Here we are driving through a parking lot with the process trailer. It was rigged out magnificently. I was huddled in the truck between TJ and Tom. We had a monitor in front of us, while the actors were in the picture car. Tom directed them with a walkie talkie. I got on there for a bit too. I had them do a freestyle and argue a bit. That's all I could think of doing. I got a bit burnt out by the end of the day. I'm going to have pace my mind like a long distance runner.
Keith McAleer (JIMMY) poses here with yours truly. We had to have little pow-wows like a boxer in a ring. At one point, James Roehler put on one of his freestyle records and we went at it to give the guy energy. Then we called out the actors names like they were entering a ring. It was pretty hip if you ask me. Hopefully, it gave them a boost. Who knows? Another idea. I kind of like it. The actor as boxer.
Tom Henwood really wanted to set dress JIMMY'S APT. He wanted me to paint everything. All I could come up with in five minutes for these statues was to cut a plastic cup with a knife and use our makeup artist's cotton balls to make pseudo headphones. I thought that was an interesting idea. I don't know if I executed it that well, but it was a good idea with limited tools and a five minute window.
I did the painting (above) last week. I came up with a mice and Osama the cat theme. Every once in a while I would throw in the World Trade Center or Atom bomb. I think it works for the set. Tom seems to like them a lot. He even wants to sell these pieces to help fund the film. That's not a bad idea. My uncle is opening a store in King of Prussia. I might put them in his gallery or sell them on eBay.
Another painting with the Osama and Mice theme. I joked that it was my version of "Mice and Men."
Keith started the process of filling the set with his books and random objects. Tom brought in several other elements. We all had a nice chat about how to create shadow, layers, and eliminate negative space to make an image more visually stimulating. Once Tom started discussing set dressing in analogous painting jargon, I could see how layering would add dimension and interest for the viewer.
Tom was worried about this sculpted head being copyrighted, so I flipped it around, put a hat on it, and drew a penis face.
On the Huck Finn paintings above it, I simply drew large penises and made them discuss sexual exploits. This seemed to match the exuberant and slightly addictive personality of JIMMY. I don't know if we will actually see these paintings in detail, but they are interesting for me. I like this idea of painting as a character in a film or book and not myself. It makes the leap into what is good or bad superfluous to what needs to be accomplished according to the needs of the character.
More Huck Finn tagging (above).
This was one of my first in Osama and Mice series. I had orginally drawn the gun, but a real one seemed like a good way to go when Keith brought one from his house. I had it nailed to the wall the instant I had a hammer and some free timer on my hands.
When Tom heard I nailed it to the wall, he freaked a bit. I told him not to worry though. We could spackle it up. We'll see if that's true.
John Vincent who is part of our lighting crew seemed taken aback when I took this photo. "I'm not used to that," he explained. "I'm more used to getting out of the way."
TJ, Jarrid, and Derek eye up the next shot.
Noah came to visit today. He mentioned that people might not believe that we are making a movie of his book, so I suggested getting a pic to prove it to the world. Here it is.
Tom Henwood Sr., Jarrid, and John Vincent were so proud of their rigging of the picture car on the process trailer, they were all about getting a pic in front of their handiwork. I snuck in simply because I was proud of them as well. The lighting we got was fantastic.
A solo pic of the dynamic duo at work.
