The D-Word's life is one of glamour and riches, as only a documentary filmmaker can live it

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From: Wwhe3@aol.com
Tue, 27 Jan 1998 09:46:52 -0500
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 1998 09:46:52 -0500
To: dbblock@el.net
Subject: What'd you die?!

What's going on with the film, what's going on with the film, what's going on
with the film? I asked you three fucking times, what's going on with the
film.

Caio, baby.
______________________________________

I love my fans.

It's not like I'm unaware that over a month's gone by yet again.

One thing D-Word's come to learn is he can't do journal entries piecemeal. I'm halfway through an entry two weeks ago, but get sidetracked - by work life and real life - and, naturally, don't come back to it. Feels less urgent or the news dated or lacking freshness if it's not done in one creative burst.

Face it… I'll never be a serious online diarist. On the other hand, the D-Word keeps getting taken seriously.

First, a new media folkster I much admire pays me a sweet compliment.

Then my favorite home page reviewer sends me a startling e-mail. The local rag of record is starting up some newfangled technology section on Thursdays starting next month and Pam has successfully pitched them on the gloriosity of the D-Word/Home Page interactivity. I'm apparently some kind of emerging digital artist now.

Heh, heh. Watch me emerge.

It's all too bizarre. For years I've done everything in my power to get some publicity- any publicity- for the worthy indie projects I've been part of. This time I'm not actively seeking it, but it just keeps happening.

I'm not complaining, mind you. Just sitting here kind of fascinated.

On Friday, a Times staff photographer comes to the apartment for some accompanying stills. She grows very enamored of Feathers, our charming cockatiel, who rests comfortably on my shoulder for every last shot. She pleads for a few solo poses of Feathers in front of the computer screen, so for all I know I won't even be in there. Only fitting, since the birdy steals a number of scenes in the film.

Ah yes, the film…

Debbie and I continue to rework the film to clarify my own journey that frames the story. We continue to pare away scenes (or parts of scenes) that we love because people still get restless over the course of the last third of the film. And we continue to race the clock for the next round of film fests.

We have a week to lock picture if we're to make LA and/or SF in mid-April, because sound editing is gonna be a nightmare. And even then Beo has only 5 weeks to clean the tracks, create the sound design and score and do the mix. Meanwhile, Debbie has a long-planned vacation coming up in two weeks and our sound consultant -- the one guy with experience on the Media 100 -- is so busy we have to make phone appointments just to plan to talk.

And the opening still needs dicking with.

Other than that things are fine.

I do think we've got a better film than before. The latest cut better integrates my immersion into personal Web publishing as events take Justin deeper into the Web culture. It also expands my wife's role in the story, which makes my return home in the end considerably clearer.

The latest cut was 130 minutes. I think it's now under 120, but it's hard to tell because we're not yet through making cuts. I'm contractually obligated to deliver a 90-minute cut to ZDF, and at this point I don't see how I can. Cinemax will freak, too. Though I'm not legally bound, they've made it clear they'd like it much shorter. I care foremost about making it better.

Two weeks ago, I screened the latest cut (with opening #4) for Marjorie and Josh, who was in town for a short while. They had interesting reactions.

Over the holidays, I'd mentioned to Josh that we were considering dropping his short, somewhat negative comments about Justin from the film since they were no longer necessary as exposition. He got very upset because he doesn't want his friends to think he condones what Justin does on the web.

Well, we not only kept them in, we expanded his role in the film. He appreciated that, but the film seemed to depress him about the state of his generation. Whenever we discuss computers (and Justin), he gets quite emotional. Not that he hates Justin (in fact, he felt more empathy for him than he imagined he would), but thinks he's glorified too much. That there are others out there doing more worthy stuff on the Net.

Meanwhile, Marjorie felt that including more of her highly emotional interview makes it seem like she's always weepy.

Her reaction was tempered, she later confided, by having her ex there. She and Jon get along well and we'd invited him to view it along with Josh without thinking too much about it. But while she was watching it felt weird for her.

Afterwards, I pumped Jon for his reaction. I didn't focus on how he must have felt about seeing his ex-wife interacting so intimately with her current husband on film. Instead, I wondered whether he was intrigued by the "characters." He kept reiterating he's not a critic, but finally revealed that he found it compelling. And belabored at moments, he couldn't help but add.

Lee Korobkin died the other week. One of my mother's dearest friends and the mother of my oldest friend, David. Lee was also a life force unlike any I've personally known and I miss her. She continues to inspire me to measure up to my highest standards. And while I struggle with the film, she reminds me that family and friends are what's really important.

Ever since David had his heart transplant, Lee had been a tireless (but not tiresome) crusader for organ donation. I was always a bit squeamish about the idea, but finally signed off on the suckers last year. There are some people you'll give the time of day, others the shirt off your back. People like Lee you'll give your vital parts.

Caio, baby.

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