I've been off the Alive not Dead Radar.... but not for-evah!
The boys brought me back to the fold... forced me to go on that junk, in the rain, eat lots of great food, drink all day, swim in the sea, play chinese poker....... Man, i feel so much better! thanks guys
I seriously needed that unwind.
What i've been up ta:
Well, directing Beauty and the Beast- yup, Disney's musical for the stage. We are trying to pimp it up, with a cool new concept for the costumes and set. We will be using projection- shooting parts of the scrīpt as short films. Budget is not all that so we are having to work miracles in a big way. Hope you will all come to see the results: October at the City Hall Theatre. Watch this space!
Also been up to here with the focus on film camps. Had a 'Well Bad' group of teens turning out their magic last week with the new camera. They shot 'The Orange Tales: A trilogy". We had some repeat offenders and damn if their work doesnt get better and better!
And for fun: been on a music vid shoot for Digger. I dont usually like anyone to know i can AD, but he does know and keeps asking me damn it! We had a blast: 4K RED camera, Dp and equipment from Salon, Jacqueline Donaldson on the impossible task of pulling focus, good new singing talent, lots of eye candy to paint with. Totally my idea of a good time!
We will be doing damage again soon so watch this space some more and if you do, i'll blog more!
Right, so, like my wushu instructor thinks i should blog about it!
Here we go!
First of all- i so knew i would totally dig wushu, and i am right- i, like, totally dig it (toters, or is it tauters... or tawters.....)
I love that it is so akin to dance and i love doing it outside and, oh yeah, my instructor is wonderful. We are so hard core that we walked through the typhoon a coupla weeks ago, were drenched to the skin, but STILL worked out.
The bad news is: havent worked out since. And the reasons are good ones.
Big proposals going in this week for Funding and Sponsored space for Focus on Film. Wish us luck luck luck. I should be writing now- will in a mo...
Also my kids were in town. Man did we get good at guitar hero (distractions distractions!!!!) I beat Ms Zeller's score on "Hit me With Your Best Shot" at medium level. Not bad for where i started from!
This monday is Beauty and the Beast auditions. Come on down y'all and try out. Show is gonna be great (yup, i'm directing again, can you tell)
But this brings me to the meat of it:
Tonight is Pangea Day. Have you heard about it? (www.pangeaday.org)
Well, Focus on Film artist's work is being used in the presentation. That is: the GLOBAL PRESENTATION!!!!
We are screening it tonight, live, starting at one am at Beo 16 Arbuthnot road.
Yah, so okay, it's been a while since i last blogged..... (do YOU get those emails encouraging you to spill your guts regularly?)
So ya wanna know what's up.
Let's give it a try.
Last night closed the production of The Pillowman at the Fringe i was helping out with. Ms Zeller had to drop out for other commitments and i stepped in to fill her formidable shoes. She got me hooked by promising it was only a five minute walk on. What she neglected to tell me was that it was three different characters- two of them child torturers, that that the piece itself was gut wrenching. Needless to say i had a blast. It was really good to get back to pure drama. Like an injection of something i cant quite name yet. First night i'll admit i went through the motions. But by night two i thought to myself: "hang on, i'm an actress.... i know what to do.... " and i got into character. Well, dont try that one at home folks cause i discovered lots about this particular character on stage, in real time, and by the time i got suffocated and killed (by my own son) i was in quite a state. When i got off, it took me a while to come back to myself. But then i must have needed a cathartic release.
So why does this crazy woman need a cathartic release you may ask (and if you've read this far maybe you actually are)
Well, the week before last was Filmart. My first film convention. It was way cool. And i mean way way way cool. Many folks seem to be there for the business, but since i'm such a lousy business person, i just ended up totally geeking out! Red camera, Genesis, 35 mil Panavision, hands free transporter, steady cam, crane, new fangled editing and data management systems..... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr Got my hands on all of them. My DoP had a slide off her chair fest. One great moment was when she came up to me after day three and said, Keanu Reeves accent matrix style: "I Know RED camera" Here's what i wonder though: with all this 4K capability in digital video production, how exactly can we all appreciate it if we dont got no 4 K capable screens to view with. I'm just saying. Okay so that is as nerdy as i get in this blog.
Then last week was a film camp where we made ten new little filmmakers. And i kid you not! This group of fourteen year olds were little stars on the film boot camp. We shot three shorts in less than four days. God it was tough. Lord it was fun.
I'm beginning to wonder if i'm a masochist!
That plus the Pillowman at night. Glutton for punishment me!
Now it's on to Flesh rehearsals for the upcoming production at the ShouSon Theatre and hopefully, hopefully, if i can get the flights to work out, a stint at Cannes this year
Come out if you want something unusual to talk about on your blogs. V day and Vagina Monologues (man, havent they done this play, like a thousand times since i arrived.. .but who cares.. i think i will mount - pardon the pun- a multi lingual production with subtitles, on ice...) But i digress Tonight, Vday, Club Party, be there Special surprise guest appearance ...es
Well, we are winding up to our March Camps.... the Nokia Challenge Thing is up and running..... there is a lot to be excited about and it turns out that tonight, I choose to be excited about being back to swimming regularly! What's up with that? I worked my feeble way up to twenty laps today. Awesome feeling of power pulling through the water. I kid you not!
Anyway
I hear we may the the RED camera for the March Workshops. I cant wait to confirm THAT monster bit o news.
Now THAT is really really exciting. I am biting at the bit to get my hands on that beauty.
We still have spots available so spread the word y'all. I mean, man, i didnt have access to this kind of equipment and i went to the best film school around! Geeze, i paid forty grand for my film education. Sometimes i think we are giving it away too easily. Perhaps i should make folks work a bit more for it to appreciate it?
So yeah, spead the word alive not deaders..... spots available for our March Workshops. Register on line at www.focusonfilmhk.com
Check out Focus on Film here on AnD if you like
Elsewhere
The Nokia shoot is turning out to be a lot more fun than i bargained for. Seeing that we are doing it all for free to support Pangea Day and all.... , i thought it might be too much work for not a lot of return. I was wrong! I didnt know what kind of people would get involved either. In the end, we got a broad range of people from a thirteen year old shy New Territories girl to a twenty six year old Irish bloke. All happy with their new video phones i can tell you that! Me i wasnt too sure how much fun this would actually be until after talking to the film makers in New York who originally asked us to spear head this initiative in Hong Kong Everything had been done up until this point via email. And then they called. It was great to speak directly with them and i hung up completely inspired. Jehane Moujain is the brain child for this little global operation. Our students who have received the phone have to select from twelve human universals such as love, fear, risk taking, and shoot their own video on that theme. We are looking for highly personal work. I think we will get it!
Well i had best get some sleep. Going to see There Will Be Blood tomorrow. There is certainly not enough hours in the day for me!
March Workshops in Film Making: spaces available
All participants take part in creating their own film.
3/17/08 - 3/28/08
- directing - camera operation - acting for the camera - editing
Classes conducted by instructors diplomaed in film production from overseas film universities
Equipment used: Pro HD Cameras, Fluid Head Tripods, Professional Editing Software
Selected classes conducted out of Shaw Studios Facilities
Workshops venue: 7 Kennedy Road, Central
Shooting TBA, various locations on Hong Kong Island
I am fine, still plugging away. Took a 7 year break roughly after Lena (birth of twins & a singleton) before coming back in '99. Near NYC (50 miles) and doing independent level stuff, trying to break into features. Might have to go to LA before its all over! I'm at yahoo for email, user is same as here. send me an email and we'll catch up. Rich
Dahhhhling. Wonderful to hang with you all day. It had been far to long. I think the laughter was theraputic for us both. If I don't see you before, I'll see you after I get back from Uganda.
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