More about Lifetimes Magazine, Donald Beskine.... etc

I got a very interesting email today... it read something like this:

Somehow came across your blog with information on your unfortunate dealings with Donald.
I worked for Donald last year and remember speaking with you about advertising in the magazine which at the time I believed in and worked hard for but his business etiquette left a lot to be desired. Not refunding you did not surprise me because he did it to a lot of people and he was very good at avoiding calls. He did not pay me for my last two weeks there, siting many different ridiculous reasons.
The only people that got somewhere with him were the few that showed up at his office and refused to leave until he paid them.

In related news, it seems that the magazine came out... but I have not seen it. There is an online edition, which does have my ad (though I don't remember approving it to be used online).

more 4

You have to love more 4. They are showing 'Death of a President', the excellent mockumentary about someone offing George W, tonight. Shame that they are not in the US!

Great graphic!

Sometimes 'Stumble Upon' brings up some real goodies!

FilmAmora.com breaks Top 100,000

It ain't much, but I'm happy. Not bad for only 6 weeks open:

FilmAmora.com - the innovative DVD-Rental website has broken the top 100,000 sites visit by people from Spain.

In operation for only 6 weeks, FilmAmora.com has taken Spain by storm as the new, exciting and inexpensive way to rent movies. With unlimited rental plans starting from €9.99 a month there is no cheaper way to get your DVDs. And with the biggest selection in Spain, more than 35,000 titles, its the way to finally see all those movies you’ve head about!

More recording

It's been a busy month! FilmAmora launched, another new venture - an ice hockey pool site in Canada - ramped up development, and there was more time in London in the studio with David Waldner.

We recorded another five tracks (though technically last time I think it was 4 as I didn't play on one). Once again we were recording at The Way Studio, with Luke Buttery behind the console.

I also got a chance to listen to the last set of songs and I have to say it is sounding SWEET!

Hopefully in a couple of months the whole thing will be done and you can pop over to Dave's site to start buying it!

Donald Beskine, Lifetimes Magazine

I don't like to be the person that complains all the time, but, it seems that things are happening that have to be commented on in public.

Back in May FilmAmora.com purchased a half page ad in a new magazine called 'The Lifetimes Magazine'. They have an embarrassment of a website that I won't bother to link to.

The contract clearly states that we are buying space in the July issue. Well...it's almost September and no magazine has come out. So, a few weeks ago I started enquiring and the person in charge of the magazine - Donald Beskine, who also runs the Marbella Business Centre - referred me to David Townsend of something called Global Media, the company that would be handling the advertising now. I had several lengthy conversations with David where it was agreed that as the Lifetimes Magazine would not be happening any time soon that my money should be refunded.

So, I turned to Donald Beskine for the refund. On average I phone Donald five times a day. This week alone I have left 15 messages. He will not return my call. He did, however, send me this email:

"I have now had a chance to review the file for your advert.
I do not understand the basis for your demand for a refund.
There is no basis so far as I can see for a refund and we are confident we will be providing you a good advertising service." -- Donald Beskine

Well, Don, the basis is that THERE IS NO MAGAZINE! Donald refuses to give me a publish date. Or even let me know if the magazine is in pre-production.

Now, of course, getting ahold of David Townsend at Global Media also becomes impossible. A further 6 messages this week alone to him.

All in all I have phoned the two of them over 40 times. I am starting to feel like a stalker! But I have to ask - what kind of company doesn't return calls, from PAYING CUSTOMERS, after 40 attempts?

All I want is to know what's going on! Is there a magazine coming out? If so...when?

So - if you are thinking of doing business with Donald Beskine, Lifetimes Magazine, David Townsend or Global Media (all down here in the Marbella area) then I would offer you this cautionary tale.

I have emails, phone bills, contracts and so on to back all this up by the way.

So, dear reader, if you have some time and want some fun, why not phone Donald at 952 850 052 and see if you can get through! The first one who gets Donald to call me gets a free month's subscription at FilmAmora.com!

A tip I have about Dufflet Pastries

The chocolate and raspberry cake is the best cake I have ever tasted. When we used to live in TO we would buy them… since moving it is one of the things I miss the most!

When I was over a few years ago doing some consulting I bought three of them and had them delivered to the office… and they were STILL amazing!

See more progress on: Dufflet Pastries

Amazing - my favourite place

I was reluctant to go at first – but I literally fell in love with the country in between getting off the plane and getting into the car to take me to Tokyo. I’ve been back at least once a year ever since.

Japan is the only place I’ve visited (and I’ve been around the world) that I enjoyed WHILE I was there – it wasn’t something I thought back on how great it was. It was great in the now! (Ok, other places have had flashes of that, but Japan was the only one from start to finish).

See more progress on: Visit Japan

CADE Marbella

The government of Andalusia have a division called CADE (Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa). For NINE MONTHS I have been trying to solicit their assistance in ANY way with FilmAmora.

I thought maybe they would be interested in helping me find employees: No

Funding for innovation: No (we aren't innovative, despite the fact that no one in Spain is doing what we will do)

Funding for a creative pursuit: No - we aren't creative because despite the fact that we will be producing video content and streaming video content of other filmmakers in Spain.

Today was the last straw, really. A month ago I went up to Marbella to meet the particularly unhelpful and incompetent Eva Pizarro Leon. She asked me for a business plan, which I supplied (all 25 pages of it with SWOT analysis and everything! Aren't I clever lol).
It took her a month to read it. Until this morning. She read the first 2 pages, did a google search and told me that because we weren't in the first page of results (duh, we aren't accepting customers yet! How can we be high on Google!) and because there were 4 other companies doing this already she thought we were a waste of time and to go away.

Of course, all she did was look at Google. So, if she had looked at the companies she mentioned she would have seen that one was in Argentina (!), one simply had Alquiler (rental) in the keywords and pages but actually only sold, one was the website from our supplier listing titles that video shops could buy to rent out and the other was the one I listed in our business plan as competition (though they only have 8,000 titles to our 38,000 and cost 3 times the price).

Yes - she is that incompetent! But, she is the guardian of the money. It is seemingly in her best interest to not give it out!

She told us we were not innovative even in our technology... but she never asked for information about the inner workings of the website. She said 'it was just a website' and of course websites can't be innovative, can they Google, Amazon, Facebook?

Anyway, that's that I guess. We are doomed to failure now (according to her).

CADE, Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa - you are simply an excuse to give incompetent bureaucrats who can't contribute to society a job.

Studio Time

I'm up in London laying down bed tracks for the new David Waldner album. Playing drums is Brian McLellan, ex of Vega4, and on keys is Martin Jenkins. We're recording at The Way, which is a cool little studio in Hackney with some amazing equipment (including a nice old Neve console). Behind the console is Luke Buttery, who is getting some great sounds.
I love being in the studio and it is doubly exciting this time. Hearing Dave's latest batch of songs and listening to them evolve as we lay them down. Its what I used to love back when I was doing a lot of recording.
Hopefully this is the first of a few sessions as we build up the album.

See ya, Syndey

On Monday Sydney Pollack died. He was, as I am sure you know, an amazing director and not a bad actor either! There will be thousands of web-tributes to him, so, I will just add my voice to the crowd in that respect.

But, I am writing this because it was just Sunday night that I saw Pollack on a TVE (TV España) programme about the treatment of film by television networks. Pollack was there because of the lawsuit that the Danish Directors Guild brought against DR (Demark's nationalized TV station) with regards to the showing of a Pan and Scan version of Pollack's 3 Days of the Condor. The Director's Guild argued that it was a violation of a piece of art. it was shown in Danish court with the original cinemascope version, but a hilighted area indicating the pan and scan. It was, at times, laughable. There were fights where you couldn't see the other person being fought!

The documentary was an interesting piece, especially when it came to the area of sound. It argued against the dubbing of movies, saying that an integral part of the movie is the voice of the actors. An actor is hired not just to stand there and move his mouth, but to give life to a character in all ways, including speech. The irony is, of course, that Spain and Italy are 2 of the few countries that continue to dub - and TVE is the biggest violator, all but refusing to show subtitled films.

One interest piece of trivia was the handling in Spain of 'Fort Apache', the seminal John Wayne movie.

There is a scene in the movie where Wayne speaks to an Indian (or Native American, if you prefer) through an interpreter. In Spain Wayne speaks to the interpreter and the indian speaks in this very odd 'ooga-booga' type language. Ironically, in the 'real' version of the film the Indian is speaking Spanish! This ridiculous act of dubbing is still available in Spain today.

Anyway, hopefully Spain (and Italy, and all the other dubbing countries) will come to their senses and see films for the art that they are and leave them unadulterated.

Yeah, right.

Writing - Does Everyone has at least one (good) book in them?

So, earlier this year, after suffering a serious case of burn-out, I decided to take a bit of a change of direction and cross a few things off the old bucket list.
One very big entry was 'Write'. Of course I have been writing seriously for the past 6 or 7 years now, concentrating a lot on screenplays. But, I had a book idea that I first came up with 25 years ago. (How is that for depressing??!). I'd written a short story version and a screenplay version, but I felt that what the story really needed - or should I say that I felt what I really needed to do with the story - was a novel.
So I started out on it.

You might think it is crazy. But there is the adage that "Everyone has at least one good book in them" (And if and when it comes out I hope I don't get a review like this one!)

So I started in on it.

I have the prologue up on it's own blog that might contain hilights from the book. We'll see.

More sobering links!
Everyone does not have a novel inside them
You’re an Author? Me Too!
So you think you can write?

FilmAmora - now open for business

FilmAmora is now open for business. Our rentals are (still!) waiting on our Payment processor, but you can buy films. Click on the 'Buy' link underneath any title.

With over 35,000 titles on offer you won't find a bigger selection. We have all Spanish and UK releases available!

filmamora - the best place to buy movies in Spain

Fanfare for the common man

Things I know:

* I'll never own a house
* I won't create a chain of income that is more that one hour's pay for one hour's work.
* I'll never win the lottery
* I won't be able to stop working at some point in my life and 'retire'
* I'll not have someone to look after me in my old age
* I won't have children
* I won't make a lasting impact except on those immediately around me
* I won't create anything of any wide significance or startling originality
* I won't instigate a great crime, nor be a victim of one
* I'll never again experience a woman looking at me with uncompromisable desire
* I won't meet my heroes
* I'll never be famous or infamous
* I won't profit from the deaths of others through inheritance

I'm sure there's more, but that's all that comes to mind.

Oh and this one:

* Few will read this except by accident

Brilliant title

A blatant attempt to get attention from a title - from the BBC none the less. Brilliant.

Great tits cope well with warming

Me and Bobby McKee

Well, I just finished the 4 day intensive course (or is it coarse) with Robert McKee, arguably the best known lecturer on Story and Screenplay.
Mckee, for reasons I cannot fathom, ran his course in Malaga, only an hour away. I attended and thought I'd write up my thoughts on the experience.

It was remarkable that there were about 200 people in attendance - not just because I didn't think there were 200 writers in the area who'd be interested (there aren't - more on that later) but that 200 people could fit into the auditorium given the amount of space McKee's ego takes up.

I am a big fan of McKee's book - it is definitely near the top of the list of books all screenwriters (or writers in general) should read. But in personal he is somewhat abrasive and for my taste there was just too much of his political and social commentary in the course. I didn't really pay to listen to this American explain Europe to me. Incorrectly, I might add. I don't think McKee truly understands the Spanish film situation though he would argue - violently - otherwise.

But, it was a good way to get a refresher on the material about writing. I've read his book a couple of times and I do give it credit to helping me become a better writer. But like all books and lectures of this type it cannot be followed alone. I think McKee misses out some vital steps that all the writers I know use. I also think he skips over some structural elements that would help writers.

But for the most part his theories on story are valid. But who am I to say? Certainly McKee doesn't give a rat's ass whether I agree with him or not. He knows he is right.

I can't whole heartedly recommend this seminar. It is expensive and I think if you have discipline you will get as much from reading the book as attending the seminar.

Now, about all these people who attended. It seems that the majority of them work in ad agencies in Madrid and Barcelona. Or are casual writers. I spoke to a Spanish journalist who had spoken to a lot of the attendees and she said she had not spoken to one person who was a screenwriter or actually in the film business as a writer.

My hopes that McKee's idea of story would be taken up by the rather dreadful Spanish film industry look to be unrealistic, at least for now.

Japan photos

Well, the bulk upload and basic tagging is done. Lots of photos this year - thanks to buying a bigger memory card for the camera. I went photo crazy! I'm going to create a best of album, but for now, if you dare, the bulk one is there.
Lots of photos of every town - and lots of monkey pics!

Japan again

I'm just back from another great two-weeks in Japan. This is the third year in a row now that we've gone there for my birthday.
This is a great time to go to Japan as it is cherry blossom season. Sadly, this year, thanks to George Bush I'm sure, the cherry blossoms were early - the earliest ever recorded! - so we really only got the full on experience up in the mountains around Nagano. We were lucky enough to be there right at 'hanami' time (cherry blossom viewing).
It was a big trip - lots of traveling. Started in Osaka, on to Hiroshima, Miyajima, Okayama, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Nagano, Yudanaka (snow monkeys!), and then to Tokyo.
I absolutely love Japan. From the people to the landscape to the food I find the place amazing. Especially the people! They are incredibly friendly and inviting. I noticed a big difference this year. I'd taken the time to learn some rudimentary Japanese and that really helped. People were always polite (of course) and genuinely interested in what we thought of their country.
The plan is still to move there. We are trying to find the best place, really. Something that gives us a taste of the incredible urban life of the big cities but also has some of the traditional side left.

Pics are being uploaded to my fotki

Two weeks of fun

The first two weeks of march were slightly hellish. I arrived back from a frigid trip to Canada on the 3rd and walked into an immediate move. After 7 and a half years in one place we decided to move on.
Initially the move was to be just around the corner really. We'd found a brand new house with reasonable rent. It was a little bit bigger than our old house and had a slightly different configuration. So, immediately after getting off the plane we went to Ikea to buy a couple of new couches. Then it was home and starting to move boxes.
For the next couple of days it was box moving a plenty. We were moving all the 'small' stuff and getting movers in to do the furniture.
But, the day before the move I had a conversation with Tony, my neighbour to be. It went something like this:

Tony: "Wanted to ask you something. You don't have dogs do you?"
Me: "Um, yes."
Tony: "Because this community voted not to allow pet owners."
Me: "Um"

Now, I happen to know, from previous experience that in the great zone that is Europe this kind of thing is illegal. Pets can not be a cause to deny someone the right to live somewhere. This is one of the many things that makes Europe so much better than shit holes like America. So, whereas I knew I was in the clear legally (and the owner of the house did too) the fact is you don't want to live next to assholes like that, do you?

So, I freaked out. This it the day before the movers are coming and almost all of our stuff is in the new house. But, our agent was amazing. Within an hour she showed us a MUCH MUCH nicer house and we had agreed to take it! How cool is that?

So, in the morning the movers came and we moved to a completely different house.

Unfortunately that means that I basically had to move twice as I now had to move all the boxes that I had moved into the 'new' house into the 'newer' house (which is technically older). Oh, and cancel the new furniture from Ikea as we no longer needed it.

Two days after my run in with Tony, this sign appeared on the community we didn't move into:



It was down the next day.

Anyway, this is our new house:



There are cons - for instance we had to get a new phone number, we couldn't take our old one with us. Small price to pay!

Fine Dining, Sarnia Style

One of the key reasons I came over to Canada at this snow-blown time of year was my mother's birthday. I don't get to see her that often and it seemed like a good time to come.

Sarnia is not a place resplendent with fine dining establishments. If ever a town needed Gordon Ramsay's advice it is this one! We decided to go out to the casino for dinner. My brother is an avid casino-attendee and my mother likes the place.

I don't mean to come off sounding snooty, but, well, it's an ok place, but not great. It is nice to have a special meal to the strains of Aerosmith's 'Dude Looks Like A Lady'. That was special. The food was not. But, my mother and brothe seemed to enjoy themselves and really that was what it was all about for me.

But if you want great food - don't go here.

Mind you, I won $15 on the way out and there are not many restaurants that can happen in. My mother got the real kicker - she won the Lotto 6/49! But that's a story for another day.

And now it snows!

This is crazy. Now the snow is coming down like no one's business. The only problem is that I am going a bit stir crazy - there is nothing to do! It is one thing to travel, but to go somewhere and sit and not have 'your stuff' is a bit frustrating.

I am working on the FilmAmora revamp, and also on the rewrite of 'Coming Out'... but good god where is the decent coffee?! Taking of the sacred brew at the Church of Tim Horton's I personally find unsatisfying. (Also, since when do they double glaze a frigging Dutchie?). I can't find a place with an actual coffee machine. Upon my return to España you will find me at the Carrefour tapas bar, without doubt.

I am reading this great book called 'The Dip'. I actually bought it for my brother for Xmas. I like reading books like this - it gets me motivated. I definitely agree with his philosophy - if you can't be the best, don't do it. Now, of course that is, on one level, blatantly stupid as a) who judges and b) someone is always better. But, the thought is be the best 'in your world'. Your world might be small town Indiana (though the internet has really buggered this idea up for a lot of people).

Anyway, I am rambling as a procrastination technique.

Up for air...

It's been a tough few months recently. Some quite stressful work, and lots of it, combined with ongoing woes about FilmAmora.com (and the useless institutions called Banks in Spain - and no I am not trying to get money from them!) and various other factors have taken their toll on me.

But, I am on a little respite, over here in Canada visiting my mother (and of course doing a little work related side traveling too - I am a workaholic).

It is incredibly cold here. How do Canadians survive it? And WHY? It was -18 Celcius last night when I arrived here in Sarnia. That is just.... stupid!

But it is relaxing, and I can even write up a few blog entries. I'm getting some screenwriting done here too... so life is getting back on track a little.

More soon....

Phil

See the difference you can make

Whoops.... a MONTH?

Crikey! It's been more than a month since I posted. Funny how life can whiz by like that.
Christmas and New Year's has come and gone. My best friend Dave Waldner and his wife Linda Gahagan were down for that. It was great to spend time with them. We did some driving around (to places like Malaga and Ronda) but for the most part we just hung out (apart from Xmas dinner over at Anna and Tilly's). We had an awesome New Year's Eve in Malaga, hanging out in the centre and drinking Champagne. What more can you ask for?!

Life has been pretty crazy - I have this contract to do a website for a Russian gambling company, but at the same time I am developing FilmAmora and of course doing all the business side of that. And CostaFilma. With our first screenplay optioned we are into the development side of that.

The other news is that we are producing a TV show that will be shown on Sky. Once that is finalised later this month I will post details.

More to follow....