Out of Hemet

I made a movie before I turned 30!!

2010-08-12T18:25:00.001-07:00

Just read the post two below this one to read how Phil circa-2007 swore he would make his "high school flick" by the time he turned 30. what.

So you won a movie contest and...?

2010-08-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a long, long time in between posts, and I don't even know where to begin.

...

So, I won't. Just click on the link above to see what I've been up to.

Better Late Than Never?

2007-12-18T17:54:00.001-08:00

With the holidays in full swing and the fact that I'm no longer a student, I figured that it's time to update this blog with some of the latest happenings in the Kingdom of Phil.

First things first, I've officially graduated with a Master's Degree in Fine Arts from USC's School of the Cinematic Arts. I can't believe I'll never step into a classroom ever again...unless I ever make my long-gestating high school flick which I will in the next year or two I swear to Lyra's golden alethiometer. It's a great feeling, knowing you'll never have to write a paper about interactive media, Sunset Boulevard, or Hamlet ever again.

With graduation comes the next great chapter in my life I'll title "Making My First Feature Before 30." The great lesson I've learned from all my 3.5 years at George Lucas's old school is that I know how to actually make a movie from getting the money to make it to getting it seen by folks other than my immediate family. I come out of school with a tremendous amount of confidence tempered with some wisdom and realistic expectations. I'm not in this game to make a buck but to make great movies, so I'm relatively prepared for a destitute, poverty-line approaching life...at least for the next 2-3 years.

So, I've been focusing on the project that was to have been shot last summer but wasn't...my passion project if you will which is The Longhorns. I'm aiming to get a draft done in the next month, with rewrites constantly, and then off to get the money to make it. Whether this is a one-year journey (not likely) or a two-year one (more likely), I'm gonna make this movie.

PG

In Memoriam...

2007-07-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple days, a few people have passed away. That, in itself, isn't remarkable. What is is that so many notable legends did. Bergman and Antonioni, two icons of cinema. Tom Snyder, a man who hosted the first show later than Johnny Carson's Tonight Show (and who did a remarkable interview with Angelina Jolie before she became the uber-celebrity she is now...I still remember it). However, the most notable person, at least in my life, that died yesterday was Mr. Bill Walsh. As the coach of my fave NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers, back when I was learning what the hell football was, he was the first "coach" I knew. When I think what defines a coach, I think of Bill Walsh. Many of my all-time sports heroes (Montana, Rice, Young) owe something to Walsh. Oh, and he did coach my alma mater as well...

Here's to you, Coach Walsh...

PG

My Rockets Are Back!!

2007-07-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple days, while I finished polishing my Veronica Mars spec script for a NBC diversity writing program I’m applying to, I was glued to my trusty Dell laptop (not literally) keeping track of the busy off-season my beloved Houston Rockets are having. For those who don’t know, I’m a NBA junkie, and, specifically, a Houston Rockets fanatic. Not fan (because I’m no bandwagoneer). A fanatic. I’m the guy who purchased NBA League Pass (the satellite service that allows you to watch all the games during the season) strictly to keep up with my Rockets. I DVR’d each game, avoided the results the entire day, and watched the game buzzer to buzzer. Dedication = Fanatic. So, after another disgraceful first-round exit this last playoffs, my Rockets have reloaded in a big way, culminating in yesterday’s signing of Stevie Franchise. To say I’m psyched for this upcoming season would be a vast understatement. Pencil me in for another NBA League Pass order Dish Network.

PG

Optimus Looks Really Good, John McClane Can't Die, and Rats Have Dreams

2007-07-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a major disappointment in terms of the cinematic arts. Spider-Man 3 didn't live up to its prior entries in the series (too many villains, Tobey's emo haircut); Pirates didn't take us anywhere (surprising given its ungodly 2+ hour running time); Shrek isn't funny anymore (how many different ways can a film parody Disney films until it becomes the parody?); and Fantastic Four belongs on a comic book page and not on the silver screen (am I the only one freaked out by Jessica Alba's crystal blue eyes?). Jack Kirby just rolled in his grave.

Thankfully, the second wave of summer flicks arrived when it did. Transformers was not a disappointment. In fact, it was a visual extravaganza that actually made up for a lackluster and clunky plot, hot girls unbelievably cast as computer analysts and really goofy supporting characters (I love John Turturro, but do you really believe him as a secret agent?). This was a film that Michael Bay had to make, a pure fluffy movie that no one will really care about five years from now. Watching it definitely took me back to my youth filled with Autobots and Decepticons. Live Free or Die Hard was fun, although it felt like I was watching a generic action movie made 10X more watchable/enjoyable because of the presence of John McClane. Call me a traditionalist, but I missed the cursing, the bloody deaths, etc. that come with an R-rating. Finally, just saw Ratatouille last night (in perhaps the dingiest movie theater in Los Angeles), and, while it starts slow, Pixar's latest lived up to its pedrigree. It's not Toy Story or The Incredibles, but a truly magical film nevertheless.

Federer Is My Hero

2007-07-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

It was last year when I dedicated an entry to Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player of all time. Well, 365 days and some change later, it's still the case. Sure, he hasn't beaten Rafa Nadal at Roland Garros, and, chances are, he'll never beat Rafa there. From today's match, it looks like Rafa is closer to topping Roger on Centre Court than Roger is at stopping Rafa in Paris. Still, I marvel at Roger's skills and abilities more than I have any other tennis player I've ever seen.

I loved Sampras, but there was a time that I rooted against him. He was imperfect. His backhand sucked, and all he had was his serve. And he had a level of arrogance that didn't sit well with me. Why? Because he didn't have all the shots. So, how can you deserve to be arrogant. With Roger, it's different. He's approaching history, and I want him to break every record because he deserves it. He's the best I've ever seen, and he's humble about it. Amazing. The history books need to declare Roger the greatest tennis player of all time. Better than Laver. Better than Sampras. Congrats, Mr. Federer.

26 is one more than 25

2007-07-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

So, I've officially passed the quarter century mark of my life, and I have to say that it feels like the day I turned 16 (which was more important to me than turning 18). I'm not old enough to be considered middle-aged, and I'm not young enough to be considered a kid. But, I am old enough to rent a car...

PG

Channel Surfing...

2007-06-25T18:16:00.001-07:00

So, as I roast myself in the Vegas heat, I've done some channel surfing (trust me, it's part of the Phil Flores writing regimen), and I've come up with a couple favorites lately...Top Chef on Bravo (sadly, I don't get Bravo in La La Land) and The Next Food Network Star on its namesake channel. It's weird how surviving on turkey sandwiches can turn you onto shows with excellent looking food. Also, my favorite teeny tiny De Laurentis has a huge role on NFNS, and, man, is she a tough judge. There are people bawling their eyes out, and she just sits there and nods her disproportinately big head. Fantastico!!

On a side note, I've been watching The Wire: Season One, and I dig it a lot. One of the best cop shows I've seen. Dominic West as Det. McNulty is a real bastard.

PG

What's on the Tube?

2007-06-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

Now that my summer officially started yesterday (a couple weeks of putting together a pitch package for a music video contest USC is sponsoring prevented a full-out Summer of Phil starting), it's time to catch up/rave on the TV shows I've either DVR'd from this last season or gotten on DVD in the recent weeks. And, no...no Sopranos talk here (not a huge mafia fan which explains why I haven't seen either Goodfellas or Casino in full) Here's a quick rundown...

Freaks and Geeks - The love for Judd Apatow has been rather astounding for the last two weeks. It seems every entertainment news outlet is running a story about the guy and how he's revolutionizing Hollywood comedy films. While I'm not the biggest fan of the critical darling that is "Knocked Up" (Not as funny as 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Seth Rogen is tad bit shaky as a leading man), I picked up Freaks and Geeks, a series he helped showrun in the late 1990's. From the first six episodes, I like the show. Great characters. Funny HS awkwardness. Good stuff.

Dexter - The only cop/procedural show that I'm watching. Combines a cool genre mythology (Cop trains his adopted sociopathic son to control his serial killer tendencies) with some real, funny character moments. Reminds me a bit of Buffy without the vampires, etc. Also, it's succeeding in fulfilling the void in my life that was created when my beloved Veronica Mars got cancelled. More on VM in a future entry.

Friday Night Lights - DVR'd this show this past season due to the critical acclaim it was supposedly getting and some love it was getting from Innes. Although the pilot didn't blow me away, I have to say that I've fallen in love with the soap opera. Sure, these HS characters are unbelievably better-looking than any HS kids I went to school with and deal with more emotional, familial, and social problems than you can shake a DeGrassi stick at, but they've grown on me. Of special note is the coach character played by Kyle Chandler. He's the star of the show, making this football melodrama as emotionally believable as network TV can get.

Three great shows. One unfortunately cancelled. Two coming back.

Texas and High School

2007-05-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

This past week, I had the good fortune of travelling to the Lone Star state and attending my cousin's high school graduation in the wee-small town of Baytown. While I still consider myself a bastard-Texan (born in El Paso, lived in Baytown, have plenty of family in Fort Worth and Baytown), with every visit to my old hometown, I'm always amazed to see the stark cultural differences between SoCal and SoTex. I won't go into all the differences since that'd take up another entry, but it was both refreshing (people are so darn polite and friendly over there) and weird (the mullet is alive and well in SoTex as well as big trucks).

It was strange attending the graduation. It was the first high school graduation I'd been to since my brother graduated in 2001. Sitting there, it reminded me of how much I love high school and the idea of it. A gray middle-world between your childhood and adulthood. There was a sense of loneliness and uncertainty in that packed football stadium. Expectations. Failure. I love it.

All in all, I had a great time catching up with that side of my dad's family, regardless of my bulging waistline from partaking in all the good food. Filipinos know how to eat.

PG

PS Had the pleasure of seeing Arcade Fire last night at the Greek...it was fan-tastic.

Bresson...where have you been all my life?

2007-05-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

Given my close proximity to all things film, it's amazing that I haven't gotten around to watching any movies directed by the great French filmmaker Robert Bresson. My good friend Alex brought in a scene from Au Hasard Balthazar into the directing class we had together last fall. I found it interesting and borrowed the DVD, but haven't seen it since. So, perchance, I happened upon another Bresson classic Pickpocket, and, finally, watched a Bresson film...and I wasn't too impressed. In fact, I was downright bored half the time. Actors reciting their lines as if their reading it off the floor (they constantly looked at the ground). Long shots of people just walking. If not, for a smoking hot babe of an actress (the Natalie Portman-esque Marika Green, the aunt of another babe Eva Green), I wouldn't have gotten through it.

But...I was watching the Criterion Collection DVD (a cineaste's dream) and watched all the supplements which convinced me that I was all wrong. Although I must admit a lot of Bresson's appeal to me veers into sheer intellectualism, I love the fact that he used non-professional actors only once and that he strove to instill a sense of spirituality into his films. While his films weren't commercial, they were trying to do something that hadn't been done before. It's inspiring to put it mildly.

Can Wheels Be Square?

2007-04-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

So, I've been directing this short film for the last three months and haven't communicated via this blog in such a long time...November to be exact.

And, given that we wrapped shooting about a month ago and finished editing a couple weeks ago, I've found myself with some time. With this newfound time, I've gotten the opportunity to catch up some television, and, I've discovered a few things...

-American Idol ain't so bad if you have DVR and are able to skip through the show, catching glimpses of the performance and going right to Simon Cowell...I don't know how I feel about the guy...I caught his 60 minutes interview, and he came off as he does on the show. I swear I'm not a fan of this show, but in a season with no more Battlestar or Veronica Mars, I'm looking for something entertaining...and watching a goofy kid with no charisma, talent, or intelligence yuke it up for millions to see is pretty priceless...and I'm not buying a Ford.

-They killed off JT on DeGrassi?!!! Sad, sad day...

-I watch a ton of TV, and I'm proud of it...

PG

I'm a Filmmaker

2006-11-22T22:56:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it's been nearly two months since I've posted anything on this blog. The long hiatus probably means no one will be reading this (unless you've somehow figured out a way to know when a blog gets updated).

Anyways, I must say that I've done a lot the last two months. I won't go into the details because that would take a bit too long, but I will say that it's been a great ride so far. Here are some of the few highlights:

-The music video I produced for my compadre Chase has been completed...the band A Kiss Could Be Deadly loved it, and we're set to premiere the video to fans and friends in the next few weeks.

-I had the pleasure of hosting a few lovely ladies over at Casa Del Phil...plenty of fun times had by all.

-The internship at Dreamworks' story department is nearly finished...

-Directed a couple cool scenes for my directing class, and, in the process, had the privilege of meeting a bunch of fun, talented actors...

-And...drumroll please...I got selected to direct a completely USC-financed short film for the upcoming Spring 2007 semester!! The project is called SQUARE WHEELS, a dark romantic dramedy in the vein of GHOST WORLD and SECRETARY. Rest assured you'll be hearing more about this as we get prep this pic over the next few months.

So, I feel like I'm a filmmaker...cool.

PG

Like You've Been Crazy Gone...

2006-09-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

So, the deal with film school (and pretty much anything you're passionate about) is that it sucks up every tiny bit of time you have and spits out (hopefully) a good movie. It's a gross generalization that I've been busy because the word "busy" doesn't quite encapsulate the film school experience. As the production designer on the music video I produced this last summer told me and my buddy Chase, I got sucked into the creative vortex and only now have I had the time and energy to see what's outside it.

In the next few days, I'll be writing entries and what not. I still want to write my filmmaker profile series and keep y'all aprised of all the goings-on in Phil-dom.

Stay tuned.

PG

A Kiss Hello

2006-08-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

So, I'm knee deep in producing the music video that will launch me and my buddy's careers as the next great music video geniuses which explains why I haven't blogged in the last week. Producing has become a way of life for me. I eat, drink, sweat producing. It sounds gross, but it's true. Any serious filmmaker will understand this.

But, I've been able to squeeze in a few good episodes of Degrassi and Homicide (an incredible TV show that ran on NBC several years ago...it's by far the best cop show I've seen...although I'm getting a bit into The Wire lately).

As soon as this music video wraps, I'm going to start a weekly column dedicated to my filmmaking heroes. Guys like Michael Mann (although Miami Vice was a pretty big disappointment for me) and Rodrigo Prieto, the DP who shot Amores Perros. So, stay tuned...

PG

PS I just found out Kristin Bell (Veronica Mars) is actually older than me...weird.

A Movie Marathon

2006-07-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, I had the privilege of literally spending the day (more like the afternoon and night) at the Grove and their fancy cineplex. I do these all-day movie-thons from time to time, especially if there's one movie that I like enough to pay for and a couple others that I like but not enough to donate another 10 bucks to the industry. I especially like these outings when I've got things to do and I'm busy. I know that may be a contradictory philosophy, but it helps to keep me sane and remind me why I want to make movies.

This was an especially good movie-thon because of what I saw: a blockbuster fluff piece (Pirates 2); an indie darling (Little Miss Sunshine); and a new movie by an old friend (Kevin Smith's Clerks 2). Here's a quick lowdown...

Pirates 2: It's not surprising that this movie has made the gajillion dollars that it has thus far. It's mindless visual spectacle with a crowd favorite actor (Johnny Depp) playing a crowd favorite, new classic character Jack Sparrow...er, Captain Jack Sparrow. But, it's a flawed movie that's needlessly complicated, slow at times, and overly long. Plus, it's really just a big setup for Number 3. I think this series is feeling eerily like the Matrix trilogy; a great first movie that the studio and the writers never envisioned expanding into two more sequels. Oh well...at least we'll have one more movie to enjoy Depp's impersonation of Keith Richards.

Little Miss Sunshine: One of my favorites of the year. A great family film that parents should be taking their kids to see. It's extremely moving with fantastic ensemble acting (Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell are notable among them). The opening sequence is one of the best I've seen...introduces each of the characters with an awesome music score. Impressive debut for the filmmakers.

Clerks 2: I really think Kevin Smith is one of those filmmakers that can only make one kind of film. This movie felt like a reunion of sorts. Smith fits his movies like a glove. In one of the many talks I've been to, he says his dialogue (which is always commented on for its reality) is the ideal way he wishes him and his buddies would talk. Clerks 2 is Kevin Smith's ideal movie. Not his best (Chasing Amy still rocks); but certainly not his worst.

Raconteurs and a Lady

2006-07-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Caught the Raconteurs at the Wiltern with Chubbs...great show. Lots of energy. A bold prediction...Jack White is ready to hang up the White Stripes. Saw him and Meg in their last show in LaLa, and I have to say that he demonstrated a ton more energy with his new band. He's having a ton of fun playing with these guys, and I think he's found a new home. Oh, and I got a neato t-shirt, too.

PG

PS M. Night's new film/bedtime story ain't that bad...pretentious, overly self-reflexive (Night's in the film...sigh) and complicated at times; moving and funny at other moments (thanks to another killer performance by Giamatti).

Canada's National Treasure

2006-07-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

It's not Michael J. Fox, Jim Carrey, or Mike Myers. Nor is it Hockey, Canadian beer, or the word aboot.

It's Degrassi, the seemingly neverending TV series about teenagers struggling with angst, date rape, abortion, self-image, just to name a few coming-of-age issues. Watching Degrassi: The Next Generation has become my summer's TV obsession, overtaking Giada and her Food Network clan to claim the top spot in my TV To-Do List.

Weirdly, during my recovery from being sick over the 4th, I was channel-surfing when I decided to stop on The N (Nickelodeon's Tween/Teen Channel). When I channel-surf on Satellite, I use the Page Up/Page Down button to get through the Guide and always saw Degrassi come up. Now, the first and only time I heard about the show was through the brief mention of it in Chasing Amy. But, I was feeling ill and bedridden, and, suffice to say, I gave the show a chance. Soon, I found myself scanning forward to find out when it'd be on again, and now I've got it on my trusty VCR timer (no Tivo for me, I'm old school).

I'm a sucker for Coming-of-Age stories which explains my obsession with Dawson's Creek and my thesis film, so Degrassi is right up my alley. The show is fantastic simply because the actors actually are teenagers, and their stories (albeit very issue-oriented) are compelling and fun. While the actual performances of these actors vary (some very good, others bordering on bad), I appreciate the authenticity of the high school experience within the contrived teenage-soap opera genre filled with pretenders like The OC and blatantly controlled docu-dramas like Laguna Beach. Plus, it doesn't hurt that some of the girls are pretty hot (waiting for the lightning bolt to hit me).

I'm so obsessed with the show that I'm thinking of doing casting sessions in Canada to find actors for my thesis film. I think there's something in that Canadian water that creates fantastic teenage actors.

Roger Federer Rocks

2006-07-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking. Why is Phil writing another story about men's tennis and Roger Federer? Do people really care about tennis, let alone men's tennis? Why doesn't Phil write about women's tennis? Hell, that Maria Sharapova chick's hot.

Well, first of all, I love the game of tennis. Been playing since I was Maddie's age (that's my goddaughter whose picture graces this blog)...ok, maybe not for that long, but still you get what I'm saying. It's like boxing, only without the blood and bruises (This is only partially true...if you're like Boris Becker whose famous lunges on Centre Court in Wimbledon caused knee and elbow scrapes, then you can be bloodied by tennis). Mano y mano. It requires speed, strength, athleticism, and guts. It's a fantastic sport. It's a shame that more American kids are going into skateboarding, etc. rather than tennis. I love it.

Anyways, onto Roger Federer, the best tennis player in the world. He's awesome. He's got the best forehand I've ever seen (Sampras had a nasty one as well), but his game is so versatile. He can duke it out from the baseline or take it at net. That's why I root for him. I want to see this guy break records. He deserves it because he's so freakin' good.

So, congrats, Roger on yet another Wimbledon title...you rock, buddy.

Things To Do in Hemet When You're Completely Zonked Out

2006-07-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

1. Watch Amelie Mauresmo beat Justine Henin-Hardenne for the Wimbledon championship. Mauresmo played a tight second and third sets, serving and volleying like you should on the grass courts. She clearly deserved it and, finally, exorcised past Finals demons.

(On a completely side note, I love how NBC markets these weekend finals matches as "Breakfast at Wimbledon"...even though I never have breakfast at 6am...but it'd be nice to actually have breakfast at Wimbledon)

2. Wait in high anticipation for Nadal and Federer to play for the Wimbledon crown. These are clearly the two best male players in the world, and they're meeting again for a grand slam (Nadal defeated Federer a few weeks ago at the French Open). Will Roger win his 4th in a row and join the pantheon of great tennis players? Or will Rafa spoil another of Roger's triumphs? This is what makes being a tennis fan so fantastic right now. I think Federer is the best tennis player I've ever seen...it's like watching Jordan in his prime. Better than Sampras. I'll probably dedicate a whole entry to the dude. He's freakin' awesome.

3. Sleep. This is a highly underrated activity IMHO.

4. Sleep some more.

Gettin' My Hurt On...

2006-07-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

So, it sucks being so sick you have to wake up in the middle of a mutha-funkin' hot LA-LA Land night and visit the john only to repeat this unrelenting wheel of gut-wrenching (literally, not figuratively) pain every other hour. There's my "me being sick the weekend of the birth of this blessed nation and this blessed Philmmaker" rant...

On another note, did anyone catch the new Superman movie this weekend? Not exactly Spider-Man 2, but great nevertheless.

I Heart Giada

2006-06-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

I've been watching the Food Network for the past week, and I can't stop watching it. I had always associated the channel with that BAM-boy Emeril and Mark Sommers, the Double Dare host, but now they have an incredible amount of actually entertaining and good chef/hosts such as Paula Dean and Rachel Ray whose hoarse voice can either make you love her or hate her.

The one show that has been this summer's OC ("my TV guilty pleasure") is "Everyday Italian" hosted by one of the most attractive women on TV, Giada De Laurentiis. She may be short with a kinda big head for her body-type, but she's super-cute, loves food, and knows how to cook! Her enthusiasm is a huge part of her charm, and her descriptions of the food she cooks actually makes you want to eat it. I'm in love...

Batgirl and Libraries

2006-06-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't really blogged in nearly two years, I find it difficult to come up with anything really cool to say. Should I go the whole Seinfeld way and just write about my daily observations of life? Should I write about current events, trends, etc.? I think I'll just write, free associate, and see where that takes me.

My current obsession has been going to the Eagle Rock public library and borrowing DVD's and comic books. I find libraries interesting places. There has been at least two constants in my experience of the Los Angeles Public Library system: homeless people and cool DVD's of cool, little-known movies. The bad thing about the library (besides the occassional stink bomb unleashed by the many hobos that populate the libraries of LA-LA Land) is you're only allowed to borrow 3 DVD's at a time for two days at a time.

This creates a ton of minor dilemmas namely the unique combination of movies you decide to get given the 3 DVD Limit. Do I get one comedy, one drama, and one dramedy or do I go all drama? For instance, I've got Brief Encounter (a David Lean flick), Raising Victor Vargas (seen it but watching it for inspiration for my thesis film), and Five Easy Pieces starring a pre-Chinatown, pre-Cuckoo's Nest Jack Nicholson. Although I probably won't see any of these films before I have to turn them in, I like having them sit on top of my TV. The same goes with comic books which I get because I'm a comic book geek and I'm too cheap to buy them. By the way, I've been reading Batgirl, and it's not too shabby...a bit shallow but cool nevertheless.