The Standby Painter - The Long, Strange Road to Working with a Bunch of Vampires on the Set of Twilight

Part I:  Madness Has no Chronological Boundaries

On this, my first blog entry, I would like to write a heartfelt “Howdy!” to all of you interested-in-film people and all of you working-in-film people.  I work in The Business as a stand by painter, or stand by scenic artist.  Although I sometimes …

Tags: Movie, Movie Bloggers, Movie Blog, Movie, Film Industry

The Standby Painter - THE STANDBY PAINTER

Introducing new blogger Renee Prince. She has worked on over 30 films and after many adventures she acquired the arcane knowledge of the Stand By Painter.  She has worked with directors and DP’s on such films as Untraceable, The Burning Plain, and Twilight, among …

Tags: Movie Theatre, Movie, Television, Movie, Filmmaking

The Showrunner - The War Between Showrunners vs Creators (Part One)

I know a politically adept Showrunner, a real pro, who was hired to replace an Up-and- Coming showrunner on a new, big deal, cable show with lots of promise and lots of hype, after the Up and Comer was let go for “creative differences” with the …

Tags: Movie Bloggers, Film Industry, , Movie Theatre, Filmmaker

The Casting Director - I GUESS I’M NOT GOING TO SUNDANCE THIS YEAR

This entry is going to have little to do with casting and a lot to do with being a decent human being. I try not to be political, but gosh-darnnit, those in the state of California who are opposed to equal rights for all are just forcing me into this.

I think that the “Yes” vote on Proposition 8 affected me more then I thought it would. There has been so much interweb traffic and posts and posts to posts and posts to links to posts on all of this and the support and outpouring from those who voted “No” and supported the rights of gay couples to get married has been beautiful, and truly, I thank people for their support.

It boggles me though, that in this day and age, as a society, we have not come to a point where we can be tolerant on issues of personal freedom and equality. Granted in the big scheme of things, “LIFE” is not an equal opportunity experience (all you need to do is turn on the television and ask, “why did they cast that actor?” – See I snuck some casting in :0) ) Life is tough enough, waking up everyday, working hard, struggling for my dream of success in love and life. Road bumps are all around us, but to not be allowed and stripped of a right fought and earned and deserved and, oh yeah, supposed to be inalienable, well taking that right away is, in a word: mean.

What can I do? I can give money to help the cause, march in protest rallies, but I am also going to go one step further and say, this year, I have to make a personal decision a decision not to travel to a State that has as part of their population that hates me so much that they would like to deny me my freedom to love and marry whomever I choose (and Steve, if your reading this, don’t worry, it would be you)…so, I will not be attending Sundance this year. I don’t want my dollars spent to benefit a state that has a majority of a population that donated to strip away my ability to marry. According to Wikipedia: “Utah is known for being one of the most religiously homogeneous states in the Union, with approximately 58 percent of its adult inhabitants claiming membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church or the LDS Church), which greatly influences Utah culture and daily life.”
So, in my own way, I am making my own statement (missing some great skiing and films) but until this is sorted out, Utah can go suck it…

It’s time for this country to grow up, catch up and earn back its reputation as a voice of freedom and leader of Democracy in the free world. We are 90% there, after all we did elect Barack Obama, so let’s make a difference, make our voices heard and make things right. Let’s really start to make changes, let’s all try to be nice and compassionate and tolerant towards each other and hopefully I will be able to return to Utah, a nice compassionate Gay, tolerant of all and hopeful to a dream a dream that has the Federal Government recognize same-sex-marriage not just individual states, because doing taxes last year was a bitch…

Tags: Actor, Movie, Movie, Hollywood, Filmmaker

The First Assistant Director - Assistant Directing The Hollywood Nude Scene

I was recently finishing my on-set catered lunch, a swelling of cojones rancheros with a side of dill nipples, and I thought it was silken thigh time we genitaly fondled upon this topless of discussion. You see, when a Director is erecting a scene that features Naked Actors, there’s …

Tags: Movie Blog, Hollywood, Film, Movie, Movie

The Screenwriting Professor - the formula has no clothes

I cringe - protect my head from falling debris.  Several of you mentioned the “f” word so I’ll say  it right back to you with feeling - FORMULA.  It’s that popular group MYTH that hangs around like a ring of smog anywhere two or more writers are gathered together.  Do this and do this and you’ll have that.   sound easy?  good luck with it.    This is a post I started and never finished.  It has a twinge of bitterness.  N’est ce pas?   This past semester at USC has been flacardenful of delobinous struden twilla - no need for a dictionary - I just use the word AMAZING to the point that it applies to everything. A great semester that ends soon.  Next semester I’m teaching a course called WRITING THE SHORT FILM.  So, for the next few days - I’m posting exercises that were fruitful these last couple of months.  Then we’ll be caught up. I found this in Bill Roorbach’s book WRITING LIFE STORIES - really great book that will remind you of how much material you have in your own life - tune in to the way YOU tell stories.  He’s a kick ass great writer. Buy his books and they will change your life.  OK: Draw a map of the first neighborhood you can remember. Where did you live - where did you shop? - where did you ride your bicycle?  Where were you afraid to ride your bicycle?  OR  draw the map of  the story you’re working on -  re energize your script - if you really focus on making this map as intricate as you can - the floods will come - ideas - stories - conflicts.  Consider using glitter even.all for now.theprof 

Tags: Hollywood, Film, , Movie, Television

The Reality TV Producer - Getting a Start in Reality TV

I’m often asked how you can start working in Reality TV - and someone I’m working with now suggested I pass on to you some of the advice I gave her this week… so here it is, lucky you! Usually when someone asks me how to get into Reality TV, after I’ve checked …

Tags: Director, Filmmaker, Oscars, Movie Bloggers, Movie Theatre

The Script Reader - Scriptreader Investigates: Nic Cage…Fucking With Me?

Up until about five years ago, i felt like I could at least partly understand what Nic Cage was doing. First (1981-1986) he was doing the parts he could get–movies that needed handsome young kids, movies his uncle made, etc . Then (1987-1992) he was doing weird shit he liked …

Tags: Film, Television, Film Blog, Oscars, Movie Theatre

The Indie Film Producer - THE 12 COMMANDMENTS OF MAKING MOVIES

Recently I sat down with Pritish Nandy, legendary global mediamaker and one heck of a charming guy. Plastered on his wall were “The 12 Commandments,” according to him. He’d come down off the mountain of moviemaking and delivered the message to his brethren: us… filmmakers. I reprint them here, …

Tags: Film Blog, Oscars, Film, Hollywood, Actor

The Actor - KREATING KARLOFF

I was lucky enough to be asked to star alongside actor Conor Timmis in a Boris Karloff biopic-style, screen test documentary titled, “Kreating Karloff.” The DVD is officially released today, November 18th, hence my posting a day early, and is currently available at popular on-line stores like Amazon.com, Target.com, and Oldies.com, as well as other retail movie locations. The project also has a very “personal” connection, which is explained below.

This film is directed by Vatche Arabian and recreates, in black and white, famous scenes from two of Boris Karloff’s biggest films “Frankenstein” (1931) and “The Mummy” (1932). It matches the costumes, make-up, sets, blocking, lighting, and style of the time.

In true documentary style, it follows the cast and crew behind the scenes through the entire process, including highly skilled and talented make-up artist Norman Bryn (Saturday Night Live). As well as the re-created scenes themselves accurately filmed by director of photography, Scott Sniffen, it includes interviews with the project participants, and captures the many raw moments that happen in between “action” and “cut.”

The film made its way around the film festival circuit and took home the award for Best Experimental Film at the Honolulu International Film Festival last year, among others, all of which was very exciting. The project also gained the support of Sara Karloff, Boris Karloff’s daughter, who added a truly touching endorsement on the cover of the DVD:

“I know how flattered and amazed my father, Boris Karloff, would be, that after so many years someone of Conor Timmis’ talent would put the time, energy and devotion into such a project as Kreating Karloff.

Conor gathered around him people of like mind and talent for this project and, as my father would have said: “The proof is in the pudding.” From start to finish, the script, the makeup and the acting are a real tribute to both my father and to Conor’s determination to see the film through to its first rate conclusion.

Again, in my father’s words, “Full Marks” to all involved in Kreating Karloff. The fans are in for a real treat.” – Sara Karloff

Above all else, I was honored to get to play the classic role of Helen Grosvenor in the recreation scenes of “The Mummy.” A role originated by Zita Johann in 1932. This gave me an opportunity to play in the acting style of the time and to showcase something different. But there was a more important, personal reason, as well. I am, in fact, Ms. Johann’s cousin. My Aunt Jane has been able to work out the exact relationship on our family tree and, with this and much personal research at the New York Performing Arts Library, we have been able to learn a great deal about my famous cousin.

Ms. Johann, who was once married to actor/producer John Houseman, is best known for her starring role as Helen Grosvenor / Princess Anck-es-en-Amon opposite Boris Karloff in “The Mummy.” Although she acted in a few other films, including “Tiger Shark” with Edward G. Robinson, she openly preferred the theatre to Hollywood films. She gained the most fulfillment acting on Broadway, which she did from the late 20’s into the early 40’s. Her role in “Machinal” placed her on stage alongside Clark Gable, an unknown at the time, and later paired her with Orson Welles, co-founder of Mercury Theatre.

I continue trying to find out more about her, and am often pleasantly surprised by the number of things she and I share in common. These Include my love for children and a strong desire within to work with children with special needs and to open my own children’s charity foundation. This is something I have found Zita was able to do during her lifetime, after acting. I have been contacted, through my website, by so many who knew Zita personally; even a few of those children, grown up today, whom she taught.

The thing I hear most often from Zita’s fans and those who knew her, is how much I look like her and that we share the same eyes. They openly tell me how she was someone who truly touched them, through her work or in life, and who had a spirit that they have never forgotten. This is something one of her dearest friends, Rick Atkins, whom I mentioned in my blog about Carla Laemle’s 99th birthday, also expressed. It is through him that I have been able to get to know Zita Johann as well as I have, since our family, unfortunately, had lost track of her until after she passed away in 1993 in Nyack, NY, not too far from where we were living at the time.

Today, I act because I truly love it and the ability it gives me to go places I would never go in real life. It provides me an outlet to layer qualities, personalities, and emotions I don’t personally exhibit. However, I also act for Zita with the hope that I would have made her proud. She was one of those who paved the way for me, and future actors, like myself, during a time when there was no acting union, and it was far more difficult to follow one’s acting dream than it is today.

Zita Johann truly believed in people, just as I do, and never let this industry change her morals or who she was, something I have stuck to since day one. I personally feel I have been given a chance to carry on where she left off, and hope I can do so with as much honestly, style, and class as possible. Though I will never get to meet her, I did get to be closer to her than I would have ever thought possible, thanks to people like Rick, and opportunities like “Kreating Karloff.”

“Worth the price of admission!” – Dave Colton (USA Today) “Kreating Karloff” Review

“I treat children as equals. I work hard to gain their trust and in a sense, offer to build a bridge between us if they will meet me halfway. I listen to them…and I love them. I will always love them for being so fresh and alive and full of hope.” – Zita Johann

Tags: Actor, Movie, Movie, , Film

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