Zombie strippers, a good attitude, and getting your movie made.

On Sunday afternoon I had the opportunity to go and work with a friend of mine, Christina Kortum of Ravenous Studios. She is up to her eye brows in work right now. When others are having tough times, her phone won’t stop ringing with work. She does special effects make up, prosthetics, and creature effects. Christina is the woman that did the latest photo shoot for The Last Stand’s promo with Daily Motion. She is currently working on the film Stripperland.

OK, I know what you are thinking. Stripperland sound like a cheezy flick. Well, in fact, it is being produced and directed by Cheezy Flicks own Sean Skelding. He directed I am Virgin, a nudy take off of I am Legend. Stripperland is his take on Zombieland, though I think Bill Murry is not in this version. Like I said, I know what you are thinking…WTF!?

It’s like this: Sean is making his movie his way. He wrote it, he is directing it, and more importantly, he got the money to make it happen. That is what all of us who write or direct movies want to do – MAKE OUR MOVIES. He is making his, and any one that says other wise is simply this; jealous. I don’t want to make a tween movie about pedophile vampires getting Mormonistic teenagers pregnant so that werewolves can lust after the infant. That isn’t my movie. I don’t want to make a movie about a dominatrix hooker that slays johns in her basement and has musical dance numbers interspersed through the narrative. I do want to make a zombie movie, and I want to make a couple of scifi movies. Those are probably movies that others wouldn’t want to make, write, or watch.

I have been trying to make sure that I continuously watch my mouth about other people productions. It is far too easy to criticize someones movie…or anything for that matter. Being a critic is easy, doing it right is hard. I socialize with the young, up and coming, wanna-be directors in Portland, and I am shocked at how they tear down others when they aren’t around. I have seen Twitter and Facebook posts pointed at Sean because he got a budget after I am Virgin. Well, guess what? He made a movie, his way.

I had a lot of fun on the set, too. I can’t say that I would shoot a movie the way he does, but it isn’t my movie, either. That is a perspective that I have to take with me every day, and so should others. At the end of the day, Sean is the only one that Sean has to answer to about how he is shooting his movie, and if he is loving it, then let him love it and be happy for him loving it his way.

That goes for people on his cast and crew. I remember reading some posts by some people because a now-local, former Hollywood personality is making an appearance in the film. If I said his named, you wouldn’t even know him or his work, only is brothers. So, he gets put in this movie, and suddenly the new Messiah is choosing favorites. What? Look, if he got an offer for a part, and he takes it, the part and the price were right. Offer him something in your film, and he either takes it or he doesn’t it. Don’t go complaining about what person chose what part or why. Don’t rank worthiness, either. To him, that is his favorite part that day, and if you can get him a better one you had better offer it. Don’t go and say that you or others are more worthy of their talents or efforts. You’re not. Only because you made the situation that way once you started down the road of publicly denouncing someones project.

You can go ahead and think what you want. I know I have my fan base that looks at The Last Stand and thinks “What the hell was he thinking?” Bad choice, bad move, bad camera, bad director. Well, maybe, but at the time I either thought it would work, thought it looked good, or just wanted the damn thing to be done so I could move on. I know that in my head I have been jealous and callous and mean about other peoples projects. The key is to not let it seep into your daily conversations and become poison. Do what you have to do. Do it your way, and let others do it their way. When it is your set, you let the colors of your directing pallet fly. When it’s someone else’s pallet, you let them fly and marvel at them even being bold enough to do so.

I had a blast on the Stripperland set, and I have a new mark to go on my IMDb listing. That of Make Up Effects Assistant. I got to see a friend of mine, Jamison Challeen, who is one of the leads in the film. I spent most of my day doing things like mixing slime and blood, creating body parts to have chainsaws cut up and spew blood, slopped effect goo on things. It was awesome. Everyone was laughing, there were no raised voices. It was really great. Compared to other sets I have been of for other directors, this was one of the most fun.

The troubles with getting things done

It is getting harder and harder to get film work done. At least, that is the way it seems. Here in Portland, Oregon, there seems to be a lack of people ready to step out on a limb when it comes to producers or investors. No one is ready to take a chance it seems, but want, instead, an easy way to get rich or famous. It seems that way with some film making as well. There seem to be lots of ideas floating around, and lots of people making them, but not much getting done.

It has been a very frustrating time. I am new, in geologic time, to film making, and I plunged in with both feet. I knew the risks and gladly took them, but I often wonder why so many people stand on the fringe of the same world, claiming the titles for themselves, but not doing anything to actually secure that nomenclature as a part of their being. Title dictated behavior, I was heard. So if you say it, does that really make it so?

I sometime hesitate at the door, not really calling myself a film maker, or a director. I say “that’s what I want to be” when really, that is what I am doing. I am better at it than some, not as good at it than others, but I am doing it nonetheless. The only way I will learn and get better is to do it. So I am doing it. I believe I am now feeling like a professional.

Maybe my expectations are too high at times. Maybe I need to just ease up when the expectations aren’t met. I am not sure. I feel that if I lower my expectations, that will allow for lower quality work. I want to raise my bar, and I am looking for people who are wanting to do that same.

Hmmm, contemplation time. I will stew on this and return.

30 Hour Day: The long road for charity

30 hour day, part 2 is upon us. Local businesses, charities organizations, and trans-media people have converged on Pioneer Square in Portland Oregon to help raise money and entertain the masses. You can find out more and watch the live feed from the embed below.

The Last Stand cast and crew were on hand at 11 pm for interviews and a showing of the entire first season. For anyone who wishes to buy a shirt during the live showing of 30 Hour Day, all proceeds go to The American Red Cross.

Donate to 30 Hour Day