If you are excited about the internship for True Grit, keep in mind I was just working with the production offices as a clerk. In fact, here are some of the exciting things I did:

-Stuff new shooting schedules into envelopes.

- Filed dailies (which include slides of scenes shot for the day, production breakdowns, PO forms)

- Filed PO forms.

- Filed check balances.

- Swept a stairwell.

But, nevertheless, it was a neat opportunity, and I still (in a very indirect way) helped the Coen Brothers make a movie. And that is supercool. Sadly, due to legal issues with the Texas production offices, I was relieved of my interning duties a few weeks ago.  But, during my time internning with them the Production Office staff was very nice and friendly, and I really enjoyed it.

As for what I can tell you about True Grit, not too much (I’m also not sure what all I’m allowed to reveal). But I can tell you this: There will be a man in a bear suit.

And what’s next on the Intern horizon for me?  Well, hopefully the upcoming John Favreau (Iron Man) directed feature “Cowboys and Aliens”. It’s about Cowboys and Indians setting down their arms against each other in order to fight invading aliens, and is rumored to be starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig.

Since I’ve decided this to be the month of the Alphabet, I will now tell you about everyones friends: The Phoenicians.

The Phoenicians were an ancient civilization who lived along the coastline of modern Lebanon, Israel, and Syria.  They primarily traded through man-powered sailing vessels.

The Phoenicians are most known for their alphabet, which was spread through the Phoenicians extensive maritime tradings.  The Phoenician Alphabet is classified as “abjad”, because it only records consonant sounds.  The Phoenician Alphabet did not record vowel sounds. The Phoenician Alphabet consisted of the following consonant sounds: ‘, B, G, D, H, W, Z,Ch, T, Y, K, L, M, N, S, `, P, C, Q, R, Š, Th.  Although our modern alphabet is bigger, the Phoenician Alphabet was made around 1050 BC, so its okay that they didn’t have a “Tzc” sound.

The Phoenician Alphabet was non-pictoral, unlike any of the other languages that came before it.  But that didn’t stop the Phoenicians from having wacky symbols, like this one!

It's like "R"!

This looks funny to us, but then again so does “W” and “L”, and we like those letters! The Phoenicians also liked to trade Wine.  From this letter, descended the Grecian “M”, and a sound like the modern day “ts” or “ch” sound.  That’s complex for such a little symbol!

Although the Phoenicians were highly developed in terms of Alphabetic symbology, they did not have a strongly developed artistic style. This is because the Phoenicians liked to take Art lessons from the Egyptians and the Greeks.  They also liked to take religion lessons from the Egyptians and Greeks, as they believed both in Egyptian Gods like Osiris and Shed, but also in Greecian gods like Adonis and Baalat Gebal.  Those crazy Phoenicians!

The Greeks called Phoenician ships either horses or tubs.

In conclusion, the Phoenicians were a highly developed and influential civilization that gave us letters like M. Thanks Phoenicia, but no thanks for polytheism!

The mother probably wasn't happy about this.

Bear.

Here are what I remember of the previous one hundred posts:

1. We’re still not eating pie.

2. The relationship between Gary Coleman and Gary Oldman is still… being researched.

3. I’m still looking, Mr. Icke. I’m still looking.

4. Vvinni: Episode 1 was just too long.

5. Vvinni: Episode 2 was even longer.

6. Vvinni: Really? Posting three all at once?  You could have saved some.

7. Vvinni: Now you’re just running out of ideas.

8. IMdB is much more Puppy now. And thank God for that.

9. Mr Coyne: You are still groovy as Hell. Never forget that, will you?

10. Vvinni: Nobody watches these, you know.

11. JCVD: One of the year’s best?  Certainly one of Van Damme’s Best.

12. Vvinni: I like your hat.

13. The birds still want to eat the noodles, but they never will.

14. You know, Mr. Gaiman?  I think I’m seeing a common motif in your work.

15. Vvinni: YOU’RE MIXING PLASTICS WITH GLASS.

16. It’s almost time for my Yupd!

17. ZARDOZ. ZARDOZ. ZARDOZ. Beyond 2001, Beyond 2010, Beyond Love, Beyond Death.

18. Vvinni: We’re going back to the graveyard.

19. Shopping Penguin? Shopping Penguin.

20. I gave it  the “Lizards” tag because the Dream-Eating monster is only able to use the reptilian part of his brain. I AM WITTY.

21. He-Yah! We gotta save the farm, rope those… cows…

22. My other documentary was about carpet.

23. It’s changed in ways you can never imagine.

24. PEA SOUP?!

25. Hello.

26. Vvinni: It makes me feel kind of bad I haven’t been having as many adventures this semester.

27. Worship me as a God.

28. YOU’RE TERING ME APART, LISA!

29. It’s still dripping blood all over my floor.

30. I left off here.

31. I picked it back up here.

32. Then I got shot by some bullets.

33. It’s cold inside, you’ll have to wear a cape.

34. I feel I’ve made much more intriguing work than what I did Freshman year.

35. Really? This is when the quest began?  And I haven’t picked it back up until… a few weeks ago?  I am NOT doing a good job questing.

36. Vvinni: You’re trying to hard. Stop it.

37. Exploding Goldfish Films. Check them out, why don’t you?

38. OH MY GOD, IT’S A BEAR!!!!

39. See. This is a documentary about Carpet!

40. Help! It took six months to make this!

41. I kill you both.

42. Andrew did this, I have nothing to say about it.

43. Eggs: A common motif of mine.

44. The world would melt were it made of cheese.

45. OH DEAR GOD IT’S ANOTHER BEAR!

46. One of the best of 1991?

47. I got the problem fixed, but now I can’t see my tongue.

48. That’s definitely a Bear.

49. Chickens, Money omelets, and axe-wielding.

50. Gum: It’s really a disappointment nowadays.

51. No, Bicycles!

52. Goodbye.

53. Ethan Holbrook: He Travels through time and Astronauts.

54. If you want to know more about Discouraging Words, then you should be reading the EXGfilms blog. I’m too busy posting movie reviews that are too long and Filler.

55. The cat represents life because we are all being held by the arms of fate that are attached to the torso of our decisions and that torso is the torso of another cat which, oddly enough, represents the plight of minimum wage worker at Wendy’s.  So, in conclusion: A Cat is a hamburger.

56. J’ai besoin d’étudier à un examen français.

57. Sharks.

58. Sharks.

59. Sharks.

60. Sharks.

61. Sharks.

62. Sharks and Film.

63. Sharks.

64. Skin Removal Cream, Skin Removal Cream, Skin Removal Cream. SKIN REMOVAL CREAM! Skin. Removal. Cream. Skin Removal Cream? Skin Removal Cream! Skin Removal cream skin removal cram, skin, removal cream. Skin Removal Cream. Skin Removal Cream. SKIN. REMOVAL. CREAM. Skin, Removal, Cream, Skin, Removal, Cream. Skin Removal Cream; Skin Removal Cream. Skin Removal Cream: If it weren’t a product, it would BUY YOU! SKIN REMOVAL CREAM?!!!!

65. It is five o’ clock, and so Tea Time is over.

66. A Surprisingly coherent corpse, unlike a certain other one coming up.

67. One of the best of Moon-related sci-fis of 2009?

68. THERE ARE TOO MANY BEARS ON THIS BLOG.

69. ❦

70. Something (A Post).

71. Discouraging Words: Coming Summer of 2010.

72. Nom nom nom nomnom nom nom nom. Nom nom nom nom nomnom nom. Nom nom nom nom nomnom nom. Nom nom nom nom nomnom nom. Nom-nom, nom-nom, nom-nom, nom-nom. Nom-nom, nom-nom, nom-nom, nom-nom. NOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOM. NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOM. NOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOM. NOM-NOM NOM-NOM NOM-NOM NOM-NOM NOM.

73. I don’t even care what the next post was, THERE WERE HAMSTERS IN THE LAST ONE.

74. Let’s see… Was there a tiger in this one? No, just time travel.

75.  Nathan Fillion: A Man of many talents. Like being both an astronaut and cowboy. Also, being pure evil’s right-hand man and an award-winning novelist.  Truly he accomplished more in a lifetime than any man can.

76. Nick Vogt: A Man whose cat might be a monster.

77. Trail of Terror?

78. I can’t stop this feeling. Deep inside of me. Girl you just don’t realize what you do to me. When you hold me, in your arms so tight, you let me know everything’s alright. I-I-I’m hooked on a feeling. And I’m high on believing that you’re in love with me.  Lips as sweet as candy, your taste is on my mind. Girl, you got me thirstin’ for another cup of wine. Got a bug from you, girl, but I don’t need no cure. I just take your picture (?) If I can be sure. All the good times, when we’re all alone, keep up girl. Yeah, you turn me on. I-I-I’m hooked on a feeling and I’m high on believing that you’re in love with me, oh yeah. All the good times, when we’re all alone. Keep it up girl, yeah you turn me on I-I-I’m Hooked on a feeling and I’m high on believing that you’re in love with me. I said I’m hooked on a feeling. And I’m high on believing that you’re in love me. Yeah, I’m hooked on a feeling!

79. A whole new web is about to be spun, methinks.

80. Does this mean I might be the next Batman?

81. 100 Untitled pieces, most them involve things breaking.

82. Nathan Fillion: He also battle killer slugs from outer-space. Truly, he is a god.

83. Heart attacks.

• 84. OH NO, IT’S ANOTHER BEAR!!! THIS MAKES FOUR! FOUR BEARS!!!
• 85. Beat yourself with a 2×4.
• 86. OooOooOooOOOO Castles. SpoOOOoOoooOOky.
• 87. But doesn’t that explain us all?
• 88. I’m thinking of being Everything next year for Halloween.
• 89. Towed away at owner’s expense.
• 90. Vvinni: I’m thinking of a wall now to block their thought beams.
• 91. I am Rea-Gan! I am-Rea-Gan!
• 92. Don’t even think about coming to rescue me because I’m probably dead.

93. I just made another letter which I baked in the oven with a honey glaze. It was for Christmas.

94. Sword of Doom: One of the best?

95. Why did you kill this Lawn Ornament?

96. Wagga wagga wagga.

97. You’re tearing me apart, Mummy and Robot.

98. Ronald Q. Metellus: Man of Mystery and probably Sandwiches.

99. Joss Whedon: I wish you luck in your ventures outside of the television box, for I shall be on your side when all comes crashing down.

100. I- Oh no. I… I’m going to have to start this post inside of this post now… uh Okay. Here goes: WTIVVVVIMVJVTYVIZVSIHMIPHVWYIIITIIRVEOSHIAETOOITCGNGEITJSSSSSSSSIAOT❦DNILNNTIAD1NHOBOBITVIDISWWYRJ. I-On. I…Igthtstpiotpn… uO. Hg:

WIVVMJTVZIMPVYITIVOHATOTGGIJSSSSZTDINTA1HBBTIIWYJ. I-o. I… I… u. H:

IMP TIVO HAT DIDN’T HAVE. I. I… H:

Adapt vivid, thine moth. I. H:

AVTMIH:

01000001010101100101010001001101010010010100100000111010

000000010000100010001000100

.    .   .   .   .

⠂⠄⠠⠤

⠦

∴

…

-

0

∅

Thank you for existing.

I was trying to come up with some words that would express my feelings for your body of work, and I feel the above about sums it up.

And... is that a houndstooth tie? NO!

In a recent interview I had with one Andrew Gingerich about future filmmaking projects for the Making of documentary Stories From Sturgeon, Mr. Gingerich expressed dismay that there no one in television worked in the fusion of genres.  Well, Mr. Whedon, I believe we could both disagree with Mr. Gingerich’s remark as I feel one of your many strengths as a filmmaker is in the seamless fusion of two disparate genres.

In one of your most well known works, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for example you were able to explain life using demons and vampires and ghosts. And that is neat.  In your cult television show Firefly you were able to integrate the Western and Sci-Fi genres incredibly well, incorporating common elements of civil war, isolation, expansionism, and the idea of “A Man and his Horse”.  This is also very neat.

However, simple genre integration, although super cool, would fail if it were written poorly.  Lucky for both of us that you’re not.  Yes, I heard some of your commentary on Buffy, and I was very glad to hear that you are indeed a smart filmmaker.  You’re also a very smart writer, as the characterization in all of the works of yours that I’ve seen is incredibly strong. It is because of these characters and these people that we are able to believe in your integrated worlds, and in a television dominated with shit like Heroes, it’s nice to watch a show that defines characters beyond “I JUST WANT TO FIT IN!” and “I’m bumbling and I’m a foreigner”.

So thank you Mr. Whedon. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Vvinni J. Gagnepain

PS: I suppose this post isn’t very useful, now is it?

This is not really an exposé, but I’ve got the graphic all made up so I figured I’d use it.

Today, I wish to speak of a peculiar cinematic force known as the Astronaut Cowboy.  This has recently been brought to mind after seeing a mini-serial known as Stingray Sam about a week ago at the International Film Series in Boulder.  It’s a fun little piece that’s a Science Fiction serial mixed with the singing cowboy tradition and intercut with plenty of photo montages, and it’s much more fun than his other Astronaut Cowboy film The American Astronaut.

However, the Astronaut Cowboy character does not end there.  One of the most striking things about Joss Whedon’s Firefly series was how seamlessly it incorporated both the conventions of the Spaceship crew sub-genre of Science Fiction and the Western, what with the continual references to the Civil War (a different The Civil War), raiders, the endless void of space, the journey west (or rather, away from the center of the system), etc.  That’s also available for free watching on the internet, and I highly recommend it.

There’s also a more “realistic” Astronaut Cowboy movie in Space Cowboys, where Clint Eastwood and Tommy Lee Jones have to go into space to repair a Russian Satellite!  And it doesn’t really have much to do with Cowboys but… but it has the title Space Cowboys.

In fact, the astronaut cowboy has recently infiltrated into my subconscious, appearing in a dream of mine.  This black Space Cowboy was the only person who could help save me from a haunted house (because I think he was also a wizard.  He may also have been played by Tracy Morgan).  Also, directly after meeting the astronaut, this cat came up to me and mewed at me:

www.katebeaton.com

That sounds like a success if ever there was one.  And hey! I’ve also got another piece with an Astronaut Cowboy in it.  Remember Teh Cld Wr? My movie on IMdB? Well I do. And I’ve posted it here. BECAUSE I CAN. Now watch, and God Bless you Captain Spacecraft!

Now it’s got a new name, and it also has a trailer. So watch it, maybe? Because this was my month of July.

The Film was directed by Andrew Gingerich, written by him and partially by me and a whole bunch of other people, and it’ll be out spring/summer 2010.

That reason is a little thing temporarily known as Political Justice, A feature film being directed by Andrew Gingerich and scheduled/crewed/produced by me. Here are some pictures:

Margot (Nicole Gawronski) and Terry (Nathan Bock) look onward.

It’s a story about Wyoming Congressional campaign that goes horribly wrong when a lowly speech-writer, Dale (Sean Cummings, of 16 Heads and Counting, Lamplight Breakfast on a Burning Kitten, and the upcoming Help! My Lawn Ornament’s Been Taken by ROBBERS!) , begins working for Republican candidate Wilt Sturgeon (Like the fish, played by Ken Benda) and Democratic candidate Mark Hoffman (played by Paul McLean, who has been on the X-Files and some other things. I mainly remember X-Files, what can I say, I like it).

Evan (Andy Miller) and Jerris (Greg Kindred) look at Sturgeon (Ken Benda)

So, what you’re all wondering, will it be any good? I don’t know. But if you want to hear more about it, you should check out Exploding Goldfish, there might be more on the production there. Otherwise, you can keep your eyes open in the later part of fall for some of the making-of documentary Stories From Sturgeon directed and created by me.

Wherein Vvinni Giddies Up!