Who is Dragon Boxer?

First up, Have a great Veteran's Day! To all us vets, Thanks! Go out and find one vet during your day today and simply say, "Thanks!" 

Then find one politician who didn't use enough politics, what they are elected FOR, and who found us into yet another war, for corporations and profit and say,

"Hey pal, do your damn job! War is failed politics! And we've failed too many times on that too many times on purpose."

Then thank another Republican for all these wars of profit.

And remember Republican Pres. George W. Bush took us to war, forced the intelligence into existence that would support yet another war we didn't need and took us into Iraq murdering thousands upon thousands and thousands of Iraqis for no God damned good reason whatsoever! 

That's not partisan crap, it's fact. Read a book! The information is out there, vetted, and reality.

Now...

Dragon Boxer. The international star from 2011, is back! Sort of.

Dragon Boxer, 2011

Who is Dragon Boxer?

Well, that's the question, isn't it? The first appearance of Dragon Boxer was in 2011 in Europe when I made a short happy birthday video for my daughter who was traveling Europe alone, with her backpack, and her accordion. Paying her way singing around Europe, even touching briefly in Eastern Europe. She lived in caves on the southern Spanish coast.

She lived in empty buildings with artists. She was in Greece during the labor riots when she detailed to me heading "home" for the night through streets with cars on fire and rioting. She called me one night from a truck stop on the French border at 2AM when it was freezing cold and she had no idea how she was going to get ... somewhere.

A truck driver gave her a ride and eventually, she ended up in that cave on the Spanish coast. For a while, she lived in an apartment with other musicians. they would play music in the kitchen and at least once, had the police arrive to ask them to tone it down as other tenants were complaining.

I tell you all this because it becomes apparent how reasonable it might have been for at some point, her spirits to have lowered to the lowest. It was her birthday. I was frustrated in being so unable to control her spirits, her happiness, she safety.

Head Employment Representative Ramon Soliz, left, my self with my first meeting
with Dragon Boxer and, my wife at the time at my exit party from UW Personnel Department

I was in my bedroom at one point and I came up with the only thing I could think of. To take the hand puppet I had been given as a joke when I left my employment in 1994 of over seven years at the University of Washington, in various departments, and make a short video in order to try to cheer up my daughter, off somewhere, in Europe.

This short stupid little video had the desired effect and did indeed cheer up my depressed daughter. I put the video away and didn't think about it until some years later. I brought it out again for a Happy New Years' video.

Over the years I had shown both the puppet and the Happy Birthday video to kids and even some adults and they all laughed. The kids especially loved it. And when they met Dragon Boxer, they seemed to be very attracted to it. I don't think I've ever gotten so much out of a joke gift before over so many years.

It occurred to me that there was something there. And so Dragon Boxer, International Star was born!

I have been in pre-production on my short horror film, "Gumdrop, a short horror" which I shot during the summer of 2019. During that, I asked Dragon Boxer if he'd like to make a short film for fun and he said yes. Thus, "Below in the Dark, A Short Halloween Enigma" was created in 2018.

I mention all this because we have been putting Dragon Boxer to work. He's open for management by the way. He's a real pain in the ass to manage and I don't want to do it. But someone might and that would take him off my hands. And he eats...good grief. Well, that's another topic.

Anyway, he interviewed actor Jason Lockhard who has worked with director Kelly Hughes and is now in my film, "Gumdrop, a short horror."

Actor Jason Lockhart (left), Tom Remick (right) in
Gumdrop, a short horror (2019)

Here's the Dragon Boxer interview:

Dragon Boxer: Hey, so, Jason Lockhart, actor, father, raconteur, whatever, how are you and thanks for visiting and being my first interview.

JasonL: Sure.

DB: We've grown a man.

JasonL: Sorry. You've what? What is that, thing? Over there?

DB: We found human DNA from 10,000 years ago, recovered, reconstituted it, grew it, and produced, a man. Oh, that. Jay's handy work. It was a... ? We'll have to get another one, that one's trashed beyond repair. Only took him a second. Said, he didn't like it. It made him uncomfortable.  New people seem to make him a bit uncomfortable, too. Anyway, now that just makes him laugh. Interesting talent, that.

JasonL: A man? A man from 10,000 years. Ago? Why not a dragon? You're a boxing dragon, why genetics?

DB: Yes. Well, resurrecting a dragon would be stupid. They're mythical creatures and...I'm the only one so far, so... anyway. We named him. Jay. But that's not...it's not what's so, amazing, about, all this. Did you know that synesthesia is like other things, a part of all of us, as children? As we were all once female, we all once had to learn to differentiate, to compartmentalize our senses. We had to be trained out of seeing sounds or smells, or hearing colors, and so on. There may be other sense mixes going on but typically a child saying, Mommy, I can see the music playing," leads to Mommy saying, "No, honey, you can HEAR the music," when in all reality, the child may ver welly be hearing AND seeing the music.

JasonL: I really don't see what this has to do with any...I thought this was an actor interview?

DB: Yeah, you've thought a lot of things. Like what the hell is this about?

[Shown  Kelly Hughes/Jason Lockhart clip. Jason is flummoxed.]

JasonL: That was from Kelly's film I was in, Green State.

DB: Okayyy... You have heard stories from the past of miracles, magic, and so on, all of which you don't hear about anymore, right?

JasonL: Surely. I've always figured that was just ancient people's misunderstanding of things they can't explain.

DB: Right, and so have most people, a reasonable assumption. But what if...what if we were a more simple people? We certainly seemed to have been more passionate about our beliefs. What if...what if witches did have powers... sometimes. Not always, as certainly many innocents were killed in so-called, "witch hunts".

JasonL: Again, what's your point?

DB: What if the brain chemistry, who knows, maybe the entire human anatomy, was conditioned so that these magical acts actually could happen?

JasonL: Okay, but I don't think I'm following you, yet.

DB: Modern physics has learned a great deal recently. And much of that indicates some very bizarre things. What if this universe is a holographic projection? What if we are existing in the event horizon of a black hole or are projected from one? What if we create the universe every time we look at it, but when we don't look at it, it simply doesn't exist?

JasonL: Yes, yes, I've heard all of that.

DB: Okay then, what if we have, as we have taught children that they cannot see sounds, hear colors and so on, taught ourselves that we cannot see magic? Not so much, "magic", but what appears to be magic. Now, what if we found someone who was alive back when we believed it, what if we could access the capabilities of someone like that? What might happen?

JasonL: Wait, so you're saying, someone from the past could produce magic, and you've now produced someone like that? Surely not all of them could be magical and you may have produced only one who cannot do this? How...odd.

DB: That's what you find odd about this conversation? Okay, well, yes, there's that possibility. But I conjecture we all had that capability, thousands of years ago. But we merely convinced ourselves, mentally, socially, biologically, that we couldn't do it. No doubt many of the strictures of churches, various religions, came about to be precisely because of those capabilities and that added, with extreme prejudice, to our ending such marvelous gifts and practices.

JasonL: I see what you're saying. That sounds ridiculous. Both, our rebuke and the situation. As does so much of quantum physics I suppose. But if what you're saying is true, my God...then what?

DB: Exactly. So. Would you like to meet our new friend...Jay?

Judging the Gorst Underground Film Festival - The GUFF

First off, I would like to address that today is Memorial Day 2019. In these trying times when wrong is sold as seemingly right and confusion is the rule of the day, we need to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. Part of that we celebrate today, in how we remember the fallen, those who protected us and died in our service.

"On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed." History.com

But part of that is also in how we treat the living who return, broken and hopeful, and what our orientation is and should be in going into the future.

“Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.” – Charles de Gaulle

Now, on to the Film Festival:

I was a judge in a local indie "underground" film festival. The first annual 2018 Gorst Underground Film Festival (GUFF). We're gearing up now for the 2nd annual 2019 version in a few months on September 7, 2019. I was only one of a few judges so regarding my voting. Some I rated highly were also rated highly by other judges and the winner I chose actually won overall. While a few I had liked and rated highly didn't get rated quite as highly by some other judges. Just how it goes.

Our judging wasn't made public or shared with the filmmakers. It can be problematic. To be sure. But I thought I would share some of my notes on some of the films I watched.

Like it or not, here it is. I will admit as the films flew past, I realized I'd started my ratings rather high as the quality of the submitted films was higher than I had expected. I was pleased to discover that. Judging is a learned behavior. With time and experience.

I'm sure I'll get better at it. As a long time screenwriter and a newly minted narrative filmmaker (I'm working now on my second film), I do have some insight from years of growing up loving cinema in the classical sense, and through my college cinema classes as well as through perfecting my own screenwriting and filmmaking skills.

About that. You do the best you can as a judge, using your experience and orientation in life and trying to be enlightened, not of a limited scope. You try to be neutral, academic a fan, a viewer.

I believe in being an advocate for the festival filmmakers. One judge may see things differently, may have more or less understanding about a film they watch. Or may be more or less educated about life, the world or cinema. But that is part of the package you have to accept in entering any film festival.

It's also why there is not usually just one judge and uses an overall average to decide a generally well-accepted film as the winner. Ratings are 1-10.

First up?

Beloved Beast - Director: Jonathan Holbrook

There is a lot to digest in Beloved Beast by filmmaker Jonathan Holbrook who mostly pulled it off. For a film pushing three hours in length one really needs to bring it. I think this could have worked very well instead as a three-episode miniseries in Twin Peaks fashion. Though perhaps it wouldn't have worked so well simply as a 90-minute film, though perhaps one with a sequel. Then, however, I'd have considered making it a trilogy and writing, or picking up some cutting room floor footage and putting it back into the project.

The film seemed to me to be unmistakably from the Lynchian universe of bizarre scenes and characters as well as uncomfortable moments being extended longer than is well, comfortable. Some scenes, though well-executed could have been shorter; though this could be argued as the director's divergence from Lynch.

While Lynch is succinct, Holbrook leans into the indulgent. Other reviews have noted Tarantino in the beginning, but I noticed a shift, so this seemed to me to be far more inside Lynch than Quentin.

What Lynch does is nearly impossible to reproduce. He's a master at it. To attempt it is audacious. Still, to approach it is commendable. Die-hard Lynch fans will certainly appreciate moments in this film as remarkable, though perhaps, too far between. The usual suspect with a long film. After all, the less one speaks the more genius may (seem to) appear.

On the other hand, if you don't like Lynch (or for that matter, Tarkovsky), perhaps watch another film. At times the film misses the mark in going beyond or even not quite far enough. If Lynch's works were an unwavering strand of titanium, Beloved Beast is the vibrating thread striving to be nearby it.

While one is unwavering and solid the other vibrates at times either too far or too near to its goal. Though how often and for how long is for the viewer to decide. I found the intermittent narration about the "Rabbit King" unnecessary, pulling the viewer out of the scene. At times even diluting the scene's crafted effect.

Other times it nailed it. Though the dialog at times can be too spot on. That too is very Lynchian. Still, the subtext here could be better executed in support of the underlying structure. As well, motifs and subplots could be better tied in, especially for a work of this length. As could the pathways or "roads" between characters. Something Lynch is adept at if not auteur.

All that being said, I found myself intrigued by the film at times. There are moments where the Grand Guignol, perhaps needing its moment, stepped outside itself into a wry piece of humor. More than once I had had to cringe or laugh out loud at something obviously planned that way. Overall it was a fairly well-executed film that needed restraint in the editing bay.

"A story can be both concrete and abstract, or a concrete story can hold abstractions. And Abstractions are things that really can't be said so well with words." - David Lynch

Man In Camo - Director: Ethan Minsker

A well produced and interesting documentary on a creative, rather fascinating art community builder. One of my most favorite docs that I've seen of late. Ethan Minsker is a force to meet if you ever get the chance. He actually flew in from New York, this native of Washington DC. Check out his other films and books, too. His documentary was creative as expected. I didn't think it was too long as someone said in the Q&A afterward.

It was in a way a tour de force of documentary filmmaking and I highly recommend it. His documentary actually won the festival.

Missed Connections Anthology -  Directors: Pamela Falkenberg, Jack Cochran 

A familiar topic shown in an interesting and entertaining light.

1/2 - Director: Raffaele Salvaggiola

Some beautiful shots in this film with some very decent cinematography and an interesting, well acted and properly directed story. A film no doubt by a lover of cinema for lovers of cinema with inherent references to some classic films and auteur directors.

Path of Egress - Director:  Vincent F. Baran

An audacious effort, if the filmmakers brought up some of its problematic issues to the level of other better-produced parts, they might have a winner. Audio / ADR levels/soundtrack, some editing issues, and a few other things needed better execution. Not to say there was a problem with the music soundtrack which was pretty good.

In the end, they followed my own belief in no matter what, give it a good ending and it pulls people up to a better consideration overall of your project. While a not so good ending can make a better film seem worse than it is. In the end, an entertaining crime flick with some decent humor, intense scenes, and some interesting elements.

Refuse

Hard to know what to say on this one. Kudos for finishing! Keep making films? I'm not sure where this filmmaker is headed, but somewhere I think. As for this piece..."Refuse" as a noun refers to food waste, scraps, or garbage. As a verb, refuse means to reject. As a double entendre, we have a film which exhibits and supports both of these definitions.

In the protagonist's refusal to help, he does so anyway but is denied, or refused. In asking for help in order to help, he is refused any attention. In standing at the bridge he seems to refuse to be affected by the beautiful scenery.

In breaking the fourth wall, he refuses to play the part of actor for that of the interactor. This didn't quite work for me, or others I spoke with about it. But if this is what the filmmaker was proposing then he may be evolving into something after producing more of these and gaining skills in doing so.

And so in the end, we as audience would also gain. A curious piece to be sure.

Search Engines - Director: Russell Brown

The film, Search Engines, isn't my usual cup of tea. But I laughed out loud several times watching this. Likable characters, well acted, this was just a sweet little message movie that walks the fine line of bashing one over the head with a message, and it's up to the viewer to decide if they maintained their balance or fell off. For me? Well, I kind of liked it.

Single Palm Tree - Director: Puthiyavan Rasiah

Rating, seven on execution, ten on message. I've seen other such films over the years from those disenfranchised as in Ireland, Syria, Lebanon and places in Africa and elsewhere. A noble endeavor. The world is finally hearing the truth about abuse by governments worldwide toward subsets of their citizens, typically minorities disliked for ridiculous reasons such as religion, caste, or simply socioeconomic status. And the world finally but slowly reacting.

This has to stop, to be sure. Sadly, the world has also gone more autocratic, xenophobic and nationalistic. You could tell Single Palm Tree was a labor of love, social responsibility, or both. It is a film whose message far outweighs its capability in execution.

As there are three codirectors it would appear the directing is qualitatively inconsistent for obvious reasons. Subtitles are at times more problematic than usual for subtitles for basic issues of mechanics (that is, unneeded spaces in words). Which in my experience are nearly always lacking in transliteration, to begin with.

 Some of the actors seem not to be actors and I'd even go so far as to say the casting is for some almost up to community theater standards while others are quite good. Overall some of the production is well executed but most are simply inconsistent. Cinematography sadly fails at times, while at other times, is quite beautiful

The Witches of Dumpling Farm - Director: Martin J Pickering

A nice effort, interesting if a bit uneven film but with some truly scary moments making it worth the effort. Just when you think it's done surprising you, it hits you again. Don't worry about the logic of it all in the first half, just let it happen.

Once the action gets going, they gain their stride. If the Pickering brothers keep on this direction they will be a force to reckon with. You almost wonder a few times...are these guys Sam Raimi's cousins across the pond?

So! Those are just a few of the 43 submissions we had received. The festival itself was a great time and I highly recommend showing up for this year's festival. It is in a rustic location just outside Port Orchard and Bremerton, WA, in Gorst.

For this 2019 season, we already have 48 submissions! I'm currently working on my own film, Gumdrop Sampson, based as a prequel to my short true-crime horror story, Gumdrop City. Obviously, I won't be allowed to judge my own film.

Kelly Hughes, local horror indie director and all around friendly raconteur may also have something in this festival which he started and runs. His new music video with Italian band Postvorta's song, "We're Nothing" is something to experience and has been making the rounds at festivals this year. Kelly also has a new documentary "Hush, Hush, Nellie Oleson!"

From a write up on Kelly's documentary: "After shooting a low-budget horror film, director Kelly Hughes gets a chance to work with his childhood idol Alison Arngrim, the actress who played the scheming Nellie Oleson on TV's Little House on the Prairie. But fitting Arngrim into the finished product becomes an exercise in futility as Hughes shoots increasingly absurd (and gory) scenes with Arngrim that don't have much to do with the original plot. Featuring extensive interviews with the cast and vivid film clips, Hush...Hush, Nellie Oleson! is a love letter to low-budget filmmakers and the former child stars who enable them."

There you have it. Judging is not the easiest thing in the world to do. You have to sit and evaluate, judge and select a lot of films and some are way too long, while others are way too short. It's a rewarding experience to do especially if you are submitting your own works.

Some judges admittedly don't have a clue what they are doing while others are far too critical. It is that just right spot you have to attain and maintain through the course of a season's judging one has to try to find. Which is why you never submit to only one festival and why you select your festivals with care, choosing those most reasonable for your project and what you're trying to achieve.

That being said if you are a filmmaker and you have finished a project, submit! And congratulations because it is a labor of love and effort unlike anything I've experienced elsewhere in my life.

One more thing to filmmakers, believe in yourself and believe in your project. Here is a video that exemplifies what I'm talking about from Filmmaking Stuff.

Now. Got out and be brilliant. Show us! We WANT you to succeed!

Gumdrop City, My Next Short Horror Film

The reasons I retired from my career in IT was to focus on writing and selling my writings, to continue writing in new ways, to branch out, to feel free to choose my directions. But also to start making small movie productions... of my own writings.

The Rapping was a POC. To test my new equipment and my methodology. This link goes to its place on the Once A Week Online Film Festival for the week of January 2nd, 2019. So I can do it. Well, I've done it before. It's just been a while.

Cover art by Marvin Hayes

Marvin Hayes did the original cover for the ebook so you can see the character in his "Rex Harrison" hat above in the cover art.

I decided on Gumdrop City as the first production of my writings into a short film. Mostly because I could simplify things and use little f/x. Even if it is to be a prequel and not the actual story itself. But that frees me up some as it can be an origin story, and I don't have to follow exactly the previously published story. It's working title is now, "Gumdrop Sampson".

Which also sets up an interesting dynamic on several levels. Creatively, artistically, marketing wise. I've written about this story on here before.

This will be my first narrative horror film from one of my published writings. The Rapping, is an Attic Tale, written expressly for filming it. As was the as yet unproduced film before it, Garage Tales. As I've moved houses since then and no longer have a standalone garage (or an attic), my next might be in that similar vein as, a Basement Tale. Or not.

Selling your writings is like trying to get unknown others to desire a certain drop of water in a lake of so very many others. Or from an ocean. Or so it feels anyway.

Producing your own works is like creating that lake yourself. Perhaps starting with a puddle for others to access, rather than merely a drop. Hopefully, an entertaining puddle. One that unknown others may desire. Who does not have to take from an ocean or a lake, but perhaps just a good sized pond.

Some of it is in your own mental image, in your efforts. Some are in your discovered reality.

An ocean: Google Books estimates that there are about 130 million books in existence. If you double that, it's probably more than enough to cover all the books that ever existed. UNESCO estimates that about 2 million books are published worldwide each year, but that includes older books as well as new ones.

A pond: It has been estimated that there are approximately 500,000 movies (of narrative fiction feature-length, theatrical-cinema films) currently in existence (Vogel 2011, p. 102).

Nothing really grisly will be in the film prequel of Gumdrop City, that's in the short story, the ebook, and Anthology of Evil, version. Eventually, there will also be an audiobook version of the original story. My hope for the ending of the film is to lead to a disturbing and satiating conclusion while setting up the sequel of the published short story.

I had also worked on Gumdrop City as a feature film length production with a producer in Hollywood a few years ago. We fleshed out the storyline. In that version, we added some characters and more storyline. While I liked this story for a film project, the producer liked another idea I had of a traveling angel.

Perhaps that story is now even more apropos than it seemed back then around 2011. I'll eventually get back around to it. Kind of a good feeling Frank Capra type story, only with more of an edge.

One that America may need more now than ever before.

As I indicated this film will be a prequel of Sampson in Gumdrop City, the weird old guy trope in your neighborhood that the kids (and adults) fear or at least, shy away from.

And no, it's not an autobiography.

It IS, however, a true crime story I had first fictionalized in college after hearing the story in our popular and sometimes disturbing abnormal psych class at WWU. We all walked out of that class that day with a bit of dread and disgust. And I knew I had to write it as a horror story.

Tom Remick, my voice actor, is set to act the lead role. Should be pretty easy physically, in that he has to act like a somewhat hobbled, weird old man. Typecasting? No, I assure you. Tom is a great and compassionate guy. But he's looking forward to playing the role. It's easy to relish playing a character that is very different from your own personality or experiences.

As this is a prequel, things may evolve between this project and the published version. So if he lives one place in the film, that may change before the story timeline.

I am still working on the first draft of the screenplay, but it's coming along nicely. Tom is reading the short story this weekend and we'll get together this week to talk. he found a "Rex Harrison" hat at a store this week. We still need a tattered tweed suit jacket. And a burlap bag. And maybe, a teddy bear.

Yeah, see? You can already see this is descending into madness. But it should be, I don't know, if not fun, entertaining.

This is the fun part for me, the creative process. I'm making it as simple and effective as I can. There will be humor in it. Weirdness. And in the end hopefully, if I can pull it off, horror. And in that should come the fun for horror aficionados.

And in the end? I hope to have a viable film to submit to film festivals. If I can get it done in time, and I believe I can, I will even be able to submit it to our own local film festival here that I was among other things, a judge in during last year's first-ever Gorst Underground Film Festival.

We're looking forward to another great and second annual festival later this year. I had a blast and met some great new people. Like "Man in Camo" Ethan Minsker from New York and his awesome documentary.

Also, there is the next town over the festival which actually begins May 3rd: The Port Orchard Film Festival. And those here in the Pacific Northwest as well as others around the world.

I will also be at Crypticon Seattle that weekend of May 3rd at the Doubletree Inn in SeaTac. I've been to two now but not for a couple of years now. I also was at the first ever Seattle ZomBcon which was a blast and it's second year. Just a few years ago I'd never been to a convention all my life and now within a couple of weeks, I'll have been to five within a few years. I have my friend and horror filmmaker Kelly Hughes to thank for that.

I even got to meet and have a heartfelt conversation with actor Lance Henriksen last time, just standing at the latte bar one morning at the Hilton SeaTac hotel. We got to hang out and talk alone for a while and I tell you, that's the way to meet these celebrities. What a sweet guy but so scary on screen. And he was just one of those I got to meet and hang out with. These things can be a great deal of fun.

Being able now to show up as an actual filmmaker and not just a writer, author, and mere screenwriter should be a lot of fun. So if you should happen to go, I'll keep an eye out for you!

Cheers!

King Louis' 724 Art Studio in Port Orchard WA

"King Louis." That's J Louis King in Port Orchard, Washington.

Two amazing people: "King" Louis with Alison Arngrim, hamming it up at Sidney Museum in May 2017

I want to spend more time on art, fiction writing, filmmaking, rather than so much on non-fiction and politics. I'm working on that. But before I get to it about Louis and the gallery....

Louis (left) in Studio 724

I had retired last year from over twenty years in IT so that I could spend my time in the arts, in writing, in filmmaking (both in front of and behind the camera; though I do prefer behind, in front is a lot of fun), and whatever else strikes my fancy and whatever I seem to be good at.

I got into tech writing because I enjoyed IT work but also to become a tougher, better and faster writer. My interest in IT faded for me in recent years, in part because of the kinds of nonsense you get on the business side, in part because of a messed up situation in my career that I found myself in. Both of those had killed my interest.

All along I've tried to get my fiction works going but it's been like working two full time jobs. So many times I just missed the mark. Not so much in my writing as in the people I met, connection I'd made. Whenever you find that something is killing you (in my case, IT)... well it's time to do something different.

And now? Now I have all the time possible to dedicate to my art. however I wish to define that. I have to tell you, just as I'd thought it would be all these past decades...it feels great! And I've met some fascinating characters and artists.

Back to Louis and the Studio.

Louis is a diverse force of nature. He's had an interesting variety of jobs in his lifetime. He's been a seafood salesman in the Midwest, a chef, a celebrity TV chef, an Amtrak worker, traveling the countryside,  a photographer and a lot of other interesting things. It's been a pleasure getting to know him and his history at events, over beers and in general over time this year.

Louis King, an artist\photographer in his own right

Wherever Louis goes he seems to inspire people. He rails against obstructionism and banality and supports talent and art wherever he can. He's a great benefit to Port Orchard whose residents are lucky to have him. He wants to surround himself with creatives, talent, forward thinkers, movers and shakers and I'm pleased to know him. Even to have found him. As are we all who have met him and been brought under his circle of influence.

Kim's Adult Coloring Book release event

I spent part of the day on September 16th, an enjoyable Saturday at 724 Art Studio in Port Orchard, Washington. There was an artist's book release event, for Kimberly Von Rossum, for her adult coloring book that was a hit. It was put on of course by Louis who is also a volunteer leader working to keep a couple of the local museums going. Including the Sidney Museum a couple of blocks up the hill from 724 which itself is located along the main drag downtown Port Orchard and near to the waterfront.

Studio 724 is next to the Brick House Bar, a historical location it would seem

Louis has been acquiring for the studio a growing variety of artists from the as-yet-unknown (as in very soon both my daughter and her boyfriend who will have works in there and I love their artworks), to the works of the rather famous hanging in his gallery. Louis is also starting up a gallery walk soon, too.

Live music next door at the Brick House. Great burgers there! Love their Jalapeno burger!

Internationally known local artist Max Hayslette is one of the artists in the gallery and probably the best known of the artists currently on display for sale.

Max Hayslette art for sale

Interesting side note, it seems Max used to babysit my daughter when she was younger, in his being friends with her mother and then new step-father (now ex-stepfather). So, thanks Max. Strange how we find these degrees of separation in life, right?

Max Hayslette, seems like a nice guy!

This last Friday night (10/6/17) was Port Orchard's biannual Ladies' Night Out and we had an event at the gallery. Next one I think is in May.

Out front during Ladies' Night Out

I have to say, I had a massively good time.

Artists Aura Stiers (left) and Shelly Wilkerson and, my friend and director Kelly Hughes

I got to meet new people, some locals who wandered in, some who were just curious, some doing some art shopping, as well as some local artists and writers. Myself included. They will be doing more art events and some writer events.They also had a display of costumes for sale which seemed pretty popular. And they have local artist's art on greeting cards for sale.

I got to talk extensively with two of the artists there, both of whom have their art on display. From one of them I had to buy a couple of her greeting cards. Herself a gallery owner, Shelly Wilkerson owns Crazy Lady on Bay Street, also in Port Orchard down the street a pace, along with her photographer husband, Glen (nice guy too!).

Some of artist Aura Stiers unique and stylized art pieces utilized wood, not covering it up as too many do, rather utilizing the wood's natural grains and growth rings, allowing them to subtly show through enhancing the pieces. She was also wearing some of her art in an amazing looking ensemble that drew praise and remarks from customers and artists throughout the evening.

When does one EVER get to have a greeting card signed by the actual artist whose work is depicted on them? I have a collection of post cards I started when my older sister became a Flight Attendant ("Stewardess" back then) for Northwest Orient (now Delta). She'd send me postcards from around the world, however my most prized possession is one from a friend during my university years from McMurdo Station in Antarctica (got one of THOSE?).

So I simply had to take the opportunity to get a couple of cards signed by the artist! No. Not starting a greeting card collection, though I do have one from those given to me over my life time. "Historians" have trouble throwing historical kinds of things away you see and no, I'm not a hoarder by any definition.

Louis on left, customer with Kelly Hughes and event greeter (seated).

I now have one of my own books at Studio 724 on display (see photo below and Thanks, Louis!). I am happy to say I made some new friends. I'm not an extrovert by any sense of the term, but they did talk to about having my own author event soon. I've never actually had one as I guess I've just been avoiding it.

Some of the costumes for sale on the right

Studio 724 as well as Louis himself, are both in my estimation valuable additions to the local Port Orchard community and businesses.

During a lull in the evening. You can just see my books on the back wall just over the seated gentleman's head

I was there before the Studio started up, back when Kelly Hughes was running another kind of a studio for filmmakers and I hope to be there... not long after it's gone, but rather as long as it exists.

Which I hope for my sake and the community's will be a very long time.

Hanging with Alison Arngrim at Dragonfly Film Festival

Last weekend was the first annual Port Orchard (WA) Dragonfly Cinema Film Festival. It was awesome! They have stated that they plan for a second one next year. I went to a film festival, and ended up getting to hang out all weekend with local director and friend Kelly Hughes and actor Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson on the TV show, Little House on the Prairie). Alison looks quite different now in Kelly's new horror film than her younger self did on that world famous TV show.

Alison Arngrim

I've known Kelly for a couple of years now. I first met Alison last year when her character killed me in a film. My first on screen death. So I was looking forward to having a fun weekend. It turned into a fun working weekend and potential for learning and making new friends. And getting to better know the town of Port Orchard, WA.

I got my weekend pass and showed up to do nothing by enjoy the festivities. Well, thankfully, that was not what happened.

Director Kelly Hughes with actor Alison Arngrim on shoot

Friend and fellow director, Kelly Hughes invited me to a shoot he was doing early on Friday May 5, 2017 on a friend's thirty some acres out in Olalla next to Port Orchard.

Last year I had the honor and pleasure to first meet and then play a scene with Alison in one of Kelly's film, The Mephisto Box, for his company Leprechaun Productions. Parts of that film, as well as the head shot of Alison above, which I had her sign at her recent book signing at the film festival, was shot at my old house.

For fifteen years we lived on a couple of park like acres and Kelly took advantage of it while we had time. I was also previously in Kelly's short horror film, Don't Kill Grandpa Until We Strangle the Babysitter. That's me as Grandma's ghost in the trailer with my son as crew dumping fuel on the fire. What a day that was!

I've since sold that home in Suquamish, WA and moved to Bremerton, right next to Port Orchard. As always it was a good deal of fun on this new filming and I learned new things simply from being on a film production set around an experienced director.

My first time on a film set was in 1986 in Seattle. It was the set of the pilot for the TV version of the John Carpenter film, Starman, with Robert Hays. A single season sci fi series, it was an interesting day. I got onto two set locations that day (the other on Queen Anne Hill) and was befriended by the location manager. He put me right next to the 2nd unit director and camera at the Monorail at the Seattle Center. We were all there until about 3AM. Extras were all over the place off camera, just hanging out and being bored as is normal. The location manager was starting and stopping all the rides and lights in the background as the camera and director required. Nice guy. It was a busy set.

Robert Hays, with costars

It may have been even later that night that we got out of there but I wasn't leaving until I had absorbed all I could. I'm being conservative here since I don't clearly remember what time they broke for the night.  I do remember that I was exhausted. I would have been standing just to the right of the camera that took that photo above, only with the stand ins. I never got to see the lead actors.

But back to our shoot at my old house. I wish I had a cell phone back then with a camera as I have no record of that night.

Alison slashed my throat in our scene, during that, my, first ever working with a SAG/AFTRA actress. Even though I'm related to one myself. Like my brilliant and beautiful niece Brandi Nicole Wilson, my sister's daughter. But I have never actually acted in a scene with one before. It was a lot of fun and we had a great day. Alison is a funny, bright light of a professional. Because of some scheduling issues, I even got to host her for the night at my house.

I showed up this past weekend just to help out as I have many times on Kelly's shoots. But I got wrangled into a speaking part (yay!) in his film from which Kelly said he saw some real acting from me (Yay, finally! Progress!).

See, I never wanted to be in front of the camera, just behind the scenes as writer, producer, perhaps director. Indeed, I have resurrected my old production company from the early 90s (Last good Nerve Productions) which produced one of only two 25th anniversary documentaries of the 1960s TV show, Lost in Space. The other was by an Australian production company.

My current and first new small horror film project, The Rapping (no, not Rap music, think, Edgar Allan Poe), will be much higher production values and is using much better equipment. And, it has Alison as The Narrator, an awesome win for our first project.

We shot Kelly's latest project, a continuation of his Mephisto Box project, in the woods. I had read my lines, but hadn't had time to read the script, so what I saw being shot in the woods was pretty unusual. To say the least. There was a lot of work, and laughter, as usual.

Actor Jennifer True after losing an eye to Alison's character

Aside from my scene, five guys around a  fire in a kind of guy's anti adultery support group, I shot footage for a behind the scenes piece, something Kelly has been lacking. Also, I shot some footage in such a way that could garner me some 2nd unit IMDB credits. Racking these credits up!

Me on left shooting, Kelly back to camera - photo by Stan Wankowski

After we shot for the day, and we were running late to get to the film festival, we headed into Port Orchard. I for one was beat and headed home for the day, only to return on Saturday.

JZ Murdock, Ernie (thanks for photo) and Alison Arngrim in Port Orchard

I showed up on Saturday in a hooded sweatshirt and a black leather jacket, thinking (mistakenly) that I could just watch films and take it easy. Instead I ended up (happily) as Kelly's assistant and Alison's support team. It was an experience.

Alison and "King" Louie

We went to the opening of the season" for the local museums and Alison cut the ribbon. The Mayor of Port Orchard was even there. A log cabin museum, another called the Snider Museum which is situated in an old Freemason's Lodge. I am a Mason myself as was my Grandfather who was also a Shriner.

Louie and Allison at Sidney Museum in period costume

I made new friends, got to see two museums in Port Orchard, met "King" Louie who runs a couple of museums and is a photographer in his own right. Also met filmmakers and got to see Alison do her show. She was brilliant.

Screen 2 at Dragonfly Cinema Film Festival

35mm print of Rocky Horror Picture Show - Dragonfly Cinema

As I told her at one point, the more I get to know her, the more impressed with her I am. She is one huge bundle of professional and talent in a rather small package. After her show (I highly recommend seeing her do this if you ever get the opportunity), we held a book signing for her at the next door Bay Street Bistro.

Alison Arngrim book signing with fan and actor Ernie

Alison at book signing at Port Orchard Bay Street Bistro

How to sum up the weekend?

That's difficult. I made some great new friends. Got to know Alison better, more impressed with her at every new encounter. And I heard some amazing stories (like the William Shatner one if no other, and learned about "shipers" (relationshipers who wish characters in shows would get together, if not the actors themselves), and really, just so much more. Yeah, I'm not getting into that mess....

Film festivals are a lot of fun. Especially when you get to meet new and interesting people and see such creativity played out before you. Get out, check out, support your local creative community, if you're so inclined. Because if you wait you're really just keeping yourself from a good deal of what makes life so great to live in. And in these times, can't we all really use a healthy does of that?