It's been a battle. Why haven't I posted since the beginning of October? Simple...Well maybe not. The whole project has gotten away from me. I have a decently full crew. I have a new writer, I have finished casting, and I am not sure how I feel about the script. Let me explain.
I gave the script to Mr. Everitt, who read it and then gave it to his wife (an academy script reader), who then gave it to another friend in the academy member. They came back and told me it was crap. To get another opinion I gave it to my program director, Don Schaab, who was nicer about it but still told me it was crap.
My first writer couldn't get enough time to over haul the script so I had to find a new writer. Enter Naomi. She's a great writer and her and I have been trying to find a project to do together for a while.
I am rereading the script tonight to get a stronger handle on what needs to be fixed so I can get her some solid feedback.
I've been in a tale spin ever since Everitt destroyed the house of cards that was my script.
I talked to my producer, Tony, who after reading an older draft said he thought it would be a great idea to do the whole thing on green screen...it took a week or so but he convinced me it was a good and interesting idea. Sad as it is, that idea was thrown out not that long ago, with Tony telling me he didn't have enough time to convince the people that needed to be convince that it was a good idea. So we have decided to make sets which in fact will make it much more Noir, as the project is intended to be.
See Noir was not made by some doof sitting there saying "I am going to make an art movement" It was built out of necessity. They had no money bad sets and poor costumes. Thus the harsh lighting to hide all the poor things in the movie.
Anyway on to good things. We finished casting today. Last week's turn out was not very good. So we called back the people we really liked to give them a different scene to play with and another chance to wow me.
We pretty much had the guys figured out last week so we called them back to lock that in.
These guys nailed the characters.
Now see I have to say the characters were written to be...20s-30s. One guy who I actually put at the bottom of the pile was this 50 something guy who I though to myself "Did he seriously think he could pass as 20-30? Well long story shot he didn't think he could...He new he could make me change my mind on River's age. He came in with a trench coat and gloves on, looking like Robert Stack form Unsolved Mysteries. He took the scene and showed me how bad it was to think we could find a 20-30 something to play the role. His name is Norman and he is in fact River. My main character.
My next pivotal role is Jake Keller. The puppet of the true villain Charlie. The guy who came in to play him was the only one who just knew the character from the start. Jake doesn't show up much in the script but he is key to the story. My new actor was another one I put at the bottom of the list thinking he didn't really look the part. After his audition I just said, "Well ok then I am wrong again." His name is David and his is My Jake Keller.
We had a harder time finding a Charlie, the voluptuously shaped and evil coniving crazy of a woman. I am still deciding actually. I have it narrowed down to 3. Possibly 2. I had some terrible auditions for all 3 roles. So it will be nice to have this out of the way.
I want to highlight some key points of etiquette here. First I know I am in Art school, I know I am student and I know there is no money involved here, but seriously people! I had 5 no shows today. I gave 2 actors who didn't show up last week the opportunity to come back this week and show me something...THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP!!!!!! They were no call no shows...Oh wait my AD got an email from 1 of them at the time he was suppose to audition. REALLY!!!! Try again. That's stupid as hell. I know stuff comes up, but that's why we have this awesome invention, maybe you heard about it, it's called a PHONE!!! Try it. It's quite nice.
Secondly, take it seriously, again I know the above still applies but I am pumping a lot of time and effort into this and I don't need some hack who fancies themselves as an actor to come in and pretend to try. I've read the script. It's not kids in a sandbox or fluffy puppies or a ferret in a Hawaiian shirt, it's good old fashion dark noir detective stuff. So don't laugh while being a psycho bitch who's put her friends through shit. Seriously it's called professionalism. Again try it. You're a joke not an actor.
Also be in time. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is dead. You're not important enough to be late. You're a no body don't show up late and just expect the world. Ain't gonna happen. Have some damn respect!
My last point is. When the director asks you a question as in "What brought you to the project" The proper answer is NOT "Performer's call-board" I KNOW WHERE WE POSTED THE BLOODY POSTING!!!! I want to know what interested you about the project. Also this is NOT a proper answer "Ya know I don't even know what the project is about. I saw it and it must have interest me at the time. Ya know I am interested enough to be here so yeah."
Yeah that is almost verbatim an answer I got. My answer should have been "Get out! You evidentially don't have the brain power to actually do what I need. Get off my set!"
Anyway I will get back to my point. It's just common sense to be professional about all of this. So please be as such.
I will post more when I have more finalized,
Here's to a finished script by mid December.
Simon
Director/Producer
