Newsletter

Elice Island
News

Essays on Hollywood, storytelling, AI filmmaking, and the business of entertainment.

Subscribe on Substack →
Progress Beats Perfection Every Time
LatestMay 11, 2026

Progress Beats Perfection Every Time

Write a Crappy First Draft Perfectionism kills more dreams than failure ever will. Why the messy first draft — in writing, business, and life — is the only way forward.

Read on Substack →
Why You Haven’t Hit Your Goal. Yet
May 4, 2026

Why You Haven’t Hit Your Goal. Yet

What I Learned From Kevin Hart in a Bowling Alley

Read →
My First Rejection
April 27, 2026

My First Rejection

A story about show business, family, and rejection. This week I'm sharing a story about my first acting job, a 1983 commercial for Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway, and the direc…

Read →
Be a Professional
April 20, 2026

Be a Professional

A friend called me last week. One of the 1,000 people just laid off at Disney. Fifteen years at that company. Consistent. Reliable. Good at his job by every measure. And then &#821…

Read →
Eddie Ankin Book 6 Title Reveal...THE SHIELD
April 16, 2026

Eddie Ankin Book 6 Title Reveal...THE SHIELD

Here’s the thing about justice—nobody tells you the price.

Read →
The Ghost of the National Typewriter Company:
April 16, 2026

The Ghost of the National Typewriter Company:

Why the Fall of Bad Robot is Hollywood’s Detroit Moment

Read →
Rocky III — Listen to the Doubters
February 19, 2026

Rocky III — Listen to the Doubters

Paulie: “Don’t listen to ‘em, Rock.”

Read →
Movie Life Lessons: A Few Good Men — DON’T BE MARGINALIZED BY YOUR OWN SUCCESS
February 10, 2026

Movie Life Lessons: A Few Good Men — DON’T BE MARGINALIZED BY YOUR OWN SUCCESS

“So, this is what the inside of a courtroom looks like.” — Lt. Daniel Kaffee

Read →
The Witch In The Bathtub (and why I deleted my book)
January 23, 2026

The Witch In The Bathtub (and why I deleted my book)

Introducing "The Clover Experiment"

Read →
MOVIE LIFE LESSONS: WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP - The Meritocracy of The Rock
January 19, 2026

MOVIE LIFE LESSONS: WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP - The Meritocracy of The Rock

Upending Limiting Beliefs and the Cost of Deception

Read →
January 15th - Quitting Time
January 15, 2026

January 15th - Quitting Time

January 15 is the day 90% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions and goals. Here's why you should keep going...

Read →
THE MOVIE METHOD: 28 DAYS LATER — A NEW ERA
January 12, 2026

THE MOVIE METHOD: 28 DAYS LATER — A NEW ERA

Creating the First AI Television Series: A production diary from ideation to distribution.

Read →