So, at the end of our last transmission, I had mentioned the Krampus film project that I helped produce in January with my man, Louis Bekoe. I can't quite recall if I knew this when I last typed, but "A Killer Christmas Carol" was selected to be part of the Con Carolinas Film Fest. So, we get to premiere the film at the Con on June 4th. I like the idea of premiering it a "Fandom" Con, and am tickled that our almost "campy" little slasher flick will be screened. That will keep us busy on Saturday. The Mad Ones are screening "The Missionary Man" Friday night, then participating in the Film Fest Saturday, awaiting the Rise of the Giant Red Wookie (aka "Krampus"). So, that's great news on the StumbleMuse front...
However, I will be shedding the StumbleMuse label for the next 4 days and reclaiming my main moniker as Mad One Number Dos. Filming commences tomorrow in my bedroom for Hot Pink Jesus 3, and that will be followed by an ambitious 4 day workload. Jaysen has been hard at work over the last 5 months, pre planning, arranging, negotiating, scheduling, losing sleep that he never really had to leverage, all in anticipation of this weekend. This will be an ambitious set. Rather than splitting filming across 2 or 3 months, the Mad Ones will be shooting all Principal photography (95% at least) for a 25-30 minute movie in just 4 days. This has taken a herculean amount of organization, shot list wrangling, and frantic obsession, and you can SEE IT in Jaysen's eyes. So, we shoot that this weekend. We will do a quick "teaser trailer" over the Memorial Day weekend, and then we'll have something NEW to show at the Con. Buzzworthy. I know I plan on catching a few at the Con.
After I conclude the Con, then the 48 will be HERE. I'm "loaded for Bear" this year, and am managing my largest team EVER in this year's 48. I've worked So Hard wrangling the crew, and getting permission for music. I need to see some permission slips signed for Locations. I still need a Gaffer / experienced Boom Mike operator. But that's all still attainable. I have 35 days until then, and I've offered the job to two folks, hoping one will take it. It's a smaller, not very glorious job, but I have TONS of Directors and Producers as it is... Sometimes you need Less Chiefs, more Indians... If one of these two guys I accepts, my team will number 25. I like the synergy of that number.
On that note, I'll close this installment. HPJ3 Looms, but I feel up for the challenge.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Rise of Krampus...
It felt so nice to update the blog this morning, that I thought I would strike while the iron was hot, and add a second piece this evening that would explain the goings on at StumbleMuse Headquarters since the 48. Not that any such headquarters really exists, but it does add a certain legitimacy to a purely artful endeavor if you sound "corporate." Since my Mom is my one registered reader, she'll appreciate the air of professionalism. But surely I digress...
In January, I teamed up with a guy named Louis Bekoe to produce a 30 minute holiday "slasher" flick called "A Killer Christmas Carol." It was based on an old Bulgarian myth where Santa Claus had a deviant, twisted twin called Krampus. Santa managed the Nice list, while Krampus managed the Naughty. And as you can imagine, Krampus handles events with a certain hairball inducing, blood spewing aplomb that quite alters the spirit of Christmas.
The script was about 30 pages, and presented some interesting challenges. We worked hard throughout the month of January to produce the screenplay, suffered through some drama coming from Actors (of course), but finished the project on the last day of January. Louis worked hard on editing the film, and the sound is extremely robust and inviting. That's a quality that previous Mad Ones productions have lacked. We have brought on a new sound guru to start working this month on HPJ3, but in the meantime, it was reassuring to see what Louis could do. I'll be working with him a lot in the future, as he has joined the Mad Ones, and will be partnering with me on the StumbleMuse 48 in 50 days.
The film premieres later this month with a screening at Pin Ups here in Greensboro, and with a hopeful screening at ConCarolinas next month in Charlotte. We'll find out about that soon. I am really proud of the work I did, how I managed problems with a professional attitude, and overall, how I contributed to the set in a beneficial, helpful way. It was a different sort of project than a Mad Ones deal, and I earned my pay for sure. Which was nothing. But I do take pride in seeing "StumbleMuse Productions" in the opening titles, and feel that this was a great "sophomore project." Now I am gearing up for the 48, and for busy months ahead.
I registered my team today for the 2011 48 Hour Film Project in June. My wonderful, awesome Executive Producer wrote me the check, and I registered the team immediately. We have 50 days until the competition, and I'm really excited for this year's project. And that will be the topic for next time... Which will be sooner than one year...
In January, I teamed up with a guy named Louis Bekoe to produce a 30 minute holiday "slasher" flick called "A Killer Christmas Carol." It was based on an old Bulgarian myth where Santa Claus had a deviant, twisted twin called Krampus. Santa managed the Nice list, while Krampus managed the Naughty. And as you can imagine, Krampus handles events with a certain hairball inducing, blood spewing aplomb that quite alters the spirit of Christmas.
The script was about 30 pages, and presented some interesting challenges. We worked hard throughout the month of January to produce the screenplay, suffered through some drama coming from Actors (of course), but finished the project on the last day of January. Louis worked hard on editing the film, and the sound is extremely robust and inviting. That's a quality that previous Mad Ones productions have lacked. We have brought on a new sound guru to start working this month on HPJ3, but in the meantime, it was reassuring to see what Louis could do. I'll be working with him a lot in the future, as he has joined the Mad Ones, and will be partnering with me on the StumbleMuse 48 in 50 days.
The film premieres later this month with a screening at Pin Ups here in Greensboro, and with a hopeful screening at ConCarolinas next month in Charlotte. We'll find out about that soon. I am really proud of the work I did, how I managed problems with a professional attitude, and overall, how I contributed to the set in a beneficial, helpful way. It was a different sort of project than a Mad Ones deal, and I earned my pay for sure. Which was nothing. But I do take pride in seeing "StumbleMuse Productions" in the opening titles, and feel that this was a great "sophomore project." Now I am gearing up for the 48, and for busy months ahead.
I registered my team today for the 2011 48 Hour Film Project in June. My wonderful, awesome Executive Producer wrote me the check, and I registered the team immediately. We have 50 days until the competition, and I'm really excited for this year's project. And that will be the topic for next time... Which will be sooner than one year...
The Long Overdue, but no one really cares, Update
So...
I really should have updated this a long time ago. As it stands here, I left the events of the last year unlisted on this website, yet the whole StumbleMuse project has taken off. For someone who claims to be a "writer," I really should blog. But the term "blog" is so discordant, as it sounds more like a bodily function, than the writing of sterling prose.
Anyway. We made a film for the 48 last year. On Time. Yay! The film was called "The Hickory Switch," and it was a somewhat charming, cute little flick about a Djinn in a Lamp, and a ClutterBug, and two crazy TV Show Hosts who invade the apartment. Our film wasn't heavy-hitting, but it screened First in BOTH of its screenings. Our film was the first "on time" submission in our regularly scheduled slot, and also the first slot in the "Best Of" screening. So, I was tickled by that, but I realize that you really want to be the LAST movie they show in a particular screening. One of these days, we will be. Still, we won an award for "Best Use of Character" and that was really cool. All of the movies had made these straightforward "clutter coaches." We made 2 TV show hosts, 2 versions of the required character, and even shot a commercial footage which showed on TV at the beginning of the film. We didn't deserve any major award, but we deserved that one, and I was pleased. It was an Honor to make the "Best Of" screening in my directing "debut."
Until about two weeks after the event... That's when one of my old film making cronies showed his manic moron side, and accused me of cheating. He did this because one of the Three Judges was my main film making partner, Mr. Jaysen Buterin. This particular film maker had made a somewhat arty film using projectors to stage scenes of violence. Although he thought highly of his own flick, it was somewhat obtuse, and hard to follow. What made high cinema to him didn't translate to others in the audience. He figured that I cheated. And he was wrong. I purposefully distanced myself from JB throughout the judging process. So, this particular film maker, who will remain unnamed, since I'm Classy Like that, accused me of cheating, and really soured my take on the whole weekend.
So... I never updated this blog... And Here we are... 50 days until the NEXT 48. I have the biggest 48 team I have ever built on hand for this year. Right now, we number 22. In past years, I have managed teams no bigger than 15... So, this is a step up. But with new people, come new hassles. Last year, I had like 4 people Bail on me at the last minute. I'm making sure I have enough to work with this year. StumbleMuse Productions is ready for the 2011 48 Hour Film Project.
I see the Executive Producer today at lunch, and she's handing me the check to register.
Other teams in Greensboro better watch out! We'll be registered before the weekend!
-"Stumbles"
I really should have updated this a long time ago. As it stands here, I left the events of the last year unlisted on this website, yet the whole StumbleMuse project has taken off. For someone who claims to be a "writer," I really should blog. But the term "blog" is so discordant, as it sounds more like a bodily function, than the writing of sterling prose.
Anyway. We made a film for the 48 last year. On Time. Yay! The film was called "The Hickory Switch," and it was a somewhat charming, cute little flick about a Djinn in a Lamp, and a ClutterBug, and two crazy TV Show Hosts who invade the apartment. Our film wasn't heavy-hitting, but it screened First in BOTH of its screenings. Our film was the first "on time" submission in our regularly scheduled slot, and also the first slot in the "Best Of" screening. So, I was tickled by that, but I realize that you really want to be the LAST movie they show in a particular screening. One of these days, we will be. Still, we won an award for "Best Use of Character" and that was really cool. All of the movies had made these straightforward "clutter coaches." We made 2 TV show hosts, 2 versions of the required character, and even shot a commercial footage which showed on TV at the beginning of the film. We didn't deserve any major award, but we deserved that one, and I was pleased. It was an Honor to make the "Best Of" screening in my directing "debut."
Until about two weeks after the event... That's when one of my old film making cronies showed his manic moron side, and accused me of cheating. He did this because one of the Three Judges was my main film making partner, Mr. Jaysen Buterin. This particular film maker had made a somewhat arty film using projectors to stage scenes of violence. Although he thought highly of his own flick, it was somewhat obtuse, and hard to follow. What made high cinema to him didn't translate to others in the audience. He figured that I cheated. And he was wrong. I purposefully distanced myself from JB throughout the judging process. So, this particular film maker, who will remain unnamed, since I'm Classy Like that, accused me of cheating, and really soured my take on the whole weekend.
So... I never updated this blog... And Here we are... 50 days until the NEXT 48. I have the biggest 48 team I have ever built on hand for this year. Right now, we number 22. In past years, I have managed teams no bigger than 15... So, this is a step up. But with new people, come new hassles. Last year, I had like 4 people Bail on me at the last minute. I'm making sure I have enough to work with this year. StumbleMuse Productions is ready for the 2011 48 Hour Film Project.
I see the Executive Producer today at lunch, and she's handing me the check to register.
Other teams in Greensboro better watch out! We'll be registered before the weekend!
-"Stumbles"
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