I apologize for the super-extra long delay since my last post, but the past few days have been INCREDIBLY BUSY as we move into PHASE 2 of producing "The END of FUN". There will likely be at a few more unexpected absences over the next few months, when pressing matters demand my immediate attention, but I do promise it will not be many. In the future, I will always try to post a little something just to let you know we're out there and still kicking, no matter what. (Maybe just whatever I'm listening to that day, or what comic I'm reading... etc...)
Hopefully, all of you regular readers will notice a VERY DIFFERENT APPEARANCE to this blog. That is just one of the many things that has had my attention so badly diverted. And honestly, with there being such a clearly different look, and completely different type of news coming from the next posts, I decided that a few days off could act as a bit of a firewall between the past stuff and everything else hurtling at us from the future. (Firewall-- GET IT? The new look...? Get it? OK... Whatever... I hear you....)
Oooooohhh, Meta. Right? It's a brand new look for us!
MOST IMPORTANTLY, we did have our first table read this past weekend on Saturday, July 9, 2016. As Rita McBean (my Senior Executive Producer--see below) and I expected, the attendance was much lighter than the response rate would have indicated. This, of course, was part of our mad plan the entire time! Just an indirect means of checking the true level of interest, commitment, and passion from those folks who are immediately surrounding us and others on the production, physically on a daily basis.
EXCITEMENT IS CONTAGIOUS! Sometimes the people around those of us who are ACTUALLY TIGHTLY INVOLVED and COMMITTED to this project, become temporarily stricken with their own vicarious sense of thrill and wonder. The habits, routines, and addictions of their daily lives escape them for the moment, and they find themselves blindly proclaiming and promising enormous levels of assistance that is ironically overshadowed by the very small amount that only even a very few of those folks really deliver on. This is NOT A COMPLAINT, simply the reality of being an independent artist. Sadly, if "The END of FUN" achieves any measurable level of success, many of those folks will be the ones attempting to rewrite history and eagerly share stories with others of how they delivered on what they promised, when really they never even showed up for a single second.
From this point on, we are moving beyond the passive work on casting our actors and hiring our crew. To that end, we posted our first ad on a professional acting site tonight and immediately began to receive replies from qualified candidates. You can check that out here https://www.backstage.com/casting/the-end-of-fun-124270/
We will also be putting notices up at the San Diego State University drama department, on other professional acting sites, and even contacting agencies. Ads seeking professionals for the camera and sound crew will soon follow on craigslist and many other places. Things will start moving MUCH MORE RAPIDLY toward our goal from this point. Our Kickstarter crowdfunding efforts will begin later this week, and of course be announced right here in yet another wordy, overly informative post!
The HEROES of independent movies largely go UNSUNG, but I want to make sure that I REGULARLY PRAISE and EXPRESS MY ENORMOUS GRATITUDE and WONDER at being able to work with each and every person who does choose to work with us. Working with me will NEVER BE EASY, but none of you will EVER GO UNNOTICED!
To that end, there is BIG NEWS! One reason for the event this weekend, was to solidify the core production team and begin to solidify roles/titles/etc and delegate related duties. Please take a moment to read about each of these AMAZING PEOPLE and why I am SO EXCITED that each of them has already begun GIVING THIS PRODUCTION EVERYTHING they have! I will introduce everyone, a few a time over the next weeks.
THIS WHOLE TEAM are regular readers of this blog. MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME! Take a second to SAY HELLO or WELCOME to each of them down in our comments section!
Rita McBean (Senior Executive Producer)
Rita was the first person to read the rough draft of the screenplay for "The END of FUN", and also the first producer or crew of any type to be added. Her unbridled, unmatched, unmatchable enthusiasm, passion, and energy for this project alone, would be enough to count ourselves lucky to have her working with us. However, she is also an artist in her own right, producing drawings and paintings on a regular basis. She has experience on both sides of the camera in the movie business and says SHE HAS NEVER BEEN AS EXCITED about any artistic project as she is about "The END of FUN"!
Ty Miller is NOT JUST PLAYING the character called Flash in "The END of FUN", he is literally the inspiration for the character and a real-life regular at The Carriage House in San Diego. In the movie, he sings the song "Take Me to Church" which is a song he sings quite often when I see him out at the Carriage House. You will understand exactly why, beyond the plot, I chose this song to be sung and exactly why I chose this character and actor to deliver it! If you ever see Ty in person at the Carriage House on a Friday or Saturday night, ask him to do UPTOWN FUNK and his performance will leave you speechless! Ty will add energy, talent, and a sense of the real experience that only this special bar can share. Look for big things in the future from this guy, but always remember YOU SAW HIM HERE FIRST!
Teresa McGee (Executive Producer)
Teresa originally only heard of my screenplay as an offhand mention through a third-party, but it GRABBED HER ATTENTION immediately. She contacted me and asked to read it and we got a copy out to her quickly! Her praise and excitement for "The END of FUN" nearly surpasses my own, and she is a very important reason for my decision to move forward with this so confidently. Teresa brings a lifetime of experience related to the arts, production, fundraising, and particularly crowd-funding recently. EVERYONE ON OUR TEAM considers themselves lucky that we are able to tap just a portion of the energy and positivity that she brings to our team, and we gladly do everything in our power to earn that and return it to her on a daily basis! WE COULD NOT DO THIS MOVIE WITHOUT TERESA, and the credits will contain an official dedication to this wonderful person for all her efforts and contributions.
See you soon! Keep sharing and spreading!
#TEOFCast #TEOFCrew
Welcome all! Should be a fun ride! Hope to make it to the geographical area before completion to be involved if possible. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDelete-Claude Miles
Claude! If you are in area, please let me know. Love to have you stop by. In fact, wouldn't mind chatting and picking your brain a bit one day soon.
ReplyDelete