Austin girl makes good

My agent Liz Atherton sent word that one of my stable-mates, Austin actress Brea Grant, who only just recently moved out to L.A., was picked to be a recurring villainous character on NBC's "Heroes". Good on ya, girl!

I haven't met Brea yet, but I'm glad she's doing well, and representing the ATX. Hopefully, it will inspire more producers to look for talent here in Austin. There's certainly plenty of it.

Best of luck, Brea!

New headshots

Will post more soon.

Fabrizio rocks.

Make your own damn Webisode!

Years ago, my friend Trent Haaga wrote a book called Make Your Own Damn Movie. Well, Texas filmmaker Blake Calhoun and writer Mike Madden did just that. Sort of. They made a TV-like series for the Web ("webisodes") called Pink - The Series.

They posted the series on YouTube, and it took off: 4 million views in just a few months. Mike Madden, in a podcast interview with Pilar Alessandra, writer Madden explains that part of the success, he feels, is that the 3-minute shows are scripted with a 3-minute arc, not a 90-minute arc that's been chopped up into 3-minute intervals. The fact that it's action fare, with a woman in the lead role, no less, probably didn't hurt. Shows like La Femme Nikita and Domino did pretty well using the same basic formula.

Recently, Hollywood sat up and took notice. New Webisodes of PTS are being shot now, and their recent deal with Generate bodes well for the DFW team to be at the leading edge of Web-based filmmaking.

That's good for Texas producers, directors, writers, and actors, and most of all, good for consumers, who are looking for quality content "outside the box." It's the obvious conclusion of the major studios' crumbling business model, which they are fighting hard to hold onto, seemingly oblivious to the lessons of their music industry brethren.

It's motivational to me. I'm in the process of self-producing a few features and possibly even my TV series, which might be a nice end-run around Hollywood Development Hell.

Did I mention that I'm writing a book, too?

Plus ca change...

"To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often," said Winston Churchill. So, after 13 years (!), I finally decided to cut off my ponytail. This is the first time my wife has ever known me with short hair. She was nearly in tears, for some reason I can't quite fathom. Mary's hair stylist Dale did the honors, and I thought she did a great job.

I'll be getting new headshots with trusty Austin photog Stefano Fabrizio later this week, so hopefully I don't get called to audition for the role of a rock star between now and then.

If so, I'll be getting me some extensions! Click here for more photos of the traumatic event.

Easter Bunny, Kill Kill!

My buddy and fellow marauder from Living and Dying, the prolific Trent Haaga, has a new movie out. Actually, he's got about half a dozen new movies out. That's Trent's MO. Schooled in the Troma trenches, Trent is constantly churning out fun new low-to-mid-budget indie horror.

His latest in-the-can release is Easter Bunny, Kill Kill, which is available for download. It's a painless download from the Cruxy service, and it's all legit. Popcorn-munching disembowelment fun. Check it out.

Oh, and I'm glad to see that Trent is on board with the iPhone (see his April 17, 2008 post). Seriously, the dude gets it.

Killer Rich Boy

My friend and fellow Bentley Mitchum acting class alumni Rich McDonald booked a "killer" role late last year: a starring role as Corporal Anthony "Manimal" Jacks, in the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill," which is showing in July.

Rich and buddy Frank Brantley moved from Austin out to L.A. a few years ago. We were sorry to see them go, but very excited, too, because they are both terrific actors. They're also good people. And that's really important, especially in the very plastic world of show business.

I wish them the best, and look forward to seeing more big things from Rich and Frank!

The Rise of Papo

Shout out to my boy Davi Jay, who just booked the role of Ray Delacroix in the new Val Kilmer film Streets of Blood, shooting in the Big Easy.

We both went to read for the film last month. Davi read for Delacroix, I read for the (ostensible) lead villain role, a Hispanic character whose name I've now forgotten. I got no love, but Davi booked the gig! Nice going, brother!

Davi and I were joined at the hip as "Lechero's thugs" on Season 3 of the Fox TV show Prison Break.

Knock 'em dead, Davi!

The LATEX Connection

My good buddy Mike Alvarez has struck again. Thanks to Mike, I can officially say that I have a TV pilot deal in development. Now, that and $1.50 will get me a cup of coffee, but at least I can join the ranks of professional writers who utter that mantra on the way to their meantime jobs (probably at Starbuck's).

Mike is an experienced cinematographer and producer, and has been working with some high-powered names in LA-la Land (and Louisiana, and overseas) to produce a series of films for his fledgling studio group.

We first met about 10 years ago, back in Edinburg, Texas, thanks to a mutual friend named Karen Flanagan, who used to own the most excellent music venue Cadillac Jack's. We've been working together ever since to get a major film project off the ground- Mike from L.A., and me from Texas, hence the "LATEX" connection.

Now, it is absolute death to say things like this out loud, but I feel lucky, punk. I've been kicking around an idea for a TV series, and one of Mike's long-time friends is a former Big 3 studio television producer. I pitched my idea to Mike, he forwarded to his friend, who loved the idea. He agreed to come on board as Executive Producer.

We're putting together the rest of the team. While on the set of Prison Break, I met a very cool lady named Seve, who is an exec for a Big 4 studio. She also loved the idea, and agreed to be on the team.

I did the "springboards" (the plot summaries) for the first season, all 22 episodes, but I'm sure we could use an experienced TV writing crew to bring it to life.

So, if you know any good writers, give me a shout, OK?

Hip-hoppin' in Shreveport

I'm in the poppin' city of Shreveport, LA, auditioning for the lead villain role (hey, it's what I do!) in a Val Kilmer film called Microwave Park. [Update: now it's called Streets of Blood.] This is the ghostly view from my hotel suite, courtesy of my naff iPhone camera.

Just found out I got a callback for a fun SWA commercial, playing a rock star lead singer, back in Austin today. Unfortunately, I don't have wings, so I'll miss that.

Dang.

Must mean that I was intended to book this sucker!

The play's the thing

After 20 years (?!!) away from the stage, I've joined director Paula Russell's talented Austin troupe for a production of "Shards". It's the third of the five-play quintology "The Love Sonatas," written by Manuel Zarate.

We'll be performing in the Rollins Theater at downtown Austin's The Long Center. I have a lead role opposite the lovely and talented Beth Burroughs, playing a reformed murderous soldier.

I don't think of myself as a "leading man" type, but Paula assured me that I was "pulling it off wonderfully." So there you go. Now brimming with confidence, I step out into that good night.


"I'll have grounds
More relative than this—the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King."
Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 603–605