Good Men

I, like anyone else in this wide country of ours, have an appreciation for big-name musicians like Norah Jones or Kenny G, people who have indisputable talent. However, one of my favorite musicians is an unknown from my home town. Aaron Lee Martin sings a kind of folk/indy-rock/bluegrass style. The best thing about him is the sincere passion with which he plays. He crams his foot into a tambourine and beats it against the floor, while playing a guitar and a harmonica. One time, his tambourine snapped in two from the abuse. He just kicked it aside and kept going.




Go here to listen to Aaron Lee Martin sing Good Men.


His song Good Men tells a woman that though a man may be considered good, he will still fail her. That is because every man is flawed. It is a sad truth which we sometimes forget even though it is inherent in our very bones. No matter how hard a man tries, no matter how far he goes, and even contrary to modern folklore, no matter how much he cares, he will still fail those he loves.

Sometimes, a good man will cause even more pain than an evil man because people trust a good man.

However, in this song there is one differentiating factor. Tenacity. Unlike an evil man, a good man has the sheer guts to hold on long after he has failed. Like Moses, Kind David and Elijah, who failed God in ways that we would condemn as the worst kinds of evil, a good man will always turn back to God when he has gone the wrong way. When he has fallen, he will crawl on hands and knees and on his belly with his face in the dirt if that's what it takes.

In the song, the man says to his beloved that though he is sure to let her down, he will emulate Christ and pursue her tenaciously. He says to her, “I'll be coming right after you.”

One Good Man

Go here for news and information on One Good Man. This movie will come out some time next year. I manage the blog and write all the content. During Principal Photography I was with the Behind the Scenes team, and also the set medic.

One Good Man

I am now one of the primary bloggers for Advent Film Group's production, One Good Man. The movie will begin filming September 8th. I'll be traveling to North Carolina to help out on set and chronicle the events for the public.

Sadly, I won't get much money for my time. I'm still just a little fish and am happy for the cred. A lot of people who had never heard of me before will be reading my blog posts every day and I get to spend five weeks on a movie set. It will be hard work, but compared to what I'm used to, it will be like a five week vacation. Besides, working at something fun isn't work.

Besides being a writer, I also act. All my acting has been on stage so far, but I'm doing what I can to fix that.



The third performance, from The Boys Next Door, may appear somewhat strange. The character I play is mentally disabled. It was the most difficult and rewarding role I've ever played.

Up gets down to business

The Pluggedinonline movie review said that the film Up could be used in college literature classes as a subject for analysis. I agree.

The film has such depth, such character, and symbolism that at one pass, the viewer can absorb enough meaning to fill all the old man's balloons and the blimp beside. The story alone is so rich it rivals the 3-D textures of the old man's ties.

For instance, the ties alone stand as a marker for the passage of time. The house, reminiscent of Christian's burden in Pilgrim's Progress, represents the old man's baggage from the past and his inability to break free. The bottle cap pin represents the need to pass on a spirit of adventure to others--especially the young.

The old explorer and his ideals (pride, ruthlessness, a conquering spirit) are juxtaposed against the young scout's ideals (curiosity, sympathy and love). This creates a moment of realization for the viewer when the boy says that the jungle isn't what he thought it would be. It's not safe and fun, but dangerous and difficult. In other words, a safe and fun world could be faced with that old ruthlessness but the real world must be challenged with empathy and friendship.

These are just a few examples of the themes in Up. As with any good work of art, it is a pleasure to see on first glimpse. But it is art because it continues to reveal itself again and again on increasingly deeper levels.

Advancement

I have recently made several advancements in my writing career--nothing where I sign any papers, but significant nonetheless.

I am now done with the second draft of my novel (not including rewrites that were done while completing the first draft). Friends and fellow writers are reading it while I wait for feedback.

Also, several writers' groups have welcomed me into their ranks so that I can enjoy the help and fellowship of my illusive peers. One such group held a conference where I met a several successful writers and gained some more precious knowledge about the world of writing, publishing, and losing-my-mind.

Nathan Bransford rocks

If you are a writer, you need to read this.

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/03/ten-commandments-for-happy-writer.html