Me and Sports

I can't explain why I love sports when they've treated me as they have...
In high school --
I played football (Fall Season) two years... kind of... I was mostly utilized on special teams which is exactly how it sounds -- that's where the put the "special" players. Kickoff, kick returns, punts... Freshman year, in one sparkling display that apparently no one cared to watch or take note of, I caused and recovered a fumble taking out a QB on the option as a Defensive End. Senior year, the coach sent me in at nose and I was double-teamed. I came off the field laughing that they'd double-teamed me.

I played soccer (Fall Season) two years. They kept me on JV Junior year saying I'd get more time on the field than if I went to the Varsity team. They lied. Summer soccer was a lot more fun. We often showed up to games with less players than you are supposed to field so it was constant PT. I nearly scored a goal. I had a breakaway and was taken down from behind in the box (yeah, that sounds naughty). The opposing player got a red card, our team got a penalty kick, and my coach opted to have someone else take it. Thankfully, it was a friend and he scored.

I played basketball (Winter Season) two years. I think I won most improved player both years and yet I remember a distinct lack of playing time. Thankfully, because I scored in one of the two minutes I played, I had a very high listed PPM.

There's a comedian, I forget who so please annotate if you know, who said that on sports teams he was called "the minute man". He'd ask the coach, "Hey, can I play?" and the coach would say, "In a minute man." I was often in that club, the 40-40-40 club -- up by forty, down by forty, forty seconds left.

I shifted to being in the musical (Winter Season) because they generally won't bench you for no good reason. I got the lead twice -- once in Bye Bye Birdie and once in The King and I. I got so proud of my work I actually auditioned for a professional local production of The Sound of Music. Kicked ass at the audition. The director said they only had one more dude to see, but he had a great feeling about me. Got the call the next day that they went with the other dude because I "wasn't Aryan enough." Apparently, you can get benched in musicals.

So that happened...

...and by that, I mean to say that we made a movie.

We didn't blog so much as we tweeted ( Our Twitter ) all the juicy bits and out of context quotes that we could muster. Feel free to hit me up for context.

Check us out on IMDB so that you can see the cast I became so enamored with.

We're currently in editorial. We will probably have a finished film before we have a trailer. I know that should be the natural order of things, but it rarely is in showbiz.

I've been neglecting you...

Oh, blogger, I've been neglecting you.
Though, in all fairness, I'm not sure that anyone actually reads you.

So today is our RND read-thru and I couldn't be more psyched.
We have assembled a cast that is so good it defies logic.
I'd say it's a testament to the script, but that seems a bit ego-y.
I think they just really like Lisa and me because we're the funnest peeps ever! (So much less ego-y)

Actual shooting is just around the corner and I know that will be done in a flash.
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth and just trying to take snapshots of all the moments.

I'd love to tell a younger me, a creative and therefore picked on bit of a person... all the work, all the toil, all the rejection -- worth it.

More work, more toil and more rejection always on the horizon.

The transition from screen to page

Hello blog readers -- both of you.

My very first editorial job in comics (Li'l Depressed Boy from Image Comics) sees print today. I'm immensely proud of the work that went into bringing the book from webcomic, to self-produced to distributed by Image.

Please pick one up.

If your shop doesn't have one, please complain politely.

It will help us to keep putting this book out.

I would love anyone who picks it up to comment on this journal and let me know what you think.

The final page, the Little LDB, was written by yours truly.

Thank you for your support of creator owned comics!

But the fourth time, oh that's grand

My fourth go-round with Little LDB
Been Caught Writing

I noticed in regular LDB scripts that the character seemed to do a bit of outdoor writing and this is the origin of that.

Hope you enjoy.


Currently, DORKS is still in post and Lisa and I are optimistic of our co-venture happening on the horizon.

The third time is the charm

Today marks my third webcomic strip appearance as the writer of L'il Depressed Boy's younger incarnation Lil L'il Depressed Boy.

I'm immensely proud of it.

The creative work of artist Scott Arnold blows me away.
Struble, LDB's creator, brings us to colourful life.

Tonsils and Video Games

Please give it a look.

Ok, secrecy probably not important

There's one, maybe two people who read this blog...
So this is the poster my crack team of exports came up with.
Alas, there's slim to no chance it will be used in any capacity, but that doesn't make me any less proud of the creation.

Moxy through us

Yesterday, a gang of talented friends surrounded me with their awesome to create a mock up of a DORKS poster.

Jason was the real mastermind behind the whole endeavor, I was more of the straw boss, which I must say was a great position to be in. (Unlike laying on the ground with hands mere milimeters from our models crotch holding the blue coat so that he could heroically open it properly)
Jonah was our lovely torso model.
Jessica made sure the cape sat properly on his shoulders.
Art made with the photography (and Photoshop) magic.

All in all, a very successful endeavor.

What's Up by 1 Non-Blonde

John and I turned in our trailer pitches for TSLOD yesterday.
Apparently, the producers are taking a trailer to Cannes to show around.
I say that casually, but inside I'm screaming "Woot!"

Director's cut done.

Hoping to see it in the next couple weeks or so.


Also, Roger Ebert added my Tweet to his list of potential Webby Award speeches.

Now if only I could get the finished version of TSLOD for his review -- a perfect storm.

I realize April Fools is a bad day to make that kind of statement

But, on the plus side, people won't have high expectations and will be surprised when we actually deliver on them.

F-- You Joeboo, I do this myself.

Currently pulling together an A team to turn a horror script I co-wrote into a movie.
We have a first pass at a budget and quality worker bees interested.

Hopefully more in this space soon.

my time with the LDB

My friend created, writes and colours (yes, he prefers that spelling) this lovely strip called Lil Depressed Boy.

We met through mutual friends in the comic book community. I'm his faux editor, periodically, and sometimes a cheerleader (in spirit, if not uniform).

He recently had two weeks of guest writers and I leapt at the chance to add my pen to the cause.

I was a bit hesitant to play in someone else's sandbox (hence a sandbox being in my first strip), but I think I have a decent familiarity with the character to stay true to the comic and yet add a dash of my voice. I think I more than succeeded when people assumed he'd ghostwritten my first one.

This was my first time working with an artist and let me just say, not only did Scott Arnold take my scripts and bring them beautifully to life, we found a common love -- Canadian music -- that will hopefully keep us friends for ages.


Ergo and hence, Lil LDB --
(including the about the authors notes because no one ever reads the bottom).


Strip #1

"I have no clue who Vaughn Mason is. He is an enigma, wrapped in a cypher, boxed in a conundrum and covered in secret sauce. He's apparently 6'3" and I know he doesn't do a good Texan accent. However, he wrote today's strip for me. Also, I suspect he may not even exist. Which is good, because he can't claim to have created Little LDB. Bwahahahaha."

Strip #2

"Thanks to Leo Burke, Zach Trover, Travis Fox, Chris Fenoglio, Raul Rodarte and Kat Cahill for helping out. And double thanks to Scott Arnold and Nick Brandt for starting the fortnight off, and now ending it. Aw crap, not Nick Brandt. Vaughn Mason. Why do I always confuse Nick Brandt and Vaughn Mason? All you guys did a great job, and it was fun to see all those other interpretations. Thanks so much."

Honestly

When someone isn't instantly blown away by my creative mastery, my first response is a lingering "F%#$!" (Sometimes voiced, sometimes kept inside)

After that minute or so, it's quickly followed by, "well, I'll just have to win them over then, won't I?"

Thankfully, generally speaking, people seem to vibe with what I put out.
But I want 100% approval.
It's a lofty goal, but I'm willing to work.

Stolen from an IM today

[15:07] nicofopolous: so the development person looked me up on Studio System and asked how long I'd been rep'd by ICM
[15:07] nicofopolous: to which I said, "I'm repped by ICM???"
[15:07] nicofopolous: (I'm not repped by ICM, btw)

Never a dull travel day

Travelling often involves the universe messing with me.

On the way out:
I show up at 12pm to the wrong airport in Los Angeles for my 2pm flight out ($100 cab ride to Burbank airport and additional travel stress). Thankfully, the brief layover on the flight out was in Las Vegas and I actually won back $50 on a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. Those were my mom’s favorite. I call this the universe giving me the 50% off dumbass discount.

On the way back:
I got pantsed by security at the Providence Airport (immeasurable embarrassment and comedy potential). I was randomly selected for a pat down and said pat down happened before I put on my belt. The pat down was thorough enough to dislodge my pants from my hips, dropping them to the ground, revealing my relatively plain boxers to whoever was looking.

The universe has a sense of humor.

Full On Optimism

Not only have I been to set, I've seen that our director is really crafting something special (good special at that).

A couple more weeks of shooting, then editing, then... the world?

Time will tell, but I am full on optimistic.

Excitement?

News of cast sprinkles down to me.
Shooting Friday.
For the longest time, I've been saying I'll stop being cautiously optimistic and start to believe it when it starts shooting.
I guess in less than two days, I become a believer.
I'm excited.

Who Plays Who

Initially word from our producer has me very psyched about some casting directions they're heading in.

Obviously, I can't say anything until it's public knowledge, but if all works out, expect a full-on, super sloppy geekgasm.

Halloween

Mad props to Sean and Will for outfitting 22 X-Men to storm the streets of West Hollywood. They deserve more glory than they will ever receive. And a lot of costumer work...

BTW -- picture is too cool-as-f screenwriting friends as two even cooler X-Men. Fur and Feathers!

Independent vs. INDEPENDENT

When HK was made, as writer I was ever-present during pre-production. Not just for the writing, even. I saw tapes from the casting sessions. I saw wardrobe choices. Touring our location had a deep impact on how the script played out. I found music. Heck, I co-wrote lyrics to two of the songs in the movie. This is INDEPENDENT filmmaking. All hands on deck because we need all the hands we can find.

With Dorks, I feel like I'm actually going through the studio experience. "Writing done? Okay, we'll see you at the wrap." It's very weird to be connected with something for five years and then just hang out waiting for word. I'm a horribly impatient person so it's a special kind of purgatory for me. It's probably the more common Hollywood writing experience. Hopefully in doing things the right way, they'll also avoid some of the mistakes and missteps we had on HK, leading me to a new sense of pride even with a smaller sense of involvement.

This has been a real growth experience.

Now someone please tell me who will play who.