Monday, July 11, 2005 :::
 

The Show Must Go On. Just had a good talk with one of my sponsors about getting the airtime. So next month we pop the show on the air. Then a filmmaker friend offered to let me use a boom mike he isn't using. All good. And this Friday I was supposed to shoot a scene with someone I hadn't worked with, but was looking forward to working with. And of course you know one thing had to fall though. The last one did. The people backed out. So, there you go.

Still, I got them wishing me well on the project. And I am sure my sponsors will be happy about that.

It was funny and prophetic cause my filmmaker buddy and I was just talking about Cleveland actors. OK, maybe it is not the "proper" way to work things by not having a lot of rehearsal time, but let's look at things here. This is a guest role in a TV series and they are not the main characters or going to be around for anything except that one episode. The scenes actually last about less than 10 minutes in the episode. And they interact with other characters in the show who are the main people and into their roles already. So maybe the actual screen time for them is cut by a few minutes. So all in it, it about 6 to 8 minutes of time spread out among a half dozen characters.

Now, like I said in an ideal world, you can have months and Sundays to prepare for a role, but in TV, you get a spot, and you fill it and there you go.

I wouldn't mind this, but if you can't do something, just let the person know at the beginning. I spent time working them into the scene and was letting them come up with their characters. So some of it was an improv. I'm not great at improving honestly, but some people are and they can come up with a character that can last for a few minutes.

After we go on the air, I really have to get a casting department for the show. Also, I have to just focus on the people who are in the show. Although I do need guest roles characters, they will not be that many.

Well, things work out for the best. And somethings were not meant to be.

Tomorrow I have to meet with a Chief of Police and a Mayor about shooting. And by the end of this month, we should have the time. I know George F. told me just to concentrate on the cast I have. I do have some great actors and cast dynamics in the few main people (Angie, Drew, Raft and Magnos). And there are some nice supporting people like Natalie and the Mayor and Lt. Foster and all the cops- 'cept one maybe. So I will just scale down the number of people involved in this storyline.

After this, I am not doing any more casting. I am just going to shoot things with my main people and use some of my other supporting people more. And I really really need to get a casting department.

::: posted by Alex at 8:38 PM