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MLK Day

January 20, 2008 Asides, Strike

Tomorrow is a U.S. holiday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), so there’s no picketing. Tuesday is a big event at Paramount. Details forthcoming.

Tabula Rasa

January 20, 2008 General

Last night I saw Cloverfield at the Chinese. And loved it. Since the first trailer, I’ve been plugging my ears and shouting “la la la la” whenever someone tried to tell me something about the movie, and I’m glad I did. A blank slate is a movie-goer’s best friend.

I have the opposite situation for two of the trailers that played before Cloverfield: Iron Man and The Eye. I did two week’s work on each — not nearly enough to merit credit, but enough that I know every single plot point. If there’d only been a Hancock trailer, it would have been a trifecta.

Because you’ll ask: I haven’t seen any of the three. The Eye changed studios, directors and stars soon after I worked on it. (Not my fault, I swear.) I took the job because I really wanted to write something scary. Even with all the genres I’ve worked in, I had never done a horror movie.

I feel much more kinship towards Hancock and Iron Man, along with their writers, directors and producers. Both had strong scripts before I got involved, and I enjoyed helping out where I could.

Day 74, revised

January 17, 2008 Asides, Strike

I had to cancel my Arizona trip, so I’ll be doing van loading tonight, from 5-8 p.m. (Note that you have to be WGA to sign up, since it’s at the headquarters.)

Strike, day 72

January 15, 2008 Strike

Back at my home gate at Paramount this morning, discussion ranged from the DGA deal (which is supposedly done) to Samantha Goodman’s observation that she has a lot more respect for somebody who shivs a guy, rather than using a gun.

Angry Cadillac Woman looked angry, but came nowhere near my legs. Alexa brought homemade muffins. For the first time ever, 9:00 a.m. passed unnoticed. Then I suddenly remembered that I was parked in a street sweeping zone, and had to high-tail it back to the Prius. Back to home. Back to continuously reload the live keynote updates from Macworld.

Tomorrow: back at Paramount, and the Van Ness gate, at 5:45 a.m.

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