Johnny come lately...

About a year ago there was a lot of noise from a certain casting director about a local film maker and his debut film.  She was throwing all her support behind the film trying to get it distribution.

Sometime later...I, by chance, attended an event that the writer, producer was also at.  We talked, he was doing the film festival thing and was on his way to London.  We exchanged cards and I went home and checked out his trailer online.  It was good, really, really good.

www.oxymoronsmovie.com

Meanwhile, I was working closely with a producer from LA and his creative director from NY to get one of my musician onto the soundtrack for his film.  I asked him for advice on distribution on the local filmakers film and sent him the link to the trailer.  He too, thought it was good and was interested in seeing the whole thing but could not promise help with distribution.

I requested copies of the movies one for me and one for the LA producer from the filmaker's business manager.  They only had one.  I took it home to watch it.

I emailed him this:

Johnny,

watching the movie.  Overall I think it was good.  The lighting and camera work was great as well as the sound.  The acting was also really good.  Johnny...you were excellent.

Weaker parts of the movie were that it lacks character development. There were some great lines between the brothers that made me want to hear more  "I love you, I'll bail you out" That is friggin classic and the whole antagonist thing between the cop and the Hickey brothers felt more like an underlying element rather then the main event.  Going forward, you may want to keep it in mind, or at the very least if you hear these same things again, speak with someone who can help develop your script with you.  Dave Pulson comes to mind.

Just my opinion. 

I know you know it's a good film.  Technically I think it is great.  It is acted it out well.  The storyline and character development could use a little something.  That I wasn't expecting. 

Let me process it all and get back to you.  I am already half way through the movie again, so I may just watch it one more time...

Talk to you soon. 

Deep down I thought...I can not believe I brought this LA producer in on this shit.  The LA producer was awaiting the copy of the movie.  So now I had decision, I could look incompetent by not sending the movie (in hindsight the better choice) or follow through and look like I have no idea about the basics of film making. Foolishly,  I sent the copy.  I did approach the film maker and his business partner about reediting or reshooting the film...they looked at me in disbelief, having read too much of their own press.

I was invited to their premier and I brought several friends that I knew would give me a real opinion.  I didn't have to wait long before hearing, "Who is that?  Why is he here?  I'm sorry, I'm lost".  The LA producer never responded to the movie I handed to him and I never got my musician into his film.  I do not think the the two are related.

Johnny has ended up in jail and that film community that supported him so much has turned on him quickly.  Saying he was out just to make a buck...uummm, yeah?!?  And if you were living in LA Johnny would be splashed all over the TMZ and his business manager would be figuring out how he could capitalize on the free PR.