Day 11 - The End is Nigh

Day 11 is done. It's been a whirlwind. It's been exhausting, exhilirating, frustrating, fun, and life-changing in equal measure. Often on the same day! Tomorrow finish shooting. I'm looking forward to being done with this stage and moving on to post-production, but I'm also gonna miss it. More than anything else, I'm gonna miss the people I've been working with. Working out to pre-recorded tapes of 'Mornings with Pasha', trying in vain to beat Jeff to a 'that's what she said' line, being given dirty looks by Mitzy when I inevitably reverse a decision or contradict myself. It's been fun. Now let's finish making a movie...

Pics Ahoy

Day 7 - Is This Real Life?

Yesterday was a fantastic day. Laid back and productive at the same time, we managed to get some really killer shots in our psychedelic tunnel thanks to Pasha's crazy space contraption. Big shout out to Mike Nanni for coming out and nailing his part as a very sketchy, scruffy dude.

It was by far our guerilla day of filmmaking, shooting on two locations for which we had no permit. We're such badasses! Actually, I don't know if I'd make a very good guerilla filmmaker. It really doesn't go well with my persecution paranoia....

Day 8 is here. Full of dialogue and crowds. Fingers crossed.

Day 6 - Adventures at the Retirement Home

Our only day of not shooting on home Kitchener/Waterloo turf was a little bumpy, but we got through it with some really good material I think. We picked a busy day to be at the retirement home. They were having their Easter Sunday celebrations, which included Easter songs, a grown man dressed as a bunny and hopping around, and a parade of wheelchairs through the Main street! But we found enough quiet time  to get what we wanted, including some amazingly colourful shots in the green house. Orchids are just plain gorgeous, especially the ones that we got. Mitzy is giving them a good home.

We are half way through the shoot, which is exciting, but at the same time makes you think "only half way?!?!" It hasn't been easy, but in the moments when you start doubting yourself, when you let the exhaustion and frustration get the better of you, you get re-energized by one of the amazing crew that we have put together. I'm grateful to all of them.

Bit shout out to my mom who made the retirement home shoot happen and helped us with every little thing. What other director has such an unbelievably supportive mom? Maybe Scorsese....

Never Again...

....will I sully the profession of acting by appearing in front of the camera. Promise.

Day 4 - Tandoori Chicken and Cranky Neighbours

The second motivating factor for a film crew after a frequent supply of espresso? Tandoori chicken. The promise of a delicious lunch at Masala Bay got everybody moving at the speed of light and we got a difficult dolly shot in the hallway done in record time. We got quite a bit done yesterday, thanks to Mitzy cracking the whip, otherwise the boys' club would've been happy just making "that's what she said" jokes all day. Mitzy and Cassandra are my guardian angels. If they don't end up hospitalized due to exhaustion or in an insane asylum by the end of the shoot, I'd be pleasantly surprised.

David L. is rocking and rolling. He's nailing his scenes with an intensity that takes me by surprise. It was a treat to sit back and watch him destroy his room yesterday (he must've aced Rummaging 103: Improvised Rummaging).

Today is a well-earned day off, even though most of the crew are busy doing other jobs today. That's the thing about Jeff and Pasha. This isn't work to them. This is play. They do it when they're awake, and they dream about it when they're asleep. THAT, my friends, is a crew you want to have your back.

Bring on City Hall...

un film de

Currently the posters for The Incidental, designed by our talented Graphics Designer Jeremy Jeffery (http://www.jeremybjeffery.com/), carry the text "A film by Rouzbeh Noori" above or below the title. When the film is finally done, the credits will probably open with the same text. Because it feels so good and I've always wanted to see it written. "A film by Rouzbeh Noori".

But in truth, at best this is "A film originated by Rouzbeh Noori". And in reality it is "A film by Rouzbeh Noori, Mitzy Herrera, Cassandra Polyzou, Pasha Patriki, David Nguyen, Michael Malko, Jeffrey Magat, and David Loker, made possible by <insert about another 50 names>". When this film is done, it will bear the signature of all of us. Every single one. Un film par un groupe très talentueux, is more like it.

Hey, this is what our Day 3 looked like. The morning at the library went well. There was some nervousness around the shot involving the tow-truck but we had nothing to worry about at all, it went off without a hitch:) Then we were back to film in Rouzbeh's neighbor's apartment. Anne and Verne are so sweet, making us all coffees and hanging out while we messed around their living room. Wrap time was earlier than our other days so every one left with more time to rest and come back for Day 4! Great job folks:)

Cassandra