Addendum: EP

 Alternative Title: Jacob’s victory lap.

First off, I'd like to apologize for the delay of this blog post. Would have gotten to it sooner but real life got in the way (school). No worries! We should be back up at running now. On with the post!

History!

I’ve been around for almost twenty season at this point. I’ve made a lot of movies during this time. Some good, some bad, most average. But the one that stood on top when it came to review scores was Accordion de Chanson. My first attempt at an animated film for the studio may not have been a box office draw, but it scored well with critics, getting a 74 on Metascore on top of its two nominations in GRA. Why do I remind of this film? Well, I think what I’m about to say next may put things into perspective.

Accordion de Chanson? You’ve been dethroned.

EP is now my highest scoring movie. And here’s the ironic part, it also failed at the box office!

If you saw the post I sent out in latest releases threads, or received a DM from me, you'll know that I was ecstatic about the result. It's been some time since a movie I wrote has been this well-recieved, and the fact that it did this good with critics? I take that with a badge of honor.

Now that all is said and done, and I've long since finished celebrating, I think it's time to address some of my prior talking points and what the critics said. There was a lot of good feedback as per usual, so let's dive into it.

Box Office Bust

If you recall the original post, I was 50-50 on the movie succeding in the box office. It had a huge cast with some big names, but I felt Leonardo DiCaprio had enough star power to carry the film profit wise. Unfortunately, I hadn't factured in genre and subject matter, so while the movie did well domestically, it failed to find an audience everywhere else. It's unfortunate since this means DiCaprio's clean streak at the box office is broken, but a positive score always overshadows it.

Length: Not the Concern!

The main concern I had with E.P. was length. Remember, this wasn't the shortest version of the film and I felt it would play a factor in the movie not fulfilling it's potential. As it turns out, it didn't even matter. While yes, it was meandering at times, length was a non-issue for the most part. Consider this a lucky break on my part. So, if length wasn't the issue, what was?

The Wrong Focus:

This takes us to the main focus of the post. The biggest critique given to this film, and what ultimately held it back from being a great film was the focus on characters such as Aliesha Faulk and Alejandra Cortez, the TV actress and secretary to Matt Cassidy. The issue regarding them is that, compared to characters like Ben Hubbard, Trey Cash, Kathy Tomarken and Matt Cassidy, neither were particularly interesting. While it's an understandable criticism, I do want to give context as to why these characters got that focus.

Alejandra Cortez: I'll start with Cortez as she plays a major role in the film. Cortez is the person who brings Cassidy's world crashing down. My thinking was that, while yes, Kathy would eventually learn of Cassidy's past, Cortez speaking up sped the process up much faster. To that end, Cortez plays the role of the whistleblower. With that said, I do think I should've given her more of a character than "Matt Cassidy's secretary who suddenly turns on him". If you watch the film, you'll notice there was a scene where Cassidy was a bit handsy with her. I could have played more with their dynamic with Cassidy considering Cortez as more object than woman, or Cassidy being more overbearing, leading to Cortez growing more stressed with each passing moment. It could have made the eventual turn, and thus her character, all the more powerful.

Aliesha Faulk: The more controversial of the two, especially considering Faulk became the new host of the show, Faulk was actually not the original choice to host. That honor actually went to Trey Cash. But ultimately, I felt with Faulk's character and backstory, it made more sense to go with her, with Cash playing a mentor role. It also played into her being the counterpart to Miyam Bilak, down to her being the new host of the show (though to be fair, Ken Jennings is also hosting alongside her).

If there was anything I'd do differently with her, I guess I'd make her slightly rougher round the edges, make her impulsive at times. Having the giggles at times doesn't work as a character flaw, but calling for breaks when you forget what

to say? Zoning out into space and hastily calling for segments that weren't scheduled? Those are issues that can build a character. Then, you play into Cash's mentorship and eventually, you end with her leading the charge. With those changes, you make a relatable underdog character you want to see win.

Cassidy Conundrum:

Finally, I want to touch upon Matt Cassidy. While he was not the subject of any critic reviews, Lon Charles brought up an excellent point leading up to the box office release. At times, Matt Cassidy came across as a bit too cartoonish and over-the-top. I think I can pin-point certain areas where Cassidy crossed the line. 

1. His reaction to the Barry Lewis producer job opening (He was way too giddy about it)

2. The two scenes leading up to his firing. (I had a scene where Matt Cassidy revealed he sabotaged everyone and another where he left in disgrace. While a strong way for an antagonist to go, it could've been better had I combined both scenes into one whole scene where Cassidy just goes off on everyone before being fired.)

There are three other things I should have done regarding Matt Cassidy. One was empahsizing the relationship between Cassidy and Cortez more. The other was humanizing him, making Cassidy more vulnerable and sympathetic in certain areas. He certainly started this way, before descending into full villanry.

I think the best way I could have handled it was turning some of those scenes into flashbacks detailing Cassidy's past before meeting up with Cortez. Depending on their execution, they could be a good way to showcase who Matt Cassidy really is. A suave, smart man who is paranoid and concerned with only being on top, because that's all he knows.

The final thing? Accepting defeat. Taking his firing like a man. But on top of that, making it clear that one day, he will find work again. That's the sad truth about the television and movie industry. Awful people are going to go away for a time after being exposed. Eventually, however, they'll be back with a new program. Depending on whether or not they've changed, that could alter their legacy or be the final nail in the coffin.

There is a deleted scene that reveals what happened with Cassidy. He ultimately flees to Japan to promote a new show alongside a group scantily clad women, all the kind he wishes he could have. Dumb and hot.

Conclusion and What's Next?

Overall, E.P was a success. Thanks to a strong cast, some of the best storytelling I've done in a time and amazing performances, E.P has become the movie I will turn to as a reminder as to what I can do at my best.

This marks the end of my output for Season 24, in my opinion my best season ever here. One thing Jeff Stockton noted was the considerable improvement I've shown over the seasons and its shown especially here. I've learnt to cast and write compelling, likable characters with good stories. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect, I still struggle with tonal errors and there's always one thing I overlook. That's inevitable. But there's no denying I've come a long way since I started here in Last Resort Films, and I have you guys to thank.

This year marks my fourth for the studio and the 35th film I've made. I'll be doing something special to celebrate both milestones. Until next time, this is Jacob Jones signing out!