My pal Rob, AKA The Annekenstein Monster recently posted a fun little diversion. Here's my variation on his game. Cast your life from specific characters in specific movies, not some idealized dream cast of family and friends... but cast them as closely as possible...including yourself, at this particular moment in your life. Add and subtract people as you see fit. For example, for our hero, the cast of his life might look something like this:
Dave: Paul Giamati in "Sideways"
Mom: Ruth Gordon in "Harold and Maude"
Dad: Darren McGavin in "A Christmas Story"
Sister #1 Emma Thompson in "Sense and Sensibility"
Sister #2 Joan Cusack in "Broadcast News"
Sister #3 Oprah Winfrey in "The Colour Purple"
Brother Nicolas Cage as Donald Kaufman in "Adaptation"
Friend #1 Philip Seymour Hoffman in "State and Main"
Friend #2 Donald Sutherland in "Murder by Decree"
Co-worker: Bonnie Hunt in "The Bonnie Hunt Show"
Co-worker: Topher Grace in "That 70's Show"
I could see where anonymity might be desired... but it kinda takes the fun out too.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Friday, June 30, 2006
Podcast with James Dunnison and Brian Hamilton
Tonight director James Dunnison and I were interviewed by Robson Arms producer, Brian Hamilton. It was an appropriate way to spend my last night in Vancouver. We were at Taylor Manor as the second unit shot the last couple shots of the season and was the last thing on my To-Do list for Robson Arms Season II.
I hope our geniune appreciation for one another's work doesn't come across as self-congratulations. One wants to be enthusiastic and sincere when speaking about these things but I'd be mortified if it came across as immodest. Every one I know associated with the show is feeling proud about the work we've done, but we're all waiting and hoping... and praying that the audience is going to enjoy it. And it's driving us crazy that we'll not know that for another six months-- or more!
I fly back to Charlottetown tomorrow morning and am now officially out of excuses to keep me from the work piling up on my desk back on the Island.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
It's a wrap... Part Two.
No... the show is still wrapped, that hasn't changed. Except... that's not entirely accurate. While it's true the actors are gone and the make-up people have packed up their trowels and brushes, and the directors and (some of the) writers are spending the day trying on dresses, getting their hair done or shopping for souvenirs, there is still, at this very moment, a band of intrepid film makers: a producer, a director, a DOP, a couple of camera, gaffer and grip types who are hard at work shooting pick ups and establishing shots and all the minutiae that somehow fell between the cracks while primary photography was going on.
They are The Second Unit... think of the A-Team... only tougher. Many of this crew were working (in addition to the 12hourday5dayweek (Saturdays and Sundays when the rest of us were in rolling around in bed complaining how tired we were.
It's all the more impressive that they are shooting today after the exciting day we had yesterday.
It began early, at the corner of Burrard and Pender right in the middle of downtown. Peter and Susan, our locations people, managed to get a great office building and plaza to shoot a big musical number that will be prominently featured in the next season. There were lights, choreography, music playback and something like 50 extras. The circus, (the place where all the performers’ trailers and the catering truck are) was about two blocks away so there was a constant flow back and forth between it and the four locations nearby.
Having so many factors to consider there was something bound to go wrong... and it did. But what makes it all the more incredible to me... is that they actually planned for something unforseen to go wrong and we prepared for whatever unexpected thing to go wrong did... what the hell?
In this case we lost an hour or more to this major air conditioning unit from an adjacent building that choose this one scene-- the only scene with synched dialogue in our entire day-- to do whatever it is that air conditioning systems for fifty story office towers do. It made filming in the location impossible.
What did we do? And by we, I mean not me (who stood there holding a box of belts-- another story for another time) but I mean these teams of men and women in tank tops and khaki shorts who literally erased any trace of our presence in that place and set us up inside in a location for which they had planned, in case it rained, or snowed, or the neighbouring office tower decided to start snoring.
So while that was being set up we (and by we I mean not me, but an entirely different team of men and women in tank tops and khaki shorts) set up other shots, originally slated for later in the day. So our last shot of the day was actually second last and our third last shot was actually the last.
When the last shot of the day was done there was much cheering and clapping. There were plenty of hugs both sincere and showbiz in nature, and a couple of tears, which seemed entirely genuine.
I missed the wrap last year, and I'm glad I came back these last few weeks for this one. There’s a real sense of accomplishment and family. And I'm glad to say, even though like any family there are occasional arguments and hurt feelings, it's not a dysfunctional one. It's a family that works very hard together and takes pride in one another's accomplishments.
At least it looks that way from where I sit. I’m feeling very excited about the show this year, and I think our pride isn’t immodest but earned.
I guess we’ll see in six months or so.
They are The Second Unit... think of the A-Team... only tougher. Many of this crew were working (in addition to the 12hourday5dayweek (Saturdays and Sundays when the rest of us were in rolling around in bed complaining how tired we were.
It's all the more impressive that they are shooting today after the exciting day we had yesterday.
It began early, at the corner of Burrard and Pender right in the middle of downtown. Peter and Susan, our locations people, managed to get a great office building and plaza to shoot a big musical number that will be prominently featured in the next season. There were lights, choreography, music playback and something like 50 extras. The circus, (the place where all the performers’ trailers and the catering truck are) was about two blocks away so there was a constant flow back and forth between it and the four locations nearby.
Having so many factors to consider there was something bound to go wrong... and it did. But what makes it all the more incredible to me... is that they actually planned for something unforseen to go wrong and we prepared for whatever unexpected thing to go wrong did... what the hell?
In this case we lost an hour or more to this major air conditioning unit from an adjacent building that choose this one scene-- the only scene with synched dialogue in our entire day-- to do whatever it is that air conditioning systems for fifty story office towers do. It made filming in the location impossible.
What did we do? And by we, I mean not me (who stood there holding a box of belts-- another story for another time) but I mean these teams of men and women in tank tops and khaki shorts who literally erased any trace of our presence in that place and set us up inside in a location for which they had planned, in case it rained, or snowed, or the neighbouring office tower decided to start snoring.
So while that was being set up we (and by we I mean not me, but an entirely different team of men and women in tank tops and khaki shorts) set up other shots, originally slated for later in the day. So our last shot of the day was actually second last and our third last shot was actually the last.
When the last shot of the day was done there was much cheering and clapping. There were plenty of hugs both sincere and showbiz in nature, and a couple of tears, which seemed entirely genuine.
I missed the wrap last year, and I'm glad I came back these last few weeks for this one. There’s a real sense of accomplishment and family. And I'm glad to say, even though like any family there are occasional arguments and hurt feelings, it's not a dysfunctional one. It's a family that works very hard together and takes pride in one another's accomplishments.
At least it looks that way from where I sit. I’m feeling very excited about the show this year, and I think our pride isn’t immodest but earned.
I guess we’ll see in six months or so.
It's a wrap.
The last day of shooting today. I left the bed and breakfast at 6:45am and returned at 11:10pm.
A long but good day. Tomorrow will be filled with writing thank you notes, and eventually, the Wrap Party.
A long but good day. Tomorrow will be filled with writing thank you notes, and eventually, the Wrap Party.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Podcasting with Alisen Down
I can't imagine a much gentler introduction to the world of "celebrity interviewing" than interviewing Alisen Down. I got my chance to interview the very sweet and gracious Alisen in her trailer on location last Friday. As some of you may know Alisen is a very sincere lover of all furry beasts, while I have a soft spot for women who are fighting Cylons one minute and neurotic chain-smokers the next, so we got just fine. The theme of the inteview centred around Alisen's character on Robson Arms, Sault.
We talked about the origins of the character in the Robson Arms writer's room in 2003 and how Sault (and Alisen's performance) has evolved over the last two seasons. It was interesting to note how the acting and the writing keep informing each other and pushing the character on to new levels... at least that was my take on it. The talented Ms. Down talked, among other things, about being involved in the series' first chase scene... and its first musical number.
Try as I might I couldn't weasel any information out of her about Season Three of the new BattleStar Galactica.
The podcast will be posted on the Robson Arms site once the second season begins to air. Other podcasts include interviews with producers, directors, actors from the series. Next week, James Dunnison and I will be interviewed about "Daughter of Frankenstein" an episode I wrote and he directed.
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