Sunday, July 30, 2006




Cows (july 30, 2006)


I have this thing about cows. I really like them. It started several years ago when I met one by my parents house. He lived on the farm next door. I saw him standing there and went over to see what his deal was. Or make fun of him. Or tip him over. Or whatever. But as soon as I crawled down the fence to where he was I was shocked at his presence. If you have horses or have been around horses you know what I mean, horses have very distinct personalities, which you can sense almost immediately. I thought this cow would be like a fence post. just nothing there. But he was full of personality. And he was so THERE. I know, you are all thinking I am a freak or a vegan or something. i'm not. But I just really liked meeting this cow. So now whenever I get a chance to say hi to cows I do. i avoid dogs cats, people, because they're so over stimulated and otherwise used up by other humans. But cows. Nobody really hangs out with them,. and they are super friendly. Also they are extremely calm. They are like your calmest yoga person, buddhist, oregonian times a million. They are just so at peace. But not because they're dumb. When i first met that first cow I got the feeling he knew exaactly what his situation was. Where he stood in the world and what was going to happen to him. I was very impressed by his intelligence. ALso cows often look like Garrison Keillor which is another reason to like them.





Thursday, July 27, 2006
Article about PARANOID PARK Movie from the Oregonian (July 27, 2006)


Gus Van Sant: Local actors wanted!

Portland director Gus Van Sant has almost everything he needs to make his next movie: a plot, a setting, a hip subculture.

Now all he needs is the actors.

And he’s asking Portland to provide them.

“Paranoid Park,” as Van Sant’s film is currently called, is based on a novel by sometime Portlander Blake Nelson. The book will be published in September by Viking Juvenile, and the film will begin shooting around Portland in the fall.

Van Sant and his production company are holding three open casting calls in the next few weeks to help them find a star for the film and actors to fill important smaller roles, including extras — particularly skateboarding extras. And no experience is necessary, not even for the lead role.

“Paranoid Park” is set in the Portland skating world and concerns a teenage skaterboarder who accidentally kills a security guard and has to figure out what to do when police start to investigate the death. “It’s sort of ‘Crime and Punishment’ in high school,” Van Sant said Wednesday. “And since ‘Crime and Punishment’ is what high school is already like anyway, it’s kind of perfect.”

Van Sant says he came across Nelson’s story “about three months ago in an advance copy. I’m always sort of developing things and looking around. I also looked at a book of Blake’s called ‘Rock Star Superstar,’ but we didn’t go very far with it. The fact that this was set in Portland really got me.” Along with the French production company M2K, which has distributed some of his work in France, Van Sant acquired the rights this summer.

Van Sant has held open casting calls for other films, including the Cannes Film Festival winner “Elephant,” which he also shot in Portland, and “Last Days,” his elegaic portrait of a rock star’s death. In his recent movies, he’s often created scenes and plot lines in conjunction with his actors. But he says that the novel-based “Paranoid Park” has more of a familiar dramatic structure. “It’s kind of a hybrid of styles,” he says. “It’s a lot less open than the last couple of films. But it’s still pretty open.”

For starters, he explains, he has no idea who will portray the main character, a 16 year-old kid. So the first two casting sessions will be specifically geared toward finding that person; it could even be a girl. Prospective actors age 14-18, male or female, are encouraged to “just show up,” according to a spokesperson for the casting company. “You don’t have to have any experience, there are no requirements, and there’s nothing to do in advance.” These first casting sessions will be held from 1-8 p.m. Thursday, August 3, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, August 5.

For the third casting session, which will be geared toward finding supporting cast, extras and, especially, skateboarders to fill out scenes, the age range expands from 14-30. That session will take place 1-8 p.m. Tuesday, August 15.

All casting sessions will be held at the Ambridge Event Center, 300 NE Multnomah St. Full information can be obtained by calling a hotline at 503-222-2462 or visiting www.myspace.com/paranoidpark.

So go on out and break a leg! Just, you know, not on your skateboard...

-- Shawn Levy


Saturday, July 22, 2006




PARANOID MOVIE STUFF (July 22)


So it's official Gus Van Sant and a french production company called MK2 have optioned PARANOID. We are all very excited. I got to go have dinner with Gus and the French Producers which was a total blast. Gus has a script completed and they are checking on locations in Portland. It sounds like they might use the actual skate park I based it on. Interestingly, when I went back to the skatepark (I am in Portland now) it looked different than I remembered and not as "street". Oh well. They will figure it out I'm sure.

But of course, the main thing to keep in mind, is it is not done. It is not for sure. It is just an option, this is just the very beginning of the process. But I am still very excited.

Now I'm just trying to relax and keep moving on my next book, and enjoy the rest of the summer. Ciao for now.


Thursday, July 20, 2006