IN PRE-PRODUCTION... WORKING WITH THE BSA IN DALLAS

The headquarters for the Boy Scouts of America is located in Irving, Texas and so I met with them and we talked about my film, The Last Eagle Scout.  At first, they were a little taken back by the storyline.  Then, they persisted to know whether I was a participator in scouting at all. I told them that I was Mormon and served with the scouts in one calling or another in the scouting program for the past 12 years. 

They said they held high regard for the church, especially during the turbulent times in court 8 years ago.  They officially chose not to support my project, but told me that they could not stop me from making my film.  Their only concern was that I represented the scouts with dignity.  I hope to do that.  

Obviously, the BSA are not in the film business.  I realized that when I sent them a script all marked up with all the references to the BSA, but they didn't even have time to read it.  My contact did say that if they watch the film and like it, they may think differently about supporting it.  To this, I totally understand.

So off to pre-production we go.  We officially have 2 months till shoot time.  I am nervous as I can be.  But eager to make this the best film I can.  I will do my best to take out the "pop" and focus on the filmmaking.

Our crew will be small so as to be able to move fast.  But the cast is large for an independent film.  60 speaking parts, several hundred extras, 23 shooting days and a lot of Advil.  Wish me luck.

MY LIFE WITH STAR TREK (NERD!)

I am pretty lucky that my birthday usually lands near the early summer, blockbuster movies.  This year, I had a little party at the new Cinemark theater in Orem with a few close friends, watching the new Star Trek movie.  (I would have invited all of you, but I was paying for it).  This new theater is all digital and has a party room.  It had movie memorabilia all around, cake and ice cream, and my faithful friend Paul Green got me all 4 Star Trek movie glasses from Burger King (whohoo!).  

Yes, I am a nerd.  I like Star Trek for the endless story possibilities, interesting characters and also ways to instantly see other societies that may never exist and how they solve problems.   

I never got into learning Klingon or memorize the stardate of each episode.  But I mostly got into Star Trek when I was 14, I was aimlessly looking at the phone directory of our church congregation and noticed someone with the last name "Roddenberry".  I couldn't figure for the life of me where I have seen that name before.  

Finally, while watching a re-run of Star Trek, I noticed the producer at the end of the credits read Gene Roddenberry.  I went to church and asked Tom Roddenberry if he was related.  He was his cousin and he knew him well enough, being that he grew up with him, to just call him out of the blue. 

Since I was already cementing my love for film by this age, I made up a reason for needing to talk to Gene.  I had a film class I was taking in High School (the only one ever in my part of South Texas), and I decided to do a paper on him.

To set this up, this all happened in 1982, right before Star Trek II was being released.

So, a date was set for me to receive his phone call.  I got home from school and the phone rang.  Weirdly, it was a woman named Susan Sackett.  The reason it's weird is that besides being Gene's assistant, she went on to write many episodes of The Next Generation.  

Gene came on the line and all of a sudden I was tongue tied.  It took a few minutes for me to remember why I was actually calling him.  Finally I got my composure and got to the basic questions, how he started, what did he do besides Star Trek, how do you like your eggs.

I asked about the rumor going around that Spock is going to die in this film.  He said it was true, that Nimoy wanted to move on.  In fact, he went into how he wanted to make 5 or 6 movies, kill off or retire each crew member, but then have them replaced.  Then he would start the TV show over again with new people that the audience could appreciate.

This is 5 years before The Next Generation, and obviously all that didn't happen.  Fans were mad that Spock would die, Star Trek II became a big hit and (the rest you can either figure out or read on-line).

Since that phone call, I received several Star Trek things with Gene Roddenberry's signature on them, as well as a costume off of the rack of the first Star Trek film.  Gene definitely loved his fans.

From that experience, growing up in South Texas, where film making was far from present, a seed was planted in me that continues to grow to this day.  I will always have a space for Star Trek (no pun intended).

Photos of Opponent to Gay Marriage found TOPLESS - (thanks to Iowahawk)

I saw this and couldn't pass up putting this on my blog.  I have to thank a blogger known as Iowahawk for putting this on his site.  

I figured it spoke volumes to the hypocrisy of those on the left who continue to trash Miss California for her opinion.  It is a typical example how media destroys people if they don't like them.

OLD NEWS - NEW THOUGHTS

I was thinking back about the events that have transpired since the Miss USA runner-up gave her honest answer to Perez Hilton about her opinion on gay marriage.  I have a personal issue with this, so I figured I would weigh in.

First mistake was Perez Hilton asking the question.  I always thought that these pageants are supposed to be political-free and bring people together for a common cause, "world peace" we can all agree on.  Evidently, Perez felt that talking about gay marriage was going to "bring people together".  He should have known better. 

Second, why use Perez Hilton as a judge? Who is Perez Hilton anyway?  Is he related to Paris Hilton?  Is he an actor? Has he been in any films?  Has he written some thought-provoking book?   Some people these days, I wonder just how they get famous.

Thirdly, there are many in the gay community that feel that his "rant" afterwards was out of line and was even a set back in their mission.  I can understand that and let me explain.

Personally, I feel that there is no problem giving gays the same marriage opportunities as any heterosexual human being.  They are God's children too and I am sure he loves them just the same.  The problem with changing the idea of marriage and granting the same rights to gays is what you just saw in Perez Hilton (as well as many of the people protesting outside the church temples).   Look at how mad gays can get sometimes.  Look at the hatred and "take-overness" that can seem to come across when trying to make things "equal".  

I personally have a hard time "loving" someone that is forcing me to love them.  I know that's a stretch, but you know know what I mean.  Long term changes in society take time and need to be understood by all.  

I can see more now what the church was doing by giving their two cents in the matter in November.  There were church members that were concerned that giving gays the right to marriage would then force the church to marry gays in the temple, thus closing temples.  Then there were those on the other side of the issue that would say "that would never happen".

Now look at the protests afterwards.  Are you telling me that with as angry as the gay community gets they won't try to force the church to perform marriages?  Look at how they reacted.  You give them an inch, they will take a mile.  THAT is what I am afraid of.  

You work so hard to be tolerant that you get in trouble in the process.  Damned if you do, damned if you don't.  

"ARE YOU SURE YOU PRODUCE WILL IT BLEND?"

When the new BYU Magazine, the magazine for alumni, came out with an article about "Will it Blend", there were numerous people who emailed, called or text me asking if I even had anything to do with "Will it Blend" (because even though I am an alumni, I am never mentioned).

So I figured I'd set the record straight...

I was hired around the same time as the marketing manager, George Wright, was hired, to produce training and promotional video material for the company.  About a year into our employment, George saw Tom blending a 2x4 as part of the strength and endurance test of the blenders.  George obviously saw this as an opportunity to show the power of the blender.

He came to me and asked me to videotape the blending of several crazy things.  From there, I jazzed up the proceedings by making it into a "game show" feel, with the campy music, the funny titles, etc.  Together, we would come up with funny lines, find new funny things to blend and bring the show to it's highest level.  But you have to admit, half of what makes the show popular are the things I do to it.

The toughest part for me is the credit that is being spread (or lack thereof).  George is the nicest guy in the world and a great boss to work for.  He is always upbeat and positive, a trait that I have always worked to gain, falling short sometimes.  But I also know he has an agenda to push himself in the light. 

I don't blame him at all.  I would probably do the same thing.  And I feel that has been a great step for Blendtec.  Anything to make Will it Blend popular, is only good for Blendtec and us keeping our jobs.

Why am I commenting on the BYU Magazine article?  George has done countless interviews, speeches and podcasts, mostly focusing on marketing and the like.  Because I am too busy trying to keep the videos coming, I don't have time to keep track of all the articles, but I will say from all I've seen, I am almost never present.

The articles will always go like this: "All it took for George Wright, marketing manager, was $50, a great product, a video camera and a great idea... that is what started Will it Blend".  (Oh, by the way, I'm the video camera.)  Honestly, I shoot, direct, edit and in most cases write the material for every Will it Blend (now at 100 episodes).  

And let's not forget Ray Hansen, our original web "master".  He came up with a lot of the jokes and was there for most of the filming for these great "masterpieces" of transmogrified art.

Yet, I have been left out of any trips to national television shows (Jay Leno, Today Show, QVC Etc), I have been excluded from any interviews (Wall Street Journal), I am hardly ever mentioned for the pieces I created that have become the most successful ad campaign in the history of the internet, earning a 700 percent increase in blender sales.

Don't get me wrong, I love George, I love Tom, always will.  Love my job.  I am trying to be humble about this, but it has become difficult.  For the 3 or 4 people who actually read this blog, thanks for letting me vent.  I will go back to work now.

HOMELAND SECURITY WARNING!

Don't really know what to make of this "warning".  

Department of Homeland Security has now sent out a notice to all police authorities to look out for extreme right-wing groups causing violence in the US.  They have included people who oppose abortion, illegal immigration, and don't like the current president imposing more governmental control.  It has categorized people with Christian view who "buy guns" and "store food".  They have also gone as far as including recent war veterans as a list of possible dangerous people.  

Honestly, all those issues are not right or left issues, just common sense.  But they have become politicized with a specific party.  (I honestly can't stand the Republican Party right now.) Shouldn't we just be on the lookout for anyone who causes these atrocious acts?

Besides the war vet and owning a gun... I guess I kind of fall in that category.  Does that mean if I express my opinion, I am a threat to Homeland Security? 

I wonder what damage I would do to the security of this nation... hmmm.

Write my opinion on this blog

Make a film that speaks how I feel 

Have a conversation about raising taxes

Watch Fox News (especially Red Eye, my new favorite show)

Put a flag up on my yard

Food storage (Oooo)

Pretty dangerous.  I hate even the thought that my opinion could eventually get me into trouble.  I understand that there are loonies in this world, but that would include right or left (ie, Peta), but for the government to single out these groups, in my opinion is fairly scary.  

In fact, I would venture to say that the ones that are extremists are the ones in the White House right now.  We are slowly (yet quickly) taking the steps that we were warned against in electing this clown and his bunch.  Socialism is now on the way.  

Funny how during the election talking about socialism was laughed at and "silly".  Now, in a new poll, only 56 percent of Americans would choose capitalism over socialism.  (What about the other 44 percent).  Socialism doesn't seem that bad.

I think we have become numb to the topics and favor flash over substance.  One-liners over real reading and studying of the topics.  

It has always been my theory that this is the reason people of the left rule Hollywood and the television media and conservatives rule talk radio.  When you spend 3 hrs a day talking about things, you can actually get to the truth of issues, with very little flash.  

If you "sing and dance" the issues, it doesn't matter if it is right or wrong, just simply how it "feels" at the time you watched it. That is why most people who voted for Obama didn't exactly know "what" they were voting for, they just wanted a change.  Yet when Palin came on the scene, no one fought against her principals, they voted against how she looks, or how she came across.  That's it!

This is why liberals can't make it in talk radio.  They have tried and failed.

Enough ranting, thank you for letting me indulge myself in my opinion.  After all, it is my blog, dang it.

WILL IT BLEND at BYU MAKES 100, WIB DVD and THE LAST EAGLE SCOUT

First, I want to mention that we had just produced our 100th Will it Blend.  (Now I can produce the show with my eyes closed.) That might be it for a while.  

This time, Cosmo the Cougar came out and we produced a Will it Blend for Brigham Young University (where all of us graduated, ironically).  It will not be seen through our regular channels, but will be posted on our website under "friends of" and where ever BYU decides to put it (I think the Alumni section, BYU Magazine).  

Now, I am working on a DVD that will feature all 100 videos, including episodes that were not released through our regular channel, one's that were more for companies such as Novell and Alteris.  The DVD will also feature a documentary I am producing about the start of what some are calling "the most successful ad campaign on the Internet."  

Article after article, interview after interview denotes the success of Will it Blend to Blendtec and the use of the new social media.  I, myself, find the story behind the show more interesting then the videos themselves.  The series, now at about 200 million views, has driven sales up for the Total Blender by 700 percent, which is amazing in this economy.

We will still be producing an episode here and there, and I will still be working for Blendtec for as long as they need me.  But now I get into pre production mode on my next film, The Last Eagle Scout.  This will probably be a landmark turn for me, now that Will it Blend has helped pull me out of the doldrums of life and showed me that I can accomplish anything.  

I have been writing The Last Eagle Scout for about 6 years and was about to film it 4 years ago, but divorces and relocation created pitfalls and challenges that I never new existed.  Making films (not the crap you see on YouTube, but the real thought-provoking motion pictures) takes a lot out of you.  So you need to have all your ducks in a row before going through that again. 

The Last Eagle Scout will actually be my 4th feature film I have produced (3rd I have directed).  I hope to take the mistakes I have made from the earlier projects and make sure to do them all over again (just kidding).

This film follows a boy in the not-so-distant future who presumes himself the last kid receiving his eagle.  Political correctness has crept into every facet of society, mandating every move we make.  Boy Scouts becomes one of the last great American institutions that gets eliminated by popular opinion and the media... except for the Last Eagle Scout.

Fights ensue, protests are had, buildings are blown up (man, I am just sweating at the idea, I have to shoot all this).  But what fun we will have as we start filming in August.  Our objective is to get people to talk... talk about the difference between what is logical and what is absurd...  hopefully in a "sing and dance" fashion that our numbed minds have become accustomed to.

Will they blend?... That is the question.