Love Bug - Photos

Turtle Thompson (Reese Merritt)

Mrs. Thompson (Anne Nabors)

Maddy Cooper (Kelsey Buchanan)

Mrs. Cooper (Leslie Langee)

Me and my Monitor

Anne Nabors

Nancy Gresham (Script Supervisor) and Kelsey

Yep. That's what my bedroom looks like these days.

Turtle and his momma.

Reese and Fernando.

Fun on set!

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

Tis the season. Or the month, rather. Jim and Rebecca got married on Sunday and Debbie and Zach are getting married on Saturday. The best thing about the wedding season ... seeing all of your friends, from near and far. All in one place.

FNL - Good News for Austin

NBC renews 'Friday Night Lights'

30 March 2009 5:00 AM, PDT | From HollywoodReporter.com | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news

"Friday Night Lights" fans can rejoice: NBC has ordered two more seasons of the critically lauded but ratings-challenged series.

The network and DirecTV have finalized a deal for a 26-episode order -- two seasons of 13 episodes each -- of the Ums/Imagine TV-produced drama about a Texas high school football team.

Under the pact, "Fnl" will continue to premiere on DirecTV, with a second window on NBC.

Faced with the prospect of canceling the series because of low ratings, NBC first struck a pact with DirecTV last year to share the cost of "Fnl's" current third season.

Helping to make the pickup economically feasible is the fact "Fnl" is produced efficiently in Austin, where it enjoys tax incentives. To keep costs even lower, the upcoming seasons might be filmed back-to-back. Season 4 will air next season, and Season 5 runs the following season.

Stuart Little (1999) - Production Design

Where Do I Shine?

There are moments, days, sometimes weeks and months when you really doubt yourself. You wonder if your work or your stories are just "ok". You watch friends and peers shine and think to yourself, "maybe they're just better than me". I've spent the last year making shorts, writing films that stretch myself as an artist and as a storyteller. I've made some films and written some scripts I'm really, really proud of. And I've written some scripts and made some films that I wish could somehow tuck under a rug somewhere. I'm learning more about my strengths and weaknesses. And that's totally cool. At least I'm trying new things. I know where my voice sings and I know where my voice totally cracks.

Tonight after seeing half of Nick's first cut of Love Bug, it only confirms ... I know where I shine. I know what I'm good at. When I know a story through and through, and it involves kids and comedy I can bring it to life. I can't wait ... can't wait to finish this little film up and share it with everyone. I think it really shows off some great talent both behind and in front of the camera. Soon everyone will be introduced to the charm of Reese Merritt (Turtle) and Kelsey Buchanan (Maddy). Give our little team 2 1/2 more weeks to put it all together.

Shooting Pick Ups

Listening to The Killers. Feeding Turkey to Pork Chop (my cat) so he stays out of the shots. And being goofy.

jumping off bridges and Quarter to Noon at SVT

SVT Micro Cinema: Kat Candler, PJ Raval, & Pepper Island

[ April 12-14 ]

Salvage Vanguard's Micro-cinema screens work by local filmmakers Kat Candler, PJ Raval and Pepper Island Films.

Feature: Kat Candler�s JUMPING OFF BRIDGES, a story that follows an adventurous group of four best friends in the trenches of adolescence. It centers on Zak Nelson and his struggle to come to terms with a family tragedy. Before the feature catch Kat�s short film QUARTER TO NOON. On Monday night April 13th writer/director Kat Candler gives a live commentary.

Fusion Shorts: Pepper Island Films screens selected short films, PLUS a cinematic carousel of entertainment brought to you by Three Dollar Cinema the collaborative efforts of filmmaker PJ Raval and artistic terrorist Paul Soileau. Tickets are only $5 at the door ($8 for both bills).

Love Bug - Almost Wrapped

What an amazing Saturday! We had a fun, silly, awesome crew shooting Love Bug. And four wonderfully talented actors to bring the characters to life. I'm thrilled with what we got. Nick was already digitizing, logging and synching footage on set. That's the beauty of technology. Greg and I have about 2 - 3 more hours of pick up shots. Should be a breeze. And by Friday we'll have a first cut to watch. It's gonna go fast. Our deadline is fast approaching. But it's an easy piece.

Here are some photos from our prepping the day before. I didn't have time or even think about taking my own photos on set. Luckily Roger brought his camera along.

Maddy's Kitchen (Half of my kitchen)

Turtle's Bedroom (And mine when we're not shooting)

The ever extraordinary, Fernando (Production Designer)

Pre-Love Bug Shoot

We've been going, going, going pretty much all day long. Between last minute trips to Target, Ross, Dollar Tree, finalizing the set dressing and props to testing lighting set ups and camera angles one last time. I'm ready. In fact, I feel very ready. I know this script, these characters, the look like the back of my hand. I just hope I get it right on screen.

Tomorrow's it. Let the fun and chaos begin.

Love Bug - In Summary

Maddy and Turtle are BFF. Maddy totally loves bugs. They're like ... super duper, like ... totally cool. Turtle totally loves bugs too ... and superheroes ... and trucks. But Turtle also loves Maddy. She's like ... the coolest. But when he decides to ask her to the Spring Fling Dance at school, it all comes to a head. Will he work up the nerve? Will he say the right thing? Will his mom thwart his attempts to profess his love with his bumblebee undies? Will Maddy say yes or give him the big let's just be friends line? It's all coming up tomorrow when we actually shoot Love Bug!!!!!!

Where the Wild Things Are - Trailer

Watch and weep here.

Prepping Your Film for Distribution

Stacy gets quoted in The Independent on our self distribution efforts on jumping off bridges.

Picture this! By some miracle to end all miracles, born of equal parts luck and blind determination, you’ve managed to rise above the never-ending barrage of questions from “concerned” friends and family who’ve always thought your talk about making movies was reckless. You’ve put together a cast and crew, refined your script, found some financing and in the process, you’ve even figured out how to ignore all your significant other’s not-so-subtle hints that a career selling life insurance really wouldn’t be that bad. To be honest, looking back, even you aren’t really sure how you pulled it off. Yet, despite all of the concerns and self doubt, you’ve somehow managed to make the impossible possible. You’ve made your first feature film! And, by definition, you’re finally a real filmmaker. Read more.

Love Bug - The Countdown

We still have some props and set pieces to get. I think most of the costumes are finalized. Shots lists get tweaked every day. Actors are ready. We've done two test shoots. I feel really confident.

Had a nice conversation with the folks at Nick TV yesterday. Spider wasn't a perfect match, but they really liked it. I'm getting there. I'll be sending Love Bug to them once it's finished. Lots of good stuff going on. Just wish I had more time to write. About 2/3 of the way through the first draft of Captain Dynamo. It's fun and silly. I love the fun and silly.

The Sad Life of a Married Couple

When your husband is sitting four feet away from you on the couch and sending you emails to things like this with subject lines like ... "This is why I'm scared that Kat is on Twitter", you just have to giggle to yourself and think "My Husband is a dork".

Tribeca All Access - The Spider in the Bathtub

I'm thrilled to report that I'll be taking The Spider in the Bathtub script to New York for the Tribeca All Access program at the Tribeca Film Festival at the end of April.

I love this script so much it makes my heart hurt. It's the kind of movie I so desperately want to make right now in my filmmaking career. The family comedy. So I'm hoping, crossing all my fingers and all my toes that this is the opportunity I've been waiting for to help give this film its little legs.

Here's the official press release.

Love Bug - Full Weekend

Jam packed weekend of Love Bug preparations. Rehearsals, test shoots, lighting prep, photo shoots, production meeting, painting, production design, prop shopping ...

My bedroom now looks like a 9-year old boy's bedroom. It's strange waking up to orange and yellow walls, hot wheels, super hero action figures, spiderman posters ... very surreal. But the sets look fantastic. The whole thing's coming together really nicely. I can't wait for the weekend and actually putting it all on camera.

Cecilia - Welcome to the World

My new niece, Cecilia, is super cute!

The Thompson Family - Love Bug

The Thompson Family

Turtle Thompson

Where the Wild Things Are - Poster

SXSW Slam Dunk Day

Between seeing St. Nick on the big screen at the Alamo and watching Bosque Brown play out of a garage on the east side, it was a slam dunk day at SXSW. In fact, it's my only day of SXSW. It's been short but sweet. Back to the real world. I have a full weekend of production design, photo shoots, rehearsals and production meetings for Love Bug. The shoot is one week away. Whoa.

GRETCHEN on the Sundance Channel

If you didn't catch Gretchen at SXSW in 2006, you missed out. But luckily if you have the Sundance Channel, you can check out Steve Collins' comedic gem. Courtney Davis was one of my favorite Austin actresses until she up and left for Los Angeles. I still think she's comedy gold.

March 20th, 10pm
March 31st, 6:15pm
April 1st, 12:30am

Give 'Em Hell Malone - Coming Soon

Mark Hosack wrote this little ole movie called, Give 'Em Hell Malone starring Thomas Jane and Ving Rhames. Mark and I go way back. Like back in the days of making our first features. We met over email on this new thing at the time called the internet. Having just read a draft of his latest action thriller, I'm in awe. How the hell do you write this crazy stuff? Car chases, gun fights? Seriously.

Anyhow, these clips from the film are not for the weak of stomach.

The SXSW Cool Factor

Every year SXSW brings the coolest of the cool kids to our fair city. We're flooded with hipsters. That's not to say we don't have our fair share already. But today in particular, I'm a little overwhelmed with pink hair, mod boy hair cuts, oversized sunglasses carefully positioned on top of people's heads, bangle bracelets and knee high socks. Maybe I shouldn't have come to Spiderhaus to write. Hmmm ...

I remember long ago, when I first moved to Austin, Matt and I would go see the latest and greatest indie rock band at Emo's. Everywhere I turned there were cool, beautiful twenty somethings. And I was not one of them. At the end of the night, I'd go home feeling like a complete loser. Damn, you self esteem! Of course, now that I'm older ... I'm so totally over it. Cool schmool. Just give me my jeans and flip flops and I'm good to go.

Twitter

I'm a twitterer now.

My New Niece - Baby Girl

She doesn't have a name yet. We'll call her Baby Girl. That is until Amy and Egil disclose her real name. And I don't have pictures to upload because my camera cord's at my office. But you have to trust me when I say, "She's beautiful!" And I can't help but cry every time I see her.

Force Field SXSW Showcases

Daniel Gill has officially touched down in Austin (as have Karen and Ralph). Daniel and I went to high school and college together. He was my music supervisor that landed all of the awesome bands on our jumping off bridges soundtrack.

I learn about new music from four people ... my husband, Kurt Volk, Chris Hrasky and Daniel Gill. These are my trusted sources. So tonight Daniel and I sat with MySpace and YouTube and he caught me up on all the latest and greatest. The one that stuck out that Kurt told me about weeks ago, maybe months ago even is The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They'll be playing Wednesday in a free showcase that Daniel's Force Field PR is co-producing. And then of course, I'm really looking forward to seeing Bosque Brown on Friday at Force Field's second free showcase. I can't recommend going to these enough. They're free!!!

SXSW and Kat Are Not Meant to Be

Have I just been oblivious years past or has the festival exploded? I haven't seen a single movie yet. I planned to wait until things died down a bit. I figured, Monday'd be good. Nope, not the case. I even convinced Mark to go with me to The Overbrook Brothers last night, but we couldn't find a parking space within 1/2 a mile radius of the Alamo Lamar. I'm exaggerating a bit, but even still. It was completely insane. Even driving through downtown was nutso. And then we had to go rescue Clay from a parking garage that tried to eat his car. Needless to say, we didn't see the film, but I've only heard amazing things about it.

Today I was planning to see St. Nick but the niece we've been expecting to arrive for the last week decided today was the day. So we headed to the hospital this afternoon to find out, she changed her mind. Due to things I didn't understand, she'll be making the grand entrance later in the week. Oh my, she's already a little princess.

And speaking of princesses! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROLINE!!!

Clay Hearts Jason Statham

If You Love Me, You'll Vote for Me

So apparently I'm an A-Lister. At least that's according to Austin 360's list of Austin bloggers. Who'd thunk? If you think I'm kind of / somewhat / remotely kinda cool, you can vote for my blog here.

Bosque Brown - Phone Call

BOSQUE BROWN - "Phone Call" live from James M. Johnston on Vimeo.
Thanks to James.
If you get a chance, go see them. I promise you won't be disappointed.

SXSW What?

Somehow I've almost managed to forget that SXSW was going on. Almost. Between My nephew's 2nd birthday party and my sister in law's birthday, a sniveling cold ... I haven't been downtown once. I have a short list of friends' films I'll get started on Monday. But not before a fun dinner with Yen and Clay tonight, a production design meeting for Love Bug and reading a feature script for an action/thriller script for a friend.

Kelly Clarkson, I Think You're Rad

It's on repeat in the car.

NY / NJ Photos

I learned all about the scratchy monster from this little guy and his stuffed animal seal, Stanley.

My BFFs in Central Park.

The amazing panel at the Bergen Community screening of jumping off bridges.