Worker and Parasite!

I'm moving to Eastern Europe. It's a happy place.

Casting Couch

Ahoy hoy.

So yesterday we had a casting session/open audition for our shorts.  Each one of us (Me, Eric and Zach) had all posted adds online looking for actors/actresses, and averaged at least 20 hits from each ad.  

In turn, we decided to host the auditions together at Citrus College, and decided that every actor was essentially "up for grabs".  Good idea, right?  

Well, only about 6 people showed up...but its not so bad, its not that they were no longer interested, most of the actors we had each been talking to had all sent messages saying that they were simply unable to make the meeting time, and still want to meet.  Not so bad.  

Ironically, most of the actors who showed up were ones I had been talking to, and I think I found the female lead yesterday, which is great because she's the real focal point of the script.  Although I still need to find my male lead, but I think I can find someone for that sometime this week.  I'm trying to shoot this thing this weekend, so really need to get that role filled pronto.  I'm not too worried though, Eric's got 2 people coming today, and 3 more tomorrow.  I've got a few more hits too from my Mandy.com posting, and am trying to set up a meet-and-greet with them.  

Other than work news, we went out last night to Pasadena and saw my friend Louis from home, he's a Jersey boy staying at CalTech this summer, studying the moons of Saturn.  And similar to when we hung out with Bobby in Beverly Hills, the moment we met up with Louis he's going on about how retarded California people are.  Although in his case, Louis is at CalTech, so he's around the "smartest" of the California people...but the dorkiest, nerdiest and most annoying of the bunch (in his words).  It was pretty funny to think of how universal the disdain for California natives us East Coasters have.  I think it's really funny, and it definitely puts into perspective that while I greatly enjoy the West Coast, I could never live here.  For one, I miss great public transportation, and there just is a certain jen-a-se-quois (however you spell it, damn frenchies) that you only get out east.  However, if I want to continue to work in entertainment industry, it's just a fact that I will have to at least familiarize myself with California, particularly Los Angeles, and understand how they do things out here.  Another reason as to coming out here for the summer.  

Oh yeah, we all saw Wall-E last night too.  Go see it, it was really good to watch Pixar re-make Short Circuit (Johnny-5!) in digital animation.  

Post-Birthday Production Phase 1

Yooo

So my birthday was yesterday, I am now 24 years old...its official, I'm one year to "quarterlife" as they said in that weak MySpace web-TV show.

Want to say thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, would have been great to be back in NY, but its all good. I love you all people!

Had a lot of fun last night actually, we all went out to downtown Pasadena...who'd have thought that'd be the "spot", but hey, you never know? Anyhoo, we had a blast, we stopped into this one place and instantly started hanging out with the staff who were cool as shit, they were buying me drinks (literally, saying "I'm buying a beer!" and then opening the register, handing me cash and then a pint of beer). We chilled with those kids for a while at the place, smoked a J with them and others on the roof of the building. A bunch of them were in a band, and are playing a show this weekend. We spoke to them, and looks like we might be shooting their concert on sunday night and get paid for it! All nice peoples, we later went back to their house which was around the way where people were still partying. Good times, new heads in Cali, it was nice to get out and find other people around here.

On the way back, we even got pulled over for doing an illegal U-Turn (Beth'll love that haha) but Zack was DD so it was all good, the cops walked up to the car and were all about us reeking of alcohol, but that only came from me, with some help from Eric, and told them how we were from NY and celebrating my birthday. This being LAPD, they were looking only for black people to give tickets to, so they let us go with a warning haha.

It's now 10:26 am, June 27th, I'm newly 24, and still got more work to do on the short out here with class. Updates: I've written a NEW short, again...3rd one this time. I'll get into the details later, but it utilizes the surrounding areas such as Route 66 and the San Gabriel Canyon as settings, and I really wanted to capture that. Eric, Zack and I are all making shorts that involve the lay of the land out here somehow, yet are all very much our own approach towards the subject. Got inspired by it and planning on making them with the possibility of releasing them as a set, or trilogy.

Well this was a long post, longer than most, and with no pictures...so here's one to hold you guys over until I get back.

Sizzle

Cali is really hot. The sun is blazing on my white skin as we speak. And everything here is very yellow.

Denver Nuggets

At this moment, I am sitting inside the Denver airport.

I've been here before, last time I went out west with Jon and Howie. It's a very western airport. Lots of cowboy accents and cowboy hats.

My flight got delayed this morning due to technical difficulties, personally I wish they had flown anyway and made it more dangerous. Gives me bragging rights when I get back home.

But because of the delay, I missed my connecting flight and have to wait 2 1/2 hours until the next flight out to Burbank. No biggie, I would have had to wait an hour anyway, for the original connecting flight.

So I used this time to begin work on the next short of mine. I got the rough idea from Howie, so thanks go out to him. It takes place in an apartment in LA, where 2 friends from home who grew up together live. One is packing up and moving back east to their hometown. The other is staying.

I'm interested in writing a "break-up" story without an actual break-up. They are not lovers, so they are not ending a relationship. Just ending a period of their lives. Break-ups always seem to be very one-sided, most often because the decision has been made by one mind. I want to really get into the head of how hard it is to actually break up with a person. Nobody likes it, especially not if it's with someone you generally care for in many ways. But the idea of a roomate moving out, being told as a break-up story, intrigued me. How do you tackle that emotion? Nobody "breaks-up" with their friends, but moving away is similar.

Anyway, just want to say again how much I'll miss everyone, especially my wonderful girlfriend Beth. I can't wait to see you out here! We're def going to Vegas baby!

And Howie, don't worry, I already know how to incorporate the farting machine. Seriously.

Westward Bound

Today is Wednesday, Hump Day, June 18.

I leave for Los Angeles Friday, June 20, at 8 am.

I will not be back in NY for a month.

Just want to say goodbye and that I look forward to the class, yet am unsure of what will happen out there. It might be a lot of work, independent work outside of the class, in a new city with few contacts.

As my mother just told me, I will be giving up NY pizza for a whole month. Hola Burritos!

In other news, shoot went well last week and we thankfully did not get kicked out. It was a lot of work all week long, but it was worth it and each one you learn more. I'll miss Hiccup Media for the time being, but I'll be coming back. And better than ever, like in an RPG...I'll level up and have more EXP points.

Whoa work

This is what happens when all work and no play.

Old news, but who cares

My buddy Sinestro (or Jon in real life) had already posted this on his blog, but I feel it needs to come back into the light of day.

http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/the_simpsons_vs_civilization

If I ever had to go into court and testify, the only thing I would give an oath over is "Bart Simpson's Guide to Life". That, my friends, is the TRUE bible.

Short Films

So I'm leaving to take a workshop in LA soon (June 20-July 20).

In it, I will be producing and directing a short, all in the 4 weeks I will be out there.

In preparation, I have already written my short (based loosely on my own experiences of fraternity hazing). However, it has come my attention that in such a short period of time, this might be tough to produce...I wrote it with production worries in mind, and by no means would it be tough to make. What does make it tough are the time constraints. Finding a location, getting a crew, equipment, actors, production design, etc. We have about a week (a week!) to do all this, and since the class has not sent any information telling us that they will be providing us with crew and equipment (other than HVX cameras and editing docks), this can be, as an 84 year old in Brooklyn Heights might say, "Quite a pickle".

So, anyone got any ideas for another short? One that would be easy to produce? Is anyone even reading this?

Maybe I could shoot a documentary about the effects on the world this video has had:

My favorite photo from home

Ain't I a lil stinker?

3 times in one day? That must be a record

In case anyone wants to read something totally gnarly, I can send you a copy of my feature-length screenplay "Condolences" if you would like.

It details the events of Long Island businessmen and local-celebrity Fantastic Felix MacGuiness, after he wakes up one morning to find a mysterious package left on his office desk, blackmailing him with footage from a sexual-affair with an underage girl. The movie takes place all in one day and discusses the lengths a person will go to in order to maintain their public-image, and what they will do to keep a secret.

If interested, shoot me an email and I'll forward you a copy.

And if you plan to plagiarize it as your own, please be courteous and let me know in advance. My lawyer really hates it when I don't call ahead first.

I immediately regret this decision

Actually, not really.

Just that I figured out how to change the post name, so it's Luke (NOT skywalker, or perry, or wilson).

Now on to real deal bizness... I recently just directed my first music video for the awesome band The March Fourth! out here in Long Island. It's for their new single "My Favorite Color's Fabulous" and post-production will start on Monday. The whole experience was a blast and I finally popped my director's cherry. It was the first production for Purple Pictures, one could say.

Basic concept of the video was a mock reality show, a la Flavor of Love and I Love New York. Except, instead of the suitor being a washed-up music icon (or a rejected lust-object of said musician), the object of desire is a purple monster puppet, and 3 girls all compete for his affection.

There were two themes for the production design: Lots of color and lots of toys. We worked really hard for weeks painting and designing the sets inside Andrew's house, and in each shot we included loads of toys, be they stuffed animals, action figures, etc. The house had a surreal, child-like atmosphere to it.

My thoughts after shooting it were "I can't wait to do another one of these" and "I can't believe I asked 3 girls to have a pillowfight and did not get slapped".

More info will be posted soon, as soon as we get down to the edit.

Big thank you's go to everyone involved in it, you know who you are, and let's do it again!

Super Crazy Ultra Fun First Post!

Hey ya'll,

Luke here (hereby known as the nom-de-plume "Purple"). I finally decided to get with the program and create my own blog...on blogspot...like everyone else. Rad.

2 things: This is the first real foray into establishing my (future) production company, Purple Pictures.

I remember in college one of my music-industry professors told us "All you need to start a record label is a slogan and a sticker". Taking that advice, and relaying it to my line of work in film production, I've decided that the only thing Purple Pictures needs is a blog. So rejoice young ones! Expect news on project(s) that I will be working on, which includes music videos, short films, commercials, screenplays, etc.

In addition, since I try to work (most of the time), I shall also be posting up the useless nonsense I spend most of my time doing on the internet. So this site will roughly account to 40% Production news and info, 58% Stuff that amuses me and 3% Poor arithmetic skills.

I feel that the following video appropriately symbolizes Purple Pictures' entrance into the world: