What’s next for Deadenddays.com
November 30, 2004
Whew. Again I humbly bow to the amazing amounts of feedback we’ve received on episode 48, my worries that we wouldn’t be able to meet your lofty expectations for the finale were (thankfully) meritless. It’s been really great to hear from all the people who have come out of the woodwork in the last couple of weeks, either via e-mail, the forums, or in person to let us know that they enjoyed the series, and are sad to see it wrap up. It’s been a pleasure to talk with you all.
Alright, on to the promised “things people want to know about D.E.D.” or more exactly “things people want to know about where we’re going from here”: Read more
DED is Dead! Long Live DED!
November 27, 2004
Tonight, on a very special weekend edition of “Dead End Days”…
Okay… I’d like to thank you all for coming out this evening… It’s great to see such a good turnout. Before we get started, I’d like to thank you all for your patience, I hope the extra couple of hours of polish show off. May I suggest you all find a comfortable position, adjust your lighting, stretch a little. Perhaps you’d like to close your office do and/or mute your phone? Might I suggest a refreshing beverage or some popcorn to accompany the show?
All right then everyone ready?
Throughout the past 497 days (give or take) the one constant of my life (maintaining through time, space, and moving into a brand new house) has been four cans of Guiness that were a “Thank you” gift from Jay for letting him crash in Rob and my apartment when he was in Toronto in June 2003. They never got drunk in June so we took them to Calgary to celebrate the launch of “Days” with Jay over the Christmas holidays… And forgot to drink them. So back to Toronto they came and sat on my shelf. Read more
Please Stand By…
November 26, 2004
You may recall, back in special edition #1, we told you we didn’t want to stumble with our final episodes, so (even with two weeks of hard post-work poured into the beast to date) we still need one more night to whip the monster finale into shape. The mailing list will (as per usual) be the first to know as soon as we upload the new episode!
Consider this a fine chance to relive old memories in the archives. Why not let us know your favourite episode in the forums?
See you soon, we’re doing our absolute best to make it worth the wait!
Cue the Julia Roberts “shopping montage”…
November 25, 2004
The last shirt/sweatshirt/hoodie order has been sent to the presses! It will take them a few days to gather all the needed materials together - so I can try to sneak an additional order to two in, if there are any stragglers - but I can’t guarantee anything.
Thanks to everyone who ordered, I can’t wait to get my hoodie in!
A letter from Director Matthew Hoos to his loyal viewers.
November 23, 2004
(Put on sad music and picture me on your doorstep with flowers. It helps)
Well here we are. It’s… been a long time. You… look nice. Thanks for coming back, I know I have been really busy lately what with the last episode going up this week and all. I’m sorry if it seemed as though I was ignoring you. I hope I haven’t made you too upset with me.
Did you do something new with your hair? It looks different. Good different.
We’ve been through a lot together this year. I still can’t believe it myself, that all of this happened in just one little year. I… We… couldn’t have dreamed of doing this ridiculous thing that we did if it weren’t for your faith in us. So just in case I haven’t said it enough… thank you.
I guess most of all I want to let you know that all I wanted to accomplish with this whole sordid business was to make you smile. Just spread a little sunshine to the secluded cubicles of your downtown office when you should have been working, or into your cramped dorm room when you should have been studying or into your broom closet when you should have been caring for those elderly people you get paid to look after. Read more
What a long strange road it’s been…
November 19, 2004
Well we warned you, and sure enough here’s one last special edition for you kids. There’s been so many new users popping up on ye olde forums lately, that we figured a succinct story recap was in order before the big payoff.
Also if you’ve been waiting until the last minute to order DED Collectible clothing, it’s cheap, it’s diverse, and it’s only until Sunday. Check it out.
I will admit that I’ll miss writing these early morning rants to you guys, mostly because I’m a loudmouth who likes spouting off about things and, given the format and hour, nobody expects me to be coherent. Read more
A Picture is Worth 157.7 Words…
November 16, 2004
Note: Photos included below!
When Brad asked me to write a production journal this week, I originally intended on writing a thorough and well-reasoned argument as to why I am, by far, the superior of the Fox brothers. However, after threatening to leave me out of the credits (as well as punch me in the head), I decided to go with my second idea.
As anyone who has ever been on the set of a Dead End Days shoot would know, one thing that you can almost always expect to see is someone clicking away with a digital camera throughout the day. Usually, this person would be myself (between holding the boom, setting up equipment, and generally taking measured doses of abuse from Brad). These photos were primarily intended to be a resource for future promotional materials (which they have been), as well as a continuity aid. However, another thing that they have become is a method of documenting our production process itself. Since we are a low-budget (i.e. “no-budget” or “out of our own pockets”) production, we couldn’t afford the luxury of having someone with a camcorder record our “making of” process. We do have our stills, though, which are actually not a bad alternative. Read more
Bonefire of the News Post
November 12, 2004
Perhaps you are here only for the new episode, in which case I stongly suggest you go here post-haste!
I spoke with Jay this week, more by accident than design. He happened to call while I was the only DED staff member in the teleconference suite in the Southwest annex. To improve the acoustics the teleconferencing suite has a completely separate ventilation system, which makes it one of the few rooms in our entire complex where I can sneak off to with a Montecristo #4 and a glass of scotch and not have the maintenance facilities union heads calling the next day to claim I am creating an “unsafe working environment” and demanding hazard pay for their members. Read more
Look what you’ve made me do!
November 11, 2004
I have no idea how I’ll look at myself in the morning… see what you’ve done to me? Oh lets just do this:
“We still need about a dozen orders to give the green light to our Dead End Days custom clothing sale, and since we all really want our black hoodies - I’d like to point out that DED clothing is the perfect gift for this holiday season.”
You recognize it’s not even mid-November yet, right? Huge discounts, endless clothing style and colour choice - what more do you want (oh yeah… my dignity back… but not as bad as I want those black hoodies!)
The Triumph of Fear
November 9, 2004
Though Dead End Days has a political slant, it is not, by and large, a political film. Though I take pride in layering some level of social or cultural or political awareness into the various projects I’ve worked on, I’m always conscious not to digress into manifesto territory. The goal, I suppose, is to keep our stories relevant. I want these stories to mean something to people with whom I share a social or cultural or political experience, to reflect the experience of living in the world today. For better or worse. I’ve always likened my approach to writing as presenting one side of a debate that is, ultimately, left unresolved. I don’t like to preach, and I don’t like to pander, and I would never presume to have all the answers. It’s enough that I know I’m always right, there’s no need to gloat. Read more
