2.20.26 JIMMY

HAPPY FRIDAY

Once again, it’s Friday morning, and I’m starting from a blank slate. Usually, I’ve got something…some idea of who I’m gonna send or what I’m gonna write about.

Not so much in recent weeks.

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So I pulled out an older drive and chose a guy at random to share with you. I hesitate to call Jimmy ‘random’ because he’s great and was such a favorite the first time I sent him your way last year. If you live in NYC, you might also recognize him from one of his many go-go gigs ;)

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So I’ve been thinking about containers.

Emotional containers.

Creative containers.

Physical containers.

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When life feels slushy and sloppy and oh so messy (and if I’m being honest, that’s exactly what the last few weeks have served up - blame it on Saturn and Neptune or eclipse season, or just life), it sometimes helps (me) to pour all that emotional ‘sludge’ into a container.

Something that can be counted on to keep its shape.

To corral and contain the goopy emotions that tend to spread and fill whatever crevices and cracks they can find.

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Sometimes this container is rigid and takes shape as a super-controlled schedule.

Sometimes it’s a crazy obsession with the physical (my bouts with Bikram and SoulCycle come to mind:)

Sometimes it’s a creative project.

Sometimes it’s a mix of all of these things.

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Whatever shape the container ends up taking, it somehow becomes easier to navigate the tough stuff knowing you have that structure and form to lean on.

To return to again and again when things feel messy.

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My current ‘container’ is HEADLOCK.

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I mentioned it a few weeks ago, but HEADLOCK is the micro-budget film I’ve been writing with Johnny Berchtold (from THE PASSENGER).

The plan is to shoot here in Maine before Winter is over.

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I know that’s a really aggressive timeline, but sometimes a train that’s already left the station is the only one that gets anywhere.

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MORE JIMMY

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HEADLOCK will be more SWALLOWED than THE RUINS for sure.

(probably done on an even smaller scale than SWALLOWED if I’m being honest)

We’ll probably have a crew of 3-5.

The cast is 5 people total.

(but all 5 of them are shaping up to be an absolute dream team)

The whole film takes place here on the island.

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Primarily in one of the cottages on my property here in Maine, so I’ll be spending lots of time shot listing, storyboarding, gathering props, and working on a shooting schedule.

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This week, I’ll also be starting to make some freezable soups that I can pull out during the shoot.

A hearty homemade soup is sooo much better than pizza after a long, cold shoot day (OK, maybe in addition to pizza :)

Somehow, I find this cooking element strangely soothing - knowing that I’m doing something that will make the shoot days a bit easier because we won’t be worrying about what’s for dinner.

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You’ll be happy to hear that at least one ‘dead boy’ (and hopefully two) will be in front of the camera on HEADLOCK.

Though I’ve shot Johnny for ALL THE DEAD BOYS, I’m not counting him as a ‘dead boy’ since I first met him through THE PASSENGER.

But more on that in the weeks to come…

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That’s my container.

What kind of containers do you guys find helpful when things feel sticky or tough?

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As usual, thanks for being here. I really do appreciate it.

Until next week.

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Carter

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P.S.

This is 100% a 🍌 week. Send me an email. I’m currently all alone up here in Maine and would love to hear/see what you’re up to - and share more Jimmy of course…

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And if you know someone who might like DIRTY LITTLE FRIDAYS, send this their way. They can subscribe below. I haven’t been doing much (anything) to grow the newsletter since way back in October when I did 31 DAYS OF BACKWOODS BOYS, so anything helps in spreading the (dirty) word.

:)

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