JKL, big plans for M and some sun, please

Well you saw it, or maybe you're about to see it, or maybe you better watch it! Oops, I got a little excited there. After lots of insanity the J,K, and L scenes are up and on my youtube channel. People are watching the J scene because it's first but then there are less views on the K and L scenes. Of course, I want as many people to watch them as humanly possible. That's not too high of a goal, is it?

I contacted Toni who is going to play my sister in Marvin's Room. She has a conflict with the dates so I'm pulling a switcheroo! I'm going to try to slip The Bridges of Madison County in that slot instead. That means I have to select a scene that works best with the location I need. I could shoot out in Ashtabula by one of the covered bridges which would be so cool but I'm not sure if I can get a crew to go out that far. The other choice is in a kitchen but it needs to look retro, like a 1950's kitchen. Hmm, we'll see. I'm going to contact Wendall Hinkle and see what he thinks. He is a location scout and knows what he's doing!

Now I'm about to reach out to the sun, so I guess you could say I'm going to take a break from reaching out to the stars.

JKL SCENES ARE HERE!

J K and L SCENES ARE HERE.. WATCH NOW!

Julia 

Kramer vs. Kramer

Lions for Lambs

K is the Kick in the butt I apparently needed!

Well, you know how hard it was for me to figure out the k scene right?  First the shoot from hell.  Then the insane search for a date, actor, and shooter for the re-shoot.  Thanks to Bob Stefanov, I was able to get a great duo, Matt and Brian who I worked with long ago, to shoot and edit the K scene.  The plan was to have them shoot it and bring it to Devon but they explained that it would be much easier for them to work with the files on their own editing system.  I said OK, I'm sure Dev could use the break.  So yesterday I went to their studio and we put together the cuts for the K scene.  Next up was sound.  Usually I'm there for every single moment and we do it in one session.  To be doing this the day after the shoot was rare for me.  Matt took the footage and planned to do the audio clean up last night.  I really thought I'd wake up to the posting of the JKL but it was more like late afternoon in Ohio. OK, so that goes against all that I learned about posting on youtube but live and learn, right?

The last scene that gave me this much grief was the G scene.  I hope this doesn't mean every four scenes I get a huge pain in my tookus.  I'm not that into it.  Yesterday I was talking with The Jimmy and he said, "I'm waiting for the post that says you just did a scene and learned nothing".  We both chuckled.  That's not going to happen any time soon.

Also, I recently lost a few gigs that were going to contribute to my bills, gas tank, and fridge and the grand total of money lost is ... $26,000!  OUCH!  Is that insane or what?  I really made the error of adding it up and now I so regret doing the math.  I truly feel that other opportunities will fall into my lap to replace that money but as I pay for all of the goodies that come up during my project, it was untimely to say the least. 

Don't wanna end on a sour note, never do.  Hmm, so what's good?  Well, the J and L scenes are definitely good and the K scene is much improved.  I'm going to finally eat vegetable fried rice for lunch today!  I've been craving it for about a month now so I just hope my lunch partner doesn't expect too much conversation because Miss Pettigrew is going to eat and wait for the email that says JKL are up and it's what's happening!  Have a beautiful day my peeps.

WAIT, I almost forgot.  My sweet behind the scenes angel, Carla, told me about Kickstarter.com.  It's a website that helps projects like mine get financing.  I submitted to them and after a couple of tweaks got their approval to launch my project on their site for investors!  Isn't that great?  I have to create a video that describes my project.  I could just post the original video about A to Z but I think it's a bit dated.  Hmm, creating another video that has to be edited with music (like the samples I saw) is not what my energy is into right now but it looks like I have no choice.  I am so sleepy and hungry.  I gotta get it together my peeps!  Any ideas you have for something clever, that looks mass produced but takes little effort would be welcome.

So much learning to do and all the time in the world to learn it!

Yesterday was the K re-shoot.  Here's what's so interesting to  me.  I've heard actors say, after an audition, "of course I thought of more ways to do the role better after I left" and I've always considered myself a fortunate one.  I love auditioning and performing and I'm blessed enough to think of what to do and many ways to do it right in the moment when I need to think of it.  I have never experienced that regret of not being able to tap into another idea or character choice when in the situation EXCEPT for yesterday.  Not only did I not tap into it, I didn't even entertain the idea of another choice.  To say that's unlike me is putting it mildly.  I used to do this routine with my students with simple phrases like, how are you.  I would ask them to say it several ways and inevitably they couldn't think of too many ways to say it.  I would say if you consider saying it to different people it would change automatically and then I would tell them a million ways, situations, other factors that could change your intonation of those words.  So where was my own brilliant advice yesterday when I was scrambling to do a performance that was only ONE interpretation of the character?  It was bizarre!

I didn't even realize that I was being so limited in the moment.  I was merely trying to execute a specific performance and basically being disappointed that I felt I was falling short.  Live and Learn and learn and learn.  Gosh, it's like I'm in the school of life and yesterday I got an F but my assessment is an A. So I guess I got a C.

JKL are all either edited or being edited and tomorrow will be the unveiling.  OH my!  Let's see my report card then!

Going to figure this out while writing

Here's the dilemma. I shot the K scene. The footage is unusable. I also shot the J and L scenes and that stuff rocks. I mean I couldn't be prouder of those two scenes. I can't put out the 3 scenes together with one so much worse than the others ... I just will not do that. So, my decision to re-shoot is one I stand by and will continue to think is necessary.

After shooting and editing the K scene the first time, I really wanted to have someone else shoot it just to give Devon a break. I felt like asking him to do the same work twice was asking too much. There was another shooter, Dave, who said he would be available for the next few weeks but honestly he may have said that more than a few weeks ago. I'm just not sure. The days and weeks kind of blend together for me. Really just to imagine that I'm half way through this is very difficult to believe. So, I called Dave but he's on a shoot. In fact, he'll be on a shoot until mid September but by the time that comes around, he might not even be available then. Jay Kim originally asked to shoot this scene in particular because he loves the movie so much and I really wish he could but he's in Chicago and has a funeral to attend in the other direction. So after consulting with a few friends, I felt I had to ask Dev to jump back on board. He's truly a team player and said yes he could do it so Wednesday was the plan!

Yesterday he let me know that it was not going to work after all for the shoot. He could squeeze the edit in but could someone else do it? in his defense, there as a huge technical snafu that put his editing schedule off by an entire day and he probably doesn't really have the time to edit my stuff so I'm not complaining here. I immediately contacted everyone I could think of and everyone anyone else could imagine but nope, everyone was busy. I do love that you know. Really. People busy working in my industry is a good thing.

I'm sorry for the ramble but I just have to sort things out. Cassie, Jimmy and some guy from facebook offered to hold the camera and just shoot it. Jimmy is most qualified with his years of audio engineering experience but it concerns me in that there are angles that have to be covered and it all must edit together later after the shoot is all done. So, should I go with Jimmy and pray it all works out? I know bottom line, Jimmy would probably do a wonderful job but I think in the back of my head I'd be worried about it and don't want that to leak into my performance. Should I wait for Devon to become available and just put the scenes out even later? I've contacted everyone I know and only one more person has yet to get back to me. He's my last professional hope. What should I do? I really don't want to have the perfect actor, location, situation and no shooter.

Then there's the Kramer vs. Kramer factor. That is the one movie on my list that people have actually seen! All other movies are just films that people are riding along with me and have no idea what they're watching. I have so many looking forward specifically to this movie. I take it all so seriously. Boy, I was hoping by now my answer would come to me.

Devon is going out of town next week so that's not possible. Literally he would have time at the end of next week and I can't have my schedule that off. I am aiming towards Valentine's Day. That has to be my last day. Sheesh.

OK, here's the decision. I have one more guy I'm waiting to hear about. I have two other people checking sources for me. I'm going to hold out for one of them and have Jimmy on standby if they cannot do it and forge ahead. I so appreciate all of the people who have offered to help, called others for me, gotten back to me so quickly to say they are unavailable. I know I'm not in this alone and that's a beautiful thing. Sheesh! What would Meryl Streep do?

Angels everywhere!

Rescheduling the K scene has been a trip.  Deciding to use a different actor to free up my previous actor for another scene, choosing a new location, picking a time, finding a shooter, oh my oh my oh my, it has been something else!

I really feel like it will be a great scene and because it's from a movie that unlike the others, people actually do have a familiarity with, it's important to me for it to be wonderful.  The location is going to be gorgeous thanks to Mike Kraft who recommended it and Dawn Lafferty who is providing it.  The shooter is the magnificent Devon who is coming to the rescue and going to have to see me cry all over again, poor guy.  The actor, Paul,  is perfect for the role and is very familiar with the material.  It really should be wonderful.  I have a much better feeling about how this will go.  I've also let go of the idea that I need to end the scene in the elevator.  Since when do I care if it's exactly like the movie?  Um, I shot a scene that was supposed to be on a putt putt course in an art gallery for Pete's sake!  Clearly, I'm not afraid of artistic and creative license.  So, we'll be in a beautiful lobby of a "NYC apartment building" and we'll shoot it in no time.  Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Back to Life and Meryl Streep!

Last night I slept 10 hours after lounging the entire day. Yep, a girl's gotta get back on track, ya know? I'm pretty happy about it too. I woke up and turbo cleaned my place, returned about 15 emails and have already looked online for the two cable shows I recently taped. Though I didn't find the shows, I'm happy to report that I now have secured Devon as the Director of Photography for the re-shoot of the K scene, I am just moments away from confirming a beautiful and quiet location, and my actor is a go for a Wednesday shoot! Yes, this means the JKL unveiling will be later than planned but such is life.

I also have something else planned for the M scene which is the half way point of this project but we're behind so I have to determine if that would be better later or just to worry about getting on track at another time. Oh boy, decisions, decisions. It will all come to me.

Meryl has been in the news a lot lately for two upcoming film projects. She is rumored to be playing Margaret Thatcher and is signed on to do a comedy with Tina Fey called Mommy and Me. How great would it be if I could get a supporting role in that film? Um, let me answer that for you ... ridiculously AWESOME! Now, I have to find out how to make that happen. It just seems like the right time for such a thing to occur, doesn't it? OK, Jay, if you're reading this look on IMDBpro and tell me the contact info. Liz if you're checking this out, let's get on the contacts for that film. Tom if you see what I'm writing, LA peeps you know? Hmm, got any? Don't I sound like the delegator? Lol... not sure if any of them are reading this but it sure felt good. I darn near said STAT! OK, gonna go back to my energized day and hope you have one too!

Done and Almost Done!

We wrapped the principal shooting for the 48 hours movie.  It should be very interesting.  They were editing as they were shooting so I already heard that the footage was looking good.  What an experience.

Have you ever seen the movie, Miss Pettrigrew Lives for a Day?  If not, you have to rent it.  Frances McDormand is one of my favorite actresses, in additional to you, Meryl Streep!  The story takes place in the 30's.  Miss Pettrigrew has a crazy day and throughout the entire film is trying to eat.  She either spills her food or it gets taken away or she has to leave just before she can eat.  In the end, she is asked, "are you hungry" to which she replies, "you have no idea".  Well, that was me this weekend.

On the day we shot the beautiful L scene I had a candy bar.  I know, bad idea right?  Then upon getting home at 2 AM I just didn't think it was right to eat a meal.  The following day I was on my sleep fest, as you'll recall.  I did make some pasta to help me with sleeping during the day for the big 48 hours project but that was all I had.  At midnight we had our  meeting and there were fajitas all prepared and even vegetarian fixings.  I decided since I was going to be awake all night I would have some after a bit.  They put it all away before I got to eat it and poof, they were gone.  So I went to bed at 4 AM and slept as much as possible.  I got up for the family picnic and was famished.  I was there for a mere 30 minutes and had to leave for my first scene to be shot.  The food was on the grille, salmon to be exact.  Boy would I have loved that but nope, it wasn't ready yet.  So my sisters made me a bag of fruit to go and sent me off with a cookie.  I also had a plate of salad my sister, Jenny made.  Unfortunately, I was offered more but had to leave so I wouldn't be late for the shoot.  When I got to the house where we were all carpooling from, they had just had lunch but it was time to go.  So I  missed that boat.  Then we drove to a location that was about 2 exits from the picnic that I had just come from, I was told the next meal would be served at 8 PM.  8 PM!  Did I mention 8 PM??? Fast forward to the 2nd location and 8 PM, I was wrapped for the day.  I had shot my stuff, it went well and luckily had a snack of some leftover pizza and a nutrition bar but I was still starving!  So I had the option to be driven back to my car but Chinese was on it's way and they said there was some veggie fare.  I waited, until about 9:30!  That was NOT 8 PM.  I ate steamed veggies and rice, 2 plates.  I went home and they said you have a call time of 5:30 AM but no worries, there will be breakfast.  When I got there I found out that there WAS breakfast at the house where they all slept.  No breaky for me because I opted out of the public sleepover with strangers.  So, while I was the one who probably got a total of 9 hours of sleep as opposed to their 2 hours total for the duration of the filming, I was the one not eating.  Am I hungry?  You have no idea.