Met up with Ariff (Aris, my drummer back in Khaimano days) to talk about the movie I'm making to see whether he'd be up for handling the camera. Looks like the guy is on for the shoot and I lent him 24 Hour Party People for visual reference and Swingers to show him (a) another low-budget movie where story is key and (b) to make him laugh. The guy hasn't exactly been lucky in the ladies department of late and Swingers is the ultimate guys movie about dating and getting over a chick. If that movie doesn't rock his catskills, I don't know what will.
I'll admit I was a bit worried when talking to him for the simple fact that to me, story and structure is key. I tell stories, that's what I do. From screenplays to lyrics to these banal blog entries, it's all about story (90% of the time).
Ariff, on the other hand, is incredibly visual. He thinks in terms of aesthetics and composition and beauty, which strangely worried me at first because automatically my mind started panicking about 2 hour set-ups for a 2 minute scene. BUT here's the thing: the fact that he isincredibly visual means that I may actually make a movie that has some sort of aesthetic value. The guy does some stunning photography (check out his DeviantArt Gallery by clicking here).
Secondly, I want to work with him because back in Khaimano days I made the terrible mistake of trusting Jam the bassist (who pretty much got the ball rolling in the break-up of the band) as opposed to trusting Ariff, the more trustworthy of the two (this mistake in trust has wracked me with guilt for quite some time). It's time I made the right decision for once and the man is more than capable. Even though I always thought of this movie as very gritty and almost documentary style, in Ariff's hands it may actually turn into something beautiful, and there ain't nothing wrong with that.
In other news, Peter Brown has gotten back to me. He's read a 1/3rd of the script so far and likes it. Only thing is he's gonna find it tough shooting during fasting month so his scene will have to be scheduled for November.
Diana, my production manager and girlfriend, passed me the 'Master Table' for the production yesterday. The Master Table contains everything you need to know about each scene in a mere five pages and she's done wonders with it. I neve knew about this 'auto-filter' business in Excel! Genius! Everything's been set out to make our planning and scheduling a whole lot easier thanks to her.
On my side, the one thing I'm trying to figure out is sound. I was watching my past short films last night and noticed that whilst the visuals are alright the sound is nigh-on horrendous. I'm definitely going to need a boom mic of some kind. My options are to (a) borrow Jordan's stereo mic, although I don't know whether he still has it, or (b) buy one. I'd rather not buy one if someone has one. The cheapest those fuckers go is RM$400. I don't have RM$400.
I also have to finalize the cast, which will mostly be made up of friends, but one character in particular I'm finding it hard to cast simply because the character's very straight, meaning not quirky at all (except for the fact that he shoots random footage, post-rationalizes a meaning and flogs it off as 'experimental visual art'). I have a few ideas who I could cast but nothing's solid yet. If anyone out there would like to make friends with a mad wannabe filmmaker and audition for this exercise in madness, do let me know.
Lastly, I need to find out how things are across the pond. Man Methodwill be handling the shoot in London. Need to find out whether his filmmaker friend is in like Flynn and whether he's got a cast rounded off.
Principal photography of the movie starts on October 1st, regarldess of how ready I am. When there's too much time I put things off till the last minute. It is now the last minute and all engines are on full steam ahead.
Even though I'm tired as fuck, I can't sleep and I'm this fucking close to killing the bastards who invented my so-called 'deodorant'. Arses in Heaven.
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