Santino’s screen test

Shot on the HMC150 in low light. He’s really into Warhammer.

TEST SHOOT

An empty parking lot on a scorching hot day, a party van, a Panasonic HMC150, HVX200, some green cloth, a couple of actors, Kid Friendly, Sweet Kenny cup cakes. Exactly what ya need to get an idea of work flow, how our cameras cut together, and checking how the actors cast so far are getting along with their roles. 

Actors, fine. Cameras, so far so good, making the format conversions and will be cutting together this week. As for work flow? Would LOVE to ALWAYS have a first AD. No desire to direct and operate. Not sure about the line of traditional shooting versus hand held. Going to need a slate FOR SURE. Pics of the adventure below.

The Next Phase

Well, I'm finally on board, having successfully moved onto the next tier of our ever-accelerating technological expanse! It doesn't get any easier, but figuring out how to navigate these mechanistic waters -- or would "galaxies" be a more apt term here -- does leave one with a glowing sense of satisfaction, not to mention relief at once again not having been left behind. No one wants to be Major Tom -- though who knows what that astronaut ultimately encountered as he drifted away into that cosmic black hole, never to return?

Anyhow, I digress. I am a former exotic dancer and am in the process of writing a book called The Naked Ballerina: Diary of a Professional Tease; I also am a graduate of Columbia University in New York City and received my Master's degree in Psychology in Los Angeles. The topic of my final dissertation was strippers, respectfully known as ecdysiasts, or "clothes taker-offers," their motivations, and life circumstances; I wanted to know in depth what led them to decide to dance if other work options were available to them, and how therapists could be most helpful to them if they, the exotic dancers, were to decided to enter therapy. The title of my thesis was From the Cradle to the Stage: The Developmental Evolution of Eight Ecdysiasts with Implications for Therapeutic Contributions – A Qualitative Study; it's flying around the Internet somewhere since it was registered with The Library of Congress and subsequently published.

But enough of my academic history. Now I'm on board here, to answer any questions that might arise pertaining to practically anything that might occur to one at any given time on the following issues: sexual pathology, addiction (I'm certified to do drug addiction and alcoholism counseling), and psychopharmacological pathology, i.e. mental disorders generally treated with medication in addition to therapy.

It's a real treat and an honor to have been asked to do this, and a terrific way for me to refresh myself between bouts of working on other writing projects -- so please ask away, send me your comments, opinions, rants, emotional regurgitations, and whatever else piques your fancy -- it'll help keep me motivated. Writing can be a lonely business -- bring it on!

~ Naked Ballerina

Retooling

A couple of trailers made for the project were actually up on youtube, but today they magically disappeared...  much of the story is pretty weird and other worldly, so decided to ground as much of it in reality as possible. The only character who looks even remotely similar is the middle-aged medieval reenactment battling dude. He’s not so secretly in love with the hipster chick, and as a token of his love gives her a great big bag of prescription drugs to take on a trip through the desert in order to get a free fish tank she found on Craig’s list. There he is below.

Oh, and Ladies.... even more PROVOCATIVE pics of Bliss Cannon are on the way

Look into those eyes

Wait! Not too closely if you’re a female. They have powers. Super powers. As a favor to woman everywhere, there will always be a pic of Bliss Cannon on the front page of this blog. But be warned, last he spoke it was less about the bliss and more about the CANNON.

There’s been a little planning and there's been a little scheming with BRUSHBRAIN and DANGER, planning and scheming about what’s gonna get cooked up with CGI & music. Studio movies kinda feel like on big mad lib, don’t they? Same ‘ol predictable dumbed down... you know. Well. We, are gonna do things another way. Make something that doesn’t look or feel like everything we’re ‘programed’ to go see. Imagination, go full auto ape shit!!!! Please?

PARTY VAN!!!!!

This being a road ‘trip’ movie we needed to find some sort of vehicle to transport our protagonists on their wacky adventure. Hence the PARTY VAN seen above. Said mobile  belongs to fellow artistic crazies the Kid Friendlies, who’s members consist of KID FRIENDLY and his lovely wife WHITE GOLD. K Friendly rivals, actually in some ways surpasses, the All American Success Story in all around success average. The ONLY thing Mr. Friendly feels he lacks is a singing voice similar to Lou Graham, Mike Reno, or the Department of Rock’s Chaz Ross. But the Kid is working on it, and is usually hot tonight.

Now of course we aren’t going to be actually driving this thing around. No. We, are gonna use this little trick called a GREEN SCREEN along with another little trick called COMPOSITING. For in the tradition of Ed Wood meets John Cassavetes we have chosen to shoot a story who’s tone allows us to ‘show the cracks’, in other words this ain’t Transformers Two, so just sit back and enjoy the damn story!

Posted tests coming to a little blog near you

How the heck are we even doing this???

Owning our own gear and lotsa freaking multi-tasking that’s how. Gotta HMC150 in use 24-7, Raz has a HVX200 for all those double cam days, there’s a few other HD cams laying around with some bros to snag as needed. The 150 & 200 have the same chips, so should match pretty good(tests coming soon). We’re approaching this with a style that won’t require lots of time lighting and luckily our network has enough shining orbs to snag along with other esoteric and useful grip goodies. Our crew, THE MULTI-TASKERS, is gonna be VERY small, running and gunning, preferably at locations that won’t need no ‘dressing’. Back in yonder days of yore 22 pages a day was shot like this,  LONG days indeed. Multi cams also helps with the audio, where we’ll be using shoot guns and lavs. 

For all that post jazz, there’s at least three FCP suites between the usual suspects, along with after effects, pro tools, and other making it happen goodies. And yes, we do actually know how to use the stuff, only this time it ain’t gonna be wielded for the man. 

The glue holding all this together? Well, that is none other than the producing skills of the gang, who KNOW in order to make an experience where no one’s even getting remotely paid enjoyable... is to be organized!!!!

Why the heck are we even doing this???

Why? Why would anyone put endless hours of hard to work into making a movie with about a 99.99999% chance of NOT getting any theatrical release, any kind of distribution, hell, this flick will most likely not even be seen by anyone except for our friends. There’s no stars, no blood nor gore, nudity, special effects. Ain’t no genre film, which ya pretty much have to do on an ultra low budget, right? Why? Why all this thankless work, only to get shut down, ignored, and rejected. That’s what THEY tell you.

Well? Why not? Sometimes a few seemingly insane people are just crazy enough to actually make a movie. Wait for it.... just for the sake for making the damn thing. It’s liberating in a way, not having to answer to anyone, feeling free to push boundaries, creating on your own terms. Why the heck do we it in the first place? Ah, because we love it. Struggling through a project facilitates building relationships, provides a vehicle to show what one can do outside a system dictating what it thinks the market thinks is cool. One might call it TAKING THE POWER BACK... even, yes even, if it only amounts to manifesting the artistic passion within ourselves. Can I get an Amen?

TESTING, TESTING

Some footage shot with the HMC150 at Bliss Cannon’s lair and Father Barry’s. The  files are HUGE, quite a bit of time to export and upload, even with a mac pro tower. Listen carefully for Bliss’s excitement when shown the focus assist. If that HMC150 could only have been pointed the other way, then everyone could see the Cannon in his shiny silk dragon embroidered robe and pull away pants. Bliss is ALWAYS ready for action when it comes to the ladies.... Father Barry’s also on board for using his collar to help score us some locations!

Ladies, read at your own risk

Some Panasonic HMC150 testing happened with none other than BLISS CANNON. 4 billion women in the world right now, 4 BILLION of them, are missing out on the best sex of their life ‘cuz they ain’t laying with the Cannon in the biblical sense this very moment. By his own admission “I don’t date. I make fantasies come true”. Bliss is the master of the soul gaze, a tantric god between the sheets, and one hell of an audio mixer. He took the camera out of the case and went to work shooting stuff around his house. His version of FCP doesn’t work in AVCHD natively, so checked the footage out in apple prores. Looking good... more testing to come... THAT'S BLISS IN THE PIC!!!!

Santino, oh Santino

That little Shaun Cassidy should not even exist in this world, women love him, men want to be him, transgendered folk want to give stuff to him. But the twenty eight dollar question is, will we? Can we? cast him???

WORD, from Santino’s mom - "the ethereal ten year old is essentially santino.  especially a kid with a cat.  yeah, that's a perfect fit.  would santino do it?  that's a good question. when he was in second grade, he auditioned and got the lead in an "anansi" musical--  his after school program used to do little films and he was once cast as an alien b/c he could do the vulcan finger split. i'll tell him about the story--i think he'll like it, especially the part about bringing the cat back to life.”

Crook of Love

Today a script was passed to Crook for consideration of the character who never EVER speaks. He had a nice young lady in tow from out of town. But then again Crook is a good looking young rocker who plays by his own rules. Our last venture was this ill-fated reality show combining Crook’s love of adult entertainment with his love of Eastern philosophy. Renaissance Man, where good looking young Renaissance Man(Crook) dates a group of good girls while teaching them how to be bad, along with a group of bad girls he teaches Eastern philosophy. Wait? Yeah, that was it. Needless to say, it didn’t get any traction. 

Lunch with Danger

Making a rare appearance was none other than that dark imposing musical genius Danger. Precious time with his girlfriend usually fills his weekends with beachside tropical exotic delight. But today we got a chance to recap the maiden production meeting with the All American Success Story and Sweet Kenny. Danger couldn’t help snickering whilst imagining the sweet one transformed into a mentally challenged window washer, who fittingly becomes a grandly emoting Englishman after downing a strong cocktail of drugs. We discussed a theremin theme for the alien and what style of music King Taco’s band would be playing.