So sorry I have not checked in for the last week. We have been having some script issues for the last week. Our script was a bit too depraved and some characters were not reading as likable as we wanted. The cool thing is that our group is VERY adaptive, we made some really smart changes to the script and have it going in a much more clever direction.

I hope this isn’t too vague.

Originally, my idea for this blog was to have a place I could document freely and honestly about our steps in making this Independent Sitcom and Production company happen. Like I said in previous posts, I always want to find out EVERYTHING about Bands, Film, TV shows and other artists that I really respect/admire. I hope that we will be a company that people can rally around and wish to see succeed. If we could get a regular blogging readership, that would be awesome!

The problem I have is that I don’t want to share too much about our shows before our audience gets to watch. Additionally my role on this show is to be a bit diplomatic and I need to be careful about venting. Truth is, I am moody. Sometimes I feel like everything about this whole thing is crap, and then the next hour I am in love with our story, actors, crew.

Anyway, what I am getting at is this last week was a challenge and I didn’t want to write anything while in one of my moods.

In other news.

-We are going to start shooting THIS WEEKEND! The script is looking good, the crew is set, and things are looking positive.

-We have an AWESOME theme song that is in the works and we may release it in a few weeks on Youtube. Drennon did a great job with it and I cant wait for people to hear it.

-I am going to try to find a web designer or a collection of them to put together our SFValues.com site. This will be a site that hopefully introduces our sitcom in a funny and interactive way. If anyone is interested in doing a comedy based site and has a good amount of time available in July to work on it, please contact me!

-Finally, I would like to ask everyone who checks in here regularly (we have had around 800 or so separate individuals check us out during the last couple months) to please bookmark us, sign up for blog updates, and tell friends. My goal is to get our traffic over 10,000 peeps by the time we pitch this show.

Be good,
matt

Arthur Gaus is a stand up comedian and actor originally from San Francisco. He feels compelled to say that because a lot of people move to San Francisco, live here for 2 years and walk around like they own the goddamned place and that bothers him.

He has appeared in San Francisco Comedy Day and Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy shows 13 and 14. He is almost always wearing some form of stripes and likes to say “ZUBAZ!” as a synonym for “In your FACE!” His atristic inspirations include, Brian Regan, David Letterman, Prince, Electric Light Orchestra, Michael Palin, Hall, Oates, Skee-Lo (Not Cee-lo, Skee-lo) and the Wu-Tang Clan.

He loves hanging out with strangers which he calls “Randos” and when he is surrounded by randos on all sides he calls it a “Rando-lier.” He thinks that is way funnier than anyone else does. Arthur also likes talking about baseball more than he likes you. Well, maybe not YOU per se, but you get the point.

Want to stalk Arthur? Yea you do… start the process by making friends with him at:

Arthurs myspace

Lisa Greyson started acting in musical theater when she was seven years old. She participated in several plays in her small town of Sonora, California while she was growing up. As a child, she trained with Columbia Actors Conservatory summer program and Young Americans. After high school Lisa joined the Young Americans, a performing arts touring and music outreach group. After spending a semester with Young Americans she moved to Arizona to go to school and to further pursue singing. She entered and won several vocal competitions around California and Arizona.

Her aspirations as a singer took a back seat when she discovered her love for acting. Her passion for being in front of the camera started when she and her family began making short films at family gatherings. Working in front of and behind the scenes gave her a great appreciation for film and stage work.

Lisa began modeling and then started acting when she moved to Berkeley two years ago. Eventually she auditioned for and was cast in lead roles for short films around the Bay Area. In the past couple of years she has been in several short films, commercials, and music videos. Lisa is currently studying with renowned acting coach Clody Cates. Lisa’s passion for film has also extended to her college life as she is majoring in Film Studies at UC Berkeley.

You can learn more about Lisa at her Myspace:
Lisa’s Myspace

So we are slowly coming to the completion of the script for the San Francisco Values Pilot. We are having our final writer’s meeting this tuesday and hope to have a decent 30 page script by Wednesday. I think the script is pretty tight and really funny. Exciting!

now for a bit of business…

-there have been a lot of people who have offered to help out on this project doing “whatever’s needed” and we are getting to a point where we could start needing some help. So if you are interested in providing any help, I would LOVE to hear from you.

~ We could use someone who is open to making some phone calls and securing locations, permits, etc.

~we could use PA’s or people who are down to help on set.

~we could use someone who is really into wardrobe and fashion. I really want to give characters distinct styles and this would be perfect for a student to get experience.

~we could use people who are interested in prop design. We have a bunch of funny visual gags that we need to make.

~We are also interested in finding anyone who is really interested in web design, or video game type animation. There is a funny video game cut that we would like to make ala Grand Theft Auto… if you have a twisted sense of humor, this would be a great outlet for it. And we are going to be making a cool new website for the show San Francisco Values and looking to build a team of innovative designers to make something really cool.

If you are interested in any of this, please contact me at Matt@adroitfilm.com. Anyone who helps out will receive credit on the pilot and a DVD of the project. I am really eager to hear from all of you.

-Casting of all the major roles have been completed and I am now going into casting for all the supporting roles. Some of these will be recurring characters if the show is picked up, so if you havent heard from me yet about acting, dont get discouraged.

-We are searching for a couple of locations in the city to shoot and looking for any help we can get. We need a cubicled office in the city that we could shoot at during the June 30th and July 1st. We also have a protest street scene and would love the ability to shoot the front of a business building (like 4 stories or more). We would be shooting during the morning of July 7th or 8th. If you have any access to that type of area, please let me know. We will be VERY respectful in any locations we shoot.

-Finally, I am interested in finding any local bands interested in lending their music to our show. If we use the music we will provide credit and links to your website/itunes area. We will also provide you links on this website as well. I really love music and I feel like there is so much high quality stuff out there that just doesnt get enough attention. I really want to help promote independant bands, so if you have a cd, please send it over…

While on music… I know i am lame for admitting that i like Fall out Boy and Panic ATD,but I still think they are talented groups who write really catchy poppy songs. Then I just happened upon Paramore on youtube and cant get this song out of my head. Thought i would share. I wouldnt be surprised if they get really popular soon. I think them talented, but it could just because i have a weakness for fake red hair.

Be good
matt

Continuing our introduction to the San Francisco Values family- Meet Kurt Weitzmann our newly minted Kingston!

Kurt Weitzmann has been performing comedy for over fifteen years. His act has been seen on Comedy Central, MTV, and on the stages of every San Francisco comedy club ever to come or go.

Kurt Weitzmann began doing stand up in the late 80’s at the infamous Holy City Zoo, where such acts as Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Rob Schneider, and Margaret Cho all honed their craft. In between Stand Up performances Kurt founded numerous Bay Area sketch groups, including Nervous laughter which was touted as “Funnier than any given season of Saturday Night Live in the last ten years” by BAM Magazine. Kurt also created, edited, and produced the ingenious SF Weakly, a highly celebrated parody of the SF Weekly, for which he was labeled a “Comic genius” by none other than The SF Weekly. In the year 2000, Kurt moved to Los Angeles and began writing, producing, and performing comedy shows at The HBO Workspace and The Comedy Central Stage and creating sketches and comedy shows at The FAKE Gallery (”Best place to see comedy in LA”- LA Magazine).

While in Los Angeles Kurt worked with such comedy luminaries as Dave Thomas (SCTV), Patton Oswalt (King of Queens), Dana Gould (The Simpsons), Kate Flannery (The Office), Tom Kenny (Sponge Bob Square Pants) to name but a few. Kurt Weitzmann’s comedy sketch album Talented is now available on American Dreams Records. Kurt has recently moved back to San Francisco in order to once again enjoy the Bay Area audiences that spoiled him and return to his first love: Stand Up Comedy.

You can learn more about Kurt Weitzmann at:
kurtweitzmann.com

Meet Drennon Davis, he will be playing Darrin in San Francisco Values!

Drennon Davis is a multi talented artist with a focus on the art of entertainment. His experience includes but is not limited to creating and acting out elaborate characters; to writing and singing songs; to producing animations and films. Drennon is interested in entertaining you! However, sometimes he does not feel like entertaining you. Sometimes he would rather stay at home and play old Nintendo games or watch a movie. In those cases he is not thinking about entertaining you or anyone else except maybe himself.

Drennon likes surfing the web and eating lemon bars. Do you? Drennon is interested in what you have to say — sometimes. Sometimes Drennon doesn’t care what you have to say. In those cases Drennon is not a very caring person. One might even think he’s not a nice person AT ALL.

Drennon can be very selfish. Sometimes he doesn’t like to share his food with his friends because he wants to eat it all for himself. What a jerk. His friends would be more than willing to share their food with him, so what’s the big deal? It’s not like he can’t get more food later, right?

Drennon is a fat glutton. Once, when he was four, he ate seven tacos! Seven! He didn’t share with anyone or even help his mom clean up the kitchen afterwards. He just sat down on the couch and watched He-man! What? Did he think that he lived in a hotel?! That fat, selfish fuck!

One time I heard that he called his mom a bitch! I’ve heard that Drennon has bad breath and he lives in the sewers! Someone once told me that he’s a bi-sexual and he’s tone deaf! I heard that he forced a tube of toothpaste to marry him! He molested a hobbit! I’ve seen him steal towels from the gym! Bastard!

If you are interested in learning more about Drennon Davis you can watch his comedy shows and films online or live in person at his shows posted on his calendar.

You can see more of Drennon Davis at:
DrennonDavis.com
www.youtube.com/profile?user=Drennon

So we are working on our first draft of the pilot this week. There are a lot of cool ideas going around and we are feeling pretty comfortable with our main characters.

I wrote out short descriptions of these characters and thought I would share…

San Francisco Values- the main characters

Darren: 23; darren is an all american kid trying to become a little less so. He received national media attention for designing an online role playing game and was offered a “dream job” by the VERY controversial gamemaker, Eff-Yes games. Darren is earnest, genuine, and loyal to a fault. Professionally, Darren has a deep desire to be liked and respected, which some people take advantage of. He believes that hard work will lead to success. He is excited for this next stage of his life, but unsure about leaving so much at home. (family, girlfriend)

Grady: 23; Grady is Darren’s wisecracking best friend from high school. Grady is a narcissist obsessed with status and power. He feels that the quickest way to status is the quick buck. Hard work is for suckers who aren’t clever enough to game the system. His optimism is contagious and excudes charm as needed. His heroes include Donald Trump, Mike Seaver and the guys who built enron. Grady comes from a broken home and considers Darren his only family. Grady doesn’t worry if he is ready for San Francisco , he wonders if San Francisco is ready for him.

Kingston: 46; Kingstons biggest disappointment is the fact that he was born 10 years too late. Growing up in the 60’s he dreamed of smoking pot on Haight and Ashbury, taking part in a “bed in,” and someday having a room as cool as Greg Brady had when he took over his dad’s home office. Kingston has lived in the same apartment since he moved to SF in 1979 and is able to live happily on his disability payments from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Despite the fact that Kingston is high 24 hours a day, he is educated, completing a history degree at Berkeley over a 10 year period (the 80’s). Having spent his last 20 years on the coach, smoking and eating hostess products, Kingston is desperate for some action and real friendship. Having turned on, tuned in, and dropped out 26 years before, Kingston feels that he still has a young soul and is eager to prove to the guys that he is one of them.

Sloane: 21; Named after the lead female in Ferris Buellers day off (her Parents LOVED the movie), Sloane always feels like she is hiding humiliating circumstances of her life. Born and raised in a VERY rich, VERY materialistic suburb in Connecticut , Sloane has always felt burdened by her wealthy family. She now has 5 sets of grandparents from many different divorces and marriages but still remains an only child. Growing up with so many devoted elders, Sloane felt an inability to rebel as a teenager so she is making up for lost time. Sloane skipped out on college after her Junior year and moved as far as possible from her parents, step-parents and 10 grandparents. Sloane wants to experience life on her terms and make the world a better place, wherever that takes her. What Sloane lacks in wisdom, she makes up for with passion.

So I am usually pretty down on most things. I’m an admitted self-loather and like to think of myself as being “realistic”. I figure don’t get too excited about anything and you wont get too disapointed. With this project, I have really been taking a wait and see attitude. Not trying to get too optimistic, tempering any enthusiasm with, “this is fucking nuts, what the hell am I doing.”

But then a couple of weeks ago, as I was driving up from Santa Cruz to meet with a couple of comedians for the project, I was listening to some religious talk show on the AM. (Yeah, I listen to talk radio… and sometimes find the uber-religious stuff kinda funny at times. Don’t hate…)

The running man!

Anyway the talk show host/religious man was talking about the 4-minute mile. He pointed out that before Roger Bannister ran the mile faster than 4 minutes, most believed it was impossible. For nine years the mile’s record plateaued at 4:02 minutes. The surprising thing was once Bannister broke the 4-minute mile in 1954, more than a dozen other runners duplicated the feat in the year that followed. The gist of the argument was that once the runners knew that it was possible to break this round number of 4 minutes, it became possible.

Right now, it really seems impossible to make a truly independant sitcom from scratch and sell it. And make a living on it. But if we prove successful, it will really open minds and I wouldnt be surprised if a lot more independent shows are pitched and picked up in this same way. Our challenge is to really believe 100% that we are making something high quality that will find a suiter for distribution. So there you are, we have our rallying cry…

Remember the 4 Minute Mile!
Church!

- in other news, we completed our primary auditions last Sunday and will have callbacks to find our Sloane and Grady. Please expect to hear from me soon in regards to callbacks.

-Last night we had a writers meeting and we have agreed somewhat to an outline to the pilot and will have our rough draft by next tuesday. We will want to have the script fully fleshed out by the second week in June in order to shoot that weekend.

-I am still in search for a DP and a few other crew members and I hope to complete those meeting by this weekend. This should be an excellent project for a reel and a way to hopefully work on a really cutting edge sitcom in the bay area. Please send me emails if you are interested or know someone who might be.

-I have really been flattered by all the kind words directed to the site/idea. I really believe we are trying something unique and I would LOVE to provide an alternative to Los Angeles. I really urge everyone who digs what we are doing to tell friends and subscribe to the blog. One of our selling points is going to be how many hits and subscribers we have to the site, so please do what you can.

Introductions to our cast/writer/crew are to follow.
be good
matt