Zero To Sixty Overnight

Once I set my mind on something, I go full bore.

And I guess that's where we're at. I've been radio silent over here because of how busy I've been in the background doing other stuff.

I put an ad on Backstage for actors. Been combing through those submissions, trying to fill out my cast.

I created an indiegogo thing, though it's not public yet. I'd like some video to put up before I launch it, but I know we're gonna need some cash to finish this flick. In that vein, I've made a $1 tier that has access to an all-new private blog that I started. It's gonna have a lot of stuff I've never posted before, as well as new posts that go in depth into this creative process.

Never done that before. I've already put up four blogs there that no one can see yet.

I got a gimbal, and have been practicing with it. It's really gonna elevate some of our shots the way the drone did. Now I don't have to do all handheld, though that's a possibility if we start to fall behind.

Almost done the first draft of the shooting script. Have created a schedule that's ambitious as always.

Have been working on acquiring props, and getting some made. Am trying to find some locations. It's all a bit overwhelming.

In the next month, there's a lot of stuff that has to get done in order to do this. I'm having a hard time sleeping, because my mind is a pit bull with bone when it comes to this shit.

I have already solved some of the big problems. But there are lots more to come...but I keep reminding myself that every movie has had these hurdles, and I've managed to overcome them every time.

This won't be any different. (I keep telling myself)

All Right...Let's Do This...

Finished the screenplay to that thing I was thinking about doing for BY FAR the least amount of money ever. I kinda like it. There's stuff I definitely feel excited about trying to bring to life, which is the most important part of any screenplay I intend to shoot.

I didn't do that great at the con, so I don't actually have the $2K budget I need to even have a shot at this. But that's not gonna stop me from now going full force at trying to make this happen.

And did I mention that before the con I quit my freelance job? I told them October 1st is my last day. I had told them I would only do out of town auctions if we flew Southwest. I told them this like five years ago when we took a flight on United, and ending up getting on three planes just to get to LA because two of the planes ended up having mechanical issues.

Well, they got pissy with me on this one cuz they'd booked United. I told them to just go ahead and hire the people they used to use to do my job. They didn't like that. They also have been giving me shit about other stuff, so at this point...enough was enough.

Weirdly enough, at the auction I just did this past week, the owner lady acted like nothing had changed. I had asked her to bring someone in that I can try to train to at least do the computer part of the job--the using the app during the auctions. I'm not showing him how to set up the computers or figure what bit rate to stream at, depending on the connections at the hotels each time.

That's all stuff I learned on my own over the years. But nobody was there for me to train this week. She also asked me at the end how I was doing, which she's never asked in the seven year history of me working there. She also asked if I wanted to shoot a video this month for them. It's all a little weird...
(I think they really want me to work this local one-day auction they scheduled on October 16th. It's the same day as the big local comic-con, where an artist buddy I haven't seen for years is coming to. So...at this point, not sure I wanna do the auction. I could do both, as the auction would end by 3pm...but I'd rather get some sleep)

So I'm jobless, don't have the miniscule budget, but I'm still plowing forward on what feels like the last movie I may ever do, for reals this time.

I'm gonna do some minor changes to the script, but I think it's close enough to locked that I can break it down--I gotta figure out how many days/nights we need at each location. I have to figure out a way to get this done over a 7 or 8 day period--at least the parts with the main cast)

The opening scene we could shoot ahead of time, and the flashback the same night. Would be a long day, but we could get it done. We have to do the first scene first, because there's some video they shoot on a phone that the other characters find later. I don't wanna have to composite video into a phone screen--it's not fun cuz even if the camera is locked down, the person's hand holding the phone will move a bit.

So I started breaking it down in Scheduler. I ordered the custom "costume" for the baddie. It's going to take some time, so unless I order it now, there's no way it would be ready in time.

Once more into the breach...?

The Con

Malfi and I, and a horror author photobombing us

 This weekend was the con I was a guest at. Mark, the clown from FOC, was supposed to go also, but he finally contact me this week--after saying it was "all good" about 6 months ago--to tell me he couldn't go Fri or Sunday.

It's his wife and son's bday on Friday, and his kid's getting baptized on Sunday.

Anyway, long story short--he kept texting me to ask stupid questions that he should already know the answers to. He never showed.

I spent some serious time getting ready. Packed up the car with boxes and boxes of stuff.

Zig and I left around 10. I had barely any sleep the night before.

It only took us about 70 minutes to get there. An easy ride. We set up and ran to get a decent lunch at the diner nearby. Then back to the con.

Not much to report for Friday. I met Joe Bob and introduced myself, but he was clearly exhausted. I was a little discouraged, but at least he wasn't a dick. I was kicking myself mentally for forgetting to bring my book to get autographed.

The show was pretty weak that day sales-wise. Sold a few things, and I tried not to worry. Fridays are typically pretty weak. People work. They don't want to get off work and go to a con.

I ate a piece of brownie and we went to dinner. Got some haddock at the local restaurant that was very good. Malfi was drinking with another friend--hell, he'd started at 3pm in the bar, so he was pretty wasted by 10pm. He came over to our table, and then we all left.

Stood outside chatting with Stewie, Zig, Malfi, Malfi's friend Susan, and maybe someone else. I was pretty fucking high. Stuff kept being said that made me laugh and laugh until I was crying. I couldn't stop laughing.

Went to bed about 12:30am, figuring I'd get a decent 9 hours sleep to catch up on all the sleep I'd been missing. Woke up at 3:30am, and couldn't get back to sleep. I kept trying to go to sleep, then roll over and see the clock: 4am, 4:40am, 5am, etc. Last time I looked at the clock it said 6:30am.

Headed down to the show to get ready.

My friend Pennie came out for Saturday night. 

 Above: my buddy Eric  Below: Legendary actor Stover.

Saturday's a blur, man. We sold a decent amount of stuff--ended up better than I expected, given Friday. Didn't sell as much as I hoped, but for a first-time con it was pretty decent.

A lot of friends came out, met a lot of new people. The show didn't go as long as we thought because they'd scheduled the concert IN the guest room, and didn't tell any of us. That didn't go over well, as many people had to pack up all their stuff to bring it back the next day.

We were against the wall so we didn't have to. We went to get some drinks in my room. I brought a lot of vodka.

We started drinking, Pennie, Zig and I. Then we hooked up with Stewie and Malfi. Went to see the costume contest but got there too late. It was over fast. Cutting, my lead actor from GOH and Ttory, had come out and was with us.

Then the concert. It was fan-fucking-tastic. Loved it. The sax guy from my favorite vampire movie of all time. Not only is he a great sax player, but he can still sing great, and is funny to boot.

And in the crowd was Joe Bob, a smile on his face, watching the concert. Did he need to be there? No. Could he have just stayed in his room and slept? Yes. The dude is one of us, which is amazingly cool.

We wandered, but I needed a refill. Bunch of us went back to my room and hung out for a while. We actually had security come by and tell us to keep it down.

So we took off. Went downstairs. I was pretty buzzed and some people were talking about getting something to eat. Since I hadn't eaten since a late lunch, I was hungry.

We went to a diner nearby. Place was dark and looked closed, nobody in there. Malfi checked, and it was open, so we went in. In the space of a half hour, the place was packed.

We had a decent breakfast dinner. Fletch one-liners were flying around, and again I was laughing so hard that I was crying. Cutting, who doesn't drink, drove us there.

The Haim. 

He was expensive--like $50 an auto and $50 a photo. No break if you got one or the other. 

Me and Ripple. 

 Cutting, western-director W. Shipley and I

 Cutting's friend who has that eye thing and loves to freak people out with it

After the diner, most people went to bed. A couple of us hung out at the firepit outside. I didn't go in until 3:30am, and had to be downstairs by 10am again.

Hey, I'd sleep Sunday night.

Malfi and two author friends(not naming names, cuz I don't want casual searchers by here 

 Susan, Malfi's friend. She was fun.

 Me, Susan and Matt--another con friend

Sunday was slow, as all cons are. I got back over to Joe Bob to get a picture and talk with him for a second. He was definitely more animated. 

I went back over for his sidekick Darcy--she's big-time into horror flicks, so I gave her Ttory 1&2, plus my book.

 Me and indie director J. Johnson

The whole crew--me, Zig, Cutting, Cowie and Stewie 

Took a picture for Stewie of him and the authors. Started walking my boxes out to the car around 2pm, and we were out of there by 3pm. Grabbed a late lunch at Burger King, and drove home.

Me and the legend, Joe Bob.

Joe Bob's sidekick

All in all, a very fun con.