Cory's Curiosities

Interview With Henson.com

2008-07-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

My first official interview about the Fraggle Rock project just posted this week on Henson.com. You can find it on iTunes or link to it through the Jim Henson Company site, here.

Writer's Update

2008-07-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Now freshly hammered with notes from all parties involved, I am heading into the second draft of Fraggle Rock. Fear not, no disastrous notes like adding a funny robot sidekick. Every producer and studio exec has been really cool, almost "Fraggle-like" with their enthusiasm and notes for the script. It feels like everyone is pulling for the same thing.

Now on the other hand, if I had a robot sidekick, that would be Crantastic.

We've had lengthy discussions about the plot and character details, and I am so grateful to have some Fraggle Experts in the room. There are many, like Ahmet Zappa, who know far more than I about what Gobo would do or what Uncle Matt really thinks. And Lisa Henson has been constantly watchful over maintaining a true Fraggle Rock tone.

As a surprise, I even drew up 100 storyboard panels for a chase sequence. I hope it has helped to get the team into the "visual groove" that's in my head.

Yes, I have a groove in my head. Maybe it's more of a divot. Or just an empty spot where I used to access my adjectives. Words falling from brain now. Not type good no. Must go write happy good script yes... bye.

Expectations: The Impossible Mountain

2008-06-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am still awaiting the official first "notes" meeting with all the producers on the Fraggle Rock script. And in a twisted way, I am looking forward to it. I realized that up until now, even with the story outline, all of our discussions have been hypothetical conversations... as in, "We THINK we all know what this movie is and where the story goes and how the characters will connect and talk. Now go write." And now that a draft of the script actually exists, for the first time, we all have something real to talk about. Even if there is stuff that many do not like, we're all looking at a concrete road map. The rewrites will enter into a different kind of challenge and (dare I say) "fun." The foundation is there. Now we can take out ingredients, examine the bits and pieces, throw out what's not working , trim it, fatten it, really get our hands on it and shape what is already there.

The good news is that in the last couple of days, I have gotten very positive initial reactions from all the "powers that be." Everyone is very happy. It feels great to meet those intense expectations, and makes me look forward to the notes that must be attacked. Let's be clear: Notes are never a sign of a bad script. As I've said before, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE NOTES. Death, taxes, script notes. These are absolutes. If I ever turned in a script to a studio and got no notes, I'd be a little worried. It makes me laugh when I read internet chatter where people hear of reshoots and rewrites and automatically start wringing their hands and calling for the doomsday of a film. That's movie making, people! You make something, you beat it up, you tear it down, you put it up again. Notes, reshoots, heated discussions over a final edit... all of these battles are so GOOD for a movie, and make the movie you finally see in the theater a better film. Contrary to the millions of worried internet comments, everyone is working really hard to make a Fraggle Rock movie you will love. Not "like," not "accept," but LOVE. We are swinging for the fences. I want this movie to change your minds about what a kids movie can be, and even what a muppet movie can be.

SPEAKING of internet chatter...

There's already a LOT of it out there about this film. Holy cow. It amuses me to no end how the smallest scraps of information get dissected and spun into entire articles. And it makes sense that my own blog is on the radar now. Aside from the expectations of the studio, I am painfully aware of the expectations of the fans. Many of you love the Fraggles and cannot imagine a movie that will ever satisfy you. There are some who have already declared this movie a disaster and a failure, simply because it's even being made. "How DARE they make a movie of the Fraggles! This thing will SURELY be awful!" Now there's a hard customer to please.

Dealing with a known and beloved property like the Fraggles is daunting, to say the least. I am fairly sure that it will be impossible to please everyone. All I can do is listen to the majority of the fans, as well as my instincts as a storyteller. Even if you didn't think much of Hoodwinked, don't rest all your judgement of me on one project. Try to understand that I had many limitations on that film, and I learned a lot from making it.

My wife tells me not to read all the internet posts. She begs me. But I cannot resist! I want to know what everyone is thinking out there. Sometimes the comments are hard to read, because so many people have already made up their minds, with no solid information. Let me try to put some good vibrations out there, for all of you who have started carving this movie's tombstone already: Whatever blurb you have read about the plot, whatever snippet of synopsis you have seen in Variety, do not put too much stock in it. A lot of that stuff is limiting, and even wrong.

The Fraggle film I am making has many surprises and aspects to it that go beyond what you may have heard. Many have said that if Fraggles leave the Rock, the movie will fail. I look forward to changing your minds. It's my mission! I can assure you that you will get PLENTY of "life in the Rock" in this movie. I am making sure that the film has lots of what made the TV show great. Then, we will go BEYOND the scope of the TV show. That's what a movie has to do.

I know that to some, it might seem like the best film would be a 90 minute version of the show, but I think you'll enjoy the new places that Fraggles are going to go. Think about the first time you saw the original Muppet Movie. (If you have not seen The Muppet Movie, go now and watch it. I'll wait......) You have to remember that, until The Muppet Movie, we had only seen Kermit and friends on a video-taped soundstage. Then, as the titles began, we saw Kermit in a REAL SWAMP! Playing a banjo out on the water. Then he rode a bicycle! Down a real road! Fozzie drove a car. Miss Piggy won a pageant at a county fair. Real locations, cars, stunts. We saw the Muppets go places we'd never seen them go before! Their world became bigger... it became "movie sized."

That's what's going to happen to the Fraggles. Think about that moment that Kermit rode a bike. Don't you want that for Red, Gobo and friends? I do. I'm so excited, guys. I really think you will be too.

So if you must chat on the internet about this unmade, unseen, currently non-existent movie, just know that it's impossible for you to really know what it is yet. You won't know until we make it. All I can tell you right now is that I look forward to taking a hard, flying leap at your expectations. I'll try to wear a helmet.

Draft One Finished

2008-06-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

I just turned in the first draft for Fraggle Rock. With an actual draft, the movie feels REAL now. And honestly... it's pretty good, in my incredibly biased opinion. When I read through it, I have a big smile on my face and can't wait to actually make it. That's a good sign.

Now comes the ominous period where my sense of accomplishment is slowly dampened by my anticipation of notes. There will be notes. Notes are inevitable. I just have to brace myself and hope that the notes are understandable and logical and end up helping the script. The other kind are more like, "Can Gobo have a girlfriend?" Then I have to find a really creative way to say "No." Those are the kind of notes that make rewrites unbearable. Fingers crossed!

You may wonder what I do to celebrate finishing a script. My needs are simple, so it's usually something small, like a Frappuccino or a new action figure (nerd alert!). This time my wife got me some of my favorite chocolates from See's Candies and then I went and saw a late show of Iron Man for the second time. Man, that flick is what popcorn was made for.

The Joy of First Drafts

2008-05-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

A Fraggle Rock update: Script writing is rolling along. Fraggle comedy and action ensues.

Writing is tough. It's bringing something to life out of thin air, and that blank page can be daunting. Different writers work different ways. For me personally, my favorite part is the first draft. I can be sloppy, I can be long in page count, and I can write FAST. And I have the need for speed. It's "getting the clay on the wheel," as I like to say.

I can't give any details about the Fraggle Rock script, but here's how it's going: I have blasted off into my wonderful free-fall of first draft, and have about fifty pages done. Part of the freedom to write (for me) comes from a very nailed-down outline. The outline for Fraggle Rock is extensive, around seventeen pages. It is the product of many meetings with the Henson and Weinstein folks, and has every little story beat we could think of. The outline as been picked at, beat up, and shot at for any major problems. So now I have the freedom to lock myself in my laboratory and create, knowing that I am working from a road map that everyone has signed off on.

Of course, new twists and turns will present themselves as I write; things will be discovered off the beaten path of the outline. That's inevitable. But when the studio has signed off on an outline, I am LESS likely to turn in a draft that surprises them (in a bad way).

I'm having a lot of fun. I just finished my first action scene (yes, there WILL be action scenes!), and am cracking some decent jokes. It's hard to create jokes for Fraggles, since they have no pop culture references whatsoever. That's probably a good thing... that means I have a better chance of creating a timeless movie (If I see one more cute iconic character ruined by "Shrekking It Up" for easy jokes, I'm going to go postal).

Gobo, Red and the gang say "Hi."

BIG NEWS: GET YOUR FRAGGLE ON

2008-05-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that I have just finalized a deal to write and direct

FRAGGLE ROCK, THE MOVIE.

You can read the big Variety article here. Aside from getting the main character's name wrong, it's fairly accurate.

This is a very exciting project that has been anticipated by fans for a long time, and I am pleased and honored to be the guy to make it happen. I will be working closely with The Jim Henson Company and The Weinstein Company to bring this live action feature to the big screen. This will be a major theatrical release which will introduce the Fraggles to a new generation of fans.

Now let me answer your immediate questions:

Q: Will these be the real puppets and not some CGI animated thing?
A: Yes. Real puppets on real sets with live actors. It's my goal to do everything the "old school Muppet way." I do believe there are many Henson fans who would have my head on a platter if I attempted anything else. If it is possible to do something physically, on set and "in camera," we will do it. But it's also fair to say that I will use today's effects to enhance or help any scene. I will just keep asking myself, WWJD? ("What Would Jim Do?")

Q: Will there be music?
A: Lots of it. Everyone has always anticipated this to be a musical adventure. I've always felt that some of the best moments of the Fraggle series are when they all break into song. Songs will all be new original ones, created just for the movie.

Q: What is the plot?
A: A secret. Okay... all I can say is that the Fraggles have to solve a murder committed by drug smugglers posing as art collectors... no, wait a minute. That's the plot of Beverly Hills Cop. What's actually true is that the Fraggles will encounter the human world for the first time. This was the idea Henson always wanted to do, and then I have come up with an original take based on that. There will be elements of a classic fantasy "quest" movie with some traditional high-energy Muppet hijinks thrown in.

My goal is to make this more than just a "cute" movie that occupies a kid's attention span for 90 minutes. And the movie will not simply be a feature-length version of a Fraggle TV episode. It will deliver much more.

I want to create something that will stay true to the spirit of the original show, but also go way beyond it. This is going to be a big fantasy adventure film that stands up to anything else at the multiplex today. Everyone involved in this project wants the same thing.

Q: Will all the original characters be in the movie? You'd better put (name of character here) in the movie or I will go insane and storm the gates of the Jim Henson Studios.

A: First of all, don't take this so seriously. And second of all, if you dare storm the Henson lot, hundreds of animatronic goblins from the movie Labyrinth will pummel you. I can't promise which characters from the Fraggle series will end up in the movie. I can only promise that Gobo, Red, Wembley, Boober, Mokey and Uncle Matt will be in it.

I will have more to blog about as I move into the writing process. I have already begun the script and am having a blast. I couldn't be happier to work on such a dream project. The Muppets were a major creative touchstone for me growing up, and it's an honor to help carry on the Jim Henson legacy.

More Fraggle News soon!

Remember The Customer (The Power of Fans 3)

2008-05-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

So this is the flip side of my previous rants, where I must admit something: while I stand on my instincts as a filmmaker, I am dead if I stop listening to my audience. If I think a screenplay of mine is clear on a story point, and then a reader tells me they didn't get it at all, whose fault is that? The reader? Nope. It's up to me to rewrite that script until my reader fully understands the story. I can get frustrated that nobody caught the first version -- my version -- but the common man is the guy who is buying (or not buying) the tickets. My art is not only what I intend it to be. Ultimately, my art is also what my audience perceives it to be.

I have every intention of driving a project with the fuel of my personal vision, but I am not above tailoring that vision to be better received. Nobody wants a smaller audience for their films. Nobody. I don't care how much of an indie autuer they claim to be, if they say they don't care about getting a larger audience, they're lying. Film is a popular medium. And as a filmmaker, my work will only thrive as my audience grows.

Filmmaking is a constant learning process. And the best way an artist can learn is to swallow his or her pride and fully absorb the audience's honest reactions, good and bad. But it ain't easy.

Attack of the Spoilers (The Power Of Fans Pt. 2)

2008-04-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

I had to write a sequel to my last post, because so many current events keep proving my point. What is my point? The more fans drag a movie's private creative process into the public eye, the more they hurt the film and ultimately, their own enjoyment of it.

I talked about the fan fight over Fanboys in my last post. Now I have two new case studies:

CASE 1: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This is easily the most anticipated movie of the year for geeks like me, but once again the over-eager fans are in danger of ruining the beautiful surprise that awaits on May 22. Lucas already says he feels beaten down by fan expectations he cannot begin to meet. "The fans think it's gonna be the Second Coming. And it's not the Second Coming," he says in a recent interview. "They've already written the story in their heads, and lemme tell ya, it's not that story. We're gonna have a bunch of people saying, 'You never should have done this, you've ruined my life forever. I loved Indiana Jones and now it's ruined.' Stuff like that."

This guy just wants to show you a good time at the movies, but he already feels this kind of heat over a movie he's not even done making yet.

Spielberg and his crew had to go to ridiculous lengths to keep fans -- FANS of the movie -- from ruining the shooting. Someone stole a laptop from the production office. A movie extra blabbed story details to a local paper. Spoilers of plot points have been leaking on sites for months. Nine-foot fences had to be constructed to keep scenes from being shot by camcorders and cel phone cameras, which were being posted on YouTube.

Spielberg recently quipped, "People were seeing shots from my movie on computer screens all over the world before I got to see the shots on a film-lab screen. Global dissemination at light speed -- at warp speed."

There's another name for that kind of behavior... "rude."

What if Picasso's fans broke into his studio to swipe his latest work when it was half finished? They could probably have painted in the rest themselves and posted it at the nearest gallery. Or how about we steal raw tracks from U2's next album and mix them ourselves? Bono's vocal isn't done? Heck, lay the rest of those vocals down yourself and post it tonight! Go, go, go!

Or... settle down and let the artist bring you the art when it is DONE. When it is ART.

Our over-eager, spoiler-happy fan culture is like a kid who loves a hamster so much that he squeezes it to death. Stop squeezing the hamsters, guys. You're KILLING them. If you love movies, honor them enough to let them be made without this scrutiny.

Case 2: The Incredible Hulk

There has been a disagreement over the final cut of the film between two camps: On one side is Marvel Studios, who wants a shorter, more commercial cut. On the other side is the director Louis Leterrier and his star, Ed Norton, who want a longer, more detailed cut (Uhhh, isn't that why the LAST Hulk movie tanked, guys? But that's another debate...). As Entertainment Weekly put it, "These creative arguments happen in Hollywood a lot, but usually remain a secret. This time, they didn't."

Ed Norton passionately argued for a longer version, and at one point, heated words were exchanged. It was your basic creative argument. A clash between filmmakers, star and studio is typical, and is usually resolved. But then this clash became public, thanks to an industry blogger, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily. Way to go, Nikki. Do you know what you did? Reports of a "huge feud" spread like wildfire on fan sites and comment boards. Overblown reports of a feud on the Hulk movie suddenly MADE it a feud. Let me say that again: reporting a feud created a feud where there was none.

This has shut down communication between the studio and fans altogether, and between Norton and the studio. Norton is refusing to speak to press about the film. Now there is bad buzz over this 150 million dollar film just because of gossip... bad buzz that has nothing to do with the movie. That makes me sad.

Creative friction is bound to happen on movies, but the airing of this dirty laundry does no one any good. Ed Norton finally released a statement, saying, "Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a "dispute"... and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself."

Bottom line? Keep the bloggers (and audience members) out of the filmmaking process. If you are not a part of the creative team making a movie, you cannot understand the context of the decisions that are being made. When the public spies on this kind of process, they can leap to conclusions that sabotage the movie... a movie that was just supposed to entertain them in the first place.

********

Fan involvement is helpful, but not when it intrudes on the skills of the storyteller. I had a nice email exchange with a fan recently, over this subject of studio-vs.-filmmaker. This person is rooting for fans to get involved in such squabbles, and ended his letter by saying, "Perhaps, as more of the public learns about fights like this, they will band together and fight for ALL creative types over the big studios."

You see folks, that's the thing you are not grasping. You can't look at these as FIGHTS. This is the way you have to get films made. You HAVE to find someone to pay for them and then you HAVE to include them in the process. Now you can be a totally independent filmmaker and do exactly what you want on a "$100,000 movie and make sure no one tells you what to do. But if you want to make big budget films, you have to maintain that relationship with the studio.

I speak now as a director. YES, sometimes the studio suits will make stupid suggestions and force me to include them. But that's when I as a filmmaker have to learn how to gain a studio's confidence and campaign for my creative choices to win out.

Trust me, I am in the middle of this every day. As a matter of fact, I had a serious meeting over a current script issue with Harvey Weinstein himself two weeks ago. I flew to New York, and was primed for a very tense debate. But we worked it out, and found a way for BOTH of our needs to be met on the script.

This doesn't always happen, but it is a far more complex process than "fighting the man" to get your art made. Fans have a hard time understanding that, because they are not in those rooms and in those discussions. That's the point I was trying to make in my last post.

Don't get me wrong, anyone in entertainment is aware that they must listen to fans to survive. Fans are passionate, fans are articulate and intelligent, and fans know what they want.

But fans are not filmmakers.

If fans care about their movies, then they need to give them some breathing room. Otherwise, we've just got another dead hamster on our hands.

The Power of Fans (Good or Evil?)

2008-03-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

If you keep up with entertainment "geek" news, I'm sure you've heard about the Fanboys controversy (If not, read this). The groundswell of fans calling for the head of "Darth Weinstein" is both amazing and frightening to me. As both a hearty Star Wars fan and a filmmaker working with the Weinstein Company on many projects, this has popped up on my radar, bigtime.

Fans, I am troubled. And I'll tell you why.

We have entered an incredibly interactive age of entertainment. Never before have the fans had such direct access to filmmakers. Never before have audiences been able to communicate their concerns so immediately that they can literally influence the product overnight. This has changed the business, for better and for worse. On one hand, filmmakers and studios know exactly what fans think, and can adjust almost daily to those whims. And fans love being heard. But a dangerous shift is happening. Now fans do not feel this interaction is a blessing or a bonus... they feel they are entitled to be heard; that it is their God-given right.

All artists want to know what their audience thinks. All filmmakers want to meet an audience's expectations and learn from their reactions. But the artist must still serve the art, not the direct orders of the audience.

I am not defending Harvey Weinstein or coming down on the dedication and passion of Star Wars fans. The truth is, I have not seen the old cut of Fanboys or the new cut. The fans may be right. Weinstein may be right. But there are very, very, very few people who have ALL the information. Very few people have seen the final cut of both versions. And very few people have been in the rooms where hard decisions have to be made about a film to get it released.

How many films get recut or reworked this way? More than you can possibly imagine. Hoodwinked was recast, recut, and remixed to address studio concerns. This is filmmaking. A film has to constantly evolve until it hits the theater. If it doesn't, it may never hit theaters at all.

These fights happen all the time on films. You just don't hear about them. Directors and producers usually have to address studio concerns privately, in the normal give-and-take with the "suits." But the Fanboys fans have dragged this fight out into the streets, making it a public, messy, PR nightmare. That has not only prolonged the two-year release of the film, but it may threaten the release of ANY version. Harvey has killed films for less, guys. I'd hate to see that happen, so be careful.

Just because fans now have the ability to voice concerns about films doesn't mean the filmmaker or studio has to bow to their whims or take orders from them. I kind of miss the days when movies were mysterious and you encountered them for the first time on opening night. That goes for TV, too. I can't imagine how the creators of Lost do it, hearing from zealous fans a thousand times a week. They can't just write the show. They have to manage the weekly barrage of opinions about their every move. And I think I understand why George Lucas doesn't even have email. After birthing a veritable pop culture religion, the flack he gets from his own "disciples" blows my mind.

I'm not saying the fans are wrong. I'm saying stop the hate, folks. Stop the rage. It's just entertainment, for Pete's sake. I'm really not sure campaigns like the Fanboys outcry will accomplish anything.

If you think you know what's wrong with movies, then please, PLEASE, go get a camera and start making your own. Funnel those frustrations into creativity. Then your life will begin to revolve a whole lot LESS around someone else's work, and what they should or shouldn't do with it.

Twitchy Returns ("Hoodwinked 2" Cast News)

2008-02-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun recording the voice of TWITCHY again for Hoodwinked 2. It was at Universal a couple weeks ago, with director Mike D'Isa in the booth. I was a little nervous about getting back the right vibe that would sound good speeded up in post, but everyone on the other side of the glass seemed pretty happy. I was able to come up with some ad-libs, along with a lot of the grunts and gastrointestinal sounds that make Twitchy so crazy.

And YES, I've heard all of the comparisons to "Hammy the Squirrel" in Over The Hedge, as well as someone called "Foamy the Squirrel" on the internet. I can take those hyper rodents any day of the week. BRING IT! Sorry. That's the coffee talking. Truth be told, Twitchy was always meant to be an homage to fast-talking critters like Chip & Dale and Alvin & the Chipmunks.

Some of you have been asking about the cast of Hoodwinked 2. I'm very excited to report that Weinstein Company has lined up some fantastic talent for this movie. Now that everyone has been locked in, I can give you some names! As far as I know, this is the first place this cast has been announced.

Many of the original cast have returned. Glenn Close is still Granny, and Patrick Warburton remains The Wolf (very, very happy about that). Nicky Flippers will once again be performed by David Ogden Stiers. Andy Dick has voiced Boingo again (that's right, Boingo is still around, as unstable as ever... but not the greatest threat this time).

And yes, yes, yes, for everyone who keeps asking, THE GOAT IS BACK. Japeth the singing goat will appear again, voiced by my good buddy Benjy Gaither.

There are some brand new and very cool additions to this sequel. This time around, Red will not be voiced by Anne Hathaway, but by Hayden Panettiere, the "super cheerleader" from Heroes. This seems very fitting, since Red becomes a bit more of a "caped crusader" in this film. The Woodsman is now being voiced by comedy legend Martin Short. Martin Short! He was an "Amigo" for Pete's sake. Crazy. Those are the new folks stepping into old roles.

As for new characters, without giving any plot away, I will tell you that Joan Cusack is a new villainous witch, and Brad Garrett is The Giant from the notorious beanstalk. David Alan Grier plays a troll, which should be really funny... I heard he was off the charts with the ad-libs. And finally, all you SNL fans will be psyched to know that Amy Poehler and Bill Hader will be voicing Hansel & Gretel. How's that for a cast?

Oh, and me. I'm in it. Saying "whoopee" a lot.

That's all for now. Stay twitchy.

Back In Vancouver

2008-02-03T00:39:00.000-08:00

A minor update: We've had some new story elements to add to "Escape From Planet Earth." Not to go into detail, but Tony and I have discussed some major story breakthroughs that need written before production can continue. So I've been up here in Vancouver, working with Tony to generate a ton of new pages. It's fun to write full time, full tilt, but also kind of mentally exhausting. I think I've written sixty pages since I've been up here.

In "Hoodwinked 2" news, it looks like I will be recording my role as Twitchy once again, starting next week. I always enjoy recording voices, but Twitchy is kind of a weird process. It won't sound like Twitchy until they speed the tracks up in post, so in the studio, I just sound over-enunciated, over-excited and... weird.

More big news is around the corner, I can feel it... But I can't blog about it until the news is "real."

Strike Life

2008-01-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

For those of you who actually read this, I realize that it's been, well, very quiet here on my blog. That's because there is sadly very little to report.

Many people have asked me how the WGA strike is affecting me. It has frozen a lot of momentum on my projects, but in a non-direct way. See, I'm not actually IN the Writer's Guild yet. I've only made my mark in that industry ghetto known as animation. But I will joining the Writer's Guild very soon, so I want to act accordingly and ethically. I don't want to make any enemies during this strike. Even though I already had many deals "in play" before the strike hit, there has been a general stagnation to finalizing those deals.

The recent good news is that Weinstein Company just made their own deal with the WGA, and they are no longer a struck company. Most of my projects are with them. Hopefully this means that I will be moving ahead on these projects again, with a clear conscience.

Until I have anything more valuable to report, here's a picture of Mr. T to inspire us all.

New Music From Todd Edwards

2007-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm proud to announce that my brother Todd's new album is done and now available! As the band BLICK VAN GLORY, the album is called THE SEARCH FOR QUEST.

And I have to say, the music is really good. Not kidding. You think I'm biased, but I'm not. I've crossed over from just listening to it because he's family to listening to it because it is addictively catchy... so addictively catchy that I can't STOP listening to it. I've tried, but I have a new favorite song every week and new clever lyrics pop out every few days and, well, it's like crack now. These songs should not be sold to children or rolled into cigarettes. They are that addictive. I've said enough.

You can listen to some of the songs on Blick Van Glory's MYSPACE PAGE, here.

You can BUY the album here, or on iTunes under "Blick Van Glory."

And you have to see the music video he shot for the single "Sophomores," here.

Your education is complete. Rock on.

Cory

Voices in Vancouver

2007-10-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

Update on ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH, the animated film I've been writing:

We are back on track with a new draft of the script and the production proceeding in Canada. I had a chance last week to finally visit Rainmaker Studios up in Vancouver (or as my cousin Tye calls it, "The 'COUVE"). Having helped create these characters and their world, it was fun to visit Tony and the gang and finally see so many visuals.

While I cannot publish any of the artwork here, I have to say I was blown away. It is fantastic stuff, and the characters look great. You WILL want the toys. The production design is very much like "The Incredibles": clean modern architecture mixed with a vintage / retro flavor. It made me tingle like an Alkaseltzer just looking at the hallways full of art.

Then I also got to do some temp voices for the story reel. This means recording character voices that the storyboard guys can work to, the editor can cut to, which will eventually be replaced by the real cast. Even as a temp voice, it is still fun to get to embody some of the characters that I helped write. I had to stretch those comedy performer muscles again, performing four voices over two days. One of the aliens doesn't even speak any known language, so I pulled out some of my "Twitchy" skills to grunt and chatter a lot. Truth be told, I found myself channeling my baby's squawking more than anything.

Until next time, Ggg-vvvt-bzzktjmvvv!

The Hard Cost of Fantasy

2007-09-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

The movie business is so peculiar. It is a business that is all about creating whimsical, imaginative, daring artistic visions... but when you have a chance to actually MAKE that vision, you have to engage in a lot of cold, logical, pragmatic discussions about it. The nuts and bolts of hoisting the dream high is the ugly part the audience doesn't get to see. This is where the writer grieves over a cut scene, where the director pulls his hair out over a studio mandate. This is where raising the age of the child lead in your film affects millions in marketing costs. This is where you have to be reasonable and rationally debate the fuffy, silly bits of fantasy you cooked up.

And this is what my meeting with the Fox execs was like last week. This is studio filmmaking.

Still, I had a really good meeting with the top brass (I like that phrase: "top brass." As if I flew a fighter jet to the lot). The visual presentation knocked them out, and raised questions at the same time. They liked the artwork enough to ask for MORE (which they will actually start paying for). They want more from me to explain the tone. No green light yet, but at last I have something to do! At last, something real is happening.

It's fun to get some more concept art made. I've pulled in a couple of new artists and it's helping ME get a handle on the look of the movie too. The other concern is the budget. Apparently these paintings scream "CRAZY MONEY BURNING MACHINE."

So today I met with David Starke, VP of Feature Production and John Kilkenny, head of Fox VFX. SO educational. And so cool to talk about the physical production hurdles. This is the beginning of a big magic trick we need to pull off: making an expensive-looking movie for an amazingly low price.

We "got into it," as my manager likes to say. Sets, locations, practical vs. CGI effects. Now this is fun. It's surprising to know that CGI is rarely the easy answer that people think it is. John and David actually seemed to prefer a lot of the old-school tricks, such as miniatures, forced perspective tricks and real locations. Many of these traditional techniques can save a lot of money, and in the end, actually look better than CGI. Computer effects take a LOT of refining to get right. It's also too easy to make change after change after change. The temptation to tweak a shot long past the shoot date has run up many a budget, and fast.

And can I just say that walking into a soundstage filled with minatures would be so freaking COOL.

Then we talked about all the location possibilities. Economic leaps can be made by shooting in New Zealand, Australia, Romania, Prague... good thing I don't jet lag much. This is part of the adventure.

This is the thrill of pulling off a big, big magic trick. But I have no idea where I'm going to hide this money-eating, eight-foot hairy rabbit.

The Waiting Game

2007-09-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more to blog about. But patience seems to be one of the main ingredients in filmmaking. It helps in the meticulous process of making a film, but it also comes in handy when you are waiting to make one.

That's where I sit right now. In the waiting room. Every once in a while, someone in white pokes their head out, I look up from my magazine and they say, "It'll be just a few more minutes." In this metaphor, I am thankful that there are at least some current issues of Entertainment Weekly and a candy dish.

What can I tell you? Even though I have been hired to direct a film for Fox, I still have to get a "green light" from the execs. There has been a bit of an "executive shuffle" over there, so next week we sit down to make sure the right people are reacquianted with the project (and make sure they are excited enough to make it). This should be an aggressive re-pitch of the project, with all producers on deck, some flashy artwork and a lot of charm spewing out of Zach Braff. It actually does spew out of him. You can't resist it. Beware.

I have two other films that are being set up with Weinstein Company, but I am still waiting on those deals to be worked out. This involves waiting for certain people to come back from flying around the world long enough to focus on me before they run off to buy something else. I am presently thinking of sending them a picture of me on a milk carton, with the caption, "Have you seen my deal?"

But any time you find yourself waiting, you can also be proactive (and no, I do not mean the facial cleanser endorsed by Kelly Clarkson).

Zach Braff, Adam Braff and I have been meeting regularly to create new concept art for "Andrew Henry's Meadow." A couple of artists have worked up some great paintings under my direction which we have blown up to poster-size. They are spectacular, showing the scale and beauty we want to acheive in the movie. I wish I could post them here! .....But I can't.

I've also written the first act of my original fantasy film. And no, I can't share much of that either. But let's just say that I recently sent giant mechanical spiders chasing a rocket-powered tank through a burning village. That's fun.

The other very exciting thing I have been doing while waiting is taking meetings with a childhood touchstone of mine... a company that was started by a guy with a beard and a little green frog.

Hopefully I can make an announcement about that soon.

But until then, you can have a taste of the slow torture I enjoy... known as waiting.

Nerds, Glorious Nerds: Comic Con 2007

2007-08-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm late with this update, but I just wanted to say that I had a great big hairy fun time at San Diego Comic Con again. Yes, there are a billion people there and no, it's not just about comic books. This has become the studios' Mecca for hyping their next big films, as well as a great place to see new underground artists. On the exhibit floor, you can see a booth for Hasbro or Disney, and then walk a few hundred yards to find some guy with his own self-published comic, all in the same room.

What's happening to Comic Con is similar to what happended to Sundance. There was a time when it was nothing but grass roots marketing from small, niche artists and films. But those things started to make serious money, and genre films are bigger than ever and, well, now it's like a giant MALL full of studio swag and super-exclusive trailers.

Not that I mind.

Here's what I have learned from this year's Comic Con:

1. Iron Man is going to dominate next year.
2. J.J. Abrahms could bring a slide show of his vacation and it would be awesome and mysterious.
3. Half of all comic book artwork is basically soft-core porn.
4. The Bionic Woman is cool again.
5. Girls treat the Indian guy from "Heroes" like he is Johnny Depp.
6. Judd Apatow is king of the universe. If you challenge me, I will fight you.
7. The staff needs to post signs in the convention center that read, "Don't forget to bathe."

And now for some random pictures with my smart ass comments...

Cute: this guy is carrying around his own action figure... Not so cute: it's actually a voodoo doll of himself that he takes to therapy.

This guy came at me with his cyber frisbee. Then I pulled out my Golden Retriever and it was ON.

I love that Greedo went from drinking hard liquor to Starbucks! Just for old times' sake, I shot him.

Look! It's a Decepticardboardbox!

Hmmm... looks like someone gave in to the Pink Side of the Force.

Stormtrooper Elvis: The result of being a hardcore fan of too many things at once. I don't know what's more disturbing in this shot... Stormtrooper Elvis himself, or how turned on he seems to be by the baby Wookie humping this young girl.

That's it for this year's Nerdical Journey. They are a fascinating species. I'm Jacque Cousteau, goodnight.

Update On The Lowdown On the Straight Dope

2007-06-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a while, so I thought I'd at least give an update on all of my projects for those of you who care...

ANDREW HENRY'S MEADOW is my main focus right now. I will be directing from a story by Adam and Zach Braff. Screenwriter Adam Braff has recieved notes from me, from Zach and from the producers. The goal is to turn in a final "director approved" draft to the studio this week. Then we hope to get the studio approval. If that happens, we green light production and begin actually talking about making the movie.

In the meantime, I have enjoyed sketching some rough storyboards and visual ideas on my own. This is going to be a COOL movie!

ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH is in production at Rainmaker Animation in Vancouver. I am co-writer with director Tony Leech. Tony is now set up in Vancouver and they have started modeling and animatics. "Hoodwinked" Producer Preston Stutzman is also commuting between Rainmaker and Blue Yonder Films in L.A. Tony has retooled the first act with some major changes that all producers and creatives are discussing via phone and internet. I hope to take a field trip up to see the studios soon.

The other exciting process that has begun is casting. There are some great names on these lists! Can't say them right now because everything is speculative. But I'll let you know.

HOODWINKED 2 is in production. I am co-writer with my original writers, Todd Edwards and Tony Leech. Director Mike Disa is storyboarding and overseeing the modeling of new sets and characters. I have seen some of the visuals and they are spectacular. Among the first images are the temple of the "Sisters of the Hood" (mentioned in the first film) and a major opening action scene involving Granny, Wolf, Twitchy and a motorcycle.

FANTASY PROJECT - I'm keeping this under wraps for now, but I will be screenwriting and directing this major live action FX film for Weinstein Company. We are discussing the details now. My wife Vicki co-wrote the story with me and it's been ten years in the making. I've been developing a lot of visuals on this with other artists, since it is a world of creatures made from scratch. This is an exciting one to finally see come to life. The other significant player in this project is producer Paul Schiff. He's made movies like "Young Guns," "Epic Movie" and "Rushmore," and he's very enthusiastic about this film.

SCI-FI COMEDY PROJECT - Another one under wraps right now, but a labor of love for all the geeks out there. If you love "Star Wars," "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" and "Galaxy Quest," then you'll love the tasty smoothy I am making with all of these in a blender... with a dash of "Office Space." This live action comedy is extremely fun and one of the funniest things I have in the works. It looks very probable that I will be writing and directing this one for Weinstien Company as well. This one is also being produced by Paul Schiff.

MUSICAL COMEDY PROJECT - This one is very close to being pitched to studios with a major producer attached... but it's best kept secret for now. I am co-writing with Josh Greene, with Josh to direct. He will also be writing the music. This is a great concept about a very funny (and real) musical niche in America. The research alone for this one has been entertaining, to say the least!

I should also add a shout out to my brother Todd. Along with his writing partner Peter Bedgood, he is writing two projects for Weinstein: One is an animated film, and then Todd will be writing and directing a major live action fantasy film he's created. Again, I can't say more until the deal is announced. But it's great to know that all three of us from "Hoodwinked" are taking off in our own directions.

That's what's percolating. Many other interesting "what-if's" are in the works too... pitches and meetings here and there. As soon as they boil to the surface, I'll mention them here. What can I say, I like to keep a lot of plates spinning.

Living in a Satirical World

2007-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I was done blogging about "Hoodwinked" for a while...

I discovered a fascinating article in the current TIME MAGAZINE, titled, "Is Shrek Bad For Kids?"

"Yes" is the answer, by the way... at least without proper adult guidance. The writer discusses the dangers of a culture where fairytale parodies are being substituted for the originals. "Hoodwinked" is mentioned twice, since we are in the white-hot center of this trend (a trend I groaned about even as I finished the film).

Read the full article HERE.

But if you're too lazy or busy, here is a compelling excerpt:

"There's something a little sad about kids growing up in a culture where their fairy tales come pre-satirized, the skepticism, critique and revision having been done for them by the mama birds of Hollywood. Isn't irony supposed to derive from having something to rebel against? Isn't there a value in learning, for yourself, that life doesn't play out as simply as it does in fairy tales? Is there room for an original, nonparodic fairy story that's earnest without being cloying, that's enlightened without saying wonder is for suckers?"

Mr. Poniewozik is right on the money. But it's deflating to have "Hoodwinked" lumped in with the Shrek crowd so easily. For those of you who still might not understand why I am not directing any "Hoodwinked" sequels or similar fare, this is a big reason why.

I felt compelled to write to the magazine... Just in case they never print it, I thought I'd at least post it here:

“As the writer-director of "Hoodwinked," it may surprise you that I couldn't agree more with James Poniewozik's article. Even as I was making the film, I asked myself the same question: Are we parodying something that kids should have the chance to experience first, "un-parodied?" We went to great lengths to distance our film from Shrek's humor (and no, I don't think Shrek considers kids). I would hope that "Hoodwinked" and its sequels will be seen as trying to do something genuine with its characters, rather than look for the next joke at the expense of innocence. We ALL need the real folklore of fairytales, whether we admit it or not.” --- Cory Edwards, Los Angeles

I'd like to think that Red and her friends are teaching your kids some uncynical, real lessons. And I think time will show that "fractured fairytales" is a genre, not a bandwagon. But do me the favor of opening up the old storybooks and telling your kids about those stories first. It's okay, the DVD will be waiting for them when they're ready!

Cory

Andrew Henry's Story

2007-05-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I failed to describe anything about the story of "Andrew Henry's Meadow."

I don't want to give too much away. But it's basically a modern fable about an isolated town called Catatonia, which is one big metaphor for America at its worst: spoon-fed drones that all dress alike, work in cubicles and raise their kids with television. As I mentioned before, this will be a highly stylized world, so "fable" is the best word I can use.

Our hero, Andrew Henry, is an inventive boy who thinks outside the box. He escapes the town to discover a beautiful, fantastic meadow beyond it. Other kids follow him, and build their own homes up in the trees. Eventually the kids must return to the town to save everyone from the monstrous company who controls it. The ending has a real action-packed climax.

That's all I will tell you. Anything more will ruin the fun. But this should be enough to go on during the developments of the next several months.

The movie a HUGE leap away from the original book. Adam and Zach have used that story as the tip of a much bigger iceberg. It's going to be a fun fantasy spin on our entire culture, with a great message. After this movie, kids may not believe all the hype of the next candy-flavored drink commercial they see. At least that's the hope.

Permission to Obsess

2007-05-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked what is happening right now with AHM (that's what I'm starting to call "Andrew Henry's Meadow" to save time and letters as I type. It's the "Bruckheimer Abbreviation." Say it with me as you see the steel letters clang together over a ball of fire: "A... H... M!!").

Okay, maybe not.

Adam Braff has written a great script. It was easy to get excited about it, because it is so similar to the kind of script I would have written myself. Now Adam, Zach and I are discussing bits and pieces of the script and the producers are wanting to make sure it has been "Cory-fied," for lack of a better term. The studio has read many drafts, and wants to get one that has been "director approved" or has had a "director's pass" on it.

Zach has had notes, I have had notes, and Adam has even had notes on his own script. Those are coming together with producer notes to a draft that Adam and I will look over late this week. It is our hope that this draft will go out to Fox and that they will love it.

What I like about Adam as a writer is that he is obsessive about his own work. He works fast and tirelessly, and has a new idea for his script about every six hours. This is what I respond to: an obsession with quality, with making something better and better. As negotiations progressed with this project, I could only let myself get so invested, for fear it would go away. But there comes a point where you've got to really GO for it and REALLY INVEST to get the job. So I did. Now that I am officially on the project, I am allowing myself to get more than invested... I'm allowing myself to get obsessed.

What does this mean? This means pondering the very first and very last shots of the movie. This means making wish lists of actors, cinematographers, production designers and composers for weeks. I have decided to get a sketchbook to scratch out crude storyboards whenever the mood strikes. Then every rough shot idea will be ready to hand off to a real storyboard team. My wife can tell you that she is hearing my random ideas about the film every few hours, without warning.

We will be midway through dinner and I will say, "I think I want a shot of the sprinkler heads."

"The what?"

"The sprinkler heads in front of the house. Like a super-tight close-up as they pop up to do their automated task. Kind of an unusual shot, but symbolic, right?"

"You're talking about 'Andew Henry,' right?"

"Yeah, sorry. Or maybe it's a shot from inside the mailbox..."

This goes on until I am overwhelmed with how good the meal is or a promo for "Heroes" comes on the TV.

My wife has seen the signs before. I've given myself permission to obsess. The floodgates are opening. Hopefully everyone that comes onboard this team will happily obsess with me. I mean, hey, if you want to just do a JOB, you can get a job anywhere. But this is a movie, and how cool is that?

A DONE DEAL WITH FOX

2007-04-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to finally announce that I have closed a deal to direct a feature film for 20th Century Fox. "ANDREW HENRY'S MEADOW" is a kid-centered fantasy adventure, executive produced by Zach Braff and written by his brother, Adam Braff. The film is also being produced by John Davis and Derek Dauchy for Davis Entertainment ("I Robot," "Alien Vs. Predator," "Eragon").

Based on the beloved children's book, this story from the brothers Braff has all the movie ingredients that I love: comedy, action, gadgets, and big effects. It will all be set in a highly-stylized world, with art direction similar to movies like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Time Bandits" and "Brazil."

Another exciting aspect of this project is that it leaps me into live action films, something I've been wanting to do very badly. And the scope of the movie will be huge. It's going to be a real crash-course in studio moviemaking for me, and I couldn't be more tingly all over about it.

Now THIS BLOG has a real purpose! You can always check back here for production updates, right from the director's mouth... or keyboard. This is a long process, and we still have to get that all-important production green light from Fox. But at least now my deal is in place (and I can TALK about it). Next, the Braffs and I will proceed to get the script ready. Sorry to break it to you guys, but there will be NO talking squirrels.

Googley Fun

2007-04-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

Wanna go to France?

Go to www.google.com
Click on maps
click on Get Directions
In the Start Address, put ny, ny
in the end Address, put Paris, France.

When the results come up, scroll down to line 24 and read it without laughing. Someone at Google rules.

Dig This Movie

2007-04-08T00:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to seek out the more unique independent films, so I'm tipping you off.

A friend of mine, Ken Marino, has a movie coming out this month. It's called "Diggers" (watch the TRAILER here too). It's a dramedy in the vein of "Diner," "Breaking Away" and ""The Last Picture Show." It has a great cast: Paul Rudd, Maura Tierny, Sarah Paulson and Ron Eldard. Ken wrote the film and also stars. Many of you may recognize Ken as a star of the awesome sketch show "The State," as well as his appearances on "Stella" and "Reno 911" with his "State" alumni.

The film is in very limited release starting APRIL 27. CHECK HERE to see if it is playing in your town, and go support independent cinema!