Had secound round of 'Abbie' auditions today. I'm very impressed with the girls we've called back. Each one brings a different approach and it's almost tempting to just cast all of them and rewrite the script to fit everyone in somehow. After auditions some members of the crew stayed behind and we watched the Oscars on TV. My favourite moment by far was Martin Scorcese finally winning, and not so much by his acceptance speech, but by the fact that Coppola, Spielberg, and Lucas were brought on as presenters. 30+ years of legendary careers right there. Loved their scripted banter as well-

Lucas (referring to being the only one on stage to not win an Oscar): "I've always believed it's better to give then receive."

Spielberg and Coppola: "No it's NOT."

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Doing The Last One is definitely becoming the learning experience I've hoped for.

"You got a lot to learn if you want to start playing with the big boys" is my quote of the day, given to me by an actor's agent. She couldn't be more right.

8 in a row!

The Haircut has made it to its 8th straight festival, the In The Realm Of The Senses Short Film Festival. It will be screening alongside some brilliant short films such as Brother (which features Jai Koutrae, who just so happens to be playing the lead in The Last One), and the Academy Award nominated The Saviour. I for one, am personally content mooching off the sloppy seconds the accolades these films will be garnering. Here's a trailer of the festival:


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More info on the festival here.

It's on.

I am officially in pre-production for my latest short film The Last One. From hereon, I will try my best to chronicle the entire process in the hopes that indie filmmakers out there may pick up some valuable lessons from my shoot, most likely of the "what NOT to do" kind. I'm jinxing myself I know. No. This shoot will be awesome, flawless, and worth every bit of blood, sweat, and beers I put into it. That was a faint attempt at positive thinking. Who am I kidding? Everyone who's been in a shoot knows that the entire process is the perfect embodiment of Murphy's Law. The challenge is overcoming all the shit that comes your way. And therein lies secret number one:

Gaffer tape. Always have gaffer tape.

...

I am casting for 'Abbie' this Saturday and I'm looking forward to seeing what all the actresses bring to the plate. It's the first round and they'll be doing a semi-cold read of a scene from the film. I'm conditioning myself to not think of a specific 'type' of Abbie I want in my head, rather I'll look at each actress and see what they could bring to the character in their own way. You have a cookie cutter image of a character in your noggin, you possibly miss out out on little gems and nuances that each individual has.

All I'm really hoping for is that nobody comes to the audition all made up. The role is for a recovering meth junkie!

...

This is the first film I'm doing wherein I have the luxury of a concept artist. I think it's important to have one because the concept art helps sell your vision to the cast and crew. The Last One is a somber, moving piece and my palette is heavily motivated by the amber street lamps which dot the Sydney landscape. I was lucky enough to meet and become friends with this talented little immigrant, who was kind enough to do a few pieces for me for a relatively cheap rate. Had I paid for her meal in the Chinese restaurant I had my first lunch with her and her siblings in, I probably could've gotten her to do it for free dammit.

But lo, here's one of the pieces- it's Abbie and Alex in their apartment. I'm saving the rest for when the film comes out, but I guess this is a nice enough teaser.


How would you feel if you lost me?