Film as Prayer

Terry and Tallis' opening night at ACT was last night, and it was absolutely wonderful. Tamia and I worked today, editing "An Eye for an Eye", though both of us were way underslept. There were some challenges, export-wise. Working on. We hope to get a rough cut done this week, with Ben's help, then get it to Steve and Dave next week for sound/music.

I am filming with the Dead Gentlemen on Saturday, being Ben's 1st AD, which will be a blast.

And then there's my "Dark Horse" . . . and with Terry and Tallis working in "Christmas Carol", Theo and I are joined at the hip much of the time. He keeps begging to go to the mall to play at the Apple Store, because we don't have the videogame he likes. He has been really cute with 7-month old Tesseract the kitten lately. She loves playing in/near water, so he has becoame addicted to baths. She paws at bath toys. He giggles. Both very happy.

We went to see Santa over the weekend, and he said it was his favorite thing ever, and he keeps saying that Tallis needs to go too. He wants Tallis to have a stocking!

Theo misses his Daddy a lot though. He just said "Tomorrow might be snowy, and then we can have a snowball fight with my Dad." Tonight, although it's Monday, actors' night off, Tallis is recording a radio play in Bellevue, so they are over there taping it. It will play on Christmas night. That kids works a lot. Which seems to make him happy.

It went well!

For a first effort, it really went surprisingly well. We handed out all the scripts we brought, and many business cards, and got one firm promise of help, and another today. HUGE sigh of relief.

Wonderful Crystal did a bang-up slideshow for us, and was able to play my short film, even though I (doh!) didnt' get it to her ahead of time. And she made fabulous take-home horse cookies that everyone commented on. Jules was a total darling, creating piles of paperwork, scripts, business cards, and many other necessaries. Laura rocked my world as a poised and generous spokeswoman, praising me and setting up the script perfectly. Tamia was there, looking gorgeous in black and red cowboy boots, and being the artistic light of the party. She brought her beloved, John, whom I forgot to brag on. Charity was poised and perfect. Lila and Duncan did the gussied-up schmoozing thing, and passed out scripts with a smile. Bill totally charmed everyone in sight, as ever, bless him. One of our benefactresses was the perfect audience, asking just the right questions. My Mom came and was very moved by all the slides of Orcas, praising my photography, and our presentation.

Our team rocked.

Now, we wait to see if they like the script, and if the Canadian producer liked it, and if the Big Deal Hollywood producer likes it . . .

All digits crossed.

I have a lot to be thankful for tomorrow for Thanksgiving.

Thank God for supportive friends.

Our website is launched tonight, crafted by Scott C. Brown! Its address:

http://www.thedarkhorsemovie.com" title="http://www.thedarkhorsemovie.com" target="_blank"http://www.thedarkhorsemovie....

It's a start. And our first fundraising party is the 22nd, so cross any spare fingers, please!

And we have the beginnings of a staff! In addition to Laura and me, now we have Jules, Charity, and Crystal. So far, only women, which is interesting. It can't last long, but it's fun for now to sit around a table and see only The Gals.

Very exciting. And scary. And exciting. Did I mention scary?

We are getting a meeting together for our staff so far, this Saturday at 2.

Seven souls will meet to discuss the future of our fledgling film company.

All fingers crossed . . .

The final day of shooting "Eye" was an absolute deluge in the scrapyard, as Tamia, Terry and I got the first sequence. It was good, I think. Very wet, but good.

We scouted all the cars while Terry waited in the car, declining to film in the one with the dead rabbit or the one that smelled to high heaven, and then we found a row of minivans near the back, and rejoiced. Many possibilities.

I made stage blood and poured it down Terry's face, and then we went to work. I held the bounce board, Tamia shot, and we were done in about an hour.

That footage, combined with the awesome work Bill did last week, ought to do it.

Now to get the thing edited, while simultaneously working on "Dark Horse" pre-pro . . .

And Terry and Tallis are doint "Christmas Carol" at ACT again, so I am on Theo every aft. and night.

Whew . . . I really need an assistant!

Well, I am plumb tuckered, but suffice to say that Day 2 was a dream of dreams, and Day 3 even better, if that is possible. This whole shoot has been blessed beyond belief. We are, at this point, only owing a couple of scenes tomorrow and we are there. Unbelievable.

Yesterday we shot some very moving stuff in our living room (Terry), kitchen (Pam), driveway, and backyard. SO wierd seeing all the equipment piled up in one's normal living space, and lights and crew everywhere.

Because, for a wonder, it didn't rain, yesterday we shot out the car 'chase' sequence. I had some trouble, for the first time, giving direction, but it got sorted out. And we got some very funny stuff on the melon scene.

Then today, after a horrendous commute in the driving rain and wind, we did the bullet-making scene in my Daddy's shop (I got teary - haven't been in there since he died as far as I can remember), and then shot the handoff scene down by the Tennis Club fence in the rain. Incredible filmmaking by all.

Then we had our hot lunch at 3 as planned, sitting in Mom's dining room, feeding her turkey, and relaxing together, before repairing to the study to watch Bill's excellent movie "Classified", my "Dancing With You", and today's footage, which rocked my WORLD! It looked like film, it looked like "Law and Order". At least to me.

Then Mom politely kicked us out. She had graciously put up with us all day and it was time.

A completely fabulous day.

I am very grateful.

Day 1 of "An Eye for an Eye" went well!!!!!!

HUGE sigh of relief. I am happy. Very.

Greatest thing of the day: working with Terry. He was, of course, amazing. I am so lucky to be married to such a subtle, ingenious, generous actor (and human!). Thanks be to God.

Other greatest thing: Tamia, Neill, Bill, Ben, and ALL the crew (bless Jeremy, Paul, and, briefly, Hugh) are completely wonderful. I cannot be more thankful for our amazing first day. What a delight shooting with a team of professional, focused, dedicated folks. And with such a script! The story is everything . . . Dave. What a writer.

Today we shot Terry, Pam, and Eleanor, and Tamia and Neill made them look amazing. And they themselves are so seamlessly wonderful at their craft that I had very little to do. Casting really is most of it, and of course it’s the same with crew. Ahhh, trained actors, and crew who are so excellent that the director mostly sits back and marvels . . . wow.

We got our bedroom cleaned up. Barely. Terry carried piles of medieval costumes, utensils, boots, weapons, and other (very) miscellaneous materiél from our bedroom to my laden office for five hours last night, finishing at nearly midnight. I finished ‘sorting’ it off of the dining table at 3:30 a.m., then woke at 5:30, of course waking Terry - I set my alarm for 6:30 but forgot the time change! Woke again at 6:30.

Ben the bus rider is staying with us so he doesn’t have to take the bus from Tacoma. So the cats were disgruntled to be locked out of all bedrooms.

But not as disgruntled as they were when jailed in (sadly non-pregnant) Titania’s birthing cage in the laundry room for much of the day . . . broke my heart. But we had the front door totally open, of course, so they would have escaped.

We shot here in our house, which was amazing. Had twelve people traipsing in and out of the rain carrying all the equipment, and crowding into the narrow hallway, and at one point Neill was lying over the bed changing out a stinger (he stayed there for the shot too, which was great). He also pushed dolly all day. Which is not his usual job description. And Tamia worked with three broken ribs and a probably-broken wrist from an accident three days ago, bless her. I love these people very much.

We made our day, and then some, thanks to Tamia’s incredible storyboards and shot list. She was right to insist on two extra weeks for the pre-production.

As it is, with no budget, everybody is still doing too may jobs, very much me included. If I weren’t dressing the set, and trying to keep everybody fed all day, and stressing about building the props, etc . . . I might be less . . . underslept.

But it is all a learning curve. I really respect the people who really do the things I have been faking all week . . . wow.

Today was an easy day, as it was all inside.

Tomorrow we may be out in the rain some.

And more and more of each day will be exteriors.

Wish I had more rain cover . . . worried about a wet camera and an unhappy crew . . .

But life is good. Looking forward to a real sleep tonight.