So much to type...so few fingers

So.

Filmed December 31st this weekend. So exhausted from it, physically, mentally, and psychologically that I had to wait to write about it to make sure I didn't do something that would burn bridges.

I want to finish strong with the description of this weekend, so I'll start with the general negatives.

(I just deleted ten minutes of rant 'cause it was way too negative.)

At the last minute, the other male lead canceled. I found out the last day he has a history of doing this. (Which begs the question, why cast him?) The replacement brought in, while trying very hard, had a lot of difficulty with getting his lines down. We ended up with a lot of close ups, there will be much careful editing.

I felt that with the time lost, we should have been even more ultra-efficient in the shoot. (Day one we were supposed to get seven scenes done. We got most of ONE.) Too much time spent wondering what to do next. I really almost lost my temper several times, but realized the only person it would serve was me, and I don't want to create the awkward set. I did get snippy at times, but I was told that it actually worked, 'cause people got their shit in gear after.

The positives. I think if I got one more compliment on the set I would almost start to believe the hype. With the exception of two kids who obviously wanted nothing to do with being on set, every single person gave me several compliments on what I was doing. I think even a chair I was sitting in told me I was doing a good job. I thanked the chair politely, then wondered if I was going to wake up. That's how surreal this shoot went.

The two of us who were the originals were given free reign to massage the script as we saw necessary, which was good. We were free to improv as much as we liked, and it was good. My character really didn't get too many *oomph* moments that actors looked for, so it's really nice when you can fill in your own spots and work in the moment like that.

The set photographer was a wonderful man who understood lighting and continuity more so than I think anyone else on set and he spent plenty of time fixing some errors that would have been too glaring. He also took tons of amazing pictures, that I hope to have soon.

Absolutely the best thing on this shoot was meeting my co-actor B. She is The Shit. (There is a long list of people on my list of The Shit, and you should all be proud of it. It's a very good list to be on, in my opinion. And since the list is all about my opinion, I deem it good.) She is a wonderful, intelligent, creative, funny, gorgeous, and awesome actor, person, and friend. If she had not been there I most likely would have lost my mind. She was very easy to work with and a lot of fun to shoot with. We became "brothers-in-arms" in taking care of each other. We kept each other laughing, which was totally necessary for those three days.

So on my way home Sunday I call my best friend (I actually have four best friends but can in no way fairly determine one's Best-Friendness over another, so I refer to them all as my best friend. If future posts get confusing, sorry.) and tell him that We Need Beers. So we meet at our local watering hole and proceed to drink from 7:30 until 1:00. It was a wonderful de-stresser but made for a pretty crappy day of work the next day.

Had a long chat with my friend Vince last night. He has some great plans and I'm really incredibly psyched to have been asked to be a part of it. I don't want to talk about it too much, because it excites me so much I'm afraid talking too much will make it dry up and go away.

Considering some classes, just for the fun of it. Anyone know of any good ones?

My work life next week will completely suck. No doubt. I don't even want to think about it. I basically won't see my house for five days. I like my house. At least once it's all over I won't have to worry about it for a long time.

And we have a new entry on the blog list. Magickat. Her blog is also The Shit. I have laughed my head off reading her blog. If ever I meet her I will buy her martinis. Or whatever she drinks.