Now that Grover is semi out of our hands and into the hands of editor Mike Darrow we're on the lookout for our next project.
We're going on the small scale for a bit.
We're set to work on a few shorts with Mia Thompson and Chadley Thompson who helped with The Grover Complex.
These are actually shorts we wrote while at The New York Film Academy.
Karen Bullis will direct these as well. Fernando Noor will do his job as actor.
It should be a jolly time!
My friend Fernando Noor has also started a career in voice over.
Fernando starred in DTA, Jefferson and wrote and starred in The Grover Complex.
Check out Fernando's voice over site at:
Our independent feature Jefferson will hopefully be completed soon as well.
Jefferson
Sometimes Family is War!
Jefferson Mattis returns for a weekend to reconnect with Frank, the estranged father he hasn't spoken to in ten years, for an unofficial, no holds barred paintball game. Along with ducking enemy fire, Jefferson has to vie for Frank's attention and interact with a strange crew of characters, including his ex-CIA step-mother, Maxine, her charming son Rich, the Gamers, and Team Singapore.
Written by Claire Wasmund and Karen Bullis; Cinematography by Shweta Chanda; and, Directed by Karen Bullis.
Here is the lovely Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=11574923621
And here is the site itself:
http://www.moctod.com/jefferson/
Enjoy!
We hope to finally have Delayed Teen Angst up and running. We got a little sidetracked on the web series as we began work on Jefferson and then on The Grover Complex.
Delayed Teen Angst, or DTA, is a web series written by myself, (that's Claire Wasmund ;) ), directed by Karen Bullis, and starring Tristan Scott, Amy Vorphal, and Fernando Noor.
The theme song is written and performed by Robert James Lee, Nathan Lee, and Matthew Wasmund.
Here is our beautiful site where you can watch the mentioned theme song.
I'll be sure to send out a general harassing email when there is an episode available.
So we shot our independent feature The Grover Complex in 15 days. Let me just explain for those who don't know and insult those who do that this is an incredibly fast pace for a 90 page script. We went up to 7 pages a day (big movies will do 2-3 pages a day).
The movie looks gorgeous. Thanks to our Production Designer Raisa Miranda and Art Director Elizabeth Garner, along with their assistant Matthew Horan, the set was this colorful and sophisticated backdrop that is really going to help this movie shine. Take a peek at the pictures posted. You can also find more at the Grover Complex Facebook group.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=21828782124
We also have the START of a website up. We have a picture up. But keep the address saved because we're adding to it soon.
The Grover Complex also has its own blog which will be updated soon with information on production, post production and festivals.
http://thegrovercomplex.blogspot.com/
Check these out. We're so proud of the project.
Here I am!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3212299/
For those out of the entertainment industry this is not a site anyone can join. You have to prove that your project has public interest and commercial potential.
How long has it been?
If this blog were an animal or plant or even a pet rock it would have died from neglect by now.
So much has been going on.
We're now in post production on The Grover Complex, an independent feature written by my good friend Fernando Noor.
We're up on IMDB. J
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1330026/
I worked with a great crew including Fernando Noor, Karen Bullis, Manav Wadhwa, Shweta Chanda, Leigh E. Carlson, Raisa Miranda, Elizabeth Garner, Matthew Horan, Natalie Vermiglio, Brandon Huus, Davin Pressnall, Adilia Amelia, Dan Blanchett, Nicolas Davidoff, Mithun Gangopadhyay, Ed Joyce, Kyle Kimbriel, Jay I. Patel, Joel Tacorda, Ian Thomas, Igor Tochilnikov, Marcos Valadez, Michael Robert Walker, Greg Bishansky, Brad Harris, Elena Rogovsky, Chadley Thompson, and Mia Thompson to name a few.
Cast wise we have Fernando Noor, Matt Moy, Victor Kelso, Heather Tocquigny, Tristan Scott, Jesse Aguilera, Fanie Garcia, Laura Pluemer, Annette Remter, Read MacGuirtose, Amy Vorphal, Juan Vandendorp, Ryan Tweedy, Dylan Rhode, and Brad Harris.
More updates to come. J
Busy. Busy.
Busy.
I wonder, how I can get my room so dirty when I am hardly ever here?
I did the math with my usual 5 hours of sleep and then my hours helping Fernando or casting or whatever… I am here 7 to 8 hours out of the day. I guess I use that time to trash my bathroom and bedroom.
I'm going to try and get a website up soon. Sell myself… in a professional way. Freelance work would be nice about now. Day jobs and producing don't mix.
There's always the worry that heavy professional writing will hurt my own creative works. I'll give it a try, expand the portfolio, and learn more about punctuation. ;p
Trying to get some sort of writing group up and running again. But it likely won't be very consistent or happen at all until September after we shoot the movie.
Grover will take place in October now. I think the move for it is good. My stress level goes up and down; Fernando's is high but he always seems on edge – he should eat heart healthy foods.
I need to make all of the stuff I have been doing work for me. As Karen tells me I have to think big, show it off. I think I was taught to minimize my accomplishments to avoid seeming arrogant. Modesty does not get you a job out here… unless maybe you're a nun. Exaggeration seems to actually. No, no, no… "Positive representation".
That's all for the moment. Back to work.
The opening to our Webisodes.
Music by Nate Lee, Robert James Lee, Matt Wasmund.
Look at the attractive actors Tristan, Fernando, and Amy!
Rockstar drinks. I wouldn't start rumors about a saintly group of people.
Nearing 1am. Why doesn't sleep come easily when I have such a limited amount of time for it? It should be there and waiting for me by maybe 12am.
Casting this weekend. Always casting. Couldn't Fernando's protagonist live in a world of rocks with chalk-drawn faces? Must he make my life hell?
He doesn't…
And can't…
At the moment…
I have an idea for a film with a very small cast… two men will be very angry with me. ;p
I begin every project asking myself, "Who do I need to get even with?"
I'm at the first time of my life where I actually feel compelled to share a feeling; a near mythical and illusive one.
I won't.
Goodnight.
My friend sent me a text message on Mother's Day. It was a "Happy Not Mother's Day" note. Indeed, it is happy. I patted my abdomen and smiled at the hollow sound it made.
I got to thinking, as I often do, just how much of a winner I truly am. How much sperm is in each ejaculation… how often have I had sex… let's not do any numbers here. BUT, I've thwarted their sinister purpose every single time. I am a champion. With the help of contraception I am a sperm slayer!!!
Know this----
There is no prize waiting for you in my fallopian tubes… only DEATH.
How busy I have been.
We're in the final stretch for the feature… for those with money burning a hole in their pocket you can still make a donation. ;)
http://www.moctod.com/jefferson/
Without Karen's collaboration and previous draft and outline we never would have had another one written so quickly. It's been a mad dash but so much fun.
Casting is finally completed, we've had rehearsals, tweaks, I don't know what else. My brain is fried. The end of April and early May will be final touches and shooting. I'll be balancing work and visiting the set. The dream of course would be to forget work for two weeks but that is impossible.
Someday this will be work full time. That's what you tell yourself.
Still working 60 hours a week, plus feature work. Caffeine is a good friend.
I want to write a poem for caffeine but like I stated earlier, my brain is fried. I can't even be clever right now.
I felt I should update though.
Yes… yes.
I've so often been told that my turtle, Umberlee, seems lonely in her tank… alone. I think people assume too much.
Finally though, after realizing that her tank had not been cleaned in some time, I journeyed to Petco to buy her a new filter, new gravel, a new fake plastic plant, a decorative rock, and THREE GOLDFISH.
I walked around the shop looking at fish. There were fish with big, bulging eyes; sword-like tails; vacuum cleaner mouths; calico scales; all sorts of fabulous little creatures. I decided on the 26 cent goldfish. Something told me that this was a good price. I asked for three big goldfish, ones that looked sturdy and strong of heart. I got them.
After putting Umberlee into the sink and avoiding her threatening little beak I made her tank beautiful. The new gravel is white and it looks very nice with the bright green and blue rocks already in the tank. The decorative rock and new plastic plant were also a nice touch. I put Umberlee back in and introduced her friends. There were no formal introductions. They all swam around... in harmony.
I went to clean my room. I came back an hour later to find one goldfish gone. "How did this fish jump out of a covered tank?" I wondered aloud to myself. I looked for its little corpse but could not find it. That's when I first suspected. Umberlee watched me, looking bloated, looking smug.
I reasoned with myself, "Those fish were quite large, she cannot possibly eat another, and the weakest one is out of the way."
I left and went to do laundry as it was a Sunday.
When I returned I fell to my knees… there was only one left.
"What the hell is your problem?" I screamed at the turtle.
"I'm omnivorous." She mouthed to me through the glass.
I looked at the last fish, I felt happy that goldfish only have memories of three seconds, no one needs to relive what that fish saw.
"You're a fighter," I told the fish, "there is a reason you are the last one left. You will grow to be strong."
I went to the store.
There are no fish left. No trace. They left no mark. The filter likely removed any flesh or scales that once belonged to them.
Life has a memory of three seconds.
What will I do with this goldfish food?
…NEVER FORGET…
