It has been WAY too long!!!

Where the hell has the time gone?

I thought I would check out this blog, and it turns out that I had not posted at all in 2013.  Well, many changes have taken place since my last blog posting.

First, I released a fan film in December 2013, Batman: Onset of Winter, shot in Syracuse, NY.  This short production, which also stars Michelle Dibernardo, is designed to set the tone of Carrie's World, the fan series I have planned for a few years.

Which brings me to my next change: As of 1 March 2014, I am now a resident of Templeton, Massachusetts.  I did so for economic reasons, as well as artistic and personal reasons.  When I filmed Onset of Winter, I was unable to get someone to operate my high-definition camera, and getting cast members was almost impossible (except for Michelle).  I would have a better chance of getting people for casting and production in the Boston area.

And I had lived in Boston from 1987 to 1990; indeed, two of my three children were born there!  Anyway, the move should prove to be most productive!

And here's hoping we find Carrie and get her in front of the camera SOON!!!!

Happy Birthday to Lee Meriwether!

Lee Meriwether, with her daughter, stuntwoman Lesley Aletter, at the New Jersey Comic Expo held in Teaneck, NJ in November 2011.

I want to take this opportunity to wish Lee Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie, a Happy Birthday!  Born in Los Angeles on this day in 1935, she turns 77.  And she is still as attractive as ever!


And she is one of the nicest people I have met!


Long before Adam West encountered her as Kitka, Lee played Joanna Laurens, girlfriend to Inspector Lewis Erskine in Season One of The FBI (1965-66).  From there, she went on to roles in The Time Tunnel (1966-67), and then on Barnaby Jones (1973-80).


I had the chance to meet her at Chiller Theatre in New Jersey in October 2005, at the Motor City Comic Con in Detroit in May 2006 and at the New Jersey Comic Expo in November 2011.  And it looks like I am off to meet her again next month, at the Supermegashow in Whippany, NJ (she must be especially loved in the Garden State!).


Anyway, Lee, make this a great one!!

A cold Saturday night

Thursday and Friday marked the 46th anniversary of the debut of the Batman television series.  This anniversary has become as much of a holiday for me as the usual ones, because it was a special moment for me personally.  For the first time, it seemed like the medium had truly become mine, not that of my parents, and it was the first TRULY colour show.


One performer I took special notice of was Jill St. John, who was 25 at that time.  Funnily, part of that was her name listing; I thought the "St." portion referred to Street, not Saint, as I had a real interest in roads and traffic signals at that time.  Her demise had an impact on me as well.


This year, because of my late working hours, I could not see the episodes at the usual time.  I did celebrate with pizza, though, and it was a pleasure as always.  It was a real reminder of the creative life I lead.


And the pilot inspired me to produce Batman 1969, and now is inspiring me to go ahead with Carrie's World.

Happy New Year indeed!!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Blessed New Year!  Two-thousand eleven was a major year of change, as I had changes in my employment, as well as in my health.  I was freed from making child support payments that year as well.


This year may be full of more changes.  My resolution for 2012 is to relocate from the Binghamton area on a permanent basis.  I had looked at Albany, but I may have to consider living closer to New York City.  I would not have an issue if I moved to New Jersey; back in 1983, I lived in Succasunna, in Morris County.  While my job there was terrible, it was not a bad area.


Whatever the case, though, I need to focus in on a career, doing something I WANT to do. And I know I want involvement in acting.  Some of that will take place when Carrie's World goes into production.  However, I am also interested in working as a film extra, and I may have a chance to possibly work as a Benjamin Franklin impersonator.

Speaking of Carrie's World, I need to arrange for the pilot to be done.  And then there need to be more episodes written and filmed.  There may be more, as I am looking at a Batgirl production as well.

All in all, so many changes lie ahead, many of them indescribable.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Change in relocation plans

As things are looking, it seems I may be taking a much harder look at relocation to the New York-New Jersey metro area.  As much as I love the Albany area, I need to consider what I need to do when it comes to employment opportunities, and the fact that I may be filming Carrie's World "down there."

I am no total stranger to New Jersey.

From January to May 1983, I had the misfortune of working for a now-defunct daily newspaper, The Daily Advance of Dover, NJ.  Actually, the newspaper facility was located in Roxbury Township, west of the city.  The newspaper paled in circulation and quality compared to the Morristown Record, as well as the Newton New Jersey Herald.  Things did not work out there.

But it made me mindful that, if I move to the Garden State, I should not have unrealistic expectations, and should be prepared for what lies ahead.  I did not do this in January 1983, when I moved there, and it caused me trouble.

Unlike 1983, the Binghamton area is acutely depressed, and conditions are worsening.  Some businesses, such as the legendary Pat Mitchell ice cream parlor, are never returning.  And unlike that time, I have ambitions for what I want out of life, and I am reinventing myself.

I may sound foolish for reinventing myself at age 52.  But this is no time for looking back on my past.  I have made immense personal progress as a human being over the past year.

Unlike the past, I am working out at Planet Fitness, and I can feel the difference!  I walked more erect yesterday than I had remembered, perhaps due to less body fat and to better back muscles.  I am eating better than I have in a long time.

And unlike so many of my peers, this is not a time of looking forward to golf and retirement.  On the contrary, I would like a younger spouse, because she could keep up with me more, and because I would like a second shot at family life.  I like the technology out there, such as tablets and smart phones, because I like communicating.

Beyond that, though, it may be that my future lies in work involving people skills.  God knows I got training in that with Batman 1969's production, as well as the current preparation for Carrie's World.  It would behoove me to make changes, in this day and age, especially when nothing exists here.

Cat Blog 5.1

Progress ahead

As this week draws to a close, there is excellent news to report on.


My casting post for Carrie's World has yielded a bumper crop of performers, as well as behind-the-scenes people, which will make the launch of the series that much easier.  And it looks like we will get more heroes, as well as villains!  One gal may be recruited as Barbara Gordon, which would make sense, given that she is now the current Batgirl.


Additionally, I received my Christmas "gift," an upgrade of my SONY Vegas.  I am now using version 11, which seems to run smoother than version 9 did.  As things stand right now, though, I may need to get the hard drive transferred to a new computer that would have much greater processing power as well as more RAM.


So it looks like I will have more to work on in the coming week, writing people back about their roles and the like.  Anyway, it is my intent to get production under way in early 2012.

Getting sidetracked

My apologies for not posting in the past two to three weeks, but I have been assisting New York State Electric & Gas, working at their Vestal, Kirkwood and Owego locations.  We had a major flood take place immediately after Labor Day, and it has devastated the Southern Tier of New York.  Though I did not directly clean up flooded areas—it was housekeeping duties at the NYSEG facilities—it kept me busy, and it did provide aid for the utility.

That said, I should be returning to my job hunt, which I hope will land me professional employment in the Capital District or possibly New York City.  Whatever the case, it has been a very memorable month!

Images of Batman 1969 (Act 2)

Tarleton and Bender celebrate Christmas 1968

Bender meets with Professor Crane, 9 March 1969

Maggie, the sister of Molly the Mole

A portrait of Molly

Molly's daughter, Carrie Kelley

Tarleton and Bender meet, May 1969

Bruce mourns Molly, May 1969

Ted Grant (Wildcat) meets Bruce Wayne

Aunt Harriet's in the hospital. Bruce meets Wildcat and Batgirl.

Happy (Belated) Birthday to actress Jill St. John!

Because my full-time job was winding down, I did not write about the birthday of actress Jill St. John, who turned 71 on Friday, 19 August 2011.  I have had a fondness for her ever since I saw her perform in the premiere episode of Batman, on 12-13 January 1966.


On that note, here are some images of her.  Enjoy!

Stalled at the moment …

Thank God that I got Batman 1969 out when I did.  Sorry for not posting all this earlier, but this summer has been a busy time.  And I worked like mad on getting the film out.  It was difficult releasing it, and I had to keep tweaking it throughout July.  But it is now out, and the reviews have mostly (and I mean mostly) have been positive.


I had planned on filming a standalone production, Batman: Saratoga Dreamin', this month, since I had planned a vacation for 17-25 September.  That and my Web series, Carrie's World, are on hold for the moment, because my job situation has changed.  I am part-time at the moment, because my company lost a contract, and I chose to remain with it, and not stay at the work site.  I had reasons for doing so, and now I have a chance to make a break and get relocated to the Capital District.


I know that the change is necessary from a long-term perspective (or purr-spective, if you're a Catfan like me!), but for the moment, things are a little challenging.  I would be up to the Capital District this weekend, but rain has been in the forecast.  Indeed, there was a tornado watch.


No matter.  There is a chance my next major job will likely be located in the region, which suits me fine.  But in the meantime, this has been a weekend that has been too quiet for my liking.  Oh well …

Batman 1969 to be released on or around 1 July!!

Finally, I have excellent news to report on!


First, my child support has officially ended, and I am getting full paychecks!  I'll need that, as I had to endure repair work on my 2004 Hyundai Elantra.


But more importantly, Batman 1969 is finally seeing the light of day!!  The film will be released on 1 July 2011, which is Confederation Day in Canada.  It is also the birthday of our Catwoman, Millicent Sherman.  Sadly, cast member Craig Terry, who was her beau, died suddenly on 11 June in Michigan.  He played a FBI agent dressed as a Catwoman henchman.  The Prologue/Act 1 section is dedicated to his memory.


The fan film has taken way too long to get out there, especially given this recent event.  However, so many film projects never get completed, so this is reason to celebrate.  Anyway, more details will follow.

Random thoughts, 2 May 2011

I woke up this morning tired out, and finally got up after 9 p.m. to the news that Osama bin-Laden had died. Good riddance to that cockroach!  I thought I was going to do more, but have been sooooo tired out.  Awful!


However, I am working on finishing touches on Batman 1969, and am planning to tour comic book stores for Free Comic Book Day in the Albany, NY area.  Target date for release of the fan film is 1 June, my birthday.


And speaking of birthdays ...


Lesley Gore, the singer, turns 65 today, and it is also my sister's birthday.  I wish them all the very best, and may this be a great one for them!

Sandy Nelson with The Astronauts - Drum Dance

I thought I would share this with those following my blog. The tune is fantastic, and the lady in the video is Sherry Jackson, who was a moll on Batman, among other things. Enjoy!

Post 50

It's the day after St. Patrick's Day, and I am feeling tired, but not hung over.


Thank God!


But I had cause to celebrate, because I did some "green" business, involving good financial transactions, and acquired a new Western Digital 2TB external hard drive for the sake of data backup.  I also have begun the process of acquiring a new video camera with much greater capability than my current unit.


As per Batman 1969, I await the original music that has been composed for it.  Hopefully, word will come real soon.  But in any event, I hope to get it out this spring, since the footage is all pretty much in place!  Like everyone else, I am impatient to get this out.

At home, away from the snow (random thoughts)

January 2011 has been a time when I know change is in the air.  I can clearly tell I need to make career changes, and am aiming for self employment.  While I would like to go to the Albany, NY area (not necessarily the city), I got a yearning for Texas' Gotham City, Austin—thanks to seeing True Grit last night (31 January)!


Actually, I saw two movies in January: The Green Hornet, about a week ago, and True Grit.  The former had many good elements, but I could not stomach Seth Rogen's portrayal of the lead character.  The movie was also badly made from a financial standpoint, because too much money was wasted.  Had it used a smaller budget, and focused on a great story line, AND had a better lead actor, such as Jon Hamm, it would have scored.


That movie is not a total bomb, but it was a real waste.


True Grit (2010) is a superb take on the 1968 novel of the same name, and it is a different animal, compared to the 1969 movie.  Some of the landscape looked semi-familiar, and it turns out that the movie was filmed around Austin and Blanco, Texas, where I lived from 1993 to 1996.  It also was filmed in the high plains near Santa Fe, New Mexico.  


Unfortunately, I have had some issues at work that have caused considerable stress.  But that should be impetus to move ahead with self employment.  And it seems all my time on different Batman message board, such as the 1966 Batman Message Board, has had an effect on my path, in a positive way!


And so has Batman 1969!  Yes, I am still on it, and may be making progress with the music in the next 36 hours or so.  I have some remaining voice over work to do tonight, but will do so.  Anyway, I am sure I will have more to report on soon enough!

My first post for 2011 ...

Well, there is good news and bad news to report on.  The good news is that progress is being made on Batman 1969.  Not only is the shooting all done, but it is all coming together nicely.


Now the bad news.


My SONY camcorder, which has been in use since 2007, apparently has internal problems.  It freezes up from time to time, and I then have to take out the batteries and then reinsert them to "reboot" the camera.  This has been happening since September, and I got word today from SONY it would cost at least $341 to have them look at it.  For a camera that has been around 3½ years, sounds like it is time to upgrade to another camcorder. God knows I need this for future video work, whether it is for fan films or for public relations/media work that I hope to do.


I am also sure a new PC is in order as well, especially for the processor speed for video rendering.  We'll see what happens here!  Stay tuned for further developments!

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.