Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.
--John Wayne

Bringing out the gloves.

My mockumentary "THE UNKNOWN COPPOLA" will be screening this weekend at the Coney Island Film Festival. Part of the reason why I made this film is because I am often bombarded with the question of how I am related to the Coppola clan. The little film is my humorous answer to the question. Anyhow, I noticed that the short film "Ode to Fredo" screens after my film. I looked at it and thought it was rather poignant, funny and oddly touching. So this week I am presenting a group of Brooklyn buddies who make films, music and art together...and obviously have a lot of fun while doing it.

Here's to the Hawkins brothers and Dimenna brothers. For whatever it means, I am one Coppola who has taken notice of your work and I like it. Keep it up.

Please join the PAH NATION FORUM. It would be grand to have you on board if you aren't already.

To work with Frank Gorshin was an honor for me and my crew. He was a complete, old school professional. I also enjoyed drinking single malt and playing poker with him. My film was the last film he worked on before he passed away. May he rest in peace.

iTunes and the independent film market:

Apple recently has been breaking the mold by allowing independent and short films to be sold on iTunes. Until recently, unless your short film was in Sundance or came from an "established" studio, you had no chance of getting distribution through iTunes. Apple took a chance and allowed "That", a short action flick about snowboarding, to be sold for $1.99. Apple is releasing a series of videos from Studio-411, which distributes extreme sports videos. Studio411 thought that they would get a broader audience than the small amount of people that go to extreme sport shops. Apple has not discussed any future arrangements with independent filmmakers or distributors, but this is an exciting time for independent filmmakers. In the future, you will not need the backing of some huge studio or have a distribution contract, all you will need is a good story and some knowledge of viral marketing.

YOU BE GOOD. SEE YOU TOMORROW. I LOVE YOU.

--Alex the African gray parrot's last words to his researcher Irene Pepperberg before he died at age 31.

I've known him since I was a wee lad. He's been like a second father to me. Now he is my son's Godfather. He will be someone my son can talk with, let it all out without being judged, get advice and be inspired.
This is for you, Ray, with love.

APPLE PHOTO BOOTH FUN.

Internet and Cable: One in the Same

Last night Current TV got an Emmy Award for its work in interactive television. Just as youTubes 1.65 billion sale to Google legitimized viral video, Current TV's Emmy Award is legitimizing online programming. Al Gore (President and co-founder) of Current had this to say "We are trying to open up the television medium so that viewers can help to make television and join the conversation of democracy and reclaim American democracy by talking about the choices we have to make." While Gore's views and those of Current tend to lean toward the political left, it does show that anyone can have and express their views. Interestingly MySpace who is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has struck a deal to have Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick ("Blood Diamond," "The Last Samura," and "Thirtysomething") to produce an original Web Series called "Quarterlife." So it seems that the big wigs kind of know what's going on, Rupert Murdoch also owns Fox. These big corporations are now looking to the Internet for original ideas and while they summon seasoned professionals to produce they are also looking for new talent. Hollywood is about to change and we can influence this change, and should take the responsibility to take it in the creative direction it desperately needs.

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.
--Daniel Hudson Burnham

a little self portrait...

The youth attempts to restore order at EARS.

Doug Aarne. It is because of Mr. Aarne that our PAH program exists. He is the epitome of PAH. Mr. Aarne was a construction worker in New Jersey who had a horrible accident. Mr. Aarne was electrocuted and by all accounts should be dead. He was rewired and lived like a Frankenstein monster in his basement because people where afraid of him. He would listen to my EARS blog and was one of my greatest fans. He would call himself EARWAX when leaving a comment.

When I was involved with the Duke City Shootout, I started a "Common Man" category. I was interested in stories, ideas, dreams by everyday people (plumbers, cab drivers, manicurists, etc), not screenplays by future Hollywood directors/writers.

Mr. Aarne submitted. I pulled together VIP script/story judges from likes of Morgan Freeman, Phyllis Diller, Peter Fonda, Tom Waits, August Coppola, Tom Sebastian and Tony Hillerman. Tom Sebastian was the story judge for the "Common Man" category. He picked Doug Aarne's "I AM" poem which you can see down below.



Mr. Aarne also sent a micro cassette tape of himself talking about Charlie Chaplin and his famous speech from his classic "The Great Dictator."



I was the mentor for the "Common Man" category, so I personally let Mr. Aarne know he was chosen. I was determined to do my best to help this man tell his story. The problem was getting him out of his basement to come to New Mexico and work with me. His dutiful son said he would accompany his father to New Mexico.

The process of working with Mr. Aarne opened my eyes. Tapping into the Creative Process gave Mr. Aarne hope and confidence. It was a healing experience for both of us. I decided that I should make this available to everybody I could. EARSXXI would use it's old school filmmaking and new school digital media expertise to help people tell their stories, discover and encourage their unique voice, and connect with their fellow man.

From one heart to another, I thank you Mr. Aarne for bringing forth the dawning of the PAH NATION.

DOUG AARNE'S I AM

APPLE PHOTO BOOTH FUN.

SMART PHONE CONTEST FOR SMART KIDS
"THE CIRCUS VISION CHALLENGE"

A new concept for PAH. At the upcoming PAH-FEST:Hollywood, children will be able to participate in a smart phone visual treasure hunt and win a prize for themselves and their schools. Everybody sees things differently, even on the same timeline and at the same location. That's the beauty of the three-ring circus. There are often simultaneous acts going on in the three rings, and each member of the family would observe something different and take it home to share. Thus, the Greatest Show on Earth would live on after the fact. The Digital Arena is just another three-ring circus. It's being used in a powerful way to share individual points of view and interpretations, but PAH wants to also use it to bring us closer together through the Creative Process. Thus, the Human Spirit lives on. Using a smart phone like a Nokia N95 or Palm Treo, children will help document the "History of Now" by gathering a list of visual ingredients at the same, specific location. They will shoot and edit a 2 minute piece on a smart phone and e-mail or bluetooth it back to PAH Headquarters. They will have 5 hours to complete the task. The Circus Vision piece that interprets the list of visual ingredients the most uniquely, but accurately will win the prize.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE




THE LENGTH: 2 Minutes.

THE LOCATION: CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO

THE PERSPECTIVE: (choose one)
a. While Sitting
b. While Standing Still
c. While Lying Down
d. While Walking
e. While Dreaming

THE INGREDIENTS ON TIMELINE:

a. MYSTERY SOUND during title
b. RINGS at 17 seconds
c. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW at 26"
d. OPPOSITES at 31"
e. COLORS at 40"
f. THE RINGMASTER at 47"
g. SOMETHING BIG, SOMETHING SMALL at 56"
h. SPECTACLE at 1min 3"
i. BALANCE at 1' 15"
j. ANIMAL at 1' 20"
k. FLYING at 1' 30"
l. CLOWN at 1' 40"
m. MYSTERY SOUND REVEALED at 1' 50"

I may not always show it, but I have a great appreciation for all of those who have walked ahead of me. When I am tempted to be aggravated at the senior citizen driving so slowly in front of me, I try to remind myself that this could be one of the men who paved the road. I try to remind myself the driver could be a teacher who gave selflessly. I try to remind myself the driver could have been a parent who labored tirelessly to bring his children up the best he could.
I have these thoughts when I look at old pictures, or walk through cemeteries, or see the names of the streets I drive over. History is not written only by presidents, kings, and generals. Everyday people make history one moment at a time.

an excerpt from the introduction to Dennis Garrels' Macoupin County On Route 66.

Photo by ASC.

From restoring temples in India, doing her own paintings and sculptures (she is Bailey's art coach), acting in movies and television (including some of mine), modeling around the world, doing voice over and now writing and singing her own songs, Tilghman is a person who truly lives for the Creative Process. She is constantly creating and expressing herself, and encourages others to do the same. This is what makes Tilghman a true Renaissance Woman.




IN HER WORDS:

"For me, Art is an iconic exchange between the piece,
be it audio or visual and the receiver. It is meant to
act as a vehicle to 'get you there'. In other words
there must be an exchange between the person and the
piece that takes place to take you to a higher realm."



Photo by ASC.

CIRCUS OF THE FALL



HOLD ON



TILGHMAN'S WEBPAGE

Apple Photo Booth Fun with "DigiMama"; the other force behind
EARSXXI and PLASTERCITY.

The DigiVangelist will be joining a panel at The New Media Expo at the end of this month. I will be talking about what I have learned so far as a digital entrepreneur and an on-line/off-line promoter of the EARSXXI brand as well as the empowering concepts behind PAH. I look forward to discussing the digital arena with my peers especially how we can work together to focus it for the benefit of all. See you there.

Sunday, September 30, 11:45am - 12:45pm
Creative Ways to Grow Your Audience Every Week
Track 2: Attracting/Growing Your Audience
Room: Ballroom A
Description: From contests to surveys, guerilla marketing to search engine
optimization, this session will give you the tools you need to grow your
audience each week. If you're audience numbers have stagnated and you can't
seem to figure out how to get them rising again or you simply need to find
ways to boost your numbers each week, this session is for you. We'll cover
the basics quickly and then move on to more creative ways to increase your
listenership/viewership that you may not have considered. Beyond submitting
your content to all the directories, this session takes the discussion to a
more advanced level and you'll leave with a solid plan for growing a loyal
audience base.

New Media Expo

Anybody with a little guts and the desire to apply himself can make it, he can make anything he wants to make of himself.
--Willie Shoemaker