Geoffrey Gould
Reports from the set/s...

Torn
Alexis Quinones's USC Student Film

Friday, July 08, 2005
Audition; new role
I had auditioned a few day's previously for Alexis Quinones's USC Student Film Timing for the role of the husband. At the audition she had indicated not only that it would screen Friday July 29th (!), but that she was having a Script Doctor take a look at her script.
Alexis emailed me thanks but through the audition process she found a couple who had more Chemistry together than that between myself and the woman with whom I'd auditioned. This was understandable, and I replied with my thanks and my good luck wishes.
To my slight surprise, Alexis emailed me back again, indicating apart from the project's title now being Separation, that a new character had been added, and she offered me the role. She hadn't sent me the script yet, so I don't know what will be my four lines, but I do know I'd be trying to Pick Up someone, most likely the wife (if it's the daughter, then the scene could be really creepy...).

Saturday, July 02, 2005
Kaput shoot
Between Alexis's thank-you email and her offering me the new role, I'd had a Saturday audition set up for down at USC at 1:45pm with Chris Falk and Robert Raymond for their at-the-time-seemingly USC project Wide Awake. Thankfully I knew I'd be able to make my 6pm Santa Monica calltime easily, even doing the audition.
A block from the Zemeckis building, I got paged by Jason Connell of the Strictly Background documentary.
He had initially been hoping I might be available to stop by Jeff Olan Casting for an open casting call, but obviously for which I was not available. Jason was impressed with my schedule for the day: the afternoon audition followed by the evening shoot. Thankfully we had been able to shoot footage of me renewing at Background Players a few days earlier.
What with the then-recent London bombings in their Underground at King's Cross, it wasn't surprising there was some joker pulling a bomb scare on the Red Line. I got to the Westlake station only to learn trains to Hollywood were substantially delayed, so I hopped the Wilshire bus to Fairfax from which I would get all but right to my door.
At 4pm I headed down to Sunset Boulevard and caught the bus to the transfer point just below UCLA for the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. Just as I hopped off, and literally momemnts before the #3 route would take me to a block from the filming location, I got paged. Alexis and her crew had had substantial equipment issues and it was clear they would not be able to continue tonight.
My scene had to be rescheduled to Monday night, and she hoped I was available. I called her back and left a message confirming I got her page, and that currently I was still available. Once back home I emailed her so as to re-confirm, and I clarifyingly asked if it was at the same location and for the new calltime for Monday. Good thing it wasn't for the next day/Sunday, as I was not avaiable at all Sunday.

Monday, July 11, 2005
Shoot
An early morning email from Alexis had no script attached: just a nice "See you tonight!" reminder of sorts. I had to go on the presumption that these Four Lines o'mine were going to be straightforward and easy to get First Time...
Checking my email again just before heading out, Alexis had appended with an apology for not getting to me the script sooner, and that for some reason attachments aren't working on her email.
She added that I would have time to look over the lines when I arrive.
I arrived around 5:45pm. The home was that of her DP (and sister) Chrystal.
I was introduced to our young lady star playing Andrea (the daughter), and the fellow who would be playing her boyfriend Conner, and I was given the page with my lines (in the kitchen were a few fruits and no [noticeable] drinks).
At one point Alexis referred to the role as "Old Man" ("'Mature Man'," I half-jokingly stressed).
Though while the script simply says MAN for the character, I kind of wished my role's credit was a bit more... reflective of the character, such as Beach-front Man or Soliciting Man or even Lecherous Man.
With my riding shotgun, Alexis and Crystal and I drove down to the beach; a parking lot at the Santa Monica Pier. I learned the two were sisters when Crystal pointed it out, considering for a few moments the two were um... discussing Alexis's driving/navigational skills (in a standard, siblingesque fashion). When they agreed it was "a bit cold," I automatically asked, and it was confirmed, they are 100% California girls, born and raised here. To my northern New Jersey upbringing, it was just short of balmy, about maybe 75 degrees or more. To Californians that makes it Break Out The Winter Gear time.
Not much worry about lighting or harsh shadows (this project is a Hi-Def video shoot): unlike sunny Hollywood today, out in Santa Monica it was a dank grey, overcast, which lit everything uniformly.
Alexis went over the blocking with me and my co-star. Once we had that and our easy lines down, Alexis and Crystal began to set up the camera.
While waiting at one point, I asked the lovely actress if anyone else could see in her the resemblence to Michelle Trachtenberg. It took her a sec to place the name with the face, then remembering who it was I meant (as I mentioned a few of Michelle's credits), she did say that one other person has noticed and pointed it out to her.
We did a few takes from each angle and some pick-up shots and coverage. As I predicted, it should look rather creepy... particularly as Alexis had one extreme close-up of my face moving in very uncomfortably close to Andrea (uncomfortable for her character and most likely... the audience [which would be the point]...).
When we were done with my bit I did a time check. From my arrival at the house, getting to the location, rehearsing and setting up and shooting... was all complete within about 55 minutes.
Now technically (apart from credit and a DVD copy of the finished project), I was owed a meal (considering my brief amount of time there, I was not surprised that no meal was provided me), but I was far more pleased to have been to be part of the project still than to be stickler about something as that (though I will have to email and suggest to Alexis that my character role credit be Soliciting or Lecherous Man [if anything, so as to prevent it coming up as the rather inaccurate "Old Man"]...).

Thursday, July 21, 2005
Favours
I emailed Alexis regarding what I thought was to be a that-night screening of (then still) Separation, but I never heard back. As it was, I did a favour for Jason Connell and helped out on the Ultra Low Budget Film eventually titled Tripping Forward. With no word from Alexis, I had no idea as to the status of a (then titled) Separation screening. If the screening was held, I missed it due to lack of communication.

Friday, September 30, 2005
Updates and Title Change
Alexis sent out a courtesy notice to her cast:

From: alexis quinones
Date: September 30, 2005 12:07:49pm
Subject: "Timing" copies

Hello to the cast of Timing.
Just a short notice to keep you all up to date as to the status of "Timing."
First of all, the title has been changed to "Torn." If any of you have objections to the title change please email me and let me know. Additionally, I know some of you are wondering when you will recieve your copy of the film. Unfortunately the film is still in the works. I am colaborating with a great editor who is helping me clean up to the film which will give it a more professional look. The completion date is projected to be the end of October. I apologize for the inconvenience, but as you all know, these things take time. I appreciate your patience.
Please email me your addresses so that I can send a DVD version of the completed project to you.
I thank you all for your great work and hope you are pleased with the final project.
Thanks again,
Alexis Quinones
Director

Thursday July 17, 2008
Official Site and other updates
This site, actually. With so many on-set reports, I have been working at adding recent and current project reports, slowly reformatting project reports from my geocities pages, so their content is uniform here.

A full three years later, despite occasional polite inquiring emails to USC director Alexis Quinones, to date no DVD copy has been forthcoming, and no replies to my emails regarding same.