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04-01-01 "Wisconsin Film Festival, Day Four!!!!"

What a long weekend! I headed to Border's Bookshop again to pick up a guide book on short films. I then went to the student center to try to get the tickets for "Lizard" that the guys were promissed but never got. Oh ya, I came through!! Ten tickets were waiting for them at the window! Now I'll be able to get them some great keep sakes to remember the big event!

I then tried to catch the last show of the weekend for me "The Wisconsin's Own Shorts" show. Again!! Sorry!! Sold out!! Again I decided to read and wait. Surely someone would skip it and go home early. I was the first one in line so the lady in charge told me I could wait inside. As I waited this family stood in line beside me. We began to talk and I found out that the son was one of the film makers in the program. He had extra tickets so he gave one to me!!! His name was Jav Rivera and he created a wonderful little short called "What Went On Inside". It dealt with loss on a poetic kind of level. The music went from a bit creepy to hopeful. Good job, Jav!! And thanks again!!!

I really enjoyed a short called "Paradise Lounge" by Shandra Kehl (drop dead gourgous!!). It dealt with a little girl's imagination and her hpes at becoming a singer. It had a beautiful film noir look and some of the best camera moves in the whole festival (at least as good as "Still Life"). I talked to Shandra a bit after the show, she's smart as well as beautiful!! Sigh!

Other shorts that I liked were "Bar Mitzvah" and "Isolation".

By 7:00 that night I made it home. Wow what an exhausting weekend!! What ever happened to the soaking in the tub and the rest? I'd have it no other way!

04-03-01 "Home Again, Home Again, Jiggitty Jig!!"

After a long night at the computer typing journal entries I'm hoping to get some good rest tonight. I wish I could type faster!

The festival taught me many great things along with being quite inspiring. I'm hoping to include a bit of a flashback into "The Hunt" that would take us back to when Buck and Ken were little kids. I'm still not sure at all how long "The Hunt" is going to be! I keep trying to think of ways to fatten it up when it might come out to be long enough as is?! How long does a film need to be to be a full length feature? Somebody answer that question for me!!!!

I was very busy at school today! I made thre ceramic boxes and refinished my showcase cabinet! I'm hoping to get some student works out in the hallway tomorrow! No sweat!

Last night I edited the sequence in "The Hunt" where Cookie finds an old picture. It turns out to be less than a minute long but it has a lot of great charm. I still don't have the sound right but it's looking good! I'm hoping to shoot this weekend again but I haven't heard from Tom yet. I hope we're in the Wisconsin Film Festival next year... that would make me so proud!

04-08-01 "On The Road Again!"

What an interesting day we had shooting! I had planned on getting some much needed night time footage on an old road that I was sure would be a bit deserted. Well, low and behold, the road turned out to be a major freeway! Keep in mind we were shooting a scene in which a bloodied body was mangled along the side of the road. You should have seen the looks we got as over fifty cars drove by throughout the course of our shoot! Everybody would just drive by slowly trying not to look. It was kind of funny. Some people would stop and ask if we needed any help. "We're just shooting a movie." "Oh... Okay?!". A few carloads of my students drove past and screamed when they saw me. Overall, I think we may have drummed up a bit of interest!

We used a blue filter along with two nuetral density filters to get the darkness that we required for a nighttime shot (even though it was a very bright noon). Had a bit of a problem withthe interior shots so Joe Knitt and I went out later that night and actually got some footage at the perfect time where the inside of the vehicle and the outside where matched as far as light was concerned. Now I'll have to try to get Joe Budke at that perfect time also?! Or just go with what I've got.

Jon needed to get going about a half hour before we were finished so he ended up driving home with Sarah (his girlfriend and make-up artist for "The Hunt") and Tony (our first assistant cameraman) with his dead face make-up on! He said he even went to work like that! Crazy bugger!!

04-13-01 "My Art, Where Art though?"

It has been so dificult for me to get into my artwork this year. Sure I've got a very large project going with "The Hunt" but my other creative outlets are being ignored!! I certainly do NOT have the time to devote to any art projects at this time so why do I still feel so blasted guilty?! Maybe once the project is done I won't feel so bad. Oh ya, that's gotta be the case!

Also, I'm darn anxious to start writing the next project but will not allow myself to do that until this current project is under wraps!

04-20-01 "Survivor!"

Well, I performed on stage for the second official night at Comedy City. It was for the "Survivor show". It seems that all my pals at Comedy City are regular "Survivor" junkies while I have yet to actually see the show in it's entirety. The premis of the night's show is to chop away at the performers until only one remains so basically I was there simply for fodder! I was voted off second both shows. Actually I was quite proud that I managed to avoid being "El Numero Uno"! But I feel my team can take the credit for that.

Right now with Comedy City I still feel such nervousness when I get on stage. While I feel I'm quite creative and rather humorous, I don't quite have it yet when it comes to being instantly funny or creative. Maybe time will help me sharpen this talent but right now I can't help but wonder if giving up soda about a year ago was such a good idea?! Do I need that caffiene? The whole experience with my new friends at Comedy City is quite humbling!

04-22-01 "A Productive Day, None The Less!"

Today we were to have a full cast shoot that would wrap up all the cabin scenes and a few others if time would allow. We ran into a bit of trouble when our Bart didn't show up. He decided to go turkey hunting instead. I remained cool and discussed the situation with Josh. Eventually he realized that the oppertunity to be in a movie was far more important to him than his last day of turkey hunting. Well, we used him for two shots but it turned out that he could have stayed home as Joe Budke was unable to be here. Unfortunately there had been trouble with the people that Joe lives with and he was unable to contact us. While this set us back a bit it wasn't a wasted day in the least bit. We managed to get about four scenes wrapped up. You'll also be happy to learn that we got Josh home in time to get in the woods to do some hunting.

04-25-01 "Comedy Comes To Marion!"

Tonight was the big teacher's banquet for the Marion Education Association and through my connections we had Comedy City of Green Bay as our entertainment. While our staff may not have been the best audience, I assure you, everyone enjoyed the show. I was hoping to get on stage with the troupe but time didn't allow it.

School has been a stressfilled nightmare these last few weeks. The big Waupaca Art Show is this Friday and I'm too darn busy with student works to get any time on my own painting. Monday night I stayed at school until 10:00 working on a student's painting. I just can't seem to find the passion to work on my current painting. It's cool and everything but I just can't put my heart in it. Ironic as the subject of the painting surrounds my heart!? Need Vacation!!!!

04-27-01 "Art And American Movie!"

I actually found about an hour to work on my painting today! While I probably needed another day or two to work on it. The hour had to do! This year I ended up taking twenty five works of art to the show in Waupaca! There were a few that were a bit weak but overall we had some nice stuff. I ended up taking three works of my own, "Cliche'" (a large acrylic painting), "Pennsylvania" (a quick, fun collage of paint, gold leaf, and found objects), and "Half Deck Willie" (a warped drawing that was actually an example for the class that turned out to be rather interesting). It was nice seeing some of the area art teachers at the show (if only for an hour). I'll try to make it there on Sunday for the criteque.

After taking the work to the show I headed to Appleton to get my darn comics!! From there I went to Laurence University to see "American Movie". Gary (a friend from Comedy City) and a friend of his met me there. After the show (which was free) they provided beer and wine along with horsedorves. I taked for a good fifteen minutes with Sarah Price (one of the filmmakers behind "American Movie" and "Cearsar's Park which I caught at the Wisconsin Film Festival this year). We had a great talk and she was very encouraging as far as filmmaking is concerned! She said that they are looking for potential as far as new ideas and concepts because they realize that everyone doesn't have access to dollys and cranes. Maybe "The Hunt" has a chance at getting into the festival next year?! I gave her my card so maybe she'll get in contact with me?! She's got beautiful hair!!

Mark Borchard shook my hand. When I asked him where he was for the Wisconsin Film Festival he said he was there. Bummer that I missed him. He was on his way to getting rather bombed. I wonder how productive he'd be if he could skip the booze? I admire the knowledge he must have dealing with all the film equipment he has used but he should be well into his next project by now and I'm not sure he's gotten off his roller coaster long enought to get busy?! He had some rather interesting manorisms when he talked with the group after the film.

Mike Schank played Bach on his guitar for me alone! That was really cool. I met his sister and brother-in-law who live in the Appleton area. Mike asked me if I wanted to hear Bach and jumped at the chance to strum away! While the whole experience to "American Movie" has thrust him into pop culture, he remains unchanged. He seemed to get as much joy out of playing for me as I did watching and listening! Hats off to you Mike, six clean years and counting! I also bought his CD and enjoyed listening to it as I drove home.

I wanted to see "Coven" on the big screen but by then I was shot!

I wish Tom would have been along! I need to get a car phone!!

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