No Waiting!

Wait. Wait. Wait. Ugh. Wait. Wait. One of the hardest things for me to do. Wait. Wait. Wait. I don’t know if it’s that I’m impatient or that I realize, all too clearly, that time is finite.

Wait wait wait...

Acting = Pressure

Acting class. What a pressure cooker. This evening I did my presentation and it actually turned out well - even doing it with a new jersey accent. (What with New Jersey’s not my native language, I think I spoke it pretty fluently J)

And then I did my other scene and it sucked. Crap, crap, crap! Oh well. What did I expect. I can’t do a scene if I don’t get with my scene partner at least once before the actual day of the class. Plus it wouldn’t hurt, if I wasn’t so nervous that my heart wasn’t racing to escape out of my chest. Now wouldn’t that be a sight! Would totally change the scene from absurdist to gore!

Not a bad idea. I’ll think on it.

Free at last!

Saw New Moon today - cured of my Twilight obsession. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

East Austin Studio Tour

Congrats to my friend Lauri for putting her sculptures out into the world for everyone to see, in the East Austin Studio Tour!!
Your art is beautiful and speaks to the heart!

covered

The footage is with the editor now. Everything seems to be in order. Everything looks beautiful. The dp has his footage, the editor has his copy and I have a copy too. Seems like we're covered if disaster strikes again. Nothing like someone getting ripped off to make you feel vulnerable.

Cancer checks

Cancer is never far away. Just because I don't get cooked any more, doesn't mean I can ignore it.
Today get blood work done.
Next week Ct and Pet scans. Oh Joy!

Putting the word out

Calling friends and sending emails to everyone to keep the lookout for a Sony z7 and a Sony 5 at pawn shops, ebay and craigs list.
Pls check for me. Pass it on!
Thanks!

Thieves should rot in Hell!

Woke up feeling exhausted, like I've been running on fumes for weeks. Guess I had, but I was expecting to be full of kick ass energy, ready to jump to the next stage of getting the film put together, not feeling wiped out.
Then got a terrible email from the DP that all of his filming equipment had been stolen out of his house the evening before. My stomach flipped about 5 times and I wondered if I was going to throw up on my keyboard. How dare anyone rip off such a wonderful, talented, sweet guy. Then I broke out in a sweat realizing that all of my footage may not have been down loaded on to my external hard drive. Feeling really felt sick now.
But after a few emails and phone conversations, I was assured that everything was good. But I feel awful for my dp. You never separate an artist from their tools.
Time to help out a friend!

Filming For Short

I woke up every hour and finally got up at 4:15am. Which was probably a good thing, since I was afraid that the fog would be heavy again.
And unbelievably, the fog was even thicker than it was yesterday.
Today is different though, in that my two kids are with me as well. I cast them as two out of four brothers. I'm a little nervous about having them on set and me being director to them and not Mom, but we've talked about it and they are totally cool with it. Man, I love those kids. They're telling me I rock and how proud they are of me. What's not to love about that?
We got to the location just fine and because of the fog, we had a lot of time to film more exterior scenes and even throw in a few I wasn't sure we'd be able to get. Like the lead actor walking through a field, up to the house, even walking through some cows. And these shots, with the foggy backdrop look stunning!! My DP should win awards with these shots!
The scene with my kids in it went super too. They and all of the cast looked great. Didn't get the dolly shot I was hoping for, but there are lots of other shots that will work really well instead.
Then after lunch, a few more shots and it was a wrap - and clean up and get out of there.
People ask me if I'm super happy, or relieved, or sad it's done, but I'm really just processing it all. I've been so overwhelmed. And I don't feel like I'm anywhere finished. There is still a mountain of work ahead. Just look at what needs to be done in post - editing, music, titles/credits, color correction, sound. Then to get it out the door - put together the pr, submit to film festivals, make copies, get the website up, etc.
So I'm glad the filming is done, but I'm really only half way there.

First day of the Shoot

Up at 4:30am. Out of the door at 4:50am. Super heavy fog on the way to the location. Kind of fog that you search for the yellow line on the edge of the road. But some of the rural roads don't have lines, so almost everyone was a little late this morning. But the fog turned out to be one of the best thing that could have happened. The misty wooded scene look breathtakingly beautiful. I can't believe how stunning it looks! Plus the interior shots were equally beautiful.
The actors also kicked major acting butt. I can't get over how well an 11 year old can take direction. And our Grandpa was so perfect, he brought tears to my eyes. Fantastic layers in his performance.
The day was perfect. Really excellent. I can't believe it's all real.
Tomorrow up again at 4:30am. Time to try to sleep (try, try, try)!

Prepping location

Today was the quiet before the storm kinda feeling. Several of us went out to the location to set up, get it ready for filming tomorrow, hammer out a few more details about the sequencing of filming, what to do when and how. Go over (again) shots, imagining how certain actions are going to look, and me walking around like a dork, putting my hands in front of my face, visualizing what the camera is going to see, as if my fingers are the view finder.

Then tomorrow I actually direct my short film. Me - writer and director.
Good grief. Serious insecurities are bombarding me. What am I doing. Aagh!!!
O.K breathe, know that I can do this, I can do this.
Damn straight, I can do this.

Birthday dinner fun

I've been frantically running around getting ready for the shoot, and now it's time to stop and just be silly. Happy Birthday to Kat and thanks to you and all the girls for the super silly girly dinner talk. So much fun! I needed the break!
Only two more days!

Crew Meeting

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th 2009

Had a crew meeting tonight and we all get a long so well! The Producer, DP (Direcotr of Photography), AD (assistant director), Costumer, Set Designer, and one of the PA's (production assistant). We were still missing a few, but it was o.i. with me that we got to talk and plan out a few things (plus fill out a lot of paperwork!).
I can't believe this is actually coming together. I'm so nervous. I eat, breathe, dream and live this film in my head - all the time. Only a few more days!!

Giving people rock!

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10th 2009

Still working on shot list. This stuff is driving me crazy. I'm seeing the holes in my education! yikes. Thankfully Greg is willing to meet with me to go over what I've got and give me a better idea of what I should be doing.
How I appreciate working with wonderful, sweet, super talented and giving people!

Mac for moi

I am now the proud owner of a Mac. Now how do I turn the damn thing on??

Rehearsals!

MONDAY NOVEMBER 9th, 2009

My local school district has today off in honor of Memorial Day. Silly me to assume that the rest of the school districts would have today off as well. That's what I get for assuming anything.

Scheduling rehearsals is a tricky business when dealing with kid actors. Their schedules are super crowded on the weekends and their parents are often driving them and their siblings all over Hell's half acre with sports, auditions, family obligations and such. So Monday (holiday) seemed like the best option (again stupid assumptions!). How interesting it was to find out that all of the out of town kids in the film, had school on Monday and couldn't meet at 3pm. After a silent "aarrrgghhh," I pushed out the times and all but one couldn't make it. Then another had to cancel because her sister came down with Swine Flu. So only two out. Not too bad at all. But it gave me heart palpitations to think that something as easy as the flu could stop the production. Had to breathe and then back on track.

The rehearsals went wonderfully. We walked through the blocking and worked on intent, character analysis, etc. Then we played games and had a pizza party. Have to admit, working with kids is really fun. Making films with kids is going to be fantastic!!

Quick - Do nothing!

It’s one of those days of “oh there’s so much to do- quick run around in circles!” and “Oh man, there’s so much to do – quick start reading a book!” Nothing quite like feeling overwhelmed, to get me totally focused on nothing in particular. So let me get it clear what I have to do, just so that it’s staring me in the face (as I distract myself by writing this blog).

To Do:

Need to memorize lines for acting class.

Gotta get interpretive character set in my head before presentation in meisner acting class.

Need to finalize the shot list for the short I’m filming next weekend.

Actors are coming to the house on Monday for rehearsal – ack, need to clean house.

Yikes! Filming next weekend!!

Need to finalize any holiday plans (ugh).

Need to schedule PET and CT Scans. (Hate Needles!!!)

Try not to freak out that I have to have scans in the first place (Hate Cancer!!!)

Stop daydreaming about running off to London or Italy (This unfortunately, has become my default button for procrastination and it has gone way over the limit of my fantasy/day dreaming quota.)

Stop procrastinating, by blogging!

o.k, o.k., I’m going….

Photo Shoot

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6th 2009


Today was incredibly wonderful!! It was a clear beautiful day for our photo shoot. The lead characters looked great and Roger shot fantastic photos. They turned out beautiful!!


These we're needed as part of the story, where the lead boy refers to the photo of him and his grandpa.


I'm so excited, nervous and anxious that we are going to start filming in a week!

(I'll post some of the pictures soon!)

Congrats to LOVE BUG and Kat Candler

Congratulations to Kat Candler and her film "Love Bug" for winning the Audience Award at Austin Film Fest. I have probably seen this film 10 times and i loved it each time! And everyone that I know that's seen it has also loved it! Lot's of wonderful laughter goes along with this film.
I'm sure it's going to get to more festivals, but if it's in your area, please check it out.
p.s. No that's not me in the picture. That would be the talented Anne Nebors. I play the mom of the Maddy.

Upcoming Screenings - Rockport, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth

Love Bug

• Sunday, November 8th, 8pm, Dallas Video Festival, Dallas, TX
• Thursday, November 12th, 10pm, Lone Star Film Festival, Fort Worth, TX