Good Day, Sunshine

Just found these sites and I’m excited about being at all of these:

• Florida Film Festival
  It looks like I missed the deadline for 2008, but that also means I have plenty of time to get ready for 2009, eh?
• The Sarasota Film Society looks a lot like the Detroit Film Center (which I hope to see before I leave – they’ve moved to a new location… I haven’t had time to finish Red Eye because as soon as I got my current day job, I had to start looking for a new job in Florida!) in that they show local/independent films and have classes. They also show art films (which is good because the Maple and others in Detroit are just too far away) and first-run films. They’re totally showing Kids which I’ve wanted to see forever but it’s Jan 5 which is before I’ll get there.
• “Entries begin January 4, 2008″ (I’m not sure what that means, exactly) for the Central Florida Film Festival held in August. I wonder if I can finish … no, probably not. Well, I suppose I could get Red Eye screened … nah, I’ll do that as a Detroit exclusive … hmm… that might be a reason to come back up and visit for a weekend!
• I think every state has an office dedicated to the film industry – Michigan sure does. Florida’s official state-run department, Film In Florida, has it’s own website including a list of Florida film festivals! How cool is that?

I’ve tried to find info on local community access TV but my impression so far is there is none. Poop.

Me at my current (now temporary) gig at AT&T:

In all likelihood, all I’ll have is my own personal camera – not a super sweet one like Little Caesars’ at my disposal. I’ll have to spend a couple hundred on RAM and storage for my little Mac to edit with. Even with more RAM, I’m not sure it could handle Final Cut Express so it might be time to use iMovie. Crap … I’ll need a microphone, too, since my little camera doesn’t have much… it’s all do-able, though.

I’ve been reading a lot about John Carpenter, lately, and listening to his commentaries for The Thing and Halloween. I didn’t realize how low-budget Halloween was or that it was an independent film. Carpenter gives really good commentary. I like Halloween’s better, though, because I love the “how we did it” stuff for low budget productions.

Madre TV Show?

I was really thinking about it but this morning I realized there are already far too many shows with fathers who are absent or inept. I don’t need to add another.

Mood Swings

I called in sick today for the second day in a row. My wife called me from the school she’s teaching at today and asked if I was still sick or if I was just depressed. I said both. All I did this morning was lay in bed, watching Maria Full of Grace listening to the commentary (which is what I did yesterday when I was too sick to do anything else) thinking … this is falling apart … no one has called me … I’m a failure … I’m never going to make movies …

But, my wife did what she does which is talk me up (the opposite of talking someone down)  and tell me to go for a run, call someone, etc.

As I checked my email and voice mail for the umpteenth time, I listened to the archive message from Kathleen, the teacher at Western High School. I’ve really started to feel lately that I’m bugging people about the movie. The lady who is playing the Mom even said “What have I gotten myself into?” which is about as bad as my wife saying the same thing on our honeymoon. Me showing someone my script and me showing my wife my … other gifts … are about the same thing and all I want to hear is “this is incredible!” and so on.

So I called Kathleen. “Hello?” she answered, sounding irritated. I pressed on, my wife always sounds irritated when she answers the phone, too. I tell her who I am and she’s like “OH! Hi! Hold on!” and apparently switches over to get rid of the person on the other line. FYI, ladies: THAT is how you talk to a man. I thought maybe no one was interested but as it turns out, she’s got 4-5 young men interested in the two main parts (I said I wouldn’t turn anyone away and I’d use the rest for extras … or, I’ll write parts for them, too) and two guys who could play the priest.

Wow. I am going to ask her if she’s got some girls and a woman, too, just in case!Once I’ve got all this taken care of, I can go back to finishing the TV show debut!

This will all get me so psyched. It will renew my excitement for The Tell-Tale Heart. And… based on conversations with Nikki (my wife), I’ve come up with some cool ideas for that. At first, she was driving me crazy saying it was “vile and disgusting” but … it really got me thinking creatively and very out of the box with it. Though, last night, we watched “Three,” a “christian” horror/thriller and it drove me crazy that she didn’t find that or Law & Order or CSI and all that “vile and disgusting.”

Maybe I can do Tell-Tale in Spanish and in Mexicantown. Wow… wouldn’t it rock if I had two films that night? If I could get both done in time? But if I did that, it would just be the Poe story … not my current vision … well… perhaps if my actors that I meet through Kathleen are right for Tell-tale … she did mention on of them was older … though I’d need to make him look really old …

Okay, that’s enough rambling for now.

Scouting and Editing

Today, I went to both Super Mexico and La Tapatia and spoke with the owners. I definitely want to do it in La Tapatia. The tacos are better at Super Mexico, but …

Here is a quick exterior shot of La Tapatia for the ending and possibly for the beginning. I think I’ll need more time for the voice-over at the beginning so it might be neat to see everyone walking in one at a time.

Below is where most of the action will take place – around the table. It’s driving me crazy trying to stay in that “semi-circle” the camera is supposed to but that’s what this is for, practice, experience, and discipline.

Lastly, here is the front counter. The girl behind the counter will likely play our waitress. Her name is Linda. Now that I think about it… the “semi-circle” should be … hmm … maybe no … I just need to make sure I can get a good shot of the priest and transvestite saying goodbye to each other. I wonder if the camera should follow him out like it follows the transvestite in at the beginning?

I edited the tv show and shot some intro stuff for before the credits and started putting it all together. Did some writing for voice-over stuff.

I went into the chapel at St. Anne’s. It was even more perfect than I remember. I prayed a small bit. I called Fr. Thom and left him a voice mail.

(June 5 update) Below is an exterior sketch of St. Anne’s. The main sanctuary is beautiful, yes, but the chapel is so perfect. I’m sad it looks like we won’t get it. Hmm… maybe we could just … go in and do it if it’s unlocked … no, that would be totally rude to Holy Redeemer as much as they’re helping out.

On location at La Casita

Last night, Alex and I went to La Casita and taped some customers and owners of La Casita. Oh, and the waitress on duty. I’m really excited. Monday morning, I hope to do the last of the interviews and finish up. I’m SO excited. They were all friendly, cooperative, helpful. Even the total strangers eating there. I would ask if they’d pay their bill NOW so I could tape them, etc.

Locations!

Tomorrow I’ll confirm with Enrique I can film some non-interview shots Friday evening during the Mexico futbol finals.

James seems possibly like he could be interested, I think, in being a part of Tell-Tale.  I scoped out the other half of the duplex and the owner is willing to let me move some furniture around, let my actors be in her house, etc. I’m very excited. Hopefully, the actors will be willing to drive out to Westland. Now I just need to make sure who is playing the NARRATOR. If not James, then I need to start rehearsing at least that scene.

Westland: En Espanol

That’s what it’s going to be called. I just finished the video & audio for the opening credits except for the text.

Yesterday, I went around taping some Westland landmarks – the ones I could get in the short time period I had. I also stopped by La Casita to speak with Enrique, one of the owners. We discussed some ideas I had about where to tape and to have the cameras in the kitchen so he can cook me something.

Pressure

I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself to get all this stuff done and done quickly. I’m sure it doesn’t need to be done this way. Part of it is I have to squeeze in tasks when I have time which is very rare. Last night, the kids were at their grand-mother’s so I thought …

I Can’t Find My Notes

I’ve been taking, and translating, notes for months and I can’t find them. I’ll look again tonight. At least I can remember them, so worst case scenario is I re-write and re-translate them.

My lost Tell-Tale and Poe notes are gone forever, though.

What’s It Called?

I still have no idea what this little show is going to be called.

En Espanol

Just spoke with someone at WLND and confirmed the show can, indeed, be in Spanish. I also asked about using their equipment. To use the camera, you have to take their class which isn’t until the Fall. That’s okay, they use an old VHS camera – I’d much rather use my own and edit digitally. They also have lights and microphones so I’m totally geeked about that.

I’m going to call Enrique, owner of La Casita, and ask if I can come this evening and figure out where the camera will be, where we’ll shoot from, etc.

My Current Projects

Tonight, I spoke with one of the owners of La Casita, a market and taqueria in Westland, MI about interviewing him, his employees and customers for my upcoming local community access cable TV show. Finally, some progress on that front! I’ve been making notes for weeks (at least).

I think I’ll call the show Cubicle with a View.

Also, I finally have all my parts cast for my short film, The Tell-Tale Heart.