Car scene A gold Ford Fiesta parks outside the Jack Pirtle's Fried Chicken Restaurant. Johnna Sparks and John-John Rubenfeld are negotiating whether or not to eat in the restaurant this particular Sunday afternoon. Johnna SparkS is a big busty woman in her mid 30's. She has just finally finished her transitional operations and processes into fully becoming a woman. She is a performance artist at a local gay bar. she has big red hair (most of the time) and often adjusts her boobs and make up and checks herself in the mirror. John John is a normal looking precocious 10 year old boy who also happens to be a bit of a germ-a-phobe. He is very shy and timid and has blond hair. Int: Car It is 3'oclock on a Sunday afternoon. Johnna is trying desperately to get John John fed and off to his mother's house by 4. John John Dad!!! I'm hungry, and I have got to pee. Johnna checking her lipstick in the visor's mirror. Reaching into the glovebox, she pulls out a small airplane sized bottle of vodka and slyly puts it into her purse as she speaks I know sweetie! THAT is the reason that I brought you here. And, you have got to stop calling me Dad. John John but dad, Mom says... Johnna John john, I'm sure I know what your mother is meant for the best, but we have got to ALL start looking past the past. That is all it is. we have got to learn to accept the changes that have happened in our lives. I have learned to accept it, and soon you will too. if you can just at least try. Please? pirtles restaurant Int: Jack Pirtles The restaurant is glum, slow, old school country music plays in the background. The walls are lined with wood paneling from the mid 70's and softly the buzz from the florescent lights can be heard. Linda the counter girl is in her early twenties, she has thin stringy blonde hair and wears a topless maroonish brown tennis cap and polyester maroonish brown button up short sleeve shirt with the Jack Pirtles logo embroidered on the shirt pocket. She is friendly, but soft-spoken. She speaks with an Arkansas accent. Linda: Hi there, welcome to Pirtles Johnna: Well hello there! um.. (looking for a name tag) Linda! Oh HI LINDA! My son and I are here to get something to eat and I would like to get an orange juice. Linda: um.... Orange juice? Johnna: Oh yes, yes hon. fighting a nasty cold...um, could you just fill it to about an inch below the rim... I hate spills. Here's my cup. Johnna hands Linda her large styrofoam lidded cup with lipstick covered straw. Linda looks a little shocked, slightly smirks and proceeds to dump a plastic foil topped tub of orange juice into the cup Linda: And, what can I get for you to eat? Johnna: well, I'm not going to be eating, starve a cold you know! John John would like a basket of Chicken TENDERS and fries. Linda: one chicken finger basket John John: (interrupts) Dad... I mean...NOOOO... Johnna: Oh Linda, john would like to have the chicken TENDERS, not the chicken FINGERS basket. Linda: You mean...Oh... yes, one chicken tender basket. Did you want cole slaw John No ma'am. Just the fries. Linda: Okay, that's gonna be a sec, if you could just wait at the table I'll bring it out for you, did you want that for here or to go? Johnna: We are in a bit of a hurry, if you could just make it to go, thanks. Johnna and john sit down at the table while Linda prepares the food. Johnna is looking around for people as she slyly pulls the vodka from her purse, just as she is pouring it into the cup she is interrupted Pirtle's dining room John:(speaking loudly and from nowhere) DAADDDDDD!!! Johnna is startled as she is pouring the vodka into the cup, she jumps and misses the cup pouring about half of it onto the table. She reaches for the table tent and rakes the rest off the side of the table and into her cup John: I have got to go pee!!! at this point he is grabbing his crotch area trying to hold in any liquid that might escape freely into his pants. Johnna: Seriously, John john, you have got to quit calling me that. The restroom is right by the door. you are a big boy now! You can't expect me to hold it for you. John: But, you could at least go with me Johnna Oh please John... seriously? What do you think it would look like if a woman like myself came out of the restroom with you? You are totally gonna be fine, you are a big boy now. Remember? I'm always with you in spirit. Nobody is in there and there is absolutely nothing that is gonna happen to you. Your mother is going to make sure of that. John: You promise? Johnna: Of course baby, I promise! just as Johnna is saying this a short haired lesbian in her mid 20's with a sid vicious blue jean jacket and a leather spiked collar enters into the restaurant. she charges up to the counter. John is now on his way to the bathroom, still holding his crotch and repeating to himself "not gonna be anyone in there" "not gonna see any bugs" "not gonna pee myself" Pirtle's counter Lesbian Girl, you have some nerve! Linda: Me? What did I do? Who are you? Lesbian You been getting with my sissy!!! I knew there was something going on and then she admitted it. Linda She said she didn't want to be with you anymore! you aren't the kind... of girl... from around the counter Linda comes, just as John is making his way to the alley way where the fight ensues. Linda and the Lesbian are now on the floor kicking, pulling hair, screaming and calling each other obscenities hearing the ruckus and John starting to cry, Johnna jumps into action. Cut to slow motion sequence. Johnna is coming to the rescue of John. Her boobs are bouncing and she is straightening her wig as she barrels through the dining room and towards the counter. instrumental version of Fat Bottom girls is playing. Cut to fight scene pirtle's counter Johnna pushes the girls aside who are still fighting and pulling hair. she holds them up against the counter rail. Johnna: now go sweetie! Mommas not going to let anything happen to you. John passes by Johnna who is holding the girls (still kicking and fighting) so that he can pass. During the visit we see Johnna push the girls who are still shouting at one another, but not physically fighting. We see Johnna grab her drink. As John comes out of the bathroom. His mother is standing there waiting for him. We hear the beep of the timer signaling that his chicken is done. The lesbian is still trying to engage in physical fighting and Johnna steps in breaking the fight apart once again. Johnna: (speaking to the lesbian) Look girl, you gotta go before momma puts those teeth in the back of your head. (speaking to Linda) And, I told YOU we were in a hurry! now get back there and wrap those chicken tenders for us to go. beat And I'll take another orange juice, too. I distinctly feel a cough coming on as we speak! Car scene Int: Car, John and Johnna are in the car. John is reaching into the bag for his french fries and food. He places a napkin absurdly around his neck and begins to eat. Johnna has the styrofoam cup between her legs and is looking both ways before pouring another small vodka. Just as she seals the lid John turns to her John MOM A beat passes, during which we see Johnna realize that John has just referred to her as "mom." She smiles exaggeratedly and looks to john. Her eyes are gleaming Johnna Yes, honey? John That was awesome in there. Johnna Oh sweetie. Thank you. sometimes it just takes a real woman to handle girls like that. John Mom Johnna Yes sweetie. John Can we go to Chick Fil A next time? Johnna Sure sweetie. But, it's not open on Sundays. And, you know they hate the gays. John But, Mom, you aren't gay. You are a real woman. Johnna Awww sweetie. Momma loves you. End

So, I've decided to revise my concept and do something besides the scene from the longer film. It was shot down in the critique, but somehow during the critique, I remembered an episode in my life in the middle of a bus station in Knoxville Tennessee when I was young. I hope I never have to take a Trailways/Greyhound bus ever again in my life. During our "layover" in the bus station, we decided to go and eat in the cafeteria as my mother was hungry for fried chicken. I have no idea why we didn't just drive to Charleston S.C. I could understand that flights were too expensive, but honestly, a trailways bus. Anyways, we placed our order for fried chicken and were instructed to wait. As we waited for our chicken, a ferocious "cat fight" broke out between a woman behind the counter and another woman who seemed to be ordering food. I have never been so terrified in my life. The howling (like an alley cat in heat in the evening), the pulling of hair from one anothers head, the scratching of long freshly polished fingernails and the blood that oozed from the girl's cheek. I remember those fingernails so vividly. I remember my mother jumping up from her seat and running to get help. I was left there to endure the violence continued. It took several minutes. Amused? Not at the time, but in reflection, it was such a momentous event, it is unforgettable, and amusing today. My new concept is entitled Fried Chicken Fried Chicken is the story of a needy young 10 year old germaphobic gay boy and his eccentric and alcoholic mother's venture into a seedy Jack Pirtle's Fried Chicken joint to get something to eat, and, moreover, the boy's desperate attempt to navigate through a "dining room" cat fight so he can go "pee." The theme pivots on the family dysfunction and the struggles of individuals living in certain capacities (alcoholic/white trash) to overcome challenges brought on by the very mundane. This short is a black comedy, dark and satirical, but has a serious tone. Viewers will laugh at the characters, and their lack of capacity to complete menial tasks, but also feel a small degree of sympathy. The goal of the film is to amuse and entertain it's viewers. Viewers can relate to the tasks on many levels. The alcoholic that needs a drink. The mother whose kid won't shut up (i.e. I'm hungry, I've gotta go, etc). The film poses no real dramatic or educational underlying motifs with the exception of the possible negative outlook on alcohol and fast food. All audiences will be able to relate to hunger and the need to urinate. My audience is adults between the ages of 20 and 50, especially fans of dark humor, and campy films.

PROPOSED FILM PROJECT: PITCH 11/7/2012


My film is about the obstacles an "over the top" outrageous transsexual must face in order to overcome drug/alcohol addiction, social anxiety, and societal rejection to find faith (in an all accepting Christian Church).



The theme is two-fold in presenting the "letting go" and overcoming of self (addiction, identity issues, and hate) and also pushing the limits of an all accepting church.



This movie is a black comedy, dark and satirical, but has a serious tone.  Viewers will laugh at the character, but also feel a great deal of sympathy through trials in completing the tasks to find faith.




< The goal of the film is to to have fun, to make fun, and to illustrate to outsiders and individuals (especially within the LGBT community) of the contemporary stances taken by all accepting faith based organizations in our world today.


My audience is the LGBT community, their friends, and members of all accepting faith based organizations.

PLOT STRUCTURE SHEET This is a post based on a longer film. Perhaps a feature. I followed the structure sheet that was posted by our teacher, Jill Wissmiller. Cleaning Windows The story is about an over the top outrageous transsexual/drag queen living in the deep south (Memphis area) The character has been subjected to a mass amount of hate from religious fundamentalists and societal rejection within schools and the workplace. He/she has become a loner and rejection has pushed the character to drug/alcohol abuse and social anxiety. The character is looking for a place where he/she feels welcome and is not at odds with others around him/her. Gay Bars and parties of the sort have further provoked addiction and never provided a true or honest connection with other members of society. Religious tenets and fundamentalists would have never allowed this person to become a member of a church or a faith based organization. But, with relaxing viewpoints, he/she is able to break free of the insanity. The character is strung out on alcohol, can’t keep a job, behind on rent, sleeping with married men for money via Craigslist. Our character finds and meets someone that he/she thinks is a true connection, and to some degree it is. There is an actual emotional attachment to a young preppy Jewish boy. They quickly fall in love. The love interest finds our character at the bar and happens to oversee our character using cocaine in one of the bathrooms. Our love interest flees the scene of the bar, but later comes to realize that it is worth his time and later goes to the house of our main character to apologize and try and help. He knocks and rings the doorbell and is greeted by our main character through a window of the home. Our main character is holding up a blanket to cover his nudity. The love interest expresses his affection for our character, and professes that he will help him and stick it out, but then realizes that our character has another man in the home. He flees the home. Our main character is devastated about the loss and goes on a complete spiral of drugs and drinking and finally comes to reach rock bottom. At this point, the film goes into montage sequence and stream of conscious reflection and breaks in and out of reality. Then it breaks the loop to the final minutes of the film. This is the scene of the resolve (Alarm sounding) The camera slowly comes into focus on a window in which the sun is coming through. The sounds of the city are introduced to the viewer as the sound of the alarm turns off. The camera slowly pans from the alarm clock around the bed side table and the viewer sees a condom wrapper, overflowing ashtray, a liquor bottle, parts of a feather boa and some drug paraphernalia (perhaps a water bong or a syringe, spoon, and a lighter.) You hear the slight moaning of a hung over person waking! Then there is a silence, then there is the sound of crying. Scene 2 A shower curtain is abruptly raked open creating a slightly loud, abrasive noise, and the viewer sees and hears water to a shower start running and after a couple seconds the curtain closes as the camera slowly becomes more and more out of focus. The noise of water continues, but as the camera comes back into focus, we see the foggy mirror of the bathroom. Our character is cleaning the fog off of the mirror and starts to put make up on and brush hair, etc. Cut to bedroom table, we see our character cleaning up the residue of the binge, holding a trash can in one hand, she picks up the bottles, starts to dump the ashtray (then throws the ashtray in the can as well), she throws out everything and pulls the bag. Cut to: our character exiting the apartment building, she has the trash bag, which she throws into the dumpster. There are several POV short snippets of the city (trolleys, images of tall buildings) We see people with signs professing "the end is near, repent, God hates Fags, etc." the camera walking up some steps toward a set of large wooden double doors. In the background, there is the chanting of "loser".... "what a freak"... "faggot"... is heard. Our character hesitates and the camera comes in for an extreme close up of lipstick (poorly put on the lips). Our character makes what appears to be the signature Billy Idol snarl... pause for a beat, and then takes a deep breath. As the door is opened, everything fades to black. The camera comes into focus slowly once again and the viewer is introduced to a dark setting where there are candles burning. As the camera zooms outward we are introduced to an altar until it is apparent that our character is in a church praying. She gets up and turns and behind her, we see a pastor come into full view. There is an awkward moment of silence as the camera (POV) slowly moves up from his robe to his face where we see him smile. He extends his hand and says "Welcome, we're glad you're here."

I have not posted as often to my blog as I would have liked to. I'm so busy with grad school, sometimes I just feel that my eyes will pop out. However, every once in a great while I do get to go and see a film in a theater and hopefully it is a good one. This past month, I've had the great experience of seeing two films that I really enjoyed. ARGO is a great film directed by Ben Affleck. The movie is based loosely on former Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez's historical account of the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman The story of the same rescue was also told in the 1981 television movie Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper. Besides just being an "on the edge of your seat" thrilling movie, what was awesome about the film, and what really appealed to me when I consider my limited experience in making film, is the way the transition from the grainy vintage film clips used in the movie and the actual film were so smooth. Either they had technically figured out the exact ISO to shoot the digital footage to mimic the vintage footage, or they had done some serious technical work to the digital footage. I highly recommend the film. The other film that I had the benefit of seeing in the theater was the new movie "Cloud Atlas" The film is based the 2004 novel Cloud Atlas, by British author David Mitchell. It consists of six nested stories that take the reader from the remote South Pacific in the nineteenth century to a distant, post-apocalyptic future. It's truly epic! The Cloud Atlas cast includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Zhou Xun, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant. This film is long, almost 3 hours, it jumps from time era to time era as well as film genre to film genre. It's visually incredible and the cinematography blew me away. I loved most of the actors that each played various roles in the movie. I wasn't such a big fan of the make-up. At times it seemed fake, and I really think they should have cast someone besides Tom Hanks in the leading Role. I know, I know... he is a two time Oscar winner. Who cares? He wasn't all that great in some of the roles. He is a great actor. But, he really isn't all that versatile.