ART GOALS: Bill Sienkiewicz (sin-KEV-ich) and Dave Johnson for Movie Poster and Clown Face Design

BILL SIENKIEWICZ
If you ask any of my friends who knew me as a kid who my very favorite comic book artist was, they would immediately mispronounce the name, Bill Sienkiewicz. I honestly could not tell you the many ways that I actually mispronounced it myself growing up, even when correcting those other friends. I have no idea when I figured it out or how, but LOVE the fact that the artist makes it SO EASY for his fans these days to understand.

Just by going to his website CLICK HERE or on the picture below, you have instant access to his amazing, utterly unique artwork.

When I was a kid, I had to search high and low for ANYTHING I could find by the guy! (And that's not exactly easy growing up in the middle of nowhere, Kentucky...)

THIS is a screenshot from his ACTUAL WEBSITE! Click the pic and go straight there!

Please don't get me wrong, I loved a lot of the other GREATS who EXPLODED onto the COMICS SCENE during that transition from that late 70's through Mid 80's period that saw mind-expanding and/or scene-changing work from folks like John Byrne and Frank Miller. While I was into both the Uncanny X-Men under the hand of Byrne and DD under the writing and pencil of Miller, nothing compared to the utter and complete escape that Bill Sienkiewicz would provide when he took over the X-Men spinoff, New Mutants. I KNOW, though, it was his work on MOON KNIGHT that originally drew me to him as a fan in a permanent way.

As you may know, if you have been reading this blog for a while, I basically taught myself how to read out of an OVERWHELMING DESIRE to know what Spider-man was saying in the comics I would occasionally get hold of. My UNCLE TONY, whom I have mentioned previously as a BIG INFLUENCE on my comics reading was more of a DC fan. (CLICK HERE if you are just catching up on this blog!) So, as I would comb through his books looking for anything Marvel, I would constantly stop to at least look at Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. The artist there that ALWAYS caught my eye was Neal Adams. His BATMAN kind of always just WILL BE BATMAN FOR ME!

When you examine the work by Sienkiewicz when his Moon Knight came out, you will notice much more of a Neal Adams influence than you would with other artists, or than you would, in fact, from Sienkiewicz himself as his style continued to morph, develop, and grow to become something distinctly and wonderfully unique. But it almost certainly had to be that Neal Adams connection that initially just grabbed my eyes and caused me to grab Moon Knight off the spinner-racks and continue to do so until a while after he had left the book.

I have read Moon Knight in many iterations since then, and really enjoyed a few-- especially the recent run by Ellis and Shalvey, but NOTHING ever hit me the way that original run by Sienkiwicz and Moench had.

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5266828

It was after this book, though, on New Mutants, that the look, feel, and style of his art really began to change quickly. As my friends would debate who the best Uncanny X-Men artist was, I would either just say "Byrne, shut up!" or "Who Cares? CHECK THIS OUT!" and throw copies of New Mutants into their laps. The book was just so different from what had originally drawn me into the X-World and its fairly typical, if more angsty, superheroics. Sienkiewicz and Claremont instead threw mysticism, mind control and a bizarre alien called Warlock at us, and my comics reading was changed forever.

The day one of my faithful DareDevil reading friends came over and handed me his copies of ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN, he didn't get them back for about two months, at which points I could afford and did buy my own copies.

During my first year of college, I was at my local comic store and the guy there one day said "Hey, aren't you the guy always saying you want more Sienkiewicz?" to which I quickly replied "Yeah. OF COURSE!" He guided me to the freshly released first copy of "Stray Toasters" with the caution "Good luck figuring it out", which I only barely heard or acknowledged. Instead asking constantly when the next issue came out until all were collected. I would read and reread the series many times. Sometimes not reading it at all. Instead, just poring over the artwork, marveling at the texture and the singular way it communicated its message across a comic book page.

ANYWAY-- As the years have gone on, technology has increased greatly. One stellar benefit of that leap in communication is the ability to connect with those whose  work you admire so greatly. As soon as I had the chance, I began to follow his work online and follow the artist in places like FB and Twitter. My 12 Year old self is very jealous! My 47-year old self agrees very heartily with the artist about many things, and one of those is his opinion about modern versus classic movie posters. This was actually a topic of discussion in an earlier blog post. CLICK HERE to catch up!

To that end, today I sent a message to Bill Sienkiewicz proposing that he design a movie poster for "The END of FUN" based on a basic concept that I ranted about briefly before asking several important questions regarding his desire, cost, rights, etc. WORKING TOGETHER with Bill Sienkiewicz would not only be the realization of a lifelong dream for me, but a MAJOR COUP for this production as it moves forward. The concept that I imagine, as it would be executed by this MASTER would add to and appropriately support the cache and style that we are already cultivating for "The END of FUN".

PLEASE EVERYONE cross your fingers for a positive response and good news from Bill Sienkiewicz. In the meantime, please visit his website and tell him we sent you! CLICK HERE!

DAVE JOHNSON
Dave Johnson, while not as connected to my childhood also plays an important role, not just in my comics history, but in my understanding of what exactly IMAGE COMICS could accomplish the further they got away from superhero comics. Image was everything to me for a few years in my 20's the way Spidey was in those preteen years. Image is such a UNIQUE and VARIED publisher today, that many people may not realize the wonderful and delicious cheese that first populated the pages of books like YOUNGBLOOD, WILDCATS and CYBERFORCE.

When Erik Larsen's corner of the imprint published "SUPERPATRIOT", I was, like many others, in basic IMAGE-BUYING fever. This book put a stop to that in many ways. The uniqueness, the composition of Dave Johnson's work really stood out from the other superhero stuff that was just flooding the shelves. There was a bombastic nature to his work, and occasionally, while very different from the art of Bill Sienkiewicz, would contain the same wonderful sense of impossibility made to seem utterly real.

Please CLICK HERE to LIKE Dave Johnson's FB Page! or CLICK HERE for his DEVIANTART page! Tell him "Bobby at 'The END of FUN' sent you!"

THIS PIC is from his FB PAGE:  https://www.facebook.com/117901334982711/photos/a.652442284861944.1073741826.117901334982711/717452088360963/?type=3&theater

I loved seeing him work on "RED SON" by DC, which I would have bought no matter what, but seeing those superior covers was definitely a real draw. Dave Johnson is, in fact, one of the only artists who makes me commit what I consider to be THE cardinal sin of comic buying....BUYING A BOOK ONLY FOR ITS COVER!

I will never name the book(s) purchased, but can promise that it was the cover by Johnson that finally caused me to pull the trigger. I feel very lucky that the man does not seem to waste his time on sub-par projects, so have never been disappointed (yet).

Today, I sent a request to Dave Johnson to design the face for our "Naked Clown" in "The END of FUN". Like with Bill Sienkiwicz above, having this opportunity would be a literal dream come true. SO-- ALL Friends, family, fans, and fun-killers out there, cross your fingers and toes! Pray to your god, gods, demons, and or devils! Just help us GET THIS GUY ON our clown's face! (Did that sound a little weird? Yeah, it sounded a little weird...)

It would be an amazing honor to work with either or both. Should either or BOTH ARTISTS say yes, the quality of our production WOULD only continue to rise, people! KEEP THOSE POSITIVE THOUGHTS COMING!

CROWDFUNDING STARTS NEXT POST!!!
#TEOFMoviePoster #TEOFRealMoviePoster #TEOFClownFace

INCREDIBLE First Meeting with Julia Rosette "Jade Silver" and Tara Tosten "Kari K"!

In case you are tuning in here for the first time...I LOVE PULP! One of my favorite songs by them is called "Do you Remember the First Time?" One of the only things I LOVE MORE than PULP is our movie "The END of FUN"! While, as you may have seen on Facebook, Twitter, and here, the casting process has been exhausting, it has also been light-years beyond rewarding. I will NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME meeting Julia Rosette and Tara Tosten in person!

With this being my first budgeted feature, it was vital to me to form direct connections with all my lead actors from the very first day the were brought on board. I wanted each of them to know that I would shepherd them through this process just as surely as I would the movie as a whole. During the casting process, I met and talked with a lot of actors who will not BE IN THIS MOVIE, but still seemed like very strong contenders for future collaborations.

The OFFICIAL VIDEO is very cool, BUT because the lyrics were a little too racy for those oh-so-conservative--really?--1990's ("I don't care if you screw him..."), they were compelled to release a "clean" version, too. That video, while amazingly cool, is from the lamer cut of the song. Directly beneath this you will find the longer better version, and under that is the edited version but with a much cooler video...



So...the BETTER VERSION of the song is found above, but the really, really neat video is right...HERE!


MOST IMPORTANTLY, I met, spoke with, and saw the auditions of Julia Rosette and Tara Tosten, who play "Jade Silver" and "Kari K" respectively in "The END of FUN". While these two actresses could not be more different in so very many ways, there are several in which they are absolutely identical. BOTH ARE TALENTED and WISE so far beyond their years, that without sitting in the same room you would never successfully guess the age of either.

Like the Sun and The Moon, both these actresses are equally beautiful to behold. Yet like both those objects of CELESTIAL MAGNIFICENCE, these two INSANELY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS have so much more going on BELOW THE SURFACE that only after you leave appearances behind, do you literally scratch the metaphysical surface of WHO THEY ARE!

Tara Tosten and Julia Rosette will draw audiences into seats with their incredible beauty throughout their long and successful careers, but it is their SKILL, COLLABORATIVE EASE, PERSONALITIES, and SCREEN PRESENCE that will drive the conversations as those same viewers leave their seats and never ever forget them!



Being pleasing to the eye on screen is only one thing Tara and Julia share in common. Both are incredibly professional, well-prepared, curious, and love to contribute and collaborate throughout the whole process. As we sat and read through the screenplay for the first time, both offered suggestions that very seriously make the script tighter and the story better. Having them around seems to somehow make me smarter and even more creative.

Their differences are nearly as important as their similarities, though. Tara is shorter, while Julia is taller. Julia has long dark hair while Tara's is shoulder-length and strawberry blonde. Tara plays her "Kari K" as bubbly, energetic, and bold while Julia approaches "Jade Silver" as more sultry, mysterious, and calculating. It is only through the unique combination of BOTH the differences and the similarities that such a VERY POTENT SYNERGY has developed, and nearly immediately, between these two.

In fact, there was a welcome synergy between the THREE OF US as we read over the screenplay, discussed it, along with our roles and the story overall. I would not realize how lost I was becoming in the part, and in the story, until occasionally we were interrupted by others from the cast who were invited to stop by. During those instances, the "spell", the mental connection, the creative cabling that was joining us would temporarily sever.

While startling, this was never annoying to me on this particular day, because the temporary breaking of our bond actually did serve to keep reminding me of exactly how linked we were already becoming during just this first read, and with the focus only us three lead actors.

 As Steven Ciceron and Stephanie Jackson joined us for a while, Julia and Tara had the opportunity to become more familiar with featured actors local to San Diego. It will be a few weeks before we gather the cast physically, as many rehearsals will take place online.

During our meeting, we not only read over the script and discussed the story and characters, but also began handling a lot of the less creative and more logistical aspects of our production. We were very easily able to establish an initial schedule for both our shoot and our rehearsals. After we took care of all the hard work, we ordered pizza and shot some very quick video clips that will be used later this week to launch our KICKSTARTER! Be on the lookout, PLEASE! 

By the end of our first in-person meeting, which officially took place on Sunday July 31, 2016 from 11 to 4:30ish, we all felt like we knew and understood each other a lot better. Getting to know both of these fellow creators was a true pleasure and I look forward to our rehearsals together as well as our time on the sets! By the end of that day we also felt very productive. And probably more than anything as we said goodbye to each other, the only thing we felt more than EXCITEMENT was EXHAUSTION! My heart went out to both Julia and Tara as they pulled away from our house in San Diego and headed back for L.A., and I headed to my bedroom for a brief nap.

I dearly LOVE the expression on Tara's face as KARI K, practicing her look of disgusted disbelief at her co-star Julia Rosette's JADE SILVER. There were MANY MAGIC MOMENTS already just on this very first basic "get-to-know-each-other" first meeting and read!

HEY! I didn't exactly get off easy... The only reason I took the nap was so that I could go and meet a fellow San Diegan movie creator (experienced actor, director, writer, producer, and more) about the possibility of helping on our crew (POSSIBLY as OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) and possibly showing up onscreen as well. The effort was well worth it, as he passed several other contacts to me, further expanding my network and thereby deepening the bench of talent from which I may draw now and the future. MORE ON THAT IN THE NEXT POST!

FOCUS IS NOW ON CREW! Assistant Director, Director of Photography, Sound, MORE!

Stay tuned! AND for now drop a quick HELLO in the comments and welcome both TARA and JULIA to this production, and WATCH as their STARS begin to RISE QUICKLY.

Casting Announcement... Meet TARA TOSTEN...our Kari K!

While I have no interest in ever becoming a casting director, I do believe it is important for the director to be directly involved with the process. For that reason alone, I would have found this whole process of casting the lead actors for "The END of FUN" to be invaluable. However, the absolute most wonderful thing to emerge from constant contact with some of the most talented up and coming talent in the acting world has been building a network of gifted people that I feel confident about working with not just on this project, but on future work as well.

TARA TOSTEN exemplifies EVERY POSITIVE quality you could look for in a collaborator, and our movie "The END of FUN" became better the very second she agreed to take on the role of "Kari K". After running ads and notifications for our casting call for about 6 weeks, Tara nailed the role in her audition and made Kari K all her own in a way that no one else came close to with this character. Additionally, the raw energy and enthusiasm that just bubbles off her in waves instills confidence in me as a writer, her director, and as her co-star and collaborator. Audiences will walk away feeling impressed and rewarded from everything this actor puts on the screen.

Tara Tosten is extremely talented and has every other quality you could hope for in a collaborator from versatility and dynamism to a very extreme sense of focus. She is funny, intense, punctual, friendly, attentive and very open to offering her own amazing ideas to make the project better!

As with most of the collaborators on this project, Tara is very multi-faceted and skilled in a number of areas, which was simply one more thing that pushed over the edge and compelled me to offer her the role very quickly. After Tara submitted for and explained her interest in the role of Kari K and I awaited her audition tape, I watched her reels at Backstage.

Probably the most unexpected and simply jawdropping ability she showed was a fierce toughness in a reel dedicated to physical work and fighting, which caused me to go back and look at her resume one more time. I wanted someone who was cute, but tough; someone who could portray a Kari K as dynamic as I had written. Tara brought all that to this character and in bigger ways than I could have ever hoped.

Yesterday, I actually got to meet Tara for the first time in person (along with Julia Rosette-- who was cast recently as "Jade Silver" CLICK HERE). Within minutes of talking to her, I immediately began thinking aloud about the extremely wide variety of ways she could be put on the screen: cute neighbor next door, cop, bad guy, beauty queen-- this girl has A LOT inside her and it is NOT LOCKED UP. Her talent is like a wild animal that you would never trust anyone else to control!

Tara and Julia met for the first time in yesterday and immediately began discussing their approaches to the characters of Kari K and Jade Silver. It was an exhausting, but incredibly productive day that will be focus of the next post!


ANY Director, Writer, Actor, or collaborator of any type who has the opportunity to work with Tara should jump on it quickly. She is a rising star who I KNOW YOU WILL SEE EVERYWHERE SOON! I certainly look forward to it, and will be thrilled anytime her presence fills the screen for something I have written, directed, or am starring in.

THANK YOU, TARA TOSTEN! Please say "Hi" to Tara in the comments section below and make her feel welcome!

#TEOFCast #TEOFKariK

Casting Announcement: 3 Talented Featured Actors! (Stephanie Jackson, Steven Ciceron, and Jacquie Hishmeh)

Hello Friends, Fans, and Fun-Killers all over the world! (Have you read the World War Love post yet? CLICK HERE and read it now! How many people in your country are reading this blog?!? Share the links and watch the numbers increase!) Tonight, I want to introduce you to THREE INCREDIBLY TALENTED featured actors in "The END of FUN"!

As you already know (if you have read the announcement-- if NOT, CLICK HERE and read now!), we were so fortunate to secure the acting talents of JULIA ROSETTE for the role of "JADE SILVER". She and I have already begun making plans that will make sure Jade is a character that is NOT QUICKLY FORGOTTEN!

We also already found another great creative partner in JULIA BODEY who will play "CAMMY" (CLICK HERE and read now!). In fact, I look forward to going to see Julia Bodey in "HAMLET" here in Hamlet at the "Coronado Playhouse" very soon. You should too. (CLICK HERE for more information!) and tell Julia that BOBBY SENT YOU!

JULIA BODEY plays Rosencrantz in this version of HAMLET! CLICK HERE if you want more information or would like to attend!

NOW-- ONward to tonight's NEW ADDITIONS!

I. "MISTY" will be played by STEPHANIE JACKSON

First up, we have Stephanie Jackson. Stephanie originally submitted and read for the part of "Kari K" but due to scheduling conflicts, we were only able to have her commit to the production long enough to deliver her performance as a regular patron and karaoke singer named "Misty" at the CarryOut in "The END of FUN". 

You will love this actor! She brings a lot of strength, energy, and beauty to the screen even for the shorter time she will appear there! WELCOME ABOARD STEPHANIE!

Please take a second to say "HELLO" and welcome Stephanie to "The END of FUN" in the comments section below!

II. "MARK" will be played by STEVEN CICERON!

Steven Ciceron was one of the VERY FIRST PEOPLE to submit for any role in "The END of FUN"! His attitude, energy, and enthusiasm made him as obvious a choice as did his acting resume credentials, headshot, and overall submission. Steven has a lot of experience with theater and making videos as well. He, like a few of our cast and crew, has shown a lot of excitement and enthusiasm for the challenge presented by our crowdfunding efforts once our Kickstarter campaign launches next week!

Steven will play "Mark" in "The END of FUN", who is one more customer at the CarryOut, but this time more of a newbie instead of a regular. He actually asks Johnny's permission to sing a song which he has seen Johnny sing before (and was showing great karaoke etiquette, actually, and not "stepping on the toes" of another customer, especially a regular like m....I mean like "Johnny". You will get the chance to see Steven sing as Mark in the movie too! WELCOME to "The END of FUN", STEVEN! HOPE YOU SURVIVE THE EXPERIENCE! (any X-Men fans recognize that little tribute....?)

Please take a second to welcome STEVEN to our production, using the comments section below! I am sure he will stop by here often and be very glad to interact with all our fans!

III. SHAY will be played by JACQUIE HISHMEH!

Last in this update is Jacquie Hishmeh who has graciously agreed to play the role of "SHAY" in "The END of FUN". Shay is a smaller part, yet like both of the others listed here, VERY IMPORTANT to the plot and the development of the situation between Johnny and the classic femme fatale Jade Silver! In the movie, Shay sings a song that just does not sound that sexy on its own, yet as she sings the song and we see Jade dance, the song becomes something else entirely. 

We COULD ONLY TRUST Jacquie with this very special role. She is a very experienced singer with an amazing voice. Truly, this woman has a voice that has to be heard to be believed. Just wait until you see her in "The END of FUN"!

Jacquie has an AMAZING VOICE! Her portrayal of "Shay" in "The END of FUN" inspires Julia Rosette's "Jade to dance for Johnny and these two incredible women attract the attention of an entire bar!

Here is a video featuring Jackie singing with OC Hit Factory's cover of "Hotline Bling"! Please say "Hello!" to Jacquie below in the comments section. I know she will be visiting the blog often and will be thrilled to interact with fans of her acting and her singing!

#TEOFCast #TEOFShay #TEOFMark  #TEOFMisty

The WORLD is in YOUR Hands! World War LOVE!!! (Marketing an Indie Movie Part 3) **UPDATED LIST 44 TOTAL COUNTRIES (with NEW PIC)!

We have people from all over the world (16 Countries MINIMUM-- check the list below) following this blog and our updates about the movie: "The END of FUN"! THOUSANDS of people have read my crazy rants about this amazing project just in the first month!

This post shows you some of the actual numbers from our stats, AND... SHOWS you HOW TO HELP increase those numbers all around the world!

Here is a pretty complete list, but also check out the screenshots I took, one from a long-term view and the other from a more recent "snapshot" below.

1. United States
2. Argentina
3. Australia
4. Bangladesh
5. Brazil
6. Bulgaria
7. Canada
8. Chile
9. China
10. Czech Republic
11. Ecuador
12. Finland
13. France
14. Germany
15. Ghana
16. Guatemala
17. Iceland
18. India
19. Indonesia
20. Ireland
21. Israel
22. Italy
23. Japan
24. Kenya
25. Latvia
26. Malaysia
27. Mexico
28. Moldova
29. Netherlands
30. Norway
31. Peru
32. Philipines 
33. Poland
34. Portugal
35. Russia
36. Saudi Arabia
37. South Korea
38. Sweden
39. United Arab Emirates
40. United Kingdom
41. Ukraine
42. Venezuela
43. Taiwan
44. Turkey

THIS even more recent "long-term" pic was taken on August 15, 2016 and shows how our steady growth JUST INCREASES! 
IS YOUR COUNTRY ON HERE? If so, shouldn't your country's number be MUCH MORE like ours in the U.S.? IF your country is NOT HERE, please HELP US and TELL EVERYONE in your country about us!

This "long-term" pic was taken on July 26, 2016. IS YOUR COUNTRY ON HERE? If so, shouldn't your country's number be MUCH MORE like ours in the U.S.? IF your country is NOT HERE, please HELP US and TELL EVERYONE in your country about us!

This "snapshot" of more recent activity shows that some of the long-term leaders in the picture above have some real competition from countries that ONLY RECENTLY STARTED looking at us, such as RUSSIA!

NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY you live in, here are some things you can do if you would like to help us market our project as we prepare to start our CROWDFUNDING next week!

• Share the URL www.ENDofFUNmovie on ALL your Social Media! Please TELL EVERYONE all around the world about this movie, my stars, or me!
• Please FOLLOW us on TWITTER: @ENDofFUN (https://twitter.com/ENDofFUN)
• We REALLY want to hit 1000 LIKES on our FB Page in the next month! PLEASE "LIKE" it and share the link with your friends-- ASK them to LIKE it too!

The whole "The END of FUN" movie crew wants to start WORLD WAR LOVE! Can you help the statistics in your country increase to try and catch the United States? Can you beat whoever is the next country ahead of you? ONLY IF YOU SHARE OUR LINKS!

Thanks Fun-KILLERS! Your visits, your assistance, and all your patronage is greatly appreciated!

See you again soon! NEXT MARKETING message will be about KICKSTARTER and will introduce you to Julia Rose in a quick video!

#TEOFMarketing #TEOFSocialMedia #WWLove #WorldWarLove #TEOF1000

Casting Announcement: JULIA ROSETTE... IS Jade Silver!

"The END of FUN" has found its STAR! Her name is Julia Rosette and when the world sees her as Jade Silver, the whole world will agree that her acting talent, her presence on the screen, and her deep understanding of this very challenging, complex character make her utterly unforgettable.

Julia Rosette has talent and energy that will leave you enthralled and speechless when you see her in the STARRING ROLE as JADE SILVER in "The END of FUN!

On June 28, 2016, I placed the first ads to begin casting "The END of FUN". Over the first week, as the ad appeared only on Craigslist, a few FB groups, etc, there were maybe 2 real people truly showing interest in all of the roles combined (Jade, Kari K, Scab, VV, Shay). Just over a week into these efforts, on July 10, 2016, I made one of my best decisions so far, and placed a casting call on Backstage.com. This unleashed a flood!

Within mere minutes of posting the ad-- before even receiving "official notification" of its approval-- the number of qualified, interested actors for the project tripled.

In the first day after posting this casting call, there were ELEVEN actors applying JUST FOR JADE! I was blown away. Some clearly spammed their names out to everything that came along. Even so, a few of them still received replies from me just due my being so overwhelmingly thankful to finally have the DESIRED and EXPECTED RESPONSE!

Three days later, I received an inquiry from the outstandingly talented Julia Rosette. TWO THINGS struck me immediately in her initial email. Before I could even read a word she had written, I was simply stunned at her PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE TO JADE --as I had previously only seen her in my mind and attempted to put onto paper. The second thing to hit me was her NICELY WORDED and THOUGHTFUL PERSONAL MESSAGE which accompanied this original submission through Backstage. It encouraged me to visit her profile there, and look at her experience and talent more closely than I had any of those who had so obviously just spammed out their responses.

Julia is every bit as multi-faceted a creature as Jade Silver--just far more compassionate and soulful, and far less narcissistic and self-focused!

When I replied to her, it was my goal to be every bit as thoughtful as she had been herself when submitting. It was from this point that a real rapport and mutual respect was born before we ever even had the opportunity to speak a word to, or see each other. I explained what I needed, regarding a pre-taped audition with a side I provided; and even included another document that tries to very clearly lay out what I perceive to likely be specific challenges for any actor who may be courageous enough to take on this movie, and especially the role of "Jade Silver". As she worked on that "pre-taped audition" video, we also scheduled our first video conference on SKYPE.

During that very first meeting, Julia impressed me with her instinctive and insightful understanding of Jade Silver based upon only the brief amount of initially provided information-- she clearly explained the ways in which she relates to this type of character, and the many more ways that she knows she is far different.

She impressed me with a maturity, honesty, and frankness that was as welcome as unexpected. She impressed me with her focus as an artist, and goals in writing as well as acting. I was more than impressed to hear, as one of her first proud declarations-- and completely unsolicited, at that-- that she loved listening to Classical Music, and that many of her tastes ran to the rather classic and thus, ironically, non-traditional for her age group in 2016...

While nowhere near the narcissistic manipulatrix that we know Jade Silver to be, Julia proved to be every bit as dynamic, complex, and not-what-you-expected as the character I had created. There were several instances right from the very beginning in which I almost slipped and referred to her directly as "Jade" instead of "Julia".

As Jade, Julia will make you laugh and cry; she will scare you and thrill you; you will get mad at her and with her-- Julia owns Jade...and Jade will OWN YOU!

Over 50 actors submitted for this role in the end. Only about 4 included the type of thoughtful email that Julia did, and I always looked at each of those actors much more closely than I did any of the others. With the much higher submission rate, I never felt as compelled to reply to those who did not personalize theirs to at least some degree, though.

It felt nice to be dealing with such an overall higher level of quality, but a total of 11 actors were invited to submit audition tapes or to read live over SKYPE or Google Hangouts.

Out of those 11 who auditioned, 4 were very good, but only 2 really NAILED IT. One of those two was Julia Rosette, obviously-- and hers was a combination of 2 brief taped pieces and one live reading/audition. I do not want to discuss the other actor here because this spotlight is reserved for Julia Rosette, but I will say that the other actor is one I owe A LOT to already and definitely hope to collaborate with in the future, and whose work and career I will promote from this day forward (on FB and in future posts here, etc.).

Ultimately, Julia Rosette just convinced me that she would embody Jade completely. I realized this after catching myself in both our video meetings, as mentioned above, nearly calling her "Jade" instead of "Julia" at certain points as we both excitedly discussed the story, screenplay, or character. Hers was also the picture in my mind by which I judged other actors degree of resemblance to Jade. ("Does she look MORE like Jade that Julia does? I don't think so...").

Yet, I must be 100% clear here: It was NOT HER PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE that earned her the part-- it was actually her focused talent as an actor, her friendly persistence, and her incredibly nuanced understanding of Jade as a character, and the whole story, upon reading the entire screenplay for the first time that sold me and my Senior Executive Producer, Rita McBean. The physical attributes that  align her own description with Jade's are very welcome once all those other pieces fit into place so nicely.

What REALLY matters now is that SOON when I say (or anyone says) the name "Jade Silver", it is Julia's face they--AND YOU-- will see. PLEASE help us make JULIA ROSETTE feel WELCOME and say "Hi" below! I know she will be checking in here occasionally to touch base with all of us, and would love to hear from you directly!

Say "HI!" to Julia below, and then follow this talented actor and her career through "The END of FUN" and beyond! 

Writing, Casting, Shooting, and Starring in a Nude Scene

Nudity is not fun for actors to think about most of the time. Neither is it fun for those on the production side-- especially if the guy who wrote it, is casting it, will direct and star in it are ALL THE SAME PERSON!

WOW, if there is one person less comfortable than the actresses potentially starring as Jade Silver and Kari K discussing their nudity in a scene, it can only be me. Really not sure, but cannot imagine that there are many other directors out there who maybe try harder to talk the actress out of the nude scene during the audition than INTO it.

Because my focus is on this movie, and the nudity is focused on one specific scene, this is not a matter of the horrific Hollywood SLEAZE STORIES that take place on a CASTING COUCH. This is not about me seeing a bunch of young girls naked--  While I certainly appreciate the female form in countless ways, the casting of these roles and shooting of the scene are far from erotic in my mind.

My focus is very specifically on exactly what I want to reveal to the audience in what may be the most important scene in the movie for many reasons, and how the audience should experience that scene. Because, I just CANNOT SPOIL THE SCENE, you will not see any real mention of what is happening in this scene. However, I will tell you that it is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MOVIE without this scene.

Not to sound too much like a writer/director here, but this particular scene is very much in many ways, the entire movie in miniature, and for it to work the characters are not wearing any clothes. It is a scene that I have troubled over from the very second I wrote the first draft. Any time I have EVEN TRIED to pull the nudity, the movie loses its potency and instead of its ending FLYING AT YOU like some crazed death-bird freaking you out so that you do not know what to think, it limps past you, almost begging you not to even look.

The very last thing that I want is for my overly exuberant nature to convince an actor they can and should take their clothes off, only to find out at the WORST TIME (while the shoot is happening) that they just are unable to commit and deliver.

Since I play the role of "Johnny Jones" in the movie, I am this scene, too! Being shirtless in this scene ALSO MAKES ME NERVOUS, but for even more reasons. I cannot blame the writer or director... I am him/.them... I am also 47 and out of shape-- THIS SCENE HAS ME WORKING OUT like crazy and watching what I eat/drink over the past few weeks (documenting the whole thing on video-- which I will post in a few weeks VERY UNCOMFORTABLY....). With the anxiety I feel about being in, asking others to be in, and shoot the scene, I definitely feel a little pressure.

The difference is that with this being my vision, my project, and my goal, I experience a level of passion and commitment that is unlike anything I have ever felt before. I WANT TO MAKE THIS MOVIE and MAKE IT RIGHT. This is one reason I want every star to be an Executive Producer-- they should have a say, as well as have a share of any money I may ever stumble across after the movie's completion, etc.

SO, my approach has been to be very upfront about the nudity, giving specific details related to the nudity required of each actor. Each time I have spoken with a new actor (male or female), I would rather OVERSELL how DIFFICULT the scene and the nudity may be, so that by the time I do bring actors on board, we both understand each and trust each other implicitly. Without that understanding and trust, I know it is not worth trying.

In fact, I send a document with "background and legitimate points of concern" to each, helping them understand the context of the movie as well, as things such as nudity and smoking that they may experience while shooting this movie. Following a video conference with some actors, one actress in particular very recently, I was very thankful to be given new and more specific information to include there. Now the "points of concern" are even separated and numbered, making them very hard to miss or misunderstand.

None of my actors should be surprised by anything I will ask of them once it comes time to shoot the movie. If I have done my job correctly, each will be beyond comfortable and focused on being well-prepared for the challenges that await once the cameras are rolling.

Nudity is not something I see coming up in a lot of movies from me. While other movies and stories of mine contain very sexy, and possibly profane or pornographic language and concepts/ideas, this movie is the first time that naked bodies became essential to the story. Not sex-- just the bodies.

COME SEE THE MOVIE!!! I PROMISE it will be worth it! EVERYONE will UNDERSTAND when they finall see "The END of FUN".

I have appointments every day (today is Thursday, July 21) for the next week with actresses hoping to play both Jade Silver and Kari K.

Just a few, I will be lucky enough to meet in person, and most initial meetings will simply take place over SKYPE and GOOGLE HANGOUTS. Our first topic is set to be a very candid and frank discussion of this scene.

I would MUCH RATHER actors TURN DOWN the ROLE immediately than for either of us to have a long discussion in which we become only increasingly more excited only to finally have to part ways over this one issue. In the process, I hope to serve a secondary purpose of building a strong network of good actors with whom there is a mutual level of ease and comfort in communication--and deep trust, particularly about potentially sensitive issues.

Several actors (male and female) have already chosen not to continue pursuing the role due to the nudity. One or two of those have stayed in constant contact, keeping tabs on the project anyway, which I find UNBELIEVABLY COOL. I know there are several of these folks that will collaborate well with me on other, more suitable projects, in the future.

To me-- right now--"The END of FUN" NEEDS this scene. If I achieve my goals and this movie gets a proper amount of attention, and there is only one scene is discussed as people walk out of the theater, this will be it. THIS SCENE CANNOT BE LOST!

Compromised? Changed? Possibly.

So far, for the role of "Jade Silver", I have allowed three actresses to read the entire script in the past three days, counting today; and one actress submitting for Kari K. In the end, I honestly figure that if someone really is the right fit, then they will be as passionate as I am about finding a way to make it work. Each of these people is a fresh set of eyes, as far as I'm concerned. This makes me more than willing to hear ideas and feedback.

I CANNOT IMAGINE anyone coming up with an idea strong enough to CHANGE MY MIND-- BUT, AS A COROLLARY: If one of these people does come up with an idea that I feel does work, then I feel like WE ALL WIN. Anytime, collaborators make each other better, EVERYBODY WINS!

If "The END of FUN" comes out without a topless Jade or Kari--or me; or without a naked Scab, or a naked Clown... then you can BET YOUR ASS that what you do see on the screen is what I believed to be the BEST CHOICE for the story and the movie! And you can KNOW it was the direct product of collaboration with extremely talented costars and Executive Producers. If the scene shows up as written, then PLEASE KNOW I TOOK GREAT PAINS to PROTECT EVERY ACTRESS and ACTOR during the process of shooting.

Of COURSE, I am extremely biased, but I really, really believe there is NOTHING ELSE LIKE THIS out there, and I mean that IN THE BEST WAY. WITH OR WITHOUT the nudity, the goal of EVERYONE INVOLVED will be to deliver the best and most entertaining version of "The END of FUN" possible!

RANT OVER! Thanks for reading! See you again VERY SOON!