I thought I completely forgot it, but, I REMEMBERED MY PASSWORD for this.

Expect a new blog on this site or another within a month… There is no point in continuing this with so little activity over the last 16 months.

Erik.

To start, the script for Grizzly Skag Bear is FINALLY complete – until we read through it.  This is good news for all of you and it puts this movie one step closer to being made.

The original idea arose for Grizzly Skag Bear way back in 2007 in a friend’s basement.  The idea stuck around until I was finally given a push to start writing the thing in August 2009.  I finished the first version in October and while thinking it was great, after reading it over months later, it turned out it really wasn’t.  It was amateurish.  But it was a first step.  After a few month break, I started the second draft with more focus toward a likeable script.  There went January and half of February.

After sending it to a handful of people to be edited and read over, I kind of forgot about the whole thing and it became an after thought… until June.

Some people don’t like snakes or spiders, but for me it’s heights.  I was working a job where I was constantly uncomfortable and nervous and on edge because of those heights, so I quit.  What would you do? Writing and editing was waayy more appealing than dealing with heights.  Summer is also traditionally hot outside and I have very fair skin.  I got sun poisoning once.  Here.  As you can imagine, being indoors away from the sun was also an incentive to finish the final script.  And I did.

I’d like to be able to read through the script to tweak and change whatever may need to be changed.  SO if you’re interested, let me know.  Chances are most people have wanted to be an actor at some point in their lives.   I make no guarantees since I am not in a position of power, but you might have fun.  You should also probably be in Minnesota.  Email: grizzlyskagbear@gmail.com.

I am in need of a logo for the movie, apply within for specifics.  Think Grizzly Bears on heroin. Also found at:  grizzlyskagbear@gmail.com

Laying on the floor, away from the sun, not up high,

Erik

The second draft was written from January 4, 2010 to February 15, 2010.  It’s about 15 pages shorter than the first version.  The first version, while super exciting to write, had a bunch of what I would call “fluff”.  I had never attempted writing something like that before and for whatever reason thought I needed to make each scene at least 10 pages long.  Looking back at it, it wouldn’t have even been entertaining; it would’ve been dumb and rambling like Last Call with Carson Daly or something British. I trimmed a lot of the proverbial fat off this draft.

I assume I’ll probably be writing a third draft, but who knows now.  Ideally I’d like to start filming this in the summer.  That’s probably ambitious seeing as how almost nothing  - casting, locations, budget, people’s schedules – has been figured out yet.  It’s only the middle of February. There is time for all of that.

A handful of the scenes were rewritten, maybe half, and the other half are new.  New and exciting scenes would include: the cat burglar, the pose off, a poker game, and a talent show with really bad jokes.

I like where this is going a lot more than I did originally.

If you’re wondering, I haven’t updated this blog in a month and a half as there wasn’t anything to say.  I didn’t feel like rambling about pointless stuff that was irrelevant to the creation of Grizzly Skag Bear… like how John Mayer was a complete tool BEFORE he did that Playboy interview.  That horse has been dead a while and there wasn’t any reason to keep beating it.  Or how I couldn’t find my Nintendo 64.

Irrelevant, see.

Lastly, I’ve been in a good mood since last Saturday. This hasn’t happened since last spring. I like where this is all going.

I have a feeling this version of the script will be vastly different than the original.  That will hopefully be a good thing.

New characters, different characters – upgrades if you will than before, new scenes, shorter scenes, more focus.

I’d love to be able to write in characters that the viewer of the movie would just completely hate.  and love too.  In time, when the movie is made, I’d really like the audience to feel like they can identify with the story or a specific character.

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As far as the other scenes I’m writing that aren’t related to GSB, they are gradually being written.  I don’t want to divulge too much info about them, so…..I won’t.

They’re going to be shorts though.

Happy new year to all.

2010 will bring big things.

It’s winter and I don’t have to live in Winona anymore.  Those two factors will greatly affect the script, but I’m hoping they don’t take away from how well the script eventually turns out.  Meaning, I hope I don’t lose focus of what I started to write.

I’m still trying to figure out how to get access to the places we are going to film the movie in; restaurants, an open theater, open road a weight room and other places.

We start again Monday.

Word on the street is there’s smoke, but no fire yet.  Metaphorically speaking.  Last week a friend of mine and myself had a few brain storming sessions on what to create and how to go about that road on mini movie/ skit/ scene ideas.  These could last anywhere from 30 seconds to ten plus minutes.  As for the subject matter, it will probably cause some controversy or whatever if you find the material to be objectionable.  Life’s easier if you know how to laugh at everything instead of letting it bug you and whatnot.

If you wouldn’t be entertained by Morgan Freeman reading the Harry Potter series or a show in the vein of “Survivor” titled, let’s say…Survivor: WNBA, where a super jacked up sports fan is locked in an arena and forced to watch an entire season of the WNBA, from the draft through the finals, well then, I’d say these clips aren’t for you and you can go back to watching some boring show featuring Ray Romano.  dick

This coming Monday, I’ll be meeting with Steve, yeah that Steve, to discuss new ideas for the much anticipated Grizzly Skag Bear.  I haven’t touched the script since the end of October, but have briefly gone over new ideas for what will stay and what needs to be changed.  I might post whatever direction we decide to go in.

ps. writing this felt like writing one giant run-on sentence.

Merry Christmas to all.

If you don’t celebrate it, happy whateveryoucelebrate!

If you don’t celebrate anything, congratulations, you temporarily beat capitalism.

Two Tongues – Two Tongues

Say Anything – Say Anything Don’t be an ass, BUY THIS.

*might I add it was a really creative year for naming albums too

Third Eye Blind – Ursa Major JUST BUY IT.

The Used – Artwork dark, angry, awesome, loud, no john feldman pop influence.

The Fray – The Fray.   I used to hate these guys more than Nickelback, if that’s possible, but they unfortunately write catchy, decent songs.  I hate when that happens.

Saosin – In Search of Solid Ground – three years after their first album, this album hits and misses.  hits mostly

New Found Glory – Not Without A Fight

Mark Olson and Gary Louris – Ready For the Flood – the two voices of The Jayhawks create yet another masterpiece.  But they’re way older now.

Mansions – New Best Friends

Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown – If it wasn’t for this band, I might be some kind of weird hippy.  When I was 7 I had a choice between Dookie or whatever CD Dave Matthews band had out in 1994.  I picked the on with dogs throwing shit on it and life’s never been the same.  Who would trust a 7 yr old to make such a big decision.  This CD was pretty decent after a few spins.

The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death

A Day To Remember – Homesick

Cartel – Cycles

Brand New – Daisy

Blessthefall – Witness

The Audition – Self-Titled Album

The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

If I were to pick an “Album of the Year” that honor would go to Mansions or Third Eye Blind.

Album of the Year - Mansions : New Best Friends. You should go buy it now.

But tomorrow morning, or since its almost 2AM, this morning, I’ll set out to find my lost disc from a game of disc golf I played this last Monday. It’s in the creek by the metal bridge, by the 5^th hole at the St. Mary’s disc golf course.  I tried looking for it after wading through the creek with my pant legs rolled up, but couldn’t handle how freezing cold the water was.  It was a debilitating kind of cold.  Now I get how Jack felt trying to stay afloat after the Titanic sunk.  That water smells like some rude form of garbage.

Or something like that…..

Soulpancake.com was a site shown to me by a friend.  It’s Rainn Wilson’s site and after looking over it, it is pretty interesting.  Check it!

I wrote earlier in the week about a pair of waders, and that’s what I’ll be walking thought the water with.  Bare feet and rolled up jeans, just aren’t that warm in December if you have to walk through water – at 8AM.

It was an indescribable thought, or mood, or whatever you call it.  It felt like being pulled in all different directions with a million things passing through my head.  It was some form of stir-crazy or uneasiness like I had to keep moving forward, but I didn’t know which way to go first.  It felt like if I stood in one place for too long that I immediately had to get moving like I might miss something.

It feels awful, but not sickening.

I’m graduating in a week (it’s looking good so far) and all day, almost everyday since mid November that weird sense has been creeping up.

Again, it feels awful.  It’s just a whole heap of uncertainty, I think.

ps.

I thought I might not be able to graduate if I didn’t pass one of my classes this semester, but as it turns out, I read the DARS report wrong and Instead of maybe not graduating with 127 credits (instead of the required 128), I’ll be graduating with 144 if I pass my remaining classes.  And then I kind of felt like a moron for taking an extra semester of college when I didn’t altogether need it.

Truth be told, I needed it for my studio art minor.

I think the general public outside of Minnesota or surrounding states assume it’s winter in Minnesota for about eight months.  But they’re wrong.  It’s only five at the most and only two of those are really ever that bad.  I’ve heard it said Minnesotan’s live longer, in part, because of the weather here.  Who wouldn’t want that?  Personally, I just think the rest of the country is soft.  Any athlete complaining about the weather when YOU’RE BEING PAID MILLIONS to play a sport, hardly a real job, should shut the hell up.  If you gave me a million dollars, I would sit outside for four hours a day in some cold po-dunk part of Alaska or Canada just for the hell of it, or because I was being paid millions of dollars.

Anyway.  School is still severely limiting, basically killing, any time I might have to write anything fun.