Projects

Watering Stones is entering it's final phaze (I think), and keeping busy has been easy. Polishing up another short script called Penny Wise - a southern gothic piece about a little girl (Juju) who dreams of a little orphan girl (Penny) who looks just like her. Penny has a secret she's just dieing to share with Juju - and what it is will change everything - for good. It's pretty tight and easy to shoot. Just three actors - two key locations and two bit locations.

Aside from that, I'm getting involved with that Regent U. group and have a pre-production meeting at Regent on Monday. It's cool working and watching other new filmmakers handle problems and stress and creativity. Teaches alot. I'm looking forward to working around someone else's vision to help bring it out. I don't know exactly what my role will be, but I've got a solid prospect for their primary location through a regular at Java. And...he has a plane. It's a fairly short - short, but should be interesting watching the producer and director impart their vision, a thing I have trouble with. I have the vision and it makes sense to me - but I struggle with "delicately" conveying what I want.

And...a "dead" project seems to be trying to rear its ugly head. Shot a mockumentary/"reality" show with a buddy in South Suffolk, called The Adventure of Tone Loc. Been sitting on the footage waiting for him to make a studio version of the song. He's back from NY with a track (and an album) and he wants to push forward with it. That could be an editing extravaganza. We've got like 6 hours worth of footage, and I only envision 30-45 min worth of narrative in it. So...need to get Heather her own computer.

And many others...I've noticed having ideas isn't the problem, its deciding which are worth the precious amount of time I'm able to spend on this right now. Been shooting in the yard for food...still haven't hit that bubbling crude.

Javalicious

As much shit as I give my shop for holding me hostage, I owe it alot (not really, since I've been paying it a whole helluva lot more than it's been paying me). But seriously, it's been the single biggest motivator for me as a writer. For one, when we were slow, I had a job where I could sit down, have killer coffee, listen to killer tunes, and actually write without a boss telling me to
"look busy". For two, I've met great people. People who've inspired me in various ways, or connected me, or showed me a way. I met a few more people like that over the past couple weekends.

Last weekend, a Regent University group used the shop as a location for their short film "Eyes to Dishonesty", a short about a cheating man and wife whose infidelities are revealed by the honest eyes (and mouth) of their son. Great experience. Great people. Got to talking with them and one of the guys is shooting another short out here in Suffolk. One thing I've learned lately is the biggest asset an aspiring filmmaker (or aspiring anything) is to meet other people who want to make films. There are no solo projects, and meeting these folks and more folks like these is the biggest step I can take. Yesterday, the DP and the producer came in the shop and asked if I'd like to help. Of course, I said yes. Gotta love Java.

This weekend I had another experience I'm sure I'd never have had without this place. I f
shot a revival at a local nondemoninational church. The youth minister is an amazing guy named Dominique Epps. I mean, this guy actually donated a kidney to a girl in this church who he never met, saved her life. Talk about putting up or shutting up. The real deal. Got some amazing footage of this young man inspiring some folks who have lost all hope at their dreams. A real eye opener. Can't wait to edit it into something great for the guy.

Also, worked on my first few scenes of ADR. That shit's tough. Definately need to tighten up my production sound skills or find a good sound guy (from the Regent Crew) who can keep me from having to mess with this shit again. All in all, productive, blessed, and ready to eat the shit out of some turkey.

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.

Casting

The summer's almost gone. I could say without a doubt, it was our best one yet. Moved into a new house, out of the bad hood, into a good one. Heather's become a working photographer. I'm working on a film project. The kids have just continued being the two coolest kids - learned to fish, swim, ride two wheels, hit a baseball, paint a house, act in a movie. All in one summer. Nothing I can think of beats fishing with my son for the first time. We caught these catfish that swim up near pa-inlaw's dock. It's almost like catching a house pet, but Alex loved it. Tossed it back. I can see that moment having been had between father and son probably since the first time humans hunted fish. He liked casting the best.

Mine for the films is done as well! I think. I've called back the girl. The pastor is great. I mean, he's more experienced than I'd hoped for in what's basically a student film project (without even the filmschool sanction). But I don't have a Bene. I'm leaning towards playing him. I mean, I wrote the story in first person, and it's quite a polished story. I know the character, and if I threw in some blue contacts, could match myself to my son (whose playing Bene as a boy). But I'm concerened how to direct and act at the same time. Seems alot like trying to play the guitar and sing at the same time, without knowing how to do either.

Other than that...rolling. Storyboarded pretty heavily. Planning on turning the house into a church on Saturday. I have these huge deck boards left over from the deck we just put on, and I'm erecting a real live crucifix in the yard for all to behold. With that, a few nailed to the house complete with a cemetery and wire fence. All the locations are secured and accessable throughout preproduction. Should be a blast.