CUT!

Trying for a little play on words as I sit here in the barbershop. My “fro” is getting to be a bit much. Not that I look like Clarence Williams III in “THE MOD SQUAD”, but I do have the sudden urge to tackle someone with a “swan dive” and give an alluring look to Peggy Lipton.  Hey, Peggy still looks mighty good. Did you catch her on “ALIAS” a few years back?

Anyway, this has been a rather tiring week.  I had a physical. Excellent blood pressure thank you, but my female doctor, got a little close while doing a very necessary and regular procedure for a male patient. Let’s say, I will NOT commit a crime, because I am just not made for the rigors of prison.  After the exam, I can’t even go through the back door of my house without getting a cold chill.

Meanwhile, at the office, things are still going at a steady, if not hectic pace on “THE A TEAM”. We still don’t have an official cast, but the guys and I are still churning out a good number of boards. I can’t describe the last action sequence (never do that on a current job) but we have been on it for quite some time, and it was good to finally wind it down to get to a new scene.
When you do an action film, everyone naturally wants to at least board an action scene. Not that scenes of conversation and angst aren’t cool, but especially being a guy – on The A Team – you want to render a number of frames of guns, punches, overall mayhem and perhaps a frame or two of “B.A.” saying “I pity the fool”.

Yes, all of the above do happen in the movie.

Anyway, as the “head guy” (just three of us boarding), I’ve been handing out assignments.  I am very careful to make sure that we all get cool stuff to work on, including action.  Benton was the last guy to be hired, so he’s been doing fill in scenes until this week. Patient man that he is, Benton’s been rewarded with starting the next big action scene, but so far, he’s only doing the set up to the action, so far.

Taking a short break here, as I am now “up” for a haircut with my barber, Al.

Oops, so much for the “short break”. It is now after 12:30 in the morning as I am trying to wrap this up.  I have decided, (with some major…suggestions from my wife Betty and friend, Larry ) to do a graphic novel. To this end, I went to the comic book shop “Meltdown” to pick up some inspiration.

I purchased Ted Mathot’s “ROSE AND ISABEL”, a civil war graphic novel. Ted works at Pixar, and is the brother of artist John Mathot, who is the close friend of my close friend, Andrew Burrell, design artist on “FAMILY GUY”.  That was easy, right?  Benton brought both parts (I only bought part one) of the book and recommended it.  I dig the art.

Ted uses a “Cintiq” monitor to draw on (no paper, no scanning) as I do.  I hope to give a review, soon.

Time for bed.Mother’s Day today. Kiss my wife Betty, go to church with her and son Joshua, call my Mom, and get some writing done. Oh yea, take the kid to see “IRON MAN”.
Talk to you next week. May even discuss “storyboards”.