A Happy Ending

Well, I've been home a week now. I had meant to write before I left America but I ran out of time. I had meant to write as soon as I came home, but I've been working nonstop since then! So here I am.
I had a great time in the US, much better then I expected and I found a lot more then I had hoped for. I usually come home feeling somewhat disappointed to be back, somewhat displaced, but this time I felt reinvigorated, re-inspired and ready to get going on my next film... which of course I wrote while over there. I have no time to ponder my next step, it's right in front of me and there's too much to do.
I do of course miss my girlfriend like crazy... or should I say my Fiancee! That's right, that's our happy ended, Maryann and I got engaged. While in LA I missed more then I had expected to and just had to fly back early to propose. Admittedly it took a couple of days to work up the courage, but I did it. We couldn't be happier and Maryann comes to Ireland on New Years Day to continue our adventure. So you never now, there may be another blog up here soon entitled Frank and Maryann's Trip! And I have a feeling that one will go on a lot longer than this one.
So thanks all for reading. Hope you've enjoyed it and enjoyed the pictures. This is Frank signing off. Until next time... keep reading my film blog!!! Bye!

Only In America!!!

Here's a couple of things I've labelled "Only in America" for simply that reason...


Toffee Apples... to the EXTREME!!! Nice.


Believe it or not these are Dog Biscuits!

Views of Los Angeles

Hollywood is Mental!

I had a good day today, busy. Up at eight, chatted with Noel online for a bit before heading off to West Hollywood and Hugo's restaurant for breakfast with a friend of mine, Alfred. He introduced me to Orian Williams, who I believe I've mentioned before as the producer of Control. Nice guy. We had a good breakfast and chatted a while.
The reason I call this blog 'Hollywood is Mental!' is because while we were having breakfast Terrence Stamp was sitting at the table next to us! The Limey! Mental!
Then I hopped on the bus to Santa Monica where I met Elliot and Hilary. So a bit of a heartland reunion today. It was fun. THeir cool. I like 'em both. We had coffee on 3rd street prominade, went for a stroll down the peer and stopped of at the Ivy for a spot of lunch. Spposedly a celebraty hot spot, I don't know, I didn't see anyone, all I know was that it cost $20 for a ceaser salad!


Elliot


Hillary

After our stroll and expensive lunch we walked around to the kings head, which is an english pub, but it also has a food shop attached that sells English, Irish and Australian produce. So, look at what I got...


It's funny the stupid little things you miss when you've been away from home for a few weeks!!! Yum!

I've also been invited to the premiere party to Richard Kelly's new film, Southland Tales, thanks to Elliot. Richard Kelly directed Donnie Darko, so I might get to meet him. Also in the film and attending the party will be Justin Timberlake, The Rock and Sarah Michelle Gellar! I'm so worried about meeting them! But it should be fun.

Here's some images of Hollywood.

LA Baby...

I'm in LA. I've been here for two days I think, two days and a night. It's been fun so far. I'm staying with my friend John Burton, good guy, great artist. So we've had a good chance to catch up over the last couple of warm late nights. John was also kind enough to house Thomas and I at last years Disasterous Moondance Film Festival (Avoid with extreme prejudice. Really bad festival.) SO it's good to be back on better terms.


John, working on his latest project.

LA is burning. I flew in last night and saw the fires to the south, incredible looking. Long rows of fire sweeping across the landscape. Was wuit something to behold. Luckily for me the city isn't on fire, it's way off in the sticks. But it is effecting the city. I walked out of the house yesterday and thought it was overcast, until I realised that it was smoke. I've also had a headache since I got here, it seems most people do, which I guess is from the smoke.


The smoke in the skies above LA.

In other news. I met with my friend Trampas last night. Another good guy, I've know for about ten years now. He's a stunt man here in LA, worked on Pirartes of the Carribean and Iniana Jones, the new one, which he told me about last nignt in a very secretive fashion "We were on this thing, that I can't tell you about, and then something happened, which I can't tell you about and then this guy walks in, who I can't tell you about..." so I think it's going to be great!
Then we went for dinner, past a homeless guy carrying a hammer, which was a little disconcerting and then a film crew shooting CSI NY... welcome to LA!


Tramp.

So we went for some dinner, didn't talk more about Iniana Jones! And caught up, which was nice. FUnny thing, we talked anout His Dark Materials, and of course the up coming film The Golden Compass (Spit... should be Northern Lights... anyway) Anyway, turns out one of his best friends, Mercedes, who he talked about alot a while back, married the Director Chris Weitz... small world. Apparently he's a great guy and extremely intelligent, well learned and very smart, studied at cambridge, which gives me some hope for the film.

So, I'm basically just here to meet friends and reconnect with people I haven't seen in a while. I'm not expecting anything to come of it career wise, but if I meet some new people along the way, then all well and good. I do have a meeting however with the producer of the film Control on Saturday morning, so we'll see what comes of that.
I'm also going to the LA screening of Mia Sarah, so it should be fun to meet with Gustavo, Alvaro and Cesar again. Should be a good night.
Well, that's all for now. More updates soon. Goodbye from Los Angeles.

Just so you know...

Well, I'm off to LA in a few hours, just packing at the moment. It's been a great couple of weeks in Indianapolis, and not the last before I fly home. I've had a greta itme at this years festival. I have to admit I was a little sad to have been one of the filmmakers this year, but it was great to meet most of them and to hang out with them.
THe highlight of the event for me was Mia Sarah, a wonderfully swet romantic conedy with a real throw back to the Hollywood romantic screwball comedies of the thirties and forties. The guys are still trying to get distribution but should they succeed it is film well worth checking out (Click on the link at the side for more info).
Another highlight was hanging out with the guys who made it, Gustavo, the writer/director, Alavro, his brother and the Producer, Cesar, the composer, Andreus, the Executive Producer and Manuel, the Star. Great great guys, we all became good friends, in fact Gustavo invited Maryann and I to his house in Spain next year.
I'm meeting the guys in LA, two of them are based there and Gustavo is in town to screen his film for distributors etc. So that should be fun.


The festival was great this year, a strong selection of films and a desent turn out by the filmmakers. Also some interesting sides. ONe of which was a presentation by disney of there next few films, National Treasure Book of Secrets, I heard the first wasn't great, but they seemd to have amped up everything, more action, bigger stars Helen Miren and Ed Harris and this looks pretty fun. Also a new CGI Carton called BOLT, about a tv super hero dog who thinks he really is a super hero and then gets lost in the real world and has to find his way home. I know it sounds a bit naff but it looks like loads of fun and the snimation is great, the character design are reallly cool and the background are like nothing I've scene before in CGI, they're like N.C. Wyeth paintings in 3D, very cool.
We also looked at new footage fromt eh next Narnia film. I have no real interest in seeing it, might be fun, but it looks beautiful, great epic shots, very reminicent of Lord of the Rings. THey also revealed that Micheal APted is directing the thrid one.
But the absolute highlight of the night was a sneak peak at Wall.E, the next pixar movie. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this. It is... and I cannot emphasis this enough... absolutely stunning looking. I was BLOWN AWAY!!! They showed a teaser first which was great, and then a five minute clip, upon which my jaw dropped and stayed hanging for the entirety.
This is going to be something special. First of all the character design and animation is astounding. It's basically a rusty box on track with two big eyes on top, but within the first few seconds you are completely invested in this character and love him.
It looks beyond belief. I was watching it thinking, how in the world can they possibly make it look that good??? How??? The colours are beautiful, rich, vibrant, hyper real, the effects, shadows, lighting and dust are just incredible. They have raised the bar so high in this I can't how it it's going going to take something mind boggling to surpass it.

Well, that's me for now. I better get back to packing. I'm off soon. More news and pics on the way.

Take care.

Views of Indianaoplis