There It Goes... Here It Comes... Revolutions through Resolution

Greetings Friends and Foes,

I hope everyone is safe and sound and basking in the glory of a new year. I rang in 2010 at home doing some reading, and playing with my new Rode NTG-3 Microphone, which i had been scrimping and saving for. I was actually microwaving leftover Chinese food rice and realized it was midnight. Darted across the house to kiss Jessica who was lounging in the bedroom. Jessica and I started dating 9 years ago on New Years Eve. Strange how the years have flown by, she is my heart.

We spent the holidays in Texas with my family, and it’s the longest stint we have been able to stay in a few years. Everything was wonderful, as all of my sisters were home. We watched movies, drank Dublin Dr. Pepper, and saw a lot of extended family for the first time in years. Jessica interviewed my Grandfather for a World War 2 project, and I filmed it. I also did a radio interview at KRDH in Canton, talking about Go Green With Dr. Gangrene and the Emmy nomination with an old friend whom i went to school with. Its a bit strange being from a small town sometimes, because most people know who you are anyways, and when something like this happens its big news. I feel very blessed to have all the support from the people in the community.

2009 was another banner year for me. I feel like I continued my stride in life. Of my resolutions from last year I did pretty well. Before making my resolutions for 2010, I wanted to evaluate how I did with last years resolutions. I probably kept up with these better than any years past.

My Resolutions for 2009 and how I did

1. Get My House Organized

While still a work in progress, we did better this year keeping things up, and we got the roof and siding on, as well as some lawn care that makes the house look much better.


2. Take A True Family Vacation

We did a trip to Alabama in early December that was just the four of us. We visited the rabbit show where Marie won her first trophy. It was a nice trip. We also spent a lot of time in Texas this year.

3. Try to be more thankful and say my prayers

I feel like I was appreciative of many things this year.

4. Spend My wedding Anniversary with my wife.

Accomplished. We pretty much just lazed around the house that day, but we were together, it had been a while.

5. More reading (a novel & a technical book a month to start)

I did a lot of reading this year. Some of it I recall some I don’t. Not sure if I hit two books a month, but I’m guess I read at least 15. Some of the standouts were Michel Gondrys You’ll Like This Film Because You’re In It, Chris Gores Film Fest book, and re-reading H.G. Wells Time Machine.

6. More Writing (a daily journal and hash out some of these stories better)

I did a lot of writing, but laxed up on a daily journal. I really would like to get back into this habit, as in years past it was a life saver.

7. Get through some of those dvds i haven't watched

I honestly feel like I watched less movies this year than I ever have. Between other hobbies and being flat out busy the stacks just keep piling up. I did however dig a nice hole into the unwatched pile.

8. Get this feature film off the ground, and off my back

I did a lot of mapping on my plan, other projects kept me from shooting my own feature in 2009, but it wasn’t for laziness. I feel like I have layed a good groundwork at this point. I did direct two shorts, two psas, two music videos, and half a dozen or so television episodes of Stuff with Dr. Gangrene (not including the ton of other stuff we shot for the web). I also did some producing on a few features.


9. Exercise and assess my health a bit closer

I did very well, though I got a late start. I lost 30 pounds during the last 4 months of the year. Cut out a lot of junk food and soda, and used the Nintendo Wii Fit to get up and move almost daily. I’m licking my wounds from the Holiday season, but I think I did great with this. I have been on a pretty strict calorie count diet, and rarely have i deviated. I really don’t want to lose limbs to diabetes (which runs in my genes) and i don’t want to be the fat guy who can’t keep up with his kids.


10. Be more independent, bold, and braver with all things under the sun.

This I also did well with. I feel like I have found a voice.

So, in my mind thats a pretty good run . Some quick highlights of my year went down with...

January - Taking my wife and parents with me to the Emmy awards and getting to see real Astronauts. No trophy, but lots of good times.

February - Getting a commendation from the Mayor and City Council of Nashville for Go Green With Dr. Gangrene

March - Running around Memphis with Numerics eating Bar-B-Q, and then sneaking onto private property to finish the video for Precious Time. Then Heading to Austin to see the Quiet Company Album Release and hang with Taylor & Leah as well as playing Laser Tag with my newest friend Paul. Getting News that I won a Rondo Award

April - Roxies first birthday , and shooting EZ-CHEWIE.

May - Getting in a major car accident and dangling off the side of a bridge on the interstate, and then hours later being presented with the Rondo Hatton Vasarian Public Service Award, and feeling very loved by all the new friends I met at Wonderfest.(Highlight of the year for me)

June - Recieving a portrait from Michel Gondry. Shooting new Go Green With Dr. Gangrene shorts. The shock i felt when Michael Jackson Passed. Doing a bit part in Thong Girl 4

August - Marie starts school. EZ-Chewie makes its premiere at Fright Night Film Fest where I meet a lot of new friends. I direct my first heavy metal video for Stigmatic (which hopefully you will see soon). Pudge becomes a Texas Ranger again.

September - Tracing my family tree and finding out i have relatives who lived and died near Nashville in the 1800s. Getting a new roof on the house. Derek Jeter ties Lou Gehrig Yankees hits record, and the team is wearing red hats. Doing The Fan Film Podcast. Roger Corman receives lifetime achievement Oscar.

October - My Leg exploding with nastiness during Game 1 of the World Series, and realizing i am still a fragile person. Seeing my youngest sister find love and marrying as well as Josiah one of my dearest friends also finding the love of his life and taking the plunge.

November - Emmy nomination #2 and The New York Yankees win their 27th World Series Championship.

December - Marie walks the floor with her rabbit trophy screaming I win, and Home for the holidays for the first time in years.

All of this brings me to my Resolution for 2010, and my hopes and dreams of the future. So In hopes of making a better Cameron here are some things I would like to achieve in 2010.

1. Its time to shoot a movie. Something all my own, at least as much in the way that film is always a collaboration. I have aspirations for actually shooting two movies this year. One a comedy about relationships, and the other a straight forward horror movie. I’m not sure which to do first, as it will likely come down to budget. I have outlines for both, and plan to start writing drafts next week. It has taken me some time to gather some equipment, and resources needed but i think i have most of the things i need. Some income i made last year from filming music videos and other projects along with my tax return should give me the few thousand dollars i feel I need to make what I want. I in no way am guaranteeing two movies, but I have high hopes.

2. Be more vocal on the web. I want to do more writing and video blogs on the internet. Just discussing day to life, the above mentioned adventure in film making as well as sharing things i like. I don’t want to build an obstacle by saying i’ll do it daily, but i want to be more frequent than i have in the past year. I also want to be more conscience of my presence on the internet by leaving comments, and reaching out to new people. We have been given a great gift with this communication, and i don’t want to waste it.

3. I want to stay on course with my health. I have lost thirty pounds in 4 months, and while weight loss really wasn’t my main concern when starting this, i Realize that a thinner Cameron is a longer living Cameron. The Wii Fit Taunts me on the weigh in, and I hope to get more lean this year.

4. I’d like to find a way to move to Texas. I love Nashville, but at this point in life am ready to get closer to friends and would like to find a way to get to Austin. I don’t truly think I’ll be transplanted by years end, but I want to seek it out. Nashville has a few unfinished things for me, but my time here is coming to a close.

5. Watch more movies, Read more books, Write more. And keep a log of all of this for posterity.

Kind wishes to you all. I hope you will show me support in these things in the coming days.

Cameron McCasland