Judy does her voiceover. Judy from the convention sketch group that is, not to be confused with the Fat Lady, and if you've seen Judy, she's the polar opposite of said Lady. Anyway, if you've been following my blog, you might remember that Judy's mic either wasn't on, or malfunctioned during the performance of the convention sketch a few months ago. Regardless, the client was so pleased with us that he wants to use the video of the performance for internal training purposes. Jim contacted me to see if I could somehow get Judy to record her lines and get it mixed into the DVD in a way that it wasn't obvious that it was a dub. Unfortunately, the hotel staff who recorded the performance no longer had the audio tracks, so all I had to work with is the DVD that Jim sent me.
I've been contacting several people I know who might be able to assist, but no one really jumped onto this except for Ryan, who helps Julie from 19 Nocturne Blvd to record her internet radio dramas. Ryan's never really done this before, but he had the eagerness, availability and equipment to give it his best shot, so I arranged for us to record at his Ballard basement earlier this evening. Judy met me at my place and I carpooled us over to Ryan's. He lives about a mile away, which is beyond awesome.
At first, it was a bit slow-going as Ryan and Judy tried to figure out how best to work through the recording. I was initially dismayed, thinking it would be a very long night, but once they were able to get the first few lines going, the rest started to come easy. Judy did a great job, and Ryan was able to figure things out quickly as we went along, and we finished in just under two hours. Hopefully, the editing/synching/mixing will go well and we'll be able to provide Jim and the client a DVD that can be used for their training purposes.
*UPDATE* I was not cast in "Leverage", but I take it in stride. I'm glad to have given a strong audition and perhaps it could open up doors later down the road. Of course, I plan to watch the episode when it airs to see who they cast and how the character is portrayed through another actor! After seemingly going non-stop since returning from vacation, I have a bit of a break between acting projects now. It's nice, but I look forward to whatever is coming next. I came upon a scrap of info today that possibly points toward an exciting opportunity for me later this fall, but will keep it under wraps for now... :)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
"Leverage" Audition
Wednesday on my way home from the photo shoot, I retrieved a voicemail from Tim (new assistant at my agency) asking if I'd be available to audition in Portland for the the TNT t.v. show, "Leverage". It was after hours by then, so there was no reason to call back. The next day, Tim called again to see if I could go, but there were several requirements:
1) I had to attend a 1:50 audition the next day
2) I had to have an Oregon address (friend or family)
3) If cast, I'd have to be available for 1.5 weeks in July
Honestly, I didn't really feel inclined to go because of all the requirements and the fact that I'd have to drive all the way down there, but I spoke with my boss Marni and was blown away by how incredibly supportive she was. She was fine with me taking the day off, and would be okay with me having that time in July off too. Also, her mom lives in Oregon, so she called her and asked if I could use her address and she said yes! Wow, God's favor and blessings! So I headed out yesterday morning at 8:30 and got there around 11:45. I parked near the audition site (Lana Veenker Casting), and had a very mediocre lunch at a nearby cafe of fried chicken bits and the saddest veggie soup I've ever seen or tasted . Bleh!!!
There was still some time to kill, so I looked over the side that Tim sent me. I was going to audition for the role of a Triad leader named Nicholas Chow, so I tried to prepare myself mentally and emotionally to deliver an interesting and menacing performance. When the time came, I walked into the agency, filled out the requisite paperwork, took a picture, and sat in the waiting room. There was one gal named Melinda sitting in there too who I would later befriend.
After a few minutes, I was brought into the audition room where Aaron and October were. I presumed they worked at the agency. They had me slate my name to the camera and then they took turns reading opposite me as I read for Nicholas Chow and also for a character named Russell Pan. Aaron and October seemed impressed, as they thanked me enthusiastically for auditioning and asked me to wait around for the call-back. "Don't go too far!" was Aaron's words to me.
I finished my audition around 2:15 and learned that my call-back was at 3 PM so I didn't have long to wait. I was being called-back for the role of Russell, which slightly disappointed me only because I felt I connected more with the Nicholas role, but I was glad to be considered for any part. As I waited, I chatted with Melinda who was also called-back. At 3 PM, I was brought back into the same room, but this time the actual director of the show and his assistants were there. I read the Russell role twice, then the director asked if I could stay a bit longer because he was interested to see me read for Nicholas Chow. That was a good sign that he found me interesting or talented enough to want to see more. I read the Nicholas role twice and he seemed to like it. They thanked me and I waited for Melinda to finish her call-back and then we grabbed an early dinner at a Mexican restaurant before battling some tough Portland traffic while heading home.
It's too hard to speculate what my chances are. Personally, I don't think I connected as well on the Russell character, and though my Nicholas character was strong, I don't know if I match what the director was envisioning. I will probably hear by Monday if I'm cast. It'd be amazing to go from a singing hitman to a villain on an actual t.v. show! regardless if I'm right for the role. at least I met the director and made a good impression.
1) I had to attend a 1:50 audition the next day
2) I had to have an Oregon address (friend or family)
3) If cast, I'd have to be available for 1.5 weeks in July
Honestly, I didn't really feel inclined to go because of all the requirements and the fact that I'd have to drive all the way down there, but I spoke with my boss Marni and was blown away by how incredibly supportive she was. She was fine with me taking the day off, and would be okay with me having that time in July off too. Also, her mom lives in Oregon, so she called her and asked if I could use her address and she said yes! Wow, God's favor and blessings! So I headed out yesterday morning at 8:30 and got there around 11:45. I parked near the audition site (Lana Veenker Casting), and had a very mediocre lunch at a nearby cafe of fried chicken bits and the saddest veggie soup I've ever seen or tasted . Bleh!!!
There was still some time to kill, so I looked over the side that Tim sent me. I was going to audition for the role of a Triad leader named Nicholas Chow, so I tried to prepare myself mentally and emotionally to deliver an interesting and menacing performance. When the time came, I walked into the agency, filled out the requisite paperwork, took a picture, and sat in the waiting room. There was one gal named Melinda sitting in there too who I would later befriend.
After a few minutes, I was brought into the audition room where Aaron and October were. I presumed they worked at the agency. They had me slate my name to the camera and then they took turns reading opposite me as I read for Nicholas Chow and also for a character named Russell Pan. Aaron and October seemed impressed, as they thanked me enthusiastically for auditioning and asked me to wait around for the call-back. "Don't go too far!" was Aaron's words to me.
I finished my audition around 2:15 and learned that my call-back was at 3 PM so I didn't have long to wait. I was being called-back for the role of Russell, which slightly disappointed me only because I felt I connected more with the Nicholas role, but I was glad to be considered for any part. As I waited, I chatted with Melinda who was also called-back. At 3 PM, I was brought back into the same room, but this time the actual director of the show and his assistants were there. I read the Russell role twice, then the director asked if I could stay a bit longer because he was interested to see me read for Nicholas Chow. That was a good sign that he found me interesting or talented enough to want to see more. I read the Nicholas role twice and he seemed to like it. They thanked me and I waited for Melinda to finish her call-back and then we grabbed an early dinner at a Mexican restaurant before battling some tough Portland traffic while heading home.
It's too hard to speculate what my chances are. Personally, I don't think I connected as well on the Russell character, and though my Nicholas character was strong, I don't know if I match what the director was envisioning. I will probably hear by Monday if I'm cast. It'd be amazing to go from a singing hitman to a villain on an actual t.v. show! regardless if I'm right for the role. at least I met the director and made a good impression.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Paging Dr. Mark
The photo shoot today went well. I woke up at 9:30 a.m. and gathered all the wardrobe pieces I was asked to bring and showed up at Chase Jarvis Studios (next to Gas Works Park) at Noon. The studio was crowded with Asian models, crew, stylists and wardrobe people. Gary, one of the models, knows my friend Andy and recognized me from Andy's staged reading of "Welcome to the Wongs" from years ago, so we had a good chat.
Models were asked to arrive with no make-up and "clean hair". I took that to mean that a stylist would take care of both. Good thing I brought my own make-up and hair products because other than a little foundation and powder, there was not much done on me, so I had to fix myself up a bit. I was assigned the role of a doctor, which surprised me since I thought I'd be a research assistant. Funny thing was that they made doctor ID badges with our pictures and "Beijing Medical Center" underneath it. I wanted to snap a picture of it, but I don't think that was allowed.
Although I was asked to arrive at Noon, it wasn't until 4:30 that they got to me, due to problems with a set piece which also delayed other models that were ahead of me. Once it was my turn, they paired me with Alice- a mature Taiwanese woman who also portrayed a doctor. Chase instructed us to pose as if we were having various conversations. He seemed really pleased with what we did, and after reviewing the test shots, said it was exceptional, but wanted to take a few more action shots (walking while talking). After reviewing the second batch, he thanked me and said I was wrapped for the day. After five hours, I was really only getting my picture taken for about 30 minutes. The staff kept thanking me for my patience, but honestly I am so used to it, as that's how it's like on a film set.
As I drove home, I checked my voicemail and my agent left a message asking if I had a Portland address (family or friend) and if I'd be available for 1.5 weeks in July for a television show. If yes to both, then she'd submit my stuff for them to consider. I don't think I really know anyone who lives in Oregon, but it made me realize that I'll need to talk to my boss Marni soon about what the chances are for me to take short leaves of absence from work if I get cast in projects that require travel/time away. It almost feels like it's inevitable that bigger acting opportunities will start coming my way if I keep at it, and hopefully I'll still have the favor and flexibility from my co-workers to encourage me to seize those opportunities while keeping my job.
Models were asked to arrive with no make-up and "clean hair". I took that to mean that a stylist would take care of both. Good thing I brought my own make-up and hair products because other than a little foundation and powder, there was not much done on me, so I had to fix myself up a bit. I was assigned the role of a doctor, which surprised me since I thought I'd be a research assistant. Funny thing was that they made doctor ID badges with our pictures and "Beijing Medical Center" underneath it. I wanted to snap a picture of it, but I don't think that was allowed.
Although I was asked to arrive at Noon, it wasn't until 4:30 that they got to me, due to problems with a set piece which also delayed other models that were ahead of me. Once it was my turn, they paired me with Alice- a mature Taiwanese woman who also portrayed a doctor. Chase instructed us to pose as if we were having various conversations. He seemed really pleased with what we did, and after reviewing the test shots, said it was exceptional, but wanted to take a few more action shots (walking while talking). After reviewing the second batch, he thanked me and said I was wrapped for the day. After five hours, I was really only getting my picture taken for about 30 minutes. The staff kept thanking me for my patience, but honestly I am so used to it, as that's how it's like on a film set.
As I drove home, I checked my voicemail and my agent left a message asking if I had a Portland address (family or friend) and if I'd be available for 1.5 weeks in July for a television show. If yes to both, then she'd submit my stuff for them to consider. I don't think I really know anyone who lives in Oregon, but it made me realize that I'll need to talk to my boss Marni soon about what the chances are for me to take short leaves of absence from work if I get cast in projects that require travel/time away. It almost feels like it's inevitable that bigger acting opportunities will start coming my way if I keep at it, and hopefully I'll still have the favor and flexibility from my co-workers to encourage me to seize those opportunities while keeping my job.
48 Hour Film Project
Last night after work, I stopped at home for a bite to eat before heading out to Greenlake to play grass league volleyball with my team. After game 3, I left to head over to the Harvard Exit Theatre where Get the Shot would be screened along with 11 other films in our group. I was stoked to find a primo parking spot, as a car was leaving just as I rounded the curve where the theatre is located.
Since I was still in my v-ball gear, I hunted for a bathroom along Broadway where I could change into nicer clothes. I should have known better. No shops on Broadway have public restrooms- probably because of drug use and various sundry activities. I finally gave up and made a quick change in a semi-private corner in small mall, and headed over to the theatre. There, I saw Jason and most of the cast & crew handing out bribery treats to win audience votes- tootsie pops attached to a business card that was used as a prop and as a marketing tool for Protagonist Studios. I also saw friends who came out to support me- Wayman, Imran, Evia, Mimi, Crystal, Dwight and Jocelyn. We secured a whole row inside the theatre and I also saw Deb from That Show, and spotted Jen F. from Project London.
Unfortunately, our film was turned in 4 minutes past the deadline on Sunday due to time spent on file compression or transferring that wasn't factored in. This meant that we weren't eligible for any awards except the Audience Award, which was why my group resorted to bribery :). Our film was up first, and unfortunately the look and the sound quality wasn't as good as we'd expected. I was sitting toward the back of the theatre and could barely make out any of the lyrics in the opening music sequence. Afterward, Jason and Traci said they noticed "ghosting" which affected how crisp the film appeared. Stuff that could easily be corrected with more time. Regardless, the audience really seemed to enjoy our musical. They laughed frequently, even in unexpected points in the movie. They got a kick out of Justin and I as singing hitmen, and applauded the movie heartily when it ended.
There were some amazing films in the mix, and I enjoyed watching what others had come up with. The audience voted on ballots for their 3 favorites and the top vote-getter will get a prize in two weeks. Get the Shot potentially could be among the top 5, and possibly top 3, but I don't think it'll take the top spot. I had a lot of fun though, and I'm glad the audience was entertained.
Metts said that at first she was a bit skeptical that I could play a believable hitman when she first saw me, but that changed when she saw me on the set. She choreographed the fight scene and was surprised by my "cold" intensity and the way I could match my body's movement to the music. She hopes to start shooting music videos soon and said she'd be interested in using me if I wanted to try that sometime. I said I was game for it. I shot some pool with her and the rest of the gang at GARAGE after the show, and finally called it a night around 1:30 a.m.
Jason plans to shoot more projects this summer, so I may join in again if my schedule permits. Here's some praise that he sent me:
"You were an awesome hitman! The intensity on those shots I got from you were incredible. You may not have been there at the time, but when I was capturing the footage for editing that night, there were a lot of "wow" comments as they watched you in action. Incredible job, my man! Can't wait to cast you again!"
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Henry the Singing Hitman
The 48 hour film competition was a blast! I had so much fun, and things worked out great for me in terms of schedule. I was fully anticipating being up all night, but actually got a full night's sleep. Can't say the same for Jason, the director. He called me last night to say that the genre he drew from the kick-off meeting was a MUSICAL. I told him I could sing and occasionally write songs. He said one of the crew happened to be a composer for a local band, so the songwriting was covered, but that he might need me to pre-record some singing. However, that didn't happen because Jason and his crew were so busy drafting a script, composing songs, planning choregraphy, etc that they didn't get to it. I slept 8 wonderful hours in my own bed, and was able to attend a sports ministry meeting this morning before heading over to The Garage, a cool pool bar & bowling alley on Capitol Hill.
I parked in front and met the cast and crew for the first time (except Jason, of course, as we gave each other a big hug). Several recognized me from some of Jason's films, and Scott the composer told me he is best friends with Ian from Project London, so he recognized me as "Canada", my character in that film. It was cool to hear that he thought that was the best scene! I haven't seen any footage and was a bit worried that perhaps I came across as overacting, but Scott said it was great.
After getting parking fees squared away, we congregated downstairs of The Garage, which featured a bar, private bowling alley and dining area. In the five hours we were there, we shot a vast majority of the film, including a fight scene between two hitmen- myself and fellow actor Justin. Neither of us had ever done one, but to make it trickier, we needed to choreograph it while also lip-syncing to a song that will be put in! There was added pressure because we were nearing the time that we needed to exit the space to make room for a party reservation. With everyone's collaboration and ideas, we managed to get it done.
A gal named Metts, who got us permission to use the space, choreographed the fight, which involved getting pushed onto tables and slamming into the wooden booths. Justin and I also did some improv scuffling and grappling which could possibly be used as filler. It was tiring and we started to get coated in sweat since we were doing this in suits, but it was a lot of fun and I think we did a good job considering how little time we had to do it.
I met up again with the cast and crew the next day at a crew member's home to record my singing portion. Scott gave me time to listen to the song until I was comfortable with it. I was having trouble remembering the melody of one particular line, but Scott plunked it out on the piano to visually help me, and I was fine after that. Once ready, we went into a small closet for the recording. I pretty much nailed the first take, but we did another just to have it. Scott was pleased that the recording process was easy with me.
My contribution was complete at that point, but I hung around watching Jason and his crew work their movie magic as they furiously edited the footage into something visually interesting and coherent. The fight sequence turned out quite well. If I could do it over again, there's one section of it where I would adjust my performance in, but it's the same sequence that several said they really liked, so it's subjective. One thing's for sure- no one can say I wasn't completely invested in the character. :)
I left the home around 5:30 PM to visit my family. Jason and crew were still editing and putting in audio, and had until 7:30 PM to drop-off the finished film in Seattle. I haven't heard otherwise, so I assume the drop-off went smoothly and all involved headed off for much needed sleep.
The film is entitled Get the Shot, and will be the first of 12 films to be screened at the Harvard Exit on Tuesday, 6/23/09, at 9 PM. If you're reading this and would like to attend, tickets may be purchased online at
https://tickets.landmarktheatres.com/Landmark.aspx?TheatreID=243
Tickets might be available at the door, but I expect the event to sell out, so pre-ordering is recommended!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Cast!- Global Print Campaign!
WOW!!! I am STOKED!!
My go-see appointment was for 8:15 a.m. this morning at a studio near Gas Works Park. I woke up and put on an outfit that reflected my personality, ate a bowl of Life Cinnamon cereal, washed up and headed out the door. For the first time in about a month, light rain was falling. Didn't matter, as my hair was approaching borderline shaggy in length, so it'd be a bad hair day regardless. I arrived at the studio right on time, and when I walked through the door, I was greeted by two office staff, Kate and a tall Mikal. Another talent was there, a distinguished gentleman in a suit who looked like he was of Middle-Eastern descent. Kate explained to us that they'd take a few test shots for the client and we'd have to fill out some paperwork. Uh-oh, I didn't expect to have my picture taken! If I had known, I would have arrived in light make-up and would have tried to mentally prepare for the shoot.
Kate chatted with the other talent while Mikal led me to a white backdrop surrounded my those billowy-pillowy light contraptions you see in studios. She had me pose while holding a sheet of paper with my name on it and then a series of face, full body and profile shots. After I filled out my paperwork, I thanked them both and headed back out in the rain, getting ready to drive off the work. As I reached my car, Kate poked her head out of the studio door and asked if I could come back in, as the test shots turned out too dark. I went back in and this time Kate took my pics, but they also weren't coming out well. Apparently one of the billowy lights wasn't flashing when needed. We chuckled at the situation and Kate assured me that she's not the photographer- in other words, the real photographer would know what he's doing! We tried a couple more times before Kate moved me to a spot where the lights finally allowed her to take some usable shots.
They revealed to me the client, which I won't share yet in case it's supposed to be kept secret, and told me 21 models representing various ethnicities are being cast. Images would primarily be shot in black & white but color might be used for effect. I was being considered for the role of a researcher.
As I left, I wasn't too sure of my chances. I'm glad they had to re-shoot as I think that allowed me to relax more in the final pics, but I wasn't dressed like a researcher and I didn't have make-up to cover up flaws. I know photo retouching is easy to do, but it's also easy for a client to judge by first impressions and I didn't know if my test shots were going to interest them. As I drove to work, I prayed that if it pleased God for me to be a part of this project, then I'd be really excited, but if not, then I'd be okay with that too. Still, as the hours passed by without hearing anything, there was a bit of disappointment creeping in. When Mikal called me in the mid-afternoon, I was sure it was a courtesy call to tell me someone else was cast. She thanked me again for coming in, and I was waiting for the "but...". Instead, she apologized that they hadn't finalized the shoot date for next week yet, but said it'd be either Tuesday or Wednesday and they'd love to work with me. WHAT??!
I had already given my boss Marni the head's up that I might need one or both of those days off and she was fine with it, so I informed Mikal that I'd be available. She said they'd call me Monday with the final details.
For me, there's often excitement when I first hear that I land a gig, but that excitement keeps building afterward when the news and reality really sink in. I am so stoked to have this opportunity! Sure, there's money involved, which is great, but I just think it's amazingly cool to work with top-notch artists/creative folk, and the photographer involved is internationally recognized and will no doubt be awesome to work with! Not sure if I'll see the end product, as I presume that the ad I'm in will be targeted to Asia, but that's awesome too!
Henry Mark, male model? Not quite... this might be the closest I ever get to that on a commercial level, so I'm just going to enjoy the experience!
My go-see appointment was for 8:15 a.m. this morning at a studio near Gas Works Park. I woke up and put on an outfit that reflected my personality, ate a bowl of Life Cinnamon cereal, washed up and headed out the door. For the first time in about a month, light rain was falling. Didn't matter, as my hair was approaching borderline shaggy in length, so it'd be a bad hair day regardless. I arrived at the studio right on time, and when I walked through the door, I was greeted by two office staff, Kate and a tall Mikal. Another talent was there, a distinguished gentleman in a suit who looked like he was of Middle-Eastern descent. Kate explained to us that they'd take a few test shots for the client and we'd have to fill out some paperwork. Uh-oh, I didn't expect to have my picture taken! If I had known, I would have arrived in light make-up and would have tried to mentally prepare for the shoot.
Kate chatted with the other talent while Mikal led me to a white backdrop surrounded my those billowy-pillowy light contraptions you see in studios. She had me pose while holding a sheet of paper with my name on it and then a series of face, full body and profile shots. After I filled out my paperwork, I thanked them both and headed back out in the rain, getting ready to drive off the work. As I reached my car, Kate poked her head out of the studio door and asked if I could come back in, as the test shots turned out too dark. I went back in and this time Kate took my pics, but they also weren't coming out well. Apparently one of the billowy lights wasn't flashing when needed. We chuckled at the situation and Kate assured me that she's not the photographer- in other words, the real photographer would know what he's doing! We tried a couple more times before Kate moved me to a spot where the lights finally allowed her to take some usable shots.
They revealed to me the client, which I won't share yet in case it's supposed to be kept secret, and told me 21 models representing various ethnicities are being cast. Images would primarily be shot in black & white but color might be used for effect. I was being considered for the role of a researcher.
As I left, I wasn't too sure of my chances. I'm glad they had to re-shoot as I think that allowed me to relax more in the final pics, but I wasn't dressed like a researcher and I didn't have make-up to cover up flaws. I know photo retouching is easy to do, but it's also easy for a client to judge by first impressions and I didn't know if my test shots were going to interest them. As I drove to work, I prayed that if it pleased God for me to be a part of this project, then I'd be really excited, but if not, then I'd be okay with that too. Still, as the hours passed by without hearing anything, there was a bit of disappointment creeping in. When Mikal called me in the mid-afternoon, I was sure it was a courtesy call to tell me someone else was cast. She thanked me again for coming in, and I was waiting for the "but...". Instead, she apologized that they hadn't finalized the shoot date for next week yet, but said it'd be either Tuesday or Wednesday and they'd love to work with me. WHAT??!
I had already given my boss Marni the head's up that I might need one or both of those days off and she was fine with it, so I informed Mikal that I'd be available. She said they'd call me Monday with the final details.
For me, there's often excitement when I first hear that I land a gig, but that excitement keeps building afterward when the news and reality really sink in. I am so stoked to have this opportunity! Sure, there's money involved, which is great, but I just think it's amazingly cool to work with top-notch artists/creative folk, and the photographer involved is internationally recognized and will no doubt be awesome to work with! Not sure if I'll see the end product, as I presume that the ad I'm in will be targeted to Asia, but that's awesome too!
Henry Mark, male model? Not quite... this might be the closest I ever get to that on a commercial level, so I'm just going to enjoy the experience!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wrapping Up a Domestic Dispute
“It’s a wrap!”- the declaration was made at 12:15 AM, followed by cheers and applause from the weary cast and crew. It took longer than I personally anticipated, but we finished the video shoot of “Art and Marriage” last night (or technically, this morning) at Deanna’s house in Bothell. She lives conveniently close to my workplace, so I went there after work, stopping by Fred Meyer’s along to way to pick up some juice that would be used as a prop. I arrived at Deanna’s at 6:30 PM, which was the actors’ call-time. She and Tracie (our acting director) greeted me at the door and we chatted while Mike and his team from Blue Crew went about setting up lighting equipment in the kitchen where the scene was to take place.
Deanna wrote the scene about an interaction/argument between a devoted but frustrated husband and his artsy, unemployed wife. Tracie had offered me the role of Rick the husband, and Deanna played my wife, Evie. The three of us opened up in prayer and once the crew was ready, we started filming (around 7:15 PM). Mike and his crew had some challenges adjusting lighting in order to simulate morningtime due to a stainless steel fridge and accommodating a sunset and nightfall, but they did it. Deanna and I were able to deliver consistent performances take after take, which helped us progress through the shoot. A crew member remarked that he was surprised we were getting through the shot list so quickly, and Mike also said that he wouldn’t have been able to get through so much in so little time, even in Hollywood, and called us “pros”.
We finished shooting five pages of dialogue in five hours. To the uninitiated, this sounds slow, but it actually is quite fast. There is a point in the script where my character gets very frustrated and angry, and admittedly, it was difficult to keep the intensity and honesty of the moment in take after take. Bemused, Mike stopped me once and said that he noticed that my acting was getting bigger and bigger in each take and the one I just delivered looked like I was going to stab my wife! He asked me to “take it down” and I’m glad he gave me that note. After a while, my body and emotions got tired of trying to maintain the same heightened mood, and I think I was overcompensating by using my voice and over-emoting.
The hope is that this piece could be pitched to our church leadership to show them the type of quality work that a drama group could contribute. Church drama is oftentimes hokey or poor in quality. Whether or not “Art and Marriage” helps to open the door to do more is in God’s hands. Meanwhile, I’m glad to have been a part of it and believe that we’ll be pleased when we see the final product. It was definitely good to be acting in front of the camera again to keep my skills sharp. Another opportunity this weekend, with the 48 hour film competition!
Deanna wrote the scene about an interaction/argument between a devoted but frustrated husband and his artsy, unemployed wife. Tracie had offered me the role of Rick the husband, and Deanna played my wife, Evie. The three of us opened up in prayer and once the crew was ready, we started filming (around 7:15 PM). Mike and his crew had some challenges adjusting lighting in order to simulate morningtime due to a stainless steel fridge and accommodating a sunset and nightfall, but they did it. Deanna and I were able to deliver consistent performances take after take, which helped us progress through the shoot. A crew member remarked that he was surprised we were getting through the shot list so quickly, and Mike also said that he wouldn’t have been able to get through so much in so little time, even in Hollywood, and called us “pros”.
We finished shooting five pages of dialogue in five hours. To the uninitiated, this sounds slow, but it actually is quite fast. There is a point in the script where my character gets very frustrated and angry, and admittedly, it was difficult to keep the intensity and honesty of the moment in take after take. Bemused, Mike stopped me once and said that he noticed that my acting was getting bigger and bigger in each take and the one I just delivered looked like I was going to stab my wife! He asked me to “take it down” and I’m glad he gave me that note. After a while, my body and emotions got tired of trying to maintain the same heightened mood, and I think I was overcompensating by using my voice and over-emoting.
The hope is that this piece could be pitched to our church leadership to show them the type of quality work that a drama group could contribute. Church drama is oftentimes hokey or poor in quality. Whether or not “Art and Marriage” helps to open the door to do more is in God’s hands. Meanwhile, I’m glad to have been a part of it and believe that we’ll be pleased when we see the final product. It was definitely good to be acting in front of the camera again to keep my skills sharp. Another opportunity this weekend, with the 48 hour film competition!
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