Geoffrey Gould
Reports from the set/s...

Malika Ali's indie short film

Black Girls Heart Charlie

Friday April 03, 2009
Audition
AFI alumni (as well as AFI student film makers), have access to photos and resumes and contact information on SAG members (who have enrolled in the SAG Conservatory), as prospects for their film projects. Earlier in the week, I got a voice mail message from Malika Ali with information on a Friday audition... however the message was just long enough that it cut off just as she went to give the room number, and also lost was the time. I had the date and knew most likely I could locate the room in the AFI library building, but needing the time was a bit more crucial. After a few days of phone tag, Malika and I finally caught each other on the phone (right after project producer Jessica Pentland left a message with the pertinent information), and everything got firmed up.
I left my day-job a bit early and got to the audition about 20 minutes prior to my calltime. I signed in and Malika came out and brought me in (ironically, as I first entered the building [before I went to the bathroom to freshen up], Malika and I actually passed each other at the building doorway).
I had been sent the slightly surreal script, the story of which has a group of college age girls being deeply hot for screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, at one point stalking him, although when confronted, it turns out they'd been following the wrong man, the latter role for which I was auditioning.
I ran the brief confrontation scene twice, the second time in a silly voice (I actually had to do that twice, as Malika was laughing so hard).
I was told the shoot would be the last weekend of April; I was asked if I minded wearing a "I wrestle women" t-shirt, as though I would have an issue with same. I don't know why I forgot I could have pointed out I'd once spent numerous days wearing speedos under a bubble-wrap jumpsuit for a shoot, but there y'go.

Saturday April 04, 2009
Cast
I'd begun a week of cat and house-sitting for friends in Pasadena as I'd done before. I got a call from Malika offering me the supporting role for which I had auditioned (indicating they'd loved my Energy). I was informed the shoot dates as Saturday and Sunday April 25 and 26, with some possible shooting Friday the 24th as well. Having read the script I was aware beyond the scene with which I'd auditioned, there was the "Stalking Montage" also. Malika figured that the montage shots could be all done on the Saturday.
This makes my first official principal role in an AFI film for which I auditioned. Previously I had worked background for the Gavin Heffernan AFI project Trails, thanks to which Gavin offered me a principal supporting role in his following project Santa Croce ("but" as Gavin already knew me, I'd not had to audition for that). Normally I do not do unpaid background work for student films, but I'd not done an AFI film, and that project involved a scene in a fake airport, which I'd found compelling (I now find it highly amusing when I spot the same standing airport terminal set being used on such shows as My Name is Earl).
For the Black Girls Heart Charlie shoot dates, I prepared my weekly calling service availability notice to reflect my unavailability for those three days, though it won't be until the following Friday in which such a time window had to be conveyed.

Wednesday April 15, 2009
Swapping Days
A day or two after hearing from producer Jessica that I'd be needed on Friday the 24th, I received an email from director Malika declaring all of my stuff would be on Sunday the 26th (e.g.: Kaufman's Home, Connie's Van, Hollywood Hills, LA Montage, Freeway, Connie's Driveway).

Sunday April 26, 2009
Shoot
With a 9:30am calltime, I caught the 210 south and thanks to the bus not announcing the Vernon stop, I overshot and hastily got off at Slauson. Thankfully the next bus back north was moments away, and the bus driver was one of the 1% of exemplary MTA drivers, and he dropped me off at Vernon (it turns out that normally northbound really doesn't stop there). Jessica came down to pick me up though I probably could have made it by 9:30, but apparently things were delayed a bit.
Essentially I spent the day waiting to be used. We were using Malika's own house and she has a super cute young dog name Monkey, with whom I occasionally played during the day.
A super cute and very smart PA named Sarah and I discussed topics to which most people haven't yet awakened, et al. When lunch was retreived, Sarah was nice enough to obtain for me McDonalds so I was able to eat as well.
I was brought to camera after 6pm, and while we were inexorably losing the light, we were able to shoot my scene with leading ladies Conisha Wade as Connie, Femi Emiola as Pepé, Numa Perrier as Nola, and Hazelle Gobert as Kiki. (Also in the cast are Brian Liscek as Larry and Hazelle Gobert as Jerome.)
After a bit we filmed my turning off the lights in the house's second floor, and we pictured wrapped for the day around 8:40pm. I later learned there are still some pick-up shots and scenes to do, but I knew I was picture wrapped for the shoot. Malika conveyed that they are striving to have it entered into the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, which would be awesome.
Conisha drove me home, which I really appreciated. Before we all took off, I passed out promo flyers for the United Film Festival, what with its local Hollywood screening of Strictly Background early Tuesday evening May 5th.

Tuesday April 28, 2009
Update/s and Correction/s
Malika contacted me regarding the fact that the project is actually an independent short, not an AFI student film as I had initially surmised, my not previously having been told otherwise (she is an AFI alumni). This is similar to when I worked on The Champ and only discovered once I was on set that it was LAFS alumni working it, no longer LAFS students (my being contacted and offered the project after my having worked with them when they were LAFS students).
Armed with the new information I quickly shifted this page's link/s to reflect the update/s; Malika also helpfully provided the cast list which I was able to add above.
Malika and Jessica each conveyed thanks for my work on the project.

Sunday August 02, 2009
Closed screening
Malika set up an event on her Facebook profile, regarding a screening. I wondered if I had been overlooked, but on sending an invite request, I was told it was for Notes, and that a screening for the cast and crew would be at a later date.
A day or two later to the rest of the cast and crew she sent out a blanket notice to that effect, as I must not have been the only person inquiring about the announced screening...

Wednesday August 12, 2009
Credit where credit is due
Malika emailed out a listing of what she had for opening and ending credits, requesting notification if any clarifying changes were to be made (my only suggestion was adding SAG and/or AFI to the Thanks To list).

Opening credits: a G.I.G. Pictures Production in association with Full Moon & High Tide Studios "Black Girls Heart Charlie" Conisha Wade Brian Liscek Femi Emiola Numa Perrier Hazelle Gobčrt Rob Antus Jimmy Walker Jr. Geoffrey Gould Original Music By Rik Panero Kevin Lett Production Designer Amy Ralph Director of Photography Brian Ali Harding Associate Producer Conisha Wade Produced By Jessica Pentland Executive Producers Brian Ali Harding Malika Ali Written & Directed By Malika Ali

Closing credits: [I'm just listing cast only here] Connie Conisha Wade Larry Brian Liscek Pepe Femi Emiola Nola Numa Perrier Kiki Hazelle Gobčrt Jerome Rob Antus Luther Jimmy Walker Jr. Andy Geoffrey Gould Jack Pickle Jonathan Owens Texas Joi Wharton Kissing Couple Amanda Thevenot & Armond Beal Ethiopian Triplet Estifanos Samuels Thomas the Big Baller Hykef Herndon Golden Shower Christina Paszitsky Benjamin Bike Pharoah Barrett ? Sally Rider Amy Ralph Alabama Pie Malika Ali Hickory Stick John Van Den Heuvel Drummer Ras Z

September 07, 2009
Update
Via Facebook (so apparently it is a good thing I'm on it), Malika sent along an update on the project:

Friday September 25, 2009
IMDB entry
I got the following message [I can only presume by 85 percenters she refers to the amount of name entries submitted and/or accepted to the IMDB entry]:

Malika Ali sent a message to the members of Black Girls Heart Charlie.
--------------------
Subject: 85 Percenters
Hi Group!
We're almost there. Some corrections and additions are still in process, but many of your names are there. It's official.
Black Girls Heart Charlie

Tuesday September 29, 2009
Upcoming screening notice
Via email and even a message via Facebook, the cast and crew received the following message:

From: Malika Ali
Subject: Save the Date!
Date: Sep 29, 2009 10:35am
Dear Cast, Crew & Supporters,
Black Girls Heart Charlie will host a cocktail screening for cast and crew on Monday evening, October 26th. Details to Follow.
To receive your personal invite by mail, please make sure that I have your most recent postal address.
All the Best,
Malika Ali

Monday October 26, 2009
Screening
We were provided with the details that the screening would be on Melrose near Formosa, one light west of La Brea, so I knew that my getting there would not be a problem. I got there characteristically early, and found the venue to be the Bungalow Club restaurant's lounge, and that Monday nights they hold varied screenings. Prior to ours they showed a short called The Man. Our short was shown at 8:30.
It was as good as I expected; I was a bit surprised it didn't get a bit bumped up to 24fps to resemble film, but the DVD projector may have exagerated its video-look. The message about opening and ending credits notwithstanding, I got closing credit, not opening credit: no biggie. Malika provided each of us our respective DVD copies in little red swag-bags. It was reported that the short has been submited to about seven film festivals.
It was great to see the lovely ladies again; Femi was so astonished I was busing to and from the event that she and her boyfriend instantly offered me a ride home which, as always, I gratefully accepted.

Thursday March 18, 2010
Interview interest
With an interesting request, via Facebook Malika emailed people in her cast (and possibly crew):

I want to begin to add weekly cast and crew profiles to the BLACK GIRLS HEART CHARLIE Fan Page. Please let me know if you're interested in being featured on our page. I would interview you via telephone and ask a few basic questions like:

what attracted you to the project?

what was your involvement?

how was the experience of bringing the film into fruition?

what are you doing now?

Friday May 14, 2010
A review of sorts
Received an interesting email about the short:

From: Malika Ali
Subject: BGHC - Fellow Filmmaker Review
Date: May 14, 2010 10:30am
Here is a pretty pleasant review from a filmmaker in Paris. Apparently, he was impressed by both the film idea and the actress he met who told him about the project. He also has some great things to say about Sir Geoffrey. Enjoy!

Hey! I got your dvd forwarded to me a few days ago and just had a chance to watch it last night. Great story! There were lots of laughs and some very fun scenes. I particularly liked the feeling I had when I realized that what had started as a story of one obsession was becoming a story about the nature of obsession in general. And I love the fact that Connie (who seems to be the queen of unrequited obsession herself) is also the object of Larry's endless and futile efforts to win her attention. I did have two minor criticisms to offer. I thought the photo montage was a little bit long. After the first few snaps, I wasn't sure how the rest of them were moving the story forward. And I didn't think it was necessary to repeat so much text from Larry's opening monologue when we cut back to it later in the film. I think the film is short enough that we can all remember what he had said about her being a cultural anthropologist. Aside from those two little things, I was having a good time following the story and wondering how the separated lovers would wind up in the end.
I loved the Andy Kaufman scene, by the way! What a great scene-stealing performance. (I'm sorry to have forgotten the actor's name, but what a fun turn he did!)
You also had some very creative work-arounds for some of your budget constraints (to include the photo-montage which worked quite well even if I might have shortened it). Being a filmmaker myself, I know what it's like working with limited funds and what kinds of decisions have to be made. Some of the scenes were a bit dark, but I know that lighting can be quite expensive. On the flipside, I was very impressed with the sound work. On the whole, I'd say you have a good calling card on your hands. I think most people who see this film will imagine that you would know what to do with a bigger budget and they will want to help you with your next project. Thanks so much for sending me the disc! I'll pass it around to my friends here in Paris and direct them to your facebook page if they want to discuss it with you as well.
I look forward to your next one!
best,
Jason Stoneking

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