Onward to 2011!!!!

The new year, 2011, is so full of expectations as never before!!!


One year ago, I owed back child support, as well as a student loan that was basically 20 years old.  And I had two credit cards in bad shape, as well as no sense of direction of what I wanted.  On the edge of 2011, I owe no back child support, my student loan is history, and the credit cards are in much better shape!!!


And as of today, I own a new domain for my sole proprietorship that may become a LLC in 2011.  And that will drag me permanently out of the Southern Tier of New York, perhaps to the immediate Capital District of New York, or some outlying town such as Pittsfield, Massachusetts—or Rochester.  This all makes sense (and dollars) for my future plans:

• More fan film productions.  Batman 1969 had fill-in shooting done on 19 December 2010 in Albany, NY, as well as Rensselaer and Saratoga Springs.  Carrie's World will start in 2011, and will be based in part on the 1966 series.
• Being in a region that supports the arts more fully!

And so much more!


Anyway, I wish everyone a blessed 2011!!  The best is INDEED yet to come!


  

Two years ago today

Eartha Kitt, who played Catwoman on Batman in late 1967 and early 1968, died on Christmas Day 2008 in Westport, Connecticut.  Known for her song "Santa Baby" from 1953, Ms. Kitt did a fantastic job as the Feline Fatale, and was clearly the inspiration for the Catwoman that Millicent Sherman did for my fan film Batman 1969!


And Ms. Kitt's passing matters even more when I work with one of her blood relatives, Beverly Moore of Vestal, NY.  Her sister, D. Alexis Moore, made the piece of jewelry that became the Moldavian Star, which figures into the plot of Batman 1969.


Godspeed, Ms. Kitt!!  And God Bless on this day!!

The times are definitely changing!

Recently, I spoke out on the 1966 Batman Message Board concerning a blog that discussed Gotham City 14 Miles, a series of essays concerning the 1966 Batman series.  The series is getting a lot of deserved attention, in part because the 45th anniversary of the show is already upon us.


But there is more than that.


The dark Batman of the 1980s and 1990s seemed to reflect the times it was in.  One could clearly see that with Frank Miller's tomes, The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, which oddly enough, featured references to the politics of the day.


One could well understand the reaction at the time to the silliness and goofiness of the 1960s Caped Crusader.  But as the political times are changing fast, so is the world of Gotham City and the world we live in.  No longer do we live in a world symbolised by the cornucopia of prosperity.  The United States narrowly avoided another Great Depression, but faces a prolonged period of economic hardship.


And the dark Batman suddenly no longer seems so appealing.


When I discussed with my mother about two years ago about approaching people in the Town of Corinth, NY about the Web series, she said the locals would not appreciate something grisly, but rather something whimsical.  The appeal of Batman: The Brave And The Bold has proved my point about the appeal of a lighter Gotham City series.  And these days, people would rather watch lighter fare.  With all due respect to 2008's The Dark Knight, I found it a bit of a downer, far removed from some of the coolness of the 1966 series, especially its first season.


Two thousand eleven is shaping up to be a most significant year.  I anticipate relocation out of the Binghamton area, and to an area where I can produce Carrie's World.  One of the Web series' influences, The FBI, is scheduled to be released around next year or so.  Whatever the case, this is not the Reagan era anymore.  We are firmly in the 21st Century.


And that may not be such a bad thing.

Forty five years ago this month

Jill St. John and Adam West at work on "Hi Diddle Riddle," October 1965.

The 1966 Batman series began production this month 45 years ago.  The pilot episode, "Hi Diddle Riddle"/"Smack In The Middle," began production on 11 October 1965, and finished on the 25th.  The series was originally slated to begin airing the following September, but ABC was going through a disastrous season that fall.  Not only did several new shows not catch on, but at least one show that was revamped—Burke's Law—failed miserably as well.


Hence, The Second Season was born.  And Batman was its showcase.


As a six-year-old that autumn, I would watch television on a black-and-white set.  It seemed my parents liked their shows on CBS, whereas I was more partial to ABC and, additionally, NBC.  Friday nights were especially cool, as I got to see The Flintstones, Tammy and The Addams Family.  I also liked Gidget, as well as The Patty Duke Show.  I never got to see Honey West or The FBI, both of which debuted that fall, until much later, but they were superb shows as well!!


That fall of 1965 and winter/spring of 1966 was a truly memorable time for me, full of pleasant memories.


And those memories matter!


When Batman aired in 2002 on TV Land, it awakened memories of that wonderful time.  I was going through difficulties during that time.  That led me to join the 1966 Batman Message Board, and then led to Web site work and then to video.


Batman 1969, which is most assuredly in post-production, is a derivative of the 1966 series.  And Carrie's World, the upcoming fan series, uses many elements from the Sixties' show as well; thank Batman: The Brave And The Bold, in part, for that!


But consider this: That Jill St. John, who played Molly, is a MAJOR inspiration for the lead character of the fan series.  And Catwoman will also play an important role.  When I saw Batman again in 2002, that led me to the comics, and I began getting the Catwoman comic.


And to think all this happened because of a television pilot filmed 45 years ago this month! Amazing!!  To paraphrase William Dozier, the best is yet to come!

Jill St. John and Adam West in New York, fall 1966.

Trying for self employment in the Albany area, and more ...

My recent vacation in the Adirondack/Albany area was an eye-opener.


When dining with a classmate of mine, I inquired about self employment, since she has worked for herself since the 1980s. The concept made so much sense, given my independent streak.  Ideally, I want to have my own video studio, so that I can freelance and rent it out to other video companies as well.


In any event, I am intent on relocation there.  And I am told more jobs are going to be created there!


In other news, I got feedback from Rick Craig concerning editing my fan film.  Yes, there may need to be one final shoot, but as long as we can finish everything off, that is good!  I dislike the time it has taken, but there have been so many things that have worked against the entire production from the start.  Oy! **rolls eyes upward**


And for the fan series, we need to get Carrie Kelley and Catwoman/Selina Kyle cast.  Anyone care to step up to the plate?!?  C'mon, don't be shy!

The "rough cut" is done!

Great news: The "rough cut" of Batman 1969 was finished nine days ago, and DVDs of the film should be arriving at the homes of my Canadian producers any time!  After a ton of difficulties, the film managed more or less to come together easily.


That said, there is not a lot needed to be done.  Oh, there is titling, as well as the end credits and possible narration.  And we are debating whether or not a "bat spin" is needed.  But it is there!


One unwelcome development was the fact that, earlier this month, I was badly flamed by a certain unnamed individual who used YouTube to attack me personally.  This was totally uncalled for.  My reaction is that we DID complete the film; many projects of this nature never make it to the light of day!

Schenectady, one planned locale for the fan series!

On another note, I am scheduled to leave for the Adirondacks on Sunday, 26 September, for a needed vacation.  I still need a Jill St. John clone to play the lead role, the Carrie Kelley Robin, for Carrie's World, as well as Catwoman.  And we can use other characters, especially villains! More to follow …

RIP Gloria Winters

Gloria Winters, who played Penny King in the 1950s television series, Sky King, died two weeks ago at age 78 or so.  Oddly, when I was a kid, I barely paid heed to this series, since it aired on early Saturday afternoon, and was already dated by 1965 or so.  No new episodes had debuted since early 1959, and other episodes dated from as early as 1951.


But a funny thing happened last year.


I discovered a young girl named Jill Oppenheim had a guest role in the fall of 1952, in an episode named "Two Gun Penny."  John Hart, who would replace Clayton Moore in The Lone Ranger, had a role as a villain.  But this little girl was special, because she would go on to much bigger things.


And as Jill St. John!  She would help launch the 1966 Batman series, and then would play the female lead in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, five years later.


I had thought it would be novel to see them reunite at some comic con but I guess this will not happen now.  But I will say that, if I was not interested in the show back in the Sixties, I am now in 2010.  I would not mind seeing Encore Westerns showing this series, just as they did with Bat Masterson not too long ago.


RIP, Ms. Winters!

Back from the Capital District

Green Island, New York, 18 August 2010

I got back from the Capital District yesterday, and it was a semi-stressful trip.  Driving down Central Avenue in Albany was the worst, as I nearly got into an accident.  But I got some clarity in things, and saw two laptops I want to obtain for future film making.


One thing the trip gave me was a new appreciation for such underappreciated towns such as Green Island, Mechanicville and Stillwater.  One pet dream I have is to get a video studio set up, and given the properties that exist in such places, that dream might actually be obtainable.


We might—might—have our lead character cast.  Stay tuned for more details!

Happy Birthday Jill St. John!!!

I find it so hard to believe actress Jill St. John is 70 today!


But I'd better, since she is only two years younger than my own mother, and was a child actress in the late 1940s.


Born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in Los Angeles on 19 August 1940, she made an impact on me on 12-13 January 1966, when I first saw her in the pilot episode of Batman.  I was 6½ years old at the time, but the episode was a powerful one for me.

Jill St. John, circa 1958

Somehow, I ended up with a love affair that rivals that of mine with the City of Albany, NY (and that dates back to at least 1964)!  By the time I got interested in her again in 1981, she had done Diamonds Are Forever, and I was a student at Syracuse University.  I did research on her at Bird Library at the university, and learned a lot in the process, including the process of researching.


I do not have pictures of her posted all over the place.  Indeed, she has her own life, out West, while I reside in New York.  But the "pretty lady" is a real creative inspiration for me, and thinking of her has helped me through hard times, both in the 1980s and again in the early 2000s.  She has her own section in my Catwoman fan site as well.  And she is the inspiration for the Carrie Kelley Robin who is the focus of the planned fan series as well!!


Happy Birthday, Ms. St. John!!!  May you have many more!

Off to the Capital District again

Next week I go off to the Capital District of New York to begin my job campaign. This might seem trivial, but it has a direct impact on the fan series, since I plan to film it there (as well as in Canada).


And it also matters, because there is a stronger economy there than there is in the Binghamton, NY area, where I currently reside.


Normally, I am off on Sundays and Mondays, but I have to work on 15-16 August at the store I work at.  While I prefer attending church, this is an opportunity to begin the process of looking for decent employment.


While I am on the topic of religion, I may as well have a few words about the topic.  As a comic book fan, I am only too well aware of the concern over idolatry.  I had that concern even as a child, when I was watching Batman on television.  It is safe to say that I grew up with an understanding that Sunday was a sacred time, and that I had to keep things in perspective.


As I get older, I find that churches that "entertain" are a turn off.  I have preferred churches with ritual, since I grew up as a Roman Catholic, and then turned Eastern Orthodox.  As I am involved in the entertainment field myself, I find it a relief to go to church on Sunday and to get spiritual enlightenment, since I am a spiritual person.


Not that it is an easy process.


It's not.


I recently had a conflict with a bishop over whether or not I could remarry with the blessing of my church.  He said I could not, which means I would have to have a public official such as Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings performer the ceremony.  While this is a cause of some concern, it also means I have more options over whom I can marry.


It's not easy.  And I understand why atheism is gaining ground in the US.  It is a reaction to churches getting involved with politics, and to the Religious Right, which emerged 30 years ago.  Still, there are reasons I remain involved, and I will have a lot to chat about with my current priest tonight.

Cat Blog 2—Outtakes from Batman 1969 (9 August 2010)

Making headway on Batman 1969

Much to my delight, I have been able to do some editing on Batman 1969.  Regrettably, I have had to contend with fatigue, as well as employment that is frustrating to deal with.


I confess that there is frustration.  I want to purchase a second LCD monitor for the video editing.  Better yet, I would like to get a 15-inch or so LCD television.  The benefits would be many: I currently do not own a TV, and I could use this as an external monitor for my video camera.  I saw one today at Radio Shack for $135.

However, I have other needs to contend with, such as new rear tires and eyeglasses.  The tires are necessary for state inspection, scheduled for October.  And I need glasses.  And then there are other things, such as getting a new car stereo, since my current unit has not worked properly for some time.


I should not complain, since there are indeed so many people out of work.  But if I can get these aids for editing the film, so much the better.   This is a complex film to edit.  Yes, some may think this is a bad thing I did, but this is my film, and my story.


And Batman 1969 does matter.  It is a precursor to Carrie's World; the infrastructure obtained for the making of the fan film can be used for the fan series.


I hope to have the Prologue, Act 1 and Act 2 completed by next Monday (2 August), with the remainder of the film edited by (I hope) the end of August or so.

Surviving the heat

This has not been an easy summer. For me, it has been one of the harshest in recent years, in large part to the humidity.  It has a direct effect on filming, because it is not such a good idea to film costumed heroes who might wilt, to say the least.


Or worse.

On a more positive note, editing of Batman 1969 remains under way.  I hope to land a second LCD monitor so that I can work with the individual film shots more effectively.  Last night, I could barely sleep, and I have been awake for at least 21 hours.  Hopefully, with tonight's storm, we can all sleep a little better.

Onward …

I am in the midst of finishing up a paid video gig, and if all goes well, I shall be able to purchase a video card AND a second monitor for video editing. This is vitally important, because it enables better editing of Batman 1969 and of the planned Carrie Kelley fan series.


That said, SONY Vegas has already proven to be a powerful editing tool!  Now, onward to find the lead actresses …

As I approach my 51st Birthday …

It has been a while since I last wrote in this blog.  In fact, I am writing this from Corinth, NY, where I filmed some scenes from Batman 1969.  Tomorrow, I turn 51 years old.  Hard to believe!

And there has been plenty accomplished as well!  I got caught up on my child support, paid off my student loan and acquired the latest version of SONY Vegas.  Oh, and Batman 1969 has completed filming, and is in post-production.

That said, I have specific goals in mind.  This past Sunday, I attended church services in Albany, NY, at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, making this the second time I was in the region in May 2010.  The first time was for Free Comic Book Day, when I was at the Comic Depot LLC and then to Earthworld Comics.

I clearly need to be in this region!

The Albany region has had that special “je ne sais quois” since Batman aired on ABC in 1966.  Back then, the local affiliate was at channel 13, then called WAST, located just blocks from my grandmother’s apartment at 637 North Pearl Street, near Menands.  In 1966, Albany was an Art Deco city, especially with its stoplights and cobblestone streets, but it also had Jet Age cars, such as the 1965 Ford Galaxie.

Over the past 45 years, the city and region have changed greatly.  And so has my perspective as well.  I now look at the entire region, not just the city of Albany.  And in 2010, the need to move here has never been greater.  Both at the Albany Comic Con on 25 April, and at Free Comic Book Day, I saw that the region has a very active comic book scene, with many cosplayers.  And some of them are involved with Carrie’s World.

There remains work to be done.  The economy is in rough shape in the region, as it is elsewhere.  And Batman 1969 needs to be completed.  The commitment remains, though, and we hope to be shooting soon!!!  Here’s to another great year ahead!!!

Some cool Jill St. John pics

This pretty lady is a HUGE role model for Carrie Kelley!  Here are some pics of the "pretty lady," as Frank Gorshin called her in October 1965, when the Batman pilot was filmed: