Lutz and Balls: Paranormal Investigators

I have a new web series starting in early 2008. Check it out at http://www.lutzandballs.com/

About the Series.

Perpetual salesmen and slackers, Craig and Bill lose their corporate sales jobs and set off to get rich quick. In the first episode they seek out a photo-op with Big Foot, his bride, and aliens. From there it only gets more whacky as upcoming episodes include creature removal, one-eyed pirate-gypsies, doppelgangers, and mysterious government agents.

If you liked X-Files and Bill and Ted, you’ll love Lutz and Balls, Paranormal Investigators.

Room 602 on its way to View Askew

Kevin, sir, I'm sending you a copy of Room 602. You can watch it or you can trash it, but its just 11 minutes out of your life and I promise you'll laugh.

We opened this weekend and have gotten great feedback and support. Remember, that feature I said I had waiting to go that was something right up Schwalbach's alley: the type of movie, she said (on a Smodcast with you) she'd love to see? Well, this short is based on the same characters.

Coming your way, sir.

Room 602 screened!

Room 602 debuted last night and we had great response from the audience during and after the screening. Thanks to everyone that was a part of it! It all paid off.

If you haven't had a chance to see it, there's two more local screenings scheduled:

Oct 26th come to the Deadly Event at Alice Cooperstown. $20 gets you dinner and seven movies. Come laugh along with Room 602. Go to http://www.deadlyevent.com for tickets and details.

Can't make this Friday? Come to the San Tan Short Film Festival, November 16-18 (Room 602 will screen on the 18th). Go to http://www.santanfilmfest.com for details!

...and then that's it in Phoenix for this year, folks. Don't miss out!

Why Kevin Smith and Room 602 News

It's been asked why am I writing to Kevin Smith? Well, I answered this in my first blog entry two months ago and right there in the left margin. Has it paid off?

Well, I can honestly say that some of Kevin's people have browsed through here. I don't think any of them reported back their findings to the man himself. I would like to think that he would respond. After all, we're two peas in... OK, that just sounds silly.

On to other things.

Room 602, the film that I started this blog about, has three screenings coming up. October 20th, 8 PM (Theater 4) at the International Horror Sci Fi Film Festival. I will also be hosting a panel at 1PM on Sunday the 21st (same festival) on fast tracking -- "How to quickly advance in the movie biz from amateur shorts to semi-pro features" and then participating in a panel at 2:30 the same day on creativity -- "How to create super visuals on small budgets." If not for me, come to see Linda Blair as she screens the Exorcist and Claudia Christian as she screens "The Hidden."

After that, Room 602 will screen at Alice Cooperstown and the Seven Deadly Films Event (October 27th).

Finally, on November 18th, we'll screen one last time this year at the San Tan Short Film Festival.

Then its Happy Holidays time while we start looking for other festivals.

PS. Stay tuned for news on "Big Feet, Little Shoes," another short I produced and directed that starts its festival run later this month.

Stardust, pleasant dreams

Wow, I just saw a great film that just wasn't pushed by its studio. Granted, Paramount had a ton of marketing push behind Transformers all summer, but they could have, and should have, put some real marketing dollars behind Stardust. A little research shows this was the little fantasy movie that could. Its been out since August 10 and been in the top 10 each week since release (numbers aren't in this week yet).

It's a fairy tale, pure and simple, but a wonderful one that entranced me, my wife, and my children. If you are a fan of The Princess Bride, you'll love this film. It has the same irreverence while still being true to everything that makes people smile at the thought of their favorite fairy tale.

Where do I start? This movie had production value out the wazoo. I mean, the costumes alone were not only unique for each character, but the fabrics were custom made for at least seven of them. Elaborate sets, visual effects, costumes...

...And the cast! Ian McKellen, Peter O'Toole, Rupert Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Ricky Gervis...

Dare I mention the story was originally written by Neil Gaiman? How about this, the first line from the book: "There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire." or this, the first line from the movie: "A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really...”Do the stars gaze back?" Now *that's* a question."

Both really summarize the movie.

See this movie on the big screen, while you still have a chance... and then buy the DVD.

Wow, I just pimped someone else's movie. I don't do that often and, frankly, its the only film from this summer of block busters that I've done this for. Even Transformers...

Who wants to act when you can direct?

Kevin, sir, looks like your boy, Ben Affleck is jumping into the directing arena with both feet. In fact in the August 24th issue of Entertainment Weekly he gave a brief interview (OK, not so recent, I'm behind in my reading) saying that if his current movie is accepted well he'll stick with Directing and just be in the kinds of movies he wants to do which mostly aren't "giant studio movies".

Sounds like a man right after your own heart, Mr. Smith.

So, here's the deal. Remember when I said I had a screenplay your wife, Jennifer Schwalbach, not only could produce but is the type of movie that she said, in one of your recent Smodcasts, she always wanted to see and would remind her of Alias and the reason she fell in love with that series. You know, the one with this synopsis:

A strong, take no prisoners, female action movie with humor and heart. A story about a widowed soccer mom who, struggling to make ends meet, turns to the only line of work she has ever been any good at: contract killing. Then top it all off with the fact that her deceased ex-husband turns out to be not-quite-so, kidnaps their daughter, and forces mom to fight for the daughter's life.

Well, you can have the man you said you'd always work with, Ben, direct. And then the Bob or Harvey Weinstein can back the film. And all this can be done while you're working on Red State or Zack and Miri (whichever ends up first).

Come on Ben, Kevin, Jen, give a poor fat writer a break and drop him a line.

Big Feet, Little Shoes in the can

Well, its video, so there's no can, just computer, but you get the idea. This short was a blast to do and, if it represents well, we're looking at turning this into a regular web-series.

As I mentioned before, its a slacker version of the X-Files. In this case, Craig Lutz and Bill Balls embark on a career as Paranormal Investigators when they lose their day jobs (see picture at left).

First task? "I give you Sasquatch!" exclaims Bill. But, of course, things don't work out quite as planned... or do they?

Maybe I'll send in to the ViewAskew Film Festival: Movies Askew... wait, you haven't annouced one for 2007, just 2006's competition. Oh well, you'll just have to catch it at a film festival near you... until we release it on the web that is.