I'm loading up my first ipod, the 30GB video in black. It's been a kick. Cruising around NYC, kickin' out the jams. What surprises me is how much of my wife's music I enjoy, how much we really have in common, and how I still blast the same songs I would have twenty years ago.
I just loaded up a disc from Billie Holliday. I'm not ashamed to say that, sixteen years ago, I had no idea who she was. I was working in a bar down south, in a college town that held on to it's smart bartenders. With two degrees, I was the least educated by far. On our days off, we were so close, that'd we spend time at one anothers places frequently. One saturday afternoon, early spring, wind blowing through the house like the air off a whisper, we sat and listened. Just sat and listened. We had had our asses handed to us the night before- for some reason thursday and friday were our biggest nights. It was great. James took over djing but no one seemed to care, he was doing wonderfully and no one was going to stop him, nor did anyone think to want to.
And, then, he played Billie Holliday.
'A Fine Romance" was how Billie and I got started. Through that one song, I believe I know her better than I know almost any woman I ever have. Through that song I know her. She's knows me, she knows I know those troubles. She knows and I know that I am going to save her. Save her life.
But, the song ends. Fantasy to dust. Bummer again.
It's also good to listen to when your just want to avoid housecleaning.
My favorite: John Leguiziamo.
My least favorite: Opie and Anthony
Biggest Bitch Award: Connie Neilsen
Rappers acting like rappers: insert rap artist here.
Mr. Leguizamo couldn't be nicer, more chill or funnier under all circumstances. I actually miss working with him sometimes. It's not as if we were friendlier than normal, even on long, low-budget shoots, 'one' should always maintain professionalism. But, blogging anonymously is a different story- to wit:
Opie and Anthony are radio hosts with cat litter for brains. Not that they are jerks, they're just boring as hell and nothing makes a long day longer than hearing poorly written jokes told without enthusiasm over and over again. In fact, they ended the day stating that they should stop because they were probably boring the crew.
Ms. Neilsen not only disrespected just about everyone in the crew, which for so-thought good-looking actresses isn't that uncommon. (I'm talking to you, Bridget Moynahan) What was uncommon was how she treated the director and the other actors. Actors with much bigger names, and with, obviously, much more class.
When it comes to shooting videos or whatever with rap artists, it never varies. They show up after our day was supposed to end or, if they're a big name, they show up the next day, of course late then as well. Or, if they're really big, they don't show up at all. And, one of these days, one of the folks in the entourage is going to get electrocuted or knocked out cold by a falling light if they don't get off their cell phone and get the fuck out of the way. Please, don't call me a racist, but if I never have to work with a rapper again, I'd retire happy from this business.
Hey! I was the gaffer on one of the vids on one of those! Killer.
We used the then-brand new Sony HDV camera. Came up good live, but post was a bitch, I heard. Something about the HDV codec. I deal with real lights, real shadows, not 101001001011011001010100010101000100111110011011001010 (that's ones and zeroes for those of your who still don't speak code).
The toughest part beyond the coordiation of typing, is watching the screen do it's thing. Physcial movement of inanimate panes of charged glass and all that. at least I'm not on ebay. or CL, or somewhere else where my lack of inhibition could be trouble. did I mention I'm completely
(wife's coming, bye)
After 9/11 blah, blah, lost all my income, blahdiblah, lost my house, lost my job. I kinda had a thought I'd do some video stuff. Weddings, what-not. So, I went to the old source, Loot, a classifieds magazine here in NY and London that, in the early 2000's was still the way to find things around town. And I did, I found a retiring man from London who was giving up a rather larger video business. Ever seen Taxi Cab Confessions? He did the porn version. I bought my first lights from him - i was going to make my first short, you know. And, after two classes in film, I had quickly realized that the way to go about this was to own the equipment and shoot the damn thing. For the price of one class at Brooklyn College, I could shoot three shorts on a 3-chip camera. So, I did. Sort of.
Turns out, I also needed some income. Bartending in NYC in 2001 just wasn't what it was before the buildings fell. It just wasn't. Like a lot of things. Some people say get over it. Others say, you're too glib about it. They're both wrong. So, the retiring gentleman had tons of stuff I couldn't afford, but that he needed to get rid of. For the past year or so, I'd been buying and selling on ebay and doing a pretty good job. So, I offered him my services. Three months later, we were both happy, we both had money. Now he's living in long island and I still use some of those lights.
I was on a job with a pretty famous actor last year, he was doing his acting, and I just wanted tell him how many naked breasts had been lit with the lights he was standing under. He would have got a laugh out of that. But, I had to maintain my composure.
So, it's tough for me not to hold a special place in my heart and wallet for ebay. I've built a business there. It's always been fun, sometimes too fun, but, LESSON NUMBER TWO - for FREELANCERS -
NEVER PAY RETAIL.
No, wait, tell them. It's all for a good cause, as I'm trying to help out the lovely miss sarah lentz and her christmas show.
Sure, it was a nice movie. I have little to add to all that's been said. But, as a gaffer, I was embarrassed. For the grips, especially.
Why? Well. In short, bad gelling. (Gels are what you put on a window to either knock down the light (ND); or to correct the daylight for tungsten-balanced film. If you'd like to know more, shoot me an email wesleydumont 'at' gmail 'dot' com)
Just about every scene where there's a window visible - restaurant, hospital, hotels, you can see the gel on the window outside just floppin' around.
Paul Goodstein, key grip; Paul McIlvaine, gaffer, I'm calling you out. You did a lousy job of letting them roll on that crap and now it's your name up there with that bad gel job for all the world to see.
Thumbs up for the movie, but to the keys I give the finger.
And, as for you Tim Suhrstedt, it's time for you to step up as well. Shoot me a message next time your in NYC and I'll show you a real crew.
One of the funniest blogs I've found, written by an anonymous guy formerly from Chicago, now living in NYC. Read it. It's funny.
It's called Corporate Casual.
www.corporate-casual.com
Find the chaise on craigslist, buy the fabric on ebay, and barter some screenplay reading services for the labor. That's how we did it when I was a boy. Forty for the chaise, fifty for the fabric and one very happy wife.
It's an online toy. You draw a line on the screen, press play, and watch the line rider do his thing.
start!
