Running with Scissors: Hell Week

Well, hell week has already begun. Today, I had a To Do list that reached past thirty tasks. Even more tomorrow. TOMORROW IS THE BIG SHOOT! I am very nervous. Never shot on film before. Well, besides Super 8, and still pictures of course.

I am a nervous wreck. If this movie comes together, I will enter it into some film festivals. I replaced my actor AGAIN for the part of Billy. I’m on my third now. Hector was sick two days in a row. It’s sort of unfair, but when he didn’t show up for the one and ONLY rehearsal on Friday I was very upset. I went to my office at the school (I’m co-prez of a filmmakers club on campus) to call Hector and see where he was. .. Lo and behold, I have a new voicemail message from someone interested in trying out for the part if it’s still available. He must have seen the flyers I put up at school last week!

Welp, I called him right up and said if he could be on campus and on my set within one hour, he had the part. Raul showed up in forty minutes and was a wonderful actor. My favorite kind of actor. Does exactly what I say (without whining or coming up with his own improvised and “brilliant” ideas that will probably just waste precious film). And he acts well. Valerie was great too. I prefer non-actors to be my actors. They follow directions and allow me to remain laidback because they don’t piss me off.

Well, Adrian says I’m a pretty laidback director so I’ll take my good ol’ dependable gaffer’s word for it.

I felt bad firing Hector. It’s not the end of the world or anything. I told him Rudy is looking for more males to play mobsters in his mafia comedy. And Hector’s funny. I’d like to use him again if I ever get this musical idea of mine going.

Anyway, I am so tense I can’t sleep even though I really need that right now. I have alot to do tomorrow before we set up lights at 3pm. I have to buy some knick knacks for the shoot, including water for the actors and crew. The air conditioning SUCKS so I even have to bring my own fan from home to keep the place cool with all the hot lights. I also need to find some fishing wire type stuff. I need to grab some props from home too.

Then I need to visit financial aid at school before going on with my business. I need to go to the photo lab and borrow a darkroom to load my magazine. This will be done entirely in the dark so I pray to God I don’t fuck this up. I’ve been practicing so I have faith in myself I will be able to do this…

I also have to spend some time heavily cleaning the magazine and the camera. Both haven’t been used in awhile and any tiny piece of dust will give me a filmmaker’s version of the Kiss of Death. A fucking squiggly hair line on the footage that came from the film being scratched by a stupid little piece of dust that got lodged in the film gate.

I writing most of this for myself. Just to keep my thoughts organized, and to maintain focus. Freddy, my gore effects guy, is gonna make some great stuff for tomorrow. I just hope I don’t forget anything.

Please pleeeeaaase let everything go off without a hitch tomorrow. I’ve been preparing for this day for two friggin’ months. It HAS to be filmed TOMORROW, no ifs ands or butts. This has got to be processed, transferred, edited, locked, and scored in time for the early December film festival on campus.

I also need to get a hold of Kathy again. She’s president of the San Diego Film Commission. I’d rather just shoot around town without all the red tape, but I’m trying to do everything right the first time. Learning about getting city permits, using original music, having the actors sign contracts.

Yeesh that reminds me I need to print those out tomorrow too! Too much to dooooo. Sheesh kabob.

Phew. Letting all that out really helped. Got alot of work this week. I’ll probably return sometime next week to update. Unless something miraculously wonderous happens. Then maybe I’ll report in earlier.

MTFBWY’all…

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