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Wondering About the Status of Kristen's Planned Short Film on Gun Control in Light of the Recent Tragedy in Las Vegas


Back in January of this year, Kristen told The Hollywood Reporter that her next short film she plans on directing would be about gun control. While she did not say much, one quote particularly resonates with me:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-kristen-stewart-direct-short-film-gun-control-video-966603

"You don't have to be a politically involved person to be uber-aware of the fact that very basic humanitarian ideas are being so incredibly trampled on," said Stewart."


Some make the mistaken assumption that just because one disagrees with the ideology of the gun lobby that one is politically motivated and thus has a political agenda. Such accusations were actually hurled against me on a particular forum, when I made a comment criticizing lax gun laws in states such as Nevada which make it too easy for almost any adult to legally purchase semiautomatic weapons such as the AR-15, which can very easily be retrofitted with legal add-ons to simulate illegal, fully automatic assault rifles such as the M-16. In my opinion, this isn't necessarily a partisan issue but rather an issue, regardless of one's political orientation, that seriously questions the legitimacy and reasons why little or nothing is being done as far as legislation to try to stop the madness. Don't get me wrong, in an imperfect world, crime will always continue to exist, even heinous crimes such as murder and thus I understand the need to defend oneself from those who wish to do one harm as such a right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment.

Yet we must draw the line as far as what type of weapons are acceptable for civilians and what types of weapons are excessive and overkill, literally. Additionally, why make it too easy for those who wish to kill themselves and drag the world--well at least as much of the world as they possibly can with their guns blazing--down with them. Sure, the causes of mass shootings are quite complex as psychotropic drugs can influence someone to do something they may not ordinarily do otherwise. Extremist ideology from hate and terrorist groups is an ever growing factor in many mass shootings. Even the ever-expanding gulf between the rich and poor may also contribute to this. The debate has focused on the lack of mental health care for would be shooters could have prevented this--yet pleading insanity should not be used to place all the blame on the shooter without holding manufacturers and distributors of assault weapons unaccountable in any way. Whatever the root causes are, unless the widespread availability of assault weapons is curtailed, mass shootings will continue to plague the U.S. at an alarming rate. The line must be drawn somewhere and outlawing assault weapons such as the AR-15 is where I believe we should draw it.

So being that this topic is on the minds of virtually all Americans, I would certainly be interested in the status of Kristen's planned film project on gun control.

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I haven't seen any info lately on this project. I assume that in time we'll see something on it, if Kristen is still doing it which I assume she is. I think if we get correct info on these issues then we can make decisions. Too much bad info by both sides which I feel tends more to stir anger, but if discussed rationally we could find some changes we could make. This is a hot issue on both sides so that's probably why you see nastiness directed at you in some venues when you discuss.

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Too much bad info by both sides which I feel tends more to stir anger, but if discussed rationally we could find some changes we could make. This is a hot issue on both sides so that's probably why you see nastiness directed at you in some venues when you discuss.


I initially doubted this heated debate will be quelled anytime soon Ron, just so long as one side will fight until the AR-15 is banned, while the other side will fight to keep it legal as it is the weapon of choice among many gun enthusiasts while simultaneously being the weapon used in many mass shootings. However, in light of the recent news that the NRA has voluntarily agreed to have increased regulation of bump stocks, things seem to be moving in the right direction:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-the-nra-decision-on-bump-stocks-is-a-big-deal/, only to have Congress shoot down such a proposal.

Of course the debate will still be ongoing as for the gun control activists, I believe many feel banning assault weapons such as the AR-15 is long overdue, especially in light of the most deadly shooting in modern U.S. history and probably won't compromise their position on such assault weapons as they have been the weapon of choice used by mass murderers from the Sandy Hook Shootings to the Orlando shootings to the most recent Las Vegas shootings where sources say the gunman used a modified Sig Sauer variation of the AR-15. Unless stricter regulation banning assault weapons is passed, these mass shootings will continue.

As far as the pro gun advocates on the other side, it seems that many believe civilians have the Second Amendment right to own semiautomatic weapons. I don't think I'll ever understand their logic of fighting to defend the civilian ownership of a military weapon that's designed to kill in mass quantities. And what I found most deplorable is just as tobacco companies marketed cigarettes to children in the past and now continue to market non-cigarette tobacco products to kids, gun manufacturers are marketing the AR-15 to younger generations via first person shooter-style video games like Call of Duty.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/nyregion/ar-15-rifles-are-beloved-reviled-and-a-common-element-in-mass-shootings.html

Shootings have now become the third-leading cause of death for children living in the U.S. Over 90 percent of the children killed by guns around the world were American. When will they at least try to stop this madness?

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Here we go again with the shooter again using an AR-15 this time in a Florida mass shooting.

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Terrible tragedy. I was so angry at this happening, not sure what all to be angry at, but definitely angry at the shooter, at us not having good enough security in schools, and for a disturbed kid like this to be able to purchase a gun of any kind and then at age 18.

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As far as why the shooter was able to legally purchase an AR-15 despite being a teenager we must take into consideration that only recently have assault rifles become widely available and reached market saturation, so federal gun laws did not adequately address the sale of rifles like they did with handguns. Since you made mention of being surprised that the teen was able to purchase a gun of any kind, it should also be mentioned that the federal age restrictions apply in the state of Florida which prohibits licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to persons under the age of 21.

So wouldn't it make sense to have outdated federal laws that did not address assault rifles in the past amended to require buyers of rifles to be at least 21 years of age? This glaring discrepancy of prohibiting an 18-year-old from purchasing a handgun yet allowing this same person to legally buy an assault weapon such as an AR-15, is becoming more noticeable every time it is used in a mass shooting.

One alarming fact is that mass shooters appear to be getting younger, many of them are in their early twenties, while some are still teenagers.

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Also, to buy a handgun requires a 3 day waiting period for background check, but for the rifle the background check takes much less, more like minutes and at the time of sale. Not only do our gun laws and especially background checks need change, maybe background checks need to get some kind of feed in about people with serious psychological issues, and those as in this case being problem people often visited by police. At least for starters. But I assume that civil rights groups, ACLU, etc. would fight many of these as they've fought against laws prohibiting gun sales to people on the terror watch list.

The administration seems to be agreeable to ides from some Congress members on seriously changing/revamping background checks and putting in more stringent school security. Hopefully some meaningful changes can be made, changes that have affect and not just feel good legislation or laws that won't affect the problem situations that we've seen in these school shootings.

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Also, to buy a handgun requires a 3 day waiting period for background check, but for the rifle the background check takes much less, more like minutes and at the time of sale. Not only do our gun laws and especially background checks need change, maybe background checks need to get some kind of feed in about people with serious psychological issues, and those as in this case being problem people often visited by police. At least for starters. But I assume that civil rights groups, ACLU, etc. would fight many of these as they've fought against laws prohibiting gun sales to people on the terror watch list.


One thing both sides of the debate agree upon Ron, which I too believe will help in reconciling both gun rights and public safety is, there must be a better federal database like you mentioned in order to ensure that those who are mentally ill will be red flagged and prevented from slipping through the cracks and thereby prohibited from purchase firearms. Since federally licensed dealers are already required to run their customers through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, perhaps the law should also include having gun dealers at gun shows and private dealers do the same as currently they're not required by law in states like Florida to do any background checks.

As far as whether or not those on the terror watch list should be allowed to buy guns, here's where it can get a bit tricky as some on this watch list may not be actual terrorists, but merely suspects that have never been proven guilty of having any involvement with terrorism. In cases where someone on this watch list gets flagged, the licensed firearms dealer is not alerted to his status, although the federal government is made aware this person is trying to purchase a gun through the NICS background check. So the sale may still go through, although I'm guessing the feds would then keep close tabs on this individual. Perhaps we should err on the side of caution by not allowing anyone on the terror watch list to purchase any firearms just as the federal aviation administration would not allow anyone on this list to fly on their planes.

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"As far as whether or not those on the terror watch list should be allowed to buy guns, here's where it can get a bit tricky as some on this watch list may not be actual terrorists, but merely suspects that have never been proven guilty of having any involvement with terrorism. "

I believe this is pretty much what the argument was, that the terror watch list could be quite inaccurate so that innocent people were getting caught up in it. There were kids on the list and even Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was on it. I think part of the issue was people with similar names as a watch list person and the error of identifying the correct person that should be flagged.

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There were kids on the list and even Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was on it.


I read of cases where children as young as two years old were on the list. Makes one wonder what could a 2-year-old toddler have done to become a suspected terrorist.

I stumbled across this YouTube video where standup comedian Jim Jefferies discusses gun control:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rR9IaXH1M0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9UFyNy-rw4

In my opinion, Jeffries gives truth to the adage that genuine humor is replete with wisdom.

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Two U.S. mass shootings in a little over half a day (13 hours).

I posted the OP nearly two years ago and it seems things will continue to get worse for quite some time before they get any better. If Kristen still plans on doing a project on gun control, it will still be as relevant now as ever. If she doesn't, I would still be interested to hear her take on this controversial topic of gun control.

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I've heard a couple of congress members and Senators talking, saying that they have at least one bill to tighten up background checks and other measures. I believe it's bi-partisan, supported by both parties and has been out there waiting for further action. But it's been stalled from being voted on, not sure why.

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The majority of Americans are now in favor of stricter gun control, so it would make sense that their representatives would thereby enact tougher gun laws. The problem is, collectively as a group, Republicans in general have long been partial to lax gun regulations, thus stricter gun bills have stalled in congress since the GOP still controls the Senate. Even, President Trump, claimed earlier today, that he is in favor of "strong background checks" yet he has not gone into detail as to how strict to make these laws, and some doubt he will do anything as he reneged on previous pledges to strengthen gun laws. In addition, he again highlighted the need to continue to toughen immigration laws, which could be interpreted as him indirectly implying that illegal immigration is at the root of most violent incidents in the U.S.

But the problem is, even if laws regarding stricter gun laws are passed, the two suspects involved in the mass shootings I referred to earlier, are both U.S. citizens and both don't have criminal records, meaning, these shootings probably still would have occurred despite stronger gun laws.

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LL, prior to these two tragic occurrences, I did not think that Kristen would go on to make her short film.

My reason for stating the above is because I believed that Kristen's main directorial focus was now her on full length project, The Chronology of Water.
In fact, I recently read an article where it was reported that she had basically acted out her screenplay for the author of the book, and that said author was very taken with what Kristen had accomplished.

Now however, while I still believe that TCoW remains Kristen's main focus, it is possible that her proposed short film on gun control might once again draw some interest.

I guess only time will tell.

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OK, I just found the article which mentioned The Chronology of Water that I referred to in my previous post.
It was in that Vanity Fair article which Mody brought to our attention.

From: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/07/kristen-stewart-cover-story ...
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Next year Stewart will embark on adapting for the screen Lidia Yuknavitch's book The Chronology of Water. The memoir, an account of gender, sexuality, violence, and the body, went as viral as a book can go after it was published in 2011, picking up a cultish readership and eventually finding its way into the recommended reading Stewart's Kindle offered her. With this film, Stewart will be making her feature-length directorial debut, having premiered a short, Come Swim in 2017. Listening to her first reading the book sounds holy and indoctrinating, as if Stewart mainlined the words. "The way [Yuknavitch] talks about having a body, and the shame of having that. The way she's really dirty, embarrassing, weird, gross, a girl. It was a coming-of-age story I haven't seen yet. I grew up watching fucking American Pie, these dudes jacking off in their socks like it was the most normal thing, and it was hilarious. Imagine a girl coming--it's like, what, so scary and bizarre. I feel like I started reading her stuff, and she was articulating things that I'm like, 'Dude, I didn't have the words for that, but thank you.'"

She wrote Yuknavitch an e-mail. Their connection was fast--they both paint it as fated, like some shared undercurrent. Stewart has since written a draft. She's read it out loud to Yuknavitch and her husband, who both then cried and held each other while Stewart threw her tattered copy of the book across the room. She was obliterated, relieved.

"It's harder for me to be an actor as I'm getting older. I'm more comfortable in the idea of making something from top to bottom, rather than giving myself to [it]. There are certain actors who are out of their minds and so transient in their presence that they can actually convince themselves and others of anything," she says. "I have a harder time doing that as I get older."

What nearly capsizes Stewart guides her, provokes her to get scrappy. The Chronolgy of Water accessed what Yuknavitch calls Stewart's nomad code. The actor moved to Portland for a few weeks and wrote, occasionally parking outside of Yuknavitch's home and sleeping in a Sprinter van with her dog Cole.
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Well, it sure seems that Kristen is fully involved with the making of The Chronology of Water.
After rereading that, I take back what I said in my previous post about the possibility of Kristen returning to her short film about gun control in the near future. I just don't think that that is going to happen.

I also think that I may just journey on over to Amazon after I post this to see if Lidia Yuknavitch's book is available for sale.

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Interesting article and some new insight on Kristen there CK.

""It's harder for me to be an actor as I'm getting older. I'm more comfortable in the idea of making something from top to bottom, rather than giving my self to [it]. There are certain actors who are out of their minds and so transient in their presence that they can actually convince themselves and others of anything," she says. "I have a harder time doing that as I get older.""

No surprise there, not really, as for a while now she's been getting more involved in various aspects of the film industry, directing and writing and just being creative in other areas, as the article points to. I do hope she continues to act along with more involvement in other areas and I think she will as she really likes acting and expressing herself in that way. Many actors do similar, take on other projects while still keeping their hand in acting. I give her much credit for her ingenuity and desire to creatively grow.

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The Chronolgy of Water accessed what Yuknavitch calls Stewart's nomad code. The actor moved to Portland for a few weeks and wrote, occasionally parking outside of Yuknavitch's home and sleeping in a Sprinter van with her dog Cole.


If this isn't the very definition of commitment, then I don't know what is. I mean here we have a multi-million-dollar actress who could have written the entire screenplay from her luxurious homes in either California or New York, yet chose to move to Portland to become a nomad, at times living in a van, in order to get into character and become fully immersed in the setting and atmosphere of the story.

When Kristen is attached to a project, be it as an actor, screenwriter or director, she is dedicated and devoted to the point that it takes so much out of her, at times leaving her physically and mentally exhausted, that she may not have enough left over to take on another project simultaneously.

I recall in years past how Kristen would take on multiple projects a year--so perhaps this is what she means when she says she's getting older in the sense that she can't switch on and off and take on a multitude of acting roles like she did when she was younger. So I would have to agree with you, Carved, that her planned short film on gun control will probably be on the back-burner, at least until her feature film directorial debut, which will probably take all her creative focus and concentration, is completed.

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"If this isn't the very definition of commitment, then I don't know what is. I mean here we have a multi-million-dollar actress who could have written the entire screenplay from her luxurious homes in either California or New York, yet chose to move to Portland to become a nomad, at times living in a van, in order to get into character and become fully immersed in the setting and atmosphere of the story. "

Kristen has done similar with many of her roles. In Welcome to the Riley's she ate junk food and did other things to look like how she felt the character should. Same with The Runaways in working with Joan Jett, The Cake Eaters where she met with other kids with the illness her character would portray. Same with On the Road where she and the cast took lessons on the beatnik era. Many other actors do similar and for her part, Kristen seems very devoted to authenticity.

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Kristen has done similar with many of her roles. In Welcome to the Riley's she ate junk food and did other things to look like how she felt the character should. Same with The Runaways in working with Joan Jett, The Cake Eaters where she met with other kids with the illness her character would portray. Same with On the Road where she and the cast took lessons on the beatnik era. Many other actors do similar and for her part, Kristen seems very devoted to authenticity.


Good examples of Kristen getting into character, Ron. One would assume that actors prepare and act out a role in a predominantly emotional and cognitive way, such as how she spent several hours preparing for her role in Equals, where she engaged in repetitive tasks such as repeating the same words over and over again, stared into the eyes of her costar Nicholas Hoult for prolonged periods of time and grilling each other relentlessly, by telling lies and truthful statements to see how the other would act and react.

However, even from a physical perspective, actors like Kristen even go the extra mile by being physically affected by what their character is experiencing. For example, in her first major role, in Panic Room, she bursts several blood vessels in her eyes while she was enacting the scene where she was going through an epileptic seizure. In "Breaking Dawn - Part 2", she again broke blood vessels during the scene where she portrayed Bella giving birth.

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I've heard also that on a few occasions, such as Twilight when Edward left her, she got so emotionally into the role that cast mates and directors worried about her. I think that's happened with her a few times at least. And I assume that happens for some other actors who play those types of emotional roles and really have to get into it to be authentic.

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