The Way We Get By

Let me summarize freelance filmmaking in one word...

Unpredictable.

Yup, that will do it. Because it feels as if every time I start putting my fingers to the keyboard for another rant about how work has become dryer than a cat's tongue (yeah I went there), things pick up faster than ever before.

Alright, so let's bring everyone up to speed. It all started with a downer. I got a recommendation for that George H.W. Bush HBO documentary being shot in Kennebunkport but we couldn't make it happen. That was a big letdown because that sounded like such a great experience. Who wouldn't want to kick it with Barbara and the gang? Even though I'm sure it was nothing like I expected.

Would have been a grand ol' time.

Then while I'm kicking rocks around in personal anguish, I get a call from a production company coming to Portland for a Food Network show. I spend 75% of my day thinking about what I'm going to eat... so of course I said yes. By the way, the other 25% is spent actually eating.

Then like 2 days after that, I get an even more exciting call. Turns out A&E's Hoarders is coming to Manchester, NH and could use some help the following weekend. That was a big HELL yes.

A dream come true?

I would have been completely content right there. But then today I get an e-mail from a production company coming to Portland for the Cooking Channel. And the best part is that everything actually fits into my schedule. Does that ever happen???

Oh, and remember that blog post about the Best Documentaries on Netflix? I actually received an e-mail from the producer of an award winning documentary called The Way We Get By. It was shot in Bangor, ME and focuses on a group of senior citizens who greet U.S. troops going through the Bangor International Airport. She recommended her movie after reviewing the list. So I clicked on the Netflix and gave it a watch... and of course she was COMPLETELY right. Such a touching documentary that without a doubt deserves a spot on that list. She told me about her next project and how she could use some help but it's way up near the Canadian border so the logistics aren't looking good. But either way I wish her crew the best of luck.

So yeah, looks like I'm about to get real busy again. I love it.

Despite the hectic schedule, I'm definitely going to have to make some time for a Fourth of July celebraish. And by "celebraish" I mean call up a bunch of hooligans, fill a cooler with the first stereotypical 30 rack of beer I see that has the colors red, white, & blue on it, grab a chair (preferably a recliner with optional footrest), find a body of water to place said chair and/or optional footrest, and watch things explode into magical pixie dust. Perfect way to recoup during a period like this. If I don't accomplish this plan, then the "terrorists" have won.

Not on my watch.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK
 
Spoon
"The Way We Get By"
We go out in stormy weather
We rarely practice discern
We make love to some weird sin
We seek out the taciturn
And that's the way we get by

Best Documentaries on Netflix

Documentary films have been one of the most overlooked genres in the world of popular media. Sure, we have our fair share of attention garnered for reality TV programming, but a lot of documentaries are overlooked due to the social need for weekly celebrity anguish. And why advertise a great documentary when you can gain a greater profit from a Michael Bay inspired explosion-fest... not that I'm saying anything is wrong with that.

A majority of the work I've done so far has been documentary-based, which has forced me to spend a lot of time studying the techniques of popular filmmakers on Netflix. So it was only a matter of time before I created a list of must-watch documentaries. So without further adieu, here's the Top 10 Documentaries on Netflix (in my honest opinion):


10. When You're Strange
You couldn't find a better character to base a documentary on than Jim Morrison. The man was without a doubt one of the most interesting men of the late 60's/early 70's. And let's be honest, The Doors are an amazing band that is often overlooked due to their quick flash of brilliance.

9. Exit Through the Gift Shop
An excellent look into the world of graffiti artists, as well as the hypocrisies of art. This film does a great job of not only showcasing some of the brilliant minds of the early underground world of street art, but also how even an idiot could be seen as a art prodigy if they manipulate people enough.

8. Gonzo
I find Hunter S. Thompson to be one of the most inspiring yet unpredictable men I've ever studied. He is without a doubt a pioneer of modern day journalism and his impact on the media world is often overlooked. Of course the man is bat shit crazy due to the life he chose to live, but sometimes you have to be bat shit crazy to survive.

7. Collapse
Any film that gets me thinking is one worth watching again. You can go into this film with your own opinions but you'll leave questioning a lot of things in this world. Hopefully you're not a conspiracy theorist because you might even leave with a completely paranoid sense of thought.

6. Bastards of the Party
A topic that's often completely misunderstood. A lot of individuals think that gang warfare has always been apart of our nation. This documentary goes deeper. It's great to know the history and some of the role-players and game-changers who were actually trying to revolutionize society but ended up with a bloody mess.

5. Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead
Oh man, get ready to become disgusted with what you're doing to your body. This film is an inspirational piece that shows how huge changes in what you eat can completely alter your mind, body, and health. Change that comes through fasting with a diet of nothing but fruit/vegetable smoothies. Yeah, definitely easier said than done. You'll finish this movie with a sudden urge to drive to Wal-Mart and buy a juicer.

4. Religulous
Even if you are obsessed with your religious beliefs, you should still watch this film. It's great to hear all sides when dealing with something that is such a gigantic part of most people's lives. Plus, it's just fun to question ideas and stories that have been apart of our society for centuries.

3. Being Elmo
I was beyond ecstatic when I found out that Netflix was beginning to stream this one. This film leaves you wanting to accomplish all of your childhood dreams. The voice of Elmo, Kevin Clash, is such an inspiration for anyone that wants to make it in a world that has placed the odds against them.

2. Dear Zachary
Get the tissue box ready because you are going to cry. This film will make you hate people and always think twice when dealing with the strangers you meet. There isn't an emotion that this film doesn't tug at. So prepare yourself before turning this one on. Plus it's a very compelling story.

1. Man on Wire
James Marsh is a great documentary director and he shows it here. This is one of the only films on this list that I can call not only moving but also beautiful in it's own sense. I also learned more from the techniques used here than any other documentary I've watched. Marsh's other film, Project Nim, is also a great one but it's currently not on Netflix.


Honorable Mention:
Bowling For Columbine
Dive!
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Food Inc.
How Beer Saved the World
Nightmares in Red, White, & Blue
Winnebago Man
WWE Rivalries: Michaels vs. Hart


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK

 
The Guess Who
"These Eyes"
The hurtin's on me, yeah
And I will never be free, no, no, no
You took the vow with me, yeah
An' you spoke it, an' you spoke it, babe