He merely abandons it...

No, I'm not quitting Italian Lemonade.  Just finishing a quote.  "No artist finishes his work, he merely abandons it..."

I finished my second draft of my screenplay for my independent study.

And...I...kinda...hate it.

Maybe it's just from having been involved in it all summer.  I dunno.

I rearranged a lot of it and changed the flow.  Took out some of the scenes, added new scenes.  The giallo elements are more consistent throughout.  In the previous draft, the giallo moments don't start until around page 50.  Now it starts in the 20's.  Added another death scene, too.

But I ended up cutting some of the more emotional scenes at the same time.  And where I had some scenes juxtaposed together for a specific reason, I had to separate them this time.

Maybe it's a better draft.  Maybe it isn't.  I don't know.  I think I'm just still on overload.

Downloading a couple movies I rented off iTunes.  It was storming really bad.  Now it's gotten better, but I'll have something to watch should the power go out.

Giallo tonight?

Later.
-Justin

Instead of doing what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing...

By the time I got off of work tonight, between the rain and the fatigue, I didn't get to editing Proxy/A Flash of White/Whatever it's gonna end up being called.

Instead I farted around.  And now I'm on the computer while listening to the love theme from Dracula 3D and watching Law and Order SVU.

This draft is due Friday.  Whatever am I gonna do?

Anyhow, I'm taking a mental break from that script and thinking about Orchid again.  I love the set pieces of that script.  I've been thinking about my idea to film it with Barbie dolls again.  Kind of a "if Todd Haynes did a giallo instead of Karen Carpenter's life story." thing.  Maybe a trailer.  Then maybe use that to expand to a 20 minute short (Indie Go Go?).

I've discussed it with my equally twisted sister, who has an extensive Barbie collection.  She's willing to make slutty Barbie clothes (and a trenchcoat?) for the cause.  I'd have to build a simple 1:6 scale set that could be easily redressed.  And I'd need a camera.  Which I need anyway.  And I'd have to learn how to do stop-motion.  Which was available at one point at school but now isn't (and I'm graduating anyway).

But I really kinda wanna do this.  It'd be fun.  Well, at least the end result would be fun.  I dunno.

Maybe it's just my mind wandering to avoid editing this other script.

What do you think?

Seriously, responses would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Later.
-Justin

What did I get myself into?

Trying to rearrange things in this screenplay.  It's a mess.  Why did I choose to do this script?  I could've done my romantic comedy and had it so easy.

"I know!  I'll challenge myself!  It'll be fun!"

Bugh.

Please send good vibes my way.  I need all of them.

BTW, What Have They Done To Your Daughters was great.  More dynamic than Solange, IMHO.  Solange had a better score, though.

Back to the grind.

Later.
-Justin

My brain is overheated. I think I smell bacon.

So.

Had my meeting with my professor regarding my first draft.

Still absorbing.

He said I have some good ideas with the sci-fi thing, but that I jump from one to another without a common thread or arc to unify them.  Which I totally get.  I feel the need to put in all these ideas for this expansive world in so few pages.  To put all these ideas in at once would require a novel.  Or a trilogy.

Told me to lose or completely retool the main story, which revolved around the murder of a little girl.  While I used this to initially blow up into a bigger thing, it didn't really fit.  Understandable.  But that part of the story was the emotional center for me.  I'll have to contemplate this.

Simplify the story.  Killer's motive is too complicated.  Keep it simple.

There wasn't nearly enough giallo for his liking.  It came in too late, too.  Make it more of a straight up giallo.  Said that's where I was in my element.  I totally agree with this.  I only have two giallo moments in the whole thing, and if I am to make it a sci-fi/giallo hybrid, I need more giallo.  It's like cowbell with leather gloves.

He also kind of suggested upping the sleaze factor.  Which I might do.  Though sometimes I already feel like Joe Eszterhas with nicer tits.

How am I gonna be able to do all this in two weeks?

I already came up with an idea for some of it.  I just need to sit down and think it through.

Where's my insulin pump that dispenses caffeine?

Later.
-Justin

Digesting, Decompressing, DONE...

I finished my second screenplay today.  Turned it into the professor.  Should hear back from him in the next few days.

This is the fabled sci-fi/giallo hybrid.

And my brain hurts.

This one ends on a completely different tangent than the original synopsis.  And ended up being less of a giallo than originally planned.  Really only two giallo-esque murders (both of which would turn me into the New King Of The Eyeball Gag.  FULCI LIVES!).  That said, I think it's enough of a giallo for fellow enthusiasts to catch.

A lot more dramatic than I expected.  Some really sad moments.  It's also the darkest thing I've ever written.  Like, really dark.  Who Saw Her Die looks like a comedy compared to this.

Well, now that I've turned everything in, I can now lift my "No Movie Watching" rule.  And guess what arrived yesterday...

My FREAKING AWESOME HAUL from www.cinema-de-bizarre.com

I also ordered Love and Death in the Garden of the Gods, raising my total to 102.  The Cinekult DVD was on eBay, and I HAD to have it.  Sure, it isn't English friendly, but I've wanted this movie so badly since I read about it in Blood and Black Lace.

Hmm...which one should I watch?

Anyhow, I'm gonna decompress now.  Celebrated finishing my script with a big honkin' meal at East Side Pizza.  Now I need to rest a bit before an early bedtime.  Morning meeting tomorrow, then I have the rest of the day off...and trust me, I'm relaxing all day tomorrow.

Later.
-Justin

Writer's Block...

Bugh.  Establishing everything is the hardest part of screenwriting.  Settings, characters, concepts.  I'm never writing sci-fi again.  Unless I get hired to work on a big budget movie and get some M. Night Shyamalan bucks.

Script due in less than two weeks.  Updates here will be sporadic.  Especially considering how little I've written so far.

Find a way to see Squillo.  Great little thriller that slipped through the cracks.  Carlo Vanzina gets no love in giallo circles.  Duder made this and Nothing Underneath.  And Mystere, which I'm getting in a few weeks.

Speaking of which, Go to www.cinema-de-bizarre.com!  Tell them Justin Kosch sent you!  Take advantage of the BLOWOUT sale!  And buy 2 get 1 free always!

Okay.  Decompressing before work.  Maybe I'll try to write tonight.

Later.
-Justin

Milestone

So.

I wish I could say I'm working on my script.  But I've been slacking.  So now I have three weeks to write the rest of it.  BLAH.

But once I get it turned in, I have a lot more gialli coming in to decompress with.

I just made a couple of orders, and soon I will be the proud owner of...

101 gialli!

Let's see what all I've ordered...

Blind Date (Scandal In Black)
Strip Nude For Your Killer (Blu Ray)
Squillo
Mystere
Bloodstained Butterfly
Open Tomb, Empty Coffin
Amuck
Death Haunts Monica
Orgasmo
Pensione Paura
What Have They Done To Your Daughters?
Tropic of Cancer
Death Steps In The Dark
A Quiet Place To Kill
Murder Mansion

I've seen Bloodstained Butterfly (and owned it for a while, but it got mixed up with Dad's VHS tapes so it's a re-buy) and Strip Nude For Your Killer.  Everything else is brand new for me.  I also ordered a documentary about gialli, Dear Dead Delilah, and The Prey.  I dunno what The Prey is even about, but it's uncut.  And free.

Oh how I have fallen in love with www.cinema-de-bizarre.com  They're having a 20% off blowout sale.  Just type in BLOWOUT at checkout.  And for every 2 movies you buy, you get one FREE.  Do yourself a favor and check them out.

Ah, happy day...

Later.
-Justin

Early night

I'm only on page nine of this script.  My brain hurts.  But I think I'll try to wait until I get feedback on the first few pages before starting again.

Changed the look of the site.  My eyes hurt when I would go from the yellow-on-black to other websites.  This probably ain't much better.

Got my tax check.  Probably gonna spend a super small portion of it on Cinema De Bizarre.  Any recommendations?

Later.
-Justin

Quickie, because I need rest

I'm on page 8.

It's not just perfect.  It's divine.

Well, it's horrible, but I wanna stay positive.

All this bath salt crap in the news is making me want to make a short film.  Pretty much making a zombie movie about bath salts the way only Fulci could have.  But alas, I have too much on my plate at the moment.  Class, working on two scripts at once, working in retail...

Maybe when the summer's over.  Because there'll be more incidents in the news by then.

And if it happens, who's with me?

Later.
-Justin

Had my meeting...

Holy shit my foot hurts.

Stupid gout.  Stupid me for going back to a shitty diet when I vowed to never do it again.  Fuuuuuucccccckkkkk...I'm all hobbly.  And probably gonna have a Vicodin before the end of the night.

Anyhow, I managed to hobble my way over to my meeting today regarding "Proxy."

Went well, I guess.

He said I had too many ideas for one screenplay, and that a lot of things are mentioned and then untouched for the rest of the story.  Which makes a lot of sense.  I did stockpile a lot of ideas into the treatment.  But at the same time, I think it just looks like a lot when crammed into a 10 page summary, but when woven into a 100-135 page narrative could fit perfectly.  I could just be in love with my ideas and refusing to let them go.  I'm an Aries and I have my mother's "winner complex."

He did make a good point that the goal of the protagonist is muddled.  What starts off as a straight-ahead detective case becomes a mess.  I need to clarify a lot of it.  And by the end it relies on too many coincidences.  That happens when you write 8 pages in 4 hours.

He told me to ditch the religious-group angle that I put in it because it disappears by the end of the script.  But I want to keep it in.  Maybe expand upon it.  It's the most emotional part of my fictional world, in my opinion.

He did think I did a good job establishing the more sci-fi aspects, including the "Proxy" that the film revolves around.  I need to build them, though, and make the finale more intense.

All in all, a productive meeting.

Okay.  I gotta put my feet up.  Stupid gout.

Later.
-Justin

Before I clock in to work...

A few random thoughts.

Did I ever tell y'all about a sequel to Phenomena that I wrote when I was 16?  I'll have to elaborate on it at some point.  Had one of my favorite scenes I've ever written.  Unfortunately I never got to finish it because we had a house fire that took the computer.

Once I get this film series finished for my independent study, I am SO watching a giallo or two.  Partially for inspiration, partially because it's just been too damn long.

Speaking of independent study, my professor and I are meeting to discuss my synopsis/treatment on Thursday.  I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.  I don't know what he thinks about it at all.  He loves my giallo-lust, though, so I know he'll probably appreciate those aspects.

Especially excited because he's the only person who knows my whole story.  I've told some people bits and pieces of my concept, and they say they dug it, but this is the first time someone's seen the whole thing.

Okay.  I gotta take a shower and get ready for work.  BLAH.

Later.

-Justin

THUD!

Have I already called myself a dumbass yet?  I'm too tired to roam through my archives.

My synopsis was due today.  A 2-4 page condensed edition of the story I want to tell over the summer.

And I kept putting it off.

And putting it off.

Until Wednesday, when I realized I needed to do something.  I got a page and a half done, then pretty much put it off again until today.

Wouldn't have been so bad if it had stayed a 2-4 page assignment.

But because I'm mixing sci-fi with giallo, I had to stop every couple paragraphs to explain what every new term meant.  This stretched it out.

And then I had to completely figure out the third act while I wrote it.  I knew who the killer was, and his motive, but I had to plant the seeds and everything.

So 2-4 pages eventually turned into 10.  And probably 8 of those were written in a four hour period.

I turned it in at 6 this evening.  I'm mentally exhausted, like I did three finals at once.

And to think I probably have to churn out 15 pages a week to make my first deadline of July 6.  I'm aiming for July 4, so I can spend July 5 with a bottle of wine and Italian food of some kind.

Still have no official title.  I'm calling it "Proxy" for now.  But last night I came up with the title Acid Rain and it's been floating around ever since.  I need to sleep and think about it some more...Maybe I'll post a logline and see if anyone can help me come up with a title.

Watching Machete now.  It's brainless entertainment.  I need brainless entertainment.

This is the part where I fish for support.  So...support? :)

Later.
-Justin

Decompression complete...I think

The only thinking I've been doing lately is work related.  And even that's been pretty sporadic.  But I needed some time to NOT think until summer classes started.

Spent a lot of time watching sci-fi movies for inspiration, however:  Strange Days, Robocop, Hardware, Enter The Void (not really a sci-fi per se, but a total mindfuck if there ever was one).  Now I think I'm about ready to start working on this script.  I have the main trajectory of the story in my head.  I have the killer's identity, too.  And tomorrow, I plan on having something down on paper regarding the concept/the invention it revolves around/how Detroit ended up the way I envision it in the script.

Well, not down on PAPER.  It'll be on my laptop.  Same difference.

I have a 2-4 page synopsis due next Friday.  And the first ten pages due two weeks after that.  And the first draft is due July 6th.  Because I'm a dumbass who likes to punish myself.

I guess I oughta get some sleep.  Work in the morning.  Maybe I'll fall asleep trying to conjure up a title that blends giallo and sci-fi.  Butterfly With Copper Wings?

Later.
-Justin

Commencement

Commencement is in, like, 4 1/2 hours.

And, of course, I have pulled everything off at the last minute.  Clothes shopping, shoe shopping, haircut...About to shave and shower.

Still have summer classes.  But I'm sure I'll ace them.  Because I'm just brilliant that way.

Watched My Dear Killer the other night.  I can't believe I hated this movie so much when I first saw it.  See what a good night's sleep can do?

Okay.  I still gotta get some stuff together.  Commencement at 7.  3 hour ceremony.

Later.
-Justin

And he landed on the mattress with a sigh of relief...

The semester is officially over.

And I have not had any responsibility since Monday night.

And it feels GREAT.

Got my grades back.  Got an A in Directing, an A in 70's Film Genres, an A- in Acting for the Camera, and a B+in Production Design.  3.75 average.  Pretty damn good, if I may say so myself.

Of course, now I am mentally drained.  But not as drained as I was on Monday night.  I was barely able to string words together into a coherent sentence at work by the end of the night.

I'm caught up for the most part now, sleepwise.  But I still feel a nap coming on today.

So.  Onto the new giallo.  I've decided to compile some movies together and watch them for research.  Mainly darker gialli and cyberpunk/higher-concept sci-fi.  Hence wanting to revisit My Dear Killer.  Watched Strange Days last night.  Some great ideas, but muddled, IMHO.

Also sent for Enter The Void.  And might break down and watch The Matrix (even though it's White Rabbit stretched out to two hours or so).

I'm not well versed at all in sci-fi movies.  Can anyone recommend anything?

Also, can anybody recommend some good music for sci-fi writing?

Gonna start a couple brainstorm/sketch sessions this week.  This giallo is gonna rock.

Later.
-Justin

I'm seeing the light...

This semester is ALMOST OVER!

About freaking time.

Every semester, I tell myself, "This is the hardest semester!  And next semester will be SO much easier!"  And then it's not.

My last day is Monday.  I turn in one project and present another.  Yes, my professor assigned TWO projects for the same day.  And a paper.  Which I just finished a half hour ago.

Then it's off to work on my giallo/sci-fi hybrid.

Monday after class, I'm treating myself to some Chipotle.  Then swinging by the Naro and picking up some movies.  Because my stupid ass proposed a film series assignment for my independent study.  And because I need to watch some anyway.

Think I'm gonna re-evaluate My Dear Killer.  I saw it once and hated it.  But looking back, I realized that I was really sleep deprived when I sat down to watch it and that may have soured my experience.  Plus it's super dark and I need to get to that place to write this script.

Okay.  20 minutes before I gotta start getting ready for work.  My head hurts.  Please let the idiots not come in tonight...

Later.
-Justin

If I were to...

If I were going to start looking into Italian/Euro-Crime movies, what would you suggest I start with?

Been thinking about it lately.  Might make a cool element to add my giallo/sci fi mashup.  Which my professor likes, BTW.

Later.
-Justin

Hey, look! A new poll!

At the top of the page, there is a new poll.  Do me a favor and VOTE!

This semester is almost over.  And a day of watchin gialli is long overdue.

My brain is fried.

Later.
-Justin

Tasty Brains...

Ah, that wonderful time of year where everything piles up at once.

Finals.

I just turned in two papers for the same class within a day of each other.  One was a ten page research paper comparing sexuality in 70's American horror and 70's Italian horror.  The other was a five page paper explaining how Mikel J. Koven's La Dolce Morte is an excellent source for my ten page research paper.

Proud of myself considering the research paper though.  I managed to write 1000 words of it in under two hours right before class.  I would say God Bless AMP energy drink, but that stuff is the devil and should only be taken in moderation.

Yesterday I had to take an obviously much needed break.  Between the paper on Tuesday, and work that night, I was totally spent.  Coworkers were telling me to go home and get some rest.  I really must've looked like shit.  Ended up taking a nap while doing laundry, and my body thanked me for every extra minute of rest.

Anyhow, I used the four-hour break between classes today to write my proposal for next semester's independent study.  May have bitten off more than I can chew.  But considering I only have one other class at a time, I oughta be able to pull it off.

Considering taking my professor's advice and mixing giallo with a "more profitable" genre for this new screenplay.  So that might be my next project (romantic comedy still going on, too).  I remembered an old sci-fi concept that I always kept on the back burner because I'm not much of a sci-fi fan.  But I figured out how to use that concept to cleverly disguise my giallo aesthetics into something with sequel potential.  Because how many giallo movies have sequels? (Nothing Underneath doesn't count)

Since I have a lack of sci-fi knowledge, I proposed adding a Film Series of some sci-fi movies to acquaint myself with some movies that I think are similar to what I want.  Mainly Strange Days,and  eXistenZ (which I have seen).

Which leads me to ask: What do you guys think of Strange Days?  Would you see another movie with similar ideas?

Okay. I'm gonna fart around for another half hour.  Then off to 70's class!

Later.
-Justin

My latest scene

Hey.

Yes, it's been a long while.

This semester has been agonizing.

Anyhow, I finished the rough edit for my latest scene for Directing class.  Check it out:  Cherry