Bob has finished cutting a rough pass on episode 11. Looks cool. I gave notes. Basically I don't want this movie to look conventional. Conventional is last years news. Conventional is dead. You can have a movie edited in a progressive exciting way without having it be all arty and self-conscious. I told Bob to check out the first 30 minutes of Killing Zoe, which has some fantastic "one character" editing. Really creates some cool tension and gives the scenes a very tactile feel.
Our director, Ed, doesn't seem to be happy with the choices I've made, and I totally understand that. He came up with some amazing visuals, which I now want to cut back on for the sake of character and perspective. I've suggested we cut a version off my notes and then do one from his. I think it'd be fun to then show both versions at the first official Mongrel party -- to be held at a cool bar in Silverlake -- and have the audience vote on what they respond to more. There are no problems, only opportunities.
If Bob actually watches Killing Zoe, he'll see what I mean and then everyone else will see that my version is the hot hot shit. Bob is moving super fast so I'm sure I'll get to see something again in a couple of days.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
red HANDS diary
Bob has all the footage and is working like a motherfucker to get it into shape. He's posting it on a webpage so Ed and I can check it out and make notes. I just saw about two minutes of scene 11 and it's looking good, it's looking real.
Netflix has a contest right now and the first prize is like $300,000 to make a feature. I'm going to send them what we've got and let them know that for that money we can make at least 3 features and they can kiss my ass if they're more interested having more shitty super 16 indy bullshit to fill their warehouses with.
Re-watched Killing Zoe last night. Now there was a movie with balls. So economically shot and edited. Roger Avery I guess is serving life for some drunk driving manslaughter beef. Oh well, at least he got to make Killing Zoe first, a torch Red Hands will proudly grab before it hits the cold wet earth.
Just finished a couple books on Fassbinder and I think I almost understand why I've only liked a couple of his movies. It seems to be a German thing. That's groovy. I really like his appropriation of the old Hollywood studio system, how he twisted it around and used it against big money and stupidity.
Can't wait for the first official Mongrel party, probably the first week of February. Obama is in office, big stupid stores like Circuit City are going out of business, trite local bourgeoisie movie critics like Ella Taylor are getting fired, Sundance is tanking; change is in the wind and it's powering the sails of Red Hands. We're a cinematic pirate ship and if you're not down then walk the fucking plank.
Netflix has a contest right now and the first prize is like $300,000 to make a feature. I'm going to send them what we've got and let them know that for that money we can make at least 3 features and they can kiss my ass if they're more interested having more shitty super 16 indy bullshit to fill their warehouses with.
Re-watched Killing Zoe last night. Now there was a movie with balls. So economically shot and edited. Roger Avery I guess is serving life for some drunk driving manslaughter beef. Oh well, at least he got to make Killing Zoe first, a torch Red Hands will proudly grab before it hits the cold wet earth.
Just finished a couple books on Fassbinder and I think I almost understand why I've only liked a couple of his movies. It seems to be a German thing. That's groovy. I really like his appropriation of the old Hollywood studio system, how he twisted it around and used it against big money and stupidity.
Can't wait for the first official Mongrel party, probably the first week of February. Obama is in office, big stupid stores like Circuit City are going out of business, trite local bourgeoisie movie critics like Ella Taylor are getting fired, Sundance is tanking; change is in the wind and it's powering the sails of Red Hands. We're a cinematic pirate ship and if you're not down then walk the fucking plank.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Red Hands Diary
They used to say, if you build it they will come. Now that the initial shoot of Red Hands is over they will now have to say, if you write and then post an ad on craigslist they will congregate and create cool art.
The production for this movie started with an theory which was tested with an ad in craigslist asking for talented people who were interested in investigating new paradigms to come together. The rest is history, and it's still happening.
The next step is getting all the amazing footage up to Bob, our master editor up in Seattle, and then cutting the episodes together and getting them back down here so we can have a party and further slap each other on the back.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Red Hands diary
Day one of shooting is done. Shooting of episode 4 is done.
Here are the highlights from the hour by hour entries:
7AM - Wake up. No cough -- good. Pack the DayQuil and costumes. Get 6 Winchel's donuts and listen to Wilco's Being There on the drive over.
8AM - Actors and crew already up and running at the location. Actors look amazing, and of course they do; they're doing their own costumes and make up. Great hat on Wintermouth. 1st scene in bathroom where Wintermouth confronts Dall while she's trying to shit. Seems like a good place to start.
9AM - Talking shit about Michael Bay and trading obscure Mickey Rourke movies with Kim the producer. Shooting going great. I'm slamming 7UP and my cough is still manageable.
10AM - 3 7UPs done and no peeing yet. Is that bad?
11AM - Actors are getting more and more into their characters. Ed and I have split the direction so he does everything and I advocate and support the actors. My job will be easy today because they're all fantastic -- really bringing it. Ed is in his element -- this is what he's meant to be doing and I'm glad I could help make it happen.
12NOON - We've switched from the bathroom to the "diner" and have lost some time, in moving set and also lunch hasn't gotten here when expected. I finally peed and clogged the toilet -- good think I'm good with a mop. The actors are now at a bar and I'm calling it "Chickenhawks at the Diner." No one seems to get this allusion. That's OK.
1PM - Lunch was a turkey club that was more like roadkill with seared baloney. That's cool -- it's part of the environment and this is environmental movie-making. I really have very little to do. The crew is top notch and the actors are still kicking ass -- some wig issues with Dall, but nothing insane.
2PM - The Agent arrives from LAX -- in character. He's spooky. Perfect. My suit is of course too big for him -- why am I surprised? One of the PA's will let him borrow his. Looks great. Why people spend hundreds of thousands on wardrobe is beyond me.
3PM - I'm crashing big time. Doesn't matter -- the mode here is relaxed and not stressed at all. I'll go into the corner and listen to Phillip Glass and try to dig the great continuum.
4PM - Found my throat lozenges. Not like I really needed them. We're basically done. Nothing more for me to do so now I'm in the bar soaking up the local Tom Waits atmosphere and trying to convince the bartender to play the role of the desk clerk.
We ended up finishing about two hours ahead of schedule. If we had tried to go for the other scene we would have been screwed. If we were an independent movie or a Hollywood movie that's exactly what would have happened.
Tomorrow we shoot the big episode between The Agent and Dall. Should be lots of fun. This is lots of fun. I'll keep you all posted.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
red hands diary
The only drawback of teaching high school English is that if you’ve got a pathetic immune system – like I do – you get sick all the time. It’s no one’s fault – I wash my hands and cover myself in Lysol every day, but still, it’s just one of those things that you deal with.
Which is to say that I have a particularly nasty flu-bug. Throat, nose, aches, pains, shivers, exhaustions. This bitch is real. It’s also the day before we start production on Red Hands. Whatever, I have my over-the-counter cheesy medications, and what’s more I have the fire, the kind Billy Joel so perfectly immortalized in that song of his. Nothing is going to stop me from helping to create cool art.
Been too sick to properly keep you faithful readers posted on all the adventures so here’s a recap. Hired an amazing actor to play GUY. Finalized the production needs and in the process hired an amazing Assistant Director who works at the location and will help us save money big time through his know-how and tenacity. The team made a decision to cut the production days from three to two and instead of shooting episodes 11, 4, and 1, we’ll now be focusing our attention on episodes 11 and 4. This is a good thing since Ed, the director, and me both think episode 1 could be beefed up to make it look less like a super cheap Indy scene, and now we’ll have the chance to investigate that. Nial Lynch, one of our chief investors really came through, and it’s thanks to him that we’ll be able to realize these next two days of shooting.
If you’re interested in viewing the script or investing please hit me up here or send me an email at pacificvagrant@gmail.com.
What else? Had a table read with the actors last night at an Indian restaurant in Atwater which went really well. They’re all money and it just goes to show you – there’s so much talent out there – thank goodness we now have tools like craigslist for reaching it, and thank the Goddess we don’t have to go through the greedy agent/manager gatekeepers!
Tomorrow is a seven AM to seven AM twelve hour day, then the same on Monday. Ed and I have clearly defined our roles as co-directors: he’s in charge of all the blocking and camera and lighting issues and all that, and I’m working with the actors and in charge of the performances. Should help us focus and keep our eyes on the prize and thinking about, why haven’t directors done this sort of thing in the past predominantly? Answer: because they want it all. Hollywood is about having it all at the cost of everything. Red Hands is about telling a story for the price of a used car. Glorious. Tuesday I’m taking the day off because I’ll probably be dead and I’ll have to have the wife get out the voodoo herbs and spices to get me back on my feet again. So be it.
Which is to say that I have a particularly nasty flu-bug. Throat, nose, aches, pains, shivers, exhaustions. This bitch is real. It’s also the day before we start production on Red Hands. Whatever, I have my over-the-counter cheesy medications, and what’s more I have the fire, the kind Billy Joel so perfectly immortalized in that song of his. Nothing is going to stop me from helping to create cool art.
Been too sick to properly keep you faithful readers posted on all the adventures so here’s a recap. Hired an amazing actor to play GUY. Finalized the production needs and in the process hired an amazing Assistant Director who works at the location and will help us save money big time through his know-how and tenacity. The team made a decision to cut the production days from three to two and instead of shooting episodes 11, 4, and 1, we’ll now be focusing our attention on episodes 11 and 4. This is a good thing since Ed, the director, and me both think episode 1 could be beefed up to make it look less like a super cheap Indy scene, and now we’ll have the chance to investigate that. Nial Lynch, one of our chief investors really came through, and it’s thanks to him that we’ll be able to realize these next two days of shooting.
If you’re interested in viewing the script or investing please hit me up here or send me an email at pacificvagrant@gmail.com.
What else? Had a table read with the actors last night at an Indian restaurant in Atwater which went really well. They’re all money and it just goes to show you – there’s so much talent out there – thank goodness we now have tools like craigslist for reaching it, and thank the Goddess we don’t have to go through the greedy agent/manager gatekeepers!
Tomorrow is a seven AM to seven AM twelve hour day, then the same on Monday. Ed and I have clearly defined our roles as co-directors: he’s in charge of all the blocking and camera and lighting issues and all that, and I’m working with the actors and in charge of the performances. Should help us focus and keep our eyes on the prize and thinking about, why haven’t directors done this sort of thing in the past predominantly? Answer: because they want it all. Hollywood is about having it all at the cost of everything. Red Hands is about telling a story for the price of a used car. Glorious. Tuesday I’m taking the day off because I’ll probably be dead and I’ll have to have the wife get out the voodoo herbs and spices to get me back on my feet again. So be it.
Friday, January 9, 2009
red HANDS production DIARY
Last night I went to the casting I'd set up for the 18+ actors I'm interested in getting to play the BOY in episode 5 of RED HANDS. None of them showed. I was actually relieved, since I was dead tired from working all day and it meant I could get back to my wife and quality time with her. I also wasn't that surprised, to tell you the truth, since 1) with craigslist postings you really have to bulk program; as in to meet with five potential actors you have get about forty RSVPS, and I'd only found like four actors to come out, and 2) I couldn't meet with these guys at the usual tavern since they were all underage and since I wasn't about to support Starbucks I told the kids we'd do the audition at a somewhat sketchy Indian cafeteria in Atwater. Yes, I admit, if I was a young male actor this probably would have sounded, uh, sleazy, and I might have been inclined not to follow through.
But, as usual with this progressive production, everything has appeared to work out great. Tonight we had an audition for PAROLE OFFICERS for episode 6, along with OLD MEN for episode 1, and GUY, at the usual place. Kim, our amazing producer, found an actor who I think will work perfectly for the character of BOY. He's a lot older than what's in the script, but it doesn't matter because he gets the essence of the character. BOY is all about nervy weird intensity mixed with innocence -- and he's got all of that. I think we also found a great PAROLE OFFICER, and an OLD MAN. None of the GUY potentials showed up, so I'll now have to hit craigslist again as well some other contacts because we desperately need an old fat white dude who can act, ASAP. If you know anyone who fits this description and lives in LA please let me know.
After the auditions we had a mini-production meeting where we touched base with Myles Cranford (WINTERMOUTH) who was gracious enough to fight traffic and meet Kim and Ed. Bob, our editor who's down from Seattle making the scene also made an appearance and it was great to get his input on some technical angles.
The winner for the evening though had to be Kim. We decided at the tavern that job #1 is nailing down this location -- we have to get it secure before we can do anything else and man, we're running out of time. I suggested driving out there tonight and trying to tract down the lady who owns the establishment we're interested in. Ed and Kim were game so we drove out into the Inland Empire. The lady wasn't there, but Kim was able to score some serious contact intel with the place's chief manager, which should nail this location by Sunday night. Kim really stepped up with the manager and impressed the shit out of me. Had this not happened I think we very well could have been out a location which means we could have been screwed, big time. The whole transaction went down in a karaoke lounge with drunk bikers screaming Chicago ballads behind us. Kim was totally pro and locked on, and even set up a meeting with a senior bartender who's going to give us the scoop on all the details we'll need to get this production done right. Kim and I are going to meet with him tomorrow afternoon and I'm very excited to see where the adventure takes us from there.
Tonight was the first night that I felt this production was really turning into something physical, real. Up until now we've been meeting and I've been raising money. Tonight we were in the field, getting shit done, establishing boundaries and testing each other. I give everyone involved an A.
Dig it.
But, as usual with this progressive production, everything has appeared to work out great. Tonight we had an audition for PAROLE OFFICERS for episode 6, along with OLD MEN for episode 1, and GUY, at the usual place. Kim, our amazing producer, found an actor who I think will work perfectly for the character of BOY. He's a lot older than what's in the script, but it doesn't matter because he gets the essence of the character. BOY is all about nervy weird intensity mixed with innocence -- and he's got all of that. I think we also found a great PAROLE OFFICER, and an OLD MAN. None of the GUY potentials showed up, so I'll now have to hit craigslist again as well some other contacts because we desperately need an old fat white dude who can act, ASAP. If you know anyone who fits this description and lives in LA please let me know.
After the auditions we had a mini-production meeting where we touched base with Myles Cranford (WINTERMOUTH) who was gracious enough to fight traffic and meet Kim and Ed. Bob, our editor who's down from Seattle making the scene also made an appearance and it was great to get his input on some technical angles.
The winner for the evening though had to be Kim. We decided at the tavern that job #1 is nailing down this location -- we have to get it secure before we can do anything else and man, we're running out of time. I suggested driving out there tonight and trying to tract down the lady who owns the establishment we're interested in. Ed and Kim were game so we drove out into the Inland Empire. The lady wasn't there, but Kim was able to score some serious contact intel with the place's chief manager, which should nail this location by Sunday night. Kim really stepped up with the manager and impressed the shit out of me. Had this not happened I think we very well could have been out a location which means we could have been screwed, big time. The whole transaction went down in a karaoke lounge with drunk bikers screaming Chicago ballads behind us. Kim was totally pro and locked on, and even set up a meeting with a senior bartender who's going to give us the scoop on all the details we'll need to get this production done right. Kim and I are going to meet with him tomorrow afternoon and I'm very excited to see where the adventure takes us from there.
Tonight was the first night that I felt this production was really turning into something physical, real. Up until now we've been meeting and I've been raising money. Tonight we were in the field, getting shit done, establishing boundaries and testing each other. I give everyone involved an A.
Dig it.
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