I saw a final cut of THE GATEWAY MEAT, filmed in Massachusetts. I appear in the film, I get brutally murdered and got to write my own death scene. Unfortunately my face is bound up with duct tape and we shot for 8 or 10 hours and I couldn't see and was covered in cold fake blood all day. The DVD will be out soon. The film is AMAZING- oh my god- so gory! I was only in a small part and did not see the script so knew nothing about the plot of the film or anything about it except my scenes.

Also out soon on DVD:

Countess Bathoria's Graveyard Picture Show, which debuted at the Fantasia Film Fest, and which I co-wrote.

I am writing for The Independent Magazine website and will be interviewing Jeremy Kasten, director of the upcoming remake of The Wizard of Gore.

I have an interview in the next Girls and Corpses magazine with Erik Ruhling, author of Infernal Device, an illustrated book of torture devices.

Although I put it aside months and months ago it looks like my script A Fistful of Anger may be optioned.

[READ MORE]

My very first SARCASTIC Blog posted here on Beanywood about... I wanna go back to Hollywood where people truly do care for one another..... Has been lost in Translation!

  The whole basis of that particular blog was based on the fact that "I" (being one of the very few people here on Beanywood), to have actually Lived, worked, suffered & survived in Hollywood California for 12 years in the movie business could not even BEG, BORROW OR STEAL A CRAPPY FILM GIG OUT HERE IN BOSTON!

  That for several years now I have done everything imaginable to attempt to hitch up with New England Professional film makers & I couldn't get anyone to even SPIT ON ME!

  This Phenomenon has utterly BAFFLED me.... CONFUSED me.... HURT & SHATTERED (most of what was left of my confidence) & has thoroughly made me so distraught wondering: If a seasoned PRO from Hollywood couldn't wrangle up a 10 cent film job here in Boston.... THEN WHO THE HELL COULD????

  All this failure in Hollywood (not knowing how to advance the ladder of success after 12 long, heart breaking years) to then coming back, to my home town turf & not being able to even get a friggin PA job WORKING FOR FREE!....

  Can you imagine what that feels like? What it does to ones Soul? To the shattered remnants of ones dreams?

ITS MIND NUMBING!... HEARTBREAKING..... IT'S CATASTROPHIC TO EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING!

This has put me in a horrible tailspin in a deep black hole of depression, despair & utter shock.

  Do you folks wanna know what its like to feel like a complete failure? An absolute Loser? A shell shocked Hollywood causality?

  Do you know how it feels Living in a complete vacuum of confusion.... knowing that you have failed in Hollywood & then..... Come home... beaten... tail between your legs... kicked in the face & then spend years attempting to find ANY KIND OF LOW END FILM GIG OUT IN BOSTON..... & COMPLETELY BOMB?

  It is times such as these that the truly inspired, the true masters of their own destiny.... come into their own.... Positive Creativity can be born from such negative circumstances. I shall make my mark on this world yet... I am not beaten.... I am just down for the count in a temporary set-back!

  It has been brought to my attention that I come across as ARROGANT.... SELF ENTITLED... EXCLUSIONARY... RUDE...

  I have been ACCUSED of bringing MY HOLLYWOOD ATTITUDE back with me to this fine town of Boston........ But I say: THIS IS ALL COMPLETELY BACKWARDS!

  What has disillusioned me to the Boston film community is the poor attitudes of so many people (both young & old) attempting to MIMIC some false, misguided idea of 'WHAT THEY THINK" Hollywood is. Big words... Big tales... all attitude... A fast track to fame & fortune on hollow wings of gold... Rising to the pinnacle of Hollywood moviedom off the broken backs of Peons that go unnoticed & un appreciated & do ALL of the work.

  THIS IS BAD THINKING.... THIS IS BACKWARDS... THIS IS WRONG... THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED... THIS ACTUALLY GOES ON EVERYWHERE IN LIFE..... BUT JESUS PEOPLE....... ARE WE EVER GOING TO LEARN?  CAN WE NOT LEARN TO BE DECENT & HUMANE TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE ARTS?

  I say light & silly things (to hide my depth)... I attempt to be witty, funny & informative (and many times fall flat on my face)... But I have noticed that this town, born of PURITAN BELIEFS.... Still wreaks of small minded, BIG TALKING FOOLS.

  I do not say this out of hatred & anger... But out of deep sadness & despair... As humans, we need to rise above the human condition & grow..... But we can never grow..... if people still have the same damn closed minded attitudes of the 16th century.

  Elitism does not rule... At least, IT SHOULD NOT RULE....

  Good, creative, film making people of Boston, show those simpleton fools that want to bully people, that will not be tolerated here. There still is a chance for there to be a fine film community here in Boston. But first, the good people... the kind people... the truly creative people, need to let it be known that PETTY, BULLSHIT, ARROGANT, USER FOOLS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED HERE!

  That I have gone through all of this horrible behavior BEFORE.... IN HOLLYWOOD.... for so many years... only to turn around NOW... & find it here in Boston..... IS INTOLERABLE.

Let's work together & Create some Cool Stuff people...... Who's with me?

Just another note from the edge, from your twisted friend, & truly Demented Reporter of life,
Craig Amabello
The X-Hollywood Reject

[READ MORE]

It has been brought to my attention that I appear to be committing Creative & Professional suicide with my very Delicate & Fragile & never even having quite gotten off the ground Film Career.

Even though Death seems to have been hanging around me these last couple of years & people around me have been dropping faster than Elvis & James Dean on a Joy ride with John kennedy in Dallas.... I most certainly have no Intention of Committing Suicide of ANY KIND!....

SO for any of you Ghouls & Thrill seekers that think they smell death & the Putrid, Rotting Decay of a Mal Nourished & twisted mind on display for all to see.... You have most certainly, have come to the Wrong place!

For I am only affecting FREE SPEECH..... ARTISTIC CREATIVITY.... CALLING IT, THE WAY I SEE IT....

FOR I DO NOT CREATE THE WORLDS REALITY..... I JUST COMMENT ON IT!

I have found that most... If not all of the Boston Film people that I have come in contact with are:

FULL OF THEMSELVES.... BRAGGARTS.... & FOOLS...... DELUSIONAL PSYCHOPATHS THAT SEEK TO SUCK THE DREAMS FROM OTHER DEMENTED, LOWER TYPES... & IN THE PROCESS, BUILD THEMSELVES UP INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT.....TO TURN THEMSELVES INTO SOME MAD DEMENTED VISION THEY HAVE OF HOW "TRUE" HOLLYWOOD TYPES ACT & LIVE... BUT BOY, HAVE THEY GOT IT ALL WRONG!

I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING FED THIS DERANGED DELUSION OF HOW THEY THINK HOLLYWOOD REALLY IS... BUT THESE SIMPLETONS & FOOLS THAT MIMIC WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THE "REAL" HOLLYWOOD ARE SO INSANELY WRONG THAT IT MAKES THOSE OF US IN THE KNOW.... WANT TO PUKE!

THERE ARE SOME CREATIVE BUSINESS TYPES OUT IN HOLLYWOOD THAT ARE KIND, DECENT HUMAN BEINGS THAT STILL MAKE A FANTASTIC LIVING!

Is it wrong to say what I believe???

What I know to be true???

Is this Suicide??... To speak ones mind??

To say what truly is... As opposed to playing a part of the status Quo that has it all ass backwards, wrong & upside down???

Could I be wrong?... Sure I could..... But I aint!

Am I to be Stoned because I dare to speak my mind?

This is not Professional Jealousy here folks... This is just one man's opinion... ( Mine), & you can take it, or leave it....

All I am speaking about comes from years of attempting to connect with Pro film people out here on the East coast with absolutely NO LUCK AT ALL!

I have tried everything.... Humor... Seriousness... Small talk... Business talk... Jokes... to simply passing out my resume ( a resume, I might ad, that isn't at all very spectacular, but by most standards out here in the Boston circuit... I'm freakin Spielberg! )

So I am left with the completely tormented knowledge that I am NOT QUALIFIED TO WORK FOR EVEN THE MOST LOWELY OF PROJECTS OUT HERE... FOR THE MOST BASIC OF COOKIE CUTTER PRODUCTION COMPANIES ON THE EAST COAST....

When a man comes from Hollywood California... Back to Boston.... & attempts to connect with almost anybody in the local film community... on any level & is practically begging for PA work & still cannot find it...... SOMETHING MUST BE DRASTICALLY WRONG!

I GET ABSOLUTELY LITTLE RESPONSE FROM THE PEOPLE ON THIS BEANYWOOD SITE... (Except a few cool people).

I AM ACTUALLY TRYING TO OPEN A HONEST & REAL DISCUSSION ON BUSINESS ETHICS OUT HERE.....

THE WAY HOLLYWOOD IS PERCEIVED BY NEW ENGLAND FILM WANNA-BE'S....

I LIVED TO SOME DEGREE "THE HOLLYWOOD DREAM"...

ALBIET.... "THE CLASSIC..... HOLLYWOOD DREAM GONE WRONG"... BUT NEVER THE LESS.... I LIVED THE REAL DEAL.... THE HOLLYWOOD LIFE... MAKING MY LIVING IN THE CITY OF LOST ANGELS WHILE THE DEVILS SURROUNDED US DAY & NIGHT.

THESE DEVILS WOULD GET OFF THE BUS EVERYDAY & POINT AT US AS WE MADE MOVIES IN FRONT OF GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATRE...

WHILE WE SLAVED AWAY EVERYDAY IN THE LOST CITY OF BRIGHT LIGHTS THAT SHINE DOWN FROM THE HILLS OF MADNESS & BROKEN DREAMS....

LOSING OUR FOOTING ALONG THE WAY... DAY AFTER DAY.... BUT NEVER QUITE FALLING.... & STILL CLIMBING THAT NEVER ENDING MOUNTAIN TO THE TOP OF THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS....

ONLY TO FIND THAT WE WERE STILL... TRULY IN THE GUTTER... & AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE BARREL... & HAD TO START OUR ASCENT ALL OVER AGAIN.... TO REALIZE YET AGAIN... ON ANOTHER DAY... THAT WE WERE STILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HEAP WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROGRESS IN SITE....

TO JUST START EVERYDAY.... ALL OVER... TIME & TIME AGAIN... LIKE SOME BAD EPISODE FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE.... AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL!

THIS IS THE HOLLYWOOD THAT I CAME FROM... THE HOLLYWOOD THAT BEATS YOU DOWN DAY IN & DAY OUT WITH NO HOPE IN SITE......

THEN OUT OF NOWHERE...... BANG!....

A SMALL GLIMMERING HOPE OF ESCAPE COMES YOUR WAY & LIKE A PUFF OF SMOKE IN THE NIGHT....

POOF........ YOUR DREAMS DISSIPATE RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES & FADE BACK INTO THE SHADOWS... LIKE THE MIST IN THE NGHT..... FROM THE HOT SANTA ANA WINDS THAT ROLL THRU THE DESERT AT DAWN.

THESE ARE THE VERY THINGS THAT SHATTER YOUR SOUL...... BREAK YOUR MIND..... DESTROY YOUR CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF & YOUR FELLOW MAN.....

& THEN THE DAY COMES THAT YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH.... THAT YOU CAN TAKE NO MORE OF THIS TORMENTED DAMNATION...

THAT YOU CHOOSE TO COME HOME TO PEACE OF MIND & SANITY.... TO FIND SOLACE IN THE DECENCY OF GOOD OLE HOME TOWN AMERICA!

ONLY TO FIND A DENIZEN OF DEMENTED DREAMERS LOST IN THE WANNA-BE LAND OF THE FAST TRACK HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE...

AND ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS....................."SCREAM!"

IS IT COOL TO BE FAKE?????

IS IT RIGHT TO ACT WRONG????

IS RUDENESS THE ONLY "SHOW BIZ" WAY???

WHEN YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A TENTH OF THIS HOLLYWOOD BULLSHIT...

YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THIS FEMALE... THIS DREAM... THIS WOMAN KNOWN AS "HOLLYWOOD"... IS THE BITCH GODDESS FROM HELL...

& THAT SHE WILL SWALLOW YOUR SOUL ALIVE & SPIT YOU OUT THE BOTTOM...

A WASTED SHELL OF A HUMAN THAT YOU ONCE WERE...

THEN.... & ONLY THEN... MIGHT YOU HAVE A SMALL CLUE AS TO WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH & WHAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THROUGH OUT ALL OF MY BLOGS HERE ON BEANYWOOD.....

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO OVER LOOK & IGNORE PEOPLE'S ARROGANT, RUDE, TO COOL FOR SCHOOL BEHAVIOR ON WHAT THEY 'PERCEIVE" THE REAL HOLLYWOOD TO BE LIKE.....

BUT I AM TRULY FED UP WITH THESE CHILDISH & UTTERLY ABYSMAL HUMAN TYPES THAT FEEL THEY ARE "TRUELY" MEANT FOR HOLLYWOOD.... & WITH THAT......

THEY FEEL THE NEED TO LIVE OUT SOME FAIRY-TALE...GUM SHOE Z-MOVIE VERSION OF WHAT THEY THINK "REAL HOLLYWOOD" IS LIKE!

SO THEY SPEND ALL THERE TIME TRYIN TO MIMIC THE HOLLYWOOD BIG BOYS BY PISSING ON ALL THE SMALL DOGS THAT THEY CAN....

ALL THIS DOES IS BREED ILL WILL.... CONFUSION.... & ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING FOR ANYONE!

WHEN THE HELL ARE YOU UPPITY BOSTON FILM TYPES GOING TO GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR BUMS & OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE REAL WORLD???

A WORLD THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO CRUSH OTHER PEOPLES DREAMS TO GET AHEAD....

A WORLD WERE PEOPLE CAN STILL BE DECENT TO ONE ANOTHER & STILL CREATE SOMETHING GOOD & PROFITABLE...

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I RAIL AGAINST....

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT GAUL ME MOST...

UNMITIGATED UNNECESSARY HUMAN RUDENESS!

WAKE UP PEOPLE OF BOSTON......

DON'T LET THE POD PEOPLE TAKE OVER COMPLETELY......

HILLARY CLINTON IS NOT YOUR FRIEND......

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY DEVILS IN MAKE-UP.....

FOR I AM ONE TO KNOW..... FOR I HAVE SEEN THE DARK-SIDE OF THE LONG NIGHT IN THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS...

WHERE VERY FEW....... EVER MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!

All I have been doing these last few years is to attempt to find a way to make a God damn Honest & legal living out here on the East coast in the film community....

& I HAVE FAILED MISERABLY!.....

If you wonder why I appear to have an ATTITUDE.....

WOULDN'T YOU?

Signed,
Craig "The X-Hollywood Reject" Amabello

[READ MORE]

I don't know what it takes to get recognized, respected & noticed on this website by the people in charge?

I can't get an email back from them about how to become a "Selected blog".

Or, How to become Acknowledged as a legitimate blogger on this site?

I am like a Ghost in the Machine... A phantom dream... I can't get no damn RESPECT!

They won't put me as a Selected blog.... Or put me on the front page of Past blogs... Or even acknowledge my existence by returning my emails... But they do it for so many others....

But........... NOT FOR ME!.... WHY?

Did I do something wrong???

Did I kick their little doggy??

Did I strangle their Pet Kitty??

This is starting to remind me of my Good ole days in Hollywood when nice Show Biz Celebrities like: Gene Simmons, Lemmy Kilmeister, Jane Seymour, Kirstey Alley, all Hated me & yet I don't recall ever doing anything to them to get such a Violent reaction.

But yet, Sean Lennon enjoyed my company... Angela Bowie thought I was a darling... Ronnie James Dio Protected me... Burt Reynolds told me I did a really great job & my Only True Hollywood Friend "Bruce Campbell" Loved me!... What did these people see in me that so many others couldn't???

Am I to be forever Misunderstood & maligned?

From Coast to coast to Sea to Shining sea...

From Hollywood to Beanywood...

Peons to Stars vacillate between their love & hatred of my personality...

CAN I EVER GET A DAMN BREAK?

I have gotten off the track again...... Back to my point:

I have written 20 blogs here which have included various info on:

Productions in the New England area... With such varied content as: Real Television commercials... Presidential candidate web promos... Motor-cross X game stunt show coverage... Documentary shooting for ER Doctors... Rock & Roll live concert events... Quasi-Religious Short films... I've spoken on such Hot topics as: Show Biz deals, heartbreaks & Busted dreams from the very Beast Herself... "Hollywood".....

But still it seems I do not seem to RATE HERE... Why?

If a guy that spent 12 long years slugging it out in the trenches of Hollywood California...The very CessPit that is Show biz Hell itself... can't get acknowledgment here.... Then what does it take?

I have attempted to broach such topics as Human kindness... Hard work... Creativity... Dedication... Respect for others... Being a Team player... The ethics of doing REAL PAYING gigs....

BUT STILL..... NOTHING... NADA-- ZIP.......

What does a guy gotta do to get recognition here by the POWERS THAT BE?

Am I like some Bastard Step child?... The Black sheep of the family?... The drunken Uncle that says dirty, awkward & embarrassing things at the dinner table in front of mixed company?

I am ever so Confused... Is this Professional Jealousy?... Pettiness? Or just plain Childishness???

What can a poor boy do, But sing for a Rock & Roll band?

Anybody have any clues out there for me?

Anybody wanna give me any pointers on the Human Condition that I don't seem to have a clue about?

Am I just so far gone from banging my head against the brick wall of life that I have lost all of my sense?

I attempt to truly be Enlightening... Humorous... Insightful... Educational... About Hollywood... Life... New England Productions & REAL show Biz Examples....

Is this not what this site is supposed to be about????

I just don't know anymore......

IS IT ME?

So I propose this:

If any of you fine folks of Boston want to see me gone....

To VOTE ME OFF OF THIS BEANYWOOD SITE...

Then please POST YOUR VOTES!

I am SERIOUS!

IF THERE ARE 10 VOTES POSTED THAT WANT ME TO DISAPPEAR....

THEN I WILL GLADLY GO...

I don't want to be were I am not Invited.... Wanted... Or appreciated....

PLEASE.... POST YOUR VOTES...

SHOULD CRAIG AMABELLO STAY BLOGGING ON THIS SITE?

OR DO YOU WANT ME TO GO?

The choice is now left to THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON.

We live in a Democracy.... (Albeit, a very crooked, Corrupt & at times, Insanely Inept bureaucracy, that borders at times on being a Fascist, Dictatorial, Totalitarian Nazi Regime).... So lets see if THE PEOPLE WILL TRULEY SPEAK UP....

CAST YOUR VOTES TODAY... DO NOT DELAY.... TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE....

If 10 of you want me to go... I will go, with my tail between my legs, running back to the Hills, (The Hollywood hills that is)... A place were I seem to fit in much better than here in New England... The place of my Childhood.

IT IS ALL IN YOUR HANDS NOW FINE FOLKS OF NEW ENGLAND.

Oh ya..... Thanks to the few people that have answered my ads... Said nice things about me... & seemed to understand my Eclectic style.... I truly do appreciate your understanding & good will.

And if any of you actors & Actresses out there want to contact me about comedy Sketches I am in pre-production on for really insane, cutting edge & funny Web shows... Please contact me: laconnection101@aol.com.

I am also looking to hitch up with a few cool, dark humored writers to help me put my ideas to scripts for full length feature films & Shorts, please let me know.

Keep believing in yourselves... Don't kick a dog when he's down... & have fun creating cool, entertaining, & Profitable stuff for the Bewildered Masses....

I know I sure am.

Signed,
Your truly Demented Reporter & X-Hollywood Reject,
Craig Amabello

[READ MORE]

Hello my dear Bostonians... Craig Amabello here... Your Truly Twisted & Demented X-Hollywood Reject phoning in from the front.

How are all of you film makers doing out there?

Are you living your dreams?

Are you attempting to live your dreams?

Do you just want to explode sometimes with frustration over not being able to create the Art that you truly know is inside you & SCREAMS to get out?

I know that I DO.... Everyday that goes by without another thing accomplished is truly another day wasted!

I am attempting to change my ways.... Lift my life above this crummy haze of dementia that spills over me like bad Whiskey.

Do any of you ever feel that nobody truly understands you?

Do you just want to get up & scream..... Time for a change!... Time to make my Destiny come true!

I know that I surely do.

I am a lost soul.... A brother of no man... A wandering Rock & Roll Gypsy that has his foot stuck in the big bad bear trap of life!

Time to shake off these shackles & get back to Reality....

Hollywood is calling my name.... I can hear her whispering my name in the winds...

Why won't SHE leave me alone?

Why do I hate & LOVE her so much?

Do any of you ever feel the same way that I do?

Or is it just me?... Trapped in my own mind... Shattered thoughts of Tattered dreams... Running around inside my head while all the rest of the voices Scream...... FEED ME! ... SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU CAN DO! ... TIME IS PASSING BY... I have no time to die.. Because I have a vision, A goal, A dream, that can not be shot down from the sky.

All those mean, Bitter, twisted, Hollow, Shallow people that get in my way, try to make me think I am a loser... The world is full of these angry people & I just do my best to ignore them. The Nay sayers shall not change MY visions... For I have a destiny... Show Biz is in my blood... Film Making is calling me... Creative energies just spill out of me, I just need to learn to FOCUS & re-direct my energies to accomplish all of my goals. ( don't let these people get you down folks... They will always be around every corner... Don't let others stop you from living your dreams).

Why is loneliness so bad? Better to be Misunderstood... Than a fool that follows the pack & regrets it on your death bed!

Heres a brief synopsis of my week in rewind...

Shot some great footage & interviews of Motor-cross X-game jumpers last weekend for a documentary that I am doing. (All very cool. Very down to earth people. Especially for guys that spend half of their day Flying, spinning, & jumping thru the air risking their lives like Evel Kneivel could only dream about).

Worked for the ER doctor again on his Documentary on Disillusioned Doctors. Shot some interview footage with his mom & actually asked some good hard hitting questions. (after shooting, I told the doc some stories of my childhood & he & his producer said THEY should be making a documentary about MY life!)

Saw myself on TV again last week in that whacky movie "Army of Darkness". Sam Raimi's 3rd Installment of the Evil dead series. A Cult classic starring my only true Hollywood friend, Bruce Campbell. This movie was shot many, many years ago & I actually am only on screen a few seconds here & there but I still get a kick out of seeing myself on television as I squander my time out here on the east coast struggling to find my place in life.

Heard thru my Hollywood connections that a big time Porn Director by the name of Jim Powers was on the Howard Stern show the other day & they ended up showing some of MY footage that I shot years ago that shows the crazy world of Adult entertainment.

Gotta work (as a lighting guy) on a Bernie & Phil furniture commercial next week shooting some new spots for them.

Today I am back in the studio shooting girls in the Mud pit. (yes, we actually put girls in a mud pit & they then recite some lines of dramatic dialogue as they Submerse themselves completely under!)

Gotta meet a guy next week to start shooting weddings... (yes Weddings... Arghhhhhh... I am such a whore.)

All next weekend I will be shooting Hockey matches for the league. (Hockey, what a disgusting charade. Its just Violence disguised as a sport.)

And that about wraps up my week... Quite a diverse little character I am huh? My life is so surreal, so demented, so utterly boring & yet, exciting at times, that sometimes I just can't do anything but smile & giggle to myself thinking is this a normal life? Do other people live this way?

As I walk this tight rope that is my life juggling kittens, hand grenades & digital content, I always wonder if I am going to fall... Or have I already fallen & I just can't get up?

My life is a bad B movie... & I have to turn it into a billion dollar franchise blockbuster & win over the masses so that my true talent can shine thru & the money piles up bigger than the gold in fort Knox. I know I have it in me... I just gotta get it OUTTA ME!

My best friend thinks that I am insane & that my Ambitions SUPER-CEDE my ABILITIES....

  AM I just a fool? A dreamer? A child lost to the world? You bet I am... But it is all I have... It is all I have ever had... My ability to SEE REALITY for what it truly is & to still not let that throw me... Life is to short kids... Ya gotta have fun... Grab life & kick it in the Ass & giggle at the madness that surrounds us all...

The infinite wisdom of the ages is never lost on one such as I... As I watch this country growing closer & closer to the She-Devil that is known as Hillary Clinton I sometimes wonder am I the only one that can sense the madness? Taste the Fear? Nobodies gonna pull the wool over my eyes... The sheep go Bahhh & the Politicians are stirring up their Wicked Caldron of Befuddling madness to confuse the masses with their Bullshit & lies....

We need a new hero... Am I the one? Can I truly take on & accomplish all that I desire? (To create Cool Entertainment for the Befuddled masses), Or am I just a fool with a handful of mud & left over dreams from a bygone era?

Only time will tell.... For I am.... Craig Amabello Hollywoods Lost Child.

Time to PUT UP... Or shut up.

WIsh you all well in your pursuit of happiness & dreams... I sure could use some Positive thoughts.

From your friend on the edge of Insanity... Craig Amabello, your truly demented reporter & X-Hollywood Misfit.

[READ MORE]

Do you remember the first time you saw a Monet or a Kandinsky or a Schiele?  You probably thought to yourself, "My god, that's beautiful.  And you know what?  I could probably do that, too.  And I wouldn't even need any training.  That's just how good I am."

Do you remember hearing The Beatles for the first time?  Or Nina Simone or Igor Stravinsky?  You probably thought, "Man, that's some good stuff.  And I bet I could pick up a violin or a guitar and just know how to play.  I could look at an instrument and grasp the fundamentals of music theory, orchestration, and four-part harmony in a flash.  I mean, how hard could it be?"

What, this never happened to you?  Huh.  Me, either.  So, why is it that so many people these days are picking up digital-video cameras and shooting movies despite knowing nothing about the art and craft of film-making? 

Now, please don't get me wrong.  I'm not bashing amateur filmmakers, and I'm certainly not bashing the concept of learning by doing.  As a matter of fact, I'm a fan of both.  As a founder of the Boston Motion Picture Awards, I've seen some rather amazing films from student and amateur filmmakers.  My problem is not with artists or craftspeople who are early on in the learning process.  My problem is with people who think they can produce quality work while bypassing the learning process.

"Yeah, but what about artists and musicians who are self-taught?" I often hear.  Well, stop for a moment and think that question through.  "Self-taught" implies some actual teaching.  Great self-taught artists and musicians rarely sit in a room and practice without any other source of education.  They go to concerts and watch musicians play; they go to museums and study the color choices and brush strokes of master painters; they listen to the works of great musicians and try to recreate the music on their own instruments.  They absorb as much information as they can, and they do it actively.  They don't assume that because they go to the movies once a month, and because they can quote Ghostbusters from start to finish, that they've somehow studied film-making.

"Yeah, but there are no rules in art, you know?  Besides, I like to break the rules."  Okay, well, if there are no rules, then you can't break them, but let's put that aside for a moment.  There's nothing wrong with breaking the "rules."  Most of the great artists do.  These great artists, though, study color theory or music theory and make a conscious choice to do something different--to surprise their audience or force the audience to re-learn how to look at a painting or read a novel.  Great artists work hard to perfect their craft; they educate themselves in every way possible so they can get better at what they do. 

So, what is it about film-making that's so different from other arts?  What is it that makes so many people think that you don't need any experience or education?  And this isn't a rhetorical question.  I'd really love to know, so if anyone out there has any thoughts, please add a comment or send me an e-mail.

In the mean time, I have this to say: to all out you out there who are working hard at your craft, I commend you.  I hope you'll continue working hard, and I hope you find success.

[READ MORE]