Red Hands Diary

We finished shooting the first half of DIRTY RED HANDS yesterday. I think everything went really, really well. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures because I was helping with the boom mic and doing extra producer duties, like wrangling the bar in downtown LA's skidrow, where we shot episode 4 (see the RED HANDS "traditional" version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYZ25di2SvI).

I went to the bar when it opened at 6AM and had much hope but no real idea if they'd let us shoot there. The experience we'd had on the city bus the night before went so well that it almost seemed like things would have to not work, just to keep the whole guerrilla cosmic balance in check.

The very friendly bartender told us we'd have to wait until 9:30AM to speak with the manager. He arrived a little after 8 and told me it was okay with him as long as we didn't bother the customers and if we did bother them to buy them a picher of beer. I bought drinks for everyone in the bar and we shot like crazy until the manager started pressuring us to get the hell out. I bought another round for everyone and then hung with the regulars, having great discussions about David Lynch and Charles Bukowski. In particular there was one very cool muscian I met there named Derrick Estrada (check out myspace.com/baseck) who I'm going to talk more with and maybe have him help collaborate some on the DIRTY RED HANDS soundtrack.

In the afternoon we shot the killing of ART episode in my garage. At this point I was completely spent. I'm not a very good producer and I'm thankful that Hector and Ed, our directors, and Steve, our actor playing the twins ART and GUY, were so professional and together, because I was not. When we resume the shooting of the traditionald RED HANDS I have to find a line producer we can afford, because at this point, with my day job as a high school English teacher, it's just too much for me to do well.

Next Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we will be shooting the rest of DIRTY RED HANDS, and should have footage of the stuff we've done already up on the web by this Friday. I'll keep you posted.