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Sunday, March 27, 2011
Boss man again
Several days earlier, I was contacted by my friend
Tad Atkinson
(with whom I'd worked on
Man-Away
and
Daddy's Girl
a few years earlier).
He had fallen in with
Nick Ryan Webber
of
Rabble-House Productions,
who was looking for a few people for a video he wanted to go viral.
With Tad's recommendation, I accepted the role of a boss running a boring meeting, during which one of his more inattentive workers
(Robert Janek),
rather enthusiastically celebrates his completing one of the crossword puzzles in
Easy Diamond Crosswords #2,
one of four such books craftily created by
Myles Mellor.
I'd been emailed by Nick the script to the short, as well for its companion short, then titled
20 Minutes.
Both done essentially as viral "commercials" for the author
(and/or
publisher),
the calltime was from 9:30am, and the shoot was estimated to be wrapped by 4pm.
I arrived at Glendale Community College about a half hour early, and to Nick's amazement, all of his talent arrived by their calltime, so we were able to get to work right away.
Filmed MOS
(e.g., no audio),
all I had to do was run a Dull Boring Meeting.
Being without audio as it were, I was able to say Anything I Wanted
(always a dangerous business).
With each of the takes I said something Very Different, only catching myself once, but otherwise invariably cracking up the crew and giving the rest of the on-camera talent a rough time keeping a straight face.
What with Tad being one of those at the meeting table, a few of my comments I directed to him, including but not limited to notifying him that
Paul McGann
was the main guest for
GallifreyOne
the following year.
Nick posited two versions: the Actual Version and what could more be classified as a gag reel, even suggesting that I come in to ADR what I'd been saying.
Lunch was provided: a McD lunch
(after a fashion)
was acquired for me as the rest ate pizza, but the nearby McDonalds screwed up the order so all I could eat were the fries.
We actually wrapped around 3pm, and Nick wanted an additional shot for the other project, then-titled
20 Minutes
that'd been shot the previous day.
A shot of Very Shock-Saddened People at a bar was needed.
Tad had offered me a ride home; he'd been established in
20 Minutes
so he couldn't really be used, but he came along to the
Red Lion Tavern where we got the shot guerrilla style.
Being a different short, as it were, I did this one without my glasses.
Nick, Tad, and Robert and I chatted about movies, Role Playing Games, et al, and found we had even more in common that we'd initially thought.
Nick's next project is
(another!)
independent feature in which I hope to be cast.
Nick also stressed that at my disposal now were new headshot/s and demo reel they could compile and edit for me.
With an audition the following day, a screening Wednesday and the Thursday night
Strictly Background
West Hollywood
free screening with cast Q&A,
Nick and I set up Tuesday for my coming in to ADR my surreal lines, and Tad scooted me back towards home as it was too late for the buses to near where I've been staying.
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