Friday evening was the U’s Film Studies Spring Show, “Persistent Vision’s”. I went with Sue, Anna, & Sean. It started about 8 and finished up about 11:30. There were 16 short films and some were great, some not as great. Some were just too long. But I really enjoyed my time there.

I am pretty sure Anna’s favorite was “Backstroke”, followed closely by “Frames Of Reference”. I don’t want to play favorites, but I really enjoyed the finished product of all the films I was involved with. The work done by the students was amazing. With both their peer’s and teacher’s feedback and coaching, it all paid off in a very professional and high quality body of work. Congratulations!

Just a few quick comments and follow-ups on the films I was involved with in no particular order:

The Prayer – Josh Negley – Fabulous work! I loved how Josh added the evils of war news clips and still the photography, I felt that it really drove the point home and brought back memories for me of a reality and message that I think we should never allow ourselves to forget, thank you.

Backstroke – Amy Bronson – What can I say? This film is very well done and is starting on the film festival circuit, starting in New York at the “NewFest 2007” festival this summer. Congratulations to you! The completed product with amazing sound quality too should bring Amy some well deserved recognition.

Blue Moon – Paul Johnson – Again, what great work! I am impressed with the quality of the production, sound, lighting, and the story Paul is telling. Paul may be headed to the short film festival circuit with this one as well. Paul has an eye for detail and a gift for bringing a story to life. Well done!

Frames Of Reference – Josh Samson – Cinematography is some of the best that I think I have ever seen. In a word: Spectacular! Josh Negley worked with Josh Samson on this and was the cinematographer for my scenes. I think he did it for the entire film, but I am not sure. Let me explain how I see it: a lot of times you see scenery, a lake, the woods, trees, a snow fall, a sunset… nice sure, but you are watching it from afar, almost as a witness, and not as being there, not really being a part of the surrounding’s, live and in person. Well here I did feel that I was there, walking amongst the trees and up the stream feeling the snow fall… that’s how I felt as I watched, a part of it all, live. David Christenson’s performance was marvelous he brought the story to life, made it emotionally engaging and effective. I was touched. I will toot my own horn on this one too I thought my voice sounded incredible in the “off screen” voice over pieces. We did them on site in the outdoors with the wind and cold, and these guys captured it well. I don’t know if Mr. Samson knows just how gifted he really is. I’m glad I got to be a part of his team.

Here is a quote to me in an email from Dan Christensen a fellow actor who was also in a film that evening, and was in attendance for the show: “For the most part, I was impressed with the quality of the production work during the evening. We have some sophisticated students working.” I must agree! Dan and I have worked together before and I hope to work with him again. His piece that night was dark, disturbing and scary. Cool! Good job Dan.

One last note, I am blessed to be able to work with these folks and hone my craft as they grow and develop their skills. I have made working relationships and friendships along the way. I enjoy the projects and look forward to many more. Thank you for allowing me to play along.

Once I get a copy of these films, and I learn how, I will post them on here, or at least post a link to them.

See Ya,

Bill

The way movies ought to be shown - A&E

The way movies ought to be shown - A&E

Busy times!!! Good though. I thought I’d share my weekend with you.

The “Zombie” shoot this past Friday, call time for me ended up being 4:30 pm. I really didn’t think it would take too long as my stuff was just two scenes. Well I was wrong. I got to the wardrobe area on time, and to the set about 5:30. When we got there, they were setting up the lights, track, camera + + +, as they do. Then they took everyone around the corner to another location to shot a different scene. They finally got to my scene around 8:30 pm. Once we were done with my first scene, they took me to “Makeup” and made me a “Zombie”, working as quickly as Shawn, the makeup artist, could I got back on the set, beautifully disgusting at 11:30. They set up the shot, did a few dry runs and finished up with me, after having my brains bashed out, around 2:30 am. I got home about 3 am, I still had to finish removing the prosthetics and the makeup, I took a shower and climbed into bed at 4:04 am.

The alarm went off at 6:30 for me to get ready to shoot with my 48 Hour team. We did a complete run through just as though it were the actual competition. They picked the genre, prop, line of dialogue and character, just like we are going to do this next weekend. Our goal is to see what works and what we need to work on, where we need to tweak and make flow more smoothly. Plus we got to actually work together and got to see how we really interact in a real pressure situation.

“Si-Fi” was pulled and they made me the main character who is a scientist who clones, and I have cloned myself at least three times. So, I had three roles to play, and quite a bit of dialogue to learn rather quickly. With my 2½ sleep I was slower than I should have been. I am accountable, it was me that slowed things down a bit. The other 4 actors were great and supportive. They helped me run and learn my lines. It was a lot of fun. I even got to take a few hours off to attend 2 different auditions.

At the first audition, I walked in and saw Niki Nielson doing her audition. She and I have been in a few of the same short films up at the U. Niki did a great job. There were a lot of other folks at this audition that I know too. The writer / director is Will Cohen, who I am in 801 with, was holding the auditions. Sue and I saw him up at “Sundance” this year too. This audition was one where everyone watches everyone else audition. It’s a bit weird watching your competition audition. There is lots of pressure, but if you rock, you rock, and if you suck, you suck, plus now everyone knows it. Usually auditions are done for a casting director, a reader, someone to read aloud with you, and maybe the writer and or director, and most of the time the auditions are filmed. I think that this type of audition is a great learning experience for me. Makes me stretch and grow.

I don’t know yet how I did in their eyes, but having just come from filming, and shooting the night before, and having my acting class the night before that, and filming Wednesday night on another project, I think I carried a bit more confidence than usual. So I think I did pretty good but we’ll see.

The second audition was right down the street. I was warned about it by some of the folks at the first audition. They said that they had gone and weren’t sure if it was even a real audition. They were thinking that the folks were holding it were actually doing a “mocumentary” about what people will do to get a part in a movie or TV show, “American Idol” style. I went mainly to see what it was all about. There was a line and I saw several people I know who were also suspicious after having been there for a long time and seeing other people leave. The folks holding the auditions were doing “exit interviews” with the people who had auditioned, about their experience of the audition. It was a really weird situation. I visited with a few of my friends there and I left without auditioning.

Then I met up with my 48 Hour team to finish shooting our project. We got done around 7 pm. Now they get to edit and make us look good, or not. That is why we did this, to see what works and what didn’t. Next weekend is the big event!

Sunday, Anna and I went to film another project. This time it was with David Christensen, whom I have worked with on several projects and Ashley from my acting class. She is great! This time I play a typical dad. Anna even got to be involved, she played the non speaking, disinterested daughter. I think that we may have been type cast this time.

PROJECTS I am currently cast in, or I’m working on include:

April 20^th - U of U’s Spring Show “Persistent Visions” / Several Films

April 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd 48 Hour Project / Screening the 24^th @ 9:30 pm

April 28^th TV Pilot “Perfect” cast as “Captain Jason Carter”

May 5^th Zombie Re-Shoot cast as the Security Guard #3

Feature Film “Overcome” cast as “Dr. Pepper” Not sure on the date yet.

So yes it is a busy time, but lots of fun too! What do they say, “Do what you love, and the money will follow”. I’m just not sure when yet.

See Ya,

Bill

P.S. Everyone is invited to the U of U event @ 8:00 pm Friday night. Please see the flyer below. You’re also invited to the screening on the 24^th at the Broadway theater downtown @ 9:30 pm. Hope to see you there!

Film Studies Spring Show

"Persistent Visions 2007"

The University of Utah’s Division of Film Studies presents “Persistent Visions 2007”, an evening of short films and videos on Friday, April 20 at 8:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium. Admission for this event is $5 to the public and $4 for students at the door. Free parking is also available at the Art Building parking lot located next to the Auditorium.

This show is a collection of student written and produced dramatic films, that include a variety of thought provoking fictional stories ­ war, religion, gay life styles, dating comedies, child sport fantasies, and an assortment of other narrative struggles. Included is a collection of recently produced short 16mm films also on a variety of topics.

Lots of auditions this week! Two different teams for the 48Hour project have offered me a place on their team. I need to make a choice, quickly. I kind of feel like I’m two timing or something, however I did tell the second team I auditioned for, that I was looking at their team and another.

I was also called by a friend to join another team. Then I got an email from someone who I don’t know looking for me to be a part of their team. After I responded to them I got an IM from someone else I don’t know, on my “MySpace” page, looking for me to send him my headshot and resume, as he is putting a team together too. He is coming in from LA to play in this competition.

The first team is a lot of fun and held an improve night on Tuesday to see how we all work together. Improve stuff is either scary or tons of fun if you have the right group of folks to play with. These guys and girls were indeed fun and a bit wacky too. The team organizers and writer and crew were there to see our personalities because they will need to write a script very quickly Friday night with all of us in mind.

The second team I had auditioned for was great. They were very excited to be doing this and were very professional. These ladies know what they want and are going to get it. I was very impressed with all of them. They were very well spoken and clear on their goals. I am really torn here. I was asked first by the other team. Even though this is Utah, I’m told I can’t have both. I really want to work with these ladies, and only hope that if I don’t choose them, that they won’t hold it against me for too long. This is a small market and I am sure I will run into them again, and I only want good things for all of us.

All these folks have had to put together their own teams, the Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, Cast, Musician / Composer… They have had to scout locations all around SLC, plus get written and signed permission to shoot at those locations. All films will have to include a recognizable landmark and each team will be given a prop, a character and line of dialogue to be included in every film. There is a lot of work in getting this going, and a lot of the teams are working their butts off getting things in place to make this happen.

There were 17 teams in the contest then sometime Monday they opened slots for an additional 12 teams. So people are scrambling to get their teams together.

This is going to be awesome! 29 teams of anywhere from 3 or 4 on a team to teams of 20 or more, all running around SLC trying to get a film made within the same 48Hours! CRAZY!!! But I personally think it sounds like one hell of a lot of fun! This all starts on Friday night the 20^th of April @ 6:00 pm. All the teams will meet at the Salt Lake City Library’s downtown amphitheater. They will pick the genre and get some instructions, then, they are off. It all ends Sunday night by delivering the completed and edited films to a specified location. The winners will be picked and shown at a downtown movie theater the following week. Pretty exciting stuff!

The auditions this week included one for a feature film and one for a new TV series pilot. One was for V/O and radio commercials. One was for a talk show host. One was even for a print modeling job.

“The Rising”, a TV pilot shoot that had I had been set to film my part for on Friday the 6^th was changed to Friday the 13^th because of a location conflict. I am also part of a live show later on that night @ 666 S. State Street. Should I be scared?

Last Sunday we completed my part of the shooting on Josh’s film noir. Here is a photo of the cool car I’m in while Josh and I run lines for the scene.

“Topher”, a student at the U, asked me to be in his film. We rehearse Monday night.

Dave Christensen has a twisted little film that he has cast me in as the Dad. Shooting should only be a few hours for me.

Amy Bronson is still looking for a location to film her short, but I can’t wait to film this one.

Film Fest on the 20^th Up at the U of U @ 7:30 pm