Monday Song - Seasons Of Wither - Aerosmith

Come See Steve! In Person!!!

Yup! We have been doing this for ten years!
Thanks for all your support over the years!
To celebrate we will be screening for the first time ever "The Complete Steve The Vampire" on March 3, 2012 at Paris In Plantsville Gallery and Studio!

That same day Paris In Plantsville will open a new exhibition to celebrate the Ten Years of Elmwood Productions! The gallery will be filled with puppets from our films, behind the scenes photography, character designs, and more.

"The Complete Steve The Vampire" follows the adventures of Steve who was turned into a vampire as a teenager and although now in his mid-twenties, he just can't catch a break trying to prove himself in the vampire community. Between his overbearing and in denial mother, his indifferent girlfriend, and his unlikely friendship with Dracula, he still manages to keep his head on straight and do his best to avoid being staked by the local vampire slayer.
And all he wants to do is hang out, watch some Star Trek, and enjoy a good glass a blood...

The screening is also part of Paris In Plantsville's monthly film series showcasing independent films made in and connected to the local film community.

And on March 31st we will also be screening our feature film "Josh and Todd: The Story of a Man and is Puppet" to close out the exhibition.

For both screening the doors open at 7:00 PM, and the films start at 8:00PM.
As with all our screenings it is a free event, but donations to the gallery are appreciated. The donations keep events like this happening!

We'd like to thank our friends at The Official Beer of Elmwood Productions - Pabst Blue Ribbon - for all their support!

"Steve the Vampire" is rated PG
"Josh and Todd: The Story of a Man and His Puppet" is rated R

What Went Wrong? Music Video

Coming March 3rd to Paris In Plantsville
The Ten Anniversary of Elmwood Productions Exhibit
and screening of
"The Complete Steve the Vampire"

Done...

So last Wednesday we shot the last bits for the "Steve the Vampire" series... The picture above is from that night (thanks Mike!) and we laughed like Hell...

It felt good. No, it felt great. Beautiful in fact. I love the crew we have.

And last nite Jim, Steph, and I went to Russ' to do the last bits of voice-over dubbing. We had some things to fix and so on... And we finished that. I got home around 4 AM and was jazzed, but still did pass out within an hour. So now it's noon the next day and I'm thinking about the past six years of Steve the Vampire... The past six years of my life...

And this is the happiest I have been in YEARS...
I love my life. I love what I do. I love the Elmwood Crew. I love everyone!!!! Hahahaha!!!

Anyway, you better come 3/3 to see the show. Or I might cry.

And PBR will be there, so free beer!!!!!

Old Lyrics - What Went Wrong?

WHAT WENT WRONG?

HERE I AM,
AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE
THINGS AIN’T RIGHT
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU’VE SAID YOU LOVE ME.
THE LIES GO ON
WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS DECEIVE ME?
WHAT WENT WRONG
WITH US SUGAR?
AND WHY’D YOU MAKE ME TAKE THE BUS?

SO COME TELL ME BABY,
PLEASE TELL ME BABY,
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WENT WRONG?
WAS IT ALL MY FUSSIN’,
OR MY SLAP-HAPPY CUSSIN’?
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT WENT WRONG.

TAKE A STEP FOR EVERYTHING
THAT YOU’VE DONE CRAZY.
DREAM A DREAM,
IF IT IS GOOD, NAKED WE’LL BE!
TIME. WHAT TIME?
IF WE MAKE LOVE WE LOSE ALL TIME.
YOU SAY I’M CRAZY BUT I DON’T MIND.
AS LONG AS WE’RE HAPPY IT’LL BE ALRIGHT
ALRIGHT!

SO COME TELL ME BABY,
PLEASE TELL ME BABY,
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WENT WRONG?
WAS IT ALL YOU EXPECTED
FROM THE THINGS THAT YOU WANTED?
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT WENT WRONG?

I CAN’T DO IT NO MORE!
I CAN’T TAKE IT NO MORE!
I CAN’T DIG IT NO MORE!

IT’S DRIVING ME CRAZY!

I GOT A TWO BIT SUCKA-BITCH,
APPLE JACK RAM-O-BIT,
AND I LOVE YOU LIKE A CHAKA-MU-BERRY!

AND I LOVE YOU LIKE A CHAKA-MU-BERRY!
I SAID I LOVE YOU! (LOVE YOU!)
I SAID I LOVE YOU LIKE A
CHAKA-MU-BERRY!


JB/JG/PL/DP

Monday Song - Misery - Soul Asylum

Steve The Vampire Trailer 3/3 at PiP!!!

Come See Steve!!!

March 3, 2012 At Paris In Plantsville

All the details HERE

Poetry Corner with Johnnie Sojive!!!

Coming March 3rd to Paris In Plantsville
The Ten Anniversary of Elmwood Productions Exhibit
and screening of
"The Complete Steve the Vampire"

Monday Song - Prince Mini Concert!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Painter

Coming March 3rd to Paris In Plantsville
The Ten Anniversary of Elmwood Productions Exhibit
and screening of
"The Complete Steve the Vampire"

Old Lyrics - Excuses

Excuses

When Steve McQueen
Grew his beard
And went to Mexico
To cure his disease

I was looking for an excuse
To behave the way I do

When James Dean
Rolled his car
Just a little too far

I was looking for an excuse
To behave the way I do

When Brandon Lee
Bled out in North Carolina
He was about to be a married man

And I was looking for an excuse
To behave the way I do

When Jon Bristol
Was found dead on the floor

I was looking for an excuse
To behave the way I do

Monday Song - Shackler's Revenge - Guns N' Roses

Happy Birthday Axl!

Puppet Making With Scott

Scott's my leather vested homeboy who lives downstairs... He's 12 and one day late last year said "Jon can I make a puppet?"
And I replied "I don't know, can you?"
He didn't find that funny.... Anyway he came up to the studio and I walked him through making a puppet.... It's a self portrait. He did a great job for his first one!

Steve The Vampire Who Lives With His Mom

Coming March 3rd to Paris In Plantsville
The Ten Anniversary of Elmwood Productions Exhibit
and screening of
"The Complete Steve the Vampire"

BE THERE!!!

Old Lyrics - The Brick

The Brick

Are you gonna be bad?
Are you gonna be bad?
Break me, I'm sad
break me, I'm sad
Make you wanna hurt me
Convert me,
Convert me,

I am the brick
Thrown threw your window
I am the brick
That you wanna throw

I'm gonna make you sad
I'm gonna make you sad
Touch me, I'm bad
Touche me, I'm bad
Make you wanna hurt me
Ignore me
Ignore me

I am the brick
You threw through the window
I am the brick
You need to throw.

I do believe
You wanna destroy me
Torture me
A fist to my teeth

Monday Song - Shutterbug - Veruca Salt

"It's freezing in Bristol"

- Yes, yes it is...

Steve! 3/3/12

Someday I'll write a history of Elmwood Productions, at least from my point of view/memory... Going all the way back to 1993
But not today.
Today I'll start in May, 2006...

Friday night I go see Mission Impossible 3 with Tricky. We hit up the big coffee chain and get cookies and coffee pre-screening. I try some weird coffee that keeps me up half the night.
The movie was awesome.
I wake up feeling sick, really really sick.
Food Poisoning.
And we're supposed to film a new short film;
"Steve the Vampire Who Lives With His Mom"

Shit

I suck it up and go to the now extinct Tricky Rock Studios. I get there first, other than Tricky, and I warn him that my stomach is out of control. Mrs. Tricky gets me a glass of water and says drink the Gatorade in the fridge, all of it. And I damn near do throughout the day.
Russ, Liz, Jim, and Jaime all arrive on set within 45 minutes and all make comments on how I look like death.
I fight my way through the shoot. In between bathroom breaks and holding Steve up I manage to pass out, hahaha...
But we got it done. In a day.
We joked around about doing more with Steve... I had no idea six years later we'd be shooting something called "Steve The Vampire's Last Stand" on a very cold weekend two weeks ago...

This is the only known photo from the first day of shooting of "Steve the Vampire" and I look like Hell

We've made 13 Steve flicks, and a couple other little goofy moments with him too...
And we're finally going to be sharing them all. In March at Paris In Plantsville, and by Halloween on DVD. And I'm excited for it.

Elmwood Productions has come so far since that day, and so far since we really got started up in 2002. I'm proud of the crew and what we have created, I can't wait to see what is next!

So to everyone who worked on Steve... THANK YOU!
And I hope to see you March 3rd!
And our buddies at PBR will be there too!!!

Josh & Todd Movie Trailer

Coming March 3rd to Paris In Plantsville
The Ten Anniversary of Elmwood Productions Exhibit
and screening of
"The Complete Steve the Vampire"

And on March 31st...

Old Lyrics - This One's For The Lovers

THIS ONE’S FOR THE LOVERS
(GOOD-BYE SANTA FE)

LOVE, FAITH, LIFE,
SANTA FE, GIVE ME LOVE, FAITH, LIFE.

IN THE DESERT THERE ARE MANY LOVERS
NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH THEY HAVE.
IN THE DESERT I AM JUST ANOTHER
LOST RIDING IN THE SAND.
IN THE DESERT I AM GOING CRAZY.
MY TRUE FRIENDS, THEY GIVE ME A HAND.
THEY SAY, “YOU CAN FIND IT.”
A BLIND MAN PUT A CANE IN MY HAND.
IN THE DESERT WE’RE SOUL SEARCHING
THE LORD KNOWS, HOW DO YOU LOSE?
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN HERE FOREVER,
THE REAT OF US MAY NEVER KNOW TOO.

I’M STILL TRAVELING, I’M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE.
I CAN’T BELIEVE MY HEART, AND I CAN’T FIND ANYONE.
DOESN’T ANYONE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL NEED SOMEONE?
JUST LOOK INTO MY EYES, YOU’LL SEE I’M SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE.

I DON’T WANT ANOTHER MAN’S LOVER.
AND I DON’T WANT TO SHARE A GOOD FRIEND.
THIS ONE’S FOR ALL OF THE LOVERS,
I WISH I WAS ONE OF THEM.

THIS ONE’S FOR THE LOVERS.
THE NEXT ONE MIGHT BE FOR ALL OF MY FRIENDS.
THIS ONE’S FOR THE LOVERS.
I WISH I WAS ONE OF THEM.

SHE GAVE ME TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, TOO SOON.
AND I COULDN’T HANDLE IT.

TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, TOO SOON.
TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, TOO SOON.

THIS ONE’S FOR THE LOVERS.
I WISH I COULD BE ONE OF THEM.

JG/GG

Monday Song - Southwestern State - 7 Mary 3

Even More Movies at Paris In Plantsville!!!

And one more time!!!
This Saturday Join Josh and Christian at Paris In Plantsville for a Double Feature of amazing stories!

It starts with
"The NeverEnding Story"
and followed by
"Beowulf"

The Girl With The Afro

Old Lyrics - The Bar Song

The Bar Song

I'll be in the bar again...
Sitting and waiting on you
Bad karaoke too loud to think
Social life is at it again
Time again, for another drink

It hurts when I laugh
And I love the pain
I love the pain
Bring it back again

Chilly inside, chill my bones
Mexican girl dancing on the bar
And I feel alone
But the smile on my face
Calls me a liar

A girl pukes in her hands (I'm sorry)
A man drops to her knees (Don't cry)
I dropped a shot glass on the floor... (Wolverine!)
And a drunk pees himself in front of me
This is my American Dream (I have you)

It hurts when I laugh
And I live for this pain
I'm in love with the pain
Heartbreak me again

There's more to life we're told
Slow it down we're told
If we slow down we'll get old
Social life kicks my ass
Won't live to see I'm old, too late to change...

It hurts when I laugh
And I love the pain
I love the pain
Make me lie again

Punch me in the face, and
I'm in love with you
I'm gonna cry in the bathroom
While thinking of you

It hurts when
I wake up sober.

Monday Song - Don't Change Your Plans - Ben Folds Five

The Dream Play - 2/11/12 at Paris In Plantsville

In 2012 I'm going to be hosting a series of films at Paris In Plantsville. The focus of the films will be in Independently made films from Connecticut based film makers, performers, and artists.

It's lining up nicely with some really interesting flicks coming my way to share, and Elmwood's even having a nite in March (more to come on that later) that's going to be a ton of fun.

I think of my self as a puppeteer/puppet maker first and a film maker second. I love movies and love making them, so I want to share that with everyone I can.

SO when putting together the films I reached out first to people I know who are involved in film in the area. And my friend Tim Burke just happens to be an actor...
And he just happened to have a film he stars in...
And that film is The Dream Play

I've seen the film. It's part of a two film cycle, and it's really good. And Tim's great in it, so I'm really happy to share the film at Paris In Plantsville.

So please join me, the Paris Guys and Elmwood Gang, and Tim on 2/11 for the first New England screening of
The Dream Play!

More info HERE

15 West Main Street

Plantsville, CT

Mr. Universe

Old Lyrics - You're Not A Star

I used to be in bands and write a lot of the lyrics...
I have a few files full of them.. Full songs, parts of songs, poems that might have been songs, and so on... Some of them go as far back as 1990... Just gonna start posting them here...
By no means are any of these any good. Hahaha!!!

You're Not A Star

YOU’RE NOT MY OLD GREEN CAR,
SO I DON’T PAY INSURANCE.
YOU’RE NOT MY TONGUE,
SO I DON’T NEED YOU TO TALK.
YOU’RE NOT MY MOTHER,
SO DON’T YOU TRY AND GUIDE ME.
YOU’RE NOT MY HOME,
BUT YOU CAN KEEP ME WARM.
YOU’RE NOT MY GUITAR,
AND I’M WRITING SONGS ABOUT YOU.
YOU’RE NOT MY WIFE,
AND YOU NEVER WILL BE.
YOU’RE NOT A TEACHER,
I’VE HAD ALL THE SCHOOL I CAN HANDLE.
YOU’RE NOT A STAR.

YOU’RE NOT MY SHOES,
BUT I’D LIKE TO TIE YOU UP.
YOU’RE NOT MY PORNO MAGS,
BUT YOU KNOW HOW TO GET ME UP.
YOU’RE NOT MY LOVER,
JUST A TOY FOR MY NEEDS.
YOU’RE NOT MY WATCH,
AND ALL I GOT IS TIME.
YOU’RE NOT MY CHILD,
SO I DON’T HAVE TO RAISE YOU.
YOU’RE NOT MY BED,
BUT ALL YOUR BITCHIN’ PUTS ME RIGHT TO SLEEP.
YOU’RE NOT A STAR.

YOU’RE NOT MY SUNGLASSES,
THIS WORLD’S TOO DARK ANYWAY.
YOU’RE NOT MY DOCTOR,
AND I’M ON DRUGS BECAUSE OF YOU.
YOU’RE NOT MY TELEVISION,
DAMN, NO OFF SWITCH.
YOU’RE NOT MY KITCHEN SINK,
YOU THINK YOU’RE EVERYTHING ELSE.
YOU’RE NOT MY SYNTHESIZER,
YOU COULD NEVER MAKE THOSE FUNKY SOUNDS.
YOU’RE NOT MY HAT,
AND I WEAR ONE ALL OF THE TIME.
YOU’RE NOT MY LIFE,
SO GO AND GET ONE OF YOUR OWN
YOU’RE NOT A STAR.

Monday Song - A Sorta Fairytale - Tori Amos

What a cool video...

TRIKKY Munny!

As Munny Madness winds down at Paris In Plantsville I figured it was time to post that Munny I was working on in it's complete form.

But before I even took a picture I gave it to Tricky!
But he posted a pic of it on his Faceplant page so here it is...A Tricky Rock Trikky!

I had a blast making these, and I think I'm going to keep doing them!