In a better place than a week ago, when the water was rising, and I felt, for a day or so, that it might go just above my head. Now, the challenges are more specific, instead of vaguely and oppressively general. Have spent a week with Christos, and a storyboard artist Daniel Colon, talking, and talking, about how to shoot the movie.  We narrow down some of the options, the language for the film, and start to create a strategy for what is, and what is not, part of our cinematic language.   We have also circled over and over a short list of films that include:Raging Bull, The River, L’Enfance Nue, A Prophet, Passion, Husbands, Straight Time, Klute, A Woman Under the Influence, Kes, Looks and Smiles, Farmily Life, Au Hasard Balthazar, Irma Vep,and Summer Hours.  And we’ve come back around, again, to Maurice Pialat, to try once again to understand what he does that works so well

So now there is a solidity to things, which doesn’t mean there aren’t large problems to solve. Yesterday, I was focused on casting extras – gay Dungeons & Dragons players, partygoers for a scene at Julius; artist types in their 60s and 70s for the wedding scene – it’s all very detailed and each extra usually involves three or four emails. I have found that if you build the world sociologically with detail, the acting for everyone becomes much easier. Walking home yesterday, I thought how it made sense that it took me 25 years to start making movies here. It was that long before I had the intricate set of relationships and hours of observation I would need, to get the city even semi-right.

I would like to formally “cast” the three guys who came last night as Extras in the D&D scene. Please confirm that they can make the day of the shoot, and have Wardrobe work with them on bringing clothing options. For the rehearsal with Cheyenne, we should have all 6 of the players present. Cheyenne is being bumped up to DM, fyi. Mauricio is working on a re-write of the scene today.

Kaitlyn, let’s discuss props. I thought maybe we’d use all three of the hats we bought, or at least see how that looks. And I’d like to try to get the board looking like the one in that picture Jeff Goad had, as well as making sure we have some of the older Handbooks. I thought last night was very helpful in props regard.

Harrison: please get the names of the 3 D&D extras and also invite them to Ted & Roberto’s party. Also, I have asked Manny to invite some Dominican family and friends  – he says he will, but they might flake out — but to help him, can you send a brief email that he can use with the dates and the times, and brief info about the film (use my email as a template), so it’s easy for him to inquire. I have asked Tank to do the same, so please send her an email also, introducing yourself, and sending her easy text to use.
Keep your eyes out for Dominican or Latino extras to add to that scene, along with the Lesbian Softball Team.

Please set a half hour extras meeting tomorrow, for Harrison and I.

Keith, I also need to set the following:

2 hours via phone with Darren Burrows this weekend (Sunday is best).  Suggest 11am-1pm EST time
Cinematographer and Storyboard meeting on Saturday – noon to 3pm Ira & Christos; 3pm to 7pm  Ira, Christos, Daniel, & Chris Carroll
Tank Burt “Doreen” — half hour conversation, in person if its easy, if not, on the phone
Christina Kirk “Mindy” — I would like to attend her fitting if possible, and then have half an hour with her alone.  She plays on Tuesday, so let’s talk how to get this set up quickly.
Cheyenne Jackson “Ted”  set an hour via Skype for he and I for Sunday   best would be 2PM EST  Please also see if you can

Allison, I would like to discuss “Mindy’s” hair with HMU as soon as I can.

All for now.  If any questions or clarifications please don’t hesitate to ask.

Less than a week out and it feels like the calm before the storm. Or the calm before the calm. I am spending many of my waking and sleeping hours worrying about one scene in which a bunch of characters play Dungeons & Dragons.  How to get it right? How to be authentic? How will the actors improvise if they don’t know how to play? I don’t do much improvisation, except with group scenes and  social scenes. With those, I have found in those it is useful for the dialogue to serve as a guide, rather than as a dictator..

My feeling is if I’m mostly worried about Dungeons & Dragons, things are going well. The big sense of relief happened over the weekend, when I cast Darren Burrows at “Elliot,” the fourth lead in the film. Darren and I worked together on Forty Shades of Blue (pictured above), and he’s a warm, thoughtful man and an extremely natural actor.  Marisa had seen Forty Shadesand it was her idea to cast Darren. And now he’s on. I also thought in my dreams and waking hours of the rest of the puzzle, how they fit together, whom to add, the fabric of the ensemble overall, and came in Monday ready to cast 95% of the roles.  The movie takes shape.

Spent the last hour casting extras. Our extras guy Harrision Nesbit has been in the field – at high schools, Catholic Churches, gay bars, lesbian bars, etc – meeting people and asking them if they’d like to be in a movie. If you cast your extras as if you are casting your leads it makes everything easier, and more authentic. A scene comes alive because the right people are there.