optimistic, and yet flexible 💀
I just peeked back at my newsletter from November 1, 2020. Four months and one entire lifetime ago, it seems. I mentioned the feature script I was writing, and offered breezily, "My goal is to shoot in March, lord willing and the crick don't rise or whatever. Anything could happen!!"
lololol.
I think I knew, even then, that March was ambitious. But I needed to say it out loud.
As I draft this, I'm sequestered in Ojai, script supervising on someone else's feature. It's technically ultra-low-budget, but it's a union shoot, a lovely, carefully planned, following-all-the-Safe-Way-Forward-Covid-safety-protocols (and beyond) shoot, which has cemented my suspicion that my still-forming team and I will have to wait to be vaccinated before we roll on our micro-budget movie.
I've heard variously from producers on this one that Covid safety efforts upped the budget by 30-50%.
So. I'm edging back the goal post. July? September? Striving to remain optimistic, and yet flexible. (Two key personality traits for an indie filmmaker.) I'm making space, on my days off, to work on the second draft of the script. But also just to hike and think and be.
*****
This month in movies: Nomadland is streaming on Hulu, and it's so so worth watching. The desolate scenery. The Frances McDormand, especially in lingering close up. I was happy to gaze upon these things for two hours. And yet (SPOILER): I did long for more of a character arc. I wanted Chloé Zhao to take a stance. It's almost just a mood piece.
This month in tacos: 🤷🏻♀️ Ojai is not the spot. But I can recommend the polenta toast and the mezcal cocktail from The Nest, or the Wagamama bowl from Hip Vegan. Both offer curbside pickup, should you happen to find yourself socially distancing in this gorgeous little town.
This month in emoji: Shamed by Gen Z, I have aborted use of 😂 and replaced it with 💀 in all instances. I'm sure the Z's have already moved on, but I feel good about it. It feels very Gen X, tbh.
xoxo,
Laramie
lololol.
I think I knew, even then, that March was ambitious. But I needed to say it out loud.
As I draft this, I'm sequestered in Ojai, script supervising on someone else's feature. It's technically ultra-low-budget, but it's a union shoot, a lovely, carefully planned, following-all-the-Safe-Way-Forward-Covid-safety-protocols (and beyond) shoot, which has cemented my suspicion that my still-forming team and I will have to wait to be vaccinated before we roll on our micro-budget movie.
I've heard variously from producers on this one that Covid safety efforts upped the budget by 30-50%.
So. I'm edging back the goal post. July? September? Striving to remain optimistic, and yet flexible. (Two key personality traits for an indie filmmaker.) I'm making space, on my days off, to work on the second draft of the script. But also just to hike and think and be.
*****
This month in movies: Nomadland is streaming on Hulu, and it's so so worth watching. The desolate scenery. The Frances McDormand, especially in lingering close up. I was happy to gaze upon these things for two hours. And yet (SPOILER): I did long for more of a character arc. I wanted Chloé Zhao to take a stance. It's almost just a mood piece.
This month in tacos: 🤷🏻♀️ Ojai is not the spot. But I can recommend the polenta toast and the mezcal cocktail from The Nest, or the Wagamama bowl from Hip Vegan. Both offer curbside pickup, should you happen to find yourself socially distancing in this gorgeous little town.
This month in emoji: Shamed by Gen Z, I have aborted use of 😂 and replaced it with 💀 in all instances. I'm sure the Z's have already moved on, but I feel good about it. It feels very Gen X, tbh.
xoxo,
Laramie
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