Tonight I’m sitting at the CEO’s desk of Water Bearer Films, using his computer to send you this update from the filmmaking world.  I’m surrounded by shelves and shelves and shelves of his film releases, dating back over 20 years.  There are a lot of really cool movies in this room.  I’m totally honored to be here.

After I spend a couple hours working on my next screenplay, I’m heading to bed in the guest quarters of the office.  I’m here for the weekend,  talking with Mike Stimler about the future of indie films and getting some great insights into the distribution world.   I promised not to say anything, but his distribution company is on the verge of making some really exciting announcements. As a filmmaker who relies on Water Bearer to get my movies out into the world, I am thrilled by what’s coming around the corner.

His office is a long way from Manhattan.  Took me six hours to get here, and I’m glad to be sitting still. I’ll be staying through the weekend and using this time as a retreat to get my next movie ready for pre-production.

Yesterday I spent four hours with director Rob Williams at the Galaxy Diner in New York.  He and his partner, Rodney Johnson, were extremely helpful by guiding me through the signatory process with SAG when we were filming ABRUPT DECISION.   Breakfast/lunch yesterday was great.  Rob and I talked about the festival circuit, distribution, and future projects.  I am so glad we’ve finally met in person after months of emailing. He left NY this afternoon to present his film ROLE/PLAY at the Reeling Film Fest in Chicago.

I’ll only be back in New York a day or two before meeting with Douglas Morse to begin pre-production on his next film, an adaptation of JEW OF MALTA.  He’ll be filming in the spring and I’ll be helping over the next several months as the project begins to take shape.

Meanwhile, ABRUPT DECISION is under consideration at the Berlin Film Festival (February) and SXSW in Austin (March).   These would be the international and North American Premieres of the film.  If you’d like ABRUPT DECISION to premiere in Austin, where it was filmed, please contact your friends at SXSW and tell them you want to see the film.

Since ABRUPT DECISION stars Steve Callahan (who is getting a lot of attention from his starring role in Rob’s movie ROLE/PLAY) the movie will probably play a bunch of film festivals in 2011.

Very soon I will be deeply involved in pre-production on the next film slated to film early summer. (That’s the script I’m finishing this weekend.)  I tentatively have plans in December to scout locations and line up resources in Nova Scotia where we’ll be shooting.  I still can’t make official announcements about the film, but everything is coming together well.

Next weekend I’ll be in Boston, checking in with good friends, followed by two weeks back at the Texas farmhouse.  I still need to replace the porch roof, and I never got around to the attic wiring.

That’s the news from this big, beautifully designed executive desk.  (Even his Mac is about twice the size of mine back at the penthouse.)

Keep me updated with your news.   You may not hear from me again for a couple weeks, but I’ll be reading your messages and posts.