Saturday, December 22, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
MERRY XMAS TO ONE AND ALL!
I'm hitting the road tomorrow. Destination Oklahoma City!
Consider this your Christmas Card (you know I usually don't send them)! xoxoxo
Consider this your Christmas Card (you know I usually don't send them)! xoxoxo
MISMO -- IT'S A WRAP!
The filming of Mismo wrapped on Sunday, December 16th with the final shot being Bella’s (Diane Rooney) blood curdling scream. Diane told us she’d been practicing, but we still weren’t prepared for the sheer volume that meant we had to do a second take and sent San Rafael residents blocks away to their phones to report bloody murder! The cops pulled up just as we were popping the bubbly. Thankfully, they didn’t bust us for drinking in public.
Production of Mismo began on May 5th on location at Jim Heron’s studio, which was where our art gallery owner Rene (Larry Feurzeig) became intrigued with our aspiring artist Mitch’s (Jeffery Davis) “nudes...” This gives Larry the dubious honor of being the only cast member to have been on both the first and last day of filming.
Back in May, we knew we were going to shoot a feature film but Gino and I thought we’d do it deconstructive style i.e. shoot a series of shorts that we would re-cut to tell parallel storylines in a full-length film (and this from a woman who’s been writing screenplays for over 10 years). We quickly realized this approach was not going to work (funny how actors want to read a script!) and sat down to write the screenplay, which must be a record in of itself. On June 17th, exactly six months ago yesterday, we had a full cast table reading.
Since then we have shot in 43 locations including Café Flavia, Forbes Island Restaurant, Ginger Rubio Hair Salon, Plumpjack Wine Store, the Inner Mission Beer Parlor, Borderlands Books, and, possibly our most notorious, the privately owned Culebra Terrace (courtesy of Pierre Bleuse) where the neighbors were convinced we were shooting porn. What with the stranger from the bar’s pants around his knees (played by Frank Vera) and Toni’s legs (Lee Kuhn) hanging out the door, you can’t really blame them.
We have scorched under the Tracy sun while trying to get a gag at the side of the freeway where Rachel (Samantha Warnick) gets splashed by coffee thrown from a passing car; almost frozen atop the lighthouse at Forbes Island where Toni and Mitch take in the 360 degree panorama of the San Francisco Bay under a brilliant full moon; gotten extremely damp on a Chinatown Rooftop that was scripted to be a glorious sunny day; and, of course, raced against the fading sun as ex-con Diego (Ramon Bustos) fled from the scene, blood on his hands, towards his ironic fate (no spoilers here!).
We have borrowed from the best with Jorge (Peter Black) quoting Shakespeare and channeling Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee William’s Pulitzer winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Rachel’s (Samantha Warnick) Blanche Dubois.
We have been moved by our cast’s -- Jeffery Davis, Lee Kuhn, Caroline Kuntz, Peter Black, Samantha Warnick, Diane Rooney, Ramon Bustos, Glen Caspillo, Marcos Monzon, Larry Feurzeig — amazing talents and braveness to simply ‘get real’. Our supporting cast is just as stellar with special thanks to Anthony Lymon, Sky Tallone, Michele Weber, Scott Free, Skip Emerson, Robert Love, Michael Petrie, Reno Ursal, Robbie Evans, Florentino Gonzales, Hattie Mullaly, Frank Vera, (and now I feel like I’m at the Academy Awards, terrified I’m forgetting someone!). Thanks also to our extras who added richness and color to our backgrounds. As they say, we’ve laughed, we’ve cried. When this movie hits your local theater, be ready for one heck of a rollercoaster ride!
Thanks to our brilliant crew and loyal and dedicated P.A.s and all of you who came through with locations, without which there would be no Mismo.
Now, we’re off into the editing suite. A trailer will be forthcoming as well as the wrap party in February, so stay tuned and don’t forget to spread the word and have everyone you know sign up at www.mismothemovie.com for updates (a full website is also in the works).
Production of Mismo began on May 5th on location at Jim Heron’s studio, which was where our art gallery owner Rene (Larry Feurzeig) became intrigued with our aspiring artist Mitch’s (Jeffery Davis) “nudes...” This gives Larry the dubious honor of being the only cast member to have been on both the first and last day of filming.
Back in May, we knew we were going to shoot a feature film but Gino and I thought we’d do it deconstructive style i.e. shoot a series of shorts that we would re-cut to tell parallel storylines in a full-length film (and this from a woman who’s been writing screenplays for over 10 years). We quickly realized this approach was not going to work (funny how actors want to read a script!) and sat down to write the screenplay, which must be a record in of itself. On June 17th, exactly six months ago yesterday, we had a full cast table reading.
Since then we have shot in 43 locations including Café Flavia, Forbes Island Restaurant, Ginger Rubio Hair Salon, Plumpjack Wine Store, the Inner Mission Beer Parlor, Borderlands Books, and, possibly our most notorious, the privately owned Culebra Terrace (courtesy of Pierre Bleuse) where the neighbors were convinced we were shooting porn. What with the stranger from the bar’s pants around his knees (played by Frank Vera) and Toni’s legs (Lee Kuhn) hanging out the door, you can’t really blame them.
We have scorched under the Tracy sun while trying to get a gag at the side of the freeway where Rachel (Samantha Warnick) gets splashed by coffee thrown from a passing car; almost frozen atop the lighthouse at Forbes Island where Toni and Mitch take in the 360 degree panorama of the San Francisco Bay under a brilliant full moon; gotten extremely damp on a Chinatown Rooftop that was scripted to be a glorious sunny day; and, of course, raced against the fading sun as ex-con Diego (Ramon Bustos) fled from the scene, blood on his hands, towards his ironic fate (no spoilers here!).
We have borrowed from the best with Jorge (Peter Black) quoting Shakespeare and channeling Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee William’s Pulitzer winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Rachel’s (Samantha Warnick) Blanche Dubois.
We have been moved by our cast’s -- Jeffery Davis, Lee Kuhn, Caroline Kuntz, Peter Black, Samantha Warnick, Diane Rooney, Ramon Bustos, Glen Caspillo, Marcos Monzon, Larry Feurzeig — amazing talents and braveness to simply ‘get real’. Our supporting cast is just as stellar with special thanks to Anthony Lymon, Sky Tallone, Michele Weber, Scott Free, Skip Emerson, Robert Love, Michael Petrie, Reno Ursal, Robbie Evans, Florentino Gonzales, Hattie Mullaly, Frank Vera, (and now I feel like I’m at the Academy Awards, terrified I’m forgetting someone!). Thanks also to our extras who added richness and color to our backgrounds. As they say, we’ve laughed, we’ve cried. When this movie hits your local theater, be ready for one heck of a rollercoaster ride!
Thanks to our brilliant crew and loyal and dedicated P.A.s and all of you who came through with locations, without which there would be no Mismo.
Now, we’re off into the editing suite. A trailer will be forthcoming as well as the wrap party in February, so stay tuned and don’t forget to spread the word and have everyone you know sign up at www.mismothemovie.com for updates (a full website is also in the works).
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Scotland vs. Italy
Ugh... it's playing at my local sportsbar, Kezar at 10:00 am and I won't be able to watch the game because I'll be in Pt. Richmond filming... GO SCOTLAND!!!
Thursday, November 01, 2007
GLAMOUR FOR KARMA
Don't miss the most glamorous event ramping up to the holiday season ~ on National Philanthropy Day, no less.
For full details click on over to http://www.calmodern.com/glamour.html and give your karma a boost!
For full details click on over to http://www.calmodern.com/glamour.html and give your karma a boost!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Moorings... Aberdeen, Scotland
This one's for Steve... in memory of all the good times:)
Can't believe the place hasn't changed in, oh, ummmm, 33 years?!!!
xoxo
Can't believe the place hasn't changed in, oh, ummmm, 33 years?!!!
xoxo
Monday, September 17, 2007
3:10 to Yuma
I've heard critics say the cinematography ruined this film, but I couldn't see a damn thing wrong with it other than there wasn't enough Russ screen time. Sure, he was the bad boy, but so charismatic we wanted to see more of him, especially without the hat shading his eyes! Seems to me though that the real star is Christian Bale, who is brilliant and I'm sure will be up for an AA. Ben Foster was the eponymous bad guy -- who you wanted to see get his comeuppance -- he'll get a nod from the Academy too, but that might be stolen by Logan Lerman. What can I say, every supporting character was fabulous... This is a great yarn (naturally, it is Elmore Leonard afterall) and I'll be watching it again and again... Screw those naysayers!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Craig Ferguson...
I was on the phone with Miss Hattie Belle yesterday afternoon and casually clicking online when I saw that Craig was playing at Cobb's Comedy Club on September 14th i.e. that night. Since Hattie had intended to take me to see him for my b'dy and he canceled his shows, she jumped on the phone and voila... two tix to see the Scotsman at the late night performance... We got great seats and the warm up comedian (sorry I don't recall his name) had us in stitches... My god he was hilarious, which is more than I can say for Craig. I couldn't believe that he was still cracking the same jokes from two years ago... wasn't funny then, and it wasn't funny last night. Okay, not to be totally mean... there were a few moments. Sorry Craig, still love you on tv but you have to get new material... and stop reminding us how big your dick is... despite what you say, it's really no excuse for the slovenly attire.
Tomorrow is 3:10 to Yuma... let's see how our man Russ does on the big screen.
Tomorrow is 3:10 to Yuma... let's see how our man Russ does on the big screen.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Song of the Day...
This one is for Stevie M in London... xoxoxo
You have to click for the surprise
xoxoxo
You have to click for the surprise
xoxoxo
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Back on the scene!
With Gino and Danny out of town, I have a minute to come up for air and resume some semblance of a personal life, and now that the French man is out of the picture, it’s out on the town again!!
Tuesday night was the Madrone catching up with Kish and that was fun, though I don't think think there was anyone older than 30 there other than myself.
Last night was a 7x7 restaurant opening. Certain that it was going to be a mob scene of 20 somethings, CT and I decided to take our time getting there by walking ~ at least we’d have gotten some exercise if the rest of the night was a bomb… not so!
Palmetto, on Union Street, is fabulous! They had a good looking group of people loaded with age appropriate men… and, naturally, some not so age appropriate, but I don’t play with those any more. First, the restaurant: elegant space with a spacious bar, tended by handsome bartenders pouring some yummy cherry cosmo concoction. The food, passed around, was plentiful and delicious. My favorites were the dates wrapped in bacon, sinful but delicious! Then they had a whole load of other nibbles, every one of which was yummy. The crowd was never a mob scene and because it was older than the average 7x7 freebie, people actually talked to one another! CT was on exceptional form, chatting up a storm and though we never moved from our spot a bevy of eligible bachelors swam our way… and so the night swam by… We left with two adorable, funny guys and, having had lots to whet our appetites, we went to Betel Nut (one of my all-time faves) for dinner.
After dinner, which was about midnight by then (on a school night!), we realized that no one had driven so it was up the hill we went… and not a groan to be heard! Well, that was last night. Today, my head hurts… Tonight it’s the movies with Hattie…
p.s. I highly recommend Palmetto!
Tuesday night was the Madrone catching up with Kish and that was fun, though I don't think think there was anyone older than 30 there other than myself.
Last night was a 7x7 restaurant opening. Certain that it was going to be a mob scene of 20 somethings, CT and I decided to take our time getting there by walking ~ at least we’d have gotten some exercise if the rest of the night was a bomb… not so!
Palmetto, on Union Street, is fabulous! They had a good looking group of people loaded with age appropriate men… and, naturally, some not so age appropriate, but I don’t play with those any more. First, the restaurant: elegant space with a spacious bar, tended by handsome bartenders pouring some yummy cherry cosmo concoction. The food, passed around, was plentiful and delicious. My favorites were the dates wrapped in bacon, sinful but delicious! Then they had a whole load of other nibbles, every one of which was yummy. The crowd was never a mob scene and because it was older than the average 7x7 freebie, people actually talked to one another! CT was on exceptional form, chatting up a storm and though we never moved from our spot a bevy of eligible bachelors swam our way… and so the night swam by… We left with two adorable, funny guys and, having had lots to whet our appetites, we went to Betel Nut (one of my all-time faves) for dinner.
After dinner, which was about midnight by then (on a school night!), we realized that no one had driven so it was up the hill we went… and not a groan to be heard! Well, that was last night. Today, my head hurts… Tonight it’s the movies with Hattie…
p.s. I highly recommend Palmetto!
Monday, August 27, 2007
David Bowie-labyrinth: dance magic video
I've loved David Bowie for going on 40 years. I saw him live at the town hall in my home town, Aberdeen, Scotland, when I was 15... who could ever forget Ziggy Stardust seen from the second front row? He's as awesome as ever...
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
F**k...
has always been my favorite word... listen to this and you'll learn why ~
Hi-f**king-larious!
Hi-f**king-larious!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Phillipine Prison Inmates do "Thriller"
Sheer brilliance... The prisons in the Philippines are more humane than what we have in this supposed 'Free World'!
Suppositori Spelling does Sinead O Connor
I wrote a screenplay for Spaz... entered it into a contest... Bummer, they were too shortsighted to make me win:(
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Drama.... In the Real World!
Yikes! What a fabulous weekend… full of trepidation and satisfaction to match!
On Friday night, having finished the last of my prop and wardrobe shopping, I was now catering in my kitchen, preparing to feed our cast and crew for the weekend… never veering too far from my email, I was astounded by last minute responses to be ‘extras’ and, last, though not least, for PAs. And who would have guessed… the cavalry arrived in the form of Jim Breen. A local filmmaker and one-man lobby band for no/lo budget filmmakers in the Bay area, he was willing to step in (via Bart to Hayward) and act as 1st AD for the weekend… and, trust me, I don’t give up that role easily! Phew! With the added help of two new crew (recruited from Craig’s List, sight unseen), Mario and Miranda (conscientious and keen to work), we pulled off an amazing full Saturday, where blood, death, and retribution were the mis en scene of the day.
Sunday rolled around with not much sleep, thanks to the full-moon 2:00 am revelers and their counterparts, the cheerleaders of San Francisco’s annual marathon, hooting and holler at 7:00 am. When a pillow over my ears and Buddhist chants from my bedroom boombox hadn’t drowned them out, two hours later I arose… to respond to emails and phone calls while packing the food for the day…
And what a day it was… every shot taken with room to breathe… and eat nonetheless!
By the time Gino and I got back into the city, we were both hungry and, perhaps more so, needing to unwind… at my local noodle bar, the Citrus Club. Fed and somewhat relaxed from the grueling schedule, we walked down the street at which point… S**t! I locked myself out.
Luckily, a friendly neighbor was exiting as I arrived at my front door so I gained entrance to my building. No problem, I thought, I’ve broken into my own apartment before with a credit card (actually a library card, even though it took a while). Thirty frustrated minutes later, I called up the French man to see if he’d be gallant enough to rescue me for the night, until I could get to my property management company for a key in the morning. No such luck. Okay… no shining knight to the rescue! What next? I knocked on my neighbors door and asked if I could climb through their window onto the fire escape, just in case I had left the anti-theft snib on my kitchen window undone. No such luck…
Downstairs, I knocked on my building manager’s door. Naturally, he doesn’t have keys to the apartments… What to do? After much discussion and comparison of his kitchen window versus mine, he handed me a small hammer. “You have to break the glass,” he said. “Break the glass?” “That’s what I did when I was locked out,” and he showed me the small empty pane to prove it. Okay! If the building manager said it was the thing to do… Up the stairs I went to again knock on my neighbor’s door. Wielding the hammer, I told them my plan. “Perry told you to do that?” Yep!
So there I was totally exhausted, climbing out their window onto the fire escape to break and enter my own apartment!
I tell you, you don’t have to look far to find true drama☺ But just to show you what goes down on set and you will soon see on the big screen, here's a couple of shots from our Saturday shoot... I'll leave you to fill in the blanks on what really happens in the movie...
On Friday night, having finished the last of my prop and wardrobe shopping, I was now catering in my kitchen, preparing to feed our cast and crew for the weekend… never veering too far from my email, I was astounded by last minute responses to be ‘extras’ and, last, though not least, for PAs. And who would have guessed… the cavalry arrived in the form of Jim Breen. A local filmmaker and one-man lobby band for no/lo budget filmmakers in the Bay area, he was willing to step in (via Bart to Hayward) and act as 1st AD for the weekend… and, trust me, I don’t give up that role easily! Phew! With the added help of two new crew (recruited from Craig’s List, sight unseen), Mario and Miranda (conscientious and keen to work), we pulled off an amazing full Saturday, where blood, death, and retribution were the mis en scene of the day.
Sunday rolled around with not much sleep, thanks to the full-moon 2:00 am revelers and their counterparts, the cheerleaders of San Francisco’s annual marathon, hooting and holler at 7:00 am. When a pillow over my ears and Buddhist chants from my bedroom boombox hadn’t drowned them out, two hours later I arose… to respond to emails and phone calls while packing the food for the day…
And what a day it was… every shot taken with room to breathe… and eat nonetheless!
By the time Gino and I got back into the city, we were both hungry and, perhaps more so, needing to unwind… at my local noodle bar, the Citrus Club. Fed and somewhat relaxed from the grueling schedule, we walked down the street at which point… S**t! I locked myself out.
Luckily, a friendly neighbor was exiting as I arrived at my front door so I gained entrance to my building. No problem, I thought, I’ve broken into my own apartment before with a credit card (actually a library card, even though it took a while). Thirty frustrated minutes later, I called up the French man to see if he’d be gallant enough to rescue me for the night, until I could get to my property management company for a key in the morning. No such luck. Okay… no shining knight to the rescue! What next? I knocked on my neighbors door and asked if I could climb through their window onto the fire escape, just in case I had left the anti-theft snib on my kitchen window undone. No such luck…
Downstairs, I knocked on my building manager’s door. Naturally, he doesn’t have keys to the apartments… What to do? After much discussion and comparison of his kitchen window versus mine, he handed me a small hammer. “You have to break the glass,” he said. “Break the glass?” “That’s what I did when I was locked out,” and he showed me the small empty pane to prove it. Okay! If the building manager said it was the thing to do… Up the stairs I went to again knock on my neighbor’s door. Wielding the hammer, I told them my plan. “Perry told you to do that?” Yep!
So there I was totally exhausted, climbing out their window onto the fire escape to break and enter my own apartment!
I tell you, you don’t have to look far to find true drama☺ But just to show you what goes down on set and you will soon see on the big screen, here's a couple of shots from our Saturday shoot... I'll leave you to fill in the blanks on what really happens in the movie...
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