in February 2010, the Reverence short film in April 2010. Reverence may end up being one the of best horror films ever made in Florida, although it is primarily a psychological creeper piece, and even though it is a short film, it should blow large Tampa films such as Experiment 7, 100 Tears, and others out of the water. It needs to be great by default, since it "somehow" ties into a film festival. With a budget of under $1,000.00, and with minimal equipment, cast, and crew, Reverence should open some eyes to what is possible when it comes to making indie films in Tampa. Cast, crew, and equipment? Reverence will have a cast of 4, a crew of 3, and will use minimal equipment, such as a single DV camera (and I am building my own steadycam mount, crane, and boom for less than $100.00, with parts from the hardware store). It will be a case where talent more than makes up for a small production; the seven of us working with my script (which is awesome, and should prove to be controversial), and getting it shot in a weekend. Under $1,000.00? Surprise: Reverence may end up costing less than $500.00 to make, and if we pull it off like I expect to, it will make most of those large, bloated feature films look like poor investments, which is one of the points that I intend to make! I also expect post for Reverence to take a while, because we may have to loop the dialogue in a few ADR sessions. I have other film projects in the works for 2010. I will also start filming my Frontier View online "television" series, as my DJ Frontier alter-ego, in the spring of 2010. I won't have my cybersuit completely operational by then, so I'll simply fake it and use the equipment that I have (with lots of money coming in from my photography business, which should be setting records by January, I should have the suit done by the summer of 2010. This cybersuit technology will define a large part of my life for, perhaps, the rest of my life, and it ties in directly with my DJ career, and my career as an entertainment polymath). Oh, and I will be working on a lot of new DJ releases in 2010, too, as well as re-releasing much of my back catalog as digital MP3 releases in the spring of 2010. Also, all of my DJ production sessions will be videotaped, with the production of the DJ projects and Frontier View crossing a lot.
Keep in mind that the Tampa Bay Film sites will not be receiving a lot of articles and content for most of the first half of next year, because much of what will be written will have a hold on publication until the time is right, especially since I will be doing filmmaking work almost on a daily basis. I'll be working on films starting in February, and all of my indie films will be the most documented productions in Tampa Bay history, but none of that material will be published until well after the films are released. My short films will not be released until the fall of 2010, and when they are, they will be exclusively released at my array of film festival events and on my online film festival (I may allow a select few to see them early, to help build buzz). I have no short-term plans to sell any of my short films; They will be my portfolio, which I will need to land investors. I'll start making money as a filmmaker when I start doing the best Tampa feature films, and I have serious resources, equipment, and investors to do those. Estimated time for that? 2014. What if the Myan calendar is correct, and the world ends in 2012? Oh, well. At least I'll have some of the best short films and best film festivals in the history of Tampa to immortalize myself with.
See how the master plan is coming together? Great things take time to happen, but they eventually happen. By 2012, both CFB and TFF, which, in my opinion, are bad for Tampa indie film, will be history; retired and out of business (The TFR is already history, a noted failure as a film festival. TFF is already obsolete because of Tampa Bay Film, and CFB is on life support now, in my opinion, and they are exactly at a place where they deserve to be). By 2015, the Tampa indie film scene will be a lot different than it is now. I will be one of the top indie filmmakers, and will be a leader in the film scene. We'll finally have a professional Tampa film community, too, and some parties, such as the Tampa film commission, will be forced to respect us and the films that are being done in Tampa by Tampa filmmakers (this is not the case now, in my opinion).
Ah, and about the film festivals: The Reverence film festival (fall 2010), and the debut of the Tampa Film Showcase (January 2011), are still on schedule. I'll also be doing several underground film festivals throughout 2010. That's it for now. It's back to working on the last four Tampa Bay Film sites.
In closing, my friends (and stalkers), remember this:
SAVE
TAMPA INDIE FILM!
Keep Tampa Indie Film Independent.
Just say “no”
to government involvement and outside production companies using the Tampa
Bay area as a movie production location. Tax dollars are not worth it
at the expense of Tampa filmmaking! Don’t allow the special brand
of Tampa indie film to become diluted and drowned out by outside interests
and competition!
Don’t sell out! Tampa filmmakers need to invest in themselves, and
in each other!
What can Tampa
filmmakers do? Don’t support or promote any government organization,
film organization, filmmaker, or film festival which has the agenda of
marketing Tampa Bay as a production location to outside production companies.
Tampa filmmakers do not need Hollywood to come in and save us, or Hollywood
to come to Tampa to create a “Hollywood East”. It won’t
happen; the locusts will come and compete with Tampa indie filmmakers
for resources and media coverage.
Tampa filmmakers need to take a stand! We need to stand on our own two
feet, and work together to form our own Hollywood East. In the opinion
of many, Tampa indie films and Tampa filmmakers are not respected, or
supported, by large Tampa film festivals or indie film-relevant government
organizations, regardless of what they say. Words are cheap, and you are
defined by what your actions are. You cannot trust, or support, anyone
who’s actions betray their words.
Tampa filmmakers have the talent, and the skill, to turn the Tampa Bay
market into a Hollywood East that will demand respect and attention from
the entertainment industry. Tampa filmmakers are going to look to themselves,
and to each other, to make it happen!
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Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 9:00 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Victimized By The Tampa Film Scene? We Need To Talk!
Surprise! I have a few free
minutes. Whatever shall I write about?
Actually, peeps, a moment of your time. It’s time for me to drop
some knowledge, ask a few questions (well, an inquiry that certain people
are afraid that I’ll ask), and fill some of you in about a cool
thing that I just did.
Last night, I spent three hours designing the new Mark 2 Tampa Bay Film
flyers. I have the master sheet printed and ready to run. I’m printing
up 400 of them, ready to deploy, shortly (not bad for a $10.00 print job).
I’m rather proud of the flyers, but I can’t show them directly
here for security reasons. I may capture them in a photo or two, however,
although, like some other things that I intentionally do, those photos
won’t show all the details. Sometimes, as models have taught me
with their tales of torturing guys who try to hit on them (once, Melissa
and I went to a club, and she told me to watch how she worked. She rather
enjoyed shooting down every guy who hit on her. It was a game that she
liked to play. Stunning woman!), it’s better to tease and drive
anticipation. Don’t worry, though... I’m sure that they can
be tracked down offline, especially with the high circulation. Oh, and
I also used Independent Modeling underground marketing tech to cut my
printing costs by 75%, enabling me to do four times the printing volume
for the dollar. I do things smart like that.
Ah, and my design work is exceptional, too, as always (this is why I get
paid for doing such work, although pay is a byproduct of things that I
take great pride in doing). I’m rather proud of the MK 2's (they
are so good, in fact, that I will be using them long after I get my high
quality Tampa Bay Film business cards, which will be printed on 14 PT,
UV coated glossy stock using a 4/4 color process. Oh, yes!). Like everything
that I do, I take my time and get it right. This is a reason that it is
hard to compete with me once I actually get around to doing something.
I’m good, and I know it.
Alrighty. I had to cut down on the copy, but here is the original copy
that I based the flyers on (I spent a lot of time composing in Wordperfect
and compositing the design in Photoshop). Enjoy:
Tampa
Bay Film
The Voice Of Tampa Indie Film
Admit Everyone - All of the time, and everywhere.
Relevant for
indie film and indie filmmakers.
The best source of information for what’s really going on in indie
film. The top resource for Tampa indie film.
The future of independent film in Tampa Bay, and the foundation for the first professional Tampa film community, begins at Tampa Bay Film. We are dedicated to helping make Tampa filmmaking a leader in the indie film industry.
How does Tampa
Bay Film benefit the filmmakers, and the fans, of independent film?
It starts with our network of eight web sites; the sites which make up
Tampa Bay Film.
We are free. Our sites are available free of charge, with no obligation
to buy anything from us, our affiliates, our advertisers, or our sponsors.
Additionally, consider our motives. We are sincere about advancing Tampa
indie film, and independent filmmaking as a whole. We really do want to
help make Tampa Bay filmmaking a leader in independent film. We also don’t
cheerlead and hype anything. We don’t mindlessly promote thing which
are not worth promoting. We’ll tell you how it is, and what we really
think..
Also, consider our other seven sites, which make up the Tampa Bay Film
online site network.
For the benefit of indie film, we offer the following.
The Tampa Bay
Film Online Film Festival (OFF).
TampaOnlineFilmFestival .Com
The best way for any Tampa filmmaker to promote their films.
Available 24/7, our online film festival has been running constantly since
it opened on January 11, 2007. Free of charge to submit films, or to watch
them. The most effective Tampa film festival, with much higher “attendance”
and viewing numbers than all Tampa film festivals combined! It’s
everywhere and always open. Watch what you want to, and skip what you
don’t, from the comfort of wherever you happen to be. Our online
film festival is now in its second generation, and it’s been a tremendous
success, with the next three generations now in development.
Select “Films” from the menu.
Tampa Film
Blog
TampaFilmBlog.Com
The most relevant blog for Tampa indie film, and a blog for the professional
opinions, information, and the leadership which the Tampa indie film scene
needs. Read. Post. Debate. Discuss. Promote. It’s up to you. The
Tampa Film Blog is where Tampa filmmakers, and their audiences, unite!
Select “Tampa Film Blog” from the menu.
Tampa Bay Film
Reviews
TampaFilmReview.Com
A review site reviewing Tampa indie film. We tell you what we think, and
how it really is. It’s up to you to use our information to evaluate
what we review, and to decide if it’s worth investing in. Your time
and your money is too important to waste.
Select “Reviews” from the menu.
Tampa Film
Showcase
TampaFilmShowcase.Com
Our upcoming monthly film festival and professional networking event series
for the Tampa indie film industry.
Select “Film Festival” from the menu.
Tampa Film
Festivals
TampaFilmFestivals.Com
The official marketing web site for Tampa Bay Film film festivals, and
the resource covering other Tampa film festivals.
Select “Film Festivals” from the menu.
Tampa Film
Conference
TampaFilmConference.Com
An upcoming Tampa Bay Film event series for Tampa filmmakers.
Select “Conference” from the menu.
Tampa Film
Community
TampaFilmCommunity.Com
A web site for the upcoming Tampa film community.
Select “Community” from the menu.
Cool copy, eh? I love being
a writer, too.
Ok, I have to get ready to run to another location to code the Tampa Bay
Film sites. Now, I have to ask a question. I purposely put it at the end
of this post because I know that the people who would reply to this question
spend the time to read everything that I write.
As you all know, I haven’t exactly been treated professionally,
and fairly, by some people in the Tampa indie film scene. I didn’t
start anything with the people who decided, for one reason or another,
that they didn’t like me. They started with me. I kept my mouth
shut, and helped out, and was rewarded with slander, discrimination, and
threats made against me. When this came to light, I started asking questions.
They didn’t give me answers. I invited them to debate. They tried
to attack my credibility by falsely accusing me of criminal acts, trying
to deflect the issues and sidetracking the course of inquiry. These people
are hardly professionals. It seems that there are a few insecure amateurs
in a Tampa film clique who have been masquerading as a “film community”.
It’s funny, though. The things that I have been wrongly accused
of are the exact same things that these people are guilty of. It’s
not my imagination, either. I have proof. I even had admissions by some
of the jerks, in writing, that my observations about what was going on
was absolutely correct (I suppose that they thought that I couldn’t
do anything about it if they admitted it. Wrong. These people really are
idiots, and they have made a lot of mistakes.) Hell, I’m not the
one stalking people, sending people death threats, threatening to assault
people (I’ve had threats of assault and other crimes against me
from several people in the Tampa indie film scene), slandering people,
photoshopping the heads of people onto pictures of naked people, dot-comming
the names of people (I have this issue with cybersquatters, too, with
several of my properties, so this is nothing new outside of the film scene),
and sending unprofessional messages full of profanity and threats. I have
been the victim of all of this, and these people have the nerve to claim
that I’m the bad guy in this situation. Well, I guess if being better
is bad, then I’m at least guilty of that.
I am a law abiding citizen. I am a professional who stands up for my rights,
and the rights of others. I will continue to do that. Unlike their other
victims who were discouraged and rolled over, I didn’t. I’m
addressing it.
These people are insecure, unethical, unprofessional cowards who are afraid
of someone better coming along and stealing their thunder. So, they gang
up on the real professionals and try to destroy their credibility (A thought:
If you get along with these people, shouldn't you feel insulted because
they don't see you as competition?). They try to bully them out of the
Tampa film scene. Still, shouldn’t these feeble-minded morons have
done their homework before committing crimes against me? It was a mistake.
I am a good person, and a talented professional. I don’t put up
with any B.S., either. I stand up for myself, and the rights of others,
and fight back within legal and ethical means. I’m good at that,
too.
Oh, and speaking of victims, I’m sure that there are a lot out there
who have had similar dealings with these characters. I’ve already
talked about this with a few of you, and owning the dominant web sites
in Tampa indie film make my sites, and this blog, the perfect rallying
point for seeking out other victims. I have the most popular Tampa indie
film web sites. Everything that I write is easy to find via search, and
I’m not difficult to get a hold of. Please contact me and let me
know your story. I’m listening to everything, and I’m documenting
everything. My attorney would like to talk to you, too.
These unethical, unprofessional people will be held accountable for their
crimes. They are responsible for everything that they say and do. Law-abiding
professionals, like myself and other victims of these crimes, do not deserve
to have to go through what we’ve been through.
Any one want to make this a legal issue? Do you really want to try to
win that way? Let me tell you that you won’t; you’ll lose
badly, and you’ll look like a jackass for partaking in frivolous
legal activities. I think that the smart ones will settle for simply trying
to compete with what I will be bringing to the market, and I really wish
them luck with that. I’m good at competing against people, too,
and many who oppose my business interests will find themselves out of
business.
Did you notice that I’ve been investing a lot into Tampa indie film?
Hmmmm... Whatever could I be planning? Perhaps those who oppose me should
stop and re-think what they are doing, and quit while they think that
they are ahead. Let’s compete. Let’s at least attempt to respect
each other, and try to keep the lines of communication open (part of the
problem is a situation of ongoing misunderstandings caused by poor communication,
and I’m certainly not the one who is communicating poorly. I am
most certainly, however, misunderstood, and it doesn’t have to be
that way). We can play nice. If not, however, I’m ready for that,
too.
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Monday, November 16, 2009 - 8:28 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Film Press Releases Posted In Announcements
We've posted three press releases, relayed by Dan Brienza from the Tampa Film Network, in our Tampa Film Announcements section. Check it out. We also updated four of the eight Tampa Bay Films yesterday, bringing them up-to-spec, but some of you already know that. We're busy with the other four right now, so we don't have time to keep writing about it (that, and finishing up client orders). It's back to work.
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - 7:53 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
End Of The Week
I've done some updates, but I went to a cookout on Sunday after teaching kids how to make kites out of paper, tape, and fishing line (one of them called the kite a ghetto kite, which is funny, although they fly well, and they are practically free), and caught some sort of virus. Yesterday, I had the symptoms of a severe cold. If I had a cold, I burned it out of me this morning with onions, garlic, orange juice, and lots of sleep sweating under covers with the air off. Either my immune system is strong, or it worked, because I feel fine, now. I'm just going to take it easy for a few days, and don't really want to be around anyone until I am sure that I am not sick, and won't infect anyone. I return to coding tomorrow, and should be able to refresh all of the Tampa Bay Film sites by Sunday night. After that, it's back to model land. Many of my models also seem to get sick a lot, but it's because they are always out and about, and don't get their rest. The funny thing is that I went into the medicine cabinet yesterday, and noticed that my almost-full package of Nyquil pills expired last year, so I couldn't use them. I seldom get sick. No more cookouts for me (unless they are small, or family).
I have to go. I have to call two models back to set up some consultations for modeling portfolio shoots. I won't set up any meeting before Friday, though, because I don't like being around people if I am contagious.
Oh, yes, and about my film schedule. I'm now in pre-production for two short films. Filming starts in January 2010. 2010 is going to be an interesting year!
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Friday, November 6, 2009 - 7:24 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Still Working On All Eight Tampa Bay Film Sites
The Tampa Bay Film sites are still in process. We're cleaning up old files, and are finishing up the thumbnail array on Tampa Bay Film. This array will be transplanted to all eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites. Hoping to finish up by this weekend so we can put the sites on standby for a few months (this was announced weeks ago, but it's taken all of this time to position the sites). Finishing up includes adding the TFR reviews to be published on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Film Review site. Also, expect more films to be added to the online film festival later this month (there is a cool new music video on the main section now). This is a lot of work, and there is still a lot of work to be done. We have over 21 hours set aside for this work this weekend, and it will take this much, at the very least, to launch the other four Tampa Bay Film sites, and to upgrade / update the original four. This work has to be done to ready the sites for where they need to be by Spring 2010. For related news, check out the Tampa DJ Blog.
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Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 9:12 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Old Tampa Bay Film Site Removed
The original Tampa Bay Film site, the infamous green and yellow "BBS" (a funny description coined by me) second-phase site design (two versions ago; still green in color, but losing the frame-like DHTML layout), on the Tampa Hub account has been removed. This was the original web site location for Tampa Bay Film when it launched almost three years ago, and it was retired today. The original online film festival has been retired.
Other resource sites on TampaHub.Com have been dismantled this morning, two days early. The only thing left on Tampa Hub is an index file, which is a web site directory. This will be changed to a new index shortly to eventually remove the site from the search engines; the mission of the old Tampa Hub site now complete. It will be decommissioned shortly.
Tampa Bay Film is now only available at TampaBayFilm.Com. Old links to Tampa Bay Film, such as the links on a certain message board, will no longer work!
The reviews on Tampa Bay Film will be moved to Tampa Film Review as soon as that is completely up, and the old locations will be replaced by a page linking to the new url address.
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Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Hub To Be Dismantled
It's time to cleanup, and take out the garbage. TampaHub.Com, which was the original hosting domain of Tampa Bay Modeling and Tampa Bay Film, is going to be dismantled. Older versions of Tampa Bay Film and other sites still exist on the old directories, and it is causing a duplicate content issue. Tampa Bay Modeling has more than enough new content to offset this issue, but not Tampa Bay Film. Tampa Bay Film will be receiving a lot of new content soon, but this is not nearly as critical as deleting the old site files.
Phase one, the deletion of the old site files, will be complete on Monday, November 2, 2009. The index file of Tampa Hub will be changed to remove it from the search engines. I am also removing all links to it on my web sites (this will take a while). When it expires next summer (July 20, 2010), it will be inert, and useless to cybersquatters. Another anchor, preventing search engine superiority, cut away. As you can see, I'm taking this search engine issue very seriously.
Let this be a lesson to us all: When you build something, take the time to do it right. Some parts of Tampa Bay Film are a mess, because I didn't do some things right. I'm good, but I'm not perfect. This is being corrected.
Oh, and effective immediately, all films added to the online film festival will have updated message board links to a message board index on Tampa Film Community, a Tampa Bay Film site. Obviously, this directory and index does not exist at the moment, but it will by Monday. The Tampa Bay Film message board on Tampa Film Community is roughly a year away, but the infrastructure will be in place to support it this weekend. The Tampa Bay Film message board will become the best message board for Tampa indie film, and should effectively put our competition, who are trying to cover Tampa indie film and spread propaganda, out of business altogether. By next year, a rival indie film blog will be out of business, as they will not be able to compete in any way (our articles, reviews, and photography blows them away, anyway). In 2011, we hope to inspire a certain web site to stop trying to cover Tampa indie film, as we will become the single most relevant source of all things Tampa indie film. May they all go out of business, forgotten relics of the past.
Then there are certain film festivals, which do not have the best interests of Tampa filmmakers in mind. Think that the recession has caused them to lose money? Just wait. We're going to take their sponsors away with an array of superior film festivals which are much more cost-effective to support. They will either adapt to the market which we will inspire, or they will go out of business. Either way, it's good news for Tampa indie film. Tampa filmmakers, remember: We are the only ones fighting for you, and fighting for your rights; we are being straight-up with you, and are not lying to you like so many others are, and have been. Which brings us to:
SAVE
TAMPA INDIE FILM!
Keep Tampa Indie Film Independent.
Just say “no”
to government involvement and outside production companies using the Tampa
Bay area as a movie production location. Tax dollars are not worth it
at the expense of Tampa filmmaking! Don’t allow the special brand
of Tampa indie film to become diluted and drowned out by outside interests
and competition!
Don’t sell out! Tampa filmmakers need to invest in themselves, and
in each other!
What can Tampa
filmmakers do? Don’t support or promote any government organization,
film organization, filmmaker, or film festival which has the agenda of
marketing Tampa Bay as a production location to outside production companies.
Tampa filmmakers do not need Hollywood to come in and save us, or Hollywood
to come to Tampa to create a “Hollywood East”. It won’t
happen; the locusts will come and compete with Tampa indie filmmakers
for resources and media coverage.
Tampa filmmakers need to take a stand! We need to stand on our own two
feet, and work together to form our own Hollywood East. In the opinion
of many, Tampa indie films and Tampa filmmakers are not respected, or
supported, by large Tampa film festivals or indie film-relevant government
organizations, regardless of what they say. Words are cheap, and you are
defined by what your actions are. You cannot trust, or support, anyone
who’s actions betray their words.
Tampa filmmakers have the talent, and the skill, to turn the Tampa Bay
market into a Hollywood East that will demand respect and attention from
the entertainment industry. Tampa filmmakers are going to look to themselves,
and to each other, to make it happen!
(Sigh). It's been almost a month since we declared that the Tampa Bay Film sites are be on standby (it's busier now than ever). It's kind of hard to instantly stop, and avoid tripping all over yourself, when you have a lot of momentum built up. In another week, perhaps we can begin the transition to standby (with a 80% reduction in updates for the Tampa Bay Film sites until early 2010). We're almost done with all of this work (please refer to the post on October 5). I have to run, and work on content. It will be good to be able to take a break from all of this and work on other things, BUT the sites have to be in position before we can put them in standby, because they have to be ready to resume in a few months. If this work is not done, they won't be ready then, and we'll be playing catch up for another year. We don't have time for that. The hard work will be done now, the sites will go on standby (with a few updates here and there), and then we will be ready to hit the ground running early in 2010, with aggressive coverage of Tampa indie film, and lots of work done; we will have the resources in place then to support the updates and coverage. Well, I have to get this done. It's costing me (more) money the longer that it takes.
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Friday, October 30, 2009 - 8:34 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Prepping
I'm going over Tampa Bay Film notes scrawled on my yellow notepad while a music video on my online film festival plays in the background. I thought that I had the section layout for the latter four sites down (thank God that they are all online with enough content to get the ball rolling), but evidently not. It should take me an hour to map those sections out, and another few hours to put the sites together. Content will take the most time to do. Expect them online by the end of the weekend.
This Tampa Film Blog will have a thumbnail image array shortly. I'm also tweaking the tops and the bottoms of the menus. Once the other Tampa Bay Film sites are up, I will have time to organize the hundreds of pages of content here. There are a lot of sections in the current Tampa Bay Film sites starving for content, and I'm going to be writing a lot in the next few days. Just not here on this blog.
Oh... ahem... regarding one of my stalkers jeering me and stating that I announce things and then offer up nothing but excuses when I don't do them. I suppose that you are referring to the Halloween Drive-In. The invitation list was tiny, with only four of us slated to "attend", myself included (that means that I was depending upon three people, and at least two of them would have had to participate). The underground film festival was supposed to be a fun diversion, and was to make a point. I did all my prep, and it was all ready to go. I held up my end. What happened the weekend of the 25th was beyond my control. This said, I'll probably get around to doing this in the next few weeks. It doesn't have to be Halloween to have my Halloween Drive-In, and just doing this alone would qualify it for the most creative, and the smallest, film festival in Tampa Bay history. So, what is the point of the Halloween Drive-In? To demonstrate that you don't have to put a lot of money into a film festival to have a good one. What's the point of underground film festivals? Bang for the buck. They can be just as effective as the large film festivals, and you can afford to have lots and lots of them. To me, underground film festivals are viral film festival lead-ins for my larger film festival properties. There is a definite purpose for them, as will be demonstrated.
Regarding film festivals, and films, and everything else going on, remember that I don't answer to anyone- especially snibbling "anonymous" stalkers who are obviously jealous of me. I do have a responsibility to my business partners and anyone out there investing time and money into my projects, but when things such as film festivals have not debuted, there is no obligation to explain myself. I'm on my own clock, and they'll get done when I am ready. When they happen, and they will, they will change everything. I would not make claims that I could not make good on.
Also keep in mind that I have a lot going on. Most people have few good ideas and have only one or two things going. I get great ideas faster than I can utilize them, and have hundreds of things going. Obviously, the way to start getting things done is to establish a hierarchy of support resources, and to delegate. This is being implemented, and like a snowball rolling downhill and gaining mass and momentum, more will get done at a faster rate as time goes on. I think that the real issue going on is that I am smart enough not to post my great ideas so that those jealous people out there cannot steal them. Too bad. You have to earn success.
So.... make big, expensive films the old fashioned way, like everyone else does them. Write rushed scripts. Do the same boring things that everyone else does. I don't care (and, I really don't see anything going on in indie film right now to get excited about, which is my main motivation to innovate). What I am working on, and what I will bring to the Tampa indie film market, is important. It will not only change Tampa indie film, but indie film period. Wait and see. Everyone who is not in the loop will simply have to be patient, and see what happens when I'm ready to unveil it.
At the moment, I am concentrating on positioning my Tampa Bay Film web sites. What I will be doing this weekend will become critical for what will be going on by the summer of 2010, although a few in the Tampa indie film scene will notice what is going on my early 2010. It's too bad that they cannot stop what is going to happen, and even if they could, they shouldn't. It's in their own best interest, and in the interest of putting Tampa indie film on the map, to allow this to take shape. After all, if all of the best innovations and advancements in independent film are happening in Tampa Bay, will it be possible to discount and disregard the Tampa indie film scene? The Tampa indie film scene, and the upcoming Tampa indie film community, have the potential to be the leaders, and the innovators, in independent film in the United States... and perhaps the world. I can see this, and so should you. Now, if you excuse me, I have work to do. Jokers can laugh, but I intend to have the last laugh. Also, you have to consider the source when it comes to any opinion, and considering who my detractors are and their noted failures, I simply do not take them seriously at all.
It is said that the definition of insanity is to try the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. I submit that the others have had their shot, and the Tampa indie film scene has not improved. They try to copy what other indie filmmakers do, and do the same boring B.S. over and over again. They've had their shot. Now, I get to make a difference. It's just going to take time.
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Friday, October 30, 2009 - 8:10 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Updating Tampa Bay Film Sites
I left my notes at home last night, so instead of coding some of the fringe Tampa Bay Film sites and upgrading them to Super Raptor Class sites, I worked on Tampa Bay Film, Tampa Film Showcase, and this Tampa Film Blog (The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival does not need any updates right now, as it' been caught up. Additionally, its thumbnail array is different than the other Tampa Bay Film sites, as they lead to featured films playing on the online film festival). Tomorrow, I'll be working a lot on Tampa Film Review, Tampa Film Festivals, Tampa Film Conference, and Tampa Film Community. I should have everything caught up, with full upgrades and updates, by Sunday, November 1. After that, I return to model land to catch up there, and will be finishing up legal paperwork next week. Tampa Bay Film and the Tampa Bay Film sites will not see a lot of updates after this week, and I'll return to that work in full force in a few months. I have some updates to the online film festival scheduled, however, as well as another large addition of films in a few weeks. I'll also add a post to the Tampa Film Blog every now and then; if any of the sites are updated, a post on the Tampa Film Blog will note it for easy reference (I will be having the first Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival in December, and that coverage will be posted on Tampa Bay Film. I will also be posting the TFR reviews on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site in November.).
Tampa Casting, Tampa Bay Acting, and Independent Acting will see a lot of updates in the coming weeks, too, as we add more content and build these sites into great audition references and sources of Tampa and Florida auditions. Tampa Bay Acting will also be assisting Tampa Bay Film with educating actors on how to evaluate filmmakers and indie film projects, and how to avoid them if they are not worth it (also note that we will not be attacking anyone. The resources use behavioral pattern recognition, as was pioneered by the modeling scam analysis databases of Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling. Top Tampa indie film scams? Casting scams, and film festival scams. More on that, later).
In January, when my first indie films are in the can, I will be doing behind-the-scenes (er... Behind-the-screens, LOL) features and will be doumenting everything, but there will be a strict blackout on all my film projects until fall 2010. I'll be writing and working, but not posting anything about it. By the fall, I should have a nice backlog of features to publish at my convenience. Additionally, all of my films will have bonus features such as running cast and crew commentary (I also have a cool screening format for my directors cuts). My films will probably be the only films on the online film festival with these features enabled (yes, you will be able to access running commentary on all of my indie films playing on the online film festival if you wish, and I figured out how to do it). The main ways to see my films will be on the online film festival, and at film festivals, such as my Tampa film festival properties.
My indie film production schedule? My first solo film, friendship, in January 2010. Reverence in March. The Point in May (The Point is one of my worst-kept secrets, with the story available for review on the Internet for many years now. It's a good story, and will become a great script once I add some scenes and adjust the format. If you want to see a sample one of my stories for a short indie film, The Point is a good story to read- and a hint for what is coming; I wrote the story back in 2001, and reading it now, I'm not sure if the first person narrative works as well as it should, as characters seldom describe things like that when they tell a story, but it's good. As far as my other scripts, forget it- they are secret. The script for the Reverence short film is even better!), Things That Go Bump (a very, very creepy, weird little film. Almost as weird as Twisted Puppet Show, a premise for a short film which I am turning into a screenplay- some filmmakers are going to just LOVE that one, because the rumor is that it parodies them) in July. Composure (this will NOT be the same script as the original. I changed the story, and it's even better, now. Some of the really cool ideas that I had with the original Composure will be used in another short romantic film. The new Composure is still a romance film.) in the fall. Also, one more short indie film if I have time to get to it (I'd like to do a prequel to my future sci-fi/ horror/ fantasy feature film Realms; a short film which would set up the future film nicely. It is a film about vampires, which is usually a Tampa indie film cliche, but mine will be a fresh take on the genre. Realms will be a sophisticated vampire feature with complex characters, motivation, and philosophy. I am a firm believer of strong scripts and complex characters). I will also begin production of the first season of Frontier View, my online "television" series, in April. The rest of my time next year will be spent doing photoshoots with models and actors (the main way that I make money), covering Tampa indie film, and setting up film festivals.
There will be a blackout of my film projects until the Reverence Film Festival (TampaFilmFestivals.Com) in the fall of 2010, but I will give a select few people screenings of the films. Chris Woods may be one of the privileged few. The Reverence short film will have to be done for the Reverence Film Festival, of course, but I also intend to screen Things That Go Bump, as it is also a horror film which will go nicely with Reverence, which is more of a psychological creeper with the look, and the components, of a horror film. Reverence will be twisted, too, and I expect for it to be controversial. Some may end up calling it a disturbing film which crosses the line. Oh, and The Point would be a good one to screen at the film festival, too, as it is a good ghost story. At any rate, all of my short indie films will be made available on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and they will all come with features, such as running commentary. friendship, Reverence, and Things That Go Bump will be playing on the online film festival the day after their premiers at the Reverence Film Festival.
Grrrrrr..... I just read the story, and I don't know if I can shoot The Point in May (or even if I want to make a film out of it, now). It'll be too warm then. In the story, it is a cold night. I may have to wait until late 2010 to shoot it, and if I do, it would miss the film festival. I'll try to get some footage to use earlier in 2010, when it is cold. Then again, maybe I'll scratch it and do another film, instead, especially since the story was written for another Tampa indie film era, and besides that, lots of people already know the story. I'll let you know what I decide soon. Oooh..... I think that my writing partner Rachel Eaglin wrote a script for a short film. Her feature film script for Inducing Manic was really good, too. I'll have to talk to her about it, and see what she has. Then again, I could always go out and redo The Quiet Place (keep the premise, but with a new story, characters, and title), or do a film in the Universe of Creeping Death and Bleed (Just kidding, Woods).
One other thing. Production entities. All of my films will be published under my Dream Nine Studios label, but I am creating a small indie film production company to produce the films. I already have the film company named, but cannot announce it, yet. There may, in fact, be several different indie film production companies working under Dream Nine Studios within the next five years.
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Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 9:03 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
This Just In....
Breaking news: I was just emailed some numbers from my team of Tampa Bay Film analysts, and those numbers look good. Everything is proceeding according to plan, and the Tampa indie film scene is conditioned for what is to come. Ahem... more like tenderized. This makes me happy, especially since, like, five people will always hate me for doing the right thing (actually, it's six, but the sixth person is outside of the country, so they are hardly a part of the equation). Phase one is complete, and it only took just over two years to accomplish. Pave the way with war, and conquer with peace, indeed. It's the_truth.
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Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 8:26 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Future Tense
I can almost tell the story, and I can see it published with the dust-repellent paper of the near future (homage to Back To The Future Part 2 ,and Grays Sports Almanac, McFly!). The rise and fall, rise and fall, and the rise and triumph of Tampa indie film: 2000-2015. I'm going to write this book. I know of a great documentary filmmaker who is considering making a documentary about it, too; perhaps they can base it off of my book. Since we are two-thirds through that timeline, the story is still being written, but I have a lot of hope for the future. I feel that we are at the end of of the second fall, and that the way is now paved for progress to be made. The last third of the story is my time to make a difference. In all things, we have cycles of ups and downs, but eventually things change enough to break the cycle.
We are at the dawn of a new era. The next year or two should be some of the most exciting times in the history of Tampa indie film!
Oh, and phase one of my contribution should be completed this week. The foundation for the future of Tampa indie film, Tampa Bay Film, has finally become fully operational. I will no longer have to wait to build something on that foundation, and Tampa filmmakers will benefit, also. That online film festival of mine will become more important than ever in 2010, too.
Predictions? In 2015, there will be at least six major indie filmmakers, and dozens more who are smaller, making the Tampa indie film scene one of the top in the United States, and perhaps the best in Florida. We will also have a thriving Tampa indie film community for the first time, which would have been established by 2012. Oh, and large Tampa film festivals and the Tampa film commission will not only respect Tampa indie film, but they will support it, too, as well as help to promote it. So, who will the big six be? I'm betting that I'll be one of them. Also, Tampa film festivals will support, and promote, Tampa indie film because I will own all of the good ones. Additionally, Tampa indie filmmakers will be calling the shots in the Tampa indie film scene. Those will be great times, but we must begin to work now, together, to make that happen.
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Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Big Changes For Tampa Bay Film
Grrrrrr..... Tampa Bay Film
is a mess. No wonder I've been having SEO issues. Proper SEO 
optimization
was never done, as much of the site content is old.... late 2006 and early
2007 old. When it was launched, a great amount of work on the new site
was done to the online film festival, and not on the core site content.
It was also launched in a subdirectory of TampaHub.Com, which put it in
an SEO hole (this can be fixed with work, as Tampa Bay Modeling was also
in that same hole. It was moved under TampaBayModeling.Com, an SEO optimization
overhaul was done, and the result was total search engine domination at
the present time; it took about six months for the transition. Tampa Bay
Film was also moved out from Tampa Hub, under TampaBayFilm.Com, but the
content remained the same, and it did not receive an overhaul. It has
good SEO performance, but does not dominate like it needs to; it is nowhere
near as potent as Tampa Bay Modeling is. This will change in the next
year). With four times the resources going into Tampa Bay Film as in Tampa
Bay Modeling, and an SEO overhaul now in process, expect the Tampa Bay
Film sites to be in their proper place in the search engines by the summer
of 2010 (just in time for the start of a revolution in Tampa indie film!).
The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival was
moved to its own domain name a year ago, and received new content and
a SEO overhaul. It worked. The online film festival ranks very high with
the search engines. Very soon, there will be a total of eight fully-operational
Tampa Bay Film sites, and they will all boost each other. Out of all 50+
of my sites, they will all have the best search engine performance. As
far as anyone searching for anything Tampa indie film related next summer,
Tampa Bay Film will actually be everything as far as Tampa indie film
is concerned. The voice of Tampa indie film will be absolute and dominant,
and let's just say that we will own the Tampa film festival market, too,
with both search engine results and actual film festivals. It will be
as it should be. The market will belong to those who have the best interests
in Tampa indie film in mind, and Tampa filmmakers will finally be supported.
I've been editing much of the content of Tampa Bay Film. I've been editing pictures and am now finishing up with the new Tampa Bay Film image thumbnail array. This is a mandatory component of all of the Tampa Bay Film sites (with the exception of the online film festival, which is up to spec now), and the reason that all the Super Raptor Class sites for the Tampa Bay Film sites are not online is because work on this array has been holding back the site launches. With that work done, expect all eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites to, at least, be at minimal operational capability by the end of the month (er.... this would be the end of next week, by the way.). This minimal operational capability will be what is needed for our SEO plans, and the sites will not have to be updated much in the next few months for the process to work. After this week, I will finally take that break from the Tampa Bay Film sites, let the Internet do its thing, and return to my modeling industry and photography marketing projects (I'm going to need the money coming in). I'll return to Tampa Bay Film work sometime early next year, when the site array is in the proper position in the search engines. After this week, all that it will take is sitting back, and giving it time, while I do work elsewhere.
Regarding the "war" against the "Tampa indie film clique", it is over. We've been having a cold war in the Tampa indie film scene lately, and it is time to move on. I've been removing attacks against some Tampa indie filmmakers, such as the Guzzos, and have been editing much of the content on Tampa Bay Film. The original TFR review had Guzzo-slamming content removed this morning (which was 40% of the content!), and it will be obvious once the review is moved with the other reviews to the new Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site (right now, the old review is up, but it will change). The attacks, and stating the obvious, will cease, as we all need to move on and focus on more constructive things. Expect my Tampa indie film scene bashing and harsh criticism to end, too. I'm over it. I don't hate these people, and I have forgiven them for slandering me, as well as other issues. They are not going anywhere, and neither am I, and, in time, I am confident that we will, at the very least, find a way to coexist and respect each other (although we will probably never be friends, and that's fine with me. It is what it is).
So, what's next? More of a positive spin with Tampa Bay Film, and positioning the Tampa Bay Film sites to support what is coming to the Tampa indie film scene (top search engine placement is only a small part of the master plan). I will also be shooting my first solo indie film in January 2010, which is a few weeks away. I now have all the equipment that I need, and my schedule is being adjusted to support this work. With indie film production work and preparation for my first Tampa film festivals in 2010, as well as my photography and modeling work, I won't have time to be fighting, or spending a lot of time criticizing, anyone.
By spring 2010, I will have two short indie films under my belt (they will be done, but will not be revealed until the Reverence Film Festival in the fall). Starting in the spring, in between short films, I will be shooting the first season of my Frontier View online "television" series with much of the same equipment. Frontier View will debut in the fall of 2010, with a new episode released regularly. The series will focus on my life as DJ Frontier, and my many adventures. Naturally, because I will be shooting footage for the series on a daily basis, it's going to make my social life, and my business life, complicated. I'll be walking around with releases on me at all times (and, no, everyone that I talk to, or work with, will not be obligated to participate. You can opt out if you wish). Am I talking about a reality series? No, not at all. I hate reality television, and find it to be boring (I also hate pretentious awards shows like the Academy Awards, the Emmy's, etc, as I find them to be shallow and stupid). This is very different. I have something more interesting in mind. Frontier View, in many ways, will be revolutionary. I am even planning on incorporating some ideas from my 1993 television series, Futura. I'm also far from a boring person, with the knowledge of several doctorates and more experience with a variety of things than most, so it will be interesting. That, and my idea for a new kind of indie film. More on that, later. I cannot disclose much at this time because much of this is a secret (there is much, much more to Frontier View than I can reveal right now. There will be some really cool things done with the series, and some cool ideas done that have never been done before in indie film, or on television). I do hope to have at least six short indie films, and the first season of my series, done by the end of 2010, and at least another six short indie films, and another season of Frontier View, done by the end of 2011 (Episodes of Frontier View will be screened at my Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival on a regular basis, as well as be available for free online. All of my short films will be screened there, too, as well as be available on my online film festival). In 2012, I intend to be in position to tackle feature indie films with the best filmmaking equipment available (Ah, the RED camera, and 24p HD footage!). I am going to become one of the best, and most innovative, independent filmmakers in Florida, as well as one of the best known. This is why I am investing so much into Tampa indie film, film festivals, and the Tampa Bay Film sites. What will benefit me and my career will benefit all filmmakers. I will be doing a lot of things differently than most filmmakers, too, and hopefully, this will inspire them. I have a lot of great ideas, and I will be proving those ideas as I go. Tampa indie film will become a force to be reckoned with, and this will be a result of the efforts of all Tampa filmmakers, and not just me.
Ahem. Back to the "war", and some of the content which will soon be removed from the Internet. Was I wrong with any of my opinions? I would have to say no. But, I did not use good tact, either, so slamming these people was not productive. Neither was stating the obvious. I am hardly worthy of being judge and jury regarding the Tampa indie film scene, and just because I have the ability to address certain issues does not mean that doing so is an appropriate, or productive, course of action. If anyone is doing anything wrong in the Tampa indie film scene, it's best to let them reap what they sow. I could never do to them what they do to themselves (some of these people are burning a lot of bridges, and people, as they try to succeed at any cost; you know that their careers cannot last), and what they do will catch up to them. I'm now going to get some things done, and let my work speak for itself.
Tampa Bay Film will be doing a lot next year, and so will I. It's time for a change.
I'm particularly excited about the resources that we are investing in to support coverage of the Tampa indie film scene. Our coverage of Tampa film festivals and Tampa film events will be second to none (and not just ours, although ours will benefit from this capability in every way as we give ourselves great press coverage). The coverage and reviews that we have already done should be considered beta tests, and the full rollout will be in 2010. 2010 will be the operational era of Tampa Bay Film and our coverage of Tampa indie film, and it is needed for what we will be introducing, and enabling, in the market.
Tampa Bay Film will finally be getting its own message board next year, too, which all eight Tampa Bay Film sites will tie into. The message board will be on the Tampa Film Community Tampa Bay Film site, and will be the most comprehensive message board on Tampa indie film. I'm going to need at least four moderators, as the board will be huge. Tampa Film Community will also be receiving advanced professional networking features, which will interconnect with the Tampa indie film message board! All of these new features will become important after the first Tampa Bay Film film festivals debut, and especially after the Tampa Film Showcase starts its run.
In other news, it doesn't look like my Halloween Drive-In underground film festival will be happening tonight (I bought a ton of stuff for it a few days ago, too). It's fine, as I have other things to do now. I get to that when I can; perhaps in November. Better late than not at all, especially since I may have plans for an expanded Halloween Drive-In underground film festival next year. Also, we will be having our first Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival in a few weeks, too, which will be covered on Tampa Bay Film. Which will be first? At the present time, I really can't say. I can only say that my plate is full right now, but I'm also hungry, so it will work out just fine.
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Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
A Change Of Heart? Perhaps.
I've been doing a lot of research into the history of the Tampa indie film scene in the last week, specifically about The Tampa Film Review. I may have to change some of those old reviews. It seems that, when reviewing them, I reviewed them as film festivals, and not for what they were. They were public film screenings with feedback, and no film was turned away. The CFR / TFR was for all films, the best and the worst. Everyone who attended seemed to accept this, except for me.
I no longer feel that the TFR was a failure. It was what it was. For what it was, too, some of the details are commendable, as well as respectable. For what is was, the TFR succeeded. It has a solid five year run, and as someone who attended a lot of TFR events, I had fun at most of them.
My earlier reviews are a bit... harsh. I need to edit them, and add more content. As they are being reviewed as film festivals, don't expect the scores to change much, but keep in mind that I will not be harping so much on crappy films being shown and it not going anywhere. The TFR was what it was, and it didn't have to go anywhere. It was free, showed all the films which were submitted to it, and it was fun. My Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series won't be a TFR 2, and is actually a different kind of event (The Tampa Film Showcase is what I wished that the TFR would have become, but things are what they are, not necessarily what they could be.). Sadly, I don't think that there will ever be another TFR. Don't look at me, either, because I'm going to be doing sophisticated film festival. The TFR, in some ways, wasn't really a film festival. It was a free film screening event, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Additionally, I am having a change of heart regarding my perception about how the Tampa film scene is, and was. Many of the issues that I had with some people were born of a series of misconceptions and misunderstandings. We really don't need to keep this going. There is no point to it. I'm not going anywhere, and neither are the others. We are all going to have to, at the very least, try to respect each other and get along. Although I have no desire to be friends with some of these people, I will try to respect them. I really don't hate anyone. Regardless of who like and dislikes who, we can get along.
Paul Guzzo and Pete Guzzo are not bad people. They are certainly not perfect, but neither am I. I do think that they are good filmmakers. I also think that their work with the TFR should be commended, and not condemned. Just because we do not see eye to eye does not mean that we should not try to understand, and respect, each other. That's all that I ask, and it's all that I want.
There was a great war over the years in the Tampa indie film scene. Waging war, in a business sense, is what I do, and I do it well. I do not desire it, however. This has become an entrenched, ongoing cold war of mistrust and misunderstanding, and I do not believe that such a war is good for the growth of the Tampa film scene and the eventual formation of a Tampa indie film community.
Sure, I've been wronged, but am I the only one? Certainly not. We're all to blame, and we've all been victims in our life, too. It's what we do in response to what happens which actually matters, because that it something that we can control. I was wrong to fight back in the way that I did, as it only made things worse. We can stick up for ourselves and do the right thing without fighting people.
I really don't want to be perceived as the person who goes around bad-mouthing others, because that's not who I am. We can all go about our business, and work towards a better Tampa film scene. That's all that I want, and I am sure that's what everyone else wants, too.
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Friday, October 23, 2009 - 9:15 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Preparing For The Weekend
I did some tests today with the DVD player in my car for the Halloween Drive-In underground film festival on Sunday. I bought nine movies for the festival yesterday. Everything checks out, and we are ready. There are just a few notes, however. I'm not 100% sure that we will have our underground film festival on time, because of its small size. Also, I've been having trouble getting in touch with everyone. Despite this, I'll know for sure tomorrow. My friend Sarah was sick last weekend, and if she is still sick, or anyone is sick, we may have to postpone it. There will be four to five of us in a small car for an extended period of time; if one person is sick, we are all going to get sick. Thus, there are health concerns. Additionally, because of the tiny attendance defined by the constraints of a car, if a single person cannot make it, it's going to dramatically effect the outcome. If it turns out to be just me and a model watching movies in a car, it's more like parking or a date, and that's not what the Halloween Drive-In is supposed to be. If it is postponed, we might have it weeks, or even months, after Halloween. Ah, but the picture and sound quality sure is nice from the Sony FX-820. It's better than going to the cinema, is ways, and a whole lot more comfortable (cars, after all, are designed for people to be seated in them for an extended time over a wide variety of traveling conditions. Car seating will beat out cinema seating every time). Also, it turns out that I didn't have any mounting issues with the DVD player. As long as the car is level, or the nose is low, the DVD player sits nicely on top of the dash.
It's just ironic that this simpler, "easy" underground film festival is tougher to pull off than the upcoming Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival. The Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival is more flexible, with attendance roughly equivalent to the attendance enjoyed by the first Coffeehouse Film Review monthly film festivals (CFR, which became the TFR, or The Tampa Film Review). With higher attendance numbers and more space, the success of the underground film festival does not hinge on every single person showing up. If I have to postpone the Halloween Drive-In, I'll at least get everything right.
If I don't do this on Sunday, I will be spending Sunday and Monday converting my old DJ Wiz Kid and DJ Frontier Cassette Program Releases to MP3 programs (yes, there are data drops with the old computers, but I am digging listening to them while I work despite the occasional glitch from the conversion on the old machines. I can't release them that way, but I can listen to them. I just have to keep them from getting out and circulating, because they can never be "official" releases. Some of them need editing for content, too. My programs are good, even the first ones), and will be preparing my studio for the return of models and actors.
Ann just called, and asked if I was attending the screening at 11PM tonight for the indie film Burial At Sea, which has been renamed to "something" island, I think (I can't recall what the name was changed to, and Adrian should have sent me a press release). I told Chris Woods a few days ago that it would be amusing if they had named it Death Island, and we were laughing about that. For the record, it is not named Death Island (this I am sure of). Death Island is a Danford / Savini film in the works. Regarding tonight's premier, I can't make it. Too bad. Ann told me that she might not make it, either, because she is acting in a Tampa indie film tomorrow for another 48 hour film competition. I did, however, make some suggestions to her regarding her spy outfit that she was putting together.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Total Of Six TFR Reviews By End Of November
It's back to Ybor City
for more pictures soon (I have to shoot two CFR review covers,
as well as get 
pictures
of The Cuban Club for the upcoming review of Halloween Horror
Picture Show 2006. These will be daylight pictures and sunset/ evening
pictures, much like I did for Halloween Horror Picture Show 2008). It
was decided this morning to do an additional two TFR reviews, which will
complete a complete set of reviews covering all five years of the TFR,
and a comprehensive historical reference. The last two reviews will be
retro reviews, and will review the first two years of The Tampa Film Review,
when it was known as the Coffeehouse Film Review, or CFR. At first, we
were going to retro-apply the TFR branding to the CFR reviews, but since
we will be retro-reviewing them, we have to write the reviews as if they
were done then, with no knowledge of the future (the reviews will be written
as if I was there, and with no knowledge of future developments or references
to what will happen). This will allow the readers to accurately follow
the progress of the film festival series over the years. Officially, now,
there will be six TFR / CFR reviews. Here they are, along with their current
status (All six reviews will be online on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film
Review site by November, 2009. The covers will be doubled for the CFR
2004 and CFR 2005 reviews. The will read "TFR" in the click
images so they will match the others, but will change to "CFR"
alternates in the review articles. Clever, heh? I get to eat have my cake
and eat it too, with the best of both worlds).
The unauthorized review of the CFR 2004: To be published in November 2009 on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site.
The unauthorized review of the CFR 2005: To be published in November 2009 on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site.
The unauthorized review of the TFR 2006 - 2007: First published in early 2008. Will be enhanced, with content added, and then will be moved to the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site.
The unauthorized review of the TFR 2008: First published in December 2008. Will be enhanced, with content added, and then will be moved to the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site.
The unauthorized review of the TFR 2009: To be published in October 2009 on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site.
The unauthorized guide and review of the TFR 2004-2009: To be published in November 2009 on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site. The guide will be an overall review of the entire series, with lots of historical information. It will eventually become a full guide for every single TFR / CFR film festival event, with film program listings and references to reviews of those films. The guide will also serve as a main review hub, referencing every CFR / TFR review on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site. Oh, and there will be a lot of bonus history explored on the site, which will enhance the back story for the TFR and the Tampa indie film scene. All of these anecdotes are relevant to the TFR in some way. This is going to be a huge guide, obviously. Expect the initial publication of the unauthorized guide to the TFR 2004-2009 to be huge, and I expect it to take several days of writing, referencing a huge notebook of notes and research. The initial publication should exceed 40 pages, and once expanded to a full guide with reference links of reviews, it could grow to over 100 pages by next year. If anyone looks for information on the history of the TFR, they will certainly not miss any of this; it will be the top results of any searched. It will become the historical reference, and the authority, on The Tampa Film Review.
I do know one thing. Researching all of this history has not been easy.
I know another thing, too. When I start deploying my film festivals, I am going to be very, very serious about documenting them. My Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series will be the most documented, and most covered, film festival series in Tampa indie film history.
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 6:17 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Will NOT Promote, Or Support, B.S.
Anyone want to get a bad sunburn?
Some of the things that we are seeing are simply outrageous!
This is sad. A certain large film festival which we respect more than
the others is now selling indie film workshops for several hundred dollars
and is having pseudo-film festivals during the year which are not even
film festivals. In our opinion, none of this is worth it. It would be
like looking at the schedule at local cinemas, picking out films and film
showing times which fit your idea of a theme, calling the cinemas and
offer the use of your film festival name to pimp what they are showing,
and then "packaging" them as a film festival. The film festival
and other events are spread out over several venues and several days.
Participants have to pay $25.00 for a few movies at different locations,
and they are movies that aren't even indie films. They are "B"
or "C" list movies, movies that we haven't heard of, which we
may buy as a budget DVD at Walmart for $5, but wouldn't pay full price
to see in any cinema. Oh, and paying over $100.00 for an all-access pass
for exclusive "parties" and the film showings is hardly worth
it, either.
The loose organization, hack-job package, and everything scattered to
the four corners of Tampa Bay is not only lame, but it is BORING. The
Tampa Film Review may have had issues, but at least it was worth attending,
especially when compared to these overpriced turkeys, put together as
a sloppy attempt to make money. There is nothing wrong with making money,
but at least give us something worth pay for! These so called "packages"
seem to be afterthoughts put together to capitalize on things that are
already going on on their own, anyway. The free, outdoor sunset "film
festivals" showing mainstream movies at a single location are a much
better deal!
If you pay for this stuff thinking that you are a "V.I.P.",
or that you are on the inside track of a "cool" film festival,
then you are an idiot! Hey, are the suckers eligible for a mileage discount
for all of the driving that they have to do? Will their insurance company
drop their auto insurance if they were to find out about all of the frivolous
driving that they are doing?
At least the Gasparilla International Film Festival, which, in our opinion,
is another overpriced large film festival, is smart enough to have their
film festival at a single venue next year. We're thinking that it is due
to lack of money to secure venues, but still, by default, it makes their
film festival better. A certain other large film festival, which used
to be the savior of large Tampa film festivals, seems to be jumping the
shark, and losing their identify as they sell out to be just like the
others. So sad!
Tampa indie film does NOT need this crap! Shame on anyone who mindlessly
helps them promote it, too. You help to sell out Tampa indie film!
Tampa Bay Film is smart. We also have integrity, and will not compromise
just because it is a slow time for indie film news and the economy is
bad. We will not be announcing this crap, or helping to promote it.
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Two More TFR Reviews On The Way
I am now writing the two latest
unauthorized reviews for The Tampa Film Review, and monthly film festival
series that ended its long five year run in January 2009. First up will
be the unauthorized review
of The Tampa Film Review 2009, which will cover the single TFR film festival
event in January 2009 (this is known to be the best of the TFR's, so it
should receive the highest score, although there will be some criticism
concerning the lack of support of the people who never bothered to attend,
but showed up at the last one). The 2009 TFR review will be up this month
on the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site, a Tampa Bay Film site optimized
for Tampa indie film reviews and coverage. In November, another review
of the TFR will be published. This is a review, a guide, and a historical
reference for the entire Tampa Film Review series, and will cover its
five year run from 2004-2009. In 2010, there is the possibility that there
could be two more reviews for The Tampa Film Review, covering the two
years that it was known as the Coffeehouse Film Review. The unauthorized
review for TFR 2004 and TFR 2005 could be in the works, and if I decide
to write, and publish them, the TFR 2004-2009 guide / summary review will
be updated to reference them. I feel that this film festival series must
be documented, and the official history of the TFR, both good and bad,
will be documented on Tampa Bay Film. I am fully expecting more profanity-filled
hate mail from TFR organizer Paul Guzzo, but he should know that it is
not my intention to bash the TFR, or Paul and his brother. I am going
to be fair, objective, and unbiased. It may not, however, seem like it,
because there was a lot wrong with the TFR, despite the positive spin
a few people gave it. While it had a good, long run, which is respectable,
and they did not turn away anyone's film, which could be seen as commendable,
I have some mixed feelings about the TFR. I have some strong opinions,
too, as both a professional event planner, and someone who is sincere
about supporting Tampa indie film. As an amateur indie film club, the
TFR succeeded. As far as advancing Tampa indie film and establishing a
Tampa indie film community, however, in my opinion, it failed miserably.
Another issue that I have is how quickly Pete and Paul jumped on the board
of a large film festival which, in my opinion, did not have the best interests
of Tampa indie film in mind (ignorance or hypocrisy, I don't really know,
but either one really hinges on whether my opinion is fact or not, doesn't
it?). For two brothers who promoted themselves as improving Tampa indie
film, the results, as well as the history, which will be documented, expose
more questions than answers. It's a mess of politics and contradiction,
in my opinion.
We don't need another TFR. The Tampa indie film scene does not need any more hack jobs and amateur film clubs. We need a professional monthly film festival! We need professional standards, and some progress. Five years was a good run, but what if they only came full circle? Spinning your wheels, and making the same mistakes over and over again, is NOT progress. Oh, and despite all this, and my opinions, I do think that Pete and Paul are good filmmakers. Go Go Guzzo Bros!
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Sunday, October 18, 2009 - 8:30 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Some Thoughts About Film Festivals And Work
I took a break from Tampa Bay Modeling today. It's Tampa Bay Modeling's birthday, after all. There is a lot of work going on right now, and it is obvious that much of it will not be up today (I spent hours yesterday working on a "bad job" section where I made fun of bad modeling jobs and scams. It became obvious that I would have to rewrite the modeling job ads so that the authors would not perceive that I was directly attacking them, which is a no-no with the site. Scam and bad business patterns should be exposed, yes, but specifically targeting and attacking people, no. I may be stating the obvious, but some of those people are bad people, and provoking them to come after me is not something that I am inclined to do). The site has seen tremendous progress lately, however. Oh, and happy fifth anniversary, Tampa Bay Modeling. I'll get the press campaign going by next week, Monday the 26th. That gives me a few more days to get things rolling, such as the modeling job section and the core modeling job board on Independent Modeling. Today, however, I'm giving Tampa Bay Modeling a rest, and will take some time to finish up on Tampa Bay Film. Although I won't be updating the site a lot for the next few months, there will be some material added. I also need to get the other Tampa Bay Film sites up, which will require some picture editing to be done today. The sites have to be completely up so that the search engines have time to index them before the busy work next year.
I have to move all the Tampa Bay Film reviews to Tampa Film Review, and that will require for that site to be completely up. I also have to get Tampa Film Festivals completely up, and upgrade the Tampa Film Showcase site. With my first underground film festival next week, and another rolling out in less than two months, Tampa Film Festivals needs to be online as a full web site. Ironically, each film festival site will not be a section on Tampa Film Festivals, although they will exist in a subdirectory under TampaFilmFestivals.Com (kind of like Tampa Bay Film used to be a directory under TampaHub.Com. For example, the Reverence Film Festival would be TampaFilmFestivals.Com/reverencefilmfestival/index.html, with links to it from the main Tampa Film Festivals site directories. This way, each film festival promotes the others, as they will all use the Tampa Film Festivals for branding, marketing, and operating purposes. When people go to the Tampa Film Festivals site which every film festival will brand, they will see the other film festival sites, too. Brilliant, and it enhances the effectiveness of all the film festival properties). There will actually be complete, uniquely designed, self-contained web sites on Tampa Film Festivals, exactly as if they were independent web sites with their own domain names. Each site will be different, and each will link back to Tampa Film Festivals and the other Tampa Bay Film sites. I sure hope that certain people in the Tampa filmmaking scene are reading this, and are learning that I really know what I am doing.
My companies will be producing a lot of different film festivals, and they will all tie into each other one way or another. We will have more Tampa film festivals than all of the other Tampa film festivals, combined. We will seize, and control, the Tampa film festival market, as it will be in the best interest of Tampa indie filmmaking. My backbone film festival property, the Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series, will be a small, but aggressive monthly film festival. The Tampa Film Showcase will be more advanced than even the largest Florida film festivals, and although it will be smaller, it will be scrappy,and more effective; the film festival series has more than enough teeth to take on large film festivals such as the Gasparilla International Film Festival and the Sarasota Film Festival. The Tampa Film Showcase will be relevant for Tampa filmmaking, and it will be more fun, and more interesting, than other film festivals. Our programming will be more creative, too, as I will take a page from the magazine publishing world and program the festival by the quarter. If your film is selected to play, expect to wait a couple of months for it to be in that program (I will be programming two events ahead, to give us lead time. There will be none of the hack jobs and last minute curve balls that made The Tampa Film Review so chaotic. This is going to be a professional film festival series which will set new standards for film festivals). The Tampa Film Showcase will also have a selection process. I will not bore the audience with badly-made films (although we will support those other films in ways that I cannot go into right now, for those who want to see them). We will only show well-made indie films worthy of the "showcase" description, and we will not have to compromise, or skimp on our film standards, because we will have plenty to choose from. There is a lot more, too, but I can't go into it right now. I may not even be able to tell-all a year after the Tampa Film Showcase debuts. Some things will remain trade secrets.
Eventi Stage, my stage
production company which split from my event planning company (and which
is waiting for me to build them a web site, since Eventi Events
has the original site, and Eventi Stage is now a separate company.
I had to split the company because licensing, usage, and production 
requirements
were so different that they were not compatible) I should be able to make
them a new Diana Class site before the year is out!), will become
a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. Eventi Stage will
be producing, and working, all of our film festival properties. Although
they are non-profit productions, I do see film festivals as a professional
business, and we will run them aggressively and professionally. They are
non-profit ventures with the goal of supporting, promoting, and growing
Tampa indie filmmaking. You all really have no idea of what is coming,
and what all of this will do to the Tampa indie film market. It's going
to be like a swarm of smarter, smaller, more effective, and more cost-effective
film festivals. It's going to be very hard for large, bloated film festivals
to contend with what we will be doing. Hell, even the tiny low-budget
underground film festivals will be better, and more effective, than a
lot of so-called film festivals. Take the Tampa Bay Film Review,
for example. This underground film festival will be a series of private
events, but will outdo The Tampa Film Review monthly film festival
in every way possible. It will even have features that will give the large
Tampa film festivals a reason to get on the ball. One slogan of the underground
film festival is "We'll remind you that the TFR really sucked",
as the tiny event will be everything that the defunct TFR (The
Tampa Film Review) was supposed to be, and more. Another slogan,
which I love, is "You are not invited". I love it,
especially after someone told me that it was "dickish". Oh,
ironically, it seems that I have quite a few readers on her, because I
am beginning to see others tinker with the idea of underground film festivals.
Since they were my idea, shouldn't I get royalties?
So, I am in the mood to finish editing pictures, and to get some of those site up to where they need to be.
Oh, and a thought. I just read some of my film festival reviews. Is it me, or do I tend to get off topic a lot? I'll have to do something about that. Next year, we will be covering Tampa film festivals and Tampa indie film on a level which has not been seen before, and I'd rather stay on topic. I will have to figure out a way to cover the films as well as the film festival. It looks like my film festival adventures will become team efforts, as it will be too much for me to do alone. Expect more people to join me in our agenda (it's not like I don't have them already. I'll just have to give them things to do).
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Saturday, October 17, 2009 - 7:43 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Film Festivals........
I've been on the phone setting
up the Halloween Drive-In underground film festival for next
week. We 
have
plenty of indie films to watch, too. I just have some power supply issues
and mounting issues to work out (Maybe I'll just rip the films to a memory
stick and watch them on a smaller screen, which will solve both issues,
but give the people in the back seat a less-than-spectacular view). I
may be running my car a little, too (kind of like the time that I spent
an hour in a parking lot a few months ago editing headshots while my car
ran. I was under deadline). One rule: everyone has to be healthy. The
last time that I caught the flu was in 1999 (knock on wood) when this
model and I spent the day driving around, doing errands. She was sick,
and got me sick. I still remember how sick that I got. I was on anti-virals,
and was so sick, that I couldn't even play Waverace 64 from bed.
I spent all week in bed; thank God that the timing was such that it coincided
with the start of my vacation with the bank. I spent my vacation sick.
Regarding the Halloween Drive-In, I need to bring several cameras. We are going to have some awesome coverage, even exceeding that of my past film festival coverage. Location? This underground film festival is on four wheels, so we can travel around, and that's what we will be doing, but I am planning on keeping most of it in south Tampa.
I am also making the time to have the first Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival before the year is out. Maybe in December. I already have a spot at a nice house in Valrico. Looks like I need to obtain some more indie films.
Oh, and there are developments with the conventional film festival front. I'm on track for the Reverence film festival, a horror and exploitation film festival, in the fall of 2010. This will be my first conventional film festival, and it will be unlike any film festival ever done before. I believe that I have also found my venue for the Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series, scheduled to debut in January 2011, and then run every month. The venue is almost 5,000 square feet, and the fire code is rated at up to 500 people (I can see Paul now... "Fire code? What's a fire code? Is it some'thin ta do with the fire alarm?". No, Paul, it doesn't, but real event planners know what it is, and plan with such details in mind. It's time for the professionals to show you how it is done. I've been a professional event planner for far longer than I have been a photographer, or anything else, except for writing, and it is going to become obvious when my first film festivals debut). The location is perfect, too, and it's not in crime-infested Ybor! Ah, more news. The Tampa Film Showcase, although it is a monthly film festival, will be better than the largest annual film festivals, consistently, and every single month. It is also going to be run like a business, with attention to detail and professional standards. We are serious about creating, and maintaining, an effective, and fun, film festival series. What are the corporate sponsors of those large film festivals going to do when we demonstrate that our monthly film festival is more cost-effective, and a better investment, than those bloated, large annual film festivals? This is going to become interesting, especially when my Tampa film festivals will do what the large film festivals don't: Support, and expand, Tampa indie filmmaking.
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Saturday, October 17, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
I'll Be Back
I'm up to my neck in modeling land work right now. Tampa Bay Modeling has been receiving large updates the past week. I'm sitting here coding and writing, listening to Party Zone 2 (one of my DJ Frontier releases from 1994), and I took a moment to look at Tampa Bay Film. Ugh..... I stopped in the middle of a large web site code refresh where new pictures were going to be added, and the thumbnail array was going to be updated (and I have to update that before I can add a thumbnail array to the Tampa Film Blog and launch the other Tampa Bay Film sites, because they will all be using that updated thumbnail array, which will link to the picture portfolio on Tampa Bay Film). That will have to wait if I am going to be doing media interviews next week, as I have a lot of work to do. Tampa Bay Film is on standby at the moment with all of this other work going on, but I am going to have to refresh the site code, update the thumbnail array, get the other Tampa Bay Film sites launched as Super Raptor class sites, and do a TON of content updates in the next few weeks. Content, content... I have to update the main sections, go through Tampa Bay Film and make sure that all the content is current, and then write, write, write. So, what am I planning on adding? I'm going to finish the Tampa film scams database, because there is a lot of shady stuff going on in Tampa indie film. I am also going to be doing a lot of content additions to Tampa Bay Acting, so professional actors can be educated, and warned about, Tampa indie film. Quite a few so-called Tampa indie filmmakers (the no, or low, talent ones and the ones who are unethical and unprofessional) are going to find themselves cut off from professional actors, and they are going to have a difficult time finding anyone willing to help them with what they are trying to pass off as films. I seem to have a lot of strong connections with professional actors, and I've referred some good ones as leads for a few Tampa indie film projects over the years. Going back to Tampa Bay Film content, I am working on the Unauthorized review for TFR 2009 (the one Tampa Film Review event that they managed to have back in January), TFR 2004-2009, a review of 99, a review of 100 Tears, a review of Actress Apocalypse (a very underrated film. I think that it is brilliant), a review of The Pledge, a review of The Web Of Darkness, a review of Experiment 7 (should I review the screener, or wait until it is actually released? I'd like to give the editor a chance to polish it, so I may hold off on a review until I obtain an official release copy.), Filthy, Brainjacked, Bleed, The Quiet Place (wait until you read the behind-the-scenes expose on that film!), Spaventare, and more reviews. There are going to be a lot of reviews, and Tampa Bay Film will become the best source of information for Tampa indie films, and anything about Tampa indie film.
Oh, yes, I am also considering reviewing mainstream movies, so my readers can get an idea of what my tastes are. They can also use those reviews as a reference to gauge the quality of Tampa indie films. I watch the 80's movie License To Drive the other morning, and was thinking that it would be fun to review, especially with some serious continuity issues with Heather Graham in the Volkswagen. I watched the 1962 James Bond classic Dr. No this morning, and I think that it was a good film. I am considering publishing these reviews on Tampa Bay Film, but since I am working on an international online film festival, I may have some other options soon. Stay tuned.
I have to go. I'll be back.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 8:00 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Indie Film Announcements Updated
The Tampa Film Blog Announcements section has been updated. Check it out.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 9:38 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Updated
You have to check out this ultra cool music video that I have spotlit on the main page of the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. I love this stuff! I added the video just now, and have not yet added it to the official playlist (my GEN 2 Online Film Festival rulebook states that all films have to have thumbnails before they are added, which require screen grabs on good frames and photoshop work. I don't have time to do that at the moment, but the video was too cool to resist), so you have to go to the front page to watch it.
Oh, and I refreshed the Tampa Bay Film site this morning, upgrading it to a Super Raptor class site. I still have to redo the thumbnail image array, and do some serious content management (I had no idea that some directories of the site were screwed up until I started going through it). Some of the site directories are a mess. This extra work, of course, will delay more content to this blog until at least tomorrow. Have a great day!
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Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - 9:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Sites Updated
By the time that I wind these sites down to a standby mode, the short eight week standby period will be over. Yes, the Tampa Bay Film sites will not see many content updates in the next eight weeks after today's update. No, I will not refrain from all updates, and will update as needed; it's just that major, aggressive promotion of the sites has been delayed until January 2010 (my best guess as to when regular updates can be resumed). Oh, and, yes, I will be updating the Tampa Film Blog with news and Tampa indie film posts which are sent in to us. My posts, however, will be the ones that will be scarce.
Sometimes I wonder why I announce a standby, when the facts are that the sites will be updated, and that the situation is actually a slowdown. I will be busy elsewhere, but I will have updates done to the Tampa Bay Film sites when they are needed.
The menus on the Tampa Film Blog and the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival have been adjusted, and the web site directories have been completely refreshed. Tampa Bay Film is about to be upgraded to a Super Raptor class web site. The other five Tampa Bay Film sites which have not yet been converted to Super Raptors will see those upgrades in the next few weeks.
It will be interesting to see if anyone perceives a drop in actual content updates to the web sites when so much work is still being done.
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Monday, October 5, 2009 - 3:40 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Sites Placed On Standby
Effective immediately, all of the Tampa Bay Film sites have been placed on standby, with few content updates in the immediate future. Of the minor work that will be done, expect that work to be applied to setting up the "un launched" Tampa Bay Film sites with Super Raptor class formats and getting core content up. 95% of my web site and Internet work will be needed... elsewhere. At least for the rest of the year.
I really have no choice in the matter, and had to come to terms with some ongoing issues. Additionally, my P.R. people have asked me to refrain from posting too much on my assorted blogs, so expect those updates to be far less frequent, and far less lengthy. I'll post when I can, but with my photography business taking up a lot of my time, and more than one book project which have to be done soon, my time will be limited.
This said, Tampa Bay Film is still the voice of Tampa indie film, and the Tampa Bay Film sites will be the dominant Tampa indie film web sites. They already are dominant, and will continue to increase their lead in 2010. We are just taking a break, and will be back sometime in 2010. We have some very ambitious Tampa indie film projects, such as covering Tampa indie film news and producing a series of powerful film festivals. We simply want to take the time to set all of this up correctly, and to ensure that we have the resources that we will need to do regular and consistent work, work which will set new standards with quality. To set benchmarks and to revolutionize Tampa indie film is going to take quite the set up, and that's what we will be doing. Do you want me to start something that I will unable to finish, or do some cool film festival and not be able to keep it going consistently? The Tampa Film Showcase, for example, will be the "backbone" of all of the Tampa Bay Film film festival properties, and there are certain standards that we will have to maintain on a monthly basis. This will take steady resources, and I'm not hacking this together, nor will I put us in a position that we will have to scrounge around for things that we will need to keep it going. I am not doing another Tampa Film Review. If we can't do it better than the TFR each and every month, and the filmmaking scene does not benefit, then it will not be worth doing. I am an innovator. I am a professional. I'm not a "me too" person. I set my own standards, and sometimes, this takes work and time to set up properly. Patience, people, patience. It will happen, in due time.
For now, I've been instructed to fix the menus on the existing Tampa Bay Film Super Raptor class sites, convert Tampa Bay Film to a Super Raptor class site, refresh the pictures (thumbnail array) on Tampa Bay Film (mandatory because most of the other Tampa Bay Film sites will be using the Tampa Bay Film thumbnail array, and they will all link back to the portfolio on the main Tampa Bay Film site), and to get the other sites completely up by next month. This will take all of the little time that I will have left.
Other developments: The Halloween Drive-In underground film festival has been cancelled for this year (thank you for getting back to me, "you know who"), and the debut of the Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival has been delayed until February 2010. Also, I wanted to film my first short indie film, friendship, in late November. That has now been rescheduled for January, 2010, a delay of more than eight weeks (The shooting schedule of Reverence and the other shorts should remain unaffected). I know, it seems that I am Mr. delay, delay, delay, and I'll never get certain ambitions done because I am sidetracked by too many other things going on, but this will eventually get done. I promise. I've been doing indie film for close to 16 years now (we were shooting short films in Tampa on 3/4 inch video tape back in 1993, and back then the Tampa indie film scene was populated by an entirely different group; a group, ironically, which I was popular with- maybe that's because most of them knew what they were doing, and weren't neurotic or insecure), and was initially trained to do film production work in 1993. For my films, I've been waiting to do my first "solo" indie film project for ten years now. A few more months won't matter much. Once I get started, however, I'll really get going. My indie films are going to change the face of Tampa indie film forever. Wait and see.
For now, the house lights come up, and the curtain lowers. You can hear the noise of construction happening backstage. Come back later. I promise that there will be a show well worth experiencing.
Oh, and if anyone out there has something to post, send it in. I'll post it when I can. It's just that I will not be able to write too much to post. Everyone else can continue to use the Tampa Film Blog.
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Saturday, October 3, 2009 - 8:15 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival Upgraded
At 8:00 AM this morning, just 15 minutes ago, the popular Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival upgraded to a Super Raptor class site, doubling its main menu. Another 17 indie films were added, too, bringing the film count to 92!
A word of caution: The menus have been shuffled around. You need to watch what you click. Since there are now two Super Raptor class sites up (this and the online film festival), the menus are once again going to change, perhaps as early as tomorrow; the menu order needs to be finalized before any more Super Raptor class sites are deployed. The final configuration? Site navigation on the left, and jumps to other Tampa Bay Film sites on the right. It will be much less confusing than they are now (the reason for the present configuration is because it took its lead from the current Tampa Bay Film menu). Tampa Bay Film will see a Super Raptor upgrade tomorrow, and our menus may change, too, by tomorrow morning.
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Friday, October 2, 2009 - 8:45 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
The Tampa Bay Film Ecosystem
Wow... I have so much going on that I generate my own news (kind of like large buildings generate their own weather, or large expanses of concrete in dense cities change weather patterns... Yes, I have a strong science background, too)! With all of the Tampa Bay Film sites, I have more than enough news going on to report on, even if there was nothing else going on in the Tampa indie film scene. I have my own self-contained ecosystem at my disposal. The news that I have going on with Tampa Bay Film is often more significant, and more important, than other Tampa indie film news, too. Ah, lots do to tonight; I'm not pulling any punches with my continued efforts. I will be upgrading the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival tonight, converting it to a new Super Raptor site like this one (This will not take nearly as much work as was done to the Tampa Film Blog, either, ironically enough). With the upgrades, keep in mind that the current main menus will see changes! With the online film festival, the OFF Blog button will be changed to an Updates button, and it will be moved to the new menu on the right. The Online Film Festival Blog, however, will not be changed. I will not be renaming it to updates or anything like that, especially since I like interjecting opinions and personality into the posts. I will also be changing out the featured film thumbnail bar at the top of the online film festival, as well as adding archived films to the playlist. Speaking of changes, the core Tampa Bay Film site will see a code refresh this month, too. I will be upgrading it to a Super Raptor, and will be changing out the thumbnail image array at the top of the pages. See the blank thumbnail bar at the top of the Tampa Film Blog? This will change. All of the new thumbnails added to Tampa Bay Film will be added to all of the other Tampa Bay Film sites, except for the online film festival bar. All of these parallel thumbnails will link back to the picture portfolio on Tampa Bay Film. See, you guys though that I didn't think things out. I'm always thinking. I'm always working. I believe in something, and have the ability to make things happen. I have the ability to inspire change. That said, it is time to get to work.
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Friday, October 2, 2009 - 7:39 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Love, Love, Love The Reaction!
Oh, the emails are flying back
and forth today! The Passinault hate groups are in crisis mode, and are
having a breakdown. I'm so sorry that I upgraded this web site, and created
a super blog that will prove to be impossible to compete against. Actually,
I'm not. Remember that I am fighting for the rights of legitimate Tampa
filmmakers and the future of Tampa indie filmmaking. The resources that
I am pouring into my support of Tampa indie film are record-breaking,
for me. Just wait until you see the results of all of this in the next
few months.
I'm looking at the archives right now, and have to delete the larger pictures
to fit the new site format. Fortunately, most of my pictures are compatible.
I also want to reshuffle some of the archives so that the search engines
can see them. Some of the SEO efforts going into the new modeling mail
bags will be applied to this blog for SEO archiving. This will maximize
the effectiveness of the massive amounts of content that give the Tampa
Film Blog a pronounced advantage.
Keep in mind, also, that the Tampa Film Blog is not necessarily my soapbox.
It is no longer mine alone. It is for all Tampa filmmakers. Here, at the
Tampa Film Blog, is where Tampa filmmakers unite! I’m looking at
our stats, and I am pleased. The Tampa Film Blog is the most widely-read
online publication, let alone blog, about Tampa indie film. It was already
the case with the old Tampa Film Blog, and this new one really takes us
to the next level. We’re not a freebie blogger account. We are not
a brainless wordpress blog, especially since wordpress and web 2.0 freebie
blogs, in my opinion, give a voice to the common man, and are tools for
the technically inept. Who wants to read the opinions of those who are
not qualified to cover Tampa indie film? We don’t need cheerleaders
who hype everything. We need professionals. We need leaders, leaders who
are not mindless sheep, and who think for themselves. We need Tampa filmmakers
with professional, qualified opinions.
I’m going to spend another long night working on the Tampa Film
Blog tonight. I am thinking about converting the old archives and completing
the main sections. As soon as I am done here, I will give the Tampa Film
Blog a short break to settle, and busy myself upgrading the other seven
Tampa Bay Film sites to new Super Raptors. Once completed, All eight Tampa
Bay Film sites will, essentially, make one huge, powerful super site,
as well as remain effective stand-alone web sites for Tampa indie film.
This groundwork is needed for what is coming.
We are going to save Tampa indie film. We are going to keep Tampa indie
film independent. Those who sell us out, and who conspire to take advantage
Tampa filmmakers, are going to find it impossible to compete. They will
be put out of business.
Well, I have to go. The series premier of Stargate Universe
is premiering tonight at 9PM EST on Sci Fi. See, I, too, can grasp for
straws and report on things that have absolutely nothing to do with Tampa
indie film. Also, at least I am not regurgitating information from an
article in this morning’s TBT. What fine
journalistic skills bloggers have when they feebly try to compete with
the Tampa Film Blog!
The revolution has begun, and it is ongoing. It’s going to take
effort and time, but we have what it takes to change the Tampa indie film
scene for the better. That’s the best news, yet, for Tampa indie
filmmakers.
Now, where is my PS3? Little Big Planet awaits.
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Friday, October 2, 2009 - 8:40 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
A New Start, And A New Format, For The Tampa Film Blog
It is a new era for the Tampa
Film Blog. The old Tampa Film Blog
is now archived, and this is the beginning of a new chapter. I have added
a few of the latest Tampa Film Blog posts, but the rest will stay in the
archive. I also will not be adjusting the archives of the archive (if
that makes any sense), but will leave the old Tampa Film Blog site content
active for research purposes.
This new Tampa Film Blog has a lot to offer. As for myself, I intend to
get away from stating the obvious, as Tampa filmmakers should be smart
enough to see things as they really are, and work together to improve
the Tampa indie film scene. Also, when I state the obvious, it comes of
as negative, and some in the Tampa indie film scene may think that I am
attacking them (or, in a few cases, that I set up this Tampa Film Blog
and the Tampa Bay Film sites to slam others, which is NOT the case at
all). This said, I will attempt to refrain from sharing any negative opinions
about Tampa film festivals, indie films, filmmakers, and other blog writers,
although I will continue to review them. Rest assured that my reviews
will be fair, and objective.
What if I get out of line? Well, now there are checks and balances in
place. You see, the Tampa Film Blog is no longer my own to do with as
I please. It is a blog for all Tampa filmmakers, and anyone, with something
to say about indie film and indie filmmaking. I will no longer be the
only one posting on this blog (although, since I will be using it, I will
post on it a lot). If I post something that you disagree with, you certainly
have the option to submit a blog post of your own disagreeing with what
my post said. The new Tampa Film Blog is for everyone, and it will be
a healthy forum of expression, promotion, and debate. I look forward to
the debates that will rage on here. The Tampa Film Blog will become an
online gathering spot for the exchange of ideas and opinions. This will
be a great way to help the Tampa indie film scene.
Of course, we won't allow anonymous authors. There is too much of that
on other web sites, and things get out of hand when people attack each
other anonymously. This is also not a message board. It is a film blog,
and is completely moderated. All posts will be read and reviewed before
posting. I do not believe in censorship, although there will be certain
types of posts that we will not post. If you want to debate, even with
me, go ahead and debate. Just refrain from personal attacks and credibility
attacks. If you are debating with someone, stick to the topic and don't
make it a personal attack. This is not a school playground. We are adults,
and professionals in the indie film industry, and we can debate without
going below the belt.
I will be pretty open with who will be able to post here. If Joe Davison
or Paul Guzzo wanted to post here disagreeing with me, or debating with
me, they are more than welcome to. Just keep the profanity out of your
e-mails (you don't need it to get your point across, and our readers would
rather not see it), don't make any slanderous allegations, and don't make
any violent threats like Joe has in the past. Keep it civil, professional,
and mature. If debating, stay on-topic. I'd rather not be accused of being
a psycho and a liar, especially when it is not true, and the people doing
the accusing are the only ones who are behaving that way. That's all that
I will say on that subject, as what was in the past shall remain there,
much like a lot of the older posts on the Tampa Film Blog will remain
in the original Tampa Film Blog archives (and that content stays; I am
not editing it or removing it). See, we can get along, after all!
When anyone posts on the Tampa Film Blog, they need to identify themselves.
We need to know who you are before posting your material. One their first
post is added, the person is added to our Author section. Their post will
be published on the main Tampa Film Blog page, and will have its own web
page in our site database. Their post can be referenced either by going
to the Blog Posts section, navigating from post to post using the “Previous
Blog Post” and the “Next Blog Post” links (all blog
posts will be arranged in chronological order. There is an Author link
in all posts which will enable you to return to the Author’s main
index to continue reading posts only from the Author if you wish), by
going to the Author section, or referenced by subject. Of course, we will
also be adding a shorter list of blog index links to the main page of
the Tampa Film Blog.
You may have noticed a lot of links and navigation menu buttons that lead
to other Tampa Bay Film sites, too. That’s not a problem, because
you can easily navigate back to the Tampa Film Blog from any of those
sites. With the expanded menus, the Tampa Bay Film sites become, essentially,
a huge super site composed of individual stand-alone web sites.
For now, I am working on adding new content to the Tampa Film Blog. For
the time being, I will be keeping some of the more recent posts on the
main page. Once properly indexed, of course, they will drop off, replaced
by a short text menu linking to each post individually. I have no current
plans to import older blog posts into the new Tampa Film Blog directories
than the ones presently on this page.
As of now, the Tampa Film Blog is the top Tampa indie film blog. We have
more content, more readers, more influence, and now, more indie film-relevant
features, than any other Tampa blog. Do you want to settle for some biased,
poorly-designed Word press formatted blog, or do you want a blog with
more readers, which is a professionally designed web site, and where you
can contribute if you wish. The era of amateurs is over. We are not going
to say that our Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is not really a film
festival, and nit pick, when it really is a film festival (and a great
one at that. Our online film festival is more effective, and has more
traffic, than all of the Tampa film festival events combined!).
Our lead will dramatically increase in the rest of 2009 and throughout
2010.
I have news, too. Great news.
I now have all of the equipment that I need to begin my filmmaking career.
I will be shooting a short film on November 29, 2009. This film,
tentatively titled friendship, will put my equipment,
and my skills, to the test. I will be using minimal equipment, such as
a standard-definition Canon FS 100/ 200 DV camera (it's no HD camera,
but it will do the job. Chris Woods once used a standard-definition DV
camera to create his Bleed feature film, and I can point out
countless more films that were filmed with such cameras. The Canon FS
100 / 200 is a single CCD camera, and although standard-definition cameras
used in filmmaking should, ideally, have 3 CCD's, I've tested this camera
and it is satisfactory for indie filmmaking. Indeed, with this camera
going for $300.00, and the rest of the gear going for another $400.00,
I will be making a series of excellent short films for a grand total of
less than $700.00 in equipment. Indie filmmaking, and making good films,
no longer has to be expensive. Don't laugh at my set-up, either. I know
what I am doing. Back when I first got into digital photography, I was
able to outshoot photographers who were using expensive cameras by using
a consumer digital camera. The same will go with indie filmmaking, and
after I build a portfolio of short films, I will be able to get investors
for professional equipment. I will eventually be doing larger budget,
feature indie films). The production will be small, too, with a crew of
two (I will be the director and the director of photography. An assistant
will help out with things such as the boom), and a cast of two. Friendship
will be my first solo film (I’ve worked on films in just about every
crew and cast role since 1993), and will start my indie film portfolio
and prove that good films can be done with small teams and budgets. Chris
Woods demonstrated this, also, earlier this year with his short film Spaventare.
With a crew of three, and a cast of two, Chris Woods created a film which
could very well be the best short film in the history of Tampa indie film.
Chris Woods is also one of the few Tampa filmmakers who can do just about
anything in the film production process. He is, in my opinion, the best
editor in the Tampa Bay film market. He also is able to do professional-level
work as a director of photography, director, writer, and just about anything
else. Many Tampa filmmakers are not nearly as talented, or skilled, and
have to surround themselves with talented people in order to produce indie
films half as good as the ones that Chris Woods does.
My first indie film, friendship, is about a man who is emotionally
devastated.
I discussed the story of friendship with Chris Woods, and he
didn’t care that much about the premise, although I did tell him
something that eased his concerns. I told him that the cardinal rule of
conflict driving the plot does not necessarily mean that it has to be
action. The conflict can be within the character, and if the audience
relates to the character, and what they are going through, the film works.
How else do you explain great films such as The Notebook? Of
course, any character-driven film is going to need one hell of an exposition
(set up) in the first few minutes. Otherwise, the premise will fail, and
the film won’t be that good.
Chris Woods was much more excited about my second planned short film,
scheduled for early 2010. That film will be Reverence,
and I have the screenplay pretty far along (it will not be the bloated
monster that the original Reverence
feature film script was at 120 dialogue-filled pages, which would
have made a planned two hour film a three hour film). The Reverence
short film will have a 20 to 30 page script, and will not run longer than
30 minutes. Reverence will have a cast of four, and a crew of
three; another film, possibly a great film, done with minimal cast and
crew. I told Chris Woods the story, and he really liked it. He thought
that it was good. Now, it will be good, but it all depends upon the production
and the execution of the script.
There are more short films in the works, too. I plan on doing my short
film, The Point, which is also a published,
award-winning story written by myself that you can read online. If you
read my story, The
Point, which the short film will be derived from, you
will easily be able to see how it will translate well to a great, highly
effective short film done with few resources. I will also be dusting off
my script for a short film titled Composure,
which is a romantic drama. I have another short film script, too, which
is a secret project about survival (I can’t say anything about it
right now, but it is going to be excellent!). I have a dramatic short
film script coming along, too, titled She wants to be a reporter.
There’s more, too, but nothing that I am at liberty to disclose
For now, it’s back to work. I need to get this Tampa Film Blog up
to spec.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 9:17 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Sites Set For Upgrade
I am working on the menu layouts for all eight Tampa Bay Film sites for the imminent Super Raptor upgrades. This new format will, essentially, make all eight sites one "super site", or meta-site. The menu system will interconnect between all of the sites for seamless navigation between them, with small contextual differences tailored for the specialized content of each site. I have completed planning for Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and the Tampa Film Showcase site. I'll have the other five mapped out tonight. The first Tampa Bay Film site to be upgraded to the Super Raptor format will be this Tampa Film Blog. I will be reorganizing the content, reducing the size of some image files via Dreamweaver to fit the new layout, and will be adding some interesting features. The Tampa Film Blog will launch a dedicated section specifically for Tampa indie film news, too. We are working toward implementing the Tampa Film Blog upgrade as early as tomorrow, bringing it online by October 1, 2009.
The Tampa Bay Film sites will also deploy over 350 support web sites (we've never put so many resources into a web campaign in our 10 year + history of web work. Over five times the effort which goes into supporting our modeling sites are being done with Tampa Bay Film, which is a record. Obviously, we are very, very serious about having an advantage in the Tampa indie film market. Indie filmmaking is my future, and the advantages that I enjoy, I want to make available to benefit other filmmakers and the Tampa indie film scene). This process has already begun, and the results will be obvious by next year, just in time to pave the way for deployment and operation of our first film festival events. Between the many underground film festivals and the array of conventional film festival events, Tampa Bay Film film festivals will greatly outnumber all of the other Tampa film festivals, combined, which will ensure market superiority. I fully expect to hear allegations of monopolistic business practices in 2010, although this will not be the case.
We are determined to support, and promote, Tampa filmmakers and Tampa indie film, since no one else, including certain large Tampa film festivals, are doing it. Expect a dramatic shakeup in the Tampa indie film market in the coming years. We are planning on putting a certain large Tampa film festival out of business, too (and it's not Sunscreen, a large film festival which is actually cool). Let's keep the fake charity, the hollow promises of supporting local filmmaking, and the pretense down in Sarasota.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 9:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Reviewing Tampa Film Festivals
With my Tampa film festival reviews on Tampa Bay Film being moved to the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Review site, I'm gearing up for the aggressive coverage of Tampa film festivals in 2010. I will attend Tampa film festivals with teams from Tampa Bay Film (and if I cannot attend, I will certainly delegate), with on-camera interviews much like Scream @ The Wall has done (what happened to them?), film festival photography, a reviewer watching and reviewing the films, and a full write up and review of the film festival. I intend to build the most complete directory for Tampa film festivals and the Tampa indie film scene ever done, and am currently interviewing a lot of people who have been to various film festivals and doing a lot of research (Nolan's Crazed Fanboy site had proved to be very useful for that historical research, as his site seems to be the only media source which has documented the Tampa indie film scene in the past decade. I am thankful for the resource, and God bless him). With that research, I will be reviewing all of the notable Tampa film festivals, including the Saints and Sinners film festivals, and the missing Halloween Horror Picture Shows.
I have a lot of work to do, especially when cataloguing every Tampa Film Review film festival (although there should be 60 of them, I figure that the total is somewhere between 50 and 60, which is very respectable). The Tampa Film Review guide will list each TFR film festival and the films, and will link to the full film festival reviews on Crazed Fanboy.
That's nothing. Wait until you see the extensive coverage of all of my film festivals and underground film festivals.
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Monday, September 28, 2009 - 7:41 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Happy With Our Progress
It takes time to build something great, something that will make a difference, and something that will last. Has anyone checked the search engines lately? I just did, and I am very happy with what I have found. The results also help explain the record-setting levels of web site traffic to the array of Tampa Bay Film sites. By the time I get around to making my indie films, my online marketing and promotional assets will be unstoppable. They already dominate over the efforts of competitors, and new sites such as Tampa Film Community, Tampa Film Festivals, and Tampa Film Conference are already being indexed by the search engines. My efforts have only just begun, too. Obviously, I am not stopping. I am expanding work into my Tampa Bay Film sites. I just obtained approval from my senior staff to invest a lot more time and money into these efforts, too. I think that I have proven that I am determined, and that we will eventually succeed with our plans. The economy is working in our favor, too, weakening competitors while we increase our efforts, and this is possible because we operate leaner. We are smarter.
Right now, I am busy working on my Tampa Bay Modeling site, which is the top modeling resource in Tampa and Florida; those who want to see a glimpse of the future only have to look at my other sites, which set standards and have the best web traffic in their fields. I accomplish this, too, without having to spend any money with advertisers. Content is king, and thousands upon thousands read, and learn from, the content on my sites.
Once Tampa Bay Modeling is upgraded in preparation for its 5 year anniversary on October 18 (Tampa Bay Film will celebrate 3 years in January 2010, so it is two years behind Tampa Bay Modeling; this is why Tampa Bay Modeling is an indicator of the future, and a conservative one at that once you factor in the much greater competition in the modeling industry, and the fact that we have many times the resources put into Tampa Bay Film. The Tampa Bay Film sites are going to be HUGE, and are already the dominant voice of Tampa indie film. I'm actually quite good at investing in the future, as I have a very detailed, and educated, plan. I also have the experience and the skills to pull it off), we will be upgrading the Tampa Bay Film sites to Super Raptors in October. Once that is done, I will be taking November and December to finish my Frontier 4 novel, as it is about six weeks from being completed. I started Frontier 4 in 1989, so it's been in the works for a while; I am now on my seventh, and final, draft. After Frontier 4, I will be prepping for the sequel, which is also close to being finished (the treatment, and the story, is done), and then will be working on a non-fiction book, Advanced Model. Advanced Model will turn the modeling industry upside down, and will prove to be extremely controversial, as well as revolutionary; I have been proving, and testing, many of the ideas and concepts in that book for the past eight years. Ironically, I have a book deal for Advanced Model, but not for Frontier 4. In 2010, with a science fiction novel and a modeling industry book under my belt, I will be spending a lot of time on various literary projects, including short stories (check out my short stories The Point , which will become one of my short films very soon, and Born Beautiful, which is a two-story series about a model and her modeling career. Born Beautiful, as well as more modeling fiction, will be featured in my Advanced Model book), short film screenplays (I have many short films to make in the next two years. I also wrote a screenplay for a feature film with the help of my friend, writer Rachel Eaglin. This was the screenplay for the original Reverence Feature Film, which will not be produced, and has little in common with my upcoming Reverence short film), and other projects. Obviously, something will have to give with all of this writing and filmmaking going on, so once I get my web sites to where I need them to be, updates will be slower. My blogs will also see far fewer updates, as I will not have much time to write books online when I have more serious writing to do. Ah.... more stories and novels. I really am looking forward to writing a new Brandon Gangs novel. Brandon Gangs was my first novel, written in 1984 as The Adventures Of The Riverview Gang (silly title, I know, and so was the story. I finished it, however). I worked on a reboot in the early 1990's, rebranding it Brandon Gangs. That draft was very popular with my test readers, so I will take most of that story and update it with lots of new stuff. Additionally, I want to rework City Scene, my first published story series, and will probably be rebranding that property. City Scene was, and is, about underground street racing, something that my brother knows more about at this point than I do. Oh, and I may also be working on a Frontier 4 spinoff, set in the world of 2020 (an alternate 2020, as it is now clear that the actual 2020 will not be as advanced as the one that I have created). I've spent many years building a believable, detailed world and technology for Frontier 4, so I intend to get the most mileage out of all that background material.
It is really ironic. Some bloggers are fans of books and film. I'm more of a professional critic than a fan, and a big advantage that I have is that I actually create as well as review and cover.
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Sunday, September 20, 2009 - 9:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Bay Film Upgrades, HHPS 2009, and Reviewing Tampa Indie Film
These are exciting times. Remarkable, even. Let us begin.
Tampa
Bay Film Upgrades
I’ve been going over site code this weekend, and have decided to
begin building an enhanced version of my tried-and-true, proven Raptor
3 site designs. All eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites (including this
Tampa Film Blog) will be converted into new Super Raptors.
I need to make the most of my web site layout real estate.
The normal Raptor 3 has an eight button menu on the left, and ads on the
right. I used to have third-party ads on the
right, but decided to part ways with the advertising program due to meager
payouts. With the traffic that I was giving their advertisers, they were
grossly underpaying (also, on my modeling sites, I kept getting complaints
that ads for modeling scams were showing up on the sites). So, I put my
own ads on there, and began turning my resource sites into online marketing
platforms for my photography and professional services companies.
Tampa Bay Modeling and Tampa Bay Acting will remain, for now, Raptor 3
formats (I already have a lot to do in the next few weeks for Tampa Bay
Modeling because their five year anniversary as a modeling industry-changing
top modeling resource site is in October). The Tampa Bay Film sites, on
the other hand, are a completely different story. These sites are exploding
in size, and the Raptor 3 design is not enough to handle all the menu
options and site cross-linking.
Super Raptors have a dual menu layout. At first glance, they look like
a Raptor 3, but have double menus. What used to be ads on the right will
be replaced my a menu system which has an identical design to the menu
system on the left. The result will be twice the menu capacity, from 8
menu options to 16, and 7 of those menu buttons will lead to the other
Tampa Bay Film sites, which in turn link back from their Super Raptor
menus, making one massive super site made up of the eight Tampa Bay Film
sites. When done, my readers can seamlessly navigate among the eight sites
in the Tampa Bay Film network just as if it were one site.
This will make Tampa Bay Film and the array of Tampa Bay Film sites in
the network the largest independent film resource in Florida. The Super
Raptor format will lend itself well to sites like the Tampa Bay Film Online
Film Festival, too, with the dual menus giving it a balanced, movie theater
look. The evolution is complete, for now.
There’s more, too.
I’m not going to stop advertising my services on my Tampa Bay Film
sites. What used to be on my ads will be converted to menu items. I will
have a photography section selling photography services directly from
each web site, much like Tampa Bay Modeling and Tampa Bay Acting is doing,
and will have a services section selling event planning, design, web design,
and advertising services (I am licensed for all of this, and own the top
Tampa companies offering these services). My online real estate will be
maximized for efficiency and effectiveness.
The web sites for Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival,
the Tampa Film Showcase, Tampa Film Review, Tampa Film Blog, Tampa Film
Festivals, Tampa Film Conference, and Tampa Film Community will be fully
operational Super Raptors by the end of the year. The online film festival
will be the first converted, followed by Tampa Bay Film, and then the
others, which includes this Tampa Film Blog (I am looking to upgrade the
Tampa Film Blog before, or, at least, by October 2009 to increase my advantage
over aspiring competitors; aspiring competitors who, in my qualified opinion,
do not have the best interests of Tampa indie film and Tampa indie filmmakers
in mind).
There’s more, too. I have at least two, and maybe even more, indie
film-relevant sites coming in the future. I am looking at investing in,
and launching, international online film festival, indie film resources,
and film festival web sites. These sites, which will be in English (since
that is the only language that I know. I may be a genius polymath, but
a gift for languages is not something that I have. I am very, very good
with English, however), and which will focus on indie film in the United
States, will lead into the Tampa Bay Film sites.
Why am I doing all of this? Allow me to summarize for those of you with
short attention spans.
1. To actually help Tampa filmmakers, and help Tampa indie film to be respected. Yes, unlike those idiots who claim to help, but who secretly have other motives that are not in the best interest of Tampa filmmakers (such as the high-profile Tampa filmmaker who sold us out to become the token fool- er, Tampa filmmaker - on the board of a large Tampa film festival; a film festival which, in the opinion of many, does not have the best interests of Tampa filmmakers in their agenda).
2. Some of the ideas which will be introduced to the Tampa indie film scene will revolutionize independent film as a whole, and this is something that I am determined to demonstrate, and prove (what I have published so far is nothing compared to what I am working on. I have a lot going on that I have not disclosed, and some of those efforts are classified as trade secrets, and will not be revealed until I am in the position to utilize them myself). Those ideas will infect indie film worldwide, and make the Tampa indie film market not only highly respected, but a leader in indie film worldwide. The future of indie film starts here in Tampa, believe it or not. What are those ideas? All in due time. Let’s just say that they’ve already been proven to work. They work, they are effective, and they will change our world. A prelude of the future? Look at the inability of the Tampa indie film clique to compete with what I have already unleashed upon the market. They are outclassed in every way, and even ganging up on me, they are not competition. Not even close. In my opinion, some of these people need to go back to school and learn things. Unfortunately, you cannot learn talent, or creativity, which few of these idiots have.
3. I am working building a professional indie film community in the Tampa indie film scene, a think tank of talented filmmakers, and an esteemed reputation which will inspire film distributors to come to Tampa Bay looking for films to buy, NOT for Hollywood to come here and use us as a location while undermining Tampa filmmaking. There is a difference. Thank God that I am not alone in this effort. Tampa filmmakers such as Chris Woods, the Andy’s, and Shelby are exactly what the Tampa indie film scene needs to make this happen. We will be getting more filmmakers like them, and we are going to need them.
4. I have my own interests in mind, too, although none of my interests conflict with the interests of Tampa filmmakers as a whole (how many of the others can attest to this, and prove it?). Filmmaking is going to be a critical part of my future, and my career. I’m investing in that future. By the time I begin making my indie films, I will command the most effective indie film marketing and promotional platforms in this market. This includes Tampa film festivals. Everything that I am building, I intend to utilize; if it’s good enough for me, then it will benefit all Tampa filmmakers. I’m not taking any shortcuts, or short changing, a thing. These are all front-line tools, and will be extremely effective.
5. Some
of you may be wondering why I am creating, and building, so many different
film festival properties. The reason is that the current Tampa film festivals
are flawed, boring, and ineffective. Some of them intentionally do not
support Tampa filmmakers or filmmaking in Tampa Bay (although
they all go out and try to convince Tampa filmmakers to “volunteer”
to help. The filmmakers have no idea that they are helping to attract
their competition here, and that the environment that they are helping
to make will make it much more difficult to make, market, and promote
Tampa films). My people and I will take this market and transform it to
one where Tampa filmmakers benefit, while undermining the effectiveness
of those who work to sell out Tampa filmmakers and loot the Tampa indie
film scene of every resource. The film festival market in Tampa is going
to become ours, and it is for the good of Tampa filmmaking. Additionally,
I am sick and tired of the false modesty, the misleading spin, and the
fake charity crap infesting most Tampa film festivals and their organizers.
Film festivals are events, and event planning is a business. Never forget
that. I will be offering services. Those services are a business. My services
will be to promote and market Tampa indie film and to assist Tampa filmmakers,
something which almost no one is doing right now.
I wouldn’t shed a tear if the competition that I bring to the market
is the cause of some film festivals, such as The Gasparilla International
Film Festival, to lose most of their market, or to go out of business
altogether. Has anyone noticed what the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival
did to a monthly film festival? Where is the film festival now? They were
not up to the challenge that I brought to the market, and neither will
these other Tampa film festivals. What I’ve accomplished so far
I did with an online film festival. Can you imagine what’s going
to happen when I begin flooding the market with advanced, effective, and
fun film festival events?
This said, I have no desire to have a monopoly on the Tampa film festival
market. I only want to set the standard for what Tampa film festivals
could be, and should be. If there are other Tampa film festivals which
support Tampa filmmakers and the Tampa indie film scene, I will gladly
support them, too!
Halloween Horror Picture Show 2009 Rebrand
My Halloween Horror Picture
Show 2009 underground film festival will no longer be branded Halloween
Horror Picture Show 2009. It will be called the Halloween Drive-In underground
film festival.
First off, it’ll be in a car, which has nothing to do with HHPS.
It’s quite different. Secondly, branding it that will mess with
my review indexes on Tampa Film Review. People will be reading the reviews
for Halloween Horror Picture Show 2007 and 2009, and then will get very
confused when they click next and start reading the one for 2009 (for
the record, I am going back and will be publishing official reviews for
Halloween Horror Picture Show’s 2003, 2004, 2005- which I attended,
and 2006. This will give a complete history of the film festival series,
and, like The Tampa Film Review film festival series, I will even write
up a review of the series as a whole, with film programs, the story behind
its inception, and the overall life cycle details). Third, Rick Danford
owns the rights to the HHPS name, and it would not be right to simply
assume it, even if it is a protest. Additionally, I do consider Danford
to be my friend, even if he isn’t returning my calls for some reason.
I am assuming that someone spread some sort of made up lie to him, and
he’s mad at me for something that I did not do. So, yes, I’m
very annoyed with him right now, but it is no reason to jump on the “let’s
slam Rick Danford” bandwagon that a few others are on. Some may
claim that I have an agenda to slam Tampa filmmakers, but this is far
from the_truth. I merely call things as I see them, which happens to be
how they are most of the time. Danford has done a lot of good for Tampa
indie film, and his latest films have been quite good. Still, I am quite
disappointed with him for giving up on the Halloween Horror Picture Show
(which it looks like he has), as it has (had) so much potential. If I
could go back in time, I would be more than happy to attend each and every
one of the HHPS film festivals. They were a lot of fun!
This said, the Tampa indie film scene shares blame, too. The 2007 Halloween
Horror Picture Show, which was turbocharged as “Halloweenapalooza”,
was Danford’s most ambitious Halloween Horror Picture Show, and
he did a lot of work on that film festival, having it at a top notch venue
like Channelside, too. The low turnout would have been discouraging for
anyone, and people being jerks toward Danford over silly personal issues
was just unprofessional, and it is evidence to support my opinion that
Tampa does not have a film community.
When I covered the Halloween Horror Picture Show film festivals, Danford
was always cool with me, and even had me on his press list each and every
time! I can’t say that for many of the other Tampa film festivals
that I have been to.
So, Danford, if you are reading this, I am sorry if I came off like a
jerk on here. I am simply frustrated, and disappointed, because there
doesn’t seem to be a Halloween Horror Picture Show for 2009, and
it looks like your fun film festival series is finally over. I also get
annoyed when people don’t return my calls (especially when I did
not do anything to deserve the lack of courtesy), so it’s my fault
for getting angry over all of this. Oh, and Danford, if the reason for
the lack of communication is because someone told you anything, do not
believe them. Some people in the Tampa indie film scene have a history
of lying and making up stories. I honestly did not do anything to you,
and was always supportive of you!
Of course, I’m still protesting. I will note in my coverage of the
Halloween Drive-In (God, I hate hyphens in titles) underground film festival,
and we will even have a moment of silence, with the DVD player screen
faded to black, in memory of the adventure that was the Halloween Horror
Picture Show. I am sure that at least one of the models in attendance
will shed a tear.
Come on! I know that I am not the only one upset that the Halloween Horror
Picture Show seems to be over! Why am I the only one telling the world
how I feel?!?!? I know many others care, too! Do you care, or am I the
only one?
Reviewing Tampa Indie Film
My Tampa
Film Review web site was originally supposed to be a lead-in
index for my review on Tampa Bay Film. Well, I am now upgrading this Tampa
Bay Film support site to a fully operational Super Raptor class web site,
and all of the reviews on Tampa Bay Film will be updated, and then moved
to Tampa Film Review.
From now on, any reviews of Tampa film festivals, Tampa films, Tampa indie
film events, Tampa film premiers, Tampa filmmakers, Tampa indie film production
companies, Tampa film web sites, Tampa film venues, Tampa film publications,
Tampa film bloggers, or anything else Tampa indie film-relevant will be
published on Tampa Film Review under the Tampa Bay Film logo, referenced
from the Tampa Bay Film site and other Tampa Bay Film sites.
It’s time to keep content in its relevant place.
My two upcoming reviews of the TFR (TFR 2009 and TFR 2004-2009; the complete
guide and historical reference) will be published on Tampa Bay Film’s
Tampa Film Review site (I will be out getting pictures for these reviews
this week, FYI). All future Tampa film festival reviews will be published
there. So will the indie film reviews of films like Bloody
Mary, The Pledge, The Web Of Darkness, Live Evil, Alarum, Milk Crate Scars,
The Dance, Life Is A Circus, 99, 100 Tears, The Perpetual Life: Kyle Cooper,
The Quiet Place, Bleed, To Live Is To Die, Spaventare, The End Is Blossoming,
Filthy, Actress Apocalypse, Brainjacked, Excrement 7- Oh,
I mean, Experiment 7, and many others, such
as titles that I forgot to list. Even my films, starting with Reverence,
and even my online “television” series, such as Frontier
View, will be reviewed. There will also be reviews on
films playing on the online film festival, such as The
Dirty Bomb Diaries (which is awesome, by the way)! I
will also be reviewing many films submitted to my array of Tampa film
festivals, once they are operational.
Filmmakers, I only ask that you extend me the courtesy of submitting screener
copies of your films. I will be reviewing them with, or without, your
cooperation. I will state that I will be fair and objective, and it is
not my agenda to nit pick films and to slam them. If I think that your
film is good, I will say so, and I will go into the details that support
my assessment. If I think that the film is bad, I will say that, and go
into the reasons, too. I will be unbiased. As an example, I think that
the short film Perpetual
Life: Kyle Cooper is awesome and professionally done,
even though Paul Guzzo wrote it, and his brother Pete Guzzo directed.
Despite the fact that the Guzzo brothers and I do not see eye to eye,
I will be unbiased, and objective, and state my opinion: that film is
one of the best short films ever made in Tampa Bay. The Kyle Cooper short
will obviously get a good review, because it is a good film.
If I were not fair and objective, what would my credibility as a reviewer,
a critic, and as a writer be? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t
want to read biased writing which serves as propaganda, as I wouldn’t
read such crap, either. I wouldn’t be fair to my readers if I didn’t
tell it how it was, and didn’t voice my opinions. That’s why
online publications like this Tampa Film Blog will always be better than
other online film publications. I respect my readers, and tell it how
it is instead of kissing ass or hyping crap. Any writer who is way too
nice to everyone and who promotes most of what they cover, instead of
being fair and objective, is not a good writer at all. Those writers also
insult the intelligence of their readers, and disrespect their readers.
They annoy me. We don’t need spineless writers who behave like PR
spinsters. We need real writers who can report on what is really going
on, and will objectively cover things, as well as voice their opinions
and tell it how it is.
At any rate, going back to reviewing films, I will be reviewing every
indie film that I can get my hands on, regardless of how I obtain them.
If I get screeners, I’ll review the film, and note, I my review,
that the filmmaker submitted a screener. If I have to go out of my way
to buy a film, then I will also fairly review it, without bias. I will
also note, in my review, that I had to buy the film, and if the filmmakers
refused to cooperate for some reason, I will also note that.
IF I HAVE TO BUY ANY FILM, I will buy it used, so no one makes any money
from the purchase. Old retail trick, and I do not believe in anyone profiting
when I have a job to do. I’d much rather them make it easy on all
of us and send me a screener.
After all, look at the free publicity that I can give your films, especially
if it’s a good film. My Tampa Bay Film sites are the voice of Tampa
indie film, and I am working hard to ensure that Tampa Bay Film is the
authority on Tampa indie film.
With the dominance of Tampa Bay Film, and the high readership that will
only increase, it’s going to be hard for any filmmaker to ignore
the site. Besides, wouldn’t it be sad if, in the near future, I
decided not to cover, and review, a Tampa film festival or film because
I had better ones to attend to?
Oh, and before I go and work on the online film festival, I have one more
thing to report. Starting in 2010, I will be aggressively covering Tampa
film festivals and indie film premiers with teams of people who will be
with me on behalf of Tampa Bay Film. We will cover the events, and film
interviews, etc. That’s something to look forward to.
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Friday, September 18, 2009 - 8:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
More Tampa Bay Film News For Fall 2009
Another week, and more Tampa Bay Film news and news about the Tampa indie film scene. I have some time to kill this morning, because I have to get ready for a modeling shoot tomorrow, so I can write... a lot (it would make sense if you knew my schedule).
Tampa
Underground Film Festivals Ready To Debut
News about.... my Tampa underground film festivals! First up is the Halloween
Horror Picture Show 2009 
underground
film festival, which will be held on location at some secret
Tampa Bay beach on Sunday, October 25, 2009 (no offense, Danford, but
I had to do something!). It is invitation only, of course, and not open
to the public. It will also be held in my car. The attendees will consist
of myself and three to four others. I may even have a special guest, too,
who will be appropriate for Halloween. I have the details worked out (and
we will even have official film festival programs, something that I always
encouraged Danford to do with past Halloween Horror Picture Show film
festivals, but which he never did it). The only thing that I have to do
if figure out a safe way to mount my DVD player near or on the front dash
of the car without damaging it, causing it to fall, and also so it will
be easily viewable from the back seat and the front seats.
We will drive around to use the restroom and to get snacks (although all
movie viewing will be done parked). We might even move around to several
beaches.
Fun, fun.
Halloween Horror Picture Show 2009 will be my first underground
film festival out of the gate, but I have another one due in November.
The first Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival
will debut, we’ll have it in the living room at a home in a Tampa
Bay location, and we could have as many as 20 guests, rivaling the audience
of some small film festivals such as more than a few Tampa Film Review
film festival events that I can recall.
The second Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival should
debut in late December 2009, or January 2010. That underground film festival
gathering will focus on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival,
and a group of industry professionals will review the online film festival
for 2009. We will hook up a computer to a large television, and watch
the films on the online film festival that way.
Each underground film festival, of course, will be covered and reviewed
just like any Tampa film festival would be covered by a Tampa Bay Film
team. In the world of exposure, this will raise the profile of the underground
film festivals to the level that the largest Tampa film festivals have
(especially since Tampa Bay Film and my Tampa Bay Film sites are the most-read
Tampa indie film sites). To anyone reading the coverage and watching the
media coverage, it will be difficult to tell that the event was an underground
film festival, and not a conventional Tampa film festival.
I will say this much: The underground film festivals will have some of
the features of the largest film festivals (you’ll see what I’m
talking about), even the ones that are in the car, such as Halloween
Horror Picture Show 2009. They will all be better, and much more
fun, than even the best events of The Tampa Film Review!
Alright. Changing subject. It is time for a public service announcement:
SAVE
TAMPA INDIE FILM!
Keep Tampa Indie Film Independent.
Just
say “no” to government involvement and outside production
companies using the Tampa Bay area as a movie production location. Tax
dollars are not worth it at the expense of Tampa filmmaking! Don’t
allow the special brand of Tampa indie film to become diluted and drowned
out by outside interests and competition!
Don’t sell out! Tampa filmmakers need to invest in themselves, and
in each other!
What can Tampa
filmmakers do? Don’t support or promote any government organization,
film organization, filmmaker, or film festival which has the agenda of
marketing Tampa Bay as a production location to outside production companies.
Tampa filmmakers do not need Hollywood to come in and save us, or Hollywood
to come to Tampa to create a “Hollywood East”. It won’t
happen; the locusts will come and compete with Tampa indie filmmakers
for resources and media coverage.
Tampa filmmakers need to take a stand! We need to stand on our own two
feet, and work together to form our own Hollywood East. In the opinion
of many, Tampa indie films and Tampa filmmakers are not respected, or
supported, by large Tampa film festivals or indie film-relevant government
organizations, regardless of what they say. Words are cheap, and you are
defined by what your actions are. You cannot trust, or support, anyone
who’s actions betray their words.
Tampa filmmakers have the talent, and the skill, to turn the Tampa Bay
market into a Hollywood East that will demand respect and attention from
the entertainment industry. Tampa filmmakers are going to look to themselves,
and to each other, to make it happen!
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Saturday, September 12, 2009 - 9:42 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
This Rain Sucks
@#%$#^%$#^%$ rain!!!! I had to shoot in a studio today, my feet got wet slogging through a flooded parking lot, and I didn't get much sleep. I also had to reschedule a modeling shoot that was set for tomorrow morning and day. Next weekend is now booked solid. Hope the turnout at the Brainjacked screening was good. Tweet.
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Friday, September 11, 2009 - 9:00 AM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
The Circle Is Complete
Do I have news? I always have
news for my Tampa indie film stalk- er, I mean, “followers”.
Although I am deep in model land right now doing a lot of photography
and prepping modeling resource site job boards, I’ve had a little
time to spend on my Tampa indie film endeavors.
Just not enough time to attend any Tampa film festivals. More on that,
however, in a bit.
I just bought and activated two more Tampa indie film sites. That brings
the total Tampa Bay Film sites to eight, and I’m done for now. Tampa
Bay Film may be the main site, but the actual Tampa Bay Film array consists
of eight main sites, each with their own domain name. You all know that
I last bought Tampa Film Festivals, and will be using that as a site for
all of my conventional and underground film festival properties (If I
did not, I’d end up with a lot more sites, and I figured that a
fleet of eight would be more manageable). The last two added to the fleet?
Tampa Film Community and Tampa Film Conference.
Although the two latest sites are not presently that useful, I consider
them to be an investment toward the future. Tampa Film Community will
be a resource and networking site for the Tampa film community, when one
is finally established (there is no Tampa film community currently, and
most of us realize this; if there were, then the large Tampa film festivals
would actually support Tampa filmmakers, and Tampa films would be nationally
respected. This is still a way off). Ahem.... I explained more about this
on the Tampa Film Community site.
The final site in my puzzle is Tampa Film Conference. The Tampa Film Conference
is not a film festival, but will be a regular event series for the Tampa
Film Community. Obviously, there will have to be an established Tampa
film community before we can have a conference for filmmakers. The plan?
I’ll share just a little now.
1. I work on more photography shoots and events to obtain the money and equipment that I need for filmmaking. This is working well right now with my photography business, and I haven’t had a chance to do much with my event planning company- yet. The events come next year.
2. I make a series of short films that prove some revolutionary ideas. Yes, I am going to prove that every one of my claims have been right. I should be able to do these films in early 2010.
3. I begin deploying Tampa film festival properties to show those films and to support the films of Tampa filmmakers. These numerous film festivals will destabilize and undermine the large Tampa film festivals which do not have the best interests of Tampa filmmakers in mind. They should prove to be strong competition for those film festivals. This will further help Tampa filmmakers and prevent other interests from stalling progress in the Tampa inde film scene. Other interests? An example? Do you really think that the film commission wants Tampa filmmakers to succeed? In my opinion, they are all about money and bringing money into the local economy, not supporting local filmmakers. The film commission wants to attract big production companies here to use Tampa Bay as a filmmaking location, and trust me, this is not good for Tampa filmmaking. How would you like it if you had outside competition here who had little interest in giving jobs to local talent, and who competed with local filmmakers for resources? How will you get the media to pay attention to your films when they pay attention to Hollywood instead? The film commission, in my opinion, also, uses certain large Tampa film festivals to further their true cause, by advertising Tampa as a filmmaking location. Those film festivals do not support Tampa filmmaking, despite their claims and their public relations spin. I plan on dealing with those cancerous film festivals, and should be able to put them out of business eventually. Yes, those film festival and shady interests are a cancer to the Tampa indie film scene, and I am not at all happy about the large group of IDIOTS who blindly support and promote their efforts. I am not a cowardly follower like those idiots. I think for myself, and know things for what they are. I am also more than capable of addressing these issues, and have a growing army of professionals supporting my efforts. In my opinion, all Tampa filmmakers are not idiots- just the few who make up the vocal majority. It’s kind of hard to respect sheep..........
4. Once those new ideas are infused into the Tampa indie film scene, we can work together toward establishing the first Tampa film community. According to the projections from my people, the Tampa film community will be established in the wreckage of what is going on now. Yes, the phoenix shall rise from the ashes of failed efforts and shady politics. Also, please keep in mind that the use of the words “wreckage” and “ashes” are metaphors, and not to be taken literally (it is really sad that I have to clarify what I mean here, because there are a lot of idiots out there who cannot comprehend much, and take everything literally). I am not making threats, and will not do anything illegal or unethical. It’s just that what is around now cannot continue in the wake of what we will be doing. We are smarter, more experienced, will introduce revolutionary ideas that work, and these better ideas will effectively disrupt the games and the shady politics of fools. For starters, I am very serious about taking on these film festivals with an array of superior film festivals. I intend to put them out of business through competition, and at the very least, they will take a financial and a box office hit as a result of our efforts.
5. Once the Tampa film community
is established, the Tampa Film Conference series will begin. The Tampa
Film Conference will facilitate the exchange of ideas between Tampa filmmakers.
It will also enhance communication between members of the film community.
That’s all I can say for now.
The Tampa Bay Film
web sites
Some of you out there who like to watch everything that I do and talk
about it among your Passinault fan groups will eventually figure this
out, so I might as well detail it here. All of these web sites, even the
ones which have not officially launched, are not online and active. Here
are the eight Tampa Bay Film web sites, and what their purpose is. Take
a look, and marvel, at the beginning of the future of the Tampa indie
film scene!
Tampa
Bay Film
The main web site. Tampa Bay Film is a free resource for Tampa filmmakers
and the Tampa indie film scene. It is the voice of Tampa indie film. Tampa
Bay Film interconnects with the other seven Tampa indie film sites. It
features, and is directly linked to, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival.
The online film festival used to be a direct part of Tampa Bay Film, but
the second generation online film festival is now a stand-alone web site
interconnected with Tampa Bay Film.
Tampa
Bay Film Online Film Festival
It’s ironic that the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is a better
Tampa indie film promotional platform than all of the Tampa film festival
events combined. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is very popular.
It is always open, with lots of people watching films at any given moment
(yes, even right now, as you read this!). Virtually, it has higher
"attendance" and film viewing numbers than all of the Tampa
film festival events, including the big ones, combined.
Yes, combined! The Gasparilla International Film Festival, combined with
every single Tampa film festival throughout the year, have tiny numbers
compared to what they online film festival is doing, and we have the stats
to prove our claim.
The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is a very important film festival
property, and it will continue to be. The next three generations of the
online film festival are currently in development (we are now only on
the second). The fifth generation will be truly revolutionary, and will
be designed to be an alternative to film festival events (well, except
for mine, of course). Another online film festival is also currently in
development, and it will not be locked geographically to Tampa. The other
online film festival, which should be based on fifth generation online
film festival specifications, will be national and international.
I love the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. I often just kick back
and chill out while I watch the plethora of indie films and music videos
on it, just like thousands of others do. I'm not just the owner, designer,
and director, I am also one of the many people who sit back and watch
films on the online film festival.
Oh, and the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will begin to have exclusive indie films and indie film series playing on the online film festival next year, including the indie films, and indie film series, Joe The Actor, The Adventures of DJ Wiz Kid, The TFR Goes Green, The Guzzle Bros, She Wants To Be A Reporter, and Petey and Polly (written, directed, and produced by myself, of course). I'm also working on some rather unique indie film projects that are entirely dependent upon an online film festival format, and could not be executed effectively at a conventional film festival event, although I will introduce them at some of my Tampa film festivals. It seems that the inherent design and format of an online film festival works very well for certain types of experimental films, most of which have never been done in Tampa Bay, or even perhaps anywhere else. Stay tuned!
Tampa
Film Blog
You are now here (picture huge arrow hovering over your computer monitor
and pointing down at it), the best Tampa indie film blog and the best,
and most comprehensive, source of information on the Tampa indie film
scene (you will not have to endure politics, cheerleading, and endless,
spin less bouts of ass-kissing, here). The Tampa Film Blog, as you already
know, is doing quite well, with the highest readership and the best information
of any Tampa indie film site or blog. On the Tampa Film Blog, you can
find out how it really is with the Tampa indie film scene. In the near
future, the Tampa Film Blog will be upgraded to a full Raptor Class
web site, with a layout like Tampa Bay Film. Professional Tampa filmmakers
and other professionals in the Tampa indie film scene will also be permitted
to publish blog entries here.
My array of other blogs will see similar upgrades, mirroring the site
layouts and receiving site class upgrades matching the sites that they
are most associated with, for the most part.
Tampa
Film Showcase
This will be the backbone of my Tampa film festival properties, and once
it begins, it will have the most activity of them all. The Tampa Film
Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series
will tie into all my other film festival properties. It will be a monthly
film festival event, professionally done by my event planning company.
As a monthly Tampa film festival and networking event, it will not only
address what was wrong with past failed monthly film festivals like The
Tampa Film Review, but will be much, much more. The Tampa Film Showcase
will be the first monthly film festival and professional networking event
series by professionals, for professionals.
The Tampa Film Showcase is one of my few film festival properties which
will have its own stand-alone web site. The reason for this will be made
apparent after the Tampa Film Showcase begins operations, and the site
fully activates, beginning full-scale operations. Some of those features
are currently secret (because some people in the Tampa indie film scene
prove time and time again that they are unethical enough to steal ideas
from me), and will only be revealed after the Tampa Film Showcase debuts.
Tampa
Film Festivals
Oh, my.... this is going to get good. Tampa Film Festivals will be the
primary marketing, and operating, web site for my Tampa film festival
properties. At the time of this writing, that's over four Tampa film festival
properties, plus at least ten different stand-alone Tampa film festival
events and indie film premiers. Tampa Film Festivals will also be the
web site for my underground film festival properties. It will also serve
as a free online resource for Tampa film festivals in general. I love
it!
Tampa
Film Review
This is not an attempt to rip off the name of The Tampa Film Review (a
failed monthly film festival which is no longer in business). Tampa Film
Review is an online compendium of reviews of the Tampa indie film scene,
indexing reviews of Tampa films, film festivals, production companies,
events, and much more. Tampa Film Review will eventually have a design
and layout much like Tampa Bay Film, and will feature reviews of Tampa
film festivals (I will be adding to the current Tampa film festival reviews
on Tampa Bay Film and will be moving them to Tampa Film Review later this
year. The two new reviews for The Tampa Film Review
will be published on Tampa Film Review, and not directly on Tampa Bay
Film, ironically enough), indie films (Mmmmmmm..... I can't wait to review
The Quiet Place, 99
and Excrement- I mean, Experiment
7 - LOL, I wish that I could take credit for that witty
pun, but it didn't come from me.....), Tampa indie film events, Tampa
indie film production companies, Tampa indie filmmakers, and more (I am
even profile actors who act in Tampa indie films, such as Joe
Davison, who, in my qualified opinion, delivered an acting
performance which served as the all-time low point of 100
Tears, and there are lots of review out there which agree
with me on that point; Joe, in my qualified opinion as a professional
casting director, is an actor with questionable acting ability. Other
than that, I like 100 Tears, and will be giving
it a good review soon) links to articles, coverage, and information on
Tampa Bay Film and other Tampa Bay Film sites.
Tampa
Film Conference
The Tampa Film Conference is an upcoming Tampa indie film “think
tank” event series by Tampa Bay Film and my event planning company.
Don’t expect it to debut until we have an established Tampa film
community, which brings us to.......
Tampa
Film Community
Tampa Film Community is a resource web site for the future Tampa film
community. For now, it is an online resource which kindly explains why
we don’t have a Tampa indie film community, and what’s wrong
with the Tampa indie film scene, which currently prevents a film community
from being established. In the future, once a Tampa film community is
established, it may be expanded as a fully featured professional networking
site as well (kind of like the Tampa Film Network, but with more advanced
features).
That’s just the tip of
the proverbial iceberg, too. As you can see, I have made substantial investments
into Tampa Bay Film and the future of the Tampa indie film scene (Nolan
Canova remarked that owning all of these web sites is expensive, but believe
me when I say that I can easily afford it. I do, after all, have substantial
business resources with the ability to make as much money as I require).
There are eight main sites. I’m also launching hundreds of support
resources throughout the Internet. A year from now, the results should
be fun. I can see the idiots in the Tampa indie film scene cursing at
me now.
Sigh.... I suppose that I must now do my part to support the few good
things going on in the Tampa indie film scene. The University
of Tampa is having their Black Box Film Festival
starting today (I actually think that “Black Box” is a cool
film festival name, by the way. Chris Woods told me that “Black
Box” was a room for University of Tampa television courses, so that’s
where the name came from, and he would know, as he graduated from there).
Tomorrow, September 12, The Film Ranch (Heh
heh... I can't help but visualize a huge ranch with cool indie films,
which look like little cows, which are grazing on the grass of the ranch
whenever I hear the name of this company. The two Andy's and Chris Woods
are cowboys, too, rounding up their films for the upcoming rodeos......
Jesus, I've been playing too much The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight
Princess, for the Nintendo Gamecube and the Wii, where Link
starts out as a cowboy on a ranch!) will be showing Brainjacked,
Filthy, and some other projects at the University
of Tampa. I suggest that everyone go, see Brainjacked,
and support them. I have not seen Brainjacked,
but I have heard from multiple sources that it is good. I have seen Andy
Lalino’s film Filthy, however, and it
is a work of genius. We need more indie films from Tampa film production
companies like The Film Ranch to put Tampa indie
film on the map, for sure.
Ah, what’s this? Another invitation to visit the set of a Tampa
indie film production? You know, it may seem that I am harsh when it comes
to Tampa indie films, but that’s not the case at all. While many
of them suck, quite a few (such as The Film Ranch’s
films) are good, and we need films like those to obtain respect for Tampa
indie film. If the films are flawed (and most of them are), I’ll
say so. If they are good, however, I’ll admit it. I call them as
I see them, and the way I see them is usually the way that they are. As
an example of another good Tampa indie film, I am a fan of the Tampa Bay
film Actress Apocalypse. It is a work of genius
(although my friend Chris Woods did not like the trailer for it. I suppose
that I will have to convince him to sit down and watch the film. Ahem...
I also have to get Chris Woods to sit down and play Zombies
Ate My Neighbors, which is an awesome game).
The invitations that I get, too, are from the good filmmakers. I suppose
that I shouldn’t focus so much on the negative aspects of the Tampa
indie film scene, but the issue is that there is a lot wrong with that
scene today. With the demise of such unhealthy film festivals like The
Tampa Film Review, however, things are improving.
Going back to the Black Box Film Festival at
the University of Tampa and the second showing
of Brainjacked, I can’t make it. I really
want to go and see this movie, but I am booked solid with shoots this
weekend. I have to do a photography shoot Saturday, and a second shoot,
a modeling shoot on Sunday. Sunday I will be shooting in Hillsborough,
as well as the Pinellas beaches. I’ve been cleaning and detailing
my car since yesterday in preparation for the shoots (one reason that
I bought that car was so that I could do shoots with it. The models love
it, and so do I). My weekend is full. I wonder if I could obtain a screener
for Brainjacked............
I will be doing a lot of modeling photography shoots this fall, and will
be spending a lot of time tied up in model land. In October, for example,
I have several photography projects with a lot of swimsuit models.
And with that, I take leave of all of you. See you soon.
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009 - 5:13 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Tampa Film Festivals Site Is Coming
Just a quick Tampa indie film-related note before I log off the net for the day and work on the studio lobby area (lots of wiring to do, and I have to clean the kitchen, as well as do maintenance on the designer aquariums- I have Ann's Betta in one tank, a cool red and deep-blue fish named Inferno, and he's feisty over the dropping water levels and a clogged filter. He keeps flaring his gill covers and chasing the school of Glowlight Tetras around the tank, and then extending his fins and strutting like a runway model at the front of the glass). I'm working on Tampa Bay Film's new, and upcoming, Tampa Film Festivals web site, which will be found at TampaFilmFestivals.Com. The site, once launched, will be a Raptor Class site like the ones at Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and the Tampa Film Showcase site. I'll be overhauling all of my blogs, too, upgrading them to site classes which match the main sites associated with them for continuity and navigation purposes. Tampa Film Festivals has some content up there right now, but it is no where near complete. Sadly, I won't have much time to work on it this week because I will be putting together a couple of cutting-edge Grail Class photography services marketing sites for my photography company (See my Tampa Photography Blog for more). Tampa Film Festivals, once launched, will be the main web site for ALL of my film festival properties (including the five film festival properties that I've been working on and all of the underground film festivals), and of those, only the Tampa Film Showcase has its own stand-alone web site. Tampa Film Festivals will also be a resource covering other Tampa film festivals, which include references to reviews, news, interviews, film festival coverage, and other information. Once launched, the main menus of Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and the Tampa Film Showcase will have navigation buttons that lead directly to Tampa Film Festivals. The upgraded Raptor Class Tampa Film Blog will also link to Tampa Film Festivals from its main menu. Tampa Bay Film and its array of Tampa indie film support sites are gearing up to the the go-to site network for any Tampa indie film information in the near future. Let's just say that our voice, our opinions, and our coverage will be the only thing that matters in the Tampa indie film scene, and that's how it should be.
I will be investing in 11 more domain names this year (bringing the number to 60). I will be buying one tonight. Of those, at least two will be Tampa indie film-relevant. You could say that we are building our own Tampa indie film Internet! I love it!
With all of the work that I am putting into film festivals, they will certainly be worth the wait. Gasparilla what? There will be no need to attend any other Tampa film festival after mine begin operating. We will set the standard for Tampa film festivals.
Oh, and speaking about Tampa film festivals, I will not be able to make the second screening of Brainjacked at the University of Tampa on September 12 (in all honesty, I'm kind of lukewarm over taking out the time to see Brainjacked with all of this other stuff going on, because I feel that the filmmakers are not that supportive, or enthusiastic, about me covering their film. I'm not going out of my way to cover the film, even though it is quite good, from what I hear. There will be other films to see, when I have the time to do so). I have modeling shoots booked that weekend, and I will be spending a lot of time making money photographing models for their portfolios. It's the end of summer, tool, and now that it has cooled down, I have a few swimsuit models to shoot for a project.
So, what about my indie films? I will be shooting my first short films in early 2010, and those will establish me as a filmmaker and prove many of my ideas. Yes, I have a lot of good ideas which have been proven to work in tests, and many of them will change the face of the Tampa indie film scene forever and (finally) put Tampa filmmakers on the map. It's just too bad that I don't feel that I can trust most Tampa filmmakers enough to share those ideas at this early stage of the game. After I am established, that will be the time for me to reconnect with Tampa filmmakers. Until then, I'm simply too busy to bother with them, and it's really their loss, now, isn't it?
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