ACEFEST 2010: Judge Muir!

The New York Press made the announcement recently, so now I can share the news here too: I've accepted the invitation to serve as a judge at the upcoming ACEFEST 2010 Film Festival in NYC.

This is the film festival's fifth year, and the event will be held from August 20th through 28th, 2010. Tickets go on sale, Monday July 12th at 11:00 am.

Here's a snippet from the New York Press article involving the festival and, in particular, the selection of the judges:

The judging panel consists of 14 film experts including Emmy-award winning visual effects guru Ben Grossmann and Splinterheads director Brant Sersen. The panel’s talent pool is deep and diversified and they have all been called upon for their specific expertise because this year ACEFEST is trying something new with their judging process.

“For the past few years, we’ve pretty much taken anyone who’s interested in the judging within reason,” O’Malley said. “If they had any sort of notable resume, they were in. This year we tried something different. We very specifically made categories which we wanted to fill with judges. Categories such as performance, directing, special effects, cinematography and writing. Then we set out to fill those particular categories with judges. They’re all looking with an open eye at everything they see of course, but they’re all accomplished experts in their fields. They’ve seen it all. They’ve done it all. It’s going to be very interesting what they bring to the table this year because - I guess for lack of a better term -we got more organized. It was less of a free-for-all with our judging panel.”

And O’Malley expects the judges to have their work cut out for them if the caliber of submissions, which start being accepted Jan. 11, are on par with prior years.

I must say, I'm really looking forward to this gig with tremendous excitement. I can't wait to see all the films; and I hope that all you independent filmmakers out there get signed up for the competition. To learn more about ACEFEST (and the film submission process), click here.

The House Between: Meet Bill & Travis!

It's Friday again and that means another "clip" from my online series, The House Between gets posted on the blog today.

The clip I'm showing here is also from the premiere episode, "Arrived." This moment in the show occurs shortly after last week's segment. Our hero, Astrid (Kim Breeding) has already encountered Arlo (Jim Blanton), the strange young man in the kitchen, and by testing the doors and windows, discovered she is a captive in this mysterious old house...by unusual means.

In this bit, Astrid has just gone upstairs after speaking with Arlo, hoping to meet the other folks trapped in the house. She does so. First off, there's Bill T. Clark a "one step at a time" kind of guy played by Tony Mercer. He's a methodical scientist, one who, by his careful observations, deepens the mystery for Astrid.

Then, as the clip continues, you'll be introduced to one troublesome Travis Crabtree, played by Lee Hansen. Like Arlo downstairs, Travis is a "loki" character in the series; one who is always making mischief and trouble for the other denizens of "the house between."

But you'll see that for yourself...

The House Between: When Astrid Met Arlo

Well, it's Friday again, and that means it's time for another sneak peek at my independent dramatic series, The House Between.

Let me set up the short clip below:

It's a scene from the premiere episode of the series, "Arrived." Our series lead, a singer/songwriter named Astrid (Kim Breeding) has awakened to mysteriously find herself in an unfamiliar - and empty - old house. She has walked downstairs to the kitchen....and encountered a bizarre stranger who is living in that room, Arlo (Jim Blanton). Arlo has claimed the kitchen as "his," (or as a later episode notes, he has an unhealthy attachment to the kitchen...).

This clip shows the tail end of their first meeting as Astrid begins to gather information suggesting that her abduction and captivity is a lot stranger - and much more menacing - than she initially realized.

I call this clip "When Astrid Met Arlo."

More House Between Goodness

Well, I hope y'all checked out The House Between teaser trailer this weekend. I know some folks did, because my stats on the blog went through the roof. Thanks to the numbers I just saw on Saturday and Sunday, the blog actually had it's biggest week ever (since I started up in Spring '05). Nice!

Anyway, there's all kind of goodness and support on the net for this first glimpse of our independent production, and I humbly thank everyone for watching (and commenting), and supporting the effort. A new clip goes up here this Friday, (and every Friday leading up to the premiere of "Arrived" in February...), so if you like what you saw, plan on return visits.

Over at his outstanding blog, our Svengali-esque producer, author Joseph Maddrey penned a beautiful post that I think aptly (and poetically...) describes the process of creating the show. He's such a great guy, and the admiration society is definitely mutual! We couldn't have accomplished what we did without him, that's for bloody sure.

Anyway, here's a clip from Joe's blog. (And by all means, go read the rest at Maddrey Misc):

A six-member cast and an eight-member crew converged on Charlotte, North Carolina, in June 2006. For the next week, we would be trapped in an empty house with blacked-out windows, completely oblivious to the “real” world. It was like being thrown into a dream reality, with a very sobering mission: We had seven days to shoot seven (dialogue-heavy) episodes. No easy task. I appointed myself task-master.

From day one, I was amazed by the talent and dedication of everyone involved. It was as if every single person there had been waiting for an opportunity to like this, and when the cameras started rolling, they all became consummate – and passionate – professionals. Somehow, John must have known that it would happen like this. The actors learned their lines on the spot. The crew knew exactly how to get around any problem that presented itself. As on any good production, the team simply gelled.

The project quickly became a collaborative effort that relied on everyone there for its continued success. There were times when the production seemed like a house of cards. If any single member of the team hadn’t been fully engaged, the whole thing would have come crashing down. But everyone we needed was there, and giving 110%. By the second day, we were moving forward at full speed. By the fourth day, we were circumventing production problems with relative ease. (Many of the problems stemmed from our lighting equipment, which didn’t weather the 16-hour shoot days quite as well as the actors and crew). By the fifth day, everyone was comfortable enough for wild improvisation – making for a great episode that renewed everyone’s energy for the home stretch. (Truth be told: The lack of sleep was starting to make us all a little loopy.) By the seventh day, our nerves were frayed… but everyone maintained an air of professionalism, and we managed to get the last show in the can just before a summer storm swept into Charlotte, and provided us with some great moody exterior shots.

Afterwards, we all went to John’s house for a late dinner, and sat around talking into the early hours of the morning. It had been an absolutely grueling week, but nobody wanted it to end..."

At his blog, Notes on Culture, Kevin Flanagan (one of our lighting gurus and my frequent writing collaborator...), also comments about the show. And my friend (and fellow Space:1999 aficionado), Phil Merkel, has the teaser trailer posted up at his great site too, Captphil Online, so you can see it there.

And of course, you can watch it again, just by scrolling down on this page!

The House Between: Teaser Is Up!

Hey readers!

The (very brief...) teaser trailer for The House Between is now up on YouTube, and playing right here on the blog.

This is a first look at the characters, sounds and imagery of my independently produced, seven-episode sci-fi series, and more clips will be online soon, leading up to the premiere of the first episode, "Arrived," in mid-February.

Hope you like it...

The House Between Saturday Shooting

Well, Kathryn took care of Joel this Saturday afternoon, while I got down to business shooting some new scenes with actress and buddy Alicia Wood, who plays Theresa in The House Between.

I've got to say, it was weird seeing Alicia in full Theresa regalia again after a five months span, and especially in a different environment (my house, instead of the location where we shot the series). It's funny, but Alicia (much like Jim Blanton - who plays Arlo) - goes through a complete physical transformation to play the TV show character. When she becomes Theresa, Alicia takes on a whole different countenance and it's kind of Twilight Zone-ish to see her morph before our eyes.

We had a fun time, and after we shot some green screen material and two new, freshly written scenes (for episode 7, "Departed,") Alicia sat down with me to drink some red wine and do some dialogue looping at my editing station. This was a lot of fun, and I shouldn't be surprised that Alicia proved a natural at it. We would play her dialogue, watch her mouth moving on the screen, turn the sound down, and she would "synch" her dialogue to the screen.

Then, Alicia previewed the second and third episodes of the series, "Settled" and "Positioned." When we finished, I asked her what she thought of the shows and she looked at me, raised her Vulcan-type eyebrows and said "John, you know I was just watching me the whole time..."

The House Between update

Hey everybody,

I haven't blogged about my independently-produced web series, The House Between in some time, so I thought I would provide an update on post-production today. In a phrase: all is well.

1). The first episode "Arrived" is now at a final cut stage. I've had good comments from many folks who previewed the show at Fanta Sci back at the end of July, and incorporated changes where it was possible. I've also shot some new footage to better establish some "geography" of the strange house. I am delighted with how this episode looks and feels, and hope wider audiences will feel the same way as the screeners.

2.) I'm happy to report that I have a very talented graphic designer working on some special effects for later episodes. She did a top secret design for me just yesterday, and I must say, I'm blown away by what she created for me. The work is amazing.

3.) My terrific composer out in L.A. has watched a rough cut of the first three episodes ("Arrived," "Settled," and "Positioned"), and is scoring the show. He knows exactly what I want: an intimate, melancholy, mysterious score. His reaction to the first three episodes was also extremely positive. He said that the show was, in a word, "captivating." His feedback was 95% positive, and I'm also incorporating his feedback into my re-edits.

4.) Tomorrow, I'll be looping some hard-to-discern dialogue with one of the series stars, and breaking out the lights and camera equipment (and going out on location...) to shoot some new sequences for a few of the episodes, particularly the finale.

Basically, everything is going well, but as you may (or may not...) know, editing is a bear. It's a hugely time-consuming process and I'm a perfectionist. I want everything to be the best it can be, and alas, this means taking my time.

Bottom line: At least one episode, the premiere, "Arrived," should be up on the web by Christmas, assuming we stay on schedule, with the other six stories to follow on a weekly basis thereafter. (And then pre-production begins on Season Two!!!)

I''ll let you know where to tune in...

The House Between at Out of Order

Hey, Debra Burrell's column, Out of Order features an encouraging review of the first episode of The House Between!

Debra and I have shared con panels before (and she's quietly incited me to make mischief on them...), and she attended the screening of "Arrived" after Fantasci V last week.

Here's what she had to say about the first episode (and you can check out the entire column here):

It was really good! I forgave a lot of audio discrepancies because it is a rough cut, but the premise is excellent, the acting is first rate, and if you're going to have 5 people locked into an empty house together, you'd better have a darn good writer -- which this show has. The producer is Joe Maddrey, who is a producer of "A Haunting" on Discovery Channel, and the author of "Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film."

The stark B&W look, the flat blacked out windows and doors, the inability to determine day or night, it's all surreal. Call it an "irreality show." This is not like the patently phony "Surreal Life," which pretends to be real. This is more like the play it frankly emulates, "No Exit," only with a contemporary house and a few more people -- and, from the teasers I heard, more plot twists. I'm definitely looking foward to all the episodes.

Thanks, Debra for the kind words and the encouragement.

August column up at Far Sector

This month's JKM column at the E-Zine Far Sector is now posted! Check it out. The subject is the advent of independent TV, and my own spearhead into that venture, The House Between.

Here's a sample:

I suspect that independent and enterprising artists will very soon be fashioning their own Internet series. I predict these projects will be highly individual, curious, spiky and strange…and not at all like the homogenized entertainment we’ve grown accustomed to in the boob tube.

I have evidence, in fact, that this is happening because—hopefully—I’m on the vanguard. To wit: not long ago, I scripted, produced, cast, directed and edited my very own science fiction “series” called The House Between. It will be streamed online in late 2006 or early 2007.

Joe Maddrey, a producer on the Discovery Channel series A Haunting, joined me for this super low-budget venture and together with a small crew and a cast of five actors, we toiled to create something new and original. And, forgive me if this sounds like a Frank Sinatra song (by way of Sid Vicious…), but…hell…we did it our way.

By that I simply mean that we steered our own ship, without committee, without interference. Our production team was sequestered in an empty old house during the shooting schedule. Over the span of seven very, very long days we shot seven original half-hour scripts. As you might guess from the title, the premise concerns a mysterious, Spartan house where five strangers awaken to find themselves trapped. Like the Sartre play, there are no exits, and worse…no one can fathom the reason behind this unusual captivity..."

To read more, head on over to Far Sector!

The House Between Trailer Goes to FantaSci

If you live in North Carolina, Virginia or thereabouts, set your course heading for Chesapeake, VA this Saturday (July 29) for Fantasci, a great genre convention packed with all kinds of events and goodies. This will be my second Fantasci, I believe, and I had a great time last year.

But this year promises to be very special. For one thing, I'll be debuting the three minute trailer for The House Between at Fantasci (just burned the DVD....), and then joining most of the cast/crew for a panel discussion about the making of the show. It's going to be great (and hopefully will be just the first such road show for my favorite team of buddies...)

But also, I'll hosting one of my patented genre seminars at 11:30 am, this one concerning the long history of that rascally time lord, the Doctor. Also, I'll be joining budz Tony Mercer and Chris Johnson for a talk about the new Battlestar Galactica. If you know my thoughts on the new Galactica, you know this will be interesting, to say the least.

Costumes, merchandise, premieres, talks, and fun to go around, you can't miss it! Join me at Fantasci!

The marX-Files (at Paperback Reader) writes about The House Between!

Hey, look at this!

In his new column over at the web-zine Paperback Reader, blogger Marx ponders the future of television and in that light considers my up-and-coming independently-produced series, The House Between.

Check out his column (and Paperback Reader) here.

The blurb is under the header "Not Comic Books, But I Like It," one of several regular categories that Marx uses to organize news, facts and editorials at his site. Very cool!

Here's a clip:

"Muir, author of An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith and The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film & Television, wrote and directed this science fiction/horror series. It is being produced by Joseph Maddrey, co-producer of A Haunting and author of Nightmares in Red, White and Blue. No, you won’t find the upcoming seven black-and-white episodes on a cable channel near you. This original live-action series will be available for streaming online in the very near future. Could this be the future of television? Could this be the start of an independent TV (or should I say web) series trend?"

Marx is asking smart questions. These are the very underpinnings of what we are trying and hoping to accomplish with this project. Just like blogging has democratized news, editorials and punditry in the last few years, I'm hoping that streaming video will democratize independent film and TV production. We'll see what happens, but I'm pleased as punch that Marx is thinking (and blogging...) about the notion. Someone is going to make this concept work...hopefully The House Between will be a part of that.

Thanks, marX-Files!

Production Update: The House Between

Courtesy of Kim Breeding, my independently produced and shot TV series, The House Between now boasts an official logo.

Pretty cool, huh?

Kim did a great job (and she also updated the look of my web-site at www.johnkennethmuir.com.) Check it out!

Anyway, editing on the first episode of the series, "Arrived" continues. It's coming together real nice now, and my wife (a producer on the project...) is peering over my shoulder every step of the way. And...I will indeed have a trailer ready for public consumption at the convention Fantasci, July 29, 2006! I've been in touch with my composer too, and he's making strides on theme music and such. (I've been listening to the end credit theme all morning...or I should say, the prospective end credit theme music...) so it seems like everything is coming together. I hope to have the trailer on the Web (and here, on the blog...) by no later than mid-August.

Of course, at this rate, I'll be shooting the second season episodes by the time anyone sees the first season shows...

Production Diary # 8: The House Between: The REAL Production Diary

Okay, when I was blogging about director "lessons" yesterday, I forgot one of the most important lessons I learned while filming The House Between.

Whatever you do, leave your props under lock and key...

Because, if you don't, wackiness ensues. To wit, our second episode "Settled," involves the discovery of a diary that has emotional meaning for Bill Clark (Mercer), one of our leads. There's a scene where he finally breaks down and reads it, finding a tender message from his daughter, Samantha....whom he has been separated from.

Well...

Don't you know, every damn day, cast and crew members took it upon themselves to surreptitiously (that means sneakily...) write diary "entries" that mark the making of the production, as well as reveal generally unhinged states of mind.

So today I am presenting, in all its glory, the REAL production diary prop from The House Between. In the interest of decency, only the PG pages are included. I will keep this authentic The House Between collectible for a while (as well as the companion diary...which is burned...) and then auction them on E-Bay for lots and lots of money. No just kidding. No E-Bay! No E-Bay!

Production Diary # 7: The House Between: Director Lessons

I've directed various and sundry no-budget productions before (with titles like Salvation's Eclipse [1998], Rock'n'Roll Vampires from Hell [1989], Slaves of the Succubus [1992], and Annie Hell [1999])), but nothing - NOTHING - could compare to the experience of prepping, shooting and "experiencing" The House Between, my independently-crafted TV show (which I am currently editing with Rick Coulter). I feel I learned more about movie-making/TV production on this shoot than all my previous efforts combined. It was an immersive and transformative experience for me. I hope that doesn't sound self-congratulatory or anything like that. I'm just saying that, above all else, and putting other considerations aside...I loved the journey.

And that's important to me, not just because I enjoy crafting original material and taking it from script to screen, but because as a professional writer of many books about film and television, I've always felt it is important to understand the process and experience of moviemaking. That's what a lot of film and TV journalists don't get or don't understand (and which endlessly vexes me as a reader). For me to be a good reviewer, a smart and knowledgeable one, I think it's necessary that I've practiced the craft...no matter if it is on a no budget production or low budget one.

Someone once said to me at a convention that you can't give a movie or TV show an "A" for effort; that it doesn't work that way. But in some sense, I think perhaps it does. I guess what I'm saying is that I would prefer to sit in a theater and view an ambitious failure, something new and exciting and different (even if flawed...) rather than something mainstream and uninventive. Knowing and understanding and working through the difficulties of the filmmaking process from start to finish, I certainly hope I've garnered a vital perspective on how and why failures occur; on how important some shots can become; and why film and television straddle the worlds of art and business. A journalist who's never lifted a finger; never written a script; never acted; never held a camera...well, they're basing their reviews essentially on...what? Personal subjective opinion? Maybe? You tell me.

So anyway, today I thought I would chat just a little bit about some of the innumerable and valuable lessons I learned while crafting The House Between. I should note, these are pretty much my subjective feelings and thoughts alone. Others on the project boast their own uinque experiences; their own remembrances, and I respect all of them. These are just my feelings, pure and simple.

1.) Casting is vitally important. In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Scotty urged one of his co-workers to use "the right tool for the right job." I don't know if I ever understood before how important casting truly is; finding the "right person" for the "right job." But down to the last person (including our guest star), I felt that we had the right person for the right character each and every time. Despite all the Z-Grade stuff I've done over the years, I don't know that I've ever felt how tangible and vital good casting can be. In the past, I usually just cast my friends...and some were absolutely wonderful and some were...not. Here, everybody is - of course - a friend too, but each talent brought new layers to the characters I had crafted. People grew into their roles; people understood their roles; and if I may be so bold - I think some people fell in love with their characters too. I know I fell in love with all of them. I loved that by the third day of the shoot, actors were commenting critically about the scripts; that their characters wouldn't act in a certain fashion at a certain juncture.

2.) Vision meets Reality and in the end comes compromise. After much delay, I learned that not every single shot is going to be the most beautiful, meaningful and artistic portrait in the world. Sometimes it can't be...for very dramatic physical reasons, especially if the parameters of your set won't permit it; or if you don't have a louma crane, or the like. A corollary to this is the following advice: don't shoot important scenes in the parlor. For some reason, our parlor location was just cursed. Every time we did a scene there, it turned into a disaster. Maybe it was the size of the room; perhaps it was that there was a mirror involved. Who knows...

3.)Trust the experts. I learned that there is no crime and no dishonor in stepping back and allowing for collaboration; permitting for the experts to do their jobs; to incorporate the creative originality of other talents. To give you a for instance: At first, I felt really guilty and lame that I was stepping back and letting a stunt coordinator (the exquisite Rob Floyd) block the fight scenes. I mean, I'm supposed to be an auteur, right? But then I realized, that's what a good director (or good captain) does. He must trust his people...he must solicit their input and more.

For the first time on a movie shoot, I actually had a resource like Rob at my disposal (both in terms of make-up/SPFX and stunts), and I would have been foolish and short-sighted not to unleash his creative genius. But instinctively and personally, that was tough for me at the start to understand...I felt guilty. And then, honestly, when I saw what Rob could do, I instantly felt overwhelming relief. It was one more thing I didn't have to handle myself. I could worry about the shots; about the script; about the characters; about the schedule; and trust in Rob to get the best out of the actors and the movements. The same was true with the lighting. It was just best to get out of the way and let my brilliant lighting directors do their job...because they understood things I didn't. How wonderful is that?! To have such resources at your disposal?

4.)Respect the process of the others. Everybody works in a different way, and again, this was something I learned and came to respect. Some actors preferred extensive preparation to get them "in the mood" for the scene; others just wanted to step in and do it without much discussion. Some preferred spontaneity; some wanted rehearsal after rehearsal. I feel that watching Tony Mercer, Jim Blanton, Kim Breeding, Lee Hansen, and Alicia A. Wood, I came to understand the process of acting better than ever before. I also learned that for each actor, there was a different set of issues, a different set of insecurities and that as a director, it was my job to find the best way to communicate with each particular talent. I don't know if I always achieved that goal, but one of the best and most enjoyable things for me in directing this bunch was learning how to relate with each person and personality in a way that took into account their needs and work process. It was... quite simply ...wonderful.

5.)Be prepared, but being in the moment is actually more important. I had shot lists going in to The House Between, at least on "Arrived" and "Settled." But you know, there's that old adage about war, that no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and I think it also holds for filmmaking. I knew what I wanted, but if I had been rigid about those shot lists, we would have missed some great opportunities. In particular, in the fifth episode, "Mirrored," everybody on the production began thinking outside of the routine, outside the letter of the script, and in terms of character and emotions. Suddenly, we were picking up on new things, shooting original material and taking it all in a new direction. It felt great. Shooting that episode, I think, was the best day of the whole shoot. At least for me.

6. Never stop moving. Because if you do, you'll realize how fricking tired you are, and how crazy the whole enterprise is, and how many obstacles you have in front of you, and why this whole damn thing is impossible. Like a shark, you've got to keep swimming. If you stop, insecurity will snap at your butt.

So that's my sermon for the day.

Production Diary # 6: The House Between: The Crew!

As I edit The House Between (and yes, I am now officially editing the first episode, "Arrived,") I get the chance to see all my wonderful cast members and the fantastic special effects again. I also get to stand back with shock and awe as I gaze at the remarkable accomplishments of my behind-the-scenes team. I've blogged about the "stars" of the show this week, but today I have to offer my kudos to the "tech" folks who were also so crucial in providing me all the useful (and even artful...) footage.

I begin today's round of gratitude with my DP Rick Coulter. How do I put this? Rick is like...the calm amidst the storm. He's a serious but mild-mannered and generous fellow...who never gets worked up. And yet, through his viewfinder, he silently and without much direction composes beautiful, meaningful shots. Every shot reflects his intellect and sense of visual storytelling. Of course, if you want to get Rick riled, just start talking about the social constructs of a capitalist society. Go ahead, it's fun, but that's another story. By early in the production week, I was trusting Rick to find his own shots, call action and cut when I was otherwise occupied, and do just about everything else too. Rick is a great guy, and on the last day when I spontaneously lost my shit and had a nervous laughter attack over a certain scene (which still cracks me up...) he stepped in and with smooth authority finished the scene.

Next up are the two brilliant lighting directors who - perhaps more than anyone else - are responsible for the unique palette of The House Between (which I like to describe as a fusion of 1940s film noir and 1920s German Expressionism.) I'm talking about Kevin Flanagan and Bobby Schweizer, who - without complaint and with precious little guidance - masterminded the lighting scheme for the entire series. Their lighting reflects character mind-states (sometimes psychotic), "pulses" with evil life (in the episode "Visited") and basically makes the series look respectable...and like nothing else being produced today. Since we shot in empty house with literally no furniture and only a paucity of props, shadows became "the backdrop" for many a scene...and with precious few resources, Bobby and Kevin made my crazy vision a reality; and what's more - improved on what I had casually conceived. When I said I wanted the shadows to be "furniture," I had no idea how to accomplish that; but they did. Kevin and Bobby also helped in ways too numerous to count (keeping the house shrouded in darkness, for instance), and I can't imagine how much slower we would have gone if we didn't have them contributing. Kevin also gave me some really good script advice for episode # 7; advice I gladly took.

Also, there would likely only be maybe four or five episodes of The House Between (instead of seven) without the efforts of my producer, Joseph Maddrey. Joe served as the producer on the Discovery Channel Series A Haunting, so he absolutely knows his stuff. On the set, he was always following the script, always following the team with an open notebook, crafting new ways to keep us on task and on time. Joe had the unenviable job of being the "bad cop," at times, telling me when I only had ten minutes or five minutes left to finish a scene that was taking too long. When I did fall behind, he was understanding, but also cleverly finding ways to make up the lost time...either adjusting the scripts or thinking of clever stagings. There were many heroes and champions on The House Between but I found Joe's contributions and steady presence absolutely essential. Every director needs a good but tough producer, and Joe fit the bill splendidly. He was fair-minded and always coming up with great ideas. We couldn't have succeeded without him, and I should also note that Joe dramatically improved the scripts before we shot. He spent the last several weeks of pre-production giving me notes on how to improve everything from dialogue and characterization to narrative flow. His advice was sound too. I remember on set, a clever actor (Mercer) precisely mirrored Joe's feedback and notes on one particular episode ("Positioned") and on how the audience would view that particular character, Bill. Joe was right then...as he was so many other times.

Finally, I can't write this post without thanking my beautiful (and very pregnant) wife, Kathryn. She is a producer on the show too, and she not only offered some critical input at the beginning of each day, she kept the entire cast & crew well fed and cared for over the long shoot (with the help of Rob Floyd's wonderful and adorable wife, Phyllis). There would be no show to post about here if Kathryn had not permitted us to open up our home to fourteen people for seven days, and utilize our family resources to realize the project. Kathryn is one-in-a-million. I've known that since forever (our seventeenth dating anniversary is September 8th, this year...), but I'm truly grateful for her level of support and encouragement throughout this process...especially considering that she's working on a Muir production of her own..our baby. And also - Phyllis - what can I say about this classy lady? She applied make-up, corralled actors, prepared meals, read dialogue off-camera, stayed up till 2:00 am for the infamous bath tub scene, and did about a million other things. Without Kathryn and Phyllis, we would have ground to a halt.

The truly amazing thing about The House Between is that over the long, sixteen hour days, no ego or selfishness ever showed up at the location; neither among the cast nor the crew. Everybody chipped in, did their part with enthusiasm...and it was an incredible experience.

Now, Rick and I move into editing...and so far, so good!

Production Diary # 5: The House Between: Cast

Last week, I blogged about the sets/locations for my independently shot TV program, The House Between, as well as my admiration and gratitude for the laudable efforts of Rob Floyd, our special effects expert.

I wanted to kick off this week's House Between production entries with some comment on the program's dedicated cast. Because - quite simply - everybody was amazing; all in different ways, of course, but nonetheless amazing. And, as Bobby Schweitzer noted over at Virtual Fools, the pressure on the cast during this whirlwind shoot was intense; and I'm not one to write easy (or brief...) dialogue. I went for broke in my expectations, and to my delight, the cast always kept pace. So forgive the love-fest!

Kim Breeding portrays Astrid, my central heroine in The House Between. Kim is not only beautiful, and literally able to kick ass (which is a quality important for the role...) but she came to the set 100% percent prepared for action. She's got the bruises to prove it (alas, no stunt doubles!). Truth be told, Kim had thought seriously about her character so much that she didn't really require any direction from me. I don't think there was any time during the shooting that I provided her a direction she hadn't already considered. I love that about her: preparation and discipline! The camera loves Kim, and for good reason, but what I found so valuable about this actress (besides her gung-ho attitude) was that she always understood precisely how Astrid "fit" into the scene...even if the scene didn't really focus on Astrid. She was able to fit with the ensemble as well as be "the star" of a given episode, and that worked out so well. Kim is also incredibly versatile: she can convincingly fight, emote, sing, fall, rattle off dialogue and scream with equal aplomb...and on command. Scream Queen! Scream Queen!

Jim Blanton plays Arlo, an odd character who I once likened to a "squirrel with a nut." He's strange, a little off-putting, and even a tad psychotic. Arlo does some horrible, shocking things in the course of the series, but what I love about Jim Blanton's interpretation of the role is that he makes you like Arlo. He brings a level of innocence and charm to the character that turns Arlo, ultimately, into a rather likeable guy. Not pitiable...but lovable. Jim was able to tap both anger and naivete to play this critical role, and there were times - especially watching his close-ups - that I was shocked and impressed by the honesty, clarity and openness I saw registering on his features. I didn't plan it this way, but it seems that Arlo has become kind of the show's "emotional barometer," and that's because of Jim's interpretation. There was one sequence with Jim as Arlo that was just so perfect and moving that it brought a tear to my eye. And Jim and I hadn't even gone over that particular moment...it was something that just came to him naturally.

Lee Hansen plays Travis, the fly-in-the-ointment character. Basically, Travis is a real jerk (as you'll see when this thing gets streamed online...). So Travis is basically the total opposite of Lee Hansen, the person. Lee is just about the most gentle and kind person you'll ever meet, but he tapped some inner sense of lunacy to play this part. I know that I wrote for Travis some of the best one-liners in the series, but as played by Hansen, Travis is just hysterically funny...even in the scenes without written jokes. He just brings this insane sense of humor and physical presence to the role, and we had a running regulation on the set. Don't watch Hansen during the scenes. Because if you watched him while you were acting with him, or shooting him, or lighting him, you'd crack up and ruin the scene. Literally. Hansen has a bigness about him that is both irresistible and hysterical. He also brought out new layers to Travis, ones that make the character much more three dimensional. I knew going in that Hansen could be boisterous, but I had no idea that he could turn Travis into a kind of tragic figure.

Tony Mercer plays Bill T. Clark, the sort of "alpha male" of The House Between and since his character boasts a grounding in science, Mercer was on the receiving end of many of the show's long-winded and most difficult speeches. Yep, speeches. Yet what humbled and awed me about Tony's performances was the level of passion he brought to each new dialogue challenge, especially those which could have been...well, rather dry, especially in the hands of a different performer. In particular, there's one episode that features a lengthy speech (like pages and pages...) about abstract scientific theories and such, and Tony just nailed it. His intensity and passion was amazing, but I was even more impressed when I discussed with him how he was tackling that particular soliloquy. What he told me truly impressed me: he had painstakingly mapped out the eddies and valleys and high points of the lengthy dialogue and then proceeded to explain to me what Bill was feeling during each instant. This was something I couldn't have possibly imagined or dreamed of when I wrote that dialogue. But Tony had internalized it, made the words his own - and - in fact - turned those words into a kind of poetry; a kind of lyrical story that was about Bill and his feelings as much as it was about the explanation of a scientific theory.

Alicia A. Wood plays my "resident" Spock-type, Theresa, and all I can say is that if Star Trek ever needs another sexy female Vulcan, they'd be wise to look at her performance and immediately hire her. Alicia is a gorgeous young woman in her early twenties, relatively small in stature, and yet she brought to her performance (from Day One on...) an air of supreme authority and confidence. Not arrogance, just confidence, mind you. She could recite whole chunks of strange dialogue with almost no rehearsal and then - furthermore - imbue it with petulance, attitude, humor and the like. It was an astonishing and accomplished tour de force. And then, for the fifth episode, which reveals a new side to Theresa, Alicia suddenly expressed this incredible, child-like quality that just makes the episode all the more emotionaly involving. When I wrote the part of Theresa, I realized it was going to be difficult, and require someone completely in tune (and in touch) with their body, their voice, their presence. Thank Heaven we found Alicia. I really have no idea how someone so young proved so utterly accomplished, so comfortable in her own skin, but I won't question it.

Finally, Florent Christol leapt into the production for a guest performance on the sixth episode, "Trashed," playing a really, really nasty villain. With his silky, accented voice, extreme physicality and expressive eyes, Flo brought a new energy to the show. More than that, his presence really energized the other actors, who - I think - enjoyed having someone new to play against. Flo's dedication to his part (boiling scars and all...) brought everybody to a new level and exposed new sides of each character.

So today, my hat is off to my incredible cast. Each and every actor did an incredible job. I've been watching their performances while I catalog the footage from the show, and every time I watch a scene...I'm just impressed as hell by what they accomplished....and lose track of what I'm supposed to be recording and analyzing.

Production Diary # 4: The House Between: Special Effects

I've made no-budget films before, but my independently produced new TV series (now in post-production), The House Between is different because - wow - I actually had a real special effects artist making my crazy imaginings come true.

In this case, that special effects man is the versatile Rob Floyd (ably assisted by his sweet and helpful wife, Phyllis). My hat is off to Rob, because he came to the shoot completely and totally prepared not only for the special effects we had discussed on the phone in pre-production, but for every other possibility too. This means that in the middle of a hectic and intense shoot, he was able to conjure miraculous effects for us on the spot. This is good, because I'm a fickle director, and occasionally I want things on the spot. Yep...I'm a pain in the ass. Ask the cast...

For instance, there was a scene wherein we had to burn...*ahem*... something, and it just wouldn't catch fire satisfactorily. Let's just say that with Rob's help, that item burned up real well, and I didn't have to resort to 65 takes. (Though, in true Kubrickian fashion, I was ready to do that...)

Throughout the seven episode shoot, Rob accomplished some amazing effects for us, including the make-up for the "Out Dwellers" in episode # 4, "Visited" (which I don't want to reveal in close-up yet...), and boiling skin for a villainous character (played by Florent Christol) in episode # 6, "Trashed," some of which you do see here (below).

Rob also served as our regular make-up artist and our stunt coordinator too, so I'm really, really happy he was present and engaged for the entire shoot. Whenever I look at the footage, I'm amazed at the quality of effects he conjured.

So today I'm featuring a few effects shot on the blog, so you can check out Rob's (occasionally gory...) handiwork.

Production Diary # 3: The House Between

Episode Two ("Settled") of my upcoming, independently-shot TV series, The House Between, focuses on two characters primarily, Astrid and Bill. In particular, Astrid is confronted with (and haunted by...) an old musical composition (and tape recording...) from her traumatic past.

For this scene, we needed an original song ("The House Between") and Kim Breeding (who plays Astrid) devised a very haunting and disturbing tune. You'll know more precisely what I'm talking about when you see the episode...

Anyway, I thought that for today's production diary entry, I might transcribe the lyrics of Astrid's song. In the show, Kim (lead singer for Cured by Porno...) sings the tune too (even while her character reacts to it.) Kim also performs another tune for episode # 5, "Mirrored."

The House Between
Composed and Performed by Kim Breeding (as Astrid)...

Your good intentions paved the way/for me to learn to hate.

Your rules and restrictions and contradictions led me to my fate.

The chill between us broke me down/more than I care to say.

I'll sacrifice/if that's the price of your love then I will pay.

Chorus:

You left me unclean/Now I wander from room to room
in the House Between.

You may see Heaven or Hell /According to your doom
but I'll eternally dwell in the House Between

These walls will hold me away from Grace...until the End of time.
No Mercy Shown/I'm own my own, just like I was in life...

Production Diary # 2: The House Between -- Location/Sets

Yesterday, I wrote here about my new independent production, The House Between, a science-fiction/horror, seven installment TV show, bound direct for the Internet (and DVD sales). I'm cataloging footage, preparing a trailer, and editing the project now.

The series concerns a "house at the end of the universe," as one character terms it, a dwelling of mysteries, mind-states and inner-space. Here are a few views of the home in question. The series was shot in stark black-and-white, and hence these photos are in black and white too.


Left: The main hall. In episode #4, "Visited," this staircase turns into a battlefield between those trapped inside the house, and a force from outside that wants to get in.









Left: The upstairs hallway. This tight space is the location where Astrid first meets Bill, the house's "man of science," also trapped there.

















Left: This is Astrid's room. In episode # 1, "Arrived," Astrid (Kim Breeding) awakens in this room...naked. She finds all her clothes hanging neatly in the closet....










Left: The foyer downstairs. Throughout the series, all the windows are "blacked out" because of a strange "null space" surrounding the house.

Left: Arlo's kitchen. This room proves to be the "heart" of the house, in more ways than one. It's where Arlo (Jim Blanton) lives, and it's also where many core scenes occur. Sometimes the kitchen is a court room, sometimes it's a place to bond, and - occasionally (as in episode # 6, "Trashed") - it's a place for discovery.

Left: Bill's room and sanctuary. Bill (Anthony Mercer) can be a solitary guy, especially when he becomes convinced that the entire house is a prison designed to make him spill his secrets. Bill gets an...unusual visit from Astrid here in episode # 5, "Mirrored."

Production Diary # 1: The House Between

Seven days and no posts here? What's going on? Where have I been, dammit?

Well, I am thrilled to report that there was no personal medical emergency this time; and no looming book deadline either.

Instead, I spent eight glorious and utterly transformative days "on the set" with a committed cast and crew. Our mission? To shoot seven black-and-white episodes of an original live-action genre series entitled The House Between.

This is a genre enterprise (sci-fi/horror) that I wrote and directed. My producer is Joseph Maddrey, one of the producers on The Discovery Channel series A Haunting, and also the author of Nightmares in Red, White and Blue.

Together, we worked with a committed cast & crew of a dozen or so folks -- all of whom bunked at my house and worked for grueling, sixteen hour days to bring this new vision to life. I am forever in their debt for what they accomplished in this time period. I've never been with a more selfless or driven group of talents. Everyone "rowed in the same direction," from my DP and lighting crew to the stunt coordinator and cast members. I've likened the experience to "boot camp," but even that doesn't describe the commitment of The House Between team.

Why did we spend our time, money and energy on this enterprise now? Well, more than ten years ago, the independent film movement blossomed in America. Thanks to advances in technology that made film production affordable to the average joe, we saw a new direction in cinema (and practitioners like Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino).

Today is the time, I believe, when we will begin to see a similar movement exploding in TV production and that's what The House Between is. It's an original TV series that will be made available for streaming Online as soon as editing is complete.

The House Between is the creepy story of five strangers who awake to find themselves in a stark, lonely Victorian house...with no furniture. They don't know where they are; they can't escape; and they don't know who to trust. Is the house actually Heaven or Hell? Or something all together different? It's a mystery and more, and one that gets resolved a piece at a time.

The House Between story is partially inspired by Jean-Paul Sarte's existentialist play, No Exit, but there's also a lot of genre inspiration here, given my proclivities and history. There are resonances in The House Between of everything from Land of the Lost and Sapphire and Steel to Star Trek, The Prisoner and Space:1999. And yet hopefully - as you will see - it bears a distinctive and original voice all its own.

In the days ahead, as editing begins in earnest, I will feature more behind-the-scenes details of The House Between here on the blog, but I thought I would begin today with a few photographs from the last, intense week.

Left: Our first cast/crew reading of the debut episode, "Arrived."

Around the circle, we're looking at the back of Lighting Co-Director Bobby Schweizer's head, producer Joseph Maddrey (with the green binder), director of photography Rick Coulter (in tan shirt), and in blue, Lighting Co-Director Kevin Flanagan.

Left: Kim Breeding, the lead singer for Cured by Porno plays "Astrid," our tough-as-nails "lead" in The House Between. Astrid is the character we follow from the start of the series.

Left: Jim Blanton (who plays a character named Arlo), rehearses a fight scene with Kim Breeding (Astrid) while our stunt coordinator, Rob Floyd (back to us), puts them through their paces.

Left: Alicia A. Wood joins the series for the second episode, "Settled." She portrays the enigmatic woman named Theresa. Here she's preparing to shoot a scene with Jim Blanton, now in costume as Arlo.

Left: Anthony Mercer (left) plays Bill T. Clark, The House Between's stalwart "man of science." Beside him (right), is Lee Hansen, who plays Clark's loud-mouthed foil, the fly-in-the-ointment named Travis Crabtree.