My insomnia is back. It snuck up on me while I was sleeping. I haven't slept more than three hours in as many days. It makes the world that much more colorful and silly, except that I'm often so grumpy, I can't see the funny in it.
We've been in pre-production on the new movie, Coventry Lanes, for about a month. Which is a woefully inadequate amount of time for pre-production, considering we start shooting next Friday. During this time, we've been raising money, booking flights, arranging crew and holding auditions. I dislike auditioning. Fortunately, out of the two hundred people from all over the world who sent headshots, only four people showed up. On the other hand, we only had three roles to fill.
Two weeks later, two of the three people we cast dropped out. One guy, who had been a stand-in for a big budget movie just released featuring a comic book character who's name, in German, means "flying mouse man". He didn't want to read for one of the roles we had sides for (scandalizing Nikki McCrea but making me think, 'Awesome, if he sucks, he won't waste my time!'). We cast him in the role he did read for, then, after three weeks of careful consideration (or something), he decided to decline. The nudity was an issue. It might prevent him from standing in for some other big actor in the future.
The other declination came because of personal reasons, so I couldn't hold that against her. Another actress begged us for a role then vanished from the face of the earth. Personal reasons reared their ugly heads for numerous others - all for the same damned role! It was Splatter Movie all over again, but at least we weren't shooting at the time of the cancellations. Ultimately, we found the perfect actresses right under our noses, so the Universe was giggling at us all along.
During all of that, we wrestled with SAG, with managers, with the insanity of others and tried to prepare ourselves for working with Hi-Def for the first time. And I wrote two more drafts, lost one, rewrote it, did an entire shot list in one day and tried to learn lines for a test shoot for a completely different movie in the interim.
And come next Friday, we'll have a house full of people ready to aid us in our fifth feature. Which is just weird. We've been doing this for ten years and we've done four previous feature films. Some of which people have actually seen!
And for this one, we have all sorts of new people doing things we would usually do. We have, for instance, a costume designer on this one. And two glamour artists, including one for hair! And an art designer! And a full crew coming in from Quebec. And we'll have a crane, two cameras at our disposal and, oh yeah, a publicist! For the first time ever, I'm not doing my own publicity. I don't even know how to mentally process that one!
Still: stress. For both of us.
To help, Tara booked Amy and I appointments for massages on Wednesday. It sounded great. Until I realized, half-naked, lying on a table, beneath a sheet, in a dark room, that the masseuse would have to touch me. I don't like to be touched, particularly by people I don't know or even have just met. Strangers touching me literally makes my flesh crawl. I almost decked an old woman in a supermarket because she, after bumping me accidentally, grabbed my arm in apology. I felt her fingers all the way to the bone. Any time I get an unwelcome touch, I feel like Khan jammed a Ceti Eel in my ear (screw you; Jeff Waltrowski gets that reference).
And I let "Little Allison", as Tara calls her, know about my malfunction. Not to discourage her but to be aware that my muscles were probably not going to co-operate once she started. "Your shoulders are like bricks," she said at one point, after all of her knuckles cracked like gunshots. I sympathized. I felt like I was letting her down. I tried to relax. I couldn't think of how. Literally, I hadn't the faintest clue how to relax. So I focussed on that for a while. It took my mind off the fact that this stranger had her hands all over my back.
She started working on my internally-scarred rotator cuff and I thought she was going to get up on the table and start stomping on it.
Half an hour later, I felt like I'd been hit by a car. My shoulders felt slightly looser. Yes. But I had to go back into the room to retrieve my skin, which had scurried under the table.
This is what it's like to be me.
Showing posts with label insomnia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label insomnia. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Sleepless in Waynesburg
My insomnia continues to be my best friend, though I have been a little more successful at the shut-eye thing of late. Slowly but surely I'm remastering the fine art of sleeping.
Of course, I can't just blame the stress or my natural penchant towards spaz-ism. One of our local coal companies misrepresented itself to us and our neighbors. Instead of the single line of pipe they claimed they would lay (to vent methane from one of the mines), they have begun to drill a methane capture well on our neighbor's hill. Which is directly in between two of their biggest pastures. Being sheep farmers, they need the pastures to feed their sheep. Without grazing land, sheep tend to do stupid things like starve and die. To make matters even more fun, the drilling goes on 24 hours a day, the sound travels over four miles to our land, keeping me awake even more. But, since I'm usually up anyway, the noise gives me the opportunity to be angry as well as exhausted.
When our neighbors complained to workers that this is not what was agreed upon, the workers replied, "We'll do what we want when we want."
So I'll be taking this up with the news--TV and paper. And internet. And, possibly, from my roof, shouting at God.
It's a character flaw of mine. I hate oppression. Not a big fan of corporate lying, either. Makes me testy.
With all this in mind, I've been trying to focus on getting things prepared for the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in Chicago this weekend. It's always a great show for us, economically and funwise. And this year, we're listed as official guests. And Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut is premiering (in front of an unbiased audience, as terrifying as that may be) at 4:00 pm on Saturday. Which is a great time slot. The proof of my claims can be found HERE.
In other Fangoria news, my third-ever article for them runs in the current issue. It details my and Amy's set-visit to The Rage, where we got to hang with Robert Kurtzman and Andrew Divoff for the better part of the day, as well as get a personal tour of Precinct 13--Bob K's studio in Ohio. Seeing this piece in print gave me a special little thrill. Even though I've been writing professionally for about a decade now, I think that I've mentioned that Fangoria was always a market I'd dreamed of "cracking". And now I have, three issues in a row. So now I await Satan's collection on the contract I must have signed on one of my insomnia-enduced episodes.
Enough babbling - if you're going to be in Chicago this weekend, and, really, I see no reason why you shouldn't be, swing by the Happy Cloud table and say hi, pick up a copy of the pre-release of Splatter Movie, buy a subscription to Sirens of Cinema and say nice things about my hair.
Good night, good luck and good news tomorrow.
Of course, I can't just blame the stress or my natural penchant towards spaz-ism. One of our local coal companies misrepresented itself to us and our neighbors. Instead of the single line of pipe they claimed they would lay (to vent methane from one of the mines), they have begun to drill a methane capture well on our neighbor's hill. Which is directly in between two of their biggest pastures. Being sheep farmers, they need the pastures to feed their sheep. Without grazing land, sheep tend to do stupid things like starve and die. To make matters even more fun, the drilling goes on 24 hours a day, the sound travels over four miles to our land, keeping me awake even more. But, since I'm usually up anyway, the noise gives me the opportunity to be angry as well as exhausted.
When our neighbors complained to workers that this is not what was agreed upon, the workers replied, "We'll do what we want when we want."
So I'll be taking this up with the news--TV and paper. And internet. And, possibly, from my roof, shouting at God.
It's a character flaw of mine. I hate oppression. Not a big fan of corporate lying, either. Makes me testy.
With all this in mind, I've been trying to focus on getting things prepared for the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors in Chicago this weekend. It's always a great show for us, economically and funwise. And this year, we're listed as official guests. And Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut is premiering (in front of an unbiased audience, as terrifying as that may be) at 4:00 pm on Saturday. Which is a great time slot. The proof of my claims can be found HERE.
In other Fangoria news, my third-ever article for them runs in the current issue. It details my and Amy's set-visit to The Rage, where we got to hang with Robert Kurtzman and Andrew Divoff for the better part of the day, as well as get a personal tour of Precinct 13--Bob K's studio in Ohio. Seeing this piece in print gave me a special little thrill. Even though I've been writing professionally for about a decade now, I think that I've mentioned that Fangoria was always a market I'd dreamed of "cracking". And now I have, three issues in a row. So now I await Satan's collection on the contract I must have signed on one of my insomnia-enduced episodes.
Enough babbling - if you're going to be in Chicago this weekend, and, really, I see no reason why you shouldn't be, swing by the Happy Cloud table and say hi, pick up a copy of the pre-release of Splatter Movie, buy a subscription to Sirens of Cinema and say nice things about my hair.
Good night, good luck and good news tomorrow.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Brief notes before unconsciousness
Okay, I haven't slept for more than two hours at a time in over three weeks, so I'm taking one last shot at relearning the fine art of unconsciousness in a few minutes, but I wanted to bring a few things to everyone's attention.
First, thanks to Jeff Waltrowski, Patrick Desmond and the awesome Alan Rowe Kelly, Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut is 99% complete. Alan (The Blood Shed) stepped in to play the voice of off-camera interviewer, "Devora Simmons" and did a fantastic job. I still have a few more lines to add into the mix, but we can't thank Alan for helping us out. Now go and check out his movies, I'll Bury You Tomorrow and The Blood Shed, both available from Heretic Films.
Jeff and Patrick helped me out with a couple of really startling effects shots that occur later in the film and, again, thanks so much to them both. Jeff is, of course, Splatter Movie's director of photography and Patrick shot a terrific day of Steadicam for us as well. So you should all go and check out Jeff's Project: Valkyrie from Tempe Films (Valkyrie is the best "robots vs. nazis film" since Schindler's List). And you should check out Patrick's star-studded The Absence of Light from York Entertainment.
With Splatter Movie nearing completion, the Happy Cloud clan is turning its attention back to the movie that started it all: The Resurrection Game. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in October (the script celebrated that anniversary in 2007). We're putting together a brand new anniversary DVD and Jeff, Amy and I are working on a brand new documentary for the disc, featuring interviews with the film's stars (including Ray Yeo and Francis Veltri), menus hosted by the one and only Necro-Phil and at least two commentaries. Plus other surprises. Jeff is currently sifting through over 120 hours of behind-the-scenes video (much of it in terrible, terrible shape, unfortunately). The likelihood of deleted scenes, however, is slim for the primary reason that we shot on film and only transferred the footage we needed to DV. I'll see what I can cull from past work-print versions, however. So this stuff won't be in the best of shape, but for you loyal 2 dozen fans out there, you're in for a treat. Or, at least, an upgrade to the dreadful VHS bootlegs you've been hanging onto all of these years.
Also, you guys should head over and show some love to JimmyO and Debbie Rochon, both of whom have some medical problems that will end happily but could use some support anyway. As everyone knows, we count these two among our very best friends, so let's send them all our best karma, prayers, positive energy and bushels of money.
Yesterday, February 6, marked a number of things and, depending on your beliefs, will either mean a lot to you, or nothing at all. First, it was a New Moon, the last of Winter, which means, according to Wicca, that it's a perfect time to start new projects. Second, it was the beginning of the Chinese New Year--either The Year of the Rat or the Year of the Mouse, depending on what menu you read; whatever, it's a rodent. And for my money, the new year has always felt "newer" on the Chinese New Year. But the better news is for people born between February 1972 and February 1973 (like me). This Year of the Rat/Mouse is YOUR year. Your birth year. It's the perfect time for new ventures, new outlooks on life and good change all around. So, stay tuned for some (hopefully) awesome news for us, since 2008 will be blessed for us.
(And we're on the cusp of a new administration, getting rid of the current band of idiots--apologies to the staff of MAD Magazine. Personally, I don't care WHO gets into office, as long as they make the current guy leave.)
Finally, and more importantly, yesterday saw Amy and my 14th anniversary together. Yes, fourteen years ago yesterday, we decided to take our relationship to the next level and have been happy and healthy together ever since. We've known each other, however, for almost twenty years, now, which is pretty frightening when you think about it. So here's to US, the Nick and Nora of the indie industry (or something like that). Love you, Amy!
Right... I'm going to bed.
First, thanks to Jeff Waltrowski, Patrick Desmond and the awesome Alan Rowe Kelly, Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut is 99% complete. Alan (The Blood Shed) stepped in to play the voice of off-camera interviewer, "Devora Simmons" and did a fantastic job. I still have a few more lines to add into the mix, but we can't thank Alan for helping us out. Now go and check out his movies, I'll Bury You Tomorrow and The Blood Shed, both available from Heretic Films.
Jeff and Patrick helped me out with a couple of really startling effects shots that occur later in the film and, again, thanks so much to them both. Jeff is, of course, Splatter Movie's director of photography and Patrick shot a terrific day of Steadicam for us as well. So you should all go and check out Jeff's Project: Valkyrie from Tempe Films (Valkyrie is the best "robots vs. nazis film" since Schindler's List). And you should check out Patrick's star-studded The Absence of Light from York Entertainment.
With Splatter Movie nearing completion, the Happy Cloud clan is turning its attention back to the movie that started it all: The Resurrection Game. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in October (the script celebrated that anniversary in 2007). We're putting together a brand new anniversary DVD and Jeff, Amy and I are working on a brand new documentary for the disc, featuring interviews with the film's stars (including Ray Yeo and Francis Veltri), menus hosted by the one and only Necro-Phil and at least two commentaries. Plus other surprises. Jeff is currently sifting through over 120 hours of behind-the-scenes video (much of it in terrible, terrible shape, unfortunately). The likelihood of deleted scenes, however, is slim for the primary reason that we shot on film and only transferred the footage we needed to DV. I'll see what I can cull from past work-print versions, however. So this stuff won't be in the best of shape, but for you loyal 2 dozen fans out there, you're in for a treat. Or, at least, an upgrade to the dreadful VHS bootlegs you've been hanging onto all of these years.
Also, you guys should head over and show some love to JimmyO and Debbie Rochon, both of whom have some medical problems that will end happily but could use some support anyway. As everyone knows, we count these two among our very best friends, so let's send them all our best karma, prayers, positive energy and bushels of money.
Yesterday, February 6, marked a number of things and, depending on your beliefs, will either mean a lot to you, or nothing at all. First, it was a New Moon, the last of Winter, which means, according to Wicca, that it's a perfect time to start new projects. Second, it was the beginning of the Chinese New Year--either The Year of the Rat or the Year of the Mouse, depending on what menu you read; whatever, it's a rodent. And for my money, the new year has always felt "newer" on the Chinese New Year. But the better news is for people born between February 1972 and February 1973 (like me). This Year of the Rat/Mouse is YOUR year. Your birth year. It's the perfect time for new ventures, new outlooks on life and good change all around. So, stay tuned for some (hopefully) awesome news for us, since 2008 will be blessed for us.
(And we're on the cusp of a new administration, getting rid of the current band of idiots--apologies to the staff of MAD Magazine. Personally, I don't care WHO gets into office, as long as they make the current guy leave.)
Finally, and more importantly, yesterday saw Amy and my 14th anniversary together. Yes, fourteen years ago yesterday, we decided to take our relationship to the next level and have been happy and healthy together ever since. We've known each other, however, for almost twenty years, now, which is pretty frightening when you think about it. So here's to US, the Nick and Nora of the indie industry (or something like that). Love you, Amy!
Right... I'm going to bed.
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