3 Years as The Gimp

The shop turned three today! I can't believe it. I never thought it would be this f-ing hard! But looking back on all the strife and triumph thus far, I can say without a doubt....I'll never open a restaurant again!

Joking aside, I wouldn't change it if I could.

STILL cutting

Editing ain't no jive. Shit's hard. Much respect for those that do it for dough. Picked up some scenics today and still have a few reshots to get before I have all the pictures I want. Editing really shows you how bad of a director you are. Man. I mean, forget a few closeups and your scene is fucked! Forget to nail that long shot, and you're stuck with all close ups for a really disorienting scene. I'll be a much better director after this.

Got some music for the film from my man Junior Jones. Just need to remaster it and add some darker notes to it. All in all, the whole thing is turning out better than I thought it would. And that's nice. I mean, some scenes aren't the way I'd imagined them, and some are better. So, now I'll just edit the film towards those strengths.

So far, star of the show, my little man above. Alex, as Bene (the lead) as a child. That's a still from the film. He's a damn natural.

Cut'n a rug

Now the fun begins. I'm somewhat of a hermit, so editing appeals to me. With only a day of reshoots to put down, I'm just sitting in the dark with the headphones on - in peace. Nothing like spending all day talking to people, making their samiches, their coffee, listening to them complain, holding my complaints hostage in my head - then finally being able to escape into this little movie I've got trying to be born.

Production always humbles me. I've only tried it twice (the first was a disaster of ignorance), but I have the utmost respect for you long time TV and filmmakers. You got balls kids. Sitting with the script and dreaming of the shots, you start to think "I can do this". You get the people in space and the problems start coming faster than you can remember how to address them, and I just sit back and go "Wow, this is so much harder than I thought." But that's what draws me to it. But again, this time last year, I was bemoaning a failed attempt at shooting a short, and this year I have one within my grasp to edit! I've moved forward. Maybe a millimeter, maybe even a shorter distance than that, but still, forward. That's all that matters, right?

Back to writing as well...

Still have about twenty or thirty pages to put into a feature that I'm thinking is good.

Then, maybe a few little commercials for the shop for a demo reel and our website.

Then, maybe another short - this one a one location - one act deal so I can work on lighting and acting technique.

Got to read a working writer's script and learned a ton of stuff (thanks David) - how I can put more style into action description and be a little more playful than I've been (among other things).

Just actually have to switch back into writing mode - find the time, refind the story and still edit the movie.

Two days

Two days until we shoot Watering Stones. I feel like I have everything squared away. Did a read-through with the actors Monday. Have another on Thursday night. We shoot Friday all day, Saturday all day, and Sunday is reserved for pick-ups and reshoots. My boy (pictured above) actually has a ton of lines, and he sat in the read-through and picked all them up from listening. Went home and went over them before bed, and he's already got them memorized. You can tell by looking at him, he's that cool.

I feel like a boxer who's ready to fight, but has to shadow box for two more days. Waiting is unnerving. I'm very impatient when it comes to things like this. Need to find a way to channel the anticipation and not explode.

Two days.

Friday, hurry up and come.