The Boys Are Back In Town

Sorry for the lack of blogs lately. It’s been a mix of being-back-home lazy and the fact that going back to dial-up is like slow, painful death. But I should have my replacement wireless card on Monday or Tuesday.

Before I talk about being back home, I have to talk about Jackson, Tennessee for just a second.

We stopped there since it was the next city after Nashville that had a Starbucks. Once we got there, we figured out that it was a teenage hotspot. It was packed. We were lucky to find a table near the only outlet in the place and did some work. After awhile we ended up talking to a group of high schoolers sitting next to us. It was a group of three guys that were trying to figure out what to do with their night. They talked to some girls, left, came back, talked about going to Nashville… it was fascinating to watch really. But not just them, the other kids there too. We found out that the teens split their time between the Starbucks and the Sonic. A few of the guys asked us about the movie and Gabe ended up giving them copies. I think the funniest thing I heard was when we told them that we had just left a convention in Nashville and were heading home, one of the guys said: “I figured you had to be passing through. No one just comes to Jackson.”

Now we’re back and getting some rest, but also planning for the trek west. If you haven’t heard yet, the movie was featured in an article on Fangoria.com. They talked a lot about the movie and a bit about the tour. I’m not personally mentioned, but my photo is included. It’s the first bit of press we’ve received that has a direct connection to the tour. Hopefully, it won’t be the last.

When I first got home, my dog was tied up out back. I decided to see if she could sense if I was home, so I hid while she got let in. She sniffed me out in seconds. I think partly due to the fact that I hadn’t bathed in a couple of days. Speaking of which, there’s a lot to be said about showering in your own shower and… prepare for a bit more info than you need… using your own damn toilet!

It’s been a big recharge being back home. Seeing my girlfriend, my family, eating home cooked meals, playing with my pup, sleeping in my bed, not pumping caffeine directly into my veins… all good. But there’s also been plenty of work to do. Besides working on finishing the latest draft of my script, there has been a lot of work going into following up on leads on more publicity possibilities. I don’t want to get too specific too soon, but there might be more to say after the weekend.

Random stuff to get out of my brain:

It sucks that Jericho was cancelled… again!

I lost 7 pounds on the road, but I fully intend on putting it back on before we head for L.A.

I re-watched “Jason X” the other night. I think it holds up on repeat viewings. BTW, if you bring it up to Kane Hodder, make sure you call it “Jason Ten” and not “X.” He will correct you. Gabe found that out the hard way.

That is all.

28 Days Later

More or less.

So, Starbucks has plenty of outlets to plug your laptop into, but you have to pay to use their internet. McDonald's has free WiFi, but NO outlets. But McD's does have the cheaper coffee.

Pilot truck stops have the best coffee though. It's $1.29 for a 16 oz. cup and you get your choice of Kenyan, Colombian, Dark Roast, Intense Energy, Pilot House, Decaf, Hot Cocoa, Vanilla, Hazelnut, or Pumpkin Cappuccinos, Amaretto, Irish Cream, or French Vanilla flavored creamers, cool or room temp half and half, Splenda, Equal, or the real thing, and what seems to be a truck stop invention: STOK. It's a shot of caffeine that recommends you don't do more than two shots a day. We should have gotten the 36 oz unlimited refill mug for $15 that first day. When I think of all the coffee we could have been drinking 24/7... well, I get a bit emotional.

Last night was by far the coldest night in the back of the truck. I even bought my $5 blanket last night and it didn't really help that much. I'm thankful we missed any snow that might have hit us up north.

We ended up renting a movie called "Hack!" last night. Horrible. Though Gabe liked it more than "Hatchet." This one also had Kane Hodder in it; he's everywhere! But the star was Winne Cooper herself, Danica McKellar. She has not aged at all. It also featured Juliet Landau from Buffy and Angel. It was kind of a "Scream" rip off, but really poorly written. There was a foreign exchange student hot girl whose accent kept changing. So she was either from England, Spain, or the Bronx.

Didn't mention it yesterday because I had to break the news to my dad first, but the wireless card I borrowed from him broke yesterday morning. It was freak accident. We had my laptop in the back of the truck uploading some video when the wind or something shifted the weight of the truck and a few things fell over and pushed my laptop up against the side of the truck. It basically crushed the card. We spent an hour at an AT&T store in Knoxville seeing if they could fix it or replace it. It seemed like they were going to cut us a break at first but then the boss showed up and threw out accusations like "When did YOU break it?" So, it was going to cost $250 to replace it. Not what we wanted to hear. So we're doing without for now. We'll buy another one when we get back to Texas.

Battery about to die...

Just Words

I don't know how bands do this. How they can go on the road for extended periods of time traveling in a small vehicle always being around the same people eating fast food surviving on caffeine and sugar and grease turning your underwear inside out so you feel just a tad bit less disgusting...???

Woke up and took my first truck stop shower. Not as bad as it sounds. Was given a pin number and a shower assignment. Punched in my code and found myself in my own little bathroom with toilet, sink, shower, and a door that locks. I just lingered under the hot water. Might as well, it cost $10.

A whole aisle of TN souvenirs and no post cards?

A wasp almost killed me.

I might invest in a $5 truck stop blanket for tonight. That cold wood floor is killing me.

Watched "Once" on my computer last night. Great movie.

Gabe got us a free movie rental for tonight by buying an iced coffee at McD's. The cashier there asked about the truck.

The Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Convention is way different than the other cons we've been too. There's a reason that Tattoo is listed first. The vendor room is small and there was only one guy selling his own movie. Everyone else was selling comics, toys, posters, etc. Adrienne Barbeau walked by me.

We walked into another room and it was filled with people just getting tattooed. Like I Twittered, it smelled of blood and ink.

We handed out flyers and talked to a few people. We'll do more of the same tomorrow. Might hand out free copies to few people too. We treated ourselves to a free screening of "Friday the 13: Part 3." And by treated I mean suffered through it bravely. Lets face it, it's not exactly the best film in the series. But Jason does wear the hockey mask for the first time.

At another McD's writing blogs and using free WiFi.

I wore my "Bubba's Chili Parlor" t-shirt today.

Never mix different flavors of coffee in one big cup even if it is free.

I have no pictures today.

I have no video today.

I just have words.

Been working on my script. I'm 50% happy with it.

Girl In A Coma is a great band. You should listen to them.

I miss my girl. I miss my fam. I miss my puppy. I fantasize about my bed.

Quick Stop

37?!

Yesterday Gabriel and I left New York, making our way towards Nashville, Tennessee for the Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival. We decided before we left the east coast we'd swing by Leonardo, NJ and Red Bank, NJ to hit up the Quick Stop and RST Video where Kevin Smith shot "CLERKS" and his comic book shop Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash.

But of course once we decided to leave NY, we hit traffic for the first time. It should have only taken about an hour and a half to get to the Quick Stop, but instead it took us three hours.

Once we got there, we weren't sure it was the right place. It's a lot smaller in person than in the film. And the area looks boxed in. But once we went inside, we saw pictures and articles of Kevin Smith near the register. We asked the clerks if they get a lot of tourists. Yes. Yes, they do. Side note: because of the movie I kinda expected a couple of white dudes to be sitting back there, but nope, they were Indian. Anyway...

The store itself is pretty small too. I don't know how he was able to fit anything in there at all. They must have moved stuff around all the time while shooting.

I bought a "pack of cigarettes" and hoped to get a receipt that had the store name on it, but no such luck. (I don't smoke. Just a souvenir.)

We went outside a took some pictures and did a vlog. A young kid walked by and asked us if we were there just because of the movie. We told him we were and he got a kick out of it. He lived down the street and met a lot of people that did the same thing. It made me wonder if any of the neighborhood kids care that much that a movie was shot there. Like, to them it's just where they buy their energy drinks.

Unfortunately, because of the traffic we hit, we couldn't make it to the comic shop before it closed. I called earlier to check their hours and I'm rather certain that it was Walter (the "Egg Man" from CLERKS) that answered the phone. I knew that he ran it, but wasn't sure how often he was actually in the store. It would have been great to meet him and maybe get his autograph on my DVD along side Mewes and O'Halloran. Another time I guess.

We stopped for the night somewhere near Strasburg, Virginia. To tell the truth, we were a bit freaked out for awhile. It had been windy the whole trip, the truck was being knocked around quite a bit. Once we were parked, we really felt the gusts. A couple of times the back of the truck really started to sway. We double checked the weather to make sure there weren't any storms coming through. It looked clear, but it got COLD. I could see my breath laying back there. Luckily, my sleeping bag is really warm. I slept with a knit cap, my hoodie, two blankets and my sleeping bag. I just made a cocoon and curled into a ball. Slept well.

This morning we got to a late start. Gabe's phone died so the alarm didn't go off. We're not even in Knoxville yet. But we're making decent time.

My New York Soundtrack

1. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
2. Subway Train - New York Dolls
3. Gloria - Patti Smith
4. See No Evil - Television
5. Blank Generation - Richard Hell & The Voidoids
6. I'm Waiting for My Man - The Velevet Underground
7. Two Tub Man - The Dictators
8. Sonic Reducer - The Dead Boys
9. X Offender - Blondie
10. What A Wonderful World - Joey Ramone

Joey Ramone Place Vlog

Joey Ramone Place

Last night we had a one man watching party here in Queens. Another one of Gabe's fraternity brothers came over and we showed him GREEN EYED MONSTER.

Mario was a cool guy. A big horror fan. We talked for a bit then walked down to a pizza place down the block and he treated us to a couple of slices. He told us a few horror stories about moving to New York, but also about meeting some really good people.

We interviewed him a bit after the movie.

Today we got on the subway for the first time. My friend Karina suggested we use Hop Spot to work it out. We walked a few blocks down and hopped on the M train and took it all the way to the Bowery. A few minutes later we were at the corner of Bowery and Joey Ramone Place. It's just a corner to some people, but to Ramones fans it's one of the only tributes to the legendary front man. I've been wanting to go there since we arrived in New York. I talk more about in my VLOG. Yes, finally a new vlog. (I'll have to post it later. YouTube is doing updates so I can't upload it yet.)

We ate lunch at a place called Agozar, a Cuban bistro. It was right there on the corner. It was pretty good. We walked in right at 5PM so took advantage of their 2 for 1 specials. We had mini Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, and what looked like little chicken drumsticks, but with meat only at the tip.

From there we took the F train to 42nd Street. We just walked up and down and across Broadway, taking in all the sights and sounds. Time flew by.

We had to get back on the M train before 8:40PM since that's when it stops running in the Bowery. We got to the station at 8:20PM and the M train just sped by and honked. It decided to call it quits early. We didn't really know what to do next so we just jumped on J train since it was in the same station. It looked like it was hitting all the same stations as the M, but once we passed a certain point we knew we should have jumped off earlier. We were headed towards Jamaica Queens. So we got off and asked for directions. We went back two stops and changed trains. We got back on the M and got back "home."

It really wasn't that bad. I can see that once you figure it out and know what trains go where, it's not a bad mode of transportation.

Tomorrow we leave NY and head south. We've been talking about going to Highlands, NJ to visit the Quick Stop where CLERKS was shot, and/or going to Red Bank, NJ to visit the comic book shop. We'll have to see.

Side Note:

We've been asked about the truck and how the advertising has been going. The truck actually gets a lot of attention. I've brought along a small photo album of some of the events from Texas which includes pics of the truck. I put it out on the table at Monster Mania and we used it to show people what we were driving across the country in. More than a few people would tell us that they saw the truck in the parking lot. One guy even told us that he called his boss immediately and told him to look up the website on the side (not sure if it was Viral Street, Triangle Woman, or one of the other sponsors). In fact, the other day, I was climbing in and out of the back getting some supplies when a couple of guys standing on the sidewalk yelled up at me: "Hey! How do I make 400K?"

Not sure how the blogs and video logs are going. I'm getting a decent amount of hits here. It's growing for sure. The vlogs seem to remain consistent. I only break past a certain point if the vlog is from one of the conventions.

We have been making a lot of contacts, especially at the conventions, so we'll have to see if any of those pan out.

There have been some recent opportunities for more exposure, but it's still too soon to really talk about it. Hopefully we'll have some big-ish news soon.

Hell Gate

Sunday night was the screening of GREEN EYED MONSTER at the Hell Gate Social in New York.

We left Monster Mania a couple of hours early to get back to Queens in time to get ready and head to the lounge. We made it in record time, but lost the time we gained looking for a damn parking spot. We just had a few minutes to freshen up and figure out how we were going to get to the lounge.

We originally planned on taking the trains there, but when I looked it up, I found out it was going to take four or five transfers and an hour and a half at least. The place is only 5-6 miles away! It was less than an hour til showtime, so we decided to drive. It took 20 minutes.

We found the place rather easily. I did have trouble finding the door though. It's a black facade, all flat, so I didn't see an entrance. There was a door with the address above it, but it was locked and it didn't look like the right door. I finally called the place and they pointed me towards a handle in the middle of the black paneling.

The place itself was pretty cool. Dark with candle lighting and red highlights. We met one of the owners, George, and one of the bartenders, Tamara. Both were really cool.

There was only one guy there when we arrived, and he didn't look like he was there for the show.

We held start time for awhile, hoping more people would show up. One of Gabriel's frat brothers, Tony, arrived soon, and my friend Karina and her friend Bob shortly thereafter.

We started the screening a little after 9PM. It went well. Karina, Bob, and I sat on some couches by the screen while Gabe and Tony stayed at the bar.

After the screening, Karina had to take off rather quickly. She had to work in the morning. But we did get to chat a bit and it was really great to see her.

All in all, it wasn't that bad.

We called a car service this morning to run an errand. Note: Our driver was awesome. He was a big National Geographic/Discovery Channel guy and so he was telling us all this stuff about New York and the facts and fiction of the Bible. He was cool.

We came back, found a great parking spot, moved the truck, and walked to a deli and grabbed a couple of hero sandwiches. We also went to a Polish bakery that had a "Grand Opening" sign on it. The young guy working there, seemed like it was his place, was just beaming. His eyes were just bright, I don't know how to explain it. It was just like he was living his American dream, and he was the happiest person I'd ever seen. We picked up a piece of cheese cake and a Polish doughnut and some free coffee. Made it back here, ate, and went back to sleep.

Throughout the day we just napped and watched horror movies. We just needed the rest.

I showed Gabe "MY DATE WITH DREW" since we're thinking of ways to improve our documentary. I mean, we didn't record anything at the Hell Gate Social. It would have been good stuff. So we brainstormed and came up with some ideas.

Today, we're planning on venturing into the city and checking out a few places. I really want to go to Joey Ramone Place and take a picture there. I know Gabe wants to go to Central Park. Hopefully, we can do both.

The Rowdy One

I had to blog about this before the euphoria wore off.

I just got back from meeting three guest stars here at Monster Mania.

I first got in line to meet Jason Mewes, "Jay" from Jay and Silent Bob of CLERKS, MALLRATS, etc. His line was pretty long, but moved fast. It was his third day here and he looked a bit under the weather. He was still very nice to everyone. Behind him, he had his name printed on a sheet of paper, but he or someone else had drawn a penis under it with "loves" written and an arrow pointing towards it. And on his table he had a sign that read: "If you want a picture, just sit the fuck down" with an arrow pointing to an empty seat next to him.

He signed my copy of CLERKS and I got my photo with him. Told him I was from Texas and that New Jersey has been good to me. He thought it was cool that we drove the whole way here.

After that I met Brian O'Halloran who played "Dante" in CLERKS & CLERKS 2. He was really cool. Very nice. This is his first convention.

Now, here's the thing: I have a very strict budget while on this tour (refer to my experience with NOES 3 cast member). So I can really only afford to get 2 or 3 autographs per convention. But that's at the $20 price tag. Here, like I said, it's $25. I could justify, in my head, the $50 I spent at Fear Fest on Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp, and I could justify $60 for three autographs, but $75 for three? I just couldn't rationalize it.

So as much as I would have loved to also get Rowdy Roddy Piper's autograph, I had decided that while they're both here, and I have my CLERKS DVD on me, I would get them this time and hope to meet The Hot Rod another time. BUT what I didn't know was that Brian O'Halloran was only charging $10 to sign something you brought. I had no idea. I even laid the $25 down on the table and he told me the correct price. I jumped for joy in my brain at that moment because I knew that I might be able to afford to meet Piper this time around too.

I went to his table and discovered that it was $25 for an autographed 8X10 and an additional $10 for a personal photo. I opted for the autograph. Mostly because I never really like the photos I take with people and I wanted to have something to frame. Well, as soon as I got up there I turned into a little kid again. If you're not into wrestling, you're not going to understand, but I'll try and explain.

I started watching wrestling when I was really young. Roughly between WrestleMania 3 and 4. And there's been hardly any time in my life when wrestling wasn't a part of it. So, I am more likely to be in awe of wrestlers than any other type of celebrity. And Roddy Piper is a certified LEGEND. I was just thrilled to shake his hand.

I mumbled and said something like: "I had to meet you. I'm a movie guy, but wrestling came first." I also said something along the lines of: "You're one of the few people that I truly wanted to meet in my life." Or some variation of that. It's kind of a blur. But that's not hyperbole. At that very moment, I realized that I needed to meet that man. And I'm so happy I did.

Best part: He was the sweetest guy in the world! He was leaving in about 30 minutes, but didn't seem rushed. He shook my hand asked me where I was from. When I told him I was from Texas he asked if everyone back home was in good health. I mean... It was awesome. I don't need a photo with him, I will never forget meeting him ever.

Joisey

Man... I barely know what time it is I'm so worn out. But things here in New Jersey have been great so far. But lets jump back to New York for a sec.

Gabe and I were once again on couches for the night. This time he got the big couch and I got the little couch. I had no idea how I was going to sleep. My legs hung over the side from the knees down. But I took a half dose of NyQuil (still not feeling too hot) and passed right out.

In the morning, Gabe got up early(ish) to move the truck since a sign said there was no parking there after 11:30AM. He was gone or a long time driving around looking for a place where you could ACTUALLY park. He finally found a spot that said "NO PARKING 11:30AM - 12:30PM THURS".

We finished getting ready and headed for the truck. There was a parking ticket waiting for us on the windshield. Turned out he parked on the other side of the street where it was no parking during that time on FRIDAYS. So, yay, there.

It took us longer than we thought to get to Cherry Hill, NJ from Queens. It didn't help that we got lost again once we got there. So we arrived at the hotel around 4:30PM.

Set-up was easy, and the crowd was manageable for a Friday night. We sold a decent amount of copies, more than our whole Fear Fest weekend actually.

Only thing that kinda sucked was that here the autographs are $25 instead of $20. So I don't think I'll be getting everyone that I wanted to.

We've met lots of cool people here. Got nothing but great things to say about NJ.

We had to make another big decision last night: Drive back to Queens (it's far and the tolls are killing us), get a motel (not cheap around here), sleep in the truck in the hotel parking lot (close, but no access to rest rooms or coffee), or a truck stop (not as far as Queens, but still about 20 miles away). We opted for the truck stop and hoped that it wouldn't get too cold that night.

We rented a "self-destructing" copy of "Hatchet" at the truck stop and watched it as we set up for the night. With the new locks, we felt safer this time around. But really, we always play it smart and park in well-lit, populated, and exposed areas of the truck stops.

It did get pretty cold, but we anticipated it and took out some extra blankets.

We overslept this morning and didn't get back until 10AM (we got lost again too). That's not that bad really. Early is 9AM, 10AM is on time. But today, unlike yesterday, the place was packed. The whole lot was full and there was a line of people wrapped around the hotel waiting to get in. Gabe had to drop me off on the side so I could set up the table while he found a spot.

I got things ready and sold a few DVDs before he showed up. He was gone for maybe half an hour. The only place he could find was about a mile away. He decided to just drive around the parking lot waiting for someone to leave.

Once they let everyone in, it became a madhouse. I knew there was no way I was going to even try and get anything signed today. Hopefully, no one will bail for Sunday.

I didn't mention it yesterday, but we're next to a couple of cool vendors. On our right are a local clothing store called Sourpuss Clothing. They have a lot of horror and punk themed items. And just behind us are the guys from Wicked Pixel. They're selling their own movies. We met there publicist; nice guy. We've also run into people that work for Fangoria Magazine, Film Threat, and Horror Hound.

...It's 8 hours later. I had to stop because a drunk guy started asking me questions. He was close to getting his ass beat. Not by me, but a guy next to me. He said some shit to his daughter (a little girl), but don't think the dad heard him. If he had though...

Rest of the day went as well as before. It's kind of a blur, there were lots of people. We even had a repeat customer who wanted to buy another copy for his friend.

Oh, apparently Corey Haim made a surprise visit and joined Corey Feldman for the screening of "The Lost Boys." Didn't see either of them. Didn't get to see Bruce Campbell either. It's such a huge event, everything is spread apart and the vendors are in a room to themselves. But that's good for us, I guess. People in the vendor room are looking to buy stuff.

Gabe's friend showed up at the end of the day to pick us up. He was like a pitchman. He was handing out flyers and stopping people and telling them about the movie. He made two or three sales in like 20 minutes.

We decided to come back to Queens tonight. We'll probably regret it when we have to be on the road at 6AM.

Kinda homesick today. My sis came into (home)town and so did my gf's family. Wish I could have been there.

Tomorrow's the screening in Queens at the Hell's Gate Social. Looking forward to it. Think we're going to have a good crowd.

Sorry there haven't been any new vlogs in a couple of days. Lately, when we're not working, we just crash. I'll see if I can't put something up tonight or tomorrow.

All for now.

Welcome to New York, Bitch!

Look at my Twitter... go ahead. I'll wait...

All right, if you want to know the story, you've got read the blog.

I woke up at 7:30AM this morning and got in a quick workout before enjoying my free continental breakfast of Frosted Flakes and a mini muffin.

Gabriel was still asleep when I got in the shower, but was up and working when I got out. We had planned to leave at least by 9AM, but Gabriel wanted to work on some paperwork that otherwise he wouldn't be able to work on until after MonsterMania. So we stayed until checkout time at 11AM.

Once we hit the road, we only stopped twice. Once to get gas, and the second time to get gas and pick up some lunch for the road.

Getting to New Jersey was cool. The toll booth guy had a thick accent which I loved: "Hey, howzzit goin'?"

Even hitting the Lincoln Tunnel was cool, and when we popped out on 42nd Street and drove passed Broadway and Park Avenue, I have to say I got excited. I shot a lot of footage of all the craziness. Seeing all the billboards and stores and cinemas and people... it was fun.

Then it happened.

We had to get to the Midtown Tunnel. We saw signs that said TURN LEFT to enter. But as soon as we started turning, I noticed that there were two lanes: one for cars and one for trucks and buses. But it was too late to turn that big mother over the THREE FEET to the right in order to get in the correct lane.

As soon as we turned in, a cop on foot flagged us down. He was motioning for us to stop. Gabe, knowing the weight of the truck and the blind spots, went into a controlled slow stop. Well, the cop didn't see it that way. He charged us and yelled at Gabe: "What the fuck are you doing?! You don't fuckin' see me?!." He told us to move over to the side by a wall. Honestly, there was a PATH for wayward trucks to pass through in case they went the wrong way. This cop was just pissed because Gabe didn't stop fast enough.

He yelled at Gabe some more and accused him of almost running him over. Gabe explained that he was just stopping slowly because he couldn't tell if anyone was following close behind him. "You think I give a fuck about the car behind you?" Was the cop's reply. It was ridiculous. But we played like gentlemen and let him say whatever he wanted to say. Then he told Gabe he wanted to search the back of the truck. Gabe said sure, but told the cop that there wasn't a door and the only way in was the hatch. He got pissed at that! It's like we didn't build the thing! He told us to wait. And wait we did, for nearly half an hour. Gabe asked me how long I thought they'd keep us there. I told him flat out that their job tonight is to just stand there anyway. They could keep us sitting there as long as they wanted. The cop finally came back and asked to see my ID. I gave it to him and he approved. He gave Gabe a ticket for "ignoring" the five signs that told him the correct lane to enter. He then told us that we had to switch places and I had to drive. Not sure why, but we didn't question it. We just wanted to get out of there.

Our next mistake came when we exited the Midtown Tunnel. Since I thought they were going to search the truck, I packed up all my stuff so it would be easier to get out. I was navigating on my laptop with my wireless signal on Google Maps before we got pulled over, but we didn't have time to boot it up again before we reached the next toll both. We asked the guy there and he told us to get on the L.I.E and where to exit. Only problem was that when we pulled out, there was no sign that said L.I.E. It wasn't until we went the wrong way that we saw another sign in the distance that said L.I.E.

So we drove around a, lets say, questionable neighborhood, trying to get back to where we were. We finally did and I missed it again! We looped around, and luckily made it on this time. We had three sets of directions going by this time. And again, we missed the easiest route because the signs on the road aren't named the same as in Google. So we called Gabe's friend who told us to exit Queens Blvd. After a few miles, we saw it... it was CLOSED. We spent the next hour trying to find another way to get here. There are just so many One Way streets and Dead Ends, it felt like we'd never find the place.

Once we got here we just vented as we retold the story to Gabe's friend. We settled down with some cold pizza and even colder beer. We feel better. Got it out of our systems. But it was just a suck-ass way to start off my first trip to New York. I mean, I truly was excited when we entered the city and that just quickly faded. But tomorrow is another day. I'm looking forward to the convention and meeting a few more people. We have high hopes as far as promoting and selling.

It's ironic how I was most worried about lingering in small southern towns, but it was in a big metropolitan city where we've had our only trouble. Here's to a better tomorrow.

Reminiscing

Okay, I lied. Flash was acting up last night and I didn't know it, the connection was fine. So here's a new video log.

Just To Be The Man Who Walked 1000 Miles

Okay, we drove, and it's been 1,001 miles. Still...

I'm writing this from a cheapo motel in Bristol, Virginia. We probably could have gone as far as Roanoke, but decided to wrap-up early and get some much needed blogging done.

Unfortunately, even with Wi-Fi, the connection here is too slow for uploading videos. I can't even open my YouTube page. So pictures will have to be enough until we get to New Jersey.

First let me elaborate on some stuff I only touched on earlier.

When we got to West Memphis last night, we drove around looking for the most secure looking truck stop we could find. Finally found a place that had a store that was open 24/7 and was near a major highway. Very well lit too. We parked in a visible area and arranged the cargo area for sleeping. It wasn't an easy task. There are boxes and boxes of DVDs, posters, and other promo items. Not to mention the stuff we brought. We had to stack every really high on two sides leaving just enough from for two sleeping bags. As it turned out, my height is the exact length of the floor, but with a few things in the way, I pretty much had to sleep in the fetal position. I think Gabe got the best spot between me and some boxes. I was right up against the side of the truck which is metal which conducted the cold from outside very, very well. It really wasn't that bad. I brought my thick ol' Mexican blanket (you know, the two-tone ones that have some sort of animal on them) which kept me quite warm.

The truck stop itself was an interesting place. I took this pic from the door of the men's room stall. I have no idea what it means, but it's different from what you usually find scribbled on a bathroom wall. You can also buy clubs there. Not golf clubs, but beat-you-over-the-head clubs. We thought of buying one, but they were a bit pricey at $15. So Gabe just bought a pocket knife for $5. We also picked up a 6-pack of beer for the night.

I had asked Gabe before if the hatched locked from the inside and he told me it did. He did NOT however tell me that by lock he meant ghettofy the latch with wire and and a screwdriver. I should have bought one of those clubs.

The back of the truck has two vents on top to let out heat and let fresh air in. We had them open for awhile, but I knew it was going to get cold that night so I closed them. Good thing too. It was freezing this morning. I woke up with a sore throat, so I worried I caught a cold. But I'm rather certain now it's just allergies or something.

We had coffee and breakfast at the Wendy's inside the truck stop. That was after washing up in in the bathroom sinks of course. It cost ten bucks a piece to use the showers. Since we were just driving all day, it seemed best to save the money and use it for the motel. Good thing my gf packed me some Axe Bodyspray, and her mom gave us an air freshener for the cab.

I have to mention that so far, everywhere we've been, we've met some very nice people. This morning, a young lady working the coffee station at the truck stop told me about all different blends they had and even let me taste them all. I told her about the trip and the movie. She seemed into it.

We drove straight through to Nashville, TN. Stopped for lunch at Jack In A Box and splurged on 99 cent food items. It's funny, sometimes I really crave a hamburger, I usually try and stick to grilled chicken sandwiches, but it's always a mistake to get one. Even as I was eating it, I thought "This is going to make me sick." And it kinda did. Luckily, my gf also packed us a first aid kit that included Mylanta.

I got my first chance to drive the Green Eyed Monster Truck from Nashville to Knoxville. It only took a few minutes to get used to the weight of the truck moving around. It's really only city driving that's a bit tricky. Of course the video camera battery died just as soon as we reached some really beautiful stretches of countryside. We discussed rigging up the camera to the rear view mirror (can't see anything out of it anyway) so we can just record ourselves talking. Oh, and of course as soon as I type that we've been talking the whole time with no dead air, we run out of shit to talk about.

In Knoxville, we stopped at a Walmart and picked up a few things including a REAL lock for the hatch, some energy drinks, and a gas cap (we lost it in Austin).

Gabe took over driving again and got us to our current stale-smelling motel room. At least we get to sleep in beds, get cleaned up, and have some free continental breakfast in the morning. Only 400 plus miles to go 'til Monster Mania. Hopefully we can wake up early tomorrow. We crossed into the Eastern Time Zone today, and with less than a week removed from Daylight Savings Time, it feels like we're two hours behind... or ahead.

On The Road (Day 1, Day 2 Part 1)

We got a late start yesterday. Gabe was supposed to pick me up at 8AM but didn't show up 'til 10AM. Not that I was ready anyway. I woke up right at 8PM.

We got to Dallas around noon, but didn't leave until almost 2PM. There were some errands that needed to be taken care of. So we hit up Kinko's, the post office, etc.

Once on the road, everything went smoothly. Our goal was to get to Memphis, TN. I haven't mentioned it much, but Gabriel and I have just been talking the whole time we've been driving. I think the longest silence was about 3 minutes. Other than that, it's been non-stop talking. It helps that we don't really know that much about each other, so there's lots to talk about. It's been an interesting trip so far. We talk about the fact that us talking in the truck would probably be a decent doc on its own. But in reality, we both tend to clam up when the camera is rolling.

We got some good news yesterday. A popular Fort Worth blog called West and Clear featured "Green Eyed Monster" in a local filmmaker post. They credited me as the creator of the film by mistake, but did include links to the film's website and this blog. Have to see if it translates into more hits.

We stopped in West Memphis, AR for the night. We parked at a truck stop and fixed up the back with some sleeping bags. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We didn't have a whole lot of room, but it wasn't unbearable. I showed Gabe a bit of the documentary "The Snowball Effect" about Kevin Smith making "Clerks" on my laptop. I also wasn't as nervous about the possible dangers either. We both had makeshift weapons and the door was locked... well, rigged to be locked.

We figured saving money last night would allow us to stay at a cheap motel tonight or tomorrow night. As it was, when we woke up it was 38 degrees and cold in there. As we head north, it's only going to get colder. So it's worth it to do it now.

Today is going to be a long driving day. Trying to get as far northeast as we can.

I'll have to post more later. Gabe's rushing me to get back on the road.

Keep checking in on us.

Positive Review of "Green Eyed Monster"

Well, we have our first positive review of "Green Eyed Monster" up on YouTube (first review period, I think). A guy named Roy bought the DVD at Texas Fear Fest and posted his thoughts about the event and about a few of the movies he liked. "Green Eyed Monster" was one of them. It's a great review. He even mentions the website a couple of times. It's a 9 minute video, we get mentioned at just under the 6 minute mark and again at the end. If you have the time, watch the whole video. He has some cool stories and recommends a few other movies. (Coincidentally, I'm watching "Psycho IV" with Henry Thomas right now.) Thanks again, Roy.

Texas Fear Fest 2 Wrap-Up

Another convention down. Another different experience.

Today was slower than yesterday, but still pretty packed.

The day went by pretty fast. Here are some of the highlights:

We had two more people solve the log puzzle. One of them solved it with a baby in one hand! Add them to the Hall of Fame:

Gabriel and I decided to suck it up and talk to the horror icons. It started when Kane "Jason Vorhees" Hodder came over to sign the "Bubba's Chili Parlor" guys' banner. (I'm telling you they had everyone stopping by.) As he was leaving he noticed one of the puzzles on our table. Apparently, Kane Hodder is into puzzles. He ended up talking to Gabe about "Green Eyed Monster" for a bit and would borrow a puzzle, bring it back when he solved it, and pick up another. So, we figured he'd be safe to ask for a photo later.

From there we went and talked to Miko Hughes. Gabe got his photo taken with him. He was a really nice guy.

I got Heather Langenkamp's autograph and a photo (she played 'Nancy' in NOES 1, 3, and 7). She even asked if Gabe wanted a photo. He wondered if he looked that sad. Yes. Yes, he did. She was cool too. I did freeze up a bit though. I just kinda got tongue tied. But it went well.

Of course as soon as we leave the table, everyone swarms it. So we had to go back every now and then to talk to people.

We kept trying to meet the Avellan twins (The Crazy Babysitter Twins from "Grindhouse: Planet Terror," but we kept missing them.

I decided to jump into the Robert Englund line a bit before 3 PM. It was a little more organized today. By the table, leading out the door, was a short line of VIPs. Then there was a break in the line for a few feet where a new line formed. They were the General Admission folk. So I got in line and ended up chatting with a couple of girls behind me. I told them about the day before and we talked about conventions in general. After about 30 to 40 minutes, a staff member walked by and told us that all the VIPs had gone through and we'd be next as soon as Robert Englund stepped out to receive an award. A few more minutes went by. Another staff member walked by and asked if anyone had a red ticket. I did. He told me to follow him. There were about 7 of us. Since we had pre-paid, we were moved to the head of the line and were the new VIPs. We waited another 10 minutes or so, but after that the line moved quickly. We actually ended up being the last people to get autographs. He wasn't taking pictures anymore, which is what I had originally ordered, but I had decided that I'd rather get an autograph anyway. They had advertised a professionally taken photo, which I guess technically it was, but it was just printed 4X6 on a regular photo printer. So I picked out my 8X10 and he signed it for me. He was very nice, but you could tell he was exhausted. And at that point, since there had been so many fans, you couldn't take a personal picture or really say much to him as they were trying to wrap things up. It's the risk you take going towards the end of the day. I wish I had gotten up there earlier, but what can you do. It was still great to meet him.

So after that, I had the confidence to meet more people. We thought that since it was the end of the last day, we might be able to get a few quick photos. The first person I went up to was one of the cast members from "Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors." Here's how that sad story played out:



Yeah. And where was Gabriel during this? Well, he just so happened to wander away. But that's okay. He had his own NOES awkward moment while he was away.

After that I just went back to the table. I felt that bad. Gabe wanted to see if the Avellan twins were back, but I just couldn't go and risk it. I should have gone! Guy came back with a sexy autographed photo and a personal picture. Maybe I'll get my chance at Fangoria.

By then a lot of the special guests had taken off. Everyone was breaking down around 4 PM instead of 5 PM. Maybe they weren't on the DST train yet.

Luckily for us, Kane Hodder was still around and we got to take pictures with him. Now, all weekend we saw fan after fan REQUEST a photo with Kane choking them. At first Kane wanted to take a "friendly" pic with Gabe. Which he did. But then Gabe brought up the choking pose and Kane told us that if he wanted to, he'd do it, but that he doesn't fake it. He really puts pressure on you to get a genuine reaction. We were like, okay, lets give it a go. Gabe went first:

Dude looks like he's going to pass out!

Then Kane turns to me and says he wants me to feel it too. So he puts his hands around my neck and squeezes... HARD. Boy doesn't not fuck around as they say. So there I am, choking, and Gabe can't figure out the damn camera! See this picture?:

That's me seriously pleading for him to get on with it. I swear I can still feel it.

If that wasn't a great enough ending to the day and event, we sold like 5 copies of the movie as we were PACKING. I figured either some people like to buy stuff like that at the end of the day, or they have a little extra money and get a few extra things. Either way, it was good for us.

Tomorrow we leave the comfort of Texas and head into a possible snow storm as we trek north. Wish us luck.

Texas Fear Fest (Day 1)

Arrived in Dallas about 10:45 AM. Late as usual. Gabriel was already there. The place was nice. Hard to tell if it was bigger, smaller, or the same size as Frightmare Weekend.

Everything was a bit chaotic. I had to check in at the front; there were two lines: one marked "VIP" and the other "General Admission". I stood in the GA line. About halfway through, they SWITCHED the signs! They were also supposed to have a "virtual" line for people that bought VIP badges or tickets to meet Robert Englund. We were to be assigned a number then go get in line when our number group was called in order to avoid waiting in line all day. Well, all that went out the window. The PA system didn't work and so they just did away with the numbers and told people to get in line.

It was a mess really. When I finally got a chance to get in line, we'd get different directions every five minutes: No numbers. Numbers. Only yellow tickets. First yellow, then red. Just wait in line. No more pictures. Yes there are. The line is being cut off at 5 PM. No it's not. Robert Englund is not going to be here Sunday. Yes he is. Maybe. We don't know.

And on and on it went. I stood in the same spot for an hour. Other people were told to get out of line. Didn't call their number yet. But there's no numbers. After being told "Yes You're Going To Meet Him" to "No, Wait, You're Not" half a dozen times, I decided to try again in the morning. If he doesn't come back, I'll just get a refund. But I really hope he does. I'd love to meet him.

Other than that, it was a good day. Ran into Barak Epstein. He sold me my camera a couple of years ago. He's latest film "Blood On The Highway" is premiering at AFI Dallas. Looks like a fun flick.

We were recognized by a few folks that were at Frightmare Weekend. Felt nice.

Gabriel received some promo items from one of the sponsors. Make400K sent us some puzzles that we set out on the table. One was labeled as the "World's Most Difficult Puzzle Game" or something like that. It was a small box that came with "logs" that only fit in it in two specific ways. You mess up one piece and they don't fit. It was actually pretty hard. Gabe told people if they could figure it out, they'd get a free DVD. Only two people got it. And here they are on the wall of fame:


Both spent an average of 30 minutes trying to figure it out. They earned their prizes.

Gabe also got in some new buttons that were a hit.

I wish I had the video camera going at the end of the day. Diamond Dallas Page was horsing around with the guys at the booth next to us and there was a lot of great and funny stuff going on.

Speaking of which... Gabe and I had a lot of "We're not cool" moments today. I think we just get too uptight around the horror icons. I mean the guys next to us had all sorts of people coming to their booth and signing their movie banner and taking pictures... We need to figure out what we're doing wrong here.

Lastly, Blogger was down most of the morning, but I did want to point out that I started a Twitter account. So now if you'll notice at the top right, above the blog archive, I'll be able to post short updates through out the day. I'll try and keep it relevant and newsworthy. Just seeing if you guys respond favorably to it or not. Let me know.

That's it for tonight. Losing an hour of sleep as it is. I'm sure I'll have much more to post tomorrow.

Back Home (Austin Wrap-Up)

Gabe and I made it back to DFW last night about 1 AM. It was a big decision to make: whether to leave Austin at night or in the morning. In the end we opted to leave at night if it meant spending even just a bit more time with our families before the big trek east. It was also a fortunate decision because it has been snowing and sleeting like crazy all day! But lets talk Austin.

Wednesday morning was spent mapping out Austin to make sure we wouldn't get lost again. I found where the other I Love Video location was and The Spider House Cafe... Wait, I have to tell this story before I go on:

Our hosts went to work in the morning but told us to hang out as long as we needed and to make ourselves at home. Well, I was craving a cup of coffee. I asked Gabe if he thought it would be cool. He said it shouldn't be a problem. So I found the coffee and pulled out the coffee maker. When I picked up the coffee pot to put the water in, the lip popped off. No big deal. It wasn't broken, it just wasn't attached correctly. Anyway, I fixed everything up, turned on the machine, and went back to work. After awhile, it sounded like it was done. I went to get the coffee... no coffee in the pot. But the water level was down. I opened up the filter compartment and it was FILLED with coffee and grounds. I couldn't figure out what happened. I thought maybe the coffee maker was broken and they don't use it. But then I saw it... I forgot to put the lid back on the coffee pot! So the release valve wasn't being engaged. I spent a lot of time cleaning it up. Sorry, A.J.

But it doesn't end there! I was the first one to take a shower. Our hosts had bought us a couple of shower sponge things. I grabbed the first one and something poked my hand. I opened it up and there was a needle stuck in it! It was brand new so I figured someone at the store where they bought it must have done it as some twisted joke. I'm just glad I found it before I started bathing.

Lastly, I almost slipped on the bath mat TWICE. And not "oops" slips, but "I almost cracked my head open" slips. I knew right then, it was going to be one of those days.

Anyway, we headed to the aforementioned sites and tacked up posters and flyers. After that we hit the UT campus and walked around and posted up stuff on bulletin boards and anywhere else it looked like people might see them. We even went up to the RTF department and put up some flyers (don't think we were supposed to), and picked up a few brochures on their graduate program while we were at it.

After an afternoon of promoting, we broke for lunch. We talked about our realistic expectations. We knew, even after all we did, it wasn't going to be enough to get as many people as we wanted. But we also knew we learned a lot during this part of the tour. And it was great to get this experience in Texas before we head out of state. I slipped a few flyers into a few issues of the Austin Chronicle before leaving for the Dobie.

We set up everything at the Dobie, checking out the projection quality. I was really impressed. It was the best projection of the movie I've seen so far.

We passed out a few more flyers in the food court and out in front of the Dobie. But we really weren't getting much of a reaction. Expected, I guess.


My friend Fulton showed up and brought a friend of his. Later another friend, Mario, came. It was like a mini "Blackout" reunion. We had the Writer/Director (me), the Producer (Fulton), the Editor (Gabriel), and an actor (Mario).

We all went upstairs and hung out in front of the theater entrance. We decided to hold start time for 30 minutes since we had the room for a 2 hour block anyway. In that time a guy walked up to us. At first I thought it was Gabriel's fraternity brother (Gabe received an e-mail telling him that the Austin chapter of his frat would be sending people, but none came). Turned out he was a "Green Eyed Monster" Friend on MySpace and saw one of the bulletins that Gabriel posted. Like I said before, I was truly shocked. I mean, something we did WORKED!

Once we got him, we were cool. We had succeeded, even if it wasn't in greater numbers. We had a room of people, 5 people, but people nonetheless, that had never seen the film before that screening. That's 5 more people than we had before Austin.

Like I said, the screening went well and we did a quick Q&A afterwards. I didn't know what our film school friends would make of the film. I figured if anybody could dissect it to pieces, it would be film kids. But it was actually the opposite. Because they know how hard it is to make films, they were impressed with the quality of the first feature made by one of our own. It was a great time. Everyone wanted to hang out afterwards, but we had already made the decision to head back to DFW so we could get ready for Texas Fear Fest 2 this weekend.

It promises to be a good event. Keep checking in.

And just because he's become an Internet phenomenon...Rascal!

Austin Screening In Progress

I'm sitting in the back of theater 4 at the Dobie as I write this. We had four people show up (5 if you count the projectionist). Two are friends, one is a friend of a friend... but the 4th guy is someone that saw a MySpace bulletin! We said that if we got one person to show up through advertising, then we'd call it a success. Well, we got our one person. I swear my jaw hit the floor when he came up to us. I'll post more later about the whole day. Just wanted to do a "live" blog from the screening.

Oh, the video above is from my cell phone. Trying out the new YouTube Mobile service. Might be able to post short videos while on the road and away from the computer.

UPDATE: a second after I published the post, another guy walked in!

Keep Austin Weird

This morning we headed out for Austin (but not before eatings a dozen sausage biscuits each). It was a quick trip. Traffic was light. We drove around a bit talking over the best course of action. We hit a Kinko's and printed up some flyers to pass around. While there, I got a hold of my friend Mario who gave us a lot of great advice on where to go to promote.

From there we went to the Dobie Theater where the screening is taking place tomorrow. Gabe was supposed to drop off a copy of the DVD for them to check out. Unfortunately, it was closed. They only had screenings set up for the evening, so they aren't open during the day. Or so it appeared to us. So we put out some flyers on a nearby ad table and had some lunch.

It's rough business, self promotion. Two quick examples. Gabriel gave a guy sitting near us a flyer. After a few minutes the guy left. A few minutes after that I went to spit out my gum and noticed my used Orbit landing on one of our flyers. There was ten cents well spent.

There was a small indie looking video store there at the Dobie Center. I told Gabe we should check it out and see if they'd put up a poster or let us leave some flyers on the counter. As we approached I saw a sign posted that read: NO SOLICITING. So we backed off, but then we stopped and thought we should ask anyway. So we went back, but stopped again. I noted that it didn't look like there were any other promotional items around. Gabe agreed and added that the guys working there didn't look too happy either. So we left, but stopped and returned yet again. I said, it's worth just asking. The worst they could say is "no". So we got to the door and Gabe told me to go for it. What do you mean ME? You're the Director, guy. Yeah, but you're the ice breaker. Since when?! Come on, man. ... Fine. Okay. So I go in and talk to the guy at the counter. He points me to someone else. We talk to that guy and he says: "Sure." They had a whole counter just for stuff like ours. So we left some flyers and a poster and thanked them. I think this story best illustrates how Gabriel and I aren't the best salesmen in the world. I mean, not every filmmaker can be a carnival barker yelling: "Come one, come all!" It's tough for us. But we're getting better at it.

After that we headed for Gabriel's friend's place where we'll be staying while we're in town. He's actually someone I know too. He was in my film "PUSHED." A super8 project I shot in college. He's a cool guy, but I'm not sure he knew we'd have stuff to do that night. It's the one caveat of staying at friends' homes. Especially ones we haven't seen in a long time. It's understandable that they want to hang out and catch up, but we're kind of here to work. It's fine line to walk. You don't want to be rude and not spend time with them and just be like "Hey, I just came to sleep on your floor, not hang out." But we have to get stuff done too. But it's been working out. Just takes understanding.

Gabriel and I headed back out around 8 PM to hit up some of the places my friend told us about. But before that we went back to the Dobie and dropped off the DVD. They also let us tape up some posters. Hopefully they'll catch some people's attention. We went to I Love Video after that. We were told it was free beer night. Never heard of a rental place giving out free beer. In my mind I pictured it to be like a gathering place. Maybe it had a patio or lounge area where people sat around drinking their free beers and chatting about movies. Turned out just to be a movie rental place with a keg. Which is REALLY cool, but not what we were hoping for. It wasn't very busy when we showed up (we were supposed to meet a couple of friends there earlier, but missed them as we were running behind). It might have had something to do with the dead keg. Anyway, they let us hang up some posters and flyers.

We tried to find another I Love Video location, but got lost. We ended up at Waterloo Video since I had a general idea of where it was. They were really nice too and we put up some more promo stuff. Gabe even got some contact info about possibly carrying "GEM" there for rent. God Bless Independently Owned Stores!

We also put of posters and flyers at Waterloo Records and Book People.

Gabriel and I ended up recording more rants out in the parking lot. There we were approached by a homeless guy. He asked for some change, but also about the truck. We gave him some money (we need the good karma) and talked to him for a bit. He was an interesting guy. A New Yorker. I asked to videotape our discussion, but he was a bit camera shy. Too bad. He wished us luck. We told him to come to the screening. If anything, he'd have a place to sit and be warm for 90 minutes. We'll see.

Tomorrow will be more of the same. Finding places to promote. Then the screening at night.

Before I go to bed though, I'd like to talk about a couple of things.

First, about the blog. I've had a few e-mails from friends and family that aren't that familiar with this site and how to navigate it. So here's a quick crash course: If you'd like to leave a comment, go to the end of that particular blog entry and click on comments. You DO NOT have to have an account to leave one. And you don't even have to leave your name if you don't want to. However, as a security measure against spam, you DO have to fill out the CAPTION on the right of the comment field. A caption is a random mix of number and letters that you have to type EXACTLY as pictured in order to prove you're "real."

If you want to e-mail a specific entry to someone, simply go to the bottom of that entry and click on the icon that looks like an envelope. You can also click on the title of the entry and that will take you to that entry's own web page. You can then copy the web address and paste it in an e-mail.

If there are any other questions about the blog, please ask. And please, leave comments. It's always good to know you guys are enjoying what I write.

Second, please take the time to click on a few of the sponsors' ad banners on the Green Eyed Monster website. They're helping us with this trip and every click counts (and the banners change everytime you go there, so click often). Thank you.

See you tomorrow. (Sorry no pictures tonight. Be back tomorrow.)

Rascal

Today was pretty laid back. We slept in a bit and decided today would be a great day to rest and work from "home." I designed three new flyers that we'll be using to help promote upcoming events.

We shot a bit more footage today. Mostly of Gabe and me ranting about different topics.

Besides that, we ate A LOT. I'm just letting myself go here in S.A. knowing that it's going to be VERY different on the road. It'll be back to canned tuna and spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Speaking of eating, I showed Gabe "Feast" earlier this evening. He'd never seen it. It came up last night while talking to people and I happened to bring a copy with me (the filmmakers are going to be at one of the conventions). I think he dug it.

I recorded a new vlog about an hour ago. I'll paste a copy below. Tomorrow: Austin.

S.A. Watching Party

I'm really sleepy, but I had to write about the Watching Party before I crashed. It was a tremendous success and a lot of fun.

Well, first of all, this morning we went back to Traders Village in Houston. It was busier, and we sold a few copies, but we just weren't feeling it. Plus it started to drizzle. So we decided to shut down early. We did walk around for a few minutes and handed out a few promotional items to people we thought might like the film.

After that, we headed for San Antonio. We were running a bit behind. Ideally, we wanted to get to S.A. around 6 PM or earlier, but it was looking more like 6:30 PM if we were lucky and didn't hit any traffic. As it turned out, we were lucky.

My girlfriend's parents were hosting the screening. Before today, I imagined maybe ten people would show up, which would have been great. I didn't expect 20 something people to be there! It was a packed house. I was blown away.

We pulled into the back where everyone was out on the patio (it's a big patio... is it a patio? A deck maybe... Or a back porch... Anyway, it's big). They all got a kick out of the truck and of me climbing onto the roof and into the hatch.

We went inside and unloaded. My gf's parents had gotten tons of food. There were meatballs, pork empanadas, tacitos, guacamole, brownies, cake, nuts, pretzels, and someone made and brought the most fantastic cookies I've ever had (not sure what they're called. I've heard them referred to as "wedding cookies" or even "Christmas cookies". Either way, they're dunked in powdered sugar and awesome).

We started the show at 7:15 PM. I did a quick thanks and welcome then introduced Gabriel. He spoke a bit about the movie, the contest, and the tour. Then we screened the movie. Gabriel stepped out of the room while the movie played. I know where he's coming from. It's not that easy to sit and watch something you created with a group of people. You feel like you're being judged, which may or may not be true. And considering we're going to be doing a lot of screenings during the tour, it makes sense to spare yourself the emotional pain as much as you can.

I went ahead and watched it with the audience. I would periodically go to the guest room and update Gabe on what people were reacting to, when they seemed restless, when they jumped at scares, etc. I took a bit of video and some pics, but it was really dark so not sure how they turned out.

After the screening, everyone applauded and stayed around for a rather lengthy Q&A. I really didn't think it would go on for as long as it did, or that EVERYONE would stick around to participate, but I was pleasantly surprised. And it wasn't a total love fest; they weren't just trying to flatter him. They asked him some tough questions and made poignant observations. And they weren't afraid to critique either. It went really well. I got a lot of footage of it so hopefully we can post some later.

Following the Q&A, we asked if anyone wanted to buy the movie. We sold 18 copies at least! One couple bought five, another four, others bought one or two... it was fantastic. And, you know, I'm sure that some of it was just to support us, and not necessarily because they just loved the movie that much, but so what? That's what this is all about right? I mean, they buy multiple copies to give to their friends which means that that much more people will watch it. And if they like it, maybe they show it to their friends. And so on and so on. I was/am so elated. I can honestly say I had to fight to keep from choking up at times. I mean, I told Gabriel to expect some wonderful hospitality, but even I was taken aback at just how much love and support we received. This has been one of the best experiences so far. I can only hope that others can come close.

A few people lingered well until midnight. That was another surprise. It's Sunday night, I know people have to work in the morning, but they stayed. They talked to us about the movie and how it was made and the tour schedule. We got tips on promotional ideas for here in S.A. My gf's brother-in-law is even going to help us out with a press release. I could go on forever about the generosity we were shown. Again, this is my gf's family, she is not here... in part they are doing it for her, and doing it for me, but really they're doing it for Gabriel, a person they never met before today. I can't wait to see what they do when I make MY movie.

Not sure what's up for tomorrow. Maybe some much needed rest, a little promoting, some online work. We'll see.

PB and M

Mango On A Stick

Last night we made it to Gabe's friend's place. It's a really nice apartment. We watched "GEM" with him on his HDTV. It looked great. And we each got our own giant, comfy couch to sleep on.

This morning we headed over to Traders Village and found our spot. We set up and waited to see how the day would go.

Honestly, it was slow. We didn't have power for awhile, so we couldn't set up the laptop with the trailer. Of the few people there, a couple would rubberneck or talk to us for bit, but wouldn't buy. A lot of people, after telling them of our trip, would wish us good luck... but not buy. It was kind of frustrating.

The vendor next to us told us that they rent a booth every weekend, but rarely come on Saturdays. He said that Sundays are the busy and profitable days. So we have hopes for tomorrow.

It wasn't a total loss. We did sell a few copies. One couple was really sold on the contest aspect of the film. The husband was skeptical, but the wife really wanted to participate. He asked her, "Are you really gonna get on the Internet and do this though?" Her reply was, "For $10,000 yeah!"

Another sale was to a father and son that were really into movies. They asked us all sorts of questions and even requested autographs. Never thought I'd sign an autograph at Traders Village.

There was a moment when we were tempted to eat lunch there. But I learned a long time ago not to eat the burgers. Just don't. The turkey legs were too much food. So I decided that if I ate anything it would be the mango on a stick. For those of you that have never had it, it's exactly how it sounds. It's a peeled mango on a stick with chile powder on it. They're fantastic. But they were like $6. A bit too steep for this tour. But maybe, just maybe, I'll get one tomorrow.

We cut out a bit early to find a Wal-Mart. We wanted to get some groceries to save some money on food. But Gabriel noticed the back tires were riding low. They were riding really low actually. So we stopped at Discount Tire to have them checked out (actually we stopped at a place at Traders Village first, but I'll let Gabe tell that story).

The guys there genuinely seemed excited about the truck. They asked us about the movie and the trip. Their excitement was helpful later on when they cut us a deal on two new tires. I say "we" but really Gabe's the one opening his wallet. One of the tires ended up having a nail in it causing a slow leak. Gabe decided to get both tires replaced since the tread was almost done for on the other one. The guys there gave us a decent deal, it was still expensive, but safety first. Gabe gave them a couple of DVDs for their help. The truck looks even better now, and ready for the long haul.

We did some vlogs at Traders Village; I'll post mine later. Also, I bought my ticket to get my photo taken with Robert Englund!