15 August, 2006

Beastly Dreams

Craig March, the hug-addicted DirectorI wake up yesterday morning to my wife looking at me kind of funny with this grin on her face and she says, “You were sleep-talking last night.”

I reply with, “Oh yeah, what about?”

“You woke me up talking about casting for the movie. You were talking about casting a female and her audition was pretty great and what did I think. You kept on talking and I finally pinched you and asked if you were awake and your reply was, ‘Of course I'm awake!’ in a rather grumpy tone and that was the end of it.

“The conversation ended and I went back to sleep knowing you were asleep the whole time.”

Okay, when one starts talking about the movie in one’s sleep, one is a little obsessed.

But I am glad that I am obsessed.

I'm glad that this is all-consuming.

I'm glad that I am dreaming out loud about our dream of making The Beast of Bottomless Lake.
- Craig

Hugs all around!

Gordon, who plays ‘Clive’What a fabulous evening that was! Meet the cast and crew. With the exception of having met the director, Craig, once at the audition, everyone else was a total stranger to me. By the time I had to run to catch my ferry, well…

I’ve done much more work on the stage than I have in film. I love the rehearsal process of theatre as much as, perhaps more than, the actual performance. Strangers gradually become acquaintances, often friends. In front of your eyes actors’ personalities morph into something else; characters who develop relationships with each other, with the cast, with their creators. It’s a beautiful, crazy time.

I felt the beginnings of that process last night; like being part of the birth of a new family. I’m usually a ‘day player’ in film so I miss out on most of this process. I feel so excited and privileged to be joining this project in early days. Well, not that early really. The project has been working up to last night for about eight years. But I feel like I’m entering the flow way upstream this time, and I’m excited about the trip.

The first time I read the sides for my audition, I knew there was something special about this film, and I felt the first pangs of “I want to be a part of this.” When the director came over and gave me a hug after the audition, I was hooked.

Apparently he hugs a lot, but what are families for? So let’s hug away and watch this baby grow.

Cheers,
— Gordon / ‘Clive’

04 August, 2006

Audition Excitement

Craig March, the hug-addicted DirectorWhat an exciting week! Two days in Vancouver and two days in Kelowna casting for our soon-to-be-shot movie, The Beast of Bottomless Lake. I laughed my ass off, and for those that know me, that is no easy accomplishment.

I don't think I have had as much fun in my whole career as I am having now.

The actors brought so much creativity and genuine talent to the words Keith, Kennedy and I have written that I truly feel we are blessed to be surrounded by such amazing talent. It also saddens me a little to know that so much incredible talent is under-utilized in the system that is Hollywood North. I wish that these wonderful friends and new friends could be recognized by the industry as I see them, a much deeper pool of talent than what the industry constraints place on them.

Wake up L.A. and L.A. North, see what I see and start taking advantage of the great talent that exists here, eh?
- Craig