Quick Update

Just dropping a line to let everyone know that we're now in the editing stages of the film. I'll be meeting with our uber-DP Noelle tonight to finalize the order of several montages, and then we'll have a full rough cut next week. I'm also working on a new blog post, giving even more detail about just how I found such great people to work with.

Rock on....

Finding the Cast And Crew - Part One

As we draw closer to wrapping principle photography on Dark of Moon, my memories are drawn back to early summer (which feels both like a million years ago AND like yesterday), and how I assembled this menagarie to create this film...

First, let's start with the crew. I knew that I needed to assemble a technical crew before I did anything else, because all of the actors in the world would be wasted without a way to capture their performances. So I did what the producer for the "Extended casting call for Dark of Moon" did...I went to Craig's List.

In the Craig's list ad, I said that I was looking for a "camera operator" and technical crew to shoot my first film. After posting the request, a tech guy/friend of mine dropped me a line to say that I should have said I needed either a "cinematographer" or "director of photography", because a "camera operator" does just that...operates a camera. If I wanted what I was shooting to look GOOD, then I needed a cinematographer/DP. My first (but certainly not last) "doh!" moment of the film.

Lucky for me, DP's are used to dealing with tech-fumbly directors, because I had a few people contact me who knew what i needed. The first guy I spoke to looked great...his demo reel was top-notch, and (in a refrain I would hear a LOT over the next couple of months) he was looking for a non-horror project to shoot. Once I sent him the script, however, he passed...he was looking for something non-horror so he could show the movie to his kids, and unless one's kids are either teens or posessed by a Babylonian curse-demon, then my script was definately NOT kid-friendly! So I moved on...

The next person I spoke with was promising...again, his demo reel loked great, and his equipment list was juicy. However, his woprk schedule was NOT stable...he said that he didn't know from one week to the next just what his schedule would be, but was willing to use up his vacation time to shoot the film. I just didn't feel comfortable trying to shoot this thing in one 2-week block. So, the search continued...

Then, I got an e-mail from one Noelle Bye Hansen. She sent me her demo reel, and one scene in particular grabbed me. It was a scene from another movie she shot where 2 guys are having a conversation by a campfire. Knowing that I would have several scenes lit by candlelight, being able to light for flickering conditions was vital. The more I looked at her work, the more impressed I became. We had a meeting, and instantly clicked. These things being what they are, I decided to go on feel...and have been glad I did so ever since.

Throughout these past few months, I've found that my decision to go with Noelle as DP has been one of the luckiest things to happen in my fledgling film career. Noelle is anal-retentive about lighting, angles, shadows...everything you want a Director of Photography to be anal about. The technical aspects of film-making are the very things I'm least experienced in, and she's making me look good...very good. I just can't wait until I can hire her for a film that has a budget...then I can supply her with an army of strapping young PA's to slave away under her watchful, approving glare. She will have earned every peeled grape.

Along this time, I got an e-mail from a young tech-head who, while he had no equipment to put to use, DID have experience in sound and video production to
offer. At the end of the message, he had a MySpace url listed for his band, which I listened to and was impressed with. Also in the message, almost as an afterthought, he mentioned how he had also done some acting. So I wrote him back saying that I'd keep him in mind for crew, and that I might be interested in using his band on the soundtrack. While I wasn't ready to start casting yet (I was still doing the DP tango), I offered to send him the script to look over, and to see if there were any parts that he'd like to audition for. He looked at it, and said that he wanted to audition for the part of Miller (who he said reminded him of Randall Graves from "Clerks").

Little did I know it, but I had just made contact with my first cast member.

Writing Dark of Moon

The first step in creating a quality movie is writing a quality script. Without a good script, all of the acting talent, technical wizardry, and production values in the world can't make a good movie. The vast majority of bad movies begin with a bad script, and can never recover.

When I set about writing my first feature script, I'll have to admit that I was a little nervous. During all of my previous script writing experience, I had been writing for someone else's characters, and someone else's stories. This would be the first time I would be writing for my own characters, my own story...and I wanted to get it right.

I actually started writing another story. In what has become habit, I started by writing a couple of scenes...not at the beginning, but farther in. After writing those scenes (which I still like), I realized that what I was envisioning in my mind would require a budget to achieve, and a budget was something that I could NOT count on my first time out! So I shelved that project, and started another that would become “Dark of Moon”.

This time, I wrote with the idea that this would be a low/NO-budget movie. The vast majority of scenes I placed in private residences, because those are easiest to obtain. Any exotic locations (and I would up with two) I secured at least a willingness to allow me to shoot there before I wrote those scenes. I kept most of the action indoors (because that's easiest to light and shoot), and most outdoor scenes I kept either in daytime or right by houses (again, because it's easiest to light and shoot where electricity is available). I also limited the amount of private residences I would need...while private homes are the easiest to obtain as locations, even the best intentioned people have lives that can get in the way, and depending on too many people is a recipe for trouble down the line.

In writing the story, I decided to fall back on that writer's axiom: write what you know. So I made the main characters Pagan. I've been a follower of a Pagan path (Wicca) for 23 years now, and I knew that I could write about that world with a certain amount of authenticity. Even though I was solitary for my first 5 years, I've hung about Pagans and Witches for the past 18 years, so I had a wide spectrum of people and personalities from which to draw inspiration.

I also decided to base this film in the Pagan community for another reason: it's about bloody time! Even by the most conservative estimates, we're in the seventh decade of modern Neo-Pagan revival. We have millions who follow Pagan paths, and millions more who have tested those waters. And yet, Hollywood always gets it wrong. We're STILL treated all too often as cartoon-ish villains. And even when Witchy/Pagan characters are the good guys (Willow Rosenberg from Buffy, the Charmed sisters), there's still so much fantasy involved that when someone asks us “is THAT what you guys do?” we have to say “no, it's nothing like that.

I mean, other minority religions have had accurate portrayals of their people and practices. And Pagans are definitely consumers of pop culture. In an atmosphere where originality is at a premium, you'd think that Hollywood screenwriters and producers would jump at the chance to try accuracy for a change. Well, I decided not to wait for anyone else to do it, and set about the task myself.

Allow me to split hairs here, though...I would NOT describe “Dark of Moon” as a “Pagan Movie”. Why? Because the phrase “Pagan movie” invites assumptions that this movie doesn't meet. To be “the” pagan movie (or eve “a” Pagan movie), then it would need to show people just “what Pagans are and what they believe”. Those familiar with modern Paganism can see just how impossible a task that would be. For those who aren't: the word “Pagan” covers a wide, WIDE assortment of beliefs and paths that may appear similar, but are as different as the day is long. Wicca is just one particular Pagan path, and IT has so many permutations that no movie could ever hope to show you what Wiccans believe in one sitting. No matter how broad and generic one tried to make the final product, someone would always feel left out. Now, combine that with the need for characters, plot, and the development of both of these things, and it's easy to see why any film that tried to be a “Pagan movie” would fail miserably. For now, we'll have to leave such things to the realms of documentaries.

What I COULD do, however, and what I DID do, was to write a story about people. People with hopes and dreams, virtues and vices, ups and downs. I could write a story about people at a crossroads in their lives, and how they deal with this. People who are fully realized characters, and who's religion is but one part (though be it a big part) of who they are.

So while Dark of Moon isn't a “Pagan movie”, it IS a movie about people who happen to be Pagan. And I think this is best...after all, if we want more movies to feature Pagan characters who are realistic, then we can't go around breaking ground with a movie that ONLY appeals to Pagans, now can we? While a movie that contained 1,000 inside jokes that only Pagans would get might feel good for Pagans, it would classify films with Pagan characters as a niche that can be safely ignored by the rest of the entertainment industry. And that does us no good.

Writing Dark of Moon happened over a 6 week period stretching from the last week of December 2009 until February 2010. After that, it was time to read, revise, and re-write like a madman. I didn't know then that writing it would be the easy part...

Lessons Learned...

They say that you can learn from adversity just as well as, if not more so, than from joy. I'm not so sure about that, but I DO know that, in the world of independent film, knowing what NOT to do can be a very, very valuable thing.

The project that I call “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon” taught me a lot. It was an ambitious project: shoot an independent TV show for one 7-episode mini season, and try to crank out one episode per month. "Not too bad", I thought, "we should be able to do this...." (Of course, I WAS just a writer on the show, and we're known to be an optimistic lot)

The project had a lot going for it: It was set in a comic book store, and we had a fully-stocked comic store we could shoot in. We had an extremely talented cast, 3 of whom our Producer/Director/Lord-And-Master had worked with before...a haunting beauty of a lady, an absurdidly talented gay character actor, and a rubber-faced fat man who could be the next John Belushi. Added to that were some great discoveries during casting. Mix all of this with an enthusiastic writing duo and the potential for greatness was there.

And yet, very few of you, if any, will ever get to see what little was shot of the show. Far from the one-episode per month goal that was set, we spent five months producing one pilot episode. And that, it appears, will all that will ever come of the project.

The reasons that this endeavour fell apart are numerous, but I'll limit the ones I list to those that impacted how I would (and wouldn't) run things during the production of Dark of Moon.

Lesson One: Location, location, location!

First of all, let's look at shooting locations. The comic store we shot in was great, and it provided a production value that the producer/director of the project would never have been able to afford to create himself. We (the writers) were instructed to place most of the show's scenes there.

However, the one big (huge) drawback to this location was it's (extremely) limited availability. We could shoot one day per week there, on Sundays. They were closed that day, but the store owner graciously came in on his day off to let us shoot there.

Independent productions, however, are unpredictable things. You just never know when life (or a gig that actually pays) will step in and prevent one or more cast members from being available on a given day. When you only have one day per week to film, losing that day means losing the entire week. This alone set us back months.

So, when I wrote Dark of Moon, I set the vast majority of the scenes in a private home. Shooting at private residences means more flexibility in shooting schedules, so the loss of one day isn't so catastrophic. While I am shooting at some more exotic locations (an occult/magickal store, 7 acres of Druid-owned land, etc), those are limited to 2 days each. If I were writing the TV show again, I'd set more of the scenes at characters' houses, and limit the time they spent in the store.

Lesson Two: Rehearsal is key.

Both “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon” and "Dark of Moon" are dialogue-driven comedies. This means that the humour is delivered in the form of verbal jokes and one-liners, as opposed to situational comedies (where humour is in the setup of the story...think "Three's Company" where an overheard conversation out of context drives the comedy) or physical comedies (pie-in-the-face, pratfall gags). While all comedy depends heavily on timing, dialogue comedies are absolutely nothing without good timing.

Have you ever heard someone massacre a good joke? You know, a joke that you've heard (and laughed at) before is told by someone who just CAN'T tell jokes, and they turn a funny story into a painful exercise in awkward silences? Most often, it's because they lack comic timing...they don't emphasise the punch line, they tell portions out of order, etc. Without the right timing, the funniest gag on the planet can fall flat.

Because of this, most dialogue-driven comedies have extensive rehearsal schedules. Kevin Smith is notorious for having weeks of rehearsal. Even your garden-variety sit-com rehearses for four days and shoots on the fifth. This gives the cast a chance to shake out the cobwebs, work through the jokes, and find the perfect comic timing for each scene. It also gives the director a chance to start directing the cast before the cameras ever roll, and THIS saves time and money.

On “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon”, the actors basically had no rehearsal. We did a table-read, read the script twice, and then started shooting. They didn't even get any rehearsal before the shooting started...take one was the rehearsal. This might work on a horror film (because let's face it...the dialogue in those can be pretty dreadful and nobody cares. In fact, the higher the cheese factor, the more popular some of those films are)...but on a dialogue-driven comedy, it will only work against you.

On Dark of Moon, however, we spent the entire month of August rehearsing. I was busy 5 days a week with various combinations of actors. Even supporting roles had to rehearse. And it's paying off, too...we're getting great takes, pretty much every time. We're getting the takes we need so quickly, we're getting the chance to experiment, get different angles, try different moods, have fun with cutaway shots, etc. In the end, the more choices we have when editing means a better, more nuanced film.

Lesson Three: You cannot be too prepared.

This isn't so much a lesson I learned from “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon” (I wasn't privy to pre-production much on that project), but from the stories that I heard from the cast and crew on that project about OTHER projects they had been on. Stories about how poor pre-planning either sunk the project, or took what was a great idea and turned it into a so-so finished product. They're so varied...scenes that get forgotten and never shot, locations that suck, closeups that never get done (ever see a low-budget movie and find that, suddenly, an entire scene is played out in one wide, static shot? Yep...they forgot to shoot the close-ups)...that I could never go into detail about them. Instead, let me tell you (briefly) what I and my tech crew did to prepare for the shoot:

We story-boarded the entire film: Yep, we went, scene by scene, and drew primitive sketches (VERY primative...my DP refuses to let the cast see the drawings because they were basically stick figures with some exaggerated feature to denote different actors) for how each angle and edit would look.

When she goes to do the rough edit of the film, the storyboards will be her basic guide. They also made us look at the composition of each scene and ask ourselves "is this the best we can do? Is there some way we need to liven things up here?"

(As an aside, let me say that this step has permanently changed the way I look at movies. Now I notice things like edits, angles, transitions... sometimes to the point of missing what the actors are saying!)

I made a list (and checked it twice) of each and every angle we needed: This is under the mantle of script supervision. Basically, to avoid unhappy discoveries come editing time ("What do you mean, we never shot his close-up?!?"), I listed each and every angle and camera setup that we needed to make each scene "complete". I then made another version of the list location-by-location. This way, if we finish the "needed" shots for our planned
scene early that night we can choose between getting extra angle and takes for that scene, or having everyone change clothes and shooting part of another scene at the same location. Either we get creative, or we get ahead...a win-win situation!

Costume Meetings: The cast of the film supplied their own wardrobes, but we all wanted to make sure that the clother fit the character. So we sat down with our cast and talked about their characters...who they were, how they saw the world, and how this played out in how they dressed. We never got too elabourate with this part...after all, this is a contemporary comedy, not a period piece. However, knowing which characters dressed a bit more modestly and which ones were more flambuoyant in their style helped with the consistancy of the overall piece.

Shooting a film can be tedious...setting up lights, laying the dolly track, re-setting the lights every time you move the camera, shooting every angle two or threee times IF every take is perfect...poor planning can make it torture.

All in all, this may be my first film as a director, but I like to think that I've recieved an education in film...even if it's what not to do. To paraphrase Sammi in the film: we can make bold, new mistakes all on our own. There's no need to repeat the mistakes of others.

In The Beginning...

My journey to Dark of Moon started a year ago...almost exactly. It started with a TV show, and an ad on Criag's List.

Well, I guess it started earlier...if I wanted to, I could go back to when I started writing stories. I won't, though, for two reasons: One, I don't want to go over 30 years of writing mis-adventures (as entertaining as some find failure to be, for the person who lived it it's akin to banging your head against a large blunt object because it feels SO good when you stop!), and two, because those early stories I wrote suck pretty bad. I mean it...they suck worse than Nicholas Sparks on Prozac and ecstasy. So I'll spare you the sordid details and say that I've tried to write fiction for some time, but found that either the stories weren't very good, or else when they were good, that I'd just never get around to finishing them.

Laziness has inspired more than one person towards greatness. Just look at food: sliced bread, sliced/wrapped cheese, pre-cut vegetables...Americans spend billions every year just so they don't have to pick up a knife. Well, my fiction-writing habits were extremely lazy. I have a novel that I've worked on, on and off, for 18 years. What stops me from writing it isn't the story, the characters, the dialogue, etc. THOSE I have set. It's just...everything else. Or, more specifically, prose descriptive passages. You know, those bits of a novel where the writer paints the scene for the reader? “Eliza entered the room and looked around. Dust laid over every surface like the embrace of an old lover whose affections had long passed passionate and ventured on trite and pedantic. The smell of must hovered everywhere, assaulting her senses with long decayed promises of beauty squandered. She took a step, and the floorboards creaked in protest at this unwanted intrusion.....” THOSE always tripped me up. It's not that I'm bad at them (above example not-withstanding), I just don't like writing them. Characters, story-line, dialogue? Love it...I can write that stuff and enjoy every minute. But every time I'd sit down to work on my novel, those damned prose passages would quickly send me to check my e-mail. Every 30 seconds. Or balance the checkbook. Or offer to take the neighbor's dog for a walk.

With this as the backdrop, we fast-forward to August 2009, and my wife is looking for writing jobs on Craig's List for me. She happened across an ad from an independent producer who was trying to launch an indie TV show, a comedy set in a comic book store (which will henceforth be referred to as “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon” for reasons that will become appearant later). It said that there would be a fair amount of “geek humour” (well, it said “geek humor”, but if I write it, it shall be spelled as “humour”), which made my wife believe that I'd be a natural fit for the show. I don't know why she thought that I'd be into geek humour, but I went ahead and stopped editing my list of Star Wars-inspired knock-knock jokes and sent the producer an e-mail. Several e-mails and one in-person meeting later, and I have the job of writing the pilot for the series.

Whoever said that half of success is showing up wasn't kidding...over the next few months I would go from never having written a script before in my life to being the main writer on the show by sheer value of doing what I said I'd do in the time I said I'd do it. For example, the producer of “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon” had been trying to get the show going for a year before our meeting, but he wasn't a writer and needed writers to make the show happen. He had been going through traditional channels in the Northeast Ohio film scene to find writers, and while he found enthusiasm, he saw no actual scripts being written. I vowed to be different. Six days after our first meeting, I handed him a complete pilot episode. While I wound up re-doing a scene here and there, that script I handed him wound up being 90% of what we shot. I created backstory for characters, plotted a story-arc for the season, and wound up writing 3 complete episodes, and half of three more.

I took to script writing like Sarah Palin takes to a RNC expense account. I wrote with increasing speed, increasing quality, and loved every second. In fact, once I ran out of episodes to write (we were only doing a 7 episode mini-season...well, we PLANNED on doing a 7-episode mini-season, but we wound up with one episode, and it took five months, and....oh, bugger it! I'll just write an entire blog post about what I learned from “The Extended Casting Call For Dark of Moon”), I didn't want to stop writing. So I started writing movie scripts. And the rest, if not history, is another blog post....

Kind Of Quiet Lately...

Looking at the blog, I realized that I've been slacking off on doing the whole “update” thing. Of course, I've been phenomenally busy as of late. Here's a sample of what I've been doing lately:

* Working on a shooting schedule
* Making up individual schedules for each actor
* Adjusting accordingly
* Planning our 366 separate shots to achieve the film
* Arranging those 366 shots into both a scene-by-scene list, and a location-by-location listing
* Rehearsing 5 days a week with my cast
* Doing astrological charts for cast and crew
* Doing Tarot readings for cast
* Acting as a sounding board for various problems, crises, and whatnot

...all of that in addition to being a father of two, a husband for one, and finding a replacement for my parts in Cleveland's Pagan Pride Day (note to self: while in pre-production for a film, never NEVER volunteer for jack shit outside of it!).

But enough excuses...this is meant to be a news source for the making of the film, as well as my experience making it, so I will now start work on a blog on...something. I'm not sure what yet, but I've just loaded 143 hair metal songs from the 80's onto my computer, built a playlist, and I'm ready to rock!

Stay tuned....

Scheduled Insanity...

Well, we now have a rehearsal schedule. And I'm working on the shooting schedule. I'm still hammering out the details, but we may have principle photography done earlier than I thought.

My cast is kicking ass! Every rehearsal is less like work and more like a joy...these people are nailing every scene in quick succession. We read, I direct, they read again, and nail it! These people are going to make me look good...

(And you...yeah, YOU! Go and "fan" our cast on Facebook. You can find their pages here. They deserve it...)

This is becoming epic...

Thoughts on Our First Read-Through

Well, we finally read the whole script, in character, all the way through. What a bloody rush!

I tell you, after living with this script for the better part of a year, it was SO GROOVY to hear it read aloud. Jokes that stopped being funny to me months ago got laughs. Some so big we had trouble continuing (and this was from people who had read the script before, too). Remember people...I wrote this screenplay back in JANUARY. I've revised it 10,000 times. Everybody there made things come alive for me again, and I remembered the buzz I felt after I finished the first draft.

To my cast, thank you all SO much! You guys rock.

To my crew...few of you had anything to read, yet turned out in force. We need to be a team, and you guys showed mucho team spirit. You rock no less.

Now we begin the rehearsal process. I'm getting excited! Of course, now we get to beat this script into the bloody ground again, but no matter. My cast is gelling much faster than I expected (gellin like that famous explorer, what was his name?...oh, yes, Ponce DeLeon!), and we're already farther along that I thought we'd be at this stage.

Now I get to pick nits and piss people off. Weeee!!!

To all my fellow Mooners (a name dreamed up by our Beth, Kelly Rogers...which may sound odd, but it's WAY better than "Twi-hard"!), all I can say is thanks for everything, and full steam ahead!

Website Updates!

Hi everyone...

Well, I've been working away at the Dark of Moon website, and there's more and more there now. There are more bios, behind the scenes photos, even music videos!

So check it out....

http://www.DarkOfMoon.com

And Now, ANOTHER Words from our Co-Producer...

Me Again, Leigh Again....with more things that I've learned in the process of working on Dark of Moon.



* Both the cast and crew are encouraged to do surprise, drive-by BOOMings to the rest of the cast and crew. BOOM rules will be posted shortly. Those who want to buy BOOM t-shirts should check out the CafePress site. No. Really.



* Because of my disturbing attempts to draw stick figures during a storyboarding session, I've become the unofficial Disturbed Artist of the Dark of Moon shoot. (Although I don't know what's wrong with anthropomorphic blob man spearing a giant eyeball with acid soaked tridents. T'cha.)



* Storyboarding with Barbie Dolls is both creepy and ineffective for blocking scenes. Once we find enough dolls we will be doing it for as many scenes as possible.



* I’m fighting a loosing battle to have Dylan and Roger making out in the background of one of the scenes where they don’t have any dialogue.



* Anyone who knows an artist who might be willing to draw a Dark of Moon comic book/graphic novel, please have them contact us ASAP.



* A commercial for Jesus Chrispies (now with marshmallow fished, loaves, and goblets of wine!) now must be shot as an end cap for the Dark of Moon credits.



* Upcoming spinoffs for Dark of Moon: Skippy the Crackhead Underground Comic, Greeny the Stoner Alien, and Taliesin's Novel of a Time Travelling Vampire that he needs to finish immediately.

- Leigh

DarkOfMoon.com is on the air!

The movie website has gone live. Check out DarkOfMoon.com and let me know what you think!

More Casting News!

First up, Kelly Rogers has been cast as Beth. Quiet and loyal, Beth is the heart and soul of the group of friends at the centre of the film. Her quest for true love drives her out of her comfort zone, and into a quirky and frustratingly funny world.

A veteran of stage productions going back into her childhood, this is Kelly's first film. She's also a multti-tasker... aside from acting, Kelly is a talented singer/songwriter who will be featured on the film's soundtrack (check out her music HERE). Behind the scenes, she will also be filling the important role of hair and make-up artist for the production.

Next up is Angelia Deluca, who will be playing Sammi. Acid-tongued and quick-witted, Sammi is the truth-teller of the group, often saying what needs to be said in the bluntest manner possible. She's Beth companion in the search for a mate, but often regrets it.

Angelia is also a newcomer to film, but has shown the ability to fall into a difficult part with ease and good humour. She was a softball MVP in Cleveland for eight years, and has a self described "superb Edward Cullen resistance"...which also means the lady has good taste.

Brad Arner has been selected to play the role of Zeke in the film. Quiet and contemplative, Zeke is Beth's partner in running the show until a restless spirit leads him to find his path elsewhere. His exit causes the rest of the gang to re-think the direction their lives are taking, but his compassion prevents him from abandoning them completely.

A veteran of numerous stage performances, I first met Brad while working on the independent TV show Quarter Bin. He's a real pro who shows up prepared, and can find the emotional centre of a character with little prompting.

Finally, the role of Miller will be played by Barberton resident DJ Remark. Miller is the sarcastic foil of the group, intensely loyal yet refusing to take anything TOO seriously. He's also the stress-relief director for his friends, always ready to help people burn off a little tension.

DJ is a media student who originally answered an ad looking for technical crew for the project. His own skewed outlook onlife made him the perfect fit for Miller, however. He's also drummer who's band, Wixor (listen HERE), will be featured on the soundtrack as well.

Now that we have our cast, it's full steam ahead on the production. Welcome aboard, everyone!!!

Casting News!

True alternatives Media is proud to announce our first role cast for the upcoming motion picture "Dark of Moon".

William Roger Conners, who has been seen in such films as "Hellementary", "Random Violence", "Hellweek", and the upcoming "VooDoo Rising", has been cast to play the part of "Drew".  An artist who's frustrated at the lack of traction in his career, Drew is the life-long friend of the strong-willed character "Sammi", and is the free-spirit amongst the circle of friends at the centre of the film.

As Director of the film, I'm thrilled to have Roger on board.  He's a real pro, and lights up the screen whenever he's on it.  Roger and I, along with the rest of the cast and crew of the film, are excited to make this movie, and we can't wait for everyone to see the final result!

Check out Roger's IMDB Page here

E-Mail Problems

Hi there!

Some people who e-mailed me this past weekend got their messaged bounced back.  Here's why:

What happened was that I went out of town on Thursday, to attend a weekend festival. When I came home, I found my telephone not working, the cable TV down, and my internet non-existant. When I called my cable company (who runs all three), the conversation went something like this:

ME
Excuse me, but my services aren't working.

CABLE COMPANY
Māpha karanā bēvakūphī paradēśī, lēkina maiṁ āpakī bhāṣā nahīṁ bōlatā!

ME
Uh, could you transfer me to someone who speaks the strange imitation of English that we speak in America?

CABLE COMPANY
Bhāṛa mēṁ jā'ō tuma, pakaṛa kr̥payā...(different voice) Hello, Daniel my name is. How can you I help?

ME
Uh, my services are down...

CABLE COMPANY
Check on that for you I can...hold please. (Several minutes later) OK...your services are out, but a good reason there is.

ME
And that reason is...?

CABLE COMPANY
You owe us money.

ME
Money?

CABLE COMPANY
Yes. (X amount).

ME
(X amount)?

CABLE COMPANY
That's right.

ME
What about the (X amount) I paid you rwo weeks ago?

CABLE COMPANY
What (X amount) you paid when?

ME
The (X amount) I paid on June 25th.

CABLE COMPANY
You made a payment?

ME
Yep. And the confirmation code was (long pointless confirmation code).

CABLE COMPANY
Oh...THAT payment.

ME
I'd like to speak to a supervisor please.

CABLE COMPANY
No problem! (line clicks) Tuma phira sē? Aba kyā?

In the end, I got everything turned back on. However, this caused my e-mail to be suspended over the weekend, so if you sent anything, It more than  likely bounced back to you. Sorry about that. Also, allow me to apologise for this mass e-mail, but It will take time to get back to everyone, and I wanted you all to know A: What went wrong, and B: That I WILL be getting back to people individually if we were already corresponding about something. 

 If you sent me something new, please re-send it. And as always, my apologies for things being a bit behind, e-mail wise. Some day, I'll be able to  send messages just by thinking about it. Until that day, I'll need to depend on typing, which is NOT my fastest skill!

If you aren't talking to me about anything and don't have anything new to say, then go ahead and check your tire pressure. Or your blood pressure.  Just do SOMETHING...I like to be useful!

 - Taliesin

And Now, A Word From Our Co-Producer

Howdy all. Your co-producer Leigh here, in her first 'Dark of Moon' related blog post.

Now, despite having experience with independent shoots before, I have to say things are somewhat different from the co-producer's chair. The decisions are strangely personal, and knowing what our DP, Ass-Prod, and Writer/Co-Producer/Creator o' Worlds think has become critical. Unlike some of my earlier projects, everyone at the top is on the same wavelength and coming up with the same conclusions. And man oh man... is that ever a good feeling!

But like any new experience, I've been learning things about the process of film-making as we go forward. And I thought I might share a few things I've learned so far, just during the first round of auditions for Dark of Moon:

* SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NOT YOUR DAY - We've seen dozens of talented and ambitious actors audition for us. Actors with stellar resumes and true, honest skills. But if they can't make us see them playing one of the characters, we have to wince and move forward. We've already start thinking of how we could write several people into a project further down the line... but that's not helping things right now.

* THE AMOUNT OF TALENT IN 'NEO' IS OBSCENE - Don't get me wrong. We had more than a few 'American Idol' moments during the audition. (Our DP Noelle had to physically restrain herself from screaming 'Next!' once or twice.) But, overall, we have some damn talented people up here. I fully expect to be as blown away during our second round of auditions as I was during our first.

* LOOKING AT AN ACTOR'S AUDITION FOOTAGE IS CRUCIAL - People we thought were spot-on, can suddenly seem just a little off. And actors who we were less than impressive start looking like George Clooney. The suave can look goofy and the drama queens can come across as subdued. And at the end of the day, it's how a person looks on film that counts.

* I SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN BOOZE OF ANY KIND WHILE REVIEWING BAD AUDITION FOOTAGE - Let's just leave it at that.

 - Leigh, Production Goddess

 Cross Posted To  Freerange Thinking

Script Excerpt!

OK folks....,here's a little preview of a scene to whet the old appetite a bit.

This scene takes place in an occult store.  Our female leads, Sammi and Beth, are going there to try and meet new people.  Sammi isn't so sure about the whole thing, but Beth is enthusiastic.

And away we go....

                                                                                       15. INT: MAGICK SHOPPE: EVENING

A group of people are milling about...some sitting, others standing in groups, chatting. BETH and SAMMI walk in the front door, only to have SAMMI try to back back out. BETH stops her and pulls her back in.

They make their way to the back of the store and look for a place to sit down. Just then, they are approached by an EAGER YOUNG LADY.

  EAGER YOUNG LADY

Hi there! Thanks for coming to the Pagan Action Coalition of Ohio, or P.A.C.O. My name is Yemayja, and I'm outreach director. Here's a copy of our agenda today (hands over two sheets of paper), and if you want to have a seat, we'll be getting going in a sec. Have an ENLIGHTENED day!

She bounces away. BETH and SAMMI stare at each other, at which point SAMMI tries to turn around and leave, only to be stopped by BETH and directed to a seat. They sit. A dark-haired young man speaks up.

DARK HAIRED MAN

OK everyone, let's get started. (waits a few beats for the chatter to subside.) OK, my name is Dylan..for those new people here...

He glances towards BETH and SAMMI. BETH smiles and waves. SAMMI rolls her eyes.

  DYLAN (was DARK HAIRED MAN)

And this is the Pagan Action Coalition of Ohio, also known as P.A.C.O...

A fiery young redhead breaks in

FIERY REDHEAD

Wait a second, we never voted on that name change!

  YEMAYJA (was EAGER YOUNG WOMAN)

Now Freya, we talked about this before...the old name had an unfortunate acronym...

  FREYA (was FIERY REDHEAD)

(partly whining) But calling ourselves the Coalition for Unity in New Times had such a futuristic vibe to it...

YEMAYJA

Freya, we took the vote at the last meeting, the one you were LATE to? And...

FREYA

(cutting her off) Besides, every Pagan group put the word “Pagan” in their name...the old name didn't have that.

YEMAYJA

(speaking over her) I am NOT GOING TO BE PART OF A GROUP CALLED “CUNT!”

DYLAN

Now guys, GUYS! Let's calm down now, OK guys? Freya, YOU were the only person who liked the old name. After spending three months worth of meetings debating it, we all decided to move on. Now to (Freya starts to protest) MOVE ON...(she shuts up)...we have to start real planning for Beltane. I know it's six months or better away, but things have a way of sneaking up on us, and the more we can get done NOW, the less we'll be scrambling at the last minute. Now Yemmie has an update on outreach...

YEMAYJA

(stands up in an EXTREMELY bouncy manner) Hi guys! OK, now I have been working on getting other groups to send people and speakers to the Beltane fest, and this year we already have a firm yes from the Druid grove!

She claps...a few other offer weak claps in return.

YEMAYJA

I KNOW, isn't it great?!? So anyway, I'm still trying to nail down someone to speak from a more Wiccan perspective, and maybe a Norse/Heathen path as well? So, if anyone knows anyone who can help, just shoot them my e-mail (to Beth and Sammi) I'll make sure you guys get it (to group) and, if we all work together, we can make this the most MAGICKAL Beltane fest ever!

DYLAN

(shaking his head and smiling) OK, great Yemmie, for that, uh ENTHUSIASTIC report. Now, we have Freya and Steph working on permits...

FREYA

Which is, like, going right on schedule. We've, like, made the initial request and Mr. Webb down at city permits says he'll rush it through.

STEPH

Yeah guys, here's where having those cleanup crews last time has paid off in spades. I mean, when most groups hold events on the park square, the city has a LOT of cleanup to do afterwards. We left that place cleaner than when we found it (to general applause)...that's right, we rule!...and now, they're going to expedite our permit. And of course, the faster we get it, the less chance some fundie hate group has time to oppose it before it's issued. So, let's DEFINATELY do that again!

DYLAN

Well, let me say that I am in COMPLETE agreement there! Now, Hyacinth, Talon...you guys want to organize cleanup again this year? (Talon and Hyacinth nod in agreement). OK, next up, uh...(checks list in hand) Hyacinth has an update on the music committee:

HYACINTH

Thanks Dyl...well, I just spoke with Trey from Wicker Man, and they'll be able to not only play, but provide a sound system...(applause) thank you, thank you...so, I think we should consider giving them the headlining spot...(general nods of agreement)...I mean, they went over great this year, and I think putting them up front on the flier will actually draw people.

FREYA

Now hold up a minute...I really think we should consider booking Inkubus Sukkubus. I mean, that kind of a major act would draw from all over the state, and really make this an EVENT...

YEMAYJA

Now Freya, girl, we talked about that...I mean, not only would they cost more than we could EVER afford, but we'd also have to fly them over from England...

FREYA

Well, I think that if we went ahead and booked them, we'd qualify for some grants (ruffles papers) I've been doing some research, and...

YEMAYJA

We. Are. Not. Booking. A. Band. From. ENGLAND!!!!!

FREYA

Hey, you know, I'm not getting very much energy from your heart-chakra here, and that is NOT A WAY TO APPROACH THINGS!!!

YEMAYJA

(over Freya's shouts) There is no way we can do it you WHORE!

Just then, a big bearded guy standing behind DYLAN silences the argument.

BIG BEARDED GUY BEHIND DYLAN

(thunderously) HEY!

DYLAN

(when things settle down) OK, now...without getting personal, I think we can all agree that, with heart-chakras wide open...that for this year, going local is more practical for our finances. (speaking up to stop Freya from interjecting) Now IF our sales table and raffle do...unnaturally well...we can look into other possibilities next year, OK? (waits for assent) Great! Now, for an update on the sale table and raffle, we turn to Yemmie...

FREYA

I thought we were going to talk about only having Vegan food at the vending stand this year...

YEMAYJA

No, no...that's next sweetie...

Location Photos - Tredara

Hey gang....

I was just at Tredara this past weekend, and took a few pictures.  A fairly pivotal scene will take place here, so these pictures can be a preview of what's to come, film-wise...

Calling All Actors!

Here's the e-mail I'm sending to all who send in a head-shot and bio to audition for the film "Dark of Moon".  I think you should find it entertaining...

**************************************************************

Hi there! You're getting this e-mail because you (or someone using this e-mail account) sent in a headshot and bio for a new movie I'm casting called “Dark of Moon”. Since everyone needs the same information (and I don't want to type a long bloody e-mail every time someone responds to my ad), I've taken the liberty to write this information down ahead of time. The notification e-mail you get telling you about live auditions will also probably be pre-written. When I speak to you face-to-face, however, I promise to craft each sentence verbally just for you. No pre-recorded voices will be used.

It's the least I can do.

Oh, and I try to have a sense of humour all of the time. Saves on ulcer medication.

What we're doing here:

----------------------------

What I'm doing is collecting information on actors and then, when I have a definite casting date set, letting everyone know via e-mail. Maybe I'll use an e-mail subject that says something about South African Princes, just to make sure you see it. Then again, something tells me this might be a bad idea. Anyway, I'll also be doing blind casting (putting out notices and then seeing who shows up) if I need to, but if I have a good pool of people who have already contacted me, I may very well have a casting day just for them first, and then doing the blind call if I need to. So congratulations...sending in your info ahead of time means that you won't just be thrown in with a bunch of strangers come casting day. You'll instead be thrown in with a bunch of strangers who like to answer ads on Craig's List!

Wait...something about that doesn't look all that inviting.

I'll also be sending out audition sheets to people on the e-mail list, so you'll have at least a week to look them over BEFORE auditioning.

Be sure to read over the descriptions provided below...let me know which part you'd like me to send you the audition sheets for. If you'd like to leave it up to my “gut”(as substantial as it is), then don't mention a part...I'll pick one for you. Remember, as always, just because you read for one part doesn't mean that you won't get cast in another part...but I promise, NOBODY will be cast as an albino monk. Thus, no albino monks need apply.

So, if you could, if you haven't already, send me an official "head shot" (a picture of you from the shoulders up. Please, no dirty pictures. If I want those, I'll Bit Torrent them like any good computer geek), and a brief list of past accomplishments acting-wise.  Even if they're only High School plays.  I actually don't give a shit if someone has never acted in their life...if they can do the part, and do it well, then they're in.  I just need something to put in the old file here. If I have nothing, I may make something up, which means that there will be a lot of people who played “Dead Corpse #5” in Buffy.

If you've already sent in a headshot and bio, please disregard that last paragraph. Really...forget all about it. It never existed. These aren't the droids you're looking for. Look into this pretty light on my flashy thing here while I put on my sunglasses, and...

This is, as we see so often around these parts, a low/no budget film. Unlike other upstarts, we're not making up for our lack of fundage by dumping buckets of blood on everything (as therapeutic as that is). No, we're making up for it by the quality of our performances, the near-genius level abilities of our editor, and the intense dedication shown by all areas of our cast and crew. Plus, a complete and utter lack of any albino monks makes this a fun yet dedicated bunch to work with. We aim to make something we can all be proud of, and that will shine like a beacon on our resumes.

Thanks for taking the initiative.  You're just the kind of person we need more of in the world. Way more than albino monks. Send the stuff in, and I'll let you know when we have a casting date.

Non-Snarky Information:

The Movie:

Five friends...Beth & Sammi (the two women), and Zeke, Miller, and Drew (the guys)...have known each other since college.  They have a small Wiccan circle that used to be bigger, but careers and college have whittled it down to the five, which has been quite stable for the past few years.  That all changes when one of them, Zeke, leaves to join another group.  His defection leads the other four to take a good look at their lives...their jobs, their love lives, etc...and to try and get their collective houses in order.  The film focuses on Beth's search for true love, and she drags Sammi along for the ride.  Zeke's struggle is also a key part of the film.  It features fast-paced dialogue, plenty of commentary on pop culture, and some tender moments as well.

Character Descriptions:

Beth – Female. Beth is quiet, contemplative, yet a decisive and capable leader. She will do what's needed, all while asking the others about their needs. She's not one to speak out in group, but simply listens and does what she can do at her best. The rest is left to Zeke. Beth likes working with Zeke, and they have bonded over their own dating disasters. While she wouldn't mind getting to know Zeke even better, things are just so free and easy that she's not driven to rock the boat. She views Sammi as her other half, who she chastens for her language all the while being inwardly glad that SOMEONE said what needed to be said (even if they were a bit more blunt than she would have liked). Miller is very much a brother figure, while Drew is almost like “one of the girls”...that's why Beth shares a house with both Sammi and Drew.

Zeke – Male. Zeke is the most successful, career-wise, than any of them. He works in a company that develops new forms of computer security, and is good at his job (graphical designer). He's not showy, but he does speak up more than Beth does in the group. He doesn't seek the spotlight, but will step in if needed. He winds up doing the things in the coven that Beth can't cover, and has grown quite close to Beth during this time. He has real respect for Beth...the others he loves, but sees as lovable screw-ups, always needing bailed out and catered to. Though successful at his job, he's felt that his life has hit a lull, and he doesn't want it to turn into a rut. He focuses on his spiritual practice, and decides to shake things up to re-invigorate his life. He meets and gets to know a coven from an older style of Wicca, Gardnerian, one that has experienced people who can teach him instead of learning from books. He decides to leave his old coven, and join this group.

Sammi – Female. Sammi is blonde (preferably), thin (likewise), and has a unique shield to protect herself from life...she curses like a longshoreman. Her language is, as Beth likes to say, “Robust”, and thinks nothing of hurling obscenities to express herself. She uses the language to shield herself from “overly sensitive” types...she figures that if anyone is going to be put off by some meaningless cultural faux-pas, then she shouldn't waste her time on them. Those who look past the gruff (in demeanour) exterior, and get to know the person inside, only THEY are worthy of calling “friends”. She just might have a point here.

Miller – Male. He's the jester of the group. He's a wise-cracking type, who feigns immaturity yet has his shit amazingly together. He likes Wicca because of the fun aspect...they have fun when they circle together, and this has won his heart away from mainstream faiths, which he calls “depressive”. He likes to smoke pot, and is usually there to suggest this to his friends. None of them are drinkers, but they will (occasionally) indulge in some smoke. He views Sammi as a bratty younger sister, and his taunts are that of a sibling taunting another, not in a mean way. He thinks Zeke is too serious, and would like Beth to loosen up as well. Drew he just views as one of the girls, and feels a little protective of him.

Anyone who would like to read for a minor character (who are in scenes ranging from 1 to 8 scenes apiece) can request a supporting character audition sheet in addition to one of the leads. This means you read at least twice. ALL ACTORS MUST READ FOR ONE OF THE FIVE MAIN CHARACTERS. If you don't specify a major character, I'll look at your head shot and send one that I think might fit you. Not to be mean, but even if you don't think you're right for one of the five main parts, I might think you are. I want the best people for the roles, period. So be bold!... go for a starring role. You might just get it. If you're going for a starring role and would like to read for a minor character in order to cover your bases, that's shiny...just specify one of the ones below.

The available minor character parts are:

Oak in 8 scenes

Male. Oak is an ADF Druid, a Celtic re-constructionist group that's spread across the US, England, and Australia. While young himself, he has a natural maturity about him that will serve as a powerfully attractive force for Sammi. He comes in during scene 21 (out of 32), but plays a decent role in the last 1/3 of the film.

Angela in 7 scenes

Female. Miller's new girlfriend. While she's mentioned early on, she doesn't make an appearance until scene 19. She finds Miller endearing, and falls for him in spite of his outward facade of immaturity. She doesn't get rattled by the explicit remarks made by Sammi and Miller at times.

Dylan in 5 scenes

Male. The lead facilitator of the “Pagan Activist Coalition of Ohio” or P.A.C.O. He's able to corral an unruly bunch of ragtag Wiccans and Pagans into a group that actually gets something done. When he's not in “leader mode”, he's quiet and unassuming.

Sammi's Date in 1 scene

Male. A sci-fi geek who gets girls and dating horribly wrong. He makes one brief appearance, but it's a good one.

Hyacinth in 1 scene

Female. In charge of arranging musical entertainment for P.A.C.O.'s Beltane festival. Organized, enthusiastic.

Freya in 1 scene

Female. Young, fiery member of P.A.C.O. Likes to get her way. Idealistic. In a perfect world, will be played by a red-head. One scene, but VERY memorable!

Mordwyn in 1 scene

Female. Younger (age 26) member of Zeke's new coven. Beautiful, flirtatious. Has broken more than a few hearts. Mentioned often, but only seen once.

Steph in 1 scene

Female. Works on getting permits for P.A.C.O.'s Beltane festival. Organized and studious.

New Craig's List Ad Up - Looking For Cast

Here's the link: http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/tfr/1797852003.html

Here's the text of the ad:

Cast Needed For Independent Comedy (Northeastern Ohio)

"Dark of Moon", an independent comedy, is due to begin shooting in mid-August or the first week of September. While I will be posting information about open casting soon, I am currently building a call list for auditions.

Interested people should send a head shot and bio. I'll catalogue the information, and when a definite casting date is set I'll send out a notice telling everyone where and when. The advantage to being on the e-mail notify list is that I'll be sending out audition sheets a week ahead of time, so that all who send in info can familiarize themselves with just what they'll be auditioning with ahead of time. I also may not make the first casting session open...it MAY just be for people on the notify list. So, if you want to make sure you can audition for a NON-HORROR movie in Northeastern Ohio, getting on the notify list is a good thing. Those who send in information about themselves will get more information on available characters and the film's plot.

"Dark of Moon" is a comedy about five friends at a crossroads in their lives. It will be shot in High Definition, over a period of 4 to 8 weeks. This is a low/no-budget movie, though one that will be aggressively marketed throughout the US and other English-speaking countries. It's also quite funny.

There are four principal parts to be cast, as well as a number of supporting roles. Doubling up as crew WILL get you multiple credits on the film. We're going to try and make this fun, as well as professionally rewarding.

If you don't like Craig's List automated e-mail addys, send your head shot and bio to taliesin at neo dot rr dot com

************************************

That's it.  If you know of any male or female actors who would like to be a part of a snarky comedy, direct them to this blog post.  

Gar-oovy!

Cheers,

 - Taliesin

Production Diary: Pre-Production Part One

On 08 June 2010, I posted an ad at Craig's List looking for crew for the film. The ad said this:

...

Well, I *could* post the text of the ad, if I hadn't deleted it already. I did that right before I started writing this blog post. The well-organized person within me said "Hey, let's delete that Craig's List ad before anyone else responds", and did it right away. The writer in me decided that the text of the ad would be a groovy thing to put in this "story so far..." kind of article. Only the writer in me is a little too stoned to speak up enough to drown out the well-organized person, so it's needs were heard too late. Bugger.

What the ad basically said was that I was looking for a camera operator to work on a low/no budget film called "Dark of Moon". The post was  written in my "laid back" style, because I'm just not ready to put on my "boring old business-man" hat just yet. Once this film is made, and 
we're trying to distribute it, *then* I'll write nice, concise, dreadfully dull prose meant to impress office managers and not scare away the generously wealthy.

Once I wrote the ad, a good friend of mine (who just happens to be an ace cameraman) sent me a message on Facebook telling me that what I  *really* wanted to say was that I was looking for a DP (Director of Photography, NOT "Double Penetration", you filthy-minded perverts!) / 
Cinematographer, not just a camera-operator. I guess I can craft a well-written ad (while spelling "colour" with a "U"...get used to it),  but the movie jargon stuff is still growing on me.  

The end result is, we now have a Director of Photography (who will be henceforth known as the DP, filthy minds be damned). I'll say just who once I get a few more crew positions nailed down, and then have a "meet the crew"-type post (which, while it may be more informative than the Ben Stiller film "Meet the Frockers", will almost certainly be funnier as well). So I took the ad down. About five minutes too soon.

Dammit.

Anyway, this is going to be the space where we, the cast and crew of "Dark of Moon", keep everyone apprised of our progress towards making this movie available to the public at large. I'll try to make this interesting...getting lost in the details may be fine for Virgos (myself), Capricorns (my DP), and other earth signs, but it can get dreadfully dull for anyone else. Being that this film is a comedy, I'll try to make this blog as entertaining as I can.

I'll probably be more verbose earlier on...as we start principal photography, my posts may just be scenes shot, people involved, etc. But I will try to keep up.

Oh, and I should probably spill the beans and announce my Co-Producer, because she'll most likely be writing bits to put up here fairly soon. Her name is Leigh Adamkiewicz, and I met her while writing the independent TV show "Quarter Bin". We wound up being the writing dynamic duo on THAT show, and she's been kind enough to volunteer to help me bring my vision to fruition on this film.

I'll also be announcing casting decisions once we have the cast in place. Anyone in Northeastern Ohio who wants to send in a headshot and bio to be contacted when we have a casting date, well...I'll be putting up a Craig's List ad soon, so I'll link to it once I have the ad in place. I'll also record the text of the ad here, so my more-organized self won't tidy another piece of my film's history into oblivion.

Until next time,

Cheers!

- Taliesin

This Is Only A Test

This Is Only A Test

(see?  I told you so...)